"I make all things new"

May 19, 2019

Fifth Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: 54

Il-Ħames Ħadd tal-Għid

Reading 1    Acts 14:21-27

After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." They appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith. Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished. And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Qari I          mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli  14, 21b-27

F’dak iż-żmien, Pawlu u Barnaba reġgħu lura lejn Listra, Ikonju u Antjokja, jagħmlu l-qalb lid-dixxipli u jħeġġuhom biex jibqgħu fil-fidi, għaliex, kif kienu jgħidulhom, “jeħtiġilna nbatu ħafna biex nidħlu fis-Saltna ta’ Alla”. Għamlulhom ukoll presbiteri f’kull Knisja, u bit-talb u s-sawm ħallewhom f’idejn il-Mulej, li fih kienu emmnu. Imbagħad għaddew minn Pisidja u ġew fil-Pamfilja. Wara li xandru l-kelma f’Perġe, niżlu Attalija; minn hemm marru bil-baħar lejn Antjokja, mnejn kienu bagħtuhom u rrikkmandawhom f’idejn il-grazzja ta’ Alla għax-xogħol li temmew. Meta waslu, laqqgħu l-membri tal-Knisja u qagħdu jgħarrfuhom b’dak kollu li Alla għamel magħhom, u wrewhom kif fetaħ il-bieb tal-fidi għall-pagani.

Responsorial Psalm    PSALM  145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. Alleluia.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
 and speak of your might.
R. Alleluia.

Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. Alleluia.

Salm Responsorjali       Salm 144 (145), 8-9.10-11.12-13ab

R/. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Twajjeb u ħanin il-Mulej,

idum biex jagħdab u kollu tjieba.

Twajjeb ma’ kulħadd il-Mulej,

tjubitu fuq kulma għamel. R/.

Kulma għamilt iroddlok ħajr, Mulej;

iberkuk il-ħbieb tiegħek kollha.

Is-sebħ tas-saltna tiegħek ixandru,

fuq is-setgħa tiegħek jitkellmu. R/.

Jgħarrfu lill-bniedem il-qawwa tiegħek,

u s-sebħ u l-ġmiel tas-saltna tiegħek.

Saltnatek hi saltna għaż-żminijiet kollha,

minn nisel għal nisel il-ħakma tiegħek. R/.

Reading 2    Revelations 21:1-5a

Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven rom God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away." The One who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new."

Qari II       mill-Ktieb tal-Apokalissi 21, 1-5a  

Jiena, Ġwanni, rajt sema ġdid u art ġdida, għax is-sema ta’ qabel u l-art ta’ qabel għabu, u ma kienx hemm iżjed baħar. U l-Belt il-qaddisa, Ġerusalemm il-ġdida, rajtha nieżla mis-sema mingħand Alla, imħejjija bħal għarusa mżejna għall-għarus tagħha.  U smajt leħen qawwi ġej mit-tron jgħid: “Din hi l-għamara ta’ Alla mal-bnedmin! Hu jgħammar magħhom, u huma jkunu l-poplu tiegħu, u Alla nnifsu jkun magħhom, Alla tagħhom. Hu jixxuttalhom kull demgħa minn għajnejhom; ma jkunx hemm iżjed mewt, anqas biki jew għajjat jew tbatija ma jkun hemm iżjed, għax għabu l-ħwejjeġ ta’ qabel”. Imbagħad dak li hu bilqiegħda fuq it-tron qal: “Ara, se nġedded kollox”.

Gospel     John 13:31-33a, 34-35

When Judas had left them, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Evanġelju         Qari skont San Ġwann  13, 31-33a.34-35

Kif ħareġ Ġuda miċ-ċenaklu, Ġesù qal: “Bin il-bniedem huwa gglorifikat issa, u permezz tiegħu huwa gglorifikat Alla. Jekk Alla huwa gglorifikat permezz ta’ Bin il-bniedem, Alla wkoll permezz tiegħu nnifsu għad jigglorifika lilu, u dalwaqt jigglorifikah. Uliedi, ftit ieħor se ndum magħkom. Nagħtikom kmandament ġdid, li tħobbu lil xulxin. Bħalma ħabbejtkom jien, hekk ukoll ħobbu intom lil xulxin. Minn dan jagħraf kulħadd li intom dixxipli tiegħi, jiġifieri, jekk ikollkom l-imħabba bejnietkom”. 

/////////  Father Cantalamessa on What’s New

Here is a translation of a commentary by the Pontifical Household preacher, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, on the readings from this Sunday’s liturgy.
* * *

A New Commandment

The word “new” belongs to that restricted number of magic words that always and only evokes positive feelings. “Brand new,” “new clothes,” “new life,” “new year,” “new day.” The new makes news. They are synonymous. The Gospel is called “good news” precisely because it contains the new — par excellence.

Why do we like the new so much? It is not only because the new, the unused (a car, for example), generally works better. If this were the only reason, why do we welcome the New Year and a new day with such joy? The deepest reason is that the new, that which is still unknown, inexperienced, leaves more room for expectation, surprise, hope, dreams. And happiness is the child of these. If we were sure that the New Year would bring exactly the same things as the past year, no more and no less, we would not be very pleased about it.

The new is not opposed to the “ancient” but to the “old.” “Antique,” “antiquity,” “antique dealer,” are positive terms. What is the difference? The old is that which with the passing of time gets worse and loses its value; an antique is that which gets better and acquires value with the passing of time. That is why today Italian-speaking theologians try to avoid the expression “Vecchio Testamento” (“Old Testament”) and prefer to speak of the “Antico Testamento” (“Ancient Testament”).

Now, with these premises, let us draw near to the word of the Gospel. A question arises immediately: Why is a commandment that was already known in the Old Testament (cf. Leviticus 19:18) called “new”? Here the distinction between “ancient” and “old” proves useful. In this case “new” is not opposed to “ancient,” but to “old.”

The same Evangelist, John, writes in another place: “Dear ones, I do not propose to you a new commandment, but an ancient one. … Nevertheless it is a new commandment about which I write to you” (1 John 2:7-8). Is it a new commandment or an ancient one? Both.

Literally speaking, it is an ancient one because it was promulgated some time ago; but according to the Spirit it is new, because only in Christ is the strength to put it into practice also given. As I said, new is not opposed here to the ancient but to the old. The commandment to love one’s neighbour “as yourself” had become an old commandment, that is, weak and worn, on account of its being transgressed since the law imposed the obligation to love but did not give the strength to do so.

For this, grace is necessary. And in fact it was not when Jesus formulated the commandment of love during his life that it became a new commandment but when, dying on the cross and giving us the Holy Spirit, he makes us able to love each other by infusing in us the love he has for everyone.
Jesus’ commandment is new in an active and dynamic sense, because it “renews,” makes new, transforms everything. “And this love renews us, rendering us new persons, heirs of the New Testament, singers of a new song” (St. Augustine). If love could speak, it could make the words that God speaks in today’s second reading its own: “Behold, I make all things new.”  //////////////

"I know them and they know me"

« Sunday, May 12 »

Fourth Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: 51

Ir-Raba’ Ħadd tal-Għid

Reading 1      Acts 13:14, 43-52

Paul and Barnabas continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered the synagogue and took their seats. Many Jews and worshipers who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God. On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.” The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium.  The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Qari I      mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 13, 14. 43-52

F’dak iż-żmien, Pawlu u Barnaba minn Perge baqgħu sejrin sa ma waslu f’Antjokja ta’ Pisidja. F’jum is-Sibt daħlu fis-sinagoga u qagħdu bilqiegħda. U meta xterdet il-ġemgħa tas-sinagoga, ħafna, kemm mil-Lhud u kemm mill-prosèliti twajba, marru ma’ Pawlu u ma’ Barnaba, u dawn ħeġġewhom biex jibqgħu fil-grazzja ta’ Alla.  Is-Sibt ta’ wara, tista’ tgħid il-belt kollha nġabret biex tisma’ l-kelma tal-Mulej. Il-Lhud, meta raw il-folol, imtlew bl-għira u bdew imieru lil Pawlu u jidgħulu. Imma Pawlu u Barnaba bil-kuraġġ kollu qalu: “Hekk kien meħtieġ, li l-kelma ta’ Alla titħabbar lilkom l-ewwel. Billi intom qegħdin twarrbuha, u jidhrilkom li ma tistħoqqilkomx il-ħajja ta’ dejjem, aħna se nduru fuq il-pagani. Għax hekk ordnalna l-Mulej: “Jien għamiltek dawl tal-ġnus, biex twassal is-salvazzjoni sa truf l-art”. Il-pagani, meta semgħu dan, bdew jifirħu u jigglorifikaw il-kelma tal-Mulej, u dawk kollha li kienu magħżula għall-ħajja ta’ dejjem emmnu. Hekk il-kelma tal-Mulej baqgħet tixtered mal-art kollha. Imma l-Lhud xewxu n-nisa twajba u magħrufa u wkoll il-kbarat tal-belt, u qajmu persekuzzjoni kontra Pawlu u Barnaba u keċċewhom ’il barra minn arthom. Huma farfru għal fuqhom it-trab minn ma’ riġlejhom u marru Ikonju. Iżda d-dixxipli mtlew bil-ferħ u bl-Ispirtu s-Santu.Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

 

Responsorial Psalm     PSALM 100:1-2, 3, 5

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Alleluia.

Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Alleluia.

The LORD is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Alleluia.

Salm Responsorjali       Salm 99 (100), 2.3.5

R/. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Għajtu bil-ferħ lill-Mulej fl-art kollha,

aqdu bil-ferħ lill-Mulej,

idħlu quddiemu b’għana ferrieħi. R/.

Kunu afu li Jaħweh hu Alla:

hu ħalaqna, u aħna tiegħu,

aħna l-poplu tiegħu u n-nagħaġ tal-mergħa tiegħu. R/.

Għax twajjeb il-Mulej,

għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu;

minn żmien għal żmien il-fedeltà tiegħu. R/.

  

Reading 2     REVELATIONS 7:9, 14b-17

I, John, had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. Then one of the elders said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “For this reason they stand before God’s throne and worship him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them. They will not hunger or thirst anymore,
nor will the sun or any heat strike them. For the Lamb who is in the centre of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Qari II      mill-Ktieb tal-Apokalissi 7, 9.14b-17

Jiena, Ġwanni, ħarist, u ara, kien hemm kotra kbira li ħadd ma jista’ jgħoddha, minn kull ġens u tribù, minn kull poplu u lsien, weqfin quddiem it-tron u quddiem il-Ħaruf, lebsin ilbiesi twal bojod, u bil-friegħi tal-palm f’idejhom. U wieħed mix-Xjuħ qalli: “Dawn huma dawk li ġejjin mit-taħbit il-kbir, u l-ilbiesi tagħhom ħasluhom u bajduhom fid-demm tal-Ħaruf. Għalhekk jinsabu quddiem it-tron ta’ Alla, lejl u nhar jaqduh fit-tempju tiegħu; u dak li qiegħed fuq it-tron jeħodhom jgħammru taħt il-kenn tiegħu. Ma jbatux aktar ġuħ, anqas għatx ma jagħmel bihom aktar; ix-xemx ma taħkimhomx, u anqas ebda għomma, ladarba l-Ħaruf, li hemm f’nofs it-tron, ikun ir-ragħaj tagħhom; u hu jwassalhom ħdejn ilmijiet tal-għejun tal-ħajja. U Alla jixxuttalhom kull demgħa minn għajnejhom”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel          JOHN  10:27-30

Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

Evanġelju       Qari skont San Ġwann 10, 27-30  

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal: “In-nagħaġ tiegħi jisimgħu leħni, u jiena nagħrafhom, u huma jimxu warajja. U jiena nagħtihom il-ħajja ta’ dejjem; u huma ma jintilfu qatt, u minn idejja ma jaħtafhomli ħadd. Missieri, li tahomli, hu akbar minn kulħadd, u ħadd ma jista’ jaħtafhom minn id il-Missier. Jien u l-Missier aħna ħaġa waħda”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

///////////

  

"The Good Shepherd" by Nathanael Theuma

///////  Father Cantalamessa on the Good Shepherd

Here is a translation of a commentary by the Pontifical Household preacher, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, on the readings from this Sunday’s liturgy.

* * *

I am the Good Shepherd

In all three liturgical cycles the Fourth Sunday of Easter presents a passage from John’s Gospel about the good shepherd. After having led us among the fishermen last Sunday, this Sunday the Gospel takes us among the shepherds. These are two categories of equal importance in the Gospels. From the one comes the designation “fishers of men,” from the other “shepherd of souls.” Both are applied to the apostles.

The larger part of Judea was a plateau with inhospitable and rocky soil, more adapted to livestock than to agriculture. Grass was scarce and the flock had to continually travel from one spot to another; there were no walls for protection and because of this the shepherd always had to be with the flock. A traveler of the last century has left us a portrait of the shepherd of Palestine: “When you see him in a high pasture, sleepless, a gaze that searches in the distance, weather-beaten, leaning on his staff, ever attentive to the movements of the flock, you understand why the shepherd acquired such importance in the history of Israel that they gave this title to their kings and Christ assumed it as an emblem of self-sacrifice.”

In the Old Testament, God himself is represented as the shepherd of his people. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm (23:1). “He is our God and we are his people whom he shepherds” (Psalm 95:7). The future Messiah is also described with the image of the shepherd: “Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care” (Isaiah 40:11). This ideal image of the shepherd finds its complete realization in Christ. He is the good shepherd who goes in search of the lost sheep; he feels compassion for the people because he sees them “as sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36); he calls his disciples “the little flock” (Luke 12:32). Peter calls Jesus “the shepherd of our souls” (1 Peter 2:25) and the Letter to the Hebrews speaks of him as “the great shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20). 

This Sunday’s Gospel passage highlights some of the characteristics of Jesus the good shepherd. The first has to do with the reciprocal knowledge that the sheep and shepherd have: “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.” In certain countries of Europe sheep are raised principally for their meat; in Israel they were raised above all for wool and milk. For this reason they remained for many years in the company of the shepherd who knew the character of each one and gave them affectionate names.

What Jesus wants to say with these images is clear. He knows his disciples (and, as God, all men), he knows them “by name,” which for the Bible means their innermost essence. He loves them with a personal love that treats each as if they were the only one who existed for him. Christ only knows how to count to one, and that one is each of us.


The Gospel passage tells us something else about the good shepherd. He gives his life to his sheep and for his sheep, and no one can take them out of his hand. Wild animals — wolves and hyenas — and bandits were a nightmare for the shepherds of Israel. In such isolated places they were a constant threat. This was the moment in which is revealed the difference between the true shepherd — the one who shepherds the family’s flock, who does this for his life’s work — and the hired hand, who works only for the pay he receives, who does not love, and indeed often hates, the sheep.

Confronted with danger, the mercenary flees and leaves the sheep at the mercy of the wolf or bandits; the true shepherd courageously faces the danger to save the flock. This explains why the liturgy proposes the passage about the good shepherd to us during the time of Easter — the moment in which Christ showed that he is the good shepherd who gives his life for his sheep.  /////