Satan Exists, and Christ Defeated Him

Readings for March 30, 2014

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Ir-Raba' Ħadd tar-Randan

Messalin A pp 150 

Reading 1                1 samuel  16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a

The LORD said to Samuel: “Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,  for I have chosen my king from among his sons.”  As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before him.” But the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature,   because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance  but the LORD looks into the heart.” In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel,  but Samuel said to Jesse,  “The LORD has not chosen any one of these.” Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him;  we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.”  Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth  handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The LORD said, “There—anoint him, for this is the one!” Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed David in the presence of his brothers;  and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni  -    mill-Ewwel Ktieb ta' Samwel 16, 1b, 6-7,10-13a

F'dak iż-żmien,  il-Mulej qal lil Samwel:  Imla l-qarn biż-żejt u itlaq.   Jien se nibagħtek għand Ġesse l-Betlemita, għaliex minn fost uliedu  jien għażilt għalija sultan." Ġara li malli wasal, Samwel ra lil Elijab u qal:  "Hawn quddiem il-Mulej il-midluk tiegħu?  U l-Mulej qal lil Samwel: "Tħarisx lejn is-sura tiegħu, jew it-tul ta' persuntu,għax jiena diġa warrabtu.  Għax il-Mulej ma jarax bħalma jara l-bniedem, dak biss li jidher fl-għajn, imma l-qalb." Ġesse ressq quddiem Samwel sebgħa minn uliedu; imma Samwel qallu:  "Il-Mulej ma ħatar lil ħadd minnn dawn."U ssokta jgħidulu:  "Dawn huma  t-tfal kollha?"  Ġesse wieġbu:  "Għad fadal iż-żgħir, qiegħed jirgħa n-nagħaġ."U Samwel qal lil Ġesse:  "Ibgħat għalih u ġibu, għax ma noqogħdux fuq  il-mejda qabel ma jiġi hawn."  U bagħat għalih u ġiebu. Kien żgħażugħ ruxxan, għajnejh ħelwin, u sabiħ fis-ura tiegħu. U l-Mulej qal lil Samwel: "Qum u idilku, għax dan hu."  Samwel ħa f'idejh il-qarn biż-żejt, u dilku quddiem ħutu. Minn dak inhar 'il quddiem niżel fuq David u ħakmu l-ispirtu tal-Mulej.                Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

Responsorial Psalm    -    psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R/ (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.                                                    R/

He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courag.                                                     R/

You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.                                                          R/

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.                                                           R/.

Salm Responsorjali                       -  Salm  22(23)

R/  Il-Mulej hu r-ragħaj tiegħi, xejn ma jonqosni.

Il-Mulej hu r-ragħaj tiegħi,

xejn ma jonqosni,

f'mergħat kollha ħdura jqegħedni.

Ħdejn l-ilma, fejn nistrieħ, jeħodni;

hemm hu jrejjajqni.                                       R/

Imexxini fit-triq tas-sewwa

minħabba l-isem tiegħu.

Imqar jekk  nimxi f'wied mudlam,

ma nibżax  mill-ħsara, għax inti miegħi.

Il-ħatar tiegħek u l-għasluġ tiegħek,

huma jwennsuni.                                            R/

Inti tħejji mejda għalija

quddiem l-għedewwa tiegħi.

Biż-żejt tidlikli rasi,

u l-kalċi tiegħi tfawwarli.                             R/

Miegħi, iva, jimxu t-tjieba u l-ħniena

il-jiem kollha ta' ħajti.

U ngħammar f'dar il-Mulej

Sakemm indum ħaj.                                       R/

reading 2                            ephesians 5:8-14

Brothers and sisters: You were once darkness,  but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light,  for light produces every kind of goodness  and righteousness and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness;  rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention  the things done by them in secret;  but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,  for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says:  “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”   This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni  -   mill-Ittra lill-Efesin 5, 8-14

Ħuti, intom kontu darba dlam, imma issa intom dawl  fil-Mulej,għixu ta' wlied id-dawl li intom; frott id-dawl jinsab f'kull ma hu  tjieba, f'kull ma hu ġustizzja, 'kull ma hu verita'.Fittxu li tagħrfu dak li jogħġob lill-Mulej,  u tissieħbux fl-għemejjel tad-dlam bla frott, imma  ikxfuhum bil-beraħ.  Għax dak li qegħdin jagħmlu  huma fil-moħbi, tistħi mqar jekk issemmih:  imma  meta wieħed joħroġhom fil-beraħ, id-dawl juri kollox,  għax kull ma jidher hu dawl;  għalhekk jingħad:   "Stenbaħ  int, li int rieqed, u qum mill-imwiet,  ħa jiddi fuqek Kristu."    Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                  john 9:1-41

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,  that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned;  it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him,  “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” —which means Sent—. So he went and washed, and came back able to see.   His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,  “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is, “  but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”  He said, “I am.”  So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”  He replied,  “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes  and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’  So I went there and washed and was able to see.”  And they said to him, “Where is he?”  He said, “I don’t know.”   They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.  Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.  So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.  He said to them,  “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”   So some of the Pharisees said,  “This man is not from God,   because he does not keep the sabbath.”   But others said,   “How can a sinful man do such signs?”   And there was a division among them.   So they said to the blind man again,   “What do you have to say about him,  since he opened your eyes?”   He said, “He is a prophet.”   Now the Jews did not believe   that he had been blind and gained his sight  until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight.  They asked them,  “Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How does he now see?”  His parents answered and said,  “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.  We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes.  Ask him, he is of age;  he can speak for himself.”  His parents said this because they were afraid  of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed   that if anyone    acknowledged him as the Christ,  he would be expelled from the synagogue. For this reason his parents said,  “He is of age; question him.”  So a second time they called the man who had been blind   and said to him, “Give God the praise!  We know that this man is a sinner.”  He replied,  “If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.”  So they said to him,  “What did he do to you?  How did he open your eyes?”  He answered them,  “I told you already and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you want to become his disciples, too?”  They ridiculed him and said,   “You are that man’s disciple;  we are disciples of Moses!  We know that God spoke to Moses,   but we do not know where this one is from.”  The man answered and said to them,  “This is what is so amazing,   that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners,  but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.  It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a  erson born blind.   If this man were not from God,   he would not be able to do anything.”   They answered and said to him,  “You were born totally in sin,  and are you trying to teach us?”  Then they threw him out.  When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,  he found him and said, ADo you believe in the Son of Man?”  He answered and said,   “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”  Jesus said to him,  “You have seen him,  the one speaking with you is he.”  He said,  “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.  Then Jesus said,  “I came into this world for judgment,  so that those who do not see might see,  and those who do see might become blind.”  Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this   and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?”   Jesus said to them,  “If you were blind, you would have no sin;   but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.     This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju    -  Qari skond San Ġwann 9, 1-41

F'dak iż-żmien, kif kien għaddej, Ġesu'  lemaħ raġel   agħma minn twelidu, u d-dixxipli tiegħu   staqsewh:  "Rabbi, dan twieled agħma għax dineb hu stess, jew  għax dinbu l-ġenituri tiegħu?"  Ġesu' wieġeb: "Mhux  għax dineb hu jew il-ġenituri tiegħu, imma ġralu hekk  biex l-għemil ta' Alla jidher fih.  Sakemm għadu bi nhar,  jeħtiġilna nagħmlu x-xogħol ta' dak li bagħatni, għax jasal il-lejl meta ħadd ma jkun jista' jaħdem.  Sakemm  għadni fid-dinja, jien hu d-dawl tad-dinja. Kif qal dan,  beżaq fl-art, għamel minnu qisu tajn, u dilek bih għajnejn   ir-raġel agħma  u qallu:  "Mur inħasel fil-menqgħa ta' Silwan."  Din tfisser "il-Mibgħut".  Mela dak mar, inħasel u ġie jara.  Il-ġirien u dawk li s-soltu kienu jarawh, għax hu kien tallab, qalu:"Dan m'huwiex dak li kien joqgħod bilqiegħda jittallab?"  Xi wħud qalu:"Iva, hu."  Oħrajn qalu:  "Le, imma jixbħu."    Iżda hu qalilhom: "Jien hu."Qalulu:  "Mela kif infetħulek  għajnejk?"  Weġibhom:  "Wieħed raġel,jgħidulu Ġesu',  għamel ftit tajn, dilikli għajnejja bih, u qalli:  "Mur  fis-Silwan u nħasel hemm."   Mort, inħsilt, u ġejt nara."  Qalulu: "Fejn  huwa dan ir-raġel?"  Qalilhom: "Ma nafx."  Lil dan il-bniedem li fl-imgħoddi kien agħma ħaduh għand il-Fariżej.  Issa dak in-nhar li Ġesu' għamel it-tajn u fetaħ għajnejn l-agħma nzerta  kien is-Sibt.  Il-Fariżej ukoll staqsew mill-ġdid lill-agħma kif sar jara.  U hu qalilhom:  "Qegħedli ftit tajn fuq għajnejja, mort ninħasel, u  issa qiegħed jara."   Xi wħud mill-Fariżej qalu:  "Dan il-bniedem m'huwiex ġej mingħand  Alla, għax ma jħarisx is-Sibt."  Iżda oħrajn qalu:  "Kif jista' wieħed  midneb  jagħmel sinjali bħal dawn?"   U ma qablux bejniethom.  U reġgħu qalu lill-agħma: "Inti x'jidhirlek minnu, issa li fetaħlek għajnejk?"   Qalilhom: "Dak profeta." Il-Lhud ma ridux jemmnu li hu kien agħma u ħa d-dawl qabel ma   bagħtu għall-ġenituri  ta' dak li sar jara, u staqsewhom:  "Dan, li  intom qegħdin tgħidu li twiled agħma, dan binkom?  Mela issa kif ġie jara?"  Il-ġenituri tiegħu wieġbu u qalulhom: "Nafu li dan  hu t-tifel tagħna u li twieled  agħma, imma kif issa ġie jara, dan ma nafuħx, u anqas ma nafu min fetaħlu għajnejh.  Staqslu lilu: żmien  għandu, ħa jitkellem hu għalih innifsu."  Il-ġenituri tiegħu wieġb hekk  għaliex beżgħu  mil-Lhud, għax il-Lhud kienu ġa ftiehmu bejniethom  li jekk xi ħadd jistqarr li Ġesu' hu l-Messija, isib ruħu barra mis-sinagoga.   Kien għalhekk li l-ġenituri wieġbu:  "Zmien għandu, staqsu lilu."  Għal darb'oħra reġgħu bagħtu għal dak li kien agħma u qalulu: "Agħti   glorja lil Alla!  Aħna nafu li dan il-bniedem huwa midneb."   Dak  weġibhom:  "Jekk hux midneb ma nafx.  Ħaġa waħda naf:  li jien kont agħma u issa qiegħed nara."Qalulu: "Imma hu x'għamillek?  Kif fetaħhomlok għajnejk?"  U hu weġibhom:"Ġa għedtilkom u ma  smajtux"  Xi tridu tisimgħu iżjed?  Jaqaw tridu intom ukoll issiru  dixxipli tiegħu?"   U qabdu jgħajruh u qalulu:  "Dak int dixxiplu tiegħu!  Aħna ta' Mose'  dixxipli!  Aħna nafu li lil Mose' kellmu Alla, imma dan ma nafux minn fejn hu!"  Weġibhom ir-raġel u qalilhom:  "Sewwa"  Hawn qiegħed l-għaġeb,  li intom  ma tafux  minn fejn inqala', u madankollu lili fetaħli għajnejja!  Aħna  nafu  li Alla  mhux se jisma' lill-midinbin;  iżda mbagħad jekk wieħed ikun iqim lil Alla  u jagħmel ir-riedu tiegħu, lil dan jisimgħu.  Qatt fid-dinja ma nstema'  li xi ħadd fetaħ għajnejn wieħed agħma mit-twelid.  Li kieku dan ma kienx ġej  mingħand Alla, xejn ma  kien ikollu ħila jagħmel."   Imbagħad qabżu u qalulu:  "Int se tgħallem lilna, int li twelidt dnubiet waħdek."  U keċċewh 'il barra.  Ġesu' sema' li keċċewħ 'il barra; sabu u qallu:  "Temmen int f'Bin il-bniedem?"  Dak  wieġeb u qallu:  "Min hu, Mulej, biex nemmen fih?"  Qallu Ġesu'  "Mhux biss rajtu, imma  huwa dak stess li qiegħed ikellmek."   Qallu:  "Nemmen, Mulej!"  U nxteħet għarkobbtejh quddiemu.  Imbagħad Ġesu' qal:  "Jien ġejt fid-dinja biex nagħmel ħaqq, biex min ma jarax isir jara, u min jara  jagħma."   Xi wħud mill-Fariżej li kienu hemm madwaru semgħuh jgħid dan u staqsewh:  "Aħna wkoll għomja?"  Weġibhom Ġesu':  "Li kieku kontu għomja, ma kontux tkunu ħatja ta' dnub.  Imma issa qegħdin tgħidu:  "Aħna naraw."  mela d-dnub tagħkom għadu fuqkom."   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY……

Satan Exists, and Christ Defeated Him

By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap

Demons, Satanism and other related phenomena are quite topical today, and they disturb a great part of our society.  Our technological and industrialized world is filled with magicians, wizards, occultism, spiritualism, fortune tellers, spell trafficking, amulets, as well as very real Satanic sects. Chased away from the door, the devil has come in through the window. Chased away by the faith, he has returned by way of superstition.

The episode of Jesus' temptations in the desert that is read on the First Sunday of Lent helps us to have some clarity on this subject. First of all, do demons exist? That is, does the word "demon" truly indicate some personal being with intelligence and will, or is it simply a symbol, a manner of speaking that refers to the sum of the world's moral evil, the collective unconscious, collective alienation, etc.?

Many intellectuals do not believe in demons in the first sense. But it must be noted that many great writers, such as Goethe and Dostoyevsky, took Satan's existence very seriously. Baudelaire, who was certainly no angel, said that "the demon's greatest trick is to make people believe that he does not exist."

The principal proof of the existence of demons in the Gospels is not the numerous healings of possessed people, since ancient beliefs about the origins of certain maladies may have had some influence on the interpretation of these happenings. The proof is Jesus' temptation by the demon in the desert. The many saints who in their lives battled against the prince of darkness are also proof. They are not like "Don Quixote," tilting at windmills. On the contrary, they were very down-to-earth, psychologically healthy people.

If many people find belief in demons absurd, it is because they take their beliefs from books, they pass their lives in libraries and at desks; but demons are not interested in books, they are interested in persons, especially, and precisely, saints.

How could a person know anything about Satan if he has never encountered the reality of Satan, but only the idea of Satan in cultural, religious and ethnological traditions? They treat this question with great certainty and a feeling of superiority, doing away with it all as so much "medieval obscurantism."

But it is a false certainty. It is like someone who brags about not being afraid of lions and proves this by pointing out that he has seen many paintings and pictures of lions and was never frightened by them. On the other hand, it is entirely normal and consistent for those who do not believe in God to not believe in the devil. It would be quite tragic for someone who did not believe in God to believe in the devil!

Yet the most important thing that the Christian faith has to tell us is not that demons exist, but that Christ has defeated them. For Christians, Christ and demons are not two equal, but rather contrary principles, as certain dualistic religions believe to be the case with good and evil. Jesus is the only Lord; Satan is only a creature "gone bad." If power over men is given to Satan, it is because men have the possibility of freely choosing sides and also to keep them from being too proud (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:7), believing themselves to be self-sufficient and without need of any redeemer. "Old Satan is crazy," goes an African-American spiritual. "He shot me to destroy my soul, but missed and destroyed my sin instead."

With Christ we have nothing to fear. Nothing and no one can do us ill, unless we ourselves allow it. Satan, said an ancient Father of the Church, after Christ's coming, is like a dog chained up in the barnyard: He can bark and lunge as much as he wants, but if we don't go near him, he cannot harm us.

In the desert Jesus freed himself from Satan to free us! This is the joyous news with which we begin our Lenten journey toward Easter.

[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]

Finding Eternity

Readings for March 23, 2014

Third Sunday of Lent Year A

It-Tielet  Ħadd tar-Randan  -  Sena ‘ A’ 

Messalin A pp 143

……………………………………………………..

Reading 1                            exodus 17:3-7

In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?” So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? a little more and they will stone me!” The LORD answered Moses, “Go over there in front of the people,  along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it  for the people to drink.” This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.The place was called Massah and Meribah,  because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD in our midst or not?”  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni  -  mill-Ktieb ta' l-Eżodu 17, 3-7

F'dak iż-żmien, il-poplu qabdu l-għatx, u gemgem kontra Mose' u qal: "Għalfejn tellajtna hawn mill-Eġittu biex toatol lilna, lil uliedna u lill-bhejjem tagħna bil-għatx?" Mose' għajjat quddiem il-Mulej u qal: "X'se nagħmel lil dan il-poplu?  Ftit ieħor u jħaġġruni." Il-Mulej qal lil Mose':  "Għadd minn quddiem il-poplu, u hu miegħek xi wħud mix-xjuħ ta' Iżrael.  Ħu miegħek il-ħatar li bih kont drabt ix-xmar tan-Nil, u mur. Arani, jien noqgħod hemm quddiemek, fuq il-blat f'Ħoreb; u int aħbat il-blat u toħroġ minnu ilma, u jixrob il-poplu."  U Mose' għamel hekk  quddiem ix-xjuħ ta' Iżrael. U l-post semmewh Massa u Meriba, għax hekk tlewmu   wlied Iżrael u ġarrbu lill-Mulej meta qalu: "Il-Mulej fostna jew le?"  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm      psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

     R/ (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.                                                           R/

Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.         R/

Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”                           R/

Salm Responsorjali                                                    Salm 94(95)

                R/  Illum jekk tisimgħu leħen il-Mulej, la twebbsux qalbkom

Ejjew, ħa nfaħħru bl-hena lill-Mulej,

ħa ngħajtu bil-ferħ lill-blata tas-salvazzjoni tagħna!

Ersqu quddiemu b'għana ta' radd il-ħajr,

ngħannulu b'għajat ta' ferħ.                                                                       R/

Ejjejw inqimuh u ninxteħtu quddiemu,

għarkobbtejna quddiem il-Mulej li ħalaqna!

Għaliex hu Alla tagħna,

u aħna l-poplu tal-mergħa tiegħu u n-nagħaġ tiegħu.                   R/

Mhux li kontu llum tisimgħu leħnu!

"La twebbsux qalbkom bħal f'Meriba

bħal dakinhar f'Massa, fid-deżert,

meta ġarrbuni u ttantawni missirijietkom;

għalkemm raw dak li jien għamilt.                                                         R/

reading 2                            romans 5:1-2, 5-8

Brothers and sisters:  Since we have been justified by faith,  we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom we have gained access by faith  to this grace in which we  stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.  And hope does not disappoint,  because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts  through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless,  died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,  though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.  This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni                    mill-Ittra ta' San Pawl lir-Rumani 5, 1-2. 5-8

Ħuti, issa li aħna ġġustifikati fil-fidi, għandna s-sliem ma'  Alla permezz ta' Sidna Ġesu' Kristu;  permezz tiegħu għandna d-dħul bil-fidi għal din il-grazzja li fiha qegħdin. Aħna niftaħru bit-tama li għand li għad niksbu l-glorja ta' Alla. U dinit-tama ma tqarraqx bina, għax  l-imħabba ta' Alla ssawbet  fi qlubna permezz ta' l-Ispirtu s-Santu li kien mogħti lilna. Mela, meta aħna konna bla saħħa, Kristu,meta wasal iż-żmien, miet għall-ħżiena.  Bilkemm wieħed imut għal wieħed tajjeb,  għad li wieħed għandu mnejn jagħmel il-qalb u jmut għal wieħed  ġeneruż.    Iżda Alla wriena l-imħabba tiegħu meta Kristu miet  għalina,  aħna li konna għadna midinbin.    Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                              john 4:5-42

Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,  near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.  It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her,  “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him,  “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”  —For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.— Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God  and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘ you would have asked him  and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him,  “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;  where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob,  who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself  with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her,  “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;  but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;  the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty  or have to keep coming here to draw water.”  Jesus said to her,  “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her,  “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands,  and the one you have now is not  your husband.  What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.  Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;  but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”  Jesus said to her,  “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming  when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.  You people worship what you do not understand;   we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews.  But the hour is coming, and is now here,   when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;   and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.”  The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one   called the Christ;  when he comes, he will tell us everything.”  Jesus said to her,  “I am he, the one speaking with you.”  At that moment his disciples returned,   and were amazed that he was talking with a woman,   but still no one said, “What are you looking for?”   or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman left her water jar  and went into the town and said to the people,  “Come see a man who told me everything I have done.  Could he possibly be the Christ?” They went out of the town and came to him.  Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.”  But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”  So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me  and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.  The reaper is already receiving payment  and gathering crops for eternal life,   so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.  For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’  I sent you to reap what you have not worked for;   others have done the work,  and you are sharing the fruits of their work.”   Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him  because of the word of the woman who testified,   “He told me everything I have done.” When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them;  and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word,  and they said to the woman,  We no longer believe because of your word;   for we have heard for ourselves,  and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju  -  Qari mill-Evanġelju skond San Ġwann 6, 4,5-42

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' ġie f'belt tas-Samarija, jisimha Sikar,  qrib il-biċċa art li Ġakobb kien ta lil ibnu Ġużeppi, fejn hemm ukoll il-bir ta' Ġakobb.  Kien għall-ħabta tas-sitt siegħa, u Ġesu',  għajjien kif kien mill-mixi, qagħad bilqegħda ħdejn il-bir.    U ġiet mara mis-Samarija timli l-ilma.  Ġesu' qalilha: "Agħtini nixrob."    Id-dixxipli tiegħu kienu marru l-belt jixtru x'jieklu.   Il-mara mis-

Samarija qaltlu:  "Kif!  Inti Lhudi u titlob lili, Samaritana, biex  nagħtik tixrob?"   Qaltlu hekk għax il-Lhud ma jitħalltux mas-Samaritani. Ġesu' weġibha:  "Kieku kont taf id-don ta' Alla u min hu dak li qiegħed  jgħidlek:"Agħtini nixrob," kieku int kont titolbu, u hu kien jagħtik ilma ħaj."  Qaltlu l-mara: "Sinjur, mnejn se ġġib l-ilma ħaj jekk anqas biex timla  ma għandeku l-bir huwa fond?   Jaqaw int aqwa minn missierna Ġakobb  li tana dan il-bir, li minnu xorob hu l-wliedu u l-imrieħel tiegħu?"  Weġibha Ġesu':  "Kull min jixrob minn dan l-ilma jerġa' jagħtih l-għatx;   imma min jixrob mill-ilma li nagħtih jien qatt iżjed ma jkun bil-għatx. l-ilma li nagħtih jien isir fih għajn ta' l-ilma li jwassal sal-ħajja ta' dejjem."   Qaltlu l-mara:  "Agħtini dan l-ilma, Sijur, biex ma jaqbadnix l-għatx u   anqas ma noqgħod ġejja u sejra hawn nimla l-ilma.   Qalilha Ġesu':   "Mur sejjaħ lil żewġek u erġa' ejja hawn." Weġbitu l-mara:   "Ma għandix  żewġi."       Qalilha Ġesu':  "Sewwa għedt: 'Ma għandix  żewġi.'  Inti żżewwiġt ħames darbiet, u r-raġel li għandek  miegħek  bħalissa m'huwiex żewġek.  Sewwa weġibt!"  Qaltlu l-mara:  "Inti profeta, Sinjur, milli qiegħda nara.  Missirijietna   kienu jaduraw lil Alla fuq din il-muntanja; imma intom tgħidu li l-post fejn wieħed jadura lil Alla jinsab f'Ġerusalemm."     Qalilha Ġesu:    "Emminni, mara,  jiġi żmien meta mhux fuq din il-muntanja taduraw  lill-Missier, anqas f'Ġerusalemm.      Intom taduraw lildak li ma tafux,  aħna naduraw lil dak li nafu, għax is-salvazzjoni  gejja mill-Lhud.   Imma tiġi siegħa, anzi issa hi, meta dawk li tassew jaduraw  jibdew   jaduraw lill-Missier fl-ispirtu u l-verita'.    Għax il-Missier ukoll nies   bħal  dawn ifittex li jadurawh.   Alla huwa spirtu, u dawk li jadurawh  għandhom   jadurawh fl-ispirtu u fil-verita."      Qaltlu l-mara: " Jiena naf  li ġej il-Messija – dak li jgħidulu Kristu.  Meta jiġi hu, kollox iħabbrilna."    Qalilha Ġesu': "Jien hu, li qiegħed nitkellem miegħek." Fil-ħin ġew id-dixxipli tiegħu, u stagħġbu jarjawh jitkellem ma mara;   iżda ħadd minnhom ma staqsieħ:  "Xi trid?"  jew  "Għax  qiegħed  titkellem magħha?"Il-mara ħalliet il-ġarra hemmhekk, reġgħet daħlet  il-belt u qalet lin-nies: "Ejjew araw bniedem li qalli kullma għamilt.   Tgħid, dan il-Messija?" U n-nies ħarġu mill-belt u ġew ħdejh.  Sadattant id-dixxipli bdew jitolbuh u jgħidulu:  "Rabbi kul!"   Iżda hu  qalilhom:   "Jien għandi ikel x'niekol li intom ma tafux bih."   Id-dixxipli  għalhekk  bdew jistaqsu lil xulxin:  "Jaqaw ġid xi ħadd u ġieblu x'jiekol?"    Qalilhom Ġesu':   "L-ikel tiegħu hu li nagħmel ir-rieda ta' min bagħatni u  li nwassal fit-tmiem l-opra tiegħu.   Intom ma tgħidux li baqa' erba' xhur  oħra għall-ħsad?  Imma  araw x'ngħidilkom jien:  erfgħu għajnejkom u  ħarsu ftit kif l-għelieqi bjadu għall-ħsad!   Ġa  l-ħassad qiegħed  jieħu ħlasu  u jiġbor il-frott għall-ħajja ta' dejjem, biex min jiżra' jifraħ hu wkoll bħal  min jaħsad.   F'dan taraw kemm sewwa jingħad li wieħed jiżra' u l-ieħor jaħsad.   Jiena bgħattkom taħsdu dak li ma tħabattux għalih intom;  kienu oħrajn li tħabtu,  u intom dħaltu flokhom biex tgawdu l-frott tat-taħbit tagħhom."  "Kien hemm ħafna Samaritani minn dik il-belt li emmnu f'Ġesu' fuq ix-xhieda  li tasthom dik il-mara meta qaltilhom:   "Qalli kull ma għamilt,"  tant, li meta  s-Samaritani ġew ħdejh, bdew jitolbuh biex jibqa' magħhom, u hu qagħad hemm jumejn.  Imbagħad ħafna oħrajn emmnu minħabba kliemu,u lill-mara qalulha: "Issa mhux għax għedtilna int qegħdin nemmnu, imma għax aħna wkoll  Smajnieh, u sirna nafu li dan tassew hu s-salvatur tad-dinja."  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY -

FINDING ETERNITY     

By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap


To the Samaritan woman, and to all those who in some way find themselves in her situation, Jesus makes a radical proposal in this Sunday's Gospel: Seek another "water," give meaning and a new horizon to your life.

An eternal horizon! "The water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Eternity is a word that has fallen into disuse. It has become a type of taboo for the modern man. It is believed that this thought can distance us from the concrete historical commitment to change the world, that it is an escape, a "wasting on heaven the treasures destined for the earth," as the German philosopher Hegel said.

But what is the result? Life, human suffering, everything becomes immensely more absurd. The measure has been lost. If the balance of eternity is missing, all suffering, all sacrifice seems absurd, disproportionate, it "unbalances" us,  it crushes us. St. Paul wrote, "This momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." Compared to an eternity of glory, the weight of tribulation seems "light" to him (to him, who suffered so much in life!) precisely because it is "momentary." In fact, he adds, "What is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

The philosopher Miguel de Unamuno (who, moreover, was a "secular" thinker), responded to a friend who reproached him that his search for eternity was prideful or presumptuous with these words, "I don't say that we deserve a beyond, nor that logic demonstrates it. I say simply that we need it, deserving it or not. I say that what happens does not satisfy me, that I thirst for eternity, and without it, I don't care about all of this. Without it the joy of living no longer exists [...] It is too easy to affirm, 'It's necessary to live, it's necessary to resign oneself to this life.' And those who don't resign themselves?"

It is not the one who desires eternity who shows that he doesn't love life, but rather the one who doesn't desire it, given that he resigns himself so easily to the thought that this must end.

It would be of tremendous benefit, not only for the Church, but also for society, to rediscover the sense of eternity. It would help to re-encounter balance, to relativize things, to not fall into despair before the injustices and the suffering that exists in the world, even while fighting against them. To live less frantically.

In the life of each person there has been a moment in which he has had a certain intuition of eternity, even if hazy. One must be attentive to avoid seeking the experience of the infinite in drugs, in unrestrained sex and in other things in which, in the end, only remain disappointment and death. "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again," Jesus told the Samaritan woman. It is necessary to seek infinity in that which is above, not that which is below; above reason, not below it in irrational intoxications.

  It is clear that it is not enough to know that eternity exists; it's necessary as well to know what to do to get there. To ask oneself, as the rich young man of the Gospel, "Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Leopardi, in the poem, "The Infinite," speaks of a wall that hides the ultimate horizon. What is this wall for us, this obstacle that impedes us from gazing toward the ultimate horizon, toward the eternal? The Samaritan, that day, understood that she should change something in her life if she wanted to obtain the "eternal life," because shortly thereafter, we find her transformed into an evangelizer who tells everyone, without shame, what Jesus had told her.        [Translation of the Italian original  by ZENIT]

Fall in love with Jesus to be changed like Him

Second Sunday of Lent

Lectionary: 25

It-tieni Hadd tar-Randan 

Missalin 138

Reading 1         GeNesis 12:1-4A

The LORD said to Abram:   “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk  and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.  “I will make of you a great nation,  and I will bless you;  I will make your name great,  so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you  and curse those who curse you.  All the communities of the earth  shall find blessing in you.”  Abram went as the LORD directed him. 

Qari 1         GeNesi 12:1-4A

U l-Mulej qal lil Abram: ̋Qum u itlaq minn artek, minn art twelidek, u minn dar missierek, lejn l-art li jien nurik. U jien nagħmlek ġens kbir, nbierkek u nkabbarlek ismek, u int tkun barka.  Jien inbierek lil min ibierkek, u nisħet lil min jisħtek.  U jitbierku bik it-tribujiet kollha ta' l-art.̏ U telaq Abram kif kien qallu l-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                PSalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R/ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R/ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R/ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Salm  Responsoriali              Salm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

R/    Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna.

Għax sewwa hi l-kelma tal-Mulej,

kollox bil-fedeltà huwa għamel.

Hu jħobb id-dritt u s-sewwa;

bit-tjieba tal-Mulej mimlija l-art.     R/

Ara, għajnejn il-Mulej fuq dawk li jibżgħu minnu,

fuq dawk  li jittamaw fit-tjieba tiegħu,

 Biex jeħilsilhom mill-mewt ħajjithom,

u jaħjihom fi żmien il-ġuħ.               R/

 Ruħna tixxennaq għall-Mulej,

hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħna.

Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna,

kif fik hi t-tama tagħna.                    R/

Reading 2                    2 TIMothy 1:8B-10

Beloved:   Bear your share of hardship for the gospel  with the strength that comes from God. 
He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest
through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 

Qari 2                    2 TIMotju 1:8B-10

Aqsam miegħi t-tbatija għall-Evanġelju, u afda fil-qawwa ta' Alla, li salvana u sejjħilna b'sejħa qaddisa, mhux għax qies l-għemejjel tagħna, imma skond il-pjan tiegħu stess u skond il-grazzja tiegħu. Din il-grazzja tahielna qabel iż-żmien ta' l-eternità fi Kristu Ġesù,  imma dehret issa permezz tad-dehra tas-Salvatur tagħna Kristu Ġesù li qered il-mewt, u dawwal il-ħajja bla tmiem permezz ta' l-Evanġelju.

Gospel                 MatThew 17:1-9

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.  And he was transfigured before them;  his face shone like the sun  and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,  “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,  then from the cloud came a voice that said,  “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”  When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” And when the disciples raised their eyes,  they saw no one else but Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Vangelu                MatTew 17:1-9

 Sitt ijiem wara, Ġesù ħa miegħu lil Pietru u 'l Ġakbu u 'l ħuh Ġwanni, tellagħhom fuq muntanja għolja weħidhom, u tbiddel quddiemhom. Wiċċu sar jiddi bħax-xemx, u lbiesu sar abjad  bħad-dawl. U dehrulhom Mosè u Elija jitħaddtu miegħu.  Qabeż Pietru u qal lil Ġesù: "Mulej, kemm hu sew li aħna hawn! Jekk trid intella' hawn tliet tined, waħda għalik, waħda għal Mosè u waħda għal Elija." Kif kien għadu jitkellem, sħaba kollha dawl għattiethom u minn ġos-sħaba nstema' leħen jgħid: "Dan hu Ibni  l-għażiż, li fih sibt l-għaxqa tiegħi; isimgħu lilu." Id-dixxipli, kif semgħu dan, waqgħu wiċċhom fl-art, mimlijin biża'. Ġesù resaq lejhom, messhom u qalilhom: "Qumu. La tibżgħux."  Huma refgħu għajnejhom u ma raw lil ħadd ħlief lil Ġesù waħdu. Huma u neżlin minn fuq il-muntanja, Ġesù ordnalhom u qalilhom: "Tgħidu lil ħadd b'din id-dehra sa ma Bin il-bniedem ikun qam mill-imwiet."

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Commentary on Sunday's Gospel by Fr Raniero Cantalamessa ofm cap:

The secret to being a true Christian is to fall in love with Jesus.

Why are the faith and religious practices in decline and do not seem to constitute, at least for the majority, the point of reference in life? Why the tedium, the exhaustion, the bother in fulfilling one's duties as believers? Why are young people not attracted? Why is there, in a word, such dejection and lack of joy among believers in Christ? The occurrence of the Transfiguration helps us to answer these questions.

What did the Transfiguration mean for the three disciples who witnessed it? Until then they had known Jesus in his external appearance, a man not different from others, whose provenance, customs, tone of voice ... they knew. Now they know another Jesus, the true one, who cannot be seen with the eyes of every day, in the natural sunlight, but who is the fruit of an unexpected revelation, of a change, of a gift.

For things to change also for us, as for those three disciples on Tabor, something similar must happen in our lives to what happens to a young man or woman when they fall in love. In love, the other, who before was one of many, or perhaps an unknown, all of a sudden is the only one, the only one in the world one is interested in. Everything else recedes and becomes part of a pale background. One cannot think of anything else. There is a real transfiguration. The beloved is seen as in a luminous halo. Everything about that person seems beautiful, even the beloved's defects. One might even feel unworthy of the person loved. True love generates humility.

Specifically, true love changes to a degree even one's life habits. I have known young men whose parents couldn't get them out of bed in the morning to go to school. If a job was found for them, they soon abandoned it. Or they were careless in their studies, never getting their degree. Then, when they fell in love with someone and got engaged, they jumped out of bed in the morning. What happened? Nothing, simply that what before they did by constriction now they do by attraction. And attraction is capable of doing things that no constriction achieves; it gives wings to one's feet. "Each one," the poet Ovid said, "is attracted by the object of pleasure itself."

Something like this, he said, should happen once in a lifetime to be true Christians, of conviction, joyful. "But the young woman or man is seen, is touched!" one might object. Yet, Jesus is also seen and touched, but with other eyes and other hands: those of the heart, of faith. He is risen and is alive. He is a concrete being, not an abstraction, for those who have this experience and this knowledge.

More than that, with Jesus things go even better. In human falling in love there is artifice, attributing to the beloved talents that perhaps that person doesn't have and often in time one is obliged to change one's opinion. In Jesus' case, the more one knows him and the more one is with him, the more reasons are discovered to be proud of him and confirmed in one's choice.

This does not mean that one must be relaxed and wait for, including with Christ, the classic "love at first sight." If a boy or a girl stays shut-in in his house without seeing anyone, nothing will ever happen in his life. To fall in love one must often be with the beloved! If one is convinced, or simply begins to think that perhaps to know Jesus in this different way, transfigured, is beautiful and worthwhile, then one must begin to "be with him," to read his writings. His love letters are the Gospel: There he reveals himself, he is "transfigured." His home is the Church: It is there that he can be found.

[Italian original published by Familia Cristiana]                                                         

(Right) The dome of the Church of the Transfiguration on Mt Tabor, Israel