Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Aug 15 - The Assumption of the Bl. Virgin Mary
Summary: The Assumption of Our Lady.
From the earliest centuries there have been stories, traditions and artistic impressions of what the Assumption of Our Lady could mean. The feast itself originated in Jerusalem before the fifth century as the "Falling-Asleep of the Mother of God." It was adopted in Rome in the mid-seventh century and was renamed the "Assumption" in the next century.
Patrick Duffy gives some of the background here.
The Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady celebrates Mary's entry into heaven. In Irish,
it is called 'Lá Fhéile Naomh Muire san Fhómhar', that is, "The Feast Day of Our Lady in the Harvest Time". This theme is expressed in the liturgy of the day.
(The image right is The Assumption of Our Lady by Antonio Corregio)
Eastern theology has tended to focus on the 'dormition' or "going to sleep" of the mother of God.
The Dormition of the Theotokos
Although the New Testament does not make any reference to the last days of her life, celebrations of Mary's death, called her "Going to sleep" (Greek koimesis / Latin dormitio), began to appear from the 4th to the 6th centuries. From the 6th century, the Great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos (the God bearer) was celebrated on 15th August throughout the Byzantine
Empire, probably beginning from Jerusalem where there was, and still is, a church called the Tomb of Mary. (Image right shows Mary lying on a bier while Jesus receives receives her soul into heaven).
In the West, the Roman sacramentaries (Gelasian and Gregorian) have prayers for Masses for the Dormition of Our Lady for the same day, indicating that the feast was celebrated in Rome during the 7th century.
Different Spiritualities of the Asumption of Mary
However, the spiritualities of East and West took a somewhat different focus. Eastern spirituality had no doubt that Mary died, that Jesus resurrected her on the third day and then brought her to heaven. Later Roman Catholic piety tended to the opinion that, since death is a consequence of sin, it would have been more fitting, in the case of Our Lady, that her freedom from original sin and from personal sin would have protected her from the general law of death (argumentum ex congruentia or suitability, fittingness).
Munificentissimus Deus
On 1 November 1950, Pope Pius XII in the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus, defined the Assumption of Mary into heaven as a divinely revealed dogma, saying "that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory". However, this left open the question of whether Mary died before her Assumption. But the more common opinion of the early Fathers was that she did die.
Preface of the Mass
The core of Catholic faith is expressed in the Preface of the Mass for Solemnity of the Assumption:
'Today the virgin Mother of God was taken up into heaven
to be the beginning and the pattern of the Church in its perfection,
and a sign of hope and comfort for your people on their way.
You would not allow decay to touch her body,
for she had given birth to your Son, the Lord of all life,
in the glory of the incarnation.'
The Readings
The first reading for the Solemnity from the Book of Revelation 12:1-6 sees Mary as united with the victory of Christ:
'A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head.... Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our god, and all authority for his Christ.'
The second reading 1 Cor 12:20-26 explicitly mentions Jesus as the "first-fruits", giving hope that we will be included in the rest of the harvest.
Harvest
Traditional Irish piety saw Mary as Queen of the Harvest. Like her son Jesus, she is a kind of "first-fruits" and we, the faithful, hopefully, are the rest of the harvest. Patrick Kavanagh gives beautiful expression to how he hoped to participate in this harvest in one of his early poems, entitled I May Reap.
I who have not sown,
I too
By God's grace may come to harvest
And proud
As the bowed
Reapers
At the Assumption
Murmur thanksgiving.
From the earliest centuries there have been stories, traditions and artistic impressions of what the Assumption of Our Lady could mean. The feast itself originated in Jerusalem before the fifth century as the "Falling-Asleep of the Mother of God." It was adopted in Rome in the mid-seventh century and was renamed the "Assumption" in the next century.
Patrick Duffy gives some of the background here.
The Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady celebrates Mary's entry into heaven. In Irish,
it is called 'Lá Fhéile Naomh Muire san Fhómhar', that is, "The Feast Day of Our Lady in the Harvest Time". This theme is expressed in the liturgy of the day.(The image right is The Assumption of Our Lady by Antonio Corregio)
Eastern theology has tended to focus on the 'dormition' or "going to sleep" of the mother of God.
The Dormition of the Theotokos
Although the New Testament does not make any reference to the last days of her life, celebrations of Mary's death, called her "Going to sleep" (Greek koimesis / Latin dormitio), began to appear from the 4th to the 6th centuries. From the 6th century, the Great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos (the God bearer) was celebrated on 15th August throughout the Byzantine
Empire, probably beginning from Jerusalem where there was, and still is, a church called the Tomb of Mary. (Image right shows Mary lying on a bier while Jesus receives receives her soul into heaven).In the West, the Roman sacramentaries (Gelasian and Gregorian) have prayers for Masses for the Dormition of Our Lady for the same day, indicating that the feast was celebrated in Rome during the 7th century.
Different Spiritualities of the Asumption of Mary
However, the spiritualities of East and West took a somewhat different focus. Eastern spirituality had no doubt that Mary died, that Jesus resurrected her on the third day and then brought her to heaven. Later Roman Catholic piety tended to the opinion that, since death is a consequence of sin, it would have been more fitting, in the case of Our Lady, that her freedom from original sin and from personal sin would have protected her from the general law of death (argumentum ex congruentia or suitability, fittingness).
Munificentissimus Deus
On 1 November 1950, Pope Pius XII in the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus, defined the Assumption of Mary into heaven as a divinely revealed dogma, saying "that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory". However, this left open the question of whether Mary died before her Assumption. But the more common opinion of the early Fathers was that she did die.
Preface of the Mass
The core of Catholic faith is expressed in the Preface of the Mass for Solemnity of the Assumption:
'Today the virgin Mother of God was taken up into heaven
to be the beginning and the pattern of the Church in its perfection,
and a sign of hope and comfort for your people on their way.
You would not allow decay to touch her body,
for she had given birth to your Son, the Lord of all life,
in the glory of the incarnation.'
The Readings
The first reading for the Solemnity from the Book of Revelation 12:1-6 sees Mary as united with the victory of Christ:
'A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head.... Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our god, and all authority for his Christ.'
The second reading 1 Cor 12:20-26 explicitly mentions Jesus as the "first-fruits", giving hope that we will be included in the rest of the harvest.
Harvest
Traditional Irish piety saw Mary as Queen of the Harvest. Like her son Jesus, she is a kind of "first-fruits" and we, the faithful, hopefully, are the rest of the harvest. Patrick Kavanagh gives beautiful expression to how he hoped to participate in this harvest in one of his early poems, entitled I May Reap.
I who have not sown,I too
By God's grace may come to harvest
And proud
As the bowed
Reapers
At the Assumption
Murmur thanksgiving.
____________________________
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Favourite Sayings for Today
'Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
be it unto me according to thy word. '
Whatsoever he saith unto you, do [it]."
'My soul glorifies the Lord.
~ Luke i:38 ~
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Liturgical Readings for: Friday, 15th August, 2025
Feast of the Day; 08-15- The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Solemnity
C/f A short reflection of this saint can be found below today’s Readings and Reflection.
FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Apocalypse 11:19, 12:1-6, 10
A woman adorned with the sun, standing on the moon.
The sanctuary of God in heaven opened and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it. Then came flashes of lightning, peals of thunder and an earthquake, and violent hail.
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown. She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth.Then a second sign appeared in the sky, a huge red dragon which had seven heads and ten horns, and each of the seven heads crowned with a coronet. Its tail dragged a third of the stars from the sky and dropped them to the earth, and the dragon stopped in front of the woman as she was having the child, so that he could eat it as soon as it was born from its mother.
The woman brought a male child into the world, the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre, and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne, while the woman escaped into the desert, where God had made a place of safety ready for her to be looked after in the twelve hundred and sixty days.
Then I heard a voice shout from heaven,
'Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ.',
now that the persecutor, who accused our brothers day and night before our God, has been brought down.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 44: 10-12, 16 R/v 2
Response On your right stands the queen, in garments of gold.
1. The daughters of kings are among your loved ones. On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words: forget your own people and your father's house. Response
2. So will the king desire your beauty: He is your lord, pay homage to him.
They are escorted amid gladness and joy; they pass within the palace of the king. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 15:20-27
Christ as the first fruits and then those who belong to him.
Christ has in been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
Mary has been taken up to heaven; all the choirs of heaven are rejoicing.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 1:39-56 Glory to you, O Lord.
The Almighty has done great things for me and he has exalted the lowly.
Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said,
'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?
For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy.
Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.'
And Mary said:
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm, he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy according to the promise he made to our ancestors-of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.'
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Reflection 15th August, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Luke 1:39-56
Mary’s Assumption reminds us of our own heavenly destiny. Her earthly life reminds us of our own baptismal calling. In today’s gospel reading, Mary physically carries Jesus in her womb to Elizabeth, her older cousin. As disciples of the Lord, we are all called to carry Jesus to others. Our baptismal calling is to become bearers of the Lord’s presence to all. Mary gives expression to our own baptismal calling. As the first disciple of her son, she shows what it means to follow in the Lord’s way. Mary could bring the Lord to Elizabeth because, at the moment of the annunciation, she had given herself over to God’s purpose for her life and she had consented to allow the Holy Spirit to overshadow her, to take hold of her. To the extent that we give ourselves over to God’s purpose for our lives and allow the Holy Spirit to overshadow us, we too will become people who bring the Lord to others.
When Mary reached her destination and greeted Elizabeth, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary’s way of relating to Elizabeth resulted in Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Spirit. We too are called to relate to others in ways that help them to become filled with the Holy Spirit, that open them up more fully to the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives. In response to Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth declares Mary blessed because of her faith, ‘Blessed is she who believed’. Mary’s faith showed itself in love, in a journey of loving concern to her older, more vulnerable, pregnant cousin. She shows us that genuine faith always expresses itself in loving service of others. Just as Mary’s presence filled Elizabeth with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth’s way of relating to Mary filled Mary with a spirit of prayer. Because of the way Elizabeth welcomed Mary, Mary prayed her great prayer, the Magnificat. Mary’s prayer shows her to be a woman who hungers for a new justice on earth, where the lowly are exalted, the hungry are filled, and oppressive powers are overcome. Mary shows us that genuine faith expresses itself not only in love but in hunger for justice.
If Mary’s life shows us the shape of our own faith journey, her assumption shows us our final destiny, beyond this earthly life. The feast of her assumption celebrates her full sharing in the risen life of Christ. She gives us hope that, in the words of today’s second reading, ‘all will be brought to life in Christ’. As one who now shares fully in the Lord’s risen life, we can confidently turn to her, asking her to pray for us now so that we can be the complete disciple of the Lord that she was and to pray for us at the hour of our death so that we too can come to share in the Lord’s risen life to the full.
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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/
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Feast of the Day: Aug 15th :The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
From the earliest centuries there have been stories, traditions and artistic impressions of what the Assumption of Our Lady could mean. The feast itself originated in Jerusalem before the fifth century as the "Falling-Asleep (Dormition) of the Mother of God." Eastern theology has tended to focus on the 'dormition' or "going to sleep" of the mother of God. It was adopted in Rome in the mid-seventh century and was renamed the "Assumption" in the next century.
Patrick Duffy gives some of the background here.
The Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady celebrates Mary's entry into heaven.
In Irish, it is called 'Lá Fhéile Naomh Muire san Fhómhar', that is, "The Feast Day of Our Lady in the Harvest Time". This theme is expressed in the liturgy of the day.
(The image right is The Assumption of Our Lady by Antonio Correggio>)
The Dormition of the Theotokos
Although the New Testament does not make any reference to the last days of Mary's life, celebrations of Mary's death, was called her "Going to sleep" (Greek koimesis / Latin dormitio), began to appear from the 4th to the 6th centuries. From the 6th century, the Great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos (the God bearer) was celebrated on 15th August throughout the Byzantine
Empire, probably beginning from Jerusalem where there was, and still is, a church called the Tomb of Mary. (Image left shows Mary lying on a bier while Jesus receives receives her soul into heaven).In the West, the Roman sacramentaries (Gelasian and Gregorian liturgical books) have prayers for Masses for the Dormition of Our Lady for the same day, indicating that the feast was celebrated in Rome during the 7th century.
Different Spiritualities of the Assumption of Mary
However, the spiritualities of East and West took a somewhat different focus. Eastern spirituality had no doubt that Mary died, and that Jesus resurrected her on the third day and then brought her to heaven. Later Roman Catholic piety tended to the opinion that, since death is a consequence of sin, it would have been more fitting, in the case of Our Lady, that her freedom from original sin and from personal sin would have protected her from the general law of death (argumentum ex congruentia or suitability, fittingness).
Munificentissimus Deus
On 1 November 1950, Pope Pius XII in the Apostolic Constitution 'Munificentissimus Deus', defined the Assumption of Mary into heaven as a divinely revealed dogma, saying "that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory". However, this left open the question of whether Mary died before her Assumption. But the more common opinion of the early Fathers was that she did die.
Preface of the Mass
The core of Catholic faith is expressed in the Preface of the Mass for Solemnity of the Assumption:
'Today the virgin Mother of God was taken up into heaven to be the beginning and the pattern of the Church in its perfection, and a sign of hope and comfort for your people on their way. You would not allow decay to touch her body, for she had given birth to your Son, the Lord of all life, in the glory of the Incarnation.'
The Readings
The first reading for the Solemnity from the Book of Revelation 12:1-6 sees Mary as united with the victory of Christ: 'A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head.... Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our god, and all authority for his Christ.'
The second reading 1 Cor 12:20-26 explicitly mentions Jesus as the "first-fruits", giving hope that we will be included in the rest of the harvest.
Harvest
Traditional Irish piety saw Mary as Queen of the Harvest. Like her son Jesus, she is a kind of "first-fruits" and we, the faithful, hopefully, are the rest of the harvest. Patrick Kavanagh gives beautiful expression to how he hoped to participate in this harvest in one of his early poems, entitled I May Reap.
I who have not sown,
I too By God's grace may come to harvest
And proud As the bowed Reapers At the Assumption
Murmur thanksgiving.
******************************
Biblical Sayings for Today
'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. '
Whatsoever he saith unto you, do [it]."
'My soul glorifies the Lord.
~ Luke 1:38 ~
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Liturgical Readings for: Friday, 15th August, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as Leabhar Apacailipsis 11:19, 12:1-6, 10
Ansin bhí bean a raibh an ghrian mar bhrat uimpi agus an ghealach faoina cosa.
Osclaíodh teampall Dé ar neamh, agus bhí radharc ar áirc a chonartha ina theampall agus tharla tintreacha, agus glórtha agus toirneacha, agus crith talún agus a lán clocha sneachta.
Ansin thaibhsigh an comhartha mór sa spéir, bean a raibh an ghrian mar bhrat uimpi agus an ghealach faoina cosa agus coróin de dhá réalta déag ar a ceann. Bhí gin aici ina broinn, agus d’éigh sí ina híona agus ina pianta linbh.Ansin thaibhsigh an dara comhartha sa spéir, féach, dragan mór dearg le seacht gceann agus deich n-adharc agus seacht gcoróin ar a chinn. Scuab a eireaball trian de réaltaí na spéire chun siúil agus theilg iad chun talún. Sheas an dragan os comhair na mná a bhí ar tí leanbh a bhreith d’fhonn an leanbh a shlogadh nuair a bhéarfadh sí é.
Agus rug sí gin mic atá chun na ciníocha go léir a rialú le slat iarainn; agus sciobadh a mac suas chun Dé agus chun a ríchathaoireach. Ach theith an bhean léi chun an fhásaigh mar a raibh ansiúd aice áit ullamh ag Dia chun go gcuirfí cóir uirthi ar feadh míle dhá chéad agus trí fichid lá.
Agus chuala mé guth tréan sna flaithis á rá:
“Anois tá slánú agus neart agus tiarnas ár nDé agus údarás a Chríost tagtha."
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 44: 10. 11. 12. 16. R/v 2
Freagra Tá an bhanríon ar do dheis faoi ór as Ofir.
I. Tá iníonacha ríthe i measc do bhan coimhdeachta, agus an bhanríon ar do dheis faoi ór as Ofir.
Crom chugam do chluas, a iníon, agus éist liom:
cuir cuimhne do mhuintire féin uait agus teaghlach d'athar. Freagra
2. Óir tabharfaidh an Rí grá is taitneamh do d’áilleacht. Is é sin do Thiarna, agus umhlaigh thú féin dó .
Déantar a dtionlacan le lúcháir agus gairdeas,
nuair a ghabhann siad isteach in áras an Rí. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as and céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Coirintigh 15:20-27
Tá Críost dáiríre aiséirithe ó mhairbh, céadtoradh na muintire atá ina gcodladh.
A bhráithre, tá Críost dáiríre aiséirithe ó mhairbh, céadtoradh na muintire atá ina gcodladh.
Faoi mar is duine amháin faoi deara an bás is duine amháin faoi deara aiséirí na marbh chomh maith. Faoi mar a fhaigheann gach duine bás in Ádhamh,
aithbheofar gach duine chomh maith i gCríost. Beidh gach duine ina rang féin áfach;
Críost an chéadtoradh; ansin nuair a fhillfidh sé aiséireoidh an mhuintir a bheidh i bpáirt le Críost; agus ansin beidh an deireadh ann nuair a thabharfaidh sé suas an ríocht do Dhia an tAthair, tar éis dó gach ceannas agus tiarnas agus cumhacht a chur ar neamhní. Mar ní foláir dó a bheith ina rí go dtí go mbeidh a naimhde go léir curtha faoi chois aige.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Véarsa
Alleluia, alleluia!
Tá Muire tógtha suas ar neamh. Déanann slua na n-aingeal lúcháir.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Lúcais 1:39-56 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Rinne an Té atá cumhachtach nithe móra do
Chuir Muire chun bóthair sna laethanta sin agus d’imigh go deifreach faoi dhéin na gcnoc go dtí cathair in Iúdá, agus chuaigh isteach i dteach Zachairias agus bheannaigh d’Eiliosaibeit.
Agus tharla, nuair a chuala Eiliosaibeit beannachadh Mhuire, gur bhíog an naíonán ina broinn,
agus líonadh Eiliosalbeit den Spiorad Naomh, agus d’éigh sí de ghlór ard .
'Agus conas a tharla seo domsa, máthair mo Thiarna a theacht chugam?
Óir féach, nuair a chuaigh glór do bheannachtha i mo chluasa, bhíog an naíonán i mo bhroinn le háthas.
Agus is méanar di seo a chreid go gcomhlíonfaí na nithe a dúradh léi ón Tiarna.'
Agus dúirt Muire:
'Mórann m’anam an Tiarna,
agus rinne mo spiorad gairdeas i nDia mo Shlánaitheoir.
Óir dhearc sé le fabhar ar ísle a bhanóglaigh;
mar féach, déarfaidh na glúine uile feasta gur méanar dom.
Óir rinne an Té atá cumhachtach nithe móra dom agus is naofa a ainm,
agus tá a thrócaire ó ghlúin go glúin dóibh seo ar a mbíonn a eagla.
Thaispeáin sé neart a láimhe: scaip sé an dream a bhí uaibhreach i smaointe a gcroí.
Leag sé prionsaí óna gcathaoireacha, agus d’ardaigh sé daoine ísle; Líon sé lucht an ocrais le nithe maithe, agus chuir sé na saibhre uaidh folamh.
D’fhóir sé ar Iosrael a sheirbhíseach, ag cuimhneamh dó ar a thrócaire – de réir mar gheall sé dar n-aithreacha – d’Abrahám agus dá shliocht go brách.”
D’fhan Muire aici timpeall trí mhí, agus d’fhill abhaile.'
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 17th August, 2025
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
Christ promises his followers the same cross as he Himself bore:
rejection, ridicule, ostracism from family and society, even martyrdom,
leaving all to follow him for the Gospel's sake
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah 38:4-6. 8-10
You have borne me to be a man of dissension for all the land.
The king’s leading men spoke to the king.
'Let Jeremiah be put to death: he is unquestionably disheartening the remaining soldiers in the city, and all the people too, by talking like this. The fellow does not have the welfare of this people at heart so much as its ruin.
'He is in your hands as you know,' King Zedekiah answered 'for the king is powerless against you.'
So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the well of Prince Malchiah in the Court of the Guard, letting him down with ropes. There was no water in the well, only mud, and into the mud Jeremiah sank.
Ebed-melech came out from the palace and spoke to the king.
'My lord king,' he said 'these men have done a wicked thing by treating the prophet Jeremiah like this: they have thrown him into the well where he will die.'
At this the king gave Ebed-melech the Cushite the following order:
'Take three men with you from here and pull the prophet Jeremiah out of the well before he dies'.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 39:2-4,18, R/v 14
Response Lord, come to my aid!
1. I waited, I waited for the Lord and he stooped down to me;
he heard my cry. Response
2 .He drew me from the deadly pit, from the miry clay.
He set my feet upon a rock and made my footsteps firm. Response
3. He put a new song into my mouth, praise of our God.
Many shall see and fear and shall trust in the Lord. Response
4. As for me, wretched and poor, the Lord thinks of me.
You are my rescuer, my help, O God, do not delay. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter to the Hebrews 12: 1-4
We shall keep running steadily in the race we have started.
With so many witnesses in a great cloud on every side of us, we too, then, should throw off
everything that hinders us, especially the sin that clings so easily, and keep running steadily in the race we have started. Let us not lose sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection: for the sake of the joy which was still in the future, he endured the cross, disregarding the shamefulness of it, and from now on has taken his place at the right of God's throne. Think of the way he stood such opposition from sinners and then you will not give up for want of courage. In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of death.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation Acts 16: 14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son.
Alleluia!
Or Jn 10: 27
Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke 12: 49-53 Glory to you, O Lord
I am not here to bring peace, but rather division.
Jesus said to his disciples:'I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over! '
Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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For homily resources for this Sunday's Gospel click here: https://www.catholicireland.net/sunday-homily/
Taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published and copyright 1966 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 17th August, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHTSliocht as Leabhar Irimia, Fáidh. 38:4-6. 8-10
Rug tú mé i m'fhear achrannach don tír ar fad
Labhair na ceannairí seo leis an rí:
“Cuirtear an fear seo chun báis; gan amhras lagaíonn sé lámha fuíoll lucht cosanta na cathrach, agus lámha an phobail uile freisin, ag labhairt leo ar an gcaoi seo. Ní hé leas an phobail seo a iarrann mo dhuine, ach a n-aimhleas.”
“Tá sé in bhur lámha, mar is eol daoibh,” a dúirt an rí Zidicíá, “óir ní fhéadann an rí aon rud a dhéanamh in bhur n-aghaidh.” Thóg siad Irimia mar sin agus theilg i dtobar an Phrionsa Mailciá é, a bhí i gCúirt an Gharda, á ligean síos le rópaí. Ní raibh uisce ar bith sa tobar, ach amháin láib, agus chuaigh Irimia faoi sa láib.
Chuaigh Eibid Meilic amach as an bpálás agus labhair leis an rí:
“A thiarna, a rí,” ar sé, “rinne na fir seo, Irimia olc agus a leithéid de bhail a chur ar an bhfáidh Irimia; theilg siad sa tobar é, áit a bhfaighidh sé bás (den ghorta mar nach bhfuil aon arán fágtha sa chathair).”
Ansin d’ordaigh an rí do Eibid Meilic an tAetóipeach:
“Beir leat as seo triúr fear agus tarraing aníos Irimia fáidh as an tobar sula bhfaighe sé bás.”
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 39:2-4,18, R/v 14
Freagra Tar i gcabhair orm, a Thiarna.
1. Bhí dóchas agam, Bhí dóchas agam sa Tiarna, agus chlaon sé a chluas chugam
agus d'éist le m'éamh. Freagra
2. Tharraing sé mé as díog na díthe, as láib an tsalachair.
Chuir mo chosa ina seasamh ar charraig agus dhaingnigh mo choiscéimeanna. Freagra
3. Chuir sé amhrán nua i mo bhéal, duan dár nDia.
Feicfidh mórán is beidh eagla orthu, beidh a ndóchas sa Tiarna. Freagra
4. Maidir liomsa, cé gur dealbh dearóil mé, tuigeann an Tiarna dom.
Is tú mo tharrthálaí is mo chúnamh: ná déan moill, a Dhia! Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Litir chuig na Eabhraig 12:1-4
Rithimis go buanseasmhach an rás atá leagtha amach dúinn.
A bhráithre, ar an ábhar sin, ós rud é go bhfuil slua chomh mór sin d’fhinnéithe thart timpeall orainn mar scamall, uainn gach ualach mar aon leis an bpeaca sin a ghreamaíonn dínn agus rithimis go buanseasmhach an rás atá leagtha amach dúinn. Bímis ag féachaint romhainn amach ar Íosa, ar cheannródaí ár gcreidimh, a thabharfaidhchun foirfeachta é. Ar son an aoibhnis a bhí leagtha amach dó d’fhulaing sé céasadh na croise mar rinne sé neamhní den mhasla sin, agus tá sé ina shuí anois ar an taobh deas de ríchathaoir Dé. Déanaigí machnamh, mar sin, ar an té a chuir suas leis na peacaigh a bhí ag cur chomh mór sin ina aghaidh ionas nach dtiocfaidh tuirse ná lagmhisneach oraibhse choíche. Ag troid in aghaidh an pheaca daoibh ní raibh oraibh seasamh go doirteadh fola fós.Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Véarsa Gníomh 16: 14
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Oscail ár gcroí, A Thiarna, Cun aird a thabhairt ar bhraithra do Mhic
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Lúcás 12: 49-53 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Ní chun síocháin a thabhairt a tháinig mé ach easaontas.
San am sin dúirt Íosa lena dheisceabail
“Chun tine a chaitheamh ar an talamh a tháinig mé, agus nach mór is áil liom go mbeadh sí ar lasadh cheana féin! Tá baisteadh lena gcaithfear mé a bhaisteadh, agus cad é mar chúngrach atá orm nó go mbeidh sé curtha i gcrích!An é is dóigh libh gur chun síocháin a thabhairt ar an talamh a tháinig mé? Ní hea, deirim libh, ach easaontas.
Óir, as seo amach, beidh cúigear in aon teaghlach in easaontas le chéile,
triúr le beirt agus beirt le triúr; athair le mac agus mac le hathair, máthair le hiníon agus iníon le máthair; máthair chéile le bean a mic, agus bean mhic le máthair a céile.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
