Tomhas na Teanga March-April 2009

Dhá lá i ndiaidh Lá ‘le Pádraig atá Lá ‘le Iósaef. The day after St. Patrick’s day is St. Joseph’s day. Is mór ag na hIodálaithe an lá sin. That day is important to Italians. Ach dar ndóigh, tá Iósaef an-tábhachtach do gach Críostaí. But of course, Joseph is very important to every Christian. Cara sa chúirt is ea é, ar shlí. He’s a friend on the court, in a way. Tar éis Íosa féin agus Muire a mháthair, ceaptar go bhfuil an chumhacht is an éifeacht is mó ag Iósaef, a bhí mar athair ar an talamh dár Slánaitheoir. After Jesus himself and Mary his mother, it is thought that Joseph, who was the father on Earth of our Saviour, has the most power and influence.

Nóta gramadaí: Cén fáth nach séimhítear ‘Pádraig’ sa bhfrása “Lá (fhéi)le Pádraig?” A grammatical note: Why isn’t ‘Pádraig’ lenited in the phrase… De ghnáth, séimhítear ainm sa tuiseal ginideach – teach Shéamais, mar shampla. Usually a name is lenited in the genitive case – James’ house, for example (in the Irish). Ach i gcás na naomh, is iondúil nach ndéantar amhlaidh – mar tá siad ró-naofa, agus ceaptar gur díspeagadh é a n-ainmneacha a thruailliú le séimhiú! But in the case of the saints, it is usual not to do so – because they are too holy, and it is thought disrespectful to corrupt their names with lenition! Go minic, úsáidtear leagan ar leith d’ainm do naomh: Muire seachas Máire, Eoin seachas Seán, Iósaef seachas Seosamh, srl. Often, a special version of a name is used for a saint: x instead of x…etc. Is ainmneacha ón mBíobla iad. They are names from the Bible. Ní thugtar Muire ar aon dúile eile seachas an Mhaighdean Mhuire. No one except the Virgin Mary is called… Ach ait go leor, séimhítear Muire sa bhfrása sin! But quite strangely, Muire is lenited in that phrase! Ná déan nós agus ná bris nós, mar a deir an seanfhocal. Don’t start a way and don’t break a way, as the saying goes. Sin mar atá, sin uile! That’s how it is, that’s all!

Tá gá againn le cairde ar neamh, agus is cabhair mhór dúinn patrún a thógáil leo, freisin. We need friends in heaven, and it is a great help to us to take them for examples, too. Is iomaí duine atá ina naomh agus roghnaímid na daoine is ansa linn mar chairde, go díreach mar a dhéanaimid sa saol seo. There are many saints and we choose the ones we like best for friends, just like we do in this world. Tá na naoimh a bhain lenár sinsir an-tábhachtach dúinn, Bríd agus Pádraig agus Colm Cille agus Breandán agus iad uile. The saints that have to do with our ancestors are very important to us…and all of them. Agus tá baint ag naoimh áirithe le gnéithe áirithe den saol seo, le slite beatha, le réiteach fadhbanna áirithe, le stair áirithe, srl. And certain saints relate to certain aspects of this life, to careers, to solving particular problems, to a particular history, etc. Is patrúin iad ar na rudaí seo, deirtear. They are said to be patrons of these things.

Ní thugtar ‘naomh’ ar dhuine mura bhfuarthas míorúiltí mar fhreagra ar phaidreacha chucu. People are only called saints if miracles have occurred as an answer to prayers to them. Tugann Dia an deis sin dóibh chun cabhrú linn. God gives them that opportunity to help us. Uaireanta tá sé deacair a thuiscint conas a tharla gur patrún ar rud áirithe é naomh áirithe, ach is dócha go bhfuarthas cabhair ón naomh sin maidir leis an rud sin, fiú rud nach raibh ann i saol an naoimh nuair a bhí sé/sí beo sa saol seo. Sometimes it is difficult to understand how it came about that a particular saint is patron saint of a particular thing, but I suppose that that saint helped people concerning that thing, even with things that didn’t exist in the life of the saint when he/she was in this world.

Is patrún ar an eaglais go léir é Iósaef. Joseph is the patron saint of the whole church. Mar a thug sé cosaint agus cothú d’Íosa, déanann sé amhlaidh anois don Eaglais Chaitliceach. Just like he protected and nurtured Jesus, he does likewise now for the Catholic Church. Mar a bhíodh Iósaef ina fhear oibre ar an talamh, tuigeann sé saothar an duine, agus cabhraíonn sé linn mar oibrí. Since Joseph used to be a working man on Earth, he understands the labor of people, and helps us as workers. Is é an 1ú Bealtaine lá ‘le Iosaef oibrí, féile eile ina onóir. The first of May is the feast of Joseph the worker, another feast in his honor. Mar athair d’Íosa, tuigeann sé cúraimí aithreacha, agus cabhraíonn sé linne. As father to Jesus, he understands the concerns of fathers, and he helps us. Is iomaí rud eile lena gcabhraíonn sé, agus b’fhiú dúinn go léir níos mó a léamh faoi. There are many other things he helps us with, and it would be worthwhile for us to read more about him. De réir traidisiúin, fuair sé bás agus Íosa taobh leis, bás sona agus suaimhneach.

According to tradition, he died with Jesus beside him, a happy and peaceful death. Tugann Iósaef cabhair dúinn ar uair ár mbáis, má iarraimid an chabhair sin air. Joseph helps us at the hour of our death, if we ask him to. Chonaic mé seo le mo shúile féin, mar nuair a bhí seanmháthair mo mhná céile ag fáil bháis san otharlann, ghuí mé ar Iósaef ar a son, agus nóiméad ina dhiaidh sin, lig sí a hanáil dheireanach uaithi agus d’imigh sí uainn, ar dheis Dé go raibh sí. I saw this with my own eyes, as when my wife’s grandmother was dying in the hospital, I prayed to Joseph for her, and a moment later, she breathed her last and left us, God bless her.

Bíonn géarghá le cabhair againn i gcónaí. We always have great need for help. Ná déanaimis dearmad dár gcairde ar neamh. Let us not forget our friends in heaven.