33rd Week in Ord. Time, Saturday – 25th November 2023 – 1 Macc 6,1-13; Lk 20,27-40
Fate of the Divine Opposers
The first reading presents the end of the reign of King Antiochus Epiphanes and the fear of death that is experienced by the people who have opposed God. As he reviews his reign, disasters now overtake him resulting in his sickness and death. He hopelessly faces death because of what he had done to the chosen people of God, the Jews. While embracing death, he ponders over the mistreatment and wrongdoings he had imposed upon God’s holy people. Being filled with grief, he realizes that he had been responsible for the destruction of the Temple, the tearing down of the walls surrounding Jerusalem, and the forcing of the Jews to worship him. Now he is dying miserable, “perishing of bitter disappointment in a strange land.” However, there is an element of true repentance in his words and for this he lays himself open to God’s mercy. How do we think our lives will be evaluated by those who have known us in life? Do we believe that we are more kind and compassionate than actually we are? What actions of ours in the past do we now see were very wrong and unjust? What amends can we make, for it is never too late to turn ourselves round. We cannot undo what has been done, but we can act to make a radical change in our lives and relationships from today onwards.
