Readings for Sunday, November 9, 2014

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

Lectionary: 67

Festa tal-Konsagrazzjoni tal-Bażilka tal-Lateran

Reading 1      EZekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12

T

he angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the façade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar. He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the southern side. He said to me, “This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.  Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.” This is the Word of The Lord.

1 Qari      EZekjel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12 [

L

-anglu mbagħad ħadni lura ħdejn il-bieb tas-santwarju; u ara, kien hemm l-ilma ħiereġ minn taħt l-għatba tas-santwarju lejn il-lvant - għax is-santwarju kien iħares lejn il-lvant. U l-ilma kien ħiereġ min-naħa tal-lemin ta' l-għatba, in-naħa tan-nofsinhar ta' l-altar. Mbagħad ħariġni mill-bieb tat-tramuntana u mexxieni madwar, minn barra, sal-bieb ta' barra li jħares lejn il-lvant; u l-ilma kien inixxi min-naħa tal-lemin ta' l-għatba . . U qalli: "Dan l-ilma ħiereġ lejn in- naħa tal-lvant u nieżel lejn l-Għaraba; u meta jasal fil-Baħar il-Mejjet b'dak l-ilma mielaħ, l-ilma jsir ilma ħelu. U jiġri li, kull fejn tgħaddi dik ix-xmara, kull ħaġa ħajja li tiċċaqlaq tgħix; u jkun hemm kotra kbira ta' ħut, għax, minn kull fejn jgħaddi dak l-ilma, l-ilma jitjieb u jkun hemm il-ħajja minn kull fejn tgħaddi x-xmara. Fuq iż-żewġt ixtut tax-xmara jikbru siġar ta' kull ġens ta' frott; il-weraq tagħhom ma jidbielx, il-frott tagħhom ma jonqosx. Kull xahar jagħmlu frott ġdid, għax l-ilma tagħhom ħiereġ mit-tempju, u l-frott tagħhom ikun ikel, u l-weraq duwa." Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm      PSalm 46 (45):2-3, 5-6, 8-9

God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth. 
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

Salm Responsorjali   -   SALM 46 (45)

Rit: Tifraħ il-belt ta’ Alla!

Kenn u qawwa hu Alla għalina,

għajnuna kbira sibnieh fid-dwejjaq.

Għalhekk ma nibżgħux jekk l-art titriegħed,

jew jiġġarrfu l-muntanji f'nofs ta' baħar;      R/

Hemm xmara li s-swieqi tagħha iferrħu l-belt ta' Alla,

l-għamara qaddisa ta' l-Għoli.

Hemm Alla f'nofsha, ma titħarrikx;

jgħinha Alla mat-tbexbix  tas-sebħ.                R/

Il-Mulej ta' l-eżerċti magħna,

fortizza għalina Alla ta' Ġakobb!

Ejjew, araw x'għamel il-Mulej,

għemejjel ta' l-għaġeb fuq l-art.                R/

Reading 2        1 CORinthians 3:9C-11, 16-17

B

rothers and sisters:  You are God’s building.  According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,  and another is building upon it.  But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,  for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.  Do you not know that you are the temple of God,  and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple,  God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy. This is the Word of The Lord.

2 Qari        1 kORintin 3:9C-11, 16-17                  

H

uti:  Intom il-bini ta' Alla. Skond il-grazzja li tani Alla, bħala bennej għaqli, jiena qegħedt il-pedament. Ħaddieħor jibni fuqu; imma jqis kull wieħed kif jibni fuqu. Pedament ieħor ħadd ma jista' jqiegħed ħlief dak li ġa tqiegħed; u dan hu Ġesù Kristu. Ma tafux li intom tempju ta' Alla, u li l-Ispirtu ta' Alla jgħammar fikom?  Jekk xi ħadd jeqred it-tempju ta' Alla, Alla jeqred lilu. Għax qaddis hu t-tempju ta' Alla, li huwa intom. Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel       JohN 2:13-22

S

ince 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  arketplace.” 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.  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-EVANGELJU   –  GWANNI 2:13-22

F’

dak iż-żmien: Kien qorob il-Għid tal-Lhud, u Ġesù tela’ Ġerusalemm. Fit-Tempju sab min qiegħed ibigħ, ngħaġ u ħamiem, u min kien bilqiegħda jsarraf il-flus. Għamel sawt mill-ħabel u keċċiehom ilkoll mit-Tempju, bin-ngħaġ u l-barrin tagħhom; xerred il-flus ta’ dawk li kienu jsarrfu, u qalbilhom l-imwejjed. U lill-bejjiegħa tal-ħamiem qalilhom: “Warrbu dawn minn hawn, dar Missieri tagħmluhiex suq.” Id-dixxipli ftakru f’dak li kien hemm miktub, “Il-ħeġġa għal darek kilitni.” Imbagħad il-Lhud qabdu u qalulu: “X’sinjal turina biex qiegħed tagħmel dan?”  Wieġeb Ġesù u qalilhom: “Ħottu dan it-tempju, u fi tlitt ijiem nerġa’ ntellgħu.” Għalhekk il-Lhud qalulu: “Dan it-Tempju ħa sitta u erbgħin sena biex inbena, u int sa ttellgħu fi tlitt ijiem?” Iżda hu tkellem fuq it-tempju tal-ġisem tiegħu. Meta mbagħad qam mill-imwiet, id-dixxipli ftakru f’dak li kien qal u emmnu fl-Iskrittura u fil-kliem li kien qal Ġesù. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.  

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The Importance of the House of God

Gospel Commentary for Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome - By Fr Raniero Cantalamessa ofm cap

This year, in the place of the usual Sunday in Ordinary Time, we celebrate the feast of the Dedication of Lateran Basilica in Rome, the cathedral of Rome, originally dedicated to the Saviour, but then to St. John the Baptist.

What does the dedication and existence of a church, understood as a place of worship, represent for the Christian liturgy and Christian spirituality? We must begin with the words of John's Gospel: “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such worshippers.”

Jesus teaches that God’s temple is primarily the human heart, which has welcomed the Word of God. Speaking of himself and of the Father, Jesus says: “We will come to him and make our abode in him” (John 14:23), and Paul writes one of his communities: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). The believer, then, is the new temple of God. But the place of God’s presence and Christ’s is also there “where two or more are gathered in my name” (Matthew 18:20). 

The Second Vatican Council calls the Christian family a “domestic Church” (“Lumen Gentium,” 11), that is, a little temple of God, precisely because, thanks to the sacrament of matrimony, it is, par excellence, the place where “two or more” are gathered in my name.

So, by what right do we Christians give such importance to church buildings if each one of us can worship God in spirit and truth in our own heart, or in his own house? Why this obligation to go to church every Sunday? The answer is that Jesus Christ does not save us separately from each other; he has come to form a people, a community of persons, in communion with him and among themselves.

What a house is for a family, a church is for the family of God. There is no family without a house. One of the films of Italian neo-realism that I still remember is “Il Tetto” (“The Roof”), written by Cesare Zavattini and directed by Vittorio De Sica. In postwar Rome a poor young man and woman fall in love and get married but do not have a home. Under Italian law at the time, once a house had a roof, its occupants could not be evicted. The couple hurriedly try to put a roof on a ramshackle dwelling and when they succeed, they are overjoyed and embrace, knowing that they have a home, a place of intimacy; they are a family.

I have seen this story repeat itself in many places in cities, towns and villages where there was no church and the people needed to build one. The solidarity and enthusiasm, the joy of working together with the priest to give the community a place of worship and a place to meet -- they are all stories that would merit a film such as De Sica’s.

We must also consider a sad phenomenon: the massive drop in church attendance and participation in Sunday Mass. The statistics on religious practice should make one weep. I do not say that those who do not go to church no longer believe; It is rather that they have replaced the religion instituted by Christ with a “do it yourself” religion, what in America they call “pick and choose,” like you do at the supermarket. Everyone makes up his own idea of God, of prayer, and he is content with it.

Thus it is forgotten that God revealed himself in Christ, that Christ preached a Gospel, that he founded an “ekklesia,” that is, an assembly of those called, he instituted sacraments as signs and conveyors of his presence and salvation. Ignoring this in order to cultivate your own image of God is to advocate total religious subjectivism. We take ourselves as the only standard: God is reduced -- as the German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach said -- to a projection of our own needs and desires; it is no longer God who creates man in his image, but man who creates a god in his image. But it is not a god who saves!

Of course, a religion that is entirely made up of external practices has no point; we see Jesus fighting against such a religion everywhere in the Gospel. But there is no contradiction between a religion of signs and sacraments and one that is intimate, personal; there is no contradiction between ritual and spirit. The great religious geniuses (Augustine, Pascal, Kierkegaard, our own Alessandro Manzoni) were men of a profound and personal interiority who were at the same time members of a community, went to church, they “practiced.”

In the “Confessions” (VIII, 2) St. Augustine recounts the great Roman philosopher and rhetorician Victorinus’ conversion to Christianity from paganism. Now convinced of the truth of Christianity he told the priest Simplicianus: “You know I am already Christian.” Simplicianus answered him: “I will not believe you until I see you in the church of Christ.” Victorinus replied: “Is it the walls that make a Christian?” The skirmish continued between the two. But one day Victorinus read in the Gospel these words of Christ: “Whoever disowns me in this generation, I will disown before my Father.” He understood that it was human respect, fear of what his academic colleagues would say, that kept him from going to church. He went to Simplicianus and said to him: “Let’s go to church, I want to become a Christian.” I think that this story has something to say to people of culture today too.

[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]

Readings for Sunday, 2^nd November 2014

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

Tifkira Solenni tal-fidili Mejtin Kollha

Reading 1                         WISdom 3:1-9

The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; they shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect. This is the Word of The Lord

L-Ewwel Qari  -   mill-Ktieb tal-Għerf 3, 1-9

L-erwieħ tat-tajbin huma f’idejn Alla, u  ebda turmenet ma jmisshom. F’għajnejn dawk li ma jemmnu qisem mejtin għal kollox, il-mewt tagħhom hi meqjusa bħala qerda,  qishom sefgħu fix-xejn għax twarrbu minna ;iżda huma jinsabu fis-0sliem.  Għalkemm f’għajnejn il-bnedmin qishom ħadu xi kastig,  it-tama tagħhom hi l-milja ta’ ħajja bla tmiem.  |Zgħira kienet it-tbatija tagħhom, imma kbira il-barka li ħadu;  Alla għaddiehom mill-prova, u sab li jistħoqqilhom ikunu miegħu.  Bħalma d-deheb igħaddu min-nar, hekk hu għaddiehom,  u bħal vittma tas-sagrifiċċju laqagħhom.  Issa, fiż-żmien tal-ġudizzju, jitlibbsu bid-dija,   u bħal xrar tan-nar jiġri fuq it-tiben jaqbad, hekk jleqqu.  Min-nazzjonijiet jagħmlu ġudizzju, u lill-popli jaħkmu,  U Alla jkun is-Sid tagħhom għal dejjem.  Dawk li jittamaw fih jagħarfu l-verita’,   u dawk li huma fidili lejh igĦixu mieg}u fl-imħabba.   Hemm grazzja u ħniena kbira għal dawk li Alla għażel għalih.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                                   PSalm 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.                                                    R.

He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.                                                   R.

You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.                                                          R.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.                                                           R.

Salm Responsorjali                                    (Salm 23)

   R  Il-Mulej hu r-ragħaj tiegħi, zwjn jonqosni.

Il-Mulej hu ragħaj tiegħi,

xejn ma jonqosni.

F’mergħat kollhom ħdur jqegħdni,

ħdejn l-ilma fejn nistrieħ jeħodni,

Hu jrejjaqni.                                                                       R/

Imexxini fit-triq tas-sewwa

Minħabba f’ismu.

Imqar jekk nimxi w’wied mudlam,

ma nibżax mill-ħsara, għax inti miegħi.

Il-ħatar tiegħek u l-għasluġ tiegħek

huma jwennsuni.                                                            R/

                    

Int tħejji mejda g}alija

quddiem l-għedewwa tiegħi;

biż-żejt tidlikli rasi,

u l-kalċi tiegħi mfawwar.                                             R/

Iva, it-tjieba u l-ħniena jimxu miegħi

il-jiem kollha ta’ }ajti,

u ngħammar f’dar il-Mulej

matul iż-żminijiet.                                                          R/

Reading 2                         ROMans 6:3-9

Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus  were baptized into his death?  We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,   so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead   by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.  For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his,   we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.  We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body   might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.  For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ,we believe that we shall also live with him.  We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. This is the Word of The Lord 

It-Tieni Qari          mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 6, 3-11

Ħuti, ma tafux intom li aħna, li tgħammidna fi Krisitu Ġesu’, tgħammidna fil-mewt tiegħu?  Aħna ndfinna miegħu permezz tal-magħmudija fil-mewt,  biex kif Kristu qam mill-imwiet bil-qawwa glorjuża tal-Missier,  hekk ukoll aħna ngħixu ħajja ġdida.  Għax jekk aħna sirna ħaġa waħda miegħu f’mewt tixbaħ lil tiegħu,  hekk ukoll insiru fil-qawmnien għall-ħajja.  Aħna nafu dan:  li l-bniedem il-qadim tagħna kien imsallab miegħu  biex jinqenrend il-ġisem midneb u ma nibqgħux iktar ilsieria tad-dnub.  Għax min imut ikun me}lus mid-dnub. Jekk mitna ma’ Kristu, nemmnu li ukoll ngħixu miegħu.  Aħna nafu li Kristu qam mill-imwiet biex ma jmut aktar;  Il-mewt ma ssaltanx iktar fuqu. Hu miet, miet għal darba   għad-dnub; imma issa qiegħix għal Alla.  Hekk intom, qisu ruħkom mejta għad-dnub,  Imma ħajjin għal Alla, marbutin ma’ Kristu Ġesu’/ Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

Gospel                                                                 JohN 6:37-40

Jesus said to the crowds:  “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.  This is the Word of The Lord

L-Evanġelju     -  skont San Ġwann  6, 37-40

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesu’ qal lin-nies: “Dak kollu li Missieri jagħtini jiġi għandi, u min jiġi għandi ma nkeċċiex ‘il barra, għax jiena nżilt mis-sema biex nagħmel mhux ir-riedia tiegħi, imma ir-rieda ta’ min bagħatni. Issa r-rieda ta’  min bagħatni hija din:   li jiena ma nitlef xejn minn dak kollu li tani iżda li nqajmu mill-imwiet fl-aħħar jum.   Għax ir-rieidia ta’ Missieri hija din: li kull min jara l-Iben  jemmenn fih ikollu l-ħajja ta’ dejjem u li jiena nqajmu mill-imwiet fl-aħħar jum.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Commentary…..by Larry Broding                            

Death Leads To Life

How has  our society’s view of death changed? 

How has it stayed the same?

An old saying goes, “As we treat the dead, we treat the living.” While the funeral industry has become big business it is built upon the way our society honours its dead. And we do honor our dead with services, eulogies, and memorials. We treat our deceased as missing, yet still connected to us in some way.

Christianity adds to this sentiment with one insight. We are still connected with our departed, because we are one in Christ. He is the one who gathered everyone to him in this death. And in his resurrection.

John’s gospel can be difficult to understand, but can lead to brilliant flashes of insight. In this gospel, Jesus spoke of his death as the point that united all humanity with God.  In his gospel, John used opposing images of life and death. He also turned these images upside down to make a point. Death led to life; here death was used in a literal sense and as a metaphor for self-giving (“dying to self”). In Christ, the meaning of death was used in both senses; his literal death was his death to the self for the good of others. The farming analogy of the seed painted this point beautifully [24]. Christ’s death and resurrection became the example and the power for our self-giving [25].

To follow Christ meant to partake in his death and resurrection in a very real way. When Christ died and rose again, the Father was present. When the Christian served and died to self, Christ was present; if Christ was present, so was the Father. Note the language is not purely symbolic; God is truly present in our unselfish acts. As Christ is truly present when we are fed at Eucharist, he is present when we fed others through our selfless acts.

The high point of God’s self giving is Christ on the cross. At the right time (the “hour”), Jesus gave himself up to the Father in a very public (and humiliating) manner. In the world’s eyes, Jesus’ life, symbolized by his death, was a failure. By raising his Jesus, however, God vindicated his Son and his self-giving revelation. Death led to life. Faith (God’s reputation, his “glory”) grew as Christ on the cross drew everyone to himself.

How has Christ drawn you to himself? How has his “draw” changed you?

All Souls Day gives us a chance to reflect on God’s love and on the way we view death. Nothing will separate us from God’s love. Death (both symbolically in our self giving and literally) is the door to God’s love. In God’s love we are alive (both figuratively and literally). In Christ, we are all truly connected.

On this day of remembrance, think of the ones you have lost in the light of Christ’s death.

How does that thought comfort you?

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How much forgiveness is too much?

readings for sunday october 26, 2014

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

                        

It-30 Ħadd ta' Ħadd ta'Matul is-Sena – Sena 'A'

Messalin A 405

Reading 1                                                         EXodus 22:20-26

Thus says the LORD: "You shall not molest or oppress an alien,  for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.  You shall not wrong any widow or orphan. If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry.  My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword; then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.  "If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people, you shall not act like an extortioner toward him by demanding interest from him. If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, you shall return it to him before sunset; for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body.  What else has he to sleep in?  If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate."  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni   -  mill-Ktieb ta' l-Eżodu 22, 20-26

Dan jgħid il-Mulej:  "La taħqarx il-barrani, u la tgħakksux, għax intom ukoll  kontu barranin fl-art ta' l-Eġittu. La taħqrux l-armla jew l-iltim, għax jekk  taħqruhom, u huma jsejħuli, jien żgur nismagħha l-għajta tagħhom;  u l-qilla tiegħi tixgħel, neqridkom bix-xabla; u n-nisa tagħkom jormlu u wliedkom jisfaw iltiema.  Jekk inti tislef lil xi fqir mill-poplu tiegħi, iġġibx  ruħek miegħu bħal wieħed sellief, u teħodlux imgħax.  Jekk lil għajrek teħodlu l-libsa tiegħu b'rahan,  agħtihielu lura qabel inżul ix-xemx;  għax hu dik biss għandu biex jitgħatta, dik biss l-għata ta' ġismu; inkella fiex tridu jorqod?   Għax jekk isejjaħli, jiena nisimgħu, għax jien ħanin." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                   PSalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51

R/ (2) I love you, Lord, my strength.

I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.                      R/

My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.                                              R/

The LORD lives and blessed be my rock!
Extolled be God my savior.
You who gave great victories to your king
and showed kindness to your anointed.                               R/

Salm Responsorjali    -    Salm 17 (18)

                R/  Inħobbok, Mulej, qawwa tiegħi.

Inħobbok, Mulej, qawwa tiegħi!

Il-Mulej blata tiegħi,

fortizza u ħellies tiegħi.                                                    R/

Alla tiegħi, sur tal-kenn tiegħi u tarka tiegħi,

qawwa tas-salvzzjoni tiegħi u kenn tiegħi!

Insejjaħ lill-Mulej, li hu ta' min ifaħħru,

u nkun meħlus mill-għedewwa tiegħi.                 R/

Ħaj il-Mulej!   Imbierek hu, il-blata tiegħi!

Ikun imfaħħar Alla tas-salvazzjoni tiegħi!

Hu jkabbar ir-rebħ lis-sultan tiegħu,

Juri mħabbtu mal-midluk tiegħu.                           R/

Reading 2                                                         1 THESsalonians 1:5C-10

Brothers and sisters:  You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake.  And you became imitators of us and of the Lord,  receiving the word in great affliction, with joy from the Holy Spirit,  so that you became a model for all the believers  in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.  For they themselves openly declare about us what sort of reception we had among you,  and how you turned to God from idols  to serve the living and true God  and to await his Son from heaven,  whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni   -   mill-1 Ittra lit-Tessalonkin 1, 5c -10

Ħuti, intom tafu kif ġibna ruħna meta konna fostkom għall-ġid tagħkom.  Intom sirtu tixbħu lilna u l-Mulej, billi lqajtu  l-kelma fost ħafna taħbit bil-ferħ ta' l-Ispirtu s-Santu. Hemm intom sirtu mudell għal dawk kollha li emmnu fi;-Maċedonja u l-Akaja.  Mhux biss il-kelma tal-Mulej ħarġet minn għandkom u xterdet fil-Maċedonja u l-Akaja, imma l-fidi li għandkom f'Alla xterdet ma' kullimkien b'mod li aħna ma għandna għalfejn ngħidu xejn. Huma stess jgħidu x'laqgħa kellna għandkom, u kif dortu lejn Alla u tlaqtu l-idoli biex taqdu lil Alla ħaj u veru u tistennew ġej mis-sema lil Ibnu, li hu qajjem mill-imwiet, Ġesu' li  ħelisna mill-korla li ġejja. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                                MatThew 22:34-40

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them,  a scholar of the law tested him by asking,  "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"  He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God,  with all your heart,  with all your soul,  and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and the first commandment.  The second is like it:  You shall love your neighbor as Yourself.  The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

L-Evanġelju   -  skond San Mattew  22, 34-40

F'dak iż-żmien, il-Fariżej, meta semgħu kif lis-Sadduċej kien saddilhom ħalqhom, inġabru madwaru, u  wieħed minnhom, għaref fil-Liġi, għamillu din il-mistoqsija  biex iġarrbu:  "Mgħallem, liema hu l-kmandament il-kbir, fil-Liġi?"  Qallu Ġesu':   "Ħobb lill-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, b'qalbek kollha, b'ruħek kollha, u b'moħħok kollu." Dan hu l-kmandament il-kbir u l-ewwel wieħed.  U t-tieni jixbhu:  Ħobb lil għajrek bħalek innifsek."  Dawn iż-żewġ kmandamenti huma  l-qofol tal-Liġi kollha u tal-Profeti." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Why Forgive?

 How much forgiveness is too much?

Fr Raniero Cantalamessa responds…..

To forgive is something serious, humanly difficult, if not impossible. One must not speak about it lightly, without realizing what one asks of the offended person when one requests him to forgive. Along with the command to forgive, man must also be given a reason to do so.

It is what Jesus did with the parable of the king and his two servants. The parable makes clear why one must forgive: because God has forgiven us in the past and continues to forgive us!

He cancels a debt of ours that is infinitely greater than the one a fellow human being might have with us. The difference between the debt owed the king (ten thousand talents) and that owed the colleague (one hundred denarii) is equal at the present time to 3 million euros and a few cents ($3.7 million)!

Saint Paul could say: "as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive" (Colossians 3:13). The Old Testament law, "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," has been surmounted. The criterion no longer is: "Do to someone what he has done to you"; but, "What God has done to you, you do to the other." Jesus has not limited himself, however, to order us to forgive, but did so first himself. While he was being nailed to the cross he prayed saying: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!" (Luke 23:34). This is what distinguishes the Christian faith from any other religion.

Buddha also left his own a maxim: "It is not with resentment that resentment is placated; it is with non-resentment that resentment is mitigated." But Christ does not limit himself to point out the path of perfection; he gives the strength to follow it. He does not just command us to do, but acts with us. Grace consists in this. Christian forgiveness goes beyond non-violence and non-resentment.

Someone might object: does not to forgive seventy times seven mean to encourage injustice and to give a green light to abuse? No. Christian forgiveness does not exclude that, in certain cases, you might also have to denounce a person and take them to court, especially when what is at stake are the interests and also the good of others. To give an example close to us: Christian forgiveness has not prevented the widows of some of the victims of terror or the mafia to pursue truth and justice with tenacity in regard to their husbands' death.

However, there are not only great acts of forgiveness but also daily acts of forgiveness, in the life of a couple, at work, between relatives, friends, colleagues and acquaintances. What can one do when one discovers that he has been betrayed by his own spouse? Forgive or separate? It is an extremely delicate question; no law can be imposed from outside. The individual must discover within him what to do.

But I can say one thing. I have known cases in which the offended party has found in the love for the other, and in the help that comes from prayer, the strength to forgive the one who erred, but was sincerely repentant. The marriage was re-born as from the ashes; it had a sort of new beginning. Of course, no one can expect that this could happen in a couple's life "seventy times seven."

We must be alert so as not to fall into a trap. There is a risk also in forgiveness. It consists of the mentality of those who think that they always have something to forgive others -- the danger of believing that one is always a creditor of forgiveness and never a debtor.

If we reflect well, however, many times, when we are about to say: "I forgive you!", we would do better to change our attitude and words and say to the person before us: "Forgive me!" We would then realize that we also have something that the other must forgive. In fact, even more important than forgiving is the humility to ask for forgiveness.

[Italian original published in Famiglia Cristiana. Translation by ZENIT]