"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. " (John 12)
Photo copyright : John R Portelli

Thursday, 17 October 2024

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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