We gather as people loved by God, people called to pass on the love we have received. The love God has put into the world will never fail, but will last as long as humanity lasts. We praise God for the gifts lavished on us. (Today is the first day of Catholic Schools Week in Ireland.)
1st Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19 Jeremiah is commissioned by God, as a prophet Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” But you, gird up your loins;…
1st Reading: 2 Samuel 12:1-7, 10-17 David’s sin with Bathsheba will be punished within his own family The Lord sent Nathan to David. He went to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds;…
1st Reading: 2 Samuel 11:1-4a, 5-10, 13-17 David’s adultery and his “executive murder” of Uriah In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It happened, late…
Saint Thomas Aquinas, memorial 1st Reading: 2 Samuel 7:18-19, 24-29 David prays with gratitude, about God’s everlasting promises to his descendants Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was…
Saint Angela de Merici, optional memorial 1st Reading: 2 Samuel 7:4-17 Samuel hears God’s promise to build up the house of David That very night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in?…
1st Reading: 2 Timothy 1:1-9 Reminder to use the gifts God has given us, for the service of the church Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father…
The great conversion: Paul’s recognition of the risen Christ transformed his value system. No longer were the claims of Jesus the blasphemous pretensions of a madman, but utter truth; and Jesus was Messiah and Saviour. 1st Reading: Acts 22:3-16 Paul’s account of his conversion, to his fellow-Jews, on the steps of the Temple “I am…
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity continues until this Monday. With Christians all over the world, we ask God to give us the unity for which Christ prayed.
Theme: We celebrate as Christ’s Body in which we all, laity and clergy, belong. We use our God-given talents to enhance the lives of others. 1st Reading: Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 Ezra the Scribe set out to re-instate the Jewish Laws The priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all…
1st Reading: 2 Samuel 1:1-4 etc David’s grief at the death of Saul and Jonathan After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. On the third day, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he…
1st Reading: 1 Samuel 24:3-21 David refrains from killing Saul, and gains the moral high ground He came to the sheepfolds beside the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. The men of David said…
Saint Agnes, virgin and martyr, optional memorial 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 18:6-9 etc Saul’s jealousy threatens David, but Jonathan helps to reconcile them As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with…
Saints Fabian and Sebastian, martyrs (optional memorial) 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 17:32-33, etc David kills Goliath, and saves his people David said to Saul, “Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to…
1st Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 In Bethlehem Samuel anoints David (Jesse’s youngest son) as king The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have…
1st Reading: 1 Samuel 15:16-23 For disobeying the prophet Samuel, Saul is deposed as king Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” He replied, “Speak.” Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of…
There are echoes of the Christmas season in today’s liturgy, particularly in the Gospel story of the wedding feast of Cana, in which God’s glory becomes visible in Jesus, as it did at his Epiphany and Baptism.
Theme: Like Mary and Jesus, we should help without being asked and without fuss or demand. 1st Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5 God has prepared joyful feast for his people For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation…
1st Reading: 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 12-19; 10:1 Saul is anointed by Samuel as king of Israel, at God’s inspiration There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. He had a son whose name was Saul,…
Saint Ita of Limerick optional memorial 1st Reading: 1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22 When the people demand a king, Samuel appoints one, but warns of the dangers Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “You are old and your sons do not follow in your…
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