Mass Readings for November 25, 2023

1 Maccabees 6:1-13
Psalms 9:2-4,6,16,19
Luke 20:27-40

1 Maccabees 6:1-13
1 And king Antiochus was journeying through the upper countries; and he heard say, that in Elymais in Persia there was a city renowned for riches, for silver and gold; 2 and that the temple which was in it was rich exceedingly, and that therein were golden shields, and breastplates, and arms, which Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who reigned first among the Greeks, left behind there. 3 And he came and sought to take the city, and to pillage it; and he was not able, because the thing was known to them of the city, 4 and they rose up against him to battle: and he fled, and removed thence with great heaviness, to return to Babylon. 5 And there came one bringing him tidings into Persia, that the armies, which went against the land of Judah, had been put to flight; 6 and that Lysias went first with a strong army, and was put to shame before them; and that they had waxed strong by reason of arms and power, and with store of spoils, which they took from the armies that they had cut off; 7 and that they had pulled down the abomination which he had built upon the altar that was in Jerusalem; and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and Bethsura, his city. 8 And it came to pass, when the king heard these words, he was astonished and moved exceedingly: and he laid him down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not befallen him as he looked for. 9 And he was there many days, because great grief was renewed upon him, and he made account that he should die. 10 And he called for all his friends, and said to them, Sleep departs from my eyes, and my heart fails for care. 11 And I said in my heart, To what tribulation am I come, and how great a flood is it, wherein I now am! for I was gracious and beloved in my power. 12 But now I remember the evils which I did at Jerusalem, and that I took all the vessels of silver and gold that were therein, and sent forth to destroy the inhabitants of Judah without a cause. 13 I perceive that on this account these evils are come upon me, and, behold, I perish through great grief in a strange land.

Psalms 9:2-4,6,16,19
2 I will be glad and rejoice in you. I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. 3 When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish in your presence. 4 For you have maintained my just cause. You sit on the throne judging righteously. 6 The enemy is overtaken by endless ruin. The very memory of the cities which you have overthrown has perished. 16 Yahweh has made himself known. He has executed judgment. The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah. 19 Arise, Yahweh! Don’t let man prevail. Let the nations be judged in your sight.

Luke 20:27-40
27 Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection. 28 They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up children for his brother. 29 There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless. 30 The second took her as a wife, and he died childless. 31 The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.” 34 Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. 36 For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.” 39 Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you speak well.” 40 They didn’t dare to ask him any more questions.