Lord, come and save us!

>> Sunday, December 15 2019 <<

Third Sunday of Advent

Lectionary: 7

It-Tielet Ħadd tal-Avvent – Sena A

Reading 1   Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10

The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.

Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.

Qari I      mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 35, 1-6a. 10

Ħa jifirħu d-deżert u l-art maħruqa; ħa jifraħ ix-xagħri u jwarrad, ħa jwarrad bħar-ranġis. Ħa tifraħ fuq li tifraħ, taqbeż u tgħanni. Sebħ il-Libanu jingħata lilha, il-ġmiel tal-Karmel u ta’ Saron. Għad jaraw is-sebħ tal-Mulej, il-ġmiel ta’ Alla tagħna. Qawwu l-idejn mitruħa; saħħu l-irkubbtejn imriegħda. Għidu lil dawk b’qalbhom imbeżżgħa: “Agħmlu l-ħila, la tibżgħux! Araw, Alla tagħkom ġej jitħallas; il-ħlas ta’ Alla wasal;  Hu stess ġej biex isalvakom”. Imbagħad jinfetħu għajnejn l-għomja, jinfetħu widnejn it-torox. Imbagħad iz-zopp jaqbeż bħal għażżiela u lsien l-imbikkma jinħall bil-ferħ. Jerġgħu lura l-mifdijin tal-Mulej, u jidħlu f’Sijon jgħajtu bil-ferħ, b’ferħ ta’ dejjem fuq rashom. Il-ferħ u l-hena jiksbu, u jgħibu swied il-qalb u l-krib. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm    Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10..

The LORD God keeps faith forever,

secures justice for the oppressed,

gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets captives free.

R. Lord, come and save us.

The LORD gives sight to the blind;

the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.

The LORD loves the just;

the LORD protects strangers.

R. Lord, come and save us.

The fatherless and the widow he sustains,

but the way of the wicked he thwarts.

The LORD shall reign forever;

your God, O Zion, through all generations.

R. Lord, come and save us.

Salm Responsorjali      Salm 146 (147), 7.8-9a.9bc-10

R/. (Is 34,4): Ejja Mulej, ħa ssalvana

Il-Mulej iżomm kelmtu għal dejjem,

jagħmel ħaqq lill-maħqurin,

u jagħti l-ħobż lill-imġewħin.

Il-Mulej jeħles lill-imjassrin. R/.

Il-Mulej jiftaħ għajnejn l-għomja;

il-Mulej jerfa’ lill-milwijin;

il-Mulej iħobb lill-ġusti;

il-Mulej iħares lill-barranin. R/.

Hu jżomm lill-iltim u lill-armla,

imma lill-ħżiena jħarbtilhom triqathom.

Il-Mulej isaltan għal dejjem;

Alla tiegħek, Sijon, minn nisel għal nisel. R/.

Reading 2      James 5:7-10

Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates. Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Qari II      mill-Ittra ta’ San Ġakbu Appostlu 5, 7-10

Ħuti, stabru, sa ma jasal il-Mulej. Ara, il-bidwi joqgħod b’sabar kbir jistenna l-frott għażiż tal-art, sa ma jieħu x-xita bikrija u mwaħħra. Stabru intom ukoll; qawwu qalbkom, għax il-miġja tal-Mulej hi fil-qrib.  Tgergrux kontra xulxin, ħuti, biex ma tkunux iġġudikati: araw, l-Imħallef qiegħed hawn, quddiem il-bieb! Bħala eżempju tat-tbatija u s-sabar, ħuti, ħudu l-profeti li tkellmu f’isem il-Mulej.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel    Matthew 11:2-11

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?" Jesus said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me." As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out?  To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. Amen, I say to you, among those born of women

there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

Evanġelju      Qari skond San Mattew 11, 2-11

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġwanni, li kien fil-ħabs, sama’ bl-għemejjel tal-Messija, u bagħat għandu tnejn mid-dixxipli tiegħu u qallu: “Inti huwa dak li għandu jiġi, jew nistennew lil ħaddieħor?”. Ġesù wieġeb u qalilhom: “Morru agħtu lil Ġwanni l-aħbar ta’ dak li qegħdin tisimgħu u taraw: l-għomja jaraw, iz-zopop jimxu, il-lebbrużi jfiqu, it-torox jisimgħu, il-mejtin iqumu, l-Evanġelju jixxandar lill-foqra. Hieni hu min ma jitfixkilx minħabba fija”. Meta dawk telqu, Ġesù qabad ikellem lin-nies fuq Ġwanni: “Xi ħriġtu taraw fid-deżert? Qasba tixxejjer mar-riħ? Xi ħriġtu taraw? Raġel liebes fin? Dawk li jilbsu fin fil-palazzi tas-slaten issibhom. Mela xi ħriġtu taraw? Profeta? Iva, ngħidilkom, anzi xi ħaġa iżjed minn profeta. Dan hu li fuqu hemm miktub: “Ara, jiena nibgħat qablek il-ħabbâr tiegħi biex iħejji triqtek quddiemek”. Tassew, ngħidilkom, li fost ulied in-nisa ħadd ma qam akbar minn Ġwanni l-Battista. U b’danakollu l-iżgħar wieħed fis-Saltna tas-Smewwiet hu akbar minnu”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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 Rejoice! The Lord Is Near

Gospel Commentary for 3rd Sunday of Advent by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap, Pontifical Household Preacher

Let us take the point of departure for our reflection from what Jesus says to the disciples of John to reassure them he is the Messiah: "Glad tidings are announced to the poor." The Gospel is a message of joy: The liturgy proclaims this on the Third Sunday of Advent, which, from the words of St. Paul in the opening antiphon, has taken the name "Gaudete Sunday" -- Rejoice Sunday, the Sunday of joy. The first reading, taken from the prophet Isaiah, is a hymn to joy: "The desert and the wasteland rejoice ... They sing with joy and jubilation ... They will be crowned with everlasting happiness; they will meet with joy and felicity and sadness and mourning will flee."

Everyone wants to be happy. If we could represent the whole of humanity to ourselves, in its deepest movement, we would see an immense crowd about a fruit tree on the tips of its toes desperately stretching out its hands in the attempt to lay hold of a piece of fruit that constantly eludes it. Happiness, Dante said, is "quell dolce pome che per tanti rami / cercando va la cura de' tanti mortali" -- "that sweet fruit that mortals seek / and strive to find on many boughs."

But if all of us are searching for happiness, why are so few truly happy and even those who are happy are only happy for such a short time? I believe that the principle reason is that, in our climb to the summit of the mountain, we go up the wrong side, we decide to take the wrong way up. Revelation says: "God is love," but man has tried to reverse the phrase so that it says: "Love is God"! (That is what the German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach said.)

Revelation says: "God is happiness," but man again inverts the order and says "Happiness is God"! But what happens here? On earth we do not know pure happiness, just as we do not know absolute love; we only know bits and pieces of happiness, which often become mere passing stimulation of our senses. Thus, when we say, "Happiness is God," we divinize our little experiences; we call the works of our own hands or our own minds "God." We make happiness into an idol. This explains why he who seeks God always finds joy while he who seeks joy does not always find God. Man is reduced to looking for quantitative joy: chasing down ever more intense pleasures and emotions, or adding pleasure to pleasure -- just as the drug addict needs bigger and bigger doses to obtain the same level of pleasure.

Only God is happy and makes happy. This is why a psalm says: "Seek joy in the Lord, he will fulfill the desires of your heart" (Psalm 4). With him even the joys of the present life retain their sweet savor and do not change into anxiety. I am not only speaking of spiritual joys but all honest human joy: the joy of seeing your children grow, work brought happily to conclusion, friendship, health regained, creativity, art, leisure and contact with nature. Only God was able to draw from the lips of a saint the cry "Enough joy, Lord! My heart can hold no more!" In God is found all of that which man usually associates with the word "happiness" and infinitely more, since "eye has not seen nor ear heard nor has it entered the heart of man that which God has prepared for those who love him" (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9).

It is time to proclaim with greater courage the "glad tidings" that God is happiness, that happiness -- not suffering, deprivation, the cross -- will have the last word. Suffering only serves to remove obstacles to joy, to open the soul, so that one day we can receive the greatest possible measure.

[Translation from the Italian by Joseph G. Trabbic]

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Justice shall flourish in His time

 >> Sunday, December 8 2019 <<

Second Sunday of Advent

Lectionary: 4

It-Tieni Ħadd tal-Avvent – Sena A

Reading 1      Isaiah 11:1-10

On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land's afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea. On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Qari     Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 11, 1-1

Għad toħroġ fergħa miz-zokk ta’ Ġesse, għad tinbet rimja minn għeruqu: fuqu jistrieħ l-ispirtu tal-Mulej, l-ispirtu tal-għerf u d-dehen, l-ispirtu tal-għaqal u l-qawwa, l-ispirtu tal-għerf u l-biża’ tal-Mulej, u l-għaxqa tiegħu fil-biża’ tal-Mulej. Ma jiġġudikax skond ma jidher fl-għajnejn, u ma jagħtix sentenza skond ma jisma’, iżda jiġġudika l-imsejknin skond il-ġustizzja, u jagħti sentenza skond is-sewwa lill-fqajrin tal-art. Isawwat il-kiefra bix-xettru ta’ fommu, u b’nifs xufftejh joqtol lill-ħażin. Il-ħżiem ta’ ġenbejh tkun il-ġustizzja, u l-fedeltà l-ħżiem ta’ qaddu. Il-lupu jibda jgħix mal-ħaruf,il-leopard mal-gidi, u jirgħu flimkien l-għoġol u ferħ l-iljun, daqsxejn ta’ tfajjel isuqhom. Il-baqra u l-ors jirgħu flimkien, u l-frieħ tagħhom flimkien jistrieħu. L-iljun bħall-gendus jiekol it-tiben. It-tarbija tal-ħalib titliegħeb fil-ħofra tas-serp; u t-tifel miftum idaħħal idu fil-bejta tal-lifgħa. Ma jagħmlux aktar deni u anqas ħsara fuq il-muntanja qaddisa kollha tiegħi, għax mimlija hi l-art bl-għarfien tal-Mulej bħalma l-baħar hu miksi bl-ilmijiet. Imbagħad jiġri f’dak il-jum li l-għerq ta’ Ġesse jieqaf bħala sinjal għall-popli. Lilu jfittxu l-ġnus, u l-għamara tiegħu tkun imsebbħa. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm      Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17

O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
he shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Salm Responsorjali            Salm 71 (72), 1.7-8.12-13.17

 R/. (7): Tħaddar f’jiemu l-ġustizzja

 O Alla, agħti lis-sultan il-ħaqq tiegħek,

il-ġustizzja tiegħek lil bin is-sultan,

biex jiġġudika l-poplu tiegħek bil-ġustizzja,

u bil-ħaqq l-imsejknin tiegħek. R/.

Tħaddar f’jiemu l-ġustizzja,

u sliem kotran sa ma jintemm il-qamar.

Isaltan minn baħar sa baħar,

u mix-xmara sa truf l-art. R/.

Għax hu jeħles lill-fqir li jsejjaħlu,

u lill-imsejken li m’għandux min jgħinu.

Iħenn għad-dgħajjef u għall-fqajjar;

il-ħajja tal-fqajrin isalva. R/.

Ismu jibqa’ jissemma għal dejjem;

idum ismu sakemm iddum ix-xemx!

Bih jitbierku l-ġnus kollha tal-art;

il-popli kollha jsejħulu hieni. R/.

Reading 2      Romans 15:4-9

Brothers and sisters: Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, to confirm the promises to the patriarchs, but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing praises to your name.

Qari II         Rumani 15, 4-9

Ħuti, kull ma nkiteb fl-Iskrittura fl-imgħoddi, inkiteb għat-tagħlim tagħna, biex bis-sabar u bil-faraġ li tagħtina l-Iskrittura, aħna jkollna t-tama. Alla, li minnu ġej kull sabar u faraġ, jagħtikom il-grazzja li tkunu fehma waħda bejnietkom skond Kristu Ġesù, biex b’fomm wieħed u b’qalb waħda tfaħħru lil Alla u Missier Sidna Ġesù Kristu. Għalhekk ilqgħu lil xulxin bħalma Kristu wkoll laqa’ lilkom, għall-glorja ta’ Alla. Jiena ngħidilkom li Kristu sar qaddej tal-Lhud ċirkonċiżi minħabba l-fedeltà ta’ Alla, biex iseħħu l-wegħdiet li għamel lill-Patrijarki, u biex il-pagani wkoll ifaħħru lil Alla minħabba l-ħniena tiegħu bħalma hu miktub: “Għalhekk jiena nfaħħrek fost il-ġnus u ngħanni tifħir ismek”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel    Matthew 3:1-12

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Evanġelju       Qari skond San Mattew 3, 1-12

F’dawk il-jiem, deher Ġwanni l-Battista jippriedka fid-deżert tal-Lhudija u jgħid: “Indmu, għax is-saltna tas-smewwiet waslet”. Għax għalih kien ingħad permezz tal-profeta Isaija, meta qal: “Leħen ta’ wieħed jgħajjat fid-deżert: Ħejju t-triq tal-Mulej, iddrittaw il-mogħdijiet tiegħu”.Dan Ġwanni kellu fuqu libsa tax-xagħar tal-ġemel, bi ħżiem tal-ġild madwar qaddu, u l-ikel tiegħu kien ġradijiet u għasel selvaġġ. U kienet tmur għandu Ġerusalemm u l-Lhudija kollha u l-inħawi kollha ta’ madwar il-Ġordan, 6u kienu jitgħammdu minnu fix-xmara Ġordan huma u jistqarru dnubiethom. Kif ra bosta mill-Fariżej u mis-Sadduċej ġejjin għall-magħmudija tiegħu, qalilhom: “Ja nisel il-lifgħat, min uriekom kif għandkom taħarbu mill-korla li ġejja? Agħmlu mela frott xieraq tal-indiema, u taħsbux li tistgħu tgħidu fikom infuskom: “Għandna b’missier lil Abraham”. Ngħidilkom li Alla, minn dan l-istess ġebel, jista’ jqajjem ulied lil Abraham. Il-mannara ġa tressqet ma’ għerq is-siġra; u għalhekk, kull siġra li ma tagħmilx frott tajjeb titqaċċat u tinxteħet fin-nar. Jien, ngħid għalija, ngħammidkom bl-ilma għall-indiema; imma min ġej warajja hu aqwa minni, u jien ma jistħoqqlix inġorr il-qorq tiegħu. Hu jgħammidkom bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u n-nar. Il-midra qiegħda f’idu, biex iderri l-qiegħa tiegħu u jiġbor il-qamħ fil-maħżen, imma t-tiben jaħarqu b’nar li ma jintefiex”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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 A Voice in the Desert

Gospel Commentary for 2nd Sunday of Advent by Pontifical Household Preacher Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap

In the Gospel for the second Sunday of Advent Jesus does not speak directly to us but his precursor, John the Baptist. The heart of the baptist’s preaching is contained in that phrase of Isaiah that he powerfully repeats to his contemporaries: “The voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight his paths!”

Isaiah, to tell the truth, said: “A voice cries out: in the desert prepare the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3). It is not, therefore, a voice in the desert, but a way in the desert. The Evangelists, applying the text to the baptist who preached in the desert of Judaea, modified the punctuation, but without changing the message’s meaning.

Jerusalem was a city surrounded by desert: In the East the road, as soon as it was traced out, was easily erased by the sand blown by the wind, while in the West it was lost in the rugged terrain that sloped downward to the sea. When a procession or an important person had to come to Jerusalem it was necessary to go out into the desert to make a less provisional road; brush was cut away, holes were filled, obstacles were flattened, bridges were repaired. This is what was done during Passover, for example, to receive the pilgrims from the Diaspora. This is what inspired John the Baptist. Someone who is greater than everyone is about to come, he cries, “he who must come,” the desired of the nations: A road must be made for him in the desert so that he may arrive.

But here is the leap from metaphor to reality: This path is not made on land but in the heart of every man; it is not built in the desert but in one’s life. To build it there is no need to engage in material labor but in conversion. “Straighten the pathways of the Lord!” — this command presupposes a bitter reality: Man is as a city invaded by the desert; he is closed in on himself, in his egoism; he is like a castle with a moat and the drawbridges all raised.

Worse: Man has complicated his ways with sin and he remains all tied up inside as in a labyrinth. Isaiah and John the Baptist speak metaphorically of ravines, mountains, twisted roads and impervious places. We just need to call these things by their real names, which are pride, sloth, selfishness, violence, cupidity, falsehood, hypocrisy, impudence, superficiality, drunkenness of every sort. (You can be drunk not only on wine or drugs but also on your own beauty, intelligence or yourself, which is the worst drunkenness!) We immediately grasp that this discourse concerns us as well; God’s salvation waits on and seeks out in this situation every man.

Straightening a path for the Lord, thus, has a very concrete meaning: It means reforming our lives, converting. In the moral sense the hills that must be made low and the obstacles that must be removed are the pride that leads us to ruthlessness and to be without love for others, the injustice that deceives our neighbor, perhaps adducing specious pretenses to mollify and compensate for silencing our conscience, to say nothing of rancor, revenge, betrayal of love. The valleys to be filled in are laziness, apathy, lack of self-control, every sin of omission.

The word of God does not burden us with duties without at the same time giving the assurance that he will do together with us what he commands us to do. God, says the prophet Baruch, “has commanded that every lofty mountain be made low, and that the age-old depths and gorges be filled to level ground, that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God” (5:7). God makes low, God fills up, God builds the road; our task is to assent to his action, remembering that, as Saint Augustine says, “he who made us without our help, will not save us without our help.”  [Translation from th Italian by Joseph G. Trabbic]

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