November 22nd, 2003.

Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr.

A reading from the second book of Maccabees.

It happened that seven brothers with their mother

were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king

to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.

Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother,

who saw her seven sons perish in a single day,

yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.

Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their ancestors with these words.

I do not know how you came into existence in my womb. It was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is

composed. Therefore, since it is the creator of the universe who shapes each man's beginning

as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath

and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law."

Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words, thought he was being ridiculed.

As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him, not with mere words, but

with promises on oath, to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs.

He would make him his friend and entrust him with high office.

When the youth paid no attention to him at all, the king appealed to the mother, urging her to advise her

boy to save his life. After he had urged her for a long time, she went through the motions

of persuading her son. In derision of the cruel tyrant, she leaned over close to her son

and said in their native language,

...