"Saint John the Baptist Rebuking Herod" -- by Giovanni Fattori |
FIRST
READING:
Ecclesiastes 1:
2 - 11
2
Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is
vanity.
3
What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
4
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the
earth standeth for ever.
5
The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there
rising again,
6
Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the
spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth
to his circuits.
7
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto
the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.
8
All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not
filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.
9
What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it
that hath been done? the same that shall be done.
10
Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold
this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were
before us.
11
There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things
which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them
that shall be in the latter end.
PSALM:
Psalms 90:
3 - 6, 12 - 14, 17
3
Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, "Turn back, O
children of men!"
4
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is
past, or as a watch in the night.
5
Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream, like grass which is
renewed in the morning:
6
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades
and withers.
12
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13
Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on thy servants!
14
Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may
rejoice and be glad all our days.
17
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the
work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou
it.
GOSPEL:
Luke 9:
7 - 9
7
Now Herod, the tetrarch, heard of all things that were done by him;
and he was in a doubt, because it was said
8
By some, that John was risen from the dead: but by other some, that
Elias had appeared; and by others, that one of the old prophets was
risen again.
9
And Herod said: John I have beheaded; but who is this of whom I hear
such things? And he sought to see him.