The Word On Sunday: A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS TO THE UPRIGHT

Thursday 2 February 2023

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS TO THE UPRIGHT

Readings for February 5, 2023

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time /A
Lectionary: 73

Il-Ħames Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1 ISAIAH 58:7-10

Thus says the LORD: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am! If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.

QARI 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Iżaija 58:7-10

Dan jgħid il-Mulej: “Mhux dan is-sawm li jiena rrid, li taqsam ħobżok ma’ min hu bil-ġuħ, u ddaħħal f’darek lill-imsejken bla saqaf? Mhux li tlibbes lil min tara għarwien, u n-nies ta’ darek ma tinsihomx? Imbagħad ifeġġ bħaż-żerniq id-dawl tiegħek, u malajr tagħlaqlek il-ġerħa tiegħek.Quddiemek timxi l-ġustizzja tiegħek, u l-glorja tal-Mulej timxi warajk. Jekk biss issejjaħlu, iwieġeb il-Mulej; jekk tgħajjatlu, jgħidlek: ‘Hawn jien!’. Jekk tneħħi minn nofsok il-moħqrija, ma tmiddx subgħek u ma tagħmilx deni bi lsienek, jekk int qalbek toħroġ għall-imġewwaħ, u xxabba’ qalb l-imnikket, imbagħad id-dawl tiegħek ifiġġ fid-dlam, u s-swied tiegħek ikun bħan-nofsinhar”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
R. The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.

He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
R. The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.

His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
His justice shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.

SALM RESPONSORJALI Salm 111(112):4-5,6-7,8a,9

R/. (4a): Dawl fid-dlam ifeġġ għat-tajbin.

Dawl fid-dlam ifeġġ għat-tajbin;
twajjeb u ħanin il-bniedem sewwa.
Tajjeb il-bniedem li jħenn u jislef,
li jmexxi ħwejġu bir-reqqa. R/.

Għax il-bniedem ġust qatt ma jitfixkel;
għal dejjem tibqa’ t-tifkira tiegħu.
Xejn ma jibża’ minn aħbar ħażina;
qalbu qawwija bit-tama tal-Mulej. R/.

Qalbu qawwija, m’għandux mniex jibża’.
Iqassam u jagħti lill-foqra;
għal dejjem tibqa’ l-ġustizzja tiegħu;
rasu merfugħa bil-ġieħ. R/.

Reading 2               1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-5

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of Spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

QARI 2                 mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 2:1-5

Meta jiena wasalt għandkom, ħuti, ma ġejtx inħabbrilkom il-Misteru ta’ Alla bi kliem kbir jew għaref. Ma ppretendejtx li kont naf xi ħaġa fostkom, ħlief lil Ġesù Kristu, u lil dan imsallab. Jiena ġejt għandkom dgħajjef, imbażża’ u mriegħed. Il-kelma u l-predikazzjoni tiegħi ma kinux imlibbsa bil-kliem qawwi tal-għerf, imma bil-wiri tal-Ispirtu u l-qawwa, sabiex il-fidi tagħkom tinbena mhux fuq l-għerf tal-bniedem, imma fuq il-qawwa ta’ Alla. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel               MATTHEW 5:13-16

Jesus said to his disciples: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."

EVANĠELJU               Qari skond San Mattew 5:13-16

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Intom il-melħ tal-art. Imma jekk il-melħ jaqta’, biex jerġa’ jieħu t-togħma? Ma jibqa’ tajjeb għal xejn iżjed ħlief biex jintrema barra u jintrifes min-nies. Intom id-dawl tad-dinja. Belt li tkun qiegħda fuq muntanja ma tistax tinħeba. Anqas ma jixegħlu l-musbieħ u jqegħduh taħt is-siegħ, iżda fuq l-imnara, u hekk idawwal lil kull min ikun fid-dar. Hekk għandu jiddi d-dawl tagħkom quddiem il-bnedmin, biex jaraw l-għemejjel tajba tagħkom u jagħtu glorja lil Missierkom li hu fis-smewwiet”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

///////////////////////////////////////////////

Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr. Anthony Kadavil

BEING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Introduction:

The common theme of Sunday’s three readings is our two-fold mission to the world, to be salt and to be the light of a city built on a hilltop.

Scripture lessons summarized:

In our first reading, the Lord God through His prophet Isaiah gives us examples of how we are to allow the light of God to shine through us. “Share your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. Then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday” (58:7, 10).

The refrain for today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps.112), reminds us that “The just man is a light in the darkness to the upright.” St. Paul, in the second reading, tells us that our proclamation of Faith will carry the Spirit and His power when we rely on the power and wisdom of God. Using two simple metaphors of salt and the light of a city on a mountaintop in today’s Gospel, Jesus outlines the role of Christians in this world.

As a symbol of purity, salt was the common ingredient in sacrifices offered to God by Jews and pagans. In the ancient world, salt was the commonest of all preservatives, used to prevent the putrefaction of meat, fish, and fruits in pickles. Salt lends flavour to food items and was used to season and preserve food. A light is something which is meant to be seen. A lamp or light is a guide to make clear the way. A light serves also as a warning (e.g., red traffic lights which tell us to halt when there is danger ahead).

Finally, light, particularly the sun’s, gives warmth and heat.

Life messages:

1) We need to be the salt of the earth:
   a) As salt is a symbol of purity, used in sacrifices, the Christian must be an example of purity in speech, in conduct, and even in thought.
   b) As salt is an antiseptic and healing agent, the Christian must have a certain antiseptic influence on life and society, defeating corruption, fighting against injustice and making it easier for others to avoid sin.
   c) As salt preserves foods, we need to preserve the religious Faith, Christian cultural values, and moral principles which Jesus has given us, and to work at reconciling quarreling factions in families and communities.
   d) As salt is a food-flavoring agent, we need to add flavor to the lives of desperate people through outreach programs, which give meaning to their lives, boost their morale, offer them occasions to help others, and provide hope where there is none.

2) We need to be the light of the world: The second role of Christians is to receive the light of Christ and radiate it to everyone as love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, humble service, and respect for those with different ethnic backgrounds, different lifestyles, other faiths, or with no faith at all. As guiding light in darkness, our duty is to show the correct and safe way and to illuminate it with Christ’s Light, thus removing the darkness caused by hatred, prejudice, spite, and jealousy.

As a warning light, it is the Christian’s duty to give timely and loving warning of physical and moral danger to fellow Christians.

As a warming light, our duty is to warm the cold hearts of others with warm, and affectionate words and deeds.

//////////////////////////////////////     © 2023, Fr. Anthony Kadavil - https://frtonyshomilies.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

No comments:

Post a Comment

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT....

////// ////// ////// “ THE LIFE OF A SHEEP” //// //// ///// ///// “I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” —John 10:11 “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me.” —John 10:14 ///// Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and we are His sheep. To be called a sheep is not a compliment. Sheep are sheepish, that is, backward and timid. Sheep can’t even eat grass without destroying the field where the grass grows. That’s one of the reasons they need shepherds to move them elsewhere. When Jesus called us “sheep,” He implied that we weren’t just weak but helpless. Apart from Him we can do nothing (Jn 15:5). We sheep, who are so helpless, have a hard time living under the easiest circumstances. What will we do in difficult and dangerous circumstances? Thieves are coming “only to steal and slaughter and destroy” us (Jn 10:10). Wolves are trying to snatch, scatter, and kill us (Jn 10:12). Some of these wolves are in sheep’s clothing (Mt 7:15), so some of those we consider our friends are actually our enemies. Furthermore, some of our shepherds upon whom we are counting to protect us are merely hired hands who will abandon us and leave us to be slaughtered (Jn 10:12). We sheep are simple, weak, and in a “heap of trouble.” Our only Hope is Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Follow Jesus. ///// PRAYER: Jesus, Good Shepherd, lead me through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps 23:4, RSV-CE). ///// PROMISE: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us in letting us be called children of God! Yet that is what we are.” —1 Jn 3:1 ///// PRAISE: Praise Jesus, Who holds “the keys of death and the nether world” (Rv 1:18). Praise You, Good Shepherd, that no one can snatch us out of Your hand (Jn 10:28). Alleluia forever! ///// /////// /////// (From a reflection by a member of the editorial team of the late Fr Al Lauer's Presentation Ministries) ///////

THIS MONTH'S POPE VIDEO... (click image below to see video)

IN UNION WITH THE POPE AND THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH - let us pray for the Pope's Intentions for this month of APRIL ----- ------ ------- Many women are treated as “something to get rid of.” “There are countries where women are forbidden to access aid, open a business, or go to school.” Did you know this is still happening in the 21st century? It’s time to act! In a new Pope Video intention, produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, Pope Francis emphasizes the importance that “governments need to commit to eliminate discriminatory laws everywhere and to work toward guaranteeing women’s human rights.” 🙏 Let us pray together “that the dignity and worth of women be recognized in every culture, and for an end to the discrimination they face.