The Joy and Belief in our journey

Sunday, August 11 2019

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 117

Id-Dsatax-il Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1     Wisdom 18:6-9

The night of the passover was known beforehand to our fathers,  that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith, they might have courage.  Your people awaited the salvation of the just  and the destruction of their foes. For when you punished our adversaries, in this you glorified us whom you had summoned. For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.

QARI I       mill-Ktieb tal-Għerf 18, 6-9

Dak il-lejl tal-ħelsien tħabbar minn qabel lil missirijietna, biex, wara li għarfu sewwa f’liema wegħdiet emmnu, aktar iqawwu qalbhom. Il-poplu tiegħek stenna l-ħelsien tal-ġusti, u l-qerda tal-għedewwa tagħhom, għax kif int ikkastigajt l-għedewwa tagħna, hekk sebbaħt lilna meta sejjaħtilna għalik. L-ulied twajba tal-ġusti offrew sagrifiċċju bil-moħbi, u lkoll fehma waħda qagħdu għal-Liġi ta’ Alla: li l-qaddisin tiegħek jaqsmu xorta bejniethom kemm il-ġid u kemm id-deni; għalhekk minn qabel għannew tifħir missirijiethom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm    Psalm 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22

Exult, you just, in the LORD;

 praise from the upright is fitting.

Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,

 the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

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. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

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. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

SALM RESPONSORJALI   Salm 32 (33), 1 u 12. 18-19. 20 u 22

R/. (12b): Hieni l-poplu li l-Mulej għażel b’wirtu.

Għannu, ġusti, bil-ferħ lill-Mulej;

jixirqilhom ifaħħruh in-nies sewwa.

Hieni l-ġens li l-Mulej hu Alla tiegħu,

il-poplu li hu għażel b’wirtu. R/.

Ara, għajnejn il-Mulej fuq dawk li jibżgħu 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    Heb 11:1-2, 8-19

Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God. By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age—and Sarah herself was sterile—for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore. All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.” He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.

QARI II       mill-Ittra lil-Lhud 11, 1-2.8-19

Ħuti, il-fidi hija pedament tal-ħwejjeġ li għandna nittamaw, hija l-prova tal-ħwejjeġ li ma narawx. In-nies tal-imgħoddi għoġbu lil Alla sewwasew għax kellhom il-fidi. Kienet il-fidi li ġagħlet lil Abraham jobdi s-sejħa ta’ Alla, meta dan qallu biex imur f’art li kien se jagħtih b’wirt; u telaq, bla ma kien jaf fejn kien sejjer. Kienet il-fidi li ġagħlitu jgħammar fl-art imwiegħda, qisu barrani f’art barranija, u jgħix taħt it-tined flimkien ma’ Iżakk u Ġakobb, li kienu werrieta miegħu tal-istess wegħda; għax hu kien iħares ’il quddiem, lejn il-belt mibnija fis-sod, li l-imgħallem u l-bennej tagħha huwa Alla. Kienet ukoll il-fidi li biha Sarah, mara mdaħħla fiż-żmien, setgħet titqal, għax hija għarfet li ta’ kelmtu kien dak li għamlilha l-wegħda. Kien għalhekk li minn bniedem wieħed, li kien tista’ tgħid mejjet, twieldu nies bil-kotra daqs il-kwiekeb tas-sema u daqs ir-ramel ta’ xatt il-baħar, li ħadd ma jista’ jgħoddu. Kollha bil-fidi mietu dawn in-nies. Kienu għadhom ma ħadux dak li kien imwiegħed, iżda huma rawh mill-bogħod u sellmulu, waqt li għarfu li huma kienu barranin u għorba fuq l-art. Tabilħaqq, dawk li jitkellmu b’dan il-mod juru ċar li huma qegħdin ifittxu pajjiż għalihom. Li kieku kellhom fi ħsiebhom il-pajjiż li minnu kienu ħarġu, kellhom żmien biżżejjed biex jerġgħu lura fih. Imma issa huma jixtiequ pajjiż aħjar, jiġifieri, dak tas-sema. Huwa għalhekk li Alla ma jistmellx jissejjaħ Alla tagħhom, għax hu ħejja belt għalihom. Kienet il-fidi li ġagħlet lil Abraham joffri ’l Iżakk meta Alla ġarrbu; u kien se joffri lil ibnu l-waħdieni sewwasew dak li kien ħa l-wegħdiet, hu li Alla kien qallu: “Minn Iżakk int għad ikollok nisel”. Huwa fehem li Alla kellu s-setgħa saħansitra li jqajjem mill-mewt; u, fis-sens ta’ tixbiha, ħadu tabilħaqq lura mill-mewt. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel      Luke 12:32-48

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.   Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly.Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

EVANĠELJU    Qari skont San Luqa 12, 32-48

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Le, merħla ċkejkna, tibżgħu xejn, għax Missierkom għoġbu jagħtikom is-Saltna! Bigħu ġidkom u agħtuh karità u fittxu għalikom infuskom boroż li ma jitmermrux, teżor li ma jiġix nieqes fis-sema, fejn la l-ħalliel ma jersaq u lanqas il-kamla ma tħassar. Għax fejn hemm it-teżor tagħkom, hemm tinsab qalbkom ukoll. Żommu ġenbejkom imħażżma u l-imsiebaħ tagħkom mixgħula; kunu bħal nies jistennew lil sidhom lura mill-festa tat-tieġ, biex malli jiġi u jħabbat jiftħulu minnufih. Henjin dawk il-qaddejja li meta jiġi sidhom isibhom jishru! Tassew ngħidilkom, li hu jitħażżem, iqegħedhom madwar il-mejda, u jgħaddi quddiemhom iservihom. U kieku kellu jiġi fil-ħin tat-tieni sahra, jew tat-tielet, u jsibhom xorta waħda fuq dmirhom, henjin huma! Kunu afu dan, li kieku sid id-dar kellu jkun jaf xħin ikun ġej il-ħalliel ma kienx se jħalli min jinfidlu l-ħajt ta’ daru. Mela kunu lesti intom ukoll, għax qatt ma tistgħu tobsru s-siegħa li fiha jiġi Bin il-bniedem”. Qallu Pietru: “Mulej, din il-parabbola qiegħed tgħidha għalina, jew għal kulħadd?”. Wieġbu l-Mulej: “Int min tgħid li hu l-qaddej fidil u għaqli? Min hu dak li s-sid iqiegħdu fuq in-nies tad-dar biex jagħtihom sehemhom f’ħin l-ikel? Hieni dak il-qaddej li sidu jiġi u jsibu jagħmel dan. Ngħidilkom is-sewwa, li jafdalu ġidu kollu f’idejh. Imma nagħmlu mod li dak il-qaddej jibda jgħid f’qalbu: “Sidi jiddawwar ma jiġi”, u jaqbad isawwat lill-qaddejja kollha, irġiel u nisa, u jiekol u jagħtiha għax-xorb u s-sokor; sid dak il-qaddej jasal f’jum meta ma jkunx jistennieh, f’siegħa li fiha jieħdu għal għarrieda, u jagħmlu bċejjeċ u jagħtih dak li ħaqqhom in-nies li mhumiex fidili. U dak il-qaddej li jkun jaf xi jrid sidu, u madankollu ma jħejjix jew ma jagħmilx li jrid sidu, swat kbir jaqla’. Min imbagħad, bla ma jkun jaf xi jrid sidu, jagħmel xi ħaġa li jkun ħaqqha s-swat, dan ftit jissawwat. Għax lil min tawh ħafna, ifittxu li jieħdu ħafna mingħandu; u min ħallewlu ħafna f’idejh, iżjed jippretendu mingħandu”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Gospel reflection:

 “An Invitation to Spend Our Life Wisely and With Foresight”

Here is a Vatican translation of Benedict XVI’s address before praying the Angelus at Castel Gandolfo in 2007.

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Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Liturgy on this 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time prepares us in a certain way for the Solemnity of Mary’s Assumption into Heaven, which we will be celebrating on 15 August. Indeed, it is fully oriented to the future, to Heaven, where the Blessed Virgin Mary has preceded us in the joy of Paradise.

In particular, the Gospel passage, continuing last Sunday’s message, asks Christians to detach themselves from material goods, which are for the most part illusory, and to do their duty faithfully, constantly aspiring to Heaven. May the believer remain alert and watchful to be ready to welcome Jesus when he comes in his glory.

By means of examples taken from everyday life, the Lord exhorts his disciples, that is, us, to live with this inner disposition, like those servants in the parable who were waiting for their master’s return. “Blessed are those servants”, he said, “whom the master finds awake when he comes” (Lk 12:37). We must therefore watch, praying and doing good.

It is true, we are all travellers on earth, as the Second Reading of Sunday’s liturgy from the Letter to the Hebrews appropriately reminds us. It presents Abraham to us in the clothes of a pilgrim, as a nomad who lives in a tent and sojourns in a foreign land. He has faith to guide him.  “By faith”, the sacred author wrote, “Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go” (Heb 11:8).

Indeed, Abraham’s true destination was “the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (11:10). The city to which he was alluding is not in this world but is the heavenly Jerusalem, Paradise. This was well known to the primitive Christian community, which considered itself “alien” here below and called its populated nucleuses in the cities “parishes”, which means, precisely, colonies of foreigners [in Greek, pároikoi] (cf. I Pt 2:11). In this way, the first Christians expressed the most important characteristic of the Church, which is precisely the tension of living in this life in light of Heaven.

Sunday’s Liturgy of the Word, therefore, desires to invite us to think of “the life of the world to come”, as we repeat every time we make our profession of faith with the Creed. It is an invitation to spend our life wisely and with foresight, to consider attentively our destiny, in other words, those realities which we call final: death, the last judgement, eternity, hell and Heaven. And it is exactly in this way that we assume responsibility for the world and build a better world.

May the Virgin Mary, who watches over us from Heaven, help us not to forget that here on earth we are only passing through, and may she teach us to prepare ourselves to encounter Jesus, who is “seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead”.
During these quiet days of summer, may we therefore welcome the Lord ever more fully into our hearts and allow his grace to transform our lives. Upon you and your families, I cordially invoke God’s Blessing of joy and peace! A good Sunday to you all!

© Copyright— Libreria Editrice Vaticana

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