Lectionary: 67
It-Tielet Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena
First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the end he has glorified the seaward road, the land west of the Jordan, the District of the Gentiles. Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness: for there is no gloom where but now there was distress. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as people make merry when dividing spoils. For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
QARI 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Iżaija 8:23b–9:3
Alla
bħalma qabel fl-imgħoddi kien mela bl-għajb l-art ta’ Żebulun u l-art
ta’ Naftali, hekk issa fl-aħħar isebbaħ it-triq tal-baħar ’l hemm
mill-Ġordan, il-Galilija tal-ġnus. Il-poplu li kien miexi fid-dlam ra
dawl kbir; in-nies li joqogħdu f’art id-dlam dawl idda fuqhom. Int
kattart il-ġens, kabbart l-hena; huma ferħu quddiemek, bħalma jifirħu fi
żmien il-ħsad, bħalma jifirħu fi qsim il-priża. Għax il-madmad li kien
itaqqlu, u l-ħatar ta’ fuq spallejh, u l-bastun tal-argużin, int
kissirthom bħal f’jum Midjan. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Responsorial Psalm PSAlM 27:1, 4, 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.
One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
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):1,4,13-14
R/. (1a): 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/.
Ħaġa waħda tlabt lill-Mulej,
ħaġa waħda nfittex:
li ngħammar f’dar il-Mulej
tul il-jiem kollha ta’ ħajti;
biex nitgħaxxaq bil-ħlewwa tal-Mulej
jien u nħares lejn it-tempju tiegħu. 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 1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-13, 17
I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose. For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you. I mean that each of you is saying, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.
QARI 2 mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 1:10-13,17
Nitlobkom,
ħuti, f’isem Sidna Ġesù Kristu, biex tkunu taqblu fi kliemkom u ma
jkunx hemm firdiet fostkom. Kunu magħqudin kif imiss, ħsieb wieħed u
fehma waħda. Ħuti, in-nies ta’ Kloji qaluli fuqkom li fostkom hemm
it-tilwim: irrid ngħid jien, li kull wieħed minnkom qiegħed jgħid:
“Jiena ta’ Pawlu”, “U jiena ta’ Apollo”, “U jiena ta’ Kefa”, “U jiena
ta’ Kristu”. Jaqaw Kristu mifrud? Forsi Pawlu kien li ssallab għalikom
jew f’isem Pawlu tgħammidtu? Kristu ma bagħatnix biex ngħammed iżda biex
inxandar l-Evanġelju, mhux bi kliem l-għerf sabiex ma jiġix fix-xejn
is-salib ta’ Kristu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Gospel MATTHEW 4:12-23
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.
EVANĠELJU Qari skond San Mattew 4:12-23
Meta Ġesù sama’ li kienu arrestaw lil Ġwanni, warrab lejn il-Galilija. Telaq minn Nażaret u mar joqgħod Kafarnahum, qrib il-baħar, fl-inħawi ta’ Żebulun u Naftali, biex hekk iseħħ dak li kien ingħad permezz tal-profeta Iżaija, meta qal: “Art ta’ Żebulun, u art ta’ Naftali, it-triq tal-baħar, art ’il hemm mill-Ġordan, Galilija tal-ġnus! Il-poplu li kien qiegħed fid-dlam ra dawl kbir; dawk li kienu f’art u dell il-mewt idda dawl għalihom”. Minn dak iż-żmien Ġesù beda jxandar u jgħid: “Indmu għax is-Saltna tas-Smewwiet waslet”. Huwa u jdur ma’ xatt il-baħar tal-Galilija lemaħ żewġt aħwa, Xmun jgħidulu Pietru, u ħuh Indrì, qegħdin jixħtu x-xbiek fil-baħar, għax kienu sajjieda. U qalilhom: “Ejjew warajja, u nagħmilkom sajjieda tal-bnedmin”. U minnufih telqu x-xbiek, u marru warajh. Wara li mexa minn hemm ra żewġt aħwa oħra, Ġakbu ta’ Żebedew u ħuh Ġwanni, qegħdin fid-dgħajsa ma’ missierhom Żebedew isewwu x-xbiek tagħhom, u sejħilhom. Minnufih telqu d-dgħajsa u lil missierhom, u marru warajh. Ġesù dar il-Galilija kollha jgħallem fis-sinagogi tagħhom, ixandar l-Evanġelju tas-Saltna u jfejjaq kull xorta ta’ mard u dgħufija fost il-poplu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
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Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Fr. Anthony Kadavil
Introduction:
Sunday’s readings show that the early Christians understood how Jesus had fulfilled the expectations of ancient Israel. Describing the humble beginning of the public ministry of Jesus, Sunday’s Scripture readings teach us that Christ has brought us from the darkness of sin into the Light of God (4:16) by calling us to repentance (4:17) and the acceptance of God’s rule over us. (You may add a homily starter anecdote)
Scripture lessons summarized:
The first reading contains the prophetic reference to Christ as the Light that dispels darkness. Matthew wanted his readers to recognize that the Light of which Isaiah spoke had finally appeared with the coming of Jesus. The refrain for Sunday’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 27) reminds us, The Lord is my Light and my Salvation.
The second reading advises the Corinthians to live as children of the Light, avoiding divisions and rivalries, because several factions had arisen among the Corinthian Christians, each claiming allegiance to its first Christian teacher or to a particular Apostle.
In Sunday’s Gospel passage (Mt 4:12-23), Matthew explains that what Isaiah prophesied has been fulfilled through the preaching and healing ministry of Jesus.By his ministry of inviting people to the Kingdom of God through repentance, Jesus has brought Light to peoples living in darkness, thus fulfilling God’s original promise.
In addition, the Gospel describes the call of the first disciples (4:18-22), and Jesus’ own preaching, teaching, and healing ministry which has led people to repent of their sins and accept the Good News of God’s rule (the Kingdom of God). He has also chosen ordinary fishermen with no formal training in Mosaic Law to preach the Good News, and they have been very effective instruments in the hands of the Holy Spirit, continuing Jesus’ mission to the world.
Life messages:
1) We need to appreciate our call to be Christ’s disciples: Every one of us is called by God, both individually and as Church members, to be His disciple. The call is both a privilege and responsibility. The mission of preaching, teaching and healing which Jesus began in Galilee is now the responsibility of the Church and of each individual Christian.
Our response to the call begins with our reception of Baptism and Confirmation, the Sacraments of Initiation. That response is meant to be strengthened through the years by the Eucharist and Reconciliation and to be made manifest in Matrimony or Holy Orders. We are healed and consoled in the Anointing which also prepares us for death. As we respond to Christ’s call, we gain spiritual strength through our personal and family prayers, our Sacramental life and our faithful study of the Bible and the Church’s teachings.
2) We need to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom: When we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, we are sent forth to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom and to defend the Catholic Faith. Each of us Christians has received a unique call to preach the Good News of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation through our daily life.
This call challenges us to rebuild our lives, homes, and communities in the justice and peace that Jesus proclaims. As we continue with the celebration of the Holy Mass, let us ask the Lord Jesus to give us the strength and perseverance to answer his calling, so that we may faithfully serve the Lord, doing His Divine will as best as we can by cooperating with His grace.
////////////////////////////////////// © 2023, Fr. Anthony Kadavil - https://frtonyshomilies.com
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