Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Sep 18 - St Joseph of Cupertino (1603-63) Franciscan and ecstatic
Summary: Joseph of Cupertino was known for his ungainly appearance, levitations, extraordinary humility, gentleness and patience. He is a also great favourite of students who find it difficult to pass their examinations.
Patrick Duffy tells his story.
Ungainly Appearance
Born the son of a carpenter, Joseph was absent-minded and had such an ungainly appearance that he was given the nickname Boccaperta ("open-mouthed" or "the gaper"). He had no real academic ability, but managed to learn to read the Breviary and the Missal and get ordained as a Franciscan friar.
Levitation and Desolation
He practised austerities, which soon led to him lifting off the ground up in the air - levitating. Accused by his fellow Franciscans of deception and fraud, they forbade him to say Mass in public or take any part in public ceremonies. But people came to consult him and, although wonders seemed to surround him, he felt God had deserted him.
Kept in Seclusion
Tried by the Inquisition, they found him not guilty of any deliberate fraud, but transferred him from the Franciscans to the Capuchins. Here his levitations were still disruptive and they kept him in seclusion. Even on his deathbed, when he heard the bell announcing that they were bringing him communion for the last time - for the last time he levitated; he rose off the bed and floated out into the hall to meet the Blessed Sacrament.
Death and Beatification
After his death on 18th September 1663, there was an immediate popular upsurge of veneration for him. When the cause for his canonisation was presented almost a century later, the "devil's advocate", Prospero Lambertini, who was known to be most sceptical of supernatural events, declared that eye-witnesses reporting incidents about Joseph were trustworthy and that he was worthy of sainthood because of his extraordinary humility, gentleness and patience.
Lambertini later became Pope Benedict XIV and beatified Joseph in 1753. He was canonised 14 years later in 1767 by Pope Clement XIII.
Patronage
Joseph is the patron of aviators and astronauts and of students who find it difficult to pass examinations.
Patrick Duffy tells his story.
Ungainly Appearance
Born the son of a carpenter, Joseph was absent-minded and had such an ungainly appearance that he was given the nickname Boccaperta ("open-mouthed" or "the gaper"). He had no real academic ability, but managed to learn to read the Breviary and the Missal and get ordained as a Franciscan friar.Levitation and Desolation
He practised austerities, which soon led to him lifting off the ground up in the air - levitating. Accused by his fellow Franciscans of deception and fraud, they forbade him to say Mass in public or take any part in public ceremonies. But people came to consult him and, although wonders seemed to surround him, he felt God had deserted him.
Kept in Seclusion
Tried by the Inquisition, they found him not guilty of any deliberate fraud, but transferred him from the Franciscans to the Capuchins. Here his levitations were still disruptive and they kept him in seclusion. Even on his deathbed, when he heard the bell announcing that they were bringing him communion for the last time - for the last time he levitated; he rose off the bed and floated out into the hall to meet the Blessed Sacrament.
Death and Beatification
After his death on 18th September 1663, there was an immediate popular upsurge of veneration for him. When the cause for his canonisation was presented almost a century later, the "devil's advocate", Prospero Lambertini, who was known to be most sceptical of supernatural events, declared that eye-witnesses reporting incidents about Joseph were trustworthy and that he was worthy of sainthood because of his extraordinary humility, gentleness and patience.
Lambertini later became Pope Benedict XIV and beatified Joseph in 1753. He was canonised 14 years later in 1767 by Pope Clement XIII.
Patronage
Joseph is the patron of aviators and astronauts and of students who find it difficult to pass examinations.
____________________
******************************
Memorable Proverb for Today
A Christian reveals true humility i.e showing the gentleness of Christ,
by being always ready to help others, by speaking kind words and performing unselfish acts, which elevate and ennoble the most sacred message that has come to our world.
~ Ellen G. White ~
******************************
Liturgical Readings for: Thursday, 19th September, 2024
Wednesday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2
FIRST READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 12:31-13:13
There are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.
Be ambitious for the higher gifts. And I am going to show you a way that is better than any of them.
If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love,
I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing.
If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are, and knowing everything, and if I have faith in all its fulness, to move mountains, but without love, then I am nothing at all.
If I give away all that I possess, piece by piece, and if I even let them take my body to burn it, but am without love,
it will do me no good whatever.
Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous;
love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish;
it does not take offence, and is not resentful.
Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth;
it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.
Love does not come to an end.
But if there are gifts of prophecy, the time will come when they must fail; or the gift of languages, it will not continue for ever; and knowledge - for this, too, the time will come when it must fail. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophesying is imperfect; but once perfection comes, all imperfect things will disappear.
When I was a child, I used to talk like a child, and think like a child, and argue like a child, but now I am a man, all childish ways are put behind me. Now we are seeing a dim reflection in a mirror; but then we shall be seeing face to face. The knowledge that I have now is imperfect; but then I shall know as fully as I am known.
In short, there are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 32
Response Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.
1. Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp, with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs.
a sing him a song that is new, , play loudly, with all your skill. Response
2. For the word of the Lord is faithful and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right and fills the earth with his love. Response
3. They are happy, whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen as his own.
May your love be upon us, a Lord, as we place all our hope in you. Response
Gospel Acclamation 1 Thess 2: 13
Alleluia, alleluia!
Accept God's message it for what it really is,
God's message and not some human thinking.
Alleluia !
Or Jn 6:63
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your words are spirit and they are life:
you have the message of eternal life.
Alleluia !
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke 7:31-35 Glory to you, O Lord
A reading from the holy Gospel according to
"We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn't dance; we sang dirges, and you wouldn't cry".
Jesus said to his disciples:
'What description, then, can I find for the men of this generation?
What are they like? They are like children shouting to one another while they sit in the market place:
"We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn't dance; we sang dirges, and you wouldn't cry".
'For John the Baptist comes, not eating bread, not drinking wine, and you say, "He is possessed".
The Son of Man comes, eating and drinking, and you say,
"Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners".
Yet Wisdom has been proved right by all her children.'
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
********************
Gospel Reflection Wednesday Twenty Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Luke 7:31-35
In today’s first reading, Paul declares, ‘When I was a child, I used to talk like a child, and think like a child, and argue like a child, but now I am a man, all childish ways are put behind me’. In the gospel reading, Jesus gives us a portrait of children talking and behaving as children. They are playing children’s games in the market place, imagining themselves to be playing the pipes at a celebratory event, like a wedding, and to be singing dirges, as at a funeral. Yet, some children simply don’t want to play; they are equally unmoved by the imaginary pipe playing and by the dirge singing. Jesus is reminded of how unmoved the people of his generation have been by the somewhat sombre ministry of John the Baptist and his own much more joyful ministry. They labelled John as ‘possessed’ and Jesus as a ‘glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners’.
In the first reading, Paul declared that love ‘does not take offence, and is not resentful’. Many of Jesus’ contemporaries took offence at both John and Jesus and resented their ministries. They lacked the quality of love towards John and Jesus that Paul describes in the first reading. This quality of love is a more than human love. It is what Paul calls elsewhere the fruit of the Spirit. It is the outward expression of God’s love that has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. If we open our hearts to the Spirit, we will see others with the eyes of love, recognizing their inalienable worth, rather than dismissing them with the kind of cheap labels that Jesus’ contemporaries used for himself and John the Baptist.
________________________________
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 2022/ 24, c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop
_____________
Liturgical Readings for: Thursday, 19th September, 2024
CÉAD LÉACHTSliocht as an céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Coirintigh 12:31-13:13
Tá trí nithe ann atá buan, más ea, creideamh dóchas agus grá, ach is é an grá an ní is mó orthusan.
A bhráithre,
Is ar na tíolacthaí is tábhachtaí ba cheart tóir a bheith agaibh agus táimse chun ríbhealach a thaispeáint daoibh.
Má labhraím i dteangacha daoine agus aingeal ach gan aon ghrá a bheith agam, níl ionam ach mar a bheadh prás ag fuaimneach nó ciombail ag clingeadh.
Má tá bua fáidheoireachta agam, eolas ar gach rúndiamhair agus fios gach ní agam agus oiread lánchreidimh agam agus a d’aistreodh na sléibhte ach gan aon ghrá a bheith agam, is neamhní mé.
Má roinnim amach mo mhaoin shaolta go léir, agus má thugaim suas mo chorp le dó ach gan aon ghrá a bheith agam, ní aon tairbhe dom é.
Bíonn an grá foighneach agus bíonn sé lách; ní bhíonn éad air; ní dhéanann sé maíomh ná mórtas; ní bhíonn sé mímhúinte ná leithleasach, míchéadfach ná agrach.
Ní áil leis an éagóir ach is aoibhinn leis an mhaith. Bíonn sé lán d’fhadfhulaingt, lán de chreideamh, lán de dhóchas agus lán d’fhoighne. Rachaidh an fháidheoireacht ar ceal, rachaidh na teangacha dá dtost, agus rachaidh an t-eolas ar neamhní, ach ní rachaidh an grá i léig go deo. Mar tá ár gcuid eolais easnamhach agus tá ár bhfáidheoireacht easnamhach; agus nuair a thiocfaidh ann an rud foirfe, rachaidh an rud easnamhach ar neamhní.
Fad a bhí mé i mo leanbh, bhí caint agus meon agus réasún an linbh agam, ach ar m’éirí suas i m’fhear dom, d’fhág mé bealaí an linbh i mo dhiaidh. Faoi láthair ní fheicimid ach mar a bheadh scáil go doiléir i scáthán ach ar ball gheobhaimid radharc aghaidh ar aghaidh air. Níl ach breaceolas agam faoi láthair ach beidh eolas iomlán agam ar ball, chomh hiomlán leis an eolas atá orm.
Tá trí nithe ann atá buan, más ea, creideamh, dóchas agus grá, ach is é an grá an ní is mó orthusan.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le freagra Sm 32
Freagra: Is méanar don chine a roghnaigh an Tiarna mar oidhreacht dó féin.
1. Gabhaigí buíochas leis an Tiarna ar an gcruit; déanaigí ceol dó ar an gcláirseach dheichthéadach.
Canaigí amhrán urnua dó; canaigí go healaíonta is go hardghlórach dó. Freagra
2. Óir is dílis é briathar an Tiarna, agus is fírinneach a oibreacha go léir.
Carann sé an chóir agus an ceart agus líonann sé an talamh dá bhuanghrá. Freagra
3. Is méanar don chine arb é an Tiarna a nDia: an cine a roghnaigh sé mar oidhreacht dó féin.
Go dtaga do bhuanghrá orainn, a Thiarna, de réir an dóchais a chuirimid ionat. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Lúcás 7:31-35 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Rinneamar píobaireacht daoibh, ach ní dhearna sibh rince; rinneamar caoineadh, ach ní dhearna sibh gol.
San am sin dúirt Íosa leis an bpobal:
Cad leis a gcuirfidh mé lucht na glúine seo i gcomparáid? Cad leis ar cosúil iad?
Tá siad cosúil leis na leanaí seo a bhíonn ina suí in áit an mhargaidh ag glaoch chun a chéile agus a deir:
‘ Rinneamar píobaireacht daoibh, ach ní dhearna sibh rince;
rinneamar caoineadh, ach ní dhearna sibh gol.’
“Óir tá Eoin Baiste tagtha, gan é bheith ag ithe aráin ná ag ól fíona, agus deir sibh:
‘Tádeamhan ann!’
Tá Mac an Duine tagtha ag ithe agus ag ól, agus deir sibh:
'Féach, fear craois agus póite, cara do phoibleacánaigh agus do pheacaigh.’
Ach fuair an eagna a ceart óna clann féin uile.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 22nd September, 2024
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
The followers of Jesus must all share in his Passion.
The very way of life of the Christian will be seen as a reproach to others and therefore to be opposed.
Christians will also be accused for not conforming to the world’s values and standards.
In all this we must look to Jesus, the model of the suffering servant of God.
FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Wisdom 2:12.17-20
Let us condemn him to a shameful death.
The godless say to themselves,
'Let us lie in wait for the virtuous man, since he annoys us andopposes our way of life, reproaches us for our breaches of the law
and accuses us of playing false to our upbringing.
Let us see if what he says is true, let us observe what kind of end he himself will have.
If the virtuous man is God's son,
God will take his part and rescue him from the clutches of his enemies:
Let us test him with cruelty and with torture,
and thus explore this gentleness of his and put his endurance to the proof.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death since he will be looked after - we have his word for it.'
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 53:3-6. 8
Response The Lord upholds my life.
1. O God, save me by your name; by your power, uphold my cause.
O God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth. Response
2. For proud men have risen against me,
ruthless men seek my life. They have no regard for God. Response
3. But I have God for my help. The Lord upholds my life.
I will sacrifice to you with willing heart
and praise your name for it is good. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St James 3:16 - 4:3
Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.
Wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you find disharmony, and wicked things of every kind being done; whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it also makes for peace, and is kindly and considerate; it is full of compassion and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it.
Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.
Where do these wars and battles between yourselves first start? Isn't it precisely in the desires fighting inside your own selves? You want something and you haven't got it; so you are prepared to kill. You have an ambition that you cannot satisfy; so you fight to get your way by force.
Why you don't have what you want is because you don't pray for it;
when you do pray and don't get it, it is because you have not prayed properly, you have prayed for something to indulge your own desires.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation Jn 8:12
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord,
anyone who follows me will have the light of life.
Alleluia!
Or 2 Thes 2: 14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Through the Good News that we brought he called you to this
so that you should share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Mark 9: 30-37 Glory to you, O Lord
If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.'
After leaving the mountain Jesus and his disciples made their way through Galilee;
and he did not want anyone to know, because he was instructing his disciples; he was telling them,
'The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men;
they will put him to death; and three days after he has been put to death he will rise again.'
But they did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him.
They came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them,
'What were you arguing about on the road?'
They said nothing because they had been arguing which of them was the greatest. So he sat down, called the Twelve to him and said,
'If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.'
He then took a little child, set him in front of them, put his arms round him, and said to them,
'Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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, 22nd September, 2024
CÉAD LÉACHTSliocht as an Leabhar hEagna 2:12. 17-20
Daoraimis chun báis náirigh é.
Deir na héagráifigh leo féin:
Déanaimis luíochán roimh an bhfíréan mar cuireann sé as dúinn,
agus ní áil leis ár ngníomhartha; casann sé linn ár gcionta in aghaidh an dlí
agus cuireann sé cúl le cine inár leith.
Feicimis mar sin an fíor a ndeir sé: faighimis amach cén chríoch a bheidh air féin.
Más é fíormhac Dé é, déanfaidh Dia é a chosaint agus a shaoradh ó lámha a naimhde.
Cuirimis promhadh air le cruatan agus le céasadh
go bhfeicfimid an cheansacht atá ann agus go mbainfimid triail as a fhoighne.
Daoraimis chun báis náirigh émar beidh cabhair le fáil aige – is é féin a dúirt linn é.”
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 53
Freagra Tá an Tiarna ag cosaint mo bheatha.
1. Slánaigh mé, a Dhia, le d'ainm; déan mo chúis a agairt le do neart.
Éist, a Dhia, le m'urnaí; tabhair cluas do bhriathra mo bhéil. Freagra
2. Óir d'éirigh lucht an díomais i m'éadan;
ta daoine gan trua ar thóir m'anama; níl aird ar bith acu ar Dhia. Freagra
3. Tá Dia ag teacht i gcabhair orm; tá an Tiarna ag cosaint mo bheatha.
Déanfaidh mé íobairt duit, a Thiarna, go fonnmhar,
agus molfaidh mé d'ainm toisc gur maith é. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Liter Séamus 3:16-4:3
Síolann lucht déanta na síochána an síol a thabharfaidh fómhar na fíréantachta, go síochánta.
A clann ionúin, mar a mbíonn éad agus uaillmhian dhoicheallach, bíonn corrthónacht agus gach sort drochbhirt. Ach an eagna ó lastuas tá sí ar dtús íon, ansin síochánta, cineálta, sochomhairlithe, lán de thrócaire agus de dhea-thorthaí, gan leathchuma, gan cur i gcéill. Síolann lucht déanta na síochána an síol a thabharfaidh fómhar na fíréantachta, go síochánta.
Cad faoi deara cogaí agus cathanna a bheith in bhur measc? Nach é seo, go bhfuil bhur n-ainmhianta ag troid le chéile in bhur mbaill bheatha? Santaíonn sibh rud éigin agus níl sé agaibh; maraíonn sibh agus lorgann sibh, ach ní féidir daoibh teacht air; fearann sibh cath agus cogadh, ach ní fhaigheann sibh seilbh mar nach n-iarrann sibh.
Iarrann sibh rud, ach ní fhaigheann sibh mar nach n-iarrann sibh go cuí, ach lena chaitheamh ar bhur n-ainmhianta.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Véarsa Eo 8:12
Alleluia, alleluia!
Is mise solas an tsaoil, a deir an Tiarna;
an té a leanfaidh mise beidh solas na beatha aige.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Marcas 9:30-37 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Tabharfar Mac an Duine. Más mian le haon duine a bheith ar tosach, ní foláir dó bheith ar deireadh cách agus ina sheirbhíseach ag cách.
San am sin ag imeacht as an áit sin dóibh, ghabh Íosa agus dá deisceabail tríd an nGailíl agus níorbh áil leis go mbeadh fios ag aon duine, mar bhí sé ag teagasc a dheisceabal, a rá leo:
“Tabharfar Mac an Duine ar lámh do dhaoine agus cuirfidh siad chun báis é,
agus tar éis a mharaithe, éireoidh sé tar éis trí lá.”
Ach níor thuig siad an focal, agus bhí eagla orthu ceist a churair.
Tháinig siad go dtí Cafarnáum, agus sa teach do d’fhiafraigh sé díobh:“Cad a bhí áchur trí chéile agaibh sa tslí?”
Ach ní raibh focal astu, óir bhí siad ag díospóireacht le chéile, ar an tslí, féachaint cé acu ba mhó. Shuigh sé agus ghlaoigh chuige an dáréag agus dúirt leo:
“Más mian le haon duine a bheith ar tosach, ní foláir dó bheith ar deireadh cách agus ina sheirbhíseach ag cách.”
Agus ag breith ar leanbh dó, chuir sé é ina sheasamh i lár baill eatarthu, agus, ag tabhairt barróige dó, dúirt sé leo:
“Cibé duine a ghlacfaidh a leithéid seo de leanbh ar son m’ainm, glacann sé mise, agus cibé a ghlacfaidh mise, ní mise, ach an té a chuir uaidh mé, a ghlacann sé.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
