FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 4: 1 - 11
1
And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered
themselves together to fight: and Israel went out to war against the
Philistines, and camped by the Stone of help. And the Philistines
came to Aphec,
2
And put their army in array against Israel. And when they had joined
battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and there was
slain in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand
men.
3
And the people returned to the camp: and the ancients of Israel said:
Why hath the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us
fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let
it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our
enemies.
4
So the people sent to Silo, and they brought from thence the ark of
the covenant of the Lord of hosts sitting upon the cherubims: and the
two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were with the ark of the
covenant of God.
5
And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come into the camp,
all Israel shouted with a great shout, and the earth rang again.
6
And the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, and they said: What
is this noise of a great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they
understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
7
And the Philistines were afraid, saying: God is come into the camp.
And sighing, they said:
8
Woe to us: for there was no such great joy yesterday and the day
before: Woe to us. Who shall deliver us from the hand of these high
gods? these are the gods that struck Egypt with all the plagues in
the desert.
9
Take courage and behave like men, ye Philistines: lest you come to be
servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you: take courage and
fight.
10
So the Philistines fought, and Israel was overthrown, and every man
fled to his own dwelling: and there was an exceeding great slaughter;
for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
11
And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and
Phinees, were slain.
10
Thou hast made us turn our back to our enemies: and they that hated
us plundered for themselves.
11
Thou hast given us up like sheep to be eaten: thou hast scattered us
among the nations.
14
Thou hast made us a byword among the Gentiles: a shaking of the head
among the people.
15
All the day long my shame is before me: and the confusion of my face
hath covered me,
24
Why turnest thou thy face away? and forgettest our want and our
trouble?
25
For our soul is humbled down to the dust: our belly cleaveth to the
earth.
40
And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down said
to him: If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
41
And Jesus having compassion on him, stretched forth his hand; and
touching him, saith to him: I will. Be thou made clean.
42
And when he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him,
and he was made clean.
43
And he strictly charged him, and forthwith sent him away.
44
And he saith to him: See thou tell no one; but go, shew thyself to
the high priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things that Moses
commanded, for a testimony to them.
45
But he being gone out, began to publish and to blaze abroad the word:
so that he could not openly go into the city, but was without in
desert places: and they flocked to him from all sides.
