Saint Benedict of Nursia, Abbot, Patron of Europe

1In the year that king Ozias died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and elevated: and his train filled the temple. 2Upon it stood the seraphims: the one had six wings, and the other had six wings: with two they covered his face, and with two they covered his feet, and with two they hew. 3And they cried one to another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God of hosts, all the earth is full of his glory. 4And the lintels of the doors were moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5And I said: Woe is me, because I have held my peace; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people that hath unclean lips, and I have seen with my eyes the King the Lord of hosts. 6And one of the seraphims flew to me, and in his hand was a live coal, which he had taken with the tongs off the altar. 7And he touched my mouth, and said: Behold this hath touched thy lips, and thy iniquities shall be taken away, and thy sin shall be cleansed. 8And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send? and who shall go for us? And I said: Lo, here am I, send me.

1The Lord hath reigned, he is clothed with beauty: the Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded himself. For he hath established the world which shall not be moved.

2Thy throne is prepared from of old: thou art from everlasting.

…

5Thy testimonies are become exceedingly credible: holiness becometh thy house, O Lord, unto length of days.

24The disciple is not above the master, nor the servant above his lord. 25It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the goodman of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household? 26Therefore fear them not. For nothing is covered that shall not be revealed: nor hid, that shall not be known. 27That which I tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light: and that which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops. 28And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father. 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Fear not therefore: better are you than many sparrows. 32Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. 33But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.