Food and drink for our journey

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Tifkira Solenni tal-Ġisem u d-Demm ta’ Kristu                       

Missalin B 331

Reading 1                             Exodus 24:3-8

When Moses came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice, "We will do everything that the LORD has told us." Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and, rising early the next day, he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent certain young men of the Israelites to offer holocausts and sacrifice young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD, Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar. Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, "All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do." Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his."

L-Ewwel Qari          mill-Ktieb tal-Eżodu  24, 3-8

F’dak iz-zmien,  Mose’ niżel igħid lill-poplu kulma qallu l-Mulej u kull ma ordnalu.  Il-poplu wieġeb b'leħen wieħed u qal: "Kull ma qalilna l-Mulej nagħmluh." Mose' kiteb il-kliem kollu tal-Mulej, u filgħodu qam, bena altar  taħt il-muntanja, u waqqaf tnax-il plier għat-tnax-il tribu' ta' Israel. Imbagħad  bagħat xi żgħażagħ minn ulied Israel biex joffru sagrifiċċji  u joqtlu ogħġiela bħala  sagrifiċċji tas-sliem lill-Mulej. Mose' ħa nofs id-demm u qiegħdu fi bwieqi, u  xerred in-nofs l-ieħor  fuq l-altar.   Imbagħad ħa l-ktieb tal-Patt, u qara minnu hekk li  seta' jisimgħu l-poplu.  U huma qalu:   "Kulma qalilna l-Mulej nagħmluh,  u nisimgħu minnu." Mose' mbagħad ħa d-demm u, hu u jroxxu fuq il-poplu qal: "Hawn hu d-demm tal-Patt li l-Mulej għamel magħkom skont dan il-kliem kollu."  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                      PSALM 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18

R. (13) I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.

How shall I make a return to the LORD

for all the good he has done for me?

The cup of salvation I will take up,

and I will call upon the name of the LORD.    R

Precious in the eyes of the LORD

is the death of his faithful ones.

I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;

you have loosed my bonds.                            R

To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,

and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

My vows to the LORD I will pay

in the presence of all his people.                    R.

Salm Responsorjali                       Salm 115 (116)

R/  Ngħolli l-kalċi tas-salvazzjoni u isem il-Mulej insejjaħ

Xi  rrodd lill-Mulej

għall-ġid kollu li għamel miegħi?

Ngħolli l-kalċi tas-salvazzjoni

u isem il-Mulej insejjaħ.                                  R/

Għażiża f'għajnejn il-Mulej

hi l-mewt tal-ħbieb tiegħu.

Jien qaddej tiegħek, bin il-qaddejja tiegħek.

Int ħallejtli l-irbit tiegħi                                      R/

Lilek noffri s-sagrifiċċji ta' radd il-ħajr,

u isem il-Mulej insejjaħ.

Intemm  lill-Mulej il-wegħdiet tiegħi,

quddiem il-poplu tiegħu kollu.                         R/

Reading 2                             Hebrews 9:11-15

Brothers and sisters: When Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.

It-Tieni Qari        mill-Ittra lill-Lhud  9, 11-15

Huti,  Kristu ġie bħala qassis il-kbir tal-ġid li diġa ġie. Hu daħal minn Tinda aqwa u aktar perfetta, li mhijiex  maħduma b'idejn il-bnedmin, jiġifieri mhijiex ħolqien  ta' din l-art;  hu daħal darba għal dejjem fis-Santwarju,  mhux bis-saħħa tad-demm tal-mogħoż u tal-għoġiela,  imma bis-saħħa ta' demmu stess, u hekk kiseb fidwa għal dejjem. Għax  id-demm tal-mogħoż u tal-gniedes u l-irmied ta' l-għoġiela,  mraxxax fuq dawk li  huma mniġġsa jista' jqaddishom billi  jagħtihom l-indafa tal-ġisem, kemm aktar  id-demm ta' Kristu, li bl-Ispirtu ta' dejjem offra lilu nnifsu vittma safja lil Alla, jista' jnaddaf il-kuxjenza tagħkom mill-għemil mejjet biex taqdu lil Alla ħaj? U għalhekk  hu medjatur ta' patt ġdid, testment ġdid, biex, wara li seħħet  il-mewt għall-fidwa mill-ħtijiet li saru fi żmien  il-patt ta' qabel, dawk li huma msejħa minn Alla  jiksbu l-wirt ta' dejjem li hu wegħidhom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                   Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus' 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." disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, 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. 

L-Evangelju      Qari skond  San Mark 14, 12- 16, 22-26

Fl-ewwel jum ta' l-Ażżmi, meta kienu jissagrifikaw il-ħaruf tal-Għid, id-dixxipli qalu lil Ġesu':."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 ta' fejn tarawh 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, imgħammra u lesta. Ħejjulna hemmhekk."   U d-dixxipli marru u daħlu l-belt,u sabu kollox kif kien qalilhom hu; u ħejjew l-ikla tal-Għid. Huma  u jieklu, ħa l-ħobż f'idejh, qal il-barka, qasmu  newwilhulhom u qal:  "Ħudu dan hu ġismi."   Imbagħad  ħa l-kalċi f'idejħ, radd il-ħajr, u newwilhulhom, u  lkoll  xorbu minnu.   U qalilhom: "Dan huwa  demmi, id-demm  tal-patt, li jixxerred għall-ħafna.   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 ħarġu lejn l-Għolja taż-Żebbuġ. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

//////////////////////////////

Food and Drink for the Journey

A reflection by Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB

Sunday's Gospel [Mark 14.12-16,22-26] links Jesus' death with Israel's great feast of liberation, the Passover.  At the first Passover, the blood on the doorpost prevented the death of the firstborn. The bread broken at the Last Supper symbolizes the disciples' sharing in Jesus' self-offering. Drinking from the cup of his blood creates a new and dynamic common bond. Jesus' blood sanctifies and revitalizes each of us. The Eucharist has something that distinguishes it from every other kind of memorial. It is memorial and presence together, even if hidden under the signs of bread and wine.

Our Eucharistic liturgy proclaims the one bond of life between God and his people. Just as blood that flows outward from the heart unites all the bodily members in one flow of life, so too are we united intimately with God through the precious body and blood of Jesus. The very nature of the Eucharist implies a bond with God and with the community. Our destinies are intertwined with God's own life. We cannot be loners, for blood is a common bond.

As we celebrate the solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord this year, we realize two things: this feast is a daily one. Yet we set aside one day in the year to celebrate a feast of those  feasts which we celebrate every day. Not only do we celebrate the bread and wine which become the body and blood of the Lord, we celebrate the new identity given to those who share among them Jesus' body and blood and then become what they eat and drink.

Faith in Jesus' resurrection can itself be an unproductive or dangerous ideology if it does not stimulate us actually to share bread with our brothers and sisters who are hungry. We are not engaging in social and political action but in sacramental celebration, a memorial or commemoration: the recollection of Jesus' life and death, in the conviction of faith of his

resurrection as Lord, sitting in God's place of honour as the advocate of poor and oppressed people who have no bread. When we receive the Eucharist, we partake of the one who becomes food and drink for others. Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, do we realize that the Eucharistic Christ is really present as bread for the poor?

Christianity, Catholicism, the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, are not theological concepts, courses, things, ideas, passing fancies, symbols -- they are a living person, and his name is  Jesus.

At many moments of crisis and turbulence in Christian history, the Lord has confirmed his real presence in the Blessed Sacrament in some rather miraculous ways. Most of these Eucharistic miracles involved incidences in which the Host has "turned into human flesh and blood." The miracles in Bolsena and Orvieto in Italy quickly come to mind, and there is, of course, the well known Eucharistic miracle story from Lanciano, Italy. Such stories seem to be far removed from our own experiences and are often times quite hard to believe. In recent times such miracle stories have receded from the front burners of contemporary theology and spirituality and are often relegated to the realm of eccentric piety and devotion. As Catholics we believe that the consecrated Host is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord, under the appearances of bread and wine. Therefore, Jesus, through the Eucharistic miracles, merely manifests his presence in a more tangible way. Some tell us that we don't really need the extraordinary manifestations to confirm what we already know and believe. They say that extraordinary miracles are not the essence of true Eucharistic piety, devotion, and understanding. I would like to reflect on an extraordinary Eucharistic event that deeply marked the Church in Canada and touched many parts of the world as well.

Quebec's Eucharistic congress

For one week from June 15th to 22nd, 2008, I rediscovered what extraordinary Eucharistic miracles are all about, only this time it wasn't in churches of old Europe. Along with 15,000 other people from throughout Canada and 75 other countries of the world, I saw the Eucharist come alive in a very powerful way in a hockey arena in Quebec City's Pepsi Coliseum during the 49th International Eucharistic Congress.

In his homily for the opening of the congress, the 84-year-old Slovakian Cardinal Jozef Tomko, papal legate to the event, said that "Jesus is the gift of God, he is the food that feeds us and fulfills us and allows us life in eternity. The Eucharist is a person, not an object, not a dead gift. Maybe we should ask not what is the Eucharist, but who is the Eucharist?" The answer to this question, Tomko said, is Jesus in the sacramental form of bread and wine "to indicate he wanted to become our food and sustain our life."

One of the very memorable and profound catechesis sessions of the Quebec congress was on the theme "The Eucharist, the life of Christ in our Lives," given by Bishop Luis Tagle of Imus in the Philippines, now Cardinal-Archbishop of Manila. Cardinal Tagle spoke about Eucharistic adoration outside of Mass:

"Beholding Jesus, we receive and are transformed by the mystery we adore. Eucharistic adoration is similar to standing at the foot of the cross of Jesus, being a witness to his sacrifice of life and being renewed by it."

Cardinal Tagle pointed to the example of the Roman centurion who guarded Jesus on the cross as a "model of adoration": "We learn from the centurion to face Jesus, to keep watch over him, to behold him, to contemplate him. At first the centurion spent hours watching over Jesus out of duty but ended up contemplating him in truth. What did the centurion see? We can assume that he saw the horror of suffering that preceded Jesus' death. But I also believe that in Jesus the centurion saw incredible love, love for the God who had failed to remove this cup of suffering from him, and love for neighbours." The prelate concluded his powerful catechesis: "I wish that Eucharistic adoration would lead us to

know Jesus more as the compassionate companion of many crucified peoples of today. Let us adore Jesus who offered his life as a gift to the Father for us sinners. Let us adore him for ourselves, for the poor, for the earth, for the Church and for the life of the world."

In his 2003 encyclical letter, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Pope John Paul II wrote: "The Eucharist builds the Church and the Church makes the Eucharist." 

The Triune relationship

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

                                SOLENNITA’ TAT-TRINITA’  QADDISA                                    

Messalin   B 325

Reading 1        Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40

Moses said to the people: "Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with strong hand and  outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep his statutes and commandments that I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever.".

L-Ewwel Qari   -  Dewternomju 4, 32-34, 39-40

Mose' kellem lill-poplu u qal:  "Staqsi liż-żminijiet tal-imgħddi,  iż-żmienijiet ta' qabel, sa minn mindu  Alla ħalaq il-bniedem fuq l-art, fittex minn tarf għal ieħor tas-sema, u ara kienx hemm ġrajja hekk kbira bħal din, jew qattx instemgħet oħra bħalha.  Qatt kien hemm poplu li sama' leħen Alla jitkellem minn ġon-nar – bħalma  smajt int – u baqa' ħaj? Jew qatt xi alla fittex biex jagħżel għalih poplu minn fost poplu ieħor  b'tiġrib, b'sinjali u għeġubijiet, b'taqbid, b'id qawwija u driegħ merfugħ, b'egħmejjel kbr tal-biża, bħalma għamel għalik quddiem għajnejk fl-Eġittu il-Mulej Alla tiegħek? Mela, kun af illum, u żommha f'moħħok li l-Mulejn hu tassew Alla,  kemm fl-għoli tas-sema kemm hawn isfel fuq l-art, u li ma hawnx  ieħor għajru.    Ħares, għalhekk, l-ordnijiet u l-kmandamenti tiegħu  li se nagħtik illum biex  ikollok riżq, int u  wliedek warajk, ħalli tgħix żmien twil fuq l-art li l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, se jagħtik għal dejjem. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm    PSALM 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22

R. (12b) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Upright is the word of the LORD,

and all his works are trustworthy.

He loves justice and right;

of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.    R

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made;

by the breath of his mouth all their host.

For he spoke, and it was made;

he commanded, and it stood forth.                 R.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,

upon those who hope for his kindness,

To deliver them from death

and preserve them in spite of famine.                        R.

Our soul waits for the LORD,

who is our help and our shield.

May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us

who have put our hope in you.                                    R.

Salm Responsorjali                       Salm 32  (33)

R/    Ħieni  l-poplu li l-Mulej għażel b'wirtu.

Sewwa hi l-kelma  tal-Mulej,

kollox  bil-fedelta' huwa  għamel.

Hu iħobb id-dritt u s-sewwa;

bit-tjieba tal-Mulej mimlija l-art.            R/

Bil-kelma tal-Mulej saru s-smewwiet,

u b'nifs fommu t-tiżjin kollu tagħhom.

Għax hu tkellem, u kollox sar;

hu ordna u kollox seħħ.                       R/

Ara, għajnejn il-Mulej fuq dawk li jibgħżu minnu,

fuq dawk li jittamaw fit-tjieba tiegħu,

biex jeħilsilhom mill-mewt ħajjithom,

u jaħjihom  fi żmien il-ġuħ.                  R/

Ruħna tixxennaq għall-Mulej,

hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħna.

Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna,

kif fik hi t-tama tagħna.                        R/

Reading 2     Romans 8:14-17

Brothers and sisters: For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

It-Tieni Qari    -  Ittra lir-Rumani 8, 14-17

 Ħuti, dawk kollha li jmexxihom l-Ispirtu ta' Alla huma  wlied Alla. Għax intom ma rċejetux  l-ispirtu li njwassalkom għall-jasar biex terġgħu taqgħu fil-biża', imma  rċevejtu  l-Ispirtu li jagħmel minnkom  ulied adottivi; u li  bih  aħna nistgħu ngħajtu:  "Abba! Missier!"  Dan l-Ispirtu jixhed  flimkien mal-ispirtu tagħna, li aħna wlied Alla.  Jekk aħna wlied,  aħna wkoll werrieta, werrieta ta' Alla, werrieta ma' Kristu:  ladarba aħna nbatu miegħu, biex miegħu nkunu gglorifikati. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                       Matthew 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

L-Evanġelju      skont San Mattew 28 16-20

F'dak iż-żmien,  il-ħdax-il dixxiplu telqu lejn il-Galilija u marru fuq il-muntanja fejn kien ordnalhom Ġesu'.  Kif rawh,inxteħtu quddienu; għalkemm xi wħud iddubitaw. Ġesu' resaq ikellimhom u qalilhom:  "Lili ngħatat kull setgħa fis-sema u fl-art.   Morru, mela, agħmlu dixxipli mill-ġnus kollha, u għammduhom fl-isem tal-Missier u tal-Iben u  tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, u għallmuhom iħarsru  dak kollu li ordnajtilkom jien.  U ara,  jiena magħkom dejjem, sa l-aħħar taż-żmien." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

//////////////////

God puts Relationship and Community first

A reflection by Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB

One of the important dimensions of our Trinitarian God is the community of love and persons modeled for us in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. For Christians, the Trinity is the primary symbol of a community that is held together by containing diversity within itself.

If our faith is based in this Trinitarian mystery that is fundamentally a mystery of community, then all of our earthly efforts and activities must work toward building up the human community that is a reflection of God's rich, Trinitarian life.

Sunday's Deuteronomy passage is an excellent point of departure for probing the depths of the mystery of the Trinity. Consider for a moment Moses' words encouraging and exhorting the people of Israel: "From there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and soul. In your distress, when all these things have happened to you in time to come, you will return to the Lord your God and heed him. Because the Lord your God is a merciful God, he will neither abandon you nor destroy you; he will not forget the covenant with your ancestors that he swore to them" (4:29-31). The whole passage speaks of the special relationship between God and Israel, linking the uniqueness of Israel's special vocation with the uniqueness of Israel's God.

Then in a series of rhetorical questions, Moses, knowing full well that the Lord alone is God, puts the people of Israel "on the stand," and asks them about this God of theirs: "For ask now about former ages, long before your own, ever since the day that God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of heaven to the other: has anything so great as this ever happened or has its like ever been heard of? Has any people ever heard the voice of a god speaking out of a fire, as you have heard, and lived? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by terrifying displays of power, as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? To you it was shown so that you would acknowledge that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him" (4:32-35).

Matthew’s commission

The majestic departure scene at the end of Matthew’s Gospel [28:16-20] relates to us Jesus' final earthly moments and the great commission to the Church: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (19-20).

The great apostolic commission implies a service that is pastoral: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations"; liturgical: "baptizing them"; prophetic: "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you"; and guaranteed by the Lord's closeness, until the end of time. The scene gives a foretaste of the final glorious coming of the Son of Man [Matthew 26:64]. Then his triumph will be manifest to all; now it is revealed only to the disciples, who are commissioned to announce it to all nations and bring them to believe in Jesus and obey his commandments. Since universal power belongs to the risen Jesus [Matthew 28:18], he gives the eleven a mission that is truly universal. They are to make disciples of all nations.

Baptism is the means of entrance into the community of the risen one, the Church. "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit": this is perhaps the clearest expression in the New Testament of Trinitarian belief. It may have been the baptismal formula of Matthew's church, but primarily it designates the effect of baptism, the union of those baptized with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Trinitarian language

The language of Father and Son is relational language and reminds us that, for God, as for us, created in God's image, relationship and community are primary. God can no more be defined by what God does than we can. God is a Being, not a Doing, just as we are human beings, not human doings. This is a point of theology but also, with all good theology, a practical point.

To define God's inner life in the Trinity in terms of God's activity leads to defining humans, created in God's image, in the same way. Those who choose to say, "In the name of the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Sustainer" err in defining God by function and not by person. God is a living being who exists in intimate relationship with us.

Our God isn’t immovable. God isn’t alone. God is communication between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is the profound mystery that the liturgy for the feast of the Holy Trinity recalls: both the unspeakable reality of God and the manner in which this mystery has been given to us. The Trinity celebrates the peace and unity of the divine persons in whom the circular dance of love -- perichoresis in Greek -- continues. That unity is a dance of life and relationships, encompassing all aspects of human life.

We must constantly strive for this unity and peace of God, Jesus, and their life-giving Spirit, a peace that theological controversy never gives. Though theology is absolutely necessary, we would do well to pray more and love God more, than trying to figure out our Trinitarian God! The consolation is this: complete understanding is not necessary for love.

Listen to St. Catherine of Siena’s famous prayer from her Dialogue on Divine Providence:

"Eternal God, eternal Trinity, you have made the blood of Christ so precious through his sharing in your divine nature. You are a mystery as deep as the sea; the more I search, the more I find, and the more I find the more I search for you. But I can never be satisfied; what I receive will ever leave me desiring more. When you fill my soul I have an ever-greater hunger, and I grow more famished for your light. I desire above all to see you, the true light, as you really are."

Love can never outgrow its fascination with the puzzling aspects of the one loved. This is our approach to the Trinitarian mystery. We must love God more. On this feast, let us pray that we be caught up in the unifying and reconciling work of the Holy Spirit of God. The increasing glory of God is this progressive revelation of the Trinity.

Many times during our lives, we experience this revelation and God's Trinitarian presence through the depth of love, communication, and relationship with other people. Our God is rich in relationships, communication and love for all people. This God models to us what the dynamic Trinitarian life is all about– communication, relationship, and affection. The quality of our Christian life is based on imitation of the interior life of the Trinity.

The foundation of our Trinitarian faith is dialogue, communication, and a "dance of life." Though we may struggle in understanding the Holy Trinity

, we nevertheless take it into our very hands each time that we mark ourselves with the sign of the cross. Words once spoken over us at baptism become the words with which we bless ourselves in the name of the Trinity. Herein lies the meaning of this unique, one God in three Persons. I offer you this prayer for Sunday's feast and the coming week:

Glory to you, Father, Who by the power of your love, Created the world and formed us in your own image and likeness.

Glory to you, only begotten Son, Who in your wisdom assumed our human condition To lead us to the Kingdom.

Glory to you, Holy Spirit, Who in your mercy sanctified us in baptism.

You work to create in us a new beginning each day.

Glory to you, Holy Trinity, You always have been, you are and you always will be

Equally great to the end of the ages.

We adore you, we praise you, we give you thanks

Because you were pleased to reveal the depth of your mystery

To the humble, to little ones.

Grant that we may walk in faith and joyful hope until the day

When it will be ours to live in the fullness of your love

And to contemplate forever what we now believe here below:

God who is Father, Son, and Spirit!  Glory to You!

May God's Holy Trinity -- in unspeakable goodness and mystery -- teach us and guide us in the life that is ours, and may we grow in "God's love poured forth into our hearts by the Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:5).

/////////////////////////////////////

Come Holy Spirit

Pentecost Sunday -

Lectionary: 63

Solennita’ tal-migja ta’ l-Ispirtu s-Santu

Messalin B 320

Reading 1           ACTS 2:1-11  

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this so

und, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God."  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni        Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli. 2, 1-11

Meta wasal jum Għid il-Ħamsin, huma kienu lkoll flimkien f'post wieħed.   F'daqqa waħda ġie mis-sema ħoss bħal ta' riħ qawwi, u mela d-dar kollha fejn kienu qegħdin.   U dehrulhom ilsna qishom tan-nar, li tqassmu u qagħdu fuq  kull wieħed minnhom.   Imtlew lkoll bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u bdew jitkellmu b'ilsna oħra, skont ma l-Ispirtu kien jagħtihom li jitkellmu. F'Ġerusalemm kien hemm xi Lhud, nies twajba minn kull  nazzjon li hawn taħt is-sema.   Malli nstama' dan il-ħoss,  inġabret kotra kbira,  ilkoll imħawdin għax kull wieħed  minnhom kien jismagħhom jitkellmu bl-ilsien tiegħu.   Miblugħin u mistagħġbin, bdew jgħidu:  "Dawn li qegħdin  jitkellmu mhumiex ilkoll mill-Galilija?  Mela kif kull wieħed  minna qiegħed jismagħhom jitkellmu bi lsien art twelidu?   Partin, Medin u Għelamin, nies mill- Mesopotanja, mil-Lhudija, mill-Kappadoċja, minn Pontu, mill-Asja, mill-Friġja, mill-Pamfilja, mill-Eġittu, mill- inħawi  tal-Libja madwar Ċireni, nies li ġew minn Ruma, kemm Lhud u kemm proseliti,  oħrajn minn Kreta u  Għarab, aħna lkoll qegħdin nisimgħuhom ixandru  bl-ilsna tagħna l-għeġubijiet ta' Alla!"  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm       PSALM 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!

How manifold are your works, O LORD!

the earth is full of your creatures;

R. Alleluia.

May the glory of the LORD endure forever;

may the LORD be glad in his works!

Pleasing to him be my theme;

I will be glad in the LORD.

R. Alleluia.

If you take away their breath, they perish

and return to their dust.

When you send forth your spirit, they are created,

and you renew the face of the earth.

R. Alleluia.

Salm Responsorjali             Salm 103(104)

     R/  Alleluja `

 Bierek ruħ tiegħi, lill-Mulej!

Mulej, Alla tiegħi, inti kbir bil-bosta!

Kemm huma kotrana l-għemejjel tiegħek, Mulej!

Mimlija l-art bil-ħlejjaq tiegħek.                        R/

Jekk teħdilhom nifishom, imutu,

u lejn it-trab jerġgħu jmorru.

Malli tibgħat in-nifs tiegħek, jinħolqu,

u inti ġġedded il-wiċċ ta' l-art.                         R/

Jibqa' sebħ il-Mulej għal dejjem!

Jifraħ il-Mulej bl-għemejjel tiegħu!

Ħa togħġbu l-għanja tiegħi,

Għax jien fil-Mulej l-hena tiegħi.                       R/

Reading 2         GALATIANS  5:16-25

Brothers and sisters, live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni     Qari mill-Ittra lill-Galatin 5  16-25

Ħuti, jien ngħidilkom, imxu fl-Ispirtu u taqgħux għall-passjonijiet tal-passjoniet tal-ġisem huma kontra l-ġisem;  dawn it-tnejn huma kontra xulxin, ;biex ma jħallukomx tagħmlu dak li tixtiequ. Jekk lilkom imexxikom l-Ispirtu, m'intomx taħt il-liġi. L-għemejjel tal-ġisem huma magħrufa:   żina, faħx, nuqqas ta' rażan, idolatrija, seħer, mibegħda, ġlied, għira, korla, ambizzjoni, firda, partiti, invidja, sokor, tbaħrid, u ħwejjeġ bħal dawn.   Inwissikom, bħalma wissejtkom  qabel, min jagħmel dawn il-ħwejjeġ ma jiritx is-saltna ta' Alla.  Il-frott tal-Ispirtu huma:  l-imħabba, l-hena,  is-sliem, is-sabar, il-ħniena, it-tjieba, il-fidi, il-ħlewwa, ir-rażan.   Kontra dawn ma hemmx liġi.   Dawk li huma ta' Kristu Ġesu' sallbu l-ġisem bil-ġibdiet u l-passjonijiet tiegħu.   Jekk ngħixu bl-Ispirtu, ħalli  nimxu bl-Ispirtu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

           

Sequence:

Veni, Sancte Spiritus

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

And from your celestial home

Shed a ray of light divine!

Come, Father of the poor!

Come, source of all our store!

Come, within our bosoms shine.

You, of comforters the best;

You, the soul's most welcome guest;

Sweet refreshment here below;

In our labor, rest most sweet;

Grateful coolness in the heat;

Solace in the midst of woe.

O most blessed Light divine,

Shine within these hearts of yours,

And our inmost being fill!

Where you are not, we have naught,

Nothing good in deed or thought,

Nothing free from taint of ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;

On our dryness pour your dew;

Wash the stains of guilt away:

Bend the stubborn heart and will;

Melt the frozen, warm the chill;

Guide the steps that go astray.

On the faithful, who adore

And confess you, evermore

In your sevenfold gift descend;

Give them virtue's sure reward;

Give them your salvation, Lord;

Give them joys that never end. Amen.

Alleluia.

Sekwenza

 Spirtu s-Santu, ejja fina,                    

raġġ ta'  dawl qaddis agħtina,

xerrdu f'ruħna mis-smewwiet.

O Missier il-foqra tiegħek,

inti ġġib id-doni miegħek,

tagħni b'dawklek qalb l-ulied.

Inti l-aqwa faraġ tagħna,

fik kull hena xħin tkun magħna,

tħossok fewġa ħelwa r-ruħ 

Fl-għaja, lejn is-serħ twassalna;

jekk imħeġġa wisq, trażżanna;

mil-għajnejn tixxotta d-dmugħ.

O dawl ħieni ta' qdusija,

nitolbuk li bik mimlija

tkun il-qalb ta' kull fidil.

Mingħajr dawlek li jmexxina

ebda ħajr ma jkum hemm fina,

ebda safa fl-għemil.

Naddaf kull fejn hemm it-tbajja',

fejn hemm nixfa reġġa' l-ħajja,

lill-miġruħ agħtih fejqan.

Rattab fina l-ebusija,

agħti lill-berdin bżulija,

għin fit-triq lil min beżgħan.

Agħti s-seba' doni tiegħek

lil min jimxi fidil miegħek

u li fik jistrieħ kull hin.

Agħti 'l kull virtu' sabiħa

ħlas ta' salvazzjoni sħiħa,

agħti  l-ġenna lit-tajbin.

Ammen.  Hallelujah.

Gospel           JOHN 15:26-27; 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you." This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju    Qari skont San Ġwann 15, 26-27; 16,12-15

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu:  "Meta jiġi d-Difensur, li se nibagħtilkom mingħand il-Missier, l-Ispirtu tal-verita', li ġej mill-Missier, huwa jixhed għalija.  U intom ukoll tixhduuu, għax intom kontru miegħi sa mill-bidu. Baqagħli ħafna ħwejjeġ x'ngħidilkom, imma għalissa ma tifilħux għalihom.     Meta jiġi hu, l-Ispirtu tal-verita', iwassalkom għall-verita' kollha; għaliex hu ma jgħid xejn minn tiegħu, imma jgħid dak li jisma', u jħabbrilkom il-ġejjieni.   Hu jagħtini glorja, għaliex jieħu minn dak li hu tiegħi u jħabbru lilkom.   Dak kollu li għandu l-Missier huwa tiegħi.   Għalhekk għedt li jieħu minn  dak li hu tiegħi u jħabbru lilkom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

//////////////////////////////////////

Viewing the Church through the Lenses of Pentecost –

A Biblical Reflection for the Solemnity of Pentecost

By Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB

Pentecost is the fiftieth day that signals the start of the universal mission of the Church -- a mission that overcomes human obstacles and has the Spirit as its driving force.  The mighty breath of God and the fire of the Spirit's presence engulf the group of disciples gathered in prayer around Mary, Mother of the Lord in the upper room.

Luke's narrative of Pentecost in today's first reading from Acts (2:1-13) consists of an introduction, a speech ascribed to Peter declaring the resurrection of Jesus and its messianic significance (14-36), and a favorable response from the audience (2:37-41).  The Twelve were not originally in a position to proclaim publicly the messianic office of Jesus without incurring immediate reprisal from those religious authorities in Jerusalem who had brought about Jesus' death precisely to stem the rising tide in his favor.

Psalm 104 reminds us that this Holy Spirit, this breath of God that we as Christians have received, is the same Spirit that sustains the constant renewal of all created things.

Paul's theology of charisms

In today's second reading, (I Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13) St. Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians that the different gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for a purpose: a service to be offered for the good of all. They are not ends in themselves. Christians are called to establish a unity that brings together in Jesus Christ all peoples, religions and states of life.

Ecstatic and charismatic activity were common in early Christian experience, as they were in other ancient religions. But the Corinthians seem to have developed a disproportionate esteem for certain phenomena, especially tongues, to the detriment of order in the liturgy.  Paul reminds the Corinthians that ecstatic phenomena must be judged by their effect.  Power to confess Jesus as Lord can come only from the Spirit, and it is inconceivable that the Spirit would move anyone to curse the Lord.  We learn that there are some features common to all charisms, despite their diversity: all are gifts (charismata), grace from outside ourselves; all are forms of service (diakoniai), an expression of their purpose and effect; and all are workings (energemata), in which God is at work. Paul associates each of these aspects with what later theology will call one of the persons of the Trinity, an early example of "appropriation."

The image of a body (12-26) is introduced to explain Christ's relationship with believers (12). Paul applies this model to the Church: by baptism all, despite diversity of ethnic or social origins, are integrated into one organism. The reading then develops the need for diversity of function among the parts of a body without threat to its unity.

He breathed on them

The Gospel of John (19:20-23) describes another way the Holy Spirit is given to the apostles: the risen Jesus breathing on the apostles to impart the Holy Spirit. The power of the Spirit not only authorizes, but also empowers the apostles to forgive and to retain sins. Jesus formally sends out to the world his apostles, as he had been sent to the world by the Father.  Jesus' breathing on the apostles huddled in the Upper Room recalls Genesis 2:7, where God breathed on the first man and gave him life; just as Adam's life came from God, so now the disciples' new spiritual life comes from Jesus.

The lenses of Pentecost

In my work at Salt and Light Television Network in Canada, I have had to quickly learn about broadcast technology, and all that goes into making a good film.  One important aspect of television is the intricate camera work "behind the scenes." The close up and wide-angle camera shots make all the difference in filming and telling a story.  If we use too many close-ups, we lose sight of the bigger picture.  If we overuse the wide-angle lens without attention to the particulars, it doesn't make for good television.  Good television combines the wide-angle or panoramic shots, the intermediate views of the surface, and finally the close-ups that offer attention to detail and often provide necessary depth for understanding the whole picture.

I would like to offer three lenses through which we might consider this feast: 1) the wide-angle lens that looks at our belonging to the Church; 2) an intermediate lens that focuses in on the ideologies at work in the Church today, and 3) a zoom lens to sharpen our hope, the great manifestation of the Holy Spirit to the Church.

"Sentire cum ecclesia"

Pentecost is considered to be the birth of the Church.  Our baptismal consecration in service to Christ cannot be separated from consecration in service to the Church.  One of the main themes permeating the thought of St. Ignatius of Loyola is his exhortation Sentire cum ecclesia or think with the Church. Sentire cum ecclesia also means to feel with the Church and to love the Church.  Pentecost invites us once again to walk with the Church, breathe with the Church, hope with the Church, feel with the Church, sentire cum ecclesia. What does the Church mean for me as an individual?  What is my personal relationship with the Church? Do I love the Church?  Do I feel loved by the Church?

Moving Beyond Ideology

From the wide-angle view of the Church, let us take a closer look at our current ecclesial reality.  Today, some of us seem to be stuck in the ideological battles that followed the Second Vatican Council.  Perhaps we are frozen in categories of left and right; traditional vs. avant-garde; male vs. female; hierarchical vs. lay-led, or prophetic vs. static.  Our inter-ecclesial and inter-community fixations and polarizations on all sides of the ecclesial spectrum can distract us from addressing with requisite depth and discernment the issues facing us today.  Whatever is not purified and transformed within us is transmitted to others- especially to the next generation.  When we sell ourselves to cynicism and despair, meanness of heart, smallness of spirit and harshness in ecclesial discourse, we betray our deepest identity as bearers of joy, hope and truth.  Is joy present in our Christian witness?  What prevents me as an individual and us as a community from giving a robust, joyful witness to Jesus Christ, the Catholic Faith and the Church?

Hope: a manifestation of the Spirit

Finally, let us zoom in on hope, a true manifestation of the Spirit at Pentecost.  Is it not true that many of us in the Church today feel like we are caught in a flash flood that is unexpected, powerful, destructive and filled with despair?  The flame seems to have gone out and our influence is terribly diminished.  The media exerts a powerful influence on the thinking, the attitudes and the faith of people.   The flash flood bears down with immense force on all of us.  Some view our present situation with great pessimism and grow disheartened, depressed, and even cynical.  Perhaps we have chosen to look at everything only from the data of sociology, psychology, polls and predictions, blogs and brief Twitter messages, and foresee an inevitable, almost deterministic future designed more or less by demographic, social, and economic forces, a future which is dismal and dark.  For the world of sound bites, hope usually means that we make ourselves believe that everything is going to turn out all right.  We use the word hope lightly and cheaply. This is not the hope of Christians.  We must be icons of hope, a people with a new vision, a people that learn to see the world through the lenses of Christ, the Spirit, and the Church.

Signs of the times and signs of hope

The Second Vatican Council encouraged Christians to read the signs of the times, and for Pope John XXIII these were signs of hope and glimpses of the Kingdom's presence in our midst.  It is not a kingdom of this world, so that it cannot be identified specifically in this or that location, but it is nevertheless here already, fostered by the Eucharist which is the pattern to be reproduced in all society, as well as still to come.  The Kingdom manifests itself through the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, courage, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.  And the Spirit's fruits make the Kingdom palpable and palatable: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, long suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, continence, and chastity.

It is also possible to follow a via negativa and to say where the Kingdom is not. Where there is no justice, no peace, no sharing, no mutual trust, no forgiveness, there is no Kingdom.  Where there is rancor, envy, distrust, hatred, ignorance, indifference, unchastity, cynicism, there is no Kingdom and certainly no life.

"Duc in altum!"

We cannot weigh the life of faith and judge the vitality of the Church solely on the basis of demographical or sociological indicators, numbers, polls, and outside statistics, as helpful as they may be.  The fire of Pentecost invites us to rediscover the depth, beauty and vastness of the Church's mission.  What is required of those imagining and building the Church is to think big, and to cast our nets into the deep.  Duc in altum! We must shape our vision on the firm conviction in the victory of the Cross and in Jesus Christ's triumph over sin and death.  Individuals and communities without vision and a Church without a mission are like a person without relationships.  Unless we are able to go beyond ourselves, we will remain undeveloped personalities.  When the Spirit truly dwells within us, we will be blessed anew with creativity, imagination and hope.

Guarantee of the Spirit's presence

What is the deepest and surest assurance and intimation that the Holy Spirit is present in our world and Church today?  The answer is: joy. If there is joy present you can bet that the Holy Spirit has something to do with this precious gift. St. Augustine who was the most musically passionate of the Fathers of the Church memorably evokes the experience of this joy with these words:

Whenever people must labor hard they begin with songs whose words express their joy. But when joy brims over and words are not enough they abandon even this coherence and give themselves to the sheer sound of singing.  What is this jubilation?  What is this exultant song? It is the melody that means our hearts are bursting with feelings that cannot express themselves.  And to whom does this jubilation most surely belong?  Truly to God who is unutterable, if words will not come and may not remain silent what else can you do but let the melody soar?  This is the song of the Holy Spirit.

On this great feast of the birth of the Church, let us ponder anew the whole reality of the Church, from the wide-angle view of its vastness and beauty, to the sometimes turbulent and complex surface, zooming in finally on hope, one of the deepest manifestations of the Spirit alive in the Church.  In doing so, we can marvel once again at the mercy and generosity of God and give thanks to the Lord who continues to call us to fidelity and joy.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and reignite in us the fire of your Love!

Make us joyful witnesses to your hope in the Church!

Move us beyond our ideologies that divide and blind us.

Lord, send us your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth...

the face of our Church, the face of our local communities, our own faces, our own hearts.  Amen.

//////////////////////////////////////