Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today

Jan 14 - St Kentigern or Mungo (d. 603)
Patrick Duffy tells some of the stories about him.
Mungo's Birth and Education
The story of Mungo's birth is that his mother Tannoch, the daughter of the Brythonic King Loth of the Gododdin region (round Edinburgh) was seduced by her intended Ewan. Discovering his daughter's shame, Loth choice was to have her thrown down off a cliff or set adrift in a coracle. The tides and wind drove the coracle ashore at Culross and it was here in 518 that Tannoch's son was born close to the Christian community of the aged St Serf. St Serf named him Kentigern ("head-chief"), but also gave him a second name Mungo ("my dear one") and he educated him in his monastery.
Miracle of HealingWith Serf showing the boy special favour, some of the other boys out of envy killed Serf's pet robin, tearing its head from its body and blaming Kentigern. The story is that Kentigern took the little robin in his hands and made the sign of the cross over with a prayer: the bird miraculously flew off to greet its master.
Associated Places: Galloway, Cumbria, St Asaph's
Baptised and brought up by St Serf, tradition associates Kentigern's name with several missions or churches. The first is in Galloway where the people had fallen into idolatry after the death of St Ninian. There are dedications also to him in Cumbria. Legend has him in Wales during the time of St David and that he became abbot at Llanelwy where he installed St Asaph as his successor. Another tradition is that he evangelised in the Aberdeen area.
"Let Glasgow flourish"
But Kentigern's (or Mungo's) chief association is with Strathclyde and the city of Glasgow, where the cathedral popularly known as St Mungo's commemorates him as the city's first bishop.

In the Glasgow city coat of arms, Mungo appears at the top with mitre and bishop's crozier. A robin at the top of a tree recalls the story from his time with St Serf. The motto: " "Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the Word", an expression that is ascribed to Mungo himself.
The Salmon and the Ring
The theme of a salmon and a ring appears in three places in the Glasgow coat of arms. Redderech is the king who invited Mungo to come back to be bishop of Glasgow.
The story goes that a servant informed the king that his wife Queen Longuoreth was having an affair with a soldier of the king's army. Not wanting to believe the story, the king, however, noticed that the soldier was wearing the ring he had given to Longuoreth on his finger. Planning to denounce his wife publicly, he invited the soldier to go hunting with him and when he got him drunk, slipped the ring off his finger and threw it in the River Clyde. The king then went back and demanded that his wife show him the ring. She could not show it, so he denounced her and put her in prison to await execution.She sent a messenger to Mungo asking for forgiveness and help. Mungo told the messenger to go fishing in the Clyde and bring back the first fish he caught. This turned out to be a salmon, which on being cut open contained the ring. Mungo sent this back to the queen, who showed it to her husband. Though he did not understand, the king duly forgave her and she then berated him for suspecting her in the first place.

It was in this way that Mungo became symbolic of God's mercy.
The tomb of Saint with two names:
St Kentigern/St Mungo
in Glasgow Cathedral
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Memorable Proverb about God's mercy
"God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself,
because it is not there.- There is no such thing."
~ C.S. Lewis ~
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Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
FIRST READING
A reading from the first book of Samuel. 3:1-10, 19-20
Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.
The boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli; it was rare for the Lord to speak in those days; visions were uncommon. One day, it happened that Eli was lying down in his room. His eyes were beginning to grow dim; he could no longer see. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying in the sanctuary of the Lord where the ark of God was, when the Lord called,
'Samuel! Samuel!' He answered, 'Here I am'.
Then he ran to Eli and said, 'Here I am, since you called me'.

Eli said, 'I did not call. Go back and lie down.'
So he went and lay down.
Once again the Lord called, 'Samuel! Samuel!'
Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, since you called me'.
He replied, 'I did not call you, my son; go back and lie down'.
Samuel had as yet no knowledge of the Lord and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him .Once again the Lord called, the third time. He got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, since you called me'.
Eli then understood that it was the Lord who was calling the boy, and he said to Samuel,
'Go and lie down, and if someone calls say, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening"'.
So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
The Lord then came and stood by, calling as he had done before, 'Samuel! Samuel!'
Samuel answered, 'Speak Lord your servant is listening'.
Samuel grew up and the Lord was with him and let no word of his fall to the ground. All Israel from Dan to Beersheba came to know that Samuel was accredited as a prophet of the Lord.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 39:2.5.7-10 R/vv8.9.
Response Here I am Lord!, I come to do your will.
1. I waited, I waited for the Lord and he stooped down to me;
he heard my cry. Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord
and has not gone over to the rebels who follow false gods. Response
2. You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings, but an open ear
You do not ask for holocaust and victim. Instead, here am I. Response
3. In the scroll of the book it stands written that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law in the depth of my heart. Response
4. Your justice I have proclaimed in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed; you know it, a Lord. Response
Gospel Acclamation Cor 3: 16. 17
Alleluia, alleluia!
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you;
through him give thanks to God the Father.
Alleluia!
Or Jn 10: 27
Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 1: 29-39 Glory to you, O Lord.
He cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another.
On leaving the synagogue, he went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon's mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them.
That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.
In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said,
'Everybody is looking for you'.
He answered, 'Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came'.
And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Wednesday First Week in Ordinary Time Mark 1:29-39
In today’s first reading, the young Samuel heard a call, but it took the older Eli to help Samuel discern that the call was coming from the Lord. We sometimes need others, people more experienced in the spiritual life than ourselves, to help us discern the call of the Lord in our lives. Eli fulfilled the very important ministry of a wise mentor. He enabled Eli to recognize the way that the Lord was calling him.
In the gospel reading, we find Jesus getting up long before dawn and going off to a lonely place to pray. He may have been trying to discern the call of God in his own life. Having ministered in Capernaum, where should he go now? It seems that after his prayer, he was clear that he had to go to ‘the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came’. However, whereas Eli acted as an enabler in Samuel’s life when it came to God’s call, Jesus’ own disciples acted as disablers in Jesus’s life when it came to God’s call. They wanted to drag him back to Capernaum when Jesus was clear that God was calling him to go to other towns to preach the gospel. We may be fortunate enough to encounter an Eli in our lives who helps us to discern God’s call. We can also encounter the equivalent of the disciples, those who, although well intentioned, try to take us in directions that are contrary to where God is calling us to go. We need to pray for the grace to know who is helping us to answer the Lord’s call and who is hindering us from doing so. We also need to ask the Lord to help us to play the role of Eli in the life of others rather than the role of the disciples in the life of Jesus in today’s gospel reading.
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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/
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Sliocht as an Chéad leabhar Samúéil. 3: 1-10, 19-20
Labhair, a Thiarna, tá do sheirbhíseach ag éisteacht.
Bhí an gasúr Samúéil ag fónamh don Tiarna i láthair Éilí. Is annamh a bhíodh focal ón Tiarna sna laethanta sin, agus is annamh a d’fheictí físeanna. Tharla lá amháin go raibh Éilí ina luí ina sheomra féin. Bhí radharc na súl ag teip air i dtreo nach raibh sé in ann dada a fheiceáil. Ní raibh lóchrann Dé imithe as fós, agus bhí Samúéil ina luí i dteampall an Tiarna mar a raibh áirc Dé.
Ansin ghlaoigh an Tiarna: “A Shamúéil!, A Shamúéil!”
D’fhreagair seisean: “Seo anseo mé,” agus rith sé leis go dtí Éilí agus dúirt:
“Seo anseo mé, mar ghlaoigh tú orm.”

Dúirt seisean: “Níor ghlaoigh mé ort; luigh síos arís.”
D’imigh sé mar sin, agus luigh síos.
Ghlaoigh an Tiarna arís. “A Shamúéil!, A Shamúéil!”
D’éirigh Samúéil agus chuaigh go dtí Éilí agus dúirt: “Seo anseo mé mar ghlaoigh tú orm.”
Agus d’fhreagair seisean:
“Níor ghlaoigh mé ort, a mhic; luigh síos arís.”
Ní raibh aon aithne fós ag Samúéil ar an Tiarna, ná níor foilsíodh briathar an Tiarna dó fós.
Ghlaoigh an Tiarna ar Shamúéil den tríú huair. D’éirigh seisean agus chuaigh go dtí Éilí agus dúirt:
“Seo anseo mé, mar ghlaoigh tú orm.”
Thuig Éilí ansin gurbh é an Tiarna a bhí ag glaoch ar an ngasúr. Dúirt sé le Samúéil:
“Imigh agus luigh síos, agus má ghlaonn aon duine ort abair: ‘Labhair, a Thiarna, tá do sheirbhíseach ag éisteacht.’”
D’imigh Samúéil mar sin agus luigh sé síos ina áit féin.
Tháinig an Tiarna ansin agus sheas ansiúd agus ghlaoigh mar a rinne roimhe sin: “A Shamúéil! A Shamúéil!”
D’fhreagair Samúéil: “Labhair, tá do sheirbhíseach ag éisteacht.”
D’fhás Samúéil agus bhí an Tiarna maille leis agus níor lig sé d’aon fhocal dá chuid titim ar lár. Thuig Iosrael go léir ó Dhán go Béar Seaba, go raibh Samúéil ceaptha ina fháidh don Tiarna.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 39:2.5.7-10 R/vv8.9.
Freagra Féach, seo ag teacht mé, a thiarna go ndéanfainn do thoilse.
1. D’fhan mé go foighneach leis an Tiarna agus chrom sé chugam gur éist sé le mo ghuí.
Is aoibhinn don té a chuireann a dhóchas sa Tiarna;
an té nach gcloíonn le huaibhrigh ná le déithe bréige. Freagra
2. Íobairt ná ofráil níor thoil leat, ach d’oscail tú mo chluasa.
Uileloscadh ná íobairt pheaca níor theastaigh uait;
ach féach, dúirt mé: “Seo ag teacht mé! Freagra
3. I rolla an leabhair tá sé scríofa fúm go ndéanfainn do thoilse.
A Dhia, is áil liom do dhlí i ndiamhair mo chroí.” Freagra
4. Rinne mé d’fhíréantacht a fhógairt sa chomhdháil mhór.
Cosc níor chuir mé le mo bhéal mar is eol duit, a Thiarna. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Marc 1: 29-39 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Leigheas sé mórán a bhí tinn ó gach sórt galair.
Ar dhul amach as an tsionagóg dó, chuaigh sé isteach gan mhoill i dteach Shíomóin agus Aindrias, in éineacht le Séamas agus Eoin. Bhí máthair chéile Shíomóin ina luí agus an fiabhras uirthi, agus ní dhearna siad aon mhoill gan labhairt leis mar gheall uirthi. Chuaigh sé anonn chuici, rug ar láimh uirthi agus thóg suas í. D’fhág an fiabhras í agus thosaigh sí ag freastal orthu.
Nuair a bhí an tráthnóna ann, tar éis luí gréine, thug siad chuige cách a bhí tinn agus na daoine a raibh deamhain iontu. Bhí an chathair ar fad cruinnithe timpeall an dorais, agus leigheas sé mórán a bhí tinn ó gach sórt galair, agus chaith sé amach mórán deamhan, agus ní ligeadh sé do na deamhain labhairt, mar bhí a fhios acu cérbh é.Ar maidin tamall maith roimh lá, ghabh Íosa amach agus d’imigh go dtí áit uaigneach agus bhí sé ansiúd ag guí.
Chuaigh Síomón agus a chompánaigh ar a lorg, agus nuair a fuair siad é dúirt siad leis: “Tá cách do do chuardach.”
Dúirt sé leo: “Téanam go dtí áit éigin eile, isteach sna bailte móra atá ar cóngar, chun go mbeinn ag seanmóir iontu sin freisin, mar is chuige sin a ghabh mé amach.”
Agus tháinig sé ag seanmóir ina gcuid sionagóg ar fud na Gailíle go léir agus ag caitheamh na ndeamhan amach.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
-18-1-2026-
Second Sunday in Ordinary time
This week choices are the key; for Jesus; the Spirit, for Paul: apostleship,
for us: baptism. All are called to holiness and witness.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 49:3.5-6
I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
The Lord said to me,
'You are my servant Israel in whom I shall be glorified';

I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord, my God was my strength.
And now the Lord has spoken, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to him:
'It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel;
I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.'
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 39: 2, 4, 7-10, R/v 8, 9,
Response Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.
1. I waited, I waited for the Lord and he stooped down to me;
he heard my cry. He put a new song into my mouth,
praise of our God. Response
2. You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings, but an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim Instead, here am I. Response
3. In the scroll of the book it stands written that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law in the depth of my heart. Response
4. Your justice I have proclaimed in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed; you know it, O Lord. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 1:1-3
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace.
I, Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle, together with brother Sosthenes, send greetings to the church of God in Corinth, to the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are called to take their place among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ; for he is their Lord no less than ours. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessings on the King who comes, in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens!
Alleluia!
or Jn 1: 14. 12
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Word was made flesh and lived among us;
to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to John 1:29-34 Glory to you, O Lord
Look, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, 'Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.' John also declared,
'I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, "The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit."
Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.'
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/
The scripture readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/
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Sliocht as Leabhar Íseáia 49:3.5-6
Ceapfaidh mé thú i do sholas do na ciníocha, chun go dté mo shlánú go críocha na cruinne.
Dúirt an Tiarna liom,
“Is tú mo ghiolla Iosrael trína saothróidh mé glóir dom féin.”
Bhí maise orm i súile an Tiarna, ba é mo Dhia mo neart.

Agus anois tá an Tiarna tar éis labhairt,
an té a dhealbhaigh mé ón mbroinn i leith i mo ghiolla dó,
le go mbailínn Iacób ar ais chuige,
le go gcruinnínn Iosrael le chéile dó:
“Is fánach an mhaise duit a bheith i do ghiolla agam
chun treibheanna Iacóib amháin a thabhairt chucu féin,
chun ar slánaíodh d’Iosrael a thabhairt ar ais.
Ceapfaidh mé thú i do sholas do na ciníocha,chun go dté mo shlánú go críocha na cruinne.”
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 39: 2, 4, 7-10, R/v 8, 9,
Freagra Féach, táim ag teacht, a Thiarna, chun do thoil a dhéanamh
1. Bhí dóchas agam, bhí dóchas agam sa Tiarna, agus chlaon sé a chluas chugam
agus d'éist le m'éamh.
Chuir sé amhrán nua i mo bhéal, amhrán molta dár nDia. Freagra
2. Íobairt ná ofráil níor thoil leat ach d'oscail tú cluasa dom.
loseadh níor theastaigh uait, ná íobairt in éiric an pheaca.
Ansin dúirt mé: 'Féach, táim ag teacht.' Freagra
3. 'I rolla an leabhair tá scríofa i mo thaobh: is ail liom do thoil a dhéanamh, a Dhia,
agus tá do dhlí go domhain i mo chroí.' Freagra
4. D'fhoilsigh mé d'fhíréantaeht sa mhórdhail. Feach, níor chuir mé cosc le mo bheola:
is eol duitse é, a Thiarna. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig Coirintigh 1:1-3
An té is Tiarna orainne agus orthusan: grásta chugaibh agus síocháin ó Dhia ár nAthair agus ón Tiarna Íosa Críost.
Mise Pól, a bhfuil glaoite air de dheoin Dé chun bheith ina aspal ag Íosa Críost, agus an bráthair Sóstainéas in éineacht liom, chuig eaglais Dé i gCorant, chucu sin atá coisricthe in Íosa Críost agus a bhfuil glaoite ina naoimh orthu mar aon leis an uile dhuine a ghlaonn i ngach áit ar ainm ár dTiarna Íosa Críost, an té is Tiarna orainne agus orthusan: grásta chugaibh agus síocháin ó Dhia ár nAthair agus ón Tiarna Íosa Críost.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Véarsa Eoin: 1:14. 12
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Rinneadh feoil den Bhriathar agus chónaigh sé inár measc,an uile dhuine a ghlac é,
thug sé de cheart dóibh go ndéanfaí clann Dé díobh.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Eoin 1:29-34 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
“Seo é Uan Dé a thógann peaca an domhain.
San am sin chonaic Eoin Íosa ag teacht chuige agus dúirt sé:

“Seo é Uan Dé a thógann peaca an domhain. Eisean an té a ndúirt mé faoi:
‘Tá duine ag teacht i mo dhiaidh a bhfuil tosach aige orm, mar bhí sé ann romham.’ Níorbh aithnid dom féin é, ach is chun, go nochtfaí d’Iosrael é a tháinig mé ag baisteadh le huisce.”
Agus thug Eoin fianaise:
“Chonaic mé,” ar sé, “an Spiorad, mar cholm, ag tuirlingt air ó na flaithis agus ag fanacht air. Níorbh aithnid dom féin é, ach an té a sheol mé ag baisteadh le huisce, dúirt seisean liom:
‘An té ar a bhfeicfidh tú an Spiorad ag tuirlingt agus ag fanacht air, eisean an té a bhaisteann leis an Spiorad Naomh.’ Chonaic mé agus is finné mé gurb é seo Mac Dé.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart


