WEDNESDAY IN THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT--EMBER DAY

Wednesday in the First Week of Lent—Ember Day

EPISTLE, III. Kings xix. 3-8.

IN those days came Elias to Bersabee of Juda, and left his servant there, and he went forward one day s journey into the desert. And when lie was there, and sat under a junipertree, he requested for his soul that he might die, and said : It is enough for me, Lord, take away my soul : for I am no better than my fathers. And he cast himself down, and slept in the shadow of the juniper-tree: and behold an angel of the Lord touched him, and said to him: Arise and eat. He looked, and behold there was at his head a hearth-cake, and a vessel of water : and he ate and drank, and he fell asleep again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said to him : Arise, eat : for thou hast yet a great way to go. And he arose, and ate, and drank, and walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God, Horeb.

GOSPEL. Matt. xii. 38-50.

At that time, some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Jesus, saying : Master, we would see a sign from Thee. Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign : and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was in the whale s belly three days and three nights : so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it : be cause they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a greater than Jonas here. The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it : because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon here. And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places seek ing rest, and findeth none. Then he saith : I will return into my house from whence I came out. And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there : and the last state of that man is made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation. As He was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold His Mother and His brethren stood without, seeking to speak to Him.  And one said unto Him : Behold Thy Mother and Thy brethren stand without, seeking Thee. But He answering him that told Him, said: Who is My Mother, and who are My brethren?And stretching forth His hand towards His disciples, He said :Behold My Mother and My brethren. For whosoever shall do the will of My Father, that is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother.

Prayer.

Mercifully hear our prayers, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and against all our adversaries extend the right hand of Thy majesty.  Through Christ, etc. Amen.
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Next: Thursday in the First Week of Lent