Catholic Mass Today 19 November 2021 Livestream | Friday Mass

First Reading: First Maccabees 4: 3-37, 52-59
3 And Judas heard of it, and rose up, he
and the valiant men, to attack the king’s forces that were in Emmaus.

4 For as yet the army was dispersed from the camp.

5 And Gorgias came by night into the camp of Judas, and found no man, and he sought them in the mountains: for he said: These men flee from us.

6 And when it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain with three thousand men only, who neither had armour nor swords.

7 And they saw the camp of the Gentiles that it was strong, and the men in breastplates, and the horsemen round about them, and these were trained up to war.

8 And Judas said to the men that were with him: Fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.

9 Remember in what manner our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharao pursued them with a great army.

10 And now let us cry to heaven: and the Lord will have mercy on us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this army before our face this day:

11 And all nations shall know that there is one that redeemeth and delivereth Israel.

12 And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming against them.

13 And they went out of the camp to battle, and they that were with Judas sounded the trumpet.

14 And they joined battle: and the Gentiles were routed, and fled into the plain.

15 But all the hindmost of them fell by the sword, and they pursued them as far as Gezeron, and even to the plains of Idumea, and of Azotus, and of Jamnia: and there fell of them to the number of three thousand men.

16 And Judas returned again with his army that followed him,

17 And he said to the people: Be not greedy of the spoils: for there is war before us:

18 And Gorgias and his army are near us in the mountain: but stand ye now against our enemies, and overthrow them, and you shall take the spoils afterwards with safety.

19 And as Judas was speaking these words, behold part of them appeared looking forth from the mountain.

20 And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp: for the smoke that was seen declared what was done.

21 And when they had seen this, they were seized with great fear, seeing at the same time Judas and his army in the plain ready to fight.

22 So they all fled away into the land of the strangers.

23 And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.

24 And returning home they sung a hymn, and blessed God in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.

25 So Israel had a great deliverance that day.

26 And such of the strangers as escaped, went and told Lysias all that had happened.

27 And when he heard these things, he was amazed and discouraged: because things had not succeeded in Israel according to his mind, and as the king had commanded.

28 So the year following Lysias gathered together threescore thousand chosen men, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them.

29 And they came into Judea, and pitched their tents in Bethoron, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.

30 And they saw that the army was strong, and he prayed, and said: Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst break the violence of the mighty by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver up the camp of the strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul and of his armourbearer.

31 Shut up this army in the hands of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their host and their horsemen.

32 Strike them with fear, and cause the boldness of their strength to languish, and let them quake at their own destruction.

33 Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee: and let all that know thy name, praise thee with hymns. CONTINUE READING

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