Readings for Sunday, November 30, 2025
L-Ewwel Ħadd tal-Avvent
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Reading 1 Isaiah 2:1-5
This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come, the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: "Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths." For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
QARI 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Iżaija 2:1-5
Il-kelma li ġiet f’dehra lil Iżaija bin Amos, dwar Ġuda u Ġerusalemm. Għad jiġri fl-aħħar jiem li l-għolja tad-dar tal-Mulej togħla ’l fuq mill-qċaċet tal-muntanji, u tintrefa’ ’l fuq mill-għoljiet, lejha għad jiġru l-ġnus kollha. Kotra ta’ popli għad jiġu u jgħidu: “Ħalli mmorru u nitilgħu fuq l-għolja tal-Mulej, lejn id-dar ta’ Alla ta’ Ġakobb, biex jgħallimna triqatu, u nimxu fil-mogħdijiet tiegħu”. Għax minn Sijon joħroġ it-tagħlim, u l-kelma tal-Mulej minn Ġerusalemm. Il-Mulej jagħmel il-ħaqq bejn il-ġnus, u jaqta’ s-sentenza bejn ħafna popli; u huma jibdlu x-xwabel tagħhom f’sikek tal-moħriet, u l-lanez tagħhom fi mnieġel. Ebda ġens ma jerfa’ x-xabla kontra ġens ieħor, u s-sengħa tal-gwerra ma jitgħallmuhiex iżjed. Ejja, dar Ġakobb, ħalli nimxu fid-dawl tal-Mulej! Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my brothers and friends
I will say, "Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
SALM RESPONSORJALI Salm 121(122):1-2,4-5,6-7,8-9
R/.(ara 1): Immorru ferħana f’dar il-Mulej!
Fraħt meta qaluli:
“Sejrin f’dar il-Mulej!”.
Diġà qegħdin riġlejna
fi bwiebek, Ġerusalemm! R/.
Lejha t-tribujiet jitilgħu,
it-tribujiet tal-Mulej,
biex, skont il-liġi ta’ Iżrael,
ifaħħru isem il-Mulej.
Għax hemm twaqqfu t-tronijiet tal-ħaqq,
it-tronijiet tad-dar ta’ David. R/.
Itolbu s-sliem għal Ġerusalemm:
ħa jkollhom is-sliem dawk kollha li jħobbuk!
Ħa jkun hemm is-sliem ġewwa l-ħitan tiegħek,
u l-ġid fil-palazzi tiegħek! R/.
Minħabba ħuti u ħbiebi,
ħallini ngħidlek: “Is-sliem għalik!”.
Minħabba f’dar il-Mulej, Alla tagħna,
nixtieq illi jkollok il-ġid. R/.
Reading 2 Romans 13:11-14
Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
QARI 2 mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl lir-Rumani 13:11-14a
Ħuti, waslet is-siegħa li intom tqumu min-ngħas; għax is-salvazzjoni tagħna hi eqreb minn meta bdejna nemmnu. Il-lejl għoddu għadda, u qorob il-jum. Inwarrbu mela l-għemil tad-dlam u nilbsu l-armi tad-dawl. Ngħixu kif jixraq, bħal f’binhar; mhux bl-ikel iż-żejjed u s-sokor, mhux biż-żìna u t-tbahrid, mhux bil-ġlied u l-għira. Imma ilbsu lil Sidna Ġesù Kristu u ħallukom mill-ħsieb tal-ġisem u l-ġibdiet tiegħu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Gospel Matthew 24:37-44
Jesus said to his disciples: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."
EVANĠELJU Qari skont San Mattew 24:37-44
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Bħal fi żmien Noè, hekk tkun il-miġja ta’ Bin il-bniedem. Għax kif fiż-żmien ta’ qabel id-dilluvju kienu jieklu u jixorbu, jiżżewġu u jżewġu sa dakinhar li Noè daħal fl-arka, u b’xejn ma ntebħu sa ma wasal id-dilluvju u ġarr lil kulħadd, hekk tkun il-miġja ta’ Bin il-bniedem. Imbagħad tnejn ikunu fl-għalqa: wieħed jittieħed u l-ieħor jitħalla; żewġ nisa jkunu jitħnu flimkien: waħda tittieħed u l-oħra titħalla. Ishru, mela, għax ma tafuhx il-jum li fih jiġi Sidkom. Kunu afu dan, li kieku sid id-dar kellu jkun jaf f’liema sahra tal-lejl se jiġi l-ħalliel, kien jishar u ma jħallix min jinfidlu l-ħitan ta’ daru. Mela kunu lesti intom ukoll, għax qatt ma tistgħu tobsru s-siegħa li fiha jiġi Bin il-bniedem”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
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Introduction: Next Sunday we begin our yearly pilgrimage through the events of Salvation History starting with the preparation for the birthday celebration of Jesus and ending with the reflection the glorious “second coming” of Jesus as our Judge at the end of the world. We are entering the Advent season. Advent means coming. We are invited to meditate on Jesus’ first coming in history as a baby in Bethlehem, his daily coming into our lives in mystery through the Sacraments, through the Bible, through the worshipping community, and finally, his Second Coming at the end of the world to reward the just and to punish the wicked.
We see the traditional signs of Advent in our Church: violet vestments and hangings, dried flowers or plain green plants, and the Advent wreath. These signs remind us that we must prepare for the rebirth of Jesus in our hearts and lives, enabling him to radiate his love, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness around us.
Scripture lessons summarized: In the first reading (Is 2:1-5), Isaiah describes his prophetic vision of all nations making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, affirming their Faith in the one true God. Sunday’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 122), is a joyous hymn originally sung as pilgrims journeyed up to the Temple in Jerusalem. They prepare us for our yearly pilgrimage. In the second reading (Romans 13:11-14), Paul exhorts the Roman Christian community to get ready to meet Jesus in his Second Coming by discharging their duties properly and by freeing themselves from their former pagan tendencies toward excessive drinking, sexual promiscuity, jealousy, and rivalry. We, too, are challenged to make spiritual preparations for Christ’s birth in our lives.
In next Sunday’s Gospel (Mt 24:37-44), Jesus warns us of the urgency of vigilant preparation on our part that we may meet him as our Judge both at the end of our lives on earth and on the day of the Last Judgment when he comes in his glory. Jesus reminds us that the unrepentant and ill-prepared evil people were destroyed by the flood in the time of Noah and that a thief would break in and plunder the precious belongings of an ill-prepared house owner. Using additional examples later, Jesus repeats his warning for us to be vigilant and well-prepared all the time, doing the will of God by loving Him in Himself and in everyone else.
Life message: 1) We need to be alert and watchful while spiritually preparing for Christmas by offering our daily work to God for His glory, by practicing more self-control in resisting our evil habits and inclinations, by seeking reconciliation daily with God and our fellow-humans, and by asking God’s pardon and forgiveness as we extend our unconditional forgiveness to those who have hurt us.
2) Let us begin each day by praying for the strength and power of the Holy Spirit to prepare ourselves for Jesus’ rebirth in our hearts and lives.
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