Monday, November 20, 2017
1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63, Psalm 119:53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158, Luke 18:35-43
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/112017.cfm
DON'T YOU SEE?
"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." -1 Maccabees 1:13-14
Some of the chosen people were so spiritually blind that they made an alliance with the Gentiles to introduce to Israel a pagan way of living (1 Mc 1:11). They even volunteered to help brainwash and pervert themselves. This alliance with pagans eventually became more obviously questionable when the pagans "erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of holocausts" (1 Mc 1:54), burnt any scrolls of the law (1 Mc 1:56), and murdered those who remained faithful to the Jewish law (1 Mc 1:60-63).
Christians today are in a similar situation. The secular humanistic "culture of death" seems at first innocuous to many Christians. Christian churches and groups even volunteer to help brainwash their members. Sooner or later, however, the "culture of death" begins to live up to its name. Its supposed tolerance is unmasked, and a violently anti-Christian totalitarian dictatorship emerges.
Some of you reading this see what I mean; others don't. May each one of us pray as the blind man of Jericho did: "Lord, I want to see" (see Lk 18:41). Once we see, let us "fight hard for the faith" (Jude 3) and protect people from lies, sin, death, and destruction.
Prayer: Father, may I see what's going on in our culture.
Promise: "At that very moment he was given his sight and began to follow Him, giving God the glory. All the people witnessed it and they too gave praise to God." -Lk 18:43
Praise: Attending a friend's funeral brought Peter back to Church. He then experienced the Lord's merciful love and returned to the Faith.
(For related teaching, order our leaflet, "The Challenge of Making Disciples in a Culture of Death", or on audio AV 97-1 and AV 97-3 or on video V-97.)
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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from October 1, 2017 through November 30, 2017
?Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 12, 2017
The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.
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