readings for May 4, 2014

Third Sunday of Easter

It-3 Ħadd tal-Ghid

Messalin A - pp 192

Reading 1 - acts of the apostles 2:14, 22-33

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. For David says of him: I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. “My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption. God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. Exalted at the right hand of God, he received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father and poured him forth, as you see and hear.” This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari - mill-Ktieb ta’ l-Atti ta’ l-Appostli 2, 14, 22-33

Nhar Ghid il-Ħamsin, Pietru, flimkien mal-Hdax qam u qal lill-Lhud b’lehen gholi: “Nies tal-Lhudija, u intom ilkoll li toqogћdu f’Gerusalem, kunu afu dan u isimgћu sewwa x’ se ngћidilkom jien:. Gesu’ ta’ Nazaret kien bniedem li Alla takom prova tiegћu permezz tal-mirakli u l-gheġubijiet u s-sinjali li ghamel bih foskom, kif intom stess tafu. Lil dan Gesu’ Alla telaqhuulkom f’idejkom skond l-gћerf u l-pjan u li fassal minn qabel, u intom neћћejtuh billi sallabtuh permezz ta’ nies ћżiena. Imma Alla qajmu mill-imwiet billi hall l-irbit tal-mewt, gћaliex ma setax ikun li l-mewt iżżommu taћt is-setgћa tagћha. Gћax David jgћid fuqu,“Żammejt lill-Mulej dejjem quddiem, ghax hu fuq il-lemin tiegћi; biex qatt ma nitћarrek. Gћalhekk ferћet qalbi u ntelal bl-hena lsieni; u ġismi wkoll jistrieћ fit-tama, gћax inti ma titlaqx fl-imwiet lil ruћi, u ma tћallix il-Qaddies tiegћek jara t-taћsir. Inti gћarraftni t-triq tal-ћajja, timlieni bil-ferћ meta nkun quddiemak.’ Ħutii, ћalluni ngћidilkom kif inћossaha fuq il-patrijarka David; hu miet u kien Midfun u l-qabar tiegћu gћadu magћna sa llum stess. Issa hu kien profeta, u kien jaf li Alla ћaliflu b’ġurament li kellu jqiegћed fuq it-tron tiegћu bniedem ġej minn nislu. David ram inn fl-imwiet, u lanqas ġismu ma ra t-taћsir.” Lil dan Ġesu’. Alla qaljmu mill-imwiet¸u ta’ dan aћna xhieda. Gћalhekk, issa li Alla gћollieh bil-leminija tieghu, huwa rćieva minghand il-Missier l-Ispirtu s-Santu li kien imwiegћed, u sawkbu fuqna, kif qegћdin taraw u tisimghu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm - psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

R/ Alleluia.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot. R/

I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. R/

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. R/

You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever. R/

Salm Responsorjali - Salm 15(16)

R/ Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Harisni, o Allla, , gћax fik jien nistkenn.

Jien ghedt lill-Mulej: “Int Sidi;

m’gћandix ġid ieћor hliefek,

Mulej, inti s-sehem tal- wirt u r-riżq tiegћii,

Inri żżomm d’iswk xortija.” R/

Inbierek lill-Mulej, li tani l-fehma,

imqar billejl qalbi tghallimni.

Inżomm lill-Mulej dejjem quddiem,

Gћax bih f’leminti qatt ma nitharek . R/

Hekk tifirah qalbi u tithenna ruћi,

u gismiwkoll jisitrieh fil-kwiet.

Ghax inti matitlaqnix fl-imwiet,

ma thallix il-mahbub tieghek jara l-qabar.. R/

Int tgћallini t-triq tal-hajja,

hemm il-milja tal-ferh quddiemek,

hemm ghaxqa ghal dejjem f’lemintek. R/

reading 2 - 1 peter 1:17-21

Beloved: If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Qari - mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pietru 1, 17-21

Gheziez, jekk intom issejhu Missier lil dak li, bla ma jhares lejn l-ucuh, jaghmel haqq minn kulhadd skond l-ghemil ta’ kull wiehed, ghixu fil-biza’ z-zmien tal-hajja li qeghdin tghaddu f’art barranija,. Kunu afu li intom intom kontu mifdija mill-ћajja taghkom fiergha li ћadtu minghand missirijietkom, mhux b’xi haga li tintemm, bhalma hi l-fidda jew id-deheb, imma bid-demm ghaziz ta’ Kristu, li kien bhal haruf bla gћsjb j bla tebgha.. Hu kien ippredestinat sa minn qabel ma saret id-dinja, imma deher fl-ahhar taz-zminijiet minhabba fikom. Bih intom temmnu f’Alla, li qajmu mill-imwiet u tah il-glorja; hekk il-fidi taghkom hi wkoll tama f’Alla. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel - luke 24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this,it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb, and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see. And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burn while he spoke to u ing within uss on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread. This is the Word of The Lord

L-Evangelju - skond San Luqa 24, 13-35

Dak in-nhar stess fl-ewwel jum tal-gimgha, ġara li tnejn mid-dixxipli kienu sejrin lejn rahal jismu Ghemmaw, xi sittin stadju boghod minn Gerusalem, jithaddtu bejniethom fuq kulma kien gara. Huma u jithaddtu U jitkixxfu bejniethmm,Gesu’ nnifsu resaq lejhom u baqa’ miexi maghhom. Imma ghajnejhom kellhom xi jzommhom u ma setghux jagharfuh. U hu qalilhom: “Xintom tithadtu bejnietkom intom u mexja?” U huma waqfu, b’harsa ta’ niket fuqhom. Imbaghad wiehed minnhom, jismu Kleofa, wiegeb u qallu: “Int wahdek il-barrani f’Gerusalem li ma tafx x’gara hemmhekk f’dawn il-jiem?” “X’gara?” staqsiehom. Ġesu’.: Qalulu “Dak li ġara lil Gesu’ ta’ Nazaret, li kien profeta, setghan fil-ghemil u fil-kliem quddiem Alla u quddiem il-poplu kollu, kif il-qassisin il-kbar u l-kapijiet taghna tawh f’idejb il-gvernatur biex ikun ikkundanat ghall-mewt u sallbuh. Ahna konna nittamaw li hu kien dak li kellu jifdi lil Israel; Iżda issa, fuq kollox, ga ghaddew tlitt ijiem fuq din il-grajja! Issa wkoll xi whud min-nisa taghna hasduna, ghax marru kmieni hdejn il-qabar u l-katavru tieghu ma sabuh; u gew ighidu wkoll li dehrulhom xi angli li qalulhom li hu haj. Imbaghad marru hdejn il-qabar xi whud minn taghna u sabu kollox kif kienu qalu n-nisa, imma lilu ma rawhx!” Qalilhom Gesu’: “Kemm intom boloh u tqal biex temmnu kull ma qalu l-profeti! U ma kellux il-Messija jbati minn dan kollu u hekk jidhol fil-glorja tieghu?” U beda minn Mose’ u l-profeti kollha ifissrilhom kull ma kien hemm fl-Iskrittura fuqu. Meta qorbu hdejn ir-rahal fejn kienu sejrin, hu ghamel tabirruhu li se jibqa’ sejjer aktar ‘il boghod. Izda huma ġegћluh jibqa’ magћhon u qalulu: “Ibqa’ maghna, ghax issa sar hafna hin u l-jum ga wasal biex jintemm.”Imbaghad dahal biex joqghod maghhom. U waqt li kien fil-mejda maghhom, qabad il-hobz, qal il-barka, qasmu u tahulhom. imbaghad infethulhom ghajnejhom u gharfuh, izda hu kien ghab minn quddiemhom. U wiehed lill-iehor bdew ighidu: “Ma kinetx imkebbsa qalbna gewwa fina huwa jkellimna fit-triq u jfissrilna l-Iskrittura?” Dak il-hin stess qamu u regghu lura Gerusalem. Hemm sabu l-Hdax u lil shabhom migburin flimkien, u dawn qalulhom: “Il-Mulej qam tassew, u deher lil Xmun!” U huma wkoll tarrfulhom x’kien gralhom fit-triq u kif gharfuh fil-qsim tal-hobz. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Commentary:

The Transmission of Faith Is a Communal, Ecclesial Event

By Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB - CEO, Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation

Next Sunday’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles presents us with the first of six discourses (along with Acts 3:12-26; 4:8-12; 5:29-32; 10:34-43; 13:16-41) dealing with the resurrection of Jesus and its messianic significance. Five of these are attributed to Peter, the final one to Paul. We may call these discourses in Acts the “kerygma,” the Greek word for proclamation (1 Corinthians 15:11). In Peter’s address we can distinguish an introduction and two parts: in the first part (15:16-21) he is explaining that the messianic times foretold by Joel have now arrived; in the second (15:22-36) he proclaims that Jesus of Nazareth, whom the Jews crucified, is the Messiah promised by God and eagerly awaited by the righteous of the Old Testament; it is he who has effected God’s saving plan for mankind. To demonstrate that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah foretold by the prophets, Peter reminds his listeners of our Lord’s miracles (22), as well as of his death (23), resurrection (24-32) and glorious ascension (33-35). Peter’s address ends with a brief summary (36). Peter was able to declare the message that can change the life of every one who heard it. That message has not changed nor lost its power in our day. It is a message that still brings hope to the hopeless, life to those dead in sin and forgiveness to those struggling under the burden of their sins.

A catechetical and liturgical story

The Emmaus story of Sunday’s Gospel is at the heart of Luke’s resurrection chapter (24). Luke’s story of the two disciples on the road (24:13-35) focuses on the interpretation of scripture by the risen Jesus and the recognition of him in the breaking of the bread. The references to the quotations of scripture and explanation of it (24:25-27), the kerygmatic proclamation (24:34), and the liturgical gesture (24:30) suggest that the episode is primarily catechetical and liturgical rather than apologetic.

When we meet the disciples on the road to Emmaus, it is evening, and the glow of that first Easter day has begun to fade. Resurrection at this point is nothing more than a rumor or a tale. Buried beneath their verbal exchange lies a deep yearning and a holy hunger. Intimately intertwined with their skepticism is their hope, and their need for God to be alive, vibrant and present in their world of death. But the baggage of their doubt impedes the fervor of their faith and they fail to recognize Jesus. Without being aware of what they are really saying along the road, the two disciples profess many of the central elements of the creed of the Christian faith yet they remain blind to the necessity of the Messianic suffering predicted in the Scriptures.

The stranger on the road to Emmaus takes the skepticism and curiosity of the disciples and weaves them into the fabric of the Scripture. Jesus challenges them to reinterpret the events of the past days in light of the Scriptures. However, Cleopas and his companion are “foolish and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have said!” (24:25) The Messiah had to suffer and die in order to enter into his glory. Luke is the only New Testament writer to speak explicitly of a suffering Messiah (Luke 24:26, 46; Acts 3:18; 17:3; 26:23). The idea of a suffering Messiah is not found in the Old Testament or in other Jewish literature prior to the New Testament period, although the idea is hinted at in Mark 8:31-33.

Finally in the intimacy of the breaking of the bread were their eyes opened and they recognized the Risen One in their midst. At Emmaus, the risen Christ performs the same basic actions that he performed at the multiplication of the loaves (9:16) and at the Last Supper. The many meals of Jesus, especially his last supper, can be said to be in the background of the Evangelist’s mind in describing this moment of recognition (cf. Luke 5:29; 7:36; 14:1,12,15,16; 22:14). With this experience of the Risen Jesus the Emmaus disciples believe. Understanding the resurrection therefore implies a two-fold process of knowing the message of the Scriptures and experiencing the one about whom they all speak: Jesus the Lord, through the breaking and sharing of bread with the community of believers.

Words that transmit life

Allow me to share with you a very striking section on “the Duty to Evangelize” from the Lineamenta(preparatory document) for the upcoming 2012 Synod of Bishops on “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.” This passage offers a unique perspective on today’s Emmaus story:

The words of the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-35) illustrate that proclaiming Christ is open to failure; their words were incapable of transmitting life. In recounting their frustration and loss of hope, the two disciples proclaimed someone who was dead (vv 21-24). For the Church in every age, their words speak of the possibility of a proclamation which, instead of giving life, keeps both those who proclaim and those who hear bound in the death of the Christ proclaimed. The transmission of the faith is never an individual, isolated undertaking, but a communal, ecclesial event. It must not consider responses as a matter of researching an effective plan of communication and even less analytically concentrating on the hearers, for example, the young. Instead, these responses must be done as something which concerns the one called to perform this spiritual work. It must become what the Church is by her nature. In this way, the matter is placed in context and treated correctly and not extrinsically, namely, by placing at the centre of discussion the entire Church in all she is and all she does. Perhaps in this way the problem of unfruitfulness in evangelization and catechesis today can be seen as an ecclesiological problem which concerns the Church’s capacity, more or less, of becoming a real community, a true fraternity and a living body, and not a mechanical thing or enterprise” (No. 2).

Questions for reflection this week

1. As Church, as pastoral ministers, as lay leaders, have we ever felt that our words are incapable of transmitting life to others? Have we proclaimed someone who was dead rather than the living Lord? How have our words and the message of the Church kept people bound in the death of the Christ proclaimed?

2. What prevents us from becoming a real community, a true fraternity and a living body, rather than a mechanical thing or enterprise?

3. What have been the historical events that have influenced, hindered and impeded our proclamation and our way of being Church? How have certain events helped us to refine and rethink our proclamation?

4. What does the Spirit say to our Church through these events? What new forms of evangelization is the Spirit teaching us and requiring of us?

We are once again pilgrims

During my first visit to the French ecumenical community of Taizé many years ago, I heard this meditation offered by the late Brother Roger Schutz and his community. It has remained with me ever since. We are once again pilgrims on the road to Emmaus…Our heads are bowed as we meet the Stranger who draws near and comes with us. As evening comes, we strain to make out His face while he talks to us, to our hearts. In interpreting the Book of Life, He takes our broken hopes and kindles them into fire: the way becomes lighter as, drawing the embers together, we learn to fan the flame. If we invite Him this evening, He will sit down and together we shall share the meal. And then all those who no longer believed will see and the hour of Recognition will come. He will break the bread of tears at the table of the poor

and each will receive manna to their fill. We shall return to Jerusalem to proclaim aloud what He has whispered in our ear. And no doubt we shall find brothers and sisters there who will greet us with the words: ‘We, too have met Him!’

For we know: the mercy of God has come to visit the land of the living!