Churches of the Day

Wednesday,  Third Week of Lent

The Laws of Moses are a great treasure to be carefully guarded as a  sacred trust.
The laws of Christ are more insightful and will never go out of date.

Saint of the Day: 11 March; St Aengus, bishop and abbot
C/f A short life of be this saint can found below todays' Readings and Reflection.

FIRST READING

 A reading from the book of Deuteronomy           4:1. 5-9
Take notice of the laws, and observe them.

Moses said to the people:
'And now, Israel, take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them, that you may have life and may enter and take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you. See, as the Lord my God has commanded me, I teach you the laws and customs that you are to observe in the land you are to enter and make your own. Keep them, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom and understanding. When they come to know of all these laws they will exclaim,
"No other people is as wise and prudent as this great nation."
And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him?And what great nation is there that has laws and customs to match this whole Law that I put before you today?

'But take care what you do and be on your guard. Do not forget the things your eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your heart all the days of your life;rather, tell them to your children and to your children's children.'

The Word of the Lord.          Thanks be to God


Responsorial Psalm         Ps 147: 12-13. 15-16. 19-20. R/v 12
Response                              O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

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 sends out his word to the earth and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool, he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.                         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

Gospel  Acclamation                             Jn 8:12
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
'I am the light of the world,' says the Lord,' anyone who follows me
will have the light of life.'
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

or                                                                   Jn 6:63, 65
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!

GOSPEL

The Lord be with you.          And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew     5: 17-19       Glory to you, O Lord
The man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said to his disciples:
'Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved.

Therefore, the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.'

The Gospel of the Lord.          Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.


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Gospel Reflection            Wednesday.                  Third Week of Lent             Matthew 5:17-19

In today’s first reading, Moses is portrayed as asking the question, ‘What great nation is there that has is gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call upon him?’ Even though the people of Israel had a very strong sense of the otherness of God, God’s distance from them, they also had a sense of God’s nearness to them, God’s presence in the midst of their lives.

As followers of the Word who became flesh, we have an even stronger sense of the nearness of God to us, through his Son. Jesus came among us as Emmanuel, God-with-us, and he promised to be with us until the end of time. Even more than Moses, we can ask the question, ‘What great nation is there that has its gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call upon him?’ It is because Jesus knew himself to have a unique relationship with God, to be God-with-us, that he claimed the authority to reveal God’s will for our lives fully.

Up until the time of Jesus, it was believed that the Jewish Law revealed God’s will for the lives of his people. However, Jesus claimed to be a fuller revelation of God’s will for our lives than the Jewish Law. That is why Jesus says in today’s gospel reading, ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them’. Jesus would complete the role of the Jewish Law by revealing God’s will for our lives more clearly and completely. That is why we stand up for the reading of the gospel. Because we believe that God is speaking to us through Jesus in a uniquely complete way, we spend our lives taking the word of Jesus to heart, so that it shapes all of our living.

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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  c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/

 



Saint of the Day: 11 March; St Aengus, bishop and abbot 


Aengus (Oengus) was a monk,  abbot and bishop. He lived in Clonenagh, County Laois and came to the monastery of Tallaght (in what is now West Dublin) at the end of the eighth century during the abbacy of Maelruain to spend a period under his direction. He was renowned for his devotion to both foreign and native saints, and composed two Martyrologies. He returned to Clonenagh, where he became both abbot and bishop. He died about 830.

The image (<left) shows a page of the manuscript of The Martyrology of Tallaght, in which St Aengus collaborated. He was part of a reform movement in Irish monasticism in the 8th and 9th centuries that undertook more austere forms of prayer, penance and fasting. It was called the Culdee movement, from Céilí Dé, meaning "the companions or intimates of God".

Patrick Duffy traces Aengus's life.

Early Years
Aengus was born at Clonenagh, Co Laois, educated there by St Fintan who was noted for his austere tradition of monasticism, and died there. After his training Aengus first was a hermit at Dysert Beagh and later at Dysert Enos, where he became so well-known for his austerities of prayer, penance and fasting that people called him a Céile Dé, a companion or intimate of God.

Sojourn at Tallaght
So many came to visit him that he eventually sought refuge in the monastery of St Maelruain of Tallaght, where at first he concealed his identity and great knowledge. But his talent was discovered when one day he went to the aid of a young monk student frustrated at a particular lesson.

Martyrologies


Maelruain and Aengus collaborated on The Martyrology of Tallaght (see image above). After Maelruain's death (c. 792) Aengus returned to Clonenagh, where he became abbot and bishop. He later wrote his own Féilire or Festilogium, a calendar of saints, in metrical form. It became one of the chief sources of information for the early Irish saints.

Céilí Dé movement
Both Aengus and Maelruain are regarded as the founders of what came to be known as the Céilí Dé movement, a reform which sought a return to a purer and more ascetical form of monasticism. Aengus died  c824 AD

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Memorable Saying for Today

“There never was a truly great man, who was not an encourager of learning,
as of the highest improvement of the human mind”

~ Alban Butler ~

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Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare, (Rejoicing Sunday)
(- Rose or Violet Sunday-)

The healing of the blind man by Jesus is a sign of our baptism, we begin to see things differently. Like never before you begin to see the light of Jesus, his vision for us and our mission to follow him.

This is the day of the Second Scrutiny of the adult baptism candidates.

First Reading                 1Samuel 16:1. 6-7, 10-13
David is anointed king of Israel.

The lord said to Samuel,
‘Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,
for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.'
When Samuel arrived, he caught sight of Eliab and thought,
'Surely the Lord’s anointed one stands there before him',
but the Lord said to Samuel, 'Take no notice of his appearance or his height for I have rejected him; God does not see as man sees; man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.'
Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not chosen these.'
He then asked Jesse, 'Are these all the sons you have?'
He answered, 'There is still one left, the youngest; he is out looking after the sheep.'

Then Samuel said to Jesse, 'Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he comes.'
Jesse had him sent for, a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing. The Lord said, 'Come, anoint him, for this is the one.' At this, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him where he stood with his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord seized on David and stayed with him from that day on.

The Word of the Lord      Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm  Ps 32: 1-3, 3-4, 5-6. R/v 1.
Response                       The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

1. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
    Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose.
    Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.                                Response

2. He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name.
    If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear.
    You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.    Response

3. You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.                                       Response                           

4. Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life.
    In the Lord's own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.                                          Response

Second Reading 

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Ephesians    5:8-14
Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light, for the effects of the light are seen in complete goodness and right living and truth. Try to discover what the Lord wants of you, having nothing to do with the futile works of darkness but exposing them by contrast. The things which are done in secret are things that people are ashamed even to speak of; but anything exposed by the light will be illuminated and anything illuminated turns into light. This is why it is said: 'Wake up from your sleep, rise from the dead, Christ will shine on you.'

The Word of the Lord           Thanks be to God.


Gospel  Acclamation        Jn 8:12
Glory and praise to you, O Christ !
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have eternal life.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ !

Gospel                    

The Lord be with you.          And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to John  9:1-41         Glory to you, O Lord
He went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.

As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him,
'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to have been born blind?'
'Neither he nor his parents sinned,' Jesus answered 'he was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him.' As long as the day lasts I must carry out the work of the one who sent me; the night will soon be here when no one can work. As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world.'

Having said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man. and said to him,
'Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam (a name that means 'sent').
So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.

His neighbours and people who earlier had seen him begging said, 'Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?'
Some said, 'Yes, it is the same one'. Others said, 'No, he only looks like him'. The man himself said, 'I am the man'. So they said to him, 'Then how do your eyes come to be open?' 'The man called Jesus', he answered 'made a paste, daubed my eyes with it and said to me,
"Go and wash at Siloam"; so I went, and when I washed I could see.'
They asked, 'Where is he?' 'I don't know' he answered.

They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man's eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, 'He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see'. Then some of the Pharisees said, 'This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath'.
Others said, 'How could a sinner produce signs like this?' And there was disagreement among them.

So they spoke to the blind man again, 'What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?'
'He is a prophet' replied the man. However, the Jews would not believe that the man had been blind and had gained his sight, without first sending for his parents and asking them, 'Is this man really your son who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he is now able to see?'
His parents answered, 'We know he is our son and we know he was born blind, but we don't know how it is that he can see now, or who opened his eyes. He is old enough: let him speak for himself.'
His parents spoke like this out of fear of the Jews, who had already agreed to expel from the synagogue anyone who should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. This was why his parents said, 'He is old enough; ask him'.

So the Jews again sent for the man and said to him,
'Give glory to God! For our part, we know that this man is a sinner.'
The man answered, 'I don't know if he is a sinner; I only know that I was blind and now I can see'.
They said to him, 'What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?'
He replied, 'I have told you once and you wouldn't listen. Why do you want to hear it all again? Do you want to become his disciples too?'
At this they hurled abuse at him: 'You can be his disciple,' they said 'we are disciples of Moses: we know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we don't know where he comes from'.
The man replied, 'Now here is an astonishing thing! He has opened my eyes, and you don't know where he comes from! We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but God does listen to men who are devout and do his will. Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of a man who was born blind; if this man were not from God, he couldn't do a thing.'
'Are you trying to teach us,' they replied 'and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!' And they drove him away.

Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him,
'Do you believe in the Son of Man?'
'Sir,' the man replied 'tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.'
Jesus said, 'You are looking at him; he is speaking to you'.
The man said, 'Lord, I believe', and worshipped him.
Jesus said: 'It is for judgement that I have come into this world, so that those without sight may see  and those with sight turn blind'.

Hearing this, some Pharisees who were present said to him, 'We are not blind, surely?'
Jesus replied: 'Blind? If you were, you would not be guilty,  but since you say, "We see",  your guilt remains.

The Gospel of the Lord    Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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Shorter Form

Gospel 

The Lord be with you.                                     And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to John  9:1. 6-9. 13-17..34-38        Glory to you, O Lord
He went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.

As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. He spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man. and said to him, 'Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam (a name that means 'sent'). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.

His neighbours and people who earlier had seen him begging said, 'Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?' Some said, 'Yes, it is the same one'. Others said, 'No, he only looks like him'. The man himself said, 'I am the man'. 

 They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man's eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, 'He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see'. Then some of the Pharisees said, 'This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath'. Others said, 'How could a sinner produce signs like this?' And there was disagreement among them. So they spoke to the blind man again, 'What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?'
'He is a prophet' replied the man.
'Are you trying to teach us,' they replied 'and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!' And they drove him away.

Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him, 'Do you believe in the Son of Man?' 'Sir,' the man replied 'tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.'
Jesus said, 'You are looking at him; he is speaking to you'. The man said, 'Lord, I believe', and worshipped him.
Jesus said: 'It is for judgement that I have come into this world, so that those without sight may see  and those with sight turn blind'.

Hearing this, some Pharisees who were present said to him, 'We are not blind, surely?'
Jesus replied: 'Blind? If you were, you would not be guilty,  but since you say, "We see",  your guilt remains.




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.