Arise!

« March 29, 2020 »

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Lectionary: 34

 

Il-Ħames Ħadd tar-Randan

Reading 1    Ezekiel 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

Qari I      Ktieb tal-Profeta Eżekjel 37, 12-14

Hekk qal Sidi l-Mulej: “Ara, jiena niftaħ l-oqbra tagħkom, poplu tiegħi, u nġibkom lura f’art Iżrael. Imbagħad tkunu tafu li jiena l-Mulej, meta niftaħ l-oqbra tagħkom u ntellagħkom mill-oqbra tagħkom, poplu tiegħi. U jiena nqiegħed ruħi fikom, u terġgħu tieħdu l-ħajja. nqegħedkom f’artkom u tkunu tafu li jiena l-Mulej. Hekk għedt, u hekk nagħmel”. Oraklu tal-Mulej. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej   

Responsorial Psalm    Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8.

R. (7) With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;

LORD, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive

to my voice in supplication.

R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,

LORD, who can stand?

But with you is forgiveness,

that you may be revered.

R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

I trust in the LORD;

my soul trusts in his word.

More than sentinels wait for the dawn,

let Israel wait for the LORD.

R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

For with the LORD is kindness

and with him is plenteous redemption;

And he will redeem Israel

from all their iniquities.

R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Salm Responsorjali       Salm 129 (130), 1-2.3-4ab.4c-6.7-8

R/. (7): Għand il-Mulej hemm it-tjieba

Minn qiegħ l-art insejjaħlek, Mulej:

isma’, Sidi, il-leħen tiegħi!

Ħa jkunu widnejk miftuħa,

jiena u nitolbok bil-ħniena. R/.

Jekk tal-ħtijiet int tagħti kas, Mulej,

Sidi, min jista’ jżomm sħiħ?

Imma għandek hemm il-maħfra,

biex hekk inqimuk fil-biża’ tiegħek. R/.

Jien lill-Mulej nistenna,

ruħi f’kelmtu tittama.

Tistenna ruħi lil Sidi,

aktar milli l-għassiesa s-sebħ. R/.

Jistenna Iżrael lill-Mulej!

Għax għand il-Mulej hemm it-tjieba,

u l-fidwa għandu bil-kotra.

Hu li jifdi lil Iżrael

minn ħtijietu kollha. R/.

Reading 2   Romans 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters: Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.

Qari II        mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 8, 8-11

Ħuti, dawk li jgħixu skond il-ġisem ma jistgħux jogħġbu lil Alla. Issa intom ma intomx taħt il-ħakma tal-ġisem, imma tal-Ispirtu, ladarba hemm l-Ispirtu ta’ Alla jgħammar fikom. Jekk xi ħadd ma għandux fih l-Ispirtu ta’ Kristu, dan mhuwiex tiegħu. Jekk Kristu jgħammar fikom, għalkemm il-ġisem hu mejjet minħabba fid-dnub, imma l-Ispirtu hu ħajjitkom minħabba l-ġustizzja. Jekk l-Ispirtu ta’ dak li qajjem lil Ġesù mill-imwiet jgħammar fikom, Alla stess li qajjem lil Kristu mill-imwiet iqajjem għall-ħajja wkoll il-ġisem mejjet tagħkom, bis-saħħa tal-Ispirtu li jgħammar fikom.Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

Gospel     John 11:1-45

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.  So the sisters sent word to him saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”  He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.” So the disciples said to him, “Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.” But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. So then Jesus said to them clearly, “Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him.” So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go to die with him.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The teacher is here and is asking for you.” As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?” So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with

burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and had seen what he had done began to believe in him

.

Evanġelju         Qari skond San Ġwann 11, 1-45

F’dak iż-żmien, 1kien hemm wieħed marid, Lażżru minn Betanja, ir-raħal ta’ Marija u oħtha Marta. Marija kienet dik li dilket il-Mulej b’żejt ifuħ u xxuttatlu riġlejh b’xuxitha; u Lażżru, il-marid, kien ħuha. Iż-żewġ nisa bagħtu jgħidu lil Ġesù: “Mulej, ara, ħabibek marid”. Meta sama’ l-aħbar Ġesù qal: “Din m’hijiex marda tal-mewt, iżda hi għall-glorja ta’ Alla, biex biha tingħata glorja lill-Iben ta’ Alla”.  Ġesù kien iħobbhom lil Marta u lil oħtha u lil Lażżru. Meta sama’ li dan marad, baqa’ jumejn oħra fejn kien, u mbagħad qal lid-dixxipli: “Ejjew nerġgħu mmorru l-Lhudija”. Qalulu d-dixxipli: “Rabbi, il-Lhud għadhom kemm kienu qegħdin ifittxu li jħaġġruk, u int rieġa’ sejjer hemm?”. Weġibhom Ġesù: “Mhux tnax-il siegħa fiha l-ġurnata? Sakemm wieħed jimxi binhar, ma jitfixkilx, għax ikun qiegħed jara d-dawl ta’ din id-dinja. Imma jekk jimxi bil-lejl, jitfixkel, għax ma jkollux dawl”. Qalilhom hekk u mbagħad issokta jgħidilhom: “Ħabibna Lażżru rieqed, iżda ħa mmur u nqajmu”. Qalulu d-dixxipli: “Mulej, jekk inhu rieqed, jiġifieri se jfiq”. Iżda Ġesù kien tkellem mill-mewt tiegħu, u huma ħaduha li kien qalilhom fuq l-irqad ta’ meta wieħed ikun bin-ngħas. Imbagħad qalilhom ċar u tond: “Lażżru miet. U jiena nifraħ minħabba fikom li ma kontx hemm, ħalli temmnu. Iżda ejjew immorru sa ħdejh”. Tumas, imlaqqam it-Tewmi, qal lil sħabu d-dixxipli: “Immorru aħna wkoll ħa mmutu miegħu”. Meta wasal, Ġesù sab li Lażżru kien ġa ilu erbat ijiem fil-qabar. Betanja kienet qrib Ġerusalemm, xi ħmistax-il stadju ’l hemm minnha. Ħafna Lhud kienu ġew għand Marta u Marija biex ifarrġuhom minħabba ħuhom. Kif, mela, semgħet li kien ġej Ġesù, Marta ħarġet tilqgħu, iżda Marija baqgħet id-dar. Marta qalet lil Ġesù: “Mulej, kieku kont hawn, ħija ma kienx imut. Imma wkoll issa, jiena naf li kull ma int titlob lil Alla, Alla jagħtihulek”. Ġesù qalilha: “Ħuk jerġa’ jqum!”. Qaltlu Marta: “Jiena naf li jerġa’ jqum, fil-qawmien mill-imwiet fl-aħħar jum”. Qalilha Ġesù: “Jiena hu l-qawmien u l-ħajja. Kull min jemmen fija, ukoll jekk imut, jgħix; u kull min jgħix u jemmen fija, dan ma jmut qatt. Temmnu inti dan?”. Weġbitu: “Iva, Mulej, jiena nemmen li inti l-Messija, l-Iben ta’ Alla, dak li ġie fid-dinja”. Kif qalet dan, marret issejjaħ lil oħtha Marija u minn taħt l-ilsien qaltilha: “L-Imgħallem hawn, u qiegħed isejjaħlek”. Dik, malli semgħetha, qamet minnufih u marret ħdejh. Ġesù kien għadu ma daħalx fir-raħal, imma baqa’ fejn kienet ġiet tiltaqa’ miegħu Marta. Il-Lhud li kienu d-dar ma’ Marija biex ifarrġuha, kif rawha tqum malajr u toħroġ, marru warajha, għax stħajluha sejra lejn il-qabar biex toqgħod tibki hemm. Meta Marija waslet fejn kien Ġesù u ratu nxteħtet f’riġlejh, tgħidlu: “Mulej, kieku kont hawn ħija ma kienx imut”. Ġesù, kif ra lilha tibki u l-Lhud, li ġew magħha, jibku wkoll, ħass ruħu mqanqal u tħawwad ħafna. “Fejn qegħedtuh?”, staqsiehom. Huma weġbuh: “Mulej, ejja u ara”. U Ġesù beka. Għalhekk il-Lhud qalu: “Ara kemm kien iħobbu!”. Iżda xi wħud minnhom qalu: “Ma setax dan ilbniedem, li fetaħ għajnejn l-agħma, jagħmel ukoll li dan ma jmutx?”. Ġesù ħass ruħu mqanqal għal darb’oħra u resaq lejn il-qabar. Dan kien għar magħluq bi blata fuqu. Ġesù qal: “Neħħu l-blata”. Marta, oħt il-mejjet, qaltlu: “Mulej issa beda jrejjaħ; ġa ilu erbat ijiem mejjet”. Qalilha Ġesù: “Ma għedtlekx li jekk inti temmen, tara l-glorja ta’ Alla?” Imbagħad neħħew il-blata. Ġesù rafa’ għajnejh ’il fuq u qal: “Missier, irroddlok ħajr li smajtni. Kont naf li inti dejjem tismagħni, imma għidt dan minħabba n-nies li hawn madwari, biex huma jemmnu li inti bgħattni”. Kif qal hekk, għajjat b’leħen għoli: “Lażżru, oħroġ!”. U dak li kien mejjet ħareġ, b’idejh u riġlejh infaxxati u b’maktur ma’ wiċċu. Ġesù qalilhom: “Ħollulu l-faxex u ħalluh imur”. Ħafna mil-Lhud, li kienu ġew għand Marija u raw dak li għamel Ġesù, emmnu fih. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

////////////////////////////////////////////////       Reflection                      

 Resurrection of the Heart

Gospel Commentary 
by Father Raniero Cantalamessa, 
OFM Cap

The stories in the Gospel were not only written to be read, but also to be relived.

The story of Lazarus was written to tell us: There is a resurrection of the body and there is a resurrection of the heart; if the resurrection of the body will happen “on the last day,” that of the heart happens, or can happen, every day.

This is the meaning of the resurrection of Lazarus that the liturgy wishes to point out to us in the first reading from Ezekiel about the dry bones.

The prophet has a vision: He sees a vast field of dried bones and understands that they represent the low morale of the people. People were saying: “Our hope has vanished, we are lost.” God’s promise is directed to them: “Behold, I open your tombs, I raise you from your tombs. […] I will fill you with my spirit and you shall live again.”

This example is also not dealing with the final resurrection of the body, but the resurrection of the heart to hope. Those cadavers, it is said, came back to life, began walking and were “a great army, exterminated.” It was the Israeli people who began hoping again after their exile.

From all of this we can deduce something that we also know from experience: That we can be dead, even before we die, while we are still in this life. And I am not only speaking of the death of the soul caused by sin; I speak also of that state of a total absence of energy, of hope to fight and to live that one can only call: death of the heart.

To all those who for various reasons — a failed marriage, spousal infidelity, the sickness of a child, financial ruin, depression, alcoholism, drug abuse — find themselves in this situation, the story of Lazarus should resound like the bells on Easter morning.

Who can give us this resurrection of the heart? For certain afflictions, we know that there exists no human remedy. Words of encouragement often fail to suffice.

Even at the house of Martha and Mary there were “Jews who came to console them,” but their presence didn’t help. We need to “call for Jesus,” as Lazarus’ sisters did. To invoke him as people buried under an avalanche or under the ruins of an earthquake who, with their cries, get the attention of the rescuers.

Oftentimes people in these situations are not able to do anything, not even pray. They are like Lazarus in the tomb. They need others to do something for them. Jesus once spoke these words to his disciples: “Heal the sick, raise the dead” (Matthew 10:8).

What did Jesus mean? That we must physically raise the dead? If that were the case, history shows us that the number of saints who put this into practice could be counted on our fingers.

No, Jesus meant, above all, those whose hearts are dead, the spiritually dead. Speaking of the prodigal son, the father said: “He was dead and has come back to life” (Luke 15:32). He could not have been talking about physical death, if he had come back home.

The command to “raise the dead” is addressed to all of Christ’s disciples. Even us! Among the works of mercy that we learned as children, there was one that told us “to bury the dead.” Now we know that we must also “raise the dead.”    [Translation by Mary Shovlain]

* * *

The Real Gift of Sight

« March 20, 2020 »

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Lectionary: 31

Ir-Raba’ Ħadd tar-Randan

Reading 1      1 SAMUEL 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a

The LORD said to Samuel: “Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among his sons.” As Jesse and his Sons Scame to the sacrifice, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before him.” But the LORD said to Samuel “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.” In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any one of these.” Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.” Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The LORD said, “There—anoint him, for this is the one!” Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed David in the presence of his brothers; and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.

Qari I      mill-Ewwel Ktieb ta’ Samwel 16, 1b.6-7.10-13a

F’dak iż-żmien, il-Mulej qal lil Samwel: “Imla l-qarn biż-żejt u itlaq. Jien se nibagħtek għand Ġesse l-Betlemita, għaliex minn fost uliedu jien għażilt għalija sultan”. Ġara li malli wasal, Samwel ra lil Elijab u qal: “Hawn quddiem il-Mulej il-midluk tiegħu?”. U l-Mulej qal lil Samwel: “Tħarisx lejn is-sura tiegħu, jew it-tul ta’ persuntu, għax jiena diġa’ warrabtu. Għax il-Mulej ma jarax bħalma jara l-bniedem, dak biss li jidher fl-għajn, imma l-qalb”. Ġesse ressaq quddiem Samwel sebgħa minn uliedu; imma Samwel qallu: “Il-Mulej ma ħatar lil ħadd minn dawn”. U ssokta jgħidlu: “Dawn huma t-tfal kollha?” Ġesse wieġbu: “Għad fadal iż-żgħir, qiegħed jirgħa n-nagħaġ”. U Samwel qal lil Ġesse: “Ibgħat għalih u ġibu, għax ma noqogħdux fuq il-mejda qabel ma jiġi hawn”. U bagħat għalih u ġiebu. Kien żagħżugħ ruxxan, għajnejh ħelwin, u sabiħ fis-sura tiegħu. U l-Mulej qal lil Samwel: “Qum u idilku, għax dan hu”. Samwel ħa f’idejh il-qarn biż-żejt, u dilku quddiem ħutu. Minn dakinhar ’il quddiem niżel fuq David u ħakmu l-ispirtu tal-Mulej. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

Responsorial Psalm       PSALM 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

beside restful waters he leads me;

he refreshes my soul.

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me in right paths

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk in the dark valley

I fear no evil; for you are at my side

With your rod and your staff

that give me courage.

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

You spread the table before me

in the sight of my foes;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me

all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for years to come.

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Salm Responsorjali    Salm 22 (23), 1-3a.3b-4.5.6

R/. (1): Il-Mulej hu r-ragħaj tiegħi, xejn ma jonqosni

Il-Mulej hu r-ragħaj tiegħi,

xejn ma jonqosni;

f’mergħat kollha ħdura jqegħedni.

Ħdejn l-ilma, fejn nistrieħ, jeħodni;

hemm hu jrejjaqni. R/.

Imexxini fit-triq tas-sewwa

minħabba l-isem tiegħu.

Imqar jekk nimxi f’wied mudlam,

ma nibżax mill-ħsara, għax inti miegħi.

Il-ħatar tiegħek u l-għasluġ tiegħek,

huma jwennsuni. R/.

Int tħejji mejda għalija

quddiem l-għedewwa tiegħi.

Biż-żejt tidlikli rasi,

u l-kalċi tiegħi tfawwarli. R/.

Miegħi, iva, jimxu t-tjieba u l-ħniena

il-jiem kollha ta’ ħajti.

U ngħammar f’dar il-Mulej

sakemm indum ħaj!  R/.

READING 2       EPHESIANS 5:8-14

Brothers and sisters: You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” 

Qari II         mill-Ittra lill-Efesin 5, 8-14

Ħuti, intom kontu darba dlam, imma issa intom dawl fil-Mulej; għixu ta’ wlied id-dawl li intom; frott id-dawl jinsab f’kull ma hu tjieba, f’kull ma hu ġustizzja, f’kull ma hu verità. Fittxu li tagħrfu dak li jogħġob lill-Mulej, 11u tisseħbux fl-għemejjel tad-dlam bla frott, imma ikxfuhom fil-beraħ. Għax dak li qegħdin jagħmlu huma fil-moħbi, tistħi mqar jekk issemmih; imma meta wieħed joħroġhom fil-beraħ, id-dawl juri kollox, għax kull ma jidher hu dawl; għalhekk jingħad: “Stenbaħ int, li int rieqed, u qum mill-imwiet, ħa jiddi fuqek Kristu”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel     JOHN 9:1-41

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  When he had said this, he spat on the ground  and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes,and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” —which means Sent—. So he went and  bathed, and came back able to see. His neighbours and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is“ but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went there and washed and was able to see.” And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.” They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” Now the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. They asked them,  “Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How does he now see?” His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed  that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ,  he would be expelled from the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; question him.” So a second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give God the praise! We know that this man is a sinner.” He replied, “If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.” So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” They ridiculed him and said, “You are that man’s disciple; we are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from.” The man answered and said to them, “This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. e know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him. It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.” They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out. When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him. Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.”  Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.”

Evanġelju       Qari skond San Ġwann  9, 1-41

F’dak iż-żmien, kif kien għaddej, Ġesù lemaħ raġel agħma minn twelidu, u d-dixxipli tiegħu staqsewh: “Rabbi, dan twieled agħma għax dineb hu stess, jew għax dinbu l-ġenituri tiegħu?”. Ġesù wieġeb: “Mhux għax dineb hu jew il-ġenituri tiegħu, imma ġralu hekk biex l-għemil ta’ Alla jidher fih. akemm għadu binhar, jeħtiġilna nagħmlu x-xogħol ta’ dak li bagħatni, għax jasal il-lejl meta ħadd ma jkun jista’ jaħdem. Sakemm għadni fid-dinja, jiena hu d-dawl tad-dinja”. Kif qal dan, beżaq fl-art, għamel minnu qisu tajn, u dilek bih għajnejn ir-raġel agħma u qallu: “Mur inħasel fil-menqgħa ta’ Silwam”. Din tfisser “il-Mibgħut”. Mela dak mar, inħasel u ġie jara. Il-ġirien u dawk li s-soltu kienu jarawh, għax hu kien tallab, qalu: “Dan mhuwiex dak li kien joqgħod bilqiegħda jittallab?”. Xi wħud qalu: “Iva, hu”. Oħrajn qalu: “Le, imma jixbhu”. Iżda hu qalilhom: “Jiena hu”. Qalulu: “Mela kif infetħulek għajnejk?”. Weġibhom: “Wieħed raġel, jgħidulu Ġesù, għamel ftit tajn, dilikli għajnejja bih, u qalli: “Mur fis-Silwam u nħasel hemm”. Mort, inħsilt, u ġejt nara”. Qalulu: “Fejn huwa dan ir-raġel?” Qalilhom: “Ma nafx”. Lil dan il-bniedem li fl-imgħoddi kien agħma ħaduh għand il-Fariżej. Issa dakinhar li Ġesù għamel it-tajn u fetaħ għajnejn l-agħma nzerta kien is-Sibt. Il-Fariżej ukoll staqsew mill-ġdid lill-agħma kif sar jara. U hu qalilhom: “Qegħedli ftit tajn fuq għajnejja, mort ninħasel, u issa qiegħed nara”. Xi wħud mill-Fariżej qalu: “Dan il-bniedem mhuwiex ġej mingħand Alla, għax ma jħarisx is-Sibt”. Iżda oħrajn qalu: “Kif jista’ wieħed midneb jagħmel sinjali bħal dawn?” U ma qablux bejniethom. U reġgħu qalu lill-agħma: “Int x’jidhirlek minnu, issa li fetaħlek għajnejk?” Qalilhom: “Dak profeta”. Il-Lhud ma ridux jemmnu li hu kien agħma u ħa d-dawl qabel ma bagħtu għall-ġenituri ta’ dak li sar jara, u staqsewhom: “Dan, li intom qegħdin tgħidu li twieled agħma, dan binkom? Mela issa kif ġie jara?”. Il-ġenituri tiegħu wieġbu u qalulhom: “Nafu li dan hu t-tifel tagħna u li twieled agħma; imma kif issa ġie jara, dan ma nafuhx, u anqas ma nafu min fetaħlu għajnejh. Staqsu lilu: żmien għandu, ħa jitkellem hu għalih innifsu”. Il-ġenituri tiegħu wieġbu hekk għaliex beżgħu mil-Lhud, għax il-Lhud kienu ġa ftiehmu bejniethom li jekk xi ħadd jistqarr li Ġesù hu l-Messija, isib ruħu barra mis-sinagoga. Kien għalhekk li l-ġenituri wieġbu: “Żmien għandu, staqsu lilu”.  Għal darb’oħra reġgħu bagħtu għal dak li kien agħma u qalulu: “Agħti glorja lil Alla! Aħna nafu li dan il-bniedem huwa midneb”. Dak weġibhom: “Jekk hux midneb ma nafx. Ħaġa waħda naf: li jien kont agħma u issa qiegħed nara”. Qalulu: “Imma hu x’għamillek? Kif fetaħhomlok għajnejk?”. U hu weġibhom: “Ġa għedtilkom u ma smajtux! Xi tridu tisimgħu iżjed? Jaqaw tridu intom ukoll issiru dixxipli tiegħu?”. U qabdu jgħajruh u qalulu: “Dak int dixxiplu tiegħu! Aħna ta’ Mosè dixxipli! Aħna nafu li lil Mosè kellmu Alla, imma dan ma nafux minn fejn hu!”. Weġibhom ir-raġel u qalilhom: “Sewwa! Hawn qiegħed l-għaġeb, li intom ma tafux minn fejn inqala’, u madankollu lili fetaħli għajnejja! Aħna nafu li Alla mhux se jisma’ lill-midinbin; iżda mbagħad jekk wieħed ikun iqim lil Alla u jagħmel ir-rieda tiegħu, lil dan jisimgħu. Qatt fid-dinja ma nstema’ li xi ħadd fetaħ għajnejn wieħed agħma mit-twelid. Li kieku dan ma kienx ġej mingħand Alla, xejn ma kien ikollu ħila jagħmel”. Imbagħad qabżu u qalulu: “Int se tgħallem lilna, int li twelidt dnubiet waħdek”. U keċċewh ’il barra. Ġesù sama’ li keċċewh ’il barra; sabu u qallu: “Temmen inti f’Bin il-bniedem?” Dak wieġeb u qallu: “Min hu, Mulej, biex nemmen fih?”. Qallu Ġesù: “Mhux biss rajtu, imma huwa dak stess li qiegħed ikellmek”. Qallu: “Nemmen, Mulej!”. U nxteħet għarkubbtejh quddiemu. Imbagħad Ġesù qal: “Jien ġejt fid-dinja biex nagħmel ħaqq, biex min ma jarax isir jara, u min jara jagħma”. Xi wħud mill-Fariżej li kienu hemm madwaru semgħuh jgħid dan u staqsewh: “Aħna wkoll għomja?”. Weġibhom Ġesù: “Li kieku kontu għomja, ma kontux tkunu ħatja ta’ dnub. Imma issa qegħdin tgħidu: “Aħna naraw,” mela d-dnub tagħkom għadu fuqkom”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Opening the Eyes of Faith

Gospel Commentary for 4th Sunday of Lent by Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, the Pontifical Household preacher.

This Sunday's healing of the man blind from birth hits close to home, because in a certain sense all of us are blind from birth. The very world was born blind. According to what science tells us today, during millions of years there was life on earth, but it was life in a blind state. The eye for seeing did not exist yet, sight itself did not exist. The eye, in its complexity and perfection, is one of the functions formed more slowly.

This situation is reproduced in part in the life of every man. A child is born, though not precisely blind, at least incapable of distinguishing things clearly. Only after weeks he begins to focus. If the child could express what he experiences when he begins to see clearly the face of his mother, of people, of things, of colors — how many “oh’s” of awe would be heard! What a hymn to light and sight.

To see is a miracle, only we don’t pay attention to it because we are too accustomed to it and we take it for granted. It is here that God sometimes acts in a sudden and extraordinary way, aiming to take us out of drowsiness and make us alert. That is what he did with the healing of the man blind from birth and of other blind people in the Gospel.

But is this the only reason that Jesus healed the man blind from birth? There is another sense in which we were born blind. There are other eyes — besides the physical ones — that should open themselves to the world: the eyes of faith! They allow a glimpse of another world beyond that which we see with the eyes of the body: the world of God, of eternal life, the world of the Gospel, the world that does not end — not even with the end of the world.

This is what Jesus wanted to remind us of with the healing of the man blind from birth. Before anything else, he sent the young blind man to the pool of Siloam. With this, Jesus wanted to signify that these different eyes, those of faith, begin to open up in baptism, precisely when we receive the gift of faith. That’s why in ancient times baptism was also called “illumination,” and being baptized meant “having been illuminated.”

In our case, it’s not about believing generically in God, but believing in Christ. The Evangelist avails of the episode to show us how to arrive to a full and mature faith in the Son of God. The blind man’s recovery of his sight happens, in fact, at the same time that he discovers who Jesus is. In the beginning, for the blind man, Jesus is no more than a man. “The man called Jesus made clay …”

Later, he was asked, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He responded, “He is a prophet.” He has taken a step forward; he has understood that Jesus is sent form God, which he speaks and acts in his name.

Finally, finding Jesus again, he exclaims, “I do believe Lord,” and he bows before him to worship him, thus openly recognizing him as his Lord and God.

In describing all of this with so much detail, it is as if John the Evangelist very discreetly invites us to ask ourselves the question: “And me? In what point am I on this path? Who is Jesus of Nazareth for me?”

That Jesus is a man, no one denies. That he is a prophet, one sent from God, is also admitted almost universally. Many stay at that point. But it is not enough. A Muslim, if he is coherent with what is found written in the Koran, also recognizes that Jesus is a prophet. But not for that is one considered a Christian.

The leap by which one passes to be a Christian in the true sense is when he proclaims, like the man blind from birth, that Jesus is “Lord” and adores him as God. Christian faith is not primarily to believe in something — that God exists, that there is something beyond — but to believe in someone. Jesus in the Gospel does not give us a list of things to believe; he says, “Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1).

For Christians, to believe is to believe in Jesus Christ. [Translation by ZENIT]

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