Mass Readings for August 23, 2024

Ezekiel 37:1-14
Psalms 107:2-9
Matthew 22:34-40

Ezekiel 37:1-14
(1) Yahweh’s hand was on me, and he brought me out in Yahweh’s Spirit, and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. (2) He caused me to pass by them all around: and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and behold, they were very dry. (3) He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I answered, “Lord Yahweh, you know.” (4) Again he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, ‘You dry bones, hear Yahweh’s word. (5) Thus says the Lord Yahweh to these bones: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you will live. (6) I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.”’” (7) So I prophesied as I was commanded. As I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, there was an earthquake. Then the bones came together, bone to its bone. (8) I saw, and, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them. (9) Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” (10) So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army. (11) Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost. We are completely cut off.’ (12) Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. (13) You will know that I am Yahweh, when I have opened your graves, and caused you to come up out of your graves, my people. (14) I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. Then I will place you in your own land; and you will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it and performed it,” says Yahweh.’”

Psalms 107:2-9
(2) Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary, (3) And gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. (4) They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way. They found no city to live in. (5) Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. (6) Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses, (7) he led them also by a straight way, that they might go to a city to live in. (8) Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men! (9) For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.

Matthew 22:34-40
(34) But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together. (35) One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him. (36) “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” (37) Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (40) The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”