Readings for Sunday, April
17, 2011
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Ħadd
il-Palm u l-Passjoni tal-Mulej
Missalin A pp369
At the Procession with Palms
Matthew 21:1-11
When
Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and
came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,
Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered,
and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should
say anything to you, reply, ‘The master has need of them.’Then he will send
them at once.” This happened so that what had been spoken through the
prophet might be fulfilled:
Say to daughter Zion,
“Behold, your king comes to you,
meek and riding on an ass,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of
burden.”
The
disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the
colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large
crowd spread their cloaks on the road,
while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The
crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David;
blessed is the he who
comes in the name of the Lord;
hosanna in the highest.”
And when he entered Jerusalem
the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who
is this?” And the crowds replied,
“This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
At the Mass
Isaiah First
Reading Isaiah 50:4-7
The
Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to
the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear
that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat
me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets
and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set
my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
L-Ewwel Lezzjoni -
mill-Ktieb
tal-Profeta Isaija 50, 4-7
Sidi l-Mulej tani lsien ta' wieħed jitgħallem, biex
nagħraf ngħin lill-għajjien b'xi kelma. Ta' kull filgħodu jqajjimli lil
widinti, biex nisma' bħal wieħed jitgħallem. Sidi l-Mulej fetaħli widinti, u jiena ma
webbistx rasi, ma rġajtx lura. Tajt
dahri lil dawk li kienu jsawtuni, ħaddejja lil dawk li kienu jnittfuli lħiti; ma
ħbejtx wiċċi mit-tagħjir u l-bżieq; jien naf li ma jkollix mniex nistħi.
Philippians Second
Reading Philippians 2:6-11
Christ
Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a
slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled
himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in
heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
It-Tieni Lezzjoni -
mill-Ittra ta' San
Pawl Appostlu lill-Filippin 2, 6-11
Ġesu' Kristu li għad li kellu n-natura ta' Alla, ma
qagħadx ifittex tiegħu li hu daqs Alla, iżda xejjen lilu nnifsu billi ħa
n-natura ta' lsir, sar jixbah lill-bnedmim, u deher minn barra
bħala bniedem; ċekken lilu nnifsu, billi obda sal-mewt, anzi sal-mewt
tas-salib. Għalhekk Alla għollieh sas-smewwiet u żejnu bl-isem li hu fuq kull
isem, biex fl-isem ta' Ġesu' - fis-sema, fl-art u f'qiegħ l-art –il-ħlejjaq
kollha jinżlu ħarrkubbtejhom, u kull ilsien jistqarr; "Ġesu' Kristu hu
l-Mulej," għall-glorja ta' Alla l-Missier.
Matthew Gospel Matthew 26:14—27:66
One
of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him
thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to
hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples
approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the
Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The
teacher says, My appointed time draws near;
in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.’” The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it
was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating,
he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray m e.” Deeply distressed at this,
they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said
in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will
betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that
man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he
had never been born.” Then Judas, his
betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have
said so.”
While
they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it
to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup,
gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
“Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the
forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of
the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my
Father.” Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then
Jesus said to them, “This night all of
you will have your faith in me shaken,
for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be
dispersed;
but after I have been raised up,
I shall go before you to Galilee.”
Peter said to him in reply, “Though all may have their faith in you shaken,
mine will never be.” Jesus said to him, “Amen, I say to you, this very night
before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even though I should
have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And all the disciples spoke
likewise. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here
while I go over there and pray.” He took along Peter and the two sons of
Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and
distress. Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” He
advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup
pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” When he returned to his
disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one
hour? Watch and pray that you may not
undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again,
“My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!”
Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their
eyes open. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the
same thing again. Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, “Are you
still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to
sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand.”
While
he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a
large crowd, with swords and clubs, who
had come from the chief priests and the elders of the people. His betrayer had
arranged a sign with them, saying, “The
man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him.” Immediately he went over to Jesus and
said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and he kissed him.
Jesus answered him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then stepping forward
they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. And behold, one of those who
accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting
off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the
sword. Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But
then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled
which say that it must come to pass in this way?” At that hour Jesus
said to the crowds, “Have you come out
as against a robber, with swords and
clubs to seize me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me. But all this has come
to pass that the writings of the
prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled. Those who
had arrested Jesus led him away to
Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
Peter was following him at a distance as
far as the high priest’s courtyard, and
going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome. The chief
priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against
Jesus in order to put him to death, but
they found none, though any false witnesses came forward. Finally two came
forward who stated, “This man said, ‘I
can destroy the temple
of God and within three days rebuild it.’” The
high priest rose and addressed him, “Have you no answer? What are these men
testifying against you?” But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to
him, “I order you to tell us under oath
before the living God whether you are
the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “You have said so. But
I tell you: From now on you will see ‘the Son of Man seated at the right hand
of the Power’ and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’”
Then
the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need
have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy; what is your opinion?”
They said in reply, “He deserves to
die!” Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him,
saying, “Prophesy for us, Christ: who is
it that struck you?” Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the
maids came over to him and said, “You
too were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it in front of everyone,
saying, “I do not know what you are
talking about!” As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to
those who were there, “This man was with
Jesus the Nazorean.” Again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man!”
A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, “Surely you too are
one of them; even your speech gives you away.” At that he began to curse and to swear, “I do
not know the man.” And immediately a
cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the cock crows you will deny me three
times.” He went out and began to weep bitterly. When it was morning, all the
chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put
him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the
governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had
done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
saying, “I have sinned in betraying
innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? Look to it yourself.” Flinging
the money into the temple, he departed
and went off and hanged himself. The chief priests gathered up the money, but
said, “It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the
price of blood.” After consultation,
they used it to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that field even today is called
the Field of Blood. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the
prophet,
And
they took the thirty pieces of silver,
the value of a man with a price on his
head,
a price set by some of the Israelites,
and they paid it out for the potter’s
field
just as the Lord had commanded me.
Now
Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, “Are you the king of
the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” And when he was accused by the chief
priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him,
“Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” But
he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on
the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that
time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled,
Pilate said to them, “Which one do you
want me to release to you, Barabbas, or
Jesus called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed
him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a
message, “Have nothing to do with that
righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.” The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The
governor said to them in reply, “Which
of the two do you want me to release to you?” They answered, “Barabbas!” Pilate
said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?” They all said,
“Let him be crucified!” But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only
shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he was not
succeeding at all, but that a riot was
breaking out instead, he took water and
washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this
man’s blood. Look to it yourselves.”
And the whole people said in reply, “His
blood be upon us and upon our children.” Then he released Barabbas to them, but
after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the
soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him.They
stripped off his clothes and threw a
scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it
on his head, and a reed in his right
hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the
Jews!” They spat upon him and took the reed
and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they
stripped him of the cloak, dressed him
in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him. As they were going out,
they met a yrenian named Simon; this man
they pressed into service to carry his
cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha —which means Place of the Skull —, they gave
Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to
drink. After they had crucified him,
they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch
over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him:
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Two revolutionaries were crucified with
him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing by reviled him,
shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild
it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!” Likewise the
chief priests with the scribes and
elders mocked him and said, “He
saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the
cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For
he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The revolutionaries who were crucified with
him also kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over
the whole land until three in the
afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.” Immediately
one of them ran to get a sponge; he
soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed,
gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah
comes to save him.” But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. (Here all kneel and pause for a short
time)
And
behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth
quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,
and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And
coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to
many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus
feared greatly when they saw the earthquake
and all that was happening, and they said,“ATruly, this was the Son of
God!” There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed
Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Among
them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the
mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening, there came a rich man from
Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus; then
Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in
clean linen and laid it in his new tomb
that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance
to the tomb and departed. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained
sitting there, facing the tomb. The next day, the one following the day of preparation,
the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and
said, “Sir, we remember that this
impostor while still alive said, ‘After three days I will be raised up.’ Give
orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day, lest his disciples
come and steal him and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’
“This
last imposture would be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “The guard
is yours; go, secure it as best you can.” So they went and secured the tomb by
fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard.
L-Evanġleju skond San Mattew 26, 14-27,66
F'dak iż-żmien, wieħed mit-Tnax, jismu Ġuda
l-Iskarjota, mar għand il-qassisin il-kbar u qalilhom: "Xi tridu tagħtuni u jina nagħtikom lil
Ġesu' f'idejkom?" U huma tawh tletin biċċa tal-fidda
bħala ħlas. Minn dak il-ħin beda jfittex
okkażjoni tajba biex jagħtihom lil Ġesu' f'idejhom. Fl-ewwell jum ta' l-Ażżmi d-dixxipli resqu
lejn Ġesu' u qalulu: "Fejn tridna nħejjulek l-ikla
tal-Għid?" U hu qalilhom: "Morru l-belt għand it-tali, u għidulu:
"Qallek l-Imgħallem: Is-siegħa tiegħi waslet; jien se nagħmel l-ikla tal-Għid għandek
mad-dixxipli tiegħi." Id-dixxipli għamlu kif ordnalhom Ġesu' u ħejjew
l-ikla ta' l-Għid. Għall-ħin ta'
filgħaxija qagħad fuq il-mejda flimkien mat-Tnax, u waqt l-ikel qal: "Tassew
ngħidilkom, li wieħed minnkom se jittradini." Huma bdew isewdu qalbhom ħafna
u kull wieħed minnhom beda jsaqsih: "Jaqaw jien, Mulej?" U Ġesu'
weġibhom: Dak li jmidd idu u jbill il-ħobż fi platt wieħed miegħi, dak li se
jittradini. Bin il-bniedem imur kif hem
miktub fuqu imma ħażin għalih dak il-bniedem li permezz tiegħu Bin il-bniedem
ikun mogħti f'idejn l-għedewwa! Kien
aħjar għalih dak il-bniedem likieku ma twieled xejn!" Qabeż Ġuda dak li ttradieh,
u qallu: "Jaqaw jien, Rabbi?"
Wieġbu Ġesu': "Int qiegħed tgħidu." Huma u jieklu, Ġesu' ħa l-ħobż
f'idejh, qal il-barka, qasmu, newlu lid-dixxipli u qal: "Ħudu, kulu, dan
hu ġismi." Imbagħad ħa l-kalċi f'idejh, radd il-ħajr, newlilhom il-kalċi u
qal: "Ixorbu lkoll minnu, għax dan
huwa demmi, id-demm tal-Patt, li jixxerred għall-kotra għall-maħfra
tad-dnubiet. Ngħidilkom, li ma nerġax
nixrob iżjed minn dan il-frott tad-dielja sa dakinhar li nixrob inbid ġdid
magħkom fis-Saltna ta' Missieri." Kantaw is-salmi u ħarġu lejn l-Għolja
taż-Żebbuġ. Imbagħad
Ġesu' qalilhom: Ilkoll kemm intom se
titħawdu minħabba fija f'dan il-lejl; għax
hemm miktub: "Nidrob ir-ragħaj, u n-nagħaġ tal-merħla
jitferrxu." Imma wara li nqum
mill-mewt, immur il-Galilija qabilkom."
Qabeż Pietru u qallu: "Jekk kulħadd jitħawwad
minħabba fik, jiena ma nitħawwad qatt."
Qallu Ġesu': "Tassew, ngħidlek, li dal-lejl, qabel ma jidden
is-serduk, int tkun ġa ċħadtni tliet darbiet." Qallu Pietru: "Le,
ma niċħdekx, anqas jekk ikolli mmut miegħek!" U d-dixxipli l-oħra wkoll,
kulħadd qal l-istess. Imbagħad Ġesu' flimkien mad-dixxipli tiegħu wasal
f'qasam, jgħidulu l-Ġetsemani, u qal lid-dixxipli: "Oqogħdu bilqiegħda
hawn sakemm mmur hemmhekk nitlob." U ħa miegħu lil Pietru u ż-żewġ ulied
ta' Zebedew, u beda jsewwed qalbu u jiddejjaq.
Imbagħad qalilhom: "Għandi
ruħi mnikkta għall-mewt, ibqgħu hawn u ishru miegħi." Mexa kemmxejn 'il quddiem, inxteħet wiċċu
fl-art jitlob u jgħid: "Missier,
jekk jista' jkun biegħed minni dan il-kalċi
Imma mhux kif irrid jien, iżda kif trid int."
Ġie ħdejn id-dixxipli u sabhom reqdin; u qal lil
Pietru: "Mela ma flaħtux tishru
siegħa waħda miegħi? Ishru u itolbu biex
ma tidhlux fit-tiġrib. L-ispirtu, iva,
irid, imma l-ġisem dgħajjef." Ghat-tieni darba raġa' mar jitlob u qal: "Missier, jekk dan il-kalċi ma jistax jgħaddi
mingħajr ma nixorbu, tkun magħmula r-rieda tiegħek." Mill-ġdid ġie u sabhom reqdin, għax
għajnejhom kienu tqal bin-ngħas. Ħalliehom, u raġa' mar jitlob għat-tielet
darba, u qal l-istess kliem. Imbagħad ġie ħdejn id-dixxipli u qalilhom: "Issa se torqdu u tistrieħu? Ara, is-siegħa waslet, u Bin il-bniedem se
jkun mogħti f'idejn il-midinbin.
Qumu! Ejjew immorru! Araw, dak li se jittradini huwa
fil-qrib!" Kif kien għadu jitkellem, ġie Ġuda, wieħed mit-Tnax, b'ġemgħa
kbira ta' nies miegħu, armati bis-sujf u l-bsaten, mibgħuta mill-qassisin
il-kbar u x-xjuħ tal-poplu. Issa dak li
kien se jittradih kien tahom sinjal u qalilhom:
"Lil dak linbus, dak hu: aqbduh." U minnufih resaq fuq Ġesu'; u qallu: "Is-Sliem għalik, Rabbi!" U
biesu. U Ġesu' qallu: "Ħabib, għalhekk ġejt
int!" Huma resqu lejh, meddew
idejhom fuq Ġesu' u qabduh. Wieħed minn
dawk li kienu ma Ġesu' ħareġ idu u silet is-sejh, darab lill-qaddej tal-qassis
il-kbir u qatagħlu widintu. Imbagħad
Ġesu' qallu: "Erġa' daħħal sejfek
f'postu għax kull min jaqbad is-sejf, bis-sejf jinqered. Taħseb int li ma nistax nitlob lil Missieri u
jibgħatli issa stess aktar minn tnax-il leġjun ta' anġli? Iżda mbagħad kif isseħħ l-Iskrittura li
tgħid li hekk għandu jsir?" Fl-istess
waqt Ġesu' qal: "Qiskom ħriġtu għal
xi ħalliel, armati bis-sjuf u bil-bsaten beix taqbdu lili! Jien kuljum kont inkun bilqiegħda fit-tempj
ngħallem, u ma żammejtuniex. Iżda dan
kollu ġara biex isseħħ il-kitba tal-profeti." Imbagħad
id-dixxipli kollha telquh u ħarbu. Dawk
li qabdu lil Ġesu' ħaduh quddiem Kajfa, il-qassis il-Kbir, fejn ġa kienu nġabru
l-kittieba u x-xjuh. Pietru kien baqa'
miexi warajh mill-bogħod sal-palazz tal-qassis il-kbir; daħal ġewwa u qagħad
bilqiegħda mal-qaddejja biex jara kif kienet se tintemm il-biċċa. Il-qassisin il-kbar u s-Sinedriju kollha bdew
ifittxu xhieda foloz kontra Ġesu' bil-ħsieb li jagħtuh il-memwt, iżda għalkemm
resqu bosta xhieda folox, ma sabux fuqiex jixluh. Fl-aħħar resqu tnejn u
qalu: "Dan qal: 'Nista' nħott
it-tempju ta' Alla u nerġa' nibnih fi tlitt ijiem.' Il-qassis
il-kbir qam u qallu: "Xejn ma
twieġeb? X'inhuma jixhdu dawn kontra tiegħek?" Imma Ġesu' baqa' sieket. Imbagħad il-qassis il-bir qabad u qallu: "Aħlifli fuq Alla l-ħaj u għidilna jekk intix il-Messija,
Bin Alla." Qallu Ġesu': "Inti qiegħed tgħidu. U nghidilkom ukoll; minn issa 'l quddiem għad
taraw lil Bin il-bniedem bilqiegħda n-naħa tal-lemin ta' dak li jista' kollox u
ġej fuq is-sħab tas-sema." Imbagħad
il-qassis il-kbir ċarrat ilbiesu u qal: "Din
dagħwa" Xi ħtieġa għandna iżjed ta'
xhieda? Ara. Smajtuha
issa d-dagħwa! 'jidhrilkom?" Huma
weġbuh u qalu: "Ħaqqu l-mewt." Imbagħad
beżqulu f'wiċċu u tawh bil-ponn, u xi wħud tawh bil-ħarta u qalulu: "Aqta' min tahielek, Messija,
din id-daqqa!" Intant
Pietru kien hemm barra bilqiegħda, fil-bitħa tal-palazz. U resqet fuqu waħda qaddejja u qaltlu: "Int ukollkont ma Ġesu'
tal-Galilija!" Imma hu ċaħad quddiem kulħadd u qal: "Anqas naf xi trid
tgħid." Imbagħad warrab lejn il-bieb, lemħitu qaddejja oħra u qalet lil
dawk li kienu hemm: "Dan
kien ma' Ġesu' ta' Nażaret," U raġa' ċaħad u ħalef: "Jien ma nafux lil dan il-bniedem!" Wara ftit dawk l-istess nies resqu lejn
Pietru u qalulu: "Tassew, inti
wkoll wieħed minnhom, għax għandek il-kisra ta' kliemek tikfek." Imbagħad qabad jisħet lilu nnifsu u jaħlef: "Le,
ma nafux lil dan
il-bniedem!" U minnufih is-serduk idden. U Pietru ftakar fil-Kliem ta' Ġesu' meta
qallu: "Qabel ma s-serduk jidden, int tkun ġa ċħadtni tliet
darbiet." U ħareġ
'il barra jibki biki ta' qsim il-qalb. L-għad filgħodu l-qassisin il-kbar u
x-xjuħ tal-poplu ftehmu lkoll bejniethom biex lil Ġesu' jaqtgħulielu
għall-mewt. Rabtuh u ħaduh magħhom biex
jagħtuh f'idejn Pilatu, il-gvernatur.
Imbagħad Ġuda, it-traditur, meta ra li Ġesu' kien ikkundannat, nidiem u
mar bit-tletin biċċa tal-fidda għand il-qassisin il-kbar u x-xjuħ biex jerġa'
jagħtihomlhom lura, u qalilhom: "Dnibt,
għax ittradejt demm bla ħtija!" Iżda
huma qalulu: "Aħna din x'inhi
affari tagħna? Dak arah int!" Hu waddab il-flus
fis-santwarju, telaq u mar tgħallaq.
Imbagħad il-qassisin il-kbar ġabru l-flus minn hemm u qalu: "Dawn ma nistgħux inqegħduhom ma'
l-offerti, għax huma prezz id-demm."
Ftehmu bejniethom, u b'dawn il-flus xtraw "l-Għalqa ta' Ħaddiem
il-Fuħħar," biex fiha jidfnu l-barranin.
Kien għalhekk li dik l-għalqa ssemmiet "l-Għalqa tad-Demm", u
hekk għadha magħrufa sa llum. Imbagħad
seħħ dak li kien ingħad permezz tal-profeta Ġeremija meta qal: "U ħadu
t-tletin biċċa tal-fidda, il-prezz ta' dak li kien stmat bil-prezz mogħti minn
ulied Iżrael, u tawhom għall-għalqa ta' ħaddiem il-fuħħar, kif ikkmandani
l-Mulej."
Ġesu' waqaf quddiem il-gvernatur, u dan staqsieh: "Int is-sultan
tal-Lhud?" U Ġesu' wieġbu: "Int
qiegħed tgħidu." Iżda meta
l-qassisin il-kbar u x-xjuh bdew jakkużawah, hu ma wieġeb xejn. Għalhekk Pilatu qallu: "M'intix tisma' kemm ħwejjeġ qegħdin
jixhdu kontra tiegħek?" Iżda hu
anqas għal akkuża waħda ma wieġeb, hekk li l-gvernatur baqa' mistagħġeb ħafna. Nhar ta' festa, il-gvernatur kien soltu
jitlaq wieħed ħabsi, lil miniridu huma.
Dik il-ħabta kellhom wieħed ħabsi magħruf, jismu Barabba. Mela kif kienu miġbura, Pilatu qalilhom: "Lil min triduni nitilqilkom, lil
Barabba jew lil Ġesu' li jgħidulu l-Messija?" Għax hu kien jaf li kienet l-għira li
ġagħlithom jagħtuh lil Ġesu' f'idejh.
Issa waqt li kien bilqiegħda fuq is-siġġu tat-tribunal, martu bagħtet
tgħidlu: "Qis li ma jkollokx
x'taqsom ma' dan ir-raġel ġust, għax illum minħabba fih batejt ħafna
fil-ħolm." Iżda l-qassisin il-kbar
u x-xjuħ ġiegħlu l-poplu jitolbuh lil Barabba u jeqirdu lil Ġesu'. Il-gvernatur, mela, raġa' staqsiehom: "Lil min triduni nitilqilkom minnhom
it-tnejn?" Weġbuh ilkoll: "Lil Barabba." Qalilhom Pilatu: "U
x'nagħmel b'Ġesu' li jgħidulu l-Messija?"
Weġbuh ilkoll: "Sallbu!" Hu staqsihom: "Imma x'għamel ħażin?" Huma aktar bdew jgħajtu u jgħidu: "Sallbu!" Meta mbagħad
Pilatu ra li kollox kien għal xejn, anzi li aktarx kienet se tinqala' xi
rewwixta, qabad, ħasel idejh fl-ilma quddiem il-poplu u qal: "Jien m'iniex ħati ta' dan id-demm; dan
arawh intom!" U
l-poplu kollu qabeż u qal: "Demmu
fuqna u fuq uliedna!" Imbagħad
telqilhom lil Barabba, u lil Ġesu', wara li tah is-swat, tahulhom biex
isallbuh. Imbagħax is-suldati tal-gvernatur ħadu lil Ġesu' fil-Pretorju, u
ġabru quddiemu lil sħabhom kollha.
Neżżgħuh, u xeħtulu fuqu mantar aħma skur; qegħdulu fuq rasu kuruna minsuġa mix-xewk u
qasba f'idu l-leminija, inxteħtu għarkubbtejhom quddiemu, u qagħdu jiddieħqu
bih u jgħidulu: "Sliem
għalik, sultan tal-Lhud!" Beżqu
fuqu, u ħadulu l-qasba minn idu u bdew jagħtuh biha fuq rasu. Imbagħad, wara li għaddewh biż-żufjett,
neżżgħulu l-mantar u xeddewlu ħwejġu. U ħaduh magħhom biex isallbuh. Huma u sejrin sabu raġel minn Ċireni, jismu
Xmun, u ġagħluh jerfagħlu s-salib. Meta
waslu f'post jgħidulu Golgota, jiġifieri post il-Qorriegħa, tawh jixrob inbid
b'taħlita morra; hu daqu, imma ma ried jixorbu.
Imbagħad sallbuh, u qassmu ħwejġu
bejniethom billi tellgħuhom bix-xorti, u nxteħtu bilqiegħda u qagħdu
hemm għassa tiegħu. U qegħdulu fuq rasu
l-kawża tal-kundanna tiegħu li kienet tgħid hekk: "Dan hu Ġesu', is-sultan tal-Lhud." Imbagħad miegħu sallbu żewġġ ħallelin, wieħed
fuq il-lemin u l-ieħor fuq ix-xellug.
Dawk li kienu għaddejjin bdew jgħajruh, iċaqilqu rashom u jgħidu.: "Int li tħott it-tempju u fi tlitt ijiem
terġa tibnih, salva lilek innifsek jekk int l-Iben ta' Alla,u inżel minn fuq
is-salib!" Hekk ukoll il-qassisin il-kbar bdew jiddieħku bih mal-kittieba
u x-xjuħ u jgħidu: "Salva oħrajn,
lilu nnifsu ma jistax isalva! Hu
s-sultan ta' Iżrael! Ħa jinżel issa minn
fuq is-salib u nemmnu fih! Hu jafda
f'Alla; ħa jeħilsu issa, jekk iħobbu!
Għax hu qal: "Jiena Bin
Alla!" U bl-istess mod bdew imaqdruh ukoll il-ħallelin li kienu msallbin
miegħu. Mis-sitt siegħa 'l quddiem
waqgħet dalma kbira fuq il-pajjiż kollu sad-disa' siegħa. U madwar id-disa' siegħa Ġesu' għajjat b'leħen qawwi u qal: "Eli',
Eli', lema' sabaqta'ni?" Jiġifieri:
"Alla tiegħi, Alla tiegħi, għaliex tlaqtni?" Xi wħud minn dawk li kienu hemm, kif
semgħuh, qalu: "Lil elija qiegħed
isejjaħ dan!" U minnufih wieħed minnhom mar jiġri, qabad sponża mimlija
bil-ħall, waħħalha f'tarf ta' qasbu u tah jixrob, waqt li l-oħrajn qalu: "Stenna, ħa narnaw jiġix,
Elija jsalvaħ!" Imma Ġesu' raġa'
għajjat għajta kbira u radd ruħu. (Kulħadd
jinżel għarkubbtejh u jinżamm is-skiet għal ftit hin.) U ara
l-purtiera tas-santwarju ċċartet fi tnjen minn fuq s'isfel; l-art theżhżet, il-blat inqasam, u l-oqbra nfetħu, u qamu
ħafna iġsma ta' qaddisin li kienu mietu, li ħarġu mill-oqbra u wara l-qawmien
tiegħu daħlu fil-Belt imqaddsa u dehru lilbosta nies. Iċ-ċenturjun u dawk li kienu miegħu għassa
ta' Ġesu', kif raw l-art titħeżheż u jiġri dak kollu, imtlew b'biża li ma bħalu
u qalu: "Dan kien tassew Bin Alla!"
Hemmhekk kien hemm ħafna nisa jħarsu mill-bogħod, dawk stess li kienu mxew wara Ġesu' biex jaqduh sa
minn meta
kien għadu fil-Galilija; fosthom kien
hemm Marija ta' Magdala, Marija Omm Ġakbu u Ġużeppi u omm ulied Żebedew. Xħin sar filgħaxija, ġie raġel għani, minn Arimatija, jismu
Ġużeppi, li hu wkoll kien sar dixxiplu ta' Ġesu'' mar għand Pilatu u talbu
l-ġisem ta' Ġesu'. Imbagħad Pilatu ordna
li jingħatalu. Ġżeppi ħa l-ġisem u
keffnu f'liżar nadif, qiegħdu fil-qabar ġdid tiegħu li kien ħaffer fil-blat,
gerbeb ġebla kbira fid-daħla tal-qabar, u telaq. Iżda Marija ta' Magdala u Marija l-oħra
baqgħu hemm bilqiegħda biswit il-qabar.
L-għada, jiġifieri meta
għadda Jum it-Tħejjija, il-qassisin il-kbar u l-Fariżej inġabru għand Pilatu u
qalulu: Sinjur, aħna ftakarna li dan
il-bniedem qarrieq, meta kien għadu ħaj, qal: 'Wara tlitt ijiem
inqum." Mela ordna li l-qabar ikun
imħares tajjeb sat-tielet jum, li ma jmorrux jiġu d-dixxipli tiegħu jisirquh, u
jgħidu lill-poplu: "Qam mill-imwiet." U hekk il-qerq ta' l-aħħar ikun agħar minn ta' l-ewwel!" Qalilhom Pilatu: Għandkom l-għassa. Morru ħarsuh tajjeb kif
tafu." U huma marru jissiġillaw
il-ġebla biex il-qabar jibqa' mħares sewwa, u ħallew ukoll l-għassa miegħu .
////////////////////////////////////////
It is written of Jesus on the Mount of Olives that he
began "to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is sorrowful
even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.'" This is an
unrecognizable Jesus! He who commanded the winds and the seas and they obeyed
him, who told everyone not to fear, is now prey to sadness and anxiety. What is
the reason? It is all contained in one word, the chalice: "My Father, if
it is possible, let this chalice pass from me!"
The chalice indicates the whole mass of suffering that is
about to come crashing down upon him. But not only this. It indicates above all
the measure of divine justice that corresponds to men's sins and
transgressions. It is "the sin of the world" that he has taken upon
himself and that weighs on his heart like a boulder.
The philosopher Pascal said that "Christ is in agony
on the Mount of Olives until the end of the world. He should not be abandoned
during this whole time."
He is in agony wherever there is a human being that
struggles with sadness, fear, anxiety, in a situation where there is no way
out, as he was that day. We can do nothing for the Jesus who was suffering then
but we can do something for the Jesus who is in agony today. Every day we hear
of tragedies that occur, sometimes in our own building, in the apartment across
the hall, without anyone being aware of it.
How many Mount of Olives, how many Gethsemanes in the
heart of our cities! Let us not abandon those who are there within.
Let us now take ourselves to Calvary. "Jesus cried
out in a loud voice: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' And Jesus
cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit."
I am now about to pronounce a blasphemy, but then I will
explain. Jesus on the cross has become an atheist, one without God. There are
two forms of atheism: the active or voluntary atheism of those who reject God,
and the passive or suffered atheism of those who are rejected (or feel
rejected) by God. In both forms there are those who are "without
God." The former is an atheism of fault, and the latter is an atheism of
suffering and expiation. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, about whom there was much
discussion when her personal writings were published, belongs to this latter
category.
On the cross Jesus expiated in anticipation all the
atheism that exists in the world, not only that of declared atheists, but also
that of practical atheists, the atheism of those who live "as if God did
not exist," relegating him to the last place in their life. It is
"our" atheism, because, in this sense, we are all atheists -- some
more, some less -- those who do not care about God. God too is one of the
"marginalized" today; he has been pushed to the margins of the lives
of the majority of men.
Here too it is necessary to say: "Jesus is on the
cross until the end of the world." He is in all the innocent who suffer.
He is nailed to the cross of the gravely ill. The nails that hold him fast on
the cross are the injustices that are committed against the poor. In a Nazi
concentration camp a man was hung. Someone, pointing at the victim, angrily
asked a believer who was standing next to him: "Where is your God now?"
"Do you not see him?" he answered. "He is there hanging from the
gallows."
In all of the depictions of the "deposition from the
cross," the figure of Joseph of Arimathea always stands out. He represents
all of those who, even today, challenge the regime or public opinion, to draw
near to the condemned, the excluded, those sick with AIDS, and who are occupied
with helping some of them to descend from the cross. For some those who are
"crucified" today, the designated and awaited "Joseph of Arimathea"
could very well be I or you.
