November 20, 2025 – Word of the Day, Gospel & Pope’s Reflection
On Thursday, November 20, 2025, today’s Word of the Day invites us to reflect on faithful resistance, God’s justice, and Jesus’ sorrowful compassion. May we be strengthened to stand firm in truth and to recognize God’s timely visitation. 🙏 Readings: First Reading: 1 Maccabees 2:15-29 — Mattathias and his sons refuse to abandon God’s law under the pressure of King Antiochus. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15 — “To the upright I will show the saving power of God.” Alleluia: Psalm 95:8 — “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” Gospel: Luke 19:41-44 — As Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he weeps over it because of its spiritual blindness. 🙏 Reflection: Today’s Scriptures ask us to confront two powerful realities: the cost of faith and the depth of God’s compassion. In 1 Maccabees, Mattathias shows extraordinary courage. When pressured to conform, he (and his sons) refuse. Their resistance is not for power but for the covenant. Their faith is costly, but they choose fidelity. The Psalm underscores that God’s justice is not distant. He calls us to a life of uprightness and promises to show his saving power to those who trust him. In the Gospel, Jesus mourns over Jerusalem, lamenting that its people have failed to recognize “the days that make for peace.” His tears are not only sorrow but also a sign of his deep love and longing for the people’s openness. 🙏 These readings challenge us today to: Stand faithfully even when belief demands sacrifice. Trust in God’s justice, knowing that he sees our struggle. Be spiritually awake, alert to the times when God visits us in mercy and calls for repentance. 🙏 Application for Today: Reflect: In which areas of your life is your faith being tested? Where do you need to resist compromise? Pray: Ask God for courage and steadfastness — and for the humility to accept his timing and justice. Act: Be vigilant in your spiritual life. Let your prayer, your decisions, and your relationships reflect your trust in God’s justice and mercy. 🙏 Prayer: Lord Jesus, you weep over those who cannot see your way of peace. Grant me a courageous heart to resist what compromises my faith, a trusting spirit in Your justice, and eyes to recognize the moments when You visit my life. May I stand firm in Your truth and walk faithfully in Your love. Amen.
