Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 139
Lectionary: 139
Is-Sebgħa u għoxrin Ħadd matul is-Sena
Missalin A p 389
Isaiah 5:1-7
Let me now sing of my friend, my friend's song concerning
his vineyard. My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside; he spaded it,
cleared it of stones, and planted the choicest vines; within it he built a
watchtower, and hewed out a wine press. Then he looked for the crop of grapes, but
what it yielded was wild grapes. Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem Israel ,
and the people of Judah
L-Ewwel
Lezzzjoni
Qari millKtieb tal-Profeta Isaija 5. 1-7
Ħa ngħanni
lill-maħbub tiegħi l-għanja ta' mħabbtu għall-għalqa tad-dwieli tiegħu.
Il-maħbub tiegħi kellu għalqa tad-dwieli fuq għolja għammiela. Għażaqha u
naddafha miż-żrar, u ħawwel fiha dwieli mill-aħjar; bena torri f'nofsha; u
wkoll ħaffer magħsar fiha. Stennieha tagħmel l-għeneb tajjeb, iżda kull ma
għamlet kien għeneb qares. U issa, intom li tgħammru f'Ġerusalemm, irġiel ta'
Ġuda, agħmlu intom ħaqq bejni u bejn l-għalqa tad-dwieli tiegħi. X'kien fadalli
nagħmel għall-għalqa tiegħi u ma għamiltux? Stennejtha tagħmel għeneb tajjeb, u
kull ma' għamelt kien għeneb qares. U iss ħa nurikom x'sejjer nagħmel jien
lill-għalqa tiegħi tad-dwieli. Inneħħilha
l-ilqugħ ta' madwarha, u jħarbtuha; Iġarrfilh a l-ħajt, biex in-nies
tgħaffiġha. Nagħmel minnha xagħra; ħadd
ma jiżborha jew jaħdimha, u jinbet fiha x-xewk u l-ħurrieq. Jien ngħid lis-sħab
Biex ma jagħmilx xita fuqha! Għax l-għalqa tad-dwieli tal-Mulej ta' l-eżerċiti
hija d-dar ta' Iżrael; u l-irġiel ta'
Ġuda huma l-mixgtla ta' l-għalqa tiegħu. Huwa stenna l-ġustizza, u araw sab
it-tixrid tad-demm, stenna s-sewwa, u araw sama' l-għajat tal-maħqurin. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Responsorial Psalm
PSALM 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20
A vine from Egypt
you drove away the nations and planted it.
It put forth its foliage to the Sea,
its shoots as far as the River.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house ofIsrael
you drove away the nations and planted it.
It put forth its foliage to the Sea,
its shoots as far as the River.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of
Why have you broken down its walls,
so that every passer-by plucks its fruit,
The boar from the forest lays it waste,
and the beasts of the field feed upon it?
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house ofIsrael
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
O LORD, God of hosts, restore us;
if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of
Salm Responsorjali
Salm 79 (80)
Inti qlajt dielja mill-Eġittu,
warrabt il-ġnus biex tħawwel
lilha.
Meddet sal-baħar il-friegħi
tagħha,
sax-xmara ż-żraġen tagħha.
R/ Il-għalqa tal-Mulej hija d-dar ta' Iżrael.
Għaliex, mela, ġarraft il-ħitan
tagħha,
u kull min jgħaddi jqaċċat
minnha?
Iħarbatha l-ħanżir selvaġġ,
il-bhejjem tar-raba' jirigħu
fija.
R/ Il-għalqa tal-Mulej hija d-dar ta' Iżrael.
Erġa' ejja, Alla ta' l-eżerċiti;
ħares mis-sema, u ara,
u żur 'il din id-dielja.
Ħu ħsieb dak li ħawlet lemintek,
ir-rimja li int kabbart għalik.
R/ Il-għalqa tal-Mulej hija d-dar ta' Iżrael.
Aħna ma nitbegħdux minnek;
roddilna l-ħajja, u aħna nsejħu
ismek.
Reġġġagħna għal li konna, Alla ta' l-eżerċti;
itfa' fuqna d-dija ta' wiċċek, u
nkunu salvi.
R/ Il-għalqa tal-Mulej hija d-dar ta' Iżrael.
Philippians 4:6-9
Brothers and sisters: Have no anxiety at all, but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known
to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your
hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is
true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is
anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you
have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will
be with you. This is the Word of the
Lord.
It-Tieni Lezzjoni
Qari
mill-Ittra ta' San Pawl Appostlu lill-Filipin 4, 6-9
Ħuti, tħabbtu raskom
b'xejn. Fit-talb kollu tagħkom itolbu u
uru lil Alla xi jkollkom bżonn, u iżżuh
ħajr. U s-sliem ta' Alla, sliem li jgħaddi kull ma l-moħħ jista' jifhem, iżommilkom
qalbkom u moħħkom sħaħ fi Kristu Ġesu'. Mill-bqija, ħuti, f'dan għandkom
taħsbu; f'kull ma hu veru, f'kull ma hu xieraq, f'kull ma hu ġust, f'kull ma hu
safi, f'kull ma jiġbed l-imħabba, f'kull
ma jistħoqqlu ġieħ, f'kull ma hu virtu', f'kull ma ħaqqu t-tifħir; f'dan kollu
aħsbu. U kull ma tgħallimtu u ħadtu mingħandna, u smajtu u rajtu fina, agħmluh.
Alla tas-sliem ikun magħkom. Il-Kelma
tal-Mulej
Gospel
Matthew 21:33-43
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the
people: "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine
press in it, and built a tower. Then he
leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he
sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they
killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous
than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent
his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw
the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and
acquire his inheritance.' They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and
killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he
comes?" They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a
wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the
produce at the proper times." Jesus
said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the
builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and
it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God
L-Evanġelju
Qari
mill-Evanġelju skond San Mattew 21, 33-43
F'dak iż-żmien,. Ġesu' qal
lill-qassisin il-kbar u lix-xjuħ tal-poplu:
"Isimgħu parabbola oħra: Kien hemm wieħed, sid ta' għalqa, u
ħawwilha bid-dwieli; tellgħalha ħajt tas-sejjieħ madwarha, ħaffer magħsar fiha,
u bnielha torri, u qabbilha lil xi bdiewa.
U siefer f'art oħra. Meta wasal żmien il-frott, bagħat il-qaddejja
tiegħu għand dawk il-bdiewa biex jiġbrulu l-frott li kien imissu. Iżda l-bdiewa
qabdu lill-qaddejja, u lil wieħed sawtuh, lil ieħor qatluh, u lil ieħor
ħaġġruh. Reġa' bagħtilhom qaddejja oħra,
aktar minn qabel, u għamlulhom l-istess. Fl-aħħar bagħtilhom lil ibnu,
"Min ibni jistħu," qal. Iżda kif raw lil ibnu l-bdiewa bdew bdew
jgħidu bejniethom: "Ara l-werriet! Ejjew naqtluh, biex il-wirt tiegħu neħduh
aħna." Qabduh, xeħtuh 'il barra
mill-għalqa u qatluh. Issa sid
l-għalqa x'jagħmlilhom lil dawk
il-bdiewa meta jiġi? Qalulu:
"Jeqridhom blla ħniena, ta' ħżiena li huma, u l-għalqa jqabbilha lil bdiewa oħra li jroddulu l-frott fi żmienu." Qalilhom
Ġesu': "Qatt ma qrajtu
fl-Iskrittura li: "Il-ġebla li warrbu l-bennejja saret il-ġebla tax-xewka;
bis-saħħa tal-Mulej seħħ dan; ħaġa ta' l-għaġeb f'għajnejna?" Għalhekk
ngħidilkom li s-Saltna ta' Alla tittieħed mingħandkom u tingħata lil ġens li
jagħmel il-frott minnha." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
////////////////////////////////////////
A commentary on this Sunday’s
Gospel reading by Fr.
Thomas Rosica,
We are back in the vineyard again this week, immersed in
another of Matthew’s complex Gospel parables. Jesus told these parables in
answer to the question: “What is the kingdom
of God
Sunday’s Gospel parable is often called the parable of the
wicked tenants. Like last week’s parable of the two sons and next week’s
parable of the royal wedding feast (22:1-14), today’s story is clearly one of
judgment at the centre of Jesus’ threefold response to the religious leaders
who are putting his authority to the test (21:23-27).
In the Old Testament, “vineyard” or “vine” is often used as a
metaphor for God’s people. The vineyard figures frequently in Jesus’ parables,
setting the stage for the Kingdom
of God
A story of violence and want
The juxtaposition of peace and plenty with violence and want
in Sunday’s parable is part of what makes this Gospel story so powerful. A
closer look helps us understand the harsh reality of people’s lives in Jesus’
day.
The estate of the landlord would have housed between 50 and
70 people, mostly slaves or servants. The most trusted servants would have had
significant responsibilities. The landlord’s servants did not hesitate to “lord
it over” those in his charge (21:35). In early fall, when the harvest was
ready, the landlord sent out a succession of his workers to collect the rent.
The landlord would not go out himself to collect the rent. On the contrary,
landlords protected themselves, their families, and their considerable
possessions in fortified tower-residences.
The people of Jesus’ day were also all too familiar with the
violence the story portrays. When the landlord finally sent his son to collect
the rent, the tenants said: “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the
inheritance will be ours” (21:38). What remains very odd is that the tenants
would repeatedly mistreat and even kill the one sent to them without any
reprisal by the vineyard owner. In interpreting parables, the glimpse into the kingdom of God
The vineyard will not be destroyed
In his homily at the Mass to mark the opening of the XII
Synod of Bishops on “The Word of God in the Life and Mission
“In the end, the owner of the
vineyard makes a final attempt: he sends his own son, convinced that at least
they will listen to him. Instead the opposite happens: the labourers in the
vineyard murder him precisely because he is the landowner’s son, that is, his
heir, convinced that this will enable them to take possession of the vineyard
more easily. We are therefore witnessing a leap in quality with regard to the
accusation of the violation of social justice as it emerges from Isaiah’s
canticle. Here we clearly see that contempt for the master’s order becomes
contempt for the master: it is not mere disobedience to a divine precept, it is
a true and proper rejection of God: the mystery of the Cross appears.
Yet there is a promise in Jesus’
words: the vineyard will not be destroyed. While the unfaithful labourers
abandon their destiny, the owner of the vineyard does not lose interest in his
vineyard and entrusts it to other faithful servants. This means that, although
in certain regions faith is dwindling to the point of dying out, there will
always be other peoples ready to accept it. For this very reason, while Jesus
cites Psalm 118:117, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the
cornerstone” (v. 42), he gives the assurance that his death will not mean God’s
defeat. After being killed, he will not remain in the tomb, on the contrary,
precisely what seems to be a total defeat will mark the beginning of a
definitive victory. His painful Passion and death on the Cross will be followed
by the glory of his Resurrection. The vineyard, therefore, will continue to
produce grapes and will be rented by the owner of the vineyard: “to other
tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons” (Mt 21:41).
The vineyard is the house of Israel
The parable of the wicked tenants
reminds us once again that we cannot control God’s continuous merciful outreach
to others. It compels us to look at our lives, our attitudes, and actions, in
light of whether they are an embrace or rejection of Jesus’ saving message.
Rather than putting the focus on what the story says about Jewish leaders, we
must ask: what does it say about us Christians? What is my vision of the kingdom of God
/////////////////////////////////////////////
No comments:
Post a Comment