Friday, November 18, 2011

 

Friday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time


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.
 

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for posting this Bucky.
    The Gospel Reading brings back memories. I have been requested to lector in various churches through the years, and as a result, went through lector training programs at those various churches. This gospel reading was one of the gospel readings used in the lector training at St. Michael Church.
    This gospel reading illustrates justified righteous anger on the part of Jesus. Many times as Christians, we are called upon to make a stand. What will cause us to make a stand for God? It begins with knowing the love that God has for us and His perfect will. It also is rooted in knowing the love that God has for others and His desire that all may know His love and His perfect will.
    When we see activity happening around us that conflicts with God's love and His perfect will, creating hazard to those involved, possibly causing those involved to go astray - That's the time to make a stand - for love of God - and for righteous anger that the hazardous activity which detracts from God and His way is underway. As an old saying goes - "All it takes for evil to exist is for good men to stand by and do nothing."

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