33rd Week, Monday, Nov 20

33rd Week, Monday, Nov 20

1 Macc 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-64 / Luke 18:35-43

Antiochus becomes king; He threatens Israel's faith.

 In 1931 archaeologists discovered some coins, near the Dead Sea, bearing the name Antiochus, the king mentioned in today's reading. Antiochus IV was a Syrian king who ruled over the vassal state of Israel some 170 years before the birth of Jesus. 

Antiochus was a Greek culture buff and considered himself an incarnation of Zeus, the father of the Greek gods. He proudly called himself Epiphanes (“God manifest"). Jews called him Epimanes (“mad man”).

 In keeping with his love of Greek culture, Antiochus tried to make Greeks out of the Jews. His first step in this direction. was to try to stamp out their religious faith. So, he launched a massive persecution in Israel Some Jews defected; others remained faithful.

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How strong is our own faith? Is it strong enough to hold up in time of trial? “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.” 1 Peter 2:21

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This week the first reading in Year I will be taken from the two canonical books of the Maccabees. These tell the story of the epic fight of the Jews against the Syrian empire. The Syrian king wanted to unify the kingdom under Hellenistic culture. Many Jews felt that their adherence to the Mosaic law isolated them and went along, but a faithful core, later most of the Jewish people, fought to defend their faith and their culture, some even sacrificing their lives for this purpose.

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In life, there will be misfortunes. That seems to be like the unwritten rule of life. So, in life we will experience the spectrum of sickness and suffering, of anxieties and troubles, of oppression and persecution.

 The 1st reading ends off with this line - It was a dreadful wrath that had visited Israel. Indeed, it was a dreadful wrath as those who wanted to stay faithful to the Lord would have to face the possibility of torture and death. It is most unfortunate that just because one believes in God and wants to remain faithful to Him, he would have to pay for it with his life. But it is in times like these that faith is tested and proven.

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The Gospel of today presents a few verbs that characterise the life and activity of Jesus. First, Jesus “passes by” Jericho; similarly, Jesus passes by us always. Secondly, Jesus “hears” the voice of the one crying out. His busy life and his preoccupations did not prevent him from hearing the cry of the blind man. Similarly, Jesus listens to our cry and even listens to our silence. Thirdly, Jesus “stops” his journey; He could have easily ignored the cry of the blind man, but he stopped by the man. And finally, he “cures” the blind man. By curing him, he gave him a new life – a life of relationship with Jesus in faith. Jesus passes by us every day through thousands of signs – small or big. Are we aware and alert to the moments of grace provided by God?

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In the gospel, the blind beggar had had his share of misfortunes - he was blind, he had to beg, and when he called out to Jesus, he was scolded and told to shut up. That would have been enough for anyone to lose faith, but for that blind beggar, it was then that his faith was tested and proven. He not only received his sight, but his faith has also saved him. 

May we see our misfortunes as opportunities for our faith to be tested and proven, and may our faith in God also bring about salvation for us.

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After Jesus had scolded the apostles for their lack of understanding and faith, Luke shows him curing the blind man. Is it perhaps to teach the apostles a lesson and show them that they need to be healed from their blindness by faith? In any case, Jesus becomes light and gives light to the blind man. We ask our Lord to give us eyes of faith.

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Prayer

God almighty Father, each of us too could say: Let me see again, for I am blind to the love that you show me in the people around me. Let me see again, for I am blind to your goodness and beauty, that you reveal to me in your creation and in the events of life. May we too, hear from the lips of your Son: your faith has saved you. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen

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