"...And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit"

  Readings for Sunday, May 24, 2026 

>>>>  Pentecost Sunday - 

Mass during the Day   

Lectionary: 63

Reading 1                  Acts 2:1-11

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.  Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God."

Responsorial Psalm                  Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 

Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
the earth is full of your creatures;
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

or: R. Alleluia. 

May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD be glad in his works!
Pleasing to him be my theme;
I will be glad in the LORD.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:  R. Alleluia.

If you take away their breath, they perish
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2                 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13

Brothers and sisters:  No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Sequence — Veni, Sancte Spiritus

Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!

Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.

You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul’s most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;

In our labour, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.

O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!

Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.

On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend;

Give them virtue’s sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end. Amen.
lleluia.
 
Gospel              John 20:19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

<><><><><><><><><><><>      /////  BIL-MALTI   ////////        <<<<<<<<<

"Ilkoll tgħammidna fi Spirtu wieħed biex nagħmlu ġisem wieħed."

>>>> Is-Solennità ta’ Għid il-Ħamsin

Quddiesa tal-Jum:

QARI 1                         mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 2:1-11

Meta wasal jum Għid il-Ħamsin, huma kienu lkoll flimkien f’post wieħed. F’daqqa waħda ġie mis-sema ħoss bħal ta’ riħ qawwi, u mela d-dar kollha fejn kienu qegħdin. U dehrulhom ilsna qishom tan-nar, li tqassmu u qagħdu fuq kull wieħed minnhom. Imtlew ilkoll bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u bdew jitkellmu b’ilsna oħra, skont ma l-Ispirtu kien jagħtihom li jitkellmu.   F’Ġerusalemm kien hemm xi Lhud, nies twajba minn kull nazzjon li hawn taħt is-sema. Malli nstama’ dan il-ħoss, inġabret kotra kbira, ilkoll imħawdin għax kull wieħed minnhom kien jismagħhom jitkellmu bl-ilsien tiegħu. Mibluhin u mistagħġbin, bdew jgħidu: “Dawn li qegħdin jitkellmu mhumiex ilkoll mill-Galilija? Mela kif kull wieħed minna qiegħed jismagħhom jitkellmu bi lsien art twelidu? Partin, Medin u Għelamin, nies mill-Mesopotamja, mil-Lhudija, mill-Kappadoċja, minn Pontu, mill-Asja, mill-Friġja, mill-Pamfilja, mill-Eġittu, mill-inħawi tal-Libja madwar Ċireni, nies li ġew minn Ruma, kemm Lhud u kemm prosèliti, oħrajn minn Kreta u Għarab, aħna lkoll qegħdin nisimgħuhom ixandru bl-ilsna tagħna l-għeġubijiet ta’ Alla!”.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.  ℟. It-tifħir lilek, Kristu.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                  Salm 103(104):1ab,24aċ,29bċ-30,31,34

℟. (30): Ibgħat l-Ispirtu tiegħek, Mulej, u ġedded il-wiċċ tal-art.

Bierek ruħ tiegħi, lill-Mulej!
Mulej, Alla tiegħi, inti kbir bil-bosta!
Kemm huma kotrana l-għemejjel tiegħek, Mulej!
Mimlija l-art bil-ħlejjaq tiegħek. ℟.

Jekk teħdilhom nifishom, imutu,
u lejn it-trab jerġgħu jmorru.
Malli tibgħat in-nifs tiegħek, jinħolqu,
u inti ġġedded il-wiċċ tal-art. ℟.

Jibqa’ sebħ il-Mulej għal dejjem!
Jifraħ il-Mulej bl-għemejjel tiegħu!
Ħa togħġbu l-għanja tiegħi,
għax jiena fil-Mulej l-hena tiegħi. ℟.

QARI 2                   mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pawl lill-Korintin 12:3b-7,12-13

Ħuti, ħadd ma jista’ jgħid: “Ġesù hu l-Mulej!”, jekk mhux imqanqal mill-Ispirtu s-Santu. Hemm imbagħad diversi doni, imma l-istess wieħed hu l-Ispirtu; hemm diversi ministeri, imma l-istess wieħed hu l-Mulej; hemm diversi ħidmiet, imma l-istess Alla, li jaħdem kollox f’kulħadd. Lil kull wieħed tingħata r-rivelazzjoni tal-Ispirtu għall-ġid ta’ kulħadd. Bħalma l-ġisem hu wieħed u fih ħafna membri, u l-membri kollha tal-ġisem, għad li huma ħafna, jagħmlu ġisem wieħed, hekk ukoll Kristu. Għax aħna wkoll, ilkoll tgħammidna fi Spirtu wieħed biex nagħmlu ġisem wieħed, sew Lhud sew Griegi, sew ilsiera sew ħielsa, u lkoll xrobna minn Spirtu wieħed.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.    ℟. It-tifħir lilek, Kristu.

SEKWENZA

Spirtu s-Santu, ejja fina,
raġġ ta’ dawl qaddis agħtina,
xerrdu f’ruħna mis-smewwiet.

O Missier il-foqra tiegħek,
inti ġġib id-doni miegħek,
tagħni b’dawlek qalb l-ulied.

Inti l-aqwa faraġ tagħna,
fik kull hena xħin tkun magħna,
tħossok fewġa ħelwa r-ruħ.

Fl-għaja, lejn is-serħ twassalna;
jekk imħeġġa wisq, trażżanna;
mill-għajnejn tixxotta d-dmugħ.

O dawl hieni ta’ qdusija,
nitolbuk li bik mimlija
tkun il-qalb ta’ kull fidil.

Mingħajr dawlek li jmexxina
ebda ħajr ma jkun hemm fina,
ebda safa fil-għemil.

Naddaf kull fejn hemm it-tbajja’,
fejn hemm nixfa reġġa’ l-ħajja,
lill-miġruħ agħtih fejqan.

Rattab fina l-ebusija,
agħti lill-berdin bżulija,
għin fit-triq lil min beżgħan.

Agħti s-seba’ doni tiegħek
lil min jimxi fidil miegħek
u li fik jistrieħ kull ħin.

Agħti ’l kull virtù sabiħa
ħlas ta’ salvazzjoni sħiħa,
agħti l-ġenna lit-tajbin.
Amen. Hallelujah.

EVANĠELJU                  Qari skond San Ġwann 20:19-23

Dak il-Ħadd filgħaxija, fl-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, meta d-dixxipli kienu flimkien imbeżżgħa mil-Lhud, bil-bibien magħluqa, ġie Ġesù u qagħad f’nofshom; u qalilhom: “Is-sliem għalikom!”. Kif qal hekk, uriehom idejh u ġenbu. Id-dixxipli ferħu meta raw lill-Mulej. Imbagħad Ġesù tenna jgħidilhom: “Is-sliem għalikom! Kif il-Missier bagħat lili, hekk jien nibgħat lilkom”. Kif qal hekk, nefaħ fuqhom u qalilhom: “Ħudu l-Ispirtu s-Santu. Dawk li taħfrulhom dnubiethom ikunu maħfura, u dawk li żżommuhomlhom ikunu miżmuma”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej. ℟. It-tifħir lilek, Kristu.

///////////////////////////    

/////////////  REFLECTION     --  from  Fr TONY KADAVIL's Homilies 

PENTECOST SUNDAY 

Eight-minute homily in one page

Introduction: 

Pentecost literally means 50th. It is a feast celebrated even now by Jews on the 50th day after the Passover feast and by Christians on the 50th day after the feast of the Resurrection of Jesusby Christians. The Jewish Pentecost was originally a post-harvest thanksgiving feast. Later, the Jews included in it the remembrance of God’s Covenants with Noah after the Deluge and with Moses at Mt. Sinai

The event:   On the day of Pentecost.....

    1) The Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary as tongues of fire. 

    2) The frightened apostles were transformed into fiery preachers and evangelizers and were given the gift of tongues by a special anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

    3) The listeners experienced a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit through the apostles’ gift of tongues: they heard Peter speaking in their native languages. 

    4) The early Christians became powerful witnesses and brave martyrs for their Faith in Jesus.

The role of the Holy Spirit in Christian life: 

    1) As an indwelling God, the Holy Spirit makes us His Living Temples (I Cor 3:16). 

    2) As a strengthening God, He strengthens us in our fight against temptations and in our mission of bearing witness to Christ by our transparent Christian lives. 

    3) As a sanctifying God, He makes us holy through the Sacraments: 

        a) Through Baptism He makes us children of God and heirs of Heaven. 

        b) Through Confirmation, He makes us temples of God, warriors, and defenders of the Faith. 

        c) Through the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Last Anointing, He enables us to be reconciled with God by pardoning our sins. 

        d) Through the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, He gives us spiritual nourishment by changing bread and wine into Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, through Epiclesis. 

        e) Through the Sacraments of the priesthood (Ordination) and matrimony (Marriage), He makes the Church community holy. 

    4) As a teaching and guiding God, He clarifies and constantly reminds us of Christ’s teachings and guides the Magisterium of the Church in presenting Christ’s teachings correctly. 

    5) As a listening and speaking God, He listens to our prayers, enables us to pray, and speaks to us, mainly through the Bible. 

    6) As a Giver of gifts, He pours out on us His gifts, fruits, and charisms, thus enriching the Church.

Life messages: 

We need to permit the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives: 

    1) by constantly remembering His Holy Presence and behaving well; 

    2) by praying for His daily anointing so that we may fight against our temptations and control our evil tendencies, evil habits, and addictions; 

    3) by asking His daily assistance to pray, listening to God through meditative Bible reading, and talking to Him in personal, family, and liturgical prayers; and 

    4) by asking the help of the Holy Spirit to do good for others and to be reconciled with God and others every day.

//////////////////////////////////////     Fr Tony's Homilies © 2026.  /  https://frtonyshomilies.com  ////////

########################################

 Readings for Sunday, MAY 17, 2026 

>>>Seventh Sunday of Easter  

 The Ascension of Jesus                                                               Lectionary: 59

Reading 1                            Acts 1:12-14

After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 

Responsorial Psalm                 Psalm 27:1, 4, 7-8

The LORD is my light and my salvation;  whom should I fear?                                          The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?   

R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. Or:  R. Alleluia.

One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple.   

 R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.  or:  R. Alleluia.

Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call; have pity on me, and answer me. Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.     

 R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. or:  R. Alleluia.

Reading 2                 1 Peter 4:13-16

Beloved:   Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly.  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let no one among you be made to suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer. But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed but glorify God because of the name.

Gospel                  John 17:1-11a

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come.  Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began.  “I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.  Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.” 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>    /////  BIL-MALTI   ////////       <<<<<<<<<

   

<<<<<<<<<

"...Morru, mela,    agħmlu dixxipli       mill-ġnus kollha..."

>>>> Solennità tat-Tlugħ il-Mulej fis-Sema

QARI 1                 Bidu tal-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 1:1-11

Fl-ewwel rakkont tiegħi, Teofilu, tkellimt fuq dak kollu li Ġesù kien għamel u għallem minn mindu beda sal-jum li fih kien meħud fis-sema, wara li, permezz tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, ta l-ordnijiet tiegħu lill-appostli li hu kien għażel.  Wara l-passjoni tiegħu dehrilhom u tahom ħafna provi li hu ħaj; f’erbgħin jum rawh kemm-il darba u kellimhom fuq il-ħwejjeġ tas-Saltna ta’ Alla. Meta kien għadu magħhom, ordnalhom biex ma jitilqux minn Ġerusalemm, imma joqogħdu jistennew sa ma sseħħ il-wegħda tal-Missier, “li fuqha”, qalilhom, “smajtu x’kont għedtilkom: Ġwanni għammed bl-ilma, imma intom, fi ftit jiem oħra titgħammdu bl-Ispirtu s-Santu”.  Kif kienu flimkien staqsewh: “Mulej, hu dan iż-żmien li fih int se terġa’ twaqqaf is-Saltna ta’ Iżrael?”. Hu weġibhom: “Mhijiex biċċa tagħkom li tkunu tafu l-waqt u ż-żmien li l-Missier għażel bis-setgħa tiegħu. Imma meta jiġi fuqkom l-Ispirtu s-Santu, intom tirċievu l-qawwa, u tkunu xhieda tiegħi f’Ġerusalemm, fil-Lhudija kollha u s-Samarija u sa truf l-art”.  Wara li qal dan, huma u jħarsu lejh, kien meħud ’il fuq, u sħaba ħadithulhom minn quddiem għajnejhom. Waqt li kienu b’għajnejhom fis-sema jħarsu lejh sejjer, f’daqqa waħda dehru ħdejhom żewġt irġiel libsin l-abjad, u qalulhom: “Irġiel tal-Galilija, x’intom tħarsu lejn is-sema? Dan Ġesù, li kien meħud minn magħkom lejn is-sema, għad jerġa’ jiġi kif rajtuh sejjer”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej. ℟. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                Salm 46(47):2-3,6-7,8-9

       ℟. (6): Tela’ Alla b’għajat ta’ ferħ.
        Jew  Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Popli kollha, ċapċpu idejkom,
għajtu b’leħen ta’ ferħ lil Alla!
Għax il-Mulej, l-Għoli, hu tal-biża’,
sultan kbir fuq l-art kollha. ℟.

Tela’ Alla b’għajat ta’ ferħ,
il-Mulej bid-daqq tat-trombi.
Għannu lil Alla, għannu,
għannu lis-sultan tagħna, għannu. ℟.

Għax Alla s-sultan tal-art kollha:
għannulu bis-sengħa għanja sabiħa.
Isaltan Alla fuq il-ġnus kollha,
joqgħod Alla fuq it-tron imqaddes tiegħu. ℟.     

QARI 2                   mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl lill-Efesin 1:17-23

Ħuti, Alla ta’ Sidna Ġesù Kristu, il-Missier tal-glorja, jagħtikom spirtu ta’ għerf u rivelazzjoni biex tagħrfuh sewwa. Hu jdawlilkom l-għajnejn ta’ qalbkom biex tagħrfu x’inhi t-tama tas-sejħa tagħkom; x’inhu l-għana tal-glorja tal-wirt li takom taqsmu mal-qaddisin.  Tagħrfu x’inhu l-kobor bla qies tas-setgħa tiegħu fina li emminna,  skond il-ħila tal-qawwa kbira tiegħu li ħaddem fi Kristu, meta qajmu mill-imwiet u qiegħdu fil-lemin tiegħu fis-smewwiet, ’il fuq minn kull Saltna u Setgħa, minn kull Qawwa u Ħakma, ’il fuq minn kull isem li jissemma, mhux biss għaż-żmien ta’ issa, imma wkoll għal li ġej. Iva, qiegħed kollox taħt riġlejh, u għamlu ras fuq il-Knisja kollha, li hi Ġismu, il-milja ta’ dak li jimla kollox f’kollox.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.  ℟. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla.

EVANĠELJU                 Għeluq tal-Evanġelju skond San Mattew 28:16-20

F’dak iż-żmien, il-ħdax-il dixxiplu telqu lejn il-Galilija u marru fuq il-muntanja fejn kien ordnalhom Ġesù. Kif rawh, inxteħtu quddiemu, għalkemm xi wħud iddubitaw. Ġesù resaq ikellimhom u qalilhom: “Lili ngħatat kull setgħa fis-sema u fl-art. Morru, mela, agħmlu dixxipli mill-ġnus kollha, u għammduhom fl-isem tal-Missier u tal-Iben u tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, u għallmuhom iħarsu dak kollu li ordnajtilkom jien. U ara, jiena magħkom dejjem, sal-aħħar taż-żmien”.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.  ℟. Tifħir lilek, Kristu.

///////////////////////////    

/////////////  REFLECTION 

The Ascension of Our Lord

 Eight-minute homily in one page

Introduction: 

Sunday’s readings describe the Ascension of the Lord Jesus into his Heavenly glory after promising to send the Holy Spirit to the Apostles as the source of Heavenly power and commanding them to bear witness to Him through their lives and preaching throughout the world. But the ascended Jesus is still with us because of His promise, “I am with you always; yes, to the end of time” (Mt 28-20). He is with us at all times and in all places, releasing a new energy upon the earth, the energy of the Holy Spirit.

The Scripture lessons summarized: 

The first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, presents the scene of Jesus’ Ascension, the promise of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ instructions to the apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the Power from above, and missionary command to the apostles to bear witness to him. Sunday’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 47) suggests that, by his Ascension, the risen Lord “mounts his throne” in glory. In the second reading, Paul teaches us that God revealed His might in the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, thus exalting Him over all angelic forces. Jesus remains accessible to us now in the life-giving Holy Spirit, assuring us that one day we, too, will be ascending to Heavenly glory, provided that, with His grace, we live out our Faith in Him through the mission of loving service He entrusts to us. 

This Sunday’s Gospel tells us that, with his return to the Father, Jesus completed his personal mission on earth. But just before his Ascension, Jesus entrusted to the disciples that same mission of preaching the Good News and evangelizing the whole world by bearing witness to him through their lives. It is in his Ascension that we see Jesus entering fully into the Life and Glory of God. In the descriptions of Christ after his Resurrection, we are given a hint of what life will be like in Heaven. The prospect of sharing that glory should be the driving force of our lives.

Life messages:

1) We need to be proclaimers and evangelizers: To be a Christian is to be a proclaimer and an evangelizer. There is a difference between preaching and proclaiming. We preach with words, but we proclaim with our lives. Let us ask the guidance of the Spirit of God to bear witness to Jesus by our transparent Christian lives.

2) We have a teaching mission: Jesus taught us lessons of Faith, Hope, Love, forgiveness, mercy, and salvation by his life and his preaching and gave us the same mission for the conversion of our brothers and sisters. Hence, let us learn about Jesus and his teachings through our daily study of the Bible and the teachings of the Church, experience Jesus in personal prayer, our reception of the Sacraments and our works of charity, and convey to others the Jesus whom we experience with the help of the Holy Spirit. 

3) We need Jesus as our source of strength and encouragement in doing His will: We will be able to overcome doubts about our Faith, as well as baseless fears, anxieties, and worries, by meditating on Jesus’ Ascension and the lesson it teaches — that we, too, are called to share his Glory in Heaven.

//////////////////////////////////////     Fr Tony's Homilies © 2026.  /  https://frtonyshomilies.com  / 

########################################

THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

 Readings for Sunday, May 10, 2026 

   

>>>Sixth Sunday of Easter
       Lectionary: 55

Reading 1                 Acts 8:5-8, 14-17

Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm                   Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,

sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:  R. Alleluia.

“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:  R. Alleluia.

He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:  R. Alleluia.

Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2                 1 Peter 3:15-18

Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.  For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God.  Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit.

Gospel                  John 14:15-21

Jesus said to his disciples:  “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,  because it neither sees nor knows him.  But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you.  I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me,  but you will see me, because I live and you will live.  On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.  And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

/////  BIL-MALTI   ////////    <<<<<<<<

Qiegħdu jdejhom fuqhom, u huma rċevew l-Ispirtu s-Santu.

>>>> Qari tas-Sitt Ħadd tal-Għid

QARI 1                   mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 8:5-8,14-17

F’dak iż-żmien, Filippu niżel f’belt tas-Samarija u xandar lil Kristu lin-nies tagħha. Il-folol tan-nies b’fehma waħda kienu joqogħdu attenti għal dak li kien jgħidilhom Filippu, meta kienu jisimgħuh u jaraw il-mirakli li kien jagħmel. Kien hemm nies maħkuma mill-ispirti ħżiena, u dawn b’għajat kbir kienu joħorġu minn ħafna minnhom; u ħafna nies oħrajn, mifluġa jew zopop, kienu jitfejqu. U kien hemm ferħ kbir f’dik il-belt.  L-appostli, li kienu Ġerusalemm, semgħu li s-Samarija laqgħet il-kelma ta’ Alla, u bagħtu hemm lil Pietru u lil Ġwanni. Dawn niżlu hemm u talbu biex dawk li emmnu jirċievu l-Ispirtu s-Santu; għax l-Ispirtu s-Santu kien għadu ma niżel fuq ħadd minnhom, imma kienu tgħammdu biss f’isem il-Mulej Ġesù. Imbagħad l-appostli qiegħdu jdejhom fuqhom, u huma rċevew l-Ispirtu s-Santu.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                  Salm 65(66):1-3a,4-5,6-7a,16,20

℟. Għajtu bil-ferħ lil Alla, bnedmin tad-dinja kollha.                                                                             Jew  ℟. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Għajtu bil-ferħ lil Alla,
bnedmin tad-dinja kollha;
għannu s-sebħ ta’ ismu,
xandru s-sebħ u t-tifħir tiegħu.
Għidu lil Alla: “Kemm int tal-biża’ f’għemilek! R/.

L-art kollha tagħtik qima,
tgħannilek u tgħanni lil ismek”.
Ejjew, araw l-għemejjel ta’ Alla;
tal-biża’ f’għemilu fost il-bnedmin. R/.

Biddel il-baħar f’art niexfa,
għaddew bil-mixi minn nofs ix-xmara.
Għalhekk, nifirħu bih!
Hu jsaltan bil-kobor tiegħu għal dejjem. R/.

Ejjew, isimgħu, u ngħidilkom,
intom ilkoll li tibżgħu minn Alla,
ngħidilkom x’għamel miegħi.
Imbierek Alla, li ma warrabx it-talba tiegħi;
ma warrabx minn fuqi t-tjieba tiegħu! R/.

QARI 2                    mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pietru 1 Piet 3:15-18

Għeżież, lill-Mulej Kristu qaddsu f’qalbkom. Kunu dejjem lesti biex tagħtu tweġiba lil kull min jitlobkom il-għala tat-tama li għandkom. Imma wieġbu bil-ħlewwa u bir-rispett. Żommu safja l-kuxjenza tagħkom biex, meta jgħidu fuqkom, dawk stess li jkasbru l-imġiba tajba tagħkom fi Kristu jkollhom għalxiex jistħu. Jekk din tkun ir-rieda ta’ Alla, aħjar tbati għax tkun għamilt it-tajjeb milli għax tkun għamilt il-ħażin.  Għax Kristu wkoll miet darba għal dejjem minħabba d-dnubiet; hu li kien ġust, miet għall-inġusti biex iressaqkom lejn Alla; kien mogħti l-mewt fil-ġisem, imma ħa l-ħajja fl-ispirtu.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

EVANĠELJU                  Qari skond San Ġwann 14:15-21

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Jekk tħobbuni, ħarsu l-kmandamenti tiegħi. U jiena nitlob lill-Missier, u hu jagħtikom Difensur ieħor biex jibqa’ magħkom għal dejjem, l-Ispirtu tal-verità, li d-dinja ma tistax tirċevih, għax hija la tarah u lanqas tagħrfu. Iżda intom tagħrfuh, għaliex jgħammar magħkom, u huwa fikom. Ma nħallikomx iltiema. Nerġa’ niġi għandkom. Ftit ieħor, u d-dinja ma taranix aktar. Iżda intom għad tarawni, għax jiena ngħix, u intom ukoll għad tgħixu. F’dak il-jum intom tagħrfu li jiena f’Missieri, u intom fija u jiena fikom. Min iżomm il-kmandamenti tiegħi u jħarishom, dak hu li jħobbni; u min iħobb lili, iħobbu wkoll il-Missier, u jiena wkoll inħobbu u nurih lili nnifsi”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.  

>>>>>  Meta s-Solennità ta’ Tlugħ il-Mulej fis-Sema tiġi ċċelebrata nhar il-Ħadd li ġej, illum jistgħu jinqraw it-tieni qari u l-Evanġelju tas-Seba’ Ħadd tal-Għid.

///////////////////////////    

/////////////  REFLECTION 

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

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

Theme: 

Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit to his apostles in Sunday’s readings explains who the Holy Spirit is, what His roles are, and how we can experience Him in our daily lives.

Homily starter - 

What is it that makes some horses winning thoroughbreds? They have more speed, strength, their inherited gene structure, training by expert trainers, and their skillful jockeys to activate and develop their inner powers. We Christians have the stamina given by the Holy Spirit and training by parents, teachers and well-wishers. The question is whether or not we use all this to conquer temptations, avoid sin and practice virtues.

Scripture lesson summarized: 

The first reading describes how the Holy Spirit helped Philip, the Deacon, to preach powerfully and convert the Samaritans in large numbers, and how the Holy Spirit helped Peter and John, giving them a fresh anointing.

In the second reading, Peter shows us that Holy Spirit makes it possible for believers to live God-fearing lives the in the midst of opposition and persecution.

Today’s Gospel, taken from the “Last Supper Discourse,” describes the gift of the Holy Spirit which Jesus is going to give his disciples who obey his commandment of love. Thus, the faithful believers will have the indwelling of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in their souls.

Role of the Holy Spirit: 

    As the Divine Advocate....

     1) The Holy Spirit will instruct us in Jesus’ doctrines and illumine our minds to receive deeper knowledge of our Faith.

    2) The Divine Advocate will enable us to defend our Faith powerfully when needed.

    3) He will guide us in the proper practice of true Christian love by enabling us to recognize Jesus in the in the poor, in the sick, in the homeless, in the marginalized, in the outcast, in the drug addicts, and even in the criminals (“I was in prison…”), and so to become agents of healing and reconciliation in a broken and divided world.

Life message: 

    1) We need to welcome the Holy Spirit, allow Him to act in us, and seek His help every day for our steady growth in spiritual life: 

    a) To conquer temptations from our habitual sins and to avoid the near occasions of these and other sins.

    b) To remove the blocks caused by our addictions, evil habits, and from the various forms of abuse which we suffered in our early life, preventing our spiritual growth.

    c) To discern and recognize the presence of Jesus in all the people we meet during the day and to offer them humble, loving service.

    d) To become agents of reconciliation and healing to others in our family and this community, by asking forgiveness from those we have offended, and graciously granting forgiveness to those who continue to hurt our feelings and ill-treat us.

//////////////////////////////////////     Fr Tony's Homilies © 2026.  /  https://frtonyshomilies.com  / 

########################################