Reading I 2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15a, 18 Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, occupied the whole landand attacked Samaria, which he besieged for three years.In the ninth year of Hoshea, king of Israelthe king of Assyria took Samaria,and deported the children of Israel to Assyria,setting them in Halah, at the Habor, a river of Gozan,and the cities of the Medes.This came about because the children of Israel sinned against the LORD,their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt,from under the domination of Pharaoh, king of Egypt,and because they venerated other gods.They followed the rites of the nationswhom the Lord had cleared out of the way of the children of Israeland the kings of Israel whom they set up.And though the LORD warned Israel and Judahby every prophet and seer,“Give up your evil ways and keep my commandments and statutes,in accordance with the entire law which I enjoined on your fathersand which I sent you by my servants the prophets,”they d

Reading 1 2 Chronicles 24:17-25 After the death of Jehoiada,the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash,and the king then listened to them.They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers,and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols;and because of this crime of theirs,wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem.Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD,the people would not listen to their warnings.Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah,son of Jehoiada the priest.He took his stand above the people and said to them:"God says, 'Why are you transgressing the LORD's commands,so that you cannot prosper?Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.'"But they conspired against him,and at the king's order they stoned him to deathin the court of the LORD's temple.Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown himby Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, and slew his son.And as Zechariah was dying, he said, &qu

Reading 1  Sirach 48:1-14 Like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijahwhose words were as a flaming furnace.Their staff of bread he shattered,in his zeal he reduced them to straits;By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavensand three times brought down fire.How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!Whose glory is equal to yours?You brought a dead man back to lifefrom the nether world, by the will of the LORD.You sent kings down to destruction,and easily broke their power into pieces.You brought down nobles, from their beds of sickness.You heard threats at Sinai,at Horeb avenging judgments.You anointed kings who should inflict vengeance,and a prophet as your successor.You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,in a chariot with fiery horses.You were destined, it is written, in time to cometo put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.Blessed is he who

Reading 1 1 Kings 21:17-29 After the death of Naboth the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite:"Start down to meet Ahab, king of Israel,who rules in Samaria.He will be in the vineyard of Naboth,of which he has come to take possession.This is what you shall tell him,'The LORD says: After murdering, do you also take possession?For this, the LORD says:In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth,the dogs shall lick up your blood, too.'"Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me out, my enemy?""Yes," he answered."Because you have given yourself up to doing evil in the LORD's sight,I am bringing evil upon you: I will destroy youand will cut off every male in Ahab's line,whether slave or freeman, in Israel.I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat,and like that of Baasha, son of Ahijah,because of how you have provoked me by leading Israel into sin."(Against Jezebel, too, the LORD declared,"The dogs shall d