Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 70
Ir-Raba' Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena
Reading 1 ZEPHENAIAH 2:3; 3:12-13
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who have observed his law; seek justice, seek humility; perhaps you may be sheltered on the day of the LORD's anger. But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; nor shall there be found in their mouths
a deceitful tongue; they shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.
QARI 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Sofonija 2:3; 3:12-13
Fittxu
lill-Mulej ilkoll, intom, l-umli tal-art, li tagħmlu ordnijietu,
fittxu l-ġustizzja, fittxu l-umiltà; biex forsi f’jum il-korla tal-Mulej
ikollkom fejn tistkennu. “U nħalli f’nofsok poplu umli u mċekken”. U
f’isem il-Mulej ifittxu l-kenn dawk li jifdal minn Iżrael. Ma jagħmlux
ħażen, ma jgħidux kliem b’ieħor, u lsien qarrieq ma jibqax iżjed
f’fommhom, hekk li joqogħdu jirgħu u jistrieħu bla ma jbeżżagħhom ħadd.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Responsorial Psalm PSALM 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
SALM RESPONSORJALI Salm 145(146):7,8-9a,9bc-10
R/. (Mt 5:3): Henjin il-foqra fl-ispirtu.
Il-Mulej jagħmel ħaqq lill-maħqurin,
u jagħti l-ħobż lill-imġewħin.
Il-Mulej jeħles lill-imjassrin. R/.
Il-Mulej jiftaħ għajnejn l-għomja;
il-Mulej jerfa’ lill-milwijin;
il-Mulej iħobb lill-ġusti;
il-Mulej iħares lill-barranin. R/.
Hu jżomm lill-iltim u lill-armla,
imma lill-ħżiena jħarbtilhom triqathom.
Il-Mulej isaltan għal dejjem;
Alla tiegħek, Sijon, minn nisel għal nisel. R/.
Reading 2 1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-31
Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord."
QARI 2 mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 1:26-31
Ħuti,
qisu s-sejħa tagħkom: għax mhumiex ħafna fostkom li huma għorrief skond
il-qies tad-dinja; mhumiex ħafna s-setgħana, mhumiex ħafna n-nobbli.
Imma Alla għażel in-nies boloh għad-dinja biex iħawwad l-għorrief;
għażel id-dgħajfa tad-dinja biex iħawwad il-qawwija; għażel il-mistmerra
mid-dinja, u n-nies li ma huma xejn, biex iġib fix-xejn lil dawk li
huma xi ħaġa. Hekk ebda bniedem ma jkun jista’ jiftaħar quddiem Alla.
Minnu li intom tinsabu fi Kristu Ġesù li sar għalina l-għerf mingħand
Alla, ġustizzja, qdusija u fidwa, biex bħalma hu miktub, min jiftaħar,
ħa jiftaħar fil-Mulej. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Gospel MATTHEW 5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."
EVANĠELJU Qari skond San Mattew 5:1-12a
F’dak iż-żmien, kif ra l-folol, Ġesù tala’ fuq il-muntanja, qagħad bilqiegħda, u esqu lejh id-dixxipli tiegħu. Fetaħ fommu u qabad jgħallimhom u jgħid: “Henjin il-foqra fl-ispirtu, għax tagħhom hija s-Saltna tas-Smewwiet. Henjin l-imnikkta, għax huma jkunu mfarrġa. Henjin ta’ qalbhom ħelwa, għax huma jkollhom b’wirthom l-art. Henjin dawk li huma bil-ġuħ u bl-għatx tal-ġustizzja, għax huma jkunu mxebbgħin. Henjin dawk li jħennu, għax huma jsibu ħniena. Henjin dawk li huma safja f’qalbhom,n għax huma jaraw lil Alla. Henjin dawk li jġibu l-paċi, għax huma jissejħu wlied Alla. Henjin dawk li huma ppersegwitati minħabba s-sewwa, għax tagħhom hija s-Saltna tas-Smewwiet. Henjin intom, meta jgħajrukom u jippersegwitawkom u jaqilgħu kull xorta ta’ ħażen u gideb kontra tagħkom minħabba fija. Ifirħu u thennew, għax ħlaskom kbir fis-smewwiet”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
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Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr. Anthony Kadavil
Introduction:
Sunday’s readings define our Christian goal of eternal happiness and explain the attitudes and actions necessary to reach it. They form the outline for Christ-like living, noting the personal qualities expected of a disciple of Jesus and pointing out the way of life to be lived by a disciple.
They show us the values that Christ cares about. In essence, the Beatitudes both fulfill and complete the Ten Commandments which stress the “Thou shalt nots.” But Jesus presents the Beatitudes in a positive sense, as the virtues in life which will ultimately lead to the rewards of salvation – not in this world, but in the next.
Scripture lessons:
Zephaniah, in the first reading, calls the “moral minority” of the Jews of his time “blessed” because they seek justice, humility, truth, and righteousness, thus making a declaration of dependence on God. In the second reading, Paul advises his Corinthian Christians to use their gifts and Heaven-sent blessings for the good of the community because God has chosen to give them life in Jesus, by whom He justified, sanctified and redeemed them.
In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus instructs his disciples in the paradoxical blessedness of poverty, hunger, sorrow, and persecution. In poverty, we recognize God’s reign; in hunger, His providence; in sorrow, true happiness; and in persecution, true joy. In other words, the blessed in Jesus’ list are poor in spirit, compassionate, meek, merciful, clean of heart, peace-makers and those who are willing even to be insulted and persecuted for their lived Faith in him.
Each of the inspired authors of today’s readings, Zephaniah, Paul, and Matthew, “makes a motion,” that each of us should consider making a personal Declaration of Dependence on God and then work with His grace to lead a holier and happier life.
Life messages:
1) We need to respond to the challenge of the Beatitudes in daily life. The Beatitudes propose to us a way of life, inviting us to identify with the poor, those who mourn, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst after justice. They challenge us to be compassionate people, to be men and women who are pure in heart, and to become the peacemakers in our dealings with one another, in our families, and in the society at large, even when this approach to things exposes us to ridicule and persecution.
Let us remember that each time we reach out to help the needy, the sick, and the oppressed, we share with them a foretaste of the promises of the Beatitudes here and now.
2) We need to choose the way wisely. “There are two Ways, one of Life and one of Death, and there is a great difference between the two Ways.” These are the opening lines of the “Didache,” a first century Christian catechism used to teach new Christians the essence of the Christian faith. The way of life is the way of Jesus that leads to eternal life. The challenge of the beatitudes is: “Are you going to be happy in the world’s way or in Christ’s way?” God wants us to live as brothers and sisters who care for one another.
////////////////////////////////////// © 2023, Fr. Anthony Kadavil - https://frtonyshomilies.com
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