17 November 2025 (Monday)
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Married Woman, Religious Obligatory Memorial.
Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious.
Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:
First Reading: First Maccabees 1: 10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 119: 53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158
Alleluia: John 8: 12
Gospel: Luke 18: 35-43
First Reading: First Maccabees 1: 10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63
And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus the Illustrious, the son of king Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome: and he reigned in the hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks. In those days there went out of Israel wicked men, and they persuaded many, saying: Let us go, and make a covenant with the heathens that are round about us: for since we departed from them, many evils have befallen us. And the word seemed good in their eyes. And some of the people determined to do this, and went to the king: and he gave them license to do after the ordinances of the heathens. And they built a place of exercise in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the nations: And they made themselves prepuces, and departed from the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathens, and were sold to do evil. And king Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people should be one: and every one should leave his own law. And all nations consented according to the word of king Antiochus. And many of Israel consented to his service, and they sacrificed to idols, and profaned the sabbath. On the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred and forty-fifth year, king Antiochus set up the abominable idol of desolation upon the altar of God, and they built altars throughout all the cities of Juda round about: And they burnt incense, and sacrificed at the doors of the houses, and in the streets. And they cut in pieces, and burnt with fire the books of the law of God: And every one with whom the books of the testament of the Lord were found, and whosoever observed the law of the Lord, they put to death, according to the edict of the king. And many of the people of Israel determined with themselves, that they would not eat unclean things: and they chose rather to die than to be defiled with unclean meats. And they would not break the holy law of God, and they were put to death: And there was very great wrath upon the people.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 119: 53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158
R. (88) Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
A fainting hath taken hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake thy law.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
The cords of the wicked have encompassed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Redeem me from the calumnies of men: that I may keep thy commandments.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
They that persecute me have drawn nigh to iniquity; but they are gone far off from the law.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands. Salvation is far from sinners; because they have not sought thy justifications.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
I beheld the transgressors, and I pined away; because they kept not thy word.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Alleluia: John 8: 12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
12 I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.
(12. When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said: I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the light of life).
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 18: 35-43
Now it came to pass, when he drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the way side, begging. And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying: Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. And they that went before, rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought unto him. And when he was come near, he asked him, saying: What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight: thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he saw, and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
For our reflection today:
The figure of this blind man represents the many people who, today too, are marginalized because of a disability, be it physical or of another kind. He is separated from the flock, sitting there while people pass by: busy, lost in their thoughts and in so many things. And the road, which could be a place of encounter, for him is instead a place of solitude. Crowds pass by and he is alone. Jesus stopped, and commanded that he be brought to him” (v. 40). By doing so, Jesus takes the blind man away from the roadside and puts him at the centre of the attention of His disciples and of the crowd. Let us also think about when we have been in awful situations, including situations of sin, how it was in fact Jesus who took us by the hand away from the roadside and gave us salvation. Jesus also passes by in your Life; and when Jesus passes by, and I realize it, it is an invitation to draw near to him, to be better, to be a better Christian, to follow Jesus. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 15 June 2016)
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)
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