Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection November 20, 2025
Thursday – 33rd Week in Ordinary Time
20th November 2025 (Thursday)
Psalter: Week 1
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 1 Maccabees 2:15-29
In those days: The king’s officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to make them offer sacrifice. Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled. Then the king’s officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: “You are a leader, honoured and great in this city, and supported by sons and brothers. Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the men of Judah and those who 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 Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: “Even if all the nations which live under the rule of the king obey him and have chosen to do his commandments, departing each one from the religion of his fathers, yet I and my sons and my brothers will live by the covenant of our fathers. 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 upon 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 slaughtered him upon the altar. At the same time he killed the king’s officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. Thus he burned with zeal for the law, as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salom. Then Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: “Let everyone who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!” And he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the city. Then many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to dwell there.
Psalm 50:1-2, 5-6, 14-15 (R. 23bc)
R/. To one whose way is blameless, I will show the salvation of God.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Today harden not your hearts, but listen to the voice of the Lord.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Luke 19:41-44
At that time: When Jesus drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade round you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Thursday – 33rd Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: What is very consoling and heartening is that our God is a God of heart. He feels for us and with us. He is so sensitive that he even weeps over us, for our plight and flight with evil
1. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem because he knows her impending destruction. The city and the temple were symbols of glory and honour. But these external causes of greatness would not save them from their fateful misery.
2. Jesus also states the reason for this destructive end. It is because they did not recognize the time of God’s visitation to them. In the context of the history of salvation, “God visits His people” would mean that he enters into their lives, encounters them and also intervenes in their testing times and transforms their condition.
3. Truly God visited his people in and through his own Son, Jesus. He offered them his love, guided them with his light and strengthened them with his power. But sadly, the people did not accept him and cooperate with him.
4. They rejected his message and the effect of his saving acts. Consequently, they invited upon themselves destruction. In fact, it is a self-destruction. They cannot blame anyone else for their pitiable ruin except their own selves.
5. In contrast, in the first reading from 1 Maccabees, we have a glorious model of loyalty in the person of Mattathias, a great leader in the city of Modein. He was allured to be numbered among the friends of the king and to be honoured with silver and gold and many gifts, if only they deserted the God of their fathers and obey the king’s orders for apostasy.
6. But undaunted was the courage and faith of Mattathias. He declares boldly, “Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, yet I and my sons and my brothers will live by the covenant of our fathers. 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 hand”.
7. He burned with zeal, defied the king’s order, killed a man who came to offer sacrifice, killed the king’s officer, and left all that they had in the city and fled to the hills, with his sons and many other loyal Israel.
8. His example urges us for a renewed zeal for God, God’s house and God’s holy statutes. We must remain faithful to the laws and ordinances inherited through our long and hallowed traditions. Even though we are threatened and intimidated by dire consequences, we must not swerve in our loyalty.
My Practice: In a world and religion of mediocrity and lukewarmness especially in matters of faith and charity, true followers of Christ must revive and rekindle the losing fire of burning zeal for God and conviction
