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 thirty‑seven
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.
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.
Meditation: Luke 18:35-43
Judging from all the symptoms, we can probably conclude that the blind beggar in today’s Gospel reading had a condition called SPE.
He was specific, persistent, and expectant. If only we had the same symptoms! Through them, we can discover the power of prayer to change our lives, regardless of the circumstances we are praying about. The mere act of praying confirms our faith in a God who we believe hears us and answers us.
We should be specific. No one doubts that it’s important to pray for world peace in general. But if there is an annoying next-door neighbor who bothers you every time you see him, be sure to take it to prayer as well. Praying, for instance, that he quit yelling at the kids could make you more sensitive to the things that may cause him to yell. Praying for a friend on a regular basis may accomplish something, but knowing that a back injury incapacitated her and that she has been in therapy for three weeks allows you to be specific. Not only has your petition reached God’s ears but your heart goes out to her distress. God is in the details.
We should be persistent. The blind beggar in today’s Gospel was not going to be put off by rebukes. When we are dedicated with our prayer, we are reconfirming our trust that in God’s time—which is eternity—our prayer is already answered. Our faithfulness to persistent prayer builds our faith whether we see answers in our lifetime or not. Keep praying. Know that God hears you and will answer you in his own good time.
Finally, we should be expectant. Expectant prayer assumes that God will act. Once you offer your prayer, watch for an answer. Often, God will give you more than you expected, and you don’t want to miss how he does it. The more you look for miracles, the more of them you will see—simply because your eyes are open. Your faith will continue to grow as you live each day expecting the blessings that God wants to pour out.
So be specific, be persistent, be expectant, and leave the answers up to God.
“Jesus, just as you prayed to the Father, I place all my needs in your care.”
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