prayer, and should encourage us to turn to God in all our necessities. Almighty God gave the victory to the faithful Jews, because “they fought with their hands, and prayed in their hearts.”
The soldiers of Christ. We all have a holy war to wage for God’s glory and the salvation of our souls, namely, the war against our own passions and inclinations, as also against temptations from without, from unbelieving and wicked men, and from the evil spirits. In this war our weapons are the sword of God’s word, the shield of faith, and the lance of prayer. Our companions in arms are our holy guardian angels, who invisibly help us during the strife in the same way that they visibly helped Judas. We are consecrated to, and strengthened for this war by the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Application. Of what kind is your repentance and your purpose of amendment? Have you always carried out your good resolutions? In order to have a hatred of sin you ought every evening to try to excite in yourself a feeling of contrition.
Do you properly venerate your guardian angel and your patron Saint? Have you read your Saint’s life? Do you commend yourself every day to his care, and try to imitate his virtues?
Do you pray diligently for the dead, especially for your relations and benefactors? Never neglect to do this, for it is a duty of love, and obtains merit for yourself. Especially remember the holy souls at Mass, after the Elevation. If even the sacrifices of the Old Testament, which were only shadows and types, could help the dead, how much greater must be the help which is afforded to them by the Most Holy Sacrifice of the New Testament.
Chapter LXXXVI.
THE FULNESS OF TIME.
[1 Mach, 10 — 16 ]
After the death of Judas Machabeus, his brothers, Jonathan and Simon[1], successively placed themselves at the head of the Jewish people, and performed wonderful exploits. Their successors, however, fell away from God, and brought the people,
- ↑ Jonathan and Simon. Jonathan was treacherously murdered by the Syrians, 143 B. C. After his death his brother Simon was chosen to be both High Priest and leader of the people. He succeeded in entirely freeing the Jewish state from the dominion of the Syrian king, Demetrius, 142 B. C. (Fig. 60, p. 374). Out of gratitude, the Jews made the dignities of prince and High Priest hereditary in the family of Simon.
