Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion
Lectionary: 37 and 38
Ħadd
il-Palm u l-Passjoni tal-Mulej
Messalin B 178
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At
The Procession With Palms –
Id-Daħla Solenni
tal-Mulej f’Ġerusalemm
Gospel MarK 11:1-10
When Jesus
and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount
of Olives, he sent two of his
disciples and said to them, "Go
into the village opposite you, and immediately on entering it, you will find a colt tethered on
which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone should say to
you, 'Why are you doing this?' reply, 'The Master has need of it and will send
it back here at once.'" So they went off
and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street, and they untied it. Some of the
bystanders said to them, "What
are you doing, untying the colt?" They answered them just as Jesus had
told them to, and they permitted
them to do it. So they brought the colt to Jesus and put their cloaks over it. And
he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. Those
preceding him as well as those following kept crying out: "Hosanna! Blessed
is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father
David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!"
Evanġelju Qari skont San Mark 11, 1-10
X'ħin waslu qrib Ġerusalemm,
quddiem Betfaġe u Betanja, ħdejn l-Għolja taż-Żebbuġ, Ġesu' bagħat tnejn
mid-dixxipli tiegħu u qalilhom:
"Morru fir-raħal li
hemm biswitkom, u kif taslu hemmhekk
issibu felu marbut li ħadd qatt għadu ma rikeb fuqu. Ħolluh u ġibuh. Jekk xi ħadd
jistaqsikom, "Dan kif qegħdin tagħmluh? Għidulu, "Il-Mulej
jeħtieġu, u malajr jerġa' jibagħtu hawn." Marru, u sabu felu marbut ħdejn
bieb barra fit-triq; u ħallewh. Xi wħud minn dawk li kien hemm
qalulhom: "X'intom tħollu tagħmlu dak il-felu? Huma weġbuhom kif kien qalilhom Ġesu', u dawk
ħallewhom jagħmlu. Ħadu l-felu lil Ġesu', qiegħdu l-imnatar tagħhom fuq
il-felu, u Ġesu' rikeb fuqu. U bosta nies firxu fit-triq l-imnatar tagħhom, u oħrajn xi friegħi ħodor li
kienu qatgħu mill-;għelieqi. U kemm dawk
li kienu miexja quddiem u kemm dawk li kienu miexja wara, bdew jgħajtu: "Hosanna! Imbierek min ġej f'isem il-Mulej! Imbierka
s-Saltna li ġejja ta' David missierna.
Hosanna l-għola
tas-smewwiet!" il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Or JohN 12:12-16
When the great crowd that had come
to the feast heard that Jesus
was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out
to meet him, and cried out: "Hosanna! "Blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord, the king of Israel."
Jesus found an ass and sat upon it, as is written: Fear no more, O daughter Zion; see, your king
comes, seated upon an ass's colt. His disciples did not understand this at
first, but when Jesus had been
glorified they remembered that
these things were written about him and
that they had done this for him.
Jew
Evanġelju Qari skont San Ġwann 12, 12-16
F'dak iż-żmien, il-folol ta'
nies li kienu ġew għall-festa, kif semgħu li Ġesu' kien ġej Ġerusalemm, ħadu
l-friegħi tal-palm u ħarġu
jilqgħuh. U bdew jgħajtu: "Hosanna! Imbierek min ġej f'isem
il-Mulej! Imbierek is-sultan ta'
Iżrael!" Ġesu' sab felu u rikeb fuqu, kif hemm miktub:"Tibżax, bint Sijon! Ara,
ġej is-sultan tiegħek,riekeb fuq felu ta' ħmara." Għall-ewwel id-dixxipli tiegħu ma' fehmuhomx
dawn il-ħwejjeġ; iżda meta Ġesu' kien igglorifikat, imbagħad ftakru li dan kien inkiteb fuqu, u hekk għamlulu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
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At The Mass / Il-Quddiesa
Reading 1 - ISaiah 50:4-7
The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that
I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning
after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have
not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who
plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord
GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing
that I shall not be put to shame.
L-Ewwel Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 50, 4 – 7
Il-Mulej Sidi tani lsien ta’
wieħed mgħallem, biex nagħraf ngħin lill-għajjien b’xi kelma. Ta’ kull filgħodu
jqajjimli widinti, biex nisma’ bħall
wieħed jitgħallem. Sidi l-Mulej fetaħli
widinti, u jien ma webbistx rasi, ma rġajtx lura. Tajt dahri lil dawk li kienu jsawtuni, ħaddejja lil dawk li
kienu jnittfuli lħiti; ma ħbejtx wiċċi mit-tagħjir u l-bżieq. Sidi
l-Mulej igħinni, għalhekk għamilt wiċċi baż-żnied: jien naf li ma jkollix mniex
nistħi. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Responsorial
Psalm - PSalm 22:8-9, 17-18,
19-20, 23-24.
All who see me scoff at me;
they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:
"He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,
let him rescue him, if he loves him."
R. My
God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Indeed, many dogs surround me,
a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;
They have pierced my hands and my feet;
I can count all my bones.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
They divide my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, be not far from me;
O my help, hasten to aid me.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I will proclaim your name to my
brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
"You who fear the LORD, praise him;
all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
revere him, all you descendants of Israel!"
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Salm Responsorjali Salm 21
Dawk kollha
li jarawni jidħku bija,
igħajbuni,
iħarrku rashom u jgħidu:
‘F’idejn
il-Mulej jintelaq; ħa jeħilsu hu!
Ħa jsalvaħ
hu, għax bih jitgħaxxaq!”
R/ Alla tiegħi, Alla tiegħi, għaliex tlaqtni?
Ara
il-klieb daru miegħi,
ġemgħa ta’
nies ħżiena trossni,
taqqbuli
idejja u riġlejja.
Nista’
ngħodd għadmi kollu.
R/ Alla tiegħi, Alla tiegħi, għaliex tlaqtni?
Ħwejġi
jaqsmu bejnithom,
għal-libsa tiegħi jaqtgħu x-xorti.
Imma int,
Mulej, la titbegħidx!
Għajnuna
tiegħi, fittex għinni.
R/ Alla tiegħi, Alla tiegħi, għaliex tlaqtni?
Inxandar
ismek lil ħuti,
f’nofs
il-ġemgħa nfaħħrek,
faħħru ‘l
Mulej, intom li għandkom il-biża tiegħu;
sebbħuh
intom ilkoll, ulied Ġakob.’
Ibżgħu minnu
intom ilkoll, nisel ta’ Israel.
R/ Alla tiegħi, Alla tiegħi, għaliex tlaqtni?
Reading 2 - PHILippians 2:6-11
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did
not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a
slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of
this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every
name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and
on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
It-Tieni Qari mill-Ittra lill-Filippin 2, 6 -11
Gesu’
Kristu, li kellu n-natura ta’ Alla, ma qagħadx ifittex tiegħu li hu daqs Alla, imma
tneżża’ minn
kollox, billi ħa n-natura ta’ lsir, sar jixbaħ lill-bnedmin; ċekken lilu nnifsu, billi obda sal-mewt, anzi
sal-mewt tas-salib. Għalhekk Alla għollieh sas-smewwiet, u żejnu bl-Isem li hu
fuq kull isem, biex fl-isem ta’ Ġesu’,
fis-sema, fl-art u f’qiegħ l-art, il-ħlejjaq kollha jinżlu għarrkobbtejhom, u kull ilsien
jistqarr” “Ġesu’ Kristu hu l-Mulej għall-glorja ta’ Alla l-Missier.” Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Gospel
- The Passion of our Lord Jesus
Christ according to MarK
14:1—15:47
The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were to take place in two days' time. So
the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to arrest him by treachery and put
him to death. They said, "Not during the festival, for fear that there may be a riot
among the people." When he was in Bethany
reclining at table in the house
of Simon the leper, a woman came
with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the
alabaster jar and poured it on his head. There were some who were indignant. "Why
has there been this waste of perfumed oil? It could have been sold for more
than three hundred days' wages and
the money given to the poor." They were infuriated with her. Jesus said,
"Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing
for me. The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good
to them, but you will not always
have me. She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for
burial. Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole
world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand
him over to them. When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him
money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of
the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when
they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his
disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to
eat the Passover?" He sent two of
his disciples and said to them, "Go
into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever
he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my
guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will
show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us
there." The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told
them; and they prepared the
Passover. When it was evening, he came with the Twelve. And as they reclined at table and
were eating, Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me." They
began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, "Surely it is not
I?" He said to them, "One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me
into the dish. For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe
to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man
if he had never been born." While they were eating, he took bread, said
the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said
to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen,
I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in
the kingdom of God."
Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of
Olives. Then Jesus said to them,
"All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed. But
after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee."
Peter said to him, "Even
though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be." Then Jesus
said to him, "Amen, I say to you, this
very night before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times." But
he vehemently replied, "Even
though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you." And they all
spoke similarly. Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit
here while I pray." He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be troubled and
distressed. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain
here and keep watch." He advanced a little and fell to the ground and
prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; he said, "Abba, Father, all
things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but
what you will." When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter,
"Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and
pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is
weak." Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing. Then he
returned once more and found them asleep,
for they could not keep their eyes open and did not know what to answer him. He
returned a third time and said to them,
"Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The
hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up,
let us go. See, my betrayer is at hand." Then, while he was still
speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,
accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests, the
scribes, and the elders. His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, "The man I shall kiss is the
one; arrest him and lead him
away securely." He came and immediately went over to him and said, "Rabbi."
And he kissed him. At this they laid hands on him and arrested him. One of the
bystanders drew his sword, struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his
ear. Jesus said to them in reply, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to seize me? Day
after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me; but that the Scriptures may be
fulfilled." And they all left him and fled. Now a young man followed him wearing
nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized him, but he left the
cloth behind and ran off naked. They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all
the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. Peter followed
him at a distance into the high priest's courtyard and was seated with the guards,
warming himself at the fire. The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept
trying to obtain testimony against Jesus
in order to put him to death, but they found none.Many gave false
witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. Some took the stand and
testified falsely against him, alleging, "We heard him say, 'I will
destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not
made with hands.'" Even so their testimony did not agree. The high priest
rose before the assembly and questioned
Jesus, saying, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against
you?" But he was silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked
him and said to him, "Are
you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?" Then Jesus answered, "I
am; and 'you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and
coming with the clouds of heaven.'" At that the high priest tore his garments
and said, "What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the
blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as deserving to die.
Some began to spit on him. They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him,
"Prophesy!" And the guards
greeted him with blows. While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest's maids came
along. Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, "You
too were with the Nazarene, Jesus." But he denied it saying, "I
neither know nor understand what you are talking about." So he went out
into the outer court. Then the cock crowed. The maid saw him and began again to
say to the bystanders, "This man is one of them." Once again he
denied it. A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more, "Surely you are one of them; for
you too are a Galilean." He began to curse and to swear, "I do not know this man about
whom you are talking." And immediately a cock crowed a second time. Then
Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice you
will deny me three times."
He broke down and wept. As soon as morning came, the chief priests with the elders and
the scribes, that is, the whole
Sanhedrin held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over
to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He
said to him in reply, "You say so." The chief priests accused him of
many things. Again Pilate questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how
many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer, so that
Pilate was amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one
prisoner whom they requested. A man called Barabbas was then in prison along with the rebels who had
committed murder in a rebellion. The crowd came forward and began to ask him to
do for them as he was accustomed. Pilate answered, "Do you want me to release to
you the king of the Jews?" For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him
over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them
instead. Pilate again said to them in reply, "Then what do you want me to
do with the man you call the
king of the Jews?" They shouted again, "Crucify him." Pilate
said to them, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the
louder, "Crucify him." So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released
Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be
crucified. The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and
assembled the whole cohort. They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it
on him. They began to salute him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and kept striking his head with a
reed and spitting upon him. They knelt before him in homage. And when they had
mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own
clothes, and led him out to crucify him. They pressed into service a passer-by,
Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander
and Rufus, to carry his cross. They brought him to the place of Golgotha — which is translated Place of the Skull — they
gave him wine drugged with myrrh, but he did not take it. Then they crucified
him and divided his garments by
casting lots for them to see what each should take. It was nine o'clock in the
morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him
read, "The King of the Jews." With him they crucified two
revolutionaries, one on his
right and one on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads
and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three
days, save yourself by coming down from the cross." Likewise the chief
priests, with the scribes, mocked
him among themselves and said, "He
saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come
down now from the cross that we may see
and believe." Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him. At
noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at
three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi,
Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, my
God, why have you forsaken me?" Some of the bystanders who heard it said, "Look, he is calling
Elijah." One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink saying, "Wait, let us see if Elijah
comes to take him down." Jesus gave a loud cry and bre athed his last. Here all kneel and pause for a short time. The veil of
the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion who stood
facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, "Truly this man was the Son of
God!" There were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother
of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.These women had followed him when
he was in Galilee and ministered to him. There
were also many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. When it was already evening, since
it was the day of preparation, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea,
a distinguished member of the council, who
was himself awaiting the kingdom of God, came and courageously went to Pilate and
asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was amazed that he was already dead. He
summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had already died. And when he
learned of it from the centurion, he
gave the body to Joseph. Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down, wrapped
him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against
the entrance to the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched
where he was laid.
L-Evangelju - Il-Passjoni ta’ Sidna Gesu’
Kristu skond San Mark, 14, 1-15, 47
Kien għad baqa'
jumejn għal Għid, u għall-Ażżmi,
u l-qassisin il-kbar u l-kittieba bdew
ifittxu kif jaqbdu 'l Ġesu' bil-qerq ta' moħħhom u jagħtuh il-mewt. Għax bdew jgħidu: "Mhux
fil-festa, li ma tqumx xi
rewwixta fil-poplu." Ġesu' kien
qiegħed jiekol għand Xmun l-imġiddem f'Betanja.
Daħlet mara, b'vażett ta' l-alabastru biż-żejt ifuħ ta' nard safi, jiswa ħafna, kissret
għonq il-vażett, u ferrgħet iż-żejt fuq
ras Ġesu'. U kien hemm xi wħud li bdew jitmasħnu bejniethom u jgħidu: "Dal-ħala kollu ta' fwieħa għalfejn? Dil-fwieħa setgħet iġġib aktar minn tlitt mitt Dinar u
jingħataw lill-foqra. U bdew jeħduha magħha.
Imma Ġesu' qal: “Ħalluha:
għaliex qegħdin iddejquha? Ħaġa tajba għamlet miegħi. Il-foqra ssibuhom dejjem magħkom, u tistgħu
tgħinuhom kull meta tridu. Imma lili mhix dejjem se ssibuni
magħkom. Hi għamlet li setgħet:
dilkitli ġismi bil-fwieħa għad-difna minn qabel.
Tassew, ngħidilkom, li kull fejn tixxandar il-Bxara it-Tajba fid-dinja
kollha,li għamlet din jingħad ukoll, b'tifkira tagħha." Imbagħad Ġuda
l-Iskarjota, wieħed mit-Tnax, mar għand il-qassisin il-kbar biex jagħtihom 'il Ġesu' f'idejhom. Għal din l-aħbar ferħu ħafna, u wegħduh li
jagħtuh xi flus. U hu mar jistenna
l-waqt tajjeb biex jagħtihom 'il Ġesu' f'idejhom. Fl-ewwel jum ta' l-Ażżmi, meta kienu jsaggrifikaw il-ħaruf tal-Għid, id-dixxipli
tiegħu qalulu: "Fejn tridna mmorru nħejju biex tiekol
l-ikla tal-Għid?" Imbagħad hu
bagħat tnejn mid-dixxipli tiegħu u qalilhom: "Morru l-belt u tiltaqgħu ma' raġel iġorr
ġarra ilma. Morru warajh, u għidu lil
sid id-dar fejn taraw dieħel: "Qallek l-Imgħallem: Fejn hi l-kamra
tiegħi ta' l-ikel li fiha nista' niekol l-ikla tal-Għid mad-dixxipli
tiegħi? U hu jurikom kamra kbira fuq,
mgħammra u lest. Ħejjulna hemmhekk". U d-dixxipli marru u daħla l-belt, u sabu kollox kif kien qalilhom hu; u ħejjew l-ikla tal-Għid. Għall-ħin ta' filgħaxija Ġesu' ġie mat-Tnax. U kif kienu fuq il-mejd jieklu qal: “Tassew. Ngħidilkom, li wieħed minnkom se
jittradini, wieħed li qiegħed jiekol miegħi.” Huma bdew isewdu qalbhom, u
wieħed wara l-ieħor staqsewh: "Jaqaw jien?" Qalilhom: “Wieħed
mit-Tnax, li qiegħed ibill il-ħobż fi platt wieħed miegħi. Għax Bin il-
bniedem imur, kif hemm miktub fuqu, imma
ħażin għalih dak il-bniedem li permezz tiegħu Bin il-bniedem ikunmogħti f'idejn
l-egħdewwa. Kien ikun aħjar għalih dak
il-bniedem li kieku ma twieled xejn!" Huma u jieklu, ħa l-ħobż f'idejh,
qal il-barka, qasmu, newwilhulhom u qal: "Ħudu, dan hu ġismi." Imbagħad ħa
l-kalċi f'idejh, radd il-ħajr, u newwilhulhom, u lkoll xorbu minnu u qalilhom:
“Dan huwa demmi, id-demm tal-patt, li jixxerred għall-kotra. Tassew, ngħidilkom, li ma nixrobx iżjed
mill-frott tad-dielja sa dak in-nhar li nixrob inbid ġdid fis-Saltna ta Alla. Imbagħad kantaw is-salmi u ħarġ
lejn il-Għolja taż-Żebbuġ U Ġesu' qalilhom: “Ilkoll se titħawdu, għax
hu miktub: "Nidrob ir-ragħaj, u n-ngħaġ jitiferrxu. Imma wara
li nqum mill-mewt, immur il-Galilija qabilkom." Qallu Pietru: "Ukoll jekkjitħawwad kulħadd, jien ma
nitħawwadx." Qallu Ġesu': “Tassew, ngħidlek, li llum, dal-lejl stess,
qabel ma s-serduk ikun idden darbtejn, int tkun ġa ċħadtni tliet darbiet."
Iżda Pietru tenna bil-qawwa kollha: "Le, ma niċħdekx, anqas jekkikolli
mmut miegħek!" U l-oħrajn ukoll, kollha qalu l-istess. Waslu f'qasam jismu Ġestsemani, u qal
lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Oqgħdu bilqiegħda hawn sakemm nitlob." U ħa
miegħu 'l Pietru u 'l Ġakbu u 'l Ġwanni,
u bdew jaħkmuh il-biża u d-dwejjaq. Qalilhom: "Għandi ruħi mnikkta
għall-mewt; ibqgħu hawn u ishru. Mexa kemmxejn
'il quddiem, ixteħet fl-art, u talab li , jekk jista' jkun, titwarrab
minnu dik is-siegħa. U qal: “Alla, Missier, kollox jista' jkun
għalik: biegħed minni dan il-kalċi! Iżda mhux rrid jien, imma
li trid int." Ġie ħdejhom u sabhom reqdin, u qal lil Pietru: "Xmun, rieqed? Ma tiflaħx tishar siegħa waħda? Ishru u itolbu biex ma tidħlux fit-tiġrib. L-Ispirtu, iva, jrid: imma l-ġisem dgħajjef." U reġa' mar u
tenna l-istess talba. Mill-ġdid ġie u
għal darba oħra sabhom reqdin, għax għajnejhom
kienu tqal bin-ngħas; u ma għarfux x'jaqbdu jgħidulu.
Ġie għat-tielet darba u qalilhom: “Torqdu issa u tistrieħu? Biżżejjed.
Is-siegħa waslet: araw li Bin
il-Bniedem se jkun mogħti f'idejn il-midinbin.
Qumu! Imxu mmorru! Ara, dak li se jittradini huwa fil-qrib!” Minnufih, kif kien għadu jitkellem, wasal Ġuda, wieħed mit-Tnax, b'ġemgħa nies miegħu,
armati bis-sjuf u l-bsaten, mibgħutin
mill-qassisin ilkbar u mill-kittieba u x-xjuħ.
Issa dak li kien se jitrradih kien tahom sinja minn qabel u qalilhom: "Dak li nbusu huwa hu; aqbduh u morru bih mgħasses tajjeb."
Malli mbagħad wasal, baqa sejjer fuqu u
qallu: "Rabbi." U biesu.
Huma meddew idejhom fuqu u qabdud.
Imma wieħed minn
dawk ta' madwaru silet is-sejf, ta daqqa
bih lill-qaddej tal-qassis il-kbir u qataghlu
widintu. Ġesu' dar fuqhom u qalilhom:” Qiskom ħriġtu għal xi ħalliel,
armati bis-sjuf u l-bsaten biex taqbdu
lili! Jien kont inkun fostkom fit-Tempju, ngħallem, u ma
żammejtunix Imma dan kollu ġara biex
isseħħ l-Iskrittura." Imbagħad id-dixxipli
tiegħu kollha telquh u ħarbu. Wieħed
żagħżugħ mar warajh imleflef b'liżar
biss fuq ix-xejn, u qabduh: imma hu
telqihom il-liżar f'idejhom u ħarab għeri. Ħadu 'l; Ġesu' għand il-qassis il-kbir, u nġabru l-qassisin il-kbar kollha u x-xujħ u l-kittieba.. Pietru kien baqa’ miexi warajh mill-bogħod,
sa ġol palazz tal-qassis il-kbir, u qagħad bilqiegħda ħdejn in-nar mal-qaddejja
għas-sħana. Il-qassisin il-kbar u s-Sanhedrin kollu bdew ifittxu xhieda kontra
Ġesu' biex jagħtuh il-mewt, u ma sabux. Tassew li kien hemm ħafna li xehdu bil-qerq kontra tiegħu, imma
x-xhieda tagħom ma kinetx taqbel.
Imbagħad qamu xi wħud jagħtu xhieda qarrieqa kontra tiegħu u qalu: "Aħna smajnieh igħid: 'Jien inħott it-Tempju mibni bl-idejn, u fi
tlitt ijiem nibni ieħor li ma jkunx mibni bl-idejn.'" Imma
x-xhieda tagħom anqas f'dan ma kienet taqbel. Imbagħad il-qassis il-kbir qam
f'nofs il-ġemgħa u staqsa lil Ġesu: "Xejn ma twieġeb? X'inhuma jixhdu dawn kontra tiegħek?" Iżda huwa baqa' sieket u ma wieġeb xejn. Mill-ġdid il-qassis il-kbir staqsieh u qallu:
"Int l-Messija, Bin
l-Imbierek?" Wieġbu Ġesu': “Jien
hu; u intom għad taraw 'il Bin il-bniedem bilqegħda n-naħa tal-lemin tal-Qawwa
u ġej fuq is-sħab tas-sema." Imbagħad il-qassis il-kbir ċarrat l-ilbies
ta' fuqu u qal: "Xi ħtieġa għandna
iżjed ta' xhieda? Id-dagħwa
smajtuha! X'jidrilkom?" U kollha
qatgħuhielu li kien ħaqqu l-mewt. Imbagħad xi wħud bdew jobżqu fuqu, igħattulu wiċċu, jagħtuh bil-ponn u
jgħidulu: "Aqta' min!" U l-qaddejja bdew jagħtuh bil-ħarta. Waqt li Pietru kien isfel 'il ġewwa mid-daħla
tal-palazz, ġiet waħda qaddejja tal-qassis il-kbir. Kif ra
'il Pietru qiegħed għas-sħana, waħħlet għajnejha fuqu u qaltlu: “Int ukoll kont
ma' Ġesu' ta' Nazaret.” Imma hu ċaħad u qal: “Ma nafx, miniex nifhem x'int tgħid,” U mar qagħad fid-daħla tal-palazz (u s-serduk idden). Il-qaddejja ratu, u reġgħet bdiet tgħid lil dawk li kienu hemm: “Dan
wieħed minnhom.” U mill-ġdid ċaħad.
Wara ftit, dawk li kienu ħdejh reġgħu qalu lil Pietru: “Tassew, int
wieħed minnhom, għax int ukoll mill-Galilija.” Imbagħad qabad jisħel lilu
nnifsu u jaħlef: “Jiena ma nafux 'il dan il-bniedem li qegħdin issemmu." Minnufih
is-serduk idden għat-tieni darba. Pietru
ftakar fil-kelma li kien qallu
Ġesu': “Qabel ma s-serduk jidden
dabtejn, inti tiċħadni tliet darbiet.” U
nfexx jibki. Filgħodu kmieni l-qassis
il-kbar iltaqgħu malajr max-xjuħ u mal-kittieba u mas- Sanhedrin kollu biex jiftiehmu bejniethom. Imbagħad rabtu 'l Ġesu' ħaduh u tawh f'idejn
Pilatu. Pilatu staqsieh: "Inti s-sultan tal-Lhud?" U hu
wieġbu u qallu: "Int qiegħed tgħidu". Il-qassisin il-kbar bdew jqaligħu ħafna
akkużi kontra tiegħu. Iżda Pilatu reġa'
staqsieh: ”Ma twieġeb xejn? Ara
kemm akkużi qegħdin iġibu kontra tiegħek!" Imma Ġesu' ma wieġeb xejn
iżjed, hekk li Pilatu baqa' mistagħġeb.
Kull nhar ta' festa kien jitilqilhom wieħed ħabsi, lil dak li kienu
jitolbu huma. Issa fil-ħabs kien hemm
wieħed jismu Barabba, arrestat flimkien
max-xewwiexa li fir-rewwiexta kienu qatlu 'l xi
ħadd. In-nies telgħu u bdew
jitolbuh jagħmel kif kien jagħmel kif kien jagħmlilhom dejjem. Qabad Pilatu u qalilhom: "Tridux nitilqilkom is-sultan
tal-Lhud?" Għax hu għaraf tajjeb li l-qassisin il-kbar kienu tawh 'il
Ġesu' f'idejh minħabba l-għejra. Iżda
il-qassisin il-kbar bdew ixewxu n-nies li aħjar jitilqilhom 'il Barabba.
Pilatu reġa' staqsiehom u qalilhom: "U x'nagħmel imbagħad b'dak li intom
issejħulu s-sultan tal-Lhud?" Iżda huma nfexxew igħajtu mill-ġdid: "Sallbu!" Qalilhom Pilatu:
"Imma x'għamel ħażin?" Huma iktar bdew igħajtu: "Sallbu!" Pilatu mbagħad, biex jogħġob lin-nies,
telqilhom 'il Barabba, u lil Ġesu' wara li tawh is-swat, tahulhom biex
isallbuh. Is-suldati ħaduh magħhom
ġewwa fil-palazz, jiġifieri l-Pretorju, u sejħu 'l sħabhom kollha. Libbsħu ilbies aħmar skur,u qegħdulu fuq rasu
kuruna minsuġa mix-xewk. U bdew
isellmulu: "Sliem għalik, sultan
tal-Lhud!" U qabdu jagħtuh b'qasba fuq rasu,jobżqulu fuqu, u jilwu
rkobbtejhom quddiemu biex jagħtuh qima.
Imbagħad, war ali għaddewh biż-żuffjet, neżżgħuh l-ilbies aħmar u xeddewlu ħwejġu. U ħaduh 'il
barra biex isallbuh. Kien għaddej
wieħed, Xmun minn
Kirene, missier Xandru u Rufu, ġej lura
mir-raba', u ġagħluh jerfagħlu s-salib.
U wassluh f'post jismu Golgota, li jfisser post il-Qorriegħa. U tawh
jixrob inbid imħallat mill-mirra, imma hu ma riedx jieħu minnu. Imbagħad sallbuh, u qasmu ħwejġu bejniethom
billi tellgħuhom bix-xorti ħalli kull wieħed jieħu li jmissu. Kienu d-disgħa ta' filgħodu meta sallbuh. Il-kitba li turi l-ħtija tal-kundanna tiegħu
kienet tgħid hekk: "Is-sultan
tal-Lhud". Miegħu sallbu wkoll żewġ
ħallelin, wieħed fuq il-lemin u l-ieħor fuq ix-xellug. Dawk
li kienu għaddejjin bdew igħajruh, iċaqilqu rashom u jgħidu: "Għajb
għalik, int li tħott it-Tempju, u tfittex terġa' tibnih fi tlitt ijiem! Inżel minn
fuq is-salib u salva lilek innifsek!" Hekk ukoll il-qassisin il-kbar bdew jiddieħku
bih bejniethom u mal-kittieba u jgħidu: 'Salva oħrajn, lilu nnifsu ma jistax
isalva! Ħa jinżel issa l-Messija,
is-sultan ta' Israel, minn
fuq is-salib biex aħna naraw u nemmnu!' U
dawk li kienu msallbin miegħu bdew imaqdruh huma ukoll. Meta
sar nofs-in-nhar waqgħet dalma kbira fuq il-pajjiż kollu sat-tlieta. U fit-tlieta ta' wara nofs-in-nhar Ġesu'
għajjat b'leħen qawwi: “Eloi, Eloi, lema' sabaqtani?” li tfisser “Alla tiegħi,
Alla tiegħi, għaliex tlaqtni?” Xi wħud
minn
dawl likienu hemm, kif semgħuh, qalu: “Ara, qiegħed issejjaħ lil Elija!” U mar wieħed jiġri jxappap sponża bl-inbid
qares, waħħalha f'tarf ta' qasba, u tah jixrob filwaqt li qal: “Stennew, ħa
naraw jiġix Elija jniżżlu!” Imma Ġesu' għajjat għajta kbira u ħarġet ruħu. (Hawnhekk
kulhadd jinzel gharrkobbtejh u jinzamm is-skiet ghal ftit hin) U l-purtiera tat-Tempju ċċarrtet fi tnejn minn fuq s'isfel. Iċ-ċentirjun, li kien wieqaf biswitu, meta
rah igħajjat u jmut hekk, qal: “Dal-bniedem kien tassew Bin Alla!” Kien hemm ukoll xi nisa jħarsu mill-bogħod, fosthom
Marija ta' Magdala, Marija omm Ġakbu ż-żgħir u Ġpże, u Salome, dawn, meta Ġesu'
kien fil-Galilija, kienu jmorru miegħu u jaqduh. U kien hemm ukoll oħrajn li kienu telgħu
Ġerusalem miegħu. Kien ġa sar filgħaxija, u billi kien jum it-Tħejjija,
jiġifieri is-Sibt,Guzeppi, minn Arimatija, membru magħruf tal-Kunsill, li hu wkoll
kien jistenna s-Saltna ta’ Alla, għamel il-ħila, daħal quddiem Pilatu u talbu
l-ġisem ta’ Ġesu. Pilatu stagħġeb li
kien ġa miet; bagħat għaċ-ċentirjun u staqsieh jekk kienx ilu li miet. Meta
mbagħad sar jaf min għand iċ-ċentirjun, ta ġisem Ġesu' lil Ġużeppi, u dan xtara
lizar tal-għażel, niżżel 'il Ġesu' mis-salib, keffnu fil-liżar u qieghdu f’qabar matugh fil-blat, imbagħad
gerbeb ġebla fid-daħla tal-qabar. Marija
ta' Magdala u Marija omm Ġoże qagħdu
jaraw fejn tqiegħed.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////
The
Passion of Jesus Is Our Reason for Hope
A Commentary by Fr. Thomas Rosica,
CSB
The Passion, suffering, death and
resurrection of the Lord are the very themes that unite us as a Christian
people and a Church during Holy Week.
This year on Palm Sunday, we listen
attentively to Mark's Passion story of Jesus' final days and hours on earth. It
is a story of striking contrasts. As we hear anew this moving story, Jesus'
passion penetrates the numbness of our lives. This week in particular, we have
a privileged opportunity to learn from what happened to Jesus and discover not
only the identity of those who tried, condemned and killed him long ago, but
also what killed Jesus and what vicious circles of violence, brutality, hatred
and jealousy continue to crucify him today in his brothers and sisters of the
human family.
Zooming in on Mark's Passion
narrative
Mark's account (Mark 11:1-10) of Jesus'
entry into Jerusalem
is the most subdued version of the event in the New Testament. For some reason
the evangelist places much emphasis on the donkey in this account. It was the
custom for pilgrims to enter Jerusalem
on foot. Only kings and rulers would "ride" into the city -- most
often on great steeds and horses and in ostentatious processions, in order to
make their presence known. Jesus, a different kind of king, chooses to ride
into the city, not on a majestic stallion but on the back of a young beast of
burden.
By being led through the city on the back
of a lowly donkey, Jesus comes as a king whose rule is not about being served
but serving. His kingdom is not built on might but on compassion and generous
service. The donkey Jesus mounts sends us back to the words of the ancient
prophet, Zechariah, who foretold this scene five centuries before:
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you, triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding
on a donkey . . . "
In Mark's jarring Passion story, we witness
the anguish of Jesus who has been totally abandoned by friends and disciples.
Jesus is resigned to his fate. He makes no response to Judas when he betrays
him nor to Pilate during his interrogation. In Mark, Pilate makes no effort to
save him, as the Roman procurator does in the other three Gospels.
As he does throughout his Gospel, Mark
depicts the utter of failure of the disciples to provide any support to Jesus
or to even understand what is happening. The enigmatic, young male disciple who
flees naked into the night when Jesus is arrested is a powerful symbol in
Mark's Gospel of his followers who initially left family and friends behind to
follow Jesus. Now that the heat is on, they leave everything behind to flee
from him.
When we remember the events of that first
Holy Week - from the upper room to Gethsemane, from Pilate's judgment seat to Golgotha, from the cross to the empty tomb, Jesus turns
our world and its value system upside down. He teaches us that true authority
is found in dedicated service and generosity to others; greatness is centered
in humility; the just and loving will be exalted by God in God's good time.
Viewing Mark's Passion through the
lenses of fidelity
In the midst of Mark's stories of betrayal
and violence, the evangelist inserts a dramatic story of exquisite fidelity.
While Jesus visits Simon the Leper in Bethany on the eastern slopes of the
Mount of Olives, an anonymous woman breaks, open her alabaster jar of costly
perfumed oil, and anoints Jesus' head in good, royal, biblical fashion
(14:3-9). As the fragrance of the oil fills the room, those with Jesus are
shocked at the woman's extravagant gesture. But Jesus defends her. She had
performed an act of true fidelity and love, he tells them, "for she has
anticipated anointing my body for burial" (14:8). For this, Jesus promises,
she would be remembered wherever the Gospel would be preached (14:9). This
woman is the only one in all of the New Testament to be so greatly honored.
While his male disciples and apostles
clearly manifest a bold track record of failure, betrayal and abandonment, this
anonymous woman embodies boldness, courage, love and fidelity. What an example!
Though she may not fully understand the significance of her symbolic and
prophetic act of anointing him, nor the timeliness of her action, she only desires
simply to be with him and to express to him lavish love and attention.
Is this not what each of us is called to do
during Holy Week in particular? Is it not to love Jesus and to be attentive to
him throughout the final tragic movements of the symphony of his earthly life,
and in the midst of all of the setbacks, failures and betrayals of our own
lives? Our lives must be like the woman's jar of expensive ointment poured out
so lavishly on the Lord in the final moments of his life on earth.
Who, if not the condemned Saviour?
At the conclusion of the Stations of the
Cross at Rome's
Colosseum on Good Friday night in the Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul II
spoke these moving and powerful words:
"Who, if not the condemned Saviour, can fully
understand the pain of those unjustly condemned?
Who, if not the King scorned and humiliated, can meet the
expectations of the countless men and women who live without hope or dignity?
Who, if not the crucified Son of God, can know the sorrow
and loneliness of so many lives shattered and without a future?"
What a Saviour we have! He truly
understands our human condition. He walks with us and shares our sorrows,
loneliness and suffering. How do we respond to such outlandish love and genuine
solidarity? Passion Sunday invites us to put on what Paul calls the
"attitude of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:6-11) in his passion and
death: to "empty" ourselves of our own interests, fears and needs for
the sake of others. May we reach out to heal those who are hurting and comfort
the despairing around us despite our own denials and betrayals.
During
the moving liturgies of Holy Week, we are given the special grace to carry on,
with joy and in hope, despite rejection, humiliation and suffering. In this
way, the Passion of Jesus becomes a reason for hope and a moment of grace for
all us as we seek the reign of God in our own lives -- however lonely and
painful that search may be. Holy Week gives us the consolation and the
conviction that we are not alone.
