19th NOVEMBER THURSDAY OF WEEK 33

1st Reading: 1Maccabees 2:15-29

Mattathias starts the Maccabee rebellion against pagan rule

The King's officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them offer sacrifice. Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias as follows: " You are a leader, honored and great in this town, and supported by sons and brothers. Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the people of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honoured with silver and gold and many gifts."

But Matthathisa answered and said in a loud voice: " Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, everyone of them  abandoning the religion of their ancestors, I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left."

When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the king's command. When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him on the altar. At the same time he killed king's officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. 

Thus he burned with zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did against Zimri son of salu.

Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: " Let everyone who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!" Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town. At that time many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the desert to live there.

Gospel: Luke19:41-44

Jesus is upset over the forthcoming destruction of Jerusalem

As Jesus came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, " If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will setup ramparts around you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God."

REFLECTIONS AND MEDITATIONS ON THE READINGS

The lament for Jerusalem

Jerusalem in Hebrew means peace . Jesus weeps because the holy city fails to live up to its name. The inhabitants reject Jesus, the messenger sent by God. Despite the wondrous miracles Jesus had done, the people fail to recognize the time of God's visitation. Jesus foresees the forthcoming destruction of the city whose people reject the Gospel values and ways of non-violence.

Truly human at the same time is he is God the Son, Jesus shows the pain in his heart. The people persist in their hardness of heart and stubborn minds. They maintain their old ways and reject the Messiah of peace. War indeed comes to people whose options do not include the ways of peace.

Empathy, not just sympathy, is one of the qualities of a genuine Christian; it is not just a feeling for others but putting oneself in the place of another. St. Paul, the great missionary apostle, mentions this along with other essential qualities in one of his letters: "Bless those who persecute; bless and do not wish evil on anyone. Rejoice with those who are joyful; and weep with those who weep. Live in peace with one another. Do not dream of extraordinary thing; be humble and do not hold yourselves wise," ( Rom 12:14-16).

St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the wisest theologians the Catholic church ever had, mentions about the psychological meaning of weeping or crying in one of his writings, summa Thologica. First, he posed the question, " What would you advice a Woman who is about to cry?" his answer: " You should let her cry, for nothing gives her the greatest pleasure at the moment than to cry."

Jesus may be weeping for us now. When life is not respected, when babies are rejected and aborted, when the sanctity of marriage is violated, when couples resort to contraception- yes, Jesus still weeps when we reject his Gospel and evangelical values.