YOU AND YOUR ENEMIES

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 81

Is-Seba’ Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1       1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

In those days, Saul went down to the desert of Ziph  with three thousand picked men of Israel, to search for David in the desert of Ziph. So David and Abishai went among Saul’s soldiers by night and found Saul lying asleep within the barricade, with his spear thrust into the ground at his head and Abner and his men sleeping around him. Abishai whispered to David: “God has delivered your enemy into your grasp this day. Let me nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear;  I will not need a second thrust!” But David said to Abishai, “Do not harm him, for who can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed and remain unpunished?”  So David took the spear and the water jug from their place at Saul’s head, and they got away without anyone’s seeing or knowing or awakening. All remained asleep, because the LORD had put them into a deep slumber. Going across to an opposite slope, David stood on a remote hilltop at a great distance from Abner, son of Ner, and the troops. He said: “Here is the king’s spear. Let an attendant come over to get it. The LORD will reward each man for his justice and faithfulness. Today, though the LORD delivered you into my grasp, I would not harm the LORD’s anointed.” 

QARI I        mill-Ewwel Ktieb ta’ Samwel 26, 2.7-9.12-13.22-23

F’dak iż-żmien, Sawl qam u niżel lejn id-deżert ta’ Żif, u miegħu ħa tlitt elef raġel magħżula minn Iżrael, ifittex lil David fid-deżert ta’ Żif. U ġie David u Abisaj ħdejn l-eżerċtu billejl, u Sawl kien mimdud u rieqed f’nofs il-kamp, u l-lanza tiegħu kienet imwaħħla fl-art in-naħa ta’ rasu; u Abner u n-nies tiegħu mimdudin madwaru. U Abisaj qal lil David: “Illum il-Mulej reħa l-għadu tiegħu f’idejk, ħa nsammru mal-art b’daqqa waħda bil-lanza tiegħu stess, bla ma nagħtih oħra”. Imma David wieġeb lil Abisaj: “La toqtlux! Għax min qatt medd idu fuq il-midluk tal-Mulej, u ħelisha?”. David ħa l-lanza u l-ġarra tal-ilma minn ħdejn ras Sawl u telqu, bla ma ħadd rahom jew intebaħ, u bla ma ħadd stenbaħ, għax kollha kienu reqdin, u ngħas tqil waqa’ fuqhom mingħand il-Mulej. David imbagħad qasam għan-naħa l-oħra u qagħad fuq il-quċċata tal-għolja fil-bogħod, b’wisa’ kbir bejniethom. U David għajjat: “Hawn hi l-lanza tas-sultan, ħa jiġi ’l hawn wieħed mill-qaddejja u jeħodha! Il-Mulej irodd lil kull wieħed skont il-ġustizzja tiegħu u l-lealtà tiegħu. Il-Mulej telqek f’idejja llum, imma jien ma ridtx immidd idejja fuq il-midluk tal-Mulej”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm        PSALM 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

Bless the LORD, O my soul;                                                                                       and all my being, bless his holy name.      

Bless the LORD, O my soul, 

 and forget not all his benefits

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

He pardons all your iniquities, 

 heals all your ills.  

He redeems your life from destruction, 

crowns you with kindness and compassion.   

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,

slow to anger and abounding in kindness. 

 Not according to our sins does he deal with us,  

nor does he requite us according to our crimes.  

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

As far as the east is from the west, 

so far has he put our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children, 

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. 

 R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

SALM RESPONSORJALI     Salm 102 (103), 1-2.3-4.8 u 10.12-13

Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej!   

B’qalbi kollha nbierek l-isem qaddis tiegħu.   

Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej,   

 u la tinsiex il-ġid kollu li għamel miegħek.

R/. (8a) Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej

Hu li jaħfer dnubietek kollha; 

 ifejjaq il-mard tiegħek kollu;  

jifdi lil ħajtek mill-qabar; 

iħaddnek bit-tjieba u l-ħniena.

R/. (8a) Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej

Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej, 

idum ma jagħdab u kollu mogħdrija.

Ma mexiex magħna skont ma ħaqqhom ħtijietna; 

 ma ħallasniex skont ma ħaqqha ħżunitna. 

 R/.(8a) Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej

Daqs kemm hu mbiegħed il-Lvant mill-Punent,  

hekk hu jbiegħed minna ħtijietna.

Bħalma jħenn il-missier għal uliedu, 

hekk iħenn il-Mulej għal min għandu l-biża’ tiegħu.  

R/. (8a) Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej

Reading 2     1 CORINTHIANS 15:45-49

Brothers and sisters: It is written, The first man, Adam, became a living being,  the last Adam a life-giving spirit. But the spiritual was not first; rather the natural and then the spiritual.  The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man, from heaven. As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly, and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one. 

 

QARI II        mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 15, 45-49 

Ħuti, l-ewwel bniedem, Adam, sar ruħ ħajja, l-aħħar wieħed sar spirtu li jagħti l-ħajja. Mhux l-ispiritwali ġie l-ewwel, imma l-ewwel in-naturali u mbagħad l-ispiritwali. L-ewwel bniedem, mit-trab, hu tal-art; it-tieni bniedem, mis-sema. Bħalma hu l-bniedem tal-art, hekk ukoll huma l-bnedmin tal-art; bħalma hu l-bniedem tas-sema, hekk ukoll huma l-bnedmin tassema. Bħalma aħna mlibbsa x-xbieha tal-bniedem tal-art, hekk ukoll għad nilbsu x-xbieha tal-bniedem tas-sema. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel       LUKE 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek,  offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount.  But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,  and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” 

EVANĠELJU          Qari skont San Luqa 6, 27-38

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Imma lilkom, li qegħdin tisimgħuni, ngħidilkom: Ħobbu l-għedewwa tagħkom, agħmlu l-ġid lil min jobgħodkom, bierku lil min jisħetkom, itolbu għal min iżeblaħkom. Min jagħtik bil-ħarta fuq naħa waħda, dawwarlu wiċċek ħalli jagħtik fuq in-naħa l-oħra; min jeħodlok il-mantar, anqas il-libsa ma għandek tiċħadlu. Agħti lil kull min jitolbok; u min jeħodlok xi ħaġa tiegħek, titlobhilux lura. Kif tridu li l-bnedmin jagħmlu lilkom, hekk ukoll agħmlu intom lilhom. Jekk intom tħobbu lil min iħobbkom, xi ħlas jista’ jkollkom? Għax il-midinbin ukoll iħobbu lil min iħobbhom. U jekk tagħmlu l-ġid lil min jagħmel il-ġid lilkom, xi ħlas jista’ jkollkom? Għax dan jagħmluh saħansitra l-midinbin. U jekk tisilfu xi ħaġa lil min tistennewh iroddhielkom lura, xi ħlas jista’ jkollkom? Il-midinbin ukoll jisilfu lill-midinbin, bil-ħsieb li jieħdu lura daqshekk ieħor mingħandhom. Imma intom ħobbu l-għedewwa tagħkom, agħmlu l-ġid, isilfu bla ma tistennew xi ħaġa lura, u l-ħlas tagħkom ikun kbir; u tkunu wlied Alla l-Għoli, li hu tajjeb mal-ingrati u l-ħżiena. Ħennu, bħalma hu ħanin Missierkom. Tiġġudikawx, u ma tkunux iġġudikati; tikkundannawx, u ma tkunux ikkundannati; aħfru, u ssibu l-maħfra; agħtu, u jingħatalkom. Kejl tajjeb, marsus, mheżżeż sewwa u mburġat iqegħdulkom f’ħoġorkom; għax bl-istess kejl li tkejlu intom jitkejjel lilkom”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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NAILING DOWN MERCY 

"Abishai whispered to David: 'God has delivered your enemy into your grasp this day. Let me nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear.' " —1 Samuel 26:8

Abishai gave David the traditional "wisdom of war," that is: "Kill, nail, and spear the enemies before they do it to you first." In other words, "do unto others before they do unto you." David surprisingly rejected Abishai's standard advice (1 Sm 26:9). In this he prefigured Jesus, the Son of David.

Jesus didn't just talk about having mercy on our enemies. He paid the price for mercy by taking on Himself the just punishments which His enemies deserved. Instead of nailing His enemies to the ground (see 1 Sm 26:8), He let His enemies nail Him to the cross. Instead of thrusting a spear into His enemies, He let them thrust a spear into His side (see Jn 19:34). Jesus knows that treating guilty enemies with mercy would be unjust. So He fulfilled justice out of love for His enemies by paying the price for mercy on Calvary.

Therefore, "love your enemy and do good" (Lk 6:35). "Be compassionate, as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Pardon, and you shall be pardoned" (Lk 6:36-37).  

PRAYER: Jesus, may I receive and give Your crucified, precious mercy.

PROMISE: "Give, and it shall be given to you." —Lk 6:38

PRAISE: Praise be to Jesus Christ, the risen King of Glory. Alleluia!

 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////// (From a reflection by Fr Al Laury) /////////////

God’s Ultimate Justice

« Sunday, February 17 »

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

 Lectionary: 78

Is-Sitt Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1     Jeremiah 17:5-8

Thus says the LORD: Cursed i s the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth. Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit. 

QARI  1       mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġeremija 17, 5-8  

Dan jgħid il-Mulej: “Misħut il-bniedem li jittama fil-bnedmin, li jfittex il-qawwa tiegħu fil-ġisem, u titbiegħed qalbu mill-Mulej. Ikun bħal siġra tal-għargħar fix-xagħri, li ma tara ebda ġid ġej, li tgħammar f’art tikwi fid-deżert, art mielħa fejn ħadd ma jgħammar. Imbierek il-bniedem li jittama fil-Mulej, u l-fiduċja tiegħu fil-Mulej. Ikun bħal siġra ħdejn l-ilma mħawla, b’għeruqha mxenxla lejn il-wied; ma tibżax meta tiġi s-sħana, il-weraq tagħha jibqa’ jħaddar; fis-sena tan-nixfa ma tinkeddx, u ma tehdiex milli tagħmel il-frott”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm         PSALM 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

Blessed the man who follows not 

the counsel of the wicked,                    

nor walks in the way of sinners,                                                                                     nor sits in the company of the insolent,

but delights in the law of the LORD

and meditates on his law day and night.

R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

He is like a tree                                                                                                           planted near running water,                                                                                           that yields its fruit in due season,              

and whose leaves never fade. 

 Whatever he does, prospers.

R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Not so the wicked, not so;  

they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

For the LORD watches over the way of the just,   

But the way of the wicked vanishes.

R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

 

SALM RESPONSORJALI         Salm 1, 1-2.3.4 u 6

R/. (Salm 39 (40), 5a):

Hieni l-bniedem li jqiegħed fil-Mulej it-tama tiegħu

Hieni l-bniedem li ma jimxix fuq il-pariri tal-ħżiena, 

li ma jiqafx fi triq il-ħatjin, 

li ma joqgħodx fil-laqgħat taż-żeblieħa;  

imma fil-liġi tal-Mulej hi l-għaxqa tiegħu,  

lejl u nhar jaħseb fil-liġi tiegħu. R/.

Hu bħal siġra mħawla ħdejn nixxigħat tal-ilma   

li tagħmel il-frott fi żmienha,

u l-weraq tagħha ma jidbielx;

hu jirnexxi f’kulma jagħmel. R/.

Mhux hekk il-ħżiena, mhux hekk;

iżda huma bħal tibna li jtajjarha r-riħ. 

Għax triq it-tajbin il-Mulej jafha;  

imma triq il-ħżiena tintemm fix-xejn. R/.

Reading 2      1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

Brothers and sisters: If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of  all. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

QARI II         mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 15, 12.16-20

Ħuti, jekk Kristu hu mxandar li qam mill-imwiet, kif jgħidu xi wħud minnkom li ma hemmx qawmien tal-mejtin? Għax jekk il-mejtin ma jqumux, anqas Kristu ma kien imqajjem. U jekk Kristu ma kienx imqajjem, fiergħa l-fidi tagħkom, u intom għadkom fi dnubietkom. U mitlufa wkoll huma dawk li raqdu fi Kristu. Jekk għandna tama fi Kristu għal din il-ħajja biss, aħna l-aktar nies imsejkna fost kemm huma l-bnedmin. Imma Kristu kien imqajjem tassew mill-imwiet, l-ewwel frott fost dawk li raqdu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel    Luke 6:17, 20-26

Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

EVANĠELJU    Qari skont San Luqa Lq 6, 17.20-26  

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù niżel mat-Tnax u waqaf f’wita, flimkien ma’ kotra kbira ta’ dixxipli u folla kbira ta’ nies minn kull naħa tal-Lhudija u Ġerusalemm u mix-xtajta ta’ Tir u Sidon. Ġesù rafa’ għajnejh lejn id-dixxipli tiegħu u qal: “Henjin intom il-foqra, għax tagħkom hija s-Saltna ta’ Alla. Henjin intom li għalissa bil-ġuħ, għax għad tkunu mxebbgħin. Henjin intom li għalissa tibku, għax għad tithennew. Henjin intom meta minħabba Bin il-bniedem in-nies jobogħdukom, jaqtgħukom minn magħhom, jgħajrukom u jwarrbu isimkom bħallikieku kien xi ħaġa ħażina. Dakinhar li jiġrilkom hekk, ifirħu u aqbżu bil-ferħ, għax araw, ħlaskom kbir ikun fis-sema. L-istess għamlu missirijiethom lill-profeti. Imma ħażin għalikom, intom l-għonja, għax il-faraġ tagħkom ħadtuh. Ħażin għalikom intom li għalissa mxebbgħin, għax għad tkunu bil-ġuħ. Ħażin għalikom intom li għalissa tidħku, għax għad tnewħu u tibku. Ħażin għalikom meta kulħadd isemmikom fil-ġid. Għax l-istess għamlu missirijiethom lill-profeti foloz!”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Beatitudes and God’s Ultimate Justice

REFLECTION by  Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB

Sunday’s Gospel presents us Luke’s Beatitudes taught on the plain where people from all walks of life intermingle (6:17, 20-26).  Jesus’ entire ministry, which was centred on the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, took place around the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, in an area noted for its violence and warring factions. Jesus seeks to bring justice into the intense violence of this area. 

The crowds that listened to Jesus were awestruck because he spoke with authority, with the force of someone who knew the truth and offered it freely to others. The Beatitudes reveal God’s ultimate justice. They outline Jesus’ prophetic outreach to those who live on the fringes of society. In this awesome Gospel scene overlooking the Sea, Jesus puts biblical justice into practice by proclaiming the Beatitudes. Authentic justice is a binding of one’s self with the sick, the disabled, the poor, and the hungry. 

New code of holiness     

The Beatitudes are not an abstract code of behaviour. Jesus himself is the poor in spirit, the meek, the persecuted, and the peacemaker. He is the new “code of holiness” that must be imprinted on our hearts and that must be contemplated through the action of the Holy Spirit. His Passion and Death are the crowning of his holiness. 

Holiness is a way of life that involves commitment and activity. It is not a passive endeavour but rather a continuous choice to deepen one’s relationship with God and to then allow this relationship to guide all of one’s actions in the world. Holiness requires a radical change in mindset and attitude. The acceptance of the call to holiness places God as our final goal in every aspect of our lives. This fundamental orientation towards God even envelops and sustains our relationship with other human beings. 

Saintly Pope exhorts World Youth        

I cannot read, pray, or hear the Beatitudes proclaimed without recalling with great emotion the voice of Pope John Paul II speaking about the Beatitudes to hundreds of thousands of young people who were gathered in Toronto for World Youth Day 2002. The theme of the Beatitudes guided this World Youth Day experience and has deeply marked us in Canada, born on the wings of that blessed event. Let us recall with gratitude the words of Saint John Paul II: 

“Dear young people, [...] People are made for happiness. Rightly, then, you thirst for happiness. Christ has the answer to this desire of yours. But he asks you to trust him. True joy is a victory, something that cannot be obtained without a long and difficult struggle. Christ holds the secret of this victory. [...] 

“The Sermon on the Mount marks out the map of this journey. The Eight Beatitudes are the road signs that show the way. It is an uphill path, but he has walked it before us. He said one day: “He who follows me will not walk in darkness” (John 8:12). And at another time he added: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). [...] 

“Gathered around the Lord’s Cross, we look to him: Jesus did not limit himself to proclaiming the beatitudes, he lived them! Looking at his life anew, re-reading the Gospel, we marvel: the poorest of the poor, the most gentle among the meek, the person with the purest and most merciful heart is none other than Jesus. The beatitudes are nothing more than the description of a face, his face! 

“At the same time, the beatitudes describe what a Christian should be: they are the portrait of Jesus’ disciple, the picture of those who have accepted the Kingdom of God and want their life to be in tune with the demands of the Gospel. To these Jesus speaks, calling them “blessed.” [...] 

“The joy promised by the beatitudes is the very joy of Jesus himself: a joy sought and found in obedience to the Father and in the gift of self to others. [...] By looking at Jesus you will learn what it means to be poor in spirit, meek, and merciful; what it means to seek justice, to be pure in heart, to be peacemakers. [...] 

“Dear friends, the Church today looks to you with confidence and expects you to be the people of the Beatitudes. Blessed are you if, like Jesus, you are poor in spirit, good, and merciful; if you really seek what it just and right; if you are pure of heart, peacemakers, lovers of the poor, and their servants. Blessed are you!

“Only Jesus is the true Master, only Jesus speaks the unchanging message that responds to the deepest longings of the human heart, because he alone knows “what is in each person” (cf. John 2:25). Today he calls you to be the salt and light of the world, to choose goodness, to live in justice, to become instruments of love and peace. His call has always demanded a choice between good and evil, between light and darkness, between life and death.” 

He makes the same invitation today to you who are reading this.

A mirror   

We must hold up the Beatitudes as a mirror in which we examine our own lives and consciences. Looking at Jesus, we see what it means to be poor in spirit, gentle and merciful, to mourn, to care for what is right, to be pure in heart, to make peace, to be persecuted. 

How can we be disciples of Jesus and put into practice Christ’s teaching of the Beatitudes? This week, let us ask ourselves some tough questions about Jesus’ powerful lesson on a Galilean hillside. 

Does the difference between the Beatitudes in Matthew and Luke provide any special insights for me? Which of the Beatitudes speaks most powerfully to me? Why? Am I poor in spirit? Am I humble and merciful? Am I pure of heart? Do I bring peace? Am I “blessed,” in other words, happy? What is my understanding of biblical justice? How do I practice it in my life? 

Together let us pray with Saint John Paul II:

Lord Jesus Christ, proclaim once more your Beatitudes in the presence of these young people, gathered in Toronto for the World Youth Day. Look upon them with love and listen to their young hearts, ready to put their future on the line for you. You have called them to be the “salt of the earth and light of the world”. Continue to teach them the truth and beauty of the vision that you proclaimed on the Mountain. Make them men and women of the Beatitudes! Let the light of your wisdom shine upon them, so that in word and deed they may spread in the world the light and salt of the Gospel. Make their whole life a bright reflection of you, who are the true light that came into this world so that whoever believes in you will not die, but will have eternal life! (cf. John 3:16).

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