Jesus Christ is with us in the Bible and in the Holy Eucharistic

Third Sunday of Easter

It-Tielet Ħadd tal-Għid

      Kristu magħna fil-Bibbja u fll-Ewkaristija

Reading 1                                                                                                                  

ACTS 2:14, 22-33

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: "You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. For David says of him: I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. Therefore my heart has been glad and my  tongue has exulted; my flesh, too, will dwell in hope,  because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. "My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption. God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. Exalted at the right hand of God, he received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father and poured him forth, as you see and hear." This is the Word of the Lord .

Qari I

Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli  2, 14.22-33

 Nhar Għid il-Ħamsin, Pietru flimkien mal-Ħdax qam u qal lil-Lhud b’leħen għoli: “Nies tal-Lhudija, u intom ilkoll li toqogħdu f’Ġerusalemm, kunu afu dan u isimgħu sewwa x’se ngħidilkom jien. Ġesù ta’ Nażaret kien bniedem li Alla takom prova tiegħu permezz tal-mirakli u l-għeġubijiet u s-sinjali li għamel bih fostkom, kif intom stess tafu. Lil dan Ġesù, Alla telaqhulkom f’idejkom skond l-għerf u l-pjan li fassal minn qabel, u intom neħħejtuh billi sallabtuh permezz ta’ nies ħżiena. Imma Alla qajmu mill-imwiet billi ħall l-irbit tal-mewt, għaliex ma setax ikun li l-mewt iżżommu taħt is-setgħa tagħha. Għax David jgħid fuqu, “Żammejt lill-Mulej dejjem quddiemi, għax hu fuq il-lemin tiegħi, biex qatt ma nitħarrek. Għalhekk ferħet qalbi u mtela bl-hena lsieni; u ġismi wkoll jistrieħ fit-tama, għax inti ma titlaqx fl-imwiet lil ruħi, u ma tħallix il-Qaddis tiegħek jara t-taħsir. Inti għarraftni t-triq tal-ħajja, timlieni bil-ferħ meta nkun quddiemek”. Ħuti, ħalluni ngħidhielkom kif inħossha fuq il-patrijarka David; hu miet u kien midfun u l-qabar tiegħu għadu magħna sa llum stess. Issa hu kien profeta, u kien jaf li Alla ħaliflu b’ġurament li kellu jqiegħed fuq it-tron tiegħu bniedem ġej minn nislu. David ra minn qabel u ħabbar il-qawmien tal-Messija, u qal: “La kien mitluq fl-imwiet, u lanqas ġismu ma ra t-taħsir”. Lil dan Ġesù, Alla qajmu mill-imwiet, u ta’ dan aħna lkoll xhieda. Għalhekk, issa li Alla għollieh bil-leminija tiegħu, huwa rċieva mingħand il-Missier l-Ispirtu s-Santu li kien imwiegħed, u sawbu fuqna, kif qegħdin taraw u tisimgħu”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                                                                                                                

PSALM 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.                                                                                                     R. Alleluia.                        

I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.                                         
R. Alleluia.

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.                      

R. Alleluia.

You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.                                                               

R. Alleluia.

Salm Responsorjali                                  

Salm 15 (16) 1-2a.5.7-8.9-10.11 

 Ħarisni, o Alla, għax fik jien nistkenn.

Jien għedt lill-Mulej: “Int Sidi,

m’għandix ġid ieħor ħliefek”.

Mulej, inti s-sehem tal-wirt u r-riżq tiegħi,

inti żżomm f’idejk xortija.                                           R/.

 R/. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Inbierek lill-Mulej li tani l-fehma;

imqar billejl qalbi tgħallimni.

Inżomm lill-Mulej dejjem quddiemi,

għax bih f’leminti qatt ma nitħarrek.                      R/.

 R/. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Hekk tifraħ qalbi u tithenna ruħi,

u ġismi wkoll jistrieħ fil-kwiet.

Għax int ma titlaqnix fl-imwiet,

ma tħallix il-maħbub tiegħek jara l-qabar.           R/.

 R/. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Int tgħallimni t-triq tal-ħajja;

hemm il-milja tal-ferħ quddiemek,

hemm l-għaxqa għal dejjem f’lemintek.               R/.

R/. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah 

Reading 2                                                                  

1 PeTer 1:17-21

Beloved: If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one's works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. He was known before the foundation of the world  but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. This is the Word of the Lord .

Qari II

Qari mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pietru Appostlu 1, 17-21

Għeżież, jekk intom issejħu Missier lil dak li, bla ma jħares lejn l-uċuħ, jagħmel ħaqq minn kulħadd skond l-għemil ta’ kull wieħed, għixu fil-biża’ ż-żmien tal-ħajja li qegħdin tgħaddu f’art barranija. Kunu afu li intom kontu mifdija mill-ħajja tagħkom fiergħa li ħadtu mingħand missirijietkom, mhux b’xi ħaġa li tintemm, bħalma hi l-fidda jew id-deheb, imma bid-demm għażiż ta’ Kristu, li kien bħal ħaruf bla għajb u bla tebgħa. Hu kien ippredestinat sa minn qabel ma saret id-dinja, imma deher fl-aħħar taż-żminijiet minħabba fikom. Bih intom temmnu f’Alla, li qajmu mill-imwiet u tah il-glorja; hekk il-fidi tagħkom hi wkoll tama f’Alla. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                                                                    

LUKE 24. 13-25)         

That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and  debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them,  "What are you discussing as you walk along?" They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?" And he replied to them, "What sort of things?" They said to him,  "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief Priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning  and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see." And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?" So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, "The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!" Then the two recounted  what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread. This is the Word of the Lord .

Evanġelju

Qari mill-Evanġelju skond San Luqa 24, 13-35

Dakinhar stess fl-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, ġara li tnejn mid-dixxipli kienu sejrin lejn raħal jismu Għemmaws, xi sittin stadju bogħod minn Ġerusalemm,   jitħaddtu bejniethom fuq kull ma kien ġara. Huma u jitħaddtu u jitkixxfu bejniethom, Ġesù nnifsu resaq lejhom u baqa’ miexi magħhom. Imma għajnejhom kellhom xi jżommhom u ma setgħux jagħrfuh. U hu qalilhom: “X’intom tgħidu bejnietkom intom u miexja?”U huma waqfu, b’ħarsa ta’ niket fuq wiċċhom. Imbagħad wieħed minnhom, jismu Kleofa, wieġeb u qallu: “Inti waħdek il-barrani f’Ġerusalemm li ma tafx x’ġara hemmhekk f’dawn il-jiem?”. “X’ġara?” staqsiehom Ġesù. Qalulu:  “Dak li ġara lil Ġesù ta’ Nażaret, li  kien profeta setgħan fl-għemil u fil-kliem quddiem Alla u  quddiem il-poplu kollu, kif il-qassisin il-kbar u l-kapijiet tagħna tawh f’idejn il-gvernatur biex ikun ikkundannat għall-mewt u sallbuh.  Aħna konna nittamaw li hu kien dak li kellu jifdi lil Iżrael; iżda issa, fuq kollox ġa għaddew tlitt ijiem minn dawn il-ġrajja! Issa wkoll xi wħud min-nisa tagħna ħasduna,  għax marru kmieni ħdejn il-qabar u l-katavru tiegħu ma sabuhx; ġew jgħidu wkoll li dehrulhom xi anġli li qalulhom li hu ħaj. Imbagħad marru ħdejn il-qabar xi wħud minn tagħna u sabu kollox kif kienu qalu n-nisa, imma lilu ma rawhx!”.  Qalilhom Ġesù: “Kemm intom boloh u tqal biex temmnu kull ma qalu l-profeti!  U ma kellux il-Messija jbati dan kollu u  hekk jidħol fil-glorja tiegħu?”. U beda minn Mosè u l-profeti kollha jfissrilhom kull  ma kien hemm fl-Iskrittura fuqu. Meta qorbu lejn ir-raħal fejn kienu sejrin hu għamel tabirruħu li kien se jibqa’ sejjer aktar ’il bogħod. Iżda huma ġegħluh jibqa’ magħhom u qalulu:  “Ibqa’ magħna, għax issa sar ħafna ħin u l-jum ġa wasal biex jintemm”. Imbagħad daħal biex joqgħod magħhom. U waqt li kien fuq il-mejda magħhom, qabad il-ħobż, qal il-barka, qasmu u tahulhom. Imbagħad infetħulhom għajnejhom u għarfuh, iżda hu għab minn quddiemhom. U wieħed lill-ieħor bdew jgħidu: “Ma kinitx imkebbsa qalbna ġewwa fina huwa u jkellimna fit-triq u jfissrilna l-Iskrittura?”. Dak il-ħin stess qamu u reġgħu lura Ġerusalemm.  Hemm sabu lill-Ħdax u lil sħabhom miġbura flimkien, u dawn qalulhom: “Il-Mulej qam tassew, u deher lil Xmun!”. U huma wkoll tarrfulhom x’kien ġralhom fit-triq, u kif kienu għarfuh fil-qsim tal-ħobż. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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The Transmission of Faith is Always a Communal, Ecclesial Event

A reflection by Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB

Next Sunday’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles presents us with the first of six discourses (along with Acts 3:12-26; 4:8-12; 5:29-32; 10:34-43; 13:16-41) dealing with the Resurrection of Jesus and its Messianic significance. Five of these are attributed to Peter; the final one to Paul. We may call these discourses in Acts the kerygma, the Greek word for “proclamation” (1 Corinthians 15:11).

In this first of Peter’s discourses we can distinguish an introduction and two parts: in the first part (2:16-21) he is explaining that the Messianic times foretold by Joel have now arrived; in the second (2:22-36) he proclaims that Jesus of Nazareth, whom the Jews crucified, is the Messiah promised by God and eagerly awaited by the righteous of the Old Testament: it is he who has effected God’s saving plan for mankind.

To demonstrate that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah foretold by the prophets, Peter reminds his listeners of our Lord’s miracles (2:22), as well as of his death (2:23), Resurrection (2:24-32) and glorious Ascension (2:33-35). Peter’s address ends with a brief summary (2:36). Peter was able to declare the message that can change the life of any one who hears it. That message has not changed nor lost its power in our day. It is a message that still brings hope to the hopeless, life to those dead in sin, and forgiveness to those struggling under the burden of their sins.

A catechetical and liturgical story

The Emmaus story of Sunday’s Gospel is at the heart of Luke’s resurrection chapter (24). Luke’s story of the two disciples on the road (24:13-35) focuses on the interpretation of Scripture by the Risen Jesus and the recognition of him in the breaking of the bread. The references to the quotations of Scripture and explanation of it (24:25-27), the kerygmatic proclamation (24:34), and the liturgical gesture (24:30) suggest that the episode is primarily catechetical and liturgical rather than apologetic.

When we meet the disciples on the road to Emmaus, it is evening, and the glow of that first Easter day has begun to fade. Resurrection at this point is nothing more than a rumour or a tale. Buried beneath their verbal exchange lies a deep yearning and a holy hunger. Intimately intertwined with their skepticism is their hope, and their need for God to be alive, vibrant, and present in their world of death. But the baggage of their doubt impedes the fervour of their faith and they fail to recognize Jesus. Without being aware of what they are really saying along the road, the two disciples profess many of the central elements of the Creed of the Christian faith yet they remain blind to the necessity of the Messianic suffering predicted in the Scriptures.

The stranger on the road to Emmaus takes the skepticism and curiosity of the disciples and weaves them into the fabric of the Scripture. Jesus challenges them to reinterpret the events of the past days in light of the Scriptures. However, Cleopas and his companion are “foolish and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have said!” (24:25) The Messiah had to suffer and die in order to enter into his glory. Luke is the only New Testament writer to speak explicitly of a suffering Messiah (Luke 24:26, 46; Acts 3:18; 17:3; 26:23). The idea of a suffering Messiah is not found in the Old Testament or in other Jewish literature prior to the New Testament period, although the idea is hinted at in Mark 8:31-33.

Finally in the intimacy of the breaking of the bread were their eyes opened and they recognized the Risen One in their midst. At Emmaus, the Risen Christ performs the same basic actions that he performed at the multiplication of the loaves (9:16) and at the Last Supper (22:17-20). The many meals of Jesus, especially his Last Supper, can be said to be in the background of the evangelist’s mind in describing this moment of recognition (cf. Luke 5:29; 7:36; 14:1, 12, 15, 16; 22:14). With this experience of the Risen Jesus, the Emmaus disciples believe.

Understanding the Resurrection therefore implies a two-fold process of knowing the message of the Scriptures and experiencing the one about whom they all speak: Jesus the Lord, through the breaking and sharing of bread with the community of believers.

The journey motif

The journey motif of the Emmaus story is not only a matter of the distance between Jerusalem and Emmaus, but also of the painful and gradual journey of words that must descend from the head to the heart; of a coming to faith, of a return to a proper relationship with the stranger who is none other than Jesus the Lord. The Lord always listens to us and is always there. It is part of the Lord’s pedagogy with regard to his disciples to always listen to them, especially when times are hard, when one has fallen, experiences doubt, disillusionment, and frustration. His words make the hearts of the disciples “burn” – they remove them from the darkness of sadness and desperation, provoking in them the desire to remain with him: “Stay with us, Lord” (24:29).

The dejected disciples begin to change only when they are enlightened by the Risen Christ, who explains from the Sacred Scriptures how God works in a resistant world and among resistant, sinful people like us. It is indeed an ironic victory because the forces of rejection and experiences of suffering and sinfulness, themselves, become the means by which God’s purpose is accomplished in the world!

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Questions for reflection this week

1) As Church, as pastoral ministers, as lay leaders, have we ever felt that our words are incapable of transmitting life to others? Have we proclaimed someone who was dead rather than the living Lord? How have our words and the message of the Church kept people bound in the death of the Christ proclaimed?

2) What prevents us from becoming a real community, a true fraternity, and a living body, rather than a mechanical thing or enterprise?

3) What have been the historical events that have influenced, hindered, and impeded our proclamation and our way of being Church? How have certain events helped us to refine and rethink our proclamation?

4) What does the Spirit say to our Church through these events? What new forms of evangelization is the Spirit teaching us and requiring of us?