« Sunday, April 26 »
Third Sunday of Easter
Lectionary:
46
It-Tielet Ħadd tal-Għid
Reading 1 Acts 2:14, 22-33
Then
Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: “You who are
Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and
listen to my words. You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the
Nazarene was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and
signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This
man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using
lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the
throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. For David
says of him: I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall
not be disturbed. Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my
flesh, too, will dwell in hope, because you will not abandon my soul to the
netherworld, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. You have made
known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. “My
brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died
and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. But since he was a
prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his
descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the
Christ, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see
corruption. God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. Exalted at the
right hand of God, he received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father and
poured him forth, as you see and hear.”
Qari I
mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 2, 14.22-33
Nhar
Għid il-Ħamsin, Pietru flimkien mal-Ħdax qam u qal lil-Lhud b’leħen għoli:
“Nies tal-Lhudija, u intom ilkoll li toqogħdu f’Ġerusalemm, kunu afu dan u
isimgħu sewwa x’se ngħidilkom jien. Ġesù ta’ Nażaret kien bniedem li Alla takom
prova tiegħu permezz tal-mirakli u l-għeġubijiet u s-sinjali li għamel bih
fostkom, kif intom stess tafu. Lil dan Ġesù, Alla telaqhulkom f’idejkom skond l-għerf
u l-pjan li fassal minn qabel, u intom neħħejtuh billi sallabtuh permezz ta’
nies ħżiena. Imma Alla qajmu mill-imwiet billi ħall l-irbit tal-mewt, għaliex
ma setax ikun li l-mewt iżżommu taħt is-setgħa tagħha. Għax David jgħid fuqu,
“Żammejt lill-Mulej dejjem quddiemi, għax hu fuq il-lemin tiegħi, biex qatt ma
nitħarrek. Għalhekk ferħet qalbi u mtela bl-hena lsieni; u ġismi wkoll jistrieħ
fit-tama, għax inti ma titlaqx fl-imwiet lil ruħi, u ma tħallix il-Qaddis
tiegħek jara t-taħsir. Inti għarraftni t-triq tal-ħajja, timlieni bil-ferħ meta
nkun quddiemek”. Ħuti, ħalluni ngħidhielkom kif inħossha fuq il-patrijarka
David; hu miet u kien midfun u l-qabar tiegħu għadu magħna sa llum stess. Issa
hu kien profeta, u kien jaf li Alla ħaliflu b’ġurament li kellu jqiegħed fuq
it-tron tiegħu bniedem ġej minn nislu. David ra minn qabel u ħabbar il-qawmien
tal-Messija, u qal: “La kien mitluq fl-imwiet, u lanqas ġismu ma ra t-taħsir”. Lil
dan Ġesù, Alla qajmu mill-imwiet, u ta’ dan aħna lkoll xhieda. Għalhekk, issa
li Alla għollieh bil-leminija tiegħu, huwa rċieva mingħand il-Missier l-Ispirtu
s-Santu li kien imwiegħed, u sawbu fuqna, kif qegħdin taraw u tisimgħu”. Il-Kelma
tal-Mulej
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
Keep
me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I
say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O
LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you
it is who hold fast my lot.
R.
Lord, you will show us the path of life.
I
bless the LORD who counsels me;
even
in the night my heart exhorts me.
I
set the LORD ever before me;
with
him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R.
Lord, you will show us the path of life.
Therefore
my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my
body, too, abides in confidence;
because
you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor
will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R.
Lord, you will show us the path of life.
You
will show me the path to life,
abounding
joy in your presence,
the
delights at your right hand forever.
R.
Lord, you will show us the path of life.
Salm Responsorjali Salm 15 (16) 1-2a.5.7-8.9-10.11
R/. (11a): Mulej, int tgħallimni t-triq tal-ħajja
Ħarisni,
o Alla, għax fik jien nistkenn.
Jien
għedt lill-Mulej: “Int Sidi,
m’għandix
ġid ieħor ħliefek”.
Mulej,
inti s-sehem tal-wirt u r-riżq tiegħi,
inti
żżomm f’idejk xortija. R/.
Inbierek
lill-Mulej li tani l-fehma;
imqar
billejl qalbi tgħallimni.
Inżomm
lill-Mulej dejjem quddiemi,
għax
bih f’leminti qatt ma nitħarrek. R/.
Hekk
tifraħ qalbi u tithenna ruħi,
u
ġismi wkoll jistrieħ fil-kwiet.
Għax
int ma titlaqnix fl-imwiet,
ma
tħallix il-maħbub tiegħek jara l-qabar. R/.
Int
tgħallimni t-triq tal-ħajja;
hemm
il-milja tal-ferħ quddiemek,
hemm
l-għaxqa għal dejjem f’lemintek. R/.
Reading 2 1 Peter 1:17-21
Beloved: If you invoke as Father him who judges
impartially according to each one’s works, conduct
yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that
you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not
with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of
Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. He was known before the foundation of
the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in
God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and
hope are in God.
Qari II
mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pietru Appostlu
Għeżież,
jekk intom issejħu Missier lil dak li, bla ma jħares lejn l-uċuħ, jagħmel ħaqq
minn kulħadd skond l-għemil ta’ kull wieħed, għixu fil-biża’ ż-żmien tal-ħajja
li qegħdin tgħaddu f’art barranija. Kunu afu li intom kontu mifdija mill-ħajja
tagħkom fiergħa li ħadtu mingħand missirijietkom, mhux b’xi ħaġa li tintemm,
bħalma hi l-fidda jew id-deheb, imma bid-demm għażiż ta’ Kristu, li kien bħal
ħaruf bla għajb u bla tebgħa. Hu kien ippredestinat sa minn qabel ma saret
id-dinja, imma deher fl-aħħar taż-żminijiet minħabba fikom. Bih intom temmnu
f’Alla, li qajmu mill-imwiet u tah il-glorja; hekk il-fidi tagħkom hi wkoll
tama f’Alla. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Gospel Luke 24:13-35
That
very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a
village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing
about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were
conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but
their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing
as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas,
said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know
of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to
them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The
things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed
and word before
God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to
a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the
one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this
took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at
the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and
reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was
alive.Then
some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had
described,but
him they did not see.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow
of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the
Christ should suffer these things and
enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he
interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they
approached the village to which they were going, he
gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay
with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to
stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took
bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.With
that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their
sight.Then
they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke
to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and
returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those
with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to
Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way
Evanġelju
Qari skond San Luqa 24, 13-35
Dakinhar
stess fl-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, ġara li tnejn mid-dixxipli kienu sejrin lejn
raħal jismu Għemmaws, xi sittin stadju bogħod minn Ġerusalemm, jitħaddtu
bejniethom fuq kull ma kien ġara. Huma u jitħaddtu u jitkixxfu bejniethom, Ġesù
nnifsu resaq lejhom u baqa’ miexi magħhom. Imma għajnejhom kellhom xi jżommhom
u ma setgħux jagħrfuh. U hu qalilhom: “X’intom tgħidu bejnietkom intom u
miexja?”. U huma waqfu, b’ħarsa ta’ niket fuq wiċċhom. Imbagħad wieħed minnhom,
jismu Kleofa, wieġeb u qallu: “Inti waħdek il-barrani f’Ġerusalemm li ma tafx
x’ġara hemmhekk f’dawn il-jiem?”. “X’ġara?” staqsiehom Ġesù. Qalulu: “Dak li
ġara lil Ġesù ta’ Nażaret, li kien profeta setgħan fl-għemil u fil-kliem
quddiem Alla u quddiem il-poplu kollu, kif il-qassisin il-kbar u l-kapijiet
tagħna tawh f’idejn il-gvernatur biex ikun ikkundannat għall-mewt u sallbuh.
Aħna konna nittamaw li hu kien dak li kellu jifdi lil Iżrael; iżda issa, fuq
kollox ġa għaddew tlitt ijiem minn dawn il-ġrajja! Issa wkoll xi wħud min-nisa tagħna ħasduna,
għax marru kmieni ħdejn il-qabar u l-katavru tiegħu ma sabuhx; ġew jgħidu wkoll
li dehrulhom xi anġli li qalulhom li hu ħaj. Imbagħad marru ħdejn il-qabar xi
wħud minn tagħna u sabu kollox kif kienu qalu n-nisa, imma lilu ma rawhx!”. Qalilhom Ġesù: “Kemm intom boloh u tqal biex
temmnu kull ma qalu l-profeti! U ma kellux il-Messija jbati dan kollu u hekk
jidħol fil-glorja tiegħu?”. U beda minn Mosè u l-profeti kollha jfissrilhom
kull ma kien hemm fl-Iskrittura fuqu. Meta
qorbu lejn ir-raħal fejn kienu sejrin hu għamel tabirruħu li kien se jibqa’
sejjer aktar ’il bogħod. Iżda huma ġegħluh jibqa’ magħhom u qalulu: “Ibqa’
magħna, għax issa sar ħafna ħin u l-jum ġa wasal biex jintemm”. Imbagħad daħal
biex joqgħod magħhom. U waqt li kien fuq il-mejda magħhom, qabad il-ħobż, qal
il-barka, qasmu u tahulhom. Imbagħad infetħulhom għajnejhom u għarfuh, iżda hu
għab minn quddiemhom. U wieħed lill-ieħor bdew jgħidu: “Ma kinitx imkebbsa
qalbna ġewwa fina huwa u jkellimna fit-triq u jfissrilna l-Iskrittura?”. Dak il-ħin
stess qamu u reġgħu lura Ġerusalemm. Hemm sabu lill-Ħdax u lil sħabhom miġbura
flimkien, u dawn qalulhom: “Il-Mulej qam tassew, u deher lil Xmun!”. U huma
wkoll tarrfulhom x’kien ġralhom fit-triq, u kif kienu għarfuh fil-qsim
tal-ħobż. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
///////////////////////////////////// Gospel
Commentary for 3rd Sunday of Easter
Jesus Remains With Us in Scripture
by Father
Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, the Pontifical Household preacher.
“Were not
our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and explained the
Scriptures to us?” This line from the Gospel passage about the
disciples of Emmaus brings us to reflect on the Scriptures.
There are
two ways to approach the Bible. The first is that of considering it an old
book, full of religious wisdom, of moral values, and of poetry too. From this
point of view it is absolutely the most important book for understanding our
Western culture and the Judeo-Christian religion. It is also the most printed
and read book in the world.
But there
is another, much more demanding way to approach the Bible, and it is that of
believing that it contains the living word of God for us, that it is an
“inspired” book, that is, written, indeed, by human authors, with all of their
limitations, but with God’s direct intervention. A very human book and, at the
same time, divine, that speaks to men of all times and reveals to them the
meaning of life and death.
Above all
it reveals to them God’s love. If all the Bibles in the world, St. Augustine
said, on account of some disaster, would be destroyed and there remained only
one copy and, of this copy, all of the pages were illegible save for one, and
on this page only one line were legible; if this line were that of the first
letter of John that reads “God is love,” the whole Bible would be saved because
it is summed up in this statement. This explains how it is that so many people
approach the Bible without culture, without great education, with simplicity,
believing that it is the Holy Spirit that speaks in it and find in it answers
to their problems, light, encouragement, in a word, life.
The two
ways of approaching the Bible — the way of erudition and the way of faith — do
not exclude each other, on the contrary, they must be united. It is necessary
to study the Bible, the way in which it should be interpreted (or to pay
attention to the findings of those study it in this way), so as not to fall
into fundamentalism.
Fundamentalism
consists in taking a verse from the Bible, just as it sounds, and applying it
to today’s situations, without taking into account the difference of culture,
of time, and of the different genres of the Bible.
It is
believed, for example, that the universe is little more that 4,000 years old
since this would seem to be what we can calculate from the information that the
Bible provides, while we know that the universe is some billions of years old.
The Bible was not written as a textbook of natural science, but for salvation.
God, in the Bible, adapted himself to the way of speaking of the men of the
time so that they could understand; he did not write only for the men of the
age of technology.
On the
other hand, to reduce the Bible to an object of study and erudition, remaining
neutral to its message, is to kill it. It would be as if a man, receiving a
letter from the woman he loves, were to examine it with a dictionary, from the
point of view of grammar and syntax, and stops at these things, without
grasping the love that is in it.
Reading
the Bible without faith is like trying to read a book at night: nothing can be
read, or at least one does not read what is essential. Reading Scripture with
faith means reading it in reference to Christ, grasping what refers to him on
every page, just as he did with the disciples of Emmaus.
Jesus
remains with us in two ways: in the Eucharist and in his word. He is present in
both: in the Eucharist under the form of food, in the Word under the form of
light and truth. The word has a great advantage over the Eucharist. Only those
who already believe and are in a state of grace can receive communion; but
everyone, believers and nonbelievers, married people and divorced people, can
approach the word of God. Indeed, to become a believer, the most normal route
is that of listening to God’s word. [Translation
by Joseph G. Trabbic]
* * * * *
*
No comments:
Post a Comment