Readings for Sunday, November 5, 2023
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 151
Il-Wieħed u Tletin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena
Reading 1 Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10
A great King am I, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations. And now, O priests, this commandment is for you: If you do not listen, if you do not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and of your blessing I will make a curse. You have turned aside from the way, and have caused many to falter by your instruction; you have made void the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts. I, therefore, have made you contemptible and base before all the people, since you do not keep my ways, but show partiality in your decisions. Have we not all the one father? Has not the one God created us? Why then do we break faith with one another, violating the covenant of our fathers?
QARI 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Malakija 1, 14b – 2, 2b.8-10
Jien Sultan kbir – jgħid il-Mulej tal-eżerċti – u ismi ta’ min jibża’ minnu fost il-ġnus. U issa għalikom, qassisin, huwa dan il-kmandament: Jekk intom ma tisimgħux u jekk ma tfittxux minn qalbkom li ssebbħu lil ismi, jgħid il-Mulej tal-eżerċti, jiena nibgħat fuqkom is-saħta, u nisħet il-barkiet tagħkom. Intom twarrabtu mit-triq, ġagħaltu ’l ħafna jitfixklu bit-tagħlim tagħkom; ħassartu l-patt ta’ Levi, jgħid il-Mulej tal-eżerċti. Għalhekk jien ukoll tlaqtkom għaż-żebliħ u għat-tmaqdir tal-poplu kollu, bħalma intom ma żammejtux triqati, u ħaristu lejn l-uċuħ fit-tagħlim tagħkom. Mhux Missier wieħed għandna lkoll kemm aħna? Mhux Alla wieħed ħalaqna? Mela għaliex nimxu bil-qerq bejnietna u nonqsu mill-ġieħ lejn il-patt ta’ missirijietna? Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
nor are my eyes haughty;
I busy not myself with great things,
nor with things too sublime for me.
R. In you, Lord, I have found my peace.
Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap,
so is my soul within me.
R. In you, Lord, I have found my peace.
O Israel, hope in the LORD,
both now and forever.
R. In you, Lord, I have found my peace.
R/. Mulej, ħarisli ruħi fis-sliem
Mulej, ma tkabbritx qalbi,
anqas ma ntrefgħu għajnejja;
jien ma ġrejtx wara ħwejjeġ kbar,
jew wara ħwejjeġ ogħla minni. R/.
Imma żammejt ruħi fis-skiet u l-mistrieħ,
bħal tarbija f’ħoġor ommha;
bħal tarbija miftuma,
hekk hi ruħi ġewwa fija. R/.
Ittama, Iżrael, fil-Mulej,
minn issa u għal dejjem! R/.
Reading 2 1 THESSALONIANS 2:7b-9, 13
Brothers and sisters: We were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us. You recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery. Working night and day in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.
QARI 2 mill-Ewwel Ittra lit-Tessalonkin 2, 7b-9.13
Ħuti, aħna ġibna ruħna magħkom bil-ħlewwa, bħalma omm tradda’ tħaddan lil uliedha. Aħna għożżejniekom hekk li ridna naqsmu magħkom mhux biss l-Evanġelju ta’ Alla imma wkoll ħajjitna stess, daqskemm ħabbejniekom. Intom, ħuti, tiftakru fit-taħbit u t-tbatija kbira tagħna. Sakemm konna qegħdin inxandrulkom l-Evanġelju ta’ Alla, aħna ħdimna bil-lejl u binhar, biex lil ħadd minnkom ma ngħabbu. Aħna niżżu ħajr bla heda lil Alla talli l-kelma ta’ Alla, li intom smajtu mingħandna, iltqajtuha mhux bħala kelma ta’ bniedem, iżda bħala kelma ta’ Alla, kif tassew hi, dik il-kelma li qiegħda taħdem fikom li emmintu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honour at banquets, seats of honour in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
EVANĠELJU Qari mill-Evanġelju skond San Mattew 23, 1-12
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù kellem lin-nies u lid-dixxipli tiegħu, u qalilhom: “Fuq il-katedra ta’ Mosè qagħdu l-kittieba u l-Fariżej. Mela kull ma jgħidulkom huma agħmluh u ħarsuh, iżda tagħmlux kif jagħmlu huma, għax huma kliem biss għandhom, imma fatti xejn. Huma jorbtu qatet kbar u tqal u jgħabbuhom fuq spallejn ħaddieħor, waqt li huma stess anqas b’sebagħhom wieħed ma jridu jħarrkuhom. Kull ma jagħmlu, jagħmluh għal għajnejn in-nies; għalhekk ikabbru l-filatteri u jtawlu l-ġmiemen tagħhom. Iħobbu l-postijiet ewlenin fl-imwejjed, u s-siġġijiet ta’ quddiem fis-sinagogi, u jixtiequ min isellmilhom fil-pjazez u li n-nies isejħulhom “rabbi”. Imma intom tħallux min isejħilkom “rabbi”, għax l-Imgħallem tagħkom wieħed hu, u intom ilkoll aħwa. U ssejħu lil ħadd “missier” fuq din l-art, għax il-Missier tagħkom wieħed hu, dak li hu fis-smewiet. Hekk ukoll tħallux min issejħilkom “mexxejja”, għax il-Mexxej tagħkom wieħed hu, il-Messija. Il-kbir fostkom għandu jkun il-qaddej tagħkom; min jitgħolla, jitbaxxa, u min jitbaxxa, jitgħolla”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
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Eight-minute Homily by Fr Tony Kadavil
A WARNING AGAINST HYPOCRICY AND
STATUS-SEEKING
Introduction:
The central theme of Sunday’s readings is a strong invitation and challenge to render humble, selfless, diligent, committed, loving service to others in the community without expecting honour or rewards in return. Today’s Gospel is a warning against hypocrisy and status-seeking, given to the early Church and to our own Church communities.
Scripture lessons:
In the first reading, the prophet Malachi condemns the irresponsible, proud, lazy priests of his day. In the second reading, St. Paul presents himself as an ideal example of servant leadership in a serving Christian community. In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus offers a word of judgment against contemporary religious leaders who are more concerned about self-promotion than service to others.
Christ-like leadership calls for integrity and honesty from all those in authority, whether priests, parents, teachers or politicians. There should be in leaders no double standards. Rather, there should grow a deep sense of equality with, and mutual respect between, leaders and those they rule. Each should seek to serve the other. Service, not status, is the mark of this new community, and true humility is the only position its members should seek.
Life messages:
2) We need to live the Faith we profess. Religious people are all too often like the Pharisees and scribes, laying heavy loads on other people’s shoulders without lifting a finger to help them. Instead of judging the poor, we should be serving them through our efforts for economic justice. Instead of criticizing those of other races, we should be serving them through our efforts for racial justice. Instead of ignoring the homeless, we should be serving them through efforts to supply them with adequate housing. We need to live the Faith we profess. Our Faith tells us that we are all brothers and sisters, children of the same Heavenly Father. The only way for us to practice our Faith is to build a human community of love and justice.
3) We need to learn the art of self-examination, and accept the responsibilities which go with our titles. Instead of criticizing others for their failures, let us ask whether we are different from them in discharging our duties in the family and in the parish community. Let us remember that our titles should remind us of our specific responsibilities in society and our obligation to discharge them faithfully. (L/23)
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