Never Compromise
Nov. 20: Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Compromise can be a good thing, when you’re making a deal with a business partner. It’s a terrible thing when you’re making a deal with the devil.
Reading 1
1 Mc 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63
[From the descendants of Alexander's officers] there sprang a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus, once a hostage at Rome. He became king in the year one hundred and thirty seven of the kingdom of the Greeks.
In those days there appeared in Israel men who were breakers of the law, and they seduced many people, saying: "Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us."
The proposal was agreeable; some from among the people promptly went to the king, and he authorized them to introduce the way of living of the Gentiles. Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom. They covered over the mark of their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing.
Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king, and many children of Israel were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.
On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of burnt offerings and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars. They also burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. Any scrolls of the law which they found they tore up and burnt. Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law, was condemned to death by royal decree. But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel.
This is the setup to the Maccabean revolt. The Seleucid Empire had risen up and conquered large chunks of the Middle East, including Israel. Many Jews decided it would be easier to go along to get along with their new rulers. They abandoned their traditions and outwards signs of faith.1
But compromise didn’t help. The foreign authority pushed further and further, until they outlawed Judaism altogether and sacrificed to pagan gods in the Jewish cities. Agreeing to a deal with the Devil doesn’t make him go away; it emboldens him.
So some Jews decided to try resist in small ways, like keeping kosher. We’ll see how well that goes tomorrow.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 119:53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Indignation seizes me because of the wicked
who forsake your law.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Though the snares of the wicked are twined about me,
your law I have not forgotten.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Redeem me from the oppression of men,
that I may keep your precepts.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
I am attacked by malicious persecutors
who are far from your law.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Far from sinners is salvation,
because they seek not your statutes.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
I beheld the apostates with loathing,
because they kept not to your promise.
R. Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
The Psalmist shames the Hellenistic Jews by his example. He’s not going to forget God’s law, no matter how many wicked persecutors surround him.
He calls to God for help (I mean, who wants to be twined by the wicked?), because he can’t resist them on his own. What he doesn’t do is give up on God just because he’s being persecuted right now.
Alleluia
Jn 8:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We’re called on to follow Jesus whether it’s easy or hard.
Gospel
Lk 18:35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!"
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
He replied, "Lord, please let me see."
Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you."
He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
The blind man identifies Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of David promised to come and save Israel. He appeals to Jesus because he understands scripture. He has faith, despite his trials.
Compromise doesn’t get him any closer to God’s blessings. Faith does.
The gymnasium is noted because the Greeks exercised in the nude, and the Jews would conceal their circumcision.