Readings for Sunday, July 6

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 100

L-14 il-Hadd tas-Sena

 

Reading 1        ZECHARIAH 9:9-10

Thus says the LORD:   Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion,  shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!  See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he,  meek, and riding on an ass,  on a colt, the foal of an ass. He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim,  and the horse from Jerusalem; the warrior’s bow shall be banished,  and he shall proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion shall be from sea to sea,  and from the River to the ends of the earth. This is the Word of The Lord

1  Qari      Zakkarija 9:9-10

 Ifraħ kemm tiflaħ, bint Sijon; għajjat bil-ferħ, bint Ġerusalemm! Ara, is-sultan tiegħek ġej għandek; ġust u rebbieħ, umli u riekeb fuq ħmar, fuq felu ta' ħmara. Hu jeqred il-karru minn Efrajm u  ż-żiemel minn Ġerusalemm; jinqered il-qaws tal-gwerra. Hu jxandar  il-paċi lill-ġnus, il-ħakma tiegħu tkun minn baħar sa baħar, u mix-xmara ta' l-Ewfrat sat-trufijiet.  Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm           PS 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14

I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
R/ I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R/ I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R/ I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
R/ I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

Salm Responsorjali            PS 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14

Ħa nkabbrek, Alla tiegħi, sultan,

u nbierek ismek għal dejjem ta' dejjem.

Kuljum irrid inbierkek, u nfaħħar ismek

għal dejjem ta' dejjem.

R/ Nfaħħar ismek għal dejjem ta' dejjem, Alla tiegħi, sultan

Twajjeb u ħanin il-Mulej,

idum biex jagħdab u kollu tjieba.

 Twajjeb ma' kulħadd il-Mulej,

tjubitu fuq kull ma għamel.

R/ Nfaħħar ismek għal dejjem ta' dejjem, Alla tiegħi, sultan

 Kull ma għamilt iroddlok ħajr, Mulej;

iberkuk il-ħbieb tiegħek kollha.

 Is-sebħ tas-saltna tiegħek ixandru,

fuq is-setgħa tiegħek jitkellmu,

 R/ Nfaħħar ismek għal dejjem ta' dejjem, Alla tiegħi, sultan

Ta' kelmtu l-Mulej fil-wegħdiet tiegħu kollha,

twajjeb f'dak kollu li għamel.

 Iwieżen il-Mulej 'il kull min se jaqa',

 iqajjem 'il kull min hu mitluq.

R/ Nfaħħar ismek għal dejjem ta' dejjem, Alla tiegħi, sultan

Reading  2           ROMANS 8:9, 11-13

Brothers and sisters:   You are not in the flesh;    on the contrary, you are in the spirit,  if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.  Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.  If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead  will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. Consequently, brothers and sisters, we are not debtors to the flesh,  to live according to the flesh.  For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.   This is the Word of The Lord

2   Qari         RuMANi 8:9, 11-13

Issa intom ma intomx taħt il-ħakma tal-ġisem, imma ta' l-Ispirtu, ladarba hemm l-Ispirtu ta' Alla jgħammar fikom. Jekk xi ħadd ma għandux fih l-Ispirtu ta' Kristu, dan m'huwiex tiegħu. Jekk l-Ispirtu ta' dak li qajjem lil Ġesù mill-imwiet jgħammar fikom, Alla stess li qajjem lil Kristu mill-imwiet iqajjem għall-ħajja wkoll il-ġisem mejjet tagħkom, bis-saħħa ta' l-Ispirtu li jgħammar fikom. Hekk mela, ħuti, aħna m'aħniex midjunin mal-ġisem biex ngħixu skond il-ġisem. Għax jekk tgħixu skond il-ġisem, tmutu; imma jekk tmewwtu l-għemil tal-ġisem bl-Ispirtu, tgħixu. Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel      MATTHEW 11:25-30

At that time Jesus exclaimed:    “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things  from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.  All things have been handed over to me by my Father.  No one knows the Son except the Father,  and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”   “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened,  and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,  for I am meek and humble of heart;  and you will find rest for yourselves.   For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”  This is the Word of The Lord

VANGELU  -     MATTEW 11:25-30

F'dak iż-żmien Ġesù qabad u qal: "Nfaħħrek, Missier, Sid is-sema u l-art, għax inti dawn il-ħwejjeġ ħbejthom lil min għandu l-għerf u d-dehen u wrejthom liċ-ċkejknin. Iva, Missier, għax lilek hekk għoġbok. "Kollox kien mogħti lili minn Missieri, u ħadd ma jagħraf lill-Iben jekk mhux il-Missier, kif ħadd ma jagħraf lill-Missier jekk mhux l-Iben u dak li lilu l-Iben irid jgħarrafhulu. "Ejjew għandi, intom ilkoll li tinsabu mħabbtin u mtaqqlin, u jiena nserraħkom. Ħudu fuqkom il-madmad tiegħi u tgħallmu minni, għaliex jiena ta' qalb ħelwa u umli, u intom issibu  l-mistrieħ għal ruħkom. Għax il-madmad tiegħi ħelu u t-toqol tiegħi ħafif."  Kelma tal-Mulej.

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COMMENTARY by Larry Broding (word-Sunday.com)

Revelation of the Kingdom and its Consequences

In this passage from Matthew, Jesus addressed knowledge of God and the consequences of that knowledge.   Jesus praised God (literally "acknowledged" God in public) for revealing his Kingdom to the common people (those who knew little) instead of those who thought they understood all (i.e., the scribes and the Pharisees). This is the way God wanted it to happen.

Knowledge of God requires some explanation. Jesus did not merely speak of dogma (knowledge about God). He addressed a deeper issue: intimate experience of God. An analogy might help us understand this point. We all have had rare experiences of authentic encounter with another human being. A meeting where all our good and bad points, all our strengths and weaknesses are revealed. The other person in the encounter knows us for who we truly are. If we apply this experience to God, only the Father and the Son truly know each other. The follower of Christ also knows the Father through the revelation of the Son. This is what the Kingdom is all about.

Knowledge of God has consequences, for it demands a response. For those under the Jewish Law, knowledge of YHWH required a duty to his Law. As the teachers of God's Law, the Pharisees firmly believed that God punished the nation of Judea throughout history because the people ignored his Law. If people strove to keep his Law, they would arrive one day closer to his Kingdom. So, the Pharisees added guidelines, rulings, and regulations that kept the faithful from breaking the Law even by accident. Unfortunately, their rulings tightly controlled everyday life.

Jesus countered this notion with the breath of fresh air. God would provide the means to people so they could please him. His Son was that means. Those who came to the Son would please the Father. Rules and regulations were not important. Relationship with Jesus was important.

Has faith become a burden, full of obligations? How can renewing a relationship with Jesus help you?

The yoke of Jesus stood for his Lordship. When someone says "yes" to Jesus, he or she placed Jesus above them. He is the Teacher. The follower became the student. But, because of his gentle compassion and his humility, the Lordship of Jesus had the weight of love, uplifting and empowering. [29-30]

How is the yoke of Jesus easy? How does following the Lord help you in life?

Jesus praised God for his revelation and its loving consequences. We, too, should thank and praise God for his Kingdom and the Lordship of his Son.

What have been some of the consequences for a closer walk with Jesus? How has he helped you live a better Christian life?