Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Dec 6 - St Nicholas - Santa Claus!
There are many stories about St Nicholas, especially about how how he became the original 'Father Christmas' - 'Santa'. He is also patron of pawnbrokers and sea travellers. Nicholas wasn't above getting into a fight; they say he slapped the Alexandrian priest Arius at the Council of Nicea for denying the divinity of Christ and wasn't too bothered that the other bishops put him in prison for it .Children the world over are familiar with the red costume and the white flowing beard, but few, perhaps, know the true origin of our modern-day Santa Claus.
John Murray PP tells some of his story here.
Stories and fables
In the Middle Ages, St. Nicholas was very popular. His cult was particularly strong in Russia, where he became the national patron, and several of the Tsars were called after him. He is also patron of Greece and Sicily and Lorraine in France. He also became known as the patron of travellers, since it was claimed that in his early life he had travelled to Egypt and the Holy Land. It was for his kindness and charity, however, that Nicholas became well known, and these in turn gave rise to the modern stories and fables.
Acts of charity
His parents had died when he was young, and Nicholas determined to devote his inheritance to works of charity, for he had been left fairly comfortably off. An opportunity soon arose, for a citizen of the local area had three daughters. This man was unable to raise the necessary dowries in order to marry them off, for he was extremely poor. The danger was that they would be sold off into the world of prostitution.
Nicholas heard of this and at night he threw a bag of coins in the open window of the man's house. The eldest girl was soon married. At intervals, when the time came, he did the same for the second and third daughters. It was on the last occasion that the father spotted his benefactor, and overwhelmed him with his gratitude. Interestingly, the story of the three bags of gold or money gave rise to the tradition of the three gold balls outside a pawnbroker's shop!
Message of Christmas
The real Nicholas was indeed generous with the goods of this world, as we have seen, and so, in time, his name became legitimately associated with the whole Christmas tradition of gifts and giving. He contributed to defending the great message of Christmas, however, in another, totally different, way.
The story is that Nicholas was present at the great Council of Nicea, which debated the issue of the nature of Christ. A priest of that era, Arius, had denied the divinity of Christ. Jesus was not God in the same way as the Father was God, he said, but was created by him. Nicholas saw that the message of Bethlehem and Calvary was being diluted. He called the heresy of Arius, which had given rise to the Council, 'death-dealing poison'. It is said that he even slapped Arius in the face, so strong was his feeling about this dogma!
The Council Fathers temporarily deprived Nicholas of his Episcopal insignia and placed him in prison for many years, but Our Lord and Our Lady appeared to him there. He felt vindicated, and would have regarded the imprisonment as a minor privation for having been able to save the true message of Christmas.
Resting place
Nicholas died and was buried in his episcopal city of Myra, and by the middle of the fourth century there was a magnificent cathedral in his honour at Constantinople. When Myra and its great shrine passed into the hands of the Saracens, however, several Italian cities saw it as an opportunity to acquire the relics of the saint for themselves.
There was great competition between Venice and Bari, and the latter won. On 9 May 1087, the remains of St. Nicholas came to rest in this Italian city, which had a large Greek colony. A new church was built to shelter them, and Pope Urban II was present at their enshrining.
Story of Persecution
A thousand years later, and another Pope was also present in Bari. Pope Benedict XVI, elected on 19 April 2005, chose Bari - and the Italian National Eucharistic Congress - as the opportunity for his first trip outside the Vatican since his election. The day was 29 May, and the feast was Corpus Christi. Pope Benedict chose the occasion to talk about a story from the early Church, when Christians were often persecuted for practising their faith.
The year was AD 304, and the persecution under the Emperor was at its height. In the town of Abitene - in modern-day Tunisia a group of forty-nine Christians were interrogated about their practice of celebrating the Eucharist. The local magistrate asked Emeritus, in whose house the Mass was celebrated, why he allowed this to happen.
The latter replied, 'Because they are my brothers and sisters, and I was not able to prohibit them'. The magistrate continued, 'But that would have been your duty according to the law'. Then Emeritus responded with a phrase that rings true even after seventeen centuries: 'I could not, because without Sunday we cannot live'. Emeritus and his friends paid for their fidelity with their lives.
Nickolas' Reflection on: The greatest gift of all time
Nicholas knew that when God gives us himself it is always a total gift. The baby in Bethlehem and the man on the cross on Calvary were truly Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And when he said, 'This is my body... This is my blood,' he was offering us nothing less than the life of God himself. The man who gave generously to others, the bishop who opposed Arius, the saint who celebrated the Eucharist, he knew that every Sunday is a gift of God.
As Benedict XVI, Bishop of Rome also said on that 29 May, 'to participate in the Sunday celebration and eat of the Eucharistic bread is a need for every Christian who can so find there the energy he needs for the journey of life'.
St Nicholas realised so well that God gave the very first Christmas present, and that he gives it over and over again in every Mass.
This article first appeared in The Messenger (December 2005), a publication of the Irish Jesuits.
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Memorable Reminder for Today
They err who think Santa Claus enters through the chimney.
He enter through the heart.
~ Charles Howard ~
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Saturday of the First Week of Advent
God, our Father, hears the cries of his needy people and feels compassion for those who have lost their way
Saint of the Day; December 6th; St Nicholas,
4th Century bishop of Myra, (modern Turkey). Patron of Russia, sailors, pawnbrokers and children.
c/f short history of today’s saint can be found below today’s Readings and Reflection.
FIRST READING
A reading from the prophet Isaiah 30:19-21. 23-26
He will be gracious to you when he hears your cry.
Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel:
People of Zion, you will live in Jerusalem and weep no more. He will be gracious to you when he hears your cry; when he hears he will answer. When the Lord has given you the bread of suffering and the water of distress, he who is your teacher will hide no longer, and you will see your teacher with your own eyes. Whether you turn to right or left, your ears will hear these words behind you, 'This is the way, follow it.'
He will send rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the bread that the ground provides will be rich and nourishing. Your cattle will graze that day, in wide pastures. Oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat a salted fodder, winnowed with shovel and fork.
On every lofty mountain, on every high hill there will be streams and watercourses, on the day of the great slaughter when the strongholds fall. Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight and sunlight itself be seven times brighter - like the light of seven days in one -
on the day the Lord dresses the wound of his people and heals the bruises his blows have left.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps:146: 1-2. 3-4, R/v. Is: 13:18
Response Happy are all who hope in the Lord.
Or Alleluia!
1 Praise the Lord for he is good; sing to our God for he is loving: to him our praise is due.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem and brings back Israel's exiles. Response
2 He heals the broken-hearted, he binds up all their wounds.
He fixes the number of the stars; he calls each one by its name. Response
3 Our Lord is great and almighty; his wisdom can never be measured.
The Lord raises the lowly; he humbles the wicked in the dust. Response
Gospel Acclamation Is 55:6
Alleluia, alleluia!
Seek the Lord while he is still to be found, call to him while he is still near.
Alleluia!
Or Is 33: 22
Alleluia, alleluia!
Look the Lord is our judge, the Lord our lawgiver,
the Lord our King and our saviour.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 9:35-10:1. 6-8 Glory to you, O Lord.
When he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them.
Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness. And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.'He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness.
These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows:
'Go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.'
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Saturday First Week of Advent Matthew 9:35-10.1, 6-8
The opening verse of the gospel reading gives us a sense of all the work Jesus did during his public ministry. He made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness. Jesus clearly did not spare himself in doing the work God had given him to do. Yet, he knew that even he could not do God’s work alone. When he saw crowds that were harassed and dejected, even after all the work he did, he didn’t respond by saying he had to work harder. He responded by asking his disciples to ask God to send labourers into God’s harvest. The harvest was so rich, the work to be done was so great, that Jesus alone could not do it. Many labourers were needed, through whom Jesus would work.
That is why he went on to send out his twelve closest disciples to do the same work he had been doing, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness. Yet, Jesus knew that even these twelve could not do all God’s work that needed doing. Many more labourers would be needed. The Lord needs each one of us to be a labourer in God’s harvest. Each of us has a combination of gifts and experiences which the Lord needs to continue God’s work in the world today. Each of us has a unique role to play in helping the risen Lord to bring more of the kingdom of God to earth. There is a corner of God’s harvest that needs our labour. The Lord wants to work through each of us to bring his healing and life-giving presence to bear more fully on the world. None of us, no matter where we are on our life’s journey, is surplus to his requirements.
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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 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/
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Saint of the day: December 6th; St Nicholas, bishop.
Nicholas died in the fourth century. He was the bishop of Myra (Turkey) but nothing more is known about his life. Since the tenth century, widely venerated and frequently claimed as a patron in both East and West, his cult in the West was further ensured when his relics were moved from Myra to Bari (Italy) in the eleventh century. His reputation for generosity led to the custom of giving children gifts on his feast day, and thus to the Christmas figure of Santa Claus.
There are many stories about St Nicholas, especially about how how he became the original 'Father Christmas' - 'Santa'. He is the patron of pawnbrokers and sea travellers. Nicholas wasn't above getting into a fight; they say he slapped the Alexandrian priest Arius at the Council of Nicea for denying the divinity of Christ and wasn't too bothered that the other bishops put him in prison for it .Most Children the world over are familiar with the red costume and the white flowing beard, but few, perhaps, know the true origin of our modern-day 'Santa Claus.' (He most likely did have a white beard and was very generous but his famous 'red suit' is probably more attributable to Coca Cola Ltd!)
John Murray PP tells some of his story here.
Stories and fables
In the Middle Ages, St. Nicholas was very popular. His cult was particularly strong in Russia, where he became the national patron, and several of the Tsars were called after him. He is also patron of Greece and Sicily and Lorraine in France. He also became known as the patron of travellers, since it was claimed that in his early life he had travelled to Egypt and the Holy Land. It was for his kindness and charity, however, that Nicholas became well known, and these in turn gave rise to the modern stories and fables.
Acts of charity
His parents had died when he was young, and Nicholas determined to devote his inheritance to works of charity, for he had been left fairly comfortably off. An opportunity arose, for a citizen of the local area had three daughters. This man was unable to raise the necessary dowries in order to marry them off, for he was extremely poor. The danger was that they would be sold off into the world of prostitution.
Nicholas heard of this and at night he threw a bag of coins in the open window of the man's house. The eldest girl was soon married. At intervals, when the time came, he did the same for the second and third daughters. It was on the last occasion that the father spotted his benefactor, and overwhelmed him with his gratitude. (Interestingly, the story of the three bags of gold or money gave rise to the tradition of the three gold balls signs outside old pawnbroker's shops!)
Message of Christmas
The real Nicholas was indeed generous with the goods of this world, as we have seen, and so, in time, his name became legitimately associated with the whole Christmas tradition of gifts and giving. He contributed to defending the great message of Christmas, however, in another, totally different, way.
The story is that Nicholas was present at the great Council of Nicea, which debated the issue of the nature of Christ. A priest of that era, Arius, had denied the divinity of Christ. Jesus was not God in the same way as the Father was God, he said, but was created by him. Nicholas saw that the message of Bethlehem and Calvary was being diluted. He called the heresy of Arius, which had given rise to the Council, 'death-dealing poison'. It is said that he even slapped Arius in the face, so strong was his feeling about this dogma!The Council Fathers temporarily deprived Nicholas of his Episcopal insignia and placed him in prison for many years, but Our Lord and Our Lady appeared to him there. He felt vindicated, and would have regarded the imprisonment as a minor privation for having been able to save the true message of Christ and the doctrine of God becoming truly a man.
Resting Place
Nicholas died and was buried in his episcopal city of Myra, and by the middle of the fourth century there was a magnificent cathedral in his honour at Constantinople. When Myra and its great shrine passed into the hands of the Saracens, however, several Italian cities saw it as an opportunity to acquire the relics of the saint for themselves.
There was great competition between Venice and Bari, and the latter won. On 9 May 1087, the remains of St. Nicholas came to rest in this Italian city, which had a large Greek colony. A new church was built to shelter them, and Pope Urban II was present at their enshrining.
Story of Persecution
A thousand years later, and another Pope was visiting Bari. Pope Benedict XVI elected on 19 April 2005, chose Bari - and the Italian National Eucharistic Congress - as the opportunity for his first trip outside the Vatican since his election. The day was 29 May, and the feast was Corpus Christi. Pope Benedict chose the occasion to talk about a story from the early Church, when Christians were often persecuted for practising their faith.
The year was AD 304, and the persecution under the Emperor was at its height. In the town of Abitene - in modern-day Tunisia a group of forty-nine Christians were interrogated about their practice of celebrating the Eucharist. The local magistrate asked Emeritus, in whose house the Mass was celebrated, why he allowed this to happen. The latter replied, 'Because they are my brothers and sisters, and I was not able to prohibit them'. The magistrate continued, 'But that would have been your duty according to the law'. Then Emeritus responded with a phrase that rings true even after seventeen centuries: 'I could not, because without Sunday we cannot live'. Emeritus and his friends paid for their fidelity with their lives.
Nicholas' Reflection : The greatest gift of all time
Nicholas knew that when God gives us himself it is always a total gift. The baby in Bethlehem and the man on the cross on Calvary were truly Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And when he said, 'This is my body... This is my blood,' he was offering us nothing less than the life of God himself. The man who gave generously to others, the bishop who opposed Arius, the saint who celebrated the Eucharist, knew that every Sunday is a gift of God.As Benedict XVI, Bishop of Rome also said on that 29 May, 'to participate in the Sunday celebration and eat of the Eucharistic bread is a need for every Christian who can so find there the energy he needs for the journey of life'. St Nicholas realised so well that God gave the very first Christmas present, and that he gives it over and over again in every Mass.
This article first appeared in The Messenger (December 2005), a publication of the Irish Jesuits.
******************************
Memorable Reminder for Today
They err who think Santa Claus enters through the chimney. - He enters through our heart!
~ Charles Howard ~
******************************
Sliocht as an fáidh Íseáia 30:19-21. 23-26
Maithfidh sé duit ar chloisteáil do chaoineadh dó.
Seo mar a deir an Tiarna Dia, Neach Naofa Isráél:
A phobal Shíón, a bhfuil cónaí ort in Iarúsailéim, ní bheidh tú ag gol níos mó. Maithfidh sé duit ar chloisteáil do chaoineadh dó, agus tabharfaidh sé toradh air ar an toirt. Cé go dtugann an Tiarna duit arán na hanbhuaine agus uisce na duainéise, an té a theagascann thú, ní cheilfidh é féin feasta, agus feicfidh do shúile an Té a theagascann thú. Cloisfidh do chluasa an focal seo i do dhiaidh: “Seo an bealach, leanaigí é”,Cuma ar dheis nó ar chlé a chasfaidh sibh.
Agus tabharfaidh sé báisteach le haghaidh an tsíl a chuirfidh tú sa talamh,
agus an t-arán a thugann an talamh uaidh, beidh sé blasta agus beathúil.
Beidh do chuid eallaigh ag innilt an lá sin ar fhéarach leathan.
Na daimh agus na hasail a threabhann an talamh,beidh coirce blasta le hithe acu,
a ndearnadh cáitheadh air le sluasaid agus le cáiteog.
Agus ar gach sliabh ard agus gach cnoc mór
Beidh solas na gealaí ar aon dul le solas na gréine agus solas na gréine seacht n-uaire
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia.
Salm le Freagra Sm 146
Freagra Is méanar don dream a bhfuil a súil leis.
Freagra eile Alleluia!
1 Molaigí an Tiarna óir is maith é; canaigí salm dár nDia óir is grámhar é:
is dósan is cuí ár moladh.
Tá an Tiarna ag tógáil larúsailéim, tá sé ag cruinniú dhíbeartaigh Isráél. Freagra
2.Slánaíonn sé lucht an chroí bhriste agus déanann n a gcréachtaí a cheangal.
Socraíonn sé líon na realtaí; ainmníonn sé ina gceann agus ina gceann iad. Freagra
3. Is mór é ár nDia agus is mór é a neart; níl teorainn ar bith lena eagna.
Ardaíonn an Tiarna na daoine ísle agus leagann sé ar lar na héagráifigh. Freagra
Alleluia Is 55:6
Alleluia, alleluia!
Lorgaigí an Tiarna, fad a tá sé é ar fáil; glaoigí air, fad atá sé i ngar.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Siocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Matha 9:35-10:1. 6-8 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Nuair a chonaic sé na sluaite, ghlac sé trua dóibh
San am sin ghabh Íosa ar fud na gcathracha agus na mbailte go léir, ag teagasc ina sionagóga agus ag fógairt dea-scéil na ríochta, ag leigheas gach galar agus gach éagruas.
Agus nuair a chonaic sé na sluaite, ghlac sé trua dóibh, mar go raibh siad ina luí go tréith mar a bheadh caoirigh gan aoire.
Ansin dúirt sé lena dheisceabail:
“Tá an fómhar fairsing ach níl ann ach meitheal bheag. Dá bhrí sin guígí Máistir an fhómhair go gcuirfidh sé meitheal uaidh isteach ina fhómhar.”Ghlaoigh sé chuige a dháréag deisceabal agus thug dóibh údarás ar na spioraid mhíghlana chun go gcaithfidís amach iad agus go leigheasfaidís gach galar agus gach éagruas.
Chuir Íosa uaidh an dáréag sin leis na horduithe seo leanas:
“Ná gabhaigí an bóthar chun na ngintlithe agus ná téigí isteach i gcathair Shamárach ar bith; ní hea, ach téigí faoi dhéin chaoirigh caillte theaghlach Iosrael. Agus in bhur mbóthar daoibh, bígí ag fógairt go bhfuil ríocht na bhflaitheas in achmaireacht. Leigheasaigí lucht tinnis, tógaigí na mairbh, glanaigí na lobhair, caithigí amach na deamhain. In aisce a fuair sibh; tugaigí uaibh in aisce.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
- 07-12-2025-
Second Sunday of Advent, Cycle A
John the Baptist is a prophetic voice for all ages: his message speaks to us today of conversion as part of the Christian way of living. Conversion calls for us be tolerant of each other and be united in mind and heart.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 11:1-10
He judges the wretched with integrity.
A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots: on him the spirit of the Lord rests,
a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
(The fear of the Lord is his breath.)
He does not judge by appearances,
he gives no verdict on hearsay, but judges the wretched with integrity,
and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land.
His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless, his sentences bring death to the wicked.
Integrity is the loincloth round his waist, faithfulness the belt about his hips.
The wolf lives with the lamb, the panther lies down with the kid,
calf and lion cub feed together with a little boy to lead them.
The cow and the bear make friends, their young lie down together.
The lion eats straw like the ox.
The infant plays over the cobra's hole; into the viper's lair the young child puts his hand. They do no hurt, no harm, on all my holy mountain, for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters swell the sea.
That day, the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples. It will be sought out by the nations and its home will be glorious.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 71:1-2, 7-8, 12-123, R/v7
Response In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails.
1. O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king's son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice and your poor in right judgement. Response
2. In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea, from the Great River to earth's bounds. Response
3. For he shall save the poor when they cry and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak and save the lives of the poor. Response
4. May his name be blessed for ever and endure like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blessed in him, all nations bless his name. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Romans 15:4-9
Christ is the Saviour of all people.
Everything that was written long ago in the scriptures was meant to teach us something about hope from the examples scripture gives of how people who did not give up were helped by God. And may he who helps us when we refuse to give up, help you all to be tolerant with each other, following the example of Christ Jesus, so that united in mind and voice you may give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It can only be to God's glory, then, for you to treat each other in the same friendly way as Christ treated you.
The reason Christ became the servant of circumcised Jews was not only so that God could faithfully carry out the promises made to the patriarchs, it was also to get the pagans to give glory to God for his mercy, as scripture says in one place:
'For this I shall praise you among the pagans and sing to your name.'
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation Lk 3:4, 6
Alleluia, alleluia!
Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight
and all mankind shall see the salvation of God.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew3:1-12 Glory to you, O Lord
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.
In due course John the Baptist appeared;
he preached in the wilderness of Judaea and this was his message:
'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand'.
This was the man the prophet Isaiah spoke of when he said:
'A voice cries in the wilderness:
Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.'
This man John wore a garment made of camel-hair with a leather belt round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judaea and the whole Jordan district made their way to him, and as they were baptised by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins.
But when he saw a number of Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism he said to them,
'Brood of vipers, who warned you to fly from the retribution that is coming?
But if you are repentant, produce the appropriate fruit, and do not presume to tell yourselves, "We have Abraham for our father", because, I tell you, God can raise children for Abraham from these stones.
Even now the axe is laid to the roots of the trees, so that any tree which fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire.
I baptise you in water for repentance, but the one who follows me is more powerful than I am,
and I am not fit to carry his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing-fan is in his hand; he will clear his threshing-floor and gather his wheat into the barn;
but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.'
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, 1966 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/
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For homily resources for this Sunday's Gospel click here: https://www.catholicireland.net/sunday-homily/
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- 07-12-2025-
AN DARA DOMHNACH DEN AIDBHINT Bliain A
CÉAD LÉACHT
Sliocht as Leabhar Íseáia, Faidh Is 11:1-10
Tugann sé breithiúnas cothrom i leith na ndearóile.
Tá bachlóg ag eascar as bun chrann Ieise, agus gas ag teacht óna fhréamh;
tá spiorad an Tiarna ag lonnú air, spiorad na heagna agus na tuisceana, spiorad na comhairle agus na cumhachta, spiorad an eolais agus eagla an Tiarna. (In eagla an Tiarna is ea tá a dhúil.)
Ní thugann sé breith de réir na cosúlachta, ná ní chuireann tuairim de ar scéal scéil.
Ach déanann sé cóir agus ceart do na dealbha
agus tugann breithiúnas cothrom i leith dearóile na tíre.
Bata is ea a bhriathar a bhuaileann an t-anduine,
agus gaoth an fhocail uaidh, maraíonn sé an t-urchóideach.
Is í an chóir bréid cheangail a choime,
agus tá an dea-rún ina chrios ar a chorróga.
Tá an mac tíre ina chónaí leis an uan,
an pantar sínte le taobh an mheannáin ghabhair;
tá an gamhain agus an coileán leoin ar marthain in éineacht
agus gasúr óg á mbuachailleacht.
Tá an bhó agus an béar ag snaidhmeadh caradais, agus a gceanna beaga in aon ál le chéile; tá an leon ag ithe cocháin ar nós na mart.
Tá an leanbh cíche ag súgradh faoi phrochóg an chobra, ar phluais na nathrach leagann an naíonán a lámh.
Díth ná dochar ní dhéantar níos mó ar fud mo shléibhe bheannaithe go léir,
óir tá an talamh lán le heolas ar an Tiarna mar a líonann an fharraige leis an lán mara.
Sa lá sin, beidh beangán ó fhréamh Ieise ina sheasamh mar chomhartha do na ciníocha.
Beidh na náisiúin ag dul ina mhuinín agus beidh a áit chónaithe faoi mhaise agus faoi ghlóir.
Briathar Dé. Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 71:1-2, 7-8, 12-123, R/v7
Freagra Bláthóidh síocháin agus fhíréantacht lena linn nó go meathfaidh an ghealach.
1. Tabhair do bhreithiúnas, a Dhia, don rí agus d'fhíréantacht do mhac an rí.
Go dtuga sé ceartbhreithiúnas ar a 
agus cothrom do na bochta. Freagra
2. Bláthóidh síocháin agus fhíréantacht lena nó go meathfaidh an ghealach.
Beidh a réimeas ó mhuir go muir, ón Abhainn Mór go críoch na cruinne. Freagra
3. Óir saorfaidh sé na bochta nuair a ghlaofaidh siad air agus na hainniseoirí gan chúnamh.
Glacfaidh sé trua don duine lag agus sábhálfaidh sé an duine dealbh. Freagra
4. Go moltar a ainm go brách an fad a bheidh an ghrian ann.
Is tríd a bheannófar gach treibh; beidh gach cine á mholadh. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Rómhánaigh 15:4-9
SlánaIonn Críost gach aon duine.
Abhráithre, gach ar scríobhadh fadó is dár dteagascna a scríobhadh é chun go mbeadh an fhoighne agus an sólás atá le fáil sa scrioptúr ina n-ábhar dóchais againn. Go dtuga Dia na foighne agus an tsóláis daoibhse a bheith báúil le chéile de réir mheon Chríost Íosa ar shlí go mbeidh sibh d’aontoil agus d’aonghuth ag moladh Dé agus Athair ár dTiarna Íosa Críost.Bíodh glacadh agaibh le chéile, mar sin, mar a ghlac Críost libh féin chun glóire Dé. Is é atáim a rá gur ar son fírinne Dé a tháinig Críost ag freastal ar lucht an timpeallghearrtha chun na gealltanais a tugadh do na patrarcaí a dhaingniú agus san am céanna chun go dtabharfadh na gintlithe glóir do Dhia ar son a thrócaire, mar atá scríofa:
“Molfaidh mé thú dá bhrí sin i measc na náisiún, agus canfaidh mé do d’ainm le duan.”
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Vearsa Lc 3:4, 6
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Ullmhaigí bóthar an Tiarna, déanaigi díreach a chosáin.
Agus feicfidh an uile cholainn shánú Dé.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha3:1-12 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Déanaigí aithrí mar tá ríocht na bhflaitheas in achmaireacht.
Sna laethanta sin, tháinig Eoin Baiste i láthair agus é ag seanmóir i bhfásach Iúdáia:“Déanaigí aithrí,” deireadh sé, “mar tá ríocht na bhflaitheas in achmaireacht.”
Ag tagairt dó seo a bhí an chaint a dúirt Íseáia fáidh:
“Glór duine ag éamh san fhásach:
‘Réitígí bóthar an Tiarna, déanaigí díreach a chasáin.’”
Agus Eoin féin, bhí éadach de rón camaill air, agus crios leathair faoina choim, agus is é bia a bhíodh aige, lócaistí agus mil fhiáin. Ansin, bhí na daoine ag teacht amach chuige ó Iarúsailéim agus ó Iúdáia go léir agus ó cheantar uile na hIordáine, agus iad ag fáil bhaiste uaidh in abhainn na hIordáine ag admháil a bpeacaí.
Nuair a chonaic sé mórán de na Fairisínigh agus de na Sadúcaigh ag teacht chun baisteadh chuige, dúirt sé leo:
“A sceith na bpéisteanna, cé thug leid daoibhse teitheadh ón díbheirg atá le teacht? Tugaigí, más ea, toradh uaibh is dual don aithrí, agus nárab áil libh a rá libh féin: ‘Tá Abrahám mar athair againn,’ óir deirim libh gur féidir le Dia clann a thógáil d’Abrahám as na clocha seo. Anois féin, tá an tua le fréamh na gcrann, agus gach crann nach dtugann toradh fónta uaidh, gearrfar anuas agus caithfear sa tine é.
Táimse do bhur mbaisteadh le huisce, i gcomhair na haithrí;
ach an té atá ag teacht i mo dhiaidh is treise é ná mise,
agus ní fiú mé a bhróga a bhaint de: baistfidh seisean sibh leis an Spiorad Naomh agus le tine.
Tá a cháiteog ina láimh aige agus déanfaidh sé a láithreán buailte a léirghlanadh;
cruinneoidh sé a chuid arbhair isteach sa scioból, ach dófaidh sé an lóchán le tine dhomhúchta.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
