Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today

Apr 3 - St Richard (1197-1253) bishop of Chichester
Patrick Duffy records his life.
The image ( to the right) shows the statue of Richard at Chichester in front of the cathedral in West Sussex. He

"Day by day, O Lord,
these three things I pray:
to see thee more clearly,
to love thee more dearly,
to follow more nearly,
day by day".
Archbishop of Canterbury
Richard Wych, or "of Wich" was born at Droitwich in 1197. He studied at Oxford and perhaps at Paris and Bologna. In 1223 he became Chancellor at the University of Oxford, but was soon whisked away to become chancellor to St Edmund Rich, Archbishop of Canterbury (1233-40).
Ordained a priest 1243
Edmund quarrelled with King Henry III over the rights of the Church and went into exile in France. After Edmund's death (1240), Richard studied for the priesthood with the Dominicans at Orleans and was ordained in 1243. He returned to England and worked as a parish priest until the new archbishop Boniface of Savoy asked him to resume his job as chancellor. The new archbishop also quarrelled with the king. He appointed Richard as bishop of Chichester when the king had appointed his own candidate.

Pope Innocent IV upheld Richard's appointment and consecrated him bishop at Lyons in 1245. Henry, however, confiscated all the diocesan property and decreed that no one should give him shelter. Richard returned to the diocese and lived in the house of one of his priests and visited his diocese on foot.
A reforming bishop of Chichester 1245-53
Eventually the king relented and Richard administered the diocese for seven and a half years. He was a reforming bishop, of simple personal habits, generous in his charities and merciless towards simony and nepotism. He provided suitable vicarages for his clergy, but insisted that they observe celibacy, say Mass reverently and instruct the people on the meaning of the sacraments.
Preached a crusade
Richard preached to raise volunteers for a crusade, but emphasised the spiritual aims of visiting the holy places.
Death and canonisation
He died in 1253 and was canonised in 1262.
Richard's prayer
To Richard is attributed the prayer from which the Hymn 'Day by day' takes it's lyrics
Thanks be to my Lord Jesus Christ
for all the benefits thou hast given me,
for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly
and follow more nearly.
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Memorable Saying for Today
A rich man without God
is just
A poor man with money
~ anonymous ~
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Thursday, Fourth Week in Lent
Jesus reminds people that Moses pleaded for mercy from God for his continuing wayward followers.
A reminder to all of us to turn back to our God our Father.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Exodus 32:7-14
Do not bring this disaster on your people.
The Lord spoke to Moses,

'Go down now, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have apostasised. They have been quick to leave the way I marked out for them; they have made themselves a calf of molten metal and have worshipped it and offered it sacrifice. "Here is your God, Israel," they have cried "who brought you up from the land of Egypt!' I can see how headstrong these people are! Leave me, now, my wrath shall blaze out against them and devour them; of you, however, I will make a great nation.'
But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God.
'Lord,' he said 'why should your wrath blaze out against this people of yours whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with arm outstretched and mighty hand?
Why let the Egyptians say, "Ah, it was in treachery that he brought them out, to do them to death in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth"?
Leave your burning wrath; relent and do not bring this disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, your servants to whom by your own self you swore and made this promise:
I will make your offspring as many as the stars of heaven,
and all this land which I promised I will give to your descendants, and it shall be their heritage for ever.'
So the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 105
Response O Lord, remember me out of the love you have for your people.
1. They fashioned a calf at Horeb and worshipped an image of metal,
exchanging the God who was their glory for the image of a bull that eats grass. Response
2. They forgot the God who was their saviour, who had done such great things in Egypt,
such portents in the land of Ham, such marvels at the Red Sea. Response
3. For this he said he would destroy them, but Moses, the man he had chosen,
stood in the breach before him, to turn back his anger from destruction. Response
Gospel Acclamation Jn 6:63. 68
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
or Jn 3:16
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son;
everyone who believes in him has eternal life.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 5:31-47 Glory to you, O Lord
You place your hopes on Moses, and Moses will be your accuser.
Jesus said to the Jews
'Were I to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid;
but there is another witness who can speak on my behalf, and I know that his testimony is valid.
You sent messengers to John, and he gave his testimony to the truth:
not that I depend on human testimony; no, it is for your salvation that I speak of this.
'John was a lamp alight and shining and for a time you were content to enjoy the light that he gave.
But my testimony is greater than John's: the works my Father has given me to carry out,

these same works of mine testify that the Father has sent me.
Besides, the Father who sent me bears witness to me himself.
You have never heard his voice, you have never seen his shape,
and his word finds no home in you because you do not believe in the one he has sent.
'You study the scriptures, believing that in them you have eternal life;
now these same scriptures testify to me, and yet you refuse to come to me for life!
As for human approval, this means nothing to me.
Besides, I know you too well: you have no love of God in you.
I have come in the name of my Father and you refuse to accept me;
if someone else comes in his own name you will accept him.
'How can you believe, since you look to one another for approval and are not concerned with the approval
that comes from the one God?
Do not imagine that I am going to accuse you before the Father: you place your hopes on Moses, and Moses will be your accuser.
If you really believed him you would believe me too, since it was I that he was writing about;
but if you refuse to believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say?'
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Thursday Fourth Week of Lent John 5:31-47
The figure of Moses is to be found in both readings today and in the responsorial psalm. In the first reading, Moses intercedes with God on behalf of his rebellious people, and God listens to the prayer of Moses. The responsorial psalm, reflecting on this incident, says that ‘Moses, the man God had chosen, stood in the breach before him’. Moses stood in the breach between God and his people; he helped to keep God’s relationship with his people alive. In the gospel reading, Jesus declares that Moses was writing about him. What Moses said and did point ahead to the person of Jesus. Yet, Jesus was greater than Moses. He brought a fuller revelation of God than Moses ever did. Jesus stood in the breach between God and his people in a much more profound way. Whereas Moses is depicted as standing between an angry God and his people, Jesus stands between a loving God and his people, and, indeed, all humanity.
Jesus reveals God to be Love. Jesus cast a greater light upon God than Moses. It is because of Jesus that we can say that God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that we may have life and have it to the full. In the gospel reading, Jesus says that the works God his Father gave him to carry out testify to God, reveal God. The works Jesus refers to are all his deeds that brought life in its various forms to those he encountered. The death and resurrection of Jesus was an even fuller revelation of the God of love and life. We have much to be grateful for, because of all that Jesus has revealed to us about God, all that Jesus has brought to us from God. As the opening chapter of John’s gospel says, Jesus came full of God’s grace and truth, and from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
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The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/
The Scripture Reflection is made available with our thanks from his book Reflections on the Weekday Readings The Word is near to you, on your lips and in your heart by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications, c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
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Sliocht as an leabhar Exodus 32:7-14
Scoir den drochíde seo a thabhairt ar do phobal.
Dúirt an Tiarna le Maois:

Ach chrom Maois ar ghuí chun an Tiarna a Dhia:
“A Thiarna,” ar sé, “cén fáth go lasfadh do fhearg go dian i gcoinne do phobail féin, an pobal a thug tú amach as tír na hÉigipte le mórchumhacht agus le láimh thréan?
Cén fáth é a thabhairt le rá do na hÉigiptigh: ‘I bhfeall a rug sé amach iad, d’fhonn iad a mharú sna sléibhte agus iad a scrios de chlar na cruinne’?
Scaoil uait d’fhearg chuthaigh, agus scoir den drochíde seo a thabhairt ar do phobal. Cuimhnigh ar Abrahám, ar Íosác agus ar Iosrael, do shearbhóntaí, dár mhionnaigh tú dar thú féin agus dár gheall tú: ‘Déanfaidh mé bhur síol chomh líonmhar le réaltaí neimhe, agus an tír seo go léir a gheall mé, tabharfaidh mé do bhur sliocht é agus beidh sé ina oidhreacht acu go síoraí.’”
Bhog an Tiarna dá bhrí sin, agus níor thug sé ar a phobal an drochíde a bhagair sé.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 137
Freagra Bí ag cuimhneamh orm, a Thiarna, as ucht do ghrá do do phobal.
1. Dhealbhaigh siad lao ag Horaeb; rinne siad íol d’ór leáite a adhradh.
Rinne siad Dia na glóire a mhalartú ar íomhá tairbh a mhaireann ar fhéar. Freagra
2. Rinne siad dearmad ar Dhia a shlánaigh iad, agus a rinne éachtaí móra dóibh san Éigipt,
a rinne na hiontais dóibh i dtír Hám, agus nithe uamhnacha le hais na Mara Rua. Freagra
3. Agus dúirt sé go scriosfadh sé iad dá bhrí sin, murach Maois, an té a roghnaigh sé
a dhul roimhe sa bhearna d’fhonn a fhearg a mhaolú sula ndéanfadh sé a milleadh. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Eoin 5:21-47
Maois, an té a bhfuil muinín agaibh as. Dá gcreidfeadh sibh Maois.
San am sin dúirt Íosa leis na Giúdaigh
'Dá dtabharfainn fianaise orm féin ní bheadh m’fhianaise iontaofa.
Tá neach eile ann a thugann fianaise orm, agus tá a fhios agam gur iontaofa an fhianaise a thugann sé orm.
Chuir sibh teachtairí ag triall ar Eoin agus thug sé fianaise ar an bhfírinne.
Ní hé go nglacaimse fianaise ó dhaoine, ach tá na nithe seo á rá agam chun go slanófaí sibh.
Lóchrann ar lasadh agus ag taitneamh a ba ea é siúd, agus níor mhiste libhse ar feadh tamaill áthas a fháil ina sholas.
Ach tá fianaise agamsa is mó ná fianaise Eoin.
Óir na hoibreacha a thug m’Athair dom le cur i gcrích, na hoibreacha sin féin a dhéanaim,
tugann siad fianaise gur chuir an tAthair uaidh mé.
An tAthair féin a chuir uaidh mé, thug sé fianaise orm.
Níor chuala sibh riamh a ghuth ná ní fhaca sibh a dheilbh, agus níl a bhriathar agaibh ag lonnú ionaibh,

mar ní chreideann sibh sa té a chuir seisean uaidh.
Déanann sibh na scrioptúir a mar gur dóigh libh go bhfuil an bheatha shíoraí agaibh iontu: agus is iadsan atá ag tabhairt fianaise i mo thaobhsa,
ach ní áil libh teacht chugam i dtreo go mbeadh beatha agaibh.
Ní ghabhaim glóir ó dhaoine.
Ach tá aithne agam oraibh, nach bhfuil grá Dé agaibh ionaibh.
Tháinig mise in ainm m’Athar, agus ní ghlacann sibh mé;
má thagann duine eile ina ainm féin, glacfaidh sibh eisean.
Conas a b’fhéidir daoibh creidiúint, agus glóir á glacadh agaibh óna chéile
gan aon lorg agaibh ar an nglóir a thagann ó Dhia amháin.
Ná measaigí go bhfuilim chun sibh a chúisiú i láthair an Athar; tá duine do bhur gcuisiú Maois,
an té a bhfuil muinín agaibh as.
Dá gcreidfeadh sibh Maois, chreidfeadh sibh mise, óir is i mo thaobhsa a scríobh seisean.
Mura gcreideann sibh a scríbhinní-sean, conas a chreidfidh sibh mo bhriathar-sa?
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
TheFifth Sunday of Lent, Year C
What marvels the Lord worked for us. We all need forgiveness
(The Readings for Year A may be used as an alternative today)
(The third Scrutiny is celebrated today)
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 43:16-21
See I am doing a new deed, and I will give my chosen people water to drink.
Thus says the Lord,
'who made a way through the sea, a path in the great waters;
who put chariots and horse in the field and a powerful army, which lay there never to rise again, snuffed out, put out like a wick.
'No need to recall the past,

no need to think about what was done before.
See, I am doing a new deed,
even now it comes to light; can you not see it?
Yes, I am making a road in the wilderness, paths in the wilds.
The wild beasts will honour me, jackals and ostriches,
because I am putting water in the wilderness (rivers in the wild) to give my chosen people drink.
The people I have formed for myself will sing my praises.'
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 125. R v 3
Response What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.
1. When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage, it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there were songs. Response
2. The heathens themselves said: 'What marvels the Lord worked for them!'
What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad. Response
3. Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap. Response
4. They go out, they go out, full of tears, carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Philippians 3:8-14
I have accepted the loss of everything if only I can have Christ
I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him. I am no longer trying for perfection

That is the way I can hope to take my place in the resurrection of the dead. Not that I have become perfect yet: I have not yet won, but I am still running, trying to capture the prize for which Christ Jesus captured me. I can assure you my brothers, I am far from thinking that I have already won. All I can say is that I forget the past and I strain ahead for what is still to come; I am racing for the finish, for the prize to which God calls us upwards to receive in Christ Jesus.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation Amos 5:14
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
Seek good and not evil so that you may live,
and that the Lord God of hosts may really be with you.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
Or Joel 2:12-13
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
Now, now - it is the Lord who speaks - come back to me with all your heart,
for I am all tenderness and compassion.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
GOSPEL:
The Lord be with you. An with your spirit
A Reading from the Gospel of John 8:1-11 Glory to you, O Lord
If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again;
and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.
The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery;
and making her stand there in full view of everybody, they said to Jesus,

'Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?'
They asked him this as a test, looking for something to use against him.
But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger.
As they persisted with their question, he looked up and said,
'If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.'
Then be bent down and wrote on the ground again.
When they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest,
until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there. He looked up and said,
'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' '
No one, sir' she replied.
'Neither do I condemn you,' said Jesus 'go away, and don't sin any more.'
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.
Sliocht as an Leabhar Íseáia 43:6-21
Féach an nuacht atá á cur i gcrích agam chun tart mo phobail thofa a chosc.
Seo a deir an Tiarna,
a rinne bealach mór tríd an bhfarraige, cosán thar an mbóchna thréamanta;
a sheol carbaid agus capaill chun catha agus slua ollmhór lena gcois;
luigh siad fúthu gan éirí i ndán dóibh, múchadh iad mar bheadh barrach dóite:

“Ná meabhraígí níos mó na rudaí a tharla, ná cuimhnigí ar an tseanaimsir.
Féach an nuacht atá á cur i gcrích agam, tá sí ag gobadh amach, nach léir daoibh é?
Sea, tá mé chun bealach a réiteach san fhásach agus cosáin san uaigneas.
Na hainmhithe allta, tabharfaidh siad glóir dom, na mic tíre agus na hulchabháin,
óir beidh mé ag soláthar uisce san fhásach, aibhneacha sa dúiche fhiáin, chun tart mo phobail thofa a chosc.
An pobal seo a dhealbhaigh mé dom féin, déanfaidh siad mo mholadh a aithris!
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 137
Freagra Rinne an Tiarna éachtaí dúinn: táimid go lúcháireach.
1. Nuair a thug an Tiarna príosúnaigh Síón abhaile ba chosúil sinn le daoine ag brionglóidigh.
Ansin líonadh ár mbéal le gáire, agus ár dteanga le gairdeas. Freagra
2. Ansin bhíothas á rá i measc na gciníocha: 'Rinne an Tiarna éachtaí.'
Rinne an Tiarna éachtaí dúinn: táimid go lúcháireach. . Freagra
3. Cuir sonas orainn arís, a Thiarna, ar nós na sruthanna san fhásach ó dheas.
An mhuintir a chuireann síol le deora, bainfidh siad an fómhar le gairdeas. Freagra
4. Ag iméacht dóibh imíonn siad ag sileadh na ndeor, agus iad ag iompar síl chun a scaipthe;
ag teacht dóibh tiocfaidh siad le gairdeas, agus a bpunanna á n-iompar acu. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Filipigh 3: 8-14
Ar mhaithe le Críost lig mé gach ní ar ceal chun go mbeadh cúid agam ina bhás.
Ní hé sin amháin é ach áirím gur caillteanas gach uile ní le hais an bhua thar barr atá faighte agam: aithne a chur ar Íosa Críost, mo Thiarna. Ar mhaithe leis sin ligeas an t-iomlán ar ceal, agus tuigtear dom nach raibh ann ach truflais, le go ndéanfainn Críost a ghnóthú agus mé a bheith aontaithe leis.

Níl uaim anois ach aithne a chur ar [Chríost] agus ar éifeacht a aiséirí, ar bheith páirteach leis ina phiolóidí agus bheith cosúil leis ina bhásle hionchas go dtiocfainn ar shlí éigin chun an aiséirí ó mhairbh. Ní hé go bhfuil mo chuspóir bainte amach agam go fóill ná go bhfuilim tagtha chun foirfeachta go fóill; ach leanaim orm ag iarraidh an duais a bhreith liom mar go bhfuil beirthe orm féin ag Íosa Críost. Sea, a bhráithre, ní dóigh liom go bhfuil an báire liom go fóill: níl á dhéanamh amháin agam ach an bóthar atá gafa a ligean i ndearmad agus luí amach go dícheallach ar an mbóthar atá romham agus leanúint orm faoi dhéin na sprice nó go mbeidh an duais bainte agam – an ghairm in airde a tháinig ó Dhia in Íosa Críost.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Véarsa Ez 33:11
' Ní mian liomsa bás an chiontaigh,' a deir an Tiarna,
tach go n-iompódh sé óna aimhleas féin agus go mairfeadh sé.'
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Eoin 8:1-11 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
An duine agaibh atá gan pheaca, bíodh sé ar an gcéad duine ag caitheamh clocha léi.
San am sin chuaigh Íosa go Cnoc na nOlóg. Bhí sé ar an bhfód arís sa Teampall go moch ar maidin, agus tháinig na daoine go léir chuige agus shuigh sé síos agus thosaigh ar iad a theagasc.
Thug na scríobhaithe agus na Fairisínigh bean ar rugadh uirthi in adhaltranas agus chuir siad ina seasamh i lár baill í agus dúirt siad leis:
“A mháistir, rugadh ar an mbean seo i gcoir féin an adhaltranais.
D’ordaigh Maois dúinn sa dlí bás a imirt ar a leithéidí seo le clocha. Cad deir tú más ea?”
Dúirt siad an chaint sin á phromhadh, chun go mbeadh rud éigin acu le cur ina leith.
Ach chrom Íosa síos agus thosaigh sé ag scríobh lena mhéar ar an talamh.
Ós rud é nach ndeachaigh aon stad orthu ach á cheistiú, d’éirigh sé suas agus dúirt leo:
“An duine agaibh atá gan pheaca, bíodh sé ar an gcéad duine ag caitheamh clocha léi.”

Agus chrom sé síos arís agus bhí ag scríobh ar antalamh. Arna chlos sin dóibh d’imigh siad leo ina nduine is ina nduine ag tosú leis na seanóirí, agus ag dul síos go dtí deireadh; agus fágadh Íosa ina aonar agus an bhean ina seasamh i lár baill. D’éirigh Íosa suas agus dúirt sé léi:
“A bhean, cá bhfuil siad? Nár dhaor aon duine thú?”
“Ní dhearna aon duine, a dhuine uasail,” ar sí.
Dúirt Íosa léi:“Ná ní dhaoraimse thú ach oiread. Imigh leat agus ná déan peaca arís as seo amach.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
