Churches of the Day

First Sunday of Lent, Cycle A

We all need to awaken to the meaning of 'being in Christ'.
We are all struggling against the powers of darkness confident that wherever there is sin, Grace also abounds still more.

Today the initial Rite of Election of Catechumens is celebrated.

FIRST READING

A reading from the Book of  Genesis          2:7-9 3:1-7
The creation and sin of our first parents.

The Lord God fashioned man of dust from the soil. Then he breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus man became a living being.

The Lord God planted a garden in Eden which is in the east, and there he put the man he had fashioned. The Lord God caused to spring up from the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to eat, with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden.

The serpent was the most subtle of all the wild beasts that the Lord God had made. It asked the woman,
'Did God really say you were not to eat from any of  the trees in the garden?' The woman answered the serpent, 'We may eat he fruit of the trees in the garden. But of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, "You must not eat it, nor touch it, under pain of death".'
Then the serpent said to the woman,
'No! You will not die! God knows in fact that on the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.'

The woman saw that the tree was good to eat and pleasing to the eye, and that it was desirable for the knowledge that it could give. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She gave some also to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realised that they were naked. So they sewed fig-leaves together to make themselves loin-cloths.

The Word of the Lord.              Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm            Ps 50: 3-6, 2-12-13, 14, 17
Response                                Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
1. Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.                       Response

2. My offences truly I know them; my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned: what is evil in your sight I have done.             Response

3. A pure heart create for me, O God, put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence, nor deprive me of your holy spirit.            Response

4. Give me again the joy of your help; with a spirit of fervour sustain me.
O Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise.                                     Response

SECOND  READING 

A reading from the letter of St Paul to  Romans                5:12-19
However great the number of sins committed, grace was even greater.

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of 'law-breaking', yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.

Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man's fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift. The results of the gift also outweigh the results of one man's sin: for after one single fall came judgement with a verdict of condemnation, now after many falls comes grace with its verdict of acquittal. If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man's fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man's fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified.

As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous.

The Word of the Lord.              Thanks be to God.

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Shorter form of the Second reading

A reading from the letter of St Paul to  Romans                5:12. 17-19

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man's fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man's fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous.

The Word of the Lord.              Thanks be to God.

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Gospel  Acclamation          Mt 4:4
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!

GOSPEL

The Lord be with you.          And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew             4:1-11            Glory to you, O Lord
Jesus fasts for forty days and is tempted.

Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, after which he was very hungry, and the tempter came and said to him,
'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves'.
But he replied, 'Scripture says:
'Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'.

The devil then took him to the holy city and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple.
'If you are the Son of God' he said 'throw yourself down; for scripture says:
'He will put you in his angels' charge, and they will support you on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone'.
Jesus said to him, 'Scripture also says: 'You must not put the Lord your God to the test'.

Next, taking him to a very high mountain, the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 'I will give you all these' he said, 'if you fall at my feet and worship me.'
Then Jesus replied,
'Be off, Satan! For scripture says: 'You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.'

Then the devil left him, and angels appeared and looked after him.

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.

 Second Sunday of Lent, Year A

Lent brings us into the heart of the Paschal Mystery. The selected disciples are brought to the mountain top where they are given a vision of a transfigured Jesus talking with prophets Moses and Elijah about his upcoming death and resurrection.

Saint of the Day: March 1st; St David, abbot and bishop, and patron saint of Wales,
C/f A short life of this saint can be found below todays' Readings and Reflection.

FIRST READING

A reading from the Book of Genesis 12:1-4
The call of Abraham, father of the people of God.

The Lord said to Abram,
'Leave your country, your family and your father's house, for the land I will show you.
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing.
 I will curse those who slight you.
'I will bless those who bless you:
All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you.'

So Abram went as the Lord told him, and Lot went with him.

The Word of the Lord              Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm          Ps 33: 4-5, 18-20. 22.R/v 22
Response                              May your love be upon us, O Lord,  as we place all our hope in you.

l. The word of the Lord is faithful and all his works to be trusted.
   The Lord loves justice and right and fills the earth with his love.        Response

2. The Lord looks on those who revere him, on those who hope in his love,
    to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.          Response

3. Our soul is waiting for the Lord.  The Lord is our help and our shield,
    May your love be upon us, 0 Lord, as we place all our hope in you.   Response

SECOND READING

A reading from the second letter of St Paul to Timothy   1:8-10
 God calls and enlightens us.

With me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy - not because of anything we ourselves have done but for his own purpose and by his own grace.

This grace had already been granted to us, in Christ Jesus, before the beginning of time, but it has only been revealed by the Appearing of our saviour Christ Jesus. He abolished death, and he has proclaimed life and immortality through the Good News.

The Word of the Lord                            Thanks be to God.

Gospel  Acclamation                       Mt 17:5
Glory and praise to you, O Christ !
From the bright cloud the Father's voice was heard '
This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen t0 him.'
Glory and praise to you, O Christ !

GOSPEL   

The Lord be with you.                        And with your spirit

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew        17:1-9
His face shone like the sun.

Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus.
'Lord,' he said 'it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.'
He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said,
'This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.'
When they heard this the disciples fell on their faces overcome with fear.
But Jesus came up and touched them. 'Stand up,' he said 'do not be afraid.'
And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but only Jesus.
As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order.
"Tell no one about this vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."

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 1966, by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.

Saint of the Day: March 1st; St David, abbot and bishop, and patron saint of Wales.

St David, abbot and bishop in the sixth century. He is reputed to have founded a number of monasteries, of strict regime.  

Patrick Duffy presents the traditions about David

St David is patron of Wales, where he was abbot and bishop. Several Irish saints were his pupils and he seemed to influenced monastic development in Ireland.

Accounts of David's life are scarce and based on oral tradition and a 'Life' written by Rhygyfarch (11th century bishop of St David's) at a time when the Norman bishop of Canterbury Lanfranc was trying to impose Roman dedications on churches in England and Wales. Rhygyfarch was keen to impress on the recently arrived leaders the importance of the Welsh saint and was not above a little exaggeration.

Family
The tradition is that David was born at Henvynyw (Vetus-Menevia) in Cardiganshire, and that his father was a prince called Sant who violated David's  mother, a nun. Norman bishop Rhygyfarch, who lived from 1057-1099 and wrote a 'Life of David' in Latin to impress the Normans, called him Sant 'holy' (sanctus by name and by merit). David is said to have been baptised by Ailbe, 'a bishop of the Munstermen', who is known to have been in Wales about that time.

At Monastic School 
David studied at the local monastic school and after he was ordained priest, he went to study under Paulinus of Wales near the Brecon Beacons. He remained with Paulinus for several years and is said to have cured him of blindness. Paulinus sent David out to make his own monastic foundations.

Rhygyfarch says David founded monasteries at Glastonbury, Bath and Leominster, but these are more likely to be Rhygyfarch's own claims to impress the Normans. But the one monastery we know he founded was that of Mynyw (Menevia) near his own birth place on the extreme south west of South Wales, facing Ireland, and now called St David's. David lived an austere life of prayer and fasting.

Strict Discipline
The monastery had a most austere regime. Instead of oxen to pull the plough, the monks had to pull their plough on their own shoulders. The diet was strict - consisting of bread, bitter herbs and salt with water or a little milk. David was called Aquaticus, because he drank only water and his monks became known as the Aquatici or "watermen". Finian of Clonard and Modhomhnoc (see 13th February) both spent time at his monastery.

Resolving Disputes
When the Pelagian heresy was being discussed at the Synod of Brevi (Llandewi Brefi in Cardiganshire), David was summoned to resolve the dispute. Shortly afterwards, in 569, he presided over another Synod held at a place called Lucus Victoriae.

The Holy Land and first bishop of Menevia
Rhygyfarch says David went to the Holy Land with two other Welsh monks Teilo and Padarn and that he was consecrated Archbishop of Wales by the patriarch of Jerusalem - probably another exaggeration! He was bishop (probably not archbishop) of Menevia, the Roman port of Menapia in Pembrokeshire, later known as St. David's, then the chief point of departure for Ireland. He died around 601 but he continued to be remembered in Ireland, and he is mentioned in the Martyrology of Oengus and in the Catalogue of the Saints of Ireland.

Diocese of Menevia
The cult of St. David was approved by Pope Callistus II in the year 1120 and two pilgrimages to St David's were 'declared' to be equal in merit to one pilgrimage to Rome. The Catholic diocese of that area of Wales is still called Menevia; the bishop currently lives in Swansea.

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Memorable Saying for Today

Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things
that you have heard and seen me do. '

~ Last words of David (Dewi Sant) of Wales ~

(The phrase 'Gwnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd' -
'Do the little things in life' - is still a well-known maxim in Wales.)

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