Proclaiming the Word brings healing

Readings for July 7, 2013

 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Il-14-il Hadd matul is-Sena

Messalin C pp332

Reading 1                        IsAIAH 66:10-14c

Thus says the LORD: Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her! Oh, that you may suck fully of the milk of her comfort, that you may nurse with delight at her abundant breasts! For thus says the LORD: Lo, I will spread prosperity over Jerusalem like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap; as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort. When you see this, your heart shall rejoice and your bodies flourish like the grass; the LORD’s power shall be known to his servants.   This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari -  mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija  66, 10-14c

Ifirħu Ġerusalemm, thennew biha, intom ilkoll ħbieb tagħha! Aqbżu bil-ferħ, intom ilkoll li qsamtu swied il-qalb magħha! Hekk intom terdgħu u tixbgħu minn sider il-faraġ tagħha; terdgħu u titgħaxxqu mis-sider mimli tagħha. Għaliex dan jgħid il-Mulej "Arani!  Se nifrex fuqha s-sliem bħal xmara, u bħal xmara tfur il-ġid tal-ġnus. U intom terdgħu u fuq id-dirgħajn tintrefgħu, u jżiegħlu bikom fuq l-irkupptejn. Bħalma omm tfaraġ lil binha, hekk jiena nfaraġ lilkom u f'Ġerusalemm titfarrġu. Taraw u tifraħ qalbkom, u għadamkom bħal ħaxix iħaddar; u jagħrfu fil-qaddejja tiegħu id il-Mulej. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm   -   Ps 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”                            R/

“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.  R/

He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.                                                           R/

 
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!                                                                  R/

Salm Responsorjali   -  Salm65 (66)

                        R/                  Għajtu bil-ferħ lil Alla.

Għajtu bil-ferħ lil Alla,

bnedmin tad-dinja kollha;

għannu s-sebħ ta' ismu,

xandru s-sebħ u t-tifħir tiegħu.

Għidu lil Alla:  "Kemm int tal-biża' f'għemilek!"               R/

"L-art kollha tagħtik qima,

tgħannilek u tgħanni lil ismek."

Ejjew, araw l-għemejjel ta' Alla;

tal-biża' f'għemilu fost il-bnedmin.                                   R/

Biddel il-baħar f'art niexfa,

għaddew bil-mixi minn nofs ix-xmara.

Għalhekk, nifirħu bih!

Hu jsaltan bil-kobor tiegħu għal dejjem!                          R/

Ejjew, isimgħu, u ngħidilkom,

intom ilkoll li tibżgħu minn Alla,

ngħidilkom x'għamel miegħi.

Imbierek Alla, li ma warrabx it-talba tiegħi;

ma warrabx minn fuqi t-tjieba tiegħu!                             R/

Reading 2                        Galatians 6:14-18

Brothers and sisters: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.  For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation.  Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule and to the Israel of God. From now on, let no one make troubles for me; for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.   This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Qari - Għeluq tal-Ittra lill-Galatin 6, 14-18

Ħuti, ngħid għalija, ma jkun qatt li niftaħar jekk mhux bis-salib ta' Sidna Ġesu' Kristu, li bih id-dinja hi msallba għalija u jien għad-dinja.  Għaliex, biċ-ċirkonċiżjoni jew mingħajrha, xejn ma hemm ta' siwi, ħlief il-ħolqien ġdid.  U dawk kollha li jimxu fuq din ir-regola, is-sliem u l-ħniena fuqhom, u wkoll fuq Iżrael ta' Alla. Mil-lum 'il quddiem ħadd ma għandu jħabbatni iżjed; jien inġib f'ġismi l-marki ta' Kristu. Il-Grazzja ta' Sidna Ġesu' Kristu tkun magħkom, ħuti, Ammen.    Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                                               LUkE 10:1-12, 17-20

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town  and place he intended to visit.  He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.  Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.  Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.  Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.  Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment.  Do not move about from one house to another.  Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.” The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”  Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power to ‘tread upon serpents’ and scorpions   and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless,  do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju  - Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Luqa  10,. 1-2. 17-20

F'dak  iż-żmien, il-Mulej għażel tnejn u sebgħin oħra u  bagħathom tnejn tnejn qablu f'kull belt u post fejn kien se jmur hu.  U qalilhom:  "Il-ħsad huwa kbir, imma l-ħaddiema ftit!  Itolbu mela lil Sid il-ħsad biex jibgħat ħaddiema għall-ħsad tiegħu!   Morru, araw, qiegħed nibgħatkom bħal ħrief qalb l-ilpup.  Teħdux magħkom  la but, la ħorġa u lanqas qrieq, u fit-triq issellmu lil ħadd.  Fid-dar fejn tidħlu, l-ewwel għidu:  "Is-sliem lil din id-dar." U jekk fiha jkun hemm min iħobb is-sliem, jistrieħ is-sliem tagħkom fuqu; jekk le, it-tislima tagħkom terġa lura għandkom. Ibqgħu għand dik il-familja, u kulu u ixorbu milli jkollhom huma, għax il-ħaddiem ħaqqu ħlasu.  Toqgħdux iddur minn familja għal oħra. F'kull belt li fiha tmorru u jilqgħukom, kulu dak li jqegħdulkom quddiemkom; fejqu l-morda li jkun hemm,  u  lin-nies għidulhom:  "Is-Saltna ta' Alla waslitilkom."   Imma l-belt li hija tidħlu u ma jilqgħukomx, oħorġu fil-pjazez tagħha u għidu:  "Sat-trab ta' beltkom infarfru minn ma' riġlejna, u nħalluh għalikom.   Imma kunu afu dan; is-Saltna ta' Alla waslet."   Ngħidulkom li dak il-jum ikun eħfef għal Sodoma milli għal dik il-belt." It-tnejn u sebgħin reġgħu lura ferħana jgħidu:  "Il-Mulej, ix-xjaten ukoll joqogħdu għalina minħabba f'ismek."  U hu qalilhom: "Iva, jien kont narah lix-Xitan jaqa' bħal berqa mis-sema.   Araw, tajtkom is-setgħa li tirfsu fuq sriep u skorpjuni u li tegħlbu kull qawwa tal-għadu u ebda ħsara ma jagħmlulkom.  Madankollu mhux b'dan ifirħu, li l-ispirti joqogħdu għalikom, imma ifirħu għax għandkom isimkom miktub fis-smewwiet." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY 

Jesus Prepares Witnesses to Himself and His Ministry      

by Fr. Thomas Rosica CSB

The theme of “peacefulness” appears in all three readings today, and there is a definite link between the first reading from Isaiah  and the reading from the Gospel of Luke . Isaiah’s poetry celebrates the long-awaited return of Israel from exile and imagines their triumphant return to the nurturing arms of  Jerusalem, the Holy City and Mother of all cities.  There is certainly a parallel and a contradiction in today’s Gospel. Both Isaiah’s reading and the gospel speak of the rejoicing that characterizes the return of exiled Israel to Jerusalem and the return of the disciples after a successful mission.

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus, like Israel, is also journeying toward Jerusalem, where he, too will be welcomed by the city — but then rejected. It is in the holy city of Jerusalem that Jesus will inaugurate the new kingdom of God by his passion and death.

The mission of the seventy-two

Only the Gospel of Luke contains two episodes in which Jesus sends out his followers on a mission: the first (Luke 10:1-6) is based on the mission in Mark 6:6b-13 and recounts the sending out of the Twelve; here in Luke 10:1-12 a similar report becomes the sending out of seventy-two in this Gospel. The episode continues the theme of Jesus preparing witnesses to himself and his ministry. These witnesses include not only the Twelve but also the seventy-two who may represent the Christian mission in Luke’s own day. The instructions given to the Twelve and to the seventy-two are similar and that what is said to the seventy-two in Luke 10:4 is directed to the Twelve in Luke 22:35.  When Jesus orders his followers to carry no money bag (Luke 10:4) and greet no one along the way, he stresses the urgency of the mission and the single-mindedness required of missionaries. Attachment to material possessions should be avoided and even customary greetings should not distract from the fulfillment of the task.

Evangelization and healing

Luke relates evangelization and healing in Jesus’ commissioning of the Twelve. He summoned the disciples and sent them on mission to engage in ministries that would restore health and well-being to individuals, families and communities. Jesus also sent the seventy-two, our predecessors: “Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

In the sending of the seventy-two, Jesus confirms that through his disciples, and those who would come to believe in him through their word, his peace and the news that “the kingdom of God has come near to you” would be proclaimed to the world. At their joyful return, despite rejection, Jesus rejoices at their success in the submission of the evil spirits in his name: the message is never to cease, never to give up. And yet the call to repentance that is a part of the proclamation of the kingdom brings with it a severe judgment for those who hear it and reject it. As the kingdom of God is gradually being established, evil in all its forms is being defeated; the dominion of Satan over humanity is at an end.

Proclaiming the Word brings healing

For Jesus, healing is never just the healing of the body but also mind, heart and spirit. It is not just about making people physically better, but it is about hearts made whole, sins forgiven and a world healed. The very proclamation of the word is meant to heal and cannot be separated from care of neighbor. As we share meals with the stranger, as the seventy-two did, we naturally build relationships, which will lead us to a deeper concern for their health and well-being. As we let go of our self-interest and focus on the healing needs of others we will restore God’s covenant with those who have been denied the opportunity for health.

Healing has always been a significant concern and an ongoing activity of the Church. The relationship of reconciliation, healing and salvation are recurring themes in Luke. Jesus called his followers to repentance and to a transformation of their old attitudes and way of living into a radically new set of relationships and attitudes.