Readings for February 17^th, 2013

The First Sunday in Lent

L-Ewwel Hadd tar-Randan

Pride - First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:4-10

The priest shall take the basket out of your hand, and set it down before the altar of YHWH your God. You shall answer and say before YHWH your God, “A Syrian ready to perish was my father; and he went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous. The Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid on us hard bondage: and we cried to YHWH, the God of our fathers, and YHWH heard our voice, and saw our affliction, and our toil, and our oppression; and YHWH brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terror, and with signs, and with wonders; and he has brought us into this place, and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, YHWH, have given me.” You shall set it down before YHWH your God, and worship before YHWH your God. This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari - Dewteronomju 26, 4-10

Mosè kellem lill-poplu u qal: «Il-qassis imbaghad jilqa’ minn idejk il-qoffa, u jqeghedha quddiem l-artal tal-Mulej, Alla tieghek. Inti mbaghad tghid hekk quddiem il-Mulej, Alla tieghek: “Missieri kien minn Aram, jiggerra minn post ghal iehor; imbaghad nizel l-Egittu u ghammar hemm. zghir kien l-ghadd ta’ niesu, izda hemmhekk sar poplu kbir, qawwi u kotran. L-Egizzjani haqruna, ghakksuna, ghabbewna b’xoghol iebes; imma ahna ghajjatna lill-Mulej, Alla ta’ missirijietna, u l-Mulej sama’ l-ghajta taghna, ra

t-tghakkis u t-tbatija u d-dwejjaq taghna, u harigna l-Mulej mill-Egittu, b’id qawwija, bi drieg˙ merfugh, b’biza’ kbir, b’sinjali u b’ghegubijiet, u dahhalna f’dan il-post, tana din l-art, art tnixxi halib u ghasel. U issa, ara, jiena gibt l-ewwel frott tal-art li tajtni int, Mulej.” U int tqieghdu quddiem il-Mulej, Alla tieghek, u tadura lill-Mulej, Alla tieghek.» Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Sanctuary - Responsorial Psalm 91

Psalm 91 was a hymn to those who entered and left the Temple (particularly, the king). The shelter of the Most High was the Temple; the “shadow of the Almighty” was the shadow left by the wings of the cherubim statues over the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies (91:1, 4b). The presence of the Living God created a protective cover for the faithful (91:2-4a).

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of YHWH, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler,
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers.
Under his wings you will take refuge.
His faithfulness is your shield and rampart.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
and ten thousand at your right hand;
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes,
and see the recompense of the wicked.
Because you have made YHWH your refuge,
and the Most High your dwelling place,
no evil shall happen to you,
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
For he will put his angels in charge of you,
to guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands,
so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and cobra.
You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot.

Salm Responsorjali - Salm 90 (91), 1-2.10-11.12-13.14-15

R/. Kun mieghi, Mulej, fid-dwejjaq

Int li tghix ghall-kenn tal-Gholi,

li tghammar ghad-dell ta’ dak li jista’ kollox,

ghid lill-Mulej: «Kenn tieghi u qawwa tieghi int,

Alla tieghi, jien fik nittama.» R/

Ebda deni ma jigrilek,

ebda hsara ma tersaq lejn darek.

Ghax l-angli tieghu hu jibghatlek,

u jharsuk fi triqatek kollha. R/

Fuq idejhom jerfg˙uk,

li ma ta˙batx ma’ xi gebla riglek.

Fuq l-iljun u l-lifg˙a int timxi,

fer˙ ta’ ljun u serp int tirfes. Rl .

«La thabbeb mieghi, jien nehilsu;

la gharaf ismi, jiena nharsu.

Hu jsejjahli, u jiena nwiegbu;

mieghu nkun fid-dwejjaq tieghu,

nehilsu u nerfaghlu giehu.» Rl .

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In the Heart, On the Lips

Second Reading: Romans 10 : 8-13

What did Moses say in the Bible? God’s word is near you. It’s on your lips and in your heart. It’s God’s word that we preach to you. If you should agree out loud that Jesus is Lord, and if you should really believe deep down in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. Whoever believes in their heart has the right relationship with God. Whoever agrees out loud will be saved by God. The Bible says, “Anyone who believes in God will not be put to shame.” So there is really no difference between people who are Jewish and people who are not. Jesus is the Lord of everyone. And he richly blesses everyone who prays to him. For anyone who prays in the Lord’s name will be saved. This is the Word of The Lord.

Qari II - Rumani 10, 8-13

Huti, xi tgh id l-Iskrittura? «Il-kelma qieghda hdejk, f’fommok u qalbek»; jigifieri, il-kelma tal-fidi li ahna nxandru. Ghax jekk inti tistqarr b’fommok, «Gesù hu l-Mulej!», u temmen b’qalbek li Alla qajmu mill-imwiet, inti ssalva. Wiehed jemmen f’qalbu biex ikollu l-gustizzja u jistqarr b’xufftejh biex ikollu s-salvazzjoni. L-Iskrittura tghid: «Kull min jemmen fih ma jintilifx.» Ma hemmx ghazla bejn Lhudi u Grieg; hu s-Sid ta’ kulhadd u ghani ma’ dawk kollha li jsejhulu. Ghax: «Kull min isejjah isem il-Mulej isalva.»

Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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For Self? Or, For Others?

Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

Full of the God's Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan river. Then, wherever the Spirit led him, Jesus walked throughout desert for forty days. There, he was tempted by the devil. Jesus didn't eat anything during that time. And, at the end, he was hungry. So, the devil said to him, "If you're really God's Son, tell this stone to turn into a piece of bread."

"But the Bible says, 'People need more than bread to live,'" Jesus responded.

Then, the devil took Jesus to a really high place and showed him every kingdom on the earth in the blink of an eye. "I will give you power over all these nations. And I will give you all their riches," the devil told Jesus. "Everything you see has been given to me and anyone I want to give it to. All this will be yours, if you just worship me."

"But the Bible says, "You will worship the Lord your God and serve only him," Jesus answered.

The devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and stood him on the top of the Temple. "If you're really God's Son, throw yourself down from here." the devil said. "After all, the Bible says, 'God will command his angels to take care of you.' It also says, 'God's angels will carry you with their hands so you won't stub your foot on a stone.'"

"The Bible also says, "Don't challenge the Lord your God!" Jesus shot back. With that, the devil finished tempting Jesus and left him until the time was right to return.

Evangelju - Luqa 4, 1-13

F’dak iz-zmien, Gesù, mimli bl-Ispirtu s-Santu, raga’ lura mill-Gordan u l-Ispirtu hadu fid-dezert. Hemm ghal erbghin jum Gesù kien imgarrab mix-Xitan. Matul dawk il-jiem ma kiel xejn; u mbaghad, meta ghaddew dawk il-jiem, hadu l-guh. U x-Xitan qallu: «Jekk inti Bin Alla, ghid lil din il-gebla ssir hobz.» Wiegbu Gesù: «Hemm miktub: “Il-bniedem mhux bil-hobz biss jghix.”» Imbaghad ix-Xitan hadu fl-gholi u wrieh is-saltniet tad-dinja kollha f’daqqa. Qallu x-Xitan: «Naghtik is-setgha fuq dawn kollha, bil-glorja taghhom ukoll ghax hija nghatat lili, u jiena naghtiha lil min irrid. Jekk tinxtehet quddiemi taghtini qima, kollha tieghek tkun.» Gesù wiegbu u qallu: «Hemm miktub: “Lill-Mulej, Alla tieghek, tadura, u lilu biss taqdi.”» Imbaghad ix-Xitan hadu Gerusalemm, qieghdu fuq il-quççata tat-tempju, u qallu: «Jekk inti Bin Alla, inxtehet minn hawn ghal isfel. Ghax hemm miktub: “Lill-angli tieghu jordnalhom biex jiehdu

hsiebek sewwa,” u li: “fuq idejhom jerfghuk, halli ma tahbatx riglek ma’ xi gebla.”» Wiegeb Gesù u qallu: «Jinghad: “Iggarrabx lill-Mulej Alla tieghek.”» Imbaghad ix-Xitan meta temm dan it-tigrib kollu, telaq minn hdejh sa ma wasal il-waqt. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY:

FATHER CANTALAMESSA ON EVIL

Here is a translation of a commentary by the Pontifical Household preacher, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, on the readings from this Sunday's liturgy.

He was tempted by the devil

The Gospel of Luke, which we read this year, was written, as he says in the introduction, so that the believing reader would be able to "know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed." This purpose is quite relevant today.

Faced as we are with attacks on the historical veracity of the Gospels from every quarter and with the continual manipulation of the figure of Christ, it is more important than ever that the Christian and the honest reader of the Gospel know the truth of the teachings and reports that the Gospel contains.

I have decided to use my commentaries on the Gospels from the beginning of Lent to the Sunday after Easter for this purpose. Taking each Sunday Gospel as our point of departure, we will consider different aspects of the person and the teaching of Christ to determine who Jesus truly is, whether he is a simple prophet and great man, or something more and different than these.

In other words, we will be doing some religious education. Such phenomena as Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code," with the imitators and discussions it has given rise to, have shown to us the alarming religious ignorance that reigns in our society. This ignorance provides ideal terrain for every sort of unscrupulous commercial venture.

Next Sunday’s Gospel, for the first Sunday of Lent, treats of Jesus' temptation in the desert. Following the plan I have announced, I would like to begin from this Gospel and expand the discussion to focus on the general question of Jesus' attitude toward demonic forces and those people possessed by demons.

It is one of the most historically certain and undeniable facts that Jesus freed many people from the destructive power of Satan. We do not have the time here to refer to each of these episodes. We will limit ourselves to throwing light on two things: The first is the explanation that Jesus gave about his power over demons; the second is what this power tells us about Jesus and his person.

Faced with the clamorous liberation of one possessed person which Jesus had performed, his enemies, unable to deny the fact, say: "He casts out demons in the name of Beelzebul, the prince of demons" (Luke 11:15). Jesus shows that this explanation is absurd. If Satan were divided against himself, his reign would have ended long ago, but instead it continues to prosper. The true explanation is rather that Jesus casts out demons by the finger of God, that is, by the Holy Spirit, and this shows that the kingdom of God has arrived on earth.

Satan was "the strong man" who had mankind in his power, but now one "stronger than him" has come and is taking his power away from him. This tells us something quite important about the person of Christ. With his coming there has begun a new era for humanity, a regime change. Such a thing could not be the work of a mere man, nor can it be the work of a great prophet.

It is essential to note the name or the power by which Jesus casts out demons. The usual formula with which the exorcist turns to the demon is: "I charge you by...," or "in the name of ... I order you to leave this person." He calls on a higher authority, generally God, and for Christians, Jesus. But this is not the case for Jesus himself: His words are a dry "I order you."

I order you! Jesus does not need to call upon a higher authority; he is himself the higher authority.

The defeat of the power of evil and of the demons was an integral part of the definitive salvation (eschatological) proclaimed by the prophets. Jesus invites his adversaries to draw the conclusions of what they see with their eyes. There is nothing more to wait on, to look forward to; the kingdom and salvation is in their midst.

The much discussed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has its explanation here. To attribute to the spirit of evil, to Beelzebul, or to magic that which is so manifestly the work of the Spirit of God meant to stubbornly close one's eyes to the truth, to oppose oneself to God himself, and therefore to deprive oneself of the possibility of forgiveness.

The historical approach that I wish to take in these commentaries during Lent should not keep us from seeing also the practical importance of the Gospel we are treating. Evil is still terribly present to us today. We witness manifestations of evil that often exceed our ability to understand; we are deeply disturbed and speechless when faced with certain events reported by the news. The consoling message that flows from the reflections we have made thus far is that there is in our midst one who is "stronger" than evil.

Some people experience in their lives or in their homes the presence of evil that seems to be diabolical in origin. Sometimes it certainly is -- we know of the spread of satanic sects and rites in our society, especially among young people -- but it is difficult in particular cases to determine whether we are truly dealing with Satan or with pathological disturbances. Fortunately, we do not have to be certain of the causes. The thing to do is to cling to Christ in faith, to call on his name, and to participate in the sacraments.

Sunday's Gospel suggests a means to us that is important to cultivate especially during the season of Lent. Jesus did not go into the desert to be tempted; his intention was to go into the desert to pray and listen to the voice of the Father.

Throughout history there have been many men and women who have chosen to imitate Jesus as he withdraws into the desert. But the invitation to follow Jesus into the desert is not made only to monks and hermits. In a different form it is made to everyone.

The monks and hermits have chosen a place of desert. We have chosen a desert time. To pass time in the desert means to create a little emptiness and silence around us, to rediscover the road to our heart, to remove ourselves from the noise and external distractions, to enter into contact with the deepest source of our being and our faith.