Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Dec 2 - Bl John of Rysbroeck (1293-1381) Belgian mystic
Summary: Bl John of Rysbroeck of Belgium was a 14th century contemplative and mystical writer, a contemporary of Julian of Norwich, Meister Eckhart and Richard Rolle.
Patrick Duffy writes what is known about him.
With his Uncle at St Gudula's, Brussels
John was born in Brussels and at the age of eleven was sent to live with his uncle who was a priest, John Hinckaert, a canon at the church of St Gudula (7th century saint venerated at Brussels and Ghent). The present cathedral in Brussels is dedicated to St Michael and St Gudula. John Rysbroeck was ordained at the age of twenty-four.
Groenendael Monastery
Canon John Hinkcaert together with another canon, Franco, decided to give away their possessions and live a life of contemplation. This caused some disruption with their fellow canons and eventually they were given a hermitage for their life of contemplation at Groenendael -a name of a Belgian shepherd dog, named presumably after the place). They also set up a new chapel. John Ruysbroeck joined them and they followed the rule of the Canons Regular of St Augustine.
His writings
John of Ruysbroeck would spend hours alone in contemplation in the forest and wrote down his experiences in Flemish. His works had no titles, but later one became known as The Seven Degrees of the Ladder of Love. However, because they were not written in Latin, not much attention was paid to them. His writings are said to be similar to those of his contempories, Julian of Norwich, Richard Rolle and Meister Eckhart.
His Cult
Pilgri
ms flocked to John at Groenendael during his life and for some time after his death. A procession used to take place from St Gudula's to Groenendal every year on the Second Sunday after Pentecost.
But the monastery was suppressed in 1783. John was beatified by Pope Pius X in 1908.
Patrick Duffy writes what is known about him.
With his Uncle at St Gudula's, Brussels
John was born in Brussels and at the age of eleven was sent to live with his uncle who was a priest, John Hinckaert, a canon at the church of St Gudula (7th century saint venerated at Brussels and Ghent). The present cathedral in Brussels is dedicated to St Michael and St Gudula. John Rysbroeck was ordained at the age of twenty-four.Groenendael Monastery
Canon John Hinkcaert together with another canon, Franco, decided to give away their possessions and live a life of contemplation. This caused some disruption with their fellow canons and eventually they were given a hermitage for their life of contemplation at Groenendael -a name of a Belgian shepherd dog, named presumably after the place). They also set up a new chapel. John Ruysbroeck joined them and they followed the rule of the Canons Regular of St Augustine.
His writings
John of Ruysbroeck would spend hours alone in contemplation in the forest and wrote down his experiences in Flemish. His works had no titles, but later one became known as The Seven Degrees of the Ladder of Love. However, because they were not written in Latin, not much attention was paid to them. His writings are said to be similar to those of his contempories, Julian of Norwich, Richard Rolle and Meister Eckhart.
His Cult
Pilgri
ms flocked to John at Groenendael during his life and for some time after his death. A procession used to take place from St Gudula's to Groenendal every year on the Second Sunday after Pentecost.But the monastery was suppressed in 1783. John was beatified by Pope Pius X in 1908.
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Memorable Mystic Sayings for Today
“God creates the world anew each moment.
“If we would God discern. The world we must despise,
His love and hate must learn,
God is more interior to us than we are to ourselves.
His acting in us, is nearer and more inward, than our own actions.
God works in us, from inside outwards,
creatures work on us, from the outside.”
~ John of Ruysbroec ~
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Liturgical Readings for: Tuesday, 2nd December, 2025
Tuesday of the First Week of Advent
Today we hear about the Spirit of God 'resting' in Jesus and motivating him
to fulfil his destiny to usher in a kingdom of peace and gratitude.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 11:1-10
On him the spirit of the Lord rests.
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
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 cryand 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
Gospel Acclamation Ps 84:8
Alleluia, alleluia!
Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help.
Alleluia!
Or
Alleluia, alleluia!
Behold our Lord will come with power and will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 10:21-24 Glory to you, O Lord
Jesus is filled with joy by the Holy Spirit.
Filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, Jesus said,
'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do.
Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.'
Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them in private,
'Happy the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings
wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.'
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Scripture Reflection: Tuesday, First Week of Advent Luke 10:21-24
Very occasionally the evangelists give us access to the content of Jesus’ prayer. Today’s gospel reading is one of the places in the gospels where we hear Jesus praying. He praises God in the joy of the Spirit for revealing the mysteries of God’s kingdom to mere children as distinct from the learned and the clever. The learning of those who claimed to already know God and God’s will blocked them from hearing what God was trying to show them through his Son Jesus. In contrast, those who did not claim to know, who were genuinely searching, were open to receive what God was revealing through Jesus. These were the ‘children’ Jesus speaks about in the gospel reading, those who acknowledged their own need and were open to receive.
The religious experts missed the opportunity of God’s visitation through Jesus, whereas those who would have been written off as knowing nothing of God or of God’s Law welcomed God’s visitation and rejoiced at the year of God’s favour that Jesus was inaugurating. Jesus’ prayer reminds us that when it comes to God, being too sure of our knowledge can be a dangerous thing. We have to keep acknowledging our need for light. Advent is a season to enter into that poverty of spirit which keeps us open to what God wishes to show us. Such openness of spirit finds expression in the humble prayer, ‘Come Lord Jesus’.
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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/
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Liturgical Readings for: Tuesday, 2nd December, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an fáidh Íseáia 11:1-10
Tá spiorad an Tiarna ag lonnú air.
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 an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 71
Freagra Bláthóidh síocháin agus fíreantacht lena linn nó go meathfaidh an ghealach.
I. Tabhair do bhreithiúnas, a Dhia. don rí agus d’fíréantacht do mhac an rí.
Go dtuga sé ceartbhreithiúnas ar a phobal agus cothrom do na bochta. Freagra
2. Bláthóidh síocháin agus fíreantacht lena linn nó go meathfaidh an ghealach.
Beidh a réimeas ó mhuir go muir, ón Abhainn Mhór go críoch na cruinne. Freagra
3. Óir saorfaidh sé na bochtáin 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
Comhgháir/ Alleluia Sm 84: 8
Alleluia, alleluia !
Taispeáin dúinn, a Thiarna, do thrócaire, agus tabhair dúinn cúnamh do shlánaithe.
Alleluia !
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Lúcás 10:21-24 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Líonadh Íosa le háthas ag an Spiorad Naomh.
San am sin Líonadh Íosa le háthas ag an Spiorad Naomh agus dúirt:
“Gabhaim buíochas leat, a Athair, a Thiarna neimhe agus talún, de chionn mar cheil tú na nithe seo ar lucht eagna agus éirime agus mar a d’fhoilsigh tú do naíonáin iad. Sea, a Athair, óir is amhlaidh sin ba mhaith leat é. Tá gach aon ní tugtha domsa ag m’Athair. Agus ní heol d’aon neach cé hé an Mac ach amháin don Athair, ná cé hé an tAthair ach amháin don Mhac agus don té ar toil leis an Mac a fhoilsiú dó.”
Agus, ag iompú chun a dheisceabail, dúirt sé leo ar leithligh:
“Is méanar do na súile a fheiceann na nithe a fheiceann sibhse.
Óir deirim libh, b’áil le mórán fáithe agus ríthe na nithe a fheiceáil a fheiceann sibhse agus ní fhaca siad iad, agus na nithe a chloisteáil a chluineann sibhse agus níor chuala siad iad.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 7th December, 2025
- 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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Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 7th December, 2025
- 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
