August 2, 2010
Jeremiah 28: 1 - 17
That same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah in the fifth month of the fourth year, the prophet Hananiah, son of Azzur, from Gibeon, said to me in the presence of the priests and all the people: "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will restore to this place all the vessels of the temple of the Lord which Nebuchadnezar, king of Babylon, took away from this place to Babylon. And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,' says the Lord, 'for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'"
The prophet Jeremiah answered the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people assembled in the house of the Lord, and said: Amen! thus may the Lord do! May he fulfill the things you have prophesied by bringing the vessels of the house of the Lord and all the exiles back from Babylon to this place! But now, listen to what I am about to say in your hearing and the hearing of all the people. From of old, the prophets who were before you and me prophesied war, woe, and pestilence against many lands and mighty kingdoms. But the prophet who prophesies peace is recognized as truly sent by the Lord only when his prophetic prediction is fulfilled.
Thereupon the prophet Hananiah took the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, broke it and in the presence of all the people: "Thus says the Lord; 'Even so, within two years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, from off the neck of all the nations.'" at that, the prophet Jeremiah went away.
Some time after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: Go tell Hananiah this: Thus says the Lord: By breaking a wooden yoke, you forge an iron yoke! For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: A yoke of iron I will place on the necks of all these nations serving Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and they shall serve him even the beasts of the field I give him.
To the prophet Hananiah the prophet Jeremiah said: Hear this, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, and you have raised false confidence in this people. For this, says the Lord I will dispatch you from the face of the earth; this very year you shall die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord. That same year, in the seventh month, Hananiah the prophet died.
Psalms 119: 29, 43, 79 - 80, 95, 102
Remove from me the way of falsehood, and favor me with your law.
Take not the word of truth from my mouth, for in your ordinances is my hope.
Let those turn to me who fear you and acknowledge your decrees. Let my heart be perfect in your statutes, that I be not put to shame.
Sinners wait to destroy me, but I pay heed to your decrees.
From your ordinances I turn not away, for you have instructed me.
Matthew 14: 13 - 21
When Jesus heard this, (the death of John the Baptizer) he withdrew by boat from there to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of it and followed him on foot from the towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast throng, his heart was moved with pity, and he cured their sick. As evening drew on, his disciples came to him with the suggestion: "This is a deserted place and it is already late. Dismiss the crowds so that they may go to the villages and buy some food for themselves." Jesus said to them: "There is no need for them to disperse. Give them something to eat yourselves." "We have nothing here," they replied, "but five loaves and a couple of fish." "Bring them here," he said. Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed and broke them and gave the loaves to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the people. All those present ate their fill. The fragments remaining, when gathered up, filled twelve baskets. Those who ate were about five thousand, not counting women and children.