Readings
September 15, 2013
24th Sunday in Ordinary time Year C
L-24 Hadd matul is-Sena C
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
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
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
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
CEO, Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation
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