Daily Readings for Friday November 20, 2009
Reading 1,
1 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59
36 Judas and his brothers then said, 'Now that our enemies have been defeated, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and dedicate it.'
37 So they marshalled the whole army, and went up to Mount Zion.
52 On the twenty-fifth of the ninth month, Chislev, in the year 148 they rose at dawn
53 and offered a lawful sacrifice on the new altar of burnt offering which they had made.
54 The altar was dedicated, to the sound of hymns, zithers, lyres and cymbals, at the same time of year and on the same day on which the gentiles had originally profaned it.
55 The whole people fell prostrate in adoration and then praised Heaven who had granted them success.
56 For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar, joyfully offering burnt offerings, communion and thanksgiving sacrifices.
57 They ornamented the front of the Temple with crowns and bosses of gold, renovated the gates and storerooms, providing the latter with doors.
58 There was no end to the rejoicing among the people, since the disgrace inflicted by the gentiles had been effaced.
59 Judas, with his brothers and the whole assembly of Israel, made it a law that the days of the dedication of the altar should be celebrated yearly at the proper season, for eight days beginning on the twenty-fifth of the month of Chislev, with rejoicing and gladness.
45 Then he went into the Temple and began driving out those who were busy trading, saying to them,
46 'According to scripture, my house shall be a house of prayer but you have turned it into a bandits' den.'
47 He taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, in company with the leading citizens, tried to do away with him,
48 but they could not find a way to carry this out because the whole people hung on his words.
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