Daily Mass and Readings

1After this I looked, and lo, in heaven an open door! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, "Come up hither, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2At once I was in the Spirit, and lo, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne! 3And he who sat there appeared like jasper and carnelian, and round the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald. 4Round the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clad in white garments, with golden crowns upon their heads. 5From the throne issue flashes of lightning, and voices and peals of thunder, and before the throne burn seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God; 6and before the throne there is as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And round the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. 8And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all round and within, and day and night they never cease to sing, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" 9And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing, 11"Worthy art thou, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou didst create all things, and by thy will they existed and were created."

1Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! 2Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his exceeding greatness! 3Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! 4Praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! 5Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 6Let everything that breathes praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

11As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12He said therefore, "A nobleman went into a far country to receive a kingdom and then return. 13Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten pounds, and said to them, `Trade with these till I come.' 14But his citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, `We do not want this man to reign over us.' 15When he returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. 16The first came before him, saying, `Lord, your pound has made ten pounds more.' 17And he said to him, `Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.' 18And the second came, saying, `Lord, your pound has made five pounds.' 19And he said to him, `And you are to be over five cities.' 20Then another came, saying, `Lord, here is your pound, which I kept laid away in a napkin; 21for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.' 22He said to him, `I will condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then did you not put my money into the bank, and at my coming I should have collected it with interest?' 24And he said to those who stood by, `Take the pound from him, and give it to him who has the ten pounds.' 25(And they said to him, `Lord, he has ten pounds!') 26`I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.'" 28And when he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.