Lectionary: 35
Reading I JEREMIAH 31:31-34
The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathersthe day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant, and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.
QARI I mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġeremija 31:31-34
Araw,
għad jiġi żmien, oraklu tal-Mulej, meta jien nagħmel patt ġdid ma’ dar
Iżrael u dar Ġuda; mhux bħall-patt li għamilt ma’ missirijiethom
fiż-żmien meta qbadthom minn idejhom biex ħriġthom mill-art tal-Eġittu,
il-patt tiegħi li huma kisru, għalkemm jien kont l-għarus tagħhom,
oraklu tal-Mulej. Imma dan ikun il-patt li għad nagħmel ma’ dar Iżrael
wara dawk il-jiem, oraklu tal-Mulej. Inqiegħed il-liġi tiegħi fosthom u
niktibha f’qalbhom; u jiena nkun Alla tagħhom, u huma jkunu l-poplu
tiegħi. Ma jgħallmux iżjed lil xulxin, u ħadd ma jgħid lil ħuh: “Agħraf
il-Mulej”, għaliex ilkoll kemm huma jkunu jafuni, miż-żgħir sal-kbir,
oraklu tal-Mulej. Għax jien naħfrilhom ħżunithom, u ħtijiethom ma
niftakarhomx aktar. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Responsorial Psalm PSALM 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
SALM RESPONSORJALI Salm 50(51):3-4,12-13,14-15
R/. (12a): Oħloq fija qalb safja, o Alla.
Ikollok ħniena minni, o Alla, fi tjubitek;
fil-kobor tal-ħniena tiegħek ħassar ħtijieti.
Aħsilni kollni mill-ħtija tiegħi;
naddafni mid-dnub tiegħi. R/.
Oħloq fija qalb safja, o Alla,
u spirtu qawwi ġedded fija.
La twarrabnix minn quddiemek,
tneħħix minni l-ispirtu qaddis tiegħek. R/.
Roddli l-hena tas-salvazzjoni tiegħek,
u bi spirtu qalbieni wettaqni.
Lill-midinbin ngħallem triqatek,
u l-ħatjin lejk jerġgħu lura. R/.
Reading II HEBREWS 5:7-9
In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
QARI II mill-Ittra lil-Lhud 5:7-9
Meta kien jgħix fuq din
l-art, Kristu offra talb u suppliki b’leħen għoli u bid-dmugħ lil dak li
seta’ jsalvah mill-mewt. U kien mismugħ minħabba fil-qima tiegħu lejn
Alla. Għad li kien Iben, tgħallem minn dak li bata xi tfisser
l-ubbidjenza. U, billi laħaq il-perfezzjoni, sar awtur tas-salvazzjoni
ta’ dejjem għal kull min jisma’ minnu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Gospel JOHN 12:20-33
Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 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. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. “I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
F’dak iż-żmien, fost dawk li telgħu biex iqimu lil Alla fil-festa kien hemm xi Griegi. Dawn marru għand Filippu li kien minn Betsajda tal-Galilija, u talbuh: “Sinjur, nixtiequ naraw lil Ġesù”. Filippu mar jgħid lil Indrì, u mbagħad Indrì u Filippu marru jgħidu lil Ġesù. U Ġesù weġibhom: “Waslet is-siegħa li fiha Bin il-bniedem ikun igglorifikat. Tassew tassew ngħidilkom, jekk il-ħabba tal-qamħ ma taqax fl-art u tmut, hi tibqa’ weħidha; imma jekk tmut, tagħmel ħafna frott. Min iħobb lil ħajtu jitlifha; imma min jobgħod lil ħajtu f’din id-dinja jħarisha għall-ħajja ta’ dejjem. Jekk xi ħadd irid jaqdini, hu għandu jimxi warajja, u fejn inkun jien, hemm ukoll ikun il-qaddej tiegħi. Min jaqdi lili, il-Missier jagħtih ġieħ. Issa qiegħed inħoss ruħi mħawda. U x’naqbad ngħid? Missier, eħlisni minn din is-siegħa? Imma jien għalhekk ġejt: għal din is-siegħa. Missier, agħti glorja lil ismek”. Dak il-ħin instama’ leħen mis-sema: “Jien diġà gglorifikajtu, u nerġa’ nigglorifikah”. In-nies li kienu hemm semgħuh, u qalu li kien qiegħed iriegħed. Oħrajn qalu: “Kellmu xi anġlu”. Ġesù wieġeb: “Dan il-leħen ma ġiex għalija, imma għalikom. Il-ġudizzju ta’ din id-dinja qiegħed isir issa. Issa se jitkeċċa l-Prinċep ta’ din id-dinja. U meta nintrefa’ ’l fuq mill-art, jiena niġbed il-bnedmin kollha lejja”. Hu qal dan biex jurihom b’liema mewt kien sejjer imut. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
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Eight-minute Gospel reflection by Fr Antony Kadavil
TIME TO BE FORGIVEN!
LENT 5
Introduction:
Sunday’s readings focus on the approaching death of Jesus which Paul considers a priestly sacrifice and John considers the moment of Jesus’ “exaltation” and “glorification.” The readings offer us a challenge. Just as Jesus became the “Promised Messiah of Glory” and the “Conquering Son of Man” by offering his life for others, we, too, if we would come to Heaven, must die to self by loving obedience, spending our lives in self-giving, sacrificial service.
Scripture lessons:
The first reading, taken from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah, explains how God will replace the Old Covenant of Judgment with a New Covenant of Forgiveness of sins. This New or Renewed Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah was fulfilled, at least in part, through Jesus’ life, death and Resurrection.
In the second reading, St. Paul tells the Hebrews that it is by Jesus’ suffering and death, in obedience to his Father’s will, that Jesus established the New Covenant. Using metaphors of the “sown wheat grain” and the “spent life” in today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches the lessons St. Paul will repeat.
The Gospel hints at the inner struggle of Jesus in accepting the cup of suffering to inaugurate the New and Eternal Covenant. However, Jesus accepts the cross as his “hour,” meaning the stepping-stone to his passion, death, Resurrection and exaltation. Jesus also considers his “hour” as the way of glorifying his Heavenly Father and of being glorified by his Father. In addition, it is the way by which all people will be drawn into the saving action of God. Finally, the “lifting up” of Jesus on the cross and later into Heavenly glory by Resurrection and Ascension is the assurance of our own exaltation and glorification, provided we accept our crosses.
1) Sunday’s Gospel teaches us that new life and eternal life are possible only by the death of the self through obedience, suffering and service. Salt gives its taste by dissolving in water. A candle gives light by having its wick burned and its wax melted. The oyster produces a priceless pearl by transforming a grain of sand through a long and painful process. Loving parents sacrifice themselves so that their children can enjoy a better life than they themselves have had. Let us pray that we may acquire this self-sacrificing spirit, especially during Lent.
2) Only a life spent for others will be glorified, sometimes here in this world but always in Heaven. We know that the world owes everything to people who have spent their time and talents for God and for their fellow human beings. Mother Teresa, for instance, gave up her comfortable teaching career, and with just 5 rupees (17 cents) in her pocket began her challenging life for the “poorest of the poor” in the crowded slums of Calcutta. We see similar cases in the history of great saints, scientists, and benefactors of mankind in all walks of life. They chose to burn out rather than to rust out. Examples are the Rockefeller Foundation for scientific progress and the Bill Gates Foundation for AIDS Research. Let us, too, spend ourselves for others.
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