GOD'S PLAN FOR JESUS' SELF SACRIFICE

 Readings for Sunday, October 20,  2024 

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 146

Qari tad-Disgħa u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1                 ISAIAH 53:10-11

The LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity. If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.  Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days;  through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,  and their guilt he shall bear.

QARI 1                    mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Iżaija 53:10-11

Il-Mulej għoġbu jgħakksu bil-mard. Talli joffri ruħu b’sagrifiċċju ta’ riparazzjoni, huwa għad jara nisel u jtawwal jiemu; u r-rieda tal-Mulej isseħħ bih. Wara t-tbatija tiegħu għad jara d-dawl, jixba’ bit-tagħrif tiegħu. Il-ġust jiġġustifika lill-qaddej tiegħu quddiem il-kotra, u l-ħażen tagħhom jitgħabba bih hu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                 PSALM 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

Upright is the word of the LORD,

and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                 Salm 32(33):4-5,18-19,20,22

R/.(22): Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna, kif fik hi t-tama tagħna.

Sewwa hi l-kelma tal-Mulej,
kollox bil-fedeltà huwa għamel.
Hu jħobb id-dritt u s-sewwa;
bit-tjieba tal-Mulej mimlija l-art. R/. 

Ara, għajnejn il-Mulej fuq dawk li jibżgħu minnu,
fuq dawk li jittamaw fit-tjieba tiegħu,
biex jeħilsilhom mill-mewt ħajjithom,
u jaħjihom fi żmien il-ġuħ. R/.

Ruħna tixxennaq għall-Mulej,
hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħna.
Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna,
kif fik hi t-tama tagħna. R/.

Reading 2                 HEBREWS 4:14-16

Brothers and sisters:  Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,  Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.  So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. 

QARI 2                  mill-Ittra lil-Lhud 4:14-16

Ħuti, meta aħna għandna l-qassis il-kbir, li hu tassew kbir, qassis li daħal fis-smewwiet, Ġesù, Bin Alla, ħa nżommu sħiħa l-fidi tagħna u nistqarruha. Għax aħna ma għandniex qassis il-kbir li ma jistax jagħder id-dgħufija tagħna, imma għandna wieħed li kien imġarrab bħalna f’kollox, minbarra d-dnub.  Ħa nersqu, mela, b’qalbna qawwija lejn it-tron tal-grazzja, biex naqilgħu ħniena u nsibu f’waqtha l-grazzja li neħtieġu.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                  MARK 10:35-45 or 10:42-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."  He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?"  They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."  Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking.  Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"  They said to him, "We can."  Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared."  When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.  Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt.  But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.  For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many

EVANĠELJU                 Qari skont San Mark 0:35-45

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġakbu u Ġwanni, ulied Żebedew, resqu lejh u qalulu: “Mgħallem, dak li se nitolbuk irriduk tagħtihulna”. “Xi triduni nagħmlilkom?”, staqsiehom. U huma weġbuh: “Ħallina noqogħdu wieħed fuq il-lemin tiegħek u l-ieħor fuq ix-xellug fil-glorja tiegħek”.  Imma Ġesù qalilhom: “Ma tafux x’intom titolbu. Għandkom ħila tixorbu l-kalċi li se nixrob jien, u titgħammdu bil-magħmudija li biha se nitgħammed jien?”. “Għandna”, qalulu. Imbagħad qalilhom Ġesù: “Il-kalċi li se nixrob jien tixorbuh, iva, u titgħammdu wkoll bil-magħmudija li biha se nitgħammed jien; imma li wieħed joqgħod fuq il-lemin jew fuq ix-xellug tiegħi, din mhijiex ħaġa tiegħi li nagħtiha jien, imma hi għal dawk li għalihom kienet imħejjija”.  L-għaxra l-oħra, meta semgħu dan, saħnu għal Ġakbu u għal Ġwanni. Imma Ġesù sejħilhom u qalilhom: “Tafu intom, dawk in-nies, li l-bnedmin jgħodduhom bħala kapijiet tal-pagani, jaħkmu fuqhom, u l-kbarat tagħhom iħaddmu s-setgħa tagħhom fuqhom. Fostkom ma għandux ikun hekk, imma min irid ikun kbir fostkom, għandu jkun qaddej tagħkom, u min irid ikun l-ewwel fostkom, għandu joqgħod ilsir ta’ kulħadd. Għax hekk ukoll Bin il-bniedem, hu ma ġiex biex ikun moqdi, imma biex jaqdi u biex jagħti ħajtu b’fidwa għall-kotra”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil        

OUR SACRIFICIAL SERVICE DONE FOR OTHERS   

Central theme: 

Sunday’s Scripture readings describe Christian leadership as the sacrificial service done for others. They also explain the servant leadership of Jesus and teach us that self-sacrificing, loving, humble service is the criterion of greatness in Christ’s Kingdom.

Scripture lessons summarized: 

The First Reading is a Messianic prophecy taken from the Fourth Servant Song in the second part of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. It tells how the promised Messiah will save mankind by dying in atonement for our sins. Jesus has done this out of love for us, becoming the Suffering Servant crucified as an offering for sin, interceding for us and taking our punishment on Himself. 

The Second Reading, taken from the letter to the Hebrews, tells us that, as Godman and Mediator-High Priest, Jesus has offered a fitting sacrifice to God to ransom us, liberating us from enslavement to sin. In the time of Jesus, ransom was the price paid to free someone from slavery. Sometimes the ransomer offered himself as a substitute for the slave, as Jesus did. The reading also speaks of a “High Priest who is able to sympathize” with us in our weakness because Jesus has been tested in every way, though sinless, and so we can “confidently” hope for God’s mercy. 

Today’s Gospel explains how Jesus foretells for the third time, his suffering and death to atone for our sins and to save us. But his disciples are still dreaming of a triumphant political messiah who will re-establish the glorious Davidic kingdom. They dream of sharing their master’s glory. Hearing the selfish request made by James and John for key positions in the Messianic political kingdom, Jesus challenges them, and us, to become great by serving others with sacrificial agape love: “Whoever wishes to be great must be a servant."

Life Messages: 

1) We are challenged to give our lives in loving service to others. As Christians, we are all invited to serve others – and to serve with a smile! We are challenged to drink the cup of Jesus by spending our lives in humble, sacrificial service for others, just as Jesus did. The best place to begin the process of service by “self-giving" is in our own homes and workplaces. When parents sacrifice their time, talents, health, and blessings for the welfare of others in the family, they are serving God. Service always involves suffering because we can’t help another without some sacrifice on our part. We also render great service to others when we present them and their needs before God daily in our prayers.

2) We are invited to give servant leadership in our homes, parishes and communities: We become servant leaders at home by serving each member of the family sacrificially with commitment. To become an effective Christian community, we need lay leaders with the courage of their Christian convictions to work for implementing social justice among our parishioners. We also need spiritual leaders like pastors who can break open the Word for us, lead us in our prayer, offer us on the altar, and draw us together as sacrament.

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FOR HUMANS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE - BUT NOT FOR GOD

 Readings for Sunday, October 13,  2024 

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 143

It-Tmienja u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1                 WISDOM 7:7-11

 I prayed, and prudence was given me;  I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.  I preferred her to scepter and  throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,  nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;  because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,  and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.  Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.  Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands.

QARI 1                   mill-Ktieb tal-Għerf 7:7-11

Jien tlabt u qlajt l-għaqal; sejjaħt, u ġie fuqi l-ispirtu tal-għerf. Dan l-għerf qistu aqwa minn kull xettru u tron, u ntbaħt li l-għana mhu xejn ħdejh. Ma xebbahtx miegħu l-ħaġra l-aktar prezzjuża, għax id-deheb kollu ħdejh mhuwiex ħlief ftit ramel,  u l-fidda quddiemu qisha ftit tajn.  Aktar mis-saħħa u s-sbuħija ħabbejtu, u għoġobni aktar mid-dawl; għax id-dija tiegħu ma tgħib qatt. Mal-għerf ġieni l-ġid kollu, u miegħu ġiebli għana bla qies. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                 PSALM 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R. (14)    Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us,
for the years when we saw evil.
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children;
and may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

SALM RESPONSORJALI                   Salm 89(90):12-13,14-15,16-17

R/. (14): Imliena bit-tjieba tiegħek, Mulej.

Għallimna ngħoddu jiem ħajjitna,
sabiex aħna nimxu bil-għaqal.
Dur lejna, Mulej! Kemm se ddum?
Ħenn għall-qaddejja tiegħek. R/.

Imliena kmieni bit-tjieba tiegħek,
biex nifirħu u nithennew ħajjitna kollha.
Ferraħna daqskemm għakkistna,
għas-snin li fihom rajna l-ħsara. R/.

Ħa jidher għemilek quddiem il-qaddejja tiegħek,
u l-kobor tiegħek quddiem uliedhom.
Ħa tkun fuqna l-grazzja ta’ Alla Sidna!
Wettqilna inti x-xogħol ta’ jdejna,
wettaq, iva, xogħol idejna. R/.

Reading 2                  HEBREWS 4:12-13

Brothers and sisters:  Indeed the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

QARI 2                 Qari mill-Ittra lil-Lhud 4:12-13

Ħuti, il-kelma ta’ Alla hi ħajja u qawwija, taqta’ aktar minn xabla b’żewġt ixfar; hija tinfed sa tifred minn xulxin ir-ruħ u l-ispirtu u l-ġogi u l-mudullun; u tgħarbel il-ħsibijiet u l-fehmiet tal-qalb. Xejn ma hemm fil-ħolqien li hu moħbi għalih, imma kollox hu miftuħ għal għajnejn Alla, li lilu rridu nagħtu kont.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                 MARK 10:17-30 or 10:17-27

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good?  No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honour your father and your mother."  He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in Heaven; then come, follow me."  At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"  The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."  They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.  All things are possible for God."  Peter began to say to him, "We have given up everything and followed you."  Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come."

EVANĠELJU                 Qari skond San Mark 10:17-27

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù kien se jaqbad it-triq lejn Ġerusalemm, meta mar fuqu wieħed jgħaġġel, niżel għarkupptejh quddiemu u qallu: “Mgħallem tajjeb, x’għandi nagħmel biex nikseb il-ħajja ta’ dejjem?”.  Qallu Ġesù: “Għaliex qiegħed issejjaħli tajjeb? Ħadd mhu tajjeb ħlief Alla biss. Inti l-kmandamenti tafhom: la toqtolx, la tiżnix, la tisraqx, la tixhidx fil-falz, la tiħux bil-qerq dak li hu ta’ ħaddieħor; weġġaħ lil missierek u ’l ommok”.  U dak wieġbu u qallu: “Mgħallem, jiena dan kollu ili nħarsu minn żgħożiti”. Imbagħad Ġesù xeħet fuqu ħarsa ta’ mħabba u qallu: “Ħaġa waħda tonqsok: mur bigħ li għandek, agħtih lill-fqar, u jkollok teżor fis-sema; imbagħad ejja u imxi warajja”. Imma għal dan il-kliem ir-raġel qarras wiċċu u telaq b’qalbu sewda, għaliex kellu bosta ġid.  Ġesù mbagħad ħares ħarsa madwaru u qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Kemm hi iebsa għall-għonja li jidħlu fis-Saltna ta’ Alla!”. Id-dixxipli stagħġbu għal din il-kelma, imma Ġesù raġa’ qalilhom: “Kemm hi iebsa, uliedi, li wieħed jidħol fis-Saltna ta’ Alla! Eħfef li ġemel jgħaddi minn għajn ta’ labra milli wieħed għani jidħol fis-Saltna ta’ Alla”. Huma stagħġbu wisq aktar, u bdew jgħidu wieħed lill-ieħor: “Mela min jista’ jsalva?”. Ġesù ħares lejhom u qalilhom: “Għall-bnedmin dan ma jistax ikun, imma għal Alla iva; għax għal Alla kollox jista’ jkun”.  Qabeż Pietru u qallu: “Tajjeb! Aħna ħallejna kollox u ġejna warajk”. Qallu Ġesù: “Tassew ngħidilkom, li fost dawk kollha li minħabba fija u l-Evanġelju jħallu lil darhom jew lil ħuthom jew lil ommhom jew lil missierhom jew lil uliedhom jew l-għelieqi tagħhom, ma hemm ħadd fosthom li minn issa, f’din id-dinja stess, ma jirċevix, għal mitt darba iktar, djar, aħwa, subien u bniet, ommijiet, ulied u għelieqi flimkien ma’ persekuzzjonijiet, u l-ħajja ta’ dejjem fiż-żmien li ġej”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil         

PRIORITISING OUR LIVES FOR GOD

Central theme: 

We must give priority to God in our lives, not to our possessions. Sunday's  day’s readings remind us that we do not possess anything in our life that we refuse to surrender to the Lord.  These things often possess us, for when we give our “things” top priority in our lives, we become the prisoners of our possessions. Thus, we violate the First Great Commandment, “You shall not have other gods beside me” which demands that we give absolute and unconditional priority to God.

Scripture lessons summarized: 

The First Reading advises us to use the God-given virtue of prudence in order to seek true wisdom and to distinguish them from vanishing earthly realities, like riches or political and social influence. Solomon chose Wisdom before everything else — and he received “everything else” along with it! Since Jesus is Wisdom Incarnate, when we put following Jesus ahead of everything else, we, too, receive “everything else” along with Jesus. In the Responsorial Psalm(Ps 90), we beg God to teach us how to make proper judgments and choices in our lives that we may live with Him forever.

The Second Reading warns us that we are accountable to God for our use, or misuse, of His blessings, and that the “living and effective word of God” must be our guide in evaluating our use of His blessings.

In Sunday’s Gospel selection (Mk 10:17-30), we find three sections: a narrative about Jesus’ encounter with a rich man, Jesus’ sayings about wealth as a possible obstacle to discipleship, and Jesus’ promise of reward for those who share their material possessions with the needy. Reminding the rich man of the commandments that deal with relationships with other people, Jesus challenged him to sell what he had, and to give the money to the poor. The disciples were shocked by this challenge. But Jesus declared that true religion consisted in one’s sharing one’s blessings with others rather than hoarding and/or getting inordinately attached to them.

Life messages:

##1) We need to accept the invitation to generous sharing. Initially, Jesus, in generous, sacrificial love, gave us His very self; in response, we find rising in our hearts the desire to give Jesus our own total selves, and so to enter the Faith relationship which Jesus offers us. God does not ask us to give up our riches, but He does ask us to use them wisely in His service, not allowing them to gain control over our hearts. God gives us time, talents, health, wealth, and riches that we may use them as good stewards in the service of others.

 ##2) Let us make a check list of our priorities and attachments, and give God top priority: Are anger, lust, gluttony, evil habits, addictions, jealousy, holding grudges, infidelity, or cheating among our habits as priorities? Let us invite God into our lives daily by praying for His strengthening grace and the anointing of His Holy Spirit so that we may give God top priority, keeping Bible as our guide. 3) We need to gain eternal life by living out our Faith in Jesus as our God and Savior, and, with God’s strengthening grace, detaching ourselves from unnecessary attachments.

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WE CANNOT SEPARATE WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER

 Readings for Sunday, October 6,  2024 

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 140

Qari tas-Sebgħa u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1                 GENESIS 2:18-24

The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a suitable partner for him." So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name.  The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man. So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said:     "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called 'woman, ' for out of 'her man’ this one has been taken." That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.

QARI  1                  mill-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi   2:18-24

Il-Mulej Alla qal: “Mhux sewwa li l-bniedem jibqa’ waħdu. Ħa nagħmillu għajnuna tgħodd għalih”. U l-Mulej Alla sawwar mill-art annimali selvaġġi u t-tajr kollu tal-ajru, u ġiebhom quddiem il-bniedem biex jara xi jsemmihom; u skont ma jkun il-bniedem semma lil kull ħliqa ħajja, dak ikun isimha. U l-bniedem ta isem lil kull bhima u ’l kull tajra tal-ajru, u ’l kull annimal selvaġġ; imma għall-bniedem ma nstabet ebda għajnuna tgħodd għalih. U l-Mulej Alla tefa’ nagħsa tqila fuq il-bniedem; u dan raqad. U ħadlu waħda minn kustiljih u flokha mlieh bil-laħam. U l-Mulej Alla sawwar il-kustilja, li kien ħa mill-bniedem, f’mara u ġiebha lill-bniedem.  Imbagħad il-bniedem qal: “Din id-darba din hi għadma minn għadmi, u laħam minn laħmi, għalhekk tissejjaħ mara,għax mir-raġel ittieħdet hi”.  Għalhekk ir-raġel iħalli lil missieru u lil ommu u jingħaqad ma’ martu u jsiru ġisem wieħed. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                 PSALM 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
    who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
    blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives. 

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
    in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
    around your table.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

Behold, thus is the man blessed
    who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

May you see your children's children.
    Peace be upon Israel!
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                 Salm 127(128):1-2,3,4-5,6

R/. (ara 5): Iberikna l-Mulej il-jiem kollha ta’ ħajjitna.

Hieni kull min jibża’ mill-Mulej,
kull min jimxi fit-triqat tiegħu!
Mix-xogħol ta’ jdejk inti tiekol;
hieni int, u riżqek tajjeb! R/.

Martek tkun bħal dielja għammiela
fl-irkejjen ta’ darek;
uliedek bħal xitel taż-żebbuġ
madwar il-mejda tiegħek. R/.

Ara kif ikun imbierek
il-bniedem li jibża’ mill-Mulej!
Ibierkek il-Mulej minn Sijon! R/.

Jalla tara l-ġid ta’ Ġerusalemm
tul ħajtek kollha!
Jalla tara wlied uliedek!
Sliem għal Iżrael! R/.

Reading 2                 HEBREWS 2:9-11

Brothers and sisters:  He "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels, "  that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.  For it was fitting that he,  for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”

QARI 2                  mill-Ittra lil-Lhud  2:9-11

Ħuti, lil dak li għal ftit taż-żmien kien imniżżel ftit inqas mill-anġli, lil Ġesù, aħna issa qegħdin narawh imżejjen fil-glorja u l-ġieħ minħabba fil-mewt li hu bata, biex, għall-grazzja ta’ Alla, il-mewt li daq tkun għall-ġid ta’ kulħadd.  Għax kien jixraq li Alla, li għalih u bih sar kollox, waqt li jwassal ħafna wlied għall-glorja, jagħmel li l-Awtur tas-salvazzjoni tagħhom ikun perfett bis-saħħa tas-sofferenzi.  Għax kemm dak li jqaddes, u kemm dawk li jiġu mqaddsin, ilkoll huma mill-istess wieħed. U għalhekk Ġesù ma jistħix isejħilhom ħutu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                 MARK 10:2-16 or 10:2-12

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?"  They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?"  They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment.  But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.  For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate."  In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.  He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

EVANĠELJU                 Qari skont San Mark 10:2-16

F’dak iż-żmien, resqu xi Fariżej lejn Ġesù u biex iġarrbuh staqsewh jekk raġel jistax jitlaq lil martu. Weġibhom u qal: “X’ordnalkom Mosè?”. Qalulu: “Mosè ta l-permess li wieħed jagħmel il-kitba tad-divorzju, u jibgħatha”. Imbagħad weġibhom Ġesù: “Minħabba l-ebusija ta’ qalbkom kitbilkom dan l-ordni. Iżda sa mill-bidu tal-ħolqien Alla għamilhom raġel u mara.  Għalhekk mela raġel iħalli lil missieru u ’l ommu u jingħaqad ma’ martu, u t-tnejn isiru ġisem wieħed. Għalhekk mhumiex iżjed tnejn, imma ġisem wieħed. Mela dak li għaqqad Alla ma għandux jifirdu l-bniedem”.  Xħin daħlu d-dar id-dixxipli reġgħu staqsewh fuq dan, u hu qalilhom: “Min jitlaq lil martu u jiżżewweġ oħra jkun ħati ta’ adulterju kontra l-ewwel waħda; u jekk mara titlaq lil żewġha u tiżżewweġ ieħor tkun ħatja ta’ adulterju”.  Ġibulu quddiemu xi tfal ċkejknin biex iberikhom, iżda d-dixxipli tiegħu qabdu jgħajtu magħhom. Ġesù, meta ra hekk, inkorla u qalilhom: “Ħalluhom it-tfal żgħar jiġu għandi; iżżommuhomx, għax ta’ min hu bħalhom hija s-Saltna ta’ Alla. Tassew ngħidilkom, li min is-Saltna ta’ Alla ma jilqagħhiex bħal tifel ċkejken ma jidħolx fiha”. Imbagħad ħaddanhom miegħu u qiegħed idejh fuqhom u berikhom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil        

 

GOD'S PLAN FOR SEX AND MARRIAGE

Introduction: 

Today’s Scripture readings are about the bond of love that marriage creates between a man and a woman, a bond that God intends to be permanent. These readings challenge the spouses to practice the fidelity of their ever-faithful God, honouring their holy covenant commitment before Him.

Scripture lessons: 

The First Reading, taken from Genesis, explains God’s original plan concerning sex and marriage. It teaches us that God made man and woman for each other. Hence, in marriage they are no longer two but one, united by an unbreakable bond. The reading also describes the institution of marriage and shows that monogamy was God’s intention from the very beginning. The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 128) expands the marital theme of the first reading and the Gospel to include the children born of the union. Since the children enrich the lives of their parents, the Psalmist prays: “May you see your children’s children.”

The Second Reading, taken from the Letter to the Hebrews, reminds us that Jesus became one of us, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. As one of us, Jesus “tasted death for everyone.” He was not only the Sacrifice, but also the High Priest. We are now Jesus’ brothers and sisters, bonded with Him, and through Him bonded with God. Thus, Christ became the Saviour of all people – the good, the bad, the divorced, gays, lesbians – everyone, and received all of us as brothers and sisters. Jesus’ prohibition of divorce can be a source of suffering for those who face difficult married lives. Paul suggests that we have to accept pain as Jesus did, as part of the suffering we all have to endure on the way to glory.

Sunday’s Gospel gives Christ’s explicit teaching on marriage and divorce, the Divine origin of marriage, the sacredness of family life, and the indissolubility of marriage. These are difficult messages to preach in a society that embraces co-habitation and ignores both the escalating divorce statistics and the dangerous consequences of divorce. The Gospel teaches that family life is sacred, that husband and wife are partners with equal rights, and that the destruction of the family by divorce is producing the destruction of society.

Life messages: 

1) Both spouses need to work hard to create a good marriage: Marriage demands that they should become the right persons for each another as God-given gifts. Marriage is a union based on committed sharing, and forgiving, sacrificial, agape love. It requires many mutual adjustments; much mutual generosity, and great good will, to forgive and ask for forgiveness; sincere cooperation in training children and raising them as practising Catholic Christians; and daily strength from God obtained through personal and family prayers and punctual, at least weekly, participation in the parish liturgy.

2) We need to reach out with Christian sympathy to the divorced and to troubled families. The parish community needs to accept these brothers and sisters with respect, compassion, sensitivity, love, and support, sharing the depth of their pain from a failed, or failing, marriage. The Church cannot sanction a second marriage for either spouse unless the previous marriage has been declared annulled by the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal. In the meantime, “…they should be encouraged to listen to the Word of God, to attend the Sacrifice of the Mass, to persevere in prayer, to bring up their children in the Christian Faith” (CCC #1651).

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