Churches of the Day
Pictorial Thought for Today
Aug 29 - The Passion of St John the Baptist
Summary : John the Baptist, hermit. a man of courage. This feast urges us to stand firm in our faith to the end and resist the temptation to compromise the gospel teaching.
Patrick Duffy gives some background to the feast.
Buried at Sebaste,
The tradition is that after his beheading the disciples of John the Baptist took his body and buried it at Sebaste (Samaria) near modern-day Nablus in the West Bank. His relics were certainly honoured there by the middle of the fourth century and although the tomb was desecrated by Julian the Apostate, it was restored and still even today is housed in the Nabi Yahya Mosque ("John the Baptist Mosque") at that same place. Various relics of the head of John the Baptist are claimed at Rome and elsewhere, but there is little likelihood that any of them are authentic.
The Feast
The feast commemorating the Beheading of St. John the Baptist is almost as old as that commemorating his Nativity: it is one of the oldest feasts introduced into both the Eastern and Western liturgies to honour a saint.
The Context :Herod's Guilt
The story of his beheading is told in Mark 6:14-29 in the context of Herod hearing about Jesus and the miraculous powers at work in him. Herod feared that this Jesus was John whom he had beheaded risen from the dead.
What happenedJohn had reproached King Herod saying it was against the Law for him to have taken Herodias, his brother Philip's wife in marriage. Herod arrested John and put him in prison.
He who always lived in the sunny open air of the wilderness was now imprisoned in darkness of a prison cell.
On Herod's birthday, Herodias's daughter danced so beautifully before Herod and his guests that he promised her anything she asked. Prompted by her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist on a plate. Herod granted her wish and John was then beheaded.
A famous painting of The Beheading of John the Baptist hangs in St John's Co-Cathedral in Valetta. It is the only work by Caravaggio to bear the artist's signature, which he placed in red blood spilling from the Baptist's cut throat. Other paintings by Caravaggio on the theme include two entitled Salome with the Head of John the Baptist: one of these is in London's National Gallery and the other in the Royal Palace of Madrid. ____________________
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Memorable Proverb for Today
Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well
but the certainty that something makes sense,
regardless of how it turns out.
~ Vaclav Havel ~
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29th 8 : The Passion and Beheading of St John the Baptist
John is found worthy of a martyr's death, his last and greatest act of witness to Jesus Christ
C/f A short look at this saint’s life can be found below today's Readings and Reflection.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah 1:17-19
Stand up and tell them all I command you; do not be dismayed at their presence.
The word of the Lord was addressed to me, saying:
'Brace yourself for action.
Stand up and tell them all I command you. Do not be dismayed at their presence, or in their presence I will make you dismayed.
'I, for my part, today will make you into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, and a wall of bronze to confront all this land:
The kings of Judah, its princes, its priests and the country people. They will fight against you but shall not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you. - it is the Lord who speaks.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 70:1-6.15. 17. R/v 15
Response My lips will tell of your justice, O Lord.
1. In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, free me: pay heed to me and save me. Response
2. Be a rock where I can take refuge, a mighty stronghold to save me;
for you are my rock, my stronghold. Free me from the hand of the wicked. Response
3. It is you, O Lord, who are my hope, my trust, O Lord, since my youth.
On you I have leaned from my birth, from my mother's womb you have been my help. Response
4. My lips will tell of your justice and day by day of your help.
O God, you have taught me from my youth and I proclaim your wonders still. Response
Gospel Acclamation Mt 5:10
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 6:17-29 Glory to you, O Lord
I want you to give me John the Baptist's head, here and now, on a dish.
Herod had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, 'It is against the law for you to have your brother's wife.' As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.
An opportunity came on Herod's birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, 'Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.' And he swore an oath, 'I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.'
She went out and said to her mother,
'What shall I ask for?' She replied, 'The head of John the Baptist.'
The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, 'I want you to give me John the Baptist's head, here and now, on a dish.'
The king was deeply distressed, but thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John's head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
When John's disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection, 29 August The Passion of Saint John the Baptist Mark 6:17-29
We know from our own experience that anger and revenge can be a difficult emotions to manage. They can lead us to say and do things we might subsequently regret. According to today’s gospel reading, the anger of Herodias, the wife of Herod Antipas led her to kill John the Baptist. He was momentarily saved from her deadly anger by Herod, who, instead, had John imprisoned, knowing John to be a good and holy man.
Yet, it was Herod’s rash promise to Herodias’ daughter at his birthday banquet that allowed Herodias to give full expression to her anger. Herod’s promise to her, ‘I will give you anything you ask’, was enough of an opening for Herodias to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Rather than lose face and honour by going back on a promise he had made on oath, Herod now submits to Herodias’ request, made through her daughter.
Herod, Herodias and her daughter have been described as an unholy trinity. Because of them, a ‘good and holy man’ was brutally put to death, without even the semblance of a trial. Every generation before and since has witnessed similar callous abuses of power.
Yet, this is the world in which we are asked to live out our faith in the Lord, who himself was a victim of such abuse of power. The greater the darkness, the more the light of our faith needs to shine. In the gospel of John, Jesus refers to John the Baptist as a ‘burning and shining lamp’ (Jn 5:35). His light shone at its brightest in the hour of his execution. Similarly, the light of God’s love shone most brightly through Jesus when he was lifted up on the cross. As people of faith, we don’t get discouraged when evil seems to triumph. Instead, we trustingly turn towards the Lord and ask that the light of his loving presence would shine all the more brightly through our lives.
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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 : 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: Aug 29, the Passion of John the Baptist, a martyr
John the Baptist was hermit. a preacher, and a man of courage. This feast urges us to stand firm in our faith to the end and resist the temptation to compromise the gospel teaching.
Patrick Duffy gives some background to this memorial feast.
Buried at Sebaste,
The tradition is that after his beheading the disciples of John the Baptist took his body and buried it at Sebaste (Samaria) near modern-day Nablus in the West Bank. His relics were certainly honoured there by the middle of the fourth century and although the tomb was desecrated by Julian the Apostate, it was restored and still even today is housed in the Nabi Yahya Mosque ("John the Baptist Mosque") at that same place. Various relics of the head of John the Baptist are claimed at Rome and elsewhere, but there is little likelihood that any of them are authentic.
The Feast
This feast commemorating the Beheading of St. John the Baptist is almost as old as that commemorating his Nativity: it is one of the oldest feasts introduced into both the Eastern and Western liturgies to honour a saint.
The Context : Herod's Guilt
The story of his beheading is told in Mark 6:14-29 in the context of Herod hearing about Jesus and the miraculous powers at work in him. Herod feared that this Jesus was John whom he had beheaded who had risen from the dead.
What happenedJohn had reproached King Herod saying it was against the Law for him to have taken Herodias, his brother Philip's wife in marriage. Herod arrested John and put him in prison. He who always lived in the sunny open air of the wilderness was now imprisoned in the darkness of a dingy, gloomy, prison cell.
On Herod's birthday, Herodias's daughter danced so beautifully before Herod and his guests that he promised her anything she asked. Prompted by her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist on a plate. Herod granted her wish and John was then beheaded.
A famous painting of The Beheading of John the Baptist ( right>) hangs in St John's Co-Cathedral in Valetta. It is the only work by Caravaggio to bear the artist's signature, which he placed in red blood spilling from the Baptist's cut throat.
Other paintings by Caravaggio on the theme include two entitled Salome with the Head of John the Baptist: one of these is in London's National Gallery (above left) and the other in the Royal Palace of Madrid. (right)
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Memorable Proverb for Today
Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well
but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.
~ Vaclav Havel ~
******************************
Sliocht as Leabhar Irimia, Fáidh 1:17-19
Éirigh agus abair leo gach a n-ordaímse duit. Ná bíodh eagla ort ina bhfianaise, ar fhaitíos go gcuirfinnse eagla ort ina bhfianaise.
Tháinig briathar an Tiarna chugam:
Tusa, crioslaigh thú féin mar sin chun comhraic.
Éirigh agus abair leo gach a n-ordaímse duit.Ná bíodh eagla ort ina bhfianaise, ar fhaitíos go gcuirfinnse eagla ort ina bhfianaise.
I dtaca liomsa de, déanfaidh mise díot inniu cathair dhaingean, cuaille iarainn, agus balla práis
in aghaidh na tíre seo go hiomlán,
in aghaidh ríthe Iúdá, in aghaidh a prionsaí, a sagart agus mhuintir na tíre.
Troidfidh siad i d’aghaidh, ach ní bhéarfaidh siad bua ort, óir táimse leat agus tusa faoi mo choimirce – is é an Tiarna a labhraíonn.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 70: 1-6.15. 17. R/v 15
Freagra Fógróidh mo bhéal d’fhíréantacht
1. Ortsa, a Thiarna, atá mo thriall; nár dhéantar mo náiriú go deo.
Fuascail mé i d’fhíréantacht agus saor mé; claon chugam do chluas agus tarrthaigh mé. Freagra
2. Bí agam i do charraig dhídine, i do dhúnfort daingean do mo tharrtháil;
óir is tú mo charraig is mo dhún. Fuascail mé as láimh an urchóidigh. Freagra
3. Óir is leat atá mé ag feitheamh, a Thiarna; a Dhia, is tú mo dhóchas ó m’óige.
Is ort atá mo sheasamh ó rugadh mé, ó bhroinn mo mháthar ba thú mo dhídean. Freagra
4. Fógróidh mo bhéal d’fhíréantacht agus do chúnamh ó lá go chéile
Thug tú teagasc dom ó m’óige, a Dhia,agus bhíos ag fógairt do mhóréachtaí go dtí seo. Freagra
Alleluia Véarsa Matha 5: 10
Alleluia, alleluia!
“Is méanar dóibh seo a d’fhulaing géarleanúint mar gheall ar an bhfíréantacht,
óir isleo ríocht na bhflaitheas"
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Go raibh an Tiarna libh. Agus le do spiorad féin
Sliocht as an Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Marcas 6:17-29 Glóir duit, a Thiarna.
Is mian liom go dtabharfá dom ar mhias gan mhoill ceann Eoin Baiste.
San am sin chuir Héaród ordú amach Eoin a ghabháil agus a chur i ngéibheann i bpríosún mar gheall ar Héaróidias, bean Philib a dheartháir, mar bhí sé tar éis í a phosadh. Óir dúirt Eoin le Héaród:
“Ní ceadmhach duit bean do dhearthár a bheith agat.”
Bhí olc ag Héaróidias chuige agus b’áil léi é mharú ach ní fhéadfadh, óir bhí eagla ar Héaród roimh Eoin, ó bhí a fhios aige gur dhuine cóir naofa é, agus choinnigh sé slán é, agus nuair a chuala sé a chomhrá, bhí sé go mór trí chéile ach thug sé cluas dó go fonnmhar.
Agus tháinig uair na faille nuair a thug Héaród fleá, i gcuimhne lae a bhreithe, do lucht a chúirte agus d’oifigigh agus do chinn phobail na Gailíle; agus tháinig iníon Héaróidias isteach agus rinne sí rince, agus thaitin sé le Héaród agus leo se a bhí ag bord leis. Dúirt an rí leis an gcailín:
“Iarr orm cibé ní is mian leat agus tabharfaidh mé duit é.” Agus thug sé a mhionn di:
“Cibé ní a iarrfaidh tú orm tabharfaidh mé duit é, go dtí leath mo ríochta.”
Ghabh sise amach agus dúirt sí lena máthair:
“Cad a iarrfaidh mé?”
Dúirt sí siúd: Ceann Eoin Baiste.”
Tháinig sí isteach faoi dheifir láithreach go dtí an rí agus d’iarr air ag rá:
“Is mian liom go dtabharfá dom ar mhias gan mhoill ceann Eoin Baiste.”
Tháinig buaireamh mór ar an rí, ach mar gheall ar a chuid mionn agus ar na daoine a bhí ag bord, níorbh áil leis dul siar ar a fhocal léi, agus chuir an rí duine den gharda amach láithreach agus d’ordaigh a cheann a thabhairt isteach. D’imigh seisean agus dhícheannaigh sé sa phríosún é, agus thug sé a cheann isteach ar mhias agus thug don chailín é agus thug an cailín dá máthair é.
Ar a chloisteáil sin dá dheisceabail, tháinig siad agus thóg a chorp agus chuir i dtuama é.
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year A
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah 20:7-9
The word of the Lord has meant insult for me.
You have seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced;you have overpowered me: you were the stronger.
I am a daily laughing-stock, everybody's butt.
Each time I speak the word, I have to howl and proclaim:
'Violence and ruin!'
The word of the Lord has meant for me insult, derision, all day long. I used to say, 'I will not think about him, I will not speak in his name any more.
Then there seemed to be a fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones. The effort to restrain it wearied me, I could not bear it.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 62: 2-6. 8-9. R/v 2
Response For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.
1. O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water. Response
2. So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise. Response
3. So I will bless you all my life, in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy. Response
4. For you have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you; your right hand holds me fast. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 12:1-2
Offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice.
Think of God's mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God.
Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation Eph 1: 17.18
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 16:21-27 Glory to you, O Lord
'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself
Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him.'Heaven preserve you, Lord;' he said 'this must not happen to you'.
But he turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God's way but man's.'
Then Jesus said to his disciples,
'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?
'For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour.
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.
Sliocht as an dara Leabhar Ezícéal, Fáidh 20:7-9
Tá briathar an Tiarna tar éis éirí ina mhasla domsa.
Mheall tú mé, a Thiarna, agus cheadaigh mé mo mhealladh;
rug tú bua orm; ba thú ba threise.
Níl lá nach mbíonn siad ag gáire fúm, is ceap magaidh mé ag gach aon duine.
Níl uair dá labhraim an briathar nach mbíonn orm
a fhógairt in ard mo chinn: “Éigean agus díobháil!”
Tá briathar an Tiarna tar éis éirí ina mhasla domsa
agus ina ábhar magaidh ar feadh an lae.
Deirinn: “Ní smaoineoidh mé air, ní labhróidh mise níos mó ina ainm.” Ansin chonacthas dom go raibh tine loiscneach i mo chroí, í dúnta istigh i mo chnámha.
Tá mé tuirseach ó bheith ag iarraidh í a chosc. Ní fhéadaim é a fhulaingt.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Salm le Freagra Sm 62: 2-6. 8-9. R/v 2
Freagra Tá iotá tarta ar m'anam chugat, a Thiarna, a Dhia liom.
1. A Dhia, mo Dhia thú; iarraim thú go dícheallach.
Tá íota tarta ar m'anam chugat, santaíonn mo cholainn
amhail tálamh atá tirim is spalptha cheal uisce. Freagra
2. Is mar sin a bhím ag breathnú ort sa sanctóir
chun go bhfeicfinn do chumhacht is do ghlóir.
Óir is fearr do bhuanghái ná an bheatha.
Fógróidh mo bheola do mholadh. Freagra
3. Mar sin a bheannóidh mé thú le mo bheo;
i d'ainmsé a thógfaidh mé mo lámha.
Líonfar m'anam mar le fleá,
is molfaidh mo bhéal thú le beola lúcháireacha. Freagra
4. Óir tháinig tú i gcabhair orm, agus gairdím faoi scáth do sciathán.
Tá m'anam ag cloí leat go dlúth, coinníonn do dheaslámh suas mé. Freagra
DARA LÉACHT
Sliocht as Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Rómhánaigh 12:1-2
Déinaigí, bhur gcoirp a thoirbhirt ina n-íobairt bheo .
A bhráithre, táim á iarraidh oraibh as ucht trócaire Dé, bhur gcoirp a thoirbhirt ina n-íobairt bheo naofa thaitneamhach do Dhia; sin é bhur n-adhradh spioradálta. Ná leanaigí patrún an tsaoil seo ach cuirigí malairt meoin oraibh féin trí athnuachan aigne ar shlí go n-aithneodh sibh cad é is toil le Dia, cad é atá maith agus taitneamhach agus foirfe.
Briathar an Tiarna Buíochas le Dia
Alleluia Véarsa Eo 10: 27
Alleluia, alleluia!
Éisteann mo chaoirigh le mo ghlór, a deir the Tiarna
agus aithním iad, agus leanann siad mé.
Alleluia!
SOISCÉAL
Sliocht as Soiscéal naofa de réir Naomh Mhatha 16:21-27
Más áil le haon duine bheith ar mo bhuíon, séanadh sé é féin
San am sin amach, thosaigh Íosa á thaispeáint dá dheisceabail nárbh fholáir dó dul go Iarúsailéim agus mórán a fhulaingt ó na seanóirí agus ó uachtaráin na sagart agus ó na scríobhaithe, agus a chur chun báis, agus éirí an treas lá. Ach thug Peadar ar fhód ar leith é agus thosaigh ag tabhairt casaoide dó: “Go bhfóire Dia ort, a Thiarna,” ar seisean, “agus i bhfad uait sin!” Ach d’iompaigh Íosa thairis agus dúirt le Peadar:
“Siar i mo dhiaidh leat, a Shátain! is ceap tuisle dom thú, mar ní hiad smaointe Dé atá i d’aigne ach smaointe daoine.”
Ansin dúirt Íosa lena dheisceabail:
“Más áil le haon duine bheith ar mo bhuíon, séanadh sé é féin, tógadh suas a chros agus leanadh mé. Óir cibé arb áil leis a anam a shaoradh, caillfidh sé é; ach cibé a chaillfidh a anam mar gheall ormsa, gheobhaidh sé é. Óir cá fearrde duine go ngnóthódh sé an domhan go léir dá ligfeadh sé a anam féin ar ceal? Nó cad a d’fhéadfadh duine a thabhairt mar mhalairt ar a anam?
Óir tá Mac an Duine le teacht faoi ghlóir a Athar lena chuid aingeal, agus ansin cúiteoidh sé le gach duine de réir mar a rinne. Deirim libh go fírinneach, tá daoine anseo i láthair nach mblaisfidh an bás nó go mbeidh Mac an Duine feicthe acu ag teacht ina ríocht.”
Soiscéal an Tiarna. Moladh duit, a Chriost
AN BÍOBLA NAOFA
© An Sagart
