Jesus was sent for us all

« February 3 »

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 72

Ir-Raba’ Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1   JEREMIAH 1:4-5, 17-19

The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. But do you gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them; for it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bras s, against the whole land: against Judah's kings and princes, against its priests and people. They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

Qari I      mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġeremija 1, 4-5. 17-19

Fi żmien Ġosija, ġietni l-kelma tal-Mulej u qalli: “Qabel ma sawwartek fil-ġuf, għaraftek; qabel ma ħriġt minn ħdan ommok, ikkonsagrajtek. Jien qegħedtek profeta fuq il-ġnus. Ħażżem ġenbejk, qum u għidilhom kulma nordnalek. La tibżax minnhom, għax inkella nbeżżgħek jien quddiemhom. Arani llum se nagħmel minnek belt fortizza, kolonna tal-ħadid, ħajt tal-bronż, kontra l-pajjiż kollu, kontra s-slaten ta’ Ġuda, u l-prinċpijiet tiegħu, kontra l-qassisin tiegħu u l-poplu tal-pajjiż. Huma jeħduha kontrik, imma ma jagħmlulek xejn, għax jien inkun miegħek – oraklu tal-Mulej – biex neħilsek minnhom”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm       PSALM 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17

In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.

Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
 for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.

For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother's womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.

My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation

Salm Responsorjali     SALM 70 (71), 1-2. 3-4a. 5-6ab. 15ab u 17

R/. (15): Fommi jxandar il-ġustizzja tiegħek

Fik, Mulej, jien nistkenn;

ma jkolli qatt għax ninfixel.

Għall-ġustizzja tiegħek salvani u ħarisni;

agħtini widen u fittex eħlisni. R/.

Kun sur ta’ kenn għalija;

int wegħedt li tiġi dejjem issalvani,

għax blata u fortizza int għalija.

Alla tiegħi, ħarisni minn id il-ħażin. R/.

Għax inti, Sidi, it-tama tiegħi;

Mulej, inti l-fiduċja tiegħi sa minn żgħożiti.

Fuqek serraħt sa minn twelidi,

sa minn ġuf ommi inti ħadtni. R/.

Fommi jxandar il-ġustizzja tiegħek,

il-jum kollu l-għemejjel tal-għajnuna tiegħek,

O Alla, sa minn żgħożiti int għallimtni;

u jien s’issa għadni nxandar għeġubijietek. R/.

Reading 2       1 CORINTHIANS 12:31—13:13

Brothers and sisters: Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, It is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will  cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Qari II        mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin12, 31 – 13, 13

Ħuti, intom ħabirku għal doni ogħla. Imma jien nurikom triq li tgħaddihom ilkoll. Li kont nitkellem bl-ilsna tal-bnedmin u tal-anġli bla ma kelli l-imħabba, kont inkun qisni strument tar-ram iżarżar jew platti jċekċku. U kieku kelli d-don tal-profezija u kont naf il-misteri kollha u l-għerf kollu, kieku kelli l-fidi tiegħi sħiħa li nqanqal il-muntanji, imma ma kellix imħabba, jiena ma kont inkun xejn. U kieku kelli nqassam ġidi kollu fil-karità u nagħti ġismi għall-ħruq bla ma jkolli mħabba, xejn ma jkun jiswieli ta’ ġid. L-imħabba taf tistabar u tħenn; l-imħabba mhijiex għajjura, ma tintefaħx biha nfisha, ma titkabbarx fuq l-oħrajn; ma tagħmilx dak li mhux xieraq; ma tfittixx dak li hu tagħha, xejn ma tinkorla; ma żżommx f’qalbha għad-deni, ma tifraħx bl-inġustizzja, imma tifraħ bil-verità; kollox tagħder, kollox temmen, kollox tittama, kollox tissaporti.  L-imħabba ma tintemm qatt. Jgħibu l-profeziji, jisktu l-ilsna, jgħib l-għerf. Għalissa nafu biċċa, u l-profezija tagħna hi nieqsa; imma meta jfeġġ dak li hu sħiħ, jgħib dak li hu nieqes. Meta kont tarbija, kont nitkellem ta’ tarbija, inħoss ta’ tarbija, naħseb ta’ tarbija. Meta sirt raġel warrabt dak li hu ta’ tarbija. Bħalissa naraw bħallikieku f’mera, imċajpar, imma mbagħad naraw wiċċ imb wiċċ. Issa nagħraf biċċa, imbagħad nagħraf bħalma jien magħruf issa. Issa hawn fidi, tama u mħabba, it-tlieta jibqgħu. Il-kbira fosthom l-imħabba! Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel      LUKE 4:21-30

esus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.  They also asked, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb, 'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'" And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

Evanġelju      Qari skont San Luqa 4, 21-30

F’dak iż-żmien Ġesù qal lin-nies fis-sinagoga: “Din il-kitba seħħet illum, intom u tisimgħu”. U lkoll laqgħu kliemu u stagħġbu għall-kliem mimli ħlewwa li kien ħiereġ minn fommu u bdew jgħidu: “Dan mhuwiex bin Ġużeppi?”. Iżda hu qalilhom: “Żgur li se tgħidu għalija dan il-proverbju: “Tabib, fejjaq lilek innifsek”. Dak kollu li smajna li ġara f’Kafarnahum agħmlu hawn f’pajjiżek ukoll!”. U żied jgħidilhom: “Tassew, ngħidilkom, ebda profeta ma jilqgħuh tajjeb f’pajjiżu. Għax, ngħidilkom is-sewwa, kien hemm bosta romol f’Iżrael fi żmien Elija meta s-sema baqa’ tliet snin u sitt xhur magħluq u waqa’ ġuħ kbir fil-pajjiż kollu; madankollu għand ħadd minnhom ma ntbagħat Elija, imma għand waħda armla minn Sarefta ta’ Sidon. U kien hemm bosta lebbrużi f’Iżrael fi żmien il-profeta Eliżew, imma ħadd minnhom ma ġie mfejjaq ħlief Nagħman tas-Sirja”. Meta semgħu dan fis-sinagoga kulħadd imtela bil-korla; qamu, u ħarġuh ’il barra mill-belt, ħaduh fuq xifer ta’ rdum tal-għolja li fuqha kienet mibnija l-belt tagħhom, u riedu jixħtuh minn hemm fuq għal isfel. Iżda hu għadda minn ġo nofshom u baqa’ sejjer. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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The Cost of Authentic Prophecy

A reflection by Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB

The madding crowd in Nazareth

Sunday’s Gospel story (Luke 4:21-30) is a continuation of Jesus’ great inaugural moment at Nazareth that we read last Sunday. In the Nazareth synagogue, Jesus set forth his universal mission repeating the words of the prophet Isaiah (61:1-2).

Into this scene of hometown pride in Nazareth, Jesus injects confusion. A murmur of excitement rippled through the congregation: “Is not this Joseph’s son? Don’t we know this son of Nazareth?”

Yet Jesus knows that his townspeople want to possess him for themselves: “Do here in your own town what we have heard you did in Capernaum” (4:23). But he refuses to do so: “No prophet is accepted in his own native place” (4:24). Jesus resists the possessive attitude manifested by his people. Jesus refuses to place his extraordinary gifts at the service of his own people, putting strangers first. 

The references to Elijah and Elisha (Luke 4:25-26) serve several purposes in this episode: they emphasize Luke’s portrait of Jesus as a prophet like Elijah and Elisha; they help to explain why the initial admiration of the people turns to rejection; and they provide the scriptural justification for the future Christian mission to the Gentiles. 

The mood in the synagogue turned rather ugly. The crowd grew terribly envious of one of their own and tried to get rid of him (4:22-30). Jesus did not succeed in making himself heard and understood, and he had to depart in haste – for his life (4:30). The rejection of Jesus in his own hometown hints at the greater rejection of him by Israel (Acts 13:46).

Reason for discontent  

The people of Nazareth took offense at him and refused to listen to what Jesus had to say. They despised his preaching because he was from the working class: a carpenter, a mere layman; and they despised him because of his family. Jesus could do no mighty works in their midst because they were closed and disbelieving toward him. 

If people have come together in hate and refuse to understand, then they will see no other point of view than their own, and they will refuse to love and accept others. Does the story sound familiar to us? How many times have we found ourselves in similar situations? 

The most severe critics are often people very familiar to us, members of our families, relatives, members of our communities, neighbours we rub shoulders with on a regular basis. The people of Nazareth refused to renounce their possessive attitude toward Jesus. When possessive love is obstructed it produces a violent reaction. This sort of reaction provokes many dramas of jealousy and passion: “Everyone in the synagogue was enraged and they sought to kill him” (Luke 4:28-29). Refusal to open our heart can lead to such extremes.

Universal vision  

Jesus was bitterly criticized because he demonstrated great openness of heart, particularly toward people on the fringes and borders of society. His openness caused rising opposition that led him to the Cross.

In the Acts of the Apostles we read more than once that the success of St. Paul’s preaching to the Gentiles provoked jealousy among some of the Jews, who opposed the Apostle and stirred up persecution against him (13:45; 17:5; 22:21-22). Also within the Christian community, we need only recall the situation in Corinth, where similarly possessive attitudes caused serious harm when many believers attached themselves jealously to one apostle or another, causing conflict and division in the community. Paul had to intervene forcefully (1 Corinthians 1:10-3:23). 

Today’s Gospel shows how difficult it is for us to attain to a universal vision. When we are faced with someone like Jesus, someone with a generous heart, a wide vision, and a great spirit, our reactions are very often filled with jealousy, selfishness, and meanness of spirit. His own people couldn’t recognize the holiness of Jesus, because they had never really accepted their own. They were suffering from a particular form of blindness. 

They couldn’t honour Jesus’ relationship with God because they had never fully explored their own sense of belonging to God. They couldn’t see the Messiah standing right beside them, because he looked too much like one of them. Until we see ourselves as people beloved of God, miracles will be scarce and the prophets and messengers who rise among us will struggle to be heard and accepted for who they truly are. 

Called to be prophets    

Jesus was called to break boundaries and take God’s message of salvation to unexpected people and unexpected places. Evidently, pain and hostility must be endured before Jesus’ new age comes to glory. 

Through our common baptism, each of us is called to be a prophet for the Kingdom of God. We will encounter many reactions from those to whom we are sent, not all of them positive. Like Jeremiah and Jesus, unswerving dedication, bold courage, and deep, biblical hope must be our trademarks.

Today’s Gospel warns us to be on guard against certain attitudes that are incompatible with the example of Jesus: the human tendency to be possessive, egoistic, and small in mind and heart. We cannot forget that Jesus is the Saviour of the world (John 4:42), and not of the village, town, city, or nation! 

Let us pray that Jesus not be amazed at our own unbelief, but rather rejoice in our small, daily acts of fidelity to him and our service to our sisters and brothers. May the Lord grant us magnanimous hearts so that we may look far beyond ourselves and recognize the goodness, greatness, and beauty of other people, instead of being jealous of their gifts. 

God’s power alone can save us from emptiness and poverty of spirit, from confusion and error, and from the fear of death and hopelessness. The Gospel of salvation is still “Good News” for us today. How do we speak the Word of God with authority today? How do we share the Good News with others? How do we use our authority to further the Kingdom of God? How are our words, gestures, messages, and lives prophetic today, in the Church and in the world?

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