Saturday, November 19, 2011 {Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary}

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Father, you guide your people with kindness and govern us with love. By the prayers of Saint Gregory give the spirit of wisdom to those you have called to lead your Church. May the growth of Your people in holiness be the eternal joy of our shepherds.
 -- Liturgy of the Hours

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 1 Maccabees 6:1-13
(The Death of Antiochus the Fourth)
1 As King Antiochus the Fourth was passing through Mesopotamia, he heard of a city in Persia, named Elymais, which was famous for its riches in silver and gold.
2 The temple was very rich, containing gold shields, armor, and weapons left there by Alexander, son of King Philip of Macedonia, who was the first to rule the Greek Empire.
3 Antiochus came and tried to take the city and loot it, but he didn't succeed, because the citizens had learned what he was planning to do,