Catholics are blessed to know that 1 Maccabees 6:1-33 helps us save our souls by giving this History Lesson in our Bibles! We learn the fate of every evil person by seeing the end of the greedy King, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He “was traveling the inland provinces, and heard the Persian city of Elymais was filled with riches”, including “gold helmets, breastplates, and weapons left there by Alexander the Great!”‘
Being the greedy pig that he was, “He tried to capture and pillage the city… but, his plan became known to the people, they rose up in battle against him. . . so he retreated and in great dismay withdrew to return to Babylon.” Those Persians may have been inspired by the Maccabees in Jerusalem, whom God led to “rise up in battle”, as well!
Then, he heard that the Jewish people, led by the Maccabees, had taken back their Temple! “He was struck with fear and very much shaken… Sick with grief because his designs had failed, he took to his bed… There he remained many days, overwhelmed with sorrow, for he knew he was going to die.”
Then, Catholics learn the agony of every sinful person before death: “I cannot sleep… my heart is sinking with anxiety… into what tribulation have I come, and in what floods of sorrow am I now!… Now, I recall the evils I did in Jerusalem when I carried away all the vessels of gold and silver… and gave orders that the inhabitants of Judah be destroyed. I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me; and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land.”
He spent his last hours in the agony of knowing what his eternal judgment would be. Not Catholics! We face death with the joy of Today’s Psalm 9:2-4, 6, 16, 19: “I will rejoice in Your salvation, O Lord.”
2 Timothy 1-10 explains why Catholics are blessed to face death with comfort: “Our Savior, Jesus Christ, has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel. Alleluia!”
Then, in Luke 20:27-40, Catholics see that we are blessed to be led by Catholic priests and religious empowered to give us The Seven Catholic Sacraments, “the keys to The Kingdom of Heaven”. Jesus gave those “keys” to His, and our, First Catholic Pope, “And I say unto you thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I give you the keys to The Kingdom of Heaven.”!
Then! Jesus clearly explains that Catholics are blessed to be led by Catholic priests and religious who love Him so much they take actual Vows of Celibacy, Obedience, and Poverty: “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.”
Read that as often as necessary to Be Catholic.
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Today’s Simple Rhyme: “The more we read The Bible, the better we see: / Catholics are blessed with joy for eternity!”
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