Brothers and sisters: I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.

At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.

Are you not from eternity, O Lord,/ my holy God, immortal?/ O Lord, you have marked him for judgment,/ O Rock, you have readied him for punishment!/ Too pure are your eyes to look upon evil,/ and the sight of misery you cannot endure./ Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence/ while the wicked man devours/ one more just than himself?/ You have made man like the fish of the sea,/ like creeping things without a ruler./ He brings them all up with his hook,/ he hauls them away with his net,/ He gathers them in his seine;/ and so he rejoices and exults./ Therefore he ­sacrifices to his net,/ and burns incense to his seine;/ for thanks to them his portion is generous,/ and his repast sumptuous./ Shall he, then, keep on brandishing his sword/ to slay peoples without mercy?

See, upon the mountains there advances/ the bearer of good news, announcing peace!/ Celebrate your feasts, O Judah,/ fulfill your vows!/ For nevermore shall you be invaded/ by the scoundrel; he is completely destroyed./ The Lord will restore the vine of Jacob,/ the pride of Israel,/ Though ravagers have ravaged them/ and ruined the tendrils.