Fifth Sunday of Lent

Il-5 Ħadd tar-Randan

Messalin B pp 166

Reading 1   -   Jeremiah 31:31-34

The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant, and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more. This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel  Lezzjoni  -   Profeta Ġeremija 31, 31-34

Araw, għad jiġi   żmien, oraklu tal-Mulej, meta jien nagħmel patt ġdid ma' dar Isarel u dar Ġuda; mhux bħall-patt li għamilt ma' missirjiethom fiż-żmien meta qbadthom minn idejhom biex ħriġthom mill-art ta' l-Eġittu, il-patt tiegħi li huma kisru, għalkemm jien kont l-għarus tagħhom,   oraklu tal-Mulej. Imma dan ikun il-patt li għad  nagħmel ma' dar Iżrael wara  dawk il-jiem, oraklu tal-Mulej. Inqiegħed il-liġi tiegħi fosthom u niktibha f'qalbhom; u jiena nkun Alla tagħhom, u huma jkunu l-poplu tiegħi. Ma  jgħallmux iżjed lil xulxin,  u ħadd  ma jgħid lil ħuh:  "Agħraf il-Mulej". għaliex ilkoll kemm huma jkunu jafuni, miż-zgħir sal kbir, oraklu tal-Mulej. Għax jien naħfrilhom ħżunithom, u ħtijiethom ma niftakarhomx aktar. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                      Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Salm Responsorjali    (Salm 50 (51)

                R/  Oħloq fija qalb safja, o Alla.

Ikollok ħniena minni, o Alla, fi tjubitek;

fil-kobor tal-ħniena tiegħek ħassar ħtijieti.

Aħsilni kollni mill-ħtija tiegħi,

naddafni mid-dnub tiegħi.                                          R/

Oħloq fija qalb safja, O Alla,

u spirtu qawwi ġedded fija.

La twarrabnix minn quddiemek,

tneħħix minni l-Ispirtu qaddis tiegħek.                                R/

Roddli l-hena tas-salvazzjoni tiegħek

u bi spirtu qalbieni wettaqni.

Lill-mininbin  ngħallem triqatek,

u l-ħatjin jerġgħu lura lejk.                                         R/

Reading 2                             Hebrews 5:7-9

In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.  This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Qari    -    mill-Ittra lill-Lhud  5, 7-9

Meta kien igħix fuq din l-art,  Kristu offra talb, u suppliki  b'leħen għoli u  bid-dmugħ  lil dak li seta' jsalvah mill-mewt.   U kien mismugħ minħabba fil-qima tiegħu lejn Alla.    Għad li kien Iben, tgħallem minn dak li bata xi tfisser l-ubbidjenza.   U, billi laħaq il-perfezzjoni, sar awtur tas-salvazzjoni ta'  dejjem għall kull min jisma' minnu.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                               John 12:20-33

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came t  Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. "I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour?' But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again." The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this indicating the kind of death he would die. This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju  -   skond San Ġwann 12, 20-33

F'dak iż-żmien,  fost dawk li telgħu biex   iqimu lil Alla fil-festa kien hemm xi Griegi.    Dawn marru għand Filippu, li  kien minn  Betsajda tal-Galilija, u talbuh:   "Sinjur, nixtiequ naraw lil Ġesu'." Filippu mar igħid lil Indri', u mbaghad  Indri' u Filippu marru jgħidu lil Ġesu. U Ġesu' weġibhom:  "Waslet is-siegħa li fiha  Bin il-bniedem għandu jkun igglorifikat. Tassew, tassew ngħidilkom, jekk il-ħabba tal-qamħ  ma taqax fl-art u tmut, hi tibqa weħidha; imma jekk tmut,  tagħmel ħafna frott.   Min iħobb lil ħajtu jitlifha;  imma min jobgħod lil ħajtu f'din id-dinja jħarisha  għall-ħajja ta' dejjem.   Jekk xi ħadd irid jaqdini,  hu għandu jimxi warajja, u fejn inkun jien,  hemm  ukoll ikun il-qaddej tiegħi. Min jaqdi lili, il-Missier jagħtih ġieħ. Issa qiegħed  inħoss ruħi   mħawda. U x'naqbad ngħid? Missier, eħlisni minn din is-siegħa?  Imma jien  għalhekk ġejt: għal din is-siegħa.   Missier, agħti glorja lil ismek." Dak il-ħin instemgħa leħen mis-sema:   "Jiena diġa gglorifikajtu, u nerġa' nigglorifikah."  In-nies li kienu hemm semgħuh, u qalu li   kien qiegħed iriegħed.   Oħrajn qalu: "Kellmu xi anġlu".     Ġesu' wieġeb:  "Dan il-leħen ma ġiex għalija, imma għalikom. Il-ġudizzju ta' din id-dinja qiegħed isir issa. Issa se jtkeċċa l-Prinċep ta' din id-dinja. U meta nintrefa' 'l fuq mill-art,  jiena niġbed il-bnedmin kollha lejja." Hu qal  dan biex juri b'liema mewt kien sejjer imut.     Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

//////////////////////////////////////

A reflection from LARRY BRODING’s lectionary resources for Catholics

 The Glory of the Cross

Does the cross have any meaning in today's culture? 

Does the meaning culture gives the cross have any connection to Christian faith?

References to "Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour" have become popular among sports figures and music stars. After a victory or during an award, stars will give "glory" to God for their accomplishments. As admirable as these testimonials might be, do they really speak of God's "glory?" Have you ever noticed none of these testimonials ever mention the cross?

As we come closer to Easter, the cross looms larger. In this Sunday's gospel, Jesus stated his glory in plain terms. It was the cross.

This gospel can be divided into three sections: the request of the audience, Jesus' comments on self-giving, and the glory/judgment of the Father. With a Gentile audience, Jesus can reveal the meaning of servanthood and give glory to God.  John opened this section with "Greeks," Gentiles who spoke the language of commence and adopted the dominant culture at the time. They came to Philip with one request: to see Jesus. The verb "to see" meant more than "to behold with the eyes." These foreigners wanted to investigate the possibility of becoming disciples. They had heard about Jesus (i.e., his reputation or "glory") and wanted to "see" if they could follow him.

Like many other times in his gospel, John wove several themes into the scene. The foreigners were fellow pilgrims, seekers of the true God. They mingled with the Jews at Passover, a celebration of the people's freedom by God's hand. (Did a mixture of "Greeks" and Jews represent John's community?) The stage was set for the universal Messiah to reveal his true self, his true "glory." The Passover of the people would become the Passover of the Messiah.   In this passage, Jesus' monologue can be divided into two parts: 1) the self-giving of the Son and his followers and 2) the glory of the Father and the Son. In first part, Jesus defined the glory of the Son as his death and resurrection. His followers are assembled, the Jewish old-timers and the Gentile neophytes. They were gathered by his reputation (i.e., his 'glory"). Now he would reveal what that glory meant: dying to self.

The analogy of the wheat grain addressed the priorities of people. Those who selfishly clung to life would remain on the stalk alone, and would wither away. Those who gave their lives to others would die, but see others live and would enjoy eternal life. They would bear "much fruit." Notice those who gave up their lives unselfishly followed Jesus to his death. Jesus did not follow them.

Through his obedience, Jesus revealed his glory as God's "Servant." This image was the internal paradox of the community. To be a servant of the Lord (his follower), one must serve him and others. The servant served the servants, creating an equality among the followers of Jesus. So, the "glory" of the Christian community lie in humility, the quality of giving true deference to others. Leadership was to exercised in love and humble service, not in power and brutality. The Father would honor those who truly followed in the footsteps of the Master. For the Father loved the humble.

As the cross revealed the Father's love, it also reveals the Father's judgment. The ruler of the world (the Evil One) would be ejected. And everyone would be lifted up with Jesus, on the cross and in the resurrection (the image in 12:32 could refer to either). John, then, affirmed God's love did not save anyone from suffering on this earth, or even physical death. But, the faithful Christian would enjoy the presence of God now and in the life to come. All of this, because of Jesus.

What does the cross mean to you? Have you ever meditated on a crucifix, seen a Passion Play, or participated in a "Way of the Cross?" What happened?

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18) RSV

There is a folly to the cross. And that folly still exists today. The glory of the Christian is the cross, for the cross points to God's love far better than any other blessing received in life. It is a universal sign of God's love. And a universal invitation to follow Jesus. Let us pray we, too, can show others God's love, even though his love leads to the cross. And to the resurrection.

Consider your walk with the Lord. How has that walk led to times of discomfort, even suffering?

How has your "experience of the cross" helped you to grow spiritually?      

/////////////////////////