Monday - November 15, 2021
"Virtues are formed by prayer.
Prayer preserves temperance.
Prayer suppresses anger.
Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.
Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven."
-- St Ephraem
TODAY'S READINGS
Monday
of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary:
497
Reading 1 1 Mc 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63
[From the descendants of Alexander’s officers]
there sprang a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes,
son of King Antiochus, once a hostage at Rome.
He became king in the year one hundred and thirtyseven
of the kingdom of the Greeks.
In those days there appeared in Israel
men who were breakers of the law,
and they seduced many people, saying:
“Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us;
since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us.”
The proposal was agreeable;
some from among the people promptly went to the king,
and he authorized them to introduce the way of living
of the Gentiles.
Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem
according to the Gentile custom.
They covered over the mark of their circumcision
and abandoned the holy covenant;
they allied themselves with the Gentiles
and sold themselves to wrongdoing.
Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,
each abandoning his particular customs.
All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king,
and many children of Israel were in favor of his religion;
they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.
On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev,
in the year one hundred and forty-five,
the king erected the horrible abomination
upon the altar of burnt offerings
and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars.
They also burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets.
Any scrolls of the law which they found they tore up and burnt.
Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant,
and whoever observed the law,
was condemned to death by royal decree.
But many in Israel were determined
and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean;
they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food
or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die.
Terrible affliction was upon Israel.
Responsorial Psalm 119:53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158
R. (see 88) Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Indignation seizes me because of the wicked
who forsake your law.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Though the snares of the wicked are twined about me,
your law I have not forgotten.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Redeem me from the oppression of men,
that I may keep your precepts.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
I am attacked by malicious persecutors
who are far from your law.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Far from sinners is salvation,
because they seek not your statutes.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
I beheld the apostates with loathing,
because they kept not to your promise.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Alleluia Jn 8:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the
Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 18:35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me!”
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”
Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
*****************
How to be an effective minister of the Gospel
When we see people who could benefit from knowing Jesus but they ignore him, or who need his healing love but they don't trust him, or who are suffering through trials but they're blind to the help that Jesus offers, we want to help them. And to be an effective minister of the Gospel for them, we can learn from today's Gospel reading.
Notice:
1. Jesus did not tromp over to the blind man and tell him that he could be healed. The blind man had to go to Jesus. We have to wait for others to come to us or show readiness to receive us, rather than force our help upon them. To get their attention and invite them, we make it visible that Jesus is the reason for our own faith, and we teach them what Jesus is like by imitating him. However, they have to make their own steps toward Jesus. Meanwhile, we can pay attention to how we could imitate Jesus better and more often.
2. Because people were attracted to Jesus, the blind man heard the commotion and responded. In everything we do, if we are so full of Jesus that people are attracted to us (coming to us for help, for prayer, for encouragement, for insight, or for friendship), the "blind" ones will take notice and begin to wonder if we can help them, too.
3. The moment the blind man initiated his request for help, Jesus stopped what he was doing and gave the man his full attention. We have to be willing to give our time and full attention to others at the very moment that they're ready to experience Jesus. We must not waste the opportunities they give us, even though this won't be on our time schedule (ministry is rarely convenient, but always it is God's perfect timing).
4. Only when the blind man "came near" to Jesus did he hear the invitation to receive healing. He heard: "What do you want me to do for you?" When you ask this question of those who are drawn to you, it's Jesus who's asking it through you. Their answer will tell you what they're ready to receive from him.
5. When the man asked Jesus for sight, he received both a physical and a spiritual healing. Jesus affirmed him by pointing out that it was the man's faith that had healed him. As we minister to others, we help them most effectively when we recognize and affirm the good that God is doing within them.
It's impossible to force someone to change. We don't make ministry happen; we can only participate in the ministry that God is already doing in their lives. To be successful, we must first notice where others are on their journey of faith. Then we invite them to seek what God wants to give them. If they take the next step into true faith, this faith will save them.
Today's Prayer
Lord Jesus, In dark nights, I want to keep seeing everything through Your eyes. You are my guide, my path and my support at all times. I praise You, my God! Amen.
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