Daily Reading for Thursday, November 21st, 2019

Reading 1, First Maccabees 2:15-29

¹⁵ If you need any of them, send someone to fetch them.

¹⁶ 'Since we are about to celebrate the purification, we now write, requesting you to observe the same days.

¹⁷ God, who has saved his whole people, conferring heritage, kingdom, priesthood and sanctification on all of us,

¹⁸ as he has promised in the Law, will surely, as our hope is in him, be swift to show us mercy and gather us together from everywhere under heaven to the holy place, since he has rescued us from great evils and has purified it.'

¹⁹ The story of Judas Maccabaeus and his brothers, the purification of the great Temple, the dedication of the altar,

²⁰ together with the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator,

²¹ and the celestial manifestations that came to hearten the brave champions of Judaism, so that, few though they were, they pillaged the whole country, routed the barbarian hordes,

²² recovered the sanctuary renowned the whole world over, liberated the city and re-established the laws by then all but abolished, the Lord showing his favour by all his gracious help to them-

²³ all this, already related in five books by Jason of Cyrene, we shall attempt to condense into a single work.

²⁴ Considering the spate of figures and the difficulty encountered, because of the mass of material, by those who wish to immerse themselves in historical records,

²⁵ we have aimed at providing diversion for those who merely want something to read, a saving of labour for those who enjoy committing things to memory, and profit for each and all.

²⁶ For us who have undertaken the drudgery of this abridgement, it has been no easy task but a matter of sweat and midnight oil,

²⁷ comparable to the exacting task of someone organising a banquet, whose aim is to satisfy a variety of tastes. Nevertheless, for the sake of rendering a general service, we remain glad to endure this drudgery,

²⁸ leaving accuracy of detail to the historian, and concentrating our effort on tracing the outlines in this condensed version.

²⁹ Just as the architect of a new house is responsible for the construction as a whole, while the man undertaking the ceramic painting has to take into consideration only the decorative requirements, so, I think, it is with us.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 50:1-2, 5-6, 14-15

¹ [Psalm Of Asaph] The God of gods, Yahweh, is speaking, from east to west he summons the earth.

² From Zion, perfection of beauty, he shines forth;

⁵ 'Gather to me my faithful, who sealed my covenant by sacrifice.'

⁶ The heavens proclaim his saving justice, 'God himself is judge.

¹⁴ 'Let thanksgiving be your sacrifice to God, fulfil the vows you make to the Most High;

¹⁵ then if you call to me in time of trouble I will rescue you and you will honour me.'