Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
It-23 Ħadd matul is-Sena
Messalin
C pp 384
Who
can know God’s counsel, Or who can
conceive what the LORD intends? Nor the deliberations of mortals are timid, And
unsure are our plans. For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen
shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.And scarce do we guess the
things on earth, and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty; but when
things are in heaven, who can search them out? Or who ever knew your counsel,
except you had given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high? And thus
were the paths of those on earth made straight. This is the Word of the Lord.
L-Ewwel Lezzjoni - Qari
mill-Ktieb tal-Għerf 9,
13-19
Min jista' jagħraf ħsieb Alla? Min jista' jifhem
x'irid il-Mulej? Beżżiegħa huma ħsibijiet il-bnedmin, u kull pjan tagħna mhu xejn fiż-żgur; għax ruħna mtaqqla b'ġisem li jitħassar, u għar-ruħ li taħseb hu piż it-tafal li fih tgħammar. Bilkemm nistgħu nintebħu x'hemm fuq l-art, u
bit-tbajtija insibu dak li hu taħt għajnejna; mela min jista' jitkixxef fuq il-ħwejjeġ tas-sema? Min qatt għaraf ir-rieda tiegħek, jekk int innifsek ma
tajtux l-għerf, u ma bgħattx fuqu mill-għoli l-ispirtu qaddis tiegħek? Hekk saru dritti triqat
in-nies tal-art, hekk tgħallmu l-bnedmin dak li
jogħġob lilek, u salvaw bis-saħħa tal-għerf. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Responsorial Psalm PSALm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14-17
R.
(1) In every age, O Lord, you have
been our refuge.
You
turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night. R/
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night. R/
You
make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades. R/
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades. R/
Teach
us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants! R/
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants! R/
Fill
us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands! R/
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands! R/
Salm Responsorjali - Salm
89(90)
R/ Mulej int kenn għalina
Int traġġa' l-bnedmin lejn it-trab,
u tgħidilhom:
"Erġgħu lura, intom bnedmin!"
Elf sena huma għalik bħal jum ta' l’ bierah li għadda,
jew bħal sahra tal-lejl. R/
Int taħsadhom, u jisru bħal ħolma.
Huma bħall-ħaxix li jinbet filgħodu;
filgħodu jwarrad u jħaddar,
filgħaxija jidbiel u jinxef. R/
Għalhekk għallimna
ngħoddu jiem ħajjitna,
sabiex aħna nimxu bil-għaqal.
Dur lejna, Mulej! Kemm se ddum?
Ħenn għall-qaddejja
tiegħek. R/
Imliena kmieni bit-tjieba
tiegħek,
biex nifirħu u nithennew ħajjitna kollha.
Ħa tkun fuqna l-grazzja ta' Alla Sidna!
Wettqilna inti x-xogħol
ta' idejna,
wettaq, iva, xogħol idejna. R/
Reading 2 PHILEMON 9-10, 12-17
I,
Paul, an old man,band now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus, urge you on behalf
of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment; I am
sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I should have liked to retain
him for myself, so that he might serve me on your behalf in my imprisonment for
the gospel, but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the
good you do might not be forced but voluntary. Perhaps this is why he was away
from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a
slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more
so to you, as a man and in the Lord. So if you regard me as a partner welcome
him as you would me. This is the Word of
the Lord.
It-Tieni Lezzjoni - Qari
mill-Ittra ta' San Pawl Appostlu lil Filemon
9b,-10, 12-17
Għażiż, jiena, Pawlu, raġel xwejjaħ,
u issa priġunier ta' Kristu
Sidna, qiegħed nitolbok bil-ħerqa għal ibni, li jien nissilt fil-ktajjen, għal Oneżimu. Xtaqt kieku żammejtu miegħi, biex, kif jien fil-ħabs għall-Evanġelju,
idur bija minflokok hu. Iżda ma ridt nagħmel xejn mingħajr ma nara minn
miegħek, għal ftit, biex inti terġa' tiksbu lura għal dejjem, mhux aktar bħala ilsir, imma xi ħaġa iktar minn
Gospel LUKE 14:25-33
Great
crowds were travelling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his
father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own
life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come
after me Cannot be my disciple. Which of
you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not
have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not
first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully
oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But
if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace
terms. In
the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be
my disciple.” This is the Word of the
Lord.
L-Evangelju
- Qari
skont San Luqa 14, 25-33
F'dak iż-żmien, kotra kbira
ta' nies kienet miexja ma' Ġesu'. Hu dar
lejhom u qalilhom: "Min jiġi għandi
ma jistax ikun dixxiplu tiegħi jekk ma jobgħodx lil missieru u 'l ommu u lil martu u lil ulieidu, 'l ħutu subien u bniet, u saħansitra lilu nnifsu. Min ma jerfax salibu u jimxi
warajja ma jistax ikun dixxiplu tiegħi.
Għax min minnkom ikun irid
jibni torri u ma joqgħodx bilqiegħda biex l-ewwel nett iqis in-nefqa, ħalli jara għandux biżżejjed
biex iwassal sal-aħħar? Għax jekk jiġrilu li jqiegħed is-sisien biex imbagħad ma jkunx jista jtemm il-bini, kull min jarah
jibda jwaqqgħu għaċ-ċajt u jgħid:
"Dan il-bniedem beda jibni u ma kellux il-ħila jkompli sa l-aħħar." Jew liema sultan, li jkun sejjer jagħmel gwerra kontra sultan ieħor,
ma joqgħodx l-ewwel
bilqiegħda biex jara
jekk jistax b'għaxart elef raġel iħabbatha ma' min ġej għalih b'għoxrin elf ruħ? Għax inkella, meta l-ieħor ikun għadu 'l bogħod, ikollu jibgħatlu
ambaxxata biex jitolbu l-ftehim għall-paci. Hekk ukoll ħadd ma jista' jkun dixxiplu tiegħi jekk ma jitlaqx ġidu kollu. Il-Kelma
tal-Mulej.
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Commentary by Fr
Thomas Rosica CSB
To
accept Christ is to accept his Cross
Next
Sunday's Gospel passage (Luke 14:25-33) contains a collection of sayings that
are peculiar to Luke. Luke has Jesus speak about the demands of discipleship.
He gathers three sayings (26-27, 33) and two parables (28-32).
They
focus on the total dedication necessary for disciples of Jesus. No attachment
to family (26) or possessions (33) can stand in the way of the total commitment
demanded of the disciple. Acceptance of the call to be a disciple demands
readiness to accept persecution and suffering (27) and a realistic assessment
of the hardships and costs (28-32).
The
two parables embedded in Sunday's Gospel passage say in their own way what
Jesus is saying in the preceding verses: Are you sure you wish to follow me? Is
the price more than you are willing to pay? The first parable involves building
a tower in a vineyard from which the farmer can stand watch against thieves and
foraging animals. The second pictures the royal house where great political
issues are settled. But rich and poor, royalty and peasants, have essentially
the same decision to make when faced with a major expenditure of time,
property, and life itself: Is this cost more than I am able or willing to pay?
The decision is no different when one is facing the call to discipleship: The
enthusiasm for beginning is there, but do I possess the resources to persevere
to completion?
Both
parables highlight the need to use wisdom in assessing the cost of
discipleship. Both the tower builder and the warring king must calculate the
costs and study the risks before making a final decision. The disciple must
know that following Christ requires an allegiance that will always be the
highest priority. To accept the person of Christ is to accept his cross as
well.
The source of our happiness
The
author of this first reading from the book of Wisdom (9:13-18) is not dealing
with the age-old distinction between what is of the body and what is of the
soul (known often as dualism). The view of human nature in the Hebrew Scriptures
is not dualistic, even though it is clearly recognized that the limitations of
human nature make it impossible for us to fully comprehend the mysteries of
God.
As
Christians we need not oppose human progress nor reject comforts and pleasures.
The believer must assess these within the delicate balance of wisdom and life.
This first reading challenges us: Does our happiness come from the mere
acquisition of possessions or from sharing and interacting with God and
neighbor?
Choosing Christ above all
else
In
the midst of the many voices clamoring for our time, money, allegiance and
attention, we are called to choose Christ to the complete dispossession of all
else. This is a great challenge for each of us, especially in our day. We so
often define choice not as the freedom to choose one action over another, but
as the freedom to choose everything at once. Freedom of choice has come to mean
keeping our options open. The tragedy of this condition is that it is literally
impossible to "keep our options open" and live lives of any
significance.
I
have found this to be one of the most difficult aspects of my teaching and
pastoral ministry with many young people over the past 20 years: their
unwillingness to commit to anything, to take risks, or to follow through on
commitments already made. The obvious problem is that it is impossible to make
any choice without consequences that rule out other options. Every choice we
make automatically excludes other choices. This choosing is essential and even
desirable for a meaningful life.
One mission or 1,000
options
One
of the clearest teachings of this point was made by Australian Cardinal George
Pell during his outstanding homily at the Opening Mass for World Youth Day
2008
in
Sydney
Cardinal
Pell spoke to the throng of over 150,000 young people from throughout the world
about their mission in life: "Don't spend your life sitting on the fence,
keeping your options open, because only commitments bring fulfillment.
Happiness comes from meeting our obligations, doing our duty, especially in
small matters and regularly, so we can rise to meet the harder challenges. Many
have found their life's calling at World Youth Days." Cardinal Pell's
stirring words still ring in my ears eight years later: "One mission is
better than a thousand options."
True wisdom and freedom
In
the midst of our chaotic lives Jesus stops and says, "You have to
choose." In his call to authentic discipleship, Christ challenges our most
precious loyalties. As there can be no other gods before the God of Israel,
there can be no other loves before Christ. Thus, there is a cost to following
Jesus, and the curious and half-hearted should take notice. Discipleship may
cost us everything, but will gain for us all that will ever matter. Only then
will we be truly wise and truly free.
The claim of Christ and the
Gospel
Luke
emphasizes that Jesus does not like compromises and requires a commitment of
the whole person, a decisive detachment from any nostalgia for the past, from
family demands, from material possessions (cf. Luke 9:57-62; 14:26-33). To the
call to cross bearing, already issued in 9:23, is joined the almost frightening
demand to hate one's family and one's own life (26).
To
hate is a Semitic expression meaning to turn away from, to detach oneself from
someone or something. There is nothing of that emotion we experience in the
expression "I hate you." Were that the case, then Verse 26 alone
would cancel all the calls to love, to care, to nourish, especially one's own
family found throughout the New Testament. And to hate one's own life is not a
call for self-loathing and self-destruction. What is demanded of disciples,
however, is that in the network of many loyalties in which all of us live, the
claim of Christ and the Gospel not only takes precedence but also, in fact,
redefines the others. This can and will necessarily involve some detaching,
some turning away.
To
be a Christian for Luke means to follow Jesus on the path that he takes (9:57;
10:38; 13:22; 14:25). It is Jesus himself who takes the initiative and calls us
to follow him, and he does it decisively, unmistakably, thus showing his
extraordinary identity, his mystery of being the Son who knows the Father and
reveals him (10:22). Jesus speaks to all those who walked with him at that
moment in history, and to those of us who walk with him today: "Think
about what you are doing and decide if you are willing to stay with me all the
way." Human beings will always be tempted to lessen the radical demands of
the Gospel and to adapt them to our own weaknesses, or to give up the path
undertaken. But the authenticity and quality of the Christian community's life
depends precisely on this. A Church that lives by compromise would be like salt
that has lost its taste (14:34-35).
A compassionate portrayal
of the disciples
To be called does not
require perfection on our behalf, only fidelity and holy listening. Samuel and
the prophets of Israel ,
Martha, Mary and Lazarus of Bethany, the fishermen of Galilee
and even the tax collectors that Jesus called were certainly not called because
of their qualifications or achievements. Paul says that Jesus calls "the
foolish," so that the wise will be shamed. The Gospel portrayal of the
disciples is compassionate because it makes a place for people who struggle to
reach their dreams, for people who at times forget their call to greatness. We
will never be the same because Jesus has called us, loved us, changed us and
made us into his image. Because he has called us, we have no choice but to call
others to accept the Gospel and follow him.
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