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Sharing Your Day.
It might be just a word or two
Some little thing you say,
It could be just a wave, a smile
To brighten up a day.
This life is, oh, so busy now,
We’re always on the go…
It takes but just a second tho’
To stop and say “hello.”
And when you’re feeling grumpy
Say a prayer or two;
You say one for me
And I’ll say one for you.
Just knowing God is near me
Makes my life complete,
Knowing that He loves us,
Helps to make life sweet.
Author: James Joseph Huesgen.
Some little thing you say,
It could be just a wave, a smile
To brighten up a day.
This life is, oh, so busy now,
We’re always on the go…
It takes but just a second tho’
To stop and say “hello.”
And when you’re feeling grumpy
Say a prayer or two;
You say one for me
And I’ll say one for you.
Just knowing God is near me
Makes my life complete,
Knowing that He loves us,
Helps to make life sweet.
Author: James Joseph Huesgen.
Dec 14 - St John of the Cross (1542-91) Carmelite, ascetic and mystic
Summary of St John of the Cross, Priest, Doctor of the Church. Born in 1542 at Fontiveros (Spain); died on this day in Ubeda. A Carmelite priest who joined Saint Teresa of Jesus in the work of Carmelite reform and, despite opposition and imprisonment, organised the discalced Carmelites. Noted for his mystical writings, which combine theology and poetry to describe the spiritual journey through darkness to union with God.
John was small in stature, but showed an intense poetic sensitivity and an ascetical
strength that enabled him to become a great mystic. Patrick Duffy tells some of the events and facts that are known about him.
Early life
John was born in Fontiveros, a small town between Avila and Salamanca in Spain. His father died when he was about a year old and his mother was left to bring up three children in poverty. John was sent to an orphanage where he learned to read and write. However, although he was apprenticed to different trades, John didn't show himself to be much good at any of them.
Becomes a Carmelite
By fifteen, he was performing menial tasks in a hospital for people suffering from venereal diseases. The administrator of the hospital spotted his intelligence and sent him to the Jesuit College in Medina del Campo, telling him if he got ordained a priest he could be the hospital chaplain. After four years study, John felt an attraction to become a Carthusian, but became a Carmelite and studied theology at Salamanca. One of his lecturers, Fray Luis de Leon, a biblical scholar and poet, inspired him.
Reform
Ordained in 1567 John met St Teresa of Avila on the day he celebrated his first Mass. She had just begun her reform of the Carmelites convents and she influenced John in starting reform among the houses of men. Serious friction developed between the Calced ("unreformed") and Discalced Carmelites ("reformed"). John was imprisoned in Toledo, badly fed, interrogated and beaten in an effort to break his morale. A friendly jailer allowed him a candle and by the light of this he wrote his poems, such as The Dark Night of the Soul. In August 1578, he escaped and found refuge in a discalced Carmelite convent. On the pretext that a sick nun needed confession, the prioress allowed him to stay until an influential canon was persuaded to spirit him away.
Discalced Carmelites
By 1581 the Discalced Carmelites had grown in favour and John became prior of a convent near Granada and deputy-vicar for the province of Spain. It was at this time that he wrote the commentaries on his poem, explaining The Dark Night of the Soul. Both he and St Teresa of Avila stressed the centrality of the concept of nada, nothing; by wishing and asking for nothing, the soul is enabled to "ascend the Mount of Carmel".
His writings
John's four main writings are spiritual and ascetical commentaries on his somewhat erotic poems:
The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night of the Soul,
The Spiritual Canticle and The Living Flame of Love.
Later trials and death
Teresa of Avila died in 1582. After that John was attacked both by the Calced and even by some of his own Discalced Carmelites. By 1591 he was banished as a simple friar to a remote convent, "thrown away like an old dish cloth". They even tried to collect scandal about him, but there wasn't any. By this time he was too sick to care; he had open sores that wouldn't heal and was in constant pain. He died early on 14th December 1591. However, some friars made a life-size portrait of this remarkable man, which was the basis of later images of him.
Doctor of the Church
He was beatified in 1675, canonised in 1726 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1926.
John was small in stature, but showed an intense poetic sensitivity and an ascetical
strength that enabled him to become a great mystic. Patrick Duffy tells some of the events and facts that are known about him.Early life
John was born in Fontiveros, a small town between Avila and Salamanca in Spain. His father died when he was about a year old and his mother was left to bring up three children in poverty. John was sent to an orphanage where he learned to read and write. However, although he was apprenticed to different trades, John didn't show himself to be much good at any of them.
Becomes a Carmelite
By fifteen, he was performing menial tasks in a hospital for people suffering from venereal diseases. The administrator of the hospital spotted his intelligence and sent him to the Jesuit College in Medina del Campo, telling him if he got ordained a priest he could be the hospital chaplain. After four years study, John felt an attraction to become a Carthusian, but became a Carmelite and studied theology at Salamanca. One of his lecturers, Fray Luis de Leon, a biblical scholar and poet, inspired him.
Reform
Ordained in 1567 John met St Teresa of Avila on the day he celebrated his first Mass. She had just begun her reform of the Carmelites convents and she influenced John in starting reform among the houses of men. Serious friction developed between the Calced ("unreformed") and Discalced Carmelites ("reformed"). John was imprisoned in Toledo, badly fed, interrogated and beaten in an effort to break his morale. A friendly jailer allowed him a candle and by the light of this he wrote his poems, such as The Dark Night of the Soul. In August 1578, he escaped and found refuge in a discalced Carmelite convent. On the pretext that a sick nun needed confession, the prioress allowed him to stay until an influential canon was persuaded to spirit him away.Discalced Carmelites
By 1581 the Discalced Carmelites had grown in favour and John became prior of a convent near Granada and deputy-vicar for the province of Spain. It was at this time that he wrote the commentaries on his poem, explaining The Dark Night of the Soul. Both he and St Teresa of Avila stressed the centrality of the concept of nada, nothing; by wishing and asking for nothing, the soul is enabled to "ascend the Mount of Carmel".
His writings
John's four main writings are spiritual and ascetical commentaries on his somewhat erotic poems:
The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night of the Soul,
The Spiritual Canticle and The Living Flame of Love.
Later trials and deathTeresa of Avila died in 1582. After that John was attacked both by the Calced and even by some of his own Discalced Carmelites. By 1591 he was banished as a simple friar to a remote convent, "thrown away like an old dish cloth". They even tried to collect scandal about him, but there wasn't any. By this time he was too sick to care; he had open sores that wouldn't heal and was in constant pain. He died early on 14th December 1591. However, some friars made a life-size portrait of this remarkable man, which was the basis of later images of him.
Doctor of the Church
He was beatified in 1675, canonised in 1726 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1926.
Liturgical Readings for: Friday, 14th December, 2018
FIRST READING A reading from the prophet Isaiah 48:17-19
If only you had been alert to my commandments.
Thus says the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is good for you,
I lead you in the way that you must go.
If only you had been alert to my commandments,
your happiness would have been like a river,
your integrity like the waves of the sea.
Your children would have been numbered like the sand,
your descendants as many as its grains.
Never would your name have been cut off or blotted out before me.
The Word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 1: 1-4, 6
Response Anyone who follows you, Lord, will have the light of life.
1 Happy indeed is the man
who follows not the counsel of the wicked;
nor lingers in the way of sinners
nor sits in the company of scorners,
but whose delight is the law of the Lord
and who ponders his law day and night. Response
2 He is like a tree that is planted
beside the flowing waters,
that yields its fruit in due season
and whose leaves shall never fade;
and all that he does shall prosper. Response
3 Not so are the wicked, not so!
For they like winnowed chaff
shall be driven away by the wind.
For the Lord guards the way of the just
but the way of the wicked leads to doom. Response
Gospel Acclamation Is 45:8:8
Alleluia, alleluia!
See,the king, the lord of the world, will come.
He will free us from the yoke of out bondage.
Alleluia!
Or
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord will come, go out to meet him.
Great is his beginning and his reign will have no end.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 11:16-19
They heed neither John nor the Son of Man.
Jesus spoke to the crowds: 'What description can I find for this generation?
It is like children shouting to each other as they sit in the market place:
"We played the pipes for you,
and you wouldn't dance;
we sang dirges,
and you wouldn't be mourners".
'For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "He is possessed". The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners". Yet wisdom has been proved right by her actions.'
The Gospel of the Lord.
************************
Gospel Reflection Friday Second Week of Advent Matthew 11:16-19
Children have started to get very excited about Christmas. They are beginning to look forward to the presents they will get from Santa. Some of those presents will consist of games that will amuse the children for hours. Yet children also have a way of making up their own games. When I was young, one of the games children played was to enter into different roles. They might play at being a doctor or a nurse or a pilot or a firefighter or whatever it might be. Today’s gospel reading suggests that children weren’t all that different in Jesus’ day. Jesus alludes to the ways that they played at being at a wedding or even a funeral. They played the pipes associated with the celebrations at a wedding, and they sang dirges as if at a funeral. Jesus noticed, however, that there were other children who didn’t want to join in these games. They were spoilsports, which is why the others complained to them, ‘we played the pipes for you and you wouldn’t dance, we sang dirges and you wouldn’t be mourners’. This scenario reminded Jesus of how many of his contemporaries responded to his ministry and the ministry of John the Baptist. They were unmoved both by the solemn message and lifestyle of John and the much more celebratory message and lifestyle of Jesus. Many dismissed Jesus as someone who ate food and drank wine with sinners. We, however, rejoice that Jesus has brought the good news of God’s merciful and faithful love to sinners, among whom we can all count ourselves. We spend our lives trying to live in harmony with the joyful tune of God’s love for all that Jesus continues to play today as risen Lord.
________________________________
The scripture readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/
The Gospel reflection comes from: Weekday Reflections for the Liturgical Year 2018/2019; I Want to Know Christ by Martin Hogan, published by The Messenger c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
______________________________
Liturgical Readings for: Friday, 14th December, 2018
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an fáidh Íseáia 48:17-19
Och, dá mba gur thug tú aire do m’aitheanta!
Seo mar a deir an Tiarna, d’fhuascailteoir, Neach Naofa Iosrael:
Is mise, an Tiarna do Dhia, a thugann teagasc do leasa duit,
is mé a threoraíonn thú sa treo is dual duit.
Och, dá mba gur thug tú aire do m’aitheanta!
Ar nós abhainn is ea a bheadh do shonas
agus an rath ba dhual duit ar nós tonnta na farraige!
Mar an ngaineamh is ea bheadh do shliocht
agus bheadh clann do bhroinne chomh tiubh lena ghráinní!
Choíche go deo ní bheadh d’ainm stoite scriosta os mo chomhair.
Briathar Dé.
Salm le Freagra Sm 1: 1-4. 6. Rv Jn 8:12
Freagra An té a leanfaidh mise, beidh aige solas na beatha.
I. Is aoibhinn don fhear
nach leanann de chomhairle na n-éagráifeach,
is nach seasann i slí na bpeacach,
is nach suíonn in éineacht Ie scigirí;
ach a bhaineann taitneamh as dlí an Tiarna,
is a dhéanann machnamh ar a dhlí de lá is d'oíche. Freagra
2. Is cosuil é le crannatá curtha cois na habhann,
a thugann toradh uaidh go tráthúil,
nach bhfeonn a dhuilliúr;
agus bíonn an rath ar a ndéanann sé. Freagra
3. Ní hamhlaidh do na héagráifigh, ní hamhlaidh!
Ach amhail cáith a scaiptear leis an ngaoth.
Óir is cúram don Tiarna slí na bhífréan,
ach rachaidh slí na n-éagráifeach ar ceal. Freagra
Alleluia Lc 3:4, 6
Alleluia, alleluia!
A spéartha, fearaigí anuas fíréantacht mar bheadh drúcht ann, ligeadh na néalta anuas í ina báisteach!
Osclaíodh an talamh lena gabháil agus tagadh an slánú aníos ina gheamhar!
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Matha 11:16-19
Ach cad leis a gcuirfidh mé an ghlúin seo i gcomparáid?
Dúirt Iosa, “Ach ca
d leis a gcuirfidh mé an ghlúin seo i gcomparáid? Tá sí cosúil leis na leanaí a bhíonn ina suí sna háiteanna margaidhagus iad ag glaoch chun a gcomrádaithe á rá:
‘Rinneamar píobaireacht daoibh
ach ní dhearna sibh rince;
rinneamar caoineadh,
ach níor bhuail sibh bhur n-ucht.’
“Mar tháinig Eoin agus ní raibh sé ag ithe ná ag ól, agus deir siad:‘Tá deamhan ann.’ Tháinig Mac an Duine agus bíonn sé ag ithe agus ag ól, agus deir siad: ‘Féach, fear craois agus póite, cara do phoibleacánaigh agus do pheacaigh.’ Agus fuair an eagna a ceart as a hoibreacha féin.”
Soiscéal Dé.
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 16th December, 2018
Third Sunday of Advent
Scripture Theme
John the Baptist inaugurates the Gospel already from his mother’s womb he welcomes the coming of Christ and rejoices in being ‘the friend of the bridegroom whom he points out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Zephaniah 3:14-18
The Lord will dance with shouts of joy for you as on a day of festival.
Shout for joy, daughter of Zion,
Israel, shout aloud!
Rejoice, exult with all your heart,
daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has repealed your sentence;
he has driven your enemies away.
The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst;
you have no more evil to fear.
When that day comes, word will come to Jerusalem:
Zion, have no fear,
do not let your hands fall limp.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a victorious warrior.
He will exult with joy over you,
he will renew you by his love;
he will dance with shouts of joy for you
as on a day of festival.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 12
Response Sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
1 Truly, God is my salvation,
I trust, I shall not fear.
For the Lord is my strength, my song,
he became my saviour.
With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation. Response
2 Give thanks to the Lord, give praise to his name!
Make his mighty deeds known to the peoples!
Declare the greatness of his name. Response
3 Sing a psalm to the Lord
for he has done glorious deeds,
make them known to all the earth!
People of Zion, sing and shout for joy
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians 4: 4-7
The Lord is very near.
I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness. Let your tolerance be evident to everyone: the Lord is very near. There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving, and that peace of God, which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation Is 61:1
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me.He has sent me to bring good news to the poor
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 3:10-18
What must we do?
When all the people asked John, 'What must we do, then?' he answered, 'If anyone has two tunics he must share with the man who has none, and the one with something to eat must do the same.' There were tax collectors too who came for baptism, and these said to him, 'Master, what must we do?' He said to them, 'Exact no more than your rate.'Some soldiers asked him in their turn, 'What about us? What must we do?' He said to them, 'No intimidation! No extortion! Be content with your pay!'A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to think that John might be the Christ, so John declared before them all, 'I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.' As well as this, there were many other things he said to exhort the people and to announce the Good News to them.
The Gospel of the Lord
Taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published and copyright 1966, 1967 and 1968 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, 16th December, 2018
AN TRÍÚ DOMNACH DEN AIDBHINT
Céad Leact
Sliocht as Leabhar Fáidh Sófania: 3:14-18
Tógfaidh sé gártha áthais ar do shon faoi mar a dhéantar ar lá an tsollúntais.’
“Déan gairdeas, a iníon Shíón;
tóg gártha áthais, a Iosrael;
bíodh lúcháir agus gliondar ar do chroí go hiomlán,
a iníon Iarúsailéim.
Tá an Tiarna tar éis an breithiúnas
a bhí ag bagairt ort a thógáil díot
agus do chuid naimhde a thiomáint chun siúil uait.
Tá an Tiarna, rí Iosrael, i do lár
agus ní healaí duit
eagla an mhí-áidh a bheith ort níos mó.
An lá sin déarfar le Iarúsailéim:
‘Ná bíodh eagla ort, a Shíón;
ná lagtar do lámha!
Tá an Tiarna, do Dhia, i do lár
mar laoch caithréimeach;
déanfaidh sé gairdeas go spleodrach mar gheall ort.
Athnuafaidh sé thú le neart a ghrá;
tógfaidh sé gártha áthais ar do shon
faoi mar a dhéantar ar lá an tsollúntais.’
Briathar Dé.
Salm le Freagra Is 12:2-5 fr6 Is 12:2-6
Freagra Gáirigí le háthas agus liúirigí óir is mór le rá é in bhur measc Neach Naofa Iosrael.”
1. An bhfeiceann sibh, is é Dia mo shlánaithe é,
tá muinín agam agus níl mé eaglach níos mó,
óir is é an Tiarna mo neart agus mo cheol,
is é mo shlánu é!
agus tarraingeoidh sibh uisce go lúcháireach
as toibreacha an tslánaithe. Freagra
2. Túgaigí buíochas don Tiarna,
glaoigí air ina ainm!
Fógrágí a éachtaí don phobal,
meabhraígí gurb oirirc dá ainm. Freagra
3. Canaigí an Tiarna, óir tá iontais déanta aige!
foilsítear iad ar fud an domhain chláir.
Gáirigí le háthas agus le lúcháir,
a mhuintir Síón!
óir is mór é i do lár
Neach Naofa Isráél. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Litir Niamh Pól cuig na chuig na Filipigh 4:4-7
Ní fada uainn an Tiarna.
A bhráithre, bígí lúcháireach i gcónaí sa Tiarna. Deirim arís é: bíodh lúcháir oraibh. Bíodh bhur gceansacht le feiceáil ag an saol mór mar ní fada uainn an Tiarna. Ná bígí imníoch faoi rud ar bith ach cibé ní atá in easnamh oraibh cuirigí in iúl do Dhia é le hurnaí agus guí agus buíochas buan. Agus sa tslí sin beidh síocháin Dé atá os cionn ár dtuisceana ag cosaint bhur gcroí agus bhur smaointe in Íosa Críost.Briathar Dé.
Alleluia Is 61:1
Allelluia Alleluia
Tá Spiorad an Tiarna orm. Chuir sé uaidh mé ag tabhairt an dea-scéil dona bochtáin.
Allelluia Alleluia
SOISCÉAL
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Lúcás 3:10-18
Cad tá le déanamh againn ?
San am sin bhí na sluaite ag fiafraí d'Eoin: “Cad tá le déanamh againn, más ea?” Dúirt sé leo á bhfreagairt: “An té a bhfuil dhá chóta aige, tugadh sé cóta don té atá ina uireasa, agus an té a bhfuil rud le hithe aige, déanadh sé a leithéid chéanna.” Tháinig poibleacánaigh freisin chun baiste a fháil agus dúirt siad leis: “A mháistir, cad tá le déanamh againne?” Dúirt sé leo: “Gan níos mó a éileamh ná a bhfuil ordaithe daoibh.” D’fhiafraigh saighdiúirí de, freisin: “Agus cad tá le déanamh againne?” Agus dúirt sé leo: “Gan éigean a dhéanamh ar dhuine ar bith, ná dearbhú éithigh; agus sibh a bheith sásta le bhur bpá.”Ó bhí an pobal ar fionraí, agus cách ag machnamh ina gcroí i dtaobh Eoin, go mb’fhéidir gurbh é an Críost é, d’fhreagair Eoin á rá leo uile: “Táimse do bhur mbaisteadh le huisce, ach tá an té ag teacht atá níos treise ná mé, nach fiú mé iall a chuarán a scaoileadh; baistfidh seisean sibh leis an Spiorad Naomh agus le tine. Tá a
cháiteog ina láimh aige chun a láithreán a léirghlanadh agus an t-arbhar a chruinniú isteach ina scioból, ach dóifidh sé an lóchán le tine dhomhúchta.”
Agus trína lán nithe eile fós a rá leo á spreagadh, bhí sé ag fógairt an dea-scéil don phobal.
Soiscéal Dé
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
