ARE WE PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST?

Readings for Sunday, July 2, 2023

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time     Lectionary: 97

Qari tat-Tlettax-il Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1                 2nd KINGS 4:8-11, 14-16a

One day Elisha came to Shunem, where there was a woman of influence, who urged him to dine with her. Afterward, whenever he passed by, he used to stop there to dine. So she said to her husband, "I know that Elisha is a holy man of God. Since he visits us often, let us arrange a little room on the roof and furnish it for him with a bed, table, chair, and lamp, so that when he comes to us he can stay there." Sometime later Elisha arrived and stayed in the room overnight. Later Elisha asked, "Can something be done for her?" His servant Gehazi  nswered, "Yes! She has no son, and her husband is getting on in years." Elisha said, "Call her." When the woman had been called and stood at the door, Elisha promised, "This time next year you will be fondling a baby son."

Qari 1                 mit-Tieni Ktieb tas-Slaten 4, 8-11.14-16a

Ġurnata waħda Eliżew kien għaddej minn Sunem. Hawn kienet toqgħod mara għanja, u din ġagħlitu joqgħod jiekol għandha; u kull meta kien jgħaddi minn hemm kien idur għal għandha biex jiekol hemm. U hi qalet lil żewġha: “Ara, jien żgura li dan ir-raġel, li jgħaddi għandna sikwit, hu raġel qaddis ta’ Alla. Ħa ntellgħulu għorfa fuq is-setaħ, u nqegħdulu fiha sodda, mejda, siġġu u mnara, u meta jgħaddi għandna, ikun jista’ jidħol fiha”.  U ġurnata waħda wasal hemm, u daħal fl-għorfa, u raqad hemm. U Eliżew qal lil Ġeħażi, il-qaddej tiegħu: “X’nistgħu nagħmlulha lil din il-mara?”. U Ġeħażi wieġbu: “Jaħasra, ma għandhiex tfal, u żewġha xiħ!”. U wieġbu: “Sejħilha”. U dak sejħilha u ġiet fil-bieb. U Eliżew qalilha: “Bħal dan iż-żmien sena, int tkun tħaddan iben”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                PSALM 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19

The promises of the LORD I will sing forever,
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever;"
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

You are the splendour of their strength,  
and by your favour our horn is exalted.
and to the Holy One of Israel, our king.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

For to the LORD belongs our shield,

Salm Responsorjali                Salm 88 (89), 2-3.16-17.18-19

R/. (2a): It-tjieba tal-Mulej irrid dejjem ngħanni

It-tjieba tal-Mulej irrid dejjem ngħanni;
f’kull żmien ixandar fommi l-fedeltà tiegħek.
Għax jien għedt: “Tjubitek tibqa’ sħiħa għal dejjem;
bħas-smewwiet int wettaqt il-fedeltà tiegħek”. R/.

Hieni l-poplu li jaf jgħajjat bil-ferħ,
li jimxi, Mulej, fid-dawl ta’ wiċċek.
B’ismek jithennew il-jum kollu,
u bil-ġustizzja tiegħek jifirħu. R/.

Għax inti l-foħrija tal-qawwa tagħhom;
għal tjubitek nerfgħu rasna fl-għoli.
Għax il-Mulej it-tarka tagħna,
il-Qaddis ta’ Iżrael is-sultan tagħna. R/.

Reading 2                ROMANS 6:3-4, 8-11

Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus. Alleluia

Qari 2                 mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 6, 3-4.8-11

Ħuti, ma tafux li aħna lkoll li tgħammidna fi Kristu Ġesù, tgħammidna fil-mewt tiegħu? Indfinna miegħu fil-mewt permezz tal-magħmudija sabiex kif Kristu kien imqajjem mill-imwiet permezz tal-qawwa glorjuża tal-Missier, hekk aħna ngħixu ħajja ġdida. Jekk aħna mitna ma’ Kristu, nemmnu wkoll li għad ngħixu ma’ Kristu. Nafu li Kristu qam mill-imwiet u ma jmutx aktar; il-mewt ma għadhiex taħkem fuqu. Hu li miet, miet darba għal dejjem għad-dnub; u issa li qiegħed jgħix, qiegħed jgħix għal Alla. Hekk ukoll intom għandkom tqisu lilkom infuskom mejtin għad-dnub, iżda ħajjin għal Alla fi Kristu Ġesù.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                MATTHEW 10:37-42

Jesus said to his apostles: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward,and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward.And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple— amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."

Evanġelju                Qari skond San Mattew 10, 37-42

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lill-appostli tiegħu: “Min iħobb lil missieru jew lil ommu iżjed minni ma jistħoqqlux li jkun miegħi; min iħobb lil ibnu jew lil bintu iżjed minni ma jistħoqqlux li jkun tiegħi. U min ma jerfax salibu u jimxi warajja ma jistħoqqlux li jkun miegħi. Min isib lil ħajtu, jitlifha; u min jitlef lil ħajtu minħabba fija jsibha. Min jilqa’ lilkom jilqa’ lili, u min jilqa’ lili jkun jilqa’ lil dak li bagħatni. Min jilqa’ profeta għax hu profeta, ħlas ta’ profeta jieħu; u min jilqa’ bniedem ġust għax hu ġust, ħlas ta’ wieħed ġust jieħu. U kull min jagħti mqar tazza ilma frisk lil xi ħadd minn dawn l-iżgħar għax hu dixxiplu, tassew ngħidilkom li ma jitlifx il-ħlas tiegħu”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Eight -minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr. Tony Kadavil 

OUR 

WITNESSING 

MISSION

Introduction: 

The common theme of today’s readings is the witnessing mission given to Christ’s followers to love God and our brothers and sisters through hospitality, generosity, commitment in humble service, and the practice of corporal and spiritual works (acts) of mercy (charity). The readings also remind us of the sacrifice demanded of Jesus’ disciples and the suffering they will endure for their Faith when they bear witness to Jesus. 

Scripture lessons: 

In our first reading, we see, the welcome given to the prophet Elisha by an elderly, childless couple who lived in Shunem. The wife recognized the holiness of Elisha. She showed him reverence and hospitality by inviting him to dine with her and her husband and by arranging an upper room of their house so that Elisha might stay with them when he visited the area. In response, Elisha promised her, “This time next year you will be fondling a baby son.” The promise was fulfilled by God. 

Today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 89), reminds us that we are the children of God Who tells us, “My mercy[kindness] is established forever.” The second reading, taken from Paul’s letter to the Romans, explains why those who care for the followers of Jesus are caring for Jesus himself, and those who show hospitality to any one of them are eligible for a reward. By our Baptism, we have been baptized into Jesus’ death and buried with him, and we look forward to our resurrection with him (Rom 6:5). 

Since Baptism is our entrée into this new life, it makes us part of the Body of Christ, and Christ is truly present in us. That is why the one who welcomes us welcomes Christ and becomes eligible for a reward. Today’s Gospel lesson concludes Jesus’ great “missionary discourse” in which he instructs the twelve apostles on the cost and the reward of the commitment required of a disciple. 

The first half of these sayings of Jesus details the behaviour expected of his disciples, and the second half speaks of the behaviour expected of others towards the disciples. Jesus assures his disciples that whoever shows them hospitality will be blessed. Those who receive Jesus receive the One who sent him. Also, those who help the “little ones,” (believers) and the poor, the sick, and the needy will be amply rewarded.

Life message: 

We need to be hospitable and generous: Hospitality means acknowledging the presence of God in others and serving Him in them, especially those in whom we least expect to find Him. We, as individuals and as a community, are to look for opportunities to be hospitable–and, of course, there are plenty of ways of offering hospitality. Maybe hospitality is offered through a kind word to a stranger – or even a smile. A kind smile or a “hello” to someone waiting with us in a grocery line may be the only kindness that person encounters all day. 

We become fully alive as Christians through the generous giving of ourselves. What is more important than the sending of checks for charitable causes is the giving of ourselves to people, primarily in the way we think about them, for from that spring will flow the ways we speak to them and about them, forgive their failings, encourage them, show them respect, console them, and offer them help. Such generosity reflects warmth radiating from the very love of God.

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