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Do Lough Derg from wherever you are
Date: Saturday 27th – Monday 29th June 2020Location: Wherever you are
Do Lough Derg from wherever you are
Date: Saturday 27th – Monday 29th June 2020
Location: Wherever you are
The Pope Video – September 2020
Respect for the planet’s resources
Christian Radio Stations
Bishop Alan McGuckian
The Joy of the Gospel – Reflection 4 by Bishop Alan McGuckian
Novena Online
The Limerick Novena 2020 – Hope in a time of crisis
Bishop Alan McGuckian
The Joy of the Gospel – April 29th
Churches of the Day
Good news
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The gospel reveals that a “blind beggar sitting by the roadside knew exactly what he wanted and was not afraid to do everything in his power to reach out for help. We are told that on following Jesus he cast off the cloak of his former lifestyle. Maybe we need to abandon the trappings of our present behaviour, which is preventing us from seeing others as our brothers and sisters and living the Christian life fully! Our blindness remains because we haven’t the honesty to admit we are hurting or the humility to ask for healing. We need to see ourselves in a more truthful way and to recognise our sinfulness in a clearer light. The good news is that Christ is always passing by, ready to hear our call and willing to answer our plea for help.”
Source: “Preaching God’s Word on Sunday,” by Fr. Desmond Knowles.
The gospel reveals that a “blind beggar sitting by the roadside knew exactly what he wanted and was not afraid to do everything in his power to reach out for help. We are told that on following Jesus he cast off the cloak of his former lifestyle. Maybe we need to abandon the trappings of our present behaviour, which is preventing us from seeing others as our brothers and sisters and living the Christian life fully! Our blindness remains because we haven’t the honesty to admit we are hurting or the humility to ask for healing. We need to see ourselves in a more truthful way and to recognise our sinfulness in a clearer light. The good news is that Christ is always passing by, ready to hear our call and willing to answer our plea for help.”
Source: “Preaching God’s Word on Sunday,” by Fr. Desmond Knowles.
Oct 25 - St Anne Line d.1601
Summary: St Anne Line was one of the Forty Martyrs of Englsnd and Wales. She was martyred for sheltering priests.
Anne's date of birth is unknown, but she was the second daughter of Willam Heigham of Essex, a strict Calvinist, and was, together with her brother William, disinherited for converting to Catholicism. Some time before 1586, she married Roger Line, a young Catholic, who had been disinherited for the same reason. Roger Line and young William Heigham were arrested together while attending Mass, and were imprisoned, fined, and finally banished. Roger Line went to Flanders, where he recived a small allowance from the King of Spain, part of which he sent regularly to his wife until his death around 1594.
Around that time Fr John Gerard opened a house of refuge for hiding priests and put the newly-widowed Anne Line in charge of it, despite her ill-health and frequent headaches. By 1597 this house had become insecure, so another was opened, and Anne Line was, again, placed in charge. On 2 February 1601, Fr Francis Page was saying Mass in the house managed by Anne Line, when men arrived to arrest him. The priest managed to slip into a special hiding place, prepared by Anne, and afterwards to escape, but she was arrested, along with two other laypeople.
The old Bailey Trial
Tried at the Old Bailey on 26 February, she was so weak that she was carried to the trial in a chair. She told the court that so far from regretting having concealed a priest, she only grieved that she "could not receive a thousand more." Sir John Popham, the judge, sentenced her to hang the next day at Tyburn.
Anne Line was hanged on 27 February 1601. She was executed immediately before two priests, Fr. Roger Filcock, and Fr. Mark Barkworth, though, as a woman, she was spared the disembowelling that they endured. At the scaffold she repeated what she had said at her trial, declaring loudly to the bystanders:
"I am sentenced to die for harbouring a Catholic priest, and so far I am from repenting for having so done, that I wish, with all my soul, that where I have entertained one, I could have entertained a thousand."
Fr. Barkworth kissed her hand, while her body was still hanging, saying, "Oh blessed Mrs. Line, who has now happily received thy reward, thou art gone before us, but we shall quickly follow thee to bliss, if it please the Almighty."
Anne's date of birth is unknown, but she was the second daughter of Willam Heigham of Essex, a strict Calvinist, and was, together with her brother William, disinherited for converting to Catholicism. Some time before 1586, she married Roger Line, a young Catholic, who had been disinherited for the same reason. Roger Line and young William Heigham were arrested together while attending Mass, and were imprisoned, fined, and finally banished. Roger Line went to Flanders, where he recived a small allowance from the King of Spain, part of which he sent regularly to his wife until his death around 1594.Around that time Fr John Gerard opened a house of refuge for hiding priests and put the newly-widowed Anne Line in charge of it, despite her ill-health and frequent headaches. By 1597 this house had become insecure, so another was opened, and Anne Line was, again, placed in charge. On 2 February 1601, Fr Francis Page was saying Mass in the house managed by Anne Line, when men arrived to arrest him. The priest managed to slip into a special hiding place, prepared by Anne, and afterwards to escape, but she was arrested, along with two other laypeople.
The old Bailey TrialTried at the Old Bailey on 26 February, she was so weak that she was carried to the trial in a chair. She told the court that so far from regretting having concealed a priest, she only grieved that she "could not receive a thousand more." Sir John Popham, the judge, sentenced her to hang the next day at Tyburn.
Anne Line was hanged on 27 February 1601. She was executed immediately before two priests, Fr. Roger Filcock, and Fr. Mark Barkworth, though, as a woman, she was spared the disembowelling that they endured. At the scaffold she repeated what she had said at her trial, declaring loudly to the bystanders:
"I am sentenced to die for harbouring a Catholic priest, and so far I am from repenting for having so done, that I wish, with all my soul, that where I have entertained one, I could have entertained a thousand."Fr. Barkworth kissed her hand, while her body was still hanging, saying, "Oh blessed Mrs. Line, who has now happily received thy reward, thou art gone before us, but we shall quickly follow thee to bliss, if it please the Almighty."
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 25th October, 2020
30th Sunday of Ordinary Time
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Exodus 22:20-26
If you are harsh with the widow or orphan; my anger will flare against you.
The lord said to Moses, Tell the sons of Israel this, "You must not molest the stranger or oppress him, for you lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. You must not be harsh with the widow, or with the orphan; if you are harsh with them, they will surely cry out to me, and be sure I shall hear their cry; my anger will flare and I shall kill you with the sword, your own wives will be widows, your own children orphans."If you lend money to any of my people, to any poor man among you, you must not play the usurer with him: you must not demand interest from him.
"If you take another's cloak as a pledge, you must give it back to him before sunset. It is all the covering he has; it is the cloak he wraps his body in; what else would he sleep in? If he cries to me, I will listen, for I am full of pity.
The Word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 17
Response I love you, Lord, my strength.
1. I love you, Lord, my strength,
my rock, my fortress, my saviour.
My God is the rock where I take refuge;
my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.
The Lord is worthy of all praise:
when I call I am saved from my foes. Response
2. Long life to the Lord, my rock!
Praised be the God who saves me.
He has given great victories to his king
and shown his love for his anointed. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians 1:5-10
You broke with idolatry and became servants of the real, and you are now waiting for his Son.
You observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your instruction, and you were led to become imitators of us, and of the Lord; and it was with the joy of the Holy Spirit that you took to the gospel, in spite of the great opposition all round you. This has made you the great example to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia since it was from you that the word of the Lord started to spread - and not only throughout Macedonia and Achaia, for the news of your faith in God has spread everywhere. We do not need to tell other people about it: other people tell us how we started the work among you, how you broke with idolatry when you were converted to God and became servants of the real, living God; and how you are now waiting for Jesus, his Son, whom he raised from the dead, to come from heaven to save us from the retribution which is coming.
The Word of the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation Acts 16: 14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son.
Alleluia!
or Jn 14: 23
Alleluia, alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,and we shall come to him.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 22:34-40
'You must love the Lord your God and your neighbour as yourself.
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees they got together and,
to disconcert him, one of them put a question,
'Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?'
Jesus said,
'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second resembles it:
You must love your neighbour as yourself.
On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.'
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, 25th October, 2020
CHÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as leabhar Exodus 22:20-26
Má dhéanann tú iad a bhuaireamh agus godtagann a nglao chugam, éistfidh mé leo
Dúirt an Tiarna le Maois: Abair é seo le clann Isráel: Ná déan éagóir ar dheoraí ná leatrom, mar ba dheoraithe sibh féin i gcríocha na hÉigipte. Ná ciap baintreach ná dílleachta. Má dhéanann tú iad a bhuaireamh agus godtagann a nglao chugam, éistfidh mé leo, éistfead sin. Adhnfaidh m’fhearg agus maróidh mé sibh leis an gclaíomh, agus fágfar bhur mná gan chéile agus bhur gclann gan athair.Má thugann tú iasacht airgid d’aon bhochtán de mo phobal le d’ais, ná himir cleas an úsaire air agus ná héiligh ús uaidh.
Má thogann tú riamh brat duine mar gheall tabhair ar ais dó é roimh luí na gréine; óir sin a bhfuil aige d’éadach, sin é an brat a bhíonn faoina chorp aige, agus cad eile atá aige le codladh ann?
Briathar Dé.
Salm le Freagra Sm 17
Freagra Mo ghrá thú, a Thiarna, mo neart thú.
I. Mo ghrá thú, a Thiarna, mo neart thú,
mo charraig thú, mo dhaingean is mo shlánaitheoir. Freagra
2. Mo Dhia thú, mo charraig, is mo dhídean;
mo sciath, adharc me shlánaithe, mo dhún.
Glaoim ar an Tiarna dar dleacht moladh
agus déantar mo shaoradh ó mo naimhdé. Freagra
3. Go maire an Tiarna! Is é mo charraig é!
Go raibh Dia mo shlánaitheoir á mhóradh.
Thug sé caithréimeanna dá Rí
agus nocht sé a ghrá dá Ungthach. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as an céad litir Naomh Pól chuig na Teasalónaigh 1:5-10
A bhráithre, tá a fhios agaibhse mar a thugamar ár saol, fad a bhíomar in bhur measc, ar mhaithe libh. Agus rinne sibhse aithris orainn agus ar an Tiarna, mar d’ainneoin gach anacra ghlac sibh leis an mbriathar uainn le lúcháir an Spioraid Naoimh, sa tslí go raibh sibh mar shampla ag a bhfuil de chreidmhigh sa Mhacadóin agus in Acháia. Mar is uaibhse amach a leath briathar Dé, agus ní sa Mhacadóin agus in Acháia amháin é, mar tá scéal bhur gcreidimh i nDia scaipthe san uile áit, i dtreo nach gá dúinne aon ní a rá faoi. Tá na daoine féin ag cur síos ar an bhfáilte a chuir sibh romhainn agus mar a chas sibh ar Dhia ó na déithe bréige chun dul ag seirbhís don fhíorDhia beo agus chun feitheamh lena Mhac Íosa a theacht ó na flaithis – an Mac a thóg sé ó mhairbh agus atá dár bhfuascailt ón bhfearg atá le teacht.
Briathar Dé.
Alleluia Véarsa Gniom 16: 14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Oscail ár gcroí,A Thiarna,
Cun aird a thabhairt ar bhraithra do Mhic
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir N. Matha 22:34-40
Gráóidh tú do Thiarna Dia agus gráóidh tú do chomharsa mar thú féin
San am sin nuair a chuala na Fairisínigh nár fhág Íosa focal ag na Sadúcaigh,
chruinnigh siad féin le chéile, agus duine acu, a bhí ina dhlíodóir, chuir sé ceist air ag baint trialach as:
“A Mháistir, cén aithne mhór sa dhlí?”
Dúirt sé leis: “‘Gráóidh tú do Thiarna Dia ó do chroí go hiomlán agus
ó d’anam go hiomlán agus ó d’aigne go hiomlán’ – is í sin an aithne mhór agus an phríomhaithne.
Agus is cosúil léise an dara ceann:
‘Gráóidh tú do chomharsa mar thú féin.’
Ag brath ar an dá aithne sin atá an dlí ar fad agus na fáithe.”
Soiscéal Dé.
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 1st November, 2020
November 1st - Solemnity of All Saints
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Apocalypse 7:2-4. 9-14
I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people of every nation, race, tribe and language.
I, John saw another angel rising where the sun rises, carrying the seal of the living God; he called in a powerful voice to the four angels whose duty was to devastate land and sea, 'Wait before you do any damage on land or at sea or to the trees, until we have put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.' Then I heard how many were sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel.After that I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language; they were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands. They shouted aloud, 'Victory to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!' And all the angels who were standing in a circle round the throne, surrounding the elders and the four animals, prostrated themselves before the throne, and touched the ground with their foreheads, worshipping God with these words, 'Amen. Praise and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and strength to our God for ever and ever., Amen.'
One of the elders then spoke, and asked me, 'Do you know who these people are, dressed in white robes, and where they have come from?' I answered him, 'You can tell me, my lord.' Then he said, 'These are the people who have been through the great persecution, and because they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb.
The Word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 23
Response Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord
1.The Lord's is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas;
on the waters he made it firm. Response
2. Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
who desires not worthless things. Response
3. He shall receive blessings from the Lord
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of John 3:1-3
We shall see God as he really is.
Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,
by letting us be called God's children;
and that is what we are.
Because the world refused to acknowledge him,
therefore it does not acknowledge us.
My dear people, we are already the children of God
but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;
all we know is, that when it is revealed
we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is.
Surely everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself,
must try to be as pure as Christ.
The Word of the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation Mt 11: 28
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
Alleluia
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 5:1-12
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.
'How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
'Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.'
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Gospel Reflection Nov 1 Feast of All Saints Matthew 5:1-12
A lot of people do not like large gatherings. They find big crowds exhausting. Today’s feast, however, is precisely about crowds of people. The first reading expresses it well, ‘a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language’. Today is the feast not just of a few chosen saints, but of all saints. Today we honour all the saints, those who are formally canonised and those who are not.
If our vision of humanity is shaped exclusively by the media we might be tempted to think that there are a lot more villains out there than saints. It is reassuring to be reminded by today’s feast that there exists a huge number of saints, impossible to count. In the words of the letter to the Hebrews, we are surrounded by a ‘great cloud of witnesses’. None of us can live as the Lord wants us to live purely on our own. We need the good example of others to inspire us and to show us what is possible. Today’s feast declares that we are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses, if only we could recognise them. Some of these people have already passed beyond us and are now ‘standing in front of the throne of the Lamb’, in the words of today’s first reading. Many of them, however, are our companions on the journey of life. They do not look at all like the statues in our churches. They are very ordinary, yet they are also very special. These are the people we are grateful to have met and to have around.
The feast of All Saints encourages us to believe that any one of us could be part of that huge number, impossible to count. In that sense, today’s feast is about every one of us. John, in today’s second reading, is speaking about all of us when he declares that ‘we are already the children of God’, and that, in the future, ‘we shall be like’ God. We are all destined for sainthood. God intends that all of us would be conformed to the image of God’s Son. For most of us, that will only come to pass fully beyond this life. Yet, because we are already sons and daughters of God through Baptism, we are called to grow now towards that wonderful transformation that awaits us. The road to sainthood begins here, wherever we happen to find ourselves. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus shows us what that road to sainthood looks like. In the Beatitudes, Jesus painted a portrait of himself, the living saint par excellence. He was also painting a portrait of the person that we are all called to become. The Beatitudes give us different facets of the person of Jesus, while at the same time showing us different ways in which we might reflect the person of Jesus.
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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 2019-20: The Word of God is Living and Active by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
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Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 1st November, 2020
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as leabhar An Apacailipsis 7:2-4. 9-14
Chonaic mé mathshlua mór nárbh fhéidir d’aon duine a chomhaireamh as gach cine agus treibh agus pobal agus teanga
Ansin chonaic mé aingeal eile ag gabháil suas ó éirí gréine agus séala le Dia beo aige, agus ghlaoigh sé in ard a ghutha ar na ceithre aingeal ar ar cuireadh de chúram dochar a dhéanamh do thalamh agus do mhuir, agus dúirt sé: “Ná déanaigí dochar do thalamh ná do mhuir ná do na crainn nó go gcuirfimid séala ar chláréadan sheirbhísigh Dé.” Agus chuala mé líon na ndaoine ar cuireadh an séala orthu, céad agus daichead a ceathair míle agus iad as gach treibh de chlann Iosrael.Ina dhiaidh sin b’shiúd an mathshlua mór nárbh fhéidir le haon duine a chomhaireamh as gach cine agus treibh agus pobal agus teanga; bhí siad ina seasamh os comhair na ríchathaoireach agus os comhair an Uain, iad gléasta in éidí geala agus craobhacha pailme acu ina lámha. Agus bhí siad ag glaoch de ghlór ard: “Slánú dár nDia a shuíonn sa ríchathaoir agus don Uan!” Bhí na haingil go léir ina seasamh mórthimpeall na ríchathaoireach agus na seanóirí agus na gceithre dhúil, agus chaith siad iad féin ar a n-aghaidh os comhair na ríchathaoireach ag adhradh Dé á rá: “Amen. Beannacht agus glóir agus eagna agus buíochas agus onóir agus cumhacht agus neart dár nDia go deo deo. Amen.”
Ansin labhair duine de na seanóirí agus dúirt sé liom: “Iad seo atá gléasta in éidí geala, cé hiad féin agus cad as ar tháinig siad?” Dúirt mé mar fhreagra air: “A Thiarna liom, tá fhios agat.” Agus dúirt sé liom: “Is iadsan an dream atá gafa tríd an duainéis mhór; nigh siad agus gheal siad a n-éidí i bhfuil an Uain.
Briathar Dé.
Salm le Freagra Sm 23
Freagra A leithéid siúd a bhíonn ar do thóir, a Thiarna.
I. Leis an Tiarna an chruinne agus a bhfuil inti;
an domhan go léir agus a maireann ann.
Is é fein a bhunaigh ar an aigéan é,agus a dhaingnigh ar an bhfarraige íochtarach é. Freagra
2. Cé a rachaidh suas ar chnoc an Tiarna?
Cé a bheidh ina sheasamh ar a láthair naofa?
An té a bhfuil lámha gan smál agus croí glan aige,
an té ar beag air nithe gan tairbhe. Freagra
3. Beidh beannacht an Tiarna ar an té sin
agus luahh saothair ó Dhia a shlánaitheoir.
A leitheid siúd a bhíonn á lorg,
a bhíonn ar thóir Dhia Iácób. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as an céad Litir Naomh Eoin 3:1-3
Feicimid Dia mar a tá sé.
A clann ionúin, breathnaígí cad é mar ghrá a thug an tAthair dúinn! go nglaofaí clann Dé orainn, agus is amhlaidh sinn. Sé an fáth nach n-aithníonn an saol sinne mar nár aithin sé eisean. chairde cléibh, is clann Dé cheana féin sinn, agus níor foilsíodh fós cé mar a bheimid; ach nuair a fhoilseofar é, is feasach sinn go mbeimid ina chosúlachtsan, mar go bhfeicfimid é mar atá sé. Agus gach duine a chothaíonn an dóchas diaga seo ann féin naomhaíonn é féin faoi mar atá seisean naofa.
Briathar Dé.
Alleluia Véarsa Mth 11: 28
Alleluia, alleluia!
Tagaigí chugam, sibhse uile a bhfuil saothar agus tromualach oraibh,
agus tabharfaidh mé faoiseamh daoibh Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Matha 5:1-12
Bíodh áthas oraibh agus gairdeas, mar is mór é bhur dtuarastal ar neamh.
San am sin nuair a chonaic Íosa na sluaite, chuaigh sé an sliabh suas. Shuigh sé síos agus tháinig a dheisceabail chuige. Thosaigh sé ag caint leo á dteagasc agus dúirt:
“Is méanar dóibh seo atá bocht ó spiorad, óir is leo ríocht na bhflaitheas.
“Is méanar do lucht an dobróin, óir sólásófar iad.
“Is méanar dóibh seo atá ceansa, óir gheobhaidh siad an talamh mar oidhreacht.
“Is méanar dóibh seo a bhfuil ocras agus tart chun na fíréantachta orthu, óir sásófar iad.
“Is méanar do lucht na trócaire, óir déanfar trócaire orthu.
“Is méanar dóibh seo atá glan ó chroí, óir feicfidh siad Dia.
“Is méanar do lucht síochána a dhéanamh, óir glaofar clann Dé orthu.
“Is méanar dóibh seo a d’fhulaing géarleanúint mar gheall ar an bhfíréantacht, óir is
leo ríocht na bhflaitheas.
“Is méanar daoibh féin nuair a thabharfar aithis daoibh agus a ghéarleanfar sibh, agus nuair a chuirfear gach sórt drochrud in bhur leith go bréagach mar gheall ormsa. 'Bíodh áthas oraibh agus gairdeas, mar is mór é bhur dtuarastal ar neamh'.
Soiscéal Dé.
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Machtnamh ar Bhriathar Dé
Cé h’iad an dream glórmhar seo?
Cad atá ag feitheamh le dhaoine thar éis an saol domhanda seo againn, anseo agus anois. Aithníonn Naomh Pól é mar rúndiamhar nuair a deir sé "Ní fhaca aon súl, níor chuala aon chluas ná níor chuaigh sé isteach sa chroí daonna chun a shamhlú a bhfuil ullmhaithe ag Dia dóibh siúd a bhfuil grá acu leis." [1 Cor 2: 9]. Mar sin féin, cuireann na Scrioptúirí naofa saibhreas d'íomhánna dóchasacha chun tuiscint a thabhairt faoin cinniúint atá ullmhaithe thar an saol seo, dóibh siúd a bhfuil grá acu le Dia. Níl na naoimh ar neamh déanta as plástair, ach dream beó glórmhar de dhaoine macánta a chleachtaigh an grá san bheatha deo, and mar sin, chuaigh siad díreach ar ais go dtí tobair agus foinnse an grá, Dia na glóire. Chuaigh siad "ag máirseáil isteach" - sásta a bheith ag teacht i ngleic leis an Athair síorraí. Is laochra agus gnáth-dhaoine iad. Roinnt dóibh naoimh canóinithe a spreag an t-eaglais ar feadh na gcéadta bliain, agus an móchuid laochra gan clú, a chaith a mbeatha go ciúin de réir cháilíocht agus dhualgas, glan de chroí agus séimh sa spiorad.
Pádraig Ó Rúairí, cp, Sliabh Argus, Átha Cliath.
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