The 34^th (and Last) Sunday of Year A

L-Erbgħa u Tletin(u l-Aħħar) Ħadd matul is-Sena

Missalin A  p 426

Reading 1              EZekiel 34:11-12, 15-17

Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flock
when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark.  I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.   The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back,  the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly. As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD, I will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats.  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni    -        Profeta Eżekjel 34, 11-12, 15-17

Dan jgħid Sidi l-Mulej:  "Arawni, hekk jien se nfittex in-nagħaġ tiegħi  u nieħu ħsiebhom. Bħalma r-ragħaj jaħseb fil-merħla tiegħu meta  jsib ruħu f'nofs in-nagħaġ mxerrda tiegħu, hekk  naħseb jien fin-nagħaġ tiegħi, u nsalavhom minn  kull fejn xterdu fi żmien is-sħab u s-swied ta' l-ajru. Jiena stess nirgħa n-nagħaġ tiegħi, u jiena nserraħom. Oraklu ta' Sidi l-Mulej.  Jiena nfittex il-mitlufa,  irreġġa'  lura l-imxerrda, ninfaxxa l-ġrieħi tal-miġrugħa,  u nqawwi l-marida.  Inħares is-smina u l-qawwija, u  nirgħhom bil-ġustizzja. Imma għalik, merħla tiegħi, hekk jgħid Sidi l-Mulej: Ara, jiena nagħmel ħaqq bejn nagħġa u nagħġa, bejn imtaten u bdabad.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Responsorial Psalm                                    PSalm 23:1-2, 2-3, 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.             R/

Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.                                                        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.          R/

Ħdejn l-ilma, fejn nistrieħ, jeħodni;

hemm hu jrejjaqni.

Imexxini fit-triq tas-sewwa

minħabba l-isem tiegħu.                            R/

Int tħejji mejda għalija

quddiem l-għedewwa tiegħi.

Iż-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/
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Reading 2                                         1 CORinthians 15:20-26, 28

Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since death came through man,  the resurrection of the dead came also through man. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the first fruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power.  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death. When everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.  This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni     -        mill-1 Ittra lill-Korintin, 15, 20-26,28

Ħuti, Kristu kien imqajjem tassew mill-imwiet, l-ewwel fost dawk li raqdu.   Għaliex, jekk permezz ta' bniedem feġġet   il-mewt, bi bniedem ukoll iseħh  il-qawmien mill-imwiet. Għax bħalma il-bnedmin kollha jmutu f'Adam,  hekk  ukoll jiksbu l-ħajja fi Kristu. Imma kulħadd skond kif imissu:  jibda l-ewwel frott  li hu  Kristu, wara, dawk li  huma a' Kristu, f'jum  il-miġja tiegħu.   Imbagħad it-tmiem, meta Kristu  jerħi s-saltna f'idejn Alla  l-Missieri, wara li jkun  qered kull ħakma u kull setgħa u kull qawwa.    Għax jeħtieġ li hu jsaltan sa ma jqiegħed l-għedewwa kollha taħt riġlejh.  L-aħħar għadu li  jinqered tkun il-Mewt.U meta kollox ikun imqiegħed taħtu, imbagħad  l-Iben  stess jitqiegħed taħt Dak li jkun qegħedlu  kollox taħtu, sabiex Alla ikun kollox f'kollox. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Gospel                                                                  MatThew 25:31-46

Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him.  And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.  Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."  This is the Word of The Lord.    

L-Evanġelju    -     skond San Mattew 25, 31-46

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu:   "Meta jiġi Bin il-bniedem fil-glorja tiegħu u  bl-anġli kollha miegħu, imbagħad joqgħod fuq  it-tron glorjuż tiegħu.   U quddiemu jinġabru  l-ġnus kollha, u hu jifridhom minn xulxin,  bħalma r-raħaj jifred in-nagħaġ mill-mogħoż:   in-nagħag iqegħedhom fuq il-lemin u  l-mogħoż fuq ix-xellug.   Imbagħad is-Sultan jgħid lil dawk ta' fuq  il-lemin tiegħu:   "Ejjew, imberkin minn Missieri,  ħudu b'wirt tagħkom  is-Saltna li tħejjiet għalikom sa  mill-ħolqien tad-dinja.  Għax jien kont bil-ġuħ u  tmajtuni, kont bil-għatx u sqejtuni, kont barrani u  lqajtuni, kont  għeri u libbistuni, kont marid u  ġejtu tarawni, kont fil-ħabs u ġejtu żżuruni."  Imbagħad iweġbuh il-ġusti:  "Mulej, meta rajniek  bil-ġuħ u tmajniek, jew bil-għatx u sqejniek?    Meta rajniek barrani  u lqajniek, jew għeri u libbisniek?    Meta rajniek marid, jew fil-ħabs u ġejn nżuruk?"   U s-Sultan iweġibhom u jgħid: "Tassew, ngħidilkom, kull ma għamiltu ma' wieħed  mill-iżgħar fost dawn ħuti, għamiltuh miegħi."  Imbagħad jgħid ukoll lil dawk ta' fuq ix-xellug: "Morru minn quddiemi, misħutin, fin-nar ta' dejjem li tħejja għax-xitan u għall-anġli tiegħu.  Għax jien kont  bil-ġuħ u ma tmajtunix, kont bil-għatx u ma sqejtunix, kont barrani u ma lqajtuniex, kont għeri u ma libbistuniex, kont marid u fil-ħabs u ma ġejtux iżżuruni!"  Imbagħad huma wkoll iweġbuh:  "Mulej, meta rajniek  bil-ġuħ, jew bil-għatx, jew barrani, jew għeri, jew  marid, jew fil-ħabs, u aħna ma waqafniex miegħek? Iiweġibhom imbagħad u jgħidilhom:   "Tassew, Ngħidilkom, dak li ma għamiltux ma' wieħed minn  dawk iż-żgħar, anqas miegħi ma għamiltuh "   U dawn imorru fit-tbatija ta' dejjem u l-ġusti fil-ħajja ta' dejjem."Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

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COMMENTARY by Fr Thomas Rosica

The universe turns upon a cup of water given to the little ones –

During my graduate studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome in the late 1980s, I had the privilege of teaching Scripture on several occasions to the Missionaries of Charity at their formation house on the outskirts of Rome. Several times when I was with the sisters, Mother Teresa of Calcutta would be visiting the formation community. I will never forget that little, bent-over, Albanian-born woman sitting on the floor of the chapel as I led the sisters in biblical reflections. It was a daunting experience for me to be expounding on Sacred Scripture to someone many considered even back then a living saint; one who, without exegetical skills and ancient biblical languages in her repertoire, understood far better the meaning of God’s Word than I ever would. One evening after I had finished the lecture and was gathering my books together to begin the trip back to the Canadian College in Rome, Mother came over to speak with me. At the end of the conversation, I asked her: “How do you do it day in and day out? How do you deal with the crowds of people trying to see you when you are out in public.” She raised her hand before my face and shook her five fingers at me. “Five words,” she said; “five words: You did it to me.”

“You did it to me.”

On this final Sunday of the liturgical year, also known as the Solemnity of Christ the King, we are presented with the great scene of the final judgment (Matthew 25:31-46), peculiar to Matthew’s Gospel. The final judgment will accompany the parousia (second coming of Christ) and is the last teaching of Jesus before he goes to Jerusalem to face his crucifixion and death. The stirring refrain of today’s Gospel is found precisely in these words: “You did it to me.”

The crux of today’s Gospel is not so much trying to identify who are sheep and who are goats. The sheep that are at the Son of Man’s right hand are those that recognized and accepted the messenger and the message. The goats on the left did not recognize or accept the messenger or the message.    Christ the Lord of history and king of the universe will separate the sheep from the goats at the end of time based on whether or not they have accepted the Word of God by accepting the ambassadors who were sent to proclaim that Word. Such acceptance or rejection is ultimately acceptance or rejection of the God who sent Jesus. To reject Jesus the Son is to reject God the Father. To reject a disciple sent by Jesus is to reject Jesus himself.

Inclusion in the Royal Kingdom

The Son who “sits upon his glorious throne with all the nations gathered before him” (31-32) is the same one who, at the very peak of his cosmic power, reveals that the universe turns upon a cup of water given to the little ones in his name. Jesus tells us that whenever we practice works of mercy, forgiveness, kindness, we are doing these things to him. He fully identifies himself with the needy, the marginalized and the dependent; the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned. Everyone is included in the Royal Kingdom of the humble Jesus. His reign completely overturns our notions of earthly kingship. The kingship and royalty of Jesus are of ultimate service, even to the point of laying down his life for others.

The righteous will be astonished that in caring for the needs of those who suffer, they were ministering to the Lord himself (25:37-38). The accursed (25:41) will also be astonished that their neglect of those suffering was neglect of the Lord and they will receive from him a similar answer.

When God will be all in all

In today’s second reading from the first letter to the Corinthians, (1 Cor 15:20-26, 28), Paul describes Christ’s relations to his enemies and his Father. Paul’s vision includes cosmic dimensions as he attempts to describe the goal of all history. The reading is theological and Christological for God is the ultimate agent in and culmination of history. In the end we are all saved by this God who has entered human history in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. When God finally rules, there will be no further resistance to his saving power. God will be all in all. This is what lies at the heart of the word “subjection” (28): that God may fully be God and accomplish his saving acts on our behalf.

Final thoughts on the kingship of God’s Son

At the end of the liturgical year, and in light of the majestic scene of the final judgment, let us consider Pope Benedict’s moving reflection on Christ’s kingship, spoken on October 26, 2011 during the celebration of the Word on the eve of the Day of Reflection, Dialogue and Prayer for Peace and Justice in the World: Pilgrims of Truth, Pilgrims of Peace” held in Assisi the following day.  In his homily during the celebration of the Word, Pope Benedict quoted from the prophet Zechariah 9 in which God promises salvation through a king.

But the announcement does not refer to a king with human powers and force of arms. It does not refer to a king who dominates with political and military might. This is a gentle king who reigns with humility and gentleness before God and man, a king quite different from the great sovereigns of the earth.   The Apostles recalled the prophet’s words particularly “following Christ’s passion, death and resurrection when, … with the eyes of faith, they reconsidered their Master’s joyful entry into the Holy City. He rode a donkey which had been lent to Him, … not a horse as the powerful did. He did not enter Jerusalem accompanied by a mighty army of chariots and horsemen. He is a poor king, the king of the poor of God, … of those who have inner freedom enabling them to overcome the greed and selfishness of the world, of those who know that God alone is their treasure. … He is a king who will make the chariots and steeds of battle disappear, who will break the weapons of war, a king who brought peace on the Cross, uniting heaven and earth and building a bridge between all mankind. The Cross is the new arch of peace, the sign and instrument of reconciliation, … the sign that love is stronger that any form of violence or oppression, stronger than death. Evil is overcome through goodness, through love”.

The kingdom that Christ inaugurates is universal. The horizon of this poor and meek king is not the territorial horizon of a State, it is the confines of the world. He creates communion, He creates unity. And where do we see His announcement take concrete form today? In the great network of Eucharistic communities covering the earth, wherein the prophecy of Zechariah re-emerges in splendour. … Everywhere, in all cultures, … He comes and is present; and by entering into communion with Him, mankind is united into a single body, overcoming divisions, rivalry and rancour. The Lord comes in the Eucharist to divest us of our selfishness, our fixations which exclude others, to make us a single body, a single kingdom of peace in a divided world.

…How can we build this kingdom of peace in which Christ is king? … Like Jesus, the messengers of peace of His kingdom must begin a journey. …They must journey, but not with the might of war or the force of power. … It is not with power, force or violence that Christ’s kingdom of peace grows, but with the giving of self, with love carried to its extreme consequences, even towards our enemies. Jesus does not conquer the world by force of arms but by the power of the Cross, which is the true guarantee of victory.

Vindicated in the court of heaven

When we listen attentively to today’s first reading from the prophet Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17, and today’s powerful Gospel, how could we not have the image of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta before our eyes, as well as all of those women and men like her throughout history who tend the Lord’s scattered sheep, rescuing them when it was cloudy and dark, pasturing them and giving them rest? Their work of shepherding, binding up the sick and healing them gives flesh and blood to today’s Gospel. “You did it to me.” Today we have the consolation that our acts of mercy toward God’s little ones are vindicated already in the court of heaven, because God sees everything from above, and is the ultimate beneficiary of any of our poor yet sincere efforts to care for the needy, the marginalized and the dependent, the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned citizens of God’s kingdom.

Our faith is rooted firmly in Jesus of Nazareth who was declared a king at his execution. He was not a king who craved for power, nor a dictator who dominated and trampled underfoot those who encountered him. In his kingdom, his poor subjects were cherished and loved; they were his friends, the little ones, his brothers and sisters who partook in his very life. Worldly kingdoms will come and go. The kingdom of Jesus Christ will never pass away. Together with Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, let us acclaim our King:  Long live Christ the King, now and forever.

(Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB - CEO Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation)