Feria Quinta infra Hebdomadam XXII post Octavam PentecostesThursday of the Twenty-second Week after Pentecost

Feria

Lectio I

Lesson I

De libro secúndo Machabæórum

Lesson from the second book of Machabees

2 Mac 6:18-22

Igitur Eleázarus, unus de primóribus scribárum, vir ætáte provéctus, et vultu decórus, apérto ore hians compellebátur carnem porcínam manducáre; At ille gloriosíssimam mortem magis quam odíbilem vitam compléctens, voluntárie præíbat ad supplícium. Intuens autem quemádmodum oportéret accédere, patiénter sústinens, destinávit non admíttere illícita propter vitæ amórem. Hi autem qui astábant, iníqua miseratióne commóti propter antíquam viri amicítiam, tolléntes eum secréto rogábant afférri carnes quibus vesci ei licébat, ut simularétur manducásse, sicut rex imperáverat, de sacrifícii cárnibus, Ut hoc facto, a morte liberarétur: et propter véterem viri amicítiam, hanc in eo faciébant humanitátem.

Eleazar one of the chief of the scribes, a man advanced in years, and of a comely countenance, was pressed to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh. But he, choosing rather a most glorious death than a hateful life, went forward voluntarily to the torment. And considering in what manner he was come to it, patiently bearing, he determined not to do any unlawful things for the love of life. But they that stood by, being moved with wicked pity, for the old friendship they had with the man, taking him aside, desired that flesh might be brought, which it was lawful for him to eat, that he might make as if he had eaten, as the king had commanded of the flesh of the sacrifice: That by so doing he might be delivered from death: and for the sake of their old friendship with the man they did him this courtesy.

℟. Adapériat Dóminus cor vestrum in lege sua et in præcéptis suis et fáciat pacem in diébus vestris: * Concédat vobis salútem, et rédimat vos a malis.

℟. The Lord open your hearts in His law and commandments, and send peace in your days. * May He grant you salvation and redeem you out of all evil.

℣. Exáudiat Dóminus oratiónes vestras, et reconciliétur vobis, nec vos déserat in témpore malo.

℣. The Lord hear your prayers, and be at one with you, and never forsake you in the time of trouble.

℟. Concédat vobis salútem, et rédimat vos a malis.

℟. May He grant you salvation and redeem you out of all evil.

Lectio II

Lesson II

2 Mac 6:23-28

At ille cogitáre cœpit ætátis ac senectútis suæ eminéntiam dignam, et ingénitæ nobilitátis canítiem, atque a púero óptimæ conversatiónis actus: et secúndum sanctæ et a Deo cónditæ legis constitúta, respóndit cito, dicens præmítti se velle in inférnum. Non enim ætáti nostræ dignum est, inquit, fíngere: ut multi adolescéntium, arbitrántes Eleázarum nonagínta annórum transísse ad vitam alienigenárum, Et ipsi propter meam simulatiónem, et propter módicum corruptíbilis vitæ tempus decipiántur, et per hoc máculam atque exsecratiónem meæ senectúti conquíram. Nam, etsi in præsénti témpore supplíciis hóminum erípiar, sed manum Omnipoténtis nec vivus, nec defúnctus, effúgiam. Quam ob rem fórtiter vita excedéndo, senectúte quidem dignus apparébo: Adolescéntibus autem exémplum forte relínquam, si prompto ánimo ac fortiter pro gravíssimis ac sanctíssimis légibus honésta morte perfúngar. His dictis, conféstim ad supplícium trahebátur.

But he began to consider the dignity of his age, and his ancient years, and the inbred honour of his grey head, and his good life and conversation from a child: and he answered without delay, according to the ordinances of the holy law made by God, saying, that he would rather be sent into the other world. For it doth not become our age, said he, to dissemble: whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, at the age of fourscore and ten years, was gone over to the life of the heathens: And so they, through my dissimulation, and for a little time of a corruptible life, should be deceived, end hereby I should bring a stain and a curse upon my old age. For though, for the present time, I should be delivered from the punishments of men, yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead. Wherefore by departing manfully out of this life, I shall shew myself worthy of my old age: And I shall leave an example of fortitude to young men, if with a ready mind and constancy I suffer an honourable death, for the most venerable and most holy laws. And having spoken thus, he was forthwith carried to execution.

℟. Exáudiat Dóminus oratiónes vestras, et reconciliétur vobis, nec vos déserat in témpore malo, * Dóminus, Deus noster.

℟. The Lord hear your prayers, and be at one with you, and never forsake you in the time of trouble * Even He, the Lord our God.

℣. Det vobis cor ómnibus, ut colátis eum et faciátis ejus voluntátem.

℣. Give you all an heart to serve Him, and to do His will.

℟. Dóminus, Deus noster.

℟. Even He, the Lord our God.

Lectio III

Lesson III

2 Mac 7:1-5

Cóntigit autem et septem fratres una cum matre sua apprehénsos compélli a rege édere contra fas carnes porcínas, flagris et táureis cruciátos. Unus autem ex illis, qui erat primus, sic ait: Quid quæris et quid vis díscere a nobis? Paráti sumus mori, magis quam pátrias Dei leges prævaricári. Irátus ítaque rex jussit sartágines et ollas ǽneas succéndi. Quibus statim succénsis, Jussit ei qui prior fúerat locútus, amputári linguam, et, cute cápitis abstrácta, summas quoque manus et pedes ei præscíndi, céteris ejus frátribus et matre inspiciéntibus. Et, cum jam per ómnia inútilis factus esset, jussit ignem admovéri, et adhuc spirántem torréri in sartágine: in qua, cum diu cruciarétur, céteri una cum matre ínvicem se hortabántur mori fórtiter.

It came to pass also, that seven brethren, together with their mother, were apprehended, and compelled by the king to eat swine's flesh against the law, for which end they were tormented with whips and scourges. But one of them, who was the eldest, said thus: What wouldst thou ask, or learn of us? we are ready to die rather than to transgress the laws of God, received from our fathers. Then the king being angry commanded fryingpans, and brazen caldrons to be made hot: which forthwith being heated, He commanded to cut out the tongue of him that had spoken first: and the skin of his head being drawn off, to chop off also the extremities of his hands and feet, the rest of his brethren, and his mother, looking on. And when he was now maimed in all parts, he commanded him, being yet alive, to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the fryingpan: and while he was suffering therein long torments, the rest, together with the mother, exhorted one another to die manfully.

℟. Congregáti sunt inimíci nostri, et gloriántur in virtúte sua: cóntere fortitúdinem illórum, Dómine, et dispérge illos: * Ut cognóscant quia non est álius qui pugnet pro nobis, nisi tu, Deus noster.

℟. Our enemies are gathered together, and make their boast of their own strength. O Lord, break their power, and scatter them * That they may know that there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, O our God!

℣. Dispérge illos in virtúte tua, et déstrue eos, protéctor noster, Dómine.

℣. Scatter them in thy strength, and destroy them, O Lord our Shield.

℟. Ut cognóscant quia non est álius qui pugnet pro nobis, nisi tu, Deus noster.

℟. That they may know that there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, O our God!

℣. Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.

℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.

℟. Ut cognóscant quia non est álius qui pugnet pro nobis, nisi tu, Deus noster.

℟. That they may know that there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, O our God!