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May 8 - Bl John Sullivan, S.J. (1861-1933)
Summary of Bl John Sullivan: Born in Eccles St, Dublin, baptised in St George's Church of Ireland. At 35 he was received into the Roman Catholic Church, lived a very simple lifestyle, attended Trinity College, Dublin in the Classics Dept, joined the Society of Jesus and was ordained priest in 1907. He had a great reputation for holiness, prayer and was always available to the sick, the poor and anyone in need. He died in 1933 and was beatified in 2017 at Gardiner St Church, Dublin.
In his article 'Blessed John Sullivan – Man of God, Sent Among Us and For Us', Donal Neary S.J. tells Bl John's story in the monthly 'Reality Magazine' 2017.
Among Us and For Us
The final words of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in the Dáil came from a little-known Jesuit, beatified on May 13 last: “Be always beginning. Take life in instalments. This day now, at least let this be a good day. Let the past go. Now let me do whatever I have the power to do.” From Blessed John Sullivan SJ, baptised an Anglican, who left behind him the memory of a life dedicated to the sick poor in Co Kildare, and of prayer practised regularly and deeply. God, at work with him with his full-hearted co-operation, made him a man of great holiness. Little did he, son of the last Lord Chancellor in Ireland, think he would be quoted in the Irish parliament!
For he began with different loyalties. Born in Dublin in 1861, fourth and youngest son of William and Elizabeth Sullivan, he grew up in the affluence of Dublin society in the early 20th century. Making a then unusual journey from south to north, he was educated in Portora College, Enniskillen. An excellent scholar he graduated with a Classics degree from Trinity College and made another journey, this time to London, where he never practised as a barrister. He spent some time as a religious searcher, and thought of joining the Mount Athos monastery, but was dissuaded from this by the monks. He was received into the Roman Catholic Church in the Jesuit church, Farm St in December 1896. A further discernment and reflection on God’s calling in his life brought him to the Jesuit novitiate in Tullabeg in 1900. Because of his age, a shortened Jesuit formation followed, with ordination to the priesthood in 1907. Apart from four years in Rathfarnham Castle as Rector of the Student House, he spent the rest of his life in Clongowes College, until his death in St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin on February 19th, 1933.
Family Life
In family life, he was close to his brothers and especially to his mother. With her he suffered the ache all his life of his ‘missing brother’, who was drowned in Killiney Bay trying to save others on a boating trip. Maybe we can address him as a patron of the families of the missing?
A Jesuit life hardly known by any except the boys and the sick – so why the beatification, a title which indicated his heroic living of the following of Christ and a unity with Christ beyond the ordinary?
Suffice to say he was not a good teacher. The boys gave him the awful time the incompetent teacher can receive. He took this with humour: not all was high seriousness – he had sent a boy to stand in the corner for some ill behaviour, and the headmaster’s arrival could be heard by his jangling keys. When the headmaster came in, the boy in the corner, fearing some punishment, took the duster and wiped the board. When the headmaster left, Johnny-O, as he was called by the boys, said –‘Most audacious fellow! Go back to your place. Use the wit God gave you for useful things.’ ‘Gratefully ashamed’, the boy later explained, ‘I returned to my place, while he rewrote what had been rubbed out.’”
Spiritual Father
He had an eye for the young lad lonely in school in first year. As spiritual father in the school, he befriended and advised students at tough times of their life, away from home in a boarding school. They knew he was special: after his funeral a boy wrote home – ‘mother, isn’t it unusual to say we’ve been taught by a saint’. He reached the souls of the young, often with tales of his travels and of the saints on long walks on free days. Many of us know a teacher who taught a lot of life while not being the best in the professional role. Our young people need both. Jonny-O, was one of the better of the first, though he would be the last either to know this or say it!
Care for the Sick
Known also for his care for the sick, he spent many hours cycling or walking to nearby or faraway house and hovels around Kildare, even cycling also to Dublin to pray for and with the sick person. John’s motivation was to pray for the person, and gather the family to pray with him for the sick. One has a memory of an hour’s prayer with the sick family member and the family, longer than was expected! He prayed for their health and for their acceptance of illness, sometimes leaving with the words, ‘she will die peacefully this night’ or with the beginnings of a cure. Maybe he is the patron blessed now of the hospital chaplain.
This was his motivation, continuing the saving work of Christ; a motivation begun in the Anglican Church and brought to fruition in the Roman Catholic. He spoke the gospel not with many words and he spoke on prayer: ‘in prayer don’t mind the scaffolding, Get at God’.
also available at www.messenger.ie/bookshop: Fr John Looby SJ, 'Blessed John Sullivan, A Man Sent by God' and Fr Fergal McGrath SJ, 'Blessed John Sullivan'.
In his article 'Blessed John Sullivan – Man of God, Sent Among Us and For Us', Donal Neary S.J. tells Bl John's story in the monthly 'Reality Magazine' 2017.
Among Us and For Us
The final words of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in the Dáil came from a little-known Jesuit, beatified on May 13 last: “Be always beginning. Take life in instalments. This day now, at least let this be a good day. Let the past go. Now let me do whatever I have the power to do.” From Blessed John Sullivan SJ, baptised an Anglican, who left behind him the memory of a life dedicated to the sick poor in Co Kildare, and of prayer practised regularly and deeply. God, at work with him with his full-hearted co-operation, made him a man of great holiness. Little did he, son of the last Lord Chancellor in Ireland, think he would be quoted in the Irish parliament!For he began with different loyalties. Born in Dublin in 1861, fourth and youngest son of William and Elizabeth Sullivan, he grew up in the affluence of Dublin society in the early 20th century. Making a then unusual journey from south to north, he was educated in Portora College, Enniskillen. An excellent scholar he graduated with a Classics degree from Trinity College and made another journey, this time to London, where he never practised as a barrister. He spent some time as a religious searcher, and thought of joining the Mount Athos monastery, but was dissuaded from this by the monks. He was received into the Roman Catholic Church in the Jesuit church, Farm St in December 1896. A further discernment and reflection on God’s calling in his life brought him to the Jesuit novitiate in Tullabeg in 1900. Because of his age, a shortened Jesuit formation followed, with ordination to the priesthood in 1907. Apart from four years in Rathfarnham Castle as Rector of the Student House, he spent the rest of his life in Clongowes College, until his death in St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin on February 19th, 1933.
Family Life
In family life, he was close to his brothers and especially to his mother. With her he suffered the ache all his life of his ‘missing brother’, who was drowned in Killiney Bay trying to save others on a boating trip. Maybe we can address him as a patron of the families of the missing?
A Jesuit life hardly known by any except the boys and the sick – so why the beatification, a title which indicated his heroic living of the following of Christ and a unity with Christ beyond the ordinary?
Suffice to say he was not a good teacher. The boys gave him the awful time the incompetent teacher can receive. He took this with humour: not all was high seriousness – he had sent a boy to stand in the corner for some ill behaviour, and the headmaster’s arrival could be heard by his jangling keys. When the headmaster came in, the boy in the corner, fearing some punishment, took the duster and wiped the board. When the headmaster left, Johnny-O, as he was called by the boys, said –‘Most audacious fellow! Go back to your place. Use the wit God gave you for useful things.’ ‘Gratefully ashamed’, the boy later explained, ‘I returned to my place, while he rewrote what had been rubbed out.’”
Spiritual Father
Care for the Sick
Known also for his care for the sick, he spent many hours cycling or walking to nearby or faraway house and hovels around Kildare, even cycling also to Dublin to pray for and with the sick person. John’s motivation was to pray for the person, and gather the family to pray with him for the sick. One has a memory of an hour’s prayer with the sick family member and the family, longer than was expected! He prayed for their health and for their acceptance of illness, sometimes leaving with the words, ‘she will die peacefully this night’ or with the beginnings of a cure. Maybe he is the patron blessed now of the hospital chaplain.
This was his motivation, continuing the saving work of Christ; a motivation begun in the Anglican Church and brought to fruition in the Roman Catholic. He spoke the gospel not with many words and he spoke on prayer: ‘in prayer don’t mind the scaffolding, Get at God’.
also available at www.messenger.ie/bookshop: Fr John Looby SJ, 'Blessed John Sullivan, A Man Sent by God' and Fr Fergal McGrath SJ, 'Blessed John Sullivan'.
Liturgical Readings for: Wednesday, 8th May, 2024
Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
We must always be ready to listen to the Spirit when interpreting the signs of the times
Optional Memorial of Bl, John Sullivan, priest.
FIRST READING
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 17:15. 22-18:1
The God whom I proclaim is in fact the one whom you already worship without knowing it.
Paul’s escort took him as far as Athens, and went back with instructions for Silas and Timothy to rejoin Paul as soon as they could. Paul stood before the whole Council of the Areopagus and made this speech:
'Men of Athens, I have seen for myself how extremely scrupulous you are in all religious matters, because I noticed, as I strolled round admiring your sacred monuments, that you had an altar inscribed: "To An Unknown God." Well, the God whom I proclaim is in fact the one whom you already worship without knowing it.'Since the God who made the world and everything in it is himself Lord of heaven and earth, he does not make his home in shrines made by human hands. Nor is he dependent on anything that human hands can do for him, since he can never be in need of anything; on the contrary, it is he who gives everything - including life and breath - to everyone.
From one single stock he not only created the whole human race so that they could occupy the entire earth, but he decreed how long each nation should flourish and what the boundaries of its territory should be. And he did this so that all nations might seek the deity and, by feeling their way towards him, succeed in finding him. Yet in fact he is not far from any of us, since it is in him that we live, and move, and exist, as indeed some of your own writers have said: "We are all his children".
'Since we are the children of God, we have no excuse for thinking that the deity looks like anything in gold, silver or stone that has been carved and designed by a man. 'God overlooked that sort of thing when men were ignorant, but now he is telling everyone everywhere that they must repent, because he has fixed a day when the whole world will be judged, and judged in righteousness, and he has appointed a man to be the judge. And God has publicly proved this by raising this man from the dead.'
At this mention of 'rising from the dead', some of them burst out laughing; others said,
'We would like to hear you talk about this again.'
After that Paul left them, but there were some who attached themselves to him and became believers, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman called Damaris, and others besides.
After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 148
Response Your glory fills all heaven and earth.
Or Alleluia!
1. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host. Response
2. All earth's kings and peoples, earth's princes and rulers;
young men and maidens, old men together with children. Response
3. Let them praise the name of the Lord for he alone is exalted.
The splendour of his name reaches beyond heaven and earth. Response
4. He exalts the strength of his peoples. He is the praise of all his saints,
of the sons of Israel, of the people to whom he comes close. Response
Gospel Acclamation Col 3:1
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ,
you must look for the things that are in heaven where Christ is, sitting at God's right hand.
Alleluia!
or Jn 14:16
Alleluia, Alleluia!
I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to John 16:12-15 Glory to you, O Lord.
The Spirit of truth will lead you to the complete truth
Jesus said to his disciples:
'I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now.
But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth,
since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come.
He will glorify me, since all he tells you will be taken from what is mine.
Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said:
"All he tells you will be taken from what is mine.'"
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Gospel Reflection Wednesday, Sixth Week of Easter John 16:12-15
In the first reading, Paul addresses the people of Athens as seekers after truth. He declares that God wanted all nations to seek the deity and by feeling their way towards him to succeed in finding him. Moreover, he says that God, who wants all people to seek and find him, has drawn close to them because it is in him that we live and move and have our being. Paul is able to announce to the people of Athens that the God whom they have been seeking has been fully revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, who is God’s beloved Son. We have come to believe in Jesus as the full revelation of God, but that doesn’t mean that our seeking has come to an end. Those of us who celebrate Jesus as the truth remain seekers after truth, because we recognize that faith is not perfect vision.
As Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians, ‘now we see as in a mirror, dimly’ (1 Cor 13:12). Even as people of faith, we remain on a journey towards what Jesus in the gospel reading calls ‘the complete truth’. None of us, no matter how strong and deep our faith, has the complete truth. Jesus declares that one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to lead us to the complete truth, by calling to our minds all that Jesus has said and done. As Jesus declares in our reading, ‘all he tells you will be taken from what is mine’.
We are on a shared journey led by the Holy Spirit, and while we may be further on that journey that the people of Athens in the first reading we still have a way to go. Every day, as people of faith we set out again, calling on the Holy Spirit to lead us ever closer to the complete truth.
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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 2021/ 2024: The Word is near to you, on your lips and in your heart by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications 2022/23, c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
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Liturgical Readings for: Wednesday, 8th May, 2024
CÉAD LÉACHT
Sliocht as Gníomhartha na nAspal 17:15.22-18:1
An neach seo a bhfuil urraim agaibh dó agus gan aon aithne agaibh air, sin é atá le fógairt agamsa daoibh.
An mhuintir a bhí ag tionlacan Phóil rug siad leo chun na hAithine é. D’imigh siad leo ansin agus ordú acu do Shíleas agus do Thiomóid teacht chuige chomh luath agus a ba fhéidir. Sheas Pól i lár an Airiopagas agus labhair mar a leanas:
“A mhuintir na hAithine, tugaim faoi deara gur daoine sibh atá diaganta thar na bearta. Mar ag gabháil dom tríd an gcathair agus mé ag breathnú ar bhur n-íomhánna, tháinig mé ar altóir a raibh an scríbhinn seo greanta uirthi: ‘In onóir do 'dhia anaithnid.’ An neach seo a bhfuil urraim agaibh dó agus gan aon aithne agaibh air, sin é atá le fógairt agamsa daoibh.An Dia a rinne an domhan agus a bhfuil ann, is é Tiarna neimhe agus talún é agus ní i dteampaill lámhdhéanta atá cónaí air. Ná níl aon ghá aige le freastal daoine faoi mar go mbeadh rud ar bith de dhíth air, mar is é féin a bhronn anam agus anáil agus uile ar chách.
Rinne sé, ó aon sinsear amháin, an cine daonna ar fad chun cónaí ar chlár an domhain, agus leag amach dóibh a dtréimhsí agus teorainneacha a gcuid fearann, d’fhonn go ndéanfaidís Dia a lorg féachaint an mbeidís ag meabhrú na slí chuige agus go n-aimseoidís é. Go deimhin, ní fada ó aon duine againn é, mar is ann a mhairimid agus a ghluaisimid agus atáimid. Agus faoi mar a dúirt cuid de bhur bhfilí féin: ‘Is dá shliocht sinn fiú amháin.’
“Ós de shliocht Dé sinn, más ea, ní ceart dúinn a mheas gur cosúil a nádúr diaga le hór nó le hairgead nó le cloch, le híomhá a ghreanfaí trí ealaín agus trí éirim an duine. Scaoil Dia thairis tréimhsí an aineolais, ach tá sé anois ag fógairt ar an uile dhuine san uile áit aithrí a dhéanamh.
Mar tá an lá ceaptha aige ina dtabharfaidh sé breithiúnas de réir an chirt ar an domhan iomlán; agus tá fear roghnaithe aige chuige, rud a chruthaigh sé do chách uile nuair a thóg sé ó mhairbh é.”
Nuair a chuala siad Pól ag trácht ar aiséirí ó mhairbh, thosaigh cuid acu ag magadh faoi. Is é a dúirt cuid eile acu, áfach:
“Cloisfimid a thuilleadh faoi seo uait lá éigin eile.
Mar sin d’imigh Pól uathu. Mar sin féin bhí daoine ann a thaobhaigh leis agus a ghlac an creideamh. Orthusan bhí Dionisius Airiopagach agus bean darbh ainm Damairis agus tuilleadh nach iad.
D’fhág sé an Aithin ina dhiaidh sin agus d’imigh go Corant.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le freagra Sm 148
Freagra Líonann Do ghlóire neamh agus talamh.
Malairt le freagra Alleluia!
1. Molaigí an Tiarna ó na flaithis, molaigí é sna spéartha!
Molaigí é, a aingle Dé, Molaigí é, a shluaite go léir! Freagra
2. A ríthe agus a náisiúna na cruinne, a fhlatha an domhain is a bhreithiúna!
A ógánacha agus a chailíní, a sheanóirí agus a leanaí le chéile. Freagra
3. Molaigí ainm an Tiarna! óir is é amháin is airde,
agus sáraíonn a ainm neamh agus talamh in éineacht. Freagra
4. D’ardaigh sé neart a phobail;bíonn a naoimh uile á mholadh;
molann clann Iosrael é, an pobal atá ina fhogas. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Eoin 16:12-15 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Déanfaidh an Spiorad na Fírinne eolas daoibh chun an uile fhírinne.
San am sin dúirt Íosa lena dheisceabail:
'Tá mórán eile le rá agam libh, ach ní fhéadann sibh iad a fhulaingt anois;
ach nuair a thiocfaidh sé siúd, Spiorad na Fírinne, déanfaidh sé eolas daoibh chun an uile fhírinne. Óir ní as féin a labhróidh; labhróidh sé na nithe a chuala sé,
agus inseoidh sé daoibh na nithe atá le teacht.
Tabharfaidh sé glóir domsa, óir is de mo chuidse a ghlacfaidhagus a inseoidh sé daoibh.
An uile ní dá bhfuil ag m’Athair, is liomsa é.
Uime sin a dúirt mé: ‘ Is de mo chuidse a ghlacfaidh agus a inseoidh sé daoibh.’
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 12th May, 2024
The Ascension of the Lord-Year B
World Communications Day
‘The Ascension of Christ means our own salvation as well ;
where the glorious Head has gone before, the body is called to follow in hope.
Let us therefore exult, beloved and let us rejoice in devout thanksgiving.
For on this day not only have we been confirmed in our possession of paradise,
but we have even entered heaven in the person of Christ;
through his grace we have regained far more than we had lost through the devil’s hatred’
This week of prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit recalls the waiting in prayer of the disciples with Mary.
FIRST READING
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11
He was lifted up while they looked on.
In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and I taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. When h
e had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised.'It is' he had said 'what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.'
Now having met together, they asked him, 'Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?'
He replied, 'It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.'
As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said,
'Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky?
Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven,
this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 46:2-3, 6-9 R/v6
Response God goes up with shouts of joy;
the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
or Alleluia!
1. All peoples, clap your hands, cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear, great king over all the earth. Response
2. God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing praise for God, sing praise, sing praise to our king, sing praise. Response
3. God is king of all the earth. Sing praise with all your skill.
God is king over the nations; God reigns on his holy throne. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians 1:17-23
He made him sit at his right hand, in heaven.
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him.May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
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Optional (shorter) Second Reading, for Year B Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Fully mature with the fullness of Christ.
I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together.There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.
Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. It was said that he would: When he ascended to the height, he captured prisoners, he gave gifts to men.
When it says, ‘he ascended’, what can it mean if not that he descended right down to the lower regions of the earth? The one who rose higher than all the heavens to fill all things is none other than the one who descended. And to some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
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Gospel acclamation Mt 28: 19
Alleluia, alleluia!
Go, make disciples of all the nations; I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 16:15-20 Glory to you, O Lord
He was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place.
Jesus showed himself to the Eleven, and said to them,
'Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers:in my name they will cast out devils;
they will have the gift of tongues;
they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.'
And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven:
here at the right hand of God he took his place,
while they, going out, preached everywhere,
the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.
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, 12th May, 2024
CÉAD LÉACHTSliocht as Leabhar Gníomhartha na nAspal 1:1-11
Agus iad ag faire, tógadh suas é.
Thug mé cuntas cheana, a Theofail, ar gach a ndearna Íosa agus ar ar thug sé de theagasc uaidh ó thús go dtí an lá a tógadh suas ar neamh é, tar éis dó a chuid orduithe a thabhairt le cabhair an Spioraid Naoimh do na haspail a bhí tofa aige. i ndiaidh a pháise is iomaí cruthú a thug sé dóibh go raibh sé beo, á nochtadh féin dóibh ar feadh daichead lá agus ag cur síos ar ríocht Dé.
Uair dá raibh sé ina gcuibhreann d’ordaigh sé dóibh gan corraí ó Iarúsailéim ach fanacht ann go dtí go gcomhlíonfaí gealltanas an Athar,“An gealltanas úd,” ar sé, “ar chuala sibh mé ag trácht air: rinne Eoin baisteadh le huisce, ach déanfar sibhse a bhaisteadh leis an Spiorad Naomh i gceann beagán laethanta.”
Más ea, nuair a bhí siad cruinnithe le chéile, thosaigh siad á cheistiú: “A Thiarna,” ar siad, “an anois atá tú chun ríocht Iosrael a athbhunú?”
Ach d’fhreagair sé iad:
“Ní aon chuid de bhur ngnósa é eolas a fháil ar na hamanna na ar na tráthanna atá leagtha amach ag an Athair as a údarás féin. Ach gheobhaidh sibh neart an Spioraid Naoimh atá le tuirlingt oraibh agus beidh sibh in bhur bhfinnéithe ormsa in Iarúsailéim agus ar fud Iúdáia go léir agus na Samáire agus a fhad le himeall an domhain.”
Ar rá an méid sin dó, tógadh suas os comhair a súl é agus d’ardaigh scamall as a radharc é. Fad a bhí siad ag stánadh in airde sa spéir ina dhiaidh sheas beirt fhear in éadaí bána ina n-aice.
“Afheara na Gailíle,” ar siad, “cad ab áil libh in bhur seasamh ansin ag amharc in airde sa spéir?
An Íosa seo a tógadh suas ar neamh uaibh, tiocfaidh sé an tslí chéanna ina bhfaca sibh ag dul suas é.”
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 46
Freagra Gabhann Dia in airde le gártha molta;
gabhann sé in airde le séideadh an stoic.
Malairt Freagra Alleluia!
I. Buailigí bhur mbosa, a chiníocha uile, gairdigí do Dhia Ie teann lúcháire!
Óir is ard é an Tiarna agus is uamhnach, ina ardrí os cionn na cruinne. Freagra
2. Gabhann Dia in áirde le gártha molta; gabhann sé in airde le séideadh an stoic.
Seinntear ceol dár nDia; seinntear ceol dó Seinntear ceol dár rí; seinntear ceol dó. Freagra
3. Is é Dia rí na cruinne go léir. Seinnigí agus canaigí ar bhur ndíheall dó
Tá Dia ina rí ar na náisiúin; tá sé ina shuí ar a chathaoir naofa. Freagra
Alleluia Véarsa Mth 28: 19-20
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Imigí, deanaigí deisceabail de na nárisiúin uile,' a deir an Tiarna;
'Táim in éineacht libh i gcónai go dtí deireadh an tsaoil.'
Alleluia!
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Litir N.Pól chuig na hEifísigh 1:17-23
Chuir sé ina shuí ar a dheis féin sna flaithis é.
A bhráithre, bím á iarraidh ar Dhia ár dTiarna Íosa Críost, ar Athair na Glóire, spiorad na heagna agus na géarchúise a thabhairt daoibh chun go gcuirfeadh sibh aithne air. Go soilsítear súile bhur n-aigne ar shlí go dtuigfidh sibh cad é mar údar dóchais daoibh bhur ngairm aige agus cad é mar oidhreacht fhairsing ghlórmhar atá aige i ndán don phobal naofa agus ollmhaitheas na cumhachta a chuir sé i bhfeidhm ar ár son-na, creidmhigh – an chumhacht éachtach úd a chuir sé ag obair i gCríost nuair a thóg sé ó mhairbh é agus chuir ina shuí ar a dheis sna flaithis é go hard os cionn gach ceannas agus údarás agus cumhacht agus tiarnas agus os cionn gach ainm dar féidir a ainmniú ní sa saol seo amháin é ach sa saol atá le teacht chomh maith. Agus chuir sé gach ní faoina smacht agus cheap é, os cionn gach ní, ina cheann ar an Eaglais is corp dó agus arb í iomláine an té úd a líonann gach ní go hiomlán í.Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
SOISCÉAL
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Marcas 16:15-20
Tógadh suas ar neamh é, agus chuaigh sé chun suí ar dheasláimh Dé.
San am sin thaispeáin Íosa é féin don aonar déag agus iad ag bord, agus d’athchas sé leo a ndíchreideamh agus stuacacht a gcroí, mar nár chreid siad an mhuintir a chonaic é aiséirithe.
Agus dúirt sé leo:
“Imígí faoin domhan uile agus fógraígí an soiscéal don chruthaíocht uile. An té a chreidfidh agus a bhaistfear, slánófar é; ach an té nach gcreidfidh, daorfar é. “Agus leanfaidh na comharthaí seo an dream a chreideann: caithfidh siad deamhain amach i m’ainmse, labhróidh siad i dteangacha nua; tógfaidh siad nathracha ina lámha, agus má ólann siad aon deoch mharfach, ní dhéanfaidh sí díobháil dóíbh; leagfaidh siad a lámha ar easláin, agus beidh siad ar fónamh.”Tar éis dó labhairt leo, dá bhrí sin, tógadh an Tiarna Íosa suas ar neamh, agus chuaigh sé chun suite ar dheasláimh Dé. Ach iad siúd, d’imigh siad leo agus chraobhscaoil siad i ngach áit, agus chabhraigh an Tiarna leo ag neartú an bhriathair lei a comharthaí a lean é.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
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Machtnamh ar Bhriathar Dé dia Domhnaigh Tuirlingt ár dTiarna ó Neamh
Tiomna Déanach ár dTiarna
B'Fhuras an misean a thug sé dóibh a thuiscint ach deacair a chur i gcríoch. Sé a bhí i gceist daoine a theagasc d'réir mar a mhúin Sé dóibh. D'réir mar a d'iarr sé ar a dheisceabail cloí leis, bhí orthusan daoine eile a mhealladh chun cloí lena threoracha chomh maith. Ní mór don chlár athraithe agus slándála dul ó glún go glún, go dtí claochlú an domhain. Leis na hathruithe go léir atá tagtha i saol na heaglaise agus iad siúd atá le teacht amach anso, ní raibh agus ní bheidh aon athrú ar dhá rud: Íosa é féin, agus a theachtaireacht grásta agus trócaire. Is buan iad an Teachtaireacht agus an Teachtaire, agus níl athrú i ndán dóibh. Ba chóir do dhaoine a bhfuil imní orthu faoi athruithe san eaglais agus atá i ndán di amach anso gur féidir bheith muiníneach as bunghnéithe a an chreidimh. Tá Sé le linn i gcónaí ... agus a misean is ár misean é freisin. Mar adeir an file: "Scríobhann tú leathnach úr den soiscéal gach lá, / trí na rudaí a dhéanann tú is na briathra a deireannn tú / bí deimhin de go bhfuil do scríobhainní seasamhach agus fíor / Mar sin de cad é do shoiscéal?"
Pádraig Ó Rúairí, cp, Sliabh Argus, Átha Cliath.
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