Lectionary: 27
It-Tieni Ħadd tar-Randan
Reading 1 GENESIS 15:5-12, 17-18
The Lord God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. He then said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” “O Lord GOD,” he asked, “how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He answered him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him. When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”
Qari 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 15:5-12,17-18
F’dak
iż-żmien, il-Mulej ħareġ lil Abram ’il barra u qallu: “Ħares sewwa lejn
is-smewwiet u għodd il-kwiekeb, jekk għandek ħila tgħoddhom”. U żied
jgħidlu: “Hekk għad ikun nislek”. U Abram emmen fil-Mulej, u dan
għaddhulu b’ġustizzja. U qallu: “Jiena l-Mulej li ħriġtek minn Ur
tal-Kaldin, biex nagħtik din l-art b’wirt”. U qallu Abram: “Sidi Mulej,
kif inkun naf li se niritha?”. U wieġbu: “Ħudli għoġla ta’ tliet snin,
mogħża ta’ tliet snin, muntun ta’ tliet snin, gamiema u ħamiema”. U
ħadlu dawn kollha, u qasamhom min-nofs, u kull nofs qiegħdu biswit
l-ieħor; imma l-għasafar ma qasamhomx. U niżlu l-għasafar tal-priża għal
fuq l-iġsma mejtin, imma Abram gerrixhom lura. Hi u nieżla x-xemx waqa’
fuq Abram ngħas qawwi, u waqgħu fuqu biża’ u dalma kbira. Meta x-xemx
kienet niżlet u kien dalam, kenur idaħħan u lsien nar iżiġġ qasmu minn
bejn il-bċejjeċ tal-laħam. Dakinhar il-Mulej għamel patt ma’ Abram u
qallu: “Lil nislek nagħti din l-art, mix-xmara tal-Eġittu sax-xmara
l-kbira, ix-xmara tal-Ewfrat”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Responsorial Psalm PSALM 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Salm Responsorjali Salm 26(27):1,7-8,9,13-14
R/.(1): Il-Mulej id-dawl u s-salvazzjoni tiegħi.
Il-Mulej id-dawl u s-salvazzjoni tiegħi,
minn min għandi nibża’?
Il-Mulej hu l-kenn tiegħi,
quddiem min għandi nitwerwer? R/.
Isma’, Mulej, leħen l-għajta tiegħi,
ħenn għalija u weġibni.
“Ejja”, għedt f’qalbi, “fittex ’il wiċċu!”.
Jien wiċċek infittex, Mulej. R/.
La taħbix wiċċek minni,
la twarrabx bl-herra l-qaddej tiegħek.
Inti l-għajnuna tiegħi,
tħallinix u titlaqnix,
Alla tas-salvazzjoni tiegħi. R/.
Nemmen li għad nara t-tjieba tal-Mulej
f’art il-ħajjin.
Ittama fil-Mulej, żomm sħiħ u qawwi qalbek,
ittama fil-Mulej. R/.
Reading 2 PHILIPPIANS 3:17—4:1
Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us. For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.” Their minds are occupied with earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord.
Qari 2 mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl lill-Filippin 3:17–4:1
Ħuti,
ixbhu lili, u ħarsu lejn dawk li jimxu skont l-eżempju li rajtu fina.
Għaliex hawn ħafna – dan għedthulkom bosta drabi, imma issa ntennihulkom
bid-dmugħ f’għajnejja – li jġibu ruħhom bħal għedewwa tas-salib ta’
Kristu. It-telfien għad ikun tmiemhom; alla tagħhom hu żaqqhom, jiftaħru
b’dak li jmisshom jistħu minnu, u moħħhom biss fil-ħwejjeġ tad-dinja.
Imma aħna pajżani tas-sema; minn hemm bil-ħerqa nistennewh jiġi,
is-Salvatur tagħna Sidna Ġesù Kristu. Hu għad irid ibiddlilna l-ġisem
imsejken tagħna fis-sura tal-ġisem glorjuż tiegħu, bil-qawwa tas-setgħa
li għandu li jġib kollox taħtu. Għalhekk, intom, ħuti, li intom l-għożża
u x-xewqa tiegħi, ferħ u kuruna tiegħi, żommu sħiħ fil-Mulej, maħbubin
tiegħi.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Gospel LUKE 9:28b-36
Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.
Evanġelju Qari skont San Luqa 9:28b-36
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù ħa miegħu lil Pietru, lil Ġwanni u lil Ġakbu, u tala’ fuq il-muntanja biex jitlob. U ġara li huwa u jitlob, id-dehra ta’ wiċċu tbiddlet u l-ilbiesi tiegħu saru ta’ bjuda li tgħammex. U kien hemm żewġt irġiel jitħaddtu miegħu, Mosè u Elija, li dehru fil-glorja, jitħaddtu fuq it-tmiem ta’ ħajtu li kellu jseħħ f’Ġerusalemm. Pietru u sħabu kienu mejtin bin-ngħas, imma baqgħu mqajmin sewwa, u raw il-glorja tiegħu u ż-żewġt irġiel li kienu miegħu. Xħin dawn it-tnejn kienu se jinfirdu minnu, Pietru qal lil Ġesù: “Mgħallem, kemm hu sew li aħna hawn! Ħa ntellgħu tliet tined, waħda għalik, waħda għal Mosè, u waħda għal Elija”. Ma kienx jaf x’inhu jgħid. Waqt li kien qiegħed jgħid dan, ġiet sħaba u għattiethom u huma beżgħu kif daħlu fis-sħaba. U minn ġos-sħaba nstama’ leħen jgħid: “Dan hu Ibni l-maħtur, lilu isimgħu!”. Malli nstama’ l-leħen Ġesù sab ruħu waħdu. Huma żammew is-skiet, u għal dawk il-jiem ma qalu xejn lil ħadd minn dak li kienu raw.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
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Eight-minute Gospel reflection by Fr Antony Kadavil
METAMORPHOSIS
Introduction:
The common theme of Sunday’s readings is metamorphosis or transformation. The readings invite us to work with the Holy Spirit to transform our lives by renewing them during Lent so that they radiate the glory and grace of the transfigured Lord to all around us by our Spirit-filled lives. (An anecdote may be added here as a homily starter)
Scripture lessons summarized:
The first reading describes the transformation of Abram, a pagan patriarch, into a believer in the one God (Who would later “transform” Abram’s name to Abraham), and the first covenant of God with Abraham’s family as a reward for Abraham’s Faith and obedience to God. The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 27) declares that Faith, singing, “I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living.”
In the second reading, St. Paul argues that it is not observance of the Mosaic Law and circumcision that transforms people into Christians, and hence, that Gentiles need not become Jews to become Christians. St. Paul urges us to stand firm in our Faith and to live a life of discipleship with Jesus now, so that we may share in a glorious future later.
In the Transfiguration account in Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus is revealed as a glorious figure, superior to Moses and Elijah. The primary purpose of Jesus’ Transfiguration was to allow Him to consult his Heavenly Father in order to ascertain His plan for His Son’s suffering, death, and Resurrection. The secondary aim was to make Jesus’ chosen disciples aware of his Divine glory, so that they might discard their worldly ambitions and dreams of a conquering political Messiah and might be strengthened in their time of trial.
On the mountain, Jesus is identified by the Heavenly Voice as the Son of God. Thus, the Transfiguration experience is a Christophany, that is, a manifestation or revelation of Who Jesus really is. Describing Jesus’ Transfiguration, the Gospel gives us a glimpse of the Heavenly glory awaiting those who do God’s will by putting their trusting Faith in Him.
Life messages:
(1) The “transfiguration” in the Holy Mass is the source of our strength: In each Holy Mass, the bread and wine we offer on the altar become “transfigured” or transformed (transubstanted) into the living Body and Blood soul and Divinity of the crucified, risen, and glorified Jesus. Just as Jesus’ Transfiguration was meant to strengthen the apostles in their time of trial, each holy Mass should be our source of Heavenly strength against temptations, and for our Lenten renewal.
(2) Each time we receive one of the Sacraments, we are transformed: For example, Baptism transforms us into sons and daughters of God and heirs of heaven. Confirmation makes us temples of the Holy Spirit and warriors of God. By the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God brings back the sinner to the path of holiness.
(3) The Transfiguration of Jesus offers us a message of encouragement and hope: In moments of doubt and during our dark moments of despair and hopelessness, the thought of our own transfiguration in Heaven will help us to reach out to God and to listen to His consoling words to Jesus: “This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased — listen to Him!” and so share the glory of His transfiguration.
4) We need “mountain-top experiences” in our lives: We share the mountain-top experience of Peter, James, and John when we spend extra time in prayer during Lent. Fasting for one day can help the body to store up spiritual energy. This spiritual energy can help us have thoughts that are far higher and nobler than our usual mundane thinking.
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