"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. " (John 12)
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Thursday 4 February 2021

           Readings for Sunday, February 7, 2021

              Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

                 Lectionary: 74

               Il-Ħames Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

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READING 1            JOB 7:1-4, 6-7
Job spoke, saying: Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of hirelings? He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages. So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me. If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?” then the night drags on;     I am filled with restlessness until the dawn. My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;     they come to an end without hope. Remember that my life is like the wind;     I shall not see happiness again.

QARI I        Qari mill-Ktieb ta’ Ġob 7, 1-4.6-7
Ġob tkellem u qal: “Ħajjet il-bniedem mhix forsi xogħol bilfors fuq l-art? U għomru mhux bħal jiem il-ħaddiem mikri? Bħalma lsir jixxennaq għad-dell, u bħalma l-mikri jistenna l-ħlas, hekk xhur fiergħa kienu sehmi, u ljieli dwejjaq messew lili. Jekk nimtedd, ngħid: ‘Meta se nqum?’ u meta nqum, ngħid: ‘Meta se jidlam?’. u hekk nixba’ nhewden sa ma jidlam. Eħfef minn mekkuk għaddew jiemi, u bla tama ntemmu. Ftakar li ħajti buffura riħ, u għajnejja ma jerġgħux jaraw ir-riżq”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej


RESP[ONSORIAL PSALM        PSALM 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Praise the LORD, for he is good;
    sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
    it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
    the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.

He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
    he calls each by name.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.

Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
    to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
    the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.

SALM RESPONSORJALI        Salm 146 (147), 1-2.3-4.5-6
R/. (ara 3a): Faħħru l-Mulej, li jfejjaq il-qlub maqsuma


Faħħru l-Mulej, għax tajjeb li tgħanni lil Alla tagħna;
għax ħelu u xieraq it-tifħir tiegħu.
Jibni ’l Ġerusalemm il-Mulej,
jiġma’ l-imxerrdin ta’ Iżrael. R/.

Hu jfejjaq il-qlub maqsuma,
hu jorbot il-ġrieħi tagħhom.
Hu jgħodd in-numru tal-kwiekeb;
kollha jsejħilhom b’isimhom. R/.

Kbir Sidna l-Mulej, u ta’ qawwa kbira;
bla tarf id-dehen tiegħu.
Jerfa’ l-imsejknin il-Mulej,
u jniżżel sal-art il-ħżiena. R/.


READING 2          1 CORINTHIANS 9:16-19, 22-23

Brothers and sisters: If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my recompense? That, when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.

QARI II        mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 9. 16-19.22-23
Ħuti, jekk jiena nxandar l-Evanġelju ma għandix biex niftaħar; jien obbligat nagħmlu dan. Ħażin għalija jekk ma nxandarx l-Evanġelju! Jekk dan nagħmlu minn rajja, ikolli dritt għall-ħlas; imma jekk nagħmlu għax obbligat, dan ifisser li qiegħed nagħmel ix-xogħol li Alla fdali f’idejja. X’inhu mela l-ħlas tiegħi? Li meta nxandar l-Evanġelju, inxandru b’xejn, bla ma nfittex id-dritt li jagħtini l-Evanġelju stess. Għax għad li ma jiena marbut ma’ ħadd, jien għamilt lili nnifsi lsir ta’ kulħadd biex nirbaħ lil ħafna. Sirt dgħajjef mad-dgħajfin, biex nirbaħ id-dgħajfin. Sirt kollox ma’ kulħadd, biex insalva lil kulħadd. Nagħmel dan kollu minħabba l-Evanġelju biex ikolli sehem minnu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej


GOSPEL        MARK 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left  and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.”So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

EVANĠELJU        Qari skont San Mark 1, 29-39
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù u d-dixxipli ħarġu mis-sinagoga u baqgħu sejrin ma’ Ġakbu u Ġwanni għand Xmun u Indrì. Issa omm il-mara ta’ Xmun kienet fis-sodda bid-deni, u malajr qalulu biha. Resaq lejha, qabadha minn idha u qajjimha. U d-deni ħallieha, u bdiet isservihom. Filgħaxija, imbagħad, fi nżul ix-xemx, ħadulu quddiemu lil dawk kollha li kienu morda jew li kienu maħkuma mix-xitan. U quddiem il-bieb inġabret il-belt bi ħġarha. U fejjaq ħafna morda minn kull xorta ta’ mard, u ħareġ għadd kbir ta’ xjaten li hu ma kienx iħallihom jitkellmu, għax huma kienu jafu min kien. L-għada filgħodu kmieni, qabel ma żernaq, qam, ħareġ u mar f’post imwarrab u qagħad hemm jitlob. Xmun u sħabu l-oħrajn marru jfittxuh. Kif sabuh, qalulu: “Kulħadd jistaqsi għalik”. U qalilhom: “Ejjew immorru band’oħra, fl-irħula tal-qrib, ħalli nippriedka hemmhekk ukoll, għax għalhekk ħriġt”. U dar il-Galilija kollha, jippriedka fis-sinagogi tagħhom u joħroġ ix-xjaten. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej


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 Gospel reflection by Fr Antony Kadavil    

 God's gifts of hope and optimism 

   

 

Introduction: 

In these difficult days of pandemic wtrife all around the world,  next Sunday’s readings challenge us to avoid Job’s pessimistic and desperate view of life as a chain of pain and sufferings and to accept life with hope and optimism as a precious gift from God, using it to do good for others and spending our time, talents and lives for others as Jesus did and as St. Paul did too (as he tells us too in the Second Reading).

Scripture lessons summarized: 

While the Gospel presents Jesus enthusiastically living out his Sabbath day of preaching and healing ministry, the first reading details Job’s frustrations in striking contrast: Job complains of the tedium and futility of life and the miseries of human existence. But eventually, his eyes opened by God, Job surrenders himself, his suffering, his work and everything he had had and lost to God’s greater wisdom (Job 42:1-6).  Job’s miseries also marked the condition of the people who came to Jesus for healing. Jesus overturns the human condition, bringing hope and healing — then and now. 

The second reading reveals Paul to us as a true, dynamic follower of Jesus, moved as Jesus was by concern for the lost which led him to preach the Gospel without cost to the people, and to serve them as their slave with Jesus’ love and fidelity. Pointing out the spontaneous response of Peter’s mother-in-law after she had been healed by Jesus, Sunday’s Gospel teaches us that true discipleship means giving selfless, loving service to others. 

Mark shows us a typical Sabbath day in Jesus’ ministry: taking part in the synagogue worship, teaching with authority, exorcising a demon, healing Simon’s mother-in-law and, after sundown, curing “many who were sick with various diseases, and [driving] out many demons” – a full day and evening of selfless ministry. Yet, Jesus rises early the next morning and goes off “to a deserted place” to pray, in order to assess his work before God his Father and to recharge his spiritual batteries.

Life messages: 

1)    We need to be instruments for Jesus’ healing work. Bringing healing and wholeness is Jesus’ ministry even today. We all need healing for our minds, our memories, and our broken relationships, and now Jesus is also using counselors, doctors, friends, or even strangers in his healing ministry.    Let us ask for the ordinary healing we need in our own lives. When we are healed, let us not forget to thank Jesus for his goodness, mercy, and compassion by turning to serve others.  Our own healing process is completed only when we are ready to help others in their needs and to focus on things outside ourselves. Let us also be instruments for Jesus’ healing by visiting the sick and praying for their healing.  But let us remember that we need the Lord’s strength not only to make ourselves and others well, but to make us and others whole.  

2)    We need to live for others as Jesus did: Jesus was a man for others, sharing what he had with others. In his life there was time for prayer, time for healing, and time for reconciliation.  Let us take up this challenge by sharing love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness with others. 

Instead of considering life as dull and pointless, let us live our lives as Jesus did, full of dynamism and zeal for the glory of God.

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