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| "Healing the Blind Man" -- by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890) |
FIRST READING: 1 Maccabees 1: 10 - 15, 41 - 43, 54 - 57, 62 - 63
10
And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus the Illustrious,
the son of king Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome: and he
reigned in the hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the
Greeks.
11
In those days there went out of Israel wicked men, and they persuaded
many, saying: Let us go, and make a covenant with the heathens that
are round about us: for since we departed from them, many evils have
befallen us.
12
And the word seemed good in their eyes.
13
And some of the people determined to do this, and went to the king:
and he gave them license to do after the ordinances of the heathens.
14
And they built a place of exercise in Jerusalem, according to the
laws of the nations:
15
And they made themselves prepuces, and departed from the holy
covenant, and joined themselves to the heathens, and were sold to do
evil.
41
And king Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people
should be one: and every one should leave his own law.
42
And all nations consented according to the word of king Antiochus.
43
And many of Israel consented to his service, and they sacrificed to
idols, and profaned the sabbath.
54
On the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred and
forty-fifth year, king Antiochus set up the abominable idol of
desolation upon the altar of God, and they built altars throughout
all the cities of Juda round about:
55
And they burnt incense, and sacrificed at the doors of the houses,
and in the streets.
56
And they cut in pieces, and burnt with fire the books of the law of
God:
57
And every one with whom the books of the testament of the Lord were
found, and whosoever observed the law of the Lord, they put to death,
according to the edict of the king.
62
And many of the people of Israel determined with themselves, that
they would not eat unclean things: and they chose rather to die than
to be defiled with unclean meats.
63
And they would not break the holy law of God, and they were put to
death.
53
A fainting hath taken hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake
thy law.
61
The cords of the wicked have encompassed me: but I have not forgotten
thy law.
134
Redeem me from the calumnies of men: that I may keep thy
commandments.
150
They that persecute me have drawn nigh to iniquity; but they are gone
far off from the law.
155
Salvation is far from sinners; because they have not sought thy
justifications.
158
I beheld the transgressors, and I pined away; because they kept not
thy word.
35
Now it came to pass, when he drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain
blind man sat by the way side, begging.
36
And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant.
37
And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
38
And he cried out, saying: Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.
39
And they that went before, rebuked him, that he should hold his
peace: but he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me.
40
And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought unto him. And when he
was come near, he asked him,
41
Saying: What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I
may see.
42
And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight: thy faith hath made thee
whole.
43
And immediately he saw, and followed him, glorifying God. And all the
people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
