Pictorial Thought for Today

Pictorial Thought for Today

Jul 2 - St Swithun (d. 862) bishop

Summary: St Swithun (or Swithin) was an English bishop of Winchester, best known from the popular belief that if it rains on St Swithun's day, 15th July, it will rain for 40 days and 40 nights.

Patrick Duffy traces St Swithin's life.

Torrential rain
swithun2(The image left< is of a statue at Stavanger Cathedral, the oldest in Norway.)

Builder and Restorer of Churches
St Swithun was born in Wessex and spent his youth at the old abbey at Winchester in AD 852. After being ordained, the chroniclers say he was a diligent builder of churches in places where there were none before and a repairer of those that had been destroyed or ruined.


"And if any church fell down, or was in decay, St Swithin would  amend it at his own cost. Or if any church were not hallowed, he would go thither afoot and hallow it. For he loved not pride, said 'ne to riding on gay horses, and ne to being praised and flattered by the people'..." The Golden Legend, a medieval book of saints' stories.


Friend and educator of kings


Egbert, king of Wessex

Egbert, king of Wessex (802-839), chose Swithin as his chaplain and as educator of his son Ethelwulf. Ethelwulf then chose Swithun as bishop of Winchester (852-862) where he helped build the Church and the kingdom of Wessex. He probably also was involved in the early education of the young Alfred: he died when Alfred was 13.

At Swithin's request, Ethelwulf gave a tenth of his royal lands to the Church. Swithun made his diocesan journeys on foot; and when he gave a banquet he invited the poor and not the rich.

Helper of the poor
O
ne day when Swithin was watching workmen building a church on the east side of the city, he saw that an old lady selling a basket of eggs had her eggs smashed by workmen. Swithin picked up the broken eggs and, it is said, they miraculously became whole again.


His death
On his deathbed, Swithin requested that he be buried outside the Old Minster (Cathedral) at Winchester, where "passers by might tread on his grave and where the rain from the eaves might fall on it." And this was done. St Swithun died on 2nd July 862. He was buried, at his own request, out of doors.

His Translation
B
ut on 15th July 971, Bishop Ethelwold of Winchester had Swithin's remains dug up and moved to a new shrine inside Stavanger Cathedral. Two contradictory outcomes are traditionally associated with this event. There were so many miraculous cures that Swithin's feast day became the date of the removal of his remains, and not his death day. But, unfortunately, the removal was also accompanied by ferocious and violent rain storms that lasted 40 days and 40 nights. These are said to indicate the saint's displeasure at being moved and may be the origin of the legend that if it rains on Saint Swithin's feast day, the rain will continue for 40 more days.

St Swithun's day, if thou dost rain,
For forty days it will remain.
St Swithun's day, if thou be fair,
For forty days 'twill rain nae mair.


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Memorable Sayings for Today


The tragedy of life is not death
but what we let die inside of us while we live.


~ Norman Cousins ~


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Liturgical Readings for: Wednesday, 2nd July, 2025

Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1

We are called to be like Abraham and Hagar and trust in God even in the middle of our own confusion.


FIRST READING

A reading from the Book of Genesis      21:5, 8-20
The slave-girl's son is not to share the inheritance with my son Isaac.

Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham gave a great banquet on the day Isaac was weaned. Now Sarah watched the son that Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, playing, with her son Isaac. 'Drive away that slave-girl and her son,' she said to Abraham; 'this slave-girl's son is not to share the abrahamand ishmaelinheritance with my son Isaac.'
This greatly distressed Abraham because of his son, but God said to him,
'Do not distress yourself on account of the boy  and your slave-girl. Grant Sarah all she asks of you, for it is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. But the slave-girl's son I will also make into a nation, for he is your child too.'

Rising early next morning Abraham took some bread and a skin of water and, giving them to Hagar, he put the child on her shoulder and sent her away.

She wandered off into the wilderness of Beersheba. When the skin of water was finished she abandoned the child under a bush. Then she went and sat down at a distance, about a bowshot away, saying to herself, 'I cannot see the child die'. So she sat at a distance; and the child wailed and wept but God heard the boy wailing, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven. '
What is wrong, Hagar?' he asked. 'Do not be afraid, for God has heard the boy's cry where he lies.
Come, pick up the boy and hold him safe, for I will make him into a great nation.'

Then God opened Hagar's eyes and she saw a well, so she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy. He grew up and made his home in the wilderness, and he became a bowman.

The Word of the Lord.       Thanks be to God.


Responsorial Psalm     Ps 33
Response:                         This poor man called; the Lord heard him.

1. This poor man called; the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his distress.
The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them.            Response


2. Revere the Lord, you his saints. They lack nothing, those who revere him.
Strong lions suffer want and go hungry but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.     Response


3. Come, children, and hear me that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is he who longs for life and many days, to enjoy his prosperity?                                   Response


Gospel  Acclamation  Jn 14: 6
Alleluia, Alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,says the Lord; no one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!


Or                                      Jms 1: 18
Alleluia, Alleluia!
By his own choice the Father makes us his children by the message of the truth,
so that we should be a sort of first-fruits of all that he created.
Alleluia!


GOSPEL

The Lord be with you                 And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew    8:28-34            Glory to you, O Lord
Have you come here to torture the devils before the time?

Jesus and devilsWhen Jesus reached the country of the Gadarenes on the other side, two demoniacs came towards him out of the tombs - creatures so fierce that no one could pass that way. They stood there shouting,
'What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the time?' Now some distance away there was a large herd of pigs feeding, and the devils pleaded with Jesus, 'If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs'.

And he said to them, 'Go then,' and they came out and made for the pigs; and at that the whole herd charged down the cliff into the lake and perished in the water.

T
he swineherds ran off and made for the town, where they told the whole story, including what had happened to the demoniacs. At this the whole town set out to meet Jesus; and as soon as they saw him they implored him to leave the neighbourhood.

The Gospel of the Lord.                 Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.



Gospel Reflection     Wednesday,      Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time         Matthew 8:28-34

The incident in the life of Jesus described in today’s gospel reading sounds strange to our ears, in some respects. Clearly, the two people whom Jesus encounters are extremely disturbed. We are told that they were so fierce that no one could pass close to where they lived. Their fierceness had isolated them from others. They lived among the tombs. Their only company were the dead, and they themselves were the living dead. Yet, when Jesus stepped ashore on the other side of the lake of Galilee to where he normally ministered, they approached him. As they did so, they hurled angry questions at him. Most people would have run a mile from them, but not Jesus. He engaged with them and delivered them from their demons.

The gospels suggest that no individual and no group was out of bounds as far as Jesus was concerned. He drew close to all, in a life-giving way, even to those whom no one would approach out of fear. The gospel reading is reminding us that no matter how disturbed we may feel within, regardless of how many we have driven out of our lives, the Lord is always close to us. He comes to us to calm the storm within, just as he calmed the storm at sea. Jesus calms the disturbed, and he also disturbs a false calm. When Jesus healed the two disturbed people, their townspeople told Jesus to leave. Everyone had become accustomed to these fierce people living among the dead, where they belonged; they didn’t want their calm and ordered world disturbed. Jesus was disturbing their calm. There are times when we need the Lord to disturb our calm, just as there are other times when we need him to calm our disturbance.

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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 Reflections on the Weekday Readings : Your word is a lamp for my feet and light for my path by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications  c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/


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Liturgical Readings for: Wednesday, 2nd July, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHT

Sliocht as an Leabhar Geinisis            21:5. 8-20
Ní bheidh mac na daoirsí i bpáirt chun na hoidhreachta le mo mhacsa Íosác.

B Abrahám céad bliain d’aois nuair a rugadh a mhac Íosác dó. D’fhás an leanbh agus baineadh den chíoch é, agus rinne Abrahám fleá mhór an lá a baineadh Íosác ó dheol. Bhí Sárá ag faire ar mhac Hágár, an tÉigipteach mná, an mac a rug sí d’Abrahám, ag súgradh [lena mac Íosác]. Dúirt sí le hAbrahám: “Tiomáin chun siúil an daoirseach seo agus a mac, óir ní bheidh mac na daoirsí i bpáirt chun na hoidhreachta le mo mhacsa Íosác.
Ghoill an chaint sin go mór ar Abrahám de bharr a mhic, ach dúirt Dia leis:
Ná bíodh ceist an ógánaigh agus na daoirsí ag goilliúint ort; cibé rud a deir Sárá leat a dhéanamh, déan rud uirthi, mar is trí Íosác a abrahamand ishmaelmhairfidh d’ainm I do shíol. Ach déanfaidh mé cine de mhac na daoirsí mar an gcéanna mar gurb é do shíolsa é.”
D’éirigh Abrahám go moch ar maidin dá bhrí sin agus fuair sé arán agus seithe uisce agus thug do Hágár iad; d’ardaigh sé an leanbh ar a gualainn agus chuir chun siúil í. D’imigh sí léi agus bhí ar seachrán ar fud fásaigh Bhéar Seaba.

Nuair nach raibh braon uisce fagtha sa tseithe chuir sí an leanbh uaithi faoi thor. Ansin d’imigh sí agus shuigh os a choinne sall tamall maith ó bhaile, timpeall raon saighde agus dúirt sí léi féin: “Ní fhéadfainn a bheith ag faire ar an leanbh ag fáil bháis.” Agus shuigh sí os a choinne sall agus bhí an leanbh ag gol go hard agus shil sé na deora. Chuala Dia olagón an linbh agus ghlaoigh aingeal Dé ar Hágár ó neamh:
Cad tá ort, a Hágár?” a d’fhiafraigh sé; “ná bíodh eagla ort óir tá éiste ag Dia le glór an linbh ón áit ina bhfuil sé.
Éirigh, tóg an leanbh agus coinnigh greim docht láimhe air, mar déanfaidh mé cine mor de.”
Ansin d’oscail Dia súile Hágár agus chonaic sí tobar uisce, agus d’imigh agus líon an tseithe d’uisce agus thug deoch don leanbh.

Agus bhí Dia leis an leanbh agus d’fhás sé agus chuir faoi san fhásach agus bhí sé oilte ar an tsaighead.

Briathar an Tiarna             Buíochas le Dia

Salm le Freagra             Sm 33
Freagra                             Nuair a scairt an t-ainniseoir seo d’éist an Tiarna.
1. Nuair a scairt an t-ainniseoir seo d’éist an Tiarna, agus shaor sé óna chúngaigh go léir é.
Bíonn aingeal an Tiarna i gcampa thart ar lucht a eaglaithe, á bhfuascailt.                    Freagra

2. A dhaoine naofa an Tiarna, bíodh a eagla oraibh; ní bhíonn díth ar an dream lenarb eagal é.
Bíonn easpa agus ocras ar leoin óga: ní bhíonn aon easpa ar lucht iarrtha an Tiarna. Freagra

3. Téanaigí, a chlann ó, agus éistigí liom go múinfidh mé eagla an Tiarna daoibh.
Cé hé an duine a shantaíonn an bheatha?agus fad saoil faoi shéan is faoi shonas?      Freagra
SOISCÉAL

Go raibh an Tiarna libh.            Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha,  8:28-34               Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
An é a thug anseo thú chun sinn a chrá roimh an uain?

Jesus and devilsSan am sin nuair a bhí an taobh eile bainte amach ag Íosa, i dtír na nGadairéanach, tháinig faoina dhéin beirt a raibh deamhain iontu ag teacht amach as na tuamaí, agus iad chomh fiata sin nárbh fhéidir do dhuine ar bith an bóthar sin a ghabháil. Scread siad amach:
Cad ab áil leat dínn, a Mhic Dé? An é a thug anseo thú chun sinn a chrá roimh an uain?” Bhí, achar éigin uathu, tréad mór muc ar féarach, agus rinne.na deamhain achainí air: “Má thiomáineann tú amach sinn, cuir isteach i dtréad na muc sinn.”

Dúirt sé leo: “Amach libh.” Tháinig siad amach agus isteach leo sna muca, agus seo an tréad ar fad ina ruathar le fána isteach san fharraige gur cailleadh san uisce iad. Theith na mucaithe, chuaigh siad isteach sa chathair agus d’inis siad an scéal ar fad agus mar gheall ar na deamhnaígh.

Agus seo amach muintir na cathrach go léir in airicis Íosa; ach nuair a chonaic siad é, d’iarr siad air a gceantar féin a fhágáil.

Soiscéal an Tiarna.              Moladh duit, a Chriost



AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 6th July, 2025

The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. We are all called to be peacemakers.


FIRST READING   

A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah         66:10-14
Towards her I send flowing peace, like a river.

Rejoice, Jerusalem, be glad for her, all you who love her!
Rejoice, rejoice for her, all you who mourned her!

That you may be suckled, filled, from her consoling breast,
that you may savour with delight her glorious breasts.

For thus says the Lord: Now towards her I send flowing peace, like a river,
and like a stream in spate the glory of the nations.

At her breast will her nurslings be carried and fondled in her lap.
Like a son comforted by his mother will I comfort you.
And by Jerusalem you will be comforted.

At the sight your heart will rejoice, and your bones flourish like the grass.
To his servants the Lord will reveal his hand.

The Word of the Lord           Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm        Ps 65
Response                             Cry out with joy to God all the earth.

1. Cry out with joy to God all the earth, O sing to the glory of his name.
O render him glorious praise. Say to God: 'How tremendous your deeds!        Response

2. 'Before you all the earth shall bow; shall sing to you, sing to your name!'
Come and see the works of God, tremendous his deeds among men.                 Response

3. He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the river dry-shod.
Let our joy then be in him; he rules for ever by his might.                                     Response

4. Come and hear, all who fear God. I will tell what he did for my soul.
Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer nor withhold his love from me.  Response

SECOND READING

A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Galatians          6:14-18
The marks on my body are those of the Lord Jesus.

The only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
It does not matter if a person is circumcised or not; what matters is for him to become an altogether new creature. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, who form the Israel of God.

I want no more trouble from anybody after this; the marks on my body are those of Jesus.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, my brothers. Amen.

The Word of the Lord                Thanks be to God.

Gospel  Acclamation               Jn 15: 15
Alleluia, alleluia!
I call you friends, says the Lord, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father.
Alleluia!

Or                                                  Col 3:15. 16
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts,
because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL      

The Lord be with you.                          And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke 10:1-12. 17-20        Glory to you, O Lord
Your peace will go and rest on that man.

T
he Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs,
to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them,
'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road.

Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, "Peace to this house!" And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you.
Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house.

Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, "The kingdom of God is very near to you". But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you welcome, go out into its streets and say, .
"We wipe off the very dust of your town that clings to our feet, and leave it with you.
Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near."

I tell you, on that day it will not go as hard with Sodom as with that town.

The seventy-two came back rejoicing.
'Lord,' they said 'even the devils submit to us when we use your name.'
He said to them,
'I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you.
Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.'

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, 6th July, 2025
CÉAD LÉACHT

Sliocht  as Leabhar Íseáia, Fáidh.    66:10-14
Cuirfidh mé an tsíocháin uaim ag triall uirthi mar bheadh abhainn ann.


Bíodh lúcháir ort, a Iarúsailéim, bíodh áthas oraibh, a lucht na páirte, mar gheall uirthi!
Gáirigí le gairdeas mar gheall uirthi, sibh uile a raibh éide bhróin oraibh ina diaidh!

Ionas go dtálfar bhur sáith oraibh ó chíocha na sólás,
ionas go mblaisfidh sibh go fonnmharde dhiúl a glóire.

Óir is mar seo a deir an Tiarna: Cuirfidh mé an tsíocháin uaim
ag triall uirthi mar bheadh abhainn ann,
agus ar nós tuile ag sceitheadh thar bruacha
saibhreas na gciníocha.

Beidh a leanaí cíche á n-iompar ar an leis agus á luascadh ar ghlúine.
Mar a bheadh máthair ag cur páiste chun suaimhnis,
mise chomh maith, tabharfaidh mé suaimhneas daoibhse.
(In Iarúsailéim a gheobhaidh sibh suaimhneas.)

Ar a fheiceáil daoibh, beidh lúcháir ar bhur gcroí, agus beidh bhur gcnámha chomh húr le geamhar féir. Léireoidh an Tiarna a neart dá sheirbhísigh agus cuirfidh a naimhde aithne ar a fhearg.

Briathar an Tiarna        Buíochas le Dia

Salm le freagra.        Sm 65
Freagra                       Déanaigí gairdeas do Dhia, a thíortha uile.

1. Déanaigí gairdeas do Dhia, a thíortha uile, canaigí clú a ainm.
Tugaigí moladh mórghlórach dó. Abraigí le Dia: 'Nach éachtach iad d'oibreacha!'                 Freagra

2. Adhrann an talamh uile thú, canann sí duit, canann sí do d'ainm.
Tagaigí agus feachaigí oibreacha Dé, na héachtaí a rinne sé i measc na ndaoine.                    Freagra

3. Chlaochlaigh sé an mhuir ina talamh thirim; chuathas de chois thar an abhainn.
Da bhrí sin déanaimis lúcháir. Rialaíonn sé lena chumhacht go síoraí.                                      Freagra

4.Sibhse uile ar a bhfuil eagla Dé, tagaigí, éistigí, is inseoidh mé daoibh faoina ndearna sé dom.
Go moltar Dia nár thug an diúltú do mo ghuí, is nár tharraing siar a bhuanghrá uaim.         Freagra

DARA LÉACHT

Sliocht as céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Galataigh      6:14-18
Tá marcanna ár dTiarna Íosa Críost ar mo chorp agam.

A bhráithre, nár lige Dia go ndéanfainnse maíomh as rud ar bith ach amháin as crois ár dTiarna Íosa Críost, an chros trína bhfuilimse céasta i dtaca leis an saol agus trína bhfuil an saol céasta i dtaca liom. Is cuma timpeallghearradh, nó ga timpeallghearradh, ach cruthú as an nua. Síocháin agus trócaire ar an uile dhuine a leanann an prionsabal seo agus ar Iosrael Dé.

Ná bíodh aon duine do mo bhuaireamh as seo amach, mar tá marcanna ár dTiarna Íosa Críost ar mo chorp agam.Go raibh grásta ar dTiarna Íosa Críost agaibh, a bhráithre. Amen.

Briathar an Tiarna        Buíochas le Dia  

Alleluia Véarsa         Eo 15: 15
Alleluia, alleluia!
Sibhse mo chairde, a deir an Tiarna, óir gach a gcuala ó m’Athair, chuir mé in iúl daoibh é.
Alleluia!

SOISCÉAL

Go raibh an Tiarna libh.                       Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Lúcás      10:1-12. 17-20      Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Fanfaidh bhur síocháin aige.


San am sin cheap an Tiarna a dó seachtód eile agus chuir sé amach roimhe féin iad ina mbeirt agus ina mbeirt go dtí gach cathair agus gach áit a raibh sé féin le teacht ann.

Dúirt sé leo:

Tá an fómhar fairsing, ach níl ann ach meitheal bheag. Dá bhrí sin, guígí Máistir an fhómhair go gcuirfeadh sé meitheal uaidh isteach ina fhómhar. Imígí: féach, táim do bhur gcur uaim ar nós uan i measc faolchon. Ná beirigí sparán libh, ná tiachóg, ná cuaráin, agus ná beannaígí d’aon duine ar an mbóthar.

Cibé teach a rachaidh sibh isteach ann, abraigí ar dtús: ‘Síocháin don teach seo,’ agus má bhíonn mac síochána ann, fanfaidh bhur síocháin aige; ach mura mbíonn fillfidh sí oraibh féin. Fanaigí sa teach sin, ag ithe agus ag ól na nithe a bhíonn acu; óir is fiú an fear oibre a thuarastal. Ná bígí ag aistriú ó theach go teach.

Agus cibé cathair a rachaidh sibh isteach inti agus go nglacfar sibh, ithigí na nithe a chuirfear os bhur gcomhair agus leigheasaigí na daoine tinne a bhíonn inti, agus abraigí leis na daoine: ‘Tá ríocht Dé in achmaireacht daoibh.’

Ach cibé cathair a rachaidh sibh isteach inti agus nach nglacfar sibh, téigí amach ar na sráideanna agus abraigí:
Fiú amháin a leanann dár gcosa de dheannach bhur gcathrach, glanaimid dínn oraibh é;
ach bíodh a fhios agaibh é seo, go bhfuil ríocht Dé in achmaireacht.’

Deirim libh, is saoire a bheidh ag Sodom an lá úd ná ag an gcathair sin.

Tháinig an dó seachtód ar ais agus áthas orthu, ag rá:
A Thiarna, tá na deamhain féin faoinár smacht i d’ainmse.”
Dúirt sé leo:
“Bhí mé ag breathnú ar Shátan agus é ag titim ó fhlaithiúnas mar bheadh splanc. Féach, tá cumas tugtha agam daoibh chun satailt ar nathracha nimhe agus ar scairpe agus ar gach neart den namhaid, agus ní dhéanfaidh rud ar bith dochar daoibh.
Ach, ná bígí ag déanamh áthais faoi na spioraid a bheith faoi bhur smacht, ach déanaigí áthas faoi bhur n-ainmneacha a bheith scríofa sna flaithis.”

Soiscéal an Tiarna.       Moladh duit, a Chriost



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