A reading from
the Book of Sirach48:1-14
Like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah/ whose 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 heavens/ and 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 life/ from 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 come/ to 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 shall have seen you/ And who falls asleep in your friendship./ For we live only in our life,/ but after death our name will not be such./ O Elijah, enveloped in the whirlwind!
Then Elisha, filled with the twofold portion of his spirit,/ wrought many marvels by his mere word./ During his lifetime he feared no one,/ nor was any man able to intimidate his will./ Nothing was beyond his power;/ beneath him flesh was brought back into life./ In life he performed wonders,/ and after death, marvelous deeds.
The word of the Lord.
