June 18, 2006, Thursday of the 11th week in ordinary time.

A reading from the book of Syrock,

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 netherworld,

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 are 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. Oh, Elijah, enveloped in the whirlwind. Then Alicia, 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 The responsorial Psalm

The response is

Rejoice in the Lord you just

The Lord is king, let the earth rejoice,

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