Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
Mother of God
Solennita' tal-Imqaddsa Omm Alla
Marija
Messalin
Ċ pp 123
The LORD said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say
to them: The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you,
and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace! So
shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.” This is the Word of Thje Lord.
L-Ewwel Qari - mill-Ktieb tan-Numri 6, 22-27
Il-Mulej kellem lil
Mose’ u qallu: “Kellem lil Aron u lil uliedu u għidilhom: "Meta tbierku
lil ulied Israel
Responsorial
Psalm PSALM
67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation. R/
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation. R/
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide. R/
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide. R/
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him! R/
Salm Responsorjali -
Salm 66 (67)
Iħenn għalina Alla, u jberikna.
Iħenn għalina Alla, u jberikna;
idawwar għal fuqna d-dija ta’
wiċċu!
Biex jingħarfu fuq l-art
triqatek,
fost il-ġnus kollha s-salvazzjoni
tiegħek. R/
Jithennew il-ġnus u jgħannu
bil-ferħ,
għax trieġi l-popli bis-sewwa,
u l-ġnus fuq l-art inti
tmexxihom. R/
Ifaħħruk il-popli o Alla,
ifaħħruk il-popli kollha.
Iberikna Alla, u tibża minnu
l-art kollha minn
Reading
2 Galatians
4:4-7
Brothers and sisters: When the fullness of time had come,
God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive
adoption as sons. As proof that you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no
longer a slave but a son, and if a son
then also an heir, through God. This is
the Word of Thje Lord.
It-Tieni Qari - mill-Ittra lill-Galaltin 4, 4-7
Ħuti, meta waslet
il-milja taż-żmien, Alla bagħat lil
Ibnu, imwieled minn
Gospel Luke 2:16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem
Evanġelju - Qari skond San Luqa 2, 16-21
F’dak iż-żmien:
ir-rgħajja marru jgħaġġlu, u sabu lil
Marija u lil Ġużeppi, bit-tarbija mimduda f’maxtura. Kif raw dan, bdew igħarrfu
b’kulma kien intqal lilhom dwar dik
it-tarbija, u kull min semgħhom baqa’
mistagħġeb b’dak li qalulhom ir-rgħajja.
Marija, min-naħa tagħha, baqgħet
tgħożż f’qalbha dawn il-ħwejjeġ kollha u taħseb fuqhom bejnha u bejn ruħha. Ir-rgħajja
mbagħad reġgħu lura, isebbħu u jfaħħru
lil Alla għal kulma kienu raw u semgħu, kif l-anġlu kien qalilhom. Meta
wasal it-tmien jum biex lit-tifel
jgħmlulu ċ-ċirkonċiżjoni, semmewh Ġesu’, bl-isem li kien tah l-anġlu
qabel ma tnissel fil-ġuf. Il-Kelma
tal-Mulej
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Mary Treasured These Words In Her Heart
What memories do you cherish? Why are these memories so
special?
The New Year is upon us. A time to cherish last year’s events and a time
to look forward to new challenges. In the midst of the parades and bowl games,
we take time to take stock and plan.
In the verses from
Luke which we will read on January 1, the mother of Jesus took the time to
reflect on the events of her Son’s birth. In doing so, she cherished the
memories mothers have of their first experience of child birth. And she cherished
the message that her Son would be the Messiah and Lord of all.
Luke had an interest in the low and the outcast. The audience for the
message would be the lowly, confirmation of the message would be a common (even
overlooked) sight. The audience for the message were the least in society:
shepherds. Despite their scriptural and pastoral image, shepherd were held in
disdain, for most were hired to watch the flocks of the rich. Without personal
financial investment, these hired hands had the reputations as cowards in the
face of trouble; many were hired because they lacked any other employable
skills. And how would the message be confirmed? The shepherds would see a young
family with a newborn. These images were antithetical to common expectations.
Many Jews anticipated the Messiah to be born in the midst of luxury; many
expected the news of the Messiah would be confirmed by the leadership in Jerusalem (i.e., the Sanhedrin or the Temple
The shepherds spread the Good News to the household; all responded in
awe, but one. Mary reacted in a way expected for a Semite woman: silence. But
she “treasured up these words, pondering them together in her heart.” Even in
her silence, Mary believed the message of the angel. She bore Messiah and Lord
into the world. She would add the words of the shepherds to the memories in her
heart.
The gospel ended with a transitional verse about the circumcision of
Jesus (2:20). His circumcision would lead to the next scene in the infancy
narrative: the presentation of the Lord in the Temple
How do we react to Good News? Do
we glorify God? How do we reflect on his goodness in our hearts?
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