THREE INTO ONE DOES GO!!

Readings for Sunday, May 30, 2021 - Year/Sena B

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Lectionary: 165

It-Trinità Qaddisa
Solennità

Reading I         DEUTERONOMY 4:32-34, 39-40
Moses said to the people: "Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep his statutes and commandments that I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever."

QARI I          mill-Ktieb tad-Dewteronomju 4:32-34,39-40
Mosè kellem lill-poplu u qal: “Staqsi liż-żminijiet tal-imgħoddi, iż-żminijiet ta’ qabel, sa minn mindu Alla ħalaq il-bniedem fuq l-art, fittex minn tarf għall-ieħor tas-sema, u ara kienx hemm ġrajja hekk kbira bħal din, jew qattx instemgħet oħra bħalha. Qatt kien hemm poplu li sama’ leħen Alla jitkellem minn ġon-nar – bħalma smajt int – u baqa’ ħaj? Jew qatt xi alla fittex li jagħżel għalih poplu minn fost poplu ieħor b’tiġrib, b’sinjali, b’għeġubijiet, b’taqbid, b’id qawwija u bi driegħ merfugħ, b’għemejjel kbar tal-biża’, bħalma għamel għalik quddiem għajnejk fl-Eġittu l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek? Mela, kun af illum, u żommha f’moħħok, li l-Mulej hu tassew Alla, kemm fl-għoli tas-sema kemm hawn isfel fuq l-art, u li ma hawnx ieħor għajru. Ħares, għalhekk, l-ordnijiet u l-kmandamenti tiegħu li se nagħtik illum biex ikollok riżq, int u wliedek warajk, ħalli tgħix żmien twil fuq l-art li l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, se jagħtik għal dejjem”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm         PSALM 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22
Upright is the word of the LORD,
    and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
    of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made;
    by the breath of his mouth all their host.
For he spoke, and it was made;
    he commanded, and it stood forth.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
    upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
    and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Our soul waits for the LORD,
    who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
    who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

SALM RESPONSORJALI         Salm 32(33):4-5,6,9,18-19,20,22
R/. (12b): Hieni l-poplu li l-Mulej għażel b’wirtu.

Sewwa hi l-kelma tal-Mulej,
kollox bil-fedeltà huwa għamel.
Hu jħobb id-dritt u s-sewwa;
bit-tjieba tal-Mulej mimlija l-art. R/.

Bil-kelma tal-Mulej saru s-smewwiet,
u b’nifs fommu t-tiżjin kollu tagħhom.
Għax hu tkellem, u kollox sar;
hu ordna, u kollox seħħ. R/.

Ara, għajnejn il-Mulej fuq dawk li jibżgħu minnu,
fuq dawk li jittamaw fit-tjieba tiegħu,
biex jeħilsilhom mill-mewt ħajjithom,
u jaħjihom fi żmien il-ġuħ. R/.

Ruħna tixxennaq għall-Mulej,
hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħna.
Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna,
kif fik hi t-tama tagħna. R/.

Reading II         ROMANS 8:14-17
Brothers and sisters:  For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, “Abba, Father!”  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

QARI II          mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl lir-Rumani 8:14-17
Ħuti, dawk kollha li jmexxihom l-Ispirtu ta’ Alla huma wlied Alla. Għax intom ma rċevejtux l-ispirtu li jwassalkom għall-jasar biex terġgħu taqgħu fil-biża’, imma rċevejtu l-Ispirtu li jagħmel minnkom ulied adottivi; u li bih aħna nistgħu ngħajtu: “Abbà! Missier!”. Dan l-Ispirtu jixhed flimkien mal-ispirtu tagħna li aħna wlied Alla. Jekk aħna wlied, aħna wkoll werrieta, werrieta ta’ Alla, werrieta ma’ Kristu: ladarba aħna nbatu miegħu, biex miegħu nkunu gglorifikati. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel          MATTHEW 28:16-20
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

EVANĠELJU         skont San Mattew 28:16-20
F’dak iż-żmien, il-ħdax-il dixxiplu telqu lejn il-Galilija u marru fuq il-muntanja fejn kien ordnalhom Ġesù. Kif rawh, inxteħtu quddiemu, għalkemm xi wħud iddubitaw. Ġesù resaq ikellimhom u qalilhom: “Lili ngħatat kull setgħa fis-sema u fl-art. Morru, mela, agħmlu dixxipli mill-ġnus kollha, u għammduhom fl-isem tal-Missier u tal-Iben u tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, u għallmuhom iħarsu dak kollu li ordnajtilkom jien. U ara, jiena magħkom dejjem, sal-aħħar taż-żmien”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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Eight-minute  Gospel reflection by Fr Antony Kadavil  

The Mystery of the Holy Trinity

Introduction:

The mystery of the most Holy Trinity is a basic doctrine of Faith in Christianity, understandable not with our heads but with our hearts. It teaches us that there are three distinct Persons in one God, sharing the same Divine Nature, co-equal and co-eternal.  Our mind cannot grasp this doctrine which teaches that 1+1+1 = 1 and not 3. But we believe in this Mystery because Jesus, Who is God, taught it clearly, the Evangelists recorded it, the Fathers of the Church tried to explain it, and the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople defined it as a dogma of Christian Faith. (Add a pertinent anecdote).

Importance in Christian life:

1) All prayers in the Church begin in the Name of the Holy Trinity and end glorifying the Trinity.

2) All Sacraments are administered (we are baptized, confirmed, anointed, our sins are forgiven, our marriage is blessed, and our Bishops, priests and deacons are ordained) in the name of the Holy Trinity. 

3) When Church bells ring thrice daily, they remind us to give glory to the Holy Trinity for the Incarnation of Jesus and His Redemption of all of us. 4) We bless ourselves, and the priest blesses us, in the Name of the Holy Trinity.

Biblical basis:

There are only vague and hidden references to the Trinity in the Old Testament. But the New Testament gives clear teachings on the Holy Trinity.

1)  At the Annunciation, God the Father sends His angel to Mary, God the Holy Spirit comes upon her, the Power of the Most High overshadows her, and God the Son becomes Incarnate in her womb.

2)  At the baptism of Jesus, when the Son receives baptism from John the Baptist, the Father’s Voice is heard, and the Holy Spirit appears as a Dove and descends upon Jesus.

3)  At the Ascension, Jesus gives the missionary command to his disciples to baptize those who believe, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

4)  John’s account: In John’s Gospel, chapters 15–18, we have a detailed account of Jesus’ teaching of the role of each Person of the Holy Trinity: a) God the Father creates and provides for His creatures. b) God the Son redeems us and reconciles us with God. c) God the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, strengthens us, teaches us, and guides us to God.

Life messages:

1) Let us respect ourselves and others because everyone is the temple of the Holy Spirit where all Three Persons of the Holy Trinity abide.

2) Let us have the firm conviction that the Trinitarian God abides in us, that He is the Source of our hope, courage and strength, and that He is our final destination.

3) Let us practice the Trinitarian relationship of love and unity in the family relationships of father, mother, and children because by Baptism we become children of God and members of God’s Trinitarian family.

4) Let us practice the I–God–my neighboUr vertical and horizontal Trinitarian relationships in this life by loving God.

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COME SPIRIT OF GOD

Readings for Sunday, May 23, 2021 - Year/Sena B

 

Pentecost Sunday
Solemnity  -  Mass during the Day
Lectionary: 63

Għid il-Ħamsin
Solennità - Quddiesa tal-Jum

Reading I        ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2:1-11
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

QARI I         mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 2:1-11
Meta wasal jum Għid il-Ħamsin, huma kienu lkoll flimkien f’post wieħed. F’daqqa waħda ġie mis-sema ħoss bħal ta’ riħ qawwi, u mela d-dar kollha fejn kienu qegħdin. U dehrulhom ilsna qishom tan-nar, li tqassmu u qagħdu fuq kull wieħed minnhom. Imtlew ilkoll bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u bdew jitkellmu b’ilsna oħra, skont ma l-Ispirtu kien jagħtihom li jitkellmu. F’Ġerusalemm kien hemm xi Lhud, nies twajba minn kull nazzjon li hawn taħt is-sema. Malli nstama’ dan il-ħoss, inġabret kotra kbira, ilkoll imħawdin għax kull wieħed minnhom kien jismagħhom jitkellmu bl-ilsien tiegħu. Mibluhin u mistagħġbin, bdew jgħidu: “Dawn li qegħdin jitkellmu mhumiex ilkoll mill-Galilija? Mela kif kull wieħed minna qiegħed jismagħhom jitkellmu bi lsien art twelidu? Partin, Medin u Għelamin, nies mill-Mesopotamja, mil-Lhudija, mill-Kappadoċja, minn Pontu, mill-Asja, mill-Friġja, mill-Pamfilja, mill-Eġittu, mill-inħawi tal-Libja madwar Ċireni, nies li ġew minn Ruma, kemm Lhud u kemm prosèliti, oħrajn minn Kreta u Għarab, aħna lkoll qegħdin nisimgħuhom ixandru bl-ilsna tagħna l-għeġubijiet ta’ Alla!”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm         PSALM 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
the earth is full of your creatures.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD be glad in his works!
Pleasing to him be my theme;
I will be glad in the LORD.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

If you take away their breath, they perish
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

SALM RESPONSORJALI         Salm 103(104):1ab,24aċ,29bċ-30,31,34
R/.(30): Ibgħat l-Ispirtu tiegħek, Mulej, u ġedded il-wiċċ tal-art.

Bierek ruħ tiegħi, lill-Mulej!
Mulej, Alla tiegħi, inti kbir bil-bosta!
Kemm huma kotrana l-għemejjel tiegħek, Mulej!
Mimlija l-art bil-ħlejjaq tiegħek. R/.

Jekk teħdilhom nifishom, imutu,
u lejn it-trab jerġgħu jmorru.
Malli tibgħat in-nifs tiegħek, jinħolqu,
u inti ġġedded il-wiċċ tal-art. R/.

Jibqa’ sebħ il-Mulej għal dejjem!
Jifraħ il-Mulej bl-għemejjel tiegħu!
Ħa togħġbu l-għanja tiegħi,
għax jiena fil-Mulej l-hena tiegħi. R/.

Reading II         GALATIANS 5:16-25
Brothers and sisters, live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry,  sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

QARI II           mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl lill-Galatin 5:16-25
Ħuti, jien ngħidilkom, imxu fl-Ispirtu u taqgħux għall-passjonijiet tal-ġisem. Il-passjonijiet tal-ġisem huma kontra l-Ispirtu, u l-Ispirtu hu kontra l-ġisem; dawn it-tnejn huma kontra xulxin, biex ma jħallukomx tagħmlu dak li tixtiequ. Jekk lilkom imexxikom l-Ispirtu, m’intomx taħt il-liġi. L-għemejjel tal-ġisem huma magħrufa: żína, faħx, nuqqas ta’ rażan, idolatrija, seħer, mibegħda, ġlied, għira, korla, ambizzjoni, firda, partiti, invidja, sokor, tbahrid, u ħwejjeġ bħal dawn. Inwissikom, bħalma wissejtkom qabel, min jagħmel dawn il-ħwejjeġ ma jiritx is-saltna ta’ Alla. Il-frott tal-Ispirtu huma: l-imħabba, l-hena, is-sliem, is-sabar, il-ħniena, it-tjieba, il-fidi, il-ħlewwa, ir-rażan.  Kontra dawn ma hemmx liġi. Dawk li huma ta’ Kristu Ġesù sallbu l-ġisem bil-ġibdiet u l-passjonijiet tiegħu. Jekk ngħixu bl-Ispirtu, ħalli nimxu bl-Ispirtu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Sequence  -  Veni, Sancte Spiritus
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul’s most welcome guest;
 Sweet refreshment here below;
In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!
Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:
Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend;
Give them virtue’s sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end. Amen.
Alleluia.

 

SEKWENZA
Spirtu s-Santu, ejja fina,
raġġ ta’ dawl qaddis agħtina,
xerrdu f’ruħna mis-smewwiet.
O Missier il-foqra tiegħek,
inti ġġib id-doni miegħek,
tagħni b’dawlek qalb l-ulied.
Inti l-aqwa faraġ tagħna,
fik kull hena xħin tkun magħna,
tħossok fewġa ħelwa r-ruħ.
Fl-għaja, lejn is-serħ twassalna;
jekk imħeġġa wisq, trażżanna;
mill-għajnejn tixxotta d-dmugħ.
O dawl hieni ta’ qdusija,
nitolbuk li bik mimlija
tkun il-qalb ta’ kull fidil.
Mingħajr dawlek li jmexxina
ebda ħajr ma jkun hemm fina,
ebda safa fil-għemil.
Naddaf kull fejn hemm it-tbajja’,
fejn hemm nixfa reġġa’ l-ħajja,
lill-miġruħ agħtih fejqan.
Rattab fina l-ebusija,
agħti lill-berdin bżulija,
għin fit-triq lil min beżgħan.
Agħti s-seba’ doni tiegħek
lil min jimxi fidil miegħek
u li fik jistrieħ kull ħin.
Agħti ’l kull virtù sabiħa
ħlas ta’ salvazzjoni sħiħa,
agħti l-ġenna lit-tajbin.
Ammen. Hallelujah.

Gospel        JOHN 15:26-27; 16:12-15
Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”

EVANĠELJU         Qari skond San Ġwann 15:26-27; 16:12-15
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Meta jiġi d-Difensur, li se nibagħtilkom mingħand il-Missier, l-Ispirtu tal-verità, li ġej mill-Missier, huwa jixhed għalija. U intom ukoll tixhdu, għax intom kontu miegħi sa mill-bidu. Baqagħli ħafna ħwejjeġ x’ngħidilkom, imma għalissa ma tifilħux għalihom. Meta jiġi hu, l-Ispirtu tal-verità, iwassalkom għall-verità kollha; għaliex hu ma jgħid xejn minn tiegħu, imma jgħid dak li jisma’, u jħabbrilkom il-ġejjieni. Hu jagħtini glorja, għaliex jieħu minn dak li hu tiegħi u jħabbru lilkom. Dak kollu li għandu l-Missier huwa tiegħi. Għalhekk għedt li jieħu minn dak li hu tiegħi u jħabbru lilkom”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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Eight-minute  Gospel reflection by Fr Antony Kadavil   

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE 50TH?

Pentecost literally means 50th. It is a feast celebrated on the 50th day after the Passover feast by the Jews and a feast celebrated on the 50th day after the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus by Christians. The Jewish Pentecost was originally a post-harvest thanksgiving feast. Later, the Jews included in it the remembrance of God’s Covenants with Noah after the Deluge and with Moses at Mt. Sinai

The event:      

On the day of Pentecost:

1) The Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary as fiery tongues. 

2) The frightened apostles were transformed into fiery preachers and evangelizers and were given the gift of tongues by a special anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

3) The listeners experienced a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit through the apostles’ gift of tongues: they heard Peter speaking in their native languages. 

4) The early Christians became powerful witnesses and brave martyrs for their Faith in Jesus.

The role of the Holy Spirit in Christian life: 

1) As an indwelling God, the Holy Spirit makes us His Living Temples (I Cor 3:16). 

2) As a strengthening God, He strengthens us in our fight against temptations and in our mission of bearing witness to Christ by our transparent Christian lives.  

3) As a sanctifying God, He makes us holy through the Sacraments:

     a) Through Baptism He makes us children of God and heirs of Heaven. 

    b) Through Confirmation, He makes us temples of God, warriors, and defenders of the Faith.

     c) Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, He enables us to be reconciled with God by pardoning our sins. 

    d) Through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, He gives us spiritual nourishment by converting bread and wine into Jesus’ Body, Blood Soul, and Divinity, through Epiclesis. 

    e) Through the Sacraments of the priesthood (Ordination) and matrimony (Marriage), He makes the Church community holy.

4) As a teaching and guiding God, He clarifies and constantly reminds us of Christ’s teachings and guides the Magisterium of the Church in presenting Christ’s teachings correctly. 

5) As a listening and speaking God, He listens to our prayers, enables us to pray, and speaks to us, mainly through the Bible. 

6) As a Giver of gifts, He gives us His gifts, fruits, and charisms, thus enriching the Church.

Life messages: 

We need to permit the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives: 

    1) by constantly remembering His holy presence and behaving well;

    2) by praying for His daily anointing so that we may fight against our temptations and control our evil tendencies, evil habits and addictions;

    3) by asking His daily assistance to pray, listening to God through meditative Bible reading, and talking to Him; and

    4) by asking the help of the Holy Spirit to do good for others and to be reconciled with God and others every day.

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GOD WANTS US TO LOVE!

Readings for Sunday, May 9, 2021 - Year/Sena B

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary: 56

Is-Sitt Ħadd tal-Għid

Reading I         ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, “Get up. I myself am also a human being.”  Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.” While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?” He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

QARI I         mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli  Atti 10:25-26,34-35,44-48
Xħin daħal Pietru fid-dar ta’ Kornelju, dan mar jilqgħu u ntefa’ f’riġlejh jagħtih qima. Imma Pietru qajmu u qallu: “Qum. Jien bniedem ukoll”. Pietru qabad jitkellem u qal: “Issa tassew qiegħed nifhem li Alla ma jħares lejn wiċċ ħadd, imma jilqa’ lil kull min għandu l-biża’ tiegħu u jagħmel is-sewwa, ikun minn liema poplu jkun”.  Meta Pietru kien għadu qiegħed jgħid dan, l-Ispirtu s-Santu niżel fuq dawk kollha li kienu jisimgħuh. Dawk li kienu marru ma’ Pietru, Lhud li kienu emmnu, stagħġbu kif Alla sawwab id-don tal-Ispirtu s-Santu fuq il-pagani wkoll. Għax semgħuhom jitkellmu bl-ilsna u jfaħħru l-kobor ta’ Alla.  Imbagħad Pietru qal: “Jista’ xi ħadd jiċħad l-ilma tal-magħmudija lil dawn in-nies, li ħadu l-Ispirtu s-Santu bħalma ħadnieh aħna wkoll?”. U ordna li jitgħammdu fl-isem ta’ Kristu. Imbagħad huma talbuh jibqa’ għal ftit jiem magħhom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm         PSALM 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
.Sing to the LORD a new song,
    for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
    his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

The LORD has made his salvation known:
    in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
    toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

All the ends of the earth have seen
    the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
    break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

SALM RESPONSORJALI         Salm 97(98):1,2-3ab,3ċd-4
R/. (ara 2b): Il-Mulej wera l-ġustizzja tiegħu lill-ġnus.
Għannu lill-Mulej għanja ġdida,
għax għamel ħwejjeġ tal-għaġeb.
Ġibitlu r-rebħa l-leminija tiegħu,
u d-driegħ imqaddes tiegħu. R/.

Għarraf il-Mulej is-salvazzjoni tiegħu,
f’għajnejn il-ġnus wera l-ġustizzja tiegħu.
Ftakar fit-tjieba u l-fedeltà tiegħu
mal-poplu ta’ Iżrael. R/.

L-art kollha, minn tarf għall-ieħor,
rat is-salvazzjoni ta’ Alla tagħna.
Għajtu bil-ferħ lill-Mulej fl-art kollha,
infexxu fil-hena, ifirħu u għannu! R/.

Reading II          JOHN 4:7-10
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

QARI II          mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Ġwann Appostlu 1 Ġw 4:7-10
Għeżież, ejjew inħobbu ’l xulxin, għax l-imħabba ġejja minn Alla, u kull min iħobb hu mwieled minn Alla u jagħraf lil Alla. Dak li ma jħobbx ma għarafx lil Alla, għax Alla hu mħabba. B’dan dehret l-imħabba ta’ Alla fina, għax Alla bagħat lil Ibnu l-waħdieni fid-dinja, biex ngħixu bih. U hawn qiegħda l-imħabba; mhux għax aħna ħabbejna ’l Alla, imma għax ħabbna hu u bagħat lil Ibnu biex ikun ta’ tpattija għal dnubietna. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel        JOHN 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

EVANĠELJU        Qari skond San Ġwann 15:9-17
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Kif ħabbni Missieri, hekk ħabbejtkom jiena. Ibqgħu fl-imħabba tiegħi. Jekk tħarsu l-kmandamenti tiegħi, intom tibqgħu fi mħabbti, kif jiena ħarist il-kmandamenti ta’ Missieri u qiegħed fi mħabbtu. Għedtilkom dan biex il-ferħ tiegħi jkun fikom, u biex il-ferħ tagħkom ikun sħiħ. Dan hu l-kmandament tiegħi: li tħobbu lil xulxin kif ħabbejtkom jien. Ħadd ma għandu mħabba akbar minn din: li wieħed jagħti ħajtu għal ħbiebu. Intom ħbiebi, jekk tagħmlu dak li jiena nikkmandakom. Ma nsejħilkomx aktar qaddejja, għax il-qaddej ma jafx x’jagħmel sidu; sejjaħtilkom ħbieb, għaliex kulma smajt mingħand Missieri jiena għarrafthulkom. Mhux intom għażiltu lili, imma jien għażilt lilkom, u ħtartkom biex tmorru tagħmlu l-frott u l-frott tagħkom jibqa’, ħalli kulma titolbu lill-Missier f’ismi, huwa jagħtihulkom. Dan hu li qiegħed nikkmandakom: li tħobbu lil xulxin”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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Eight-minute  Gospel reflection by Fr Antony Kadavil   

  EASTER 6 -   

 Christ wants us to obey    his commandment of love

  

 

Introduction:

This Sunday’s Scripture passages declare the profound truth that those who believe in Christ are to obey his commandment of love – “Love one another as I have loved you.” When we celebrate Sunday as Mother’s Day, let us remember with gratitude that it is generally our mothers who practice the agápe love of Jesus.

Scripture Lessons summarized:

In the first reading, Peter teaches us that God shows no partiality in His love and that there are no boundaries to abiding in love. God loves everyone, both the Jews and the Gentiles, and He wants everyone to be saved through His son, Jesus. That is why God welcomed the Roman centurion Cornelius as the first non-Jew to become a Christian. The reading tells us how God also allowed the Gentiles who heard Peter’s speech to receive the same Holy Spirit and His gifts that Peter’s Jewish audience had received on the day of Pentecost. 

Today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 98) also directs our attention toward God’s marvelous love and kindness in offering salvation to the whole world. In the second reading, John defines God as love and explains that He expressed His love for mankind by sending His son to die for us humans “as expiation for our sins.” This Divine love gives us the command as well as duty to love one another as we have been loved by God. Since God has loved us first, we can and should love God in return, love ourselves properly, and love one another. 

After telling the parable of the vine and branches, Jesus, in today’s Gospel, teaches the disciples that are to obey his commandment of love just as Jesus has obeyed his Heavenly Father’s will by fulfilling His commandments and remaining inseparably bonded with his Father. Jesus’ unconditional, forgiving, selfless, sacrificial love for us must be the criterion of our love for others. The highest expression of this love is our willingness to lay down our lives as Jesus did, for people who don’t deserve it. The goal and result of our abiding in love, in God, will be perfect joy. Jesus no longer calls us slaves but now calls us “friends.” He tells us that he has chosen us, and that, if we use Jesus’ name, we can ask the Father for anything.

Life messages:

# 1: We need to cultivate an abiding and loving friendship with Jesus and to express it in our relationships with others by loving them and showing them trust, faithfulness, equality, forgiveness, joy and sacrifice.

#2: We need to be persons for others: Jesus demonstrated the love of God, his Father, for us by living for us and dying for us. Hence, as Jesus’ disciples, we are to be persons for others, sacrificing our time, talents and lives for others. This is what parents spontaneously do, sacrificing themselves, their time, talents, health, and wealth for their children, or in other words, by spending themselves for their children. The most effective way of communicating God’s love to others is by treating everyone as a friend, giving everyone the respect he or she deserves. Let us remember that Christ’s own love was not limited to the people he liked and, hence, that we should close our minds to thoughts of revenge.

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