[Lectio1Tridentina]
Lesson from the second book of Machabees
!2 Mac 8:10-14
10 And Nicanor purposed to raise for the king the tribute of two thousand talents, that was to be given to the Romans, by making so much money of the captive Jews:
11 Wherefore he sent immediately to the cities upon the sea coast, to invite men together to buy up the Jewish slaves, promising that they should have ninety slaves for one talent, not reflecting on the vengeance, which was to follow him from the Almighty. 
12 Now when Judas found that Nicanor was coming, he imparted to the Jews that were with him, that the enemy was at hand. 
13 And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away: 
14 Others sold all that they had left, and withal besought the Lord, that he would deliver them from the wicked Nicanor,

[Lectio2Tridentina]
!2 Mac 8:16-19
16 But Machabeus calling together seven thousand that were with him, exhorted them not to be reconciled to the enemies, nor to fear the multitude of the enemies who came wrongfully against them, but to fight manfully: 
17 Setting before their eyes the injury they had unjustly done the holy place, and also the injury they had done to the city, which had been shamefully abused, besides their destroying the ordinances of the fathers. 
18 For, said he, they trust in their weapons, and in their boldness: but we trust in the Almighty Lord, who at a beck can utterly destroy both them that come against us, and the whole world. 
19 Moreover he put them in mind also of the helps their fathers had received from God: and how under Sennacherib a hundred and eighty-five thousand had been destroyed.

[Lectio3Tridentina]
!2 Mac 8:21-28
21 With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country. 
22 So he appointed his brethren captains over each division of his army, Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving to each one fifteen hundred men. 
23 And after the holy Book had been read to them by Esdras, and he had given them for a watchword, The help of God: himself leading the first band, he joined battle with Nicanor: 
24 And the Almighty being their helper, they slew above nine thousand men: and having wounded and disabled the greater part of Nicanor's army, they obliged them to fly. 
25 And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.
26 But they came back for want of time: for it was the day before the sabbath: and therefore they did not continue the pursuit. 
27 But when they had gathered together their arms and their spoils, they kept the sabbath: blessing the Lord who had delivered them that day, distilling the beginning of mercy upon them. 
28 Then after the sabbath they divided the spoils to the feeble and the orphans, and the widows: and the rest they took for themselves and their servants.