Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Mar 6 - St Colette of Corbie (1381-1447)
Summary: St Colette, religious, reformer, sought a radically austere life after the example of St Francis and St Clare. She became the one who restored the Poor Clares to the original Rule of St Clare. At the heart of that Rule is radical poverty: even the community does not own anything.
Patrick Duffy tells her story.
Her birth
Colette was born in Corbie in Picardy, France, where her father Robert was a carpenter at the Benedictine abbey. As both her father and mother were advanced in age when their first and only daughter was born, they called her Nicolette in honour of St Nicholas (6 Dec), to whose intercession they attributed her birth.
In search of her vocation
Colette received a primary education and then lived at home almost as a solitary, praying, doing manual work and teaching catechism. By the time she was 17, both her parents had died, leaving her in the care of the abbot of Corbie. Unsure of what she should do, Colette first tried a group of Béguines who served the local hospital, then a community of Urbanist Poor Clares (observing the Rule of St Clare as revised by Urban IV) and lastly the Benedictines. But none of these was strict enough for her.
A recluse like Julian of Norwich (1404-06)
A Franciscan priest advised her to join the Franciscan Third Order and take up the life of a recluse, like Julian of Norwich (1342-1416). So at 22 she became enclosed in a room attached to a church for two years. Two faithful friends saw to her needs, while she gave herself to prayer and penance, looked after the church linen and mended the clothes of the poor. Many visitors were attracted to her because of her reputation for holiness. She communicated with them through a grille. At times she was in joy and at times in desolation.
Vision of St Francis asking her to reform his orders
One day she had a vision of St Francis prostrate at the feet of Christ begging Colette be given for the reform of the nuns and friars of his order. This seemed to her a great temptation, but eventually when she saw it was the right thing to do, she consented.
Professed a Poor Clare by Benedict XIII
An observant Franciscan, Henri de Baume (1367-1440), from a friary in Savoy was led to visit her and with his help she went to Avignon to meet Benedict XIII (Pedro de Luna), an antipope, but regarded by the French as legitimate, who received her with great kindness. Deeply impressed, she professed in his presence her vows according to the Rule of St Clare and he appointed her superior of all (Poor Clare convents. Picture to the right is of a modern Colettine.)
The Colettines
The first house she was able to reform was that of Besançon, but others, especially in Picardy and Savoy, strongly opposed her. She founded seventeen other houses of strict observance in France and Belgium. She also communicated with others in Italy who were working for the reform of the Franciscans, such as St Bernardine and St John of Capistrano. The followers of the Poor Clares which she reformed are known as the Colettines, as distinct from the Urbanists (see above). Colette, like St Francis, had a deep devotion to Christ's passion as well a love and care for animals.
Death and influence
Colette died at Ghent in 1447 and was canonised in 1807. One of their convents is Ty Mam Duw, at Hawarden in Deeside, Wales. See www.poorclarestmd.org
Patrick Duffy tells her story.
Her birthColette was born in Corbie in Picardy, France, where her father Robert was a carpenter at the Benedictine abbey. As both her father and mother were advanced in age when their first and only daughter was born, they called her Nicolette in honour of St Nicholas (6 Dec), to whose intercession they attributed her birth.
In search of her vocation
Colette received a primary education and then lived at home almost as a solitary, praying, doing manual work and teaching catechism. By the time she was 17, both her parents had died, leaving her in the care of the abbot of Corbie. Unsure of what she should do, Colette first tried a group of Béguines who served the local hospital, then a community of Urbanist Poor Clares (observing the Rule of St Clare as revised by Urban IV) and lastly the Benedictines. But none of these was strict enough for her.
A recluse like Julian of Norwich (1404-06)
A Franciscan priest advised her to join the Franciscan Third Order and take up the life of a recluse, like Julian of Norwich (1342-1416). So at 22 she became enclosed in a room attached to a church for two years. Two faithful friends saw to her needs, while she gave herself to prayer and penance, looked after the church linen and mended the clothes of the poor. Many visitors were attracted to her because of her reputation for holiness. She communicated with them through a grille. At times she was in joy and at times in desolation.
Vision of St Francis asking her to reform his orders
One day she had a vision of St Francis prostrate at the feet of Christ begging Colette be given for the reform of the nuns and friars of his order. This seemed to her a great temptation, but eventually when she saw it was the right thing to do, she consented.
Professed a Poor Clare by Benedict XIII
An observant Franciscan, Henri de Baume (1367-1440), from a friary in Savoy was led to visit her and with his help she went to Avignon to meet Benedict XIII (Pedro de Luna), an antipope, but regarded by the French as legitimate, who received her with great kindness. Deeply impressed, she professed in his presence her vows according to the Rule of St Clare and he appointed her superior of all (Poor Clare convents. Picture to the right is of a modern Colettine.)
The Colettines
The first house she was able to reform was that of Besançon, but others, especially in Picardy and Savoy, strongly opposed her. She founded seventeen other houses of strict observance in France and Belgium. She also communicated with others in Italy who were working for the reform of the Franciscans, such as St Bernardine and St John of Capistrano. The followers of the Poor Clares which she reformed are known as the Colettines, as distinct from the Urbanists (see above). Colette, like St Francis, had a deep devotion to Christ's passion as well a love and care for animals.
Death and influence
Colette died at Ghent in 1447 and was canonised in 1807. One of their convents is Ty Mam Duw, at Hawarden in Deeside, Wales. See www.poorclarestmd.org
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Memorable Saying for Today
A strong woman stands up for herself.
A stronger woman stands up for everyone else
~ a strong woman ~
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Liturgical Readings for: Friday, 7th March, 2025
Lent -Thursday after Ash Wednesday
We are called to make a fresh choice between life and death,
to travel on the sea of Lent, is to worthily prepare for the death and great resurrection of the Lord Jesus at Easter .
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Deuteronomy 30: 15-30
See, I set before you life or death, blessing or curse.
Moses said to the people:
'See, today I set before you life and prosperity, death and disaster.
If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I enjoin on you today,
if you love the Lord your God and follow his ways,
if you keep his commandments, his laws, his customs,
you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to make your own.
'But if your heart strays, if you refuse to listen,if you let yourself be drawn into worshipping other gods and serving them,
I tell you today, you will most certainly perish;
you will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today:
I set before you life or death, blessing or curse.
'Choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live, in the love of the Lord your God, obeying his voice, clinging to him; for in this your life consists, and on this depends your long stay in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob he would give them.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 1
Response Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
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 Ps 50:12
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
A pure heart create for me, O God, and give me again the joy of your help.
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
Or Mt 4:17
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
Repent, says the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 9: 22-25 Glory to you, O Lord
Anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it.
Jesus said to his disciples:'The Son of Man' he said 'is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.'
Then to all he said,
'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it.
What gain, then, is it for a man to have won the whole world and to have lost or ruined his very self?'
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Thursday after Ash Wednesday, Luke 9:22-25
On this second day of Lent, the gospel reading points us ahead to the story of Holy Week. Jesus declares to his disciples that he is ‘destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death’, and then ‘to be raised on the third day’.
In this gospel of Luke, Jesus speaks these words just before he sets out on his final journey to Jerusalem. This will be a journey to suffering and death on a Roman cross, but, ultimately, it will be a journey to glory, as Jesus passes through death into the hands of his loving Father. In the following scene in Luke’s gospel, Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain, Luke tells us that Moses and Elijah who appeared alongside him were speaking with him about his ‘departure’ or ‘exodus’, his leaving this world and going to his heavenly Father. Because this exodus entails his passion and death, Jesus will soon have to ‘set his face to go to Jerusalem’ (9:51). He will have to steel himself for this journey.
In the gospel reading, Jesus suggests that his disciples will also need a certain steeliness if they are to be faithful to him. As Jesus had to renounce himself, empty himself, to remain faithful to God’s call, so his disciples will often have to renounce themselves to be faithful to his call. Giving ourselves in faithful love to the Lord means giving ourselves in loving service to those whom the Lord loves, which is all humanity. Such self-giving service of others will often mean renouncing our own selves in some way. We die to ourselves so as to live to others. In the gospel reading, Jesus assures us that in taking this path we will save our lives, we will become more alive, more fully the person God created us to be.
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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 2022/23, c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
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Liturgical Readings for: Friday, 7th March, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an leabhar Deotranaimí 30: 15-30
Chuir mé romhat bás nó beatha, beannacht nó mallacht.
Dúirt Maois leis an bpobal
“Seo beatha agus rath, bás agus urchóid á gcur agam romhat inniu. Má ghéilleann tú d’aitheanta an Tiarna do Dhia a ordaímse duit inniu, má ghránn tú an Tiarna do Dhia agus siúl ina bhealaí, agus a aitheanta, a reachtanna agus a orduithe a choimeád, ansin beidh an bheatha agat, agus beidh síol ort, agus cuirfidh an Tiarna do Dhia a bheannacht ort sa tír a bhfuil tú ag dul ann lena shealbhú. Ach má chlaonann do chroí, mádhiúltaíonn tú éisteacht agus go mealltar thú chun adhradh do dhéithe eile agus seirbhís dóibh, fógraím daoibh inniu go scriosfar sibh, go scriosfar sin; is gearr é bhur seal sa tíra bhfuil tú ag dul thar Iordáin isteach ann á shealbhú.
Glaoim ar neamh agus ar thalamh chun fianaise a bhreith in bhur n-aghaidh inniu: Chuir mé romhat bás nó beatha, beannacht nó mallacht. Beir an bheatha de rogha dá bhrí sin, i dtreo go mairfidh tú féin agus do shliocht, i ngrá an Tiarna do Dhia, ag géilleadh dá ghlór agus ag cloí leis; óir sin é is beatha duit, agus is air a bhraitheann fad do ré sa tír a mhionnaigh an Tiarna do d’aithreacha, d’Abrahám, d’Íosác, agus do Iacób, a thabharfadh sé dóibh.”
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 1
Freagra Is aoibhinn don té a chuireann a dhóchas sa Tiarna
1. Is aoibhinn don fhear nach leanann de chomhairle lucht na héagráifeachta;
nach seasann i slí na bpeacach, agus nach suíonn i gcuideachta na sotalach;
ach a bhfuil a dhúil i ndlí an Tiarna, agus a dhéanann machnamh air de lá agus d’oíche. Freagra
2. Is cosúil an duine sin le crann a plandaíodh ar bhruach na habhann,
a thugann a thoradh go tráthúil agus nach bhfeonn a dhuilleoga choíche.
Bíonn an rath ar gach aon ní dá ndéanann sé. Freagra
3. Ní amhlaidh do na héagráifigh, ní amhlaidh! ach mar cháith a scaiptear le gaoth.
Óir is cúram don Tiarna slí na bhfíréan, ach rachaidh slí na n-éagráifeach ar ceal. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Lúcás 9: 22-25 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Cibé a chaillfidh a anam mar gheall ormsa, saorfaidh an duine sin é.
San am sin dúirt Íosa lena diheisceabail:
“Ní foláir do Mhac an Duine mórán a fhulaingt, agus an diúltú a fháil ó na seanóirí agus ó uachtaráin na sagart agus ó na scríobhaithe, agus a chur chun báis, agus éirí an treas lá.”
Dúirt sé le cách:
“Más áil le haon duine bheith ar mo bhuíon, séanadh sé é féin, tógadh suas a chros gach lá, agus leanadh mé.
Óir cibé arb áil leis a anam a shaoradh, caillfidh sé é; ach cibé a chaillfidh a anam mar gheall ormsa, saorfaidh an duine sin é.
Óir cá fearrde do dhuine an domhan go léir a ghnóthú agus é féin a chailleadh agus a ligean ar ceal?
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 9th March, 2025
First Sunday of Lent, Year C
Jesus faces off with Satan and pursues the challenge of being the true Messiah
The rite of Election of Catechumens is celebrated today
FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy 26: 4-10
The creed of the chosen people.
Moses said to the people:
'The priest shall then take the pannier from your hand and lay it before the altar of the Lord your God.
Then, in the sight of the Lord your God, you must make this pronouncement:
"My father was a wandering Aramaean. He went down into Egypt to find refuge there, few in numbers; but there he became a nation, great, mighty, and strong. The Egyptians ill-treated us, they gave us no peace and inflicted harsh slavery on us.But we called on the Lord the God of our fathers. The Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, our toil and our oppression; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with mighty hand and outstretched arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders.
He brought us here and gave us this land, a land where milk and honey flow.
Here then I bring the first-fruits of the produce of the soil that you, the Lord, have given me."
'You must then lay them before the Lord your God, and bow down in the sight of the Lord your God.'
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 90
Response Be with me, O Lord, in my distress.
1. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High and abides in the shade of the Almighty
says to the Lord: 'My refuge, my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!' Response
2. Upon you no evil shall fall, no plague approach where you dwell.
For you has he commanded his angels, to keep you in all your ways. Response
3. They shall bear you upon their hands lest you strike your foot against a stone.
On the lion and the viper you will tread and trample the young lion and the dragon. Response
4. His love he set on me, so 1 will rescue him protect him for he knows my name.
When he calls 1 shall answer: 'I am with you.' I will save him in distress and give him glory. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 10: 8-13
The creed of the Christian.
Scripture says:
The word, that is the faith we proclaim, is very near to you, it is on your lips and in your heart.
If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. By believing from the heart you are made righteous; by confessing with your lips you are saved.
When scripture says: those who believe in him will have no cause for shame, it makes no distinction between Jew and Greek: all belong to the same Lord who is rich enough, however many ask his help, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation Mt 4:4
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 4:1-13 Glory to you, O Lord
Jesus was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, being tempted there.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, being tempted there by the devil for forty days. During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. Then the devil said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.'But Jesus replied, Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone.'
Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him,
'I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose. Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.'
But Jesus answered him,
'Scripture says: You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.'
Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple.
'If you are the Son of God,' he said to him 'throw yourself down from here, for scripture says:
"He will put his angels in charge of you to guard you," and again,
"They will hold you up on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone.'"
But Jesus answered him,
'It has been said: You must not put the Lord your God to the test.'
Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
For Video Scripture Reflections for next Sunday’s Gospel click here: https://www.catholicireland.net/lent-videos/
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 9th March, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHTSliocht as Leabhar Deotranaimí 26: 4-10
Deoraí Aramaeigh a ba ea m’athair.
Labhair Maois leis an bpobal á rá:
Tógadh an sagart ansin an cliabh ó do láimh agus leagadh sé é os comhair altóir an Tiarna do Dhia.
Ansin, i bhfianaise an Tiarna do Dhia, déan an dearbhú seo leanas:
‘Deoraí Aramaeigh a ba ea m’athair. D’imigh sé leis ó dheas chun na hÉigipte ar bheagán slua, agus chuir faoi inti; ach rinne náisiún mór cumasach líonmhar ansiúd de. Chráigh na hÉigiptigh sinn; chiapadar sinn agus chuireadar faoi dhaoirse dhian sinn. Ach ghlaomar chun an Tiarna, Dia ár n-aithreacha, agus chuala an Tiarna ár nglao agus chonaic ár n-ainnise, ár saothar, agus an leatrom orainn; agus thug an Tiarna as an Éigipt amach sinn lena láimh thréan agus lena ghéag ar tinneall, le huafás mór, le comharthaí, agus le hiontais.
Thug sé anseo isteach sinn, agus thug an tír seo dúinn, tír ina bhfuil bainne agus mil ina slaoda. Seo anois mé le céadtorthaí fómhar na hithreach a bhronn tusa, a Thiarna, orm.’Leag i láthair an Tiarna ansin iad agus sléacht go talamh i láthair an Tiarna do Dhia.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 90
Freagra Bí liom, a Thiarna, in am na trioblóide.
I. Túsa a chónaíonn faoi dhídean an Té is Airde, a lonnaíonn faoi scáth an Uilechumhachtaigh,
tig leat a rá leis an Tiarna: 'Is tú mo thearmann is mo dhún;
mo Dhia thú, ina bhfuil mo mhuinín.' Freagra
2. Ní thiocfaidh an t-olc in aice leat ná an phlá i ngar do do phuball;
cuirfidh sé thú faoi churam a chuid Aingeal chun tú a chosaint i do shlite go léir. Freagra
3. Déanfaidh siad thú a iompar ina lámha chun nach mbuailfeá do chos i gcoinne cloiche.
Siúlfaidh tú ar an leon is ar an nathair; gabhfaidh tú de chosa sa leon óg is sa dragún. Freagra
4. Saorfaidh mé é mar go gcloíonn sé liom, cosnóidh mé é mar go n-aithníonn sé m'ainm;
éistfidh mé leis nuair a ghlaonn sé orm, beidh mé ina fhochair in am na trioblóide. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Rómhánaigh 10:8-13
Gach aon duine a chreideann Íosa ní bheidh díomá air.
A bhráithe, deir an Scrioptúr:
“Tá an briathar i ngar duit, i do bhéal agus i do chroí” (is é sin le rá briathar an chreidimh atáimidne a fhógairt). Mar má adhmhaíonn tú ó do bhéal gurb é Íosa an Tiarna agus má chreideann tú ó do chroí gur thóg Dia ó mbairbh é, slánófar thú. Is sa chroí a bhíonn an creideamh a fhíréanaíonn agus sa bhéal a bhíonn an admháil a shlánaíonn.
Agus deir an scrioptúr:
“Gach aon duine a chreideann ann ní bheidh díomá air.” Mar níl aon dealú idir Giúdach agus Gréagach mar is é an t-aon Tiarna amháin atá orthu go léir agus caitheann sé go flaithiúil lena nglaonn air, “mar gach aon duine a ghlaofaidh ar ainm an Tiarna, slánófar é.”
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Véarsa Mth4: 4
Ní ar arán amháin a mhairfidh an duine, ach ar an uile fhocal a thagann as béal Dé.
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Lúcás 4: 1-13 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Íosa, seoladh faoi luím an Spioraid san fhásach é go ceann daichead lá, á phromhadh
San am sin tháinig Íosa, agus é lán den Spioraid Naomh, ar ais ón Iordáin, agus seoladh faoi luím an Spioraid san fhásach é go ceann daichead lá, á phromhadh ag an diabhal. Agus níor ith sé aon ní sna laethanta sin, agus nuair a bhí siad caite bhí ocras air.Dúirt an diabhal leis:
“Más tú Mac Dé, abair leis an gcloch seo arán a dhéanamh di.”
Agus d’fhreagair Íosa é:
“Tá scríofa: ‘Ní ar arán amháin a mhairfidh an duine.’”
Agus tar éis do é a sheoladh suas ar ard, thaispeáin sé dó ríochtaí uile na cruinne i nóiméad aimsire; agus dúirt an diabhal leis:
“Tabharfaidh mé duit an forlámhas seo uile agus a nglóir siúd, óir is ar mo láimh a tugadh é, agus tugaim dó cibé is áil liom é. Dá bhrí sin, má dhéanann tusa adhradh i mo láthair, is leat é uile.”
Dúirt Íosa leis á fhreagairt:
“Tá scríofa: ‘Adharfaidh tú an Tiarna do Dhia, agus is dó amháin a bheidh tú ag seirbhís.’”
Ansin sheol sé go Iarúsailéim é, chuir sé ar bhinn an Teampaill é agus dúirt leis:
“Más tú Mac Dé, caith tú féin as seo síos; óir tá scríofa: ‘Tabharfaidh sé ordú dá aingil mar gheall ort, chun go ngardálfaidís tú’; agus: ‘Iompróidh siad ina lámha tú, le heagla go mbuailfeá do chos faoi chloch.’”
Dúirt Íosa leis á fhreagairt:
“Tá ráite: ‘Ní bhainfidh tú triail as an Tiarna do Dhia.’”
Agus tar éis don diabhal é a phromhadh i ngach slí, d’fhág sé é nó go dtiocfadh an uain.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
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Machtnamh ar Bhriathar Dé dia Domhnaigh
Dílisi gcoinne an Cathú
Le linn dó bheith faoi ionsaí ag na cathaithe san bhfásach, bhí Íosa lag leis an ocras, ach sheas sé an fód. Níor ith sé blúire ar feadh i bhfad, ach níor ghéíll sé. Dar leis, an rud ba thábhachtaí dó i gcónaí ná bheith dílis do thoil a Athar. Ghlac sé le Briathar Dé agus chinn sé cloí leis. Leag gach cathú rogha ann féin a thabharfadh an cluas bhodhar dá mhisean. I ngach cás, d’fhan sé stuama, dílis do Dhia. Is minic sinn claonta le rogha fé leith, cibé bród, fearg, dúil gnéasach nó peaca an chraois. An té go bhfuil a sheasamh ar an Tiarna leanfaidh sé dílis do ghrásta Dé.
Pádraig Ó Rúairí, cp,
Sliabh Argus, Átha Cliath.
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AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
