＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63* 

From their descendants there came a godless offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of king Antiochus, who had been held as hostage in Rome. He became king in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the Greek era (in the year 175 B.C.).

(...) On the fifteenth day of the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, Antiochus erected the "abominable idol of the invaders" on the altar of the temple. Pagan altars were built throughout the whole land of Judea; incense was offered at the doors of their houses and in the squares. There wicked men tore up the books of the Law they found and burned them. They killed anyone they caught in possession of the book of the Covenant and who fulfilled the precepts of the Law, as the royal decree had ordered.

But in spite of all this, many Israelites still remained firm and determined not to eat unclean food. They preferred to die rather than to make themselves unclean with those foods (prohibited by the Law) that violated the Holy Covenant.

 

Ps 119:53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158

Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊      

Luke 18:35-43

When Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging. As he heard the crowd passing by, he inquired what was happening, and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was going by. Then he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" The people in front of him scolded him. "Be quiet!" they said, but he cried out all the more, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Jesus stopped, and ordered the blind man to be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the man said, "Lord, that I may see!" Jesus said, "Receive your sight, your faith has saved you." At once the blind man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, giving praise to God. And all the people who were there also praised God.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

 

"Those who live faithfully may face persecution." 

There's an old proverb that says that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Sometimes people living their faith and striving for holiness are treated as squeaky wheels who need to be quieted. They make us uncomfortable by calling us to a higher standard and by making us aware of our own sins and failures. 

We see examples in today's readings. People try to silence the blind man who is calling out to Jesus. The first reading describes the time surrounding the Greek conquest of Israel. Many people abandoned their faith and adopted Greek customs, ultimately leading to those who remained faithful to the covenant being silenced, sometimes violently.

Even in our day, those who live faithfully may face persecution. In some places, churches have been destroyed and worshippers have been injured or even killed. In other places, people are not permitted to speak of their faith and evangelize others. Let each of us pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters, that God will strengthen them, keep them safe, and bring them home to him.