Reading 1 1 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59
Judas and his brothers said,
"Now that our enemies have been crushed,
let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it."
So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion.
Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month,
that is, the month of Chislev,
in the year one hundred and forty-eight,
they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law
on the new altar of burnt offerings that they had made.
On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it,
on that very day it was reconsecrated
with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals.
All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven,
who had given them success.
For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar
and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices
of deliverance and praise.
They ornamented the facade of the temple with gold crowns and shields;
they repaired the gates and the priests' chambers
and furnished them with doors.
There was great joy among the people
now that the disgrace of the Gentiles was removed.
Then Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel
decreed that the days of the dedication of the altar
should be observed with joy and gladness
on the anniversary every year for eight days,
from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev.
Responsorial Psalm 1 Chronicles 29:10bcd, 11abc, 11d-12a, 12bcd
R. (13b) We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Blessed may you be, O LORD,
God of Israel our father,
from eternity to eternity."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power,
majesty, splendor, and glory.
For all in heaven and on earth is yours."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.
Riches and honor are from you."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"You have dominion over all,
In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
Gospel Lk 19:45-48
Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,
"It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves."
And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words.
Meditation: Luke 19:45-48
“Every day he was teaching in the temple area.” (Luke 19:47)
Jesus’ enemies were hunting him like hawks circling their prey, but they couldn’t find an opportunity to strike because of his many followers. So many people were listening intently to him, “hanging on his words” (Luke 19:48).
People weren’t spellbound by Jesus’ words because he was a great orator or politically savvy. His magnetism came from the authority with which he spoke. It came from the power of the word of God itself, the power of something “living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Jesus often relied on the word of God in Hebrew Scripture to refute his enemies. Just think of all the different times he began a saying with, “It is written” (Luke 19:46; Matthew 4:4,7,10; Mark 7:6; John 8:17).
Don’t we all have “enemies” lurking in our hearts and minds, trying to overpower and banish Jesus from our lives? Don’t we all have interior closets filled with doubts, resentments, and powerful temptations that would prefer to stay locked up rather than face Jesus? Fortunately, we have a weapon that can defeat these enemies: Scripture overcomes the lies of the devil and the tug of our fallen nature.
This is why reading the Bible on a daily basis can be a powerful tool. Committing a few lines to memory and recalling them at key moments of anxiety, anger, or doubt can help us overcome these enemies. Recalling prayers of confidence from the Psalms or words of comfort from the Gospels can help us build our lives on a secure foundation. It can create a shield around us, protecting us from the negative emotions and reactions that the world can throw at us.
Do you have a plan for reading Scripture? Perhaps this very magazine, with our emphasis on the daily Mass readings, can offer you some structure. Whatever you do, make sure that you are immersing yourself in God’s word. Let it captivate your heart, as Jesus captured the hearts of his listeners in the Temple. Over time, your enemies will all fall away!
“Jesus, I marvel at the power of your word! Grant me a deeper thirst for Scripture, so that I can grow in wisdom and confidence.”
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