Readings from the Old Testament

A Reading from the Book of Wisdom. (3:1-9)
The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and no
Torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish they
Seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be
An affliction, and their going from us to be their destruction;
But they are at peace.
For though in the sight of men they were punished, their
Hope was full of immortality, slight was their affliction great
Will their blessing be.
Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
Because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
Like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial
Burnt offering he accepted them. In the time of their
Visitation they will shine forth, and will run like sparks
Through stubble.
They will govern nations and rule over peoples, and the
Lord will reign over them for ever. Those who trust in him
Will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in
Love, because grave and mercy are upon his elect.
The Word of the Lord.
A Reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes. (3:2-8)
There is a season for everything, a time for every occupation under heaven.
A time for giving birth, a time for dying.
A time for planting, a time for uprooting.
A time for building, a time for tearing down.
A time for sorrow, a time for joy.
A time for mourning, a time for dancing.
A time for embracing, a time to refrain from embracing.
A time for finding, a time for losing.
A time for saving, a time for throwing away.
A time for mending, a time for tearing.
A time for keeping silent, a time for speaking.
A time for conflict, a time for peace.
What does a man gain from the efforts that he makes?
I contemplate the task that God gives mankind to labour at.
All that he does is apt for its time; but though he has
Permitted man to consider time in its wholeness, man
Cannot comprehend the work of God from beginning to end.
The Word of the Lord.
A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah. (25:6-9)
On this mountain, the lord of hosts will prepare for all
Peoples a banquet of rich food. On this mountain he will
Remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the
Shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death for ever.
The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will
Take away his people’s shame everywhere on earth, for the
Lord has said so.
That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in whom we
Hoped for salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we hoped.
We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us.
The Word of the Lord.