Sunday of the Sixth
Week in Ordinary Time
Is-Sitt Ħadd Matul is-Sena
Messalin
A pp 276
Reading 1
Bin Sir ak 15:15-20
If
you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live; he
has set before you fire and water to whichever you choose, stretch forth your
hand. Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall
be given him. Immense is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power, and
all-seeing. The eyes of God are on those who fear him; he understands man’s
every deed. No one does he command to act unjustly, to none does he give
license to sin. This is the Word of The
Lord.
L-Ewwel Lezzjoni
Qari mill-Ktieb ta'
Bin Sirak 15, 15-20
Jekk trid tista' tħares
il-kmandamenti, u b'rieda tajba tista' tkun fidil. Hu
qegħedlek
quddiemek in-nar u l-ilma' liema trid minnhom, midd idek għalih.
Quddiem il-bniedem hemm il-ħajja u l-mewt, u
liema tixtieq qalbu lesta għalih. Għax għerf il-Mulej hu bla qjies, qawwi f'setegħtu u jara kollox. Għajnejh fuq dawk li jibżgħu minnu, u jagħraf kull ma jagħmel il-bniedem. Lil ħadd ma qabbad jgħix ħażin, u lil ħadd ma rħielu jidneb. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Responsorial Psalm
Blessed
are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Be good to your servant, that I may live
and keep your words.
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of your statutes,
that I may exactly observe them.
Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Salm
118 (119)
Ħenjin dawk li triqthom bla ħtija,
li jimxu fil-liġi
tal-Mulej.
Ħenjin dawk li jħarsu
l-preċetti tiegħu,
u li jfittuh b'qalbhom kollha.
R/
Ħenjin dawk li jimxu fil-liġi tal-Mulej.
Int tajt il-preċetti tiegħek,
biex inħarsuhom bir-reqqa.
Ħa
jżomm sħiħ
il-mixi tiegħi
fil-ħarsin tal-kmandamenti tiegħek!
R/ Ħenjin dawk li jimxu fil-liġi tal-Mulej.
Kun twajjeb mal-qaddej tiegħek,
agħtini li ngħix u nħares il-kelma tiegħek.
Iiftaħli għajnejja,
biex nara l-għeġubijiet
tal-liġi tiegħek.
R/ Ħenjin dawk li jimxu fil-liġi tal-Mulej.
Għallimni, Mulej, it-triq
tal-kmandamenti tiegħek;
jiena rrid nibqa' fiha sa l-aħħar.
Fehemni biex inħares
il-liġi tiegħek
u nagħmilha b'qalbi kollha.
R/ Ħenjin dawk li jimxu fil-liġi tal-Mulej.
Reading 2
Brothers
and sisters: We speak a wisdom to those who are mature, not a wisdom of this
age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. Rather, we speak God’s
wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our
glory, and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for, if they had known
it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: What eye has not
seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God
has prepared for those who love him, this God has revealed to us
through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of
God. This is the Word of The Lord.
Qari mill-Ewwel
Ittra ta' San Pawl Appostlu lill-Korintin 2, 6-10
Ħuti, aħna ngħallmu l-għerf fost dawk li huma perfetti, imma mhux l-għerf tad-dinja, anqas l-għerf
tal-prinċpijiet
ta' din id-dinja, li se jintemmu fix-xejn. Ngħallmu
l-għerf ta' Alla moħbi f'misteru, li Alla fassal qabel iż-żmien għall-glorja
tagħna. Ebda wieħed mill-mexxejja ta' din id-dinja ma għarfu;
kieku għarfuh, qatt ma kienu se jsallbu lill-Mulej tal-glorja. Imma, bħalma
hu miktub: "Dak li għajn qatt ma rat u widna qatt ma semgħet, u
dak li qatt ma tnissel f'qalb il-bniedem, dak li Alla lesta għal
dawk li jħobbuh." Alla rrivelahulna permezz ta'
l-Ispirtu, għax l-Ispirtu jgħarbel
kollox, sa fil-qiegħ ta' Alla. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Gospel
MATTHEW 5:17-37
Jesus
said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the
Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until
heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a
letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore,
whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do
so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches
these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell
you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you
will not enter the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to your
ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with brother will be liable to judgment; and
whoever says to brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and
whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you
bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your Brother has anything
against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled
with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent
quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over
to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be
thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have
paid the last penny. “You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who Looks at a
woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your
right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for
you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into
Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it
away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole
body go into Gehenna. “It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of
divorce. But I say to you, whoever
divorces his wife -‑ unless the marriage is unlawful -‑ causes her to commit
adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. “Again you
have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make
good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear
at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his
footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear
by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’
mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.” This is
the Word of The Lord.
L-Evanġelju
Qari mill-Evanġelju skond San Mattew 5, 17-37
F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: "Xejn taħsbu li ġjet
inwaqqa' l-Liġi
jew il-Profeti; jiena ma ġejtx
biex inwaqqagħhom,
iżda biex inwassalhom għall-milja tagħhom. Tassew ngħidilkom,
li sa ma jkunu għaddew
is-sema u l-art anqas l-iżgħar
ittra jew tikka waħda
mil-Liġi
ma titneħħa
sa ma jkun seħħ
kollox. Jekk mela xi ħadd iġib fix-xejn wieħed mill-iżgħar minn
dawn il-Kmandamenti u jgħallem lin-nies biex jagħmlu l-istess, dan jissejjaħ
l-iżgħar
fis-Saltna tas-Smewwiet. Imma min iħarishom u jgħallimhom,
dan kbir jissejjaħ
fis-Saltna tas-Smewwiet. Ngħidilkom li, jekk il-ħajja tajba tagħkom ma tkunx ħafna aħjar minn dik tal-kittieba u
l-Fariżej, ma tidħlux fis-Saltna tas-Smewwiiet. Smajtu xi ntqal lin-nies ta' dari: " La toqtolx. Jekk xi ħadd joqtol ikun ħaqqu l-kundanna. Imma
jien ngħidilkom li l-kundanna tistħoqq ukoll lil min jinkorla għal ħuħ. Jekk imbagħad xi ħadd lil ħuh igħidlu: "Ġifa," ikun ħaqqu l-kundanna
tas-Sinedrija; u jekk igħidlu: "Iblah",
ikun ħaqqu n-nar tal-infern. Mela jekk tkun qiegħed
ittalla' l-offerta iegħek fuq l-artal u hemm
tiftakar li ħuk għandu xi ħaġa kontra tiegħek, ħalli l-offerta tiegħek hemmhekk quddiem l-artal u mur l-ewwel irranġa
ma' ħuk, u mbagħad ejja talla' l-offerta tiegħek.
Lil min ikun se jtellgħek il-qorti ħuda bil-kelma t-tajba mill-aktar
fil-waqt li tkun għadek miegħu fit-triq li ma jmurx jagħtik f'idejn l-imħallfef, u l-imħallef f'idejn l-għassies, u
hekk issib ruħek
fil-ħabs. Tassew ngħidlek, minn hemm ġew
ma toħroġx
qabel ma tkun ħallast
l-aħħar
tliet ħabbiet.
Smajtu xi ntaql:
"La tagħmil adulterju."
Imma jiena ngħidilkom
li kull min iħares lejn mara biex jixtieqha jkun ġa għamel
adulterju magħha
f'qalbu. Jekk għajnejk
il-lemijina hi għalik
okkażjoni ta' dnub, aqlagħha barra u armiha 'l bogħod minnek, għax
aktar ikun jaqbillek jikk tintiliflek biċċa waħda minn ġismek milli ġismek
kollu jinxteħet
fl-infern. U
jekk idek il-lemija hi għalik okkażjoni ta' dnub, aqtagħha barra u armiha 'l bogħod minnek, għax aktar ikun jaqbillek jekk tintiliflek biċċa
waħda minn ġismek mill-ġismek kollu imur fl-infer.
Intqal ukoll: "Min jibgħat lil martu jkollu jagħtiha l-ktiba
tad-divorzju." Imma jiena ngħidilkom li kullmin jibgħat lil martu barra l-każ ta' żwieġ ħażin, iwaqqagħha fl-adulterju; u min jiżżewweġ waħda mibgħuta minn ħaddieħor jagħem adulterju. Smajtu wkoll
xi ntaql lin-nies ta' dari:
"Tonqosx mill-wegħda li ħlift imma rodd lill-Mulej il-wegħdiet
li ħlieftlu." Imma jiena ngħidilkom biex ma taħilfu xejn, u la bis-sema, u lanqas b'Ġerusalemm,
għaliex hija l-Belt tas-Sultan il-Kbirl. U lanqas b'rasek ma għandek
taħlef, għaliex inti anqas biss
Xagħra waħda ma għandek ħila tagħmilha bajda u sewda. Mela ħa jkun id-diskors tagħkom: "iva, iva"'; "le, le"; kull ma hu iżjed minn hekk ikun ġej mill-Ħażin. Il-Kelma
tal-Mulej
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Commentary:
Following Jesus, Imitating Him, and
Walking in His Light
Matthew’s Gospel this Sunday reflects
the situation of the early Church after the destruction of Jerusalem (70 A.D.).
Throughout the Gospel, Jesus affirms the permanent validity of the Law (Mt
5:18-19), but in a new interpretation, given with full authority (Mt 5:21-48).
Jesus “fulfils” the Law (Mt 5:17) by radicalizing it: at times he abolishes the
letter of the Law (divorce, law of the talion), at other times, he gives a more
demanding interpretation (murder, adultery, oaths), or a more flexible one
(sabbath). Jesus insists on the double commandment of love of God (Dt 6:5) and
of neighbor (Lv 19:18), on which “depends all the Law and the Prophets” (Mt
22:34-40). Along with the Law, Jesus, the new Moses, imparts knowledge of God's
will to mankind, to the Jews first of all, then to the nations as well (Mt
28:19-20).
The Sermon on the Mount is the
place in the New Testament where one sees the power over the law (which Israel
had received from God as the foundation of the covenant) clearly affirmed and
decisively exercised by Jesus. It is there, on that holy mountain in Galilee,
after having declared the perpetual validity of the law and the duty to observe
it (Mt 5:18-19), that Jesus went on to affirm the necessity of a righteousness
surpassing that of the scribes and Pharisees, or of an observance of the law
animated by the new evangelical spirit of charity and sincerity.
As we continue our reflection on
Matthew's great sermon, we will hear a long Gospel passage on Sunday which may
seem to be complex and filled with prohibitions [5:17-37]. It is far too
easy to “tune out” to such a Gospel text, rather than trying to understand its
rich meaning. The passage [5:17] begins with a word of reassurance:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have
come not to abolish but to fulfill." The law remains and will always
remain because it comes from our unchanging God. Jesus intends to state
the ideals of the new kingdom on earth that is ushered in by his
appearance. His whole intention is to bring people beyond legalism [which
seriously affected the Scribes and the Pharisees] and a literal interpretation
of rules, and into the spirit of the law. Jesus teaches that minimal
obedience is far beneath the dignity of those who love God and neighbour.
To strive for less than perfect love is to strive for too little.
Beyond legalism and
literalism
Matthew 5:21-48 contains six
examples of the conduct demanded of the Christian disciple. Each deals with a
commandment of the law, introduced by "You have heard that it was said to
your ancestors" or an equivalent formula, followed by Jesus' teaching in
respect to that commandment, "But I say to you;" thus their
designation as "antitheses." Three of them accept the Mosaic law but
extend or deepen it (Matthew 5:21-22; 27-28; 43-44); three reject it as a
standard of conduct for the disciples (Matthew 31-32; 33-37; 38-39).
The first example of the conduct
demanded of the Christian disciple consists in the victory over anger,
resentment and ill will, which are frequently stored in the human heart, even
with the outward observance of the Mosaic precepts, among which is that of not
killing. "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall
not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you,
whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment" (Mt
5:21-22). The same holds good in the case of one who has offended another with
hurtful words, mockery and derision. It is the condemnation of all yielding to
the instinct of aversion, which is potentially an act of injury and even of
killing, at least spiritually, because it violates the required love in human
relationships and causes harm to others.
Jesus presents the purifying law
of charity that re-orders human beings in their most intimate heart of hearts,
"Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that
your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar. Go
first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your
gift" (Mt 5:23-24). The love preached by Jesus equalizes and unifies
all in willing what is good, in establishing or re-establishing harmony in
relations with one's neighbors, and even in cases of legal contentions and
proceedings (cf. Mt 5:25).
Jesus offers a second example of
bringing the law to perfection concerning the sixth commandment of the Decalogue
in which Moses prohibited adultery. Jesus announced, "You have heard
what was said, 'You shall not commit adultery'; but I say to you..." (Mt
5:27). He went on to also condemn impure looks and desires, while recommending
flight from occasions of sin, the courage of mortification, the subordination
of all acts and behavior to the demands of the salvation of the soul and of the
whole person (cf. Mt 5:29-30). Linked to this case is another of Jesus’
teaching moments when he said: “Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill
of divorce.' But I say to you...." He declared as no longer valid the
concession made by the old law to the people of Israel "because of the
hardness of their hearts" (cf. Mt 19:8), by prohibiting even this form of the
violation of the law of love in harmony with the re-establishment of the
indissolubility of marriage (cf. Mt 19:9).
In Sunday’s Gospel Jesus also
taught that one should not be disbelieving or distrustful of one's neighbour
when he is habitually candid and sincere. Rather, one should follow this
fundamental law of speech and action, "Let your 'yes' mean 'yes' and your
'no' mean 'no.' Anything more is from the evil one" (Mt 5:37).
Not to abolish but
to fulfil
Jesus' language of fulfillment
must always be understood in relation to the Covenant with the Jewish people
and in relation to the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. This
fulfillment and non-abolition on the one hand indicates the confirmation of the
Old Testament, since God's Word is one just as He is one. On the other
hand it indicates the fullness of the New, in which God reveals Himself as
Father, Son and Holy Spirit (cf. Mt 28:19).
Jesus knows the Law perfectly and
observes it with devotion. However, He shows Himself perfectly free with regard
to the Law. He wishes to give the authentic interpretation of the Law
(the sabbath, forbidden foods, legal purifications, fasting etc., and to show
its depth and interiority. He goes so far as to declare Himself the new
lawgiver, with an authority equal to that of God. He Himself is the
fulfillment of the Law (cf. Rm 10:4). Jesus also shows that He is the
genuine continuation of the prophets in His message and His life. Like
them, He proclaims faith in the "God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of
Jacob" (Mt 2:32).
Jesus also presents Himself as a
fulfillment of the wisdom literature in the Old Testament. These books,
under the form of psalms, proverbs and popular narratives, show an awareness
that the people of God is governed on one side by the Law, which indicates the
way, and on the other side, by the Prophets, who correct the people, the kings
and even the priests when they go astray.
A love that is
precise and challenging
In the New Testament, Jesus
presents Himself not merely as the continuation or the end of the Old
Testament, but as something completely new, original and superior. Jesus
makes God’s love very precise and challenging. Love is measured by
faithfulness to the smallest details, to the periods and commas of the
law. And our ability to follow it is purely a gift from above.
Jesus’ life was a model of this fulfillment. Jesus could say to his disciples
not only and not merely, "Follow my law," but, "Follow me,
imitate me, walk in the light which comes from me."
Jesus does not only help us to
gain a better understanding of the Bible; but He Himself is the perfect and
comprehensive Word of God, because He "is the very reflection of His
glory, the very imprint of His being, the one who sustains all things by His
mighty word" (Heb 1:3). He is the Word who "became flesh and
made His dwelling among us" (Jn 1:14). He is "the true light,
which enlightens everyone" (Jn 1:9). He is the "first and the
last, the one who lives" (Rev 1:17,18). Everything in the Bible and
history cannot be definitively understood except in the light of Christ.
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