Do "unclean spirits" still exist?

READINGS FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 71

                                                         Ir-4 Ħadd tas-Sena ‘B’                                                             

Messalin ‘B’ pp 356

Reading 1     Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Moses spoke to all the people, saying: “A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen. This is exactly what you requested of the LORD, your God, at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let us not again hear the voice of the LORD, our God, nor see this great fire any more, lest we die.’ And the LORD said to me, ‘This was well said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kin, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him. Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.’”

1 QARI     Dewteronomju 18:15-20

Il-Mulej, Alla tieghek, iqajjimlek profeta bhali minn gensek, minn fost hutek; lilu ghandkom tisimghu. Dan kollu skond ma tlabt inti stess lill-Mulej, Alla tieghek, fil-Horeb f'jum il-laqgha, meta ghedt: 'Jalla ma nismax aktar lehen il-Mulej, Alla tieghi, u ma narax aktar dan in-nar iheggeg, halli ma mmutx.' U l-Mulej qalli: 'Sewwa ghamlu li tkellmu. Jiena nqajjmilhom profeta bhalek, minn fost huthom; nqieghed kliemi fuq fommu, u jhabbrilhom kull ma nordnalu. Min ma jaghtix widen ghal kliemi li huwa jhabbar f'ismi, jiena nitolbu kont talli jkun naqas. U jekk xi profeta jfettillu jghid f'ismi hwejjeg li ma nkunx qabbadtu jghid, jew inkella jhabbar f'isem allat ohra, dan il-profeta jkun haqqu l-mewt.

Responsorial Psalm       PSalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9

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. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

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. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

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. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

  Salm Responsorjali            SALM 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9

R./ Isimghu lehen il-Mulej, u la twebbsux qalbkom

Ejjew, ħa nfaħħru bl-hena l-Mulej,

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

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

ngħannulu b'għajat  ta' ferħ.                           /R

Ejjew inqimuh u ninxteħtu quddiemu,

għarkubbtejna quddiem il-Mulej li ħalaqna!

Għaliex hu Alla tagħna,

u aħna l-poplu tal-mergħa tiegħu u

n-nagħaġ tiegħu.                                                  /R

M'hux 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                 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

Brothers and sisters: I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.  I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction.

2 Qari                 1 Korintin 7:32-35

Iva, jiena rridkom bla ħsibijiet. Ir-raġel mhux miżżewweġ, ħsiebu fil-ħwejjeġ tal-Mulej, jiġifieri, kif jogħġob lill-Mulej. Min hu miżżewweġ, ħsiebu fil-ħwejjeġ tad-dinja, jiġifieri, kif jogħġob lil martu, u hu mifrud fih innifsu. Hekk ukoll il-mara mhix miżżewwġa u x-xebba ħsiebhom fil-ħwejjeġ tal-Mulej, jiġifieri, biex ikunu qaddisa f'ġisimhom u f'ruħhom. Iżda l-mara miżżewwġa ħsiebha fil-ħwejjeġ tad-dinja, jiġifieri, kif togħġob lil żewġha. Dan qiegħed ngħidhulkom għall-ġid tagħkom, mhux biex inxekkilkom, iżda għall-ġid tagħkom u biex tgħixu marbutin mal-Mulej bla tixrid ta' moħħ.

Gospel     Mark 1:21-28

Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Vangelu     Mark 1:21-28

U daħlu Kafarnahum. Malajr, f'jum is-Sibt, daħal fis-sinagoga u qagħad jgħallem. In-nies baqgħu mistagħġbin bil-mod tat-tagħlim tiegħu, għax beda jgħallimhom bħal wieħed li għandu s-setgħa, u mhux bħall-kittieba. Mela jkun hemm fis-sinagoga tagħhom raġel bi spirtu ħażin u qabad jgħajjat u jgħid: "Aħna x'għandna x'naqsmu, Ġesù ta' Nazaret? Ġejt biex teqridna? Jien naf min int: 'Il-Qaddis ta' Alla'."Imma Ġesù kkmandah: "Iskot?" qallu,"u oħroġ minnu." Mbagħad l-ispirtu ħażin lir-raġel beda jħabbtu ħafna, għajjat għajta kbira u ħareġ minnu. U lkoll stagħġbu, u bdew jistaqsu lil xulxin u jgħidu: "Dan x'inhu? X'tagħlim ġdid mogħti    bis-setgħa! Sa lill-ispirti ħżiena jikkmanda, u huma joqogħdu għalih?" U l-fama tiegħu malajr xterdet ma' l-inħawi kollha tal-Galilija.

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COMMENTARY   - Fr Raniero Cantalamessa on Unclean Spirits

The Unclean Spirit Came Out of Him

"Then a man with an unclean spirit cried out: 'What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.' Jesus then rebuked him saying: 'Be silent and come out of him!' And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him" What do you think of this episode narrated in this Sunday's Gospel and of many other similar incidents present in the Gospel? Do "unclean spirits" still exist? Does the devil exist?

When we speak of belief in the devil, we must distinguish two levels: the level of popular beliefs and the intellectual level (literature, philosophy and theology). On the popular level, or the level of customs, our present situation is not that different from the Middle Ages, or the 14th-16th centuries, sadly famous for the importance given to diabolical phenomena. There no longer are, it is true, Inquisition trials, deaths at the stake for the possessed, witch hunts and similar things; but practices that have the devil at the centre are even more widespread than they were then, and not only among the poor and popular classes. It has become a social (and commercial!) phenomenon of vast proportions. More than that, it could be said that the more one tries to expel the devil out the door, so much more does he return through the window; the more he is excluded from faith, the stronger he gets in superstition.

Things are very different at the intellectual and cultural level. Here the most absolute silence already reigns about the devil. The enemy no longer exists. R. Bultmann, the author of the demystification, wrote: "One cannot make use of electric light and the radio, one cannot make use of medical means and clinics in case of illness and at the same time believe in the world of spirits."

I believe that one of the reasons that many find it difficult to believe in the devil is because they look for him in books, whereas the devil is not interested in books, but rather in souls. Paul VI reaffirmed forcefully the biblical and traditional doctrine on this "dark agent and enemy that is the devil." He wrote, among other things: "Evil is no longer only a deficiency, but an efficiency, a living, spiritual, perverted and perverting being, terrible reality, mysterious and dreadful."

In this realm, however, the crisis has not happened in vain, without bearing even positive fruits. In the past, talk of the devil was often exaggerated; he was seen where he was not; many offenses and injustices were committed with the pretext of fighting him; much discretion and prudence is necessary not to fall in the enemy's game. To see the devil everywhere is no less deflecting than to see him nowhere. St. Augustine said: "The devil rejoices when he is accused. More than that, he wants you to accuse him; he accepts gladly all your recrimination, if this serves to dissuade you from making your confession!"

Therefore, one understands the Church's prudence in discouraging the indiscriminate practice of exorcism by people who have not received any mandate to exercise this ministry.

Our cities are full of people who make exorcism one of the many paid practices and they boast of removing "spells, the evil eye, bad luck, malignant negativities on people, houses, enterprises, commercial activities." It is surprising that in a society such as ours, so alert to commercial frauds and willing to denounce cases of excessive credit and abuses in the exercise of a profession, many people are found willing to swallow such hoaxes.

That day, even before Jesus said anything in the synagogue of Capernaum, the unclean spirit felt ejected and obliged to come out in the open. It was Jesus' "holiness" that seemed "untenable" for the unclean spirit. The Christian who lives in grace and is temple of the Holy Spirit, bears in himself some of this holiness of Christ, and it is precisely the latter which operates, in the environments where he lives, a silent and effective exorcism.

[Translation from the Italian original by ZENIT]   © Innovative Media Inc.

Repent and believe in the Gospel

Readings for Sunday, January 25^th

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

It-3 Ħadd matul is-Sena 

Messalin ‘B’ pp 351

Reading 1                                                         JONah 3:1-5, 10

The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to  Nineveh, according to the LORD’S bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed, “ when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni  -   mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġona 3. 5-10

Il-kelma tal-Mulej waslet lil Ġona u qallu:  "Qum, mur f'Ninwe', il-belt il-kbira, u  xandrilha li ngħidlek jien."   U Ġona qam u mar f'Ninwe' kif qallu l-Mulej. Issa Ninwe' kienet belt kbira għall-aħħar, trid tlitt ijiem biex timxiha.   Ġona, kif  daħal  il-belt, beda ġurnata mixi, ixandar u jgħid:   "Erbgħin jum ieħor, u Ninwe' ssir ħerba!" In-nies ta' Ninwe' emmnu f'Alla, nedew  sawma u libsu l-ixkejjer mill-kbir saż-żgħir. U Alla ra x'għamlu, kif reġgħu lura minn triqthom  il-ħażina.   U Alla raġa' bdielu mid-deni li qal li  kien se jagħmlilhom, u ma għamlux.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                   PSalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

                R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.                                          R.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.                       R.

Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.                            R.

Salm Responsorjali  - (Salm 24(25)

                R/  Triqatek, Mulej, għarrafni.

Triqatek, Mulej, għarrafni,

il-mogħdijiet tiegħek għallimni.

Mexxini fis-sewwa tiegħek u għallimni,

għax int Alla tas-salvazzjoni tiegħi.                         R/

Ftakar fil-ħniena u t-tjieba tiegħek,

għax huma minn dejjem, Mulej.

Inti tajjeb, Mulej;

Ftakar fija skont it-tjieba tiegħek.                            R/  

Tajjeb u sewwa l-Mulej;

għalhekk juri triqtu lill-ħatja.

Imexxi l-imsejkna fis-sewwa,

jgħallem lill-fqajrin it-triq tiegħu.                           R/

Reading 2                                                         1 CORinthians 7:29-31

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning,  those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.  This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni   -    mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 7, 29-31

Dan ngħidilkom, ħuti, iż-żmien qsar.  Ħa jkunu, mela, dawk li għandhom mara, bħallikieku ma għandhomx;  dawk li jibku, bħallikieku ma jibkux; dawk li jifirħu,  bħallikieku ma jifirħux; dawk li jixtru, bħallikieku ma  għandhom xejn; dawk li jgawdu d-dinja, bħallikieku  ma jgawduhiex;  għax is-sura ta' din id-dinja għad tgħaddi!  l-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                                MarK 1:14-20

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him. This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju  -   skont San Mark 1, 14-20

Wara li arrestaw lil Ġwanni, Ġesu' mar il-Galililja jxandar  l-Evanġelju ta' Alla u jgħid:   "Iż-żmien huwa mitmum, u s-Saltna ta' Alla waslet  indmu u emmnu fl-Evanġelju."Waqt li kien għaddej ma' xatt il-baħar tal-Galililja,lemaħ lil Xmun u 'l ħuh Indri qegħdin ikalw ix-xbiekfil-baħar, għax kienu sajjieda.  U Ġesu' qalilhom:  "Ejjew warajja, u nagħmel minnkom sajjieda tal-bnedmin."   U minnufih telqu x-xbiek, u marru warajh.Wara li mexa ftit ieħor ra lil Ġakbu ta' Żebedewu lil ħuh Ġwanni fid-dgħajsa qegħdin isewwu x-xbiek, u minnufih sejħilhom.  U huma telqu lil missierhom Żebedew fid-dgħajsa mal-lavranti u marru warajh.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY:   Father Cantalamessa on True Conversion

Repent and Believe in the Gospel!

After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Gospel of God and said: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel." We must immediately eliminate two prejudices. First: conversion does not refer only to nonbelievers, or to those who say they are "lay"; all of us indistinctly have need to be converted. Second: conversion, understood in a genuinely evangelical sense, is not synonymous with resignation, effort and sadness, but with freedom and joy; it is not a regressive but a progressive state.

Before Jesus, to convert always meant a "going back" (the Hebrew term, "shur," means to reverse course, to go back on one\'s steps). It indicated the act of the one who, at a certain point of life, realized that he was "not on course"; then he paused, reconsidered; decided on a change of attitude and returned to observance of the law and the Covenant with God. He made a real change of direction, a "U-turn." Conversion, in this case, has a moral meaning; it consists of changing customs, of reforming one's life.

This meaning changes on Jesus' lips. To convert no longer means to go back to the ancient Covenant and observance of the law; rather, it means to make a great leap forward and to enter the Kingdom, to cling to the salvation which has come to men gratuitously, by the free and sovereign initiative of God.

Conversion and salvation have exchanged places. There no longer is, as before, the conversion of man and therefore salvation as God\'s recompense; rather, salvation is first, as generous and gratuitous offer of God, and then conversion as man's response. In this consist the "glad tidings,\" the joyful character of evangelical conversion. God does not wait for man to make the first step, to change his life, to do good works, almost as if salvation is compensation for his efforts. No; grace precedes, it is God's initiative. In this, Christianity is distinguished from all other religions: it does not begin with preaching duty but gift; it does not begin with the law, but with grace.

"Repent and believe": This phrase does not mean therefore two different and successive things, but the same fundamental action: Convert, that is, believe! By believing, be converted. Faith is the door through which one enters the Kingdom. If it had been said: The door is innocence, the door is exact observance of all the commandments, the door is patience, purity, one might say: it\'s not for me; I\'m not innocent, I am lacking in this or that virtue. But we are told: The door is faith. It is not impossible for anyone to believe, because God has created us free and intelligent precisely to make the act of faith in him possible for us.

Faith has different faces: There is the faith-assent of the intellect, faith-trust. In our case, it is a faith-appropriation, that is, an act by which one appropriates for oneself something, almost by arrogance. St. Bernard even uses the verb usurp: "What I cannot obtain on my own I usurp from the side of Christ!"

"To convert and believe" means, precisely, to do a kind of sudden and ingenuous action. With it, even before making an effort and acquiring merits, we obtain salvation, we also appropriate to ourselves a "kingdom." And it is God himself who invites us to do so, he loves to see this ingenuity, and he is the first to be surprised that "so few respond."

"Convert!" is not, as we see, a threat, a thing that makes one sad and obliges one to walk with one\'s head bowed, thus taking longer. On the contrary, it is an incredible offer, an invitation to freedom and joy. It is Jesus' "good news" to men of all times.
© Innovative Media Inc.

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

It-2 Ħadd tas-Sena ‘B’

Messalin ‘B’ pp 346

Reading 1                                           1 SaMuel 3:3B-10, 19

Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was. The LORD called to  Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.” Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.” “I did not call you, “ Eli said. “Go back to sleep.” So he went back to sleep. Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. “Here I am, “ he said. “You called me.” But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.” At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD, because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am. You called me.”Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth. So he said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the LORD came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect. This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni     mill-Ewwel Ktieb ta' Samwel 3, 3b-10, 19

F'dak iż-żmien, Samwel kien mimdud fit-tempju tal-Mulej, fejn kien hemm l-arka ta' Alla. Il-Mulej sejjaħ:  "Samwel!"   U dan wieġeb:  "Hawn jien!" U mar jiġri għand Għeli u qallu:  "Hawn jien," qallu, "għalfejn  sejjaħtli?"  "Ma sejjahtlekx,"  wieġeb, "erġa' mur imtedd." U raġa' mar jorqod. U ssokta l-Mulej isejjaħ:  "Samwel!"   U Samwel qam u mar  għand Għeli u qallu:  "Hawn Jien! Għalfejn sejjaħtli?" "Ma sejjaħtlikx, ibni," wieġeb, "erġa' mur orqod."   Samwel kien għadu ma għarafx il-Mulej, u anqas kienet Għadha  ma ttgħarrfitlu l-kelma tal-Mulej. U ssokta l-Mulej isejjaħ:  "Samwel!" għat-tielet darba. U dan qam, u mar għand Għeli, u qallu:  "Hawn jien!   Għalfejn sejjaħtli?"  U Għeli fehem li l-Mulej kien  qiegħed isejjah iż-żgħażugħ.  U qal lil Samwel: "Mur orqod.  Jekk jerġa' jsejjaħlek wieġeb: Tkellem, Mulej, għax il-qaddej tiegħek qiegħed jisma'." U Samwel mar jorqod f'postu. U l-Mulej ġie, waqaf ħdejh, u sejjaħ bħal drabi oħra: "Samwel!  Samwel!"  U wieġeb Samwel:   "Tkellem, għax il-qaddej tiegħek qiegħed jisma'.Samwel kiber, u l-Mulej kien miegħu, u ma ħalla ebda kelma milli qal tmur fix-xejn. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                                       Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10

R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.                                                         R/.

Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”                                      R/.

“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”                             R/.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.              R/

Salm Responsorjal   -     Salm 39(40)

                R/   Hawn jien, Mulej, ġej nagħmel ir-rieda tiegħek.

Ittamajt b'tama qawwija fil-Mulej!

hu niżel ħdejja u sama' l-għajta tiegħi.

Qegħedli fuq fommi għanja ġdida,

għanja ta' tifħir lil Alla tagħna.                                   R/

Int ma titgħaxxaqx b'sagrifiċċji u offerti;

imma widnejja inti ftaħtli;

ma tlabtnix vittmi tal-ħruq u tat-tpattiija.

Imbagħad jien għedt:  "Hawn jien, ġej!"                               R/

"Fil-bidu tal-ktieb hemm miktub fuqi

li nagħmel ir-rieda tiegħek.

Alla tiegħi, dan jogħġboni;

il-liġi tiegħek ġewwa qalbi."                                      R/

Xandart il-ġustizzja f'ġemgħa kbira;

Xufftejja ma  żammejthomx magħluqa.

Mulej, dan inti tafu.                                                        R/

Reading 2                                           1 CORinthians 6:13C-15A, 17-20

Brothers and sisters: The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body; God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him. Avoid immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the immoral person sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.  This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni   - mill-1 Ittra lill-Korintin  6, 13c-15a, 17-20

Ħuti, il-ġisem mħuwiex għaż-żina iżda għall-Mulej, u l-Mulej huwa għall-ġisem.   U Alla qajjem il-Mulej u jqajjem lilna ukoll bil-qawwa tiegħu. Ma tafux li l-iġsma tagħkom huma membri ta' Kristu? Min jingħaqad mal-Mulej hu ruħ waħda miegħu.   Aħarbu ż-żina!   Kull dnub li wieħed jagħmel hu 'l barra minn ġismu, iżda min jagħmel iż-żina jkun qiegħed jidneb kontra ġismu stess.

 Jew ma tafux li ġisimkom hu tempju ta' Ispirtu s-Santu, li jinsab jgħammar fikom, li għandkom minn Alla? Ma tafux li intom m'intomx tagħkom infuskom? Bil-għoti kontu mixtrija!  Mela agħtu ġieħ lil Alla permezz ta' ġisimkom.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                                                 JohN 1:35-42

John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,“Behold, the Lamb of God.” The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” — which translated means Teacher —, “where are you staying?”He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.He first found his own brother Simon and told him,“We have found the Messiah” — which is translated Christ —.Then he brought him to Jesus.Jesus looked at him and said,“You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas” — which is translated Peter. This is the Word of the Lord.

Evanġelju  -   skond San Ġwann 1, 35-42

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġwanni kien hemm ma' tnejn mid-dixxipli tiegħu. Ħares lejn Ġesu' li kien għaddej minn hemm, u qal: "Araw il-Ħaruf ta' Alla."   Iż-żewġ dixxipli semgħuh igħid dan, u marru wara Ġesu'. Ġesu' dar u rahom mexjin warajh, u qalilhom:  "Xi tridu?"   Iżda huma staqsewh:   "Rabbi" li tfisser, Mgħallem – "fejn toqgħod?." Hu weġibhom:  "Ejjew u taraw,"    U marru miegħu u raw fejn kien joqgħod, u  dak in-nhar baqgħu miegħu.   Kien ħabta  tal-erbgħa ta'  waranofsinhar. Wieħed mit-tnejn li semgħu x'kien qal Ġwanni u marru wara Ġesu' kien Indri', ħu Xmun Pietru. L-ewwel ma għamel mar isib lil ħuh Xmun u qallu: "Sibna l-Messija" – li tfisser Kristu.   U ħadu għand Ġesu', Ġesu' ħares lejh u qallu:   "Inti Xmun, bin Ġwanni.  Inti tissejjaħ Kefa" – jew Pietru. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY by Larry Broding, 

When was the last time you received an invitation? What expectations did you have? Have you ever been surprised by what you saw?

Invitations come in many shapes and sizes. Some come in the mail or in e-mail. Others come on the street corner. Others come in ways unexpected. Some are personal, almost intimate. Others are general and impersonal. No matter their shape or size or means, invitations ask us the same question: why don't you come and see?

Why do we come? What do we seek? The early disciples of Jesus must have asked themselves those questions. Despite a culture that distrusted novelty, they would come and see something new. The public appearance of the Messiah. In quick succession, John the Gospel writer laid out the evangelization of the first disciples. Unlike Matthew, Mark, or Luke, John clearly connected the Baptist's followers to those of Jesus. In other words, John saw the ministry of the Baptist flow into the ministry of the Galilean.

In John 1:19-51, the evangelist presented six stories of witness and testimony over seven days. This gospel represent the activity of days three through four in a seven day week. Scripture scholars see this "week" as the new creation. God created a new people, starting with the testimony of the Baptist, and ending with the miracle at the Cana wedding feast. The first day was studied in John 1:19-28 (the Third Sunday in Advent: Cycle B) where the Baptist defined his ministry as " . . . a voice crying out in the desert; 'Make straight the way of the Lord!'" (see 1:23) This gospel presented the next two stories. Unlike 1:19-28 where the Baptist testified to the Jewish leadership, he evangelized his own followers, who, in turn, evangelized others.

When the Baptist saw Jesus, he proclaimed "Look! The Lamb of God!" While this title might strike us as enigmatic, the proclaimed title caused two followers to follow Jesus. Why? As gentle, docile animals, lambs were prized for their tender meat and fine coat; in other words, they gave all they had for their masters. The "Lamb of God" referred to the sacrificial animal, slaughtered at the Temple for the Passover meal. (See John 19:14, 31, 42) In John, this was the same day Jesus was crucified. Jesus was the One the Baptist foretold, because he gave himself totally for his followers, even to death. This theme resonated with Isaiah's Suffering Servant ("He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." Isaiah 53:7, RSV)

(Note how John wove discipleship, sacrifice, and meal together in one title. Don't we see the same themes in the Eucharist, a meal of sacrifice and discipleship?) [1:36]

Two disciples left John and followed Jesus. Since any legal testimony required more than one witness, the gospel writer presented two disciples to assure the veracity of the Baptist's claim. [1:37] Even though they sought the Lord, notice the initiative of Jesus. He first asked the followers intent and invited them to join him. The gospel writer used the invitation "come and see" in other contexts of evangelisation. Philip invited Nathaniel to meet Jesus with the phrase "come and see" in 1:45. The Samaritan woman at the well invited others in her town to "come and see the man who told me everything I have done" in 4:29. The invitation begun by Jesus was continued with followers bringing others into the community. [1:38-39]

John used one of the two followers as the transition point between the Baptist and the new Rabbi. Andrew invited his brother, Simon, to meet his new Teacher. Again note the language of Andrew's invitation. "We (dual witnesses indicating the veracity of the claim) have found the Messiah (the title definitively claiming what the Baptist inferred)." The invitation sealed the transition. Jesus was the Christ, the focal point of revelation. [1:40-41]

When Jesus met Simon, he gave the follower a new identity. He called Simon by his formal name to clearly identify him. Then Jesus gave him his new name: "Cephas" (Aramaic for "Rock;" the Greek translated the word as "Petros," from which we get the name "Peter"). When Jesus gave Simon his new name, he defined the new disciple's role in the community. Simon was like solid rock, not a pebble or a stone that could be moved. Peter was a rock layer strong enough to securely build the foundation of a house. In light of the other gospels, Jesus gave Simon a leadership role with the new name. Remember that, in the time of Jesus, one's name revealed one's strength of character and abilities. In other words, a name defined one's power. [1:42]

Why is self-giving so unusual? Have you ever been impressed by others who give their time and talent to others? Have they ever asked you to join them? What happened? Did their invitation change you?

A simple invitation can be life-changing. Come and see . . . That invitation can come in different ways, from a letter or a look to a simple act of unselfish love. Come and see . . . When we invite others to faith, we ask them to encounter the One after whom we pattern our lives. Come and see . . . the Lord. He will show us the loving way to live and he will give us a new identity as a Christian. He will show us the way to the Father. Come and see . . .

How have you influenced others to become Christ-like? Have you extended them acts of love? Have you ever asked them to join you at Church? Try to help someone this week and invite him or her closer to the Lord.

Rediscovering our own baptism

Readings for Sunday, January 11, 2015

The Baptism of the Lord

Il-Magħmudija tal-Mulej

(Messalin A pp 122)

Reading 1                           ISaiah 55:1-11

Thus says the LORD: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David. As I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of nations, so shall you summon a nation you knew not, and nations that knew you not shall run to you, because of the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you. Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked man his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth  so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. For just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni   -    mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 55. 1-11

Dan igħid il-Mulej:  “Intom  li bikom l-għatx, ejjew għall-ilma; intom ukoll li m’għandhommx flus. Ejjew, ixtru u kulu b’xejn, inbid u ħalib bla ħlas. Għaliex taħlu fluskom b’dak li mhuwiex ħobż. u ġidkom f’dak li ma jxebbax? Isimgħu minni, u tieklu tajjeb, u ruħkom titpaxxa b’ikel bnin. Agħtuni widen u ersqu lejja, isimgħu u tieħdu r-ruħ.  Nagħmel patt magħkom għal dejjem, biex iseħħu l-favuri mwiegħda lil David. Ara, jien qegħedtu xhud fost il-ġnus, Prinċep u leġiżlatur fuq il-popli. Int ġens li ma tafx bih issejjaħ; ġnus li ma jufukx jiġru lejk, minħabba fil-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, il-Qaddis ta’Iżrael, għax lilek żejjen bil-ġieħ. Fittxu l-Mulej sakemm tistgħu ssibuh, sejħulu sakemm hu qrib!  Ħa jħalli triqtu l-mdneb, u l-bniedm il-ħażin fehmietu; ħa jerġa’ lura għand il-Mulej u jħenn għalih, għand Alla tagħna għax hu jaħfer ħafna. Il-fehmieti tiegħi mhumiex fehmietkom, u t-triqat tiegħi mhumiex triqatkom, oraklu tal-Mulej. Għax daqs kemm huma ogħla s-smewwiet mill-art, daqshekk ieħor huma triqati ‘l fuq minn triqatkom, u l-fehmiet tiegħi mill-fehmiet tagħkom. Bħalma x-xita u s-silġ jinżlu mis-smewwiet, u ma jerħgħux lura mnejn ġew bla ma jsaqqu l-art, unna hĠegħluha tnissel u tnibbet, u tagħti ż-żerriegħa ‘l min jiżra’ u l-ħobż ‘il min jiekol, hekk jiġri minn fommi, u ma terġax lura vojta, imma tagħmel dak li jagħġob lili, u ttemm dak li nkun bagħatha tagħmel.” Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

Responsorial Psalm     -   ISaiah 12:2-3, 4BCD, 5-6.

R. (3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.                        R.

Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.         R.

Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel.                              R

Salm Responsorjali                    -              (Is. 12, 2-3. 4bċd.. 5-6)

R/. (11b)   Kollkhom ferħana timlew l-ilma mill-għejun tas-salvazzjoni.

Alla s-salvazzjoni tiegħi,

jiena nittama u ma jkollix mniiex nibża’.

Għax qawwieti u għanjieti hu l-Mulej,

għalija sar is-salvazzjoni.                                              R/

.Roddu ħajr lill-Mulej, sejħu ismu,

għarrfu lill-ġnus bl-għemejjel tiegħu,

xandru li ismu huwa fl-għoli.                                     R/

Għannu lill-Mulej għax għamel ħwjjeġ kbar;

ħa jkun dan magħruf mal-art kollha.

Aqbeż bil-ferħ, għanni i, int li tgħammar f’Sijon,

għax kbir hu f’nofsok il-Qaddis ta’ Iżrael.              R/

Reading 2                         1 JohN 5:1-9

Beloved: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves also the one begotten by him. In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three that testify, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that he has testified on behalf of his Son. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni   -   mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ Gwanni  5,  1-9

Ħuti, kull min jemmen li Ġesu’ hu l-Messija  hu mwieled minn Alla, u kull min iħobb lill-Missier iħobb lil min twieled minnu. Minn dan nafu li nħobbu lil ulied Alla, meta nħobbu ‘l Alla u nagħmlu  l-kmandamenti tiegħu; u nagħmlu l-kmandamenti tiegħu. Għax din hi l-imħabba ta’ Alla, li  nżommu l-kmnandamenti tiegħu; u l-kmandamenti tiegħu mhumiex tqal; għax kull min mwieled minn Alla jegħleb lid-dinja. Din hi r-rebħa fuq id-dina:  il-fidi tagħna. Għax min hu dak li jegħleb lid-dinja , jekk mhux min jemmen li Ġesu’ hu l-Iben ta’ Alla?  Dan huwa dak li ġie bl-ilma u d-demm, Ġesu’ Kristu, mhux bl-ilma biss, iżda bl-ilma u d-demm. U l-Iaspirtu hu li jixhed, għax l-Ispirtu  hu l-verita’. Tlieta huma dawk li jixhdu:  l-Ispirtu, l-ilma u d-demm, u tlieta jaqblu fix-xhieda tagħhom. Jekk aħna nilqgħu x-xhieda tal-bnedmin, ix-xhieda ta’ Alla hija aqwa; din hija xhieda li Alla jagħti dwar Ibnu.    Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                -              MarK 1:7-11

This is what John the Baptist proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water;  he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee  and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open  and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens,  “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” This is the Word of The Lord.

Evanġelju   -  skond San Mark 1,7-11

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġwanni l-Battista kien ixandar u jgħid: “Ġej warajja min hu aqwa minni, li jien ma jistħoqqlix nitbaxxa quddiemu u nħoll il-qfieli tal-qorq tiegħu.   Jiena  għammidtkom bl-ilma, iżda huwa jgħammidkom  bl-Ispirtu s-Santu. U ġara li f’dawk il-jiem ġie Ġesu’ minn Nazaret tal-Galilija, u tgħammed minn Ġwanni fil-Ġordan. U  minnufih hu u tiela’ mill-ilma ra s-smewwiet jinfetħu, u l-Isipirtu bħal ħamiema nieżel fuqu; u mis-smewwiet instama’ leħen: “Inti ibni l-għażiż; fik sibt l-għaxqa tiegħi. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Commentary   -  by Fr Raniero Cantalamessa ofm cap

  

A Call for Rediscovery of Sacrament of Baptism

"At that time Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As soon as he came out of the water he saw that the heavens opened and that the Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended on him. And a voice was heard that came from the heavens: 'You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. '"

Was it that Jesus also needed to be baptized, as we do? Of course not. With that gesture, he wanted to show that he had become one of us. Above all, he wanted to put an end to the baptism of "water" and inaugurate that "of the Spirit." It was not the water in the Jordan that sanctified Jesus, but Jesus who sanctified the water. Not only the water of the Jordan, but that of all fonts of the world.

The feast of the Baptism of Jesus is the annual occasion to reflect on our own baptism. A question people often ask themselves about baptism is: Why baptize small children? Why not wait until they are older and can decide freely for themselves? It is a serious question, but it can conceal a deceit. In procreating a child and giving him life, do parents first ask for his permission? Convinced that life is an immense gift, they rightly assume that one day the child will be grateful for it. A person is not asked for permission to be given a gift, and baptism is essentially this: the gift of life given to man by the merits of Christ.

Of course, all this assumes that the parents themselves are believers and have the intention to help the child develop the gift of faith. The Church acknowledges their decisive competency in this area and does not want a child to be baptized against their will.

Moreover, no one today says that, by the simple fact that a person is not baptized, he will be condemned and go to hell. Children who die without baptism, as well as people who have lived, through no fault of their own, outside the Church, can be saved (the latter, it is understood, if they live according to the dictates of their conscience).

Let us forget the idea of limbo as the place without joy or sadness in which children who are not baptized will end up. The fate of children who are not baptized is no different from that of the Holy Innocents, which we celebrated just after Christmas. The reason is that God is love and "wants all to be saved," and Christ also died for them!

Quite different, however, is the case of the one who neglects receiving baptism out of laziness or indifference, though aware, perhaps, in the depth of his conscience, of its importance and necessity. In this case, Jesus' word retains all its severity: only "he who believes and is baptized will be saved" (cf. Mark 16:16). There are increasingly more people in our society who for different reasons have not been baptized in childhood. There is the risk that they will grow up and make no decision, one way or another. Parents are no longer concerned about it because they now think that it is not their duty; the children because they have other things to think about; and also because it has not yet entered the common mentality that the person himself must take the initiative to be baptized.

In order to address this situation, the Church gives much importance at present to the so-called Christian initiation of adults. The latter offers the young person or adult who is not baptized the occasion to be formed, to prepare and to decided with full liberty. It is necessary to surmount the idea that baptism is only something for children.

Baptism expresses its full meaning precisely when it is desired and decided upon personally, as a free and conscious adherence to Christ and his Church, although the validity and gift of being baptized as children must not be disregarded for the reasons above explained. Personally, I am grateful to my parents for having had me baptized in the first days of my life. It is not the same to live one\'s childhood and youth with or without sanctifying grace!  

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