Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
May 31 - The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
The image right is a depiction by Fra Angelico of the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. The sonnet below, entitled The Visitation, and today's feast, celebrate one wonderful moment of our salvation as Mary shares with Elizabeth the arrival of the "hidden God".Unlike a simple visit, a visitation is a visit with a purpose. It is an encounter with a purpose to achieve something important. It carries a meaning that is exceptional. In this meeting rather it is the exceptional presence of the Son Mary carries in her womb.
The following poem was written by American poet Joyce Kilmer (1886–1918), author of the well known poem Trees. It has a dedication to fellow American poet, Louise Imogen Guiney. A sergeant in the 165th US Infantry Regiment, Kilmer was killed at the Second Battle of Marne in 1918 at the age of 31.
THE VISITATION
There is a wall of flesh before the eyes
Of John, who yet perceives and hails his King.
It is Our Lady’s painful bliss to bring
Before mankind the Glory of the skies.
Her cousin feels her womb’s sweet burden rise
And leap with joy, and she comes forth to sing,
With trembling mouth, her words of welcoming.
She knows her hidden God, and prophesies.
Saint John, pray for us, weary souls that tarry
Where life is withered by sin’s deadly breath.
Pray for us, whom the dogs of Satan harry,
Saint John, Saint Anne, and Saint Elizabeth.
And, Mother Mary, give us Christ to carry
Within our hearts, that we may conquer death.
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Memorable Sayings for Today
“Motherhood is a choice you make everyday,
to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own,
to teach the hard lessons,
to do the right thing even when you're not sure what the right thing is. ... ...
~ anonymous ~
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The Most Holy Trinity
‘In the Church one God is preached, who is “above all things and through all things and in all things”. Yes, certainly, “above all things” as the Father, the first principle and origin; and truly “through all things”, that is through the Word, and finally “in all things” in the Holy Spirit' (St Athanasius )
FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Exodus 34:4-6. 8-9
Our Lord is a God of tenderness and compassion.
With the two tablets of stone in his hands, he went up the mountain of Sinai in the early morning as the Lord had commanded him. And the Lord descended in the form of a cloud, and Moses stood with him there.He called on the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, the Lord, a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness; And Moses bowed down to the ground at once and worshipped.
'If I have indeed won your favour, Lord,' he said 'let my Lord come with us, I beg. True, they are a headstrong people, but forgive us our faults and our sins, and adopt us as your heritage.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Dan 3:52-56
Response To you glory and praise for evermore.
1. You are blest, Lord God of our fathers. Response: To you glory and praise for evermore.
Blest your glorious holy name. Response: To you glory and praise for evermore.
2. You are blest in the temple of your glory. Response: To you glory and praise for evermore.
You are blest on the throne of your kingdom. Response: To you glory and praise for evermore.
3. You are blest who gaze into the depths. Response: To you glory and praise for evermore.
You are blest in the firmament of heaven. Response: To you glory and praise for evermore.
SECOND READING
A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 13:11-13
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Brothers, we wish you happiness; try to grow perfect; help one another.
Be united; live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with the holy kiss. All the saints send you greetings.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation Apoc 1:8
Alleluia, alleluia!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
the God who is, who was, and who is to come
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to John 3:16-18Glory to you, O Lord
For God sent his Son into the world so that through him the world might be saved.
Jesus said to Nicodemus,
'God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.
No one who believes in him will be condemned; but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already because he has refused to believe in the name of God's only Son.'
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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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 Exodus 34:4-6. 8-9
A Thiarna, a Thiarna, Dia na cineáltachta agus na trócaire.
Ghearr Maois dhá leac chloiche dá bhrí sin ar aon dul leis na chéad chinn, agus go luath ar maidin ghabh sé faoi Shliabh Shíonái suas leis an dá leac chloiche ina lámha faoi mar a d’ordaigh an Tiarna dó. Tháinig an Tiarna anuas i bhfoirm néil, agus sheas Maois ansiúd in éineacht leis.Glaoigh sé ar ainm an Tiarna. Ghabh an Tiarna thar bráid os a chomhair agus d’fhógair sé:
“A Thiarna, a Thiarna, Dia na cineáltachta agus na trócaire, is mall é chun feirge, is lán é de bhuanghrá agus de dhílseacht; Shléacht Maois go talamh gan mhoill ag adhradh agus dúirt: “Má fuair mé fabhar i do láthair, a Thiarna, tagadh mo Thiarna in éineacht linn, achainím ort, fág gur ceanndána an pobal iad; ach maith dúinn ár gcionta agus ár bpeacaí, agus glac linn mar oidhreacht agat.”
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm Le Freagra. Dan 3
Freagra Le moladh agus le glóiriú de shíor.
1. Is beannaithe thú, a Thiarna, Dia ár n-aithreacha, Freagra : le moladh agus le glóiriú de shíor.
Is beannaithe é do naomhainm uasal, Freagra: le moladh agus le glóiriú de shíor.
2. Is beannaithe thú i dteampall do naomhghlóire, Freagra : le moladh agus le glóiriú de shíor.
Is beannaithe thú i gcathaoir ríoga do fhlaithis, Freagra : le moladh agus le glóiriú de shíor.
3. Is beannaithe thú ag iniúchadh na ndubhaigéan, Freagra : le moladh agus le glóiriú de shíor.
4. Is beannaithe thú i bhfirmimint neimhe Freagra : le moladh agus le glóiriú de shíor.
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as dara litir Naomh Pól chuig na gCoirintigh 13:11-13
Grásta ár dTiarna Íosa Críost agus grá Dé agus cumann an Spioraid Naoimh libh go léir.
A bhráithre, fágaim slán agaibh. Déanaigí bhur mbeatha a leasú.
Tugaigí spreagadh dá chéile. Bígí socair síochánta le chéile agus beidh Dia an ghrá agus na síochána faraibh.
Beannaígí dá chéile leis an bpóg naofa. Cuireann na naoimh go léir a mbeannacht chugaibh.
Grásta ár dTiarna Íosa Críost agus grá Dé agus cumann an Spioraid Naoimh libh go léir.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Eoin 3:16-18 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Chuir Dia a Mhac uaidh ar an saol chun go slánófaí an saol tríd.
San am sin dúirt Íosa lena dheisceabail:
Óir ghráigh Dia an domhan chomh mór sin gur thug sé a Aonghin Mic uaidh i dtreo, gach duine a chreideann ann, nach gcaillfí é ach go mbeadh an bheatha shioraí aige.
Óir ní chun daorbhreith a thabhairt ar an saol a chuir Dia a Mhac uaidh ar an saol ach chun go slánófaí an saol tríd.
An té a chreideann ann ní thabharfar daorbhreith air, ach an té nach gcreideann ann, tá daorbhreith tugtha air cheana féin, mar nár chreid sé in ainm Mhac Dé, a Aonghin.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
- The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - Corpus Christi -
FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy 8:2-3. 14-16
He fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known.
Moses said to the people:‘Remember how the Lord your God led you for forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, to test you and know your inmost heart - whether you would keep his commandments or not. He humbled you, he made you feel hunger, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known, to make you understand that man does not live on bread alone but that man lives on everything that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Do not then forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery: who guided you through this vast and dreadful wilderness, a land of fiery serpents, scorpions, thirst;
who in this waterless place brought you water from the hardest rock;
who in this wilderness fed you with manna that your fathers had not known.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 147:12-15. 19-20. R/v 12
Response O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
or Alleluia!
1. O praise the Lord, Jerusalem! Zion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates, he has blessed the children within you. Response
2. He established peace on your borders, he feeds you with finest wheat.
He sends out his word to the earth and swiftly runs his command. Response
3. He makes his word known to Jacob, to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations; he has not taught them his decrees. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 10:16-17
There is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body.
The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ,
and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ.
The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us,
we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Sequence
(Choice: We may use the whole sequence or the final three stanzas marked with an asterisk*)
Sing forth, O Zion, sweetly sing
The praises of thy Shepherd-King,
In hymns and canticles divine;
Dare all thou canst, thou hast no song
Worthy his praises to prolong,
So far surpassing powers like thine.
Today no theme of common praise
Forms the sweet burden of thy lays-
The living, life-dispensing food
That food which at the sacred board
Unto the brethren twelve our Lord
His parting legacy bestowed.
Then be the anthem clear and strong,
Thy fullest note, thy sweetest song,
The very music of the breast:
For now shines forth the day sublime
That brings remembrance of the time
When Jesus first his table blessed.
Within our new King's banquet-hall
They meet to keep the festival
That closed the ancient paschal rite:
The old is by the new replaced;
The substance hath the shadow chased;
And rising day dispels the night.
Christ willed what he himself had done
Should be renewed while time should run,
In memory of his parting hour:
Thus, tutored in his school divine,
We consecrate the bread and wine;
And lo - a Host of saving power.
This faith to Christian men is given
Bread is made flesh by words from heaven:
Into his blood the wine is turned:
What though it baffles nature's powers
Of sense and sight? This faith of ours
Proves more than nature e'er discerned.
Concealed beneath the two-fold sign,·
Meet symbols of the gifts divine,
There lie the mysteries adored:
The living body is our food;
Our drink the ever-precious blood;
In each, one undivided Lord.
Not he that eateth it divides
The sacred food, which whole abides
Unbroken still, nor knows decay;
Be one, or be a thousand fed,
They eat alike that living bread
Which, still received, ne'er wastes away.
The good, the guilty share therein,
With sure increase of grace or sin,
The ghostly life, or ghostly death:
Death to the guilty; to the good
Immortal life. See how one food
Man's joy or woe accomplisheth.
We break the Sacrament; but bold
And firm thy faith shall keep its hold;
Deem not the whole doth more enfold
Than in the fractured part resides:
Deem not that Christ doth broken lie;
'Tis but the sign that meets the eye;
The hidden deep reality
In all its fullness still abides.
*Behold the bread of angels, sent
For pilgrims in their banishment,
The bread for God's true children meant,
That may not unto dogs be given:
Oft in the olden types foreshowed;
In Isaac on the altar bowed,
And in the ancient paschal food,
And in the manna sent from heaven.
*Come then, good shepherd, bread divine,
Still show to us thy mercy sign;
Oh, feed us still, still keep us thine;
So may we see thy glories shine
In fields of immortality;
*O thou, the wisest, mightiest, best,
Our present food, our future rest,
Come, make us each thy chosen guest,
Co-heirs of thine, and comrades blest
With saints whose dwelling is with thee.
Gospel Acclamation Jn 6: 51-52
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the living bread which has come down from heaven says the Lord.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to John 6:51-58 Glory to you, O Lord
My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
Jesus said to the Jews:
I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.'
Then the Jews started arguing with one another: 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' they said.
Jesus replied:
I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life,
and I shall raise him up on the last day.
For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.
As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father,
so whoever eats me will draw life from me.
This is the bread come down from heaven; not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.'
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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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.
- SOLLUNTAS CHORP CHRIOST -
CÉAD LÉACHT
Sliocht as an Leabhar Deotranaimí 8:2-3. 14-16
Chothaigh thú le manna nárbh eol duit féin ná do d’aithreacha
Dúirt Moois leis an bpobal:
‘Cuimhnigh ar an gcaoi go léir ar threoraigh an Tiarna do Dhia thú le daichead bliain san
fhásach, d’fhonn tú a umhlú, tú a phromhadh, agus eolas a chur ar rún do chroí féachaint an gcoimeádfá a aitheanta nó nach ndéanfá. D’umhlaigh sé thú agus d’fhág ocrach thú agus chothaigh thú le manna nárbh eol duit féin ná do d’aithreacha, d’fhonn é a chur in iúl duit nach ar arán amháin a mhaireann an duine, ach go maireann an duine ar gach ní a thagann ó bhéal Dé.Ná déan dearmad ansin ar an Tiarna do Dhia a thug amach thú as tír na hÉigipte, as teach na daoirse; a threoraigh thú tríd an bhfásach mór uafásach seo, dúiche nathracha tintí agus scairpeanna, agus tarta; a thug uisce as an gcarraig chrua san áit róthirim seo; a chothaigh san fhásach thú le manna nárbh eol do d’aithreacha, d’fhonn go n-úmhlódh sé thú agus tú a phromhadh agus tairbhe a dhéanamh duit i ndeireadh na dála.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 147: 12-15. 19-20. R/v 12
Freagra Mol an Tiarna, a Iarúsailéim.
Malairt Freagra Alleluia!
I. Mol an Tiarna, a Iarúsailéim, mol do Dhia, a Sión;
toisc gur dhaingnigh sé boltaí do dhoirse, is gur bheannaigh sé do chlann istigh ionat. Freagra
2. Dhaingnigh sé síocháin i do chríocha, bheir sé do sháith duit de smior na cruithneachta.
Cuireann sé a ordú uaidh chun na talún, ritheann a bhriathar go mear. Freagra
3. Foilsíonn sé a bhriathar do lácób, a chánacha is a phroiceapta d’ Isráél
Ní dhearna sé amhlaidh do náisiúin eile; níor nocht sé dóibh a phroiceapta. Alleluia! Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig Coirintigh 10:16-17
Ós aon arán amháin é, níl ionainne dá líonmhaire sinn ach aon chorp amháin.
A bhráithr,:cupa an altaithe a bheannaímid, nach páirtíocht i bhfuil Chríost é? Agus an t-arán a bhrisimid nach páirtiocht i gcorp Chríost é?
Ós aon arán amháin é, níl ionainne dá líonmhaire sinn
ach aon chorp amháin toisc go gcaithimid go léir an t-aon arán amháin.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Rosc
Gabh ag moladh an tSlánaitheora,
a Sión, mol an t-aoire, an treoraí
in iomainn is í gcainticí.
Moltar leat le dícheall croí é,
mar gach moladh sháraigh Iosa,
is ni leor do ghradam dó.
Abhar speisialta molta farat
arán beo agus lón na beatha
go sonrách an taca seo.
An t-arãn is léir gur dáileadh
do dhilbhuion an dârêag bràthar
i naomhphroinn na heaspartan.
Moladh iomlán dó, moladh ceolmhar,
lúchâir dhílis chroiúil chórach,
ardach aoibhinn aigne.
Mar i gcuimhne chruinn an lae seo
céadchaitheadh proinn na féile
a bunaíodh ar mhaithe linn.
Sa phroinn sin an nuareachta
is an nuaRi, chuir nuaPhasca
deireadh leis an seanreacht.
Chuir an nuaiocht an ruaig ar ársacht,
chuir an fhire ar dibirt scáthacht,
chuir an lá an oiche in anbhroid.
An t-éacht a rinne Críost ag bord ann,
ina dhilchuinihne dúinne d’ordaigh
é a dhéanamh fairis sin.
Ag gêileadh d’ordú an té a thug grâ dúinn
arán is fíon go fíor sacrãlam
in iobartach ár leasaithe.
Alt dár gcreideamh fíor go ndéantar
feoil de arãn, den fhion fuil cheart,
don ChrIostai mar a theagasctar.
An rud nach bhfeictear is nach smaoinítear
le dlúthchreideamh daingítear
thar ghnáthréim an aiceanta.
Ceiltear faoi éagsúlaeht gnéithe,
faoi chomharthaí nach nithe in aon chor,
seoda caoine rafara.
Feoil an t-arán, fuil an fíon ann,
in iomlãine fanann Criost ann
faoi gach gné go dearfa.
An caitheoir, gan roinnt gan pléascadh,
gan aon bhriseadh, gan aon réabadh,
glacann slán an tabhartas.
Glacann duine é, glacann míle,
ni mó cion slua de nâ cion aoinfhir,
ná ní idíonn caitheamh é.
Glacann daoine, an t-olc is an maith, é,
glacann fós faoi mhalairt ratha é,
bheireann bâs nó beatha dóibh.
Don dea-thear beatha, bâs don drochfhear
dáiltear; féach nach ionann toradh,
cé gurb ionann caitheamh dóibh.
An tsacraimint faoi dheoigh ma bhristear,
créid go bhfaightear i ngach giota
n méid go cruinn a bhi san uile,
an t-iomlán gan easnamh.
Ar aon ní ni théann an briseadh,
ach amháin ar chomharthaí nithe,
a d’flág an ní faoin gcomhartha againne
slAn i gcló is i gcalmacht.
Féach, arãn na n-aingeal
á thabhairt mar bhia don slua ar marthain:
arán is taca is is lón na leanai
nach caite chun na madraí.
Is léir a réamhchomharthaí le hinsint:
Isác ma iobartach mar a sineadh,
uan na Cásca mar a ídíti,
mar a dháilti manna ó thlaitheasa.
A Aráin chirt, a Aoire dhílis,
dáil do thrócaire orainn, a Iosa,
beathaigh sinn, tabhair ión an chroi dOinn,
las le do thaitneamhacht ár n-intinn
sa saol úd thall na marthana.
A Rí na gcumhacht, an ulle ós léir duit,
ós ár lón thú ar an saol seo,
bímis is na naoimh le chéile
inár gcomhoidhrí ar do naomhríocht
ag an bhfleá in ardbhrú parthais.
Amen! Alleluia!
Alleiuia Vearsa Eo 6:51-52
Alleluia, alleluia!
Is mise an t-arân beo a tháinig anuas ó neamh, a deir an Tiarna.
Má itheann duine an t-arán seo mairfidh sé go deo.
Alleluia
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Eoin 6:51-58 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Is bia go fíor mo chuid feola agus is deoch go fíor mo chuid fola.
San am sin dúirt Íosa leis na sluaite:
Is mise an t-arán beo a tháinig anuas ó neamh. Má itheann duine an t-arán seo mairfidh sé go deo, agus an t-arán a thabharfaidh mé uaim is é m’fheoil é [a thabharfar] ar son bheatha an domhain.”
Bhí na Giúdaigh ansin ag aighneas le chéile á rá: “Conas is féidir don duine seo a fheoil
a thabhairt dúinn le hithe?”
Dúirt Íosa leo:
“Amen, Amen, a deirim libh, mura n-íosfaidh sibh feoil Mhac an Duine,
agus a chuid fola a ól, ní bheidh beatha agaibh ionaibh.
An té a itheann m’fheoil agus a olann m’fhuil, tá an bheatha shíoraí aige,
agus tógfaidh mé suas é an lá deireanach.
Is bia go fíor mo chuid feola agus is deoch go fíor mo chuid fola.
An té a itheann m’fheoil agus a ólann m’fhuil cónaíonn sé ionamsa agus cónaímse ann. Amhail mar a chuir an tAthair beo mise uaidh, agus mar is beo mise tríd an Athair, mar an gcéanna, an té a itheann mise, mairfidh sé tríom.
Is é seo an t-arán a tháinig anuas ó neamh. Ní ionann is an manna ar ith bhur n-aithreacha é agus go bhfuil siad marbh; an té a itheann an t-arán seo, mairfidh sé go deo.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
