Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Mar 30 - St John of the Ladder (d. 649)
John was a 7th century Christian monk on Mount Sinai. His nick-name ("of the Ladder", Greek τῆς Κλίμακος, Latin Climacus) comes from his classic spiritual work in ascetical literature which he wrote entitled 'The Ladder of Paradise or The Ladder of Divine Ascent.'
As the image below implies, the "ladder" by which one reached Paradise had 30 rungs - or difficult stages - one had to deal with and at every stage there would be a devil ready and willing to pull you down, especially if you were in any way complacent or presumptuous. The Ladder of Paradise is read in Orthodox monasteries during Lent.Patrick Duffy researches what is known of John's life and work.
Early Life
Little is known for definite about John's early life. He was born in Palestine. Some say that he became a monk on Mt Sinai at the age of sixteen and afterwards lived as a solitary in different places in the Arabian Desert. Others say he was married in early life and became a monk on the death of his wife and that after some years in community, he then became a hermit, coming together with other hermits to church only on Saturday and Sunday.
Abbot of Mt Sinai
John was already seventy when he was made abbot of Sinai, and four years later he resigned to prepare in solitude for his death.
The Ladder to Paradise
John's fame comes mainly from a work he wrote that was much read in East and West entitled The Ladder to Paradise. This work treats of the way to union with God and moral perfection to be reached by a ladder of the following thirty "rungs" into which the book is divided:
Renunciation of the world
Detachment
Exile
Obedience
Penitence
Remembrance of death,
Mourning
Placidity and meekness: dealing with anger
Malice
Slander
Talkativeness and silence
Falsehood
Despondency
Gluttony
Chastity
Avarice
Poverty
Insensitivity
Sleep, prayer and the singing of psalms in church
Alertness
Unmanly fears
Vainglory
Pride
Meekness, simplicity, guilelessness, and wickedness
Humility
Discernment
Stillness
Prayer
Dispassion (Apatheia, or "passive disinterestedness")
Faith, hope, and love
The Ladder as Inspiration and Emblem
The idea of the spiritual life as a ladder has inspired artists to develop interesting illustrations to motivate those on the spiritual journey and as an emblem of the saint himself. His feast is on 30th March.
____________________________
******************************
Memorable Saying for Today
A Holy man is a mighty weapon in the hands of God
~ Robert Murry M'Cheyne ~
******************************
Monday in Holy Week
Jesus who was led like a lamb to the slaughter does not cry out or shout aloud.
This week we focus more closely on the mystery of the Death and Resurrection of the Christ.
FIRST READING
A reading from the prophet Isaiah 42:1-7
He does not cry out or shout aloud.
Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have endowed him with my spirit that he may bring true justice to the nations.
He does not cry out or shout aloud, or make his voice heard in the streets. He does not break the crushed reed, nor quench the wavering flame.
Faithfully he brings true justice; he will neither waver, nor be crusheduntil true justice is established on earth, for the islands are awaiting his law.
Thus says God, the Lord, he who created the heavens and spread them out, who gave shape to the earth and what comes from it, who gave breath to its people and life to the creatures that move in it:
I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right; I have taken you by the hand and formed you;
I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 26: 1-3. 13-14. R/v 1.
Response The Lord is my light and my help.
1. The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink? Response
2. When evil-doers draw near to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes, who stumble and fall. Response
3. Though an army encamp against me my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me even then would I trust. Response
4. I am sure I shall see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord! Response
Gospel Acclamation
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
Hail to you, our King! You alone have compassion on our sins.
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 12:1-11 Glory to you, O Lord
Leave her alone; she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial.
Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there; Martha waited on them and Lazarus was among those at table.Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair; the house was full of the scent of the ointment.
Then Judas Iscariot - one of his disciples, the man who was to betray him - said, 'Why wasn't this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor?'
He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he was in charge of the common fund and used to help himself to the contributions.
So Jesus said, 'Leave her alone; she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial.
You have the poor with you always, you will not always have me.'
Meanwhile a large number of Jews heard that he was there and came not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. Then the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus as well, since it was on his account that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel Reflection Monday in Holy Week John 12:1-11
The scene in today’s gospel reading is placed six days before the Jewish feast of Passover, the time of Jesus’ final journey, his passion and his death. On that journey he would be brutally treated, by political and religious leaders and by their military forces.
In our gospel reading, however, Jesus is cared for in a very loving way by the family of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, in appreciation for Jesus restoring Lazarus to life. We are told that ‘Martha waited’ on him, playing a leading role in serving him a meal, in a way that seems to have been typical of her. Her sister Mary served Jesus in a different way, anointing his feet with very costly ointment and wiping them with her hair. This was an extravagant gesture that Judas, who was about to betray him, considered a waste of money that could have been better spent on the poor. Yet, Jesus recognized the timeliness of Mary’s extravagant gesture; it was an anointing to strengthen him for the difficult journey ahead, saying ‘she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial’.
In the language of the first reading, there was something of the ‘crushed reed’ and ‘wavering flame’ about Jesus at this moment in his life, and he deeply appreciated Mary’s costly and loving gesture, which strengthened him for the journey ahead. Mary’s gesture is being replicated in our own times in the costly and loving gestures towards so many of the crushed reeds and wavering flames in our world today. The Lord considers such loving gestures for those who have been rendered vulnerable as done for him personally. Such costly and loving gestures are expressions of what today’s responsorial psalm calls ‘the Lord’s goodness’. Hopefully, such gestures will allow those in greatest need to say in the words of today’s psalm, ‘Though an army encamp against me, my heart would not fear. Though war break out against me, even then would I trust’.
__________________________
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 his book Reflections on the Weekday Readings : The Word is near to you, on your lips and in your heart by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications , c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
_________________
Sliocht as Leabhar Íseáia, Fáidh 42:1-7
Glaoch ná gáir ní chuireann sé as.
Seo é mo ghiolla a bhfuil mé ag tabhairt taca dó, mo rogha a bhfuil páirt mo chléibhe leis. Tá mo spiorad curtha anuas agam air chun go bhfoilsí sé an ceart do na ciníocha.
Glaoch ná gáir ní chuireann sé as, ná ní chloistear a ghlór sa tsráid amuigh.
Ní bhriseann sé an sifín brúite, ná ní mhúchann an lasair chreathanach.
Soláthraíonn sé an ceart go dílis, ní chreathann sé féin ná ní bhrúitear síos é nó go mbeidh an ceart bunaithe ar talamh, óir tá críocha na farraige ag dréim lena reacht.
Is amhlaidh a deir an Tiarna Dia, an té a chruthaigh na spéartha agus a spréigh amach iad, a phasáil amach an talamh agus a thug toradh ann, a chuir anáil sna daoine atá ina gcónaí air agus meanma sa dream a shiúlann é:
Mise, an Tiarna, ghlaoigh mé ort san fhíréantacht, rug mé ar láimh ort agus rinne mé thú a mhúnlú, agus cheap mé thú i do chonradh leis an bpoba agus i do sholas do na ciníocha, chun súile na ndall a oscailt, chun na cimí a scaoileadh as an gcarcair
agus as an bpríosún an dream atá ina suí sa dorchadas.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Ps 26: 26: 1-3. 13-14. R/v 1.
Freagra Is é an Tiarna mo sholas is mo shlánú
1. Is é an Tiarna mo sholas is mo shlánú, cé a chuirfidh eagla orm?
Is é an Tiarna daingean m’anama; cé a chuirfidh ar crith mé? Freagra
2. Nuair a thugann lucht mallaithe fogha fúmd’fhonn mo chlú a mhilleadh,
is iad m’eascairde a thiteann ar lár; baintear tuisle as mo naimhde. Freagra
3. Má bhíonn arm in eagar catha i mo choinne ní bheidh eagla ar mo chroí.
Fiú amháin má bhítear ag cur cogaidh orm beidh dóchas agam ann. Freagra
4. Creidim go bhfeicfidh mé maitheas an Tiarna i dtír na mbeo.
Fan leis an Tiarna go meanmnach; bíodh misneach i do chroí. Cuir do dhóchas sa Tiarna. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Eoin 12:1-11 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Lig di chun go gcoimeádfaidh sí é i gcomhair lá m’adhlactha.
Sé lá roimh an gCáisc tháinig Íosa go Béatáine mar a raibh Lazaras a d’ardaigh Íosa ó mhairbh. Thug siad dinnéar dó ansiúd, dá bhrí sin, agus bhí Marta ag freastal agus Lazaras ar an gcuideachta leis ag an mbord. Ansin thóg Máire punt meáchain d’ola an-luachmhar, nard dílis, agus rinne sí cosa Íosa a ungadh
leis agus iad a chuimilt lena gruaig. Líon an teach de bholadh cumhra na hola. Ach dúirt duine dá dheisceabail, Iúdás ó Isceiriót, an fear a bhí ar tí a bhraite:“Cad chuige nár díoladh an ola seo ar thrí chéad déanar agus é a thabhairt do na boicht?”
Ach dúirt sé é sin, ní mar go raibh aon aird aige ar na boicht ach gur ghadaí é agus go mbíodh an sparán aige agus go mbíodh sé ag tarraingt as a gcuirtí ann.
Dúirt Íosa ansin: “Lig di chun go gcoimeádfaidh sí é i gcomhair lá m’adhlactha.
Óir bíonn na boicht agaibh i gcónaí in bhur measc, ach ní bhímse agaibh i gcónaí.”
Agus bhí a fhios ag slua mór de na Giúdaigh go raibh sé ann agus tháinig siad, ní amháin mar gheall ar Íosa, ach chun go bhfeicfidís Lazaras a d’ardaigh sé ó mhairbh. Bheartaigh na hardsagairt ansin Lazaras a chur chun báis chomh maith mar go raibh a lán de na Giúdaigh ag imeacht agus ag creidiúint in Íosa dá bharr.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Alleluia Alleluia : Christ is Risen, Alleluia Alleluia
Easter is not just a Feast but the 'Feast of Feasts'.
The mystery of the Resurrection, in which Christ crushed death is at the core of our faith,
as a God-given promise to us of eternal life.
FIRST READING
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 10:34. 37-43
We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection.
Peter addressed Cornelius and his household:
'You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism.
God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.
Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand.
Now we are those witnesses - we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead - and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.'
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 117:1-2. 16-17. 22-23. R/ v.24
Response Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
1. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.
Let the sons of Israel say: 'His love has no end.' Response
2. The Lord's right hand has triumphed; his right hand raised me up.
I shall not die, I shall live and recount his deeds. Response
3. The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord, a marvel in our eyes. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians 3:1-4
You must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is.
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. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed - and he is your life - you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
__________________________________________
Alternative SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 5:6-8
Theme: Get rid of all the old yeast, and make yourselves into a completely new batch of bread.
You must know how even a small amount of yeast is enough to leaven all the dough, so get rid of all the old yeast, and make yourselves into a completely new batch of bread, unleavened as you are meant to be. Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed; let us celebrate the feast, by getting rid of all the old yeast of evil and wickedness, having only the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
________________________________
Sequence
Christians, to the Paschal Victim offer sacrifice and praise.
The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb;
and Christ, the undefiled,
hath sinners to his Father reconciled.
Death with life contended: combat strangely ended!
Life's own Champion, slain, yet lives to reign.
Tell us, Mary: say what thou didst see upon the way.
The tomb the Living did enclose;
I saw Christ's glory as he rose!
The angels there attesting;
shroud with grave-clothes resting.
Christ, my hope, has risen: he goes before you into Galilee.
That Christ is truly risen from the dead we know.
Victorious king, thy mercy show!
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed; let us celebrate the feast then, in the Lord.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to John 20:1-9 Glory to you, O Lord
He must rise from the dead.
It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved.
'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb' she said 'and we don't know where they have put him.'
So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in.Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.
Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
**********************************
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.
-Domhnach Cásca-
AISEIRI AR dTIARNA
CÉAD LÉACHT
Sliocht as Gníomhartha na nAspal 10:34. 37-4
D’itheamar agus d’ólamar ma chuideachta I ndiaidh a aisáirí ó mhairbh.
Ansin thosaigh Peadar ag labhairt le Cornelius :
“Tuigim anois go fíor nach bhféachann Dia chun pearsan seachas a chéile Tá a fhios agaibh an rud a thit amach ar fud Iúdáia, tar éis dó tosú sa Ghailíl i ndiaidh an bhaiste a d’fhógair Eoin,
an scéal faoi Íosa ó Nazarat: mar a choisric Dia é leis an Spiorad Naomh agus le cumhacht; mar a chuaigh sé timpeall na tíre ag déanamh na maitheasa agus ag leigheas gach duine a bhí faoi smacht an diabhail, mar go raibh Dia fairis. Agus is finnéithe sinn ar gach ní dá ndearna sé i dtír na nGiúdach agus in Iarúsailéim. Chuir siad chun báis é á chrochadh ar chrann, ach thóg Dia ón mbás an treas lá é agus thug le feiceáil é, ní don phobal ar fad é, ach do na finnéithe a bhí réamhcheaptha ag Dia, is é sin le rá, dúinne. Chaitheamar bia agus deoch ina theannta tar éis a aiséirithe ó mhairbh agus d’ordaigh sé dúinn a fhógairt don phobal agus a dhearbhú gurb é atá ceaptha ag Dia ina bhreitheamh ar bheo agus ar mhairbh. Agus is air a thugann na fáithe uile an fhianaise seo go bhfuil maithiúnas peacaí le fáil ina ainm ag an uile dhuine a chreideann ann!”Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 117
Freagra Is é seo an lá a rinne an Tiarna: biodh áthas is gliondar orainn.
Malairt Freagra Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
I. Tugaigí buíochas don Tiarna toisc gur maith é: óir maireann a ghrá de shíor.
Bíodh teaghlach Isráél a rá: 'Maireann a ghrá de shíor.' Freagra
2. D'oibrigh deaslámh an Tiarna go tréan: is í a dheaslámh a d'ardaigh mé.
Ní éagfaidh me-mairfidh mé agus inseoidh mé a mhóréachtaí. Freagra
3. An chloch dár dhiúltaigh na saoir, rinne ceann an chúinne di.
Is é an Tiarna a rinne é seo, agus is éachtach linne é. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Litir Naomh Pól chuig Colosaigh 3:1-4
Lorgaígí na nithe atá thuas mar a bhfuil Críost.
A bhráithre, ós rud é go bhfuil sibh éirithe ó mhairbh mar aon le Críost, bíodh lorg agaibh ar na nithe atá thuas mar a bhfuil Críost ina shuí ar dheis Dé.Bíodh bhur n-aire ar na nithe atá thuas agus ní ar na nithe atá ar talamh.Mar tá sibh tar éis bháis agus tá bhur mbeatha folaithe i nDia i bpáirt le Críost. Is é Críost bhur mbeatha, agus nuair a nochtfaidh seisean chugainn nochtfaidh sibhse chomh maith faoi ghlóir in éineacht leis.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
________________________________
Malairt Léachta Dara
Sliocht as céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Coirintigh 5:6-8
Glanaigí amach an tseanghabháil ionas go mbeidh sibh in bhur dtaos nua.A bhráithre, glanaigi amach an tseanghabháil ionas go mbeidh sibh in bhur dtaos nua faoi mar atá sibh gan ghabhàil. Oir tâ Críost, ár gCâisc, ofráilte mar íobairt. Dâ bhri sin, caithimis an fhêile, ní leis an tseanghabháil ná le gabhâil na mailise agus na hurchóide, ach le harán neamhghabhálach na dílseachta agus na fírinne.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
___________________________________________-
Rosc
Moladh na Críostaithean tÍobartach Cásca,
an tUan mingheal na caoirigh a shíorshlánaigh.
Críost is é gan pheaca chuir sé ar ais na peacaigh
in athmhuintearas an Athar.
Bhí comhrac rathmhar idir bas is beatha;
Rí na beatha marbh: sin é ina Rí ina bheatha.
A Mháire, d'úinne cad a chonaic tú sa bhealach?
Chonaic mé tuama Chriost bhiis glóir a aiséirí,
finnéithe ainglí,bréid is culaith.
D'aiséirigh Críost, mo dhóchas.
Rachaidh go Gailil romhaibh.
Is léir dúinn Críost, ár mbeatha, éirithe 0 na mairbh.
A Rí, do thrócaire luaigh linn,
ós é go bhfuil an bua agat.
Amen. Alleluia
Alleluia Véarsa
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Tá Críost,ár n-uan Cásca, íobartha. Déanaimis an fhéile dá bhrí sin san Tiarna.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Eoin 20:1-9 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Níorbh fholáir é a aiséirí ó mhairbh.
An chéad lá den tseachtain tháinig Máire Mhaigdiléana go moch, agus an dorchadas fós ann, chun an tuama agus chonaic sí an líog aistrithe ón tuama. Rith sí ansin agus tháinig sí go dtí Síomón Peadar agus go dtí an deisceabal úd eile ab ionúin le Íosa. “Thog siad an Tiarna as an tuama,” ar sí leo, “agus níl a fhios againn cár chuir siad é.”
Amach le Peadar agus leis an deisceabal eile ansin agus chuaigh siad chun an tuama.
siad a mbeirt ar rith in éineacht agus rith an deisceabal eile níos luaithe ná Peadar agus is é is túisce a tháinig go dtí an tuama. Nuair a chrom sé síos chonaic sé na línéadaí ina luí ansiúd, ach ní dheachaigh sé isteach. Ansin tháinig Síomón Peadar ina dhiaidh agus chuaigh sé isteach sa tuama, agus chonaic sé na línéadaí agus an brat a bhí ar a cheann – ní i dteannta na línéadaí a bhí sé, ach fillte in aon áit amháin leis féin. Ansin. an deisceabal eile, a tháinig ar dtús chun an tuama, chuaigh sé isteach agus chonaic agus chreid sé. Óir níor thuig siad go fóill an scrioptúr nárbh fholáir é a aiséirí ó mhairbh.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
