Readings for Sunday, August 25, 2024
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 122
Il-Wieħed u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena
Reading 1 JOSHUA 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their elders, their leaders, their judges, and their officers. When they stood in ranks before God, Joshua addressed all the people: "If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." But the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD for the service of other gods. For it was the LORD, our God, who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, out of a state of slavery. He performed those great miracles before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among the peoples through whom we passed. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."
QARI 1 mill-Ktieb ta’ Ġożwè 24:1-2a,15-17,18b
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġożwè ġema’ t-tribujiet kollha ta’ Iżrael f’Sikem u sejjaħ lix-xjuħ, lill-kapijiet, lill-imħallfin, lill-uffiċjali u resqu quddiem Alla. U Ġożwè qal lill-poplu kollu: “Jekk ma jogħġobkomx taqdu l-Mulej, għażlu llum lil min tridu taqdu; jekk hux l-allat li kienu jaqdu missirijietkom lil hemm mix-xmara, jew l-allat tal-Amurrin li f’arthom qegħdin tgħammru. Imma jien u dari naqdu l-Mulej”. U l-poplu kollu wieġeb u qal: “Ma jkun qatt li aħna nħallu l-Mulej biex naqdu allat oħra! Għax kien il-Mulej, Alla tagħna, li talla’ lilna u ’l missirijietna mill-art tal-Egittu, minn dar il-jasar, u li għamel quddiemna stess dawn il-ħwejjeġ kbar, u ħarisna matul it-triq kollha li minnha għaddejna u fost il-popli li minn ġo nofshom qsamna. Għalhekk aħna wkoll lill-Mulej naqdu, għaliex hu Alla tagħna”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Responsorial Psalm PSALM 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Many are the troubles of the just one,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him;
he watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
SALM RESPONSORJALI Salm 33(34):2-3,16-17,18-19,20-21,22-23
R/. (9a): Ippruvaw u taraw kemm hu tajjeb il-Mulej.
Kull ħin inbierek il-Mulej;
tifħiru dejjem fuq fommi.
Bil-Mulej tiftaħar ruħi;
jisimgħu l-fqajrin u jifirħu. R/.
Għajnejn il-Mulej lejn il-ġusti,
u widnejh miftuħa għall-għajta tagħhom.
Il-ħarsa tal-Mulej fuq il-ħżiena,
biex jeqred minn fuq l-art tifkirithom. R/.
Jgħajtu l-ġusti għall-għajnuna, u l-Mulej jismagħhom;
mid-dwejjaq kollha tagħhom jeħlishom.
Qrib il-Mulej lejn dawk b’qalbhom maqsuma,
jgħin lil dawk b’ruħhom mifnija. R/.
Kbar huma l-ħsarat tar-raġel sewwa,
iżda minnhom kollha jeħilsu l-Mulej.
Iħarislu għadmu kollha,
ebda waħda ma titkissirlu. R/.
Il-ħażin ħżunitu teqirdu;
min jobgħod il-ġust iħallas għall-ħtija.
Jifdi l-Mulej il-ħajja tal-qaddejja tiegħu;
kull min jistkenn fih ma jkollux xi jpatti. R/.
Reading 2 EPHESIANS 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32
Brothers and sisters: Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives,even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.
QARI 2 mill-Ittra lill-Efesin 5:21-32
Ħuti, oqogħdu għal xulxin fil-biża’ ta’ Kristu. Intom in-nisa oqogħdu għal żwieġkom bħallikieku għall-Mulej, għax ir-raġel hu ras il-mara, bħalma Kristu hu ras il-Knisja, is-salvatur tal-Ġisem tiegħu. Għalhekk, bħalma l-Knisja toqgħod għal Kristu, hekk ukoll in-nisa għandhom joqogħdu għal żwieġhom f’kollox. Intom, l-irġiel, ħobbu n-nisa tagħkom, kif Kristu ħabb il-Knisja u ta ħajtu għaliha. U dan għamlu biex iqaddisha u jnaddafha bil-ħasil tal-ilma u l-kelma u biex iressaqha quddiemu, din il-Knisja, sabiħa, bla tebgħa, bla tikmix, bla għajb, u b’xejn minn dan, imma qaddisa u bla tmaqdir minn ħadd. Hekk għandhom ukoll l-irġiel iħobbu n-nisa tagħhom bħallikieku ġisimhom stess. Min iħobb ’il martu jkun iħobb lilu nnifsu. Qatt ħadd ma bagħad ’il ġismu stess, iżda jmantnih u jieħu ħsiebu, bħalma jagħmel Kristu mal-Knisja, għax aħna lkoll membri tal-Ġisem tiegħu. Għalhekk ir-raġel iħalli lil missieru u ’l ommu u jingħaqad ma’ martu, u jsiru t-tnejn ġisem wieħed. Dan il-misteru – qiegħed ngħid għal Kristu u għall-Knisja – huwa kbir! Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Gospel JOHN 6:60-69
Many of Jesus' disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father." As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."
EVANĠELJU Qari skont San Ġwann 6:60-69
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù tkellem fuq il-ħobż tal-ħajja. Ħafna dixxipli tiegħu, meta semgħuh, qalu: “Iebes dan il-kliem! Min jiflaħ jisimgħu?”. Ġesù ntebaħ waħdu li d-dixxipli tiegħu kienu qegħdin igergru fuq hekk, u qalilhom: “Dan il-kliem qiegħed ifixkilkom? Mela xi tgħidu kieku kellkom taraw lil Bin il-bniedem tiela’ fejn kien qabel? Hu l-Ispirtu li jagħti l-ħajja, il-ġisem ma jiswa għal xejn. Il-kliem li jiena għedtilkom huwa spirtu u ħajja. Iżda hemm xi wħud fostkom li ma jemmnux”. Għaliex Ġesù kien jaf sa mill-bidu min kienu dawk li ma emmnux u min kien dak li kellu jittradih. U ssokta jgħidilhom: “Kien għalhekk li jiena għedtilkom li ħadd ma jista’ jiġi għandi jekk il-Missier ma jagħtihx li jiġi”. Minn dakinhar bosta mid-dixxipli tiegħu telquh u ma baqgħux imorru warajh. Imbagħad Ġesù qal lit-Tnax: “Tridux titilqu intom ukoll?”. Wieġbu Xmun Pietru: “Mulej, għand min immorru? Inti għandek il-kliem tal-ħajja ta’ dejjem, u aħna emminna u għarafna li inti l-Qaddis ta’ Alla”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil
Introduction:
The main theme of Sunday’s readings is that Christian life is a series of daily choices for God or against God, as we choose to live out or reject the truths He has revealed through His prophets in the Old Testament and especially through His Son Jesus in the New Testament. The fundamental choice we make determines how we live our lives, deciding whom we will serve.
Scripture lessons summarized:
In the first reading, Joshua challenges the Israelites to decide whether they will serve the gods of their fathers, the gods of the Amorites in whose country they are presently dwelling, or the God of the Israelites Who has done so much for them. The Renewal of Covenant ceremony in Joshua chapter 24 reminds us that the Eucharist is a Covenant meal that calls for our decision of Faith. Sunday’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 34) reminds us that in choosing God for our God we are choosing Life and His Eternal faithfulness and Love as our shelter and salvation.
The second reading emphasizes the unity that must exist in the Body of Christ and the intimate relationship between Jesus and His followers. It also challenges the Ephesian Christians to make the right choice in life and build Christian marriages on mutual respect and love, accepting each other’s rights and dignity. Jesus also uses the husband-wife relationship as an analogy to explain the close relationship between Christ and the Church. Paul reminds us that Jesus nourishes us, the members of His Church, through the Eucharist, making us His own flesh and blood, as husband and wife become one flesh.
Concluding his long Eucharistic discourse, Jesus, in today’s Gospel, challenges his Jewish audience, and later His apostles, to make their choice: to accept Him as the true Bread from Heaven Who gives them His Body and Blood as their Heavenly Food, or to join those who have lost their Faith in Jesus and left Him, expressing their confusion and doubts about His claims. Today’s passage describes the various reactions of the people to Jesus’ claims. Many of the disciples leave, but the apostles freely choose to stay with Jesus.In this Eucharistic celebration, we, too, are called to make a decision, profess our Faith in God’s Son and renew the Covenant ratified in his Life, death and Resurrection.
Life messages:
# 1:) Let us make our choice for Christ and live it: We Christians have accepted the challenge of following the way of Christ and making choices for Christ, fortified by the Bread He gives and relying on the power of His Holy Spirit. The Heavenly Bread and the Holy Spirit will give us the courage of our Christian convictions to take a stand for Jesus, accepting the Church’s teachings and will enable us to face ridicule, criticisms, and even social isolation for our adherence to sound Christian principles in our lives.
# 2:) That is what we mean by our “Amen” while receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. We express without any conditions or reservations our total commitment to Jesus in the community to which we belong. Christ’s thoughts, attitudes, values, and life-view must become totally ours.
# 3:)) Above all, we are to identify with Jesus in the offering of His Flesh and the pouring out of his Blood on the cross by spending our lives for others.
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