Daily Mass and Readings

18Eleazar, one of the scribes in high position, a man now advanced in age and of noble presence, was being forced to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh. 19But he, welcoming death with honor rather than life with pollution, went up to the rack of his own accord, spitting out the flesh, 20as men ought to go who have the courage to refuse things that it is not right to taste, even for the natural love of life. 21Those who were in charge of that unlawful sacrifice took the man aside, because of their long acquaintance with him, and privately urged him to bring meat of his own providing, proper for him to use, and pretend that he was eating the flesh of the sacrificial meal which had been commanded by the king, 22so that by doing this he might be saved from death, and be treated kindly on account of his old friendship with them. 23But making a high resolve, worthy of his years and the dignity of his old age and the gray hairs which he had reached with distinction and his excellent life even from childhood, and moreover according to the holy God-given law, he declared himself quickly, telling them to send him to Hades. 24"Such pretense is not worthy of our time of life," he said, "lest many of the young should suppose that Eleazar in his ninetieth year has gone over to an alien religion, 25and through my pretense, for the sake of living a brief moment longer, they should be led astray because of me, while I defile and disgrace my old age. 26For even if for the present I should avoid the punishment of men, yet whether I live or die I shall not escape the hands of the Almighty. 27Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age 28and leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws." When he had said this, he went at once to the rack. 29And those who a little before had acted toward him with good will now changed to ill will, because the words he had uttered were in their opinion sheer madness. 30When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned aloud and said: "It is clear to the Lord in his holy knowledge that, though I might have been saved from death, I am enduring terrible sufferings in my body under this beating, but in my soul I am glad to suffer these things because I fear him." 31So in this way he died, leaving in his death an example of nobility and a memorial of courage, not only to the young but to the great body of his nation.

1O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; 2many are saying of me, there is no help for him in God. [Selah] 3But thou, O LORD, art a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. 4I cry aloud to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy hill. [Selah] 5I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me. 6I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about.

1He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2And there was a man named Zacchae'us; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. 3And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. 4So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. 5And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchae'us, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." 6So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. 7And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." 8And Zacchae'us stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." 9And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."