For me to live is Christ, to die is gain - St Paul

Readings:/ 10 – 2 -13

5th Sunday in Ordinary time Year C

Solemnity of the shipwreck of St Paul in Malta

In-Nawfraġju ta’ San Pawl  f'Malta                                           

Messalin B pp 528

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Reading 1 - From the Book of Wisdom, 14, 3-7   

But your providence, O Father! guides it, for you have furnished even in the sea a road, and through the waves a steady path, Showing that you can save from any danger, so that even one without skill may embark. But you will that the products of your Wisdom be not idle; therefore men trust their lives even to frailest wood, and have been safe crossing the surge on a raft. For of old, when the proud giants were being destroyed, the hope of the universe, who took refuge on a raft, left to the world a future for his race, under the guidance of your hand. For blest is the wood through which justice comes about;

L-1 Qari - Ktieb ta’ l-Għerf 14, 3-7

O Missier, bil-provvidenza tiegħek inti tmexxi il-bniedem. għax int tajtu triq bil-baħar, u mogħdija żgura fuq il-ħalel. Int urejtu li int tista’ tħarsu minn kull  tiġrif, hekk li wkoll min mhux tas-sengħa jista’ jbaħħar. Int ma tridx li l-opri tal-għerf tiegħek jisfgħu fix-xejn; għalhekk il-bnedmin jafdaw ħajjithom fuq daqsxejn ta’ laqxa, jaqsmu l-imwieġ fuq dgħajsa u jsalu fil-port bis-sliem. Għax tassew, sa mill-bidu taż-żmien,  meta ġganti  kburin kienu qegħdin jinqerdu, it-tama tad-dinja sabet il-kenn fuq dgħajsa u,  immexxija minn idek, ħalliet lid-dinja ż-żerriegħa ta’ nisel ġdid. Imbierka l-għuda li biha jsir is-sewwa. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 107   

Let them offer a sacrifice in thanks, declare his works with shouts of joy. Some went off to sea in ships, plied their trade on the deep waters. They saw the works of the LORD, the wonders of God in the deep.He spoke and roused a storm wind; it tossed the waves on high. They rose up to the heavens, sank to the depths; their hearts trembled at the danger. They reeled, staggered like drunkards; their skill was of no avail. In their distress they cried to the LORD, who brought them out of their peril, Hushed the storm to a murmur; the waves of the sea were stilled. They rejoiced that the sea grew calm, that God brought them to the harbor they longed for.

R/  Let them thank the LORD for such kindness, such wondrous deeds for mere mortals.

Let them praise him in the assembly of the people, give thanks in the council of the elders. God changed rivers into desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the wickedness of its people. He changed the desert into pools of water, arid land into springs of water, And settled the hungry there; they built a city to live in. They sowed fields and planted vineyards, brought in an abundant harvest. God blessed them, they became very many, and their livestock did not decrease. But he poured out contempt on princes, made them wander the trackless wastes, Where they were diminished and brought low through misery and cruel oppression, While the poor were released from their affliction; their families increased like their flocks. The upright saw this and rejoiced; all wickedness shut its mouth. Whoever is wise will take note of these things, will ponder the merciful deeds of the LORD

R/ Let them thank the LORD for such kindness, such wondrous deeds for mere mortals

Salm Responsorjali  - Salm  106

R/    Ħa jsebbħu l-Mulej għal tjubitu, għall-għegubijiet tiegħu mal-bnedmin!

Ħa jsebbħu l-Mulej għal tjubitu,

għall-għeġubijiet tiegħu mal-bnedmin!

Ħa joffru sagrifiċċji  ta’ radd il-ħajr,

u jxandru l-għemejjel tiegħu b’għana ferrieħi. R/

Dawk li jmorru bil-baħar fuq l-iġfna,

li jagħmlu l-qligħ f’ibħra kbar ħafna,

huma raw l-għemejjel tal-Mulej

u l-opri tiegħu tal-għaġeb f’qiegħ il-baħar.                R/

Hu ordna u qajjem riefnu,

li qanqal imwieġ il-baħar.

Għolew  m’ogħla s-smewwiet,

niżlu sa qiegħ il-baħar;

qalbhom tmewtet bil-biża tat-telfa.                         R/

Bdew iduru u jixxenglu bħal nies fis-sakra,

u tilfu ħilithom kollha.

Sejħu l-Mulej fit-tiġrib tagħhom,

u mill-hemm tagħħom ħelishom.

Hu bidel ir-riefnu f’żiffa,

u siektu mwieġ il-baħar.                                R/

Huma ferħu għax waqfu l-imwieġ ;

u hu mexxihom sal-port li xtaqu.

Ħa jsebbħu l-Mulej għal-tjubitu,

Għall-għeġubijiet tiegħu mal-bnedmin!            R/

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Reading 2 - Acts, 27, 16-28; 28, 1-6

We passed along the sheltered side of an island named Cauda and managed only with difficulty to get the dinghy under control. They hoisted it aboard, then used cables to undergird the ship. Because of their fear that they would run aground on the shoal of Syrtis, they lowered the drift anchor and were carried along in this way. We were being pounded by the storm so violently that the next day they jettisoned some cargo, and on the third day with their own hands they threw even the ship's tackle overboard. Neither the sun nor the stars were visible for many days, and no small storm raged. Finally, all hope of our surviving was taken away. When many would no longer eat, Paul stood among them and said, "Men, you should have taken my advice and not have set sail from Crete and you would have avoided this disastrous loss. I urge you now to keep up your courage; not one of you will be lost, only the ship. For last night an angel of the God to whom  belong and whom I serve stood by me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You are destined to stand before Caesar; and behold, for your sake, God has granted safety to all who are sailing with you.'

Therefore, keep up your courage, men; I trust in God that it will turn out as I have been told. We are destined to run aground on some island." On the fourteenth night, as we were still being driven about on the Adriatic Sea, toward midnight the sailors began to suspect that they were nearing land. They took soundings and found twenty fathoms; a little farther on, they again took soundings and found fifteen fathoms. Fearing that we would run aground on a rocky coast, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. The sailors then tried to abandon ship; they lowered the dinghy to the sea on the pretext of going to lay out anchors from the bow. But Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved." So the soldiers cut the ropes of the dinghy and set it adrift.

Until the day began to dawn, Paul kept urging all to take some food. He said, "Today is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting, going hungry and eating nothing. I urge you, therefore, to take some food; it will help you survive. Not a hair of the head of anyone of you will be lost." When he said this, he took bread, ⁴ gave thanks to God in front of them all, broke it, and began to eat. They were all encouraged, and took some food themselves. In all, there were two hundred seventy-six of us on the ship. After they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea. When day came they did not recognize the land, but made out a bay with a beach. They planned to run the ship ashore on it, if they could. So they cast off the anchors and abandoned them to the sea, and at the same time they unfastened the lines of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail into the wind, they made for the beach.

But they struck a sandbar and ran the ship aground. The bow was wedged in and could not be moved, but the stern began to break up under the pounding (of the waves). The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so that none might swim away and escape,  but the centurion wanted to save Paul and so kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to the shore,  and then the rest, some on planks, others on debris from the ship. In this way, all reached shore safely.

1899 Malta stamp depicting
Paul's shipwreck

Once we had reached safety we learned that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us extraordinary hospitality; they lit a fire and welcomed all of us because it had begun to rain and was cold. Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire when a viper, escaping from the heat, fastened on his hand. When the natives saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "This man must certainly be a murderer; though he escaped the sea, Justice ¹ has not let him remain alive."  But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm.  They were expecting him to swell up or suddenly to fall down dead but, after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-2 Qari - mill-Ktieb ta’ l-Atti ta’ l-Appostli 27, 16-28,6

B’ġirja waħda għaddejn taħt ir-riħ ta’ daqsxejn ta’ gżira jisimgħa Kawda.   Bilkemm stajna  nżommu d-dgħajsa warajna, u għalhekk tellgħuha mill-baħar.   Imbagħad qabdu  l-armar u rabtu l-ġifen dawramejt biċ-ċimi, niżżlu l-qlugħ u l-arbli,  għax beżgħu li ninkaljaw fuq is-Sirti, u hekk ħallejn l-mewġ ikaxkarna miegħu. Il-għada t-tempesta ħabbtitna ħafna, bdew iwaddbu t-tagħbija l-baħar, u fit-tielet jum irmew il-parank tal-ġifen b’idejhom stess.

Għal ħafna jiem la dehret xemx u lanqas kwiekeb, it-tempesta li laqtitna ma kienitx ħafifa,   Hekk li fl-aħħar tlifna kull tama li nsalvaw. In-nies kienu ilhom ħafna ma jieħdu xi ħaġa  biex jitrejqu; Pawlu waqaf f’nofshom u qalilhom:  “Ħbieb,  kien imisskom smajtu minni u  ma tlaqtux minn Kreta; kontu teħilsu minn din il-ħsara u t-telf,. imma issa nwissikom  biex tagħmlu l-qalb, għax ħadd minnkom mhu se jitlef ħajtu;  il-ġifen biss jintilef.   Għax dal-lejl deherli anġlu ta’ dak Alla li tiegħu  jien u li lilu nqim,  u qalli: “Tibżax, Pawlu.  Jeħtieġ  li inti tidher quddiem Ċesari:  ara, Alla tak il-ħajja ta’ dawk kollha li qegħdin jivvaġaw  miegħek.  Mela qawwu qalbkom, ħbieb.  Jien nemmen f’Alla li hekk isir, sewwa sew kif tħabbar lili.  Jeħtieġ iżda li naħbtu ma’ gżira.“ 

Meta wasal l-erbatax-il-lejl, konna ninsabu mitfugħin ‘l hawn u ‘l hemm fil-baħar ta’ Adrja.   Għall-ħabta  ta’ nofs il-lejl il-baħrin ħassew li konna resqin qrib xi art.  Skandaljaw il-għoli tal-baħar, u sabu għoxrin qama;  imxejna ftit ieħor ‘il quddiem reġgħu skandaljaw, u sabu ħmistax.  Huma beżgħu li xi mkien se naħbtu ma’ xi sikka, u għalhekk niżżlu  erba’ ankri mill-poppa.  Ix-xewqa tagħhom kienet li ma jdumx ma jisbaħ.  Il-baħrin bdew ifittxu li jaħarbu mill-ġifen, u niżżlu d-dgħajsa l-baħar bħallikieku biex idendlu xi ankri mill-pruwa.

Iżda Pawlu qal liċ-ċentirjun u lis-suldati:  “Jekk dawn ma jibqgħux fuq il-ġifen, intom ma tistghux issalvaw.“   imbagħad is-suldati qaċċtu l-ħbula tad-dgħajsa u ħallewha tmur għal riħha.    Meta sar il-ħin biex jisbaħ, Pawlu qabad iħajjarhom ilkoll biex jtrejqu bi ħaġa, u qalilhom:  ˝Issa ġa ilkom erbatax-il-ġurnata tistennew  sajmin, u ma dduqu xejn.  Għalhekk inħajjarkom tieħdu xi ħaġa ta’ l-ikel, u jwetikom f’saħħitkom, għax ħadd minnkom mhi se tintiliflu xagħra waħda minn rasu˝.   Kif qal dan, qabad il-ħobż, radd il-ħajr ‘l Alla quddiem kulħadd qasam u beda jiekol.  Imbagħad kulħadd għamel il-qalb u ħadu xi ħaġa ta’ l-ikel huma wkoll.

Konna b’kollox mitejn u sitta u sebgħin ruħ fuq il-ġifen.  Wara li xebgħu, bdew iħeffu l-ġifen u jwaddbu l-qamħ il-baħar.  Meta mbagħad sebaħ, l-art ma għarfuhiex, lemħu biss bajja bi xtajta fiha, u qatgħuha li jekk jista’ jkun, jitfgħu l-ġifen fuqha.  Irħew l-ankri u telquħom il-baħar, u ħallew ukoll l-irbit tat-tmun.  Imbagħad tellgħu l-qala tat-trinkett għar-riħ u ħadu għax-xtajta.  Iżda ħbatna ma’ sikka, li kellha l-baħar miż-żewġ naħat.  Il-pruwa baqgħet imwaħħla sewwa fil-post  u ma tħarrkitx iżjed, imma l-poppa bdiet  titfarrak bil-qilla tal-mewġ.  Is-suldati riedu kieku joqtlu l-priġunieri, li ma jaħrabx xi Hadd minnhom bil-għawm;  iżda ċ-ċenturjun, li ried isalva ‘l Pawlu, ma ħalliex il-ħsieb tagħhom iseħħ.  Lil dawk li kienu jafu jgħumu ordnalhom jintefgħu huma l-ewwel

il-baħar u jmorru l-art;   lill-oħrajn ordnalhom jilħqu x-xatt min fuq twavel u minn fuq bċejjeċ imkissra tal-ġifen.  U hekk kulħadd qabad l-art qawwi u sħiħ.

Meta ħlisna mil-għarqa, sirna nafu li l-gżira kien jisimha Malta.  In-nies tagħha ġiebu ruħhom magħna bil-ħlewwa liema bħalha.  Laqgħuna tajjeb lilna lkoll u qabbdulna ħuġġieġa, għax kienet bdiet nieżla x-xita u kien il-bard.  Mela Pawlu ġabar qatta zkuk niexfa u tefagħhom fin-nar.  Fiz-zkuk kien hekk lifgħa li malli ħaset is-sħana, ħarġet u qabdel ma’ id Pawlu.  In-nies tal-gżira, kif raw il-lifgħa mdendla ma’ idu, bdew igħidu wieħed lill-ieħor: “Dar-raġel żgur xi qattiel, għax għad li ħelisha mill-baħar, il-ġustizzja ma ħallitux igħix!“  imma hu farfar il-lifgħa ġon-nar u ma  ġralu xejn.  Huma stennew li se jarawh jintefaħ jew jaqa’ u jmut f’daqqa.  Wara li damu jistennew ħafna u raw li ma ġralu ebda deni, biddlu l-ħsieb  u bdew igħidu li kien xi Alla. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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The Gospel according to St Mark 16, 15-20

He said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages.  They will pick up serpents (with their hands), and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."  So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs. This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju - skond San Mark 16, 15-20

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesu’ qal lill-Ħdax: “Morru fid-dinja kollha, xandru l-Bxara t-tajba lill-ħolqien kollu. min jemmen u jitgħammed, isalva; iżda min ma jemminx, ikun ikkundantat.  U dawn huma l-mirakli li jsieħbu ‘l dawk li jemmnu:  f’ismi jkeċċu x-xjaten, jitkellmu b’ilsna ġodda, jaqbdu s-sriep b’idejhom, u jekk jixorbu xi xorb li  jġib il-mewt;  ma jagħmlilhomx ħsara; iqiegħdu idejhom fuq il-morda u dawn ifiqu..U hekk l-Mulej Ġesu’, wara li kellimhom, kien imtella’ fis-sema u qagħad in-naħa tal-lemin ta’ Alla.  Huma mbagħad marru jippriedkaw kullimkien; il-Mulej kien jaħdem magħhom u jwettaq il-kelma bil-mirakli li kienu jsiru magħha. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY on 2^nd Reading

Since next Sunday’s solemnity is particular to the conversion of both Malta and Gozo to Christianity by St Paul, I was not able to find any specific commentary by one of our usual writers.  Instead I am reproducing here an interesting sharing from the blog by Anita Mathias who came to Malta in the footsteps of Paul just over a month ago.. 

In Malta, in the Bay where St. Paul was Shipwrecked

ANITA MATHIAS - December 16, 2012

St. Paul’s Island

I am in Malta for a week. I walked by the bay where St Paul was shipwrecked and watched the enormous sky turn pink-streaked, red-puffed, crimson, colouring the waters of the bay which had been a glorious aquamarine a bright pink. The sky, the sea, they changed their aspects every minute. Surely the heavenly painter was having fun with his creativity, showing off for me. The sky and sea soon turn red.


I sat thinking about Paul. While the Spirit is gender-blind in his giving of gifts, Paul’s words have been used to harm people, especially women and gays, and specifically to deny women the opportunity to teach, or preach, or lead. What he said to the first century women in Ephesus or Corinth has been used as an excuse to subjugate and side-line women, yes, even in our century.

But that is not the whole story of Paul, just as our blind spots are not our whole story.
He knew Christ intimately—the Risen Christ whom he had never met in the flesh, thereby enlarging our perception of how much it is possible for us who, like Paul, have never met Christ—to know him and to find fullness of joy in him.

And in the Mamertine Dungeon, he claims we should rejoice always, and give thanks in everything. Rejoice? Yes, because of the presence of his Saviour with him.

For me to live is Christ, to die is gain, Paul says.

Me, I love life. I would like to live for decades more, gardening, reading, writing, learning, travelling, hanging out with friends. Just puttering. I don’t want to die.
But as I was flying to Malta yesterday, I looked down at the beautiful rosy-pink clouds, and suddenly realized I did not care if I lived or died. I am certain that there is life beyond the veil, because Jesus talked about it often in the Gospels, and believe that I will step through the veil and be with Jesus.

Why? Well, I guess I have hung out with him for so long a time here, in prayer, in studying his words and deeds. I have often seen him with the eyes of faith, clearly and in a low-key way like as the Prophet Amos, who casually said, I saw the Lord standing by the altar. So I believe beyond doubt that the one I have known here, who has comforted and guided and loved me here, will love me “there.”
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http://anitamathias.com/blog/2012/12/16/in-malta-in-the-bay-where-st-paul-was-shipwrecked/