Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Scripture

We are called to worship God and give praise and glory to him. As we begin this 33rd week of Ordinary Time, where we count our weeks walking with our Lord Jesus Christ, we know that we are marching toward the end of another liturgical year. As a married couple counts their years of marriage, we celebrate that we have made it 33 weeks of keeping company with the Lord, worshiping God as we go. Today we hear excerpts from the book of 1 Maccabees.

This is one of the younger books of the Old Testament, that is to say that the events described in it took place within a century or two of Jesus’ birth and death. What we encounter from Maccabees is very much related to the everyday praise and worship of God. The author tells of the conflict that occurred in Judea. As often happened, the Jewish people found themselves under the rule of someone who did not share their religious convictions. And as often happened, many of them began to adopt the customs of the Gentiles around them. In this case it was partly because King Antiochus Epiphanes desired the unity of the people of his kingdom.

In the quest for nationalism, the king asked that all the citizens forego their own religious customs and join in a civic religion that featured pagan idols. Along with this came the expectation that Jews would also let go of other religious practices, including observance of the Sabbath and circumcision. And many of the Jews, whether out of fear, comfort, or unconsciously, began to act as the Gentiles. Still others, however, stood steadfastly to their faith and were persecuted and killed for it. As the author writes, “Terrible affliction was upon Israel” (1 Mc 1:63). And, indeed, it is always a terrible affliction when we are not able or willing to worship God as we ought.

In the gospel reading, we encounter one of the many healing stories from the gospel of Luke. The passage today features a blind man, who calls out to Jesus even though people rebuke him for it. He is persistent, recognizing Jesus as the “Son of David” and knowing that he has the power to heal him. His faith brings him a return to sight, but it also brings him the opportunity to give glory to God, which he does immediately. Moreover, his healing also brings the opportunity for others to praise God.

As we walk with God in our daily lives, we probably have ample reason to give praise and glory to God. And yet, we may not always do that. We are not in a situation as dire as that described in Maccabees. No one is threatening us with persecution and death. But we must acknowledge that we do not live in a society where we all share similar religious values and practices. Because of this, worshiping God may not come naturally to us. We may have the instinct, but have become accustomed to hiding it, seeking comfort in worldly things, like those around us who do not share our faith.

Today’s readings invite us to see our world as the place of a pilgrimage toward God. On this journey, we find ourselves already accompanied by Jesus, if we are willing to receive the grace he freely offers us. Let us take some time today to reflect on how we might better praise and glorify God. Try to identify one thing that you can praise God for, and do that throughout your day.

- Maria Morrow