A reading from the book of Genesis.

The Lord God said,

It is not good for the man to be alone.

I will make a suitable partner for him.

So the Lord God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the

man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called each of them would be its name.

The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all wild animals, but none proved

to be suitable, a suitable partner for the man. So the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man,

and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.

The Lord God then built up into a woman, the rib that he had taken from the man.

When he brought her to the man, the man said, this one at last is bone of my bones and

flesh of my flesh.

This one shall be called woman, for out of her man this one was taken.

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and yet they felt no shame.

The word of the Lord.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,

Blessed are those who fear the Lord, blessed are you who fear the Lord who walk in his ways,

for you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork. Blessed shall you be and favored. Blessed are those who

fear the Lord. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home, your children like all

of plants around your table. Blessed are those who fear the Lord. Behold, thus the man is blessed

who fears the Lord. The Lord blesses you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

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