THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF OUR RELIGION

Readings for Sunday, November 3,  2024 

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 152

Il-Wieħed u Tletin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1                 DEUTERONOMY 6:2-6

Moses spoke to the people, saying:  "Fear the LORD, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus have long life. Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them,  that you may grow and prosper the more, in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.   "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!  Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today."

QARI 1                  mill-Ktieb tad-Dewteronomju 6:2-6

Mosè kellem lill-poplu u qal: “Ibża’ mill-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, billi int, ibnek u bin ibnek, tħarsu dejjem il-liġijiet u l-kmandamenti kollha tiegħu, li jien qiegħed nagħtik, biex ikollok għomor twil.  Isma’, o Iżrael, u ħu ħsieb agħmilhom, biex ikollok il-ġid u toktor ħafna, bħalma wiegħed il-Mulej, Alla ta’ missirijietek, li jagħtik art tnixxi ħalib u għasel. Isma’, o Iżrael: Alla tagħna l-Mulej, il-Mulej waħdu. Ħobb, mela, lill-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, b’qalbek kollha, b’ruħek kollha u b’saħħtek kollha. Żomm f’qalbek dan il-kliem u dawn il-kmandamenti li qiegħed nagħtik illum”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                 PSALM 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51

I love you, O LORD, my strength,

    O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.

My God, my rock of refuge,
    my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
    and I am safe from my enemies.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.

The LORD lives!  And blessed be my rock!
    Extolled be God my savior.
You who gave great victories to your king
    and showed kindness to your anointed.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                 Salm 17:2-3a,3bċ-4,47,51ab

R/.(2): Inħobbok, Mulej, qawwa tiegħi!

Inħobbok, Mulej, qawwa tiegħi!
Il-Mulej blata tiegħi,
fortizza u ħellies tiegħi! R/.

Alla tiegħi, sur tal-kenn tiegħi u tarka tiegħi,
qawwa tas-salvazzjoni tiegħi u kenn tiegħi!
Insejjaħ il-Mulej, li hu ta’ min ifaħħru,
u nkun meħlus mill-għedewwa tiegħi. R/.

Ħaj il-Mulej! Imbierek hu, il-blata tiegħi!
Ikun imfaħħar Alla tas-salvazzjoni tiegħi!
Hu jkabbar ir-rebħ lis-sultan tiegħu,
juri mħabbtu mal-midluk tiegħu. R/.

Reading 2                  HEBREWS 7:23-28

Brothers and sisters:  The levitical priests were many because they were prevented by death from remaining in office, but Jesus, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away. Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him,  since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself.  For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.

QARI 2                 mill-Ittra lil-Lhud 7:23-28

Ħuti, dawk tal-imgħoddi kienu jsiru qassisin f’għadd kbir, għax minħabba fil-mewt ma kinux jistgħu jibqgħu għal dejjem. Imma Ġesù, billi jibqa’ għal dejjem, għandu saċerdozju li ma jintemm qatt. Għalhekk ukoll huwa jista’ jsalva għalkollox ’il dawk li bih jersqu lejn Alla, ladarba hu jibqa’ għal dejjem ħaj biex jidħol għalihom.  Dan hu, tabilħaqq, il-qassis il-kbir li kien jgħodd għalina: qaddis, innoċenti, safi, maqtugħ mill-midinbin, merfugħ ’il fuq mis-smewwiet; li ma għandux bżonn, bħall-qassisin il-kbar l-oħra, joffri kuljum is-sagrifiċċju, l-ewwel għad-dnubiet tiegħu stess, imbagħad għad-dnubiet tal-poplu. Dan hu għamlu darba għal dejjem, meta offra lilu nnifsu.  Għax il-Liġi tqiegħed bħala qassisin il-kbar bnedmin li huma dgħajfa; iżda l-kelma tal-ġurament, li ġiet wara l-Liġi, tqiegħed Iben, li ġie magħmul perfett għal dejjem.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                 MARK 12:28b-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?"  Jesus replied, "The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,  with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these."  The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, 'He is One and there is no other than he.' And 'to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself' is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  And no one dared to ask him any more questions. 

EVANĠELJU                 Qari skont San Mark 12:28b-34

F’dak iż-żmien, wieħed mill-kittieba resaq fuq Ġesù u staqsieh: “Liema wieħed fost il-kmandamenti kollha huwa l-ewwel?”. Ġesù wieġbu: “L-ewwel wieħed huwa dan: Isma’ Iżrael! Il-Mulej, Alla tagħna, Mulej wieħed hu, u int għandek tħobb lill-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, b’qalbek kollha, b’ruħek kollha, b’moħħok kollu, u bil-qawwa tiegħek kollha. U t-tieni hu dan: Ħobb lil għajrek bħalek innifsek. Ma hemmx kmandament ieħor akbar minn dawn”. Qallu l-kittieb: “Sewwa qiegħed tgħid, Mgħallem; għandek raġun tgħid li wieħed hemm, u li ma hemmx ieħor ħliefu. Iva, li tħobb lilu b’qalbek kollha, b’moħħok kollu, u bil-qawwa tiegħek kollha, u li tħobb lil għajrek bħalek innifsek, huwa aqwa minn kull sagrifiċċju tal-ħruq u mis-sagrifiċċji kollha”. Ġesù, meta rah kemm kien wieġeb bil-għaqal, qallu: “M’intix ’il bogħod mis-Saltna ta’ Alla”. U ħadd ma kellu l-ħila jistaqsih iżjed. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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

    

 

   TRUE RELIGION IS LOVING GOD AND OUR FELLIOW HUMAN BEINGS 

The central theme: 

The central message of Sunday’s readings is the most fundamental principle of all religions, especially Christianity. It is to love God in Himself and living in others. Scripture readings for today remind us that we are created to love God by loving others and to love others as an expression of our love for God. Our religious practices, like prayers, Bible reading, Sacraments, acts of penance, and self-control, are meant to help us to acknowledge and appreciate the presence of God in our neighbours and to express our love for God by serving our neighbours with love, sharing our blessings with them.

Scripture lessons: 

The first reading presents Moses explaining the Law to the Israelites after his return from Mount Sinai. He tries to make the people reverence and obey the Law given by God as something that will bring them dignity, purpose, stature, distinction, and a unique place in history. He reminds them that keeping God’s commandments will give them God’s blessings of long life, prosperity, and fruitful, peaceful lives. 

The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 18) invites us to love God because He alone is our strength and our stronghold. In Sunday’s Gospel, a Scribe asks Jesus to summarize the most important of the Mosaic Laws in one sentence. Jesus cites the first sentence of the Jewish Shema prayer: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Dt 6:4). Then Jesus adds its complementary law: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Lv 19:18). Thus, Jesus says, true religion is loving God and loving our fellow human beings at the same time. It is by showing genuine, active love for our neighbours that we can demonstrate that we really love God.

Life Messages: 

#1:  How do we love God? We must keep God’s commandments, and offer daily prayers of thanksgiving, praise, contrition for our failings, and petition. We also need to read and meditate on His word in the Holy Bible and to participate actively in the Holy Mass and other liturgical functions. If I am going to love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, then I am going to have to place His will ahead of mine, and to ask Him for help when I have to say no to some things that I might want to do. I am also going to have to seek the Lord’s will and make it paramount in my life.

#2: How do we love our neighbour?: We love our neighbour by helping, supporting, encouraging, forgiving, and praying for everyone, without discrimination based on colour, race, gender, age, wealth, or social status. If I am going to love my neighbour as I love myself, or as Jesus has loved me, it will cost me suffering as it did Jesus! I may have to seek forgiveness when I think I have done something wrong. I may have to sacrifice something I think I need, to meet a brother’s need. I may have to spend time in prayer for other people and reach out to them, helping, encouraging, and supporting them in the name of the Lord.

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