--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture.
--:-- [The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension.]
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Using the Great Adventure Bible Timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: It is day 312. We're reading the final chapter of Maccabees, the final chapter of the wisdom of Solomon and the book of Proverbs chapter 25 verses 21 through 23.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: As always, the Bible translation I'm reading from is the revised standard version, second Catholic edition. I'm using the great adventure Bible from Ascension.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: If you want to download your own Bible in a year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: If you had done so, you would realize that today, as I said yesterday, and maybe even the day before today is day 312. It is the final day in the old Testament.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: We are still going to hang out with Proverbs, of course, every single day, but my gosh, this is it. You guys. You will be able to say, basically, you've read the entire Old Testament by the end of today, within the next 20-ish, however long we have together minutes.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Ah, that's, congratulations. You would know that if you had downloaded the Bible in a Year timeline that I keep talking about all the time.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Anyways, you also subscribe to this podcast and receive daily episodes and daily updates.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: As I said, it is day 312. We're reading second book of the Maccabees, chapter 15, the book of Wisdom of Solomon, chapter 19, and Proverbs, chapter 25, verses 21 through 23.
--:-- [The Second Book of the Maccabees, Chapter 15 Nicanor's Arrogance]
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The Second Book of the Maccabees, Chapter 15 Nicanor's Arrogance When Nicanor heard that Judas and his men were in the region of Samaria, he made plans to attack them with complete safety on the day of rest.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And when the Jews who were compelled to follow him said, Do not destroy so savagely and barbarously, but show respect for the day which he who sees all things has honored and hallowed above other days,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: the thrice-accursed wretch asked if there were a sovereign in heaven who had commanded the keeping of the Sabbath day.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And when they declared, it is the living Lord himself, the sovereign in heaven, who ordered us to observe the seventh day,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: he replied, And I am a sovereign also on earth, and I command you to take up arms and finish the king's business.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Nevertheless, he did not succeed in carrying out his abominable design.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Judas prepares the Jews for battle.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: This Nicanor, in his utter boastfulness and arrogance, had determined to erect a public monument of victory over Judas and his men.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But Maccabeus did not cease to trust with all confidence that he would get help from the Lord.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And he exhorted his men not to fear the attack of the Gentiles, but to keep in mind the former times when help had come to them from heaven,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and now to look for the victory which the Almighty would give them.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Encouraging them from the law and the prophets, and reminding them also of the struggles they had won,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: he made them the more eager.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And when he had aroused their courage, he gave his orders, at the same time pointing out the perfidy of the Gentiles and their violation of oaths.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: He armed each of them, not so much with confidence and shields and spears, as with the inspiration of brave words,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and he cheered them all by relating a dream, a sort of vision which was worthy of belief.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: What he saw was this. Onias, who had been high priest, a noble and good man, of modest bearing and gentle manner,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: one who spoke fittingly and had been trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: was praying with outstretched hands for the whole body of the Jews.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Then likewise a man appeared, distinguished by his gray hair and dignity, and of marvelous majesty and authority.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Antonius spoke, saying, This is a man who loves the brethren, and prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah, the prophet of God.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword and as he gave it he addressed him thus Take this holy sword a gift from God with which you will strike down your adversaries
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Encouraged by the words of Judas so noble and so effective in arousing valor and awaking manliness in the souls of the young they determined not to carry on a campaign but to attack bravely and to decide the matter by fighting hand to hand with all courage
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Their concern for wives and children and also for brethren and relatives lay upon them less heavily.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Their greatest and first fear was for the consecrated sanctuary.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And the Defeat and Death of Nicanor When all were now looking forward to the coming decision,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and the enemy was already close at hand with their army drawn up for battle,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: the elephants strategically stationed and the cavalry deployed on the flanks,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Maccabeus, perceiving the hosts that were before him and the varied supply of arms and the savagery of the elephants,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: stretched out his hands toward heaven and called upon the Lord who works wonders.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For he knew that it is not by arms, but as the Lord decides, that he gains the victory for those who deserve it.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And he called upon him in these words, O Lord, you sent your angel in the time of Hezekiah, king of Judea, and he slew fully 185,000 in the camp of Sennacherib.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: So now, O sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel to carry terror and trembling before us.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: By the might of your arm, may those blasphemers who come against your holy people be struck down.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: With these words, he ended his prayer.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Nicanor and his men advanced with trumpets and battle songs,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and Judas and his men met the enemy in battle with invocation to God in prayers.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: So, fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: they laid low no less than 35,000 men and were greatly gladdened by God's manifestation.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: When the action was over and they were returning with joy,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: they recognized Nicanor lying dead in full armor.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Then there was shouting and tumult,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and they blessed the sovereign Lord in the language of their fathers.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And the man who was ever in body and soul the defender of his fellow citizens,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: the man who maintained his youthful goodwill toward his countrymen,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: ordered them to cut off Nicanor's head and arm and carry them to Jerusalem.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And when he arrived there, and had called his countrymen together and stationed the priests before the altar,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: he sent for those who were in the citadel.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: He showed them the vile Nicanor's head and that profane man's arm,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: which had been boastfully stretched out against the holy house of the Almighty.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And he cut out the tongue of the ungodly Nicanor and said that he would give it piecemeal to the birds and hang up these rewards of his folly opposite the sanctuary.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And they all, looking to heaven,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: blessed the Lord who had manifested himself,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: saying, Blessed is he who has kept his own place undefiled.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And he hung Nicanor's head from the citadel,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: a clear and conspicuous sign to everyone of the help of the Lord.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And they all decreed by public vote never to let this day go unobserved,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: but to celebrate the 13th day of the 12th month, which is called Edar in the Syrian language,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: the day before Mordecai's day.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: This, then, is how matters turned out with Nicanor.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And from that time, the city has been in the possession of the Hebrews.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: So I too will here end my story.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: If it is well told and to the point, that is what I myself desired.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: If it is poorly done and mediocre, that was the best I could do.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For just as it is harmful to drink wine alone, or again, to drink water alone,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: while wine mixed with water is sweet and delicious and enhances one's enjoyment,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: so also the style of the story delights the ears of those who read the work.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And here will be the end.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The Wisdom of Solomon, Chapter 19 God's continuing help for his people.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: to the end by pitiless anger.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For God knew in advance even their future actions,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: that though they themselves had permitted your people to depart and hastily sent them forth,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: they would change their minds and pursue them.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For while they were still busy at mourning and were lamenting at the graves of their dead,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: they reached another foolish decision and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged and compelled to depart.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For the fate they deserved drew them on to this end and made them forget what had happened,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: in order that they might fill up the punishment which their torments still lacked,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and that your people might experience an incredible journey,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: but they themselves might meet a strange death.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For the whole creation in its nature was fashioned anew,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: complying with your commands,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: that your children might be kept unharmed.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and dry land emerging where water had stood before,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: an unhindered way out of the Red Sea,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and a grassy plain out of the raging waves,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: where those protected by your hand passed through as one nation after gazing on marvelous wonders.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For they ranged like horses and leaped like lambs,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: praising you, O Lord, who delivered them.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For they still recalled the events of their sojourn,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: how instead of producing animals, the earth brought forth gnats,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and instead of fish, the river spewed out vast numbers of frogs.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Afterward, they saw also a new kind of birds,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: when desire led them to ask for luxurious food,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: for to give them relief, quails came up from the sea.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The punishments did not come upon the sinners without prior signs in the violence of thunder,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: for they justly suffered because of their wicked acts,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: for they practiced a more bitter hatred of strangers.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Others had refused to receive strangers when they came to them,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: but these made slaves of guests who were their benefactors.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And not so only, but punishment of some sort will come upon the former for their hostile reception of the strangers,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: but the latter, after receiving them with festal celebrations,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: afflicted with terrible sufferings those who had already shared the same rights.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: They were stricken also with loss of sight,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: just as were those at the door of the righteous man,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: when, surrounded by yawning darkness, each tried to find the way through his own door.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For the elements changed places with one another,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: as on a harp the notes varied the nature of the rhythm,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: while each note remains the same.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: This may be clearly inferred from the sight of what took place,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: for land animals were transformed into water creatures,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and creatures that swim moved over to the land.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Fire even in water retained its normal power,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and water forgot its fire-quenching nature.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Flames, on the contrary, failed to consume the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: nor did they melt the crystalline, easily melted kind of heavenly food.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For in everything, O Lord, you have exalted and glorified your people,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and you have not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The book of Proverbs chapter 25 verses 21 through 23.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For you will heap coals of fire on his head and the Lord will reward you.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Father in heaven, give you praise and glory.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Thank you so much.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Thank you for, um, not only for your justice, but also for your mercy and how you teach us to love our enemies and do good for those who hate us.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Thank you for that.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Help us to be able to do it.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Help us to even love our neighbors.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Help us to even love our friends well,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: because Lord, when it comes to love, um, it's what we're made for,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and it's something we struggle to do.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: So help us, help us this day and every day.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Okay, here we are. You guys, day 312.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: This is amazing.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: We've just concluded the second book of Maccabees
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Tomorrow you going to have a twofer of course
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Whenever we have a new time period or a messianic fulfillment we had a twofer where Jeff and I get a chance to talk and introduce the gospel of Luke
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And then you know the whole era of the church coming up very soon
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: So that's coming tomorrow.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Get ready. Prepare yourself for that.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But also, I want to highlight what a gift it is to have Jeff Cavins, isn't it?
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: I'm just, man, I, well, I can go on and on.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: I can gush.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: I'm not going to gush anymore.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But let's go back to 2 Maccabees.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: the last chapter in 2nd Maccabees, there's a line here that highlights the fact of what drives, drives? Drove.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: What really motivated the Maccabees, right?
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: What really motivated those who are fighting?
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Here's Judas Maccabeus, who is encouraging the people to fight.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Again, not relying on their own swords or spears, not relying on their own strength of their arm,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: but relying upon the help that came from the Lord.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But also, what is it for?
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: What is it for?
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and this is chapter 15, verse 18.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: It said this, their concern for wives and children and also for brethren and relatives lay upon them less heavily.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Their greatest and first fear was for the consecrated sanctuary.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: There's something about this that just highlights what is the motivation.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Of course, they love their wives and their children.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: They love their relatives and brethren, obviously,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: but it weighed upon them less heavily than for the consecrated sanctuary.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The thing was to defend the temple.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The thing was to be able to keep that place of worship of God pure.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: I mean, just think about this.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: What would our lives be like if that was our passion,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: if that was our pursuit,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: was Lord, for your honor, for the honor of your name.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Not that we would go over to violence,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: but I just mean that we would defend,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: that we would keep our worship pure,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: that we would, when it comes to offering the sacrifice of the mass,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: to be able to say, Lord, that's the most important thing.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: More important than, like mentioned the other day,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: more important than hockey, more important than the idols of my lives,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: but even more important than the people I love.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: is your temple.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: More important than the people I love is the Eucharist.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: You know, this is the foreshadow, I think,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: of how Jesus says to his disciples,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: he says, if you want to be my disciple,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: God will love me more than anything else.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And that's where we're headed tomorrow.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Tomorrow, we're beginning the gospel of Luke.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And just what does it look like to follow Jesus?
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: What does Jesus look like?
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: My invitation for tomorrow and as we read through the gospel of St. Luke is,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: is that just to watch Jesus,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: to listen to how he acts and listen to how he lives,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: which is such a gift.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Chapter 19 of the Wisdom of Solomon is obviously the conclusion in some ways to the story of Exodus.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: I mean, it's not really because we know that there's all these wilderness wanderings,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: but we have the Red Sea.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: We have the people of Egypt who changed their mind when they told the Hebrews to leave,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and then they went in pursuit of them,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: and how God continued to fight for his people and continued to bring them from this place of slavery to a place of freedom.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And I love this, this last line.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: For in everything, O Lord, you have exalted and glorified your people and you have not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And we know the story though, you guys,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: we know the story.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: We know that the story is not pretty,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: like we mentioned yesterday.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The story is not always beautiful and not always clean and neat.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And yet we can still affirm,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: you did not neglect to help them at all times and in all places,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: even if there was trouble,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: even if there was suffering,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: even when there was death,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: you did not neglect to help them at all times and in all places.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And that's what God does for us too.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Help us to have the eye.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: God, we just pray that you help us to have eyes to see this,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: that you're present even in the midst of our brokenness.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Let's pray for each other, you guys,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: because I say this all the time,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: but I know that in this community,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: there are people right now,
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: this is the worst day of their life.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: If that's you, you are not alone.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: You are not alone.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: We are praying for you.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Brothers and sisters, I'm praying for you.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Please pray for me.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: My name is Father Mike.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: I cannot wait to see you tomorrow.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: God bless.
