Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
God sets a father in honor
over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. Whoever
honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them. When he
prays, he is heard; he stores up riches
who reveres his mother. Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and,
when he prays, is heard. Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he
who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother. My son, take care of your
father when he is old; grieve him not as
long as he lives. Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not
all the days of his life; kindness to a father will not be forgotten, firmly
planted against the debt of your sins —a house raised in justice to you. This is the Word of The Lord.
1 QARI
- BIN SirAK 3:2-6, 12-14
Il-Mulej għolla l-missier fuq it-tfal, u
saħħaħ dritt l-omm fuq l-ulied. Min
jibża' minn minn
Responsorial
Psalm -
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (cf. 1) Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from
may you see the prosperity of
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
SALM RESPONSORJALI – Salm 1-2,
3, 4-5 - Għanja tat-Telgħat.
R/ Hieni kull min jibża'
mill-Mulej,
Hieni kull min jibża' mill-Mulej, kull min jimxi fit-triqat tiegħu!
Mix-xogħol ta' idejk inti tiekol; hieni int, u riżqek tajjeb!
R/
Martek tkun bħal dielja għammiela fl-irkejjen ta' darek;
uliedek bħal xitel taż- żebbuġ madwar il-mejda tiegħek. R/
Ara, kif ikun imbierek il-bniedem li jibża' mill-Mulej!
Ibierkek il-Mulej minn
Jalla tara l-ġid ta' Ġerusalemm tul ħajtek kollha! R/
Reading 2 - Colossians 3:12-21
Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and
beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one
another, if one has a grievance against
another; as the Lord has forgiven you,
so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the
peace of Christ control your hearts, the
peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the
word of Christ dwell in you richly, as
in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual
songs with gratitude in your hearts to
God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as
is proper in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. Children,
obey your parents in everything, for
this is pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged. This is
the Word of The Lord.
2 qari - kolossin 3:12-21
Intom il-magħżulin ta' Alla,
il-qaddisin u l-maħbubin tiegħu. Ilbsu mela sentimenti ta' hniena, tjieba,
umiltà, ħlewwa u sabar. Stabru b'xulxin, u, jekk xi ħadd minnkom
ikollu xi jgħid ma' ħaddieħor, aħfru lil xulxin; bħalma l-Mulej ħafer lilkom,
hekk agħmlu intom ukoll. U fuq kollox
ilbsu l-imħabba, li hi l-qofol tal-perfezzjoni.
Ħalli s-sliem ta' Kristu jsaltan fi qlubkom, dak is-sliem li għalih
kontu msejjħa biex issiru ġisem wieħed.
U ta' dan roddu ħajr lil Alla. Ħalli
l-kelma ta' Kristu tgħammar sħiħa fikom; għallmu bl-għerf kollu u widdbu lil xulxin
b'salmi u innijiet u b'għana
Gospel
- Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
When the magi had departed,
behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise,
take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt Egypt Egypt Egypt
and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel land of Israel Judea
in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And
because he had been warned in a dream, he
departed for the region of Galilee . He went
and dwelt in a town called Nazareth
VANGELU
- Mattew 2:13-15, 19-23
Meta telqu l-Magi, deher anglu tal-Mulej f’holma lil
Guzeppi u qallu: “Qum , hu mieghek lit-tifel u ‘l ommu, u ahrab lejn
l-Egittu. Ibqa’ hemm sa ma nghidlek jien, ghax Erodi se jtiffex lit-tifel biex
joqtlu.” Ġużeppi qam, ħa miegħu
lit-tifel u 'l ommu billejl u telaq lejn l-Eġittu, u baqa' hemmhekk sal-mewt
ta' Erodi, biex hekk iseħħ dak li kien qal il-Mulej permezz tal-profeta, meta
qal, 'Mil- Egttu sejjaht lill ibni’. Meta miet Erodi, deher l-anġlu tal-Mulej f'ħolma
lil Ġużeppi fl-Eġittu u qallu: "Qum , ħu
miegħek lit-tifel u 'l ommu, u erġa' lura lejn l-art ta' Iżrael, għax mietu dawk li kienu jfittxu l-ħajja
tat-tifel." Ġużeppi qam, ħa miegħu
lit-tifel u 'l ommu, u mar fl-art ta' Iżrael.
Imma billi sama' li fil-Lhudija kien qiegħed isaltan Arkelaws flok Erodi
missieru, baża' jmur hemm. Fuq twissija li kellu fil-ħolm, telaq lejn l-inħawi
tal-Galilija, u mar joqgħod f'belt
jisimha Nazaret, biex hekk iseħħ dak li kien ingħad permezz tal-profeti, ‘Ikun jissejjaħ Nazri. Kelma
tal-Mulej.
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The Word of God Makes Families Holy —
A Biblical Reflection for the Feast of the Holy
Family, Year A – by Fr. Thomas Rosica,
CSB, CEO Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation
Today’s readings for the Feast of the Holy Family
take up the tension between rights and obligations. Our Scripture texts
maintain that obligations have primacy over rights. Hence the truly
human, genuinely Christian priority is not so much what others can do for me
but rather what I can do for others. Preoccupation with self must be set aside
as we cast ourselves in the role of servant rather than served. Serving
and selflessness are at the core of authentic family life.
Ben Sira, the early second-century B.C. author of today’s
first reading from Sirach [3:2-6,12-14], offers a brief but invaluable
commentary on the fourth commandment: “Honour
your father and your mother.” The author describes the earthly rewards that
belong to those who revere their parents. Even to old and infirm parents this
respect is due; through it, the sins of children are pardoned. Failure to
render respect is blasphemy and merits a curse from God [3:16].
Life in the
In both today’s Gospel for Holy Family Sunday [Mt
2:13-15,19-23] and next Sunday’s Gospel for the Feast of the Epiphany [2:1-12],
we realize once again that far from being a children’s tale, Matthew’s Infancy
narrative of Jesus is a tragic adult story. A child is born at the same
time as a death-dealing power rules. King Herod tries to co-opt the wise
men to betray their journey, to end their commitment to future possibility and
new life. At the centre of the whole story of striking contrasts lies a
baby who is joy. Herod is afraid of this “great joy for all the people.”
Matthew [in 2:13-15,19-23] shows the family of Jesus
to be clearly rooted in fidelity to God’s Word. Joseph accepts the
command to leave Israel Nazareth Nazareth
Joseph, the righteous man
On this Sunday dedicated to families, let us reflect
on the silent witness of St. Joseph Israel
Joseph was a compassionate, caring man. When he
discovered Mary was pregnant after they had been engaged, he knew the child was
not his but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the Son of God. Joseph was
also a man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the
outcome. When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in
danger, he immediately left everything he owned, all his family and friends,
and fled to a strange country with his young wife and the baby. He waited in Egypt
Joseph’s
fatherhood - Joseph revealed in his
humanity the unique role of fathers to proclaim God’s truth by word and deed.
His paradoxical situation of “foster father to Jesus” draws attention to the
truth about fatherhood, which is more than a mere fact of biological
generation. A man is a father most when he invests himself in the spiritual and
moral formation of his children. He was keenly aware, as every father should
be, that he served as the representative of God the Father.
As Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has taught us: What is important is not to be a useless
servant, but rather a “faithful and wise servant”. The pairing of the two
adjectives is not by chance. It suggests that understanding without fidelity,
and fidelity without wisdom, are insufficient. One quality alone, without the
other, would not enable us to assume fully the responsibility which God
entrusts to us.
In Joseph, faith is not separated from action. His
faith had a decisive effect on his actions. Paradoxically, it was by acting, by
carrying out his responsibilities, that he stepped aside and left God free to
act, placing no obstacles in his way. Joseph is a “just man” [Mt 1:19] because
his existence is “adjusted” to the word of God.
Joseph, the “foster-father” of the Lord reveals that
fatherhood is more than a mere fact of biological generation. A man is a father
most when he invests himself in the spiritual and moral formation of his
children. Real fathers and real men are those who communicate paternal
strength and compassion. They are men of reason in the midst of
conflicting passions; men of conviction who always remain open to genuine
dialogue about differences; men who ask nothing of others that they wouldn’t
risk or suffer themselves. Joseph is a chaste, faithful, hardworking,
simple and just man. He reminds us that a family, a home, a community,
and a parish are not built on power and possessions but goodness; not on riches
and wealth, but on faith, fidelity, purity and mutual love.
May St. Joseph
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