Do This In Memory of Me

Readings for June 2, 2013

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ 

Is-Solennita’ tal-Ġisem u d-Demm ta’ Ġesu'             

Messalin C 250

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Reading 1 - Genesis  14:18-20

In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words: "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari -  mill-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 14, 18-20

F'dak iż-żmien, Melkisedek, sultan ta' Salem,  li kien qassis ta' El-għeljon, Alla l-għoli, ħareġ bil-ħobż u l-inbid.  U bierek lil Abram u qallu:"Imbierek Abram minn Alla l-għoli, li għamel is-sema u l-art. U mbierek Alla l-għoli li reħa f'idejk l-għedewwa tiegħek." U Abram tah l-għexur minn kollox.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Responsorial Psalm   -  PSALM 110:1, 2, 3, 4

R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool."                                                         R/

The scepter of your power the LORD

will stretch forth from Zion:
"Rule in the midst of your enemies."                                                                  R/

"Yours is princely power in the

day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the daystar, like the dew,

I have begotten you."                                                                                            R/

The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
"You are a priest forever,

according to the order of Melchizedek."                                                          R/

Salm Responsorjali    - Salm 103 (110)

                R/     Inti l-qassis għal dejjem bħal Melkisedek.

Il-kelma tal-Mulej lil Sidi:

"Oqgħod fuq leminti,

sa ma nqiegħed l-għedewwa tiegħek

mirfes taħt riġlejk."                                              R/

Ix-xettru tal-qawwa tiegħek

jibgħat il-Mulej minn Sijon:

aħkem f'nofs l-għedewwa tiegħek!                  R/

Tiegħek is-setgħa sa minn twelidek

fuq l-għoljiet imqaddsa,sa minn qabel is-sebħ

bħan-nida jien nissiltek.                                      R/

Ħalef il-Mulej, u ma jisgħobx bih:

"Inti qassis għal dejjem bħal Melkisedek!"       R/

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Reading 2         -  1  Corinthians 11:23-26

Brothers and sisters:  I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,  that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,  took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,  "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,  you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Qari - mill-Ewwel Ittra ta' San Pawl lill-Korintin 11, 23-26

 Ħuti, jien irċevejt mingħand il-Mulej it-tagħlim li għaddejt lilkom, jiġifieri,  li l-Mulej Ġesu', fil-lejl li fih kien ittradut, ħa l-ħobż u wara li radd il-ħajr qasmu u qal:  "Dan hu ġismi li jingħata għalikom; agħmlu dan b'tifkira tiegħi." Hekk ukoll  għamel bil-kalċi wara li kiel u qal:"Dan il-kalċi hu l-patt il-ġdid b'demmi; agħmlu  dan kull meta tixorbu, b'tifkira tiegħi." Mela kull meta tieklu dan il-ħobż u tixorbu dan il-kalċi, intom ixxandru l-mewt tal-Mulej sa ma jiġi.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                  -  Luke 9:11B-17

Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God,  and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves." They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people." Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty." They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets. This is the Word of The Lord.

 L-Evanġelju - mill-Evanġelju skont san Luqa  9, 11-17

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qagħad ikellem il-folol fuq is-Saltna ta' Alla u  fejjaq lil dawk li kienu jeħtieġu l-fejqan. Il-jum kien wasa biex jintemm.  Resqu lejh it-Tnax u qalulu: "Ibgħathom in-nies ħa jmorru fl-irħula u r-rziezet tal-qrib biex isibu  fejn jistrieħu u jieklu xi ħaġa, għax hawnhekk qegħdin f'post  imwarrab." Iżda hu qalilhom:  "Agħtuhom intom x'jieklu."    Qalulu:  "Ma għandniex  aktar minn ħames ħobżiet u żewġ ħutiet, jekk għallinqas ma mmorrux aħna  stess nixtru l-ikel għal dawn in-nies kollha!"   Għax kien hemm madwar  il-ħamest elef raġel.  U qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: "Qegħduhom bil-qiegħda  ħamsin ħamsin."  Hekk għamlu u qiegħdu lil kulħadd bilqiegħda. Imbagħad ħa l-ħames ħobżiet u ż-żewġ ħutiet, rafa' għajnejh lejn is-sema,  berikom u qasamhom,u tahom lid-dixxipli biex inewluhom lin-nies.  U kulħadd  kielu xaba' u l-bċejjeċ tal-ħobż li kien  fadal ġabruhom fi tnax-il qoffa.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY

Father Cantalamessa on Memory

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

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Do This in Memory of Me

 
In the second reading of this feast, St. Paul presents us with the most ancient account we have of the institution of the Eucharist, written no more than about 20 years after the fact. Let us try to find something new in the Eucharistic mystery, using the concept of memorial: "Do this in memory of me."

Memory is one of the most mysterious and greatest powers of the human spirit. Everything seen, heard and done from early childhood is conserved in this immense womb, ready to reawaken and to dance into the light either by an external stimulus or by our own will.

Without memory we will cease to be ourselves, we will lose our identity. Those who are struck by total amnesia, wander lost on the streets, without knowing their own name or where they live.

A memory, once it has come to mind, has the power to catalyze our whole interior world and route everything toward its object, especially if this is not a thing or a fact, but a living person.

When a mother remembers her child, who was born a few days ago and is left at home, everything inside her flies toward her baby, a movement of tenderness rises from her maternal depths and perhaps brings tears to her eyes.

Not just the individual has memory; human groups -- family, tribe, nation -- also have a collective memory. The wealth of a people is not so much measured by the reserves of gold it holds in its vaults, but rather by how many memories it holds in its collective consciousness. It is the sharing of many memories that cements the unity of a group. To keep such memories alive, they are linked to a place, to a holiday.

Americans have Memorial Day, the day in which they remember those who fell in all the wars; the Indians have the Gandhi Memorial, a green park in New Delhi that is supposed to remind the nation who he was and what he did. We Italians also have our memorials: The civil holidays recall the most important events in our recent history, and streets, piazzas and airports are dedicated to our most eminent people.

This very rich human background in regard to memory should help us better understand what the Eucharist is for the Christian people. It is a memorial because it recalls the event to which all of humanity now owes its existence as redeemed humanity: the death of the Lord.

 But the Eucharist has something that distinguishes it from every other memorial. It is memorial and presence together, even if hidden under the signs of bread and wine. Memorial Day cannot bring those who have fallen back to life; the Gandhi Memorial cannot make Gandhi alive again. In a sense, the Eucharistic memorial, however, according to the faith of Christians, does do this in regard to Christ.

But together with all the beautiful things that we have said about memory, we must mention a danger that is inherent to it. Memory can be easily transformed into sterile and paralyzing nostalgia. This happens when a person becomes the prisoner of his own memories and ends up living in the past.

Indeed, the Eucharistic memorial does not pertain to this type of memory. On the contrary, it projects us forward; after the consecration the people say: "We proclaim your death, O Lord, and confess your resurrection, until you come."

An antiphon attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas ("O sacrum convivium") defines the Eucharist as the sacred feast in which "Christ is received, the memory of his passion is celebrated, the soul is filled with grace, and we are given the pledge of future glory." 

 © Innovative Media Inc.

Equal and different

Readings for May 26, 2013 

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity 

Solennita’ tat-Trinita’ Qaddisa

Messalin   C 244

Reading 1 -  Proverbs 8:22-31

Thus says the wisdom of God: "The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago; from of old I was poured forth, at the first, before the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no fountains or springs of water; before the mountains were settled into place, before the hills, I was brought forth; while as yet the earth and fields were not made,
nor the first clods of the world. "When the Lord established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep; when he made firm the skies above,  when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth; when he set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress his command; then was I beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, playing before him all the while, playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the human race."  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni  -  Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Proverbji 8, 22-31

Dan jgħid il-Għerf ta' Alla: "Il-Mulej kellu lili sa mill-bidu ta' għemilu, sa minn qabel l-eqdem għemejjel tiegħu. Sa minn dejjem twaqqaft, mill-bidu, qabel ma nbdiet id-dinja. Kien għad m'hemmx l-ibħra l-kbar, meta tnissilt jien, kien għad m'hemmx għejun inixxu l-ilma; qabel ma tqiegħdu l-muntanji, qabel l-għoljiet jien twelidt. Kien għadu ma għamilx l-art bir-raba' tagħha, u lanqas l-ewwel traba tal-art. Meta ħejja s-smewwiet jien kont hemm, meta ħażżeż dawra fuq wiċċ il-baħar kbir, meta saħħaħ is-smewwiet hemm fuq, u qiegħed fis-sod in-nixxigħat ta' qiegħ il-baħar; meta ħażżeż trufijiet il-baħar, biex l-ilmijiet ma jaqbżux trufhom; meta qiegħed sisien l-art, jien kont maġenbu bħala tfajjel, l-għaxqa tiegħu, jum wara ieħor, niitliegħeb il-ħin kollu quddiemu; nitliegħeb fuq l-art imħejjija għall-bnedmin, nitgħaxxaq b'ulied il-bnedmin.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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Responsorial Psalm - PSALM 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (2a) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place —
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?                         R/

You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet:                                                      R/

All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.                                   R/

Salm Responsorjali - Salm 8

                R/     Mulej, Sid tagħna, kemm hu kbir ismek fl-art kollha!

Inħares lejn is-smewwiet, għemil subgħajk,

il-qamar u l-kwiekeb li int qegħedt fihom!

X'inhu l-bniedem biex tiftakar fih,

bin il-bniedem, biex taħseb fih?                      R/

Ftit inqas mill-allat għamiltu,

bis-sebħ u l-ġmiel żejjintu,

qegħedtu fuq l-għemejjel kollha ta' idejk!     R/

Kollox taħt riġlejh qegħedtlu:

in-ngħaġ u l-baqar kollha, sal-bhejjem tax-xagħri;

l-għasafar tal-ajru u l-ħut tal-baħar,

dak kollu li  jterraq fil-baħar.                          R/

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Reading 2  - Romans 5:1-5

Brothers and sisters:  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni - Qari mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 5, 1-5

Ħuti, issa li aħna ġġustifikati bil-fidi,  għandna s-sliem ma' Alla, permezz ta' Sidna Ġesu' Kristu; pemezz tiegħu għandna d-dħul bil-fidi għal din il-grazzja li fiha qegħdin. Aħna niftaħru bit-tama li għandna li  għad  niksbu l-glorja ta' Alla. Mhux biss dan: imma niftaħru wkoll bis-sofferenzi, għax nafu li s-sofferenza ġġib is-sabar, is-sabar irawwem il-ħila, il-ħila t-tama. U din it-tama ta tqarraqx bina, għax l-imħabba ta' Alla ssawbet fi qlubna permezz tal-Ispirtu  s-Santu li kien mogħti lilna.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Gospel - John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples:  "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you."  This is the Word of the Lord.

Evanġelju - Qari skont San Ġwann 16, 12.15

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu:  "Baqagħli ħafna ħwejjeġ x'ngħidilkom, imam għalissa ma tifilħux għalihom. Meta jiġi hu, l-Ispirtu tal-verita', iwassalkom għall-verita' kollha; għaliex hu ma jgħid xejn minn tiegħu, imma jgħid dak li jisma', u  jħabbrilkom il-ġejjieni. Hu jagħtini glorja, għaliex jieħu minn  dak li hu tiegħi u jħabbru lilkom. Dak kollu li għandnu l-Missier huwa tiegħi. Għalhekk għedt li jieħu minn dak li hu 

tiegħi u jħabbru lilkom." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY - 

Father Cantalamessa on Equal Dignity

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

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Equal and Different

The Gospel for the solemnity, drawn from Jesus' farewell discourses, deals with three mysterious subjects which are inextricably united, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into the whole truth. … All that the Father has is mine" -- the Son! Reflecting on these and similar texts the Church arrived at its faith in the Trinitarian God.

Many ask: But what is this puzzle of three who are one and one who are three? Would it not be easier to believe in a God who is just one, as the Muslims do? The answer is simple. The Church believes in the Trinity, not because it likes to complicate things, but because this truth has been revealed by Christ. The difficulty of understanding the mystery of the Trinity is an argument in favour of, and not against, its truth. No man left to himself would have ever come up with this mystery.

After the mystery has been revealed to us, we intuit that, if God exists, it can be no other way: one and three at the same time. There can only be love between two or more persons; if therefore "God is love," there must be in God one who loves, one who is loved, and the love that unites them.

Christians are monotheists; they believe in a God who is one, but not solitary. Who would God love if he were absolutely alone? Perhaps himself? But then his love would not be really love, but rather egoism or narcissism.

I would like to consider the great and formidable teaching about life that comes to us from the Trinity. This mystery is the maximum affirmation that there can be both equality and diversity: equal in dignity but different in characteristics. And is this not the most important thing that we must learn if we are going to live well in this world? That we can be, that is, different by the color of our skin, because of culture, sex, race and religion, and yet enjoy equal dignity as human persons?

This teaching has its first and most natural field of application in the family. The family must be an earthly reflection of the Trinity. It is made up of persons of different sex (man and woman) and age (parents and children) with all the consequences that derive from these differences: different sentiments, different attitudes and tastes. The success of a marriage and a family depends on the measure by which this diversity knows how to tend toward a higher unity: unity of love, intentions and collaboration.

It is not true that a man and a woman must have the same temperament and gifts; that for them to agree, they must both be either cheerful, vivacious, extroverted and instinctive, or both introverted, quiet and reflective. Indeed we know what negative consequences can follow, even at the physical level, from marriage between relatives within a restricted circle.

Husband and wife do not have each to be the "better half" of the other in the sense of two halves perfectly equal, as an apple cut in two, but in the sense that one is the missing half of the other and the complement of the other. This was God's intention when he said: "It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a help similar to him" (Genesis 2:18). This all presupposes the strength to accept the difference of the other, which is the most difficult thing for us to do and in which only the most mature marriages succeed.

From this we also see how erroneous it is to consider the Trinity a mystery that is remote from our lives, one to be left to the speculation of theologians. On the contrary, it is a mystery that is very close to us. The reason is very simple: We were created in the image of the Trinitarian God, we bear this imprint and we are called to realize the same sublime synthesis of unity and diversity.

 © Innovative Media Inc. 

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created

Readings for May 19, 2013 - 

Solemnity of the coming of the Holy Spirit

Pentecost Sunday  – (Liturgy of the day)              

Solennita' tal-Migja ta' l-Ispirtu s-Santu

Ghid il-Hamsin   (Liturgija tal-Jum)                                                 

Messalin C  237

Reading 1 -  Acts 2:1-11

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to  proclaim. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,  Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni - Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli  2, 1-11

Meta wasal jum Għid il-Ħamsin, huma kienu  lkoll flimkien  f'post wieħed.   F'daqqa waħda  ġie mis-sema ħoss bħal ta'  riħ qawwi, u mela d-dar kollha fejn kienu qegħdin.   U dehrulhom ilsna qishom tan-nar, li tqassmu u qagħdu fuq  kull wieħed minnhom.   Imtlew lkoll bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u bdew jitkellmu b'ilsna oħra, skont mal-Ispirtu kien jagħtihom li jitkellmu. F'Ġerusalemm kien hemm xi Lhud, nies twajba minn kull nazzjon  li hawn taħt is-sema.   Malli nstama' dan il-ħoss, inġabret kotra kbira,  ilkoll imħawdin għax kull wieħed minnhom kien jismagħhom jitkellmu  bl-ilsien tiegħu.  Miblugħin u mistagħġbin, bdew jgħidu:  "Dawn li  qegħdin jitkellmu mhumiex ilkoll mill-Galilija?  Mela kif kull wieħed minna qiegħed jismagħhom jitkellmu bi lsien art twelidu? Partin, Medin u Għelamin, nies mill-Mesopotanja, mil-Lhudija, mill-Kappadoċja, minn Pontu, mill-Asja, mill-Friġja, mill-Pamfilja, mill-Eġittu, mill-inħawi tal-Libja madwar Ċireni, nies li ġew minn Ruma, kemm Lhud u kemm proseliti,  oħrajn minn Kreta u Għarab, aħna lkoll qegħdin nisimgħuhom ixandru  bl-ilsna tagħna l-għeġubijiet ta' Alla!"       Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Responsorial Psalm -  

Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34

R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.    or:   R. Alleluia.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
the earth is full of your creatures;                                            R/

May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD be glad in his works!
Pleasing to him be my theme;
I will be glad in the LORD.                                                        R/

If you take away their breath, they perish
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.                                        R/

Salm Responsorjali    -   Salm 103 (104)

                        R/   Ibgħat l-Ispirtu tiegħek, Mulej, u ġedded il-wiċċ ta' l-art. (jew)

                                                Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

  Bierek ruħ tiegħi, lill-Mulej!

Mulej, Alla tiegħi, inti kbir bil-bosta!

Kemm huma kotrana l-għemejjel tiegħek, Mulej!

Mimlija l-art bil-ħlejjaq tiegħek.                                         R/

Jekk teħdilhom nifishom, imutu,

u lejn it-trab jerġgħu jmorru.

Malli tibgħat in-nifs tiegħek, jinħolqu,

u inti ġġedded il-wiċċ ta' l-art.                                           R/

Jibqa' sebħ il-Mulej għal dejjem!

Jifraħ il-Mulej bl-għemejjel tiegħu!

Ħa togħġbu l-għanja tiegħi,

Għax jien fil-Mulej l-hena tiegħi.                                       R/

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Reading 2 - Romans 8:8-17

Brothers and sisters: Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead  dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. Consequently, brothers and sisters, we are not debtors  to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.  This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni  - Qari mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 8, 8-17

Ħuti, dawk li jgħixu skont il-ġisem ma jistgħux jogħġbu lil Alla.   Issa intom ma intomx taħt il-ħakma tal-ġisem, imma tal-Ispirtu,  ladarba  hemm l-Ispirtu ta' Alla jgħammar fikom.   Jekk xi ħadd  ma għandux fih l-Ispirtu ta' Kristu, dan mhuwiex tiegħu. Jekk Kristu jgħammar fikom, għalkemm il-ġisem hu mejjet  minħabba fid-dnub, imma l-Ispirtu hu ħajjitkom minħabba l-ġustizzja.   Jekk l-Ispirtu ta' dak li qajjem lil Ġesu' mill-imwiet  jgħammar fikom, Alla stess li qajjem lil Kristu mil-imwiet  iqajjem għall-ħajja wkoll il-ġisem mejjet tagħkom, bis-saħħa tal-Ispirtu li jgħammar fikom. Hekk mela, ħuti, aħna m'aħniex  midjunin mal-ġisem biex ngħixu skont il-ġisem.  Għax jekk tgħixu skont il-gisem, tmutu; imma jekk tmewtu l-għemil tal-ġisem bl-Ispirtu, tgħixu.   Dawk kollha li jmexxihom l-Ispirtu ta' Alla huma wlied Alla. Għax intom ma rċevjtux l-ispirtu li ijwassalkom għall-jasar biex  terġgħu taqgħu fil-biża', imma rċevjtu l-ispirtu li jagħmel minnkom ulied adottive; u li bih aħna nistgħu ngħatu: "Abba! Missier!"  Dan l-Ispirtu jixhed  flimkien mal-ispirtu tagħna li aħna wlied Alla. Jekk aħna wlied, aħna wkoll werrieta, werrieta ta' Alla, werrieta ma' Kristu: ladarba aħna nbatu miegħu, biex miegħu nkunu gglorifikati. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Gospel  - John 14:15-16, 23b-26

Jesus said to his disciples:  “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always. “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Those who do not love me do not keep my words;  yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. “I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will  send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju - Qari mill-Evanġelju ta’ San Ġwann 14, 15-16,23-26

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: "Jekk tħobbuni, ħarsu l-kmandamenti tiegħi. U jiena nitlob lill-Missier, u hu jagħtikom Difensur ieħor biex jibqa' magħkom għal dejjem. Jekk xi ħadd iħobbni, iħares kelmti, u Missieri jħobbu, u aħna niġu u ngħammru għandu.   Min ma jħobbnix ma jħarisx kliemi.  U l-Kelma li qegħdin tisimgħu mhijiex tiegħi, imma tal-missier li bagħatni. Għedtilkom dan meta għadni magħkom.   Imma d-Difensur, l-Ispirtu s-Santu, li l-Misseri jibgħat f'ismi, igħallimkom kollox u jfakkarkom dak kollu li għedtilkom."  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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COMMENTARY

Father Cantalamessa on Pentecost

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

Send Forth Your Spirit and They Shall be Created

The Gospel presents Jesus, who in the cenacle on Easter evening, "breathed on them and said: 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" This breathing of Jesus recalls God's action who, in the creation, "formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being" (cf. Genesis 2:7). With his gesture Jesus indicates that the Holy Spirit is the divine breath that gives life to the new creation as he gave life to the first creation. The responsorial psalm highlights this theme: "Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth."

Proclaiming that the Holy Spirit is Creator means saying that his sphere of action is not restricted to the Church, but extends to the entire creation. No place and no time is without his active presence. He acts in and out of the Bible; he acts before Christ, during the time of Christ, and after Christ, even if he never acts apart from Christ. "All truth, by whomever it is spoken," Thomas Aquinas has written, "comes from the Holy Spirit." The action of the Spirit of Christ outside the Church is not the same as his action in the Church and in the sacraments. Outside he acts by his power; in the Church he acts by his presence, in person.

The most important thing about the creative power of the Holy Spirit is not, however, to understand it and explain its implications, but to experience it. But what does it mean to experience the Spirit as Creator? To understand it, let us take the creation account as our point of departure. "In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, and the Spirit of the Lord brooded over the waters" (Genesis 1:1-2). We conclude from this that the universe already existed in the moment when the Spirit intervened, but it was formless and dark, chaos. It is after his action that the creation assumes precise contours; light is separated from darkness, dry land from the sea, and everything takes on a definite shape.

Thus, it is the Holy Spirit who transforms the creation from chaos into cosmos, who makes it something beautiful, ordered, polished ("cosmos" comes from the same root as "cosmetic" and it means beautiful!), he makes a "world," in the double sense of this word. Science teaches us today that this process went on for billions of years, but the Bible -- with its simple and image-filled language -- wants to tell us that the slow evolution toward life and the present order of the world did not happen by chance, following blind material impulses. It followed, rather, a project that the Creator inserted in it from the beginning.

God's creative action is not limited to the initial instant; he is always in the act of creating. Applied to the Holy Spirit, this means that he is always the one who transforms chaos into cosmos, that is, he makes order out of disorder, harmony out of confusion, beauty out of deformity, youth out of age. This occurs on all levels: in the macrocosm as in the microcosm, that is, in the whole universe as in the individual person.

We must believe that, despite appearances, the Holy Spirit is working in the world and makes it progress. How many new discoveries, not only in the study of nature but also in the field of morality and social life! A text of Vatican II says that the Holy Spirit is at work in the evolution of the social order of the world ("Gaudium et Spes," 26). It is not only evil that grows but good does too, with the difference being that evil eliminates itself, ends with itself, while the good accumulates itself, remains. Certainly there is much chaos around us: moral, political, and social chaos. The world still has great need of the Spirit of God. For this reason we must not tire in invoking him with the words of the Psalm: "Send forth your Spirit, Lord, and renew the face of the earth!"

© Innovative Media Inc. 

The Disappearing Act

 Readings for May 12, 2013

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Solennita’ ta’ tlugh il-Mulej fis-sema               

Messalin C 223

Reading 1  -  Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni - Atti tal-Appostli 1, 11

Fl-ewwel rakkont tiegħi, Teofilu, tkellimt fuq dak kollu li Ġesu' kien għamel u għallem minn mindu beda sal-jum li fih kien meħud fis-sema, wara li, permezz tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, ta l-ordnijiet tiegħu lill-appostli li hu kien għażel. Wara l-passjoni tiegħu dehrilhom u tahom ħafna provi li hu ħaj;  f'erbgħin jum rawh kemm-il darba u kellimhom fuq il-ħwejjeġ tas-Saltna ta' Alla.   Meta kien għadu magħhom, ordnalhom biex ma jitilqux minn Ġerusalemm, imma joqogħdu jistennew sa ma sseħħ il-wegħda tal-Missier, "li fuqha – qalilhom – smajtu x'kont għedtilkom: Ġwanni għammed bl-ilma, imma intom, fi ftit jiem oħra titgħammdu bl-Ispirtu s-Santu. Kif kienu flimkien staqsewh:  "Mulej, hu dan iż-żmien li fih int se terġa twaqqaf is-Saltna ta' Iżrael?"   Hu weġibhom: "Mhijiex biċċa tagħkom li tkunu tafu l-waqt u ż-żmien li l-Missier għażel bis-setgħa tiegħu.   Imma meta jiġi fuqkom l-Ispirtu s-Santu, intom tirċievu l-qawwa, u tkunu xhieda tiegħi f'Ġerusalemm, fil-Lhudija kollha u s-Samarija u sa truf l-art." Wara li qal dan huma u jħarsu lejħ, kien meħud 'il fuq, u sħaba ħaditulhom minn quddiem għajnejhom.  Waqt li kienu b'għajnejhom   fis-sema jħarsu lejh sejjer, f'daqqa waħda dehru ħdejhom żewġt irġiel libsin l-abjad, u qalulhom:  "Irġiel tal-Galilija, x'intom tħarsu lejn is-sema?  Dan Ġesu' li kien meħud  minn magħkom lejn is-sema, għad jerġa jiġi kif rajtuh sejjer." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 

R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:R. Alleluia.

All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.                                R/

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.                                R/

For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.                                        R/

 Salm Responsorjali - Salm 46(47

            R/  Tela' Alla b'għajat ta' ferħ. (jew) Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

Popli kollha, ċapċpu jdejkom,

għajtu b'leħen ta' ferħ lil Alla!

Għax il-Mulej, l-Għoli, hu tal-biża',

sultan kbir fuq l-art kollha.                                 R/

Tela' Alla b'għajjat ta' ferh

Il-Mulej bid-daqq tat-trombi.

Għannu lil Alla, għannu,

għannu lis-sultan tagħna, għannu.                      R/

Għax Alla s-sultan tal-art kollha;

għannulu bis-sengħa għanja sabiħa.

Isaltan Alla fuq il-ġnus kollha,

Joqgħod Alla fuq it-tron imqaddes tiegħu.           R/

Reading 2     -   Hebrews 9:24-28; 10:19-23

Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. Just as it is appointed that men and women die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him. Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus  we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, “let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Qari   -   Ittra lill-Lhud 9, 24-28; 10, 19-23

Kristu ma daħalx f'santwarju magħmul b'idejn il-bniedem li hu biss xbieha tas-santwarju veru, imma daħal fis-sema stess, biex issa jidher għalina quddiem Alla.  U daħal hemm mhux biex minn żmien għal żmien joffri lilu nnifsu bħalma l-qassis il-kbir jidħol kull sena fis-santwarju biex joffri demm ħaddieħor.  Li kieku kien hekk, kien ikollu jbati ħafna drabi sa mill-ħolqien tad-dinja. Iżda issa deher darba għal dejjem, meta waslet il-milja taż-żminijiet, biex ineħħi d-dnub bis-sagrifiċċju tiegħu innifsu.   U kif hu miktub għall-bnedmin li għandhom imutu darba biss, u wara dan isir il-ġudizzju, hekk ukoll Kristu, wara li offra, lilu nnifsu darba biss biex jitgħabba bid-dnubiet tal-kotra, għad jerġa' jidher darb'oħra, mhux biex ineħħi d-dnubiet, imma biex isalva lil dawk li qegħdin jistennewh bil-ħerqa. Ladarba, ħuti, għandna l-fiduċja li nidħlu fis-Santwarju bis-saħħa tad-demm ta' Ġesu' billi ngħaddu mit-triq, ġdida u ħajja, li hu fetħilna  'l ġewwa mill-velu, li hu l-ġisem tiegħu stess;  u ladarba għandna dan il-qassis il-kbir imqiegħed fuq il-familja ta' Alla, ejjew nersqu b'qalb sinċiera u b'fidi sħiħa, bi qlubna mnaddfin minn kuxjenza ħażina  u l-ġisem tagħna maħsu b'ilma safi. Inżommu sħiħ fl-istqarrija qawwija tat-tama tagħna, għax ta' Kelmtu huwa dak li għamlilna l-wegħda. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel  - Luke 24:46-53

Jesus said to his disciples: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God. This is the Word of The Lord.

Evanġelju - Għeluq tal-Evanġelju skont San Luqa 24,  46-53

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: "Hekk kien miktub, li l-Messija jbati u fit-tielet jum iqum mill-imwiet, u li l-indiema għall-maħfra tad-dnubiet tixxandar f'ismu lill-ġnus kollha, ibda minn Ġerusalemm.  Intom xhud ta' dan.  U jiena, araw, nibgħat fuqkom lil dak li wiegħed Missieri. Imma intom ibqgħu fil-belt, sa ma Alla jkun libbiskom bil-qawwa tiegħu." Imbagħad ħadhom sa ħdejn Betanja, u rafa' jdejh  u berikom. U ġara li, huwa u jberikom, infiried minnhom u kien meħdu fis-sema.  Huma nxeħtu fl-art jagħtuh qima, u mimlijiin b'ferħ kbir reġgħu lura lejn Ġerusalemm, u qagħdu l-ħin kollu fit-tempju jbierku lil Alla. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY -

Father Cantalamessa on Witnessing

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

You Will Be My Witnesses

If we do not want the Ascension to be a sad "farewell," but rather a true feast, then we must understand the radical difference between a disappearance and a departure. With the ascension, Jesus has not departed, he has not become absent; he has only disappeared from our sight. Those who leave are no longer here; those who only go out of our sight, however, can still be near us -- it is only that something prevents our seeing them. Jesus does disappear from the apostles' sight at the ascension but he does so to be present in another more intimate way.

He is no longer outside them but within them. This is similar to the Eucharist. So long as the host is outside of us we see it, we adore it; when we receive the host we no longer see it, it has disappeared, but it has disappeared to be within us. It is present in a new, more powerful way.

But it will be asked: If Jesus is no longer visible, how will men come to know of his presence? The answer is that he wants to make himself present through his disciples! In his Gospel and in the Acts of the Apostles, the Evangelist Luke closely links the Ascension with the theme of testimony: "You are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:48). 

The "you" indicates in the first place the apostles who were with Jesus. After the apostles, this "official" testimony -- official because it is connected to their office -- passes to their successors, the bishops and priests. But the "you" also regards all the baptized and believers in Christ. "Each individual layman," says a document of the Second Vatican Council, "must stand before the world as a witness to the resurrection and life of the Lord Jesus and a symbol of the living God" ("Lumen Gentium," 38).

Pope Paul VI has famously said that "the world needs witnesses more than it needs teachers." It is relatively easy to be a teacher. It is much less easy to be a witness. In fact, the world is full of both true and false teachers, but has few witnesses. Between the two roles there is the same difference as that between saying and doing. "Actions," an English proverb says, "speak louder than words."

The witness is one who speaks with his life. A believing father and mother must be "the first witnesses of faith" for their children. (The Church asks this for them from God in the blessing that follows the rite of matrimony).

Let us give a specific example. At this time of year many children are preparing for first Communion and confirmation. A believing mother or father can help the child review the catechism, explain the meaning of the words to him, and help him memorize the responses. Such parents are doing a beautiful thing and if only there were more who did this!

But what would a child think if after all that his parents said and did for his first Communion, they never go to Mass on Sunday, they never make the sign of the cross and never pray? They have been teachers, but they haven't been witnesses.

Naturally, the testimony of the parents must not limit itself to the time of the first Communion or confirmation of their children. With the way they correct and forgive the child and forgive each other, with the way they speak with respect of those who are not present, with the way they conduct themselves before a poor person begging for alms, with the comments they make in the presence of the children when they are listening to the news, parents have the possibility of bearing witness to their faith every day.

The souls of children are like sheets of photographic film: Everything they see and hear in the years of childhood leaves a trace and one day the "film" will be "developed" and will bear its fruits -- for good or for bad.

 

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