February 4, 2016

Second Kings 2: 1- 4, 10- 12

2:1 Now it happened that, when the Lord willed to lift up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were going out of Gilgal.
2:2 And Elijah said to Elisha: “Remain here. For the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” And Elisha said to him, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not forsake you.” And when they had descended to Bethel,
2:3 the sons of the prophets, who were at Bethel, went out to Elisha. And they said to him, “Do you not know that today the Lord will take away your lord from you?” And he responded: “I know it. Be silent.”
2:4 Then Elijah said to Elisha: “Remain here. For the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not forsake you.” And when they had arrived at Jericho,
2:10 And he responded: “You have requested a difficult thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, you will have what you requested. But if you do not see, it shall not be.”
2:11 And as they continued on, they were conversing while walking. And behold, a fiery chariot with fiery horses divided the two. And Elijah ascended by a whirlwind into heaven.
2:12 Then Elisha saw it, and he cried out: “My father, my father! The chariot of Israel with its driver!” And he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own garments, and he tore them into two parts.

The Holy Gospel According to Mark   6: 7-13

6:7 And he called the twelve. And he began to send them out in twos, and he gave them authority over unclean spirits.
6:8 And he instructed them not to take anything for the journey, except a staff: no traveling bag, no bread, and no money belt,
6:9 but to wear sandals, and not to wear two tunics.
6:10 And he said to them: “Whenever you have entered into a house, stay there until you depart from that place.
6:11 And whoever will neither receive you, nor listen to you, as you go away from there, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
6:12 And going out, they were preaching, so that people would repent.
6:13 And they cast out many demons, and they anointed many of the sick with oil and healed them.