The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Solennita’ tat-Trinita’  Qaddisa

Messalin   B 325

Reading 1   --      Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40

Moses said to the people: "Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep his statutes and commandments that I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever." This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari   -    mill-Ktieb tad-Dewternomju 4, 32-34, 39-40

Mose' kellem lill-poplu u qal:  "Staqsi liż-żminijiet tal-imgħddi,  iż-żmienijiet ta' qabel, sa minn mindu  Alla ħalaq il-bniedem  fuq l-art, fittex minn tarf għal ieħor tas-sema, u ara kienx hemm  ġrajja hekk kbira bħal din, jew qattx instemgħet oħra bħalha.   Qatt kien hemm poplu li sama' leħen Alla jitkellem minn ġon-nar –  bħalma  smajt int – u baqa' ħaj? Jew qatt xi alla fittex biex jagħżel għalih poplu minn fost poplu ieħor  b'tiġrib, b'sinjali u għeġubijiet, b'taqbid, b'id qawwija u driegħ merfugħ, b'egħmejjel kbr tal-biża, bħalma għamel għalik quddiem għajnejk  fl-Eġittu il-Mulej Alla tiegħek? Mela, kun af illum, u żommha f'moħħok li l-Mulejn hu tassew Alla,  kemm fl-għoli tas-sema kemm hawn isfel fuq l-art, u li ma hawnx  ieħor għajru.    Ħares, għalhekk, l-ordnijiet u l-kmandamenti tiegħu  li se nagħtik illum biex  ikollok riżq, int u  wliedek warajk, ħalli tgħix  żmien twil fuq l-art li l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, se jagħtik għal dejjem. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm    Psalm 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22

R. (12b) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.                        R

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host.
For he spoke, and it was made;
he commanded, and it stood forth.                                         R.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.                                  R.

Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.                                                 R.

Salm Responsorjali                    -              Salm 32(33)

                R/    Ħieni  l-poplu li l-Mulej għażel b'wirtu.

Sewwa hi l-kelma  tal-Mulej,

kollox  bil-fedelta' huwa  għamel.

Hu iħobb id-dritt u s-sewwa;

bit-tjieba tal-Mulej mimlija l-art.            R/

Bil-kelma tal-Mulej saru s-smewwiet,

u b'nifs fommu t-tiżjin kollu tagħhom.

Għax hu tkellem, u kollox sar;

hu ordna u kollox seħħ.                                                R/

Ara, għajnejn il-Mulej fuq dawk li jibgħżu minnu,

fuq dawk li jittamaw fit-tjieba tiegħu,

biex jeħilsilhom mill-mewt ħajjithom,

u jaħjihom  fi żmien il-ġuħ.                         R/

Ruħna tixxennaq għall-Mulej,

hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħna.

Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna,

kif fik hi t-tama tagħna.                                 R/

Reading 2    -   -       Romans 8:14-17

Brothers and sisters: For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Qari     -     mill-Ittra ta' San Pawl Appostlu lir-Rumani  8, 14-17

 Ħuti, dawk kollha li jmexxihom l-Ispirtu ta' Alla huma  wlied Alla. Għax intom ma rċejetux  l-ispirtu li njwassalkom għall-jasar biex  terġgħu taqgħu fil-biża', imma  rċevejtu  l-Ispirtu li jagħmel minnkom  ulied adottivi; u li  bih  aħna nistgħu ngħajtu:  "Abba! Missier!" Dan l-Ispirtu jixhed  flimkien mal-ispirtu tagħna, li aħna wlied Alla.     Jekk aħna wlied,  aħna wkoll werrieta, werrieta ta' Alla, werrieta ma'  Kristu:  ladarba aħna nbatu miegħu, biex miegħu nkunu gglorifikati.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel           -            Matthew 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."   This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju   -   skont San Mattew 28 16-20

F'dak iż-żmien,  il-ħdax-il dixxiplu telqu lejn il-Galilija u marru  fuq il-muntanja fejn kien ordnalhom Ġesu'.   Kif rawh,inxteħtu quddienu; għalkemm xi wħud iddubitaw. Ġesu' resaq ikellimhom u qalilhom:  "Lili ngħatat kull setgħa fis-sema u fl-art.      Morru, mela, agħmlu dixxipli mill-ġnus kollha, u għammduhom fl-isem tal-Missier  u tal-Iben u  tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, u għallmuhom iħarsru  dak kollu li ordnajtilkom jien.    U ara,  jiena magħkom dejjem, sa l-aħħar taż-żmien."  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Father Cantalamessa on Trinity Sunday

A Close Mystery

Christian life develops completely in the sign and presence of the Trinity. At the dawn of life, we were baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," and at the end, at our bedside, the words are recited: "Go forth from this world, O Christian soul, in the name of God, the Almighty Father who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ who redeemed you, and in the name of the Holy Spirit who sanctifies you."

Between these two extreme moments, there are others called of "transition" that, for a Christian, are marked by the invocation of the Trinity. In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, spouses are united in marriage and priests are consecrated by a bishop. In the past, contracts, sentences and all important acts of civil and religious life began in the name of the Trinity.

It is not true, therefore, that the Trinity is a remote mystery, irrelevant to everyday life. On the contrary, they are the three most "intimate" persons in life: They are not outside of us, as a wife or husband is, but within us. "They make their home in us" (John 14:23); we are their "temple."

But, why do Christians believe in the Trinity? Isn't it already difficult enough to believe that God exists, and then we add that he is "one and triune"? Christians believe that God is one and triune because they believe that God is love! The revelation of God as love, made by Jesus, has "obliged" one to admit the Trinity. It is not a human invention.

If God is love, he has to love someone. There is no love "in the void," without an object. But, whom does God love to be defined love. Men? But men have existed only for thousands of years, no more. The cosmos? The universe? The universe has existed only for billions of years. Before, whom did God love, to be able to define himself love? We cannot say that he loved himself, because this would not be love but egoism and narcissism.

This is the answer of Christian revelation: God is love because from eternity he has "in his bosom" a son, the Word, the one he loves with an infinite love, that is, with the Holy Spirit. In every love there are always three realities or subjects: one who loves, one who is loved, and the love that unites them.

The Christian God is one and triune because he is communion of love. In love, unity and plurality are reconciled; love creates unity in diversity: unity of intentions, of thought, of will; diversity of subjects, of characteristics and, in the human realm, of sex. In this connection, the family is the least imperfect image of the Trinity. It was no accident that when creating the first human couple God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Genesis 1:26-27).

According to modern atheists, God is no more than a projection that man makes of himself, as one who confuses with another person his own image reflected in a stream. This might be true in regard to any other idea of God, but not in regard to the Christian God. What need would man have to divide himself in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, if God is really no more than the projection that man makes of his own image? The doctrine of the Trinity is, on its own, the best antidote to modern atheism.  Do you find all this too difficult? Have you understood little? I will tell you not to worry. When one is on the shore of a lake or a sea, and wishes to know what is on the other side, what is most important is not to sharpen one's sight and try to scan the horizon, but to get into the boat that takes one to that shore.

With the Trinity, what is most important is not to ruminate on the mystery, but to remain in the faith of the Church, which is the boat that takes one to the Trinity.

[Translation and adaptation from the Italian by ZENIT]

© Innovative Media Inc.

Power From Above

readings for May 24, 2015

Pentecost Sunday

Solemnity of the coming of the Holy Spirit

Ghid il-Hamsin   (Quddiesa tal-Jum)

SOLENNITA’ TAL-MIGJA TA’ L-ISPIRTU S-SANTU

Messalin B 320

Reading 1          ACTS 2:1-11

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.  Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.  At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”  This s the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni  -  Qari mill-Atti tal-Appostli.i 2, 1-11

Meta wasal jum Għid il-Ħamsin, huma kienu lkoll flimkien  f'post wieħed.   F'daqqa waħda ġie mis-sema ħoss bħal ta'  riħ qawwi, u mela d-dar kollha fejn kienu qegħdin.    U dehrulhom ilsna qishom tan-nar, li tqassmu u qagħdu fuq  kull wieħed minnhom.   Imtlew lkoll bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u bdew  jitkellmu b'ilsna oħra, skont ma l-Ispirtu kien jagħtihom li jitkellmu. F'Ġerusalemm kien hemm xi Lhud, nies twajba minn kull  nazzjon li hawn taħt is-sema.   Malli nstama' dan il-ħoss,  inġabret kotra kbira,  ilkoll imħawdin għax kull wieħed  minnhom kien jismagħhom jitkellmu bl-ilsien tiegħu.   Miblugħin u mistagħġbin, bdew jgħidu:  "Dawn li qegħdin   jitkellmu mhumiex ilkoll mill-Galilija?  Mela kif kull wieħed  minna qiegħed jismagħhom jitkellmu bi lsien art twelidu?    Partin, Medin u Għelamin, nies mill- Mesopotanja,  mil-Lhudija, mill-Kappadoċja, minn Pontu, mill-Asja, mill-Friġja, mill-Pamfilja, mill-Eġittu, mill- inħawi  tal-Libja madwar Ċireni, nies li ġew minn Ruma, kemm Lhud u kemm proseliti,  oħrajn minn Kreta u  Għarab, aħna lkoll qegħdin nisimgħuhom ixandru  bl-ilsna tagħna l-għeġubijiet ta' Alla!" Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                PSalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34

Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
the earth is full of your creatures;
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or: R. Alleluia.

May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD be glad in his works!
Pleasing to him be my theme;
I will be glad in the LORD.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or: R. Alleluia.

If you take away their breath, they perish
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or: R. Alleluia.

Salm Responsorjali                                    Salm 103(104)

Bierek ruħ tiegħi, lill-Mulej!

Mulej, Alla tiegħi, inti kbir bil-bosta!

Kemm huma kotrana l-għemejjel tiegħek, Mulej!

Mimlija l-art bil-ħlejjaq tiegħek.             

     R/  Ibgħat l-Ispirtu tiegħek, Mulej, u ġedded il-wiċċ ta' l-art.

Jekk teħdilhom nifishom, imutu,

u lejn it-trab jerġgħu jmorru.

Malli tibgħat in-nifs tiegħek, jinħolqu,

u inti ġġedded il-wiċċ ta' l-art.

     R/  Ibgħat l-Ispirtu tiegħek, Mulej, u ġedded il-wiċċ ta' l-art.

Jibqa' sebħ il-Mulej għal dejjem!

Jifraħ il-Mulej bl-għemejjel tiegħu!

Ħa togħġbu l-għanja tiegħi,

Għax jien fil-Mulej l-hena tiegħi.

     R/  Ibgħat l-Ispirtu tiegħek, Mulej, u ġedded il-wiċċ ta' l-art.

Reading 2             GALatians 5:16-25

Brothers and sisters, live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh.For the flesh has desires against the Spirit,and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.  This s the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni  -  Qari mill-Ittra ta' San Pawl lill-Galatin 5  16-25

Ħuti, jien ngħidilkom, imxu fl-Ispirtu u taqgħux għall-passjonijiet tal-passjoniet tal-ġisem huma kontra l-ġisem;  dawn it-tnejn huma kontra xulxin, ;biex ma jħallukomx tagħmlu dak li tixtiequ. Jekk lilkom imexxikom l-Ispirtu, m'intomx taħt il-liġi. L-għemejjel tal-ġisem huma magħrufa:   żina, faħx, nuqqas ta' rażan, idolatrija, seħer, mibegħda, ġlied, għira, korla, ambizzjoni, firda, partiti, invidja, sokor, tbaħrid, u ħwejjeġ bħal dawn.   Inwissikom, bħalma wissejtkom  qabel, min jagħmel dawn il-ħwejjeġ ma jiritx is-saltna ta' Alla.  Il-frott tal-Ispirtu huma:  l-imħabba, l-hena,  is-sliem, is-sabar, il-ħniena, it-tjieba, il-fidi, il-ħlewwa, ir-rażan.   Kontra dawn ma hemmx liġi.   Dawk li huma ta' Kristu Ġesu' sallbu l-ġisem bil-ġibdiet u l-passjonijiet tiegħu.   Jekk ngħixu bl-Ispirtu, ħalli  nimxu bl-Ispirtu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Sequence — Veni, Sancte Spiritus

Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!

Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.

You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul’s most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;

In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.

O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!

Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.

On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend;

Give them virtue’s sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end. Amen.
Alleluia.

Sekwenza

Spirtu s-Santu, ejja fina,                               

raġġ ta'  dawl qaddis agħtina,   

xerrdu f'ruħna mis-smewwiet.

O Missier il-foqra tiegħek,

inti ġġib id-doni miegħek,

tagħni b'dawklek qalb l-ulied.

Inti l-aqwa faraġ tagħna,

fik kull hena xħin tkun magħna,

tħossok fewġa ħelwa r-ruħ 

Fl-għaja, lejn is-serħ twassalna;

jekk imħeġġa wisq, trażżanna;

mil-għajnejn tixxotta d-dmugħ.

O dawl ħieni ta' qdusija,

nitolbuk li bik mimlija

tkun il-qalb ta' kull fidil.

Mingħajr dawlek li jmexxina

ebda ħajr ma jkum hemm fina,

ebda safa fl-għemil.

Naddaf kull fejn hemm it-tbajja',

fejn hemm nixfa reġġa' l-ħajja,

lill-miġruħ agħtih fejqan.

Rattab fina l-ebusija,

agħti lill-berdin bżulija,

għin fit-triq lil min beżgħan.

Agħti s-seba' doni tiegħek

lil min jimxi fidil miegħek

u li fik jistrieħ kull hin.

Agħti 'l kull virtu' sabiħa

ħlas ta' salvazzjoni sħiħa,

agħti  l-ġenna lit-tajbin.

Ammen.  Hallelujah.

Gospel              JohN 15:26-27; 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples:  “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.“ I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.” This s the Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju  -  Qari skont San Ġwann 15, 26-27; 16,12-15

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu:  "Meta jiġi d-Difensur, li se nibagħtilkom mingħand il-Missier, l-Ispirtu tal-verita', li ġej mill-Missier, huwa jixhed għalija.  U intom ukoll tixhduuu, għax intom kontru miegħi sa mill-bidu. Baqagħli ħafna ħwejjeġ  x'ngħidilkom, imma għalissa ma tifilħux għalihom.     Meta jiġi hu, l-Ispirtu tal-verita', iwassalkom għall-verita' kollha; għaliex hu ma jgħid xejn minn tiegħu, imma jgħid dak li jisma', u jħabbrilkom il-ġejjieni.   Hu jagħtini glorja,  għaliex jieħu minn dak li hu tiegħi u jħabbru lilkom.   Dak kollu li għandu l-Missier huwa tiegħi.   Għalhekk għedt li jieħu minn  dak li hu tiegħi u jħabbru lilkom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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Power From Above

Gospel Commentary for Feast of Pentecost By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap

 Everyone has on some occasion seen people pushing a stalled car trying to get it going fast enough to start. There are one or two people pushing from behind and another person at the wheel. If it does not get going after the first try, they stop, wipe away the sweat, take a breath and try again. ... Then suddenly there is a noise, the engine starts to work, the car moves on its own and the people who were pushing it straighten themselves up and breathe a sigh of relief.

This is an image of what happens in Christian life. One goes forward with much effort, without great progress. But we have a very powerful engine ("the power from above!") that only needs to be set working. The feast of Pentecost should help us to find this engine and and see how to get it going.

The account from the Acts of the Apostles begins thus: "When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all together in the same place."

From these words, we see that Pentecost pre-existed Pentecost. In other words, there was already a feast of Pentecost in Judaism and it was during this feast that the Holy Spirit descended. One cannot understand the Christian Pentecost without taking into account the Jewish Pentecost that prepared it.

In the Old Testament there were two interpretations of the feast of Pentecost. At the beginning there was the feast of the seven weeks, the feast of the harvest, when the first fruits of grain were offered to God, but then, and certainly during Jesus' time, the feast was enriched with a new meaning: It was the feast of the conferral of the law and of the covenant on Mount Sinai.

If the Holy Spirit descends upon the Church precisely on the day in which Israel celebrated the feast of the law and the covenant, this indicates that the Holy Spirit is the new law, the spiritual law that sealed the new and eternal covenant. A law that is no longer written on stone tablets but on tablets of flesh, on the hearts of men.

These considerations immediately provoke a question: Do we live under the old law or the new law? Do we fulfill our religious duties by constraint, by fear and habit, or rather by an intimate conviction and almost by attraction? Do we experience God as a father or a boss?

I conclude with a story. At the beginning of the last century a family from southern Italy emigrated to the United States. Not having enough money to pay for meals at restaurants, they took bread and cheese with them for the trip. As the days and weeks passed the bread became stale and the cheese moldy; at a certain point their child could not take it anymore and could do nothing but cry.

The parents took the last bit of money that they had and gave it to him so that he could have a nice meal at a restaurant. The child went, ate and came back to his parents in tears. The parents asked: "We have spent all the money we had left to buy you a nice meal and you are still crying?"

"I am crying because I found out that one meal a day was included in the price and this whole time we have been eating bread and cheese!"

Many Christians go through life with only "bread and cheese," without joy, without enthusiasm, when they could, spiritually speaking, every day enjoy every good thing of God, it all being included in the price of being Christians.

The secret for experiencing that which John XXIII called "a new Pentecost" is called prayer. That is where we find the "spark" that starts the engine!

Jesus promised that the heavenly Father would give the Holy Spirit to those who asked for him (Luke 11:13). Ask then! The liturgy of Pentecost offers us magnificent words to do this:

"Come, Holy Spirit ...
Come, O Father of the poor,
Ever bounteous of Thy store,
Come, our heart's unfailing light.
Come, Consoler, kindest, best,
Come, our bosom's dearest guest,
Sweet refreshment, sweet repose.
Rest in labor, coolness sweet,
Tempering the burning heat,
Truest comfort of our woes!"

Come Holy Spirit!

[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]

OUR TRUE HEAVEN

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Solennita' tat-Tlugħ il-Mulej fis-Sema

Messalin  B  305

Reading 1  -  Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari -  Qari mill-Atti ta' l-Appostli 1, 1-11

Fl-ewwel  rakkont tiegħi, Teofilu, tkellimt fuq dak kollu li  Ġesu' kien għamel u għallem minn mindu beda sal-jum li  fih kien meħud fis-sema, wara li, permezz tal-Ispirtu s-Santu,  ta l-ordnijiet  tiegħu lill-appostli li hu kien għażel. Wara l-passjoni tiegħu dehrilhom u tahom ħafna provi li hu  ħaj;  erbgħin jum rawh kemm-il darba u kellimhom fuq il-ħwejjeġ  tas-Saltna ta' Alla.   Meta  kien għadu magħhom, ordnalhom biex  ma jitilqux minn Ġerusalemm, imma joqogħdu jistennew  sa ma  sseħħ il-wegħda tal-Missier,"li fuqha – qalilhom  -  smajtu x'kont  għedtilkom:  Ġwanni għammed bl-ilma. imma intom, fi ftit  jiem oħra  titgħammdu bl-Ispirtu s-Santu." Kif  kienu flimkien, staqsewh:  "Mulej, hu dan iż-żmien li fih  int se terġa' twaqqaf  is-saltana ta' Israel?"    Hu weġibhom:   "Mhijiex biċċa tagħkom li tkunu tafu l-waqt u ż-żmien li  l-Missier għażel bis-setgħa tiegħu.  Imma meta jiġi fuqkom  l-Ispirtu s-Santu, intom tirċievu l-qawwa, u tkunu xiehda tiegħi  f'Ġerusalemm, fil-Lhudija kollha u s-Samarija,u sa truf l-art". Wara li qal dan, huma u jħarsu lejh, kien meħud  'il fuq, u sħaba  ħadithulhom minn quddiem għajnejhom.  Waqt li kienu b'għajnejhom   fis-sema jħarsu lejh sejjer, f'daqqa waħda  dehrulhom ħdejhom żewġt  irġiel libssin l-abjad,  u qalulhom:   "Irġiel tal-Galilija, x'intom tħarsu  lejn is-sema?  Dan Ġesu', li kien meħud minn magħkom lejn is-sema,   għad jerġa' jiġi kif rajtuħ sejjer." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm             PSALM 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 

R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:      R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.                                         R/

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.                                        R/

For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.                                                  R/

Salm Responsorjali                                                  SALM 46 (47 )

 R/  Tela' l-Mulej b'agħjat ta' ferħ.  Jew     Hallelujah,  Hallelujah.

Popli kollha, ċapċpu idejkom,

għajtu b'leħenta' ferħ lil Alla!

Għax il-Mulej, l-Għoli, hu tal-biża',

sultan kbir fuq l-art kollha.                                          R/

Tela' Alla b'agħjat ta' ferħ,

il-Mulej bid-daqq tat-trombi.

Għannu lil Alla, għannu,

għannu lis-sultan tagħna, għannu!                          R/

Għax Alla s-sultan tal-ark kollha;

Għannulu  bis-sengħa għanja sabiħa.

Isaltan Alla fuq il-ġnus kollha,

joqgħod Alla  fuq it-tron imqaddes tiegħu.         R/

Reading 2                                         EPHesians 4:1-13

Brothers and sisters, I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Therefore, it says: He ascended on high and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men. What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended into the lower regions of the earth? The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.  This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Qari   --Qari mill-Ittra ta' San Pawl lill-Efesin  4, 1-13

Ħuti, inħeġġiġkom jien, il-priġunieri tal-Mulej, biex timxu  sewwa skont is-sejħa li biha kontu msejħin;  billi bl-umilta'  kollha, bil-ħlewwa u bis-sabar, taħmlu u tħobbu 'l xulxin.   Ħabirkuuu biex iżżommu spirtu wieħed bir-rabta tas-sliem;  ġisem wieħed u ruħ waħda, l-istess kif kont msejħa għal  tama waħda;  Mulej wieħed, fidi waħda, magħmudija waħda;   Alla wieħed u Missier ta' kulħadd, li hu fuq kulħadd,  b'kulħadd u f'kulħadd. Lil kull wieħed minna Alla tana l-grazzja skont il-qjies  tad-don ta' Kristu.   Hu għallhekk li tgħid l-Iskrittura:  "Tela'":  xi jfisser daar  għajr li hu niżel ukoll  fl-inħawi  l-aktar t'isfel tal-art?   Dak li niżel huwa dak li tela' fuq is-smewwiet kollha, biex jimla kollox. U huwa dak li ta lil xi wħud li jkunu appostli, li xi wħud  profeti,  lil xi wħud evanġelisti, li xi wħud rgħajja u  mgħallmin:  Hekk jitrawmu l-qaddisin għax-xogħol  tal-ħidma tagħhom għall-bini tal- Ġisem ta' Kristu,  sakemm aħna lkoll naslu biex insiru ħaġa waħda fil- fidi u fl-għarfien tal-Iben ta'  Alla; insuru raġel magħmul,  fl-aħjar ta' żmienu. U hekk isseħh il-milja ta' Kristu.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                                MarK 16:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.   This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju  -  skond San Mark16, 15-20

F'dak iż-żmien,  Ġesu' wera ruħu lill-Ħdax u qalilhom: "Morru fid-dinja kollha, xandru l-Evanġelju lill-ħolqien  kollu.    Min jemmen u jitgħammed, isalva; iżda min ma  jemminx,  ikun ikkundannat.  U dawn huma s-sinjali li  jsieħbu lil dawk  li  jemmnu: f'Ismi jkeċċu x-xjaten, jitkellmu b'ilsna ġodda,  jaqbdu s-sriep b'idejhom, u  jekk jixorbu x-xorb li iġib  il-mewt ma jagħmlilhomx ħsara;  iqegħdu idejhom fuq  il-morda u dawn ifiqu." U hekk il-Mulej Ġesu', wara li kellimhom, kien  imtella'  fis-sema u qagħad in-naħa tal-lemin ta' Alla. Huma mbagħad marru jippridkaw kullimkien; il-Mulej  kien jaħdem magħhom u jwettaq  il-kelma bil-mirakli  li kienu jsiru magħha.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Father Raniero Cantalamessa on Our True Heaven:

The Lord's Ascension

The solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus "to heaven" is an occasion to clarify once and for all our ideas on what we understand by "heaven." Among almost all peoples, heaven is identified with the dwelling of the divinity. The Bible also uses this spatial language. "Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to men."

With the advent of the scientific age, this religious meaning of the word "heaven" entered into crisis. For modern man, heaven is the space in which our planet moves and the whole solar system, and no more. We know the quip attributed to a Soviet astronaut, on his return from his trip through the cosmos: "I have traveled much through space and I haven't found God anywhere!"

So it is important that we try to clarify what we, Christians, understand when we say "Our Father, who art in heaven," or when we say that someone has "gone to heaven." On such things, the Bible adapts itself to popular speech: But it well knows and teaches that God "is in heaven, on earth and everywhere," that it is he who "has created the heavens," and if he has created them, he cannot be "closed" in them.

That God is "in the heavens" means that he "dwells in inaccessible light": that he is as far from us "as heaven rises over earth." In other words, that he is infinitely different from us. Heaven, in the religious sense, is more a state than a place. God is outside of space and time and so is his paradise.

In the light of what we have said, what does it mean to proclaim that Jesus "went up to heaven"? We find the answer in the Creed. "He went up to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father." That Christ went up to heaven means that "he is seated at the right hand of the Father, that is, that also as man he has entered God's world, who has been constituted, as St. Paul says in the second reading, Lord and head of everything. Jesus went up to heaven, but without leaving the earth. He has only gone out of our visual world. He himself assures us: "Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:16-20).

The words of the angel -- "Galileans, why are your looking up to heaven?" -- therefore contain a warning, if not a veiled reproach. We must not stay looking up to heaven to discover where Christ is, but rather live awaiting his return, continuing his mission, taking his Gospel to the ends of the earth, improving the quality of life on earth.

As for us, "to go to heaven" or "to paradise" means to be "with Christ" (Philippians 1:20). "I am going to prepare a place for you ... so that where I am you may be also" (John 14:2-3).

"Heaven," understood as a place of rest, of eternal recompense of the good, was formed the moment Christ resurrected and went up to heaven. Our true heaven is the Risen Christ, whom we will go to meet and with him, be one "body" after our resurrection, and in a provisional and imperfect way immediately after death. Therefore, Jesus did not ascend to an already existing heaven that awaited him, but he went to form and inaugurate heaven for us.

There are those who ask: But what will we do "in heaven" with Christ for all eternity? Won't we be bored? I answer: Is it boring to be well and with excellent health? Ask those who are in love if they are bored being together. When one experiences a moment of very intense and pure joy, does not the desire arise that it last forever, that it never end? Down here such states do not last forever, because there is no object that can satisfy indefinitely.

It is different with God. Our minds will find the Truth in him and the Beauty that we will never cease to contemplate; and our hearts will find the Good that we will never tire to enjoy.
[Translation by ZENIT]    © Innovative Media Inc.

To "Have" to Love!

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Is-Sitt Ħadd ta’ l-Għid

Messalin B 299

 Reading 1                             Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, "Get up. I myself am also a human being." Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him." While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?" He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni   -  Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli  10, 25-26, 34-35, 44-48

Xħin daħal Pietru fid-dar ta' Kornelju,  dan mar jilqgħu u ntefa' f'riġlejh jagħtih  qima.     Imma  Pietru qajmu u qallu:   "Qum. Jien bniedem ukoll." Pietru qabad jitkellem u qal:  "Issa tassew  qiegħed nifhem li Alla ma jħares lejn wiċċ  ħadd, imma  jilqa' lil kull min għandu  l-biża' tiegħu u jagħmel is-sewwa, ikun  minn liema poplu jkun." Meta Pietru kien għadu qiegħed jgħid dan,  l-Ispirtu s-Santu niżel fuq dawk kollha li  kienu jisimgħuh.   Dawk li kienu marru  ma' Pietru, Lhud li kienu emmnu, stagħġbu  kif Alla sawwab id-don tal-Ispirtu s-Santu  fuq il-pagani wkoll.   Għax semgħuhom  jitkellmu bl-ilsna u jfaħhru l-kobor ta' Alla. Imbagħd Pietru qal:  "Jista' xi ħadd jiċħad  l-ilma tal-magħmudija lil dawn in-nies, li  ħadu l-Ispirtu s-Santu bħalma ħadnieh  aħna wkoll?"    U ordna li jitgħammdu  fl-isem ta' Kristu.  Imbagħad huma talbuh  jibqa' għal ftit jiem magħhom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                                  Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

R. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power. or: Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.                                                                                      R/

The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.                                                         R/

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.                                                      R/

Salm Responsorjali                                                                    Salm 97 (98)

R/    Il-Mulej wera l-ġustizzja tiegħu lill-ġnus.  Jew           Hallelujah,  Hallelujah.

Għannu lill-Mulej għanja ġdida,,

għax għamel  ħwejjeġ tal-għaġeb.

Ġibitlu r-rebħa l-leminija tieghu,

u d-driegħ imqaddes tiegħu.                     R/

Għarraf il-Mulej is-salvazzjoni tiegħu,

f'għajnejn il-ġnus wera l-ġustizzja tieghu.

Ftakar fit-tjieba u l-fedelta' tiegħu

mal-popolu ta' Iżrael.                                    R/

L-art kollha, minn tarf għall-ieħor,

rat is-salvazzjoni ta' Alla tagħna.

Għajtu bil-ferħ lill-Mulej fl-art kollha,

infexxu fil-hena, ifirħu u għannu!     R/.

Reading 2                              1 John 4:7-10

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni    -  Qari lill-Ewwel Ittra ta' San Ġwann Appostlu  4,  7-10

Għeżież, ejjew inħobbu 'l xuxlin għax l-imħabba ġejja minn Alla, u kull min iħobb hu mwieled  minn Alla u jagħraf lil Alla.   dak li ma jħobbx ma għarafx lil Alla, għax Alla hu mħabba. B'dan dehret l-imħabba ta' Alla fina, għax Alla  bagħat lil Ibnu l-waħdieni fid-dinja, biex ngħixu bih. U hawn qiegħda  l-imħabba; mhux għax aħna  ħabbejna 'l Alla, imma għax ħabbna Hu u  bagħat lil Ibnu biex ikun ta' tpattija għal dnubietna. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

Gospel                                   John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples: "As the Father loves me, so I also love you.  Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father"s commandments and remain in his love." "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another."

Evanġelju   -   skond San Ġwann 15, 9-17

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: "Kif ħabbni Missieri, hekk ħabbejtkom jiena. Ibqgħu fl-imħabba tiegħi.  Jekk tħarsu  l-kmandamenti tiegħi, intom tibqgħu fi mħabbti, kif jiena ħarist il-kmandamenti ta' Missieri u qiegħed f'imħabbtu.   Għidtilkom dan biex  il-ferħ  tiegħi jkun fikom, u biex il-ferħ tagħkom ikun sħiħ. Dan hu l-kmandament tiegħi:  li tħobbu lil xulxin kif ħabbejtkom jien.   Ħadd ma għandu mħabba akbar minn din:  li wieħed jagħti ħajtu għal ħbiebu. Intom ħbiebi, jekk tagħmlu dak li jiena nikkmandakom. Ma nsejħilkomx aktar qaddejja, għax il-qaddej ma  jafx x'jagħmel sidu;  sejjaħtilkom ħbieb, għaliex kull ma smajt mingħand Missier jiena għarrafthulkom. Mhux intom  għażiltu lili,  imma jien għażilt lilkom, u ħtartkom biex tmorru tagħmlu l-frott u l-frott tagħkom jibqa', ħalli kulma titolbu lill-Missieri f'ismi,  huwa jagħtihulkom.  Dan hu li qiegħed nikkmandakom: li tħobbu lil xulxin." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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COMMENTARY:    Father Cantalamessa on the Duty to Love

To "Have" to Love

"This is my commandment: That you love one another as I have loved you. ... What I command you is that you love one another."

Love is a commandment? Can love be made a commandment without destroying it? What relationship can there be between love and duty, given that one represents spontaneity and the other obligation?

We must know that two types of commandments exist. There is a commandment or obligation that comes from outside, from a will other than my own, and a commandment or obligation that comes from within, which is born from the thing itself. The stone thrown into the air or the apple that falls from the tree is "obliged" to fall, it cannot do anything else, not because it is imposed on it, but because there is an inner force of gravity that attracts it to the center of the earth.

In the same way, there are two great ways according to which man can be induced to do or not do something: by constriction or by attraction. The law and ordinary commandments induce him the first way: by constriction, with the threat of punishment. Love induces him the second way: by attraction, by an interior impulse.

Each one, in fact, is attracted by what he loves, without suffering any constriction from outside. Show a child a toy and you will see him try to take it. Who pushes him? No one, he is attracted by the object of his desire. Show a good to a soul thirsting for truth and it will go out to it. Who pushes it? No one; it is attracted by its desire.

But if it is so -- that is, that we are spontaneously attracted by goodness and truth which is God, what need is there, one might ask, to make this love a commandment and a duty? The fact is that we are surrounded by other goods and run the risk of missing the target, of tending to false goods and thus losing the supreme good.

As a spaceship going to the sun must follow certain rules so as not to fall into the sphere of gravity of an intermediary planet or satellite, the same is true for us in our tending to God. The Commandments, beginning with "the first and greatest of all," which is to love God, serves this purpose.

All this has a direct impact on human life and also on human love. There are increasingly numerous young people who reject the institution of marriage and choose so-called free love, or simply living together. Marriage is an institution; once contracted, it obliges one to be faithful and to love one's partner for life. But, what need is there to transform love, which is instinct, spontaneity, vital impulse, into a duty?

The philosopher Soren Kierkegaard gives a convincing answer: "Only when there is a duty to love, is love guaranteed forever against any alteration; eternally liberated in happy independence; assured in eternal bliss against all despair."

He means: The man who truly loves, wants to love forever. Love needs to have eternity as its horizon; otherwise it is no more than a game, a "kind misunderstanding" or a "dangerous pastime."

That is why, the more intensely we love, the more we perceive with anguish the danger in loving, a danger that does not come from others, but from ourselves. We know that love is variable, and that tomorrow, alas, we might get tired and not love any more. And, now that we are in love, we see with clarity the irreparable loss that that would imply, and here we take the precaution of "binding" ourselves to love forever.

Duty removes love from variability and anchors it in eternity. One who loves is happy to "have" to love; it seems to him to be the most beautiful and liberating commandment in the world.    [Translation by ZENIT]   © Innovative Media Inc.