Today - time to change?

Readings for Sunday, November 3, 2013

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time 

Il-31 Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin C pp 432

Reading 1           -         WISdom 11:22-12:2

Before the LORD the whole universe is as a grain from a balance or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people's sins that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things! Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!  This is the Word of The Lord

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L-Ewwel Lezzjoni  - Ktieb tal-Għerf 11, 22-26,2

Mulej, quddiemek id-dinja kollha qisha traba fil-miżien, jew qatra nida tal-għodwa li tinżel fuq l-art. Iżda int tħenn għal kulħadd, għax tista' kollox; int tagħlaq għajnejk għal dnubiet il-bnedmin biex huma jindmu. Għax int tħobb il-ħlejjaq kollha, u xejn ma tistmell minn kulma għamilt;  li kien hemm xi ħaġa li stajt tobgħodha, int ma kontx tagħmilha.  Kif setgħet tibqa' xi ħaġa fid-dinja kieku int ma ridthiex? Jew kif setgħet iżżomm, kieku int ma sejjaħtilhiex? Imma int, o Sid li tħobb kulma jgħix, lil kulħadd tagħder, għax kollox huwa tiegħek. Għax f'kulħadd hemm nifsek bla ma qatt jintemm.  Għalhekk int twiddeb bil-ftit il-ftit lil dawk li jonqsu, twissihom u tfakkarhom fejn dinbu, biex jerġgħu lura mill-ħażen tagħhom, u fik, Mulej, iqiegħdu t-tama tagħhom.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm       -       PSalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14

                                                              

     R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.                  R/

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.                            R/

                       
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.                                                             R/

The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.                                                R/

Salm Responsorjali                       -              Salm 144 (145)

    R/       Mulej, inbierek  ismek  għal  dejjem  ta'  dejjem.

Ħa nkabbrek, Alla tiegħi, sultan,

u nbierek ismek għal dejjem ta' dejjem.

Kuljum irrid inbierkek,

u nfaħħar ismek għal dejjem ta' dejjem.                              R/

Twajjeb u ħanin il-Mulej,

idum biex jagħdab u kollu tjieba.

Twajjeb ma' kulħadd il-Mulej,

tjubitu fuq kulma għamel.                                          R/

Kulma għamilt iroddlok ħajr, Mulej;

iberkuk il-ħbieb tiegħek kollha.

Is-sebħ tas-saltna tiegħek ixandru,

fuq is-setgħa tiegħek jitkellmu.                                               R/

Ta' kelmtu l-Mulej fil-wegħdiet tiegħu kollha,

Twajjeb f'dak kollu li għamel.

Iwieżen il-Mulej 'il kull min se jaqa',

iqajjem 'il kull min hu mitluq.                                   R/

Reading 2           -         2 THESsalonians 1:11-2:2

Brothers and sisters: We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose  and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.  We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a "spirit," or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.  This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni  -  Tieni Ittra lit-Tessalonikin 1, 11-12;2,1-2

               

Ħuti, aħna dejjem nitolbu għalikom li Alla tagħna jagħmilkom denji għas-sejħa tiegħu, u jagħmel li bil-qawwa tiegħu sseħħ kull rieda tajba tagħkom għall-ġid u kull ħidma tal-fidi tagħkom.   U hekk l-isem ta' Sidna Ġesu' Kristu jkun igglorifikat fikom u intom fih skont il-grazzja ta' Alla  tagħna u tal-Mulej Ġesu' Kristu. Ħuti, għal dak li għandu x'jaqsam mal-miġja ta' Sidna Ġesu' Kristu u l-ġemgħa tagħna biex  ningħaqdu miegħu, nitolbukom biex ma toqogħdux  tħawdu raskom malajr u tinħasdu  bħallikieku il-miġja ta' jum il-Mulej qorbot, u la jekk tkunu mnebbħin mill-ispirtu u lanqas jekk tisimgħu xi kelma jew  taqraw xi ittra taparsi mingħandna.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                 -              LuKe 19:1-10

At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.  Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,  who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house."  And he came down quickly and received him with joy.  When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner."  But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to  the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over."  And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.  For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."   This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju  -   San Luqa 19, 1-10

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' daħal Ġeriko u kien għaddej mit-triq.Mela ikun hemm raġel, jismu Żakkew;  dan kien wieħed mill-kapijiet tal-pubblikani, u kien għani. Kellu xewqa li jara min kien Ġesu', imma ma setax minħabba l-folla, billi kien raġel qasir.   Għalhekk mar jiġri  'l quddiem u xxabbat ma' siġra  tat-tin selvaġġ, għax minn dik in-naħa kien se jgħaddi. Ġesu', kif wasal hemm, ħares 'il fuq u qallu:  "Żakkew, isa, inżel minn hemm, għax illum jeħtieġli  noqgħod għandek."    Dak niżel bla telf ta' żmien, u kollu ferħan laqgħu għandu.   In-nies, meta rawh, ilkoll bdew igemgmu bejniethom u  jgħidu li għand wieħed midneb daħal jistrieħ.  Imma Żakkew, wieqaf,  qal lill-Mulej,  "Ara, Mulej, nofs ġidi se nagħtih lill-foqra, u jekk  jien qarraqt  b'xi ħadd irroddlu għal erba' darbiet iżjed." Qallu Ġesu':  "F'din id-dar illum daħlet is-salvazzjoni, għax  dan ir-raġel ukoll huwa bin Abraham.  Għax Bin il-bniedem ġie jfittex u jsalva l-mitluf. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY:

By Larry Broding, Word-Sunday.com  – a lectionary  resource for Catholics 

 

The Time of Change

                                                 

What was the most important choice you made today? Why was it so important?  Look! Today is the only day you have!  How can anyone argue with such an emphatic statement? But like many other such apparent truisms, the call to focus on today can drift off and change into the next piece of momentary wisdom. We all would like to live as if today was the only day that mattered. But few of us do. Reflection over the past and anxiety over the future do not allow us the luxury of living each day on its own terms.

But there are those rare days that do change the course of life. Days when life-changing decisions are made. And many times we don't even know those days will come until they arrive. Those are the days when life is full. Yesterday and tomorrow don't seem to matter.

A small, rich tax collector had such a day, when Jesus came to town.  The story of Zacchaeus is held as one of the most beloved passages in Luke. The little man who stood tall. And became a follower. But the focus of the passages lie elsewhere. In spite of many standard caricatures (dishonorable tax man and the righteous crowd), the details of the narrative pointed to one conclusion Jesus was Lord. Belief in him led to eternal life.

As the gospel opened, Jesus drew closer to Jerusalem. On the outskirts leading away from Jericho, a small man with a large (and questionable) reputation climbed a tree to see Jesus. As the children's translation aside noted, tax collectors were hated by the populace as cheats and traitors. Luke heightened the emotion by giving the title of "head tax collector" to Zacchaeus and compounded the hatred with a mention to the man's wealth. Combining the man's rank and economic status reinforced the public's feeling toward him. Zacchaeus preyed on the people, making himself rich at their expense. In the process, he sold his soul to the enemy Romans. So, the question of Zacchaeus' moral character was justified. People wondered if the man was lost forever.

                                         

We can only speculate why a small tax collector might want to see Jesus. But if we look at the themes Luke has laid out in his gospel, we can clearly see why he included the narrative of Zacchaeus and its details. The morally unclean man wanted to see Jesus simply because the traveling preacher represented a chance. And a change. Like the other unclean and questionable characters in Luke, Zacchaeus would provide fertile ground for evangelization, to turn his life around and trust God again.

                                  

So the little man climbed a tree (even today, something considered childish), only to beckoned to come down and share hospitality. Forget the rudeness Jesus showed by inviting himself into the Zacchaeus' home. The interplay between Zacchaeus, Jesus, and the crowd revolved around one issue: the worth of the sinner. The crowd rejected the sinner. Zacchaeus took a chance to assert his worth. But Jesus saw beyond the reticence of the crowd and the bravado of the tax man. And peered into the man's heart. Yes, the lost man had great value and was worthy of the Kingdom. Were any of the skeptics in the crowd worthy?

                              

Two sets of the words thread this narrative to its moral: "Look!" and "Today." The word "look" or "behold" referred to Zacchaeus. The word introduced the little rich man [19:2] as a way to flag his moral standing in the community. The word also emphasized Zaccheaus' change of heart, as he responded to the Lord's call. [19:8]. The word emphasized the man's status and his conversion.

The word "today" referred to Jesus. Jesus initiated his encounter with the tax man, stressing the immediacy of the encounter with the word "today." [19:5c] Jesus also confirmed the man's salvation with the word. For, in Luke, the moment of salvation was now, at this moment. At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus announced the fulfillment of scripture before his fellow Nazarenes with the word (Luke 4:21). And, at the end of his earthly life, he confirmed the salvation of the thief on the cross with the word (Luke 23:43). "Today" was not just a time frame of existence. In Luke, it was the time of God's action, as action that could not be delayed. It was an action the Messiah initiated. Today! The time Jesus offered salvation. The time Jesus declared salvation. This was why Jesus is Lord!

Have you ever had moments of immediate change, moments that demanded choice now? Did any of those choices involve faith? What happened?

Look! Today is the only day you have to live! A truism? Yes. But, from the mouth of the Lord, it's the only day we have to say "Yes" to his invitation. The only day that really matters.

Reflect on today. How has the Lord invited you to a more intimate walk this day?

Where do I stand (or kneel) on this?

Readings for Sunday, October 27^th

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time   Year 'C'

It-30  Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin C pp 427

Reading 1                     -            SIRach 35:12-14, 16-18

The LORD is a God of justice, who knows no favourites. Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed. The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint.  The one who serves God willingly is heard;  his petition reaches the heavens. The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right, and the Lord will not delay. The Word of the Lord.

 L-Ewwel Lezzjoni   -   Bin Sirak 35, 14, 16-18

Il-Mulej hu mħallef, u ma jħarisx lejn l-uċuħ. Ma joqgħodx iħares lejn wiċċ dak li  jkun b'dannu tal-fqir, u jagħti widen għat-talba tal-magħkus. Ma jagħlaqx widnejh għat-talba bil-ħniena  tal-iltim, jew tal-armla li tibki xortiha. Min jaqdi mill-qalb lil Alla jintlaqa', u t-talba tiegħu titla' m'ogħla s-sħab. It-talba tal-umli tinfed is-sħab, u ma toqgħodx bi kwietha qabel tasal qrib il-Mulej, u ma tieqafx qabel mal-Għoli jagħti widen, u jagħti raġun lill-ġusti u jagħmel ħaqq.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm     -            PSalm 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23

R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.                                 R/

The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the Lord hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.                      R/

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.                 R/

Salm Responsorjali      -    Salm 33

                                       

  R/   Dan  il-fqajjar sejjaħ u l-Mulej semgħu

Kull ħin inbierek il-Mulej;

tifħiru dejjem fuq fommi.

Bil-Mulej tiftaħar ruħi;

jisimgħu l-fqajrin u jifirħu!                                  R/

Il-ħarsa tal-Mulej fuq il-ħżiena,

biex jeqred minn fuq l-art tifkirithom.

Jgħajtu l-ġusti għall-għajnuna, u

l-Mulej jismagħhom;

mid-dwejjaq kollha tagħhom jeħlishom.         R/

Qrib il-Mulej lejn dawk b'qalbhom maqsuma,

jgħin lil dawk b'ruħhom mifnija.

Jifdi l-Mulej il-ħajja tal-qaddejja tiegħu;

kull min jistkenn fih ma jkollux xi jpatti.           R/

Reading 2      -             2 TiMothy 4:6-8, 16-18

Beloved:  I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance. At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.  To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. The Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni  - Tieni ittra lil Timotju 4, 6-8, 16-18

Għażiż, demmi ġa mxerred b'sagrifiċċju, u żmien it-tluq tiegħi wasal. Tqabadt it-taqbida t-tajba, temmejt il-ġirja,  ħarist il-fidi.    Mill-bqija hemm merfugħa għalija l-kuruna tal-ġustizzja, li biha f'dak il-Jum iħallasni l-Mulej, l-Imħallef ġust, u mhux lili biss, imma wkoll lil dawk kollha li jkunu għexu fl-imħabba tad-Dehra tiegħu. Fl-ewwel difiża tiegħi ħadd ma kien miegħi; kulħadd ħallieni. Jalla ma jkunx magħdud kontrihom!  Imma l-Mulej waqaf miegħi u tani  l-qawwa biex bis-saħħa tiegħi l-kelma tixxandar  sal-aħħar u l-ġnus kollha jisimgħuha.  Hekk jien sfajt meħlus minn ħalq l-iljun. Il-Mulej jeħlisni minn kull deni u jħarisni, sa ma nasal   fis-saltan tiegħu fis-sema. Glorja lilu għal dejjem ta' dejjem Ammen. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel     -  LuKe 18:9-14

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own Righteousness and despised everyone else. "Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.  The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this  prayer to himself,  'O God, I thank you that I am  not like the rest of humanity --greedy, dishonest,  adulterous -- or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my  whole income.’But the tax collector stood off at  a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.' I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." The Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju -  Luqa 18, 9-14

F'dak iż-żmien, kien hemm uħud li kienu jafdaw fihom infushom li huma ġusti u  kienu jmaqdru lill-oħrajn. Ġesu' qalilhom din il-parabbola: "Żewġt irġiel, wieħed fariżew u l-ieħor pubblikan, telgħu fit-tempju biex jitolbu.  Il-fariżew, wieqaf, talab hekk f'qalbu:  "O Alla, niżżik ħajr li m'iniex bħall-bqija tal-bnedmin, ħalliela, inġusti, żienja, jew ukoll bħal dan il-pubblikan.   Jiena nsum darbtejn  fil-ġimgħa u nħallas l-għexur ta' kulma ndaħħal."Iżda l-pubblikan, bilwieqfa fil-bogħod anqas biss ried jerfa' għajnejh lejn is-sema, imma beda jħabbat fuq  sidru u jgħid:  "O Alla ħenn għalija, għax jien midneb!" Ngħidilkom jen li dan, u  mhux l-ieħor,  niżel id-dar iġġustifikat.  Għax kull min jitkabbar, jiċċekken,u min jiċċekken, jitkabbar. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY

The Pharisee and the Publican – I thank you Lord because I am an atheist!

Gospel Commentary by Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap

This Sunday's Gospel is the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. Those who attend Mass this Sunday will hear a commentary more or less of this type:  The Pharisee represents the conservative who feels himself in line with God and man, and looks with contempt on his neighbor. The publican is the person who has committed an error, but he recognizes it and humbly asks God for forgiveness. The latter doesn't think of saving himself on his own merits, but rather through the mercy of God. The preference of Jesus between these two is clear, as the last line of the parable indicates: The latter returns to his house justified, that is, forgiven and reconciled with God; the Pharisee returns home just as he left it -- preserving his sense of righteousness, but losing God's.

Hearing this commentary, and repeating it here, leaves me dissatisfied. It's not because it is mistaken, but it doesn't respond to our modern times. Jesus told these parables to those who were listening to him in the moment. In a culture charged with faith and religious practice like that of Galilee and Judea of his time, hypocrisy consisted in flaunting the observance of the law and of holiness, because these were the things that brought applause.

In our secularized and permissive culture, values have changed. What is admired and opens the path to success is the contrary of that other time: It is the rejection of traditional moral norms, independence, the liberty of the individual. For the Pharisees the key word was "observance" of the norms; for many, today, the key word is "transgression." To say that an author, a book or a show is a "transgressor" is to give it one of the most desired compliments of today.

In other words, today we should turn the terms around to get at the original intention. The publicans of yesterday are the new Pharisees of today! Today the publican, the transgressor, says to God: "I thank you Lord, because I am not one of those believing Pharisees, hypocritical and intolerant, that worry about fasting, but in real life are worse than we are." Paradoxically, it seems as if there are those who pray like this: "I thank you, Lord, because I'm an atheist!"

Rochefoucauld said that hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue. Today it is frequently the tribute that virtue pays to vice. This is shown, in fact, especially among youth, who show themselves worse and more shameless than they are, so as not to appear less than others.

A practical conclusion, valid as much in the traditional interpretation alluded to at the beginning, as in the development given here, is this one: Very few -- perhaps no one -- are always in the role of the Pharisee or always in the role of the publican, that is, righteous in everything or sinners in everything. Most of us have a little of both in us. The worst thing would be to act like the publican in our daily lives and like the Pharisee in church. The publicans were sinners, men without scruple, who put money and business above everything else. The Pharisees, on the contrary, were, very austere and attentive to the law in their daily lives. We thus seem like the publican in daily life and the Pharisee in the temple, if, like the publican we are sinners, and like the Pharisee, we believe ourselves just.

If we must resign ourselves to being a little of both, then let us be the opposite of what we have just described: Pharisees in daily life and publicans in church! Like the Pharisee, we must try in daily life to not be thieves and unjust, but to follow God's commandments and pay our dues; like the publican, when we are before God, we must recognize that the little that we have done is entirely God's own gift, and let us implore, for ourselves and for all, God's mercy.

* * *  © Innovative Media Inc. 

Why do we need to pray always?

Readings for Sunday, October 20

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

Id-29 Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin C pp 421

Reading 1                                             EXodus 17:8-13

In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel. Moses, therefore, said to Joshua, "Pick out certain men, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."  So Joshua did as Moses told him: he engaged Amalek in battle after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur. As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight. Moses’ hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on.  Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, so that his hands remained steady till sunset. And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni - -Eżodu  17, 8-13

F'dak iż-żmien, il-poplu ta' Għamalek qam u tqabad ma' Iżrael f'Rafidim. Mose' qal lil Ġożwe':   "Agħżel irġiel u mur tqabad ma'  Għamalek;  jien noqgħod  wieqaf fuq il-quċċata tal-għolja,  bil-ħatar ta' Alla f'idi."    Ġożwe' għamel kif qallu Mose', u  mar jitqabad mal-Għamalekin.   Mose' Aron u Ħur telgħu fuq il-quċċata tal-għolja. Kull meta Mose' kien jerfa' jdejh, Iżrael kien jirbaħ; u kull meta kien iniżżel idejh, kienu jirbħu l-Għamalekin. Meta idejn Mose' bdew jitqalu ħadu ġebla u  qegħduhielu taħtu; u hu qagħad bilqiegħda, waqt li  Aron u Ħur żammewlu dirgħajh, wieħed kull naħa. Hekk idejh baqgħu sodi merfugħa sa nżul ix-xemx. U Ġożwe' qered lil Għamalek u l-poplu tiegħu b'xifer ix-xabla.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm     PSalm 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

  R. (cf. 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.                                           R/

May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.                                                         R/

The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.                                                       R/

The LORD will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The LORD will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.                                                        R/

Salm Responsorjali                    -  Salm 120 (121)

                        R/                   L-għajnuna tiegħi mingħand il-Mulej

Nerfa' għajnejja lejn l-għoljiet;

mnejn se tiġini l-għajnuna?

L-għajnuna tiegħi mingħand il-Mulej,

li għamel is-sema u l-art.                                                    R/

Ma jħalli qatt li riġlek jogħtor;

ma jongħosx dak li jħarsek.

ara,  la jongħos u lanqas jorqod

dak li jħares lil Iżrael.                                                           R/

Il-Mulej hu dak li jħaresk;

il-Mulej hu d-dell tiegħek fuq lemintek.

Ma tolqtokx ix-xemx binhar,

anqas il-qamar billejl.                                                          R/

Iħaresek il-Mulej minn kull deni;

hu jħarislek ħajtek.

Il-Mulej iħarsek fil-ħruġ u d-dħul tiegħek,

minn issa u għal dejjem.                                                     R/

Reading 2                     -      2 TiMothy 3:14-4:2

Beloved:  Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,  because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.  I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,  and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word;  be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;  convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni - Tieni Ittra lil Timotju 3, 16; 4,1-2

Għażiż, ibqa' miexi f'dak li tgħallimt  u emmint bis-sħiħ, għax taf mingħand min tagħallimtu, u għax sa minn żgħoritek sirt midħla tal-Kotba Mqaddsa,  li jistgħu jagħtuk l-għerf li jwassal għas-salvazzjoni  permezz  tal-fidi fi Kristu Ġesu'. L-Iskrittura kollha hija mnebbħa minn Alla, u tiswa biex wieħed jgħallem, iċafnar, iwiddeb u  jrawwem fis-sewwa, biex hekk il-bniedem ta' Alla  jkun perfett, imħejji għal kull ħidma tajba. Nitolbok bil-ħerqa, quddiem Alla u Kristu Ġesu', li għandu jagħmel ħaqq mill-ħajjin u mill-mejtin, f'isem id-Dehra tiegħu u s-Saltna tiegħu:  xandar il-kelma, insisti f'waqtu u barra minn waqtu, ċanfar, widdeb, wissi, bis-sabar kollu u bit-tagħlim.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                             -         LuKe 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming  weary.  He said, "There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being.  And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'  For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, 'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,  because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'"  The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.  Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?  Will he be slow to answer them?  I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.  But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" This is the Word of The Lord.

 L-Evanġelju -  Luqa  18,1-8

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal parabbola lid-dixxipli tiegħu biex jurihom li għandhom dejjem jitolb bla ma jaqtgħu.  Qalilhom:  "Kien hemm f'belt wieħed imħallef, li la kien jibża' minn Alla u lanqas iħabbel  rasu minn ħadd.F'dik il-belt kien hemm waħda armla, u kienet tmur għandu u tgħidlu:  "Agħmilli ħaqq kontra l-għadu tiegħi." Hu ma riedx, u dam ħafna hekk; iżda mbagħad  bejnu u bejn ruħu qal: "Mhux għax nibza' minn  Alla jew għax se nħabbel rasi min-nies imma għallinqas  għax din l-armla dejqitni; ħa nagħmlilha  ħaqq, biex ma tibqax tiġi u sejra sa ma tifnini." U l-Mulej qal:  "Isimgħu ftit x'jgħid l-imħallef ħażin. Imbagħad Alla, lill-magħżulin tiegħu li jgħajtulu  lejl u nhar, sejjer ma jagħmlilhomx ħaqq?   Se joqgħod  itawwal magħhom?  Jiena ngħidilkom li malajr  jagħmlilhom ħaqq.  Imma taħsbu intom li Bin  il-bniedem se jsib il-fidi fuq l-art meta jiġi?  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY

               

                    

Christ's Parable About the Need to Pray Always

A reflection by Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, the Pontifical Household preacher.

Sunday’s Gospel begins thus: “Jesus told them a parable about the need to pray always and not to lose heart.” The parable is the one about the troublesome widow. In answer to the question “How often must we pray?” Jesus answers, “Always!”

Prayer, like love, does not put up with calculation. Does a mother ask how often she should love her child, or a friend how often he should love a friend? There can be different levels of deliberateness in regard to love, but there are no more or less regular intervals in loving. It is the same way with prayer. This ideal of constant prayer is realized in different forms in the East and West. Eastern Christianity practiced it with the “Jesus Prayer”: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me!”

The West formulated the principle of constant prayer in a more flexible way so that it could also be proposed to those who do not lead a monastic life. St. Augustine teaches that the essence of prayer is desire. If the desire for God is constant, so also is prayer, but if there is no interior desire, then you can howl as much as you want -- to God you are mute.

Now, this secret desire for God, a work of memory, of need for the infinite, of nostalgia for God, can remain alive, even when one has other things to do: “Praying for a long time is not the same thing as kneeling or folding your hands for a long time. In consists rather in awakening a constant and devout impulse of the heart toward him whom we invoke.”

Jesus himself gave us the example of unceasing prayer. Of him, it is said that he prayed during the day, in the evening, early in the morning, and sometimes he passed the whole night in prayer. Prayer was the connecting thread of his whole life.   But Christ’s example tells us something else important. We are deceiving ourselves if we think that we can pray always, make prayer a kind of respiration of the soul in the midst of daily activity, if we do not set aside fixed times for prayer, when we are free from every other preoccupation. 

The same Jesus who we see praying always, is also the one who, like every other Jew of his period, stopped and turned toward the temple in Jerusalem three times a day, at dawn, in the afternoon during the temple sacrifices, and at sundown, and recited ritual prayers, among which was the “Shema Yisrael!” -- “Hear, O Israel!” On the Sabbath he also participated, with his disciples, in the worship at the synagogue; different scenes in the Gospels take place precisely in this context.

The Church -- we can say, from its first moment of life -- has also set aside a special day dedicated to worship and prayer: Sunday. We all know what, unfortunately, has happened to Sunday in our society: Sports, from being something for diversion and relaxation, have often become something that poisons Sunday ... We must do whatever we can so that this day can return to being, as God intended it in commanding festive repose, a day of serene joy that strengthens our communion with God and with each other, in the family and in society.  

We modern Christians should take our inspiration from the words that, in 305, St. Saturnius and his fellow martyrs addressed to the Roman judge who had them arrested for participating in the Sunday rite: “The Christian cannot live without the Sunday Eucharist. Do you not know that the Christian exists for the Eucharist and the Eucharist for the Christian?”

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