"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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Friday 10 September 2021

PRACTICE TRUE RELIGION

 Readings for Sunday, September 12th, 2021 -Year/Sena       


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                    
                                                                                                                                                  Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time  /  Lectionary: 131

L-Erbgħa u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

 

Reading 1           ISAIAH 50:5-9a


The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help,therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let that man confront me. See the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?

QARI 1           mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Iżaija 50:5-9a

Sidi l-Mulej fetaħli widinti, u jiena ma webbistx rasi, ma rġajtx lura. Tajt dahri lil dawk li kienu jsawtuni, ħaddejja lil dawk li kienu jnittfuli lħiti; ma ħbejtx wiċċi mit-tagħjir u l-bżieq. Sidi l-Mulej jgħinni, għalhekk ma nitħawwadx; għalhekk għamilt wiċċi bħaż-żnied: jien naf li ma jkollix mniex nistħi. Dak li jagħmel ġustizzja miegħi jinsab fil-qrib. Min se jeħodha miegħi? Ħa noqogħdu għall-ħaqq flimkien! Min hu kontrija? Ħa jersaq lejja! Ara, Sidi l-Mulej jgħinni: min se jagħtini t-tort? Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.


Responsorial Psalm          PSALM 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

I love the LORD because he has heard
my voice in supplication,
Because he has inclined his ear to me
the day I called.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

The cords of death encompassed me;
the snares of the netherworld seized upon me;
I fell into distress and sorrow,
And I called upon the name of the LORD,
“O LORD, save my life!”
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

Gracious is the LORD and just;
yes, our God is merciful.
The LORD keeps the little ones;
I was brought low, and he saved me.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
.
For he has freed my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

SALM RESPONSORJALI           Salm 1 4(116):1-2,3-4,5-6,8-9

R/.(9): Jien nimxi quddiem il-Mulej f’art il-ħajjin.

Inħobb il-Mulej,
għax sama’ leħen it-tħannin tiegħi;
għaliex hu tani widen
fil-jum li fih sejjaħtlu. R/.

Il-ħbula tal-mewt dawruni,
l-irbit tal-imwiet ħakimni;
fin-niket u l-hemm sibt ruħi.
Imma isem il-Mulej sejjaħt:
“Mulej, nitolbok, salvani!”. R/.

Ħanin il-Mulej, u ġust;
twajjeb hu Alla tagħna.
Iħares id-dgħajfa l-Mulej;
jien kont magħkus, u hu ħelisni. R/.

Għax mill-mewt ħelisli ’l ħajti,
lil għajnejja mid-dmugħ
u ’l riġlejja mit-tfixkil.
Jien nimxi quddiem il-Mulej
f’art il-ħajjin.
R/.

Reading 2           JAMES 2:14-18

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, ” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.

QARI 2             mill-Ittra ta’ San Ġakbu Appostlu  2:14-18
X’jiswa, ħuti, li wieħed jgħid li għandu l-fidi jekk ma jurihiex fl-għemil tiegħu? Jaqaw tista’ ssalvah din il-fidi? Jekk ħuk jew oħtok ma jkollhomx x’jilbsu u jonqoshom l-ikel ta’ kuljum, u wieħed minnkom jgħidilhom: “Morru bis-sliem, isħnu u kulu sa tixbgħu”, bla ma jagħtihom dak li hu meħtieġ għall-ġisem, dan x’jiswa? Hekk ukoll il-fidi: jekk tkun weħidha u ma jkollhiex l-għemil, tkun mejta fiha nfisha. Imma xi ħadd jista’ jgħid: “Int għandek il-fidi, u jiena l-għemil”. Urini l-fidi tiegħek mingħajr l-għemil, u jien nurik il-fidi tiegħi mill-għemil tiegħi. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.


Gospel           MARK 8:27-35

Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply,“John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”

EVANĠELJU           Qari skont San Mark :27-35

F’dak iż-żmien, telaq Ġesù flimkien mad-dixxipli tiegħu lejn l-irħula ta’ Ċesarija ta’ Filippu. Huma u mexjin, lid-dixxipli tiegħu għamlilhom din il-mistoqsija: “Min jgħidu n-nies li jien?”. Weġbuh u qalulu: “Ġwanni l-Battista; oħrajn, Elija; u oħrajn, wieħed mill-profeti”. Staqsiehom: “Imma intom, min tgħidu li jien?”.Qabeż Pietru u qallu: “Inti l-Messija”. Imbagħad ordnalhom ħafna biex ma jitkellmu ma’ ħadd fuqu. U beda jgħallimhom fuq li kien meħtieġ li Bin il-bniedem ibati ħafna, ikun miċħud mill-anzjani u mill-qassisin il-kbar u l-kittieba, joqtluh, u wara tlitt ijiem jerġa’ jqum. Fuq dan kellimhom ċar. Pietru ġibdu lejh u beda jlumu. Iżda hu dar iħares lejn id-dixxipli tiegħu, u ċanfar lil Pietru u qallu: “Itlaq minn quddiemi, ja xitan, għax m’intix taħseb fil-ħwejjeġ ta’ Alla, imma f’dawk tal-bnedmin!”. Sejjaħ lejh in-nies flimkien mad-dixxipli tiegħu u qalilhom: “Jekk xi ħadd irid jiġi warajja, għandu jiċħad lilu nnifsu, jerfa’ salibu, u jimxi warajja. Għax min irid isalva ħajtu, jitlifha; imma min jitlef ħajtu għall-imħabba tiegħi u tal-Evanġelju, isalvaha. Għax x’jiswielu l-bniedem jekk jikseb id-dinja kollha u mbagħad jitlef ħajtu?”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.


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Eight-minute  Gospel reflection by Fr Antony Kadavil   

THE BASIS OF OUR FAITH

Introduction:

Sunday’s Gospel explains the basis of our Faith as our acceptance of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God and our Lord and Saviour. It also tells us that Christ Jesus suffered, died and rose again to become our Savior. Finally, it outlines the three conditions of Christian discipleship, namely, denying oneself, taking up one’s cross, and following Jesus.

Scripture lessons:

Jesus saw aspects of His own life and mission foreshadowed in Isaiah’s Servant Songs. Hence, a large portion of the Third Song of the Suffering Servant is presented as the first reading today, while in the Gospel, Jesus foretells the passion, death and Resurrection for the first time, in response to Peter’s profession of Faith in him as God’s Messiah and Saviour. 

Like the servant described in today’s first reading, Jesus’ lived a life of radical obedience and conformity to God’s will. Thus, the Servant passage provides background for the revelation of Jesus as the suffering Messiah. In today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 116), the Psalmist invites us to turn to the Lord for help amidst the trials of this world.  It is in God that we will find deliverance from trouble and relief from our afflictions.  (Ps 116). 

Today’s second reading, taken from the Letter of James to the Church, reminds us that suffering is not only something to be accepted but also something to be alleviated. James explains how our Faith in Jesus, the Messiah, should help us to alleviate the sufferings of others by our works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual. In the Gospel, in response to Peter’s profession of Faith in Jesus as God’s Messiah and Saviour, Jesus foretells for the first of three times the passion, death and Resurrection which lie ahead. Today’s Gospel consists of two sections: 

 1) the Messianic confession of Peter, who acknowledged Jesus as “the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God.” and 

2) Jesus’ prediction of the passion, death and Resurrection, followed by Jesus clear teaching on the three conditions of Christian discipleship: “Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.”

Life Messages:

1) Jesus wants to become a living, present Reality for us, loving us, forgiving us, helping us, transforming our lives and outlook, and building a personal relationship with each of us. The knowledge of Jesus as Lord and personal Saviour needs to become a living, personal experience for each Christian drawing each of us to loving response. 

The relationship deepens and grows as we listen to Jesus through the daily, meditative reading of the Bible, speak to Jesus in our daily, personal and family prayers, offer Jesus our lives on the altar in the Holy Mass and seek reconciliation with Jesus, asking forgiveness for our sins every night and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In Sunday's Eucharistic celebration, we are celebrating and experiencing in our lives the death and Resurrection of Christ, the Messiah, our Lord and personal Saviour.  

2)  We need to surrender our life to Jesus Whom we experience as our Lord and Savior: The next step is the surrender of our lives to Jesus Whose love we have experienced by rendering humble and loving service to others with the strong conviction that Jesus is present in every person. The final step is to praise and thank God in all the events of our lives, good and bad, realizing that God’s love shapes every event of our lives.

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