[Lectio1]
Lesson from the first book of Machabees
!1 Mac 2:70; 3:1-3; 3:5-6
70 And he died in the hundred and forty-sixth year: and he was buried by his sons in the sepulchres of his fathers in Modin, and all Israel mourned for him with great mourning.
1 Then his son Judas, called Machabeus, rose up in his stead. 
2 And all his brethren helped him, and all they that had joined themselves to his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel. 
3 And he got his people great honour, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike armour about him in battles, and protected the camp with his sword. 
5 And he pursued the wicked and sought them out, and them that troubled his people he burnt with fire:
6 And his enemies were driven away for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled: and salvation prospered in his hand.

[Lectio2]
!1 Mac 3:7-12
7 And he grieved many kings, and made Jacob glad with his works, and his memory is blessed for ever.
8 And he went through the cities of Juda, and destroyed the wicked out of them, and turned away wrath from Israel.
9 And he was renowned even to the utmost part of the earth, and he gathered them that were perishing.
10 And Apollonius gathered together the Gentiles, and a numerous and great army from Samaria, to make war against Israel.
11 And Judas understood it, and went forth to meet him: and he overthrew him, and killed him: and many fell down slain, the rest fled away.
12 And he took their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and fought with it all his lifetime.

[Lectio3]
!1 Mac 3:25-28
25 And the fear of Judas and of his brethren, and the dread of them fell upon all the nations round about them.
26 And his fame came to the king, and all nations told of the battles of Judas.
27 Now when king Antiochus heard these words, he was angry in his mind: and he sent and gathered the forces of all his kingdom, an exceeding strong army.
28 And he opened his treasury, and gave out pay to the army for a year: and he commanded them, that they should be ready for all things.