Readings for Sunday, May 14, 2023
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Qari tas-Sitt Ħadd tal-Għid
Reading 1 ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 8:5-8, 14-17
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Qari 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 8, 5-8.14-17
F’dak iż-żmien, Filippu niżel f’belt tas-Samarija u xandar lil Kristu lin-nies tagħha. Il-folol tan-nies b’fehma waħda kienu joqogħdu attenti għal dak li kien jgħidilhom Filippu, meta kienu jisimgħuh u jaraw il-mirakli li kien jagħmel. Kien hemm nies maħkuma mill-ispirti ħżiena, u dawn b’għajat kbir kienu joħorġu minn ħafna minnhom; u ħafna nies oħrajn, mifluġa jew zopop, kienu jitfejqu. U kien hemm ferħ kbir f’dik il-belt. L-appostli, li kienu Ġerusalemm, semgħu li s-Samarija laqgħet il-kelma ta’ Alla, u bagħtu hemm lil Pietru u lil Ġwanni. Dawn niżlu hemm u talbu biex dawk li emmnu jirċievu l-Ispirtu s-Santu; għax l-Ispirtu s-Santu kien għadu ma niżel fuq ħadd minnhom, imma kienu tgħammdu biss f’isem il-Mulej Ġesù. Imbagħad l-appostli qiegħdu idejhom fuqhom, u huma rċevew l-Ispirtu s-Santu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Responsorial Psalm PSALM 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, "How tremendous are your deeds!"
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
"Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!"
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Salm Responsorjali Salm 65 (66), 1-3a.4-5.6-7a.16.20
R/. (1): Għajtu bil-ferħ lil Alla, bnedmin tad-dinja kollha
bnedmin tad-dinja kollha;
għannu s-sebħ ta’ ismu,
xandru s-sebħ u t-tifħir tiegħu.
Għidu lil Alla: “Kemm int tal-biża’ f’għemilek! R/.
L-art kollha tagħtik qima,
tgħannilek u tgħanni lil ismek”.
Ejjew, araw l-għemejjel ta’ Alla;
tal-biża’ f’għemilu fost il-bnedmin. R/.
Biddel il-baħar f’art niexfa,
għaddew bil-mixi minn nofs ix-xmara.
Għalhekk, nifirħu bih!
Hu jsaltan bil-kobor tiegħu għal dejjem. R/.
Ejjew, isimgħu, u ngħidilkom,
intom ilkoll li tibżgħu minn Alla,
ngħidilkom x’għamel miegħi.
Imbierek Alla, li ma warrabx it-talba tiegħi;
ma warrabx minn fuqi t-tjieba tiegħu! R/.
Reading 2 1 PETER 3:15-18
Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit.
Qari 2 mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pietru Appostlu 3, 15-18
Għeżież, lill-Mulej Kristu qaddsu f’qalbkom. Kunu dejjem lesti biex tagħtu tweġiba lil kull min jitlobkom il-għala tat-tama li għandkom. Imma wieġbu bil-ħlewwa u bir-rispett. Żommu safja l-kuxjenza tagħkom biex, meta jgħidu fuqkom, dawk stess li jkasbru l-imġiba tajba tagħkom fi Kristu jkollhom għalxiex jistħu. Jekk din tkun ir-rieda ta’ Alla, aħjar tbati għax tkun għamilt it-tajjeb milli għax tkun għamilt il-ħażin. Għax Kristu wkoll miet darba għal dejjem minħabba d-dnubiet; hu li kien ġust, miet għall-inġusti biex iressaqkom lejn Alla; kien mogħti l-mewt fil-ġisem, imma ħa l-ħajja fl-ispirtu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Gospel JOHN 14:15-21
Jesus said to his disciples: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him."
Evanġelju Qari skond San Ġwann 14, 15-21
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Jekk tħobbuni, ħarsu l-kmandamenti tiegħi. U jiena nitlob lill-Missier, u hu jagħtikom Difensur ieħor biex jibqa’ magħkom għal dejjem, l-Ispirtu tal-verità, li d-dinja ma tistax tirċevih, għax hija la tarah u lanqas tagħrfu. Iżda intom tagħrfuh, għaliex jgħammar magħkom, u huwa fikom. Ma nħallikomx iltiema. Nerġa’ niġi għandkom. Ftit ieħor, u d-dinja ma taranix aktar. Iżda intom għad tarawni, għax jiena ngħix, u intom ukoll għad tgħixu. F’dak il-jum intom tagħrfu li jiena f’Missieri, u intom fija u jiena fikom. Min iżomm il-kmandamenti tiegħi u jħarishom, dak hu li jħobbni; u min iħobb lili, iħobbu wkoll il-Missier, u jiena wkoll inħobbu u nurih lili nnifsi”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil
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Easter VI Sunday - Theme:
Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit to his apostles - Sunday’s readings explain Who the Holy Spirit is, what His roles are, and how we can experience Him in our daily lives. We Christians have been given the stamina needed by the Holy Spirit and the training by parents, teachers and well-wishers. The question is whether or not we use all this to conquer temptations, avoid sin and practice virtues.
Scripture lesson summarized:
The first reading describes how the Holy Spirit helped Philip, the Deacon, to preach powerfully and convert the Samaritans in large numbers and how the Holy Spirit helped Peter and John, by giving them a fresh anointing. In the second reading, St. Peter shows us that the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us believers to live God-fearing lives tin the midst of opposition and persecution.
Today’s Gospel, taken from the “Last Supper Discourse,” describes the gift of the Holy Spirit which Jesus is going to give his disciples who obey his commandment of love. Thus, the faithful believers will have the indwelling of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in their souls.
Role of the Holy Spirit:
As the Divine Advocate -
1) The Holy Spirit will instruct us in Jesus’ doctrines and illumine our minds to receive deeper knowledge of our Faith.
2) The Divine Advocate will enable us to defend our Faith powerfully when needed.
3) He will guide us in the proper practice of true Christian love by enabling us to recognize Jesus in the in the poor, in the sick, in the homeless, in the marginalized, in the outcast, in the drug addicts, and even in the criminals (“I was in prison…”), and so to become agents of healing and reconciliation in a broken and divided world.
Life message:
1) We need to welcome the Holy Spirit, allow Him to act in us and seek His help every day for our steady growth in spiritual life:
a) To conquer temptations from our habitual sins and to avoid the occasions of sins.
b) To remove the blocks caused by our addictions, evil habits, and various forms of abuse which we suffered in our early life, preventing our spiritual growth.
c) To discern and recognize the presence of Jesus in all the people we meet during the day and to do them humble, loving service.
d) To become agents of reconciliation and healing to others in our family and this community, by asking forgiveness from others we have offended, and graciously granting forgiveness to others who continue to hurt our feelings and ill-treat us.
Born human, we have within us capacities to love, learn, choose, work, and so on. But we need the help of parents, teachers and friends to activate and develop these capacities so that we can reach our full human potential. That is why we need the Holy Spirit and why Jesus promised to ask the Father to send Him to us: “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Paraclete – to be with you always; to remain with you and be within you.”
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