Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Dec 9 - St Juan Diego (1474-1548) Mexican visionary
Summary: St Juan Diego, also called Cuauhtlatoatzin (" talking eagle"), was a devout childless widower, who was converted by the first Spanish Franciscans who arrived in Mexico. He had a vision of Our Lady on 9th December 1531 and had a shrine set up there which encouraged the conversion of the indigenous Mexicans to Christianity.
Patrick Duffy tells his story.
Baptised at 50
Juan Diego was born in 1474 near Mexico City . He was a gifted member of the Chichimeca people, one of the more culturally advanced groups living in the Anáhuac Valley. When he was about 50 years old he was baptized by a Franciscan priest, Fr Peter da Gand, one of the first Franciscan missionaries.
His vision
The story is that on 9th December 1531 he was walking past the sacred hill 'Tepeyac' on his way to Mass, when he heard a voice calling him from the hill. He climbed up and found an olive-skinned girl about fourteen year of age, who told him she was the Virgin Mary. She asked him to go to the Spanish Franciscan bishop-elect, Juan de Zumárraga, and tell him she wanted a church built on the spot.
The bishop-elect asked for a sign to prove that the apparition was true.
On 12th December, Juan Diego was again passing by Tepeyac on the
way to see his uncle who was sick. Here, the young woman appeared to him again and told him his uncle was cured. She also told him to climb the hill and to pick the flowers that he would find in bloom. He did, and although it was winter time, he found flowering roses. He gathered the flowers and took them to Our Lady who carefully placed them in his tilma or mantle and told him to take them to the bishop-elect, tell him what he had seen, explain how his uncle was cured, and that she was 'Our Lady of Guadalupe.' When he opened his tilma in the presence of the bishop-elect, the flowers fell on the ground and an image of the Blessed Mother, the apparition at Tepeyac, was impressed on the tilma.
Our Lady of Guadalupe
This origin of this title has been a matter of controversy. The more reliable opinion would see it as a Spanish mistranslation of the word "Coatlallope" of the Nahuatl language, meaning "one who treads on snakes" indicating that this young woman would bring an end to the human sacrifice culture of which the snake was symbolic!
Our Lady of Guadalupe has become Mexico's most popular image.
Others would see it as evoking the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Extramadura region of Spain. This had a miraculous statue reputed to have been carved by St Luke the evangelist and given to Saint Leander, archbishop of Seville, by Pope Gregory I. When Seville was taken by the Moors, a group of priests fled northward and buried the statue in the hills near the Guadalupe River in the Extremadura region. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the 14th century and a shrine grew up around it. Many of the conquistadors who came to Mexico were from that region.
The Shrine
Juan Diego lived the rest of his life as a hermit in a small hut near the chapel where the miraculous image was placed for veneration. Here he cared for the church and the first pilgrims who came to pray to the Mother of Jesus. He dedicated his life to prayer, the practice of love of God and neighbour. He died in 1548 and was buried in the first chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. He was beatified on 6 May 1990 by Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of Santa Maria di Guadalupe, Mexico City and canonised on 31st July 2002.
The Marian Image at Guadalupe
The miraculous image, which is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shows a woman with native features and dress. She is supported by an angel whose wings are reminiscent of one of the major gods of the traditional religion of that area. The moon is beneath her feet and her blue mantle is covered with gold stars. The black girdle about her waist signifies that she is pregnant. Thus, the image graphically depicts the fact that Christ is to be "born" again among the peoples of the New World, and is a message as relevant to the "New World" today as it was during the lifetime of Juan Diego.
Patrick Duffy tells his story.
Baptised at 50
Juan Diego was born in 1474 near Mexico City . He was a gifted member of the Chichimeca people, one of the more culturally advanced groups living in the Anáhuac Valley. When he was about 50 years old he was baptized by a Franciscan priest, Fr Peter da Gand, one of the first Franciscan missionaries.
His vision
The story is that on 9th December 1531 he was walking past the sacred hill 'Tepeyac' on his way to Mass, when he heard a voice calling him from the hill. He climbed up and found an olive-skinned girl about fourteen year of age, who told him she was the Virgin Mary. She asked him to go to the Spanish Franciscan bishop-elect, Juan de Zumárraga, and tell him she wanted a church built on the spot.The bishop-elect asked for a sign to prove that the apparition was true.
On 12th December, Juan Diego was again passing by Tepeyac on the
way to see his uncle who was sick. Here, the young woman appeared to him again and told him his uncle was cured. She also told him to climb the hill and to pick the flowers that he would find in bloom. He did, and although it was winter time, he found flowering roses. He gathered the flowers and took them to Our Lady who carefully placed them in his tilma or mantle and told him to take them to the bishop-elect, tell him what he had seen, explain how his uncle was cured, and that she was 'Our Lady of Guadalupe.' When he opened his tilma in the presence of the bishop-elect, the flowers fell on the ground and an image of the Blessed Mother, the apparition at Tepeyac, was impressed on the tilma.Our Lady of Guadalupe
This origin of this title has been a matter of controversy. The more reliable opinion would see it as a Spanish mistranslation of the word "Coatlallope" of the Nahuatl language, meaning "one who treads on snakes" indicating that this young woman would bring an end to the human sacrifice culture of which the snake was symbolic!
Our Lady of Guadalupe has become Mexico's most popular image.
Others would see it as evoking the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Extramadura region of Spain. This had a miraculous statue reputed to have been carved by St Luke the evangelist and given to Saint Leander, archbishop of Seville, by Pope Gregory I. When Seville was taken by the Moors, a group of priests fled northward and buried the statue in the hills near the Guadalupe River in the Extremadura region. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the 14th century and a shrine grew up around it. Many of the conquistadors who came to Mexico were from that region.The Shrine
Juan Diego lived the rest of his life as a hermit in a small hut near the chapel where the miraculous image was placed for veneration. Here he cared for the church and the first pilgrims who came to pray to the Mother of Jesus. He dedicated his life to prayer, the practice of love of God and neighbour. He died in 1548 and was buried in the first chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. He was beatified on 6 May 1990 by Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of Santa Maria di Guadalupe, Mexico City and canonised on 31st July 2002.
The Marian Image at Guadalupe
The miraculous image, which is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shows a woman with native features and dress. She is supported by an angel whose wings are reminiscent of one of the major gods of the traditional religion of that area. The moon is beneath her feet and her blue mantle is covered with gold stars. The black girdle about her waist signifies that she is pregnant. Thus, the image graphically depicts the fact that Christ is to be "born" again among the peoples of the New World, and is a message as relevant to the "New World" today as it was during the lifetime of Juan Diego.____________________________________
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Memorable Saying for Today
Being humble means recognising that we are not on earth
to see how important we can become,
but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others
~ Gordan B. Hinckley ~
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Liturgical Readings for: Tuesday, 9th December, 2025
Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent
Isaiah the prophet utters encouraging words to the formally enslaved Jewish nations that they were liberated. God was about to lead his people in a new Exodus and the need for a suitable road to be prepared for God to travel on.
Saint of the Day; December 9. St Juan Diego Cuahtlatoatzin, hermit at Guadeloupe, Mexico
c/f A short history of today’s saint can be found below today’s Readings and Reflection.
FIRST READING
A reading from the prophet Isaiah 40:1-11
God consoles his people.
Console my people, console them' says your God.
'Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call to her that her time of service is ended, that her sin is atoned for, that she has received from the hand of the Lord double punishment for all her crimes.'A voice cries,
'Prepare in the wilderness a way for the Lord
Make a straight highway for our God across the desert.
Let every valley be filled in, every mountain and hill be laid low,
let every cliff become a plain, and the ridges a valley;
then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all mankind shall see it;
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'
A voice commands:
'Cry!' and I answered, 'What shall I cry?' –'All flesh is grass and its beauty like the wild flower's.
The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on them. (The grass is without doubt the people.)
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God remains for ever.'
Go up on a high mountain, joyful messenger to Zion.
Shout with a loud voice, joyful messenger to Jerusalem.
Shout without fear, say to the towns of Judah, 'Here is your God'.
Here is the Lord coming with power, his arm subduing all things to him.
The prize of his victory is with him, his trophies all go before him.
He is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs in his arms, holding them against his breast and leading to their rest the mother ewes.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps:95: 1-2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13,
Response Here is our God coming with power.
1. O sing a new song to the Lord, sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name. Proclaim his help day by day. Response
2. Tell among the nations his glory and his wonders among all the peoples.
Proclaim to the nations: 'God is king.' He will judge the peoples in fairness. Response
3. Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad, let the sea and all within it thunder praise,
let the land and all it bears rejoice, all the trees of the wood shout for joy
at the presence of the Lord for he comes, he comes to rule the earth. Response
4. With justice he will rule the world, he will judge the peoples with his truth. Response
Gospel Acclamation Is 35:4
Alleluia, alleluia!
Come Lord ! Do not delay. Forgive the sins of your people.
Alleluia!
Or
Alleluia, alleluia!
The day of the Lord is near; Look he comes to save us.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 18:12-14 Glory to you, O Lord
God does not wish the little ones to be lost.
Jesus said to his disciples:
'Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays;
will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray?
I tell you solemnly, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all.
Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Tuesday, Second Week of Advent Matthew 18:12-14
In the gospel reading Jesus tells a parable about a shepherd who notices when one sheep out of a flock of one hundred goes astray, and who is concerned enough about that one sheep to go searching for it, even though it means leaving the ninety nine unattended. The one, and not just the many, matter to this shepherd. The shepherd is an image of Jesus who is always portrayed in the gospels as engaging not just with crowds but with individuals. In the language of John’s gospel, he is the good shepherd who knows his own by name. The risen Lord relates to us not just as anonymous members of a group but as individuals. He calls each of us by name.
In Matthew’s gospel the parable is not just an image of how Jesus relates to us, but also an image of how we are called to relate to each other. We are to call each other by name; we are to respect the uniqueness of each other, relating to one another as unique and irreplaceable images of God. Meeting with one person has potentially as much value as meeting with a large group. The parable suggests that one individual is as deserving of our attention as a gathering of many.
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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 Fr Martin Hogan's book Reflections on the Weekday Readings : The Word is Near to You, on your lips and in your heart published by Messenger Publications c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
Saint of the Day: December 9th, St Juan Diego, Cuauhtlatoatzin ("talking eagle")
St Juan Diego was a devout childless widower, who was converted by the first Spanish Franciscans who had arrived in Mexico. He had a vision of Our Lady on 9th December 1531 and had a shrine set up there which encouraged the conversion of the indigenous Mexicans to Christianity.
Patrick Duffy tells his story.
Baptised at 50
Juan Diego was born in 1474 near Mexico City . He was a gifted member of the Chichimeca people, one of the more culturally advanced groups living in the Anáhuac Valley. When he was about 50 years old he was baptized by a Franciscan priest, Fr Peter da Gand, one of the first Franciscan missionaries.
The story is that on 9th December 1531 he was walking past the sacred hill 'Tepeyac' on his way to Mass, when he heard a voice calling him from the hill. He climbed up and found an olive-skinned girl about fourteen year of age,who told him she was the Virgin Mary. She asked him to go to the Spanish Franciscan bishop-elect, Juan de Zumárraga, and tell him she wanted a church built
on the spot. The bishop-elect asked for a sign to prove that the apparition was true.On the 12th December, Juan Diego was again passing by Tepeyac on the way to see his uncle who was sick. Here, the young woman appeared to him again and told him his uncle was cured. She also told him to climb the hill and to pick the flowers that he would find in bloom. He did, and although it was winter time, he found flowering roses. He gathered the flowers and took them to Our Lady who carefully placed them in his tilma or mantle and told him to take them to the bishop-elect, tell him what he had seen, explain how his uncle was cured, and that she was 'Our Lady of Guadalupe.' When he opened his tilma in the presence of the bishop-elect, the flowers fell on the ground and an image of the Blessed Mother, the apparition at Tepeyac, was impressed on the tilma.
Our Lady of Guadalupe
[caption id="attachment_73384" align="alignleft" width="251"]
Jardin del Tepeyac or Garden del Tepeyac. Basilica de Guadalupe. Mexico City[/caption]This origin of this title has been a matter of controversy. The more reliable opinion would see it as a Spanish mistranslation of the word "Coatlallope" of the Nahuatl language, meaning "one who treads on snakes" indicating that this young woman would bring an end to the human sacrifice culture of which the snake was symbolic!
Our Lady of Guadalupe has become Mexico's most popular image.
Others would see it as evoking the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Extramadura region of Spain. This had a miraculous statue reputed to have been carved by St Luke the evangelist and given to St Leander, archbishop of Seville, by Pope Gregory I. When Seville was taken by the Moors, a group of priests fled northward and buried the statue in the hills near the Guadalupe River in the Extremadura region. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the 14th century and a shrine grew up around it. Many of the conquistadors who came to Mexico were from that region.The Shrine
Juan Diego lived the rest of his life as a hermit in a small hut near the chapel where the miraculous image was placed for veneration. Here he cared for the church and the first pilgrims who came to pray to the Mother of Jesus. He dedicated his life to prayer, the practice of love of God and neighbour. He died in 1548 and was buried in the first chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. He was beatified on 6 May 1990 by Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of Santa Maria di Guadalupe, Mexico City and canonised on 31st July 2002.
The Marian Image at Guadalupe
The miraculous image, which is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shows a woman with native features and dress. She is supported by an angel whose wings are reminiscent of one of the major gods of the traditional religion of that area. The moon is beneath her feet and her blue mantle is covered with gold stars. The black girdle about her waist signifies that she is pregnant. Thus, the image graphically depicts the fact that Christ is to be "born" again among the peoples of the New World, and is a message as relevant to the "New World" today as it was known during the lifetime of Juan Diego.******************************
Spiritual Wisdom of the Day
'Do whatever he tells you,'
These are Mary's last spoken words in scripture and can provide for us an entire lifetime of reflection.
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Liturgical Readings for: Tuesday, 9th December, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an fáidh Íseáia 40:1-11
Beirigí sólás chuig mo mhuintir.
“Sólás, beirigí sólás chuig mo mhuintir,” a deir bhur nDia.“Labhraigí le croí Iarúsailéim agus fógraígí di go bhfuil aimsir a seirbhíse istigh,
go bhfuil a peaca maite, go bhfuair sí ó láimh an Tiarna pionós faoi dhó ina cionta go léir.”
Tá glór ag fógairt:
“Réitigí cosán san fhásach le haghaidh an Tiarna.
Déanaigí díreach thar an machaire bealach mór dár nDia.
Líontar isteach gach gleann, agus íslítear gach sliabh agus gach cnoc;
déantar achréidh de na hailteanna agus míntír den gharbhchríoch.
Ansin foilseofar glóir an Tiarna agus feicfidh an uile fheoil í in éineacht.
Óir tá béal an Tiarna tar éis labhairt.”
Deir glór:“Glaoigh!” agus deirimse ar ais: “Cad a ghlaofaidh mé?”
– “Tá an uile fheoil mar an féar agus a scéimh ar fad mar bhláth an mhachaire.
Feonn an féar, tréigeann an bláth, nuair a shéideann anáil an Tiarna orthu.
(Is ea, is é an pobal an féar.) Feonn an féar, tréigeann an bláth, ach seasann briathar ár nDé go deo.”
Suas leat ar shliabh ard, a challaire an dea-scéala chuig Síón.
Ardaigh do ghlór go láidir, a challaire an dea-scéala chuig Iarúsailéim.
Ardaigh do ghlór gan eagla, abair le bailte Iúdá: “Seo é bhur nDia.”
Féach an Tiarna Dia ag teacht lena neart, agus a lámh ag smachtú roimhe!
Tá a luach saothair leis ina sheilbh, agus a éadáil ag dul roimhe amach.
Mar a dhéanfadh aoire ag aoireacht a thréada dó, ag bailiú na n-uan chuige ina bhaclainn,
á n-iompar ar chlár a uchta agus ag fosaíocht na gcaorach tórmaigh.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 95: 1-2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13,
Freagra Féach ár nDia ag teacht lena neart.
[caption id="attachment_73808" align="alignright" width="222"]
Insígí a ghlóir i measc nagciníocha[/caption]1. Canaigí amhrein nua don Tiarna; canaigí don Tiarna, a thalamh go léir.
Canaigí don Tiarna agus molaigí a ainm. Fógraígí a shlánú ó lá go lá. Freagra
2. Insígí a ghlóir i measc na gciníocha agus a éachtaí do na náisiúin uile.
Fógraígí do na ciníocha: 'Tá an Tiarna ina Rí.'
Tabharíaidh sé breith chóir chothrom ar na daoine, Freagra
3. Bíodh áthas ar neamh agus ar talamh; tugadh an mhuir agus a bhfuil inti a nglór;
bíodh lúcháir ar an machaire agus a bhfuil ann; tógadh crainn uile na coille gártha áthais
i bhfianaise an Tiarna atá ag teacht atá ag teacht a rialú na cruinne. Freagra
4. Chun an domhan a rialú go cothrom agusfíorbhreith a thabhairt ar na daoine. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Matha 18:12-14 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Ní hé toil bhur nAthar go gcaillfí aon duine amháin de na rudaí beaga seo.
San am sin dúirt Íosa lena dheisceabail:“Cad is dóigh libh? Má bhíonn céad caora ag duine agus aon chaora amháin díobh a dhul amú, nach bhfágfaidh sé an naoi nóchad ar na sléibhte agus dul ag lorg an tseachránaí?
Agus más rud é go bhfaigheann sé í, deirim libh go fírinneach, is mó is cúis áthais leis í ná an naoi nóchad a bhí gan dul amú.
Mar an gcéanna, ní hé toil i láthair bhur nAthar atá ar neamh go gcaillfí aon duine amháin de na rudaí beaga seo.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 14th December, 2025
- 14 December 2025 -
Third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday! - Rejoicing Sunday!
This week the joy of the kingdom is anticipated. The signs of the kingdom are given to the messengers of John the Baptist, and they are very familiar with the prophecies of Isaiah. 'Patient waiting' There should be no complaining, no giving up or losing heart. Joy, prayer and thanksgiving should characterise us as a 'waiting' Christian community.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 35:1-6. 10
God himself is coming to save you.
Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom,
let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil, let it rejoice and sing for joy.
The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon;
they shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendour of our God.
Strengthen all weary hands, steady all trembling knees
and say to all faint hearts,
'Courage! Do not be afraid.
'Look, your God is coming, vengeance is coming,
the retribution of God; he is coming to save you.'
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed, then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy; for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.
They will come to Zion shouting for joy, everlasting joy on their faces; joy and gladness will go with them and sorrow and lament be ended.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 145: 6-7, 8-9,10 R/v Is35:4
Response Come, Lord, and save us
or Alleluia!
1. It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever, who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord, who sets prisoners free. Response
2. It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger and upholds the widow and orphan. Response
3. It is the Lord who loves the just but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever, Zion's God, from age to age. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St James 5:7-10
Do not lose heart: the Lord’s coming will be soon.
Now be patient, brothers, until the Lord's coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains!You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord's coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation Is 61:1
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 11:2-11 Glory to you, O Lord
Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?
John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him,'Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?'
Jesus answered,
'Go back and tell John what you hear and see;
the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear,
and the dead are raised to life, the Good News is proclaimed and
happy is the man who does not lose faith in me'.
As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John:
'What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze?
No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes?
Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces.
Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says:
'Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare your way before you.'
'I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen;
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’
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. http //dltbooks.com/
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 14th December, 2025
-14 - 12- 2025-
AN TRÍÚ DOMNACH DEN AIDBHINT
CÉAD LÉACHT
Sliocht as Leabhar Íseáia, Fáidh 35:1-6. 10
Is é Dia féin atá ag teacht do bhur slánú.
Déanadh an díthreabh agus tír an triomaigh lúcháir, bíodh gairdeas ar an ngaineamhlach agus é faoi bhláth;
tagadh bláthanna air chomh tiubh leis an gcróch, déanadh sé gairdeas le gártha agus le ceol.
Maise na Liobáine tugtar dó, scéimh Chairmell agus Sheárón lena chois sin;
beidh maise an Tiarna le feiceáil acu seo agus scéimh an Dé seo againne.
Déanaigí láidir na lámha atá faonlag agus cuirigí téagar sna glúine atá ag lúbadh;
abraigí le lucht an chroí mhearaithe:
“Músclaígí bhur misneach; ná bíodh eagla oraibh.
Breathnaígí! Is é bhur nDia atá ann, tá sé chugaibh leis an díoltas atá ag dul daoibh;
Dia atá ann ag agairt a chúitimh, agus é ag teacht do bhur slánú.”
Déanfar a súile do na daill an uair sin agus réiteofar cluasa na mbodhar; beidh an bacach ag léimneach mar a bheadh fia ann agus teanga an bhalbháin ag gabháil ceoil le lúcháir,
agus an dream atá saortha ag an Tiarna, leanfaidh siad abhaile é.
Tiocfaidh siad go Síón, ag liúireach le gairdeas, agus aoibhneas síoraí ina choróin ar a gceann;
tiocfaidh áthas agus aoibhneas ag triall ina gcuideachta, agus beidh casaoid agus crá bailithe leo ar shiúl.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 145: 6-7, 8-9,10 R/v Is35:4
Freagra Tar, a Thiarna, dár slanú.
Malairt Freagra Alleluia!
I. An té a sheasann lena bhriathar de shíor, agus a dhéanann ceart don drong atá faoi chois,
is é a thugann bia don ocrach: is é an Tiarna a scaoileann na braighdeanaigh. Freagra
2. Osclaíonn sé súile na ndall, tógann sé suas an dream atá crom.
Cumhdaíonn an Tiarna an coimhthfoch, déanann tacaíocht don dílleachta is don bhaintreach. Freagra
3. Tugann an Tiarna grá don fhíréan, ach cuireann sé slí na bpeacach trí chéile.
Beidh an Tiarna i réim go brách, ina Dhia, a Síón, ó ghlúin go glúin. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as céad Litir Séamus 5:7-10
Ná biodh drochmhisneach oraibh; is gearr go dtaga an Tiarna.
Bíodh foighne agaibh dá bhrí sin a bhráithre go dtí teacht an Tiarna. Féach an feirmeoir agus é ag feitheamh le fómhar luachmhar na hithreach, agus foighne aige leis nó go bhfaighe sé an fhearthainn luath agus dhéanach. Bíodh foighne agaibhse chomh maith. Bíodh misneach agaibh in bhur gcroí mar tá teacht an Tiarna lámh linn. Ná déanaigí casaoid ar a chéile ionas nach dtabharfar breith oraibh; féach, tá an breitheamh cheana féin i mbéal an dorais. A bhráithre, bíodh na fáithe a labhair in ainm an Tiarna mar shampla agaibh den fhulaingt agus den fhoighne.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Vérsa Is 61:1
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Tá Spiorad an Tiarna orm. Chuir sé uaidh mé ag tabhairt an dea-scéil do na bocht.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha 11:2-11 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
An tú an té atá le teacht no an ceart damn bheith ag súil le duine eile?
San am sin chuala Eoin, agus é i bpríosún, iomrá faoi oibreacha Chríost, agus chuir sé scéala chuige trína dheisceabail féin, á rá leis: “An tú an té atá le teacht nó an ceart dúinn bheith ag súil le duine eile?”
Dúirt Íosa leo á bhfreagairt:
“Imígí agus insígí d’Eoin a bhfuil á chloisteáil agus a fheiceáil agaibh:
tá radharc ag daill, tá siúl ag bacaigh, glantar lobhair agus tá éisteacht ag bodhráin,
éiríonn na mairbh agus fógraítear an dea-scéal do bhoicht.
Is méanar don té nach ceap tuisle dó mise.”
Le linn dóibh seo bheith ag imeacht, thosaigh Íosa ag caint leis na sluaite faoi Eoin:
“Cad a chuaigh sibh amach faoin bhfásach a fheiceáil? Giolcach á suaitheadh ag an ngaoth?
Ach cad a chuaigh sibh amach a fheiceáil? Duine a bhí cóirithe go mín?
Iad seo a mbíonn éadaí míne orthu, is i dtithe na ríthe atá siad.
Ach cad a thug amach sibh? Chun fáidh a fheiceáil?
Sea, deirim libh, agus duine ba mhó ná fáidh. Is é seo an té a bhfuil scríofa mar gheall air:
‘Féach, cuirim mo theachtaire romhat a réiteoidh do bhóthar faoi do chomhair.’
“Deirim libh go fírinneach, níor éirigh ar shliocht na mban duine ba mhó ná Eoin Baiste;
ach an té is lú i ríocht na bhflaitheas, is mó é ná eisean.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
