Saving you from your wealth?

Readings for September 29th, 2013

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time  Year C

Is-26 Ħadd matul is-Sena C

Messalin C pp 403

Reading 1                                             AMos 6:1A, 4-7

Thus says the LORD the God of hosts: Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches, they eat lambs taken from the flock, and calves from the stall! Improvising to the music of the harp, like David, they devise their own accompaniment. They drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils; yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph! Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with. This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni  -  Profeta Għamos 6, 1a, 4-7

Dan jgħid il-Mulej li jista' kollox: "Ħażin għalihom dawk li f'Sijon  għandhom moħħhom mistrieħ, dawk li qalbhom qawwija fil-muntanja tas-Samarija! Fuq sodod tal-avorju mimduda, jitmattru fuq il-friex; u ħrief il-merħla jieklu, għoġiela mill-istalla. Mal-arpa jqabblu l-għana, bħal David strumenti jivvintaw. L-inbid ilegilguh minn bwieqi kbar, u bl-ifjen żjut jindilku, bla xejn ma jsewdu qalbhomm għall-qerda ta' Ġużeppi. Għalhekk ikunu l-ewwel fost  dawk li jittieħdu fl-eżilju, u tintemm imbagħad l-għajta tal-imħejmin." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                                           PS 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R. (1b)    Praise the Lord, my soul!

Blessed he who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.                                                             R/

The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.                                                            R/

The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.                      R/

Salm Responsojali                      -  Salm 145 (146)

                        R/                   Faħħar, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej!

Il-Mulej li jagħmel ħaqq lill-maħqurin,

u jagħti l-ħobż lil-imġewħin.

Il-Mulej li jeħles lill-imjassrin.                             R/

Il-Mulej li jiftaħ għajnejn l-għomja;

il-Mulej li jerfa' lill-milwijin;

il-Mulej li jħobb lill-ġusti;

il-Mulej li jħares lill-barranin.                              R/

Il-Mulej iżomm lill-iltim u lill-armla,

imma lill-ħżiena jħarbtilhom triqathom.

Il-Mulej  isaltan għal dejjem;

Alla tiegħek, Sijon,  minn nisel għal nisel.       R/

Reading 2                     - 1 TiMothy 6:11-16

But you, man of God, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the  presence of many witnesses. I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession, to keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in  unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see.  To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.  This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni  - l-Ewwel Ittra lil Timotju6, 11-16

Int, bniedem ta' Alla, fittex li jkollok il-ġustizzja, it-tjieba, il-fidi, l-imħabba, is-sabar, il-ħlewwa.Tqabad it-taqbida t-tajba tal-fidi; qis li tirbaħ il-ħajja ta' dejjem li għaliha kont imsejjaħ u li tagħha għamilt l-istqarrija sabiħa quddiem ħafna xhieda. Inwissik quddiem Alla li jagħti l-ħajja lill-ħlejjaq kollha, u quddiem Kristu Ġesu' li xehed  u għamel l-isqarrija sabiħa  quddiem Ponzju Pilatu.   Inwissik biex tħares  l-istruzzjonijiet li rċevejt  u żżomm ruħek bla tebgħa u bla ħtija sa jum id-dehra ta' Sidna Ġesu' Kristu,  li għad juriha f'waqtha. Dak li hu l-ħieni u waħdu setgħani, is-Sultan tas-slaten u s-Sid tas-sidien, li hu biss ma jmut qatt u jgħammar f'dawl li ħadd ma jista' jersaq lejh, hu li ebda bniedem qatt ma rah u anqas qatt jista' jarah. Lilu ġieħ u setgħa għal dejjem.!  Ammen. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                                                                             LuKe 16:19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named  Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.  The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.  Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am  suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime  while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.'  He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen  to Moses and the prophets,  neither will they be persuaded  if someone should rise from the dead.'"

L-Evanġelju  -  skont San Luqa 16, 19-31

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal lill-fariżej:  "Mela kien hemm raġel għani, jilbes il-porpra u għażel mill-ifjen;  l-hena tiegħu kien li kuljum jagħmel ikla mill-aħjar.  U wieħed fqir jismu Lazzru, li kellu ġismu ġerħa waħda, kien imur jinxteħet ħdejn il-bieb ta' daru, bix-xewqa li jixba' b'dak li jaqa' mill-mejda tal-għani.   Sal-klieb kienu jmorru jilagħqu l-ġrieħi tiegħu. Ġara  li l-fqir miet, u l-anġli ħaduh fi ħdan Abraham.Imbagħad miet ukoll l-għani, u difnuh.   Dan, kif sab ruħu fi t batijiet ħorox f'Art l-Imwiet, rafa' ħarstu, u mill-bogħod lemaħ lil Abraħam, b'Lazzru fi ħdanu. U għolla leħnu u qallu:  "Missier Abraħam, ikollok ħniena minni u ibgħat lil  Lazzru jbill tarf sebgħu fl-ilma ħa jtaffili n-nixfa li għandi fi lsieni,  għax qiegħed ninħaqar wisq  f'dan in-nar."  Iżda Abraħam qallu:  "Ibni, ftakar li t-tajjeb tiegħek irċevejtu f'ħajtek: hekk ukoll Lazzru,  il-ħażin irċevieħ  f'ħajtu.    Imma issa hu hawnhekk qiegħed jitfarraġ, waqt li int qiegħed tbati.  Barra minn dan, hekk vojt bla qjies bejnkom u bejna, biex min ikun irid jaqsam minn hawn għal għandkom ma jkunx jista', u anqas ma jgħaddu minn hemm għal għandna."    Qallu l-għani:  "Mela nitolbok, missier, ibagħtu f'dar missier, għax għandi ħames aħwa, ħalli jagħmlilhom twissija kif imiss,  li ma jmorrux huma wkoll jiġu f'dan il-post ta' tbatijiet ħorox!"    Qallu Abraħam:  "Għandhom lil Mose' u l-Profeti; jisimgħu lilhom."  Qallu dak: "Le, missier Abraħam, imma jekk imur għandhom xi ħadd mill-imwiet jindmu."  Iżda wieġbu Abraħam:  "Jekk ma  jisimgħux lil Mose' u l-Profeti,   anqas jekk iqum xi ħadd mill-imwiet ma jemmnu."  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

……………………
COMMENTARY 

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

A Rich Man who Dressed in Purple Garments and Fine Linen

The principal thing to bring to light in regard to the parable of the rich man in this Sunday’s Gospel is its contemporary relevance. At the global level the two characters are the two hemispheres: The rich man represents the northern hemisphere (western Europe, America, Japan) and the poor man, Lazarus, with a few exceptions, represents the southern hemisphere. Two characters, two worlds: the first world and the Third World. Two demographically and geographically unequal worlds: The one that we call the Third World in fact represents two-thirds of the world. This is a usage that is beginning to take hold. The third world is beginning to be called the “two-thirds world.”

The same contrast between the rich man and Lazarus exists also within both worlds. The rich live side by side with the poor Lazaruses in the third world -- and the solitary luxury that exists in these countries stands out all the more in the midst of the miserable majority -- and there are the poor Lazaruses who live side by side with the rich in the first world. Some persons in the entertainment business, in sports, finance, industry, and commerce have contracts worth millions, and all of this is in the sight of millions of people who, with their meager wages or unemployment subsidy, do not know how they are going to be able to pay the rent or pay for medicine and education for their children.

The most detestable thing in the story that Jesus tells is the rich man’s ostentation, the way he makes a show of his wealth with no consideration for the poor man. His life of luxury is manifested in two areas, in dining and in clothing: The rich man feasted sumptuously and dressed in purple garments and fine linen, which in those days was the vesture of kings. The contrast is not only between a person who stuffs himself with food and a person who dies of hunger but also between one who changes his clothes every day and one who does not own a thread.

Here in Italy there was once a piece of clothing presented at a fashion show that was made of gold coins and cost over a billion lira. We have to say this without hesitation: The global success of Italian fashion and the business it has created have gone to our heads. We do not care about anything anymore. Everything that is done in the fashion sector, even the most obvious excesses, enjoys special treatment. Fashion shows that sometimes fill television news so much that other more important news is put aside, bring to mind the scenes in the parable of the rich man.

But so far we have not touched on anything new. What is novel and unique in this evangelical denouncement has to do with the perspective from which the events are seen. Everything in the parable is seen retrospectively from the epilogue to the story: “When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.” If we put this story on the screen we could very well begin with this ending beyond the grave and then return to the previous events in a kind of “flashback.”

Many similar denouncements of wealth and luxury have been made over the centuries but today they sound rhetorical and resentful or pietistic and anachronistic. But Jesus’ denouncement, after 2,000 years, retains intact its explosive power. Jesus does not belong to either party in this matter but is one who is above rich and poor and is concerned with both -- and perhaps more with the rich since the poor are less in danger!

The parable of the rich man is not motivated by any resentment toward the wealthy, by a desire to take their place, as are many human denouncements, but by a sincere concern for their salvation. God wants to save the rich from their wealth.

 © Innovative Media Inc. 

Making friends with wealth

Readings for September 22, 2013

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

Il-25 Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin C pp 397

Reading 1      -             AMos 8:4-7

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land! “When will the new moon be over,” you ask, “that we may sell our grain, and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will diminish the ephah,  add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating! We will buy the lowly for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!” The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-1 Lezzjoni       -      Profeta Għamos 8, 4-7

Il-Mulej qalli:  "Isimgħu dan, intom li tikkalpestaw l-imsejken, intom li ttemmu l-foqra tal-pajjiż, u tgħidu: "Meta se jgħaddi l-qamar ġdid, ħa nbiegħu l-qamħ? Meta se jgħaddi s-Sibt ħa nferrgħu x-xgħir, inċekknu l-efa, u nkabbru x-xekel, u nqarrqu b'miżien falz, nixtru bil-flus il-foqra, u b'żewġt iqrieq l-imsejken? Inbiegħu sal-karfa tal-qamħ."  Il-Mulej ħalef bil-foħrija ta' Ġakobb: "Ma ninsa qatt xejn  minn għemilhom!" Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                   -                      PSALM 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8

R. (cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.                                                                        R/

High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?                       R/

He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.                                                R/

Salm Responsorjali                    -  SALM 112 (113)

                        R/                  Faħħru lill-Mulej, li  jerfa'  l-fqir.

Faħħru, qaddejja tal-Mulej,

faħħru isem il-Mulej.

Ikun isem il-Mulej imbierek,

minn issa u għal dejjem!                                     R/

Għoli fuq il-ġnus kollha l-Mulej,

ogħla mis-smewwiet hu sebħu.

Min hu bħall-Mulej, Alla tagħna,

li qiegħed fil-għoli, u li jħares 'l isfel,

lejn is-smewwiet u lejn l-art?                             R/

Hu  li jqajjem mit-trab l-imsejken,

u jerfa' mill-miżbla l-fqajjar,

biex mal-kbarat iqiegħdu,

mal-kbarat tal-poplu tiegħu.                              R/

Reading 2                     -                      1 TiMothy 2:1-8

Beloved:  First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.  This is good and pleasing to God our saviour, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all. This was the testimony at the proper time.  For this I was appointed preacher and apostle — I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —, teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.   It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.  This is the Word of The Lord.

It-2 Lezzjoni     -     1 Ittra lil Timotju 2. 1-8

Għażiż, nitolbok l-ewwel nett li jsiru suppliki, orazzjonijiet,  talb u radd il-ħajr għall-bnendmin kollha; għas-slaten, għal dawk li għandhom xi awtorita',  biex inkunu nistgħu ngħaddu ħajja fil-kwiet u fis-sliem, fit-tjieba u kif jixraq.  Dan hu   tajjeb u jogħġob lil Alla s-Salvatur tagħna, li jrid li l-bnedmin kollha jsalvaw u jaslu biex jagħrfu l-verita'.  Għax wieħed hu Alla, u wieħed hu l-medjatur bejn Alla u l-bniedem, il-Bniedem Kristu Ġesu', li ta lilu nnifsu bħala prezz tal-fidwa għal kulħadd; u  x-xhieda ta' dan ngħatat f'waqtha. Hu għal dan li jien kont magħmul xandar u appostlu – qiegħed ngħid is-sewwa, m'iniex niġdeb - biex ngħallem lill-ġnus il-fidi u l-verita'.  Nixtieq li l-irġiel jitolbu kullimkien,  jerfgħu l-fuq idejn safja bla għadab u bla glied.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                             -                      LuKe 16:1-13

Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property.  He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?  I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.  I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ He called in his master’s debtors one by one.  To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.  Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ Then to another the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ The steward said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.  I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.  If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?  If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?  No servant can serve two masters.  He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the  other.  You cannot serve both God and mammon.”   This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju  -   Luqa 16, 1-13

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: "Kien hemm raġel għani li kellu amminstratur, u  lil dan xlewh lil sidu li kien qiegħed iberbaqlu ġidu. Għalhekk is-sid sejjaħlu u qallu: "Dan x'inhu li qiegħed  nisma' fuqek?  Agħtini kont tal-amminstrazzjoni tiegħek,  għax ma tistax tibqa' iżjed amminstratur tiegħi." L-amministratur bejnu u bejn ruħu qal:  "Issa x'sejjer nagħmel, ladarba sidi se jneħħini mill-amminstrazjoni?  Immur nagħżaq?  Ma niflaħx!  Nittallab?  Nistħi.   Naf x'nagħmel, ħalli meta nitwarrab minn fuq din l-amminstrazzjoni, insib lil ħaddieħor li jilqagħni għandu." U wieħed wieħed bagħat għal dawk li kellhom jagħtu  lil sidu."Kemm għandek tagħtih lil sidi?"    staqsa  lill-ewwel wieħed. "Mitt barmil żejt,"  wieġbu dak. Qallu l-amminstratur:"Oħroġ il-karti tiegħek, oqgħod  bilqiegħda malajr u ikteb ħamsin."Lil ieħor staqsieh: "U int, kemm għandek tagħti?"   "Mitt xkora qamħ."  wieġbu.   Qallu:  "Oħroġ il-karti tiegħek u ikteb tmenin."  U s-sid faħħru lil dak l-amminstratur ħażin talli ħadem  b'rasu.  Għax ulied din id-dinja jimxu bil-għaqal aktar  minn ulied id-dawl ma' min hu tal-qatgħa tagħhom. U jiena ngħidilkom; agħmlu għalikom infuskom ħbieb  ta' qligħ il-ħżunija, ħalli meta jonqoskom, jiqgħukom   fl-għerejjex ta' dejjem.  Min hu fidil f'ħaġa tassew żgħira,  hu fidil ukoll fil-ħafna;  min hu diżonest f'ħaġa tassew  żgħira, hu diżonest ukoll fil-ħafna.  Jekk mela ma wrejtux  ruħkom fidili f'dak li hu ta' ħaddieħor, min se jagħtikom dak li hu tagħkom? Ebda qaddej ma jista' jaqdi żewġ sidien, għax jew ikun jobgħod lil wieħed u jħobb lill-ieħor, jew jintrabat ma' wieħed u jistmell lill-ieħor.  Ma tistgħux taqdu lil Alla u lill-flus."  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

……………………………………..

COMMENTARY:

Father Cantalamessa on Dishonest Wealth

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

* * 

Make friends with wealth

This Sunday's Gospel presents us with a parable that in certain respects has important contemporary relevance: the parable of the dishonest steward. The central character of the parable is the farm manager of a landowner, a well-known figure in our Italian countryside when the sharecropping system was still in existence.

Like all good parables, this one is like a miniature play, full of movement and scene changes. The actors in the first scene are the steward and the master and the scene ends with the master firing the steward: "You can no longer be my steward."  The steward does not even try to defend himself. His conscience is not clear. He knows that he is guilty of what the master has discovered.

The second scene is a soliloquy of the steward, who is now alone. He has not yet accepted defeat. He immediately thinks about what he can do to get himself out of this situation and save his future.

The third scene -- steward and tenant farmers -- reveals to us the plan that the steward has devised. He asks the tenants, "And how much do you owe?"  "One hundred measures of wheat," is one reply.  "Here is your promissory note," he says. "Take it and write down eighty." A classic case of corruption and falsehood that makes us think of similar situations in our own society, often on a much larger scale.

The conclusion is disconcerting: "The master praised the dishonest steward for acting prudently."

Is Jesus approving and encouraging corruption? We need to recall to our minds the particular nature of teaching in parables. The moral doctrine that is aimed at is not in the parable taken as a whole, in every detail, but only in that aspect of the parable that the narrator wishes to pick out.   And the idea that Jesus intended to bring out with this parable is clear. The master praises the steward for his resourcefulness and for nothing else. It is not said that the master changed his mind about his decision to fire the man.

Indeed, given the initial conduct of the master and the quickness with which he discovers the new scam we can easily imagine the outcome, which the parable does not report. After having praised the steward for his astuteness, the master orders him to immediately restore the fruit of his dishonest transactions or pay it off in prison if he lacks the means.

It is cleverness that Jesus also praises, outside the parable. In fact, he adds: "The children of this world are more clever in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light."

That man, when he was faced with an emergency situation in which his whole future was at stake, showed a capacity for radical decision-making and great resourcefulness. He acted quickly and intelligently -- even if dishonestly -- to save himself. This, Jesus observes to his disciples, is what you too must do, to save yourselves, not for a worldly future but for an eternal future.
 "Life," Seneca said, "is not given to anyone as a possession but as something that we are stewards of." We are all "stewards," so we have to act like the man in the parable. He did not put things off until tomorrow; he did not "sleep on it." There is something too important at stake to be left to chance.

The Gospel itself makes different practical applications of this teaching of Christ. The one that it insists the most on is the one regarding the use of wealth and money: "I tell you, make friends with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings."

In other words, do as that steward did; make friends with those who, when one day you find yourself in trouble, will welcome you. These friends, we know, are the poor.

We know this from what Christ says about his being the recipient of what we do for them. The poor, St. Augustine said, are, so to speak, our couriers and porters: They allow us to begin transferring our belongings now to the house that is being built for us in the hereafter.

 © Innovative Media Inc.

Happy birthday and thanks for your 7000 gifts

One year ago we launched The Word on Sunday as an online service with its sister page on Facebook.  So now we celebrate our FIRST BIRTHDAY and thank God from here for His blessing over our work.... and for your 7000+ gifts (your total page hits to date) that have encouraged us to persevere..... I daren't call it a ministry, but perhaps God is making it one.  May His Word continue to draw us to Him.

God bless -  John

LOST AND FOUND!

Readings for Sunday, 

September 15, 2013

 

24^th Sunday in Ordinary time Year C

L-24 Hadd matul is-Sena C

 

Reading 1, Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14

⁷ Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Go down at once, for your people whom you brought here from Egypt have become corrupt. ⁸ They have quickly left the way which I ordered them to follow. They have cast themselves a metal calf, worshipped it and offered sacrifice to it, shouting, "Israel, here is your God who brought you here from Egypt!" ' ⁹ Yahweh then said to Moses, 'I know these people; I know how obstinate they are! ¹⁰ So leave me now, so that my anger can blaze at them and I can put an end to them! I shall make a great nation out of you instead.' ¹¹ Moses tried to pacify Yahweh his God. 'Yahweh,' he said, 'why should your anger blaze at your people, whom you have brought out of Egypt by your great power and mighty hand? ¹³ Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom you swore by your very self and made this promise: "I shall make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and this whole country of which I have spoken, I shall give to your descendants, and it will be their heritage for ever." ¹⁴ Yahweh then relented over the disaster which he had intended to inflict on his people. This is the Word of the Lord.

1 Qari – Esodu  32:7-11, 13-14

 Il-Mulej qal lil Mosè: ̋Mur u inżel, ghaliex thassar il-poplu tieghek, li inti tellajt mill-Egittu. Malajr warrbu mit-triq li jiena wrejthom: ghamlu ghalihom ghogol tal-metall imdewweb, niżlu wicchom fl-art iqimuh, u offrewlu sagrificcju u qalu: 'Dawn huma l-allat tieghek, Iżrael, li tellghuk mill-art ta' l-Egittu.' ̏U l-Mulej issokta jghid lil Mosè: ̋Jiena harist lejn dan il-poplu, u rajt li hu poplu ta' ras iebsa. Hallini wahdi, issa, halli nixghel il-korla tieghi ghalihom u neqridhom. U lilek naghmlek gens kbir.̏ Mosè mbaghad talab bil-hniena quddiem il-Mulej, Alla tieghu, u qal: ̋Ghaliex, Mulej, tixghel bil-korla tieghek ghall-poplu tieghek, li int, b'hila kbira u b'id qawwija, hrigtu mill-art ta' l-Egittu?  Ftakar f'Abraham, f'Iżakk u f'Iżrael, il-qaddejja tieghek, li int hliftilhom bik innifsek u ghedtilhom: 'Nkattar in-nisel taghkom bhall-kwiekeb tas-sema, u din l-art kollha, li jien weghedt, naghtiha lil nisilkom bhala wirt ghal dejjem.' ̏U l-Mulej nidem mill-hsara li qal li kien se jaghmel lill-poplu tieghu. Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm  -  Psalm 51

³ For I am well aware of my offences, my sin is constantly in mind. 

⁴ Against you, you alone, I have sinned, I have done what you see to be wrong, that you may show your saving justice when you pass sentence, and your victory may appear when you give judgement,

¹² Give me back the joy of your salvation, sustain in me a generous spirit.

¹³ I shall teach the wicked your paths, and sinners will return to you.

¹⁷ Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken, contrite heart you never scorn. 

¹⁹ Then you will delight in upright sacrifices,-burnt offerings and whole oblations -- and young bulls will be offered on your altar.

Salm Responsorjali – Salm 50

Ikollok ħniena minni, o Alla, fi tjubitek; fil-kobor tal-ħniena tiegħek ħassar ħtijieti.

 Aħsilni kollni mill-ħtija tiegħi; naddafni mid-dnub tiegħi.

Oħloq fija qalb safja, o Alla, u spirtu qawwi ġedded fija.

 La twarrabnix minn quddiemek; tneħħix minni l-ispirtu qaddis tiegħek.

Iftaħli xufftejja, Sidi, u fommi jxandar it-tifħir tiegħek.

Is-sagrifiċċju tiegħi, o Alla, hu l-qalb niedma; qalb maqsuma

u sogħbiena ma twarrabhiex, o Alla.

Reading 2, First Timothy 1:12-17

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength. By calling me into his service he has judged me trustworthy, ¹³ even though I used to be a blasphemer and a persecutor and contemptuous. Mercy, however, was shown me, because while I lacked faith I acted in ignorance; ¹⁴ but the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Here is a saying that you can rely on and nobody should doubt: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them; ¹⁶ and if mercy has been shown to me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the leading example of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who were later to trust in him for eternal life.  ¹⁷ To the eternal King, the undying, invisible and only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. This is the Word of the Lord.

2 Qari - Timotju 1:12-17

Niżżi ħajr lil Kristu Ġesù Sidna, li tani l-qawwa għal dan ix-xogħol u li deherlu li kienet tistħoqqli l-fiduċja tiegħu u għamilni ministru tiegħu, lili li qabel kont dagħaj, persekutur u żeblieħi tiegħu. Iżda sibt il-ħniena, għax dak li għamilt għamiltu bla ma kont naf, billi kont għadni bla fidi.[ Anzi lili l-grazzja ta' Sidna kienet mogħtija bil-kotra, flimkien mal-fidi u ma' l-imħabba, li hi fi Kristu Ġesù.[ Din hija kelma ta' min jemminha u jilqagħha għalkollox: li Kristu Ġesù ġie fid-dinja biex isalva l-midinbin; u fosthom, lili l-ewwel wieħed. Iżda jien minħabba f'hekk sibt il-ħniena, biex bija, bħala l-ewwel wieħed, Kristu Ġesù juri s-sabar kollu tiegħu, b'eżempju għal dawk li kienu għad iridu jemmnu fih biex ikollhom il-ħajja ta' dejjem. Lis-Sultan ta' dejjem, li ma jmutx u li ma jidhirx,  lil Alla waħdu, ġieħ u glorja għal dejjem ta' dejjem! Amen. Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel, Luke 15:1-32

¹ The tax collectors and sinners, however, were all crowding round to listen to him, ² and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'  ³ So he told them this parable: ⁴ 'Which one of you with a hundred sheep, if he lost one, would fail to leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the missing one till he found it? ⁵ And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders ⁶ and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, I have found my sheep that was lost." ⁷ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine upright people who have no need of repentance. ⁸ 'Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it?  ⁹ And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, I have found the drachma I lost." ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.' ¹¹ Then he said, 'There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, "Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me." So the father divided the property between them. ¹³ A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.  ¹⁴ 'When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch; ¹⁵ so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. ¹⁶ And he would willingly have filled himself with the husks the pigs were eating but no one would let him have them. ¹⁷ Then he came to his senses and said, "How many of my father's hired men have all the food they want and more, and here am I dying of hunger!  ¹⁸ I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; ¹⁹ I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men." ²⁰ So he left the place and went back to his father. 'While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him. ²¹ Then his son said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son." ²² But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it;  we will celebrate by having a feast, ²⁴ because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found." And they began to celebrate. ²⁵ 'Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing.²⁶ Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. ²⁷ The servant told him, "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the calf we had been fattening because he has got him back safe and sound." ²⁸ He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out and began to urge him to come in; ²⁹ but he retorted to his father, "All these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed any orders of yours, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property -- he and his loose women -- you kill the calf we had been fattening." ³¹ 'The father said, "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. ³² But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found." ' This is the Word of the Lord.

Vangelu  -   Luqa 15:1-32

Il-pubblikani u l-midinbin kienu jersqu bi ħġarhom biex jisimgħuh.  U kemm il-Fariżej u kemm il-kittieba kienu jgemgmu u jgħidu: "Nies midinba jilqa' għandu dan u jiekol magħhom!" U Ġesù qabad u qalilhom din il-parabbola: "Min hu dak fostkom li jkollu mitt nagħġa u jitlef waħda minnhom, u ma jħallix id-disgħa u disgħin l-oħra fid-deżert biex imur wara l-mitlufa sa ma jsibha? U meta jsibha, jifraħ biha u jerfagħha fuq spallejh, imur id-dar, isejjaħ għandu lil ħbiebu u l-ġirien, u jgħidilhom, 'Ifirħu miegħi, għax sibt in-nagħġa li kienet intilfitli.' Ngħidilkom li l-istess jiġri fis-smewwiet: ikun hemm aktar ferħ għal midneb wieħed li jindem milli għal disgħa u disgħin bniedem tajjeb li ma kellux bżonn ta' ndiema. "Jew min hi dik il-mara li jkollha għaxar drakmiet u titlef waħda minnhom, li mhijiex sejra tixgħel il-musbieħ u tiknes id-dar, u tibqa' tfittex bil-għaqal sa ma ssibha! U meta ssibha, issejjaħ għandha lil ħbiebha u l-ġirien, u tgħidilhom, 'Ifirħu miegħi, għax sibt id-drakma li kienet intilfitli.' Ngħidilkom jien li l-istess ferħ ikun hemm fost l-anġli ta' Alla għal midneb wieħed li jindem." Qalilhom ukoll: "Kien hemm raġel li kellu żewġ ulied. Iż-żgħir qal lil missieru, 'Missier, agħtini s-sehem li jmiss lili mill-ġid.' U dak qassmilhom il-ġid.  Ma kinux għaddew wisq ġranet, meta ż-żgħir sarr kollox u telaq minn beltu lejn pajjiż imbiegħed, u hemmhekk berbaq ġidu kollu f'ħajja mtajjra. Meta ħela kull ma kellu, fuq dak il-pajjiż waqa' ġuħ kbir, u beda jħoss ruħu fil-bżonn.  U mar daħal ma' wieħed minn dak il-pajjiż, li bagħtu fir-raba' tiegħu jirgħa l-ħnieżer.  Kien jixtieq kieku jimla żaqqu mqar bil-ħarrub li kienu jieklu l-ħnieżer, imma ħadd ma kien jagħtih.  Mbagħad daħal fih innifsu u qal, 'Kemm lavranti ma' missieri għandhom ħobż bix-xaba', u jien qiegħed hawn immut bil-ġuħ!  Ħa nqum u mmur għand missieri, u ngħidlu, 'Missier, dnibt kontra s-sema u kontra tiegħek;   ma jistħoqqlix iżjed nissejjaħ ibnek; żommni b'wieħed mil-lavranti tiegħek.'  Qam, u telaq għal għand missieru. Iżda kif kien għadu fil-bogħod missieru lemħu u tħassru, u b'ġirja waħda mar inxteħet fuq għonqu u biesu.  'Missier,' qallu ibnu, 'dnibt kontra s-sema u kontra tiegħek; ma jistħoqqlix iżjed nissejjaħ ibnek.'  Iżda l-missier qal lill-qaddejja tiegħu, 'Isaw! Ġibulu l-isbaħ libsa u xidduhielu, libbsulu ċ-ċurkett f'sebgħu u s-sandli f'riġlejh!  Ġibu l-għoġol l-imsemmen u oqtluh, ħa nieklu u nagħmlu festa, għax dan ibni kien mejjet u raġa' qam, kien mitluf u nstab!' U għamlu festa.  "Mela ibnu l-kbir kien fl-għalqa. Huwa u rieġa' lura, kif wasal qrib id-dar sama' daqq u żfin.  Sejjaħ wieħed mill-qaddejja u staqsieh dak x'kien.  'Hawn ħuk,' qallu dak, 'u missierek qatillu l-għoġol l-imsemmen, għax raġa' kisbu qawwi u sħiħ.'  Hu inkorla, u ma riedx jidħol ġewwa, iżda missieru ħareġ jitolbu jidħol. 'Ara,' qal lil missieru, 'ili dawn is-snin kollha naqdik, kelmtek ma ksirthielek qatt, u kieku qatt tajtni gidi lili biex nagħmel ikla u nifraħ ma' ħbiebi! Mbagħad jiġi dan ibnek, li belagħlek ġidek man-nisa żienja, u lilu toqtollu l-għoġol l-imsemmen!'  'Ibni,' qallu missieru, 'inti dejjem miegħi, u kull ma hu tiegħi huwa tiegħek. imma kien meħtieġ li nagħmlu festa u nifirħu, għax dan ħuk kien mejjet u raġa' qam, kien mitluf u nstab.'" Kelma tal-Mulej.

COMMENTARY

A Love That Makes a Home for Both Sons

A Biblical Reflection for the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C by Fr Thomas Rosica csb

Chapter 15 of Luke’s Gospel is often referred to as the “Lost and Found” collection of the New Testament. The chapter begins with the parable of the lost sheep [vv 1-7], followed by the parable of the lost coin [vv 8-10], reaching its crescendo in the masterpiece of the parable of the prodigal son [vv 11-32], at the heart of today’s Gospel.

The word “prodigal” has two meanings: as an adjective it describes someone who is excessive, extravagant, immoderate and wasteful — the opposite of “frugal.” As a noun it is a synonym for the profligate, the spendthrift, the squanderer, the wastrel. It is easy to understand why this familiar and beloved story has been called “The Parable of the Prodigal Son.” The boy certainly squandered his father’s money and was wasteful of his inheritance. But the story is about much more than a wayward boy.

We have played each of the roles  -        At different times in our lives, most of us have played each of the roles in this story: that of the doting, loving, apparently overindulgent parent; that of the younger son whose sinfulness and pride have brought them low, and desperately in need of mercy; the older son, who is responsible and above reproach, and who is upset at the generosity and leniency with which the weaknesses and sins of others are understood.

We are told that younger boy “squandered his property.” The son has obviously gone to a pagan (Gentile) nation, since no self-respecting Jewish farmer would raise pigs — non-kosher animals. The son apparently traveled a long way, imagining that he would find in some other country the happiness and excitement he had apparently not found in his own land — and the result was just the opposite: he is reduced to slavery to foreigners, forced to tend to unclean animals, and ill-fed, so that he is slowly starving to death.

True repentance? -      Although we often point to the Prodigal Son as the example of appropriate Christian repentance, the fact is that his motivations for returning home are less than noble. He is desperately hungry, and finally realizes the extreme degradation in which he is living — a degradation that places him even below the household servants in the home of his father.

The young man is in misery not because of a sense of sin that might lead to repentance, but from his destitution. He came to realize how foolish he had been and so “came to his senses.” That is a prelude to repentance, even if not repentance itself. The fact that he prepares and rehearses his speech in advance suggests a certain lack of sincerity; he continues to be only interested in himself and his own needs.

The father’s disproportionate response    -       In the story, the father has evidently never given up hope on his son, and has continued to scan the horizon for signs that he might return, and that they might once again be a family. The father’s reaction to his son’s return is an overflowing of love, compassion and tenderness: he “falls on his son’s neck,” hugging and kissing him, and demands that the symbols of his freedom and of his status within the family — the best robe, sandals, the ring — be restored to him, as if nothing had happened!

The father’s response is on the level of human logic, entirely out of proportion to what the son deserves. The younger son has forfeited his right to expect anything from his father, and the father would have been well within his rights to turn the son away, on the basis of his deeply insulting actions, and the shame he had caused his family.

To see as God sees   -      The generous father of both sons welcomes back the youth who squandered his inheritance but does not repudiate the older son who protests the father’s prodigality yet remains faithful to the father. “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours” [v 31]. The restoration of the son who “was dead and has come to life,” who “was lost and has been found” [v 32], does not invalidate the fidelity of the older son.

In this parable, Jesus overturns our expectations and categories and challenges us to see our relationships from a radically new and different perspective –“to see as God sees”. We must abandon the image — all too common among people of religious faith — of God as the heavenly accountant, poised to pounce on the slightest mistake. We must never forget the words of St. John Chrysostom: “All that God looks for from us is the slightest opening and he forgives a multitude of sins.”

The older brother’s reaction   -   The reaction of the elder son is one of righteous indignation: he has been the obedient, responsible one, staying at home to manage the farm and take care of their father after his younger brother’s precipitous departure in search of adventure. And yet the elder brother’s words quickly make it clear that, although he has done so, it has apparently not been out of any sense of love or generosity; instead, he feels that he has been imposed upon, has “slaved away” for years for his father without appropriate gestures of gratitude. The bitterness, coldness and spite with which the elder son addresses his father reveals a level of rudeness that is every bit as insulting as the earlier actions of his younger brother. He focuses, not on what he has been given, but on what he feels he has been deprived of. He suffers from the terrible disease of entitlement that has reached pandemic proportions in our day!

The elder brother is concrete in condemning his younger brother’s behavior; telling his father how the younger brother has “devoured your money with prostitutes”. How does the elder brother know this? Perhaps he simply imagines the worst about his brother, and describes him in the harshest possible terms. How easy it is, when we are angry with someone, to imagine the worst about them, to speculate about their faults and failings and magnify them to incredible proportions!

Lingering questions…  -              Does the elder son finally make peace with his brother and welcome him back? Does he find it in his heart to forgive, and to share in the father’s rejoicing? Or does he find himself even more alienated than his younger brother had been? We are left with no answers, hoping for a conclusion that Jesus never provides. And yet perhaps that is the key: that each person must write the conclusion for him/herself, must decide whether they will respond with the type of love, mercy and compassion that Jesus’ story evidently demands.

We know what Jesus asks of us; the challenge, of course, is whether we are willing to accept that challenge and put it into practice in our own lives and relationships. We probably side with the younger brother only because we know the outcome of the parable ahead of time. In our heart of hearts, we grumble at love that makes a home for both sons.

Pope John Paul II, in his 1984 Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliatio et Pænitentia, wrote about this magnificent story:  The parable of the prodigal son is above all the story of the inexpressible love of a Father — God — who offers to his son when he comes back to him the gift of full reconciliation. … It therefore reminds us of the need for a profound transformation of hearts through the rediscovery of the Father’s mercy and through victory over misunderstanding and over hostility among brothers and sisters.

The Parable of “The Prodigal Son” or “The Prodigal Father” or the “Indignant Elder Brother” can cause much grief for us, as we see ourselves and our motives exposed for what they really are. Let us not forget the parting words of Pope John Paul II at the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto: “We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son.”

Cardinal Newman and Christian Repentance  -     Cardinal John Henry Newman’s reflections on today’s Gospel parable of the Prodigal Son are still relevant for us:   Repentance is a work carried on at diverse times, and but gradually and with many reverses perfected. Or rather, and without any change in the meaning of the word repentance, it is a work never complete, never entire—unfinished both in its inherent imperfection, and on account of the fresh and fresh occasions that arise for exercising it. We are ever sinning; we must ever be renewing our sorrow and our purpose of obedience, repeating our confessions and our prayers for pardon. No need to look back to the first beginnings of our repentance, should we be able to trace these, as something solitary and peculiar in our religious course; we are ever but beginning; the most perfect Christian is to himself but a beginner, a penitent prodigal, who has squandered God’s gifts, and comes to Him to be tried over again, not as a son, but as a hired servant.

In this parable, then, we need not understand the description of the returning prodigal to imply that there is a state of disobedience and subsequent state of conversion definitely marked in the life of Christians generally. It describes the state of all Christians at all times, and is fulfilled more or less, according to circumstances, in this case or that; fulfilled in one way and measure at the beginning of our Christian course, and in another at the end.

Fr. Thomas Rosica CSB,
CEO, Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation