Readings for February 23, 2014

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 79

Is-Seba Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin A pp. 284

Reading 1    -   leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18

The LORD said to Moses,  “Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them:   Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.  “You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart.  Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen,  do not incur sin because of him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”  This is the Word of the Lord.

1 Qari  -  mill-Ktieb tal-Levitiku  19:1-2, 17-18

U l-Mulej kellem lil Mosè u qallu:     ̋Ghid lill-gemgha kollha ta' wlied Iżrael: Ghandkom tkunu qaddisin, ghax qaddis jien,  il-Mulej Alla taghkom.    ̋La tbejjitx lil huk f'qalbek, imma lil ghajrek wissih u erga' wissih, biex ma tkunx hati tieghu.   ̋La tithallasx b'idejk, u la żżommx f'qalbek ghal ulied niesek, imma hobb lil ghajrek bhalek innifsek: Jiena l-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R/ The Lord is kind and merciful.

He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R/ The Lord is kind and merciful.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R/ The Lord is kind and merciful.

As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R/ The Lord is kind and merciful.

Salm Responsorjali                                                                    (Salm 103 (102)

                        R/  Ħanin u ta’ qalb tajba l-Mulej

Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej,

Kull ma hu go fija, bierek l-isem qaddis tiegħu.

Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej,

u la tinsiex il-ġid kollu li għamel miegħek.         R/

Hu li jaħfer dnubietek kollha;

ifejjaq il-mard tiegħek kollu;

jifdi lil ħajtek mill-qabar;

iħaddnek bit-tjieba u l-ħniena;                               R/

Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej,

idum ma jagħdab u kollu mogħdrija.

Ma mexiex magħna skond ma ħaqqhom ħtijietna;

ma ħallasniex skond ma ħaqqha ħżunitna.            R/

Daqs kemm hu mbiegħed il-lvant mill-punent,

hekk hu jbiegħed minna ħtijietna.

 Bħalma jħenn il-missier għal uliedu,

hekk iħenn il-Mulej għal min għandu l-biża' tiegħu.     R/

reading 2    -    1 corinthians 3:16-23

Brothers and sisters:  Do you not know that you are the temple of God,  and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy. Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: God catches the wise in their own ruses,  and again: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you,  Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death,  or the present or the future:   all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.  This is the Word of The Lord.

2 QARI - 1Korintin: 3:16-23

Ma tafux li intom tempju ta' Alla, u li l-Ispirtu ta' Alla jgħammar fikom? Jekk xi ħadd jeqred it-tempju ta' Alla, Alla jeqred lilu. Għax qaddis hu t-tempju ta' Alla, li huwa intom. Ħadd ma għandu jitqarraq! Jekk xi ħadd fostkom jaħseb li hu għaref f'din id-dinja, ħa jiblieh, biex isir għaref. Għax l-għerf ta' din id-dinja hu bluha quddiem Alla. Għax hemm miktub: u terġa': Għalhekk ħadd ma għandu jiftaħar bil-bnedmin; għax kollox hu tagħkom, sew jekk Pawlu, sew jekk Apollo, sew jekk Kefa, sew jekk id-dinja, sew jekk     il-ħajja, sew jekk il-mewt sew jekk iż-żmien ta' issa, sew jekk li ġej; kollox hu tagħkom, u intom ta' Kristu, u Kristu ta' Alla. Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel   -   matthew 5:38-48

Jesus said to his disciples:  “You have heard that it was said,  An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.  When someone strikes you on your right cheek,  turn the other one as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well.  Should anyone press you into service for one mile,  go for two miles.   Give to the one who asks of you,  and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.  “You have heard that it was said,  You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies  and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your heavenly Father,  for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,  and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?  Do not the tax collectors do the same?   And if you greet your brothers only,  what is unusual about that?  Do not the pagans do the same?  So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  This is the Word of The Lord.

VANGELJU – Mattew 5 : 38-48

F’dak iz-zmien Gesu qal lid-dixxipli tieghu :  "Smajtu x'intqal, 'Għajn b'għajn u sinna b'sinna'. Imma jiena ngħidilkom biex bniedem ħażin ma tiqfulux; anzi jekk xi ħadd jagħtik daqqa ta' ħarta fuq ħaddek tal-lemin, dawwarlu l-ieħor ukoll; u lil min ikun irid itellgħek il-qorti u jeħodlok il-libsa, ħallilu wkoll il-mantar. U jekk xi ħadd iġagħlek timxi miegħu mil wieħed, mur miegħu tnejn. Agħti lil min jitolbok u ddawwarx spallejk lil min ikun irid jissellef mingħandek.  "Smajtu x'intqal, 'Ħobb lil għajrek, u obgħod lill-għadu tiegħek.' Imma jiena ngħidilkom: Ħobbu lill-għedewwa tagħkom, u itolbu għal dawk li jippersegwitawkom, biex tkunu wlied Missierkom li hu fis-smewwiet; għax hu jtalla' x-xemx tiegħu sew fuq il-ħżiena u sew fuq it-tajbin, u jniżżel ix-xita sew fuq min hu tajjeb u sew fuq min m'huwiex. Għax jekk intom tħobbu lil min iħobbkom, xi ħlas jistħoqqilkom? M'hux il-pubblikani wkoll jagħmluh dan? U jekk issellmu lil ħutkom biss, xi tkunu tagħmlu żejjed? M'hux il-pagani wkoll jagħmluh dan? Kunu mela perfetti, bħalma hu perfett Missierkom li hu fis-smewwiet."   Kelma tal-Mulej.

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by Larry Broding /  Catholic Lectionary resources 

How hard is it to respect people that you detest?   Let’s face it. We don’t like everyone we meet and many people don’t like us. It’s the way of the world. But, as Christians, we are called to a higher code of conduct. While we have hurt or broken relationships, even people have to “love” from a distance, how we treat them speaks volumes about our faith and our character. The trick for these distant people is to keep the door of reconciliation open. Maybe, someday, there will be forgiveness and healing. If we cannot give these people friendship, at least we can pray for them. If we must keep our distance for our own mental health, at least we can hope for a change of heart. 

Be perfect as your Father is heaven is perfect. This verse is the capstone for Jesus’ teaching on the Law. Remember from last week’s study on the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) that the term “Law” or “Torah” means more than legal precepts; it can also mean divine instruction or divine revelation. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus stated he came to fulfill the Torah; he was the example of moral living and the interpreter of the Law for his followers. He is the Divine Instructor and the Divine Revelation. He has taught us and shown us who God really is.

We are to teach and treat others the way Jesus does. We are to care for others the way God cares for us (both the good and the evil, the righteous and the unjust) all the time (for the sun shines and the rain pours on both), even to the point of loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. This is a tall order, but at least we can try. For, as Christians, we are Christ for others. We teach others the way to live by our words and actions; in doing so, we reveal God. In other words, being “perfect” really means being Torah for others, showing others how God is faithful and how he has a loving concern for the world.

How can you show others Christ? How can your words and deeds increase love in your world?