August 22, 2014

Reading

Ezekiel   37: 1-14

37:1 The hand of the Lord was set upon me, and he led me away in the Spirit of the Lord, and he released me in the midst of a plain which was full of bones.

37:2 And he led me around, through them, on every side. Now they were very many upon the face of the plain, and they were exceedingly dry.

37:3 And he said to me, “Son of man, do you think that these bones will live?” And I said, “O Lord God, you know.”

37:4 And he said to me, “Prophesy about these bones. And you shall say to them: Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord!

37:5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will send spirit into you, and you shall live.

37:6 And I will set sinews upon you, and I will cause flesh to grow over you, and I will extend skin over you. And I will give you spirit, and you shall live. And you shall know that I am the Lord.”

37:7 And I prophesied, just as he had instructed me. But a noise occurred, as I was prophesying, and behold: a commotion. And the bones joined together, each one at its joint.

37:8 And I saw, and behold: sinews and flesh rose up over them; and skin was extended over them. But they had no spirit within them.

37:9 And he said to me: “Prophesy to the spirit! Prophesy, O son of man, and you shall say to the spirit: Thus says the Lord God: Approach, O spirit, from the four winds, and blow across these ones who were slain, and revive them.”

37:10 And I prophesied, just as he had instructed me. And spirit entered into them, and they lived. And they stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

37:11 And he said to me: “Son of man: All these bones are the house of Israel. They say: ‘Our bones are dried out, and our hope has perished, and we have been cut off.’

37:12 Because of this, prophesy, and you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your tombs, and I will lead you away from your sepulchers, O my people. And I will lead you into the land of Israel.

37:13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I will have opened your sepulchers, and when I will have led you away from your tombs, O my people.

37:14 And I will place my Spirit within you, and you shall live. And I will cause you to rest upon your own soil. And you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and acted, says the Lord God.”

Gospel

Matthew   22: 34-40

22:34 But the Pharisees, hearing that he had caused the Sadducees to be silent, came together as one.

22:35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, questioned him, to test him:

22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

22:37 Jesus said to him: “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

22:38 This is the greatest and first commandment.

22:39 But the second is similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

22:40 On these two commandments the entire law depends, and also the prophets.”