"REJOICE IN MY FATHER'S FORGIVENESS ...."

 Readings for Sunday, March 30, 2025 

  

Fourth Sunday of Lent
Year C Readings
Lectionary: 33

Ir-Raba’ Ħadd tar-Randan
Sena C

Reading 1                  Joshua 5:9a, 10-12

The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.”  While the Israelites were encamped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth of the month.  On the day after the Passover, they ate of the produce of the land in the form of unleavened cakes and parched grain. On that same day after the Passover, on which they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. No longer was there manna for the Israelites, who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan.

QARI 1                   mill-Ktieb ta’ Ġożwè 5:9a,10-12

F’dak iż-żmien, il-Mulej qal lil Ġożwè: “Illum jien neħħejtilkom minn fuqkom l-għajb tal-Eġittu”. Ulied Iżrael waqqfu l-kamp tagħhom f’Gilgal. Hemm, fil-witat ta’ Ġeriko, għamlu l-Għid filgħaxija tal-erbatax tax-xahar. U sewwasew l-għada tal-Għid, huma kielu mill-frott tal-art: ħobż ażżmu u qamħ inkaljat.  Minn dakinhar, wara li kielu mill-frott tal-art, il-manna waqfet. Ulied Iżrael ma kellhomx aktar manna, imma minn dik is-sena bdew jieklu milli bdiet tagħtihom l-art ta’ Kangħan. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                  Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7.

I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                  Salm 33(34):2-3,4-5,6-7

R/.(9a): Duqu u taraw kemm hu tajjeb il-Mulej.

Kull ħin inbierek il-Mulej;
tifħiru dejjem fuq fommi.
Bil-Mulej tiftaħar ruħi;
jisimgħu l-fqajrin u jifirħu. R/.

Xandru l-kobor tal-Mulej miegħi;
ħa ngħollu ismu flimkien.
Jien fittixt il-Mulej, u weġibni,
minn kull biża’ tiegħi ħelisni. R/.

Ħarsu lejh u jiddi bil-ferħ wiċċkom,
u ma jkollkomx għax tistħu.
Dan il-fqajjar sejjaħ u l-Mulej semgħu,
u mid-dwejjaq tiegħu kollha ħelsu. R/.

Reading 2                  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Brothers and sisters: Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. 

QARI 2                    mit-Tieni Ittra lill-Korintin 5:17-21

Ħuti, meta wieħed jingħaqad ma’ Kristu, isir ħolqien ġdid; il-qadim għadda u daħal il-ġdid. Kollox ġej minn Alla li ħabbibna miegħu nnifsu permezz ta’ Kristu u tana l-ministeru ta’ din il-ħbiberija tal-bnedmin ma’ Alla. Alla kien li ħabbeb il-ħolqien miegħu nnifsu permezz ta’ Kristu, bla ma qagħad iżomm il-kont ta’ dnubiethom, u fdalna l-ministeru ta’ din il-ħbiberija. Aħna nagħmluha ta’ ambaxxaturi ta’ Kristu bħallikieku Alla stess qiegħed isejjaħ permezz tagħna, nitolbu fuq li nitolbu f’ġieħ Kristu: Ħallu lil Alla jħabbibkom miegħu. Dak li ma kienx jaf x’inhu dnub, Alla għamlu dnub għalina sabiex aħna nsiru fih ġustizzja ta’ Alla.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                  Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable: “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"  

EVANĠELJU                   Qari skont San Luqa 15:1-3,11-32

F’dak iż-żmien, il-pubblikani u l-midinbin kienu jersqu bi ħġarhom lejn Ġesù biex jisimgħuh. U kemm il-Fariżej u kemm il-kittieba kienu jgemgmu u jgħidu: “Nies midinba jilqa’ għandu dan u jiekol magħhom!”.  U Ġesù qabad u qalilhom din il-parabbola: “Kien hemm raġel li kellu żewġ ulied. Iż-żgħir qal lil missieru: ‘Missier, agħtini s-sehem li jmiss lili mill-ġid’. U dak qassmilhom il-ġid. Ma kinux għaddew wisq ġranet, meta ż-żgħir sarr kollox u telaq minn beltu lejn pajjiż imbiegħed, u hemmhekk berbaq ġidu kollu f’ħajja mtajra. Meta ħela kulma kellu, fuq dak il-pajjiż waqa’ ġuħ kbir, u beda jħoss ruħu fil-bżonn. U mar daħal ma’ wieħed minn dak il-pajjiż, li bagħtu fir-raba’ tiegħu jirgħa l-ħnieżer. Kien jixtieq kieku jimla żaqqu mqar bil-ħarrub li kienu jieklu l-ħnieżer, imma ħadd ma kien jagħtih.  Imbagħad daħal fih innifsu u qal: ‘Kemm lavranti ma’ missieri għandhom ħobż bix-xaba’, u jien qiegħed hawn immut bil-ġuħ! Ħa nqum u mmur għand missieri, u ngħidlu: Missier, dnibt kontra s-sema u kontra tiegħek; ma jistħoqqlix iżjed nissejjaħ ibnek; żommni b’wieħed mil-lavranti tiegħek’.  Qam, u telaq għal għand missieru. Iżda kif kien għadu fil-bogħod missieru lemħu u tħassru, u b’ġirja waħda mar inxteħet fuq għonqu u biesu. It-tifel qallu: ‘Missier, dnibt kontra s-sema u kontra tiegħek; ma jistħoqqlix iżjed nissejjaħ ibnek’.  Iżda l-missier qal lill-qaddejja tiegħu: ‘Isaw! Ġibulu l-isbaħ libsa u xidduhielu, libbsulu ċ-ċurkett f’sebgħu u s-sandli f’riġlejh! Ġibu l-għoġol l-imsemmen u oqtluh, ħa nieklu u nagħmlu festa, għax dan ibni kien mejjet u raġa’ qam, kien mitluf u nstab!’. U għamlu festa. Mela ibnu l-kbir kien fl-għalqa. Huwa u rieġa’ lura, kif wasal qrib id-dar sama’ daqq u żfin. Sejjaħ wieħed mill-qaddejja u staqsieh dak x’kien. Dak qallu: ‘Hawn ħuk u missierek qatillu l-għoġol l-imsemmen, għax raġa’ kisbu qawwi u sħiħ’. Hu inkorla, u ma riedx jidħol ġewwa, iżda missieru ħareġ jitolbu jidħol. Iżda hu qal lil missieru: ‘Ara, ili dawn is-snin kollha naqdik, kelmtek ma ksirthielek qatt, u kieku qatt tajtni gidi lili biex nagħmel ikla u nifraħ ma’ ħbiebi! Imbagħad jiġi dan ibnek, li belagħlek ġidek man-nisa żienja, u lilu toqtollu l-għoġol l-imsemmen’. Qallu missieru: ‘Ibni, inti dejjem miegħi, u kulma hu tiegħi huwa tiegħek. Imma kien meħtieġ li nagħmlu festa u nifirħu, għax dan ħuk kien mejjet u raġa’ qam, kien mitluf u nstab!’”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.  

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil    

Lent IV -- LAETARE! / IFIRHU! /  REJOICE!   

Introduction: 

Traditionally, the Fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday (Rejoice Sunday). Anticipating Easter joy, this Sunday’s readings invite us to rejoice by being reconciled with God through repentance and the confession of our sins and by celebrating our coming home to be with our loving and forgiving God.

Scripture lessons summarized: In the first reading, the Chosen People of God are portrayed as celebrating, for the first time in their own land, the feast of their freedom, by using wheat that had grown in the Promised Land. In today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 34), a rejoicing Psalmist invites us, “Glorify the Lord with me; let us together extol His Name!” In the second reading, St. Paul invites the Corinthian Christian community to rejoice because Jesus has reconciled them with God by his suffering and death.

Thus Sunday’s Gospel celebrates the joy of the prodigal son on his “homecoming” where he discovers his father’s forgiving and overflowing love. It is also the story of the joy of a loving and forgiving father who celebrates the return of his prodigal son by throwing a big party in his honour, a banquet celebrating the reconciliation of the son with his father, his family, his community, and his God. At the same time, in his self-righteous elder brother’s angry reaction to the prodigal’s return, Jesus invites us to avoid self-righteousness and self-justification by imitating the repentant younger brother. 

Let us admit the truth that we are an assembly of repentant, sinful people, who are now ready to receive God's forgiveness, to experience Jesus’ Personal Presence in the Holy Eucharist as our loving and forgiving God and so to love and forgive each other making, generous and lasting peace.

Life messages: 

1) Let us return to our Heavenly Father with repentant hearts: As prodigal children, we face spiritual famine all around us in the form of drug and alcohol abuse, fraud and theft in the workplace, murders, abortions and violence, pornography, premarital sex, marital infidelity, and priestly infidelity, as well as in hostility between and among people. All of these evils have proliferated because we have been squandering God’s abundant blessings, not only in our country and in our families, but also in our personal lives. Hence, let us repent and return to our Heavenly Father’s home.

2) Holy Mass enhances our “pass over," from a world of sin to a world of reconciliation. At every Mass, we come to our loving Heavenly Father’s house as prodigal children acknowledging that we have sinned (“I confess to Almighty God”). In the Offertory, we give ourselves back to the Father, and this is the moment of our surrendering our sinful lives to God our Father. At the consecration, we hear God’s invitation through Jesus: “… this is My Body, which will be given up for you... this is the chalice of My Blood … which will be poured out for you…” (= ”All I have is yours”). In Holy Communion, we participate in the banquet of reconciliation, thus restoring our full relationship with God and our fellow human beings.

//////////////////////////////////////     Fr Tony's Homilies © 2025.  /  https://frtonyshomilies.com  / 

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JESUS' INVITATION TO REPENT

 Readings for Sunday, March 23, 2025 

Third Sunday of Lent
Year C
Lectionary: 30

It-Tielet Ħadd tar-Randan
Sena C

Reading 1                  Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15

Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There an angel of the LORD appeared to Moses in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed. So Moses decided, “I must go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned.” When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, "Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” God said, “Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your fathers, “ he continued, “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. But the LORD said, “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering. Therefore I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land,  a land flowing with milk and honey.” Moses said to God, “But when I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?” God replied, “I am who am.” Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you.” God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.  This is my name forever; thus am I to be remembered through all generations.”

QARI 1                   mill-Ktieb tal-Eżodu 3:1-8a,13-15

F’dak iż-żmien, Mosè kien jirgħa l-merħla ta’ ħatnu Ġetru, qassis ta’ Midjan, u ħa l-merħla ’l hemm fid-deżert, u wasal sa ħdejn Ħoreb, il-muntanja ta’ Alla. Hawn deherlu l-anġlu tal-Mulej f’ħuġġieġa nar qalb l-għollieq. Mosè ħares u ra l-għollieq jaqbad bin-nar bla ma jintemm. Mosè qal: “Ħ nersaq u nara din id-dehra tal-għaġeb: għala mhux jinħaraq l-għllieq?”. Il-Mulej rah riesaq biex jara, u Alla sejjaħlu minn qalb l-għollieq u qallu: “Mosè, Mosè!”. U Mosè wieġeb: “Hawn jien!”. U l-Mulej qallu: “La tersaqx ’l hawn. Neħħi l-qorq minn riġlejk, għax il-post li inti fuqu hu art qaddisa”. U ssokta jgħidlu: “Jien hu Alla ta’ missirijietek: Alla ta’ Abraham, Alla ta’ Iżakk u Alla ta’ Ġakobb”. Mosè għatta wiċċu, għax beża’ jħares lejn Alla. U l-Mulej qallu: “Jien ħarist u rajt it-tbatija tal-poplu tiegħi fl-Eġittu. U jien smajt il-karba tagħhom minħabba fl-argużini tagħhom u għaraft l-uġigħ tagħhom. Issa nżilt biex neħlishom minn idejn l-Eġizzjani u biex intellagħhom minn dik l-art u neħodhom f’art tajba u wiesgħa, f’art tnixxi ħalib u għasel”.  Mosè reġa’ wieġeb: “Ara, jiena mmur għand ulied Iżrael u ngħidilhom: ‘Alla ta’ missirijietkom bagħatni għandkom’. Huma jistaqsuni: ‘X’jismu?’. Jiena xi ngħidilhom?”. Alla wieġbu: “Jien li Jien”. U kompla jgħidlu: “Hekk għidilhom lil ulied Iżrael: ‘Jiena-Hu bagħatni għandkom’”. U Alla kompla jgħidlu: “Hekk għandek tgħidilhom lil ulied Iżrael: ‘Jaħweh, Alla ta’ missirijietkom, Alla ta’ Abraham, Alla ta’ Iżakk, Alla ta’ Ġakobb, bagħatni għandkom’. Dan ikun ismi għal dejjem u dan l-isem ifakkarkom fija minn nisel għal nisel”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                  Psalm 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

            and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
            and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

He pardons all your iniquities,
            heals all your ills,
He redeems your life from destruction,
            crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful. 

The LORD secures justice
 and the rights of all the oppressed.
He has made known his ways to Moses,
and his deeds to the children of Israel.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
            so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                  Salm 102(103):1-2,3-4,6-7,8,11

R/.(8): Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej.

Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej!
B’qalbi kollha nbierek l-isem qaddis tiegħu.
Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej,
u la tinsiex il-ġid kollu li għamel miegħek. R/.

Hu li jaħfer dnubietek kollha;
ifejjaq il-mard tiegħek kollu;
jifdi lil ħajtek mill-qabar;
iħaddnek bit-tjieba u l-ħniena. R/.

Il-Mulej jagħmel is-sewwa,
u l-ħaqq mal-maħqurin kollha.
Hu għarraf lil Mosè l-ħsieb tiegħu,
l-għemejjel tiegħu lil ulied Iżrael. R/.

Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej,
idum ma jagħdab u kollu mogħdrija.
Daqskemm huma s-smewwiet ’il fuq mill-art,
hekk hi kbira tjubitu ma’ min jibża’ minnu. R/.

Reading 2                  1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was the Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them,  for they were struck down in the desert. These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did. Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer. These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.

QARI 2                    mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 10:1-6,10-12

Ma rridkomx ma tkunux tafu, ħuti, li missirijietna lkoll kienu taħt is-sħaba, ilkoll qasmu l-baħar, ilkoll kienu mgħammda f’Mosè fis-sħaba u fil-baħar, ilkoll kielu mill-istess ikel spiritwali – xorbu tassew mill-blata spiritwali li kienet timxi magħhom, u din il-blata kienet Kristu – madankollu l-biċċa l-kbira minnhom lil Alla ma għoġbuhx għax ilkoll waqgħu mejta fid-deżert.  Dan ġara b’eżempju għalina, biex ma nixxennqux għal ħwejjeġ ħżiena, bħalma xxennqu huma. Anqas ma għandkom tgergru, kif għamlu xi wħud minnhom, u qeridhom il-Qerried. Dan kollu ġralhom b’eżempju, u nkiteb bi twiddiba għalina li fuqna wasal tmiem iż-żminijiet. Min jidhirlu li hu wieqaf, joqgħod attent li ma jaqax.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                 Luke 13:1-9

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them— do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”  And he told them this parable:  “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”

EVANĠELJU                  Qari skont San Luqa 13:1-9

F’dak iż-żmien, ġew xi wħud għand Ġesù u qalulu b’dawk il-Galilin li Pilatu kien ħallat demmhom mad-demm tal-vittmi tas-sagrifiċċji tagħhom. U Ġesù qabad u qalilhom: “Taħsbu intom li dawn il-Galilin kienu iżjed midinbin mill-Galilin l-oħra biex sofrew dan kollu? Le, ngħidilkom; imma jekk ma tindmux, ilkoll tintilfu bħalhom. Jew dawk it-tmintax-il ruħ li fuqhom waqa’ t-torri ta’ Silwam u qatilhom, taħsbu intom li kienu iżjed ħatja min-nies l-oħra ta’ Ġerusalemm? Le, ngħidilkom; imma jekk ma tindmux, ilkoll tintilfu xorta waħda”.  U qalilhom din il-parabbola: “Wieħed kellu siġra tat-tin imħawla fl-għalqa. Mar ifittex il-frott fiha, u ma sabx. Għalhekk qal lil dak li kien jaħdimlu l-għalqa: ‘Ara, ili tliet snin niġi nfittex il-frott f’din is-siġra tat-tin, u qatt ma sibtilha. Mela aqlagħha! Għax għalfejn se tibqa’ tkidd l-art?’. Iżda dak wieġbu: ‘Inti ħalliha, sinjur, għal din is-sena, sa ma nagħżqilha madwarha u nagħtiha d-demel. Id-dieħla għandha mnejn tagħmel il-frott; jekk le, aqlagħha’”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil    

OUR TRANSFORMATION AND RENEWAL

Central theme 

All three of next Sunday's readings speak of God the Father’s mercy and compassion, even in disciplining His children by occasional punishment in the form of natural or manmade tragedies, while giving them second chances to repent of their sins and renew their lives, despite their repeated sins. God expects us to show our repentance and renewal of life, especially during Lent, by producing fruits of love, mercy, forgiveness, and selfless service, instead of remaining like a barren fig tree in Christ’s Church.

Scripture lessons:

The first reading tells us how God showed His mercy to His chosen people in Egyptian slavery by giving them Moses as their leader and liberator. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (v 6) revealed Himself to Moses from the burning bush and assured Moses of His Divine presence with His people and of His awareness of their sufferings in Egypt. God declared His intention to use Moses as the leader who would rescue His enslaved people. Then God revealed His name as Yahweh (“I AM Who AM”) and renewed His promise to the patriarchs (v 8), to give them a “land flowing with milk and honey.” 

Our Responsorial Psalm (Ps 103), reminds us of God’s unfailing mercy: “Merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in kindness.” The second reading warns us that our merciful God is also a disciplining God. Paul reminds the Christians of Corinth that they must learn from the sad experience of the unfaithful Israelites in the desert who were punished for their sins by a merciful and just God. The merciful and gracious God is also just and demanding; hence, the Corinthians, and we, must be free from sexual sins and idolatry. 

Sunday’s Gospel explains how God disciplines His people and invites them to repent of their sins, to renew their lives, and to produce the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Citing two tragic events, Jesus exhorts the Jews to repent and reform their lives. With the parable of the barren fig tree, Jesus also warns them that the merciful God will not put up with them indefinitely. Although God patiently waits for sinners to repent, giving them grace to do so, He will not wait forever. Time may run out; therefore, timely repentance is necessary. Hence, one can say, “A Lent missed is a year lost from the spiritual life.”

 Messages: 

1) We need to live lives of repentance: 

(a) We never know when we will meet a tragedy of our own.Let us turn to Christ, acknowledge our faults and failings, and receive from him mercy, forgiveness and the promise of eternal life. 

b) There is no better way to take these words of Jesus to heart than to go to sacramental confession, and there is no better time to go to confession than during Lent. 

(c) Repentance helps us in life and in death. It helps us to live as forgiven people and helps us to face death without fear. 

2) We need to be fruitful trees in God’s orchard. Lent is an ideal time "to dig around and manure" the tree of our life so that it may bring forth fruits of repentance, reconciliation, forgiveness, humble service, and sensitivity to the feelings of others. 

3) We need to make the best use of the "second chances" God gives us. Our merciful Father always gives us second chances. During Lent, too, we are given another chance to repent and return to our Heavenly Father’s love through the sacrament of reconciliation, the “Sacrament of the second chance.”

//////////////////////////////////////     Fr Tony's Homilies © 2025.  /  https://frtonyshomilies.com  / 

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METAMORPHOSIS - TRANSFORMATION - TRANSFIGURATION

 Readings for Sunday, March 16, 2025 

Second Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 27

it-Tieni Ħadd tar-Randan

Reading 1                  Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18

The Lord God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. He then said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” “O Lord GOD,” he asked, “how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He answered him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him. When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”

QARI 1                   mill-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 15:5-12,17-18

F’dak iż-żmien, il-Mulej ħareġ lil Abram ’il barra u qallu: “Ħares sewwa lejn is-smewwiet u għodd il-kwiekeb, jekk għandek ħila tgħoddhom”. U żied jgħidlu: “Hekk għad ikun nislek”. U Abram emmen fil-Mulej, u dan għaddhulu b’ġustizzja. U qallu: “Jiena l-Mulej li ħriġtek minn Ur tal-Kaldin, biex nagħtik din l-art b’wirt”. U qallu Abram: “Sidi Mulej, kif inkun naf li se niritha?”. U wieġbu: “Ħudli għoġla ta’ tliet snin, mogħża ta’ tliet snin, muntun ta’ tliet snin, gamiema u ħamiema”. U ħadlu dawn kollha, u qasamhom min-nofs, u kull nofs qiegħdu biswit l-ieħor; imma l-għasafar ma qasamhomx. U niżlu l-għasafar tal-priża għal fuq l-iġsma mejtin, imma Abram gerrixhom lura. Hi u nieżla x-xemx waqa’ fuq Abram ngħas qawwi, u waqgħu fuqu biża’ u dalma kbira. Meta x-xemx kienet niżlet u kien dalam, kenur idaħħan u lsien nar iżiġġ qasmu minn bejn il-bċejjeċ tal-laħam. Dakinhar il-Mulej għamel patt ma’ Abram u qallu: “Lil nislek nagħti din l-art, mix-xmara tal-Eġittu sax-xmara l-kbira, ix-xmara tal-Ewfrat”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                  Psalm 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;   

whom should I fear? 
The LORD is my life’s refuge; 
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. 

Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stout-hearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                 Salm 26(27):1,7-8,9,13-14

R/.(1): Il-Mulej id-dawl u s-salvazzjoni tiegħi.

Il-Mulej id-dawl u s-salvazzjoni tiegħi,
minn min għandi nibża’?
Il-Mulej hu l-kenn tiegħi,
quddiem min għandi nitwerwer? R/.

Isma’, Mulej, leħen l-għajta tiegħi,
ħenn għalija u weġibni.
“Ejja”, għedt f’qalbi, “fittex ’il wiċċu!”.
Jien wiċċek infittex, Mulej. R/.

La taħbix wiċċek minni,
la twarrabx bl-herra l-qaddej tiegħek.
Inti l-għajnuna tiegħi,
tħallinix u titlaqnix,
Alla tas-salvazzjoni tiegħi. R/.

Nemmen li għad nara t-tjieba tal-Mulej
f’art il-ħajjin.
Ittama fil-Mulej, żomm sħiħ u qawwi qalbek,
ittama fil-Mulej. R/.

Reading 2                   Philippians 3:17—4:1

Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us. For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.” Their minds are occupied with earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body  by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord.

QARI 2                  mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Filippin 3:17–4:1

Ħuti, ixbhu lili, u ħarsu lejn dawk li jimxu skont l-eżempju li rajtu fina. Għaliex hawn ħafna – dan għedthulkom bosta drabi, imma issa ntennihulkom bid-dmugħ f’għajnejja – li jġibu ruħhom bħal għedewwa tas-salib ta’ Kristu. It-telfien għad ikun tmiemhom; alla tagħhom hu żaqqhom, jiftaħru b’dak li jmisshom jistħu minnu, u moħħhom biss fil-ħwejjeġ tad-dinja.  Imma aħna pajżani tas-sema; minn hemm bil-ħerqa nistennewh jiġi, is-Salvatur tagħna Sidna Ġesù Kristu. Hu għad irid ibiddlilna l-ġisem imsejken tagħna fis-sura tal-ġisem glorjuż tiegħu, bil-qawwa tas-setgħa li għandu li jġib kollox taħtu. Għalhekk, intom, ħuti, li intom l-għożża u x-xewqa tiegħi, ferħ u kuruna tiegħi, żommu sħiħ fil-Mulej, maħbubin tiegħi.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                  Luke 9:28b-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

EVANĠELJU                  Qari skont San Luqa 9:28b-36

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù ħa miegħu lil Pietru, lil Ġwanni u lil Ġakbu, u tala’ fuq il-muntanja biex jitlob. U ġara li huwa u jitlob, id-dehra ta’ wiċċu tbiddlet u l-ilbiesi tiegħu saru ta’ bjuda li tgħammex.  U kien hemm żewġt irġiel jitħaddtu miegħu, Mosè u Elija, li dehru fil-glorja, jitħaddtu fuq it-tmiem ta’ ħajtu li kellu jseħħ f’Ġerusalemm. Pietru u sħabu kienu mejtin bin-ngħas, imma baqgħu mqajmin sewwa, u raw il-glorja tiegħu u ż-żewġt irġiel li kienu miegħu. Xħin dawn it-tnejn kienu se jinfirdu minnu, Pietru qal lil Ġesù: “Mgħallem, kemm hu sew li aħna hawn! Ħa ntellgħu tliet tined, waħda għalik, waħda għal Mosè, u waħda għal Elija”. Ma kienx jaf x’inhu jgħid.  Waqt li kien qiegħed jgħid dan, ġiet sħaba u għattiethom u huma beżgħu kif daħlu fis-sħaba. U minn ġos-sħaba nstama’ leħen jgħid: “Dan hu Ibni l-maħtur, lilu isimgħu!”. Malli nstama’ l-leħen Ġesù sab ruħu waħdu. Huma żammew is-skiet, u għal dawk il-jiem ma qalu xejn lil ħadd minn dak li kienu raw.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil    

OUR TRANSFORMATION AND RENEWAL

Introduction: 

The common theme of Sunday’s readings is metamorphosis or transformation. The readings invite us to work with the Holy Spirit to transform our lives by renewing them during Lent so that they radiate the glory and grace of the transfigured Lord to all around us by our Spirit-filled lives.

Scripture lessons summarized: 

The first reading describes the transformation of Abram, a pagan patriarch, into a believer in the one God (Who would later “transform” Abram’s name to Abraham), and the first covenant of God with Abraham’s family as a reward for Abraham’s Faith and obedience to God. The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 27) declares that Faith, singing, “I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living.” In the second reading, St. Paul argues that it is not observance of the Mosaic Law and circumcision that transforms people into Christians, and hence, that Gentiles need not become Jews to become Christians. St. Paul urges us to stand firm in our Faith and to live a life of discipleship with Jesus now, so that we may share in a glorious future later. 

In the Transfiguration account in today’s Gospel, Jesus is revealed as a glorious figure, superior to Moses and Elijah. The primary purpose of Jesus’ Transfiguration was to allow Him to consult his Heavenly Father in order to ascertain His plan for His Son’s suffering, death, and Resurrection. The secondary aim was to make Jesus’ chosen disciples aware of his Divine glory, so that they might discard their worldly ambitions and dreams of a conquering political Messiah, and might be strengthened in their time of trial. On the mountain, Jesus is identified by the Heavenly Voice as the Son of God. Thus, the Transfiguration experience is a Christophany, that is, a manifestation or revelation of Who Jesus really IS. Describing Jesus’ Transfiguration, the Gospel gives us a glimpse of the Heavenly glory awaiting those who do God’s will by putting their trusting Faith in Him.

Life messages: 

(1) The “transfiguration” in the Holy Mass is the source of our strength: In each Holy Mass, the bread and wine we offer on the altar become “transfigured” or transformed (transubstanted) into the living Body and Blood soul and Divinity of the crucified, risen, and glorified Jesus. Just as Jesus' Transfiguration was meant to strengthen the apostles in their time of trial, each Holy Mass should be our source of Heavenly strength against temptations, and for our Lenten renewal. 

(2) Each time we receive one of the Sacraments, we are transformed: For example, Baptism transforms us into sons and daughters of God and heirs of heaven. Confirmation makes us temples of the Holy Spirit and warriors of God. By the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God brings back the sinner to the path of holiness. 

(3) The Transfiguration of Jesus offers us a message of encouragement and hope: In moments of doubt and during our dark moments of despair and hopelessness, the thought of our own transfiguration in Heaven will help us to reach out to God and to listen to His consoling words to Jesus: "This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased -- listen to Him!” and so share the glory of His transfiguration. 

4) We need “mountain-top experiences” in our lives: We share the mountain-top experience of Peter, James, and John when we spend extra time in prayer during Lent. Fasting for one day can help the body to store up spiritual energy. This spiritual energy can help us have thoughts that are far higher and nobler than our usual mundane thinking.

//////////////////////////////////////     Fr Tony's Homilies © 2025.  /  https://frtonyshomilies.com  / 

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WHY ARE WE TEMPTED SINCE JESUS TOO WAS TEMPED?

 Readings for Sunday, March 9, 2025 

First Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 24

L-Ewwel Ħadd tar-Randan

Reading 1                  DEUTERONOMY  26:4-10

Moses spoke to the people, saying:  “The priest shall receive the basket from you and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God. Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God, ‘My father was a wandering Aramean who went down to Egypt with a small household and lived there as an alien. But there he became a nation, great, strong, and numerous. When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us, imposing hard labour upon us, we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and he heard our cry and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders; and bringing us into this country, he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey. Therefore, I have now brought you the first fruits  of the products of the soil which you, O LORD, have given me.’  And having set them before the LORD, your God,  you shall bow down in his presence.”

QARI 1                   mill-Ktieb tad-Dewteronomju 26: 4-10

Mosè kellem lill-poplu u qal: “Il-qassis imbagħad jilqa’ minn idejk il-qoffa, u jqegħedha quddiem l-altar tal-Mulej, Alla tiegħek. Inti mbagħad tgħid hekk quddiem il-Mulej, Alla tiegħek: ‘Missieri kien minn Aram, jiġġerra minn post għal ieħor; imbagħad niżel l-Eġittu u għammar hemm. Żgħir kien l-għadd ta’ niesu, iżda hemmhekk sar poplu kbir, qawwi u kotran. L-Eġizzjani ħaqruna, għakksuna, għabbewna b’xogħol iebes; imma aħna għajjatna lill-Mulej, Alla ta’ missirijietna, u l-Mulej sama’ l-għajta tagħna, ra t-tgħakkis u t-tbatija u d-dwejjaq tagħna, u ħariġna l-Mulej mill-Eġittu, b’id qawwija, bi driegħ merfugħ, b’biża’ kbir, b’sinjali u b’għeġubijiet, u daħħalna f’dan il-post, tana din l-art, art tnixxi ħalib u għasel. U issa, ara, jiena ġibt l-ewwel frott tal-art li tajtni int, Mulej’.  U int tqiegħdu quddiem il-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, u tadura lill-Mulej, Alla tiegħek”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                  PSALM  91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,

who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

No evil shall befall you,
nor shall affliction come near your tent,
For to his angels he has given command about you,
that they guard you in all your ways.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

Upon their hands they shall bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the asp and the viper;
you shall trample down the lion and the dragon.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress;
I will deliver him and glorify him.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                  Salm 90(91):1-2,10-11,12-13,14-15

R/.(ara 15): Kun miegħi, Mulej, fid-dwejjaq.

Int li tgħix għall-kenn tal-Għoli,
li tgħammar għad-dell ta’ dak li jista’ kollox,
għid lill-Mulej: “Kenn tiegħi u qawwa tiegħi int,
Alla tiegħi, jien fik nittama”. R/.

Ebda deni ma jiġrilek,
ebda ħsara ma tersaq lejn darek.
Għax l-anġli tiegħu hu jibgħatlek,
u jħarsuk fi triqatek kollha. R/.

Fuq idejhom jerfgħuk,
li ma taħbatx ma’ xi ġebla riġlek.
Fuq l-iljun u l-lifgħa int timxi,
ferħ ta’ ljun u serp int tirfes. R/.

“La tħabbeb miegħi, jien neħilsu;
la għaraf ismi, jiena nħarsu.
Hu jsejjaħli, u jiena nwieġbu;
miegħu nkun fid-dwejjaq tiegħu,
neħilsu u nerfagħlu ġieħu”. R/.

Reading 2                  Romans 10:8-13

Brothers and sisters: What does Scripture say?  The word is near you,  in your mouth and in your heart —that is, the word of faith that we preach—, for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. For the Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him.  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

QARI 2                   mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 10:8-13

Ħuti, xi tgħid l-Iskrittura? “Il-kelma qiegħda ħdejk, f’fommok u qalbek”; jiġifieri, il-kelma tal-fidi li aħna nxandru. Għax jekk inti tistqarr b’fommok: “Ġesù hu l-Mulej!”, u temmen b’qalbek li Alla qajmu mill-imwiet, inti ssalva. Wieħed jemmen f’qalbu biex ikollu l-ġustizzja u jistqarr b’xufftejh biex ikollu s-salvazzjoni. L-Iskrittura tgħid: “Kull min jemmen fih ma jintilifx”. Ma hemmx għażla bejn Lhudi u Grieg; hu s-Sid ta’ kulħadd u għani ma’ dawk kollha li jsejħulu. Għax: “Kull min isejjaħ isem il-Mulej isalva”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                  Luke 4:1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him,  “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.” Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written You shall worship the Lord, your God,  and him alone shall you serve.”  Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written:        He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”  Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”  When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

EVANĠELJU                  Qari skont San Luqa 4:1-13

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù, mimli bl-Ispirtu s-Santu, raġa’ lura mill-Ġordan u l-Ispirtu ħadu fid-deżert. Hemm għal erbgħin jum Ġesù kien imġarrab mix-Xitan. Matul dawk il-jiem ma kiel xejn; u mbagħad, meta għaddew dawk il-jiem, ħadu l-ġuħ. U x-Xitan qallu: “Jekk inti Bin Alla, għid lil din il-ġebla ssir ħobż”. Wieġbu Ġesù: “Hemm miktub: Il-bniedem mhux bil-ħobż biss jgħix”.  Imbagħad ix-Xitan ħadu fl-għoli u wrieh is-saltniet tad-dinja kollha f’daqqa. Qallu x-Xitan: “Nagħtik is-setgħa fuq dawn kollha, bil-glorja tagħhom ukoll għax hija ngħatat lili, u jiena nagħtiha lil min irrid. Jekk tinxteħet quddiemi tagħtini qima, kollha tiegħek tkun”. Ġesù wieġbu u qallu: “Hemm miktub: Lill-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, tadura, u lilu biss taqdi”.  Imbagħad ix-Xitan ħadu Ġerusalemm, qiegħdu fuq il-quċċata tat-tempju, u qallu: “Jekk inti Bin Alla, inxteħet minn hawn għal isfel. Għax hemm miktub: “Lill-anġli tiegħu jordnalhom biex jieħdu ħsiebek sewwa”, u li: “fuq idejhom jerfgħuk, ħalli ma taħbatx riġlek ma’ xi ġebla”. Wieġeb Ġesù u qallu: “Jingħad: Iġġarrabx lill-Mulej Alla tiegħek”.  Imbagħad ix-Xitan, meta temm dan it-tiġrib kollu, telaq minn ħdejh sa ma wasal il-waqt.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil    

THE NEED TO CONFRONT AND CONQUER TEMPTATIONS

Central theme: 

Lent begins with a reflection on the Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. The Church assigns temptation stories to the beginning of Lent because temptations come to everybody, not only to Jesus, and we seem almost genetically programmed to yield to them.

Scripture lessons summarized: 

The first reading describes the ancient Jewish ritual of presenting the first fruits and gifts to God during the harvest festival in order to thank Him for liberating His people from Egypt and for strengthening them during the years of their trials and temptations in the desert. The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 91), points to Satan’s third temptation of Jesus in the desert as recorded in Luke’s Gospel. In the second reading, St. Paul warns the early Christians converted from Judaism not to yield to their constant temptation to return to the observances of the Mosaic Laws. He reminds them that they will be saved only by acknowledging the risen Jesus as Lord and Savior. Bible scholars think that the graphic temptations of Jesus described by Matthew and Luke in their Gospels are the pictorial and dramatic representations of the inner struggle against a temptation that Jesus experienced throughout his public life. The devil was trying to prevent Jesus from accomplishing (with the wiling sacrifice of his own human life), his mission of saving mankind from the bondage of sin. The evil one attacked Jesus through temptations to become the political Messiah of Jewish expectations, and to misuse his Divine power first for his own convenience and then to avoid suffering and death.

Life Messages:

1)  We need to confront and conquer temptations as Jesus did, using the means he employed: Like Jesus, every one of us is tempted to seek sinful pleasures, easy wealth, and a position of authority, and is drawn to the use of unjust or sinful means to attain good ends. Jesus is our model for conquering temptations through prayer, penance, and the effective use of the ‘‘Word of God” in Scripture. Temptations make us true warriors of God by strengthening our minds and hearts. We are never tempted beyond the strength God gives us. In his first letter, St. John assures us: "The One Who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Hence during Lent, and the rest of the year as well, let us confront our evil tendencies with prayer (especially by participating in the Holy Mass),with penance, and with the meditative reading of the Holy Bible. Knowledge of the Bible prepares us for the moment of temptation by enabling us "to know Jesus more clearly, to love him more dearly and to follow him more nearly, day by day,"asWilliam Barclay puts it.

2)  We need to grow in holiness during Lent by prayer, reconciliation, and sharing. We become resistant and even immune to temptations as we grow healthier in soul by following the traditional Lenten practices: 

a) by finding time to be with God every day of Lent, speaking to Him, and listening to Him; 

b) by repenting of our sins and renewing our lives, uniting ourselves with God both by the Sacrament of Reconciliation and by forgiving those who have hurt us while asking forgiveness of those whom we have hurt; and 

c) by sharing our love with others through our selfless, humble service, our almsgiving, and our helping of those in need.

//////////////////////////////////////     Fr Tony's Homilies © 2025.  /  https://frtonyshomilies.com  / 

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TO JUDGE - OR NOT TO JUDGE - OTHERS

 Readings for Sunday, March 2, 2025 

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 84

It-Tmien Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1                 Sirach 27:4-7

When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear;  so do one’s faults when one speaks. As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace, so in tribulation is the test of the just. The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does one’s speech disclose the bent of one’s mind. Praise no one before he speaks, for it is then that people are tested.

QARI 1                  mill-Ktieb ta’ Bin Sirak 15:54-58

Meta jheżżu għarbiel jibqa’ fih l-iskart,  hekk ukoll min jgħarbel lilu nnifsu jagħraf ħżunitu. Il-forn jgħaddi mill-prova xogħol il-fuħħari,  hekk ukoll bniedem tagħrfu minn kliemu.  Il-frott jikxef kemm bidwi jkun ħa ħsieb is-siġra,  hekk ukoll kelma tikxef ħsieb qalb il-bniedem.  Tfaħħarx bniedem qabel jitkellem, għax hekk jiġu ppruvati n-nies. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                 Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16

It is good to give thanks to the LORD,

to sing praise to your name, Most High,
To proclaim your kindness at dawn
 and your faithfulness throughout the night.
R Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

The just one shall flourish like the palm tree,
 like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow.
They that are planted in the house of the LORD
shall flourish in the courts of our God.
R Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

They shall bear fruit even in old age;
vigorous and sturdy shall they be,
Declaring how just is the LORD,
 my rock, in whom there is no wrong.
R Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                   Salm 91(92):2-3,13-14,15-16

R/.(ara 2a): Tajjeb li nfaħħru l-Mulej.

Tajjeb li nfaħħru l-Mulej,
li ngħannu lil ismek, inti l-Għoli.
Inxandru filgħodu t-tjieba tiegħek,
u billejl il-fedeltà tiegħek. R/.

Il-bniedem ġust bħall-palma jħaddar,
bħal ċedru tal-Libanu jikber.
Imħawlin f’dar il-Mulej,
iħaddru fil-btieħi tat-tempju ta’ Alla tagħna. R/.

Sa fi xjuħithom il-frott jagħmlu,
kollhom ħajja u ħdura,
biex ixandru li ġust hu l-Mulej, blata tiegħi,
u ebda qerq ma jinsab fih. R/.

Reading 2                  1 Corinthians 15:54-58

Brothers and sisters: When this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about:   Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.  

QARI  2                    mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 15:54-58

Ħuti, meta dak li jitħassar jilbes in-nuqqas ta’ taħsir, meta dak li jmut jilbes l-immortalità, imbagħad iseħħ dak li hemm miktub: Inbelgħet il-mewt fir-rebħa.  Fejn hi, ja Mewt, ir-rebħa tiegħek?  Fejn hi, ja Mewt, in-niggieża tiegħek?  In-niggieża tal-mewt hi d-dnub, u l-qawwa tad-dnub hi l-Liġi. Niżżu ħajr lil Alla li tana r-rebħa permezz ta’ Sidna Ġesù Kristu!  Għalhekk, ħuti għeżież, żommu sħiħ, titħarrkux; ħabirku dejjem fil-ħidma tal-Mulej. Kunu afu li l-ħidma tagħkom fil-Mulej mhijiex għalxejn.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                  Luke 6:39-45

Jesus told his disciples a parable, “Can a blind person guide a blind person?  Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher;  but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?  How can you say to your brother,  ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?  You hypocrite!  Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.  “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For people do not pick figs from thorn-bushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”  

EVANĠELJU                  Qari skont San Luqa 6:39-45

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli din il-parabbola: “Jista’ agħma jmexxi agħma ieħor? Mhux it-tnejn jaqgħu fil-ħofra? Id-dixxiplu mhuwiex aqwa mill-imgħallem tiegħu; imma kull min itemm it-taħriġ tiegħu jsir bħall-imgħallem tiegħu. Għax tara t-tibna f’għajn ħuk, u ma tarax it-travu li għandek f’għajnek int? Kif tista’ tgħidlu lil ħuk: ‘Ħi, ejja nneħħilek it-tibna li għandek f’għajnek’, meta m’intix tara t-travu li għandek f’għajnek int? Ja wiċċ b’ieħor! Neħħi l-ewwel it-travu minn għajnek int, ħalli mbagħad tara sewwa kif tneħħi t-tibna minn għajn ħuk. Ma hemmx siġra tajba li tagħmel frott ħażin, kif anqas ma hemm siġra ħażina li tagħmel frott tajjeb. Kull siġra mill-frott tagħha tingħaraf. Ħadd ma jiġbor it-tin mix-xewk, anqas l-għeneb mill-għolliq. Il-bniedem tajjeb mit-teżor tajjeb ta’ qalbu joħroġ it-tajjeb, u l-bniedem ħażin mit-teżor ħażin tiegħu joħroġ il-ħażin, għax mill-abbundanza tal-qalb jitkellem il-fomm”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings 

by Fr Anthony Kadavil    

DO WE HAVE A RIGHT TO JUDGE OTHERS?

Central theme: 

Jesus draws our attention to practical points of Christian living and challenges us to use our words as he used his in his preaching and healing ministry -- to heal, to restore, and to bring back life, joy, and hope. Sunday’s readings also instruct us to share our Christian life, love, and spiritual health by our words, and to avoid gossiping about and passing rash, thoughtless, pain-inflicting judgments on others, thus damaging their good reputation and causing them irreparable harm.

Scripture lessons: 

The first reading, taken from the Book of Sirach, teaches us that what is inside us is revealed through our conversation – as the grain and husks are separated in a farmer’s sieve, as the quality of the shaped clay is revealed in the potter’s fire, and as the size and quality of a tree’s fruit reveal the care it has received from the planter. Sirach’s teaching serves as an excellent preview for today’s Gospel, which reminds us, when we’re feeling judgmental, to think before we speak because what comes out of our mouth reveals our heart. 

The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 92) advises us to spend our time praising and thanking God for all His blessings. In the second reading St. Paul advises the Corinthian Christians “to be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain,” instead of wasting time on useless and sinful conversations, which bring punishment instead of the victory of resurrection and eternal reward. In today’s Gospel passage, taken from the Sermon on the Plain given in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus condemns our careless, malicious and rash judgments about the behaviour, feelings, motives, or actions of others by using the funny examples of one blind man leading another blind man and one man with a log stuck in his eye, trying to remove a tiny speck from another’s eye. Jesus does not mean that we should not correct immoral behaviour and sexual misbehaviour or stop admonishing children and students as parents and teachers, or, worse, should promote moral relativism. 

In both Matthew and Luke, the statements that follow the prohibition on judging indicate that it is an elaboration of the Golden Rule—the idea that we should treat others the way that we, ourselves, want to be treated. When Jesus says, “Judge not, lest ye be judged,” he means: “Don’t judge or God will judge you in your “particular” or “Last” judgment,” whichever comes first.

Life messages: 

We should avoid judging others because :

1) No one except God is good enough to judge others because only God sees the whole truth, and only He can read the human heart. Hence, only He has the ability, right, and authority to judge us. 

2) We do not see all the facts or circumstances or the power of the temptation which has led a person to do something evil. 

3) We are often prejudiced in our judgment of others, and total fairness cannot be expected from us, especially when we are judging those near or dear to us. 

4) We have no right to judge because we have the same faults as the one, we are judging and often in a greater degree (remember Jesus’ funny example of a man with a log in his eye trying to remove the dust particle from another’s eye?) St. Philip Neri commented, watching the misbehaviour of a drunkard: “There goes Philip but for the grace of God.” Abraham Lincoln said that the only one who has the right to criticize is the one who has the heart to help. 

5) Hence, we should leave all judgment to God, practice mercy and forgiveness, and pray for God’s grace to get rid of all forms of hypocrisy in our lives. Let us remember the warning of saints: “When you point one finger of accusation at another, three of your fingers point at you."

//////////////////////////////////////     Fr Tony's Homilies © 2025.  /  https://frtonyshomilies.com  / 

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LOVE YOUR ENEMIES!

 Readings for Sunday, February 23rd

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 81

Is-Seba’ Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1                 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

In those days, Saul went down to the desert of Ziph with three thousand picked men of Israel, to search for David in the desert of Ziph. So David and Abishai went among Saul’s soldiers by night and found Saul lying asleep within the barricade, with his spear thrust into the ground at his head and Abner and his men sleeping around him.  Abishai whispered to David: “God has delivered your enemy into your grasp this day. Let me nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I will not need a second thrust!” But David said to Abishai, “Do not harm him, for who can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed and remain unpunished?” So David took the spear and the water jug from their place at Saul’s head, and they got away without anyone’s seeing or knowing or awakening. All remained asleep,  because the LORD had put them into a deep slumber.  Going across to an opposite slope, avid stood on a remote hilltop  at a great distance from Abner, son of Ner, and the troops. He said: “Here is the king’s spear.  Let an attendant come over to get it. The LORD will reward each man for his justice and faithfulness. Today, though the LORD delivered you into my grasp, I would not harm the LORD’s anointed.”

QARI 1                        mill-Ewwel Ktieb ta’ Samwel 26, 2.7-9.12-13.22-23

F’dak iż-żmien, Sawl qam u niżel lejn id-deżert ta’ Żif, u miegħu ħa tlitt elef raġel magħżula minn Iżrael, ifittex lil David fid-deżert ta’ Żif. U ġie David u Abisaj ħdejn l-eżerċtu billejl, u Sawl kien mimdud u rieqed f’nofs il-kamp, u l-lanza tiegħu kienet imwaħħla fl-art in-naħa ta’ rasu; u Abner u n-nies tiegħu mimdudin madwaru. U Abisaj qal lil David: “Illum il-Mulej reħa l-għadu tiegħu f’idejk, ħa nsammru mal-art b’daqqa waħda bil-lanza tiegħu stess, bla ma nagħtih oħra”. Imma David wieġeb lil Abisaj: “La toqtlux! Għax min qatt medd idu fuq il-midluk tal-Mulej, u ħelisha?”. David ħa l-lanza u l-ġarra tal-ilma minn ħdejn ras Sawl u telqu, bla ma ħadd rahom jew intebaħ, u bla ma ħadd stenbaħ, għax kollha kienu reqdin, u ngħas tqil waqa’ fuqhom mingħand il-Mulej. David imbagħad qasam għan-naħa l-oħra u qagħad fuq il-quċċata tal-għolja fil-bogħod, b’wisa’ kbir bejniethom. U David għajjat: “Hawn hi l-lanza tas-sultan, ħa jiġi ’l hawn wieħed mill-qaddejja u jeħodha! Il-Mulej irodd lil kull wieħed skont il-ġustizzja tiegħu u l-lealtà tiegħu. Il-Mulej telqek f’idejja llum, imma jien ma ridtx immidd idejja fuq il-midluk tal-Mulej”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                  Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R The Lord is kind and merciful.

He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R The Lord is kind and merciful.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R The Lord is kind and merciful.

As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R The Lord is kind and merciful.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                  Salm 102 (103), 1-2.3-4.8 u 10.12-13

R/. (8a) Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej

Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej!
B’qalbi kollha nbierek l-isem qaddis tiegħu.
Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej,
u la tinsiex il-ġid kollu li għamel miegħek. R/.

Hu li jaħfer dnubietek kollha;
ifejjaq il-mard tiegħek kollu;
jifdi lil ħajtek mill-qabar;
iħaddnek bit-tjieba u l-ħniena. R/.

Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej,
idum ma jagħdab u kollu mogħdrija.
Ma mexiex magħna skont ma ħaqqhom ħtijietna;
ma ħallasniex skont ma ħaqqha ħżunitna. R/.

Daqs kemm hu mbiegħed il-Lvant mill-Punent,
hekk hu jbiegħed minna ħtijietna.
Bħalma jħenn il-missier għal uliedu,
hekk iħenn il-Mulej għal min għandu l-biża’ tiegħu. R/.

Reading 2                  1 Corinthians 15:45-49

Brothers and sisters:  It is written, The first man, Adam, became a living being, the last Adam a life-giving spirit. But the spiritual was not first; rather the natural and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man, from heaven. As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly, and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.

QARI 2                  mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 15, 45-49

Ħuti, l-ewwel bniedem, Adam, sar ruħ ħajja, l-aħħar wieħed sar spirtu li jagħti l-ħajja. Mhux l-ispiritwali ġie l-ewwel, imma l-ewwel in-naturali u mbagħad l-ispiritwali. L-ewwel bniedem, mit-trab, hu tal-art; it-tieni bniedem, mis-sema. Bħalma hu l-bniedem tal-art, hekk ukoll huma l-bnedmin tal-art; bħalma hu l-bniedem tas-sema, hekk ukoll huma l-bnedmin tassema. Bħalma aħna mlibbsa x-xbieha tal-bniedem tal-art, hekk ukoll għad nilbsu x-xbieha tal-bniedem tas-sema.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                  Luke 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

EVANĠELJU                   Qari skont San Luqa 6, 27-38

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Imma lilkom, li qegħdin tisimgħuni, ngħidilkom: Ħobbu l-għedewwa tagħkom, agħmlu l-ġid lil min jobgħodkom, bierku lil min jisħetkom, itolbu għal min iżeblaħkom. Min jagħtik bil-ħarta fuq naħa waħda, dawwarlu wiċċek ħalli jagħtik fuq in-naħa l-oħra; min jeħodlok il-mantar, anqas il-libsa ma għandek tiċħadlu. Agħti lil kull min jitolbok; u min jeħodlok xi ħaġa tiegħek, titlobhilux lura. Kif tridu li l-bnedmin jagħmlu lilkom, hekk ukoll agħmlu intom lilhom. Jekk intom tħobbu lil min iħobbkom, xi ħlas jista’ jkollkom? Għax il-midinbin ukoll iħobbu lil min iħobbhom. U jekk tagħmlu l-ġid lil min jagħmel il-ġid lilkom, xi ħlas jista’ jkollkom? Għax dan jagħmluh saħansitra l-midinbin. U jekk tisilfu xi ħaġa lil min tistennewh iroddhielkom lura, xi ħlas jista’ jkollkom? Il-midinbin ukoll jisilfu lill-midinbin, bil-ħsieb li jieħdu lura daqshekk ieħor mingħandhom.  Imma intom ħobbu l-għedewwa tagħkom, agħmlu l-ġid, isilfu bla ma tistennew xi ħaġa lura, u l-ħlas tagħkom ikun kbir; u tkunu wlied Alla l-Għoli, li hu tajjeb mal-ingrati u l-ħżiena. Ħennu, bħalma hu ħanin Missierkom. Tiġġudikawx, u ma tkunux iġġudikati; tikkundannawx, u ma tkunux ikkundannati; aħfru, u ssibu l-maħfra; agħtu, u jingħatalkom. Kejl tajjeb, marsus, mheżżeż sewwa u mburġat iqegħdulkom f’ħoġorkom; għax bl-istess kejl li tkejlu intom jitkejjel lilkom”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil    

MAKING OUR CORRECT CHOICES IN LIFE

Central theme: 

Sunday’s Scripture readings challenge us to make three types of correct choices in life.  First, we are advised to choose the “golden rule” including loving our enemies and showing sensitivity to the feelings and needs of others. Second, we need to choose unconditional, agape love instead of envy, jealousy and hatred in our relationships with others. Third, we must choose graceful and merciful forgiveness instead of harboring revenge and planning retaliation.

Scripture lessons: 

The first reading shows us how David made the right choice, respecting God’s anointed king by forgiving his offenses, while Saul continued to make the wrong choices, perpetuating his own misery in seeking his revenge. In the Responsorial Psalm, Ps 103, the Psalmist reminds us of the mercy of God and His compassion which we should practice in our choices. In the second reading, St. Paul tells us how the “First Adam” made a wrong choice of disobedience, bringing death into the world, whereas Jesus, the “Second Adam,” made the right choice of fulfilling his Father’s saving plan for mankind by accepting acute suffering and a heinous death. Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 6:27-38) gives us Jesus’ revolutionary moral teaching about correct choices in our human relationships, based on the necessity of our following the “Golden Rule” and our obligation to behave like the children of a loving, forgiving, merciful, and compassionate Heavenly Father. 

Our relationships in our communities become truly Christian when we follow the Golden Rule, “Do to others as you would have them do to you,” as Jesus amplifies it, obeying the additional commands of radical Christian love we are to exercise as God’s children (and Jesus’ adapted brothers and sisters), “Love your enemies…Do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you and pray for those who maltreat you.” Jesus orders us to love our enemies and to be merciful and compassionate to everyone as God our Father is loving, merciful, and compassionate. He concludes by instructing us to stop judging others and start forgiving all who offend us.

Life Messages: 

1)  We need to practice the Golden Rule in its full form: The Golden Rule asks us to do to others what we would like them do to us. If we obey, loving others and expressing that love by loving words and deeds, we will start receiving the same love from others in higher intensity. Further, if we want others to forgive our offenses, our words of criticism, and our thoughtless judgments against them, then we should start forgiving their offenses against us and start appreciating their good qualities while encouraging them and supporting them in their needs.

2)  We need to pray for the strength to forgive. At every Mass we pray the “Our Father”, asking God to forgive us as we forgive others. Our challenge is to overcome our natural inclination to hate family members, co-workers, neighbours and all who offend us. To meet that challenge, we need to ask God for the strength to forgive each other. We must forgive, because only forgiveness truly heals us. If we remember how God has forgiven us, it will help us forgive others. Let us start forgiving right now by curbing the sharp tongue of criticism, suppressing the revenge instinct, and bearing patiently the irritating behaviour of a neighbour.

//////////////////////////////////////     Fr Tony's Homilies © 2025.  /  https://frtonyshomilies.com  / 

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THE CHOICE IN WHOM WE TRUST

 Readings for Sunday, February 16, 2025 

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time  

Lectionary: 78

Qari tas-Sitt Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1                  Jeremiah 17:5-8

Thus says the LORD:  Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,  who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD.  He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty   Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD.  He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream:  it fears not the heat when it comes;  its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.  

QARI 1                   mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġeremija 17, 5-8

Dan jgħid il-Mulej: “Misħut il-bniedem li jittama fil-bnedmin, li jfittex il-qawwa tiegħu fil-ġisem, u titbiegħed qalbu mill-Mulej. Ikun bħal siġra tal-għargħar fix-xagħri, li ma tara ebda ġid ġej, li tgħammar f’art tikwi fid-deżert, art mielħa fejn ħadd ma jgħammar. Imbierek il-bniedem li jittama fil-Mulej, u l-fiduċja tiegħu fil-Mulej.  Ikun bħal siġra ħdejn l-ilma mħawla, b’għeruqha mxenxla lejn il-wied; ma tibżax meta tiġi s-sħana, il-weraq tagħha jibqa’ jħaddar; fis-sena tan-nixfa ma tinkeddx, u ma tehdiex milli tagħmel il-frott”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                  Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 & 6

Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked,
nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent,
but delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night.
R/ Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

He is like a tree planted near running water,
that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.

R/ Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Not so the wicked, not so; 
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R/ Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                  Salm 1, 1-2.3.4 u 6

R/. : Hieni l-bniedem li jqiegħed fil-Mulej it-tama tiegħu

Hieni l-bniedem li ma jimxix fuq il-pariri tal-ħżiena,
li ma jiqafx fi triq il-ħatjin,
li ma joqgħodx fil-laqgħat taż-żeblieħa;
imma fil-liġi tal-Mulej hi l-għaxqa tiegħu,
lejl u nhar jaħseb fil-liġi tiegħu. R/.

Hu bħal siġra mħawla ħdejn nixxigħat tal-ilma
li tagħmel il-frott fi żmienha,
u l-weraq tagħha ma jidbielx;
hu jirnexxi f’kulma jagħmel. R/.

Mhux hekk il-ħżiena, mhux hekk;
iżda huma bħal tibna li jtajjarha r-riħ.
Għax triq it-tajbin il-Mulej jafha;
imma triq il-ħżiena tintemm fix-xejn. R/.

Reading 2                  1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

Brothers and sisters:  If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.  But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

QARI 2                  mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 15, 12.16-20

Ħuti, jekk Kristu hu mxandar li qam mill-imwiet, kif jgħidu xi wħud minnkom li ma hemmx qawmien tal-mejtin? Għax jekk il-mejtin ma jqumux, anqas Kristu ma kien imqajjem. U jekk Kristu ma kienx imqajjem, fiergħa l-fidi tagħkom, u intom għadkom fi dnubietkom. U mitlufa wkoll huma dawk li raqdu fi Kristu. Jekk għandna tama fi Kristu għal din il-ħajja biss, aħna l-aktar nies imsejkna fost kemm huma l-bnedmin. Imma Kristu kien imqajjem tassew mill-imwiet, l-ewwel frott fost dawk li raqdu.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                  Luke 6:17, 20-26

Jesus came down with the Twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.  And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:   “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.  Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.   Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.  Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.  Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.  But woe to you who are rich,  for you have received your consolation.  Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.  Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.  Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

EVANĠELJU                   Qari skont San Luqa 6, 17.20-26

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù niżel mat-Tnax u waqaf f’wita, flimkien ma’ kotra kbira ta’ dixxipli u folla kbira ta’ nies minn kull naħa tal-Lhudija u Ġerusalemm u mix-xtajta ta’ Tir u Sidon. Ġesù rafa’ għajnejh lejn id-dixxipli tiegħu u qal: “Henjin intom il-foqra, għax tagħkom hija s-Saltna ta’ Alla. Henjin intom li għalissa bil-ġuħ, għax għad tkunu mxebbgħin. Henjin intom li għalissa tibku, għax għad tithennew. Henjin intom meta minħabba Bin il-bniedem in-nies jobogħdukom, jaqtgħukom minn magħhom, jgħajrukom u jwarrbu isimkom bħallikieku kien xi ħaġa ħażina. Dakinhar li jiġrilkom hekk, ifirħu u aqbżu bil-ferħ, għax araw, ħlaskom kbir ikun fis-sema. L-istess għamlu missirijiethom lill-profeti. Imma ħażin għalikom, intom l-għonja, għax il-faraġ tagħkom ħadtuh. Ħażin għalikom intom li għalissa mxebbgħin, għax għad tkunu bil-ġuħ. Ħażin għalikom intom li għalissa tidħku, għax għad tnewħu u tibku. Ħażin għalikom meta kulħadd isemmikom fil-ġid. Għax l-istess għamlu missirijiethom lill-profeti foloz!”.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil    

THERE ARE ONLY TWO OPTIONS IN OUR LIVES

Introduction: 

Sunday’s readings teach us that true happiness, or beatitude, lies in the awareness that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father and that we will be happy only when we share our blessings with our brothers and sisters in need, and work to uplift them, thus declaring our “option for the poor,” as Jesus did. Contrary to popular belief, wealth, health, power, and influence are not the sources of true happiness. The word “beatitude” means “blessedness” in a double sense: both enjoying God’s favor and enjoying true or supreme happiness.

Scripture lessons: 

In the first reading, Jeremiah tells us that true happiness consists in our placing our trust in God and in putting our trust in His promises. The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 1) finds beatitude in keeping God’s Law. In the second reading St. Paul warns us that true beatitude is obtainable only in Heaven, and that Christ’s Resurrection gives us our assurance of reaching Heaven for an everlasting life of happiness. In today’s Gospel, Jesus instructs his disciples in the paradoxical blessedness of poverty, hunger, sorrow, and persecution. “Blessed are those who are poor, hungry, weeping, hated, excluded, insulted and denounced,” because in poverty, we recognize our dependence on God; in hunger, God’s providence; in sorrow for sins, reconciliation with God; and in persecution, the true joy of standing for the Faith with heroic convictions. 

What makes one blessed is not simply poverty or hunger or sadness or suffering for the Faith but living these in the context of one’s commitment to Jesus and his spirit of sharing. The Beatitudes consist in humble selflessness and compassionate, generous sharing of our blessings with the needy. The beatitudes must be understood as eschatological statements which see and evaluate the present in terms of the future glory and everlasting happiness.

Life Messages: 

1) We need to respond to the challenge of the Beatitudes in our daily life. Millions are starving, persecuted, homeless, and leading hopeless lives. The only way the promises of the Beatitudes can become a reality for them is through the efforts of people like us. Hence, let us remember that each time we reach out to help the needy, the sick, or the oppressed, we share with them a foretaste of the promises of the Beatitudes here and now. 

2) Let us light a candle instead of blaming the political set-up. God knows that 50% of His children are hungry, 80% live in substandard housing and 70% have no education. If over half our children were hungry, cold and uneducated, how would we respond to their suffering? God wants us to live as brothers and sisters who care for one another. 

3) We must take care to choose our way wisely. "There are two Ways, one of Life and one of Death, and there is a great difference between the two Ways." These are the opening lines of the "Didache" a first century Christian catechism used to teach new Christians the essence of the Christian Faith. The way of life and true happiness is the way of Jesus, the way of the beatitudes, the way of rendering loving service to God by serving our brothers and sisters.

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