Given by: Judas Maccabeus, after discovering that fallen soldiers had secretly carried forbidden idolatrous tokens. Given to: the grieving people, urged both to pray and to guard their own lives from sin.

Even faithful fighters had, in secret, hidden pagan tokens — a compromise with idolatry the law forbade. Judas treats the tragedy as a call to repentance and to renewed fidelity, not merely a loss to be mourned.

And so betaking themselves to prayers, they besought him, that the sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But the most valiant Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forasmuch as they saw before their eyes what had happened, because of the sins of those that were slain.

Turn to prayer for the forgiveness of sin, and, seeing its cost, keep yourselves from sin.

2 Maccabees 12:42

Your Spirit

Loves God

Loves Neighbor

Your Body

Moral Behaviour