Daily Reading for Tuesday, November 16th, 2021

Reading 1, Second Maccabees 6:18-31

¹⁸ Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the Law, a man already advanced in years and of most noble appearance, had his mouth forced open, to make him eat a piece of pork.

¹⁹ But he, resolving to die with honour rather than to live disgraced, walked of his own accord to the torture of the wheel,

²⁰ having spat the stuff out, as befits those with the courage to reject what is not lawful to taste, rather than live.

²¹ The people supervising the ritual meal, forbidden by the Law, because of the length of time for which they had known him, took him aside and privately urged him to have meat brought of a kind he could properly use, prepared by himself, and only pretend to eat the portions of sacrificial meat as prescribed by the king;

²² this action would enable him to escape death, by availing himself of an act of kindness prompted by their long friendship.

²³ But having taken a noble decision worthy of his years and the dignity of his great age and the well-earned distinction of his grey hairs, worthy too of his impeccable conduct from boyhood, and above all of the holy legislation established by God himself, he answered accordingly, telling them to send him at once to Hades.

²⁴ 'Pretence', he said, 'does not befit our time of life; many young people would suppose that Eleazar at the age of ninety had conformed to the foreigners' way of life

²⁵ and, because I had played this part for the sake of a paltry brief spell of life, might themselves be led astray on my account; I should only bring defilement and disgrace on my old age.

²⁶ Even though for the moment I avoid execution by man, I can never, living or dead, elude the grasp of the Almighty.

²⁷ Therefore if I am man enough to quit this life here and now, I shall prove myself worthy of my old age,

²⁸ and I shall have left the young a noble example of how to make a good death, eagerly and generously, for the venerable and holy laws.' So saying, he walked straight to the wheel,

²⁹ while those who were escorting him, recently so well disposed towards him, turned against him after this declaration, which they regarded as sheer madness.

³⁰ He for his part, just before he died under the blows, gave a sigh and said, 'The Lord whose knowledge is holy sees clearly that, though I might have escaped death, from awe of him I gladly endure these agonies of body under the lash, and that in my soul I am glad to suffer.'

³¹ This was how he died, leaving his death as an example of nobility and a record of virtue not only for the young but for the greater part of the nation.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-8

² how countless those who say of me, 'No salvation for him from his God!

³ But you, Yahweh, the shield at my side, my glory, you hold my head high.

⁴ I cry out to Yahweh; he answers from his holy mountain.

⁵ As for me, if I lie down and sleep, I shall awake, for Yahweh sustains me.

⁶ I have no fear of people in their thousands upon thousands, who range themselves against me wherever I turn.

⁷ Arise, Yahweh, rescue me, my God! You strike all my foes across the face, you break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸ In Yahweh is salvation, on your people, your blessing!

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