The Right to Convert

Readings for March 3, 2013 –

3^rd Sunday of Lent 

It-Tielet Ħadd tar-Randan    

Messalin Ċ 156

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The Call of Moses

First Reading:  Exodus 3:1-8a

Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb.  The angel of YHWH appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. Moses said, “I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.”   When YHWH saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!”  He said, “Here I am.”   He said, “Don’t come close. Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.”  Moreover he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”   Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look at God.  YHWH said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.  I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to 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.”  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari - Eżodu 3, 1-8a. 14-15

F'dak iż-żmien, Mose' kien jirgħa l-merħla ta' ħatnu Ġetru, qassis ta' Midjan, u ħa l-merħla 'l hemm fid-deżert, u wasal sa ħdejn il-Ħoreb, il-muntanja ta' Alla. Hawn deherlu l-anġlu tal-Mulej f'ħuġġieġa nar qalb l-għollieq, Mose' ħares u ra l-għollieq jaqbad bin-nar bla ma jintemm. Mose' qal: "Ħa nersaq u nara din id-dehra tal-għaġeb: għala mhux jinħaraq l-għollieq?" Il-Mulej rah riesaq biex jara, u Alla sejjaħlu minn qalb l-għollieq u qallu: "Mose', Mose'!"  U Mose' 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 sskota jgħidlu: "Jien hu Alla ta' missirijietek:  Alla ta' Abraħam,  Alla ta' Iżakk u Alla ta' Ġakobb." Mose' 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."   Mose' reġa wieġeb:  "Ara, jien mmur għand ulied Iżrael u ngħidilhom: "Alla ta' missirijietkom bagħatni għandkom." Huma jistaqsuni:  "X'jimsu?'  Jien 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 uliex Iżrael: "Jaħweh, Alla ta' missirijietkom, Alla ta' Abraħam, Alla ta' Iżakk, Alla ta' Ġakobb, bagħatni għandkom." Dan ikun ismi għal dejjem u dan l-isem ifakkarhom  fija minn nisel għal nisel." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Bless the Lord My Soul  - Responsorial Psalm 103 

How have you been blessed by God? How have you blessed God for his goodness?  A prayer life can easily slip into a laundry list of needs. Even blessings can be concealed forms of petition. But, what if we turned the tables on our petitions. Instead of asking for God’s blessing, what if we blessed God for his goodness. Blessings turn into a form of thanks and praise.  Unlike Christian blessings, which ask God to shower his people with gifts, Jewish blessing exalt God in heaven for his power, his providence, and his covenant concern (steadfast love and care). Jewish blessings praise God for gifts received in the past (covenants to Abraham, Moses, and David) and in the future (guaranteed by his faithfulness).

Praise YHWH, my soul!  All that is within me, praise his holy name!
Praise YHWH, my soul, and don’t forget all his benefits;  who forgives all your sins;
who heals all your diseases;
who redeems your life from destruction;
who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;
who satisfies your desire with good things,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

YHWH executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the children of Israel.
YHWH is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Like a father has compassion on his children, so YHWH has compassion on those who fear him.
For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone.  Its place remembers it no more.
But YHWH’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him,
his righteousness to children’s children;
to those who keep his covenant,  to those who remember to obey his precepts.

YHWH has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all.
Praise YHWH, you angels of his, who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word,
obeying the voice of his word.
Praise YHWH, all you armies of his, you servants of his, who do his pleasure.
Praise YHWH, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion.
Praise Yahweh, my soul! 

Salm Responsorjali - Salm 102 (103)

                        R/   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 Mose' 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/

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Blessings and Warnings

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

Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that our ancestors traveled under a cloud and through the sea all together. In the cloud and the sea, they were all “baptized” and became followers of Moses.  All of them ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink. They drank water from the same spiritual rock that followed them. That rock was Christ. But God wasn’t pleased with them, because they died all over the desert. 6 This is a warning to us so we won’t want to do evil things just like they did. Don’t grumble like they did. They were killed by a dark angel. All this happened around the same time as an example. It was written in the Bible as a warning for us who live in last days of the world. So, this is a message to the person who thinks he can stand against these problems. Watch out! Otherwise you will fail.  This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Qari –  1 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'Mose' 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 għoġbuħx 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

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The Tough Question

Gospel:  Luke 13:1-9

Why do people suffer in this life?   The problem of suffering is more than existential. It tests the very core of faith. Why does God allow so much suffering in the world? A loving, merciful God should not rule such a cold, ruthless world. "Something is wrong," critics of religion tell us. "Either God is not loving and merciful. Or, he does not have the power to control what he created."   Of course, we Christians have an answer. But it does not satisfy the critics. Simply, the answer demands change of the listener. God allows suffering to give we sinners time to reflect and change. Jesus gave this answer to those who presumed a different reason.

At the same time Jesus taught the people, some people who were there told him about the Galileans Pilate had killed.  "Do you think these Galileans were greater sinners than all the other Galileans just because they suffered this fate?  I say, 'No!' Unless you turn back to God, you will also lose your lives.  What do you think about those eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them. Do you think they hurt God more than all the people living in Jerusalem?  I say 'No!' Unless you turn back to God, you will also lose your lives."  Then Jesus told them a parable. "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He looked for fruit on the tree, but didn't find any. So he said to the gardener, "Look at this tree! For the past three years, I've come looking for fruit on this tree. But, I don't find any! So, cut it down. Why does it waste good soil?'  'Sir,' the gardener replied, 'leave it alone for a year. I will dig a trench around it and fertilize it.  If it bears fruit, great! If it doesn't, then you can cut it down.'"    .  This is the Word of The Lord.    

Version:  World English Bible

L-Evanġelju – Luqa  13, 1-9

F'dak iż-żmien, ġew xi wħud għand Ġesu' u qalulu b'dawk il-Galilin li Pilatu kien ħallat demmhom mad-demm tal-vittmi tas-sagrifiċċju tagħhom. U Ġesu' qabad u qalilhom:  "Taħsbu intom li dawn  il-Galatin 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 sibtiha.   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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COMMENTARY:

Father Cantalamessa on the Right to Convert

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

Jesus the Preacher

The Gospel for the Third Sunday of Lent offers us an example of Jesus' preaching. He takes his cue from some recent news (Pontius Pilate's execution of some Galileans and the death of twelve persons in the collapse of a tower) to speak about the necessity of vigilance and conversion.

In accord with his style he reinforces his teaching with a parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard...." Following the program that we have set out for this Lent, we will move from this passage to look at the whole of Jesus' preaching, trying to understand what it tells us about the problem of who Jesus was.

Jesus began his preaching with a solemn declaration: "The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel" (Mark 1:15). We are used to the sound of these words and we no longer perceive their novelty and revolutionary character. With them, Jesus came to say that the time of waiting is over; the moment of the decisive intervention of God in human history, which was announced by the prophets, is here; now is the time! Now everything is decided, and it will be decided according to the position that people take when they are confronted with my words.

This sense of fulfilment, of a goal finally reached, can be perceived in different sayings of Jesus, whose historical authenticity cannot be doubted. One day, taking his disciples aside, he says: "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it" (Luke 10:23-24).

In the sermon on the mount Jesus said among other things: "You have heard that it was said (by Moses!) ... but I say to you." The impression that these words of Christ had on his contemporaries must have been fairly uniform. Such claims leave us few options for explanation: Either the person was crazy or simply spoke the truth. A lunatic, however, would not have lived and died as he did, and would not have continued to have such an impact on humanity 20 centuries after his death.

The novelty of the person and preaching of Jesus comes clearly to light when compared to John the Baptist. John always spoke of something in the future, a judgment that was going to take place; Jesus speaks of something that is present, a kingdom that has come and is at work. John is the man of "not yet"; Jesus is the man of "already."

Jesus says: "Among those born of woman there is none greater than John and yet the littlest one of the kingdom of God is greater than him" (Luke 7:28); and again: "The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached and everyone enters it violently" (Luke 16:16). These words tell us that between the mission of John and Jesus there is a qualitative leap: The littlest one in the new order is in a better position that the greatest one of the old order.

This is what brought the disciples of Bultmann (Bornkamm, Konzelmann, et al.) to break with their master, putting the great parting of the waters between the old and the new, between Judaism and Christianity, in the life and preaching of Christ and not in the post-Easter faith of the Church.

Here we see how historically indefensible is the thesis of those who want to enclose Jesus in the world of the Judaism of his time, making him a Jew just like the others, one who did not intend to make a break with the past or to bring anything substantially new. This would be to set back the historical research on Jesus to a stage that we left behind quite some time ago.

Let us go back, as we usually do, to this Sunday's Gospel passage to glean some practical guidance. Jesus comments on Pilate's butchery and the collapse of the tower thus: "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." We deduce a very important lesson from this. Such disasters are not, as some think, divine castigation of the victims; if anything, they are an admonition for others.

This is an indispensable interpretive key which allows us to see that we should not lose faith when we are confronted with the terrible events that occur every day, often among the poorest and most defenseless. Jesus helps us to understand how we should react when the evening news reports earthquakes, floods, and slaughters like that ordered by Pilate. Sterile reactions like, "Oh those poor people!" are not what is called for.

Faced with these things we should reflect on the precariousness of life, on the necessity of being vigilant and of not being overly attached to that which we might easily lose one day or the next.

The word with which Jesus begins his preaching resounds in this Gospel passage: conversion. I would like to point out, however, that conversion is not only a duty, it is also a possibility for all, almost a right. It is good and not bad news! No one is excluded from the possibility of changing. No one can be regarded as hopeless. In life there are moral situations that seem to have no way out. Divorced people who are remarried; unmarried couples with children; heavy criminal sentences ... every sort of bad situation.

Even for these people there is the possibility of change. When Jesus said that it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven, the apostles asked: "But who can be saved?" Jesus' answer applies even to the cases I have mentioned: "For men it is impossible, but not for God."   © Innovative Media Inc.