Readings for Sunday, July 30, 2023
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 109
Reading 1 1 KINGS 3:5, 7-12
The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, "Ask something of me and I will give it to you." Solomon answered: "O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?" The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request. So God said to him: "Because you have asked for this— not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies,but for understanding so that you may know what is right— I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you."
Qari 1 mill-Ewwel Ktieb tas-Slaten 3, 5.7-12
F’dak iż-żmien f’Gibgħon il-Mulej deher lil Salamun fil-ħolm bil-lejl. “Itlobni x’nagħtik”, qallu Alla. U wieġbu Salamun: “Mulej, Alla tiegħi, lili, qaddej tiegħek, għadek kemm qegħedtni sultan flok David missieri. Iżda jiena għadni daqsxejn ta’ żagħżugħ, bla ma naf mnejn għandi ngħaddi. Il-qaddej tiegħek sab ruħu f’nofs dan il-poplu li int għażilt, poplu hekk kotran li ħadd ma jista’ jgħoddu jew iqisu. Agħti, għalhekk, lill-qaddej tiegħek moħħ ħafif biex jifhem, biex jista’ jmexxi l-poplu tiegħek, u jagħraf it-tajjeb mill-ħażin; għax inkella min jasal biex imexxih, dan il-poplu tiegħek ta’ kotra hekk kbira?”. Il-Mulej ħa gost li Salamun talab dil-ħaġa. Għalhekk qallu Alla: “Ladarba tlabt din il-ħaġa, u ma tlabtnix għomor twil, jew għana, jew il-ħajja tal-għedewwa tiegħek – iva, talli tlabt li tagħraf tifhem kif għandek tmexxi – hawn jien se nagħmel kif għedt int. Qed nagħtik moħħ għaref u għaqli, hekk li ħadd qablek ma kien hawn bħalek, u anqas warajk ma jkun hawn”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Responsorial Psalm PSALM 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-
is to keep your words.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
For I love your command
more than gold, however fine.
For in all your precepts I go forward;
every false way I hate.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Wonderful are your decrees;
therefore I observe them.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Salm Responsorjali Salm 118 (119), 57.72.76-77.127-128.129-130
R/. (97a): Kemm inħobbha l-liġi tiegħek, Mulej
li nħares il-kelma tiegħek.
Aħjar għalija l-liġi ta’ fommok
mill-eluf ta’ flejjes tad-deheb u l-fidda. R/.
skond il-wegħda li għamilt mal-qaddej tiegħek.
Tiġi fuqi tjubitek, biex ikolli l-ħajja;
għax il-liġi tiegħek hi l-għaxqa tiegħi. R/.
Għalhekk jien nimxi dritt fuq il-preċetti tiegħek,
u nobgħod kull triq qarrieqa. R/.
għalhekk tħarishom qalbi.
It-tifsir ta’ kelmtek jagħti d-dawl,
ifiehem lil min ma jafx. R/.
Reading 2 ROMANS 8:28-30
Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.
Qari 2 mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 8, 28-30
Ħuti, aħna nafu li Alla, ma’ dawk li jħobbuh, ma’ dawk li huma msejħin skond il-providenza tiegħu, f’kollox jaħdem id f’id għall-ġid tagħhom. Għax lil dawk li hu għarafhom mill-bidu, ippredestinahom ukoll biex jieħdu s-sura fuq ix-xbieha ta’ Ibnu, ħalli dan ikun il-kbir fost ħafna aħwa; lil dawk li ppredestinahom, sejħilhom ukoll; lil dawk li sejħilhom, iġġustifikahom ukoll; lil dawk imbagħad li ġġustifikahom, igglorifikahom ukoll. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Gospel MATTHEW 13:44-52
Jesus said to his disciples:"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. "Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old."
Evanġelju Qari skond San Mattew 13, 44-52
F’dak iż-żmien Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Is-Saltna tas-Smewwiet tixbah lil teżor moħbi f’għalqa, li wieħed raġel isibu u jaħbih, u kollu ferħan imur ibigħ kull ma jkollu u jixtri dik l-għalqa. Tixbah ukoll is-Saltna tas-Smewwiet lil wieħed neguzjant ifittex ġawhar fin; meta sab ġawhra tiswa ħafna, mar biegħ kull ma kellu u xtara lilha. Tixbah ukoll is-Saltna tas-Smewwiet lil xibka mitfugħa l-baħar li fiha jinġabar minn kollox. Meta timtela jtellgħuha x-xatt, u joqogħdu bilqiegħda, jiġbru fil-kannestri dak li jkun tajjeb u jarmu l-ħażin. Hekk jiġri fi tmiem id-dinja: l-anġli joħorġu jifirdu l-ħżiena mill-ġusti, u jixħtuhom fil-ħuġġieġa tan-nar; hemmhekk ikun hemm il-biki u t-tgħażżiż tas-snien. Kollu fhimtuh dan?” “Iva”, qalulu. U hu qalilhom: “Għalhekk kull kittieb li jkun sar dixxiplu tas-Saltna tas-Smewwiet jixbah lil wieħed sid li, mill-ħażna tiegħu, joħroġ sew il-ġdid u sew il-qadim”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
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Eight-minute Homily by Fr Tony Kadavil
Introduction:
Sunday’s readings teach us that Faith in Jesus as our God and Saviour and sacrificing everything in life to do the will of God are equivalent to discovering and possessing the most valuable treasure or the pearl of great price. In other words, keeping a personal relationship with Jesus, remaining in a state of grace, and sharing his view of life are the most beautiful and the most precious things in the world.
Scripture lessons summarized:
The first reading tells us how the young King Solomon opted for the great treasure of accepting God to rule his life by doing His will. That is why he requested of God the gift of prudence, “an understanding heart to distinguish right from wrong,” so that he might govern God’s people properly. The Lord God was pleased with Solomon’s request and granted him “a wise and discerning heart” which enabled him to surpass everyone in wisdom.
In the second reading, Paul teaches that “all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” This is true of all who accept a close relationship with God as their greatest treasure. In the Gospel, using three mini parables and one concluding simile, Jesus teaches us that God’s Kingdom, is something of extraordinary value, like a hidden treasure or a costly pearl. Possessing that treasure demands from us a total commitment if we are to preserve it.
The Kingdom of God is God’s reign in our hearts, in our lives, in our homes, in our society, and in our world. Only those who develop a searching mind and a heart willing to give up everything for the great treasure of God’s Kingdom will be rewarded. Through the first and second parables of the treasure and pearl, Jesus teaches us that identifying God’s will and living according to the Gospel (both with His grace), are the most precious and worthwhile things in life. Through Jesus and his Gospel, we come to know and understand the real meaning of life, the will of God for us each day, and the most important things we must do to secure our eternal salvation.
Life messages:
1) We should live every moment in view of our precious goal. Most of the time, we are chasing false treasures such as money, social status, or worldly pleasures. Thus, the really valuable “pearl” of sharing in God’s life through Jesus here on earth and later in Heaven, is never found. Let us always remember that Heaven is within the reach of all of us who try to do the will of God, following the ordinary vocations of life and enjoying this world’s joys and pleasures within the framework of God’s Commandments. When we do this, we are already living in the Kingdom of Heaven while we are still on earth.
2) We need to take all precautions to keep our greatest treasure safe: We will be able to keep safe the treasure of our personal relationship with Jesus by accepting him every day as our God and Savior, by allowing God to have total control over our lives through our loving obedience to His will, by asking Him daily for the strengthening and guidance of His Holy Spirit, by talking to Him daily in prayer, by listening to Him in our meditative reading of the Bible, by getting reconciled to Him and others every day, asking pardon and forgiveness for our sins, by offering Him our lives on the altar during the Holy Mass, and by allowing Him to nourish our souls frequently, by receiving Jesus in Holy Communion
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