REFLECTION: If I stop doing God's work or follow God's will because of what other people say, do, or not do, then I have committed a grave sin - that of putting importance on what other people say/think, do, or not do, more than on what God has said, has done and will do for me. I pray for those who tear us down instead of building us up. I pray that we only build each other up. I pray for all of us who believe in the commandment to "love your neighbour," and yet at times are the very ones who themselves can't. I pray we can be willing to give up our dreams, our ambitions, our "reputations," and our lives as we know it if only to follow God's commandments. Indeed the Lord is a shield around me even when society dictates me to lead an earth-centered life rather than a God-centered life, or when society encourages me to give up on God's work. Finally, I pray that I can have a full repentance and complete faith so that can overshadow my sinfulness for good.
SIDE NOTE: Is it wrong to eat pork? If you ask me, I think we are free to eat pork or any meat, except that eating fruits and vegetables may be much more beneficial to this planet Earth that God created and that he has made our home. If we are in a country that does not allow pork, we should respect and follow that country's laws and not insist on eating pork. If it is a type of meat from endangered species (say whale meat), I believe it is not proper to eat it.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Tuesday of the Thirty-third week in Ordinary Time
St. Elizabeth of Hungary (+ 1231) - Memorial
Commentary of the day
Saint Ephrem : "Today salvation has come to this house"
Reading
2 Mac. 6:18-31.
Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes, a man of advanced age and noble
appearance, was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork.
But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement, he spat out the
meat, and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture,
as men ought to do who have the courage to reject the food which it is
unlawful to taste even for love of life.
Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately,
because of their long acquaintance with him, and urged him to bring meat of
his own providing, such as he could legitimately eat, and to pretend to be
eating some of the meat of the sacrifice prescribed by the king;
in this way he would escape the death penalty, and be treated kindly
because of their old friendship with him.
But he made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years, the dignity
of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his gray hair, and of the
admirable life he had lived from childhood; and so he declared that above
all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God. He told them to send
him at once to the abode of the dead, explaining:
"At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many young men
would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion.
Should I thus dissimulate for the sake of a brief moment of life, they
would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old
age.
Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men, I shall never,
whether alive or dead, escape the hands of the Almighty.
Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of
my old age,
and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and
generously for the revered and holy laws." He spoke thus, and went
immediately to the instrument of torture.
Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed, now became hostile
toward him because what he had said seemed to them utter madness.
When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned and said: "The Lord in
his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped
death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging,
but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my devotion to him."
This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an
unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole
nation.
Ps 3:2-3.4-5.6-7.
How many are my foes, LORD! How many rise against me!
How many say of me, "God will not save that one." Selah
But you, LORD, are a shield around me; my glory, you keep my head high.
Whenever I cried out to the LORD, I was answered from the holy mountain.
Selah
Whenever I lay down and slept, the LORD preserved me to rise again.
I do not fear, then, thousands of people arrayed against me on every side.
Lk 19:1-10.
He came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a
wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the
crowd, for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was
about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus,
come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house."
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay
at the house of a sinner."
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my
possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted
anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over."
And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this
man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day
Saint Ephrem (c.306-373), deacon in Syria, Doctor of the Church
Diatessaron, XV, 20-21 (cf. SC 121, p. 277)
"Today salvation has come to this house"
Zacchaeus prayed thus in his heart: «How blessed is he who is worthy to
receive this Just man into his house». Our Savior said to him: «Zacchaeus,
come down quickly!» And he, seeing that the Lord knew his thoughts, said:
«Since he knows about these he must also know all I have done». That is why
he declared: «All I have extorted from anyone, I shall repay it four times
over».«Quick, come down from that fig tree, for I am going to
stay with you». Thanks to this second fig tree, that of the chief of
publicans, the first fig tree, that of Adam, falls into oblivion and the
name of Adam is likewise forgotten thanks to righteous Zacchaeus... «Today,
life has come to this house»... Through his prompt obedience, he who was a
mere thief yesterday has today become a doer of good deeds; he who
yesterday was a tax gatherer today becomes a disciple.
Zacchaeus has left behind the old law and climbed an immobile fig tree,
symbol of his spirit's deafness. But this climb is the symbol of his
salvation. He has forsaken baseness and climbed up to see divinity in the
heights. Our Lord hastened to make him abandon that withered fig tree, his
former manner of life, so that he would not remain deaf. While the flame of
love for our Lord burned within him it consumed the old man in him to
create in him a new man.
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