August 11, 2014

Reading

The Book of the Prophet Ezekial 1: 2-5, 24-28

1:2	On the fifth of the month, the same is the fifth year of the transmigration of king Joachin,
1:3	the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel, a priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans, next to the river Chebar. And the hand of the Lord was over him there.
1:4	And I saw, and behold, a whirlwind arrived from the north. And a great cloud, wrapped in fire and brightness, was all around it. And from its midst, that is, from the midst of the fire, there was something with the appearance of amber.
1:5	And in its midst, there was the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: the likeness of a man was in them.
1:24	And I heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the sublime God. When they walked, it was like the sound of a multitude, like the sound of an army. And when they stood still, their wings were let down.
1:25	For when a voice came from above the firmament, which was over their heads, they stood still, and they put down their wings.
1:26	And above the firmament, which was suspended over their heads, there was the likeness of a throne, with the appearance of the sapphire stone. And over the likeness of the throne, there was a likeness with the appearance of a man above it.
1:27	And I saw something with the appearance of amber, with the likeness of fire within it and all around it. And from his waist and upward, and from his waist downward, I saw something with the appearance of fire shining all around.
1:28	There was the appearance of the rainbow, as when it is in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the splendor on every side.

Gospel

The Holy Gospel According to Matthew 17: 22-26

17:22	And they will kill him, but he will rise again on the third day.” And they were extremely saddened.
17:23	And when they had arrived at Capernaum, those who collected the half shekel approached Peter, and they said to him, “Doesn’t your Teacher pay the half shekel?”
17:24	He said, “Yes.” And when he had entered into the house, Jesus went before him, saying: “How does it seem to you, Simon? The kings of the earth, from whom do they receive tribute or the census tax: from their own sons or from foreigners?”
17:25	And he said, “From foreigners.” Jesus said to him: “Then the sons are free.
17:26	But so that we may not become an obstacle to them: go to the sea, and cast in a hook, and take the first fish that is brought up, and when you have opened its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take it and give it to them, for me and for you.”