Readings for Sunday, April 17h, 2022
Easter Sunday The Resurrection of the Lord
Lectionary: 42
L-Għid il-Kbir tal-Qawmien tal-Mulej mill-Imwiet
Solennità - Quddiesa tal-Jum
Reading 1 ACTS 10:34a, 37-43
Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Qari 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 10, 34a.37-43
F’dak iż-żmien, Pietru qabad jitkellem u qal: “Intom tafu b’dak li ġara mal-Lhudija kollha, ibda mill-Galilija, wara li Ġwanni kien xandar il-magħmudija; tafu kif Alla kkonsagra lil Ġesù ta’ Nazaret bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u bil-qawwa, u kif dan Ġesù għadda jagħmel il-ġid u jfejjaq lil dawk kollha li kienu maħkuma mix-xitan, għax Alla kien miegħu. U aħna xhud ta’ dak kollu li hu għamel fl-art tal-Lhudija u f’Ġerusalemm. Tawh il-mewt billi dendluh mal-għuda tas-salib; imma Alla qajmu mill-imwiet fit-tielet jum u għamel li hu jidher, mhux lil kulħadd, imma lix-xhieda li Alla għażel minn qabel, lilna, li miegħu kilna u xrobna wara l-qawmien tiegħu mill-imwiet. Lilna ordnalna biex inxandruh lill-poplu u nixhdu li dan hu dak li Alla għamlu mħallef tal-ħajjin u tal-mejtin. Il-profeti kollha jixhdu għalih u jgħidu li kull min jemmen fih jaqla’ l-maħfra tad-dnubiet bis-saħħa ta’ ismu”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Responsorial Psalm PSALM 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. or: R Alleluia.
“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.”
R This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. or: R Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
It is wonderful in our eyes.
R This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. or: R Alleluia.
Salm Responsorjali Salm 117 (118), 1-2.16ab-17. 22-23
R/. (24): Dan hu l-jum li għamel il-Mulej; ħa nifirħu u nithennew fih. Hallelujah
Faħħru lill-Mulej, għaliex hu tajjeb,
għax għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu!
Ħa jgħidu wlied Iżrael:
“Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu”. R/.
Il-leminija tal-Mulej ’il fuq merfugħa,
il-leminija tal-Mulej għamlet ħwejjeġ ta’ ħila!
Ma mmutx, imma nibqa’ ngħix,
u nħabbar l-għemejjel tal-Mulej. R/.
Il-ġebla li warrbu l-bennejja
saret il-ġebla tax-xewka.
Bis-saħħa tal-Mulej seħħ dan:
ħaġa tal-għaġeb f’għajnejna. R/.
Reading 2 COLOSSIANS 3:1-4
Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.
Or: 1 CORINTHIANS 5:6b-8
Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
QARI 2 mill-Ittra lill-Kolossin 3, 1-4
Ħuti, jekk intom irxuxtajtu ma’ Kristu, fittxu l-ħwejjeġ tas-sema, fejn Kristu qiegħed fuq il-lemin ta’ Alla. Aħsbu fil-ħwejjeġ tas-sema, mhux f’dawk tal-art. Għax intom mittu, imma ħajjitkom hi moħbija flimkien ma’ Kristu f’Alla. Meta jidher Kristu, li hu l-ħajja tagħkom, imbagħad intom ukoll tidhru flimkien miegħu fil-glorja.
Jew : mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 5, 6b-8
Ħuti, ma tafux li ftit ħmira ttalla’ l-għaġna kollha? Tnaddfu mill-ħmira l-qadima ħalli tkunu għaġna ġdida, kif intom bla ħmira. Il-Ħaruf tal-Għid tagħna, li hu Kristu, hu maqtul! Nagħmlu festa, mhux bil-ħmira l-qadima, anqas bil-ħmira tal-qerq u tal-ħażen, imma bil-ħobż bla ħmira tas-safa u tas-sewwa.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Sequence (Victimae paschali laudes)
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Sekwenza
Ħa jgħollu l-insara b’tifħirhom
il-Vittma tal-Għid:
għax feda l-Ħaruf in-nagħaġ tiegħu
mill-jasar tal-mewt;
Ġesù raġa’ ħabbeb il-midneb
ma’ Alla l-Missier.
F’taqbida tal-għaġeb mal-Ħajja
inqerdet il-Mewt;
u qam Sid il-ħajja mill-qabar,
isaltan rebbieħ.
“Għidilna, Marija, ħabbrilna:
fit-triq lil min rajt?”
“Jien rajt qabar Kristu li rxoxta
fis-sebħ tal-qawmien;
rajt l-Anġli li ġew jagħtu xhieda,
il-faxxa, il-liżar.
Irxoxta mill-mewt Kristu Sidi,
li fih ittamajt!
Mar hu l-Galilija qabilkom:
hemmhekk se tarawh”.
Gospel JOHN 20:1-9
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.
EVANGELJU Qari skont San Ġwann 20, 1-9
Kien l-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, filgħodu kmieni kif kien għadu d-dlam, u Marija ta’ Magdala ġiet ħdejn il-qabar u rat il-blata mneħħija mill-qabar. Għalhekk telqet tiġri għand Xmun Pietru u għand id-dixxiplu l-ieħor li kien iħobb Ġesù, u qaltilhom: “Qalgħu lill-Mulej mill-qabar, u ma nafux fejn qegħduh!”. Pietru u d-dixxiplu l-ieħor ħarġu u ġew ħdejn il-qabar. It-tnejn ġrew flimkien, imma d-dixxiplu l-ieħor ħaffef aktar minn Pietru u laħaq qablu ħdejn il-qabar. Tbaxxa, u ra l-faxex tal-għażel imqiegħda hemm, iżda ma daħalx. Imbagħad wasal warajh Xmun Pietru, daħal fil-qabar, u ra l-faxex tal-għażel imqiegħda hemm, u l-maktur li kien madwar rasu; dan ma kienx mal-faxex, imma mitwi u mqiegħed f’post għalih. Imbagħad id-dixxiplu l-ieħor, li kien wasal l-ewwel ħdejn il-qabar, daħal hu wkoll, ra, u emmen. Sa dakinhar kienu għadhom ma fehmux l-Iskrittura li tgħid li kellu jqum mill-imwiet. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
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THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EASTER
“Easter” literally means “the feast of fresh flowers.” Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church for four reasons:
1) The Resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian Faith. It is the greatest of the miracles, for it proves that Jesus is God. That is why St. Paul writes: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your Faith is in vain” (I Cor 15:14). “Jesus is Lord, He is risen” (Rom 10:9), was the central theme of the kerygma (or “preaching”), of the Apostles
2) Easter is the guarantee of our own resurrection. Jesus assured Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me will live even though he dies…” (Jn 11:25-26).
3) Easter is a feast which gives us hope and encouragement in this world of pain, sorrows and tears. It reminds us that life is worth living. It also gives us strength to fight against temptations and freedom from unnecessary worries and fears.
4) Easter gives meaning to our prayers: It supports our belief in the Real Presence of the Risen Jesus in and around us, in His Church, in the Blessed Sacrament and in Heaven, hearing our prayers, and so gives meaning to our personal as well as our communal prayers. (An anecdote may be added here)
Reasons why we believe in the Resurrection of Jesus:
(1) Jesus himself testified to his Resurrection from the dead, giving it as a sign of his divinity. (Mark 8:31; Matthew 17:22; Luke 9:22). "Tear down this temple and in three days I will build it again”(Jn 2: 19).
(2) The tomb was empty on Easter Sunday (Luke 24:3). Although the guards claimed (Matthew 28:13), that the disciples of Jesus had stolen the body, every sensible Jew knew that it was impossible for the terrified disciples of Jesus to steal the body of Jesus from a tomb guarded by an armed, 16-member Roman Guard detachment.
(3) The initial disbelief of Jesus’ own disciples in Jesus’ Resurrection, in spite of His repeated apparitions, serves as a strong proof of his Resurrection. Their initial disbelief explains why the Apostles started preaching the Risen Christ only after receiving the anointing of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
(4) The transformation of Jesus’ disciples: Jesus’ Resurrection and the anointing of the Holy Spirit transformed men who were hopeless and fearful after the crucifixion (Luke 24:21, John 20:19), into men who now were confident and bold witnesses to the Resurrection (Acts 2:24, 3:15, 4:2)powerfully preaching the Risen Lord.
(5) Neither the Jews nor the Romans could disprove Jesus’ Resurrection by presenting the dead body of Jesus.
(6) The Apostles and early Christians would not have fearlessly preached Christ as Savior and faced martyrdom if they were not absolutely sure of Jesus’ Resurrection.
(7) The Apostle Paul’s conversion from a persecutor of Christians to a zealous preacher of Jesus supports the truth of Jesus’ Resurrection (Galatians 1:11-17, Acts 9:1, Acts 9:24-25, Acts 26:15-18).
(8) The sheer existence of a thriving, empire-conquering early Christian Church, bravely facing and surviving three centuries of persecution, supports the truth of the Resurrection claim.
(9) The New Testament witnesses do not bear the stamp of dupes or deceivers. The Apostles and the early Christians were absolutely sure about the Resurrection of Jesus.
Life Messages:
1) Let us live the lives of Resurrection people: We are not supposed to lie buried in the tomb of our sins, evil habits, dangerous addictions, despair, discouragement or doubts. Instead, we are expected to live a joyful and peaceful life, constantly experiencing the living presence of the Risen Lord Who loves us in all the events of our lives and amid the boredom, suffering, pain and tensions of our day-to-day life.
2) The conviction of the real presence of the Risen Lord with us and within us and all around us, enables us to lead disciplined Christian lives. It will help us to control our thoughts, desires, words, behavior and actions.
3) This salutary awareness of the presence of the Risen Lord within us inspires us to honor our bodies, keeping them holy, pure and free from evil habits and addictions. Our conviction that the loving presence of the Risen Lord dwells in our neighbors and in all those we encounter, should encourage us to respect them and to render them loving, humble and selfless service.
4) We need to become transparent Christians, radiating the Risen Lord around us in the form of selfless and sacrificial agape love, mercy, compassion and a spirit of humble service. each time we try to practice Christian charity, mercy and forgiveness and each time we fight against temptations, we share in the Resurrection of Jesus. (L/22)
May the Risen Lord be a living experience to you, pervading every area of your life, blessing you, strengthening you, inspiring you, guiding you and supporting you
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