A reading from the book of Ezekiel.

In the 30th year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the

exiles by the Kabar Canal, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

On the fifth day of the month, it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jeholykin.

The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Boosie, in the land of the

Caldeans by the Kabar Canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.

As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north and a great

cloud with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the

fire as it were gleaming metal. And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures, and this was their

appearance. They had a human likeness, but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.

Their legs were straight, and the souls of their feet were like the soul of a calf's foot, and they sparkled

like burnished bronze. Under their wings, on their four sides, they had human hands,

and the four had their faces and their wings thus. Their wings touched one another. Each one of them

went straight forward without turning as they went.

As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face.

The four had the face of a lion on the right side.

The four had the face of an ox on the left side.

And the four had the face of an eagle. Such were their

faces, and their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched

the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without

turning as they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like

burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures,

...