CLEARING OUT OUR OWN RUBBISH

Third Sunday of Lent

It-3 Ħadd tar-Randan

Messalin B pp 154

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 labor 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.“Honor 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 neighbor.You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything else that belongs to him.”  This is the Word of The Lord

L-Ewwel Qari   -    mill-Ktieb ta' l-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 fil-għoli tas-sema, jew isfel fl-art, jew fil-baħar taħt l-art.   La tmilx quddiemhom: laa tadurahom 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 sa l-elf nisel lil min iħobbni u jżomm  il-kmandamenti tiegħi.La ssemmiex l-isem tal-Mulej,  Alla tiegħek, fix-xejn; għaliex lil min isemmi l-isem tiegħu fix-xejn, il-Mulej ma jħalliħx bla kastig. Ftakar f'jum is-Sibt u qaddsu.Sitt ijiem taħdem u tagħmel kull ma għandek tagħmel; imma s-seba' jum hu jum il-mistrieħf'ġieħ lill-Mulej,  Alla tiegħek.   Dak 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 kull ma 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,  il-għoġol jew il-ħmar tiegħu, u xejn minn kull ma għandu għajrek." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm   -   PSalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.                      R/

The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.                                   R/

The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.                                           R/

They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.                             R/

Salm Responsorjali    -    Salm 18 (19)

                R/  Mulej, int għandek il-kliem tal-ħajja ta' dejjem.

Il-liġi tal-Mulej perfetta,

tagħti l-ħajja;

ix-xhieda tal-Mulej hi sewwa,

u tgħallem lil min ma jafx.                             R/

Il-preċetti tal-Mulej dritti,

u iferrħu l-qalb;

il-kmandament tal-Mulej safi,

u jdawwal il-għajnejn.                                  R/

Il-biża'  tal-Mulej sinċier,

u jibqa' għal dejjem;

il-ġudizzji tal-Mulej sewwa,

u mseddqa għal kollox.                                 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. This is the Word of The Lord

It-Tieni Qari   -   mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 1, 22-25

Ħuti,   il-Lhud jitolbu s-sinjali, u l-Griegi jfittxu l-għerf, imma aħna nxandru 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 aktar mill-bnedmin,u d-dgħufija ta' Alla hi 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.   This is the Word of The Lord

L-Evanġelju   -   skond San Ġwann 2, 13-25

Kien qorob l-Għid tal-Lhud, u Ġesu' 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-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,  u dar  Missieri tagħmluhiex dar tan-negpzju!." 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 liinti tista' tagħmel dan?" Ġesu' wieġibhom:  "Ħottu dan it-Tempju, u fi tlitt ijiem nerġa' ntellgħu."    Għalhekk il-Lhud qalulu:  "Dan it-Tempju ħa sitta u  erbgħin sena biex inbena, u int se ttellgħu fi tlitt ijiem?"    Iżda hu tkellem fuq it-tempju tal-ġisem tiegħu. Meta mbagħad qam mill-imwiet, id-dixxipli ftakru f'dak  li kien qal; u emmnu fl-Iskrittura u fil-kliem li kien qal Ġesu'. Waqt li kien Ġerusalem għall-festa tal-Għid, kien hemm  ħafna li emmnu f'ismu billi raw is-sinjali li kien jagħmel.   Imma Ġesu', 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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Commentary:  by Larry Broding

The Cleansing of the Temple

Is faith in God reasonable?

 What reasons do people have for faith?

How do acts of scandal detract from faith?

Each time and each culture has its reasons to believe. In the past, philosophers asserted God's existence and reasonable nature of faith. Today, psychologists propose faith as a means to mental health and personal fulfillment. We Christians want faith to fit into life, answer our questions, and give us comfort, assurance, strength . . .

But what happens when faith causes scandal? How do people react when people of faith commit unreasonable acts? On a typical day during business hours, Jesus overturned a marketplace in a very unreasonable manner. And through his rage, he revealed himself as the Messiah.

In this one act, Jesus declared himself to be the Messiah. With centuries of infighting, corruption, and palace intrigue, the Temple priests lost the respect of average believers. (In fact, many Jewish groups boycotted Temple worship.) The person in the street awaited the coming of the Messiah who would sweep these men from power and restore a worship that pleased God.

Why, then, did Jesus object to commerce in the Temple courtyard? This courtyard, the Court of the Gentiles, represented the universal message God revealed through the Jews. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was the God of all people. By providing non-Jews a place of worship on the Temple grounds, Judaism asserted it was a religion for everyone.

But the Temple leadership gave merchants an area for trade that should have been off-limits. While Jesus drove out animals and overturned tables, his real message was to the leadership. Give all nations a place in the Kingdom. More important, he revealed to his followers what kind of Messiah they followed. He was not a Messiah for Jews alone. He was a Messiah that would lead everyone to God!

As mentioned above, the term house had two meanings: extended family (primary) and building (secondary). The term Temple also has multiple meanings: building (primary) and a group (secondary). (Paul referred to Christian community as the Temple of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Notice John began with the term "Temple" (2:14), changed to the term "house" (2:16-17), and returned to "Temple" in the latest passages (2:18-20) with a reference to "body." If we include Paul's notion of the "Body of Christ" (see 1 Corinthians 12) we'll see the term "body" had two meanings: a physical body and a body of people.

"Temple" to "the house of my Father" to "body." These were all titles for the dwelling place of God on earth. These were titles for Christ's body. These were all titles for the Christian community. The common thread throughout this changing set of terms was the Christian community in relation to its Master. Through the Risen Christ, God dwelt in the community.

John used the cleansing at the Temple to introduce a universal Messiah. The sign Jesus would give the Jewish leadership revealed the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to the world: Isaiah's Suffering Servant.  The Messiah would bring justice to the nations through his death and his vindication (i.e., his resurrection).

John ended this passage with a comment on the strength of faith. Indeed Jesus gathered many followers based upon what they saw. But faith runs deeper. After all, the ultimate tenet of faith was a sign no one saw happen: the Resurrection. Christians could only witness to the reality of Christ after the fact. If a Christian based his faith simply upon what he saw or heard or felt, he would miss the greater point, for faith extended beyond the senses.  A faith based upon visible signs looks for the next convenient sign. But faith based upon something greater will find it and more.

What reasons do you have for being a Christian? How do your reasons compare to others? When do you run out of reasons?

God gives us signs as anchors of faith. But, at some point, we must trust the Lord enough to cut ourselves from our anchors and allow him to guide us through rough currents. Like a deep and abiding love, this is trust that simply runs out of reasons.  Faith will always cause scandal. Do we waver in the face of scandal? Or, do we redouble our efforts in faith? In the end, a faith that survives scandal is the toughest faith of all.

Pray for those who are scandalized by the cross.

Treat them with respect and love. And trust God for their welfare.

He will not disappoint.

Listen to Him!

Second Sunday of Lent

It-Tieni  Ħadd tar-Randan

Messalin B  pp 148

Reading 1                         GeNesis 22:1-2, 9A, 10-13, 15-18

God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” he replied. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,  and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust  on a height that I will point out to you.” When they came to the place of which God had told him,  Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven,  “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God,  since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” As Abraham looked about,  he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram  and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son. Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:  “I swear by myself, declares the LORD,  that because you acted as you did  in not withholding from me your beloved son,  I will bless you abundantly  and make your descendants as countless  as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;  your descendants shall take possession  of the gates of their enemies,  and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing— all this because you obeyed my command.” .  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni   -   mill-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 22.1-2.9a.10.13,15-19

F'dak iż-żmien, Alla ried iġarrab lil Abraħam u qallu: "Abraħam!"  U hu wieġbu:  "Hawn jien!"  U qallu: "Aqbad lil Ibnek il-waħdieni, li int tħobb, lil Iżakk; u mur lejn l-art ta' Morija, u hemm offreh b'sagrifiċċju tal-ħruq fuq waħda  mill-għoljiet li jien se ngħidlek." U waslu fil-post li kien semmielu Alla.   U Abraham medd idu u qabad is-sikkina biex joqtol lil ibnu.   U sejjaħlu l-anġlu tal-Mulej mis-smewwiet u qallu: "Abraħam, Abraħam!"  U dan wieġbu: "Hawn jien." U qallu:  "La tmiddx idek fuq iż-żgħażugħ u tagħmillu ebda  ħsara; għax issa naf li inti tibża' minn Alla, u ma ċaħħadadtnix minnibnek il-waħdieni." U Abraħam rafa' għajnejh, ta ħarsa madwaru, u ra muntun  warajh maqbud minn qrunu fil-friegħi.   U Abraħam mar u  qabad il-muntun, u offrieh b'sagrifiċċju tal-ħruq minflok ibnu. U għat-tieni darba l-anġlu tal-Mulej sejjaħ lil Abraħam  mis-smewwiet u qallu:  "Naħlef fuq ruħi – oraklu tal-Mulej – la darba  int għamilt ħaġa bħal din, u ma ċaħħadtnix minn ibnek il-waħdieni, jien imbierkek żguru u nkattarlek sewwa lil nislek bħall-kwiekeb tas-sema u bħar-ramel f'xatt il-baħar; u nislek  għad jret bwieb l-għedewwa tiegħu.  U jitbierku b'nislek il-ġnus kollha tal-art talli smajt minn kelmti." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm                   PSalm 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19

R. (116:9)  I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

I believed, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.                                R.

O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.                         R/

My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.                                                        R/

Salm Responsorjali                              Salm 115(116)

R/   Jien nimxi quddiem il-Mulej f'art il-ħajjiin.

Bqajt nemmen, imqar meta għedt:

"Jien imdejjaq ħafna!"

Għażiża f'għajnejn il-Mulej

hi l-mewt tal-ħbien tiegħu/                                       R/

Iva, Mulej, jien qaddej tiegħek,

jien qaddej tiegħek, bin il-qaddejja tiegħek.

Int ħallejtli l-irbit tiegħi.

Lilek noffri sagrifiċċju ta' radd il-ħajr,

u isem il-Mulej insejjaħ.                                              R/

Intemm lill-Mulej il-wegħdiet tiegħi,

quddiem il-poplu tiegħu kollu,

 fil-btieħi ta' dar il-Mulej,

ġo nofsok, Ġerusalemm!                                              R

Reading 2                                         ROMans 8:31B-34

Brothers and sisters: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son  but handed him over for us all,  how will he not also give us everything else along with him? Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us, who will condemn? Christ Jesus it is who died—or, rather, was raised— who also is at the right hand of God,  who indeed intercedes for us. .  This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni  -   mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 8. 31b-34

Ħuti, jekk Alla hu magħna min jista' jkun kontra tagħna? Hu, li lanqas lil Ibnu stess ma ħafirha, imma tah għalina lkoll, kif ma jagħtuniex ukoll kollox miegħu? Min je jakkuża l-magħżulin ta' Alla?  Alla stess hu dak li jiġġusstifikahom.   Min se jikkundannhom?   Kristu Ġesu' li  miet, jew aħjar, li qam mill-imwiet, jinsab fuq il-lemin ta'  Alla, hu li jidħol għalina. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                                                                MarK 9:2-10

Jesus took Peter, James, and John  and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.  nd he was transfigured before them,  and his clothes became dazzling white,  such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,  and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,  “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents:  one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;  from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves,  questioning what rising from the dead meant.  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju  -  skont San Mark  9, 2-10

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' ħa miegħu lil Pietru u lil Ġakbu u  lil  Ġwanni, tellagħhom   weħidhom fuq muntanja għolja, u  tbiddel  quddiemhom.   Ilbiesu sar abjad u jgħammex b'dija  tal-għaġeb:  ebda ħassiel fid-dinja ma jista' jġib il-ħwejjeġ bojod daqshekk.   U dehrilhom Elija ma' Mose' jitkellmu ma' Ġesu'. Qabad Pietru u qal lil Ġesu': "Mgħallem, kemm u sew li aħna hawn!   Ħa ntellgħu tliet tined, waħda għalik, waħda għal Mose', u oħra għal Elija."   Dan qalu għax ma kienx jaf x'jaqbad jgħid bil-biża' kbir li waqa' fuqhom. Imbagħad ġiet sħaba u għattiethom, u minn ġos-sħaba nstama' leħen jgħid:  "Dan hu Ibni l-għażiż, isimgħu lilu."   Minnufih taw ħarsa madwarhom, u ma raw lil ħadd iżjem magħhom ħlief lil Ġesu' waħdu. Huma u neżlin minn fuq il-muntanja, tahom ordni biex ma jitkellmu ma ħadd fuq li kienu raw qabel ma Bin il-bniedem ikun qam mill-imwiet.   Huma żammew kollox moħbi, iżda bdew jistaqsu lil xulxin x'kin ifissier tqum mill-imwiet. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Father Cantalamessa on Where Jesus Speaks

Pontifical Household Preacher Looks at This Sunday's Gospel

Listen to Him!

"This is my beloved Son; listen to him." With these words, God the Father gave Jesus Christ to humanity as its sole and definitive Teacher, superior to the laws and the prophets.   Where is Jesus speaking today, so that we can hear him? He speaks to us above all through our conscience. It is a sort of "repeater," set within us, of the very voice of God. But conscience is not enough on its own. It is easy to make it say what we like to hear.

Thus it needs to be illuminated and supported by the Gospel and the teaching of the Church. The Gospel is the place par excellence in which Jesus speaks to us today. But we know by experience that the words of the Gospel can also be interpreted in different ways. It is the Church, instituted by Christ precisely for this end, which assures us of an authentic interpretation: "He who hears you hears me." Because of this it is important that we endeavor to know the doctrine of the Church, to know it firsthand, as she herself understands and proposes it, not in the interpretation -- often distorted and reductive -- of the media.

Almost as important as knowing where Jesus is speaking today is to know where he does not speak.  Needless to say, he does not speak through wizards, fortunetellers, necromancers, horoscope orators, alleged extraterrestrial messages; he does not speak in spiritualistic sessions, in occultism.

In Scripture, we read this warning in this regard: "Let there not be found among you anyone who immolates his son or daughter in the fire, nor a fortuneteller, soothsayer, charmer, diviner, or caster of spells, nor one who consults ghosts and spirits or seeks oracles from the dead. Anyone who does such things is an abomination to the Lord" (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).

These were the pagans' typical ways of referring to the divine, who read the future by consulting the stars, or animals' entrails, or birds' flight. With that phrase of God -- "Listen to him!" -- all that came to an end. There is only one mediator between God and men; we are no longer obliged to move "blindly" to know the divine will, or to consult this or that source. In Christ we have all the answers.

Lamentably, today those pagan rites are again fashionable. As always, when true faith decreases, superstition increases. Let us take the most innocuous thing of all, the horoscope.  It can be said that there is no newspaper or radio station that does not offer daily its readers or hearers their horoscope. For mature persons, gifted with a minimum capacity for criticism and irony, it is no more than an innocuous joke, a kind of game or pastime.

Meanwhile, however, let us consider the long-term effects. What mentality is formed, especially in children and adolescents? A mentality according to which success in life does not depend on effort, diligence in studies and constancy in work, but of imponderable external factors; being able to acquire certain powers -- one's own or others' -- for one's own benefit.    Worse still: All this leads one to think that, in good and evil, the responsibility is not ours, but of the "stars," as Don Ferrante thought, of Manzonian memory.

I must allude to another realm in which Jesus does not speak and where, however, he is made to speak all the time: that of private revelations, heavenly messages, apparitions and voices of various kinds. I do not say that Christ or the Virgin cannot also speak through these means. They have done so in the past and they can do so, of course, also today.

It is only that before taking for granted that it is Jesus or the Virgin, and not someone's sick imagination, or worse, of fraudsters who speculate with people's good faith, it is necessary to have guarantees. In this area, it is necessary to wait for the judgment of the Church, and not precede it. Dante's words are still timely: "Christians, be firmer when you move: do not be like feathers in the wind."

St. John of the Cross said that ever since the Father said about Jesus on Tabor: "Listen to him!" God made himself, in a certain sense, dumb. He has said it all; he has nothing new to reveal.  Those who ask for new revelations or answers, offend him, as if he has yet to explain himself clearly. God continues to say to all the same word: "Listen to him, read the Gospel: You will find there, no more and no less, all that you seek."   

[Translation by ZENIT]  © Innovative Media Inc.

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A bit of desert

First Sunday of Lent 

L-Ewwel Ħadd tar-Randan '

Messalin B pp 143

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.” This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni  - mill-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi  9, 8-15

Alla kellem lil Noe' u lil uliedu miegħu u qalilhom: "Arawni, hawn jien se nagħmel patt tiegħii 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 iħarbtu 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-att bejn 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 jkun hemm iżjed l-ilma tad-dulluvju 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.

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.

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.

Salm Responsorjali    -     Salm 24 (25)

                R/   Il-mogħdijiet tal-Mulej kollhom tjieba u fedelta'.

Triqatek, Mulej, għarrafni,

il-mogħdijet tiegħek għallimni.

Mexxini fis-sewwa tiegħu 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.  This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni    -     mill-Ewwel Ittra ta' San Pietru  3m 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 Noe' kien jibni l-arka.   Ftit, jiġifieri tmienja biss, salvaw bis-saħħa tal-ilma.  Dan l-ilma  huwa tixbiħa tal-magħmudija, li issa ssalva lilkom ukoll.    Mhux għax tnaddaf il-ħmieġ tal-ġisem tal-ġisem, imma għax hi talba lil Alla ħierġa minn kuxjenza safja bis-saħħa tal-qawmien ta' Ġesu' 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.”  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju   -   skond San Mark 1, 12-15

F'dak iż-żmien, l-Ispirtu ħareġ lil Ġesu' fid-deżert. U baqa' fid-deżert erbgħin jum, jiġġarrab mix-Xitan. Kien jgħix mal-bhejjem selvaġġi, u kien jaqduh l-anġli. Wara li arrestaw lil Ġwanni, Ġesu' 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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Father Cantalamessa on Creating "a Bit of Desert"

Lenten Commentary on This Sunday's Gospel Passage

With Jesus in the Desert 

Let us concentrate on the first phrase of the Gospel: "The Spirit drove Jesus to the desert." It contains an important appeal at the beginning of Lent. Jesus had just received the messianic investiture in the Jordan, to take the Good News to the poor, heal afflicted hearts, preach the Kingdom. But he is not in haste to do any of these things. On the contrary, obeying an impulse of the Holy Spirit, he withdraws to the desert where he remains for 40 days, fasting, praying, meditating and struggling. All this in profound solitude and silence.

There have been in history legions of men and women who have chosen to imitate Jesus in his withdrawal to the desert. In the East, beginning with St. Anthony Abbot, they withdrew to the deserts of Egypt or Palestine; in the West, where there was no deserts of sand, they withdrew to solitary places, remote mountains and valleys.

But the invitation to follow Jesus in the desert is addressed to all. Monks and hermits chose a site in the desert; we must at least choose a time in the desert. To spend some time in the desert means to empty ourselves and be immersed in silence, rediscover the way of our heart, remove ourselves from the exterior racket and pressures to come into contact with the most profound sources of our being.

Well lived, Lent is a kind of cure of the poisoning of the soul. In fact, there is not only the contamination of carbon monoxide; there is also acoustic and luminous contamination. We are all somewhat inebriated with noise and externals. Man sends his waves to the periphery of the solar system, but in the majority of cases ignores what is in his own heart. To escape, to relax, to amuse oneself -- are words that mean to come out of oneself, to remove oneself from reality.

There are "escape" shows (the TV provides them in avalanche), "escape" literature. They are called, significantly, fiction. We prefer to live in fiction than in reality. Today there is much talk of "aliens," but aliens or alienated we already are by our own doing in our own planet, without the need of others coming from outside.

Young people are the most exposed to this inebriation with noise. "Let heavier work be laid upon the men that they may labor at it," Pharaoh said to his taskmasters, "and not listen to the words of Moses and not think of breaking out of slavery" (Exodus 5:9). Today's "Pharaohs" say, in a more tacit but no less peremptory way: "Increase the racket over these young people, so that they will be reckless and not think, not decide on their own, but follow the fashion, buy what we want them to buy, and consume the products we tell them to."
What can we do? Being unable to go to the desert, we must create a bit of desert within ourselves. In this regard, St. Francis of Assisi gives us a practical suggestion. "We have," he said, "a hermitage always with us; wherever we go and whenever we wish it we can enclose ourselves in it as hermits. The hermitage is our body and the soul is the hermit within!" We can go into this "portable" hermitage without being seen by anyone, even while we are traveling on a very crowded bus. It all consists in knowing how to "go into ourselves" every now and then.
    

May the Spirit that "drove Jesus to the desert" lead us also, help us in the struggle against evil and prepare us to celebrate Easter renewed in the spirit!
[Translation by ZENIT]  © Innovative Media Inc.

A Leper Came to Jesus

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 77

Is-Sitt Ħadd matul is-Sena –  Sena 'B'

Messalin 'B' pp 366

Reading 1                        LeViticus 13:1-2, 44-46

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants. If the man is leprous and unclean, the priest shall declare him unclean by reason of the sore on his head. “The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.” This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni        -      mill-Ktieb tal-Levitiku 13, 1-2, 45-46

Il-Mulej kellem lil Mose' u lil Aron u qalilhom: "Meta xi ħadd ikollu fil-ġilda xi qxur jew xi  bużżiieqa, jew xi tebgħa bajda, qisha ġerħa tal-ġdiem, jeħduh għand Aron il-qassis, jew għand xi ħadd minn  ulied il-qassisin. Il-marid bil-ġdiem għandu jilbes ħwejjeġ imqattgħa u jħalli rasu mikxufa, u jitgħatta sa geddumu, u  jgħajjat:   "Imniġġes!  Imniġġes!" Kemm idum marid ikun miżmumu b'imniġġes li hu, u jgħix waħdu f'postu barra mill-kamp."  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm        PSalm 32:1-2, 5, 11

Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation

Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Salm Responsorjali            Salm 31 (32)

                R/  Int kenn għalija, iddawwarni u tfarraħni bil-ħelsien tiegħek.

Ħieni l-bniedem li ħtijietu maħfura,

li għandu d-dnub tiegħu mistur!

Ħieni l-bniedem li ebda ħażen ma jgħoddlu l-Mulej,

u ma għandu ebda qerq f'qalbu!                                              R/

Id-dnub tiegħi jien stqarrejtlek,

u l-ħażen tiegħi ma ħbejtulekx.

Jien għedt:  "Quddiem il-Mulej nistqarr ħtiijieti."

U inti ħfirtli l-hażen tad-dnub tiegħi.                                     R/

Ifirħu, twajbin, u thennew fil-Mulej;

Għajtu bil-ferħ, intom ilkoll ta' qalbkom saffja.                 R/

Reading 2                 1 CORinthians 10:31—11:1

Brothers and sisters,  Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or  the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.  This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni   -    mill-1 Ittra lill-Korintin, 10, 3-11,1

Ħuti, sew jekk tieklu, sew jekk tixorbu, tagħmnlu x'taħmlu, agħmlu kollox  għall-glorja ta' Alla.  Tkunux ta' tfixkil, la għal-Lhud, la għall-Griegi, u lanqas għall-Knisja ta' Alla.   Hekk jien nogħġob lil kulħadd f'kollox, bla ma nfittex l-interess tiegħi, imma tal-ħafna biex isalvaw. Ixbħu lili, bħalma jien nixbaħ lil Kristu.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                     MarK 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,  touched him, and said to him,  “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning the him sternly, he dismissed him at once.  He said to him, “See that you tell no one anyt hing, but go, show yourself to the priest  and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju   -    skond San Mark1, 40-45

F'dak iż-żmien, resaq fuq Ġesu' wieħed lebbruż jiltolbu bil-ħerqa,  inxteħet għarkupptejh quddiemu  u qallu:  "Jekk trid, tista' tfejjaqni!"    Imqanqal mill-ħniena, Ġesu' midd idu fuqu,  messu u qallu:  "Irrid, kun imnaddaf!" U minnufih il-lebbra marritlu u ġismu ndaf. U widdbu bis-sħiħ, bagħtu malajr u qallu: "Qis lima tgħid xejn lil ħadd;  iżda mur uri ruħek lill-qassis, u agħmel offerta għall- fejqan tiegħek kif ordna Mose', biex tkunilhom ta' xhieda." Iżda dak, meta telaq, beda jxandar ma kullimkien u jxerred l-aħbar, hekk li Ġesu' f'edba blet ma sata' iżjed jidħol bid-dieher, imma kien jibqa' barra  fil-kampanja u kienu jmorru ħġdejh nies minn kullimkien. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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Father Cantalamessa comments on Society's New Leprosies

 A Leper Came to Jesus

In the readings of the day the word leprosy resounds, which, just by hearing it being pronounced, caused anguish and fear for millennia! Two extraneous factors contributed to increase terror in the face of this sickness, to the point of making it the symbol of the greatest misfortune that could befall a human creature and isolate the poor unfortunate victims in the most inhuman ways.   The first was the conviction that this disease was so contagious that it infected anyone who might have been in contact with the sick person; the second, equally groundless, was that leprosy was a punishment for sin.

The one who contributed most to change the attitude and legislation in respect of lepers was Raoul Follereau (1903-1977). In 1954 he instituted the World Day of Leprosy, promoted scientific congresses and finally, in 1975, was successful in having legislation on the segregation of lepers revoked.   In regard to the phenomenon of leprosy, the readings of this Sunday enable us to know first the attitude of the Mosaic law and then of the Gospel of Christ. The First Reading from Leviticus states that the person suspected of suffering from leprosy must be taken to a priest who, verifying it, \"declares him impure.\" To make matters worse, the poor leper, excluded from human fellowship, must himself keep people away from him, warning them of the danger. Society\'s sole concern is to protect itself. 

Let us now see how Jesus conducts himself in the Gospel: A leper came to him beseeching him:"'If you will, you can make me clean.' Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I will;  be clean.' And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean."

Jesus is not afraid of contagion; he allows the leper to come to him and kneel before him. More than that: at a time when it was thought that mere proximity to a leper contaminated, he "stretched out his hand and touched him." We must not think that all this was spontaneous and cost Jesus nothing. As man, he shared in this, as in many other points, the convictions of his time and of the society in which he lived. But his compassion for the leper was stronger in him than the fear of leprosy.  In this circumstance, Jesus pronounces a simple and sublime phrase: "I will; be clean."    "If you will, you can," the leper had said, thus manifesting his faith in the power of Christ Jesus, who shows he can do it by doing it.

This comparison between the Mosaic law and the Gospel in the case of leprosy makes us ask ourselves the question: By which of the two attitudes am I inspired? It is true that leprosy is no longer the disease that causes most fear (though there are still millions of lepers in the world), as it is possible, if caught in time, to be completely cured of it. And in the majority of countries it has been altogether eradicated. But other diseases have taken its place. For some time there has been talk of "new leprosies" and "new lepers." With these terms is understood not so much the incurable illnesses of today, as the diseases (AIDS and drug dependency) against which society protects itself, as it did with leprosy, isolating the sick person and relegating him to the margins of society.

What Raoul Follereau suggested be done vis-à-vis traditional lepers, and which contributed so much to alleviate their isolation and suffering, should be done (and thank God many do) with the new lepers. Often such a gesture, especially if it is done having to overcome oneself, marks the beginning of a real conversion for the one doing it. The most famous case is that of Francis of Assisi, who dates the beginning of his new life from his meeting with a leper. 

[Translation by ZENIT]  © Innovative Media Inc.