Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Jan 2 - Ss Basil the Great (330-379) and Gregory Nazianzen (329-389)
Summary: Ss Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops & Doctors of the Church.
Basil: Born about 330 at Caesarea (Turkey); died there on 1 January 379. First a hermit, then bishop of his native city. Noted for his pioneering monastic rule, and for writings which developed the doctrines of the Incarnation and of the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.
Gregory: Born at Nazianzus (Turkey) in 329; died there in 389. Also a hermit before becoming bishop of Constantinople. Known as the "Theologian" because of his wisdom and acumen in maintaining orthodox doctrine against the Arians.
Basil of Caesarea, his younger brother, Gregory of Nyssa, and his friend Gregory Nazianzen are often called "the Cappadocian fathers" after the province of Cappadocia in central Turkey from which they originated. Although Basil and Gregory of Nazianzen were friends, ecclesiastical politics put strains on their relationship.
Patrick Duffy tells their story.
St Basil's Early life
Basil was born in Caesarea in Cappadocia, Central Turkey, of a deeply Christian family (ten children, three of whom became bishops: Basil, Gregory of Nyssa and Peter of Sebaste). His grandmother, Macrina, both his parents and his eldest sister are all honoured as saints. His maternal grandfather had suffered martyrdom.
Monastic community
Basil received training in rhetoric and philosophy first at Caesarea (where he befriended Gregory Nazienzen), and later at Constantinople and at Athens. After his baptism in 358 he visited monasteries in Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Mesopotamia and on his return set up a community at Annesoi in Pontus, where his mother (now widowed) and sister joined him in giving themselves to prayer and pious works.
Bishop of Caesarea
Basil then left this community to become a hermit with his brother Gregory, but was called upon by Eusebius of Caesarea to refute the Arian heresy. He was ordained priest in 365 and when Eusebius died he was chosen as bishop of Caesarea. Here organised a great complex to care for the sick and to feed the hungry. It was called the Basiliad.
Writings
Basil wrote both a longer and a shorter Rule for monastic life as well as doctrinal writings on the divinity of Christ, the role of the Holy Spirit and the theology of the Trinity (three persons and one nature). He also edited a eucharistic liturgy which is still in use and bears his name.
Basil's Friendship with Gregory, his father was a bishop
Gregory also came from a very Christian family with many saints and his father was bishop of Nazianzos. Gregory became a friend of Basil while both were students first at Caesarea and later at Athens. For a while he joined Basil at his monastic community at Annesoi in Pontus. His ageing father put pressure on him to come home and help him manage the home bishopric. Contrary to his own inclination, he agreed to be ordained priest, then fled to Basil for ten weeks and eventually returned to write a work on the nature and duties of the priesthood.
St Gregory - bishop at Sasima, Nazianzos and Constantinople - and resignation
When Basil became archbishop of Caesarea, he had Gregory consecrated bishop of Sasima to keep out a rival. Sasima was not a healthy place and Gregory didn't actually go there. This strained the relationship between the two. Gregory preferred to help his father at Nazianzos. In 379 the bishops around Constantinople persuaded him to go there to support the Nicene doctrine. He was installed as bishop there and along with the emperor convened the Council of Constantinople (381), which eventually succeeded in overcoming Arianism, but as there was continued opposition to him, he resigned in order to bring peace. He returned to his homeland and for a while resumed as bishop of Nazianzos (Nazianzenos is a Greek adjective, meaning "from Nazianzos"). Gregory then established his successor, retired to his family estate and died on Jan 25, 389.
Dilemmas of his Life
Gregory lived his life in a dialectic of stark choices - between being a public speaker (rhetor) or a philosopher; between monastic community or public ministry; between what he felt drawn to himself or what others thought he should do.
Gregory's use of "procession"in trinitarian theology
Gregory's greatest contribution to theology was his use of the word "procession" to describe the relationship between the Spirit and the Godhead: "The Holy Spirit is truly Spirit, coming forth from the Father indeed but not after the manner of the Son, for it is not by generation but by procession, since I must coin a word for the sake of clearness." This was a significant step forward in developing the theology of the Trinity
Grace is given not to them who speak [their faith] but to those who live their faith.
Basil: Born about 330 at Caesarea (Turkey); died there on 1 January 379. First a hermit, then bishop of his native city. Noted for his pioneering monastic rule, and for writings which developed the doctrines of the Incarnation and of the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.
Gregory: Born at Nazianzus (Turkey) in 329; died there in 389. Also a hermit before becoming bishop of Constantinople. Known as the "Theologian" because of his wisdom and acumen in maintaining orthodox doctrine against the Arians.
Basil of Caesarea, his younger brother, Gregory of Nyssa, and his friend Gregory Nazianzen are often called "the Cappadocian fathers" after the province of Cappadocia in central Turkey from which they originated. Although Basil and Gregory of Nazianzen were friends, ecclesiastical politics put strains on their relationship.Patrick Duffy tells their story.
St Basil's Early life
Basil was born in Caesarea in Cappadocia, Central Turkey, of a deeply Christian family (ten children, three of whom became bishops: Basil, Gregory of Nyssa and Peter of Sebaste). His grandmother, Macrina, both his parents and his eldest sister are all honoured as saints. His maternal grandfather had suffered martyrdom.
Monastic community
Basil received training in rhetoric and philosophy first at Caesarea (where he befriended Gregory Nazienzen), and later at Constantinople and at Athens. After his baptism in 358 he visited monasteries in Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Mesopotamia and on his return set up a community at Annesoi in Pontus, where his mother (now widowed) and sister joined him in giving themselves to prayer and pious works.
Bishop of Caesarea
Basil then left this community to become a hermit with his brother Gregory, but was called upon by Eusebius of Caesarea to refute the Arian heresy. He was ordained priest in 365 and when Eusebius died he was chosen as bishop of Caesarea. Here organised a great complex to care for the sick and to feed the hungry. It was called the Basiliad.
Writings
Basil wrote both a longer and a shorter Rule for monastic life as well as doctrinal writings on the divinity of Christ, the role of the Holy Spirit and the theology of the Trinity (three persons and one nature). He also edited a eucharistic liturgy which is still in use and bears his name.
Basil's Friendship with Gregory, his father was a bishopGregory also came from a very Christian family with many saints and his father was bishop of Nazianzos. Gregory became a friend of Basil while both were students first at Caesarea and later at Athens. For a while he joined Basil at his monastic community at Annesoi in Pontus. His ageing father put pressure on him to come home and help him manage the home bishopric. Contrary to his own inclination, he agreed to be ordained priest, then fled to Basil for ten weeks and eventually returned to write a work on the nature and duties of the priesthood.
St Gregory - bishop at Sasima, Nazianzos and Constantinople - and resignation
When Basil became archbishop of Caesarea, he had Gregory consecrated bishop of Sasima to keep out a rival. Sasima was not a healthy place and Gregory didn't actually go there. This strained the relationship between the two. Gregory preferred to help his father at Nazianzos. In 379 the bishops around Constantinople persuaded him to go there to support the Nicene doctrine. He was installed as bishop there and along with the emperor convened the Council of Constantinople (381), which eventually succeeded in overcoming Arianism, but as there was continued opposition to him, he resigned in order to bring peace. He returned to his homeland and for a while resumed as bishop of Nazianzos (Nazianzenos is a Greek adjective, meaning "from Nazianzos"). Gregory then established his successor, retired to his family estate and died on Jan 25, 389.
Dilemmas of his Life
Gregory lived his life in a dialectic of stark choices - between being a public speaker (rhetor) or a philosopher; between monastic community or public ministry; between what he felt drawn to himself or what others thought he should do.
Gregory's use of "procession"in trinitarian theology
Gregory's greatest contribution to theology was his use of the word "procession" to describe the relationship between the Spirit and the Godhead: "The Holy Spirit is truly Spirit, coming forth from the Father indeed but not after the manner of the Son, for it is not by generation but by procession, since I must coin a word for the sake of clearness." This was a significant step forward in developing the theology of the Trinity
************************************************
Memorable Quotes from Ss Basil and Gregory
A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds.
A good deed is never lost;
he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.
~ St Basil the Great ~
Grace is given not to them who speak [their faith] but to those who live their faith.
~St Gregory Nazianzen ~
********************************************
Liturgical Readings for: Friday, 2nd January, 2026
Weekdays of the Christmas season
01-02 Before Epiphany
To become 'children of God' we must be 'born again' from above or 'born of God'
Saints of the Day: Jan 2; Ss Basil the Great, bishop of Caesarea, ascetic, monk and theologian, d. 389
and Gregory Nazianzen, bishop of Sasima, friend of St Basil. Both were doctors of the Church.
c/f short history of today’s saints can be found below today’s Readings and Reflection.
FIRST READING
A reading from the first letter of St John 2:22-28
Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning
The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ- he is the liar, he is Antichrist;
and he is denying the Father as well as the Son, because no one who has the Father can deny the Son,
and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well.
Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning: as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in you, you will live in the Son and in the Father;
and what is promised to you by his own promise is eternal life.
This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray.
But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; the anointing he gave teaches you everything;
you are anointed with truth, not with a lie, and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him.
Live in Christ, then, my children, so that if he appears, we may have full confidence,
and not turn from him in shame at his coming.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1-4. R/v v3
Response All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
1. Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation. Response
2. The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel. Response
3. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord all the earth, ring out your joy. Response
Gospel Acclamation Jn 1: 14, 12
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.
To all who received him he gave power to become children of God.
Alleluia!
Or Heb 1:1-2
Alleluia, alleluia!
At various times in the past and in various ways,
God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;
But in our own times, the last days, he has spoke to us through is son.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 1:19-28 Glory to you, O Lord
One is coming after me who existed before me.
This is how John appeared as a witness.
When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him,
'Who are you?' he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, 'I am not the Christ'.
'Well then,' they asked 'are you Elijah?' 'I am not' he said.
'
Are you the Prophet?' He answered, 'No'.So they said to him, 'Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?'
So John said, 'I am,' as Isaiah prophesied: ' a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord'.
Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, 'Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?'
John replied, 'I baptise with water; but there stands among you - unknown to you - the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap'.
This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
****************************
Gospel Reflection 2 Jan. before the Epiphany John 1:19-28
The priests and Levites ask John the Baptist two questions in today’s gospel reading, ‘Who are you?’ and ‘Why are you baptizing?’ The more fundamental of the two questions is the first one, because the answer to the first question determines the answer to the second question. It is because of who we are that we do what we do. It was because John was the voice crying in the wilderness to draw people’s attention to the presence of Jesus among them that he was engaged in the water ritual of baptizing that prepared people to receive Jesus with open hearts.
The question ‘Who are you?’ is one of the most fundamental questions of life because our identity is the foundation for what we do and why we do it. We all need to keep returning to that question ‘Who am I?’ It can be answered at different levels, ‘I am Irish, I am a bus driver…’ At the deepest level of my being, who am I? What is my deepest identity? John the Baptist was very clear about his deepest identity, which is why, when asked, he could deny that he was the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet. As the voice, he was the witness to the Word, the light of the world. John the Baptist points us in the direction of our own deepest identity, which is to be a witness to Christ. Saint Paul would even go further and say, ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me’. Our deepest identity is our Christ identity. It is that identity which is to shape all we do and why we do it.
________________________________
The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/
The Scripture Reflection is made available with our thanks from his book Reflections on the Weekday Readings The Word is near to you, on your lips and in your heart by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
________________
Saints of the Day: Jan 2; 1. Ss Basil the Great, bishop of Caesarea, d. 389 and 2. St Gregory Nazianzen, bishop.
Basil: Born about 330 at Caesarea (Turkey); died there on 1 January 379. First a hermit, then bishop of his native city. Noted for his pioneering monastic rule, and for writings which developed the doctrines of the Incarnation and of the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.
Gregory: Born at Nazianzus (Turkey) in 329; died there in 389. Also a hermit before becoming bishop of Constantinople. Known as the "Theologian" because of his wisdom and acumen in maintaining orthodox doctrine against the Arians.
Basil of Caesarea, his younger brother, Gregory of Nyssa, and his friend Gregory Nazianzen are often called "the Cappadocian fathers" after the province of Cappadocia in central Turkey from which they originated. Although Basil and Gregory of Nazianzen were friends, ecclesiastical politics put strains on their relationship.Patrick Duffy tells their story.
St Basil's Early life
Basil was born in Caesarea in Cappadocia, Central Turkey, of a deeply Christian family (ten children, three of whom became bishops: Basil, Gregory of Nyssa and Peter of Sebaste). His grandmother, Macrina, both his parents and his eldest sister are all honoured as saints. His maternal grandfather had suffered martyrdom.
Monastic community
Basil received training in rhetoric and philosophy first at Caesarea (where he befriended Gregory Nazienzen), and later at Constantinople and at Athens.
After his baptism in 358 he visited monasteries in Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Mesopotamia and on his return set up a community at Annesoi in Pontus, where his mother (now widowed) and sister joined him in giving themselves to prayer and pious works.
Bishop of Caesarea
Basil then left this community to become a hermit with his brother Gregory, but was called upon by Eusebius of Caesarea to refute the Arian heresy. He was ordained priest in 365 and when Eusebius died he was chosen as bishop of Caesarea. Here organised a great complex to care for the sick and to feed the hungry. It was called the Basiliad.
Writings
Basil wrote both a longer and a shorter Rule for monastic life as well as doctrinal writings on the divinity of Christ, the role of the Holy Spirit and the theology of the Trinity (three persons and one nature). He also edited a eucharistic liturgy which is still in use and bears his name.
Basil's Friendship with Gregory, his father was a bishopGregory also came from a very Christian family with many saints and his father was bishop of Nazianzos. Gregory became a friend of Basil while both were students first at Caesarea and later at Athens. For a while he joined Basil at his monastic community at Annesoi in Pontus. His ageing father put pressure on him to come home and help him manage the home bishopric. Contrary to his own inclination, he agreed to be ordained priest, then fled to Basil for ten weeks and eventually returned to write a work on the nature and duties of the priesthood.
St Gregory - bishop at Sasima, Nazianzos and Constantinople - and resignation
When Basil became archbishop of Caesarea, he had Gregory consecrated bishop of Sasima to keep out a rival. Sasima was not a healthy place and Gregory didn't actually go there. This strained the relationship between the two. Gregory preferred to help his father at Nazianzos. In 379 the bishops around Constantinople persuaded him to go there to support the Nicene doctrine. He was installed as bishop there and along with the emperor convened the Council of Constantinople (381), which eventually succeeded in overcoming Arianism, but as there was continued opposition to him, he resigned in order to bring peace. He returned to his homeland and for a while resumed as bishop of Nazianzos (Nazianzenos is a Greek adjective, meaning "from Nazianzos"). Gregory then established his successor, retired to his family estate and died on Jan 25, 389.
Dilemmas of his Life
Gregory lived his life in a dialectic of stark choices -
between being a public speaker (rhetor) or a philosopher;
between monastic community or public ministry;
between what he felt drawn to himself or what others thought he should do.
[caption id="attachment_74707" align="alignright" width="247"]
St Gregory and the Holy Spirit[/caption]Gregory's use of "procession"in trinitarian theology
Gregory's greatest contribution to theology was his use of the word "procession" to describe the relationship between the Spirit and the Godhead:
"The Holy Spirit is truly Spirit, coming forth from the Father indeed but not after the manner of the Son, for it is not by generation but by procession, since I must coin a word for the sake of clearness."
This was a significant step forward in developing the theology of the Trinity
Memorable Quotes from Ss Basil and Gregory
A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds.
A good deed is never lost;
he who sows courtesy reaps friendship,
and he who plants kindness gathers love.
~ St Basil the Great ~
Grace is given not to them who speak [their faith] but to those who live their faith.
~St Gregory Nazianzen ~
********************************************
Liturgical Readings for: Friday, 2nd January, 2026
CÉAD LÉACHT 1 Eoin 2:22-28Ach maidir libhse, maireadh agaibh an ní a chuala sibh ó thús.
A clann ionúin, cé tá bréagach murab é sin a shéanann gurb é Íosa an Críost?
Seo é an tAinchríost, anté a shéanann an tAthair agus an Mac.
Gach duine a shéanann an Mac, níl an tAthair aige ach an oiread.
An té a admhaíonn an Mac, tá an tAthair freisin aige.
Ach maidir libhse, maireadh agaibh an ní a chuala sibh ó thús.
Má mhaireann agaibh ar chuala sibh ó thús,
mairfidh sibhse freisin sa Mhac agus san Athair.
Agus seo é an gealltanas a gheall sé dúinn, an bheatha shíoraí.
Scríobh mé an méid seo chugaibh faoi lucht bhur meallta.
Ach maidir libhse, maireann fós ionaibh an t-ungadh a fuair sibh uaidh,
agus ní call daoibh go múinfeadh aon duine sibh mar gur mhúin a ungadhsan gach ní daoibh.
Agus is fíortheagasc é, agus ní aon bhréag – mar sin, faoi mar a mhúin sé daoibh, cloígí leis.
Agus anois, a chlann liom, mairigí ann ionas nuair a fhoilseofar é go mba lánmhuiníneach sinn as,
in ionad a bheith náirithe agus sinn deighilte uaidh ar theacht dó.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 97 :1-4. R/v v3
Freagra Chonaic críocha uile na cruinne slánú ár nDé
I. Canaigí amhrán nua don Tiarna óir rinne sé eachtaí
Le neart a dheaslaimhe is a chuisle naofa Rug sé bua dó féin. Freagra
2. D'fhoilsigh an Tiarna a shlánú. Nochtsé a fhireantacht do naisiúin.
Ba chuimhin leis a fhírinne is a ghrá do theaghlach Isráél. Freagra
3. Chonaic críocha uile na cruinne slánú ár nDé.
Gairdígí sa Tiarna, a chríocha uile, agus nochtaigí bhur n-áthas dó. Freagra
Alleluia Véarsa Eo 1: 14. 12
Alleluia, alleluia!
Rinneadh feoil den Bhriathar agus chónaigh sé inár measc,an uile dhuine a ghlac é,
thug sé de cheart dóibh go ndéanfaí clann Dé díobh
Alleluia
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Eoin 1:19-28 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Tá duine ag teacht i mo dhiaidh, nach fiú mé iall a chuarán a scaoileadh.
Is í seo an fhianaise a thug Eoin nuair a chuir na Giúdaigh sagairt agus Léivítigh ó Iarúsailéim chuige á fhiafraí de: “Cé hé thusa?”
D’admhaigh sé agus níor shéan agus d’admhaigh sé: “Ní hé an Críost mé.”
D’fhiafraigh siad de: “Cad eile, más ea? An tú Éilias?”
Ní mé,” ar seisean.
“An tú an fáidh?”
Agus d’fhreagair: “Ní mé.”
Dúirt siad leis mar sin:
“Cé hé thú? – chun go mbeadh freagra againn dóibh seo a chuir chugat sinn.
Cad tá le rá agat mar gheall ort féin?”
Dúirt sé: 'Mar a dúirt Íseáia fáidh
“Is glór duine mé ag éamh san fhásach: ‘Déanaigí díreach bóthar an Tiarna,’
"Ó na Fairisínigh a ba ea na teachtairí, agus chuir siad ceist air:
“Cén fáth a mbíonn tú ag baisteadh más ea,” ar siad, “mura thú an Críost, nó Éilias, nó an fáidh?”
Thug Eoin freagra orthu: “Déanaim féin baisteadh le huisce,” ar seisean, “ach tá duine in bhur measc nach aithnid daoibh,
an té atá ag teacht i mo dhiaidh, nach fiú mé iall a chuarán a scaoileadh.”
I mBeatáine, taobh thall den Iordáin, a tharla an méid sin mar a raibh Eoin ag déanamh baiste.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 4th January, 2026
01-04 before Epiphany
Jesus has come to undo the work of the devil.
FIRST READING
A reading from the first letter of St John 3:7-10
He cannot sin when he has been begotten by God.
My children, do not let anyone lead you astray: to live a holy life is to be holy just as he is holy;
to lead a sinful life is to belong to the devil, since the devil was a sinner from the beginning.
It was to undo all that the devil has done that the Son of God appeared.
No one who has been begotten by God sins; because God's seed remains inside him,
he cannot sin when he has been begotten by God.
In this way we distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil:
anybody not living a holy life and not loving his brother is no child of God's.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 97
Response All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
1. Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation. Response
2. Let the sea and all within it, thunder; the world, and all its peoples.
Let the rivers clap their hands and the hills ring out their joy at the presence of the Lord. Response
3. For the Lord comes, he comes to rule the earth.
He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with fairness. Response
Gospel Acclamation Jn 1:14. 12
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.
To all who received him he gave power to become children of God.
Alleluia!
Or Heb 1:1-2
Alleluia, alleluia!
At various times in the past and in various different ways,
God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;
but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 1:35-42 Glory to you, O Lord
We have found the Messiah.
As John stood there again with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said,
'Look, there is the lamb of God'.
Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said,
'What do you want?'
They answered, 'Rabbi,' - which means Teacher -'where do you live?'
'Come and see' he replied;
so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.
One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter.
Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' - which means the Christ - and he took Simon to Jesus.
Jesus looked hard at him and said,
'You are Simon, son of John; you are to be called Cephas' - meaning Rock.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection 4th Jan. before Epiphany, John 1:35–42
In today’s gospel reading John the Baptist introduced two of his disciples to Jesus, saying to them, ‘Look, there is the Lamb of God’. It was because of what John the Baptist said to his two disciples that they began to follow Jesus. Jesus could then speak to them directly, ‘What do you want?’ ‘Come and see’. The Lord wants to speak to each one of us directly, but he often needs others to firstly pave the way. A person of faith takes some initiative towards us, and then we discover the call of the Lord for ourselves. John the Baptist created a space for Jesus to engage directly with his disciples and for them to respond. According to the gospel reading, that pattern then repeated itself. One of John the Baptist’s two disciples was Andrew. Having spent time with Jesus, having developed a personal relationship with Jesus, Andrew then introduced his brother Simon to Jesus. He created a space for Jesus to engage personally with Peter and for Peter to respond. What John the Baptist did for Andrew and what Andrew did for Peter, Peter would go on to do for many others.
He created a space for the Lord to relate in a very personal way to others and for them to respond. We can each give thanks for all those who introduced us to the Lord, who played the role in our lives that Andrew played in the life of Peter, that Peter played in the life of many others, and that, later on in John’s gospel, the Samaritan woman played in the life of her townspeople, and that Mary Magdalene played in the life of the other disciples on Easter Sunday morning. Both these women played a significant role in bringing others to the Lord. Each of us is called to bring others to the Lord, perhaps just one person. We don’t have to be great missionaries to introduce someone to the Lord. Very often our own quiet and faithful witness to the Lord and his way of life will, in time, bear that rich fruit for others.
________________________________
The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/
The Scripture Reflection is made available with our thanks from his book Reflections on the Weekday Readings 2024: The Word is near to you, on your lips and in your heart by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications , c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
________________
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 4th January, 2026
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an chéad litir Naomh Eoin 3:7-10
Ní féidir leis peacú mar gur ó Dhia a shíolraigh.
A chlann liom, ná cuireadh éinne amú sibh. An té a shaothraíonn an fhíréantacht, is fíréan é amhail is fíréan eisean.
An té a dhéanann an peaca is den diabhal é mar gur peacach an diabhal ó thús.
Is chuige seo a foilsíodh Mac Dé, go scriosfadh sé saothar an diabhail.
Gach duine a shíolraigh ó Dhia, ní dhéanann peaca mar go maireann a shíolsan ann agus ní féidir dó peacú mar gur ó Dhia a shíolraigh.
Mar seo a léirítear cé hiad clann Dé agus cé hiad clann an diabhail;
gach duine nach saothraíonn an fhíréantacht ní ó Dhia dó,
agus is é a fhearacht sin ag an té nach dtugann grá dá bhráthair.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 97
Freagra Chonaic críocha uile na cruinne slánú ár nDé
I. Canaigí amhrán nua don Tiarna óir rinne sé éachtaí
Le neart a dheasláimhe is a chuisle naofa Rug sé bua dó féin. Freagra
2. Bíodh an fharraige agus a bhfuil inti ag búirthíl, an domhan agus a maireann ann.
Bíodh na haibhneacha ag bualadh a mbos; Déanadh na sléibhte gairdeas
i bhfianaise an Tiarna atá ag teacht a rialú na cruinne. Freagra
3. Tá an Tiarna ag teacht a rialú na cruinne.
Sé an domhan a rialú go cóir agus náisiúin go cothrom. Freagra
Alleluia Véarsa 1 Eoin :14 12
Alleluia, alleluia!
Agus rinneadh feoil den Bhriathar agus bhí sé inár measc,
An uile dhuine a ghlac é, thug sé de cheart dóibh go ndéanfaí clann Dé díobh.
Alleluia!
Alleluia Véarsa eile Eib 1: 1-2
Alleluia, alleluia!
Labhair Dia go minic agus ar shlite éagsúla
anallód léis na haithreacha trí bhíthin na bhfáithe;
ach sna laethanta deireanacha seo labhair sé linn trína Mhac.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Eoin 1:35-42 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Fuaireamar an Meisias.
San am sin bhí Eoin ina sheasamh ansiúd agus beirt dá dheisceabail. Agus ag stánadh dó ar Íosa ag gabháil thart dúirt sé: “Seo é Uan Dé.” Chuala an bheirt deisceabal é ag rá na cainte agus lean siad Íosa.D’iompaigh Íosa, chonaic iad á leanúint agus dúirt sé leo: “Cad tá uaibh?”
D’fhreagair siad é:
“A raibí” – is é sin le rá “a mháistir” – “Cá bhfuil cónaí ort?”
“Tagaigí agus feicigí,” ar sé leo.
Tháinig siad dá bhrí sin agus chonaic siad cá raibh cónaí air, agus d’fhan siad fairis an lá sin. Bhí sé timpeall an deichiú huair.
Duine den bheirt a chuala Eoin agus a lean Íosa a ba ea Aindrias, deartháir Shíomóin Peadar. Fuair seisean ar dtús a dheartháir féin Síomón agus dúirt sé leis: “Fuaireamar an Meisias” – is é sín le rá an tUngthach.
Thug sé leis é chun Íosa. D’fhéach Íosa go grinn air agus dúirt:
“Is tú Síomón mac Eoin. Tabharfar ort Céafas” – focal a chiallaíonn Carraig.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
