Daily Reading for Wednesday, June 19th, 2024

Reading 1, Second Kings 2:1, 6-14

¹ This is what happened when Yahweh took Elijah up to heaven in the whirlwind: Elijah and Elisha set out from Gilgal,

⁶ Elijah said, 'Elisha, you stay here, Yahweh is only sending me to the Jordan.' But he replied, 'As Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you!' And they went on together.

⁷ Fifty of the brotherhood of prophets followed them, halting some distance away as the two of them stood beside the Jordan.

⁸ Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water; and the water divided to left and right, and the two of them crossed over dry-shod.

⁹ When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, 'Make your request. What can I do for you before I am snatched away from you?' Elisha answered, 'Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.'

¹⁰ 'Your request is difficult,' Elijah said. 'If you see me while I am being snatched away from you, it will be as you ask; if not, it will not be so.'

¹¹ Now as they walked on, talking as they went, a chariot of fire appeared and horses of fire coming between the two of them; and Elijah went up to heaven in the whirlwind.

¹² Elisha saw it, and shouted, 'My father! My father! Chariot of Israel and its chargers!' Then he lost sight of him, and taking hold of his own clothes he tore them in half.

¹³ He picked up Elijah's cloak which had fallen, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

¹⁴ He took Elijah's cloak and struck the water. 'Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?' he cried. As he struck the water it divided to right and left, and Elisha crossed over.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 31:20, 21, 24

²⁰ Safe in your presence you hide them, far from human plotting, shielding them in your tent, far from contentious tongues.

²¹ Blessed be Yahweh who works for me miracles of his faithful love (in a fortified city)!

²⁴ Be brave, take heart, all who put your hope in Yahweh.

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