Readings for Sunday, July 13, 2025
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 105
Qari tal-15-il Ħadd matul is-Sena
Reading 1 Deuteronomy 30:10-14
Moses said to the people: "If only you would heed the voice of the LORD, your God, and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this book of the law, when you return to the LORD, your God, with all your heart and all your soul."For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky, that you should say, 'Who will go up in the sky to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?' Nor is it across the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross the sea to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?' No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out."
QARI 1 mill-Ktieb tad-Dewteronomju 30:10-14
Mosè kellem lill-poplu u qal: “Il-Mulej jifraħ bik u jagħmel il-ġid miegħek, jekk int tisma’ l-kelma tal-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, u tħares l-ordnijiet tiegħu u l-liġijiet miktuba fil-ktieb ta’ din il-liġi; jekk terġa’ lejn il-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, b’qalbek kollha u b’ruħek kollha. Din il-liġi li qiegħed nagħtik illum, mhijiex tqila għalik u anqas ’il bogħod minnek. Mhijiex fis-sema biex int tgħid: ‘Min se jitlgħalna s-sema jġibhielna u jsemmagħhielna u nagħmluha?’. U anqas ma hi ’l hemm mill-baħar biex int tgħid: ‘Min se jmur ’l hemm mill-ibħra u jġibhielna, u jsemmagħhielna, u nagħmluha?’. Imma din il-ħaġa hi qribek sewwa f’fommok u f’moħħok, biex tagħmilha”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
SALM RESPONSORJALI Salm 18:8,9,10,11
R/.(9a): Il-preċetti tal-Mulej dritti, u jferrħu l-qalb.
u tagħti l-ħajja;
ix-xhieda tal-Mulej hi sewwa,
u tgħallem lil min ma jafx. R/.
Il-preċetti tal-Mulej dritti,
u jferrħu l-qalb;
il-kmandament tal-Mulej safi,
u jdawwal l-għajnejn. R/.
Il-biża’ tal-Mulej sinċier,
u jibqa’ għal dejjem;
il-ġudizzji tal-Mulej sewwa,
u mseddqa għalkollox. R/.
Egħżeż mid-deheb,
mid-deheb l-aktar fin,
oħla mill-għasel
u mill-qtar tax-xehda. R/.
Reading 2 Colossians 1:15-20
Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
QARI 2 mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Kolossin 1:15-20
Ħuti, Kristu hu x-xbieha ta’ Alla li ma jidhirx, il-kbir fost il-ħlejjaq kollha; għax fih kien maħluq kollox, fis-sema u fl-art, dak kollu li jidher u dak kollu li ma jidhirx, Troni u Ħakmiet, Prinċipati u Setgħat. Kollox bih u għalih kien maħluq, hu li hu qabel kollox, u kollox fih qiegħed iżomm. Hu r-Ras tal-Ġisem, li hu l-Knisja. Hu li hu l-bidu, il-kbir li qam mill-imwiet, sabiex ikun hu l-ewwel f’kollox. Hekk Alla għoġbu li tgħammar fih il-milja kollha; bih Alla għoġbu jerġa’ jħabbeb kollox miegħu; bid-demm tiegħu, imxerred fuq is-salib, ġieb is-sliem permezz tiegħu fis-sema u fl-art. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Gospel Luke 10:25-37
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself." He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.' Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
EVANĠELJU Qari skont San Luqa 10:25-37
F’dak iż-żmien, iqum wieħed għaref fil-Liġi u, biex iġarrab lil Ġesù, staqsieh: “Mgħallem, x’nagħmel biex niret il-ħajja ta’ dejjem?”. Qallu Ġesù: “Fil-Liġi x’hemm miktub? Inti x’taqra fiha?”. U dak wieġeb: “Int għandek tħobb il-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, b’qalbek kollha, u b’ruħek kollha, bil-qawwa tiegħek kollha, u b’moħħok kollu, u lill-proxxmu tiegħek bħalek innifsek”. Qallu Ġesù: “Sewwa weġibt; agħmel hekk u tgħix”. Iżda dak, biex juri li kellu raġun, qal lil Ġesù: “U l-proxxmu tiegħi min hu?”. U Ġesù raġa’ qabad jgħidlu: “Wieħed raġel kien nieżel Ġeriko minn Ġerusalemm, u waqa’ f’idejn il-ħallelin; dawn neżżgħuh, biċċruh bis-swat u telqu, u ħallewh nofsu mejjet. Inzerta kien nieżel qassis minn dik it-triq u rah, għadda minn mal-ġenb u baqa’ sejjer. Hekk ukoll wieħed levita, meta wasal hemm u rah, għadda minn mal-ġenb u baqa’ sejjer. Imma kien għaddej minn hemm wieħed Samaritan, wasal ħdejh, rah u tħassru. Resaq lejh, dewwielu l-ġrieħi biż-żejt u l-inbid u rabathomlu, u mbagħad tellgħu fuq il-bhima tiegħu, wasslu f’lukanda u ħa ħsiebu. L-għada ħareġ biċċtejn flus, tahom lil tal-lukanda u qallu: “Ħu ħsiebu; jekk tonfoq xi ħaġa iżjed, irroddhielek jien meta nerġa’ ngħaddi”. Minn dawn it-tlieta, int min jidhirlek li ġieb ruħu ta’ proxxmu ma’ dak li waqa’ f’idejn il-ħallelin?”. “Min ħenn għalih”, wieġbu dak. Qallu Ġesù: “Mur, u agħmel hekk int ukoll”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
///////////////////////////////
.jpeg)
An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil
Introduction:
The central theme of Sunday’s Scripture readings is that we gain eternal life by loving God, in Himself and living in our neighbours, by becoming good neighbours.
Scripture lessons:
The first reading, taken from Deuteronomy, reminds us that God not only gives us His Commandments in Holy Scriptures, but that He has also written them in our hearts so that we may obey them and inherit eternal life with God. The refrain for today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 69) condenses the lessons of the three readings in a single memorable statement, “Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.”
In the second reading, St. Paul reminds the Colossians, and us, that just as Christ Jesus is the “visible image of the invisible God,” so our neighbours are the visible image of Christ living in our midst. In Sunday’s Gospel, a scribe asks Jesus a very basic religious question: “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” In answer to the question, Jesus directs the scribe’s attention to the Sacred Scriptures. The Scriptural answer is, “love God, and express that love by loving your neighbor.” However, to the scribe the word “neighbour” means another scribe or Pharisee – never a Samaritan or a Gentile. Hence, the scribe insists on clarification of the word “neighbour.” So, Jesus tells him the parable of the Good Samaritan. The parable clearly indicates that a “neighbour” is anyone who needs help. Thus, the correct approach is not to ask, “Who is my neighbour?” but rather to ask, “Am I a good neighbour to others?” Jesus, the Heavenly Good Samaritan, gives us a final commandment during the Last Supper, “Love one another as I have loved you,” because the invisible God dwells in every human being.
Life messages:
1) Let us remember that the road from Jerusalem to Jericho passes right through our home, parish, school, and workplace. We may find our spouse, children or parents “lying wounded” by bitter words or scathing criticism (ours?) or by other more blatant forms of verbal, emotional or physical abuse. Hence, Jesus invites us to show our love to others, in our own home, in school, in the workplace, and in the neighbourhood, as the Good Samaritan did.
2) Let us check to see if we are good neighbours. We become good neighbours when we are people of generosity, kindness, and mercy toward all who are suffering. Our sincere smile, a cheery greeting, an encouraging word of appreciation, a heartfelt “thank you” can all work wonders for a suffering soul.
3) Let us allow the “Good Samaritans” to touch our lives. Let us be willing to touch, or be touched by, persons we have once despised. For some of us, it may be persons of another colour or race; for others, it may mean persons of a different political persuasion. Let us pray that the Spirit of the Living God may melt us, mold us, and use us, so that there will no longer be even one person who is untouchable or outside the boundaries of our compassion.
4) Let us accept God’s invitation to be loving and merciful to our enemies. These enemies include both the people we hate, and those who hate us, for our God, is extending to people of all times His invitation to love and serve Him in loving and serving eveyone, including those from whom we are estranged.
////////////////////////////////////// Fr Tony's Homilies © 2025. / https://frtonyshomilies.com /
..................
No comments:
Post a Comment