Readings for Sunday, April 30, 2023
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Lectionary: 49
Ir-Raba’ Ħadd tal-Għid
Reading 1 ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2:14a, 36-41
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: "Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, "What are we to do, my brothers?" Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call." He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.
Qari 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 2, 14a.36-41
Nhar Għid il-Ħamsin, Pietru flimkien mal-Ħdax qam u qal lil-Lhud b’leħen għoli: “Ħa jkun jaf fiż-żgur il-poplu kollu ta’ Iżrael li lil dan Ġesù, li intom sallabtuh, Alla għamlu Mulej u Messija”. Dan il-kliem li semgħu laqtilhom qalbhom, u qalu lil Pietru u lill-appostli l-oħra: “L-aħwa, x’għandna nagħmlu aħna?”. U Pietru weġibhom: “Indmu, u jitgħammed kull wieħed minnkom fl-isem ta’ Ġesù Kristu għall-maħfra ta’ dnubietkom; u intom tirċievu d-don tal-Ispirtu s-Santu. Għax il-wegħda qiegħda għalikom u għal uliedkom u għal dawk kollha li huma fil-bogħod, dawk kollha li l-Mulej Alla tagħna sejħilhom”. U b’ħafna kliem ieħor tahom xhieda u wissiehom billi qalilhom: “Salvaw lilkom infuskom minn dan in-nisel ħażin”. Għalhekk dawk li laqgħu kliemu tgħammdu u dakinhar ingħaqdu mad-dixxipli madwar tlitt elef ruħ. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Responsorial Psalm PSALM 23: 1-3a, 3b4, 5, 6
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Salm Responsorjali Salm 22 (23), 1-3a. 3b-4. 5. 6.
R/. (1): Il-Mulej hu r-ragħaj tiegħi: xejn ma jonqosni
xejn ma jonqosni.
F’mergħat kollha ħdura jqegħedni,
ħdejn l-ilma, fejn nistrieħ, jeħodni.
Hemm hu jrejjaqni. R/.
minħabba l-isem tiegħu.
Imqar jekk nimxi f’wied mudlam,
ma nibżax mill-ħsara, għax inti miegħi.
Il-ħatar tiegħek u l-għasluġ tiegħek,
huma jwennsuni. R/.
quddiem l-għedewwa tiegħi.
Biż-żejt tidlikli rasi,
u l-kalċi tiegħi tfawwarli. R/.
il-jiem kollha ta’ ħajti.
U ngħammar f’dar il-Mulej
sakemm indum ħaj! R/.
Reading 2 1 PETER 2:20b-25
Beloved: If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
Qari 2 mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pietru 2, 20b-25
Għeżież, jekk tagħmlu t-tajjeb u ssofru t-tbatija bis-sabar, din tkun grazzja quddiem Alla. Għal dan intom kontu msejħa, għax Kristu wkoll bata għalikom u ħallielkom eżempju, biex timxu fuq il-passi tiegħu: hu li ma kien għamel ebda dnub, u ebda qerq ma nstab f’fommu, meta għajruh ma weġibx bit-tagħjir, meta bata ma heddidx imma ħalla f’idejn l-Imħallef ġust. Hu tgħabba bi dnubietna sa fuq is-salib, biex aħna mmutu għad-dnubiet, u ngħixu għall-ġustizzja. Bil-ġrieħi tiegħu intom fiqtu. Intom kontu bħal nagħaġ mitlufa, imma issa rġajtu lura għand ir-ragħaj u l-għassies ta’ ruħkom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Jesus said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."
Evanġelju Qari skond San Ġwann 10, 1-10
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal: “Tassew tassew ngħidilkom, min ma jidħolx fil-maqjel tan-nagħaġ mill-bieb imma jaqbeż ġewwa minn naħa oħra, dak hu ħalliel u brigant. Imma min jidħol mill-bieb hu r-ragħaj tan-nagħaġ. Min ikun mal-bieb lilu jiftaħ, in-nagħaġ minn leħnu jisimgħu, u hu jsejjaħ in-nagħaġ tiegħu waħda waħda b’isimhom u joħroġhom barra. U meta joħroġ in-nagħaġ tiegħu, huwa jmur quddiemhom u n-nagħaġ jimxu warajh, għax jisimgħu leħnu. Imma wara wieħed barrani ma jimxux, anzi jaħarbu minnu, għax leħen barrani ma jafuhx”. Din il-parabbola qalhielhom Ġesù, iżda huma ma fehmux x’ried jgħidilhom biha.Għalhekk Ġesù raġa’ qalilhom: “Tassew, tassew ngħidilkom li l-bieb tan-nagħaġ huwa jien. Dawk kollha li ġew sa issa qabli huma ħallelin u briganti. Iżda n-nagħaġ lilhom ma semgħuhomx. Jiena hu l-bieb; jekk xi ħadd jidħol ġewwa permezz tiegħi jsalva, u jidħol u joħroġ u jsib fejn jirgħa. Il-ħalliel ma jidħolx jekk mhux biex jisraq u joqtol u jeqred. Jiena ġejt biex ikollkom il-ħajja, u ħajja bil-kotra”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil
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Introduction:
On this Good Shepherd Sunday and the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, the Church reminds us of our call to become good shepherds of God’s flock and good sheep of His parishes and invites us to pray for vocations to the priesthood, the diaconate, and the consecrated life. Both the Old and New Testaments use the image of a Shepherd and His flock to describe the unique relationship of God with Israel and of the Christ with Christians.
The first reading is taken from St. Peter’s first sermon, given on the day of Pentecost. He reminds his Jewish listeners that they have crucified their true Shepherd. Hence, they need to receive forgiveness for their sin by receiving Baptism in the name of Jesus and acknowledging the risen Jesus as their Lord and Savior, as Jesus had commanded. The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 23), introduces Yahweh as the Good Shepherd of Israel Who cares for us, His sheep, providing for our needs.
In the second reading, Peter encourages the suffering Christians to follow in the footsteps of their Good Shepherd, Jesus, the “suffering servant,” realizing the truth that Jesus’ suffering and death have enabled them to become more fully the children of God. In Sunday’s Gospel, two brief parables show us Jesus, the first, as a selfless, caring “shepherd” who provides for his sheep protection and life itself, and the second, as our unique gateway (“sheep gate”), to eternal salvation. That is, besides guiding his flock to Eternal Life as the Good Shepherd, Jesus is himself the gateway to Eternal Life.
Life Messages:
1) We need to become good shepherds and good leaders: Everyone who is entrusted with the care of others is a shepherd. Hence, pastors, parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, government officials, and caregivers, among others, are all shepherds. We become good shepherds by loving those entrusted to us, praying for them, spending our time, talents, and blessings for their welfare, and guarding them from physical and spiritual dangers. Parents must be especially careful in fulfilling their duties toward their children, giving them good example and instruction and training them in Christian principles.
2) We need to become good sheep in the fold of Jesus, the Good Shepherd: Our local parish is our sheepfold, and our pastors are our shepherds. Jesus is the High Priest, the Bishops are the successors of the Apostles, the pastors are their helpers, and the parishioners are the sheep. Hence, as the good sheep of the parish, parishioners are expected to
a) Hear and follow the voice of our shepherds through their homilies, Bible classes, counseling, and advice.
b) Receive the spiritual food given by our pastors through our regular participation in the Holy Mass, our frequenting of the Sacraments, and our participation in the prayer services, renewal programs, and missions they offer.
c) Cooperate with our pastors by giving them positive suggestions for the welfare of the parish, encouraging them in their duties, offering them loving, constructive advice when they are found misbehaving or failing in their duties, and always by praying for them. Actively participate in the activities of various councils, ministries, and parish associations.
3) We need to pray for vocations.
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