Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Jan 21 - St Agnes (d. 305) martyr
Summary: St Agnes, martyr. Agnes died at Rome, perhaps in the early fourth century. One of the most widely venerated of the Roman martyrs. According to early accounts, she gave her life to preserve her virginity consecrated to Christ. She is named in Eucharistic Prayer I (The Roman Canon).
Patrick Duffy traces what is known about her.
Agnes chose Christ as her spouse and refused to worship the gods of the Roman culture. Her name is mentioned in the Roman Canon (First Eucharistic Prayer) of the Mass - an indicator of veneration at an early date. She is often depicted in art with a lamb (Latin agnus). The name Agnes is actually derived from the feminine Greek adjective "hagnē" ('Aγνή) meaning "chaste, pure, sacred". In Latin, it is associated with "agnus", the word for "lamb".
Early Veneration
Agnes, like Fabian and Sebastian (20th Jan), also has a commemoration in the Depositio Martyrum Calendar of Filocalus (354) and in the early Roman Sacramentaries. Her name is also included in the Roman Canon (old First Eucharistic Prayer) and she is praised in the writings of Ambrose, Damasus, Jerome and Prudentius.
Christ her Only Spouse
The story from the 5th century Acta is that this beautiful 13 year-old girl from a noble and wealthy Roman family had many suitors but rejected them all, saying Christ would be her only spouse. Some of her suitors denounced her to the pagan authorities as a Christian. She was then asked to make the offering of incense to the Roman gods, which she considered idols. When she refused, she was put into a public brothel, but showed such steadfastness that no one would touch her.
Her Throat Cut
The governor condemned her to death by having her throat cut. This took place in the Stadium of Domitian, now Piazza Navona, where there is a church - Sant'Agnese in Agone, named after her. St Ambrose wrote of her: "She went to her place of execution more cheerfully than others go to a wedding."
Her body was buried in a catacomb a short distance from Rome, near the Via Nomentana, where the church Sant'Agnese fuori le mura was built in her honour.
Free Woman
Although sometimes in the past virginity has been idealised and exalted to the lessening of the sanctity of married women, the following comment of Robert Ellsberg, in his book 'Blessed among all women: women saints, prophets and witnesses for our time', is worth noting:
'In the story of Agnes the opposition is not between sex and virginity. The conflict is between a young woman's power in Christ to define her own identity versus a patriarchal culture's claim to identify her in terms of her sexuality. According to the view shared by her "suitors" and the state, if she would not be one man's wife, she might as well be every man's whore. Failing these options, she might as well be dead. Agnes did not choose death. She chose not to worship the gods of her culture. The God she worshipped set an altogether different value on her body, her identity, and her human worth. Espoused to Christ, she was beyond the power of any man to 'have his way with her'. 'Virgin' in this case is another way of saying Free Woman.'
The Pallium for Archbishops
The similarity of her name to agnus ("lamb") has led to her being depicted with a lamb in mosaics (eg, in the 6th century Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Ravenna) and in stained glass windows. On her feast day at Rome, lambs are blessed that produce the wool from which the pallia for archbishops are woven by the nuns of St Agnes's convent.
Patrick Duffy traces what is known about her.Agnes chose Christ as her spouse and refused to worship the gods of the Roman culture. Her name is mentioned in the Roman Canon (First Eucharistic Prayer) of the Mass - an indicator of veneration at an early date. She is often depicted in art with a lamb (Latin agnus). The name Agnes is actually derived from the feminine Greek adjective "hagnē" ('Aγνή) meaning "chaste, pure, sacred". In Latin, it is associated with "agnus", the word for "lamb".
Early Veneration
Agnes, like Fabian and Sebastian (20th Jan), also has a commemoration in the Depositio Martyrum Calendar of Filocalus (354) and in the early Roman Sacramentaries. Her name is also included in the Roman Canon (old First Eucharistic Prayer) and she is praised in the writings of Ambrose, Damasus, Jerome and Prudentius.
Christ her Only Spouse
The story from the 5th century Acta is that this beautiful 13 year-old girl from a noble and wealthy Roman family had many suitors but rejected them all, saying Christ would be her only spouse. Some of her suitors denounced her to the pagan authorities as a Christian. She was then asked to make the offering of incense to the Roman gods, which she considered idols. When she refused, she was put into a public brothel, but showed such steadfastness that no one would touch her.
Her Throat Cut
The governor condemned her to death by having her throat cut. This took place in the Stadium of Domitian, now Piazza Navona, where there is a church - Sant'Agnese in Agone, named after her. St Ambrose wrote of her: "She went to her place of execution more cheerfully than others go to a wedding."
Her body was buried in a catacomb a short distance from Rome, near the Via Nomentana, where the church Sant'Agnese fuori le mura was built in her honour.
Free Woman
Although sometimes in the past virginity has been idealised and exalted to the lessening of the sanctity of married women, the following comment of Robert Ellsberg, in his book 'Blessed among all women: women saints, prophets and witnesses for our time', is worth noting:
'In the story of Agnes the opposition is not between sex and virginity. The conflict is between a young woman's power in Christ to define her own identity versus a patriarchal culture's claim to identify her in terms of her sexuality. According to the view shared by her "suitors" and the state, if she would not be one man's wife, she might as well be every man's whore. Failing these options, she might as well be dead. Agnes did not choose death. She chose not to worship the gods of her culture. The God she worshipped set an altogether different value on her body, her identity, and her human worth. Espoused to Christ, she was beyond the power of any man to 'have his way with her'. 'Virgin' in this case is another way of saying Free Woman.'
The Pallium for Archbishops
The similarity of her name to agnus ("lamb") has led to her being depicted with a lamb in mosaics (eg, in the 6th century Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Ravenna) and in stained glass windows. On her feast day at Rome, lambs are blessed that produce the wool from which the pallia for archbishops are woven by the nuns of St Agnes's convent.
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Memorable Sayings for today
"I have been driven many times to my knees
by the overwhelming conviction
that I had nowhere else to go."
~Abraham Lincoln~
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Liturgical Readings for: Wednesday, 21st January, 2026
Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2
Standing up for God and our faith in God
Saint of the Day ; Jan 21: St Agnes, 'virgin and martyr'
C/f short history of today’s saints can be found below today’s Readings and Reflection
FIRST READING
A reading from the first book of Samuel. 17: 32-33, 37, 40-51
David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone.
David said to Saul, 'Let no one lose heart on his account; your servant will go and fight this Philistine'.
But Saul answered David, 'You cannot go and fight the Philistine, you are only a boy and he has been a warrior from his youth'.
The Lord who rescued me from the claws of lion and bear'. David said 'will rescue me from the power of this Philistine.'
Then Saul said to David, 'Go, and the Lord be with you!'
He took his staff in his hand, picked five smooth stones from the river bed, put them in his shepherd's bag, in his pouch, and with his sling in his hand he went to meet the Philistine. The Philistine, his shield-bearer in front of him, came nearer and nearer to David; and the Philistine looked at David, and what he saw filled him with scorn, because David was only a youth, a boy of fresh complexion and pleasant bearing.The Philistine said to him, 'Am I a dog for you to come against me with sticks?'
And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, 'Come over here and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field'.
But David answered the Philistine,
'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have dared to insult. Today the Lord will deliver you into my hand and I shall kill you; I will cut off your head, and this very day I will give your dead body and the bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord gives the victory, for the Lord is lord of the battle and he will deliver you into our power.'
No sooner had the Philistine started forward to confront David than David left the line of battle and ran to meet the Philistine. Putting his hand in his bag, he took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead; the stone penetrated his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground. Thus David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and struck the Philistine down and killed him. David had no sword in his hand. Then David ran and, standing over the Philistine, seized his sword and drew it from the scabbard, and with this he killed him, cutting off his head. The Philistines saw that their champion was dead and took to flight.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 143:1, , 2, 9-10
Response Blessed be the Lord, my rock.
1. Blessed be the Lord, my rock who trains my arms for battle,
who prepares my hands for war. Response
2. He is my love, my fortress; he is my stronghold, my saviour,
my shield, my place of refuge. He brings peoples under my rule. Response
3. To you, 0 God, will I sing a new song; I will play on the ten-stringed lute
to you who give kings their victory, who set David your servant free. Response
Gospel Acclamation Heb 4: 12
Alleluia, alleluia!
The word of God is something alive and active:
it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts.
Alleluia!
or Mt 4: 23
Alleluia, alleluia!
Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom
and cured all kinds of sickness among the people.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 3:1-6 Glory to you, O Lord
Is it against the law on the sabbath day to save life?
Jesus went again into a synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. And they were watching him to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use against him. He said to the man with the withered hand, 'Stand up out in the middle!' Then he said to them, 'Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill ?'
But they said nothing. Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, he looked angrily round at them, and said to the man,
'Stretch out your hand'. He stretched it out and his hand was better.
The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Wednesday Second Week in Ordinary Time Mark 3:1-6
In the gospel reading, when Jesus walked into a synagogue, he seems to have walked into a trap. It was the Sabbath day. A man with a withered hand was there and the Pharisees were waiting to see if Jesus would cure him, thereby breaking the Sabbath law. There is a suggestion that he was placed there by those who wanted to catch Jesus out. Using a vulnerable person to catch out and bring down someone perceived as a threat has to be one of the darker arts in human relationships. The human tendency to use others for our own personal gain is always with us. On this occasion, it evoked two strong emotions in Jesus. ‘He grieves with anger’ at the hardness of heart of these religious leaders. The presence of such strong emotions as anger and grief within us are often a sign that something is not right with the world. Jesus directed his strong feelings into the healing of the man’s hand.
We can sometimes struggle to use our strong emotions in the service of the well-being of others. All of our emotions, even the most potentially destructive, can empower us ‘to do good’ and ‘to save life’, in the words of the gospel reading. If that is to happen, we may need to call upon the Spirit of the Lord to help us harness these emotions in the service of the coming of God’s kingdom. There was no aspect of Jesus’ humanity that did not serve God’s life-giving purpose. He shows us what a fully human life looks like.
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The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 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/
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Saint of the Day ; Jan 21: St Agnes, 'virgin and martyr'
Agnes died at Rome, perhaps in the early fourth century. One of the most widely venerated of the Roman martyrs. According to early accounts, she gave her life to preserve her virginity consecrated to Christ. She is named in Eucharistic Prayer I (The Roman Canon).
Patrick Duffy traces what is known about her.Agnes chose Christ as her spouse and refused to worship the gods of the Roman culture. Her name is mentioned in the Roman Canon (First Eucharistic Prayer) of the Mass - an indicator of veneration at an early date. She is often depicted in art with a lamb. The name Agnes is actually derived from the feminine Greek adjective "hagn?" ('A???) meaning "chaste, pure, sacred". In Latin, it is associated with "agnus", the latin word for "lamb".
Early Veneration
Agnes, like Fabian and Sebastian (20th Jan), also has a commemoration in the Depositio Martyrum Calendar of Filocalus (354) and in the early Roman Sacramentaries. Her name is also included in the Roman Canon (old First Eucharistic Prayer) and she is praised in the writings of Ambrose, Damasus, Jerome and Prudentius.
Christ her Only Spouse
The story from the 5th century Acta is that this beautiful 13 year-old girl from a noble and wealthy Roman family had many suitors but rejected them all, saying Christ would be her only spouse. Some of her suitors denounced her to the pagan authorities as a Christian. She was then asked to make the offering of incense to the Roman gods, which she considered idols. When she refused, she was put into a public brothel, but showed such steadfastness that no one would touch her.
Her Throat Cut
The governor condemned her to death by having her throat cut. This took place in the Stadium of Domitian, now Piazza Navona, where there is a church - Sant'Agnese in Agone, named after her. St Ambrose wrote of her: "She went to her place of execution more cheerfully than others go to a wedding."
Her body was buried in a catacomb a short distance from Rome, near the Via Nomentana, where the church Sant'Agnese fuori le mura was built in her honour.
Free Woman
Although sometimes in the past virginity has been idealised and exalted to the lessening of the sanctity of married women, the following comment of Robert Ellsberg, in his book 'Blessed among all women: women saints, prophets and witnesses for our time', is worth noting:
'In the story of Agnes the opposition is not between sex and virginity. The conflict is between a young woman's power in Christ to define her own identity versus a patriarchal culture's claim to identify her in terms of her sexuality. According to the view shared by her "suitors" and the state, if she would not be one man's wife, she might as well be every man's whore. Failing these options, she might as well be dead. Agnes did not choose death. She chose not to worship the gods of her culture. The God she worshipped set an altogether different value on her body, her identity, and her human worth. Espoused to Christ, she was beyond the power of any man to 'have his way with her'. 'Virgin' in this case is another way of saying Free Woman.'
The Pallium for Archbishops
The similarity of her name to agnus ("lamb") has led to her being depicted with a lamb in mosaics (eg, in the 6th century Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Ravenna) and in stained glass windows. On her feast day at Rome, lambs are blessed that produce the wool from which the pallia for archbishops are woven by the nuns of St Agnes's convent.
******************************
Memorable Sayings for today
"I have been driven many times to my knees
by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go."
~Abraham Lincoln~
*****************************
Liturgical Readings for: Wednesday, 21st January, 2026
CÉAD LÉACHT Sliocht as an dara leabhar Samúéil. 17:32- 33, 37, 40-51
Rug Dáiví bua ar an bhFilistíneach le crann tabhaill agus le cloch.
“Ná bíodh drochmhisneach ar aon duine mar gheall air,” arsa Dáiví le Sól, “rachaidh do shearbhónta anseo chun troda leis an bhFilistíneach seo.”
Dúirt Sól le Dáiví: “Ní féidir duitse dul chun troda i gcoinne an Fhilistínigh seo; níl ionat ach ógánach, agus is laoch gaile eisean óna óige.”
Lean Dáiví air:
“An Tiarna a d’fhuascail mé ó lapaí an leoin agus na beithre, déanfaidh sé mé a fhuascailt ó láimh an Fhilistínigh seo.”
Dúirt Sól le Dáiví: “Imigh, agus go raibh an Tiarna leat!”
Rug sé greim ar a bhachall dá bhrí sin, thogh cúig clocha sleamhna as leaba an tsrutháin agus chuir chuige ina mhála nó ina sparán aoire iad; d’imigh sé leis ansin in aghaidh an Fhilistínigh agus a chrann tabhaill ina láimh aige. Bhí an Filistíneach ag teacht agus ag druidim le Dáiví agus a ghiolla scéithe roimhe amach. D’fhéach an Filistíneach agus chonaic Dáiví agus bhuail drochmheas air é, mar nach raibh ann ach ógánach, buachaill naíonta dealraitheach.Dúirt an Filistíneach le Dáiví:
“An madra mise, a rá go bhfuil tú ag teacht i m’aghaidh le bataí?”
Agus chuir an Filistíneach mallacht ar Dháiví dar a dhéithe féin.
Dúirt an Filistíneach le Dáiví:
“Gabh anseo i leith chugam agus tabharfaidh mé d’fheoil d’éanlaith an aeir agus d’ainmhithe an mhachaire.”
Ach d’fhreagair Dáiví an Filistíneach:
“Tá tú ag teacht i m’aghaidh le claíomh agus le sleá agus le ga, ach táimse ag teacht i d’aghaidhse in ainm Tiarna na Slua, Dia airm Iosrael, ar thug tú a dhúshlán. Tabharfaidh an Tiarna isteach i mo láimh thú inniu agus leagfaidh mé ar lár thú; bainfidh mé an ceann díot; agus inniu féin tabharfaidh mé coirp shluaite na bhFilistíneach d’éanlaith an aeir agus d’ainmhithe an mhachaire, chun go mbeidh a fhios ag an domhan go léir go bhfuil Dia in Iosrael, agus go mbeidh a fhios ag an gcomhthionól seo ar fad nach le claíomh ná le sleá a dhéanann an Tiarna fuascailt, mar is leis an Tiarna an cath agus tabharfaidh sé sibhse isteach inár lámhana.”
A thúisce a chorraigh arm na bhFilistíneach agus a dhruid chun tosaigh chun aghaidh a thabhairt ar Dáiví leis an líne chatha agus rith i gcoinne an Fhilistínigh. Chuir Dáiví a lámh ina mhála, thóg cloch as, agus chaith as a chrann tabhaill í gur bhuail an Filistíneach i gclár a éadain; ghabh an chloch trí chlár a éadain agus thit sé ar a bhéal ar an talamh. Sin mar a rug Dáiví bua ar an bhFilistíneach le crann tabhaill agus le cloch gur bhuail an Filistíneach agus gur mharaigh é, gan aon chlaíomh ina láimh ag Dáiví. Rith Dáiví ansin go dtí an Filistíneach, sheas os a chionn, rug greim ar a chlaíomh siúd, tharraing as a thruaill é, agus mharaigh é agus bhain an ceann de leis.
Nuair a chonaic na Filistínigh go raibh a gcuradh marbh, theitheadar.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 143:1, , 2, 9-10
Freagra Moladh leis an Tiarna, mo charraig.
1. Moladh leis an Tiarna, mo charraig, a oileann mo lámha chun catha;
agus fós mo mhéara chun cogaidh. Freagra
2. Is é siúd mo ghrá agus mo dhaingean; is é mo dhún é agus m’fhuascailteoir;
mo sciath é ina gcuirim mo dhóchas; cuireann sé ciníocha faoi mo smacht. Freagra
3. Canfaidh mé amhrán nua duit, a Dhia; seinnfidh mé ar chláirseach na ndeich dtéad duit.
Óir is tú a thugann an bua do ríthe; agus a thug tarrtháil ar Dháiví, do ghiolla. Freagra
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir N. Marc 3: 1-6 Glóir duit a Thiarna.
An feidir dleathach a dhéanamh lá sabóide, beatha a shaoradh?
Chuaigh Íosa isteach sa tsionagóg uair eile, agus bhí fear ann a raibh lámh leis seargtha, agus bhíodar ag faire air féachaint an leigheasfadh sé é lá na sabóide chun go gciontóidís é.Dúirt sé le fear na láimhe seargtha: “Tar i leith.”
Agus dúirt sé leo:
“Cé acu is dleathach a dhéanamh lá sabóide, an mhaith nó an t-olc, beatha a shaoradh nó a mharú?”
Ach ní raibh focal astu.
Agus ar dhearcadh timpeall le fearg orthu uile, agus brón air mar gheall ar dhúire a gcroí, dúirt sé leis an duine: “Sín amach do lámh.”
Shín, agus bhí a lámh slán arís. Ghabh na Fairisínigh amach, agus rinne siad comhairle láithreach leis na Héaródaigh ina aghaidh conas a mhillfidís é.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 25th January, 2026
- 25th Jan 2026 -
Third Sunday of Ordinary Time: Year A ; St Matthew
Sunday of the Word of God
Catholic Schools Week begins today.
The semi-continuous reading of St Matthew's Gospel begins this Sunday and deals with the call of the first disciples by Jesus. The scriptures are fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus. His call to repentance is urgent because the Kingdom of heaven is close at hand.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 8:23-9:3
In Galilee of the nations the people have seen a great light.
In days past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in days to come he will confer glory on the Way of the Sea on the far side of Jordan, province of the nations.
The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone.
You have made their gladness greater, you have made their joy increase; they rejoice in your presence as men rejoice at harvest time, as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.
For the yoke that was weighing on him, the bar across his shoulders,
the rod of his oppressor, these you break as on the day of Midian.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 26:1, 4, 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. There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life,
to savour the sweetness of the Lord, to behold his temple. Response
3. 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
SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to Corinthians 1:10-13. 17
Make up the difference between you instead of disagreeing among yourselves.
I appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice. From what Chloe's people have been telling me, my dear brothers, it is clear that there are serious differences among you. What I mean are all these slogans that you have, like: 'I am for Paul,' 'I am for Apollos,' 'I am for Cephas,' 'I am for Christ'. Has Christ been parcelled out? Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the Good News, and not to preach that in the terms of philosophy in which the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation Mt 4:23
Alleluia, alleluia!
Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom,
and cured all kinds of sickness among the people.
Alleluia!
or Jn 1:14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessings on the King who comes, in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens!
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 4:12-23 Glory to you, O Lord
Jesus went and settled in Capernaum: in this way the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled.
Hearing that John had been arrested Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled: 'Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the Sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.'
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message,
'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.'
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, 'Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.' And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogue proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds diseases and sickness among the people.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
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Shorter form of the GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 4:12-23
Theme: Jesus went and settled in Capernaum: in this way the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled
Hearing that John had been arrested Jesus went back to Galilee,
and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:'Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.'
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand'.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
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The scripture readings are taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with permission of the publishers.
For homily resources for this Sunday's Gospel click here: https://www.catholicireland.net/sunday-homily/
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Liturgical Readings for: Sunday, 25th January, 2026
CÉAD LÉACHTSliocht as an Leabhar Íseáia, fáidh 8:23-9:3
I nGailíl na gciníocha chonaic an pobal solas mór.
San am atá thart thug sé béim síos do thír Zabúlun agus do thír Naftáilí, ach san amatá ag teacht ardóidh sé bealach na farraige, an taobh thall den Iordáin, Gailíl nagciníocha.
An pobal a bhí ag siúl sa dorchadas, chonaic siad solas mór;agus ar mhuintir na tíre gruama tá solas ag lonrú.
Chuir tú go mór lena n-áthas, mheadaigh tú ar a lúcháir;
tá siad ag déanamh gairdis os do chomhair,
mar a dhéanann in aimsir an fhómhair,
amhail an gairdeas lena roinntear an chreach.
Óir an chuing a bhí anuas orthu, an choirb ar a nguaillí,
agus slat an aintiarna, déanann tú smionagar díobh mar a rinne tú lá Midian
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 26; 1, 4, 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 dúnáras me bheatha: cé a chuirfidh ar crith me? Freagra
2. Aon ní amhain a iarraim ar an Tiarna, eilím é seo:
bheith i mo chónaí i dteach an Tiarna fad a bheidh mé beo,
chun go mblaisfinn aoibhneas an Tiarna agus go bhfeicfinn a theampall. Freagra
3. Creidim go bhfeicfidh mé maitheas an Tiarna, i dtír na mbeo.
Fan leis an Tiarna; bí cróga; bíodh do chroí go tréan is fan leis an Tiarna. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Coirintigh 1:10-13. 17
Impím oraibh, a bhráithre, in ainm ár dTiarna Íosa Críost, sibh go léir a bheith ar aon fhocal agus gan aon siosmaí a bheith eadraibh, ach sibh a bheith dlúite le chéile ar aon aigne agus ar aon intinn. Mar tá sé curtha ar mo shúile dom ag muintir Chlóé, a bhráithre, go mbíonn sibh in achrann le chéile. Is é atá i gceist agam go mbíonn gach duine agaibh á rá:
“leanaimse Pól,” nó “leanaimse Apollós,” nó “leanaimse Céafas,” nó “leanaimse Críost.”
An amhlaidh atá Críost roinnte ina choda? An é Pól a céasadh ar an gcrois ar bhur son?
An in ainm Phóil a baisteadh sibh?
Mar ní ag baisteadh a chuir Críost uaidh mé ach ag fógairt an dea-scéil agus é a dhéanamh gan dul i muinín
eagna urlabhra ar eagla cros Chríost a choilleadh.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Véarsa Mth 4: 23
Alleluia, alleluia!
D'fógair Íosa Dea-Scéal na ríochta, agus leigheas sé gach galar
agus gach éagruas i measc an phobail.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha 4:12-23 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Chuir sé faoi i gCafarnáum chun go gcomhlíonfaí a ndúradh trí Íseáia fáidh.
Nuair a chuala Íosa go raibh Eoin tugtha ar láimh, chuaigh sé i leataobh go dtí an Ghailíl. D’fhág sé Nazarat agus chuir faoi i gCafarnáum cois na farraige, i gcríocha Zabúlun agus Naftáilím chun go gcomhlíonfaí a ndúradh trí Íseáia fáidh:
“Talamh Zabúlun, talamh Naftáilím, bóthar na farraige, an taobh eile den Iordáin,
Gailíl na gciníocha, an pobal a bhí ina suí sa dorchadas, chonaic siad solas mór,
an mhuintir a chónaigh i dtír scáilmhear an bháis, d’éirigh solas chucu.”
Ón am sin amach, thosaigh Íosa ag seanmóir agus ag rá:“Déanaigí aithrí, mar tá ríocht na bhflaitheas in achmaireacht.”
Ag siúl dó cois farraige na Gailíle, chonaic sé beirt dearthár, Síomón ar a dtugtar Peadar agus Aindrias a dheartháir, ag caitheamh eangacha san fharraige, mar iascairí a bhí iontu. Labhair sé leo:
“Tagaigí i mo dhiaidh, agus déanfaidh mé iascairí ar dhaoine díbh.”
D’fhág siad na líonta láithreach agus lean siad é.
Bhuail sé ar aghaidh, agus chonaic sé beirt dearthár eile, Séamas mac Zeibidé agus Eoin a dheartháir: bhí siad sa bhád in éineacht lena n-athair, Zeibidé, ag cóiriú a gcuid líonta; agus ghlaoigh sé iad.
D’fhág siad an bád agus a n-athair láithreach agus lean siad é.
Agus ghabh Íosa ar fud na Gailíle go léir, ag teagasc sna sionagóga, ag fógairt
dea-scéil na ríochta, agus ag leigheas gach galar agus gach éagruas i measc an phobail.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
*******************************************
Malairt SOISCÉAL gearr
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha 4:12-17
Chuir sé faoi i gCafarnáum chun go gcomhlíonfaí a ndúradh trí Íseáia fáidh.
Nuair a chuala Íosa go raibh Eoin tugtha ar láimh, chuaigh sé i leataobh go dtí an Ghailíl. D’fhág sé Nazarat agus chuir faoi i gCafarnáum cois na farraige, i gcríocha Zabúlun agus Naftáilím chun go gcomhlíonfaí a ndúradh trí Íseáia fáidh:
“Talamh Zabúlun, talamh Naftáilím,
bóthar na farraige, an taobh eile den Iordáin, Gailíl na gciníocha,an pobal a bhí ina suí sa dorchadas, chonaic siad solas mór,
an mhuintir a chónaigh i dtír scáilmhear an bháis, d’éirigh solas chucu.”
Ón am sin amach, thosaigh Íosa ag seanmóir agus ag rá:
“Déanaigí aithrí, mar tá ríocht na bhflaitheas in achmaireacht.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
