God calls us to conversion

Readings for ………

 June 16, 2013

 Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Il-11-il Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin C 316                                  
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Reading 1 -        2 Samuel 12:7-10, 13

Nathan said to David: “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king of Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your lord’s house and your lord’s wives for your own. I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more. Why have you spurned the Lord and done evil in his sight? You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you took his wife as your own, and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites.   Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’  Then David said to Nathan,“I have sinned  against the LORD.” Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die.” This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari - mit-Tieni Ktieb ta' Samwel 12, 7-10,13

F'dak iż-żmien, Natan qal lil David:  "Dan jgħid il-Mulej, Alla ta' Iżrael: Jien dliktek sultan fuq Iżrael, jien ħlistek minn idejn Sawl; u tajtek id-dar ta' sidek u n-nisa ta' sidek fi ħdanek, tajtek id-dar ta' Iżrael u ta' Ġuda, u jekk dan  kien  għadu ftit, kont inżidlek daqshekk ieħor. Għaliex mela stmerrejt il-kelma tal-Mulej u għamilt il-ħażin f'għajnejh?   Drabt lil Urija l-Ħiti bix-xabla, ħadtlu 'l martu b'martek, u lili qtiltu bix-xabla tal-Għammorin. U issa ma titwarrab qatt ix-xabla mill-familja Tiegħek   talli int stmerrejtni, u ħadt lil mart Urija l-Ħiti biex tkun martek." U David qal lil Natan: "Jiena dnibt kontra l-Mulej!" U Natan  wieġbu:  "Il-Mulej ukoll ħafirlek dnubek; int ma tmutx." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm - PSALM 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11

      R. (cf. 5c) Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.

Blessed is the one whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.                                                       R/.

I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.                                            R/

You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.

Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart                                                            R/.

Salm Responsorjali                    -  SALM 31

                        R/                  Aħfirli, Mulej, il-ħażen ta' dnubi.

Ħieni l-bniedem li ħtijietu maħfura,

li għandu d-dnub tiegħu mistur!

Ħieni l-bniedem li ebda ħażen ma jgħoddlu l-Mulej,

u ma għandu ebda qerq f'qalbu.                                                       R/

Id-dnub tiegħi jien stqarrjetlek,

u l-ħażen tiegħi ma ħbejtulekx.

Jien għedt "Quddiem il-Mulej nistqarr ħtijieti."

U inti ħfirtli l-ħażen tad-dnub tiegħi.                                                R/

Int kenn għalija, mit-taħbit tħarisni,

iddawwarni u tferraħni bil-ħelsien tiegħek.

Ifirħu, twajbin, u thennew fil-Mulej;

għajtu bil-ferħ, intom ilkoll ta' qalbkom safja.                                 R/

Reading 2 - Galatians 2:16, 19-21

Brothers and sisters:, We who know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. For through the law I died to the law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Qari -  mill-Ittra lill-Galatin 2,16-19,21

Ħuti, aħna li nafu li l-bniedem ma jkunx iġġustifikat bl-opri tal-Liġi imma bil-fidi f'Ġesu' Kristu, aħna wkoll emminna f'Ġesu' Kristu, sabiex inkunu ġġustifikati  bil-fidi fi Kristu u mhux bl-opri tal-Ligi, għaliex bl-opri  tal-Liġi ebda bniedem ma jkun iġġustifikat. Imma jien permezz tal-Liġi mitt għal-Liġi biex ngħix  għal Alla; issallabt ma Kristu.  Ngħix, imma mhux  iżjed jien, iżda jgħix fiha Kristu.   Il-ħajja li issa ngħix  fil-ġisem qiegħed ngħixha bil-fidi  fl-Iben ta' Alla, li ħabbni u ta lilu nnifsu għalija. M'iniex inġib fix-xejn il-grazzja ta' Alla; għax kieku l-ġustifikazzjoni kellha tiġi mil-Liġi, Kristu kien ikun miet għal xejn. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel - Luke 7:36-50;8,1-3

A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that  he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.  Bringing an  alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet  weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she  wiped them with her hair,  kissed them, and anointed them  with the ointment.  When the Pharisee who had invited him  saw this he said to himself,  “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher, ” he said. “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this  woman?  When I entered your house, you did not give me water  for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them  with her hair.  You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased  kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head  with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment.   So I tell you, her  many sins have been forgiven because she has shown great love.  But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”  He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”  The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of  God.  Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna,  the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources. This is the Word of the Lord.

Evanġelju - Qari skont San Luqa 7, 36-50; 8,1-3

F'dak iż-żmien, wieħed mill-fariżej stieden lil Gesu' biex  jiekol miegħu.   Ġesu' daħal għand il-fariżew u qagħad  għall-ikel.Issa fil-belt kien hemm midinba magħrufa.   Din saret  taf li kien qiegħed għall-ikel fid-dar tal-fariżew;  ġiebet vażett tal-alabastru biż-żejt ifuħ; u marret qagħdet warajh ħdejn riġlejh, tibki u xxarrablu riġlej bi dmugħha  tixxuttahomlu b'xuxitha; imbagħad  bisitlu riġlejh u  dilkithomlu biż-żejt ifuħ. Kif ra hekk il-fariżew li stiednu qal bejnu u bejn ruħu: "Dan, li kien profeta, kien ikun jaf min hi u x'mara hi  din liqiegħda tmissu; kien ikun jaf, għax hi midinba!" Imma Ġesu' qabad u qallu:  "Xmun, għandi ħaġa xi  ngħidlek.  "Qallu dak:  "Għid, mgħallem."   "Tnejn  min-nies kellhom id-dejn ma' wieħed li jislef il-flus; wieħed kellu jagħtih ħames mitt dinar u l-ieħor ħamsin. Minn fejn iħallsu dejnhom ma kellhomx, u hu  ħafrilhom  it-tnejn.  Min minnhomse jħobbu l-iżjed?    Wieġbu Xmun u qal: "Jidhirli jien li dak li ħafirlu l-iżjed."   "Ħsibtha tajjeb."qallu Ġesu'. Imbagħad dar lejn il-mara u qal lil Xmun: "Qiegħed taraha  lil din il-mara?   Dħalt għandek, u ilma għal riġlejja ma tajtniex, iżda hi riġlejja xarrbithomli bi dmugħha u xxuttthomli b'xuxitha.    Bewsa ma tajtniex, iżda hi minn x'hin daħlet ma waqfitx tbusli  riġlejja.  Rasi ma dlikthilix biż-żejt, imma hi dilkitli riġlejja  b'żejt ifuh.   Għalhekk ngħidlek li dnubietha, li kienu ħafna, inħafrulha, għax ħabbet ħafna, imma min jinħafilu ftit, ftit iħobb." Imbagħad qal lilha: "Dnubietek maħfura."  Dawk li kienu fuq  il-mejda miegħu bdew jgħidu fihom infushom:  "Dan min hu  biex jaħfer id-dnubiet ukoll?"   Iżda hu qal lill-mara:   "Il-fidi tieghek salvatek, mur bis-sliem!" Wara dan hua qagħad idur l-ibliet u r-rħula, jippriedka u jxandar  l-Evanġelju tas-Saltna ta' Alla.   Kellu miegħu t-Tnax u xi nisa li kien fejjaqhom mill-ispirti ħżiena u mill-mard:    Marija, li kienu jgħidulha ta' Magdala, li minnha kien ħarġu seba' xjaten,  Ġwanna, mart Ħuża, prokuratur ta' Erodi,  Susanna, u ħafna  oħrajn,  li kienu jaqduhom minn ġidhom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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COMMENTARY         

     

Father Cantalamessa on the Pearl of Great Price

                                          

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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A Woman Came With an Alabaster Flask of Ointment

There are some Gospel passages where the teaching is so much connected to the action that the former cannot be fully understood if it is detached from the latter.

The episode of the sinful woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee that will be read at Mass this Sunday is one of these. The opening scene is silent; there are no words, only silent gestures: A woman enters with an alabaster flask of ointment. She nestles at Jesus' feet, washes them with tears, dries them with her hair, and kissing them, douses them with the ointment from her flask.

She is almost certainly a prostitute, because at that time this was what was meant when the term "sinful" was applied to a woman.

At this point the focus turns to the Pharisee who invited Jesus to dinner. The scene is still silent, but only in appearance. The Pharisee is "speaking to himself": "When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.'"

The Gospel then takes Jesus' word so as to present his judgment on the actions of the woman and on the thoughts of the Pharisee, and it does this with a parable: "'A creditor had two debtors: One owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Not having anything to pay him with, the creditor forgave both of them their debts. Who will love him more?' Simon answered: 'I suppose the one who he forgave the most.' Jesus said to him, 'You have judged well.'"

Jesus first of all allows Simon to be convinced that he is in fact a prophet since he read the thoughts in his heart; at the same time, with the parable, he is preparing everyone to understand what he is about to say in defense of the woman: "'For this reason I say to you her many sins are forgiven her because she has loved much. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.' Then he said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven you.'"

This year is the 806th anniversary of the conversion of Francis of Assisi. What do the conversions of the sinful woman of the Gospel and Francis have to do with each other? Unfortunately, when we speak of conversion our thought goes instinctively to what one leaves behind -- sin, a disordered life, atheism -- but this is the effect, not the cause of the conversion.

How a conversion happens is perfectly described by Jesus in the parable of the hidden treasure: "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field; a man finds it and hides it again, then he goes, full of joy, and sells all he has and buys the field." It is not said that "a man sold everything he had and then went out in search of a hidden treasure."

We know how the stories that begin this way end. One loses everything he has and does not find any treasure. These are stories of deluded people, visionaries. No, a man finds a treasure and sells all he has to acquire it. In other words, it is necessary to have found a treasure in order to have the strength and the joy to sell all.

This is done with a heart "full of joy," like the man about whom the Gospel speaks. This is how it happened for the sinful woman of the Gospel and for Francis of Assisi. Both had met Jesus and it is this that gave them the strength to change.

The point of departure of the sinful woman of the Gospel and Francis seems to have been different, but this difference was an appearance, external. Deep down it was the same. The woman and Francis, like all of us after all, were searching for happiness and they saw that the life they were leading did not make them happy, but rather it left dissatisfaction and an emptiness in the depths of their heart.

I was reading recently the story of the famous convert of the 19th century, Hermann Cohen, a brilliant musician, idolized as a the young prodigy of his time in the salons of central Europe: a kind of modern version of the young Francis.

After his conversion he wrote to a friend: "I looked for happiness everywhere: in the elegant life of the salons, in the deafening noise of balls and parties, in accumulating money, in the excitement of gambling, in artistic glory, in friendship with famous people, in the pleasures of the senses. Now I have found happiness, I have an overflowing heart and I want to share it with you. ... You say, 'But I don't believe in Jesus Christ.' I say to you, 'Neither did I and that is why I was unhappy.'"

Conversion is the way to happiness and a full life. It is not something painful, but the greatest joy. It is the discovery of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price.

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