August 15, 2003,

solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

Mastering the Day.

A reading from the book of Revelation.

God's temple in heaven was opened,

and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.

A great sign appeared in the sky,

a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet,

and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.

Then another sign appeared in the sky.

It was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns. And on its heads were

seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down

to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child

when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child,

destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne.

The woman herself fled into the desert, where she had a place prepared by God.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say,

Now have salvation and power come,

in the kingdom of our God,

and the authority of his anointed one.

The Word of the Lord.

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