17 November 2025 (Monday) / Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious on Monday of week 33 in Ordinary Time / Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Married Woman, Religious Obligatory Memorial / Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

17 November 2025 (Monday)

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious on Monday of week 33 in Ordinary Time.

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 : 1 Maccabees 1:10‐15,41‐43,54‐57,62‐64

There grew a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; once a hostage in Rome, he became king in the one hundred and thirty‐seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks. It was then that there emerged from Israel a set of renegades who led many people astray. ‘Come,’ they said ‘let us reach an understanding with the pagans surrounding us, for since we separated ourselves from them many misfortunes have overtaken us.’ This proposal proved acceptable, and a number of the people eagerly approached the king, who authorised them to practise the pagan observances. So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, such as the pagans have, disguised their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant, submitting to the heathen rule as willing slaves of impiety. Then the king issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom that all were to become a single people, each renouncing his particular customs. All the pagans conformed to the king’s decree, and many Israelites chose to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the sabbath. The king erected the abomination of desolation above the altar; and altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah and incense offered at the doors of houses and in the streets. Any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned. Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practising the Law, the king’s decree sentenced him to death. Yet there were many in Israel who stood firm and found the courage to refuse unclean food. They chose death rather than contamination by such fare or profanation of the holy covenant, and they were executed. It was a dreadful wrath that visited Israel.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 118(119):53,61,134,150,155,158

Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your will.

I am seized with indignation at the wicked who forsake your law. Though the nets of the wicked ensnared me I remembered your law.

Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your will.

Redeem me from man’s oppression and I will keep your precepts. Those who harm me unjustly draw near; they are far from your law.

Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your will.

Salvation is far from the wicked who are heedless of your statutes. I look at the faithless with disgust; they ignore your promise.

Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your will.

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

As Jesus drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging. When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about, and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. So he called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.’ The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Sir,’ he replied ‘let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.’ And instantly his sight returned and he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God for what had happened.

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)