THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF TRANSFORMATION

Readings for Sunday, March 5

Second Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 25

It-Tieni Hadd tar-Randan

Reading 1               GENESIS 12:1-4a

The LORD said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you." Abram went as the LORD directed him. 

Qari 1                mill-Ktieb tal-Genesi 12, 1-4a

F’dak iz-zmien, il-Mulej qal lil Abram: «Qum u itlaq minn artek, minn art twelidek, u minn dar missierek, lejn l-art li jien nurik. U jien naghmlek gens kbir, inbierkek u nkabbarlek ismek, u int tkun barka. Jien inbierek lil min ibierkek, u nishet lil min jishtek. U jitbierku bik it-tribujiet kollha ta’ l-art.»  U telaq Abram kif kien qallu l-Mulej. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm              PSALM 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22.

Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Salm Responsorjali                Salm 32 (33), 4-5.18-19.20 u 22

Rl . (22): Ha tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tieghek fuqna

Sewwa hi l-kelma tal-Mulej,
kollox bil-fedeltà huwa ghamel.
Hu jhobb id-dritt u s-sewwa;
bit-tjieba tal-Mulej mimlija l-art. // R.

Ara, ghajnejn il-Mulej fuq dawk li jibzghu minnu,
fuq dawk li jittamaw fit-tjieba tieghu,
biex jehilsilhom mill-mewt hajjithom,
u jahjihom fi zmien il-guh. // R.

Ruhna tixxennaq ghall-Mulej,
hu l-ghajnuna u t-tarka taghna.
Ha tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tieghek fuqna,

Reading 2               2 TIMOTHY 1:8b-10

Beloved:  Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the appearance of our saviour Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and  mortality to light through the gospel.  

Qari 2                 mit-Tieni Ittra lil Timotju 1, 8b-10

Ghaziz, aqsam mieghi t-tbatija ghall-Evangelju, u afda fil-qawwa ta’
Alla, li salvana u sejhilna b’sejha qaddisa, mhux ghax qies
l-ghemejjel taghna, imma skond il-pjan tieghu stess u skond il-grazzja
tieghu. Din il-grazzja tahielna qabel iz-zmien ta’ l-eternità fi Kristu
Gesù, imma dehret issa permezz tad-dehra tas-Salvatur taghna
Kristu Gesù li qered il-mewt, u dawwal il-hajja bla tmiem permezz
ta’ l-Evangelju. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel               MATTHEW 17:1-9

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and do not be afraid." And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them,  "Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

Evangelju               Qari skond San Mattew 17, 1-9

F’dak iz-zmien, Gesù ha mieghu lil Pietru u lil Gakbu u lil huh Gwanni, tellaghom fuq muntanja gholja wehidhom, u tbiddel quddiemhom. Wiççu sar jiddi bhax-xemx, u lbiesu sar abjad bhad-dawl. U dehrulhom Mosè u Elija jithaddtu mieghu.  Qabez Pietru u qal lil Gesù: «Mulej, kemm hu sew li ahna hawn! Jekk trid intella’ hawn tliet tined, wahda ghalik, wahda ghal Mosè u wahda ghal Elija.» Kif kien ghadu jitkellem, shaba kollha dawl ghattiethom, u minn gos-shaba nstema’ lehen jghid: «Dan hu Ibni l-ghaziz, li fih sibt l-ghaxqa tieghi; isimghu lilu.»  Id-dixxipli, kif semghu dan, waqghu wiççhom fl-art, mimlijin biza’. Gesù resaq lejhom, messhom u qalilhom: «Qumu. La tibzghux.»  Huma refghu ghajnejhom u ma raw lil hadd hlief lil Gesù wahdu.   Huma u nezlin minn fuq il-muntanja, Gesù ordnalhom u qalilhom: «Tghidu lil hadd b’din id-dehra sa ma Bin il-bniedem ikun qam mill-imwiet.»  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr. Anthony Kadavil

TRANSFORMING OURSELVES THIS LENT

Introduction: 

The common theme of this Sunday’s readings is metamorphosis or transformation. The readings invite us to work, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, to transform and renew our lives during Lent, that we may radiate the glory and grace of the transfigured Lord which we have received, to all around us by our Spirit-filled lives.

Scripture lessons: 

The first reading describes the transformation of a pagan patriarch into a believer in the one God. His name will be transformed from Abram to Abraham and his small family into a great nation. All Abram has to do is to obey the Lord God’s command, and he does so. The second reading, taken from St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy, explains the type of Lenten transformation expected of us. We are transformed when we recognize the hand of a loving, providing, and disciplining God behind all our hardships, pain, and suffering and try our best to grow in holiness by cooperating with the grace of God given to us through Jesus and his Gospel. 

In the Transfiguration story 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 Jesus 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 his chosen disciples aware of Jesus’ 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 narrative 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, as the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 33), for today encourages us to do.

Life messages: 

(1) The Transubstantiation in the Holy Mass is the source of our strength. In each Holy Mass our offering of bread and wine becomes the Body and Blood of Jesus under the appearances of bread and wine. Hence, just as the Transfiguration of Jesus strengthened the Apostles in their time of trial, each Holy Mass should be our source of Heavenly strength for resisting our own temptations and a source of grace for renewing our lives during Lent. In addition, communion with Jesus in prayer and especially in the Eucharist should be a source of daily transformation of both our minds and hearts, enabling us to see Jesus in every one of our brothers and sisters with whom we come in contact each day. 

(2) Each Sacrament that we receive transforms us. Baptism, for example, transforms us into sons and daughters of God and heirs of heaven. Confirmation makes us the temples of the Holy Spirit. By the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God brings back the sinner to the path of holiness. By receiving in Faith, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, we are spiritually, and sometimes physically, healed, and our sins are forgiven.

(3) A message of hope and encouragement. In moments of doubt, pain and suffering, disappointment and despair, we need mountain-top experiences to reach out to God and listen to His consoling words: “This is my beloved son/daughter in whom I am well pleased.” Our ‘Lenten penance’ will lead us to the ‘Easter joy.

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