He went up the mountain to pray

  
READINGS for February 24^th, 2013

The Second Sunday in Lent

It-Tieni Hadd tar-Randan

Messalin C 150

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The Vision of Abraham - First Reading:  Genesis 15:5-12,17-18

YHWH brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So shall your seed be.”  He believed in YHWH; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.  He said to him, “I am YHWH who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.”   He said, “Lord YHWH, how will I know that I will inherit it?”

He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”  He brought him all of these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn’t divide the birds. The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.  It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.  In that day YHWH made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates."  This is the Word of The Lord.

Alla jagħmel patt mal-qaddej ġust Abram -  L-Ewwel Qari - -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-iġsna mejtin, imma Abram gerrixhom lura.

Hi u nieżla x-xemx waqa' fuq Abram ngħas qawwi, u waqgħu fuqu biża' u dalma kbira. Meta a 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

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The Presence of God - Responsorial Psalm 27

When have you realized God was present? When did you yearn for God to be present? An experience of God is addictive. We have a sense of overwhelming power and peace, a sense of our insignificance and overwhelming love. When we have such an experience, we might feel small, but we can just as easily feel that we are in good hands. With God, evil will not touch us.  When the experience is over, we feel at a loss. We want to be with God again. He becomes our focus, our goal, and our beloved. Without him, we feel incomplete. We want him, we need him.

YHWH is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? YHWH is the strength of my life.
Of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me,
even then I will be confident.
One thing I have asked of YHWH, that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of YHWH all the days of my life, to see the beauty of YHWH, and to inquire in his temple.

For in the day of trouble he will keep me secretly in his pavilion. In the covert of his tabernacle he will hide me. He will lift me up on a rock.
Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me.  I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tent.
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to YHWH.

Hear, YHWH, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy also on me, and answer me.
When you said, “Seek my face,” my heart said to you, “I will seek your face, YHWH.”
Don’t hide your face from me. Don’t put your servant away in anger.
You have been my help.  Don’t abandon me, neither forsake me, God of my salvation.
When my father and my mother forsake me, then YHWH will take me up.
Teach me your way, YHWH. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies.
 Don’t deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me,
such as breathe out cruelty.
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of YHWH in the land of the living.
Wait for YHWH. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for YHWH.

Salm Responsorjali - Salm 26 (27)

                        R/                  Il-Mulej id-dawl u s-salvazzjoni tiegħi.

Il-Mulej d-dawl u s-salvazzjoni tiegħi,

minn min għandi nibża'?

Il-Mulej hu l-kenn tiegħi,

quddiem minn għandi nitwerwer?   R/

Isma', Mulej, leħen l-għajta tiegħi,

ħenn għalija u weġibni.

"Ejja" għidt f'qalbi, "fittex 'il-wiċċi!"

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/

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Above the Daily Routine - Second Reading:  Philippians 3:17-4:1

Brothers and sisters, all of you should imitate me. Carefully watch those who live their lives, just like the example we’ve given you.  For, there are people whom I ‘ve warned you about. I’m crying even now as I tell you about them. They are enemies of the cross Jesus died on.  They will suffer complete destruction. Their god is their belly and their glory is really full of shame, because they only think about things on earth. But, we are citizens of heaven! We wait for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven for us. Jesus will change our weak bodies into a glorious one like his. He will do it with the same power that will make everything serve his wishes.  I love you, my brothers and sisters. Hold onto your faith. You are the ones I love and long for. You are my joy and my crown.  This is the Word of The Lord.

 

Kristu għad ibiddilna fis-sura tal-ġisem glorjuż tiegħu.

It-Tieni Qari - Filippin.  3, 17-41

Ħuti, ixbħu 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 Ġesu' 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

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Looking to the Future in a Rearview Mirror –

Gospel:  Luke 9: 28b - 36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James along as he climbed the mountain to pray.  During his prayer on the mountain, the face of Jesus changed into something never seen before. And his clothes became as white as a lightening flash. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah were talking to Jesus about his death, which would happen in Jerusalem. They appeared as bright as Jesus.  Now, Peter and his companions were really sleepy. But, then, they completely woke up! They saw the glory of Jesus and the two men standing with him.  As Moses and Elijah were leaving, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it's good for us to be here. Let's pitch three tents. One for you. One for Moses. And one for Elijah." But Peter didn't really know what he was talking about.

As Peter spoke, a cloud appeared and cast its shadow over them. They were really afraid when they entered the cloud. Then, a voice called out from the cloud: "This is my Son, the one I chose. Listen to him."  After the voice spoke, they only found Jesus there.   The three followers grew very quiet. And, at that time, they didn't tell anyone what they had seen.  This is the Word of The Lord.

(Version:  World English Bible)

Huwa u jitlob, id-dehra ta' wiċċu tbiddlet.  L-Evanġelju - Luqa. 9, 28b-36

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' 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, Mose' 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. X'ħin dawn it-tnejn kienu se jinfirdu minnu, Pietru qal lil Ġesu': "Mgħallem, kemm hu sew li aħna hawn!  Ħa ntellgħu tliet tined, waħda għalik, waħda għal Mose' 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 igħid:  "Dan hu Ibni l-maħtur,lilu isimgħu!" Malli nstama' l-leħen Ġesu' 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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COMMENTARY 

Father Cantalamessa on the Transfiguration

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 went up the mountain to pray

Sunday's Gospel narrates the Transfiguration. In his Gospel Luke gives the reason why Jesus "went up the mountain" that day: He went up "to pray."  It was prayer that made his raiment white as snow and his countenance splendid like the sun. Following the program we announced in our commentary for last Sunday, we would like to take this episode as a point of departure for examining how prayer takes up Christ's whole life and what this prayer tells us about the profound identity of his person.

Someone has said: "Jesus is a Jewish man who does not regard himself as identical with God. Indeed, one does not pray to God if one is God." Leaving aside for a moment what Jesus thought about himself, this claim does not take account of an elementary truth: Jesus is also a man and it is as a man that he prays.

God, of course, could not have hunger or thirst either, or suffer, but Jesus hungers and thirsts and suffers because he is human. On the contrary, it is precisely Jesus' prayer that allows us to consider the profound mystery of his person. It is a historically attested fact that in prayer Jesus turns to God calling him "Abba," that is, dear father, my father, papa. This way of addressing God, although not unknown before Jesus' time, is so characteristic of Jesus that we are obliged to see it as evidence of a singular relationship with the heavenly Father.

Let us listen to this prayer of Jesus reported by Matthew: "At that time Jesus said in reply, 'I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to mere children. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him'" (Matthew 11:26-27).

Between Father and Son there is, as we see, total reciprocity, "a close, familiar relationship." In the parable of the murderous tenants of the vineyard this singular relationship of father and son that Jesus has with God again clearly emerges; it is a relationship different from all the others who are called "servants" (cf. Mark 12:1-10).

At this point, however, an objection is made: Why then did Jesus never openly give himself the title "Son of God" during his life, but instead always spoke of himself as the "Son of man"? The reason for this is the same as that for which Jesus never calls himself the Messiah, and when others call him this name he is reticent, or even forbids them to spread it around. Jesus acted in this way because those titles were understood by the people in a very precise way that did not correspond to the idea that Jesus had of his mission.

Many were called "Son of God": kings, prophets, great men. The Messiah was understood to be the one sent by God who would lead a military fight against Israel's enemies and rulers. It was in this direction that the demon tried to push Jesus in the desert. 

His own disciples did not understand this and continued to dream of a destiny of glory and power. Jesus did not understand himself to be this type of Messiah: "I did not come to be served," he said, "but to serve." He did not come to take anyone's life away, but rather "to give his life in ransom for many."

Christ first had to suffer and die before it was understood what kind of Messiah he was. It is symptomatic that the only time that Jesus proclaims himself Messiah is when he finds himself in chains before the High Priest, about to be condemned to death, without any other possibility of equivocations. "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed God?" the High Priest asks him, and he answers: "I am!" (Mark 14:61ff).

All the titles and categories with which men, friends and enemies, try to saddle Jesus during his life appear narrow, insufficient. He is a teacher, "but not like other teachers," because he teaches with authority and in his own name. He is the son of David, but also David's Lord; he is greater than a prophet, greater than Jonah, greater than Solomon.

The question that the people posed, "Who on earth is he?" expresses well the sentiment that surrounded him like a mystery, something that could not be humanly explained.

The attempt of some scholars and critics to reduce Jesus to a normal Jew of his time, who would not have in fact said or done anything special, is in total contrast to the most certain historical data that we have of him. Such views can only be understood as guided by a prejudicial refusal to admit that something transcendent could appear in human history. These reductive approaches to Jesus cannot explain how such an ordinary being became -- as these same critics say -- "the man who changed the world."

Let us now go back to the episode of the Transfiguration to draw from it some practical teaching. Even the Transfiguration is a mystery "for us," it hits close to home. 

In the second reading St. Paul says: "The Lord Jesus transfigured our miserable body, conforming it to his glorious body." Tabor is an open window on our future; it assures us that the opacity of our body will one day be transformed into light. But Tabor also tells us something about the present. It highlights what our body already is, beneath its miserable appearance: the temple of the Holy Spirit.

For the Bible the body is not an inessential element of human beings; it is an integral part. Man does not have a body, he is a body. The body was created directly by God, assumed by the Word in the incarnation and sanctified by the Spirit in baptism.

The man of the Bible is enchanted by the splendor of the human body: "You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me" (Psalm 139). The body is destined to share the same glory in eternity as the soul. "Body and soul: either they will be two hands joined in eternal adoration or two wrists bound together in eternal captivity" (Charles Péguy).

Christianity preaches the salvation of the body, not salvation from the body, as the Manichean and Gnostic religions did in antiquity and as some Eastern religions do today.

And what can we say to those who suffer? What can we say to those who witness the deformation of their own bodies or those of loved ones? The most consoling message of the Transfiguration is perhaps for them. "He will transfigure our miserable body, conforming it to his glorious body."

Bodies humiliated by sickness and death will be ransomed. Even Jesus will be disfigured in the passion, but will rise with a glorious body with which he will live for eternity and, faith tells us, with which he will meet us after death.  © Innovative Media Inc.