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 minn
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/
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/
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/.
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
L-Evanġelju
- Qari skond San Ġwann 9, 1-41
F'dak iż-żmien, kif kien għaddej, Ġesu' lemaħ raġel agħma minn 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
/////////////////////////////////////
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]
