Readings for Sunday, November 9, 2025
Lectionary: 671
Festa tad-Dedikazzjoni tal-Bażilka tal-Lateran
Reading 1 Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
The angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the façade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar. He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the southern side. He said to me, "This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine."
QARI 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Eżekjel 47: 1-2. 8-9. 12
Imbagħad, l-Anġlu ħadni lura ħdejn il-bieb tas-santwarju; u ara, kien hemm l-ilma ħiereġ minn taħt l-għatba tas-santwarju lejn il-lvant – għax is-santwarju kien iħares lejn il-lvant. U l-ilma kien ħiereġ min-naħa tal-lemin tal-għatba, in-naħa tan-nofsinhar tal-altar. Imbagħad ħariġni mill-bieb tat-tramuntana u mexxieni madwar, minn barra, sal-bieb ta’ barra li jħares lejn il-lvant; u l-ilma kien inixxi min-naħa tal-lemin tal-għatba. U qalli: «Dan l-ilma ħiereġ lejn in-naħa tal-lvant u nieżel lejn l-Għaraba; u meta jasal fil-Baħar il-Mejjet b’dak l-ilma mielaħ, l-ilma jsir ilma ħelu. U jiġri li, kull fejn tgħaddi dik ix-xmara, kull ħaġa ħajja li tiċċaqlaq tgħix; u jkun hemm kotra kbira ta’ ħut, għax, minn kull fejn jgħaddi dak l-ilma, l-ilma jitjieb u jkun hemm il-ħajja minn kull fejn tgħaddi x-xmara. Fuq iż-żewġt ixtut tax-xmara jikbru siġar ta’ kull ġens ta’ frott; il-weraq tagħhom ma jidbielx, il-frott tagħhom ma jonqosx. Kull xahar jagħmlu frott ġdid, għax l-ilma tagħhom ħiereġ mit-tempju, u l-frott tagħhom ikun ikel, u l-weraq duwa. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
SALM RESPONSORJALI Salm 45: 2-3. 5-6. 8-9
R/. Tifraħ il-belt ta’ Alla!
Kenn u qawwa hu Alla għalina,
għajnuna kbira sibnieh fid-dwejjaq.
Għalhekk ma nibżgħux jekk l-art titriegħed,
jew jiġġarrfu l-muntanji f’nofs ta’ baħar. R/.
Hemm xmara li s-swieqi tagħha
iferrħu l-belt ta’ Alla,
l-għamara qaddisa tal-Għoli.
Hemm Alla f’nofsha, ma titħarrikx;
jgħinha Alla mat-tbexbix tas-sebħ. R/.
Il-Mulej tal-eżerċti magħna,
fortizza għalina Alla ta’ Ġakobb!
Ejjew, araw x’għamel il-Mulej,
għemejjel tal-għaġeb fuq l-art. R/.
Reading 2 1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17
Brothers and sisters: You are God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
QARI 2 mill-1Ittra ta’ San Pawl lill-Korintin 3: 9b-11.16-17
Intom il-bini ta’ Alla. Skont il-grazzja li tani Alla, bħala bennej għaqli, jiena qegħedt il-pedament. Ħaddieħor jibni fuqu; imma jqis kull wieħed kif jibni fuqu. Pedament ieħor ħadd ma jista’ jqiegħed ħlief dak li ġa tqiegħed; u dan hu Ġesù Kristu. Ma tafux li intom tempju ta’ Alla, u li l-Ispirtu ta’ Alla jgħammar fikom? Jekk xi ħadd jeqred it-tempju ta’ Alla, Alla jeqred lilu. Għax qaddis hu t-tempju ta’ Alla, li huwa intom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Gospel John 2:13-22
Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.
EVANĠELJU skont San Ġwann 2:13-23
Kien qorob l-Għid tal-Lhud, u Ġesù tela’ Ġerusalemm. Fit-tempju sab min qiegħed ibigħ barrin, nagħaġ u ħamiem, u min kien bilqiegħda jsarraf il-flus. Għamel sawt mill-ħbula, u keċċiehom ilkoll ’il barra mit-tempju, bin-nagħaġ u l-barrin tagħhom; xerred il-flus ta’ dawk li kienu jsarrfu, u qalbilhom l-imwejjed u lill-bejjiegħa tal-ħamiem qalilhom: «Warrbu dawn minn hawn, u dar Missieri tagħmluhiex dar tan-negozju!» Id-dixxipli ftakru f’dak li kien hemm miktub fl-Iskrittura, “Il-ħeġġa għal darek fnietni.” Imbagħad il-Lhud qabdu u qalulu: «X’sinjal se turina li inti tista’ tagħmel dan?» Ġesù weġibhom: «Ħottu dan it-tempju, u fi tlitt ijiem nerġa’ ntellgħu.» Għalhekk il-Lhud qalulu: «Dan it-tempju ħa sitta u erbgħin sena biex inbena, u int se ttellgħu fi tlitt ijiem?» Iżda hu tkellem fuq it-tempju tal-ġisem tiegħu. Meta mbagħad qam mill-imwiet, id-dixxipli tiegħu ftakru f’dan li kien qal, u emmnu fl-Iskrittura u fil-kliem li kien qal Ġesù. Waqt li kien Ġerusalemm għall-festa tal-Għid, kien hemm ħafna li emmnu f’ismu billi raw is-sinjali li kien jagħmel. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil
Introduction:
On a historical note, next Sunday the Church celebrates the anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral Church of Rome by Pope Sylvester I (AD 314-335), in AD 324. This Church serves as the Episcopal seat of the Pope as the Bishop of Rome and, hence, is called “the Mother and Head of all Churches of Rome and the world.” The Basilica and Baptistery were built originally by the Emperor Constantine and called Basilica Constantinia. Later, the Church was named the Arch-Basilica of the Most Holy Saviour. However, it is now called St. Johns Lateran Basilica because it was built on property donated to the Church by the Laterani family, and because the monks from the monastery of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Divine served in it. The name St. Johns comes, first, from the Baptistery, rebuilt (after its hard treatment by the Visigoths, AD 410), by Pope St. Sixtus II (AD 432-440), and dedicated by him to St. John the Baptist. Later, Pope St. Hilary (AD 461-468), dedicated it to St. John the Evangelist, in thanksgiving to that apostle for saving his life. [Richard P. McBrien, Lives of the Popes (San Francisco, CA: HarperCollins Publishers, 1997), pp. 58-58, 71-72, 77-78. & USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm]
The First Reading (Ez:47;1-2, 8-9, 12) explained:
Catholic commentary views the river flowing from Ezekiel's new temple as a powerful symbol of God's life-giving grace, healing, and the new covenant in Jesus Christ. The water, which becomes life-giving wherever it flows, transforms the Dead Sea into a freshwater source, symbolizing how the Holy Spirit and the Church bring life to a world in spiritual death. The trees with leaves for healing and fruit for food represent the life, abundance, and spiritual nourishment provided by God's grace through the new Temple, which is the body of Christ.
Connection to the New Testament and the Church:
Catholic theology understands the "temple" in this passage to be a prophetic foreshadowing of the new and everlasting temple, which is the body of Jesus Christ, raised in His resurrection. The river from the temple is understood to be the Holy Spirit, flowing out from Christ and the Church to bring life to the world.
The healing and life-giving water is often associated with the sacraments, particularly baptism, which is seen as a spiritual cleansing and rebirth from the waters of new life.
Significance for believers:
The vision offers hope for a future of restoration, showing that God can heal and renew even the most desolate places and circumstances in people's lives. The imagery of the fruit trees and life-giving water serves as a reminder that the Church and the sacraments provide spiritual food and healing for those who believe. The prophecy points toward God's ultimate plan to bring new life and a transformed world, a kingdom where the barrenness of sin is replaced by the abundance of God's love and grace.
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