"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. " (John 12)
Photo copyright : John R Portelli

Thursday 21 March 2024

THE KING BECOMES OUR SAVIOUR

 Readings for Sunday, March 24, 2024 

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Lectionary: 37 and 38

Ħadd il-Palm u l-Passjoni tal-Mulej




///////////////////////////////  >>>>>> At the Procession with Palms - 

Gospel                MARK 11:1-10


When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives,  he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately on entering it,  you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.f anyone should say to you,  Why are you doing this?’ reply,  ‘The Master has need of it and will send it back here at once.’” So they went off and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street, and they untied it. Some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They answered them just as Jesus had told them to,  and they permitted them to do it. So they brought the colt to Jesusand put their cloaks over it. And he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out:     “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!     Hosanna in the highest!”

OR:     JOHN 12:12-16

When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out:  “Hosanna!  “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,  the king of Israel.” Jesus found an ass and sat upon it, as is written:  "Fear no more, O daughter Zion; see, your king comes, seated upon an ass’s colt.His disciples did not understand this at first, but when Jesus had been glorified  they remembered that these things were written about him and that they had done this for him. 

>>>>> Waqt it-Tifkira tad-Daħla tal-Mulej f’Ġerusalemm

EVANĠELJU                Qari skont San Mark 11:1-10

Xħin waslu qrib Ġerusalemm, quddiem Betfaġe u Betanja, ħdejn l-Għolja taż-Żebbuġ, Ġesù bagħat tnejn mid-dixxipli tiegħu u qalilhom: “Morru fir-raħal li hemm biswitkom, u kif taslu hemmhekk issibu felu marbut li ħadd qatt għadu ma rikeb fuqu. Ħolluh u ġibuh. Jekk xi ħadd jistaqsikom: ‘Dan kif qegħdin tagħmluh?’, għidulu: ‘Il-Mulej jeħtieġu, u malajr jerġa’ jibagħtu hawn’”. Marru, u sabu felu marbut ħdejn bieb barra fit-triq; u ħallewh. Xi wħud minn dawk li kienu hemm qalulhom: “X’intom tħolluh tagħmlu dak il-felu?”. Huma weġbuhom kif kien qalilhom Ġesù, u dawk ħallewhom jagħmlu. Ħadu l-felu lil Ġesù, qiegħdu l-imnatar tagħhom fuq il-felu, u Ġesù rikeb fuqu. U bosta nies firxu fit-triq l-imnatar tagħhom, u oħrajn xi friegħi ħodor li kienu qatgħu mill-għelieqi. U kemm dawk li kienu miexja quddiem u kemm dawk li kienu miexja wara, bdew jgħajtu: “Hosanna! Imbierek min ġej f’isem il-Mulej! Imbierka s-Saltna li ġejja ta’ David missierna. Hosanna fl-ogħla tas-smewwiet!”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Jew......  ///  Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Ġwann 12:12-16

F’dak iż-żmien, il-folol ta’ nies li kienu ġew għall-festa, kif semgħu li Ġesù kien ġej Ġerusalemm, ħadu l-friegħi tal-palm u ħarġu jilqgħuh. U bdew jgħajtu: “Hosanna! Imbierek min ġej f’isem il-Mulej! Imbierek is-sultan ta’ Iżrael!”. Ġesù sab felu u rikeb fuqu, kif hemm miktub: “Tibżax, bint Sijon! Ara, ġej is-sultan tiegħek, riekeb fuq felu ta’ ħmara”. Għall-ewwel id-dixxipli tiegħu ma fehmuhomx dawn il-ħwejjeġ; iżda meta Ġesù kien igglorifikat, imbagħad ftakru li dan kien inkiteb fuqu, u hekk għamlulu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

  >>>>>>  At the Mass - 

Reading 1                 ISAIAH 50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me  a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary  a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

    >>>>>>  Il-Quddiesa tal-Jum

QARI 1                 mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Iżaija 50:4-7 

Sidi l-Mulej tani lsien ta’ wieħed jitgħallem, biex nagħraf ngħin lill-għajjien b’xi kelma. Ta’ kull filgħodu jqajjimli lil widinti, biex nisma’ bħal wieħed jitgħallem. Sidi l-Mulej fetaħli widinti, u jiena ma webbistx rasi, ma rġajtx lura.  Tajt dahri lil dawk li kienu jsawtuni, ħaddejja lil dawk li kien jnittfuli lħiti; ma ħbejtx wiċċi mit-tagħjir u l-bżieq. Sidi l-Mulej jgħinni, għalhekk ma nitħawwadx; għalhekk għamilt wiċċi bħaż-żnied: jien naf li ma jkollix mniex nistħi. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                PSALM 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24

All who see me scoff at me;  
they mock me with parted lips,
they wag their heads: 
“He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,  
let him rescue him, if he loves him.” 
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Indeed, many dogs surround me,
a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;
They have pierced my hands and my feet;
I can count all my bones.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

They divide my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, be not far from me;
O my help, hasten to aid me.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
“You who fear the LORD, praise him;
all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

SALM RESPONSORJALI                 Salm 21(22):8-9,17-18a,19-20,23-24

R/. (2a): Alla tiegħi, Alla tiegħi, għaliex tlaqtni?

Dawk kollha li jarawni jidħku bija,
jgħajbuni, iħarrku rashom u jgħidu:
“F’idejn il-Mulej intelaq; ħa jeħilsu hu!
Ħa jsalvah hu, la bih jitgħaxxaq!”. R/.

Qabda klieb daru għalija;
ġemgħa nies ħżiena rassewni.
Taqqbuli jdejja u riġlejja;
nista’ ngħodd għadmi kollu. R/.

Ħwejġi jaqsmu bejniethom,
jaqtgħu x-xorti għal-libsa tiegħi.
Mulej, la titbegħidx minni;
qawwa tiegħi, fittex għinni! R/.

Inxandar ismek lil ħuti;
infaħħrek f’nofs il-ġemgħa.
Faħħru l-Mulej, intom li tibżgħu minnu;
sebbħuh ilkoll, nisel Ġakobb!
Ibżgħu minnu lkoll, ulied Iżrael! R/.

Reading 2            PHILIPPIANS 2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God  something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself,  taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every nam that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

QARI 2                mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Filippin 2:6-11

Ġesù Kristu, li għad li kellu n-natura ta’ Alla, ma qagħadx ifittex tiegħu li hu daqs Alla, iżda xejjen lilu nnifsu billi ħa n-natura ta’ lsir, sar jixbah lill-bnedmin, u deher minn barra bħala bniedem; ċekken lilu nnifsu, billi obda sal-mewt, anzi sal-mewt tas-salib. Għalhekk Alla għollieh sas-smewwiet u żejnu bl-isem li hu fuq kull isem, biex fl-isem ta’ Ġesù – fis-sema, fl-art u f’qiegħ l-art – il-ħlejjaq kollha jinżlu għarkupptejhom, u kull ilsien jistqarr: “Ġesù Kristu hu l-Mulej”,  għall-glorja ta’ Alla l-Missier. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej. 

Gospel                MARK 14:1—15:47

The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread  were to take place in two days’ time. So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way  to arrest him by treachery and put him to death. They said, “Not during the festival, for fear that there may be a riot among the people.” When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head. There were some who were indignant. “Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil? It could have been sold for more than three hundred days’ wages  and the money given to the poor.” They were infuriated with her. Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me.She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial. Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Then Judas Iscariot, one of the went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them. When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money.  Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,  when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”  He sent two of his disciples and said to them,  “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” The disciples then went off, entered the city,  and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.  

When it was evening, he came with the Twelve.  And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, “Surely it is not I?” He said to them, “One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish. For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”  While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd,  and the sheep will be dispersed. But after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him,  “Even though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be.” Then Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.” But he vehemently replied, “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all spoke similarly. 

Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took with him Peter, James, and John,  and began to be troubled and distressed. Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch.” He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him;  he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will. ”When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing. Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open  and did not know what to answer him. He returned a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough.  The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. See, my betrayer is at hand.” Then, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,  accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying,  “The man I shall kiss is the one;  arrest him and lead him away securely.” He came and immediately went over to him and said, “Rabbi.”  And he kissed him. At this they laid hands on him and arrested him. One of the bystanders drew his sword, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear. Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to seize me? Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me;  but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.”

And they all left him and fled. Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked. They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest’s courtyard and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire. The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none. Many gave false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. Some took the stand and testified falsely against him,  alleging, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands.’” Even so their testimony did not agree. The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus, saying, “Have you no answer?

What are these men testifying against you?” But he was silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, “Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?” Then Jesus answered, “I am; and ‘you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” At that the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as deserving to die. Some began to spit on him. They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards greeted him with blows. 

While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s mads came along. Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, “You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” But he denied it saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” So he went out into the outer court. Then the cock crowed. The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” Once again he denied it. A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more, “Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean.” He began to curse and to swear,  “I do not know this man about whom you are talking.” And immediately a cock crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.” He broke down and wept.  As soon as morning came, the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He said to him in reply, “You say so.” The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of.” Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested. A man called Barabbas was then in prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion. The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for them as he was accustomed. Pilate answered, “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” For he knew that it was out of envy  that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate again said to them in reply, “Then what do you want me to do with the man you call the king of the Jews?” They shouted again, “Crucify him.” Pilate said to them, “Why?  What evil has he done? ”They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him. They began to salute him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!” and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him. They knelt before him in homage. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him. They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. They brought him to the place of Golgotha — which is translated Place of the Skull — they gave him wine drugged with myrrh, but he did not take it. Then they crucified him and divided his garments by casting lots for them to see what each should take. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha!  You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross.” Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him. At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthan ” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “Look, he is calling Elijah.” One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed  and gave it to him to drink saying, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.” Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.   

(Here all kneel and pause for a short time.)

The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he  breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” There were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome. These women had followed him when he was in Galilee and ministered to him. There were also many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.  When it was already evening, since it was the day of preparation, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a distinguished member of the council, who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God, came and courageously went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was amazed that he was already dead. He summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had already died. And when he learned of it from the centurion,  he gave the body to Joseph. Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down, wrapped him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched where he was laid.  

EVANĠELJU                 Il-Passjoni ta’ Sidna Ġesù Kristu skont San Mark  14:1–15:47

IKien għad baqa’ jumejn għall-Għid u għall-Ażżmi, u l-qassisin il-kbar u l-kittieba bdew ifittxu kif jaqbdu lil Ġesù bil-qerq ta’ moħħhom u jagħtuh il-mewt. Għax bdew jgħidu:  “Mhux fil-festa, li ma tqumx xi rewwixta fil-poplu”.  Ġesù kien qiegħed jiekol għand Xmun il-lebbruż f’Betanja. Daħlet mara, b’vażett tal-alabastru biż-żejt ifuħ ta’ nard pur, jiswa ħafna, kissret għonq il-vażett, u ferrgħet iż-żejt fuq ras Ġesù. U kien hemm xi wħud li bdew jitmasħnu bejniethom u jgħidu:  “Dal-ħala kollu ta’ fwieħa għalfejn? Dil-fwieħa setgħet iġġib aktar minn tliet mitt dinar u jingħataw lill-foqra”.  U bdew jeħduha magħha. Imma Ġesù qal:  “Ħalluha; għala qegħdin iddejquha? Ħaġa tajba għamlet miegħi. Il-foqra ssibuhom dejjem magħkom, u tistgħu tgħinuhom kull meta tridu. Imma lili mhux dejjem se ssibuni magħkom. Hi għamlet li setgħet; dilkitli ġismi bil-fwieħa għad-difna minn qabel. Tassew ngħidilkom li, kull fejn jixxandar l-Evanġelju fid-dinja kollha, li għamlet din jingħad ukoll, b’tifkira tagħha”.  Imbagħad Ġuda l-Iskarjota, wieħed mit-Tnax, mar għand il-qassisin il-kbar biex jagħtihom lil Ġesù f’idejhom. Għal din l-aħbar ferħu ħafna, u wegħduh li jagħtuh xi flus. U hu beda jfittex il-waqt tajjeb biex jagħtihom lil Ġesù f’idejhom. Fl-ewwel jum tal-Ażżmi, meta kienu jissagrifikaw il-ħaruf tal-Għid, id-dixxipli tiegħu qalulu:  “Fejn tridna mmorru nħejju biex tiekol l-ikla tal-Għid?”.  Imbagħad hu bagħat tnejn mid-dixxipli tiegħu u qalilhom:  “Morru l-belt, u tiltaqgħu ma’ raġel iġorr ġarra ilma. Morru warajh, u għidu lil sid id-dar ta’ fejn tarawh dieħel: ‘Qallek l-Imgħallem: Fejn hi l-kamra tiegħi li fiha nista’ niekol l-ikla tal-Għid mad-dixxipli tiegħi?’. U hu jurikom kamra kbira fuq, mgħammra u lesta. Ħejjulna hemmhekk”.  U d-dixxipli marru u daħlu fil-belt u sabu kollox kif kien qalilhom hu; u ħejjew l-ikla tal-Għid. Għall-ħin ta’ filgħaxija Ġesù ġie mat-Tnax. U kif kienu fuq il-mejda jieklu qal: “Tassew ngħidilkom li wieħed minnkom se jittradini, wieħed li qiegħed jiekol miegħi”. Huma bdew isewdu qalbhom, u wieħed wara l-ieħor staqsewh:  “Jaqaw jien?”.   Qalilhom:  “Wieħed mit-Tnax, li qiegħed ibill il-ħobż fi platt wieħed miegħi. Għax Bin il-bniedem imur, kif hemm miktub fuqu; imma ħażin għalih dak il-bniedem li permezz tiegħu Bin il-bniedem ikun mogħti f’idejn l-għedewwa! Kien ikun aħjar għalih dak il-bniedem li kieku ma twieled xejn!”.  Huma u jieklu, ħa l-ħobż f’idejh, qal il-barka, qasmu, newwilhulhom u qal:  “Ħudu, dan hu ġismi”.  Imbagħad ħa l-kalċi f’idejh, radd il-ħajr, u newwilhulhom, u lkoll xorbu minnu. U qalilhom:  “Dan huwa demmi, id-demm tal-patt, li jixxerred għal ħafna. Tassew ngħidilkom li ma nixrobx iżjed mill-frott tad-dielja sa dakinhar li nixrob inbid ġdid fis-Saltna ta’ Alla”.  Imbagħad kantaw is-salmi u ħarġu lejn l-Għolja taż-Żebbuġ. U Ġesù qalilhom:  “Ilkoll se titħawdu, għax hu miktub: ‘Nidrob ir-ragħaj, u n-nagħaġ jitferrxu’. Imma wara li nqum mill-mewt, immur il-Galilija qabilkom”. K Qallu Pietru:  “Ukoll jekk jitfixkel kulħadd, jiena ma nitfixkilx”.  Qallu Ġesù:  “Tassew ngħidlek li llum, dal-lejl stess, qabel ma s-serduk ikun idden darbtejn, int tkun ġa ċħadtni tliet darbiet”. Iżda Pietru tenna bil-qawwa kollha:  “Le, ma niċħdekx, anqas jekk ikolli mmut miegħek!”.  U l-oħrajn ukoll, kollha qalu l-istess. Waslu f’qasam jismu Ġetsemani, u qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu:  “Oqogħdu bilqiegħda hawn sakemm nitlob”.  U ħa miegħu lil Pietru u lil Ġakbu u lil Ġwanni, u bdew jaħkmuh il-biża’ u d-dwejjaq. Qalilhom:  “Inħossni mnikket għall-mewt; ibqgħu hawn u ishru”.  Mexa kemmxejn ’il quddiem, inxteħet fl-art, u talab li, jekk jista’ jkun titwarrab minnu dik is-siegħa. U qal:  “Abbà, Missier, kollox jista’ jkun għalik; biegħed minni dan il-kalċi! Iżda mhux li rrid jien, imma li trid int”.  Ġie ħdejhom u sabhom reqdin, u qal lil Pietru:  “Xmun, rieqed? Ma flaħtx tishar siegħa waħda! Ishru u itolbu biex ma tidħlux fit-tiġrib. L-ispirtu, iva, irid; imma l-ġisem dgħajjef”.  U raġa’ mar u tenna l-istess talba. Mill-ġdid ġie u għal darb’oħra sabhom reqdin għax għajnejhom kienu tqal bin-ngħas; u ma għarfux x’jaqbu jgħidulu. Ġie għat-tielet darba u qalilhom:  “Torqdu issa u tistrieħu? Biżżejjed. Is-siegħa waslet; araw li Bin il-bniedem se jkun mogħti f’idejn il-midinbin. Qumu! Ejjew immorru! Ara, dak li se jittradini hu fil-qrib!”.  Minnufih, kif kien għadu jitkellem, wasal Ġuda, wieħed mit-Tnax, b’ġemgħa nies miegħu, armati bis-sjuf u l-bsaten, mibgħuta mill-qassisin il-kbar u mill-kittieba u x-xjuħ. Issa dak li kien se jittradih kien tahom sinjal minn qabel u qalilhom:  “Dak li nbusu huwa hu; aqbduh u morru bih mgħasses tajjeb”. 

Malli mbagħad wasal, baqa’ sejjer fuqu u qallu:  “Rabbi”.  U biesu. Huma meddew idejhom fuqu u qabduh. Imma wieħed minn dawk ta’ madwaru silet is-sejf, ta daqqa bih lill-qaddej tal-qassis il-kbir u qatagħlu widintu. Ġesù dar fuqhom u qalilhom:  “Qiskom ħriġtu għal xi ħalliel, armati bis-sjuf u l-bsaten biex taqbdu lili! Jien kuljum kont inkun fostkom fit-tempju ngħallem u ma żammejtunix. Imma dan kollu ġara biex isseħħ l-Iskrittura”.  Imbagħad id-dixxipli tiegħu kollha telquh u ħarbu. Wieħed żagħżugħ mar warajh imgeżwer b’liżar biss fuq xejn, u qabduh; imma hu telqilhom il-liżar f’idejhom u ħarab għeri. Ħadu lil Ġesù għand il-qassis il-kbir, u nġabru l-qassisin il-kbar kollha u x-xjuħ u l-kittieba. Pietru kien baqa’ miexi warajh mill-bogħod sa ġol-palazz tal-qassis il-kbir, u qagħad bilqiegħda mal-qaddejja ħdejn in-nar għas-sħana. Il-qassisin il-kbar u s-Sinedriju kollu bdew ifittxu xhieda kontra Ġesù biex jagħtuh il-mewt, u ma sabux. Tassew li kien hemm ħafna li xehdu bil-qerq kontra tiegħu, imma x-xhieda tagħhom ma kinitx taqbel. Imbagħad qamu xi wħud jagħtu xhieda qarrieqa kontra tiegħu u qalu:  “Aħna smajnieh jgħid: ‘Jiena nħott dan it-tempju mibni bl-idejn, u fi tlitt ijiem nibni ieħor li ma jkunx mibni bl-idejn!’”.  Imma x-xhieda tagħhom anqas f’dan ma kienet taqbel.  Imbagħad il-qassis il-kbir qam f’nofs il-ġemgħa u staqsa lil Ġesù:  “Xejn ma twieġeb? X’inhuma jixhdu dawn kontra tiegħek?”.  Iżda hu baqa’ sieket u ma wieġeb xejn. Mill-ġdid il-qassis il-kbir staqsieh u qallu:  “Int il-Messija, Bin l-Imbierek?”.  Ġesù wieġbu:  “Jien hu, u intom għad taraw lil Bin il-bniedem bilqiegħda n-naħa tal-lemin tal-Qawwa u ġej fuq is-sħab tas-sema”.  Imbagħad il-qassis il-kbir ċarrat l-ilbies ta’ fuqu u qal:  “Xi ħtieġa għandna iżjed ta’ xhieda? Id-dagħwa smajtuha! X’jidhrilkom?”.  U kollha qatgħuhielu li kien ħaqqu l-mewt. Imbagħad xi wħud bdew jobżqulu fuqu, jgħattulu wiċċu, jagħtuh bil-ponn u jgħidulu:  “Aqta’ min!”.  U l-qaddejja bdew jagħtuh bil-ħarta. 

Waqt li Pietru kien isfel ’il ġewwa mid-daħla tal-palazz, ġiet waħda qaddejja tal-qassis il-kbir. Kif rat lil Pietru qiegħed għas-sħana, waħħlet għajnejha fuqu u qaltlu:   “Int ukoll kont ma’ Ġesù ta’ Nazaret”.  Imma hu ċaħad u qal:  “Ma nafx, m’iniex nifhem x’inti tgħid”.  U ħareġ ’il barra fid-daħla tal-palazz. U s-serduk idden. Il-qaddejja ratu, u reġgħet bdiet tgħid lil dawk li kienu hemm:  “Dan wieħed minnhom”.  U mill-ġdid ċaħad. Wara ftit dawk li kienu ħdejh reġgħu qalu lil Pietru: Tassew, int wieħed minnhom; għax int ukoll mill-Galilija”.  Imbagħad qabad jisħet lilu nnifsu u jaħlef:  “Jiena ma nafux lil dan il-bniedem li qegħdin issemmu”.  Minnufih is-serduk idden għat-tieni darba. Pietru ftakar fil-kelma li kien qallu Ġesù: “Qabel ma s-serduk jidden darbtejn, inti tiċħadni tliet darbiet”. U nfexx jibki.

Filgħodu kmieni l-qassisin il-kbar iltaqgħu malajr max-xjuħ u mal-kittieba u mas-Sinedriju kollu biex jiftiehmu bejniethom. Imbagħad rabtu lil Ġesù, ħaduh u tawh f’idejn Pilatu. Pilatu staqsieh:  “Inti s-sultan tal-Lhud?”.  U hu wieġeb u qallu:  “Int qiegħed tgħidu”.  Il-qassisin il-kbar bdew jaqilgħu ħafna akkużi kontra tiegħu. Iżda Pilatu raġa’ staqsieh:  “Ma twieġeb xejn? Ara kemm akkużi qegħdin iġibu kontra tiegħek!”.   Imma Ġesù ma wieġeb xejn iżjed, hekk li Pilatu baqa’ mistagħġeb. F’nhar ta’ festa kien jitilqilhom wieħed ħabsi, lil dak li kienu jitolbu huma. Issa fil-ħabs kien hemm wieħed jismu Barabba, arrestat flimkien max-xewwiexa li fir-rewwixta kienu qatlu lil xi ħadd. In-nies telgħu u bdew jitolbuh jagħmel kif kien jagħmlilhom dejjem. Qabad Pilatu u qalilhom: “Tridux nitilqilkom is-sultan tal-Lhud?”.  Għax hu għaraf tajjeb li l-qassisin il-kbar kienu tawh lil Ġesù f’idejh minħabba l-għira. Iżda l-qassisin il-kbar bdew ixewxu n-nies li aħjar jitilqilhom lil Barabba. Pilatu raġa’ staqsiehom u qalilhom: “U x’nagħmel imbagħad b’dak li intom issejħulu s-sultan tal-Lhud?”.  Iżda huma nfexxew jgħajtu mill-ġdid:  “Sallbu!”.  Qalilhom Pilatu:  “Imma x’għamel ħażin?”.  Huma aktar bdew jgħajtu:  “Sallbu!”.  Pilatu mbagħad, biex jogħġob lin-nies, telqilhom lil Barabba, u lil Ġesù, wara li tah is-swat, tahulhom biex isallbuh. Is-suldati ħaduh magħhom ġewwa fil-palazz, jiġifieri l-Pretorju, u sejħu r-riġment kollu. Libbsuh ilbies aħmar skur, u qegħdulu fuq rasu kuruna minsuġa mix-xewk. U bdew isellmulu: “Is-sliem għalik, sultan tal-Lhud!”.

U qabdu jagħtuh b’qasba fuq rasu, jobżqulu fuqu, u jilwu rkupptejhom quddiemu biex jagħtuh qima. Imbagħad, wara li għaddewh biż-żuffjett, neżżgħulu l-ilbies aħmar u xeddewlu ħwejġu. U ħaduh ’il barra biex isallbuh. Kien għaddej wieħed, Xmun minn Ċireni, missier Xandru u Rufu, ġej lura mir-raba’, u ġagħluh jerfagħlu s-salib. U wassluh f’post jismu Golgota, li jfisser post il-Qorriegħa. U tawh jixrob inbid imħallat bil-mirra, imma hu ma riedx jieħu minnu. Imbagħad sallbuh, u qassmu ħwejġu bejniethom billi tellgħuhom bix-xorti ħalli kull wieħed jieħu li jmissu. Kienet it-tielet siegħa xħin sallbuh. Il-kitba li turi l-ħtija tal-kundanna tiegħu kienet tgħid hekk: “Is-sultan tal-Lhud”. Miegħu sallbu wkoll żewġ ħallelin, wieħed fuq il-lemin u l-ieħor fuq ix-xellug. Dawk li kienu għaddejjin bdew jgħajruh, iċaqilqu rashom u jgħidu:  “Għajb għalik, int li tħott it-tempju u tfittex terġa’ tibnih fi tlitt ijiem! Inżel minn fuq is-salib u salva lilek innifsek!”.   Hekk ukoll il-qassisin il-kbar bdew jiddieħku bih bejniethom u mal-kittieba u jgħidu:  “Salva oħrajn, lilu nnifsu ma jistax isalva! Ħa jinżel issa l-Messija, is-sultan ta’ Iżrael, minn fuq is-salib biex aħna naraw u nemmnu!”.  U dawk li kienu msallbin miegħu bdew imaqdruh huma wkoll. Xħin saret is-sitt siegħa waqgħet dalma kbira fuq il-pajjiż kollu sad-disa’ siegħa. U fid-disa’ siegħa Ġesù għajjat b’leħen qawwi:  “Eloì, Eloì, lemà sabaqtàni!” li jfisser  “Alla tiegħi, Alla tiegħi, għaliex tlaqtni!”.  Xi wħud minn dawk li kienu hemm, kif semgħuh, qalu:  “Ara, qiegħed isejjaħ lil Elija!”.  U mar wieħed jiġri jxappap sponża bl-inbid qares, waħħalha f’tarf ta’ qasba u tah jixrob filwaqt li qal:  “Stennew, ħa naraw jiġix Elija jniżżlu!”.  Imma Ġesù għajjat għajta kbira u radd ruħu. Hawnhekk kulħadd jinżel għarkupptejh u jinżamm is-skiet għal ftit ħin. U l-purtiera tas-santwarju ċċarrtet fi tnejn minn fuq s’isfel. 

(Hawnhekk kulhadd jinzel gharkobtejh)

Iċ-ċenturjun li kien wieqaf biswitu, meta rah jgħajjat u jmut hekk, qal: “Dan il-bniedem kien tassew Bin Alla!”.  Kien hemm ukoll xi nisa jħarsu mill-bogħod, fosthom Marija ta’ Magdala, Marija omm Ġakbu ż-żgħir u Ġosè, u Salomi; dawn, meta Ġesù kien fil-Galilija, kienu jmorru miegħu u jaqduh. U kien hemm ukoll bosta oħrajn li kienu telgħu Ġerusalemm miegħu. Kien ġa sar filgħaxija, u billi kien Jum it-Tħejjija, jiġifieri lejlet is-Sibt, Ġużeppi minn Arimatija, membru magħruf tal-Kunsill, li hu wkoll kien jistenna s-Saltna ta’ Alla, għamel il-ħila, daħal quddiem Pilatu u talbu l-ġisem ta’ Ġesù. Pilatu stagħġeb li kien ġa miet; bagħat għaċ-ċenturjun u staqsieh jekk kienx ilu li miet. Meta mbagħad sar jaf mingħand iċ-ċenturjun, ta l-ġisem ta’ Ġesù lil Ġużeppi, u dan xtara liżar tal-għażel, niżżel lil Ġesù mis-salib, keffnu fil-liżar u qiegħdu f’qabar imħaffer fil-blat; imbagħad gerbeb ġebla fid-daħla tal-qabar. Marija ta’ Magdala u Marija omm Ġosè qagħdu jaraw fejn tqiegħed. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings 

by Fr Anthony Kadavil                         

RELIVING AND REMEMBERING THE EVENTS OF OUR REDEMPTION 


Introduction: 

The Church celebrates this sixth Sunday of Lent as both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday. This is the time of year we stop to remember and relive the events which brought about our redemption and salvation. What we commemorate and relive during this week is not just Jesus’ dying and rising, but our own dying and rising in Jesus, which will result in our healing, reconciliation, and redemption. Attentive participation in the Holy Week liturgy will deepen our relationship with God, increase our Faith, and strengthen our lives as disciples of Jesus. Sunday’s liturgy combines contrasting moments, one of glory, the other of suffering: the royal welcome of Jesus in Jerusalem, and the drama of the trial, culminating in crucifixion, death and burial for the Christ.

Scripture lessons summarized: 

This Sunday’s first reading, the third of Isaiah’s four Servant Songs, like the other three, foreshadows Jesus’ own life and mission. The Refrain for today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 22),” My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?” plunges us into the heart of Christ’s Passion. The Second Reading, taken from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, is an ancient Christian hymn representing a very early Christian understanding of who Jesus is, and of how his mission saves us from sin and death. The first part of today’s Gospel describes the royal reception Jesus received from his admirers, who paraded with him for a distance of two miles: from the Mount of Olives to the city of Jerusalem. In the second part of today’s Gospel, we listen to/participate in a reading of the Passion of Christ according to Mark. We are challenged to examine our own lives in the light of some of the characters in the Passion story – like Peter who denied Jesus, Judas who betrayed Jesus, Herod who ridiculed Jesus, Pilate who acted against his conscience as he condemned Jesus to death on the cross, and the leaders of the people who preserved their position by getting rid of Jesus.

Life messages: 

We need to answer 5 questions today: 

1) Does Jesus weep over my sinful soul as he wept over Jerusalem at the beginning of his Palm Sunday procession?

2) Am I a barren fig tree? God expects me to produce fruits of holiness, purity, justice, humility, obedience, charity, and forgiveness. Do I? Or worse, do I continue to produce bitter fruits of impurity, injustice, pride, hatred, jealousy, and selfishness?

3) Will Jesus need to cleanse my heart with his whip? Jesus cannot tolerate the desecration of the temple of the Holy Spirit (which I have become through Baptism), by my addiction to uncharitable, unjust and impure thoughts words and deeds; nor does Jesus praise my business mentality or calculation of loss and gain in my relationship with God, my Heavenly Father.

4) Do I welcome Jesus into my heart? Am I ready to surrender my life to him during this Holy Week and welcome him into all areas of my life as my Lord and Saviour? Let us remember that we are all sinners who have crucified Jesus by our sins, but we are still able to turn to Jesus again to ask for pardon and mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is through the Passion of Jesus we receive forgiveness: “through his wounds we are healed.” (Is 53:5). 

5) Are we like the humble donkey that carried Jesus, bringing Jesus’ universal love, unconditional forgiveness, and sacrificial service to our families, places of work and communities by the way we live our lives?

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Thursday 14 March 2024

IF A GRAIN OF WHEAT DIES IT PRODUCES MUCH FRUIT

 Readings for Sunday, March 17, 2024 


Fifth Sunday of Lent  / Year B
Lectionary: 35


Qari tal-Ħames Ħadd tar-Randan / Sena B




Reading 1                 JEREMAIAH  31:31-34

The days are coming, says the LORD,  when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand  to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant, and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.

QARI 1                  mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġeremija 31:31-34

Araw, għad jiġi żmien, oraklu tal-Mulej, meta jien nagħmel patt ġdid ma’ dar Iżrael u dar Ġuda;  mhux bħall-patt li għamilt ma’ missirijiethom fiż-żmien meta qbadthom minn idejhom biex ħriġthom mill-art tal-Eġittu, il-patt tiegħi li huma kisru, għalkemm jien kont l-għarus tagħhom, oraklu tal-Mulej.Imma dan ikun il-patt li għad nagħmel ma’ dar Iżrael wara dawk il-jiem, oraklu tal-Mulej. Inqiegħed il-liġi tiegħi fosthom u niktibha f’qalbhom; u jiena nkun Alla tagħhom, u huma jkunu l-poplu tiegħi. Ma jgħallmux iżjed lil xulxin, u ħadd ma jgħid lil ħuh: “Agħraf il-Mulej”, għaliex ilkoll kemm huma jkunu jafuni, miż-żgħir sal-kbir, oraklu tal-Mulej. Għax jien naħfrilhom ħżunithom, u ħtijiethom ma niftakarhomx aktar. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej. 

Responsorial Psalm                 PSALM 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
    in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
    and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

A clean heart create for me, O God,
    and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
    and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,
    and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                 Salm 50(51):3-4,12-13,14-15

R/. (12a): Oħloq fija qalb safja, o Alla.

Ikollok ħniena minni, o Alla, fi tjubitek;
fil-kobor tal-ħniena tiegħek ħassar ħtijieti.
Aħsilni kollni mill-ħtija tiegħi;
naddafni mid-dnub tiegħi. R/.

Oħloq fija qalb safja, o Alla,
u spirtu qawwi ġedded fija.
La twarrabnix minn quddiemek,
tneħħix minni l-ispirtu qaddis tiegħek. R/.

Roddli l-hena tas-salvazzjoni tiegħek,
u bi spirtu qalbieni wettaqni.
Lill-midinbin ngħallem triqatek,
u l-ħatjin lejk jerġgħu lura. R/.

Reading 2                 HEBREWS 5:7-9

In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

QARI 2                  mill-Ittra lil-Lhud 5:7-9

Meta kien jgħix fuq din l-art, Kristu offra talb u suppliki b’leħen għoli u bid-dmugħ lil dak li seta’ jsalvah mill-mewt. U kien mismugħ minħabba fil-qima tiegħu lejn Alla. Għad li kien Iben, tgħallem minn dak li bata xi tfisser l-ubbidjenza. U, billi laħaq il-perfezzjoni, sar awtur tas-salvazzjoni ta’ dejjem għal kull min jisma’ minnu.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                 JOHN 12:20-33

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew;  then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honour whoever serves me. I am troubled now.  Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven,  “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

EVANĠELJU                 Qari skont San Ġwann 12:20-33

F’dak iż-żmien, fost dawk li telgħu biex iqimu lil Alla fil-festa kien hemm xi Griegi. Dawn marru għand Filippu li kien minn Betsajda tal-Galilija, u talbuh: “Sinjur, nixtiequ naraw lil Ġesù”. Filippu mar jgħid lil Indrì, u mbagħad Indrì u Filippu marru jgħidu lil Ġesù. U Ġesù weġibhom: “Waslet is-siegħa li fiha Bin il-bniedem ikun igglorifikat. Tassew tassew ngħidilkom, jekk il-ħabba tal-qamħ ma taqax fl-art u tmut, hi tibqa’ weħidha; imma jekk tmut, tagħmel ħafna frott. Min iħobb lil ħajtu jitlifha; imma min jobgħod lil ħajtu f’din id-dinja jħarisha għall-ħajja ta’ dejjem. Jekk xi ħadd irid jaqdini, hu għandu jimxi warajja, u fejn inkun jien, hemm ukoll ikun il-qaddej tiegħi. Min jaqdi lili, il-Missier jagħtih ġieħ. Issa qiegħed inħoss ruħi mħawda. U x’naqbad ngħid? Missier, eħlisni minn din is-siegħa? Imma jien għalhekk ġejt: għal din is-siegħa. Missier, agħti glorja lil ismek”. Dak il-ħin instama’ leħen mis-sema: “Jien diġà gglorifikajtu, u nerġa’ nigglorifikah”. In-nies li kienu hemm semgħuh, u qalu li kien qiegħed iriegħed. Oħrajn qalu: “Kellmu xi anġlu”. Ġesù wieġeb: “Dan il-leħen ma ġiex għalija, imma għalikom. Il-ġudizzju ta’ din id-dinja qiegħed isir issa. Issa se jitkeċċa l-Prinċep ta’ din id-dinja. U meta nintrefa’ ’l fuq mill-art, jiena niġbed il-bnedmin kollha lejja”. Hu qal dan biex jurihom b’liema mewt kien sejjer imut.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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

DIEING T0 SELF AND LIVING IN SELF-GIVING SERVICE

Introduction: 

Sunday’s readings focus on the approaching death of Jesus which Paul considers a priestly sacrifice and John considers the moment of Jesus’ “exaltation” and “glorification.” The readings offer us a challenge. Just as Jesus became the “Promised Messiah of Glory” and the “Conquering Son of Man” by offering his life for others, we, too, if we would come to Heaven, must die to self by loving obedience, spending our lives in self-giving, sacrificial service.

Scripture lessons: 

The first reading, taken from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah, explains how God will replace the Old Covenant of Judgment with a New Covenant of Forgiveness of sins. This New or Renewed Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah was fulfilled, at least in part, through Jesus’ life, death and Resurrection. In the second reading, St. Paul tells the Hebrews that it is by Jesus’ suffering and death, in obedience to his Father’s will, that Jesus established the New Covenant. 

Using metaphors of the “sown wheat grain "and the “spent life” in today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches the lessons St. Paul will repeat. The Gospel hints at the inner struggle of Jesus in accepting the cup of suffering to inaugurate the New and Eternal Covenant. However, Jesus accepts the cross as his “hour,” meaning the stepping-stone to his passion, death, Resurrection, and exaltation. 

Jesus also considers his “hour” as the way of glorifying his Heavenly Father and of being glorified by his Father. In addition, it is the way by which all people will be drawn into the saving action of God. Finally, the “lifting up” of Jesus on the cross and later into Heavenly glory by Resurrection and Ascension is the assurance of our own exaltation and glorification, provided we accept our crosses.

Life messages: 

1) Sunday’s Gospel teaches us that new life and eternal life are made possible only by the death of the self through obedience, suffering and service. Salt gives its taste by dissolving in water. A candle gives light by having its wick burned and its wax melted. The oyster produces a priceless pearl by transforming a grain of sand through a long and painful process. Loving parents sacrifice themselves so that their children can enjoy a better life than they themselves have had. Let us pray that we may acquire this self-sacrificing spirit, especially during Lent.

2) Only a life spent for others will be glorified, sometimes here in this world, but always in Heaven. We know that the world owes everything to people who have spent their time and talents for God and for their fellow human beings. Mother Teresa, for instance, gave up her comfortable teaching career, and with just 5 rupees (17 cents) in her pocket began her challenging life for the “poorest of the poor” in the crowded slums of Calcutta. We see similar cases in the history of great saints, scientists, and benefactors of mankind in all walks of life. They chose to burn out rather than to rust out. (Examples are the Rockefeller Foundation for scientific progress and the Bill Gates Foundation for AIDS Research). 

Let us, too, spend ourselves for others

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Thursday 7 March 2024

GOD'S COMPASSION AND PATIENCE WITH US

Readings for Sunday, March 10, 2024 



Fourth Sunday of Lent / Year B
Lectionary: 32

Ir-Raba’ Ħadd tar-Randan




Reading 1                2 CHRONICLES 36:14-16, 19-23    

In those days, all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting the LORD’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem. Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them, for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets, until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed that there was no remedy. Their enemies burnt the house of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, set all its palaces afire, and destroyed all its precious objects. Those who escaped the sword were carried captive to Babylon, where they became servants of the king of the Chaldeans and his sons until the kingdom of the Persians came to power. All this was to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah: “Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths, during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest while seventy years are fulfilled.” In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia  to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom, both by word of mouth and in writing: “Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me, and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him!”

QARI 1                 mit-Tieni Ktieb tal-Kronaki 36:14-16,19-23

F’dak iż-żmien, il-kbarat kollha tal-qassisin u l-poplu komplew jidinbu u jagħmlu l-qżiżijiet kollha tal-ġnus, u niġġsu t-tempju tal-Mulej li hu kien qaddes f’Ġerusalemm. U billi ġietu ħasra mill-poplu tiegħu, u mill-għamara tiegħu, il-Mulej, Alla ta’ missirijiethom, kien ta’ sikwit jibgħat iwiddibhom bil-messaġġiera tiegħu. Iżda huma kienu jiddieħku bil-mibgħutin tiegħu, imaqdru kliemu, u jkasbru l-profeti tiegħu, sa ma saħnet il-korla tal-Mulej għall-poplu tiegħu, hekk li ma setgħux jeħilsuha aktar. U ħarqulhom it-tempju ta’ Alla, ġarrfu s-swar ta’ Ġerusalemm, taw in-nar lill-palazzi kollha tagħha, u hekk qerdulha kulma kellha prezzjuż. U dawk li ħelsu mill-qerda tax-xabla, Nabukodonosor eżiljahom lejn il-Babilonja, u baqgħu suġġetti għalih u għal uliedu, sa ma ġew jaħkmu fuqhom il-Persjani. Hekk seħħ dak li qal Alla b’fomm Ġeremija: “Sakemm tgawdi l-art il-mistrieħ ta’ Sibtijietha, ma tinħadimx l-art iż-żmien kollu tal-ħerba tagħha, sa ma jgħaddu sebgħin sena”. Fl-ewwel sena ta’ Ċiru, sultan tal-Persja, biex isseħħ il-kelma tal-Mulej li kienet intqalet b’fomm Ġeremija, il-Mulej qanqal lil Ċiru, sultan tal-Persja, u dan xandar proklama fis-saltna tiegħu kollha, saħansitra bil-miktub, li kienet tgħid: “Dan jgħid Ċiru sultan tal-Persja: ‘Il-Mulej, Alla tas-sema, tani f’idejja s-saltniet kollha tal-art, u hu qabbadni nibnilu tempju f’Ġerusalemm, li hi f’Ġuda. Kull min minnkom hu mill-poplu tiegħu, ħa jkun il-Mulej miegħu, u jitla’’”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                   PSALM 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

By the streams of Babylon
    we sat and wept
    when we remembered Zion.
On the aspens of that land
    we hung up our harps.
R. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

For there our captors asked of us
    the lyrics of our songs,
And our despoilers urged us to be joyous:
    “Sing for us the songs of Zion!”
R. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

How could we sing a song of the LORD
    in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
    may my right hand be forgotten!
R. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

May my tongue cleave to my palate
    if I remember you not,
If I place not Jerusalem
    ahead of my joy.
R. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

SALM RESPONSORJALI             Salm136(137):1-2,3,4-5,6

R/. (6a): Jeħilli lsieni mas-saqaf ta’ ħalqi, jekk ma niftakarx fik, Ġerusalemm!

F’xatt ix-xmajjar ta’ Babilonja,
hemm qgħadna bilqiegħda u bkejna,
aħna u niftakru f’Sijon.
Mas-siġar tal-luq tagħha,
dendilna ċ-ċetri tagħna. R/
.
Għax hemm, dawk li ijassruna,
talbuna ngħannulhom xi għanja;
dawk li hemm għakksuna
stennew minna għana ta’ ferħ:
“Għannulna mill-għana ta’ Sijon”. R/.

Kif nistgħu ngħannu l-għana tal-Mulej
f’art barranija?
Tibbiesli idi l-leminija,
jekk qatt ninsa lilek, Ġerusalemm! R/.

Jeħilli lsieni mas-saqaf ta’ ħalqi,
jekk ma niftakarx fik,
jekk ma nżommx ’il Ġerusalemm
’il fuq minn kull ferħ tiegħi! R/.

Reading 2                 EPHESIANS 2:4-10

Brothers and sisters:  God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ — by grace you have been saved — raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.

QARI 2                  mill-Ittra lill-Efesin 2:4-10

Ħuti, Alla, għani fil-ħniena tiegħu, bis-saħħa tal-imħabba kbira li biha ħabbna, meta aħna konna mejta minħabba fi dnubietna, tana ħajja ġdida flimkien ma’ Kristu – bi grazzja intom salvi. Qajjimna miegħu u qegħedna fis-smewwiet ma’ Kristu Ġesù, biex juri fiż-żminijiet li ġejjin l-għana bla qies tal-grazzja tiegħu bit-tjieba li wera magħna fi Kristu Ġesù. Intom salvi bil-grazzja, permezz tal-fidi; u dan mhux bis-saħħa tagħkom, imma b’don ta’ Alla; mhux bl-opri, biex ħadd ma jiftaħar. Aħna ħolqien tiegħu, maħluqa fi Kristu Ġesù biex nagħmlu l-opri tajba li Alla ħejjielna minn qabel li għandna nagħmlu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                JOHN 3:14-21

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,  but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

EVANĠELJU                 Qari skont San Ġwann 3:14-21

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lil Nikodemu: “Kif Mosè rafa’ s-serp fid-deżert, hekk jeħtieġ li jkun merfugħ Bin il-bniedem, biex kull min jemmen fih ikollu l-ħajja ta’ dejjem.Għax Alla hekk ħabb lid-dinja li ta lil Ibnu l-waħdieni, biex kull min jemmen fih ma jintilifx, iżda jkollu l-ħajja ta’ dejjem. Għax Alla ma bagħatx lil Ibnu fid-dinja biex jagħmel ħaqq mid-dinja, imma biex id-dinja ssalva permezz tiegħu. Min jemmen fih ma jkunx ikkundannat; iżda min ma jemminx huwa ġa kkundannat, għax ma emminx fl-isem tal-Iben il-waħdieni ta’ Alla. U l-ġudizzju huwa dan: li d-dawl ġie fid-dinja, imma l-bnedmin ħabbew id-dlam aktar mid-dawl, għax l-għemil tagħhom kien ħażin. Għax kull min jagħmel il-ħażen jobgħod id-dawl, u ma jersaqx lejn id-dawl, biex għemilu ma jinkixifx. Imma min jagħmel is-sewwa jersaq lejn id-dawl, biex juri li hemm Alla f’għemilu”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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


THE FREE GIFT OF A MERCIFUL GOD


Introduction: 

The Fourth Sunday of Lent is called Lætare (Rejoice) Sunday, from the first words of Sunday’s liturgy. As on Gaudete Sunday in Advent, rose-coloured vestments may replace violet, and flowers may grace the altar, symbolizing the Church’s joy in anticipation of the Resurrection of Our Lord. The central theme of Sunday’s readings is that our salvation is the free gift of a merciful God, given to us sinners through Jesus, His Son. The readings stress God’s mercy and compassion and remind us of the great love, kindness, and grace extended to us in Christ.

The Scripture lessons summarized: 

In the first reading, taken from the Second Book of Chronicles, we see the compassion and patience of God. God chose Cyrus the Great, a pagan conqueror, to become the instrument of His mercy to, and salvation of, His chosen people exiled in Babylon. In Sunday’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 137), the Psalmist voices the pain of exile the captives of Judah suffered. 

In the second reading, Paul tells us that God is so rich in mercy that He has granted us eternal salvation and eternal life as a free gift through Christ Jesus. Sunday’s Gospel provides a theme that parallels the Gospel, but on a much higher level. Jesus, the Son of God, becomes the agent of God’s salvation, not just for one sinful nation but for the sinfulness of the whole world. Through John 3:16, the Gospel teaches us that God has expressed His love, mercy, and compassion for us by giving His Only Son for our salvation.

Nicodemus, the wealthy Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, meets Jesus by night and begins a long religious discussion. Jesus explains to him that he must believe Jesus’ words because Jesus is the Son of God. Then, by referring to the story of Moses and the bronze serpent (Nm 21:1-9), Jesus further explains God’s plan of salvation. Just as God saved the victims of serpent bite from death through the bonze serpent, He is going to save mankind from its sins by permitting the crucifixion and death of His Son Jesus, because the love of God for mankind is that great.

Life messages: 

1) We need to love the cross, the symbol of God’s forgiving and merciful love: As a forceful reminder not only of God’s love and mercy, but also of the price of our salvation, the crucifix invites us to more than simple generosity and compassion. It inspires us to remove the suffering of other people’s misery. It encourages us not only to feel deep sorrow for another’s suffering, but also to try our best to remove that suffering. Hence, let us love the cross, wear its image, and carry our own daily cross with joy, while helping other to carry their heavier crosses.

2) We need to reciprocate God’s love by loving Him in others. God’s love is unconditional, universal, forgiving, and merciful. Let us try to make an earnest attempt to include these qualities in sharing our love with others during Lent. 3) Our rebirth by water and the Spirit must be an ongoing process. That is, we must lead a life of repentance and conversion which will bring us, with the help of the Holy Spirit living within us, to an ongoing renewal of life through prayer, adoration, Bible reading, frequenting the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist, and doing corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

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Thursday 29 February 2024

CLEANING OUT EVIL IN US

 Readings for Sunday, March 3, 2024 

Third Sunday of Lent / Year B
Lectionary: 29

It-Tielet Ħadd tar-Randan / sena B


Reading 1                 EXODUS 20:1-17

In those days, God delivered all these commandments: “I, the LORD, am your God,  who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me. You shall not carve idols for yourselves  in the shape of anything in the sky above  or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or worship them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation; but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished the one who takes his name in vain. “Remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Six days you may labour and do all your work,  but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God. No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or your beast, or by the alien who lives with you. In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day he rested.That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day  and made it holy.  “Honour your father and your mother,  that you may have a long life in the land  which the LORD, your God, is giving you. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.You shall not covet your neighbour's house. ou shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything else that belongs to him.”

      QARI 1                   mill-Ktieb tal-Eżodu 20:1-17

F’dak iż-żmien, Alla tkellem u qal dan kollu lill-poplu: “Jiena hu l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, li ħriġtek mill-art tal-Eġittu, minn dar il-jasar. Ma jkollokx allat oħra għajri. La tagħmilx għalik suriet minquxa u ebda xbieha ta’ ebda ħaġa li hemm fl-għoli tas-sema, jew isfel fl-art, jew fil-baħar taħt l-art. La tmilx quddiemhom: la tadurahomx għaliex jiena hu l-Mulej Alla tiegħek, Alla għajjur, li npatti l-ħażen tal-missirijiet fuq l-ulied sat-tielet u r-raba’ ġenerazzjoni lil dawk li jobogħduni; imma nagħder sal-elf nisel lil min iħobbni u jżomm il-kmadamenti tiegħi. La ssemmix l-isem tal-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, fix-xejn: għaliex lil min isemmi l-isem tiegħu fix-xejn, il-Mulej ma jħallihx bla kastig. Ftakar f’jum is-Sibt u qaddsu. Sitt ijiem taħdem u tagħmel kulma għandek tagħmel; imma s-seba’ jum hu jum il-mistrieħ f’ġieħ il-Mulej, Alla tiegħek. Dan il-jum ma tagħmel ebda xogħol, int, ibnek, il-qaddej u l-qaddejja tiegħek, il-bhejjem tiegħek, u l-barrani li jkun ġewwa bwiebek. Għax f’sitt ijiem il-Mulej għamel is-smewwiet u l-art; il-baħar u kulma hemm fihom, u strieħ fis-seba’ jum. Għalhekk il-Mulej bierek is-seba’ jum u qaddsu.Weġġaħ lil missierek u lil ommok, sabiex jitkattru jiemek fuq l-art li l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, jagħtik. La toqtolx. La tagħmilx adulterju. La tisraqx. La tagħtix xhieda giddieba kontra għajrek. La tixtieqx dar għajrek: la tixtieqx il-mara ta’ għajrek, il-qaddej jew il-qaddejja tiegħu, l-għoġol jew il-ħmar tiegħu, u xejn minn kulma għandu għajrek”.Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                   PSALM 19:8, 9, 10, 11


The law of the LORD is perfect,
    refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
    giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

The precepts of the LORD are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
    enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. 

The fear of the LORD is pure,
    enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
    all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. 

They are more precious than gold,
    than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
    or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

      SALM RESPONSORJALI                 Salm 18(19):8,9,10,11

R/. (Ġw 6:68ċ): Mulej, int għandek il-kliem tal-ħajja ta’ dejjem.

Il-liġi tal-Mulej perfetta,
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-kmadament 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/.

Huma egħżeż mid-deheb,
mid-deheb l-aktar fin,
oħla mill-għasel
u mill-qtar tax-xehda. R/.

Reading 2                1 CORINTHIANS 1:22-25

Brothers and sisters: Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we proclaim Christ crucified,  a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

      QARI 2                  mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 1:22-25

Ħuti, il-Lhud jitolbu s-sinjali, u l-Griegi jfittxu l-għerf, imma aħna nxandru ’l Kristu msallab, skandlu għal-Lhud u bluha għall-Griegi; iżda għal dawk li huma msejħin, sew Lhud sew Griegi, Kristu huwa l-qawwa ta’ Alla u l-għerf ta’ Alla. Għax il-bluha ta’ Alla hija għarfa iktar mill-bnedmin, u d-dgħufija ta’ Alla hija aqwa mill-bnedmin. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                  JOHN 2:13-25

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. While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.

      EVANĠELJU                 Qari skont San Ġwann 2:13-25

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 kien 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 jien 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’dak 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. Imma Ġesù, min-naħa tiegħu, ma kienx jafda fihom, għax hu kien jaf lil kulħadd u ma kellux bżonn min jagħtih xhieda fuq il-bniedem, għax hu stess kien jaf x’hemm fil-bniedem. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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

TIME TO CLEAN UP OUR HEARTS

Introduction: 

Sunday’s readings from Holy Scripture teach us that Lent is the ideal time to clean out the Temple of our own hearts and to offer to God proper Divine worship by obeying the Ten Commandments. They also teach us that our New Covenant with God demands that we should keep our parish Church holy, and our Divine worship vibrant by our active participation in the liturgy with hearts cleansed by repentance, and made holy by allowing the Holy Spirit to control our hearts and lives.

Scripture lessons summarized: 

Today’s first reading teaches us that the Ten Commandments are the basis of our religious and spiritual life. Instead of restricting our freedom, the Commandments really help us to love and respect our God and our neighbors. The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 19) depicts the Mosaic Law’s life-enhancing attributes: it refreshes the soul and rejoices the heart; it is pure and true, more precious than gold. 

The second reading reminds us that we must appreciate the Divine “foolishness” of the crucified Christ and obey His commandment of love as our expression of Divine worship. Today’s Gospel gives us the dramatic account of Jesus’ cleansing the Temple of its merchants and moneychangers, followed by a prediction of his death and Resurrection. 

The synoptic Gospels place the “cleansing of the Temple” immediately after Jesus’ triumphant arrival in Jerusalem on the back of a colt on Palm Sunday, while John places it at the beginning of his Gospel. Jesus cleansed the Temple which King Herod began to renovate in 20 BC. The abuses which kindled the prophetic indignation of Jesus were the conversion of God’s Temple into a “noisy marketplace” by the animal merchants and into a “hideout of thieves” by the moneychangers with their grossly unjust business practices – sacrilege in God’s Holy Place. Jesus’ reaction to this commercialized Faith was fierce. Since no weapons were allowed inside the Temple, Jesus constructed his own, a whip of cords, and used it to drive out the merchants and moneychangers from the Court of the Gentiles.

Life messages: 

1) We need to avoid a calculating mentality in Divine worship: Our relationship with God must be that of a child to his parent, one of mutual love, respect and a desire for the family’s good, with no thought of personal loss or gain. We are not supposed to think of God as a vending machine into which we put our sacrifices and good deeds to get back His blessings. 

2) Let us remember that we are the temples of the Holy Spirit: St. Paul reminds us that we are God’s temples, body and soul, because the Spirit of God dwells in us. Hence, we have no right to desecrate God’s temple by impurity, injustice, pride, hatred, or jealousy. Let us be cleansed by asking God’s forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

3) Let us love our parish Church as our “Heavenly Father’s house” and make it a holier place by our care for it, by our active participation in the liturgy, by offering our time and talents in the various ministries, and by our financial support for its maintenance and development.

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Thursday 15 February 2024

METANOIA - TRUE REPENTANCE

Readings for Sunday, February 18, 2024 

First Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 23

Qari tal-Ewwel Ħadd tar-Randan


Reading 1                GENESIS 9:8-15

God said to Noah and to his sons with him: "See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth." God added: "This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will recall the covenant I have made between me and you and all living beings, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all mortal beings."

QARI 1                 mill-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 9:8-15

Alla kellem lil Noè u lil uliedu miegħu u qalilhom: “Arawni, hawn jien se nagħmel il-patt tiegħi magħkom u ma’ nisilkom warajkom; ma’ kull ħliqa ħajja li hemm magħkom, mat-tjur u mal-bhejjem, ma’ kull bhima selvaġġa li hemm magħkom, u mal-bhejjem kollha li ħarġu magħkom mill-arka. Jien nagħmel il-patt tiegħi magħkom, li qatt iżjed ma jinqered, ebda laħam ħaj, bl-ilmijiet tad-dulluvju; u qatt iżjed ma jkun hemm dulluvju biex iħarbat l-art”. U żied jgħid Alla: “Dan ikun is-sinjal tal-patt li jien qiegħed nagħmel bejni u bejnkom, u bejn kull ħliqa ħajja li hemm magħkom, għall-ġenerazzjonijiet kollha għal dejjem. Inqiegħed il-qaws tiegħi fis-sħab, u jkun sinjal tal-patt bejni u bejn l-art. Meta niġma’ s-sħab fuq l-art u tfeġġ il-qawsalla fis-sħab, jien niftakar fil-patt bejni u bejnkom u bejn kull ruħ ħajja f’kull laħam; u ma jkunx hemm iżjed l-ilma tad-dilluvju biex jeqred kull laħam ħaj”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                PSALM 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9.

R. (cf. 10) Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Good and upright is the LORD,
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and he teaches the humble his way.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

SALM RESPONSORJALI                Salm 24(25):4-5ab,6-7bċ,8-9

R/. (10): Il-mogħdijiet tal-Mulej kollhom tjieba u fedeltà.

Triqatek, Mulej, għarrafni,
il-mogħdijiet tiegħek għallimni.
Mexxini fis-sewwa tiegħek u għallimni,
għax int Alla tas-salvazzjoni tiegħi. R/.

Ftakar fil-ħniena u t-tjieba tiegħek,
għax huma minn dejjem, Mulej.
Inti tajjeb, Mulej;
ftakar fija skont it-tjieba tiegħek. R/.

Tajjeb u sewwa l-Mulej;
għalhekk juri triqtu lill-ħatja.
Imexxi l-imsejkna fis-sewwa,
jgħallem lill-fqajrin it-triq tiegħu. R/.

Reading 2                1 PETER 3:18-22

Beloved: Christ 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. In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him. 

QARI 2                 mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pietru Appostlu 3:18-22

Għeżież, 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, li bih mar ixandar is-salvazzjoni lill-erwieħ li kienu magħluqa fil-ħabs. Dawn kienu l-erwieħ ta’ dawk li darba ma ridux jisimgħu, meta Alla qagħad jistenna bis-sabar fiż-żmien li Noè kien jibni l-arka. Ftit, jiġifieri tmienja biss, salvaw bis-saħħa tal-ilma. Dan l-ilma huwa tixbiha tal-magħmudija, li issa ssalva lilkom ukoll. Mhux għax tnaddaf il-ħmieġ tal-ġisem, imma għax hi talba lil Alla ħierġa minn kuxjenza safja bis-saħħa tal-qawmien ta’ Ġesù Kristu, li tela’ s-sema u qiegħed fuq il-lemin ta’ Alla u għandu taħtu s-Setgħat u l-Qawwiet tal-anġli. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                MARK 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

EVANĠELJU                Qari skont San Mark 1:12-15

F’dak iż-żmien, l-Ispirtu ħareġ lil Ġesù fid-deżert. U baqa’ fid-deżert erbgħin jum, jiġġarrab mix-Xitan. Kien jgħix mal-bhejjem selvaġġi, u kienu jaqduh l-anġli. Wara li arrestaw lil Ġwanni, Ġesù mar il-Galilija jxandar l-Evanġelju ta’ Alla u jgħid: “Iż-żmien huwa mitmum, u s-Saltna ta’ Alla waslet; indmu u emmnu fl-Evanġelju”.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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




THE PURIFICATION OF OUR MINDS AND HEARTS 

Introduction: 

The primary purpose of Lent is to prepare us for the celebration of Jesus’ death and Resurrection. The second purpose is to bring us to renew our Baptismal promises of rejecting Satan and accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, allowing him to rule our lives. Both these aims demand purification of minds and hearts. The Church tries to achieve this goal by leading her children to a metanoia or true “repentance,” and by renewal of life through fasting, prayer, almsgiving, self-control, and practice of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. 

During Lent, we talk to God through personal, family, and liturgical prayers; we listen to Him by meditative Bible reading. We serve the Lord by giving alms, and we practice self-control through fasting. Since by Baptism we share the death and Resurrection of Jesus, today’s readings refer to Baptism directly or indirectly.

The Scripture lessons:  

The first reading tells us that, although man irrevocably broke the original covenant God had made with Adam and Eve, the merciful God selected Noah and his family to renew that covenant. Noah’s rescue from the flood waters symbolizes our being saved through the water of Baptism which cleanses us of sin and makes us one with Christ. 

Today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 25) is an exquisite penitential prayer, humbly acknowledging our human insufficiency and radical dependence upon God, His mercy, and His forgiveness. The psalmist lists some of God’s Own characteristics that will shape the life of the forgiven penitent: Truth, Compassion, Love, Kindness, Goodness, Uprightness, Humility, and Justice. 

In the second reading, St. Peter shows us how Noah’s episode prefigured Baptism. He reminds us that, as Noah and his family were saved from the waters of the deluge, so we are saved through the waters of Baptism. Baptism is an outward sign of the New Covenant that God has made with His people. It makes us adopted children of God, heirs of Heaven, and temples of the Holy Spirit. 

In the Gospel, we are told that Jesus faced and defeated the tempter at the end of his forty days of prayer, penance, and communion with the Father in the desert immediately following his baptism. It also tells us how Jesus started preaching his Messianic mission: “The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent. Believe in the Gospel.”


Life messages: 

1)  Let us conquer our temptations as Jesus did, using the methods Jesus employed: prayer, self-denial, and timely use of the word of God. During this Lent, let us confront our evil tendencies by talking to God, by listening to Him speaking to us though the Holy Bible, and by practicing self-control to subdue our evil tendencies. 

2)  Let us convert Lent into a time for spiritual growth and Christian maturity by: 

a) participating in the Mass each day, or at least a few days in the week; 

b) setting aside some part of our day for personal prayer; 

c) reading some Scripture, alone or, better still, with others. 

d) setting aside some money we might spend on ourselves for meals, entertainment, or clothes and giving it to an organization which takes care of the less fortunate in our society; 

e) abstaining from smoking, alcohol, and other evil addictions; 

f) receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation in Lent and participating in the “Stations of the Cross” on Fridays; 

g) visiting the sick and those in nursing homes, and h) doing some acts of charity, kindness, and mercy every day in the Lent. 

3)  Let us use Lent to fight daily against the evil within us and around us by practicing self-control, relying on the power of prayer, and seeking the assistance and the daily anointing of the Holy Spirit.

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