« 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
////////////////////////////////////////////////
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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