First Book of Maccabees
Chapter 2
¹ In those days Mattathias son of John son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein. ² He had five sons, John surnamed Gaddi, ³ Simon called Thassi, ⁴ Judas called Maccabeus, ⁵ Eleazar called Avaran, and Jonathan called Appus.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 1 to 5)
Oh God my beloved Father, You are free from time and space, You are the creator and not the created. Whenever You want to, You can motivate people to bring changes on earth, people who may have been classified as being common and without name or status, in order to shake us back to reality, both spiritual and even on a social level. I thank You for motivating such people to be agents of change Amen.
⁶ He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem, ⁷ and said, "Alas Why was I born to see this, the ruin of my people, the ruin of the holy city, and to live there when it was given over to the enemy, the sanctuary given to aliens?
⁶ He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem, ⁷ and said, "Alas Why was I born to see this, the ruin of my people, the ruin of the holy city, and to live there when it was given over to the enemy, the sanctuary given to aliens?
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 6 to 7)
Oh God, my beloved Father, I feel the same way, when I see certain people in the Roman Catholic Church who are not giving a good example to others by the way they are living, so much that others are being driven to a point of leaving the Church completely. I pray that such people need to become more aware of the consequences of their actions Amen.
⁸ Her temple has become like a person without honor; ⁹ her glorious vessels have been carried into exile. Her infants have been killed in her streets, her youths by the sword of the foe.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 8 to 9)
Oh God my blessed Father, Your sons and daughters have been blasted in Kabul, others are suffering famine and poverty in Africa and other regions in the world, in Europe, we are being hit by Atheism which has become cancer, to both young and old. Nobody has been spared from this malady Amen. I pray for mercy oh God my Father so that no more innocent people be killed in vain Amen.
¹⁰ What nation has not inherited her palaces and has not seized her spoils?
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 10)
Oh God my Father, who has been in a relationship with You and has remained the same? Nobody for You change our hearts and minds and in time we become more like You and less like us Amen.
¹¹ All her adornment has been taken away; no longer free, she has become a slave.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 11)
Oh God my blessed Father, when we sell ourselves to a life of sin or to evil itself, we lose our God given beauty and the beauty of our spirit and soul, we become slaves to that same sin and we become controlled by it. I pray that You make us masters of ourselves and our vices and not slaves Amen.
¹² And see, our holy place, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste; the Gentiles have profaned them.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 12)
Oh God my Father, all that we hold as being of value or which has become a security for us, can come to an end if this is becoming a block between me and You. Help me oh God my Father to become more aware of such blockages and give me the courage to take action against them Amen.
¹³ Why should we live any longer?" ¹⁴ Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned greatly.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 13 to 14)
Many times my God and Father, we have dreams and plans or maybe even projects that might not turn out as planned, or might even need to be terminated. Even though we may feel sad because we may have invested a lifetime of work and dedication we are to think and consider if there was You my God and Father in the works or if it was based on our drive for power or reputation. If we had entrusted the works to You as in the case of such prayers, God will give us all the means to bring such works to an end even if the way is challenging. As in the case of Mattathias and his family we are to refer to You my God and Father in a spirit of prayer, thanksgiving and prayer. Amen.
¹⁵ The king's officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them offer sacrifice.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 15)
Oh God my beloved Father, today the media is flowing through many channels in order for us to offer worship to the technology and trends of our time by introducing a culture that is lacking in spiritual values and hope and trust in You Amen.
¹⁶ Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 16)
Oh God my Father, Mattathias and his sons were assembled and ready to fight the evil ones evil if this meant putting their lives at risk. Their war was a bloody and violent one. Our war is spiritual for You are not in favour of bloodshed. I pray oh god my Father that we put on the weapons of the Holy spirit, meaning faith, love, knowledge of Scripture and the power of the Holy sacraments Amen.
¹⁷ Then the king's officers spoke to Matthathias as follows; "You are a leader, honored and great in this town, and supported by sons and brothers.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 17)
Oh God my beloved Father the first steps of the evil one before launching an attack is to pamper us with our goodness with the fact that we are 'good people' and gloats over our successes and achievements and about how we are to be esteemed and praised for them. He does this by means of significant others and then when we are caught in the spell these evil spirits hurt us in our most vulnerable areas of our being. I pray that we be clothed in humility for when our moment of trial arrives. Amen.
¹⁸ Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the people of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the Friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gits."
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 18)
Oh God my beloved Father, when You were fasting the evil one also used this form of temptation, that of riches fame and honour, but You were strong enough to resist the evil one. I pray that in similar or same situations, I may also be given the strength to overcome the traps of the evil one.
¹⁹ But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: "Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, everyone of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, ²⁰ I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. ²¹ Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. ²² We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 19 to 22)
Oh God my beloved Father, how great is the witness of Mattathias in his defense of the faith. I pray for such courage faith and determination especially when in such situations Amen. I pray that we all be ready to give witness of our faith even if this means experiencing tribulation and negative consequences Amen, for our faith is the most important thing that we have Amen.
²³ When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the king's command.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 23)
Oh God, my beloved Father, I feel the same way, when I see certain people in the Roman Catholic Church who are not giving a good example to others by the way they are living, so much that others are being driven to a point of leaving the Church completely. I pray that such people need to become more aware of the consequences of their actions Amen.
⁸ Her temple has become like a person without honor; ⁹ her glorious vessels have been carried into exile. Her infants have been killed in her streets, her youths by the sword of the foe.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 8 to 9)
Oh God my blessed Father, Your sons and daughters have been blasted in Kabul, others are suffering famine and poverty in Africa and other regions in the world, in Europe, we are being hit by Atheism which has become cancer, to both young and old. Nobody has been spared from this malady Amen. I pray for mercy oh God my Father so that no more innocent people be killed in vain Amen.
¹⁰ What nation has not inherited her palaces and has not seized her spoils?
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 10)
Oh God my Father, who has been in a relationship with You and has remained the same? Nobody for You change our hearts and minds and in time we become more like You and less like us Amen.
¹¹ All her adornment has been taken away; no longer free, she has become a slave.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 11)
Oh God my blessed Father, when we sell ourselves to a life of sin or to evil itself, we lose our God given beauty and the beauty of our spirit and soul, we become slaves to that same sin and we become controlled by it. I pray that You make us masters of ourselves and our vices and not slaves Amen.
¹² And see, our holy place, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste; the Gentiles have profaned them.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 12)
Oh God my Father, all that we hold as being of value or which has become a security for us, can come to an end if this is becoming a block between me and You. Help me oh God my Father to become more aware of such blockages and give me the courage to take action against them Amen.
¹³ Why should we live any longer?" ¹⁴ Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned greatly.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 13 to 14)
Many times my God and Father, we have dreams and plans or maybe even projects that might not turn out as planned, or might even need to be terminated. Even though we may feel sad because we may have invested a lifetime of work and dedication we are to think and consider if there was You my God and Father in the works or if it was based on our drive for power or reputation. If we had entrusted the works to You as in the case of such prayers, God will give us all the means to bring such works to an end even if the way is challenging. As in the case of Mattathias and his family we are to refer to You my God and Father in a spirit of prayer, thanksgiving and prayer. Amen.
¹⁵ The king's officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them offer sacrifice.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 15)
Oh God my beloved Father, today the media is flowing through many channels in order for us to offer worship to the technology and trends of our time by introducing a culture that is lacking in spiritual values and hope and trust in You Amen.
¹⁶ Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 16)
Oh God my Father, Mattathias and his sons were assembled and ready to fight the evil ones evil if this meant putting their lives at risk. Their war was a bloody and violent one. Our war is spiritual for You are not in favour of bloodshed. I pray oh god my Father that we put on the weapons of the Holy spirit, meaning faith, love, knowledge of Scripture and the power of the Holy sacraments Amen.
¹⁷ Then the king's officers spoke to Matthathias as follows; "You are a leader, honored and great in this town, and supported by sons and brothers.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 17)
Oh God my beloved Father the first steps of the evil one before launching an attack is to pamper us with our goodness with the fact that we are 'good people' and gloats over our successes and achievements and about how we are to be esteemed and praised for them. He does this by means of significant others and then when we are caught in the spell these evil spirits hurt us in our most vulnerable areas of our being. I pray that we be clothed in humility for when our moment of trial arrives. Amen.
¹⁸ Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the people of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the Friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gits."
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 18)
Oh God my beloved Father, when You were fasting the evil one also used this form of temptation, that of riches fame and honour, but You were strong enough to resist the evil one. I pray that in similar or same situations, I may also be given the strength to overcome the traps of the evil one.
¹⁹ But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: "Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, everyone of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, ²⁰ I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. ²¹ Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. ²² We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 19 to 22)
Oh God my beloved Father, how great is the witness of Mattathias in his defense of the faith. I pray for such courage faith and determination especially when in such situations Amen. I pray that we all be ready to give witness of our faith even if this means experiencing tribulation and negative consequences Amen, for our faith is the most important thing that we have Amen.
²³ When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the king's command.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 23)
Oh God my Father this is the challenge of being a human and a Christian. There is always going to be that person whom we think is an insider and close to You who ends up betraying or trying to go against Your ways Amen.
²⁴ When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him on the altar. ²⁵ At the same time he killed the king's officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 24 to 25)
Oh God my Father, may we also be gripped by that zeal of passion to proclaim Your name in the presence of others and defend it against those who seek to contradict it Amen. I pray for the gift of knowledge in order to defend Your Word Amen. Thank You Jesus. Amen
²⁶ Thus he burned with zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 26)
Oh God my Father, many times I feel such feelings, especially on hearing positivity about people with homosexual tendencies and issues such as that of marriage and adoption. On listening to people in the Roman Catholic Church who accept such behaviour I feel emotionally stimulated because I know that You do not approve of such unions and events Amen.
²⁷ Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: "Let everyone who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!"
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 27)
Oh God my Father I am also zealous for Your Word, on hearing that parts of the 'Lord's Prayer' which is the only prayer that is really and truly given to us by You is going to be altered I became very angry and agitated, for the Muslims would never have their Koran altered and neither should we, that is if we believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Therefore I posted a post on Facebook in relation to this issue Amen.
²⁸ Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 28)
Oh God my Father, how I wish I could do the same, leave all I have and go and live with people who share the same faith and values, however this may not be Your will for when I lived in a religious community You showed me that this was not the life that You planned for me. Amen. However my life plan is to live a life dedicated to You even though I wish to have friends on earth Amen since I cannot communicate with You and see You in the same way that I see others Amen.
²⁹ At that time many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to live there, ³⁰ they their sons, their wives, and their livestock, because troubles pressed heavily upon them.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 29 to 30)
Oh God my Father, how I wish to join such a group for I also seek righteousness and justice. Right now I am just living the day waiting for the opportunity of being of help in order to serve You, however, I wish to have a partner with whom to share my life, somebody who cares for me and understands me like You do, however, such a person is still pending Amen.
³¹ And it was reported to the king's officers, and to the troops in Jerusalem the city of David, that those who had rejected the king's command had gone down to the hiding places in the wilderness.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 31)
Oh God my Father, all the time You know what we are going through and You do not need to be informed by anybody. You know when we live according to Your will and You know when we are not. I pray that You have mercy on the situations that we are all enduring Amen.
³² Many pursued them, and overtook them; they encamped opposite them and prepared for battle against them on the sabbath day. ³³ They said to them, "Enough of this! Come out and do what the king commands, and you will live."
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 32 to 33)
Oh God my Father the world tells us to stop wasting its time in trying to make us become worldly in what we think and do.
Take on the options I am presenting to you and forsake your faith in God and we will love you and accept you as one of us. If not we will make you an outcast and you will be the gossip of the village!
³⁴ But they said, "We will not come out, nor will we do what the king commands and so profane the sabbath day."
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 34)
Oh God my Father this is what I call faith of steel, faith that is ready to face persecution to be tested by fire. I pray for such faith my God and Father Amen.
³⁵ Then the enemy quickly attacked them. ³⁶ But they did not answer them or hurl a stone at them or block up their hiding places, ³⁷ for they said, "Let us all die in our innocence, heaven and earth testify for us that you are killing us unjustly.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 35 to 37)
Oh God what is better for me than to learn to depend on You and offer my life to You in good times and in bad Amen. There is nothing better Amen.
³⁸ So they attacked them on the sabbath, and they died, with their wives and children and livestock, to the number of a thousand persons.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 38)
Oh God there is no better way to die than in a spirit of prayer giving praise and worship to You. I would be more than ready to meet You Amen.
³⁹ When Mattathias and his friends learned of it, they mourned for them deeply.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 39)
Oh, brothers and sisters how nice it is to share in each other's happiness and downfalls, in order to be of support and encouragement to others Amen.
⁴⁰ And all said to their neighbors: "If we all do as our kindred have done and refuse to fight with the Gentiles for our lives and for our ordinances, they will quickly destroy us from the earth."
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 40)
Oh God my Father even though we have witnessed Your greatness and power and intervention in our lives, we still refer to our own skills instead of to prayer so that You could intervene on our behalf as before Amen. Thank You Jesus for delivering us from all evil Amen.
⁴¹ So they made this decision that day: "Let us fight against anyone who comes to attack us on the sabbath day; let us not all die as our kindred died in their hiding places."
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 41)
Oh brothers and sisters let us also be united in our resolution to make the Word of God the centre of our lives so that we be in an ideal position to counter the attacks of many who try to contradict it. Amen. Thank You Jesus.
⁴² Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors of Israel, all who offered themselves willingly for the law.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 42)
Oh God my Father, I pray that more and more groups of people and nations become united in Your one body so that there may be peace and unity in both the Roman Catholic Church and other churches and in the world at large Amen.
⁴³ And all who became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them and reinforced them.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 43)
Oh God my Father, many times we seek the wrong direction in order to find peace and security and end up worse than we were before initially. I pray that You will always be my source of comfort and refuge Amen.
⁴⁴ They organized an army, and struck down sinners in their anger and renegades in their wrath; the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 44)
Oh God, my Father, there are times when we may judge others for their wrongdoings however at the same time we are implying that we are good, however, in fact, we may be not because we are judging others imposing an authority on others that nobody has given us Amen. Therefore first and foremost let us be guards over ourselves before doing so to others Amen.
⁴⁵ And Mattathias and his friends went around and tore down the altars; ⁴⁶ they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they found within the borders of Israel.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 45 to 46)
Oh God my Father I pray that we set an example for others to believe in You and not force others by using violence to start believing in You. I believe that by means of our values and our lifestyles others are given a good example of how they are to lead their life as Christian and Catholic Sinners who although are sinners have a great love for Jesus. Amen.
⁴⁷ They hunted down the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 47)
Oh God my Father there is no place for arrogant people in Your kingdom, for arrogance is negative and goes against love and humility Amen.
⁴⁸ They rescued the law out of the hands of the Gentiles and kings, and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 48)
Oh God my Father during our times we are to support our Faith against the strong wave of unbelief that exists. I pray that science ad technology will not continue to spread a culture of independence from God Amen.
⁴⁹ Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons; "Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 49)
Oh God my Father these times in 2020 are also time of stress anger and selfishness, for we are becoming an individualistic society more than ever. I pray for unity and a strong feeling for love of others Amen.
⁵⁰ Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 50)
Oh, brothers and sisters, this is indeed an ideal time for us to invest in time for prayer, especially if you have been told to stay at home due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. I pray that we use this precious time in a special way and not waste it in fruitless means of alienation Amen.
⁵¹ "Remember the deeds of the ancestors, which they did in their generations; and you will receive great honor and an everlasting name.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 51)
Oh brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, He has no need to go back and remember the good deeds that He did on our behalf throughout the years and even during the present time. However, we need to stop think and ask God for forgiveness while praising Him in gratitude Amen.
⁵² Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 52)
Oh God my Father I am neither Abraham nor Moses or any of the Patriarchs, I am simply a sinner who with Your help try to live according to Your ways. I pray that when tested I am found faithful and reliable Amen.
⁵³ Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became lord of Egypt.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 53)
Oh God, when we base our lives on obeying You and Your will there is a chance that even though there will be storms in our lives our lives will be more happy and even successful.
⁵⁴ Phinehas our ancestor, because he was deeply zealous, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 54)
Oh God my Father, because You love us You gave us the everlasting gifts of love and relationship with You, the gift of the Holy Spirit and Your presence in the Holy Eucharist Amen. I thank You for this great love and generosity.
⁵⁵ Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel. ⁵⁶ Caleb because he testified in the assembly; received an inheritance in the land. ⁵⁷ David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom forever. ⁵⁸ Elijah because of great zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven. ⁵⁹ Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the flame. ⁶⁰ Daniel, because of his innocence, was delivered from the mouth of the lions.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 55 to 60)
Oh brothers and sisters when our time comes our names will also be added with those of these people who found favour in Your sight. I include modern saints from our times such as Dun Gorg Preca along with those mentioned and thank You for them Amen.
⁶¹ "And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in him will lack strength.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 61)
Oh God, my Father any of us who have placed our trust in You can ever say or proclaim that he or she was betrayed or double-crossed or forgotten in any way. For You are as close to us or even closer to us than is our own skin Amen. I thank You for always being just loving caring and always available Amen.
²⁴ When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him on the altar. ²⁵ At the same time he killed the king's officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 24 to 25)
Oh God my Father, may we also be gripped by that zeal of passion to proclaim Your name in the presence of others and defend it against those who seek to contradict it Amen. I pray for the gift of knowledge in order to defend Your Word Amen. Thank You Jesus. Amen
²⁶ Thus he burned with zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 26)
Oh God my Father, many times I feel such feelings, especially on hearing positivity about people with homosexual tendencies and issues such as that of marriage and adoption. On listening to people in the Roman Catholic Church who accept such behaviour I feel emotionally stimulated because I know that You do not approve of such unions and events Amen.
²⁷ Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: "Let everyone who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!"
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 27)
Oh God my Father I am also zealous for Your Word, on hearing that parts of the 'Lord's Prayer' which is the only prayer that is really and truly given to us by You is going to be altered I became very angry and agitated, for the Muslims would never have their Koran altered and neither should we, that is if we believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Therefore I posted a post on Facebook in relation to this issue Amen.
²⁸ Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 28)
Oh God my Father, how I wish I could do the same, leave all I have and go and live with people who share the same faith and values, however this may not be Your will for when I lived in a religious community You showed me that this was not the life that You planned for me. Amen. However my life plan is to live a life dedicated to You even though I wish to have friends on earth Amen since I cannot communicate with You and see You in the same way that I see others Amen.
²⁹ At that time many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to live there, ³⁰ they their sons, their wives, and their livestock, because troubles pressed heavily upon them.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 29 to 30)
Oh God my Father, how I wish to join such a group for I also seek righteousness and justice. Right now I am just living the day waiting for the opportunity of being of help in order to serve You, however, I wish to have a partner with whom to share my life, somebody who cares for me and understands me like You do, however, such a person is still pending Amen.
³¹ And it was reported to the king's officers, and to the troops in Jerusalem the city of David, that those who had rejected the king's command had gone down to the hiding places in the wilderness.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 31)
Oh God my Father, all the time You know what we are going through and You do not need to be informed by anybody. You know when we live according to Your will and You know when we are not. I pray that You have mercy on the situations that we are all enduring Amen.
³² Many pursued them, and overtook them; they encamped opposite them and prepared for battle against them on the sabbath day. ³³ They said to them, "Enough of this! Come out and do what the king commands, and you will live."
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 32 to 33)
Oh God my Father the world tells us to stop wasting its time in trying to make us become worldly in what we think and do.
Take on the options I am presenting to you and forsake your faith in God and we will love you and accept you as one of us. If not we will make you an outcast and you will be the gossip of the village!
³⁴ But they said, "We will not come out, nor will we do what the king commands and so profane the sabbath day."
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 34)
Oh God my Father this is what I call faith of steel, faith that is ready to face persecution to be tested by fire. I pray for such faith my God and Father Amen.
³⁵ Then the enemy quickly attacked them. ³⁶ But they did not answer them or hurl a stone at them or block up their hiding places, ³⁷ for they said, "Let us all die in our innocence, heaven and earth testify for us that you are killing us unjustly.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 35 to 37)
Oh God what is better for me than to learn to depend on You and offer my life to You in good times and in bad Amen. There is nothing better Amen.
³⁸ So they attacked them on the sabbath, and they died, with their wives and children and livestock, to the number of a thousand persons.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 38)
Oh God there is no better way to die than in a spirit of prayer giving praise and worship to You. I would be more than ready to meet You Amen.
³⁹ When Mattathias and his friends learned of it, they mourned for them deeply.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 39)
Oh, brothers and sisters how nice it is to share in each other's happiness and downfalls, in order to be of support and encouragement to others Amen.
⁴⁰ And all said to their neighbors: "If we all do as our kindred have done and refuse to fight with the Gentiles for our lives and for our ordinances, they will quickly destroy us from the earth."
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 40)
Oh God my Father even though we have witnessed Your greatness and power and intervention in our lives, we still refer to our own skills instead of to prayer so that You could intervene on our behalf as before Amen. Thank You Jesus for delivering us from all evil Amen.
⁴¹ So they made this decision that day: "Let us fight against anyone who comes to attack us on the sabbath day; let us not all die as our kindred died in their hiding places."
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 41)
Oh brothers and sisters let us also be united in our resolution to make the Word of God the centre of our lives so that we be in an ideal position to counter the attacks of many who try to contradict it. Amen. Thank You Jesus.
⁴² Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors of Israel, all who offered themselves willingly for the law.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 42)
Oh God my Father, I pray that more and more groups of people and nations become united in Your one body so that there may be peace and unity in both the Roman Catholic Church and other churches and in the world at large Amen.
⁴³ And all who became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them and reinforced them.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 43)
Oh God my Father, many times we seek the wrong direction in order to find peace and security and end up worse than we were before initially. I pray that You will always be my source of comfort and refuge Amen.
⁴⁴ They organized an army, and struck down sinners in their anger and renegades in their wrath; the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 44)
Oh God, my Father, there are times when we may judge others for their wrongdoings however at the same time we are implying that we are good, however, in fact, we may be not because we are judging others imposing an authority on others that nobody has given us Amen. Therefore first and foremost let us be guards over ourselves before doing so to others Amen.
⁴⁵ And Mattathias and his friends went around and tore down the altars; ⁴⁶ they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they found within the borders of Israel.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 45 to 46)
Oh God my Father I pray that we set an example for others to believe in You and not force others by using violence to start believing in You. I believe that by means of our values and our lifestyles others are given a good example of how they are to lead their life as Christian and Catholic Sinners who although are sinners have a great love for Jesus. Amen.
⁴⁷ They hunted down the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 47)
Oh God my Father there is no place for arrogant people in Your kingdom, for arrogance is negative and goes against love and humility Amen.
⁴⁸ They rescued the law out of the hands of the Gentiles and kings, and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 48)
Oh God my Father during our times we are to support our Faith against the strong wave of unbelief that exists. I pray that science ad technology will not continue to spread a culture of independence from God Amen.
⁴⁹ Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons; "Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 49)
Oh God my Father these times in 2020 are also time of stress anger and selfishness, for we are becoming an individualistic society more than ever. I pray for unity and a strong feeling for love of others Amen.
⁵⁰ Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 50)
Oh, brothers and sisters, this is indeed an ideal time for us to invest in time for prayer, especially if you have been told to stay at home due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. I pray that we use this precious time in a special way and not waste it in fruitless means of alienation Amen.
⁵¹ "Remember the deeds of the ancestors, which they did in their generations; and you will receive great honor and an everlasting name.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 51)
Oh brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, He has no need to go back and remember the good deeds that He did on our behalf throughout the years and even during the present time. However, we need to stop think and ask God for forgiveness while praising Him in gratitude Amen.
⁵² Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 52)
Oh God my Father I am neither Abraham nor Moses or any of the Patriarchs, I am simply a sinner who with Your help try to live according to Your ways. I pray that when tested I am found faithful and reliable Amen.
⁵³ Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became lord of Egypt.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 53)
Oh God, when we base our lives on obeying You and Your will there is a chance that even though there will be storms in our lives our lives will be more happy and even successful.
⁵⁴ Phinehas our ancestor, because he was deeply zealous, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 54)
Oh God my Father, because You love us You gave us the everlasting gifts of love and relationship with You, the gift of the Holy Spirit and Your presence in the Holy Eucharist Amen. I thank You for this great love and generosity.
⁵⁵ Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel. ⁵⁶ Caleb because he testified in the assembly; received an inheritance in the land. ⁵⁷ David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom forever. ⁵⁸ Elijah because of great zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven. ⁵⁹ Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the flame. ⁶⁰ Daniel, because of his innocence, was delivered from the mouth of the lions.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verses 55 to 60)
Oh brothers and sisters when our time comes our names will also be added with those of these people who found favour in Your sight. I include modern saints from our times such as Dun Gorg Preca along with those mentioned and thank You for them Amen.
⁶¹ "And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in him will lack strength.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 61)
Oh God, my Father any of us who have placed our trust in You can ever say or proclaim that he or she was betrayed or double-crossed or forgotten in any way. For You are as close to us or even closer to us than is our own skin Amen. I thank You for always being just loving caring and always available Amen.
⁶² Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendor will turn into dung and worms
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 62)
Oh God my Father our testimony is subject to personal bias and is not always credible however Your testimony is always credible. This is why we are to place our trust totally in You and not trust sinners like ourselves Amen.
⁶³ Today they will be exalted, but tomorrow they will not be found, because they will have returned to the dust, and their plans will have perished.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 63)
Oh God my Father this is why it is better to rely on You than on humans because today they are here and tomorrow they are not and You are with us forever Amen.
⁶⁴ My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honor.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 64)
Oh God my Father I thank You for Your encouragement. I pray that You help me become stronger in my faith and not only in my body, for what is of the Spirit is what is of value Amen.
⁶⁵ "Here is your brother Simeon who, I know, is wise in counsel; always listen to him; he shall be your father.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 65)
Oh God my Father, I thank You for being a Father-Mother brother and even sister to me. Amen. Thank You for being my counsellor and my advocate Amen.
⁶⁶ Judas Maccabeus has been a mighty warrior from his youth; he shall command the army for you and fight the battle against the peoples.
(The First Book of Maccabees Chapter 2 verse 66)
Oh God my Father I thank You for the new leader that You have given to our unit. I pray that You bless her with all the practical and necessary skills needed to carry out this role Amen.
