Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Dec 17 - St Melania the Younger (383-439)
Summary: St Melania the younger, the daughter of Publicola, only son of St Melania the Elder, married at fourteen, and gave birth to two children who died young. Afterwards she negotiated with her husband that they live as "brother and sister".
Patrick Duffy tells her story.
St Melania the elder
Melania's paternal grandmother became a widow at twenty-two, then took a vow of celibacy, gave away most of her possessions and devoted herself to charitable causes. She went to Jerusalem, where she was associated with St Jerome and built a monastery there. She had a rather domineering personality and her relations with her granddaughter were somewhat strained. She died in 410 and is known as St Melania the Elder.
From married couple to "brother and sister" relationship
Melania the Younger was born at Rome, about 383 into the family of the Valerii. Her parents were Publicola and Albina. When she was fourteen, her father, anxious to see the family continue, arranged a marriage with a family relative,Valerius
Valerius Pinianus, was three years older than Melania. During her married life of seven years she had two children who died young.
After their death Melania's inclination toward a celibate life reasserted itself. At first her husband refused and her father Publicola stopped her associating with Christians. Even after the birth of her daughter, he insisted on having a male heir. She became pregnant again and gave birth to a boy, who died the day after his birth. Then the daughter died and Melania became seriously ill.
Pinian then took an oath that if she lived they would be celibate. Five years later her father died, begging her forgiveness and leaving her all his considerable property with estates in Italy, Sicily, Spain and Africa. Her mother Albina was won over to Melania's opinion. After this Pinian and Melania lived together as "brother and sister".
In Sicily (408-410) & N. Africa (410-417)
Then at the time of the Visigoth invasion, all three left Rome and moved to a family estate near Messina in Sicily, where they lived for two years. Later they moved to another family estate at Tagaste, Numidia, in North Africa. Here they met St Augustine, who called them "real lights of the Church". The people of Hippo wanted Pinian as their priest, but Augustine said he should continue to live as a layman.
Melania founded a monastery for men, of which Pinian took charge, and another for women. She freed many slaves living on the African estates and many of these entered the monastery. Melania lived with the women, fasting and wearing sackcloth. She spent many hours transcribing manuscripts, a work at which she was really skilled.
Jerusalem (417-439)
In 417, all three went to Palestine by way of Alexandria, where they visited the principal places of monastic life and hermitages. In Jerusalem, they lived in a hospice for pilgrims in Jerusalem, and met St. Jerome, whose disciple and collaborator Paula was Melania's cousin. She became a member of Jerome's circle of helpers. She lived in Jerusalem for twelve years in a hermitage near the Mount of Olives. Her mother died in 431 and after this Melania opened a convent for women on the Mount of Olives, which she inspired and maintained, but refused to become its superior. After her husband's death she built a cloister for men, then a chapel, and later, a larger church. She attracted many men and women to a solitary way of life, one of whom was her chaplain and biographer, Gerontius.
Visit to Constantinople (437) and death
Melania's uncle Volusianus, a diplomat at the court of the emperor Valentinian, wrote inviting her to Constantinople. She did go there and helped in his conversion to Christianity and assisted him as he died on January 6, 437. She also mounted a campaign against Nestorianism.
Melania spent the Christmas of 439 in Bethlehem and died a week later.
Patrick Duffy tells her story.
St Melania the elder
Melania's paternal grandmother became a widow at twenty-two, then took a vow of celibacy, gave away most of her possessions and devoted herself to charitable causes. She went to Jerusalem, where she was associated with St Jerome and built a monastery there. She had a rather domineering personality and her relations with her granddaughter were somewhat strained. She died in 410 and is known as St Melania the Elder.
From married couple to "brother and sister" relationship
Melania the Younger was born at Rome, about 383 into the family of the Valerii. Her parents were Publicola and Albina. When she was fourteen, her father, anxious to see the family continue, arranged a marriage with a family relative,ValeriusValerius Pinianus, was three years older than Melania. During her married life of seven years she had two children who died young.
After their death Melania's inclination toward a celibate life reasserted itself. At first her husband refused and her father Publicola stopped her associating with Christians. Even after the birth of her daughter, he insisted on having a male heir. She became pregnant again and gave birth to a boy, who died the day after his birth. Then the daughter died and Melania became seriously ill.
Pinian then took an oath that if she lived they would be celibate. Five years later her father died, begging her forgiveness and leaving her all his considerable property with estates in Italy, Sicily, Spain and Africa. Her mother Albina was won over to Melania's opinion. After this Pinian and Melania lived together as "brother and sister".
In Sicily (408-410) & N. Africa (410-417)Then at the time of the Visigoth invasion, all three left Rome and moved to a family estate near Messina in Sicily, where they lived for two years. Later they moved to another family estate at Tagaste, Numidia, in North Africa. Here they met St Augustine, who called them "real lights of the Church". The people of Hippo wanted Pinian as their priest, but Augustine said he should continue to live as a layman.
Melania founded a monastery for men, of which Pinian took charge, and another for women. She freed many slaves living on the African estates and many of these entered the monastery. Melania lived with the women, fasting and wearing sackcloth. She spent many hours transcribing manuscripts, a work at which she was really skilled.
Jerusalem (417-439)
In 417, all three went to Palestine by way of Alexandria, where they visited the principal places of monastic life and hermitages. In Jerusalem, they lived in a hospice for pilgrims in Jerusalem, and met St. Jerome, whose disciple and collaborator Paula was Melania's cousin. She became a member of Jerome's circle of helpers. She lived in Jerusalem for twelve years in a hermitage near the Mount of Olives. Her mother died in 431 and after this Melania opened a convent for women on the Mount of Olives, which she inspired and maintained, but refused to become its superior. After her husband's death she built a cloister for men, then a chapel, and later, a larger church. She attracted many men and women to a solitary way of life, one of whom was her chaplain and biographer, Gerontius.
Visit to Constantinople (437) and death
Melania's uncle Volusianus, a diplomat at the court of the emperor Valentinian, wrote inviting her to Constantinople. She did go there and helped in his conversion to Christianity and assisted him as he died on January 6, 437. She also mounted a campaign against Nestorianism.
Melania spent the Christmas of 439 in Bethlehem and died a week later.
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Memorable Saying for Today
A gem cannot be polished without friction,
nor a human perfected without trials.
~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca ~
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Liturgical Readings for: Wednesday, 17th December, 2025
17-24/12 Preparation days before Christmas
P.S. The readings for the next 8 days are specially selected for their aptness to preparation for Christmas
Day 1 : (17th Dec.) O Sapientia (O) Wisdom
The closeness of the coming of the Messiah increases the urgency of
our preparation for Christ's Second Coming
FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Genesis 49:2. 8-10
The sceptre shall not pass from Judah.
Jacob called his sons and said,
'Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen; listen to Israel your father.
Judah, your brothers shall praise you:
you grip your enemies by the neck,
your father's sons shall do you homage,
Judah is a lion cub, climb back, my son, from your kill;
like a lion he crouches and lies down, or a lioness: who dare rouse him?
The sceptre shall not pass from Judah, nor the mace from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs, to whom the peoples shall render obedience.'
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 71:1-4, 7-8, 17, R/v 7
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 injustice and your poor in right judgement. Response
2. May the mountains bring forth peace for the people and the hills, justice.
May he defend the poor of the people and save the children of the needy. Response
3. 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
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
Alleluia, Alleluia!
O Wisdom of the Most High, ordering all things with strength and gentleness
come and teach us the way of truth.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 1:1-17 Glory to you, O Lord.
A genealogical table of Jesus Christ, son of David.
A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother,
Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab, the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon was the father of Boaz,
Rahab being his mother,
Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother,
Obed was the father of Jesse; and Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,
Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asa, Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Azariah,
Azariah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah;
Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers.
Then the deportation to Babylon took place.
After the deportation to Babylon:
Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor was the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob;
and Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary;
of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.
The sum of generations is therefore:
fourteen from Abraham to David;
fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation;
and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection (17-24 Dec .) Day 1 Dec 17th Matthew 1:1–17
Today we begin the Preparatory Octave before Christmas.
The gospel we have heard consists of the opening seventeen verses of the gospel of Matthew, the genealogy of Jesus. You might wonder why the church includes this gospel reading among the gospel readings for Advent. After all, it is simply a list of names. Yet, for the evangelist Matthew, this version of Jesus’ genealogy was saying something important about Jesus.
It was, firstly, highlighting his humanity. Jesus had ancestors, a family tree, as we all have. He didn’t come to earth or from another planet. or anywhere else in our galaxy or universe or material world
Secondly, Matthew was telling us that Jesus was Jewish, rooted in a long standing Jewish tradition. As the opening of the genealogy declares, he was son of David and son of Abraham.
Thirdly, He would go on to say later in Matthew’s gospel that he hadn’t come to abolish the Jewish law but to bring it to fulfilment.
Fourtly, Matthew’s genealogy also hints at something else about Jesus.
At the end of the genealogy, we read, ‘Matthan, the father of Jacob, and Jacob was the father of Joseph’. We would expect, in line with the remainder of the genealogy, ‘and Jacob was the father of Jesus’. Instead, the genealogy concludes, ‘Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ’.
Matthew is hinting at the mysterious nature of Jesus’ birth. Whereas Mary was the mother of Jesus, the real father of Jesus was God, not Joseph. Matthew will soon tell us that Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.
More could be said about the genealogy. Many of those mentioned were anything but paragons of virtue; they were very flawed people. Jesus did not descend from saints. Yet, God somehow worked through them all to give his Son to humanity. There can be flaws in our own family story, and, indeed, in our own personal story.
This gospel reading is reminding us that God can turn even the flaws in our own personal story to our ultimate good, if we open ourselves up to his working in our lives. As Saint Paul says in his letter to the Romans, ‘all things work together for good for those who love God’.
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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: Wednesday, 17th December, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHTSliocht as Leabhar Geineasas 49:2. 8-10
Ní scarfaidh an ríshlat ó Iúdá
Ghlaoigh Iácób ar an gclann mhac agus duirt
'Tagaigí le chéile, a mhic Iacóib, agus éistigí;
Éistigí le hIosrael bhur n-athair. A Iúdá, molfaidh do dheartháireacha thú; beidh do lámh ar bhráid do naimhde agus sléachtfaidh clann mhac d’athar duit.
Coileán leoin é Iúdá! Filleann tú anois, a mhic, ón gcreach;
agus cromann sé agus luíonn mar leon nó mar bhanleon, cé leomhann é a mhuscailt?
Ní scarfaidh an ríshlat ó Iúdá ná más an cheannais ó idir a chosa,
go dtaga an té ar leis é, dá dtabharfaidh na ciníocha géillsine.'
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 71:1-4, 7-8, 17, R/v 7
Freagra Bláthóidh síochcáin agus fíréantacht lena linn
nó go meathfaidh an ghealach.
1. Tabhair do bhreithiunas, a Dhia, don rí agus d'fhíréantacht do mhac an rí.
Go dtuga se ceartbhreithiúnas ar a phobal agus cothrom do na bochtáin. Freagra
2. Go dtuga na sléibhte síochcáin don phobal agus na cnoic fíréantacht.
Go ndeana se cosaint ar uirísle an phobail, go saora se na daibhre. Freagra
3. Bláthóidh síochcáin agus fíréantacht lena linn nó go meathfaidh an ghealach
Beidh a réimeas ó mhuir go muir, ón Abhainn Mhór go críoch na cruinne. Freagra
4. Go moltar a ainm go brach an fad a bheidh an ghrian ann.
Is tríd a bheannófar gach treibh; beidh gach cine a mholadh. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Matha 1:1-17 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Leabhar ghinealach Íosa Críost.
Leabhar ghinealach Íosa Críost, mac Dháiví, mac Abrahám.
Ghin Abrahám Íosác; ghin Íosác Iacób;ghin Iacób Iúdá agus a dheartháireacha;
ghin Iúdá Fearas agus Zára ó Thámár;
ghin Fearas Easróm; ghin Easróm Áram;
ghin Áram Aimineadab; ghin Aimineadab Náiseon;
ghin Náiseon Salmón; ghin Salmón Boaz ó Ráchab;
ghin Boaz Ióibeid ó Rút; ghin Ióibeid Iseái;ghin Iseái Dáiví rí.
Ghin Dáiví Solamh ó bhean Úirías;
ghin Solamh Róbóam; ghin Róbóam Aibiá; ghin
Aibiá Ásaf;ghin Ásaf Iósáfat;
ghin Iósáfat Iórám;ghin Iórám Ózáias;
ghin Ózáias Iótám;ghin Iótám Áchaz;
ghin Áchaz Eizichias; 1ghin Eizichias Manasaes; ghinManasaes Amós;
ghin Amós Iósáias; ghin Iósáias Iachónáias agus a dheartháireacha le linn bhroid na Bablóine.
Tar éis bhroid na Bablóine,
ghin Iachónáias Salaitiéil; ghin Salaitiéil Zoróbaibeil;
ghin Zoróbaibeil Aibiúd; ghin Aibiúd Eiliáicím;
ghin Eiliáicím Azór; ghin Azór Sadóc; ghin Sadóc Aichím; ghin Aichím Eiliúd;
ghin Eiliúd Eiliazar; ghin Eiliazar Matan;
ghin Matan Iacób; ghin Iacób Iósaef, fear céile Mhuire ónar rugadh Íosa ar a dtugtar Críost.
A bhfuil de ghlúine ann dá bhrí sin: ó Abrahám go dtí Dáiví, ceithre glúine déag;
ó Dháiví go dtí broid na Bablóine, ceithre glúine déag;
agus ó bhroid na Bablóine go dtí Críost, ceithre glúine déag.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 21st December, 2025
- 21-12-2025 -
Fourth Sunday of Advent - O Oriens
Our attention this final Week of Advent is directed fully to the coming of Christ in the Christmas mystery.
The Preface calls us to wonder at this great happening, to prepare for Christmas in prayer and praise.
he psalm tells us to purify our hearts, prayer and reconciliation are the tools for these days.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 7:10-14
The maiden is with child.
The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said,
'Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above'.
'No,' Ahaz answered 'I will not put the Lord to the test.'
Then Isaiah said:
Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men
without trying the patience of my God, too?
The Lord himself, therefore, will give you a sign.
It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call 'Emmanuel, ' a name which means “God is with us.”
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-6 R/v. 7. 10
Response Let the Lord enter! He is the king of glory.
1. The Lord's is the earth and its fullness, the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; on the waters he made it firm. Response
2. Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things. Response
3. He shall receive blessings from the Lord and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 1:1-7
Jesus Christ, descendant of David, Son of God.
From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus who has been called to be an apostle, and specially chosen to preach the Good News that God promised long ago through his prophets in the scriptures.
This news is about the Son of God who, according to the human nature he took was a descendant
of David:it is about Jesus Christ our Lord who, in the order of the spirit, the spirit of holiness that was in him, was proclaimed Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead.
Through him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name. You are one of these nations, and by his call belong to Jesus Christ.
To you all, then, who are God's beloved in Rome, called to be saints, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send grace and peace.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation Mt 1:23
Alleluia, alleluia!
'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him
Emmanuel, a name which means 'God-is-with-us'.
Alleluia
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 1:18-24 Glory to you, O Lord
Jesus is born of Mary who was betrothed to Joseph, son of David.
This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.'
Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him 'Emmanuel,' a name which means 'God-is-with-us'.
When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.
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/
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.
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 21st December, 2025
-21-12- 2025-
AN CEATHRÚ DOMNACH DEN AIDBHINT, Blian A
CÉAD LÉACHT
Sliocht as an Leabhar Íseáia 7:10-14
Ta an óghbhean ag iompar.
Labhair an Tiarna le hÁchaz arís agus dúirt: “Iarr comhartha duit féin ar an Tiarna do Dhia, as duibheagáin Sheól aníos nó thuas in arda na spéartha.”
D’fhreagair Áchaz: “Ní iarrfaidh, níl mé chun dúshlán an Tiarna a thabhairt.”
Ansin dúirt sé:
“Éistigí mar sin, a theaghlach Dháiví, an é nach beag daoibh sárú ar dhaoinego gcaithfidh sibh mo Dhia a shárú ina theannta sin?
Is é an Tiarna féin mar sin a thabharfaidh comhartha daoibh.
Seo, tá an ógbhean ag iompar agus ar tí mac a shaolú,
agus tabharfaidh sí Ímeánuéil mar ainm air. is é sin, “Tá Dia-linn.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 23:1-6 R/v. 7. 10
Freagra Tagadh an Tiarna isteach! Is e Rí na glóire é.
I. Leis an Tiarna an chruinne agus a bhfuil inti: an domhan go léir agus a maireann ann.
Is é féin a bhunaigh ar an aigéan é, agus a dhaingnigh ar an bhfarraige íochtarach é. Freagra
2. Cé a rachaidh suas ar chnoc an Tiarna? Cé a bheidh ina sheasamh ar a láthair naofa?
An té a bhfuil lámha gan smál agus croí glan aige, an té ar beag air nithe gan tairbhe. Freagra
3. Beidh beannacht an Tiarna ar an té sin agus luach saothair ó Dhia a shlánaitheoir.
A leithéid siúd a bhíonn á lorg, a bhíonn ar thóir Dhia Iácób. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Rómhánaigh 1:1-7
Íosa Críost, de shliocht Dháivi, Mac Dé.
Mise Pól, searbhónta Íosa Críost, a bhfuil glaoite air chun bheith ina aspal atá dealaithe amach chun dea-scéal Dé. An dea-scéal seo, a gheall Dia roimh ré trína chuid fáithe sna scríbhinní naofa,
is faoina Mhac féin é, ár dTiarna Íosa Críost. Rugadh eisean sa mhéid gur duine é de shliocht Dháiví: ach sa mhéid gur spiorad na naofachta é tá sé oirnithe i gcumhacht mar Mhac do Dhia ó aiséirí dó ó mhairbh. Is trídsean a fuair mise grásta an aspail chun géillsine an chreidimh a leathadh ar son a ainm i measc na náisiún uile. Orthusan chomh maith tá sibhse a bhfuil glaoite oraibh chun bheith ina sheilbh ag Íosa Críost. Chugaibhse go léir sa Róimh, más ea, a bhfuil grá ag Dia daoibh agus a bhfuil glaoite oraibh chun bheith in bhur bpobal naofa aige, guím grásta agus síocháin ó Dhia ár nAthair agus ón TiarnaÍosa Críost.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia.
Alleluia! Mth 1:23
Alleluia, alleluia!
Beidh an mhaighdean torrach agus béarfaidh si mac agus bhéarfar
Emmanúél mar ainm air -ainm a chiallaionn 'Tá-Dia-linn'.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha 1:18-24 Glóir duit a Thiarna.
Seasfaidh flaitheas Dháivi go daingean i la’thair an Tiarna.
Seo mar a tharla Íosa Críost a shaolú.
Bhí Muire, a mháthair, luaite le Iósaef, agus sula ndearnadar aontíos, fuarthas torrach í ón Spiorad Naomh. Dhuine cóir a fear céile Iósaef, ach níorbh áil leis go dtabharfaí míchlú di, agus chinn sé í a scaoileadh uaidh os íseal. Ag machnamh ar an méid sin dó, áfach, thaispeáin aingeal ón Tiarna é féin do I mbrionglóid agus dúirt:
“A Iósaef, a mhic Dháiví, ná bíodh eagla ort do bhean chéile Muire a thabhairt abhaile leat, óir, an leanbh atá gafa aici, is ón Spiorad Naomh é. Béarfaidh sí mac, agus tabharfaidh tú Íosa mar ainm air, óir slánóidh sé a phobal óna bpeacaí.”
Thit an méid sin go léir amach chun go gcomhlíonfaí a ndúirt an Tiarna tríd an bhfáidh:
“Beidh an mhaighdean torrach agus béarfaidh sí mac
agus tabharfar 'Imeánuéil' mar ainm air”– ainm a chiallaíonn:'Tá Dia linn.'
Dhúisigh Iósaef agus d’éirigh, agus rinne mar d’ordaigh aingeal an Tiarna dó: a bhean a thabhairt abhaile leis. Ach ní raibh cuid aige di nó gur rug sí mac, agus thug sé Íosa mar ainm air.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
