DOING THE WILL OF GOD

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

                 Is-Sitta u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1       EZEKIEL 18:25-28
Thus says the LORD: You say, "The LORD's way is not fair!" Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die. But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed, he does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Qari I            mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Eżekjel 18, 25-28
Dan jgħid il-Mulej: “Intom tgħidu: “M’hijiex sewwa l-imġiba tal-Mulej!”. Issa isimgħu, dar Iżrael: Forsi l-imġiba tiegħi m’hijiex sewwa? Mhux l-imġiba tagħkom li m’hijiex sewwa?  Jekk wieħed ġust jitbiegħed mill-ġustizzja tiegħu u jagħmel il-ħażen, u jmut minħabba dan, minħabba ħżunitu jkun miet. Imma jekk il-midneb jerġa’ lura mid-dnub li jkun għamel, u jagħmel il-ħaqq u l-ġustizzja, hu jsalva ruħu. Għax ikun intebaħ u reġa’ lura mid-dnubiet kollha li jkun għamel, u jibqa’ ħaj u ma jmutx”.Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm        PSALM 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
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 your mercies, O Lord.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not;
in your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Salm Responsorjali       Salm 24 (25), 4-5.6-7.8-9
R/. (6a): Ftakar fil-ħniena u t-tjieba tiegħek, Mulej

Triqatek, Mulej, għarrafni,
il-mogħdijiet tiegħek għallimni.
Mexxini fis-sewwa tiegħek u għallimni,
għax int Alla tas-salvazzjoni tiegħi.
Għalik nixxennaq il-jum kollu. R/.

Ftakar fil-ħniena u fit-tjieba tiegħek,
għax huma minn dejjem, Mulej.
Tiftakarx fil-ħtijiet u fid-dnubiet ta’ żgħożiti:
inti tajjeb, Mulej;
ftakar fija skond 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      PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11
Brothers and sisters: If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others. Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself,  taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Qari II      mill-Ittra  lill-Filippin 2, 1-11
Ħuti, jekk hemm fikom xi faraġ fi Kristu; jekk hemm xi kelma ta’ ħlewwa fl-imħabba; jekk hemm xi xirka fl-Ispirtu; jekk hemm xi ħniena u mogħdrija; kunu fehma waħda u mlewni bil-ferħ! Ħa jkollkom l-istess imħabba, u ruħ waħda u ħsieb wieħed. Tagħmlu xejn b’pika ta’ partit, anqas għall-ftaħir fieragħ; imma kunu umli u kull wieħed minnkom iqis lill-ieħor aħjar minnu. Ħadd minnkom ma għandu jfittex li jaqbillu, imma li jaqbel lil ħaddieħor. Aħsbu bħalma kien jaħseb Kristu Ġesù: hu li għad li kellu n-natura ta’ Alla, ma qagħadx ifittex tiegħu li hu daqs Alla, iżda xejjen lilu nnifsu billi ħa n-natura ta’ lsir; sar jixbah lill-bnedmin, u deher minn barra bħala bniedem; ċekken lilu nnifsu, billi obda sal-mewt, anzi sal-mewt tas-salib. Għalhekk Alla għollieh sas-smewwiet u żejnu bl-isem li hu fuq kull isem, biex fl-isem ta’ Ġesù – fis-sema, fl-art u f’qiegħ l-art – il-ħlejjaq kollha jinżlu għarkubbtejhom, 11u kull ilsien jistqarr: “Ġesù Kristu hu l-Mulej”, għall-glorja ta’ Alla l-Missier.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel    MATTHEW 21:28-32
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: "What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' He said in reply, 'I will not, ' but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, ‘but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?" They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him."

Evanġelju      Qari skond San Mattew Mt 21, 28-32
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lill-qassisin il-kbar u lix-xjuħ tal-poplu: “Intom x’jidhrilkom? Kien hemm raġel li kellu żewġ ulied. Resaq fuq il-kbir u qallu: “Ibni, illum mur aħdem l-għalqa tad-dwieli”. U dak qallu: “Ma rridx”. Iżda mbagħad biddel il-fehma u mar. Resaq fuq l-ieħor u qallu l-istess. “Arani sejjer, sidi,” qallu dan, u ma mar xejn. Min minnhom it-tnejn għamel kif ried il-missier?”. “L-ewwel wieħed”, weġbuh. U qalilhom Ġesù: “Tassew, ngħidilkom, li l-pubblikani u n-nisa tat-triq deħlin qabilkom fis-Saltna ta’ Alla. Għax Ġwanni ġie għandkom miexi fit-triq tal-ġustizzja, u intom ma emmintuhx iżda l-pubblikani u n-nisa tat-triq emmnuh; u għalkemm intom rajtu dan kollu, bqajtu sa la ħħar ma biddiltux il-fehma tagħkom, u ma emmintuhx”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Prostitutes Will Enter the Kingdom Before You

Gospel Commentary by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap, Pontifical Household Preacher

"Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: ‘What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, "Son, go out and work in the vineyard today." He said in reply, "I will not," but afterward changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, "Yes, sir," but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?' They answered, ‘The first.'"

The son who says "yes" and does "no" represents those who knew God and followed his law to a certain extent but did not accept Christ, who was "the fulfillment of the law." The son who says "no" and does "yes" represents those who once lived outside the law and will of God, but then, with Christ, thought again and welcomed the Gospel.

From this Jesus draws the following conclusion before the chief priests and elders: "Truly, I say to you, even the publicans and prostitutes will enter the Kingdom of God before you."

No saying of Christ has been more manipulated than this. Some have ended up creating a kind of evangelical aura about prostitutes, idealizing them and opposing them to those with good reputations, who are all regarded without distinction as hypocritical scribes and Pharisees. Literature is full of "good" prostitutes. Just think of Verdi's "La Traviata" or the meek Sonya of Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment"!

But this is a terrible misunderstanding. Jesus is talking about a limited case, as it were. "Even" the prostitutes, he wants to say, are going to enter the Kingdom of God before you. Prostitution is seen in all its seriousness and taken as a term of comparison to point out the gravity of the sin of those who stubbornly reject the truth.

We do not see that, moreover, idealizing the category of prostitute, we also idealize that of publican, which is a category that always accompanies it in the Gospel. The publicans, who were employees of the Roman tax collection agencies, participated in the unjust practices of these agencies. If Jesus links prostitutes and publicans together, he does not do this without a reason; they have both made money the most important thing in life.

It would be tragic if such passages from the Gospel made Christians less attentive to combating the degrading phenomenon of prostitution, which today has assumed alarming proportions in our cities. Jesus had too much respect for women to not suffer beforehand for that which she will become when she is reduced to this state. What he appreciates in the prostitute is not her way of life, but her capacity to change and to put her ability to love in the service of the good. Mary Magdalene, who converted and followed Jesus all the way to the cross, is an example of this (supposing that she was a prostitute).

What Jesus intends to teach with his words here he clearly says at the end: The publicans and prostitutes converted with John the Baptist's preaching; the chief priests and the elders did not. The Gospel, therefore, does not direct us to moralistic campaigns against prostitutes, but neither does it allow us to joke about it, as if it were nothing.

In the new form under which prostitution presents itself today, we see that it is now able to make a person a significant amount of money and do so without involving them in the terrible dangers to which the poor women of previous times, who were condemned to the streets, were subjected. This form consists in selling one's body safely through cameras. What a woman does when she loans herself to pornography and certain excessive forms of advertisement is to sell her body to the eyes if not to contact. This is certainly prostitution, and it is worse than traditional prostitution, because it is publicly imposed and does not respect people's freedom and sentiments.

But having denounced these things as we must, we would betray the spirit of the Gospel if we did not also speak of the hope that these words of Christ offer to women, who, on account of various circumstances (often out of desperation), have found themselves on the street, for the most part victims of unscrupulous exploitation. The Gospel is "gospel," that is, "glad tidings," news of ransom, of hope, even for prostitutes. Indeed, perhaps it is for them first of all. This is how Jesus wanted it.  [Translation by Zenit]

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A call to be generous always!

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 133

Il-Ħamsa u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1     ISAIAH 55:6-9

Seek the LORD while he may be found,call him while he is near.Let the scoundrel forsake his way,and the wicked his thoughts;let him turn to the LORD for mercy;to our God, who is generous in forgiving.For my thoughts are not your thoughts,nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.As high as the heavens are above the earth,so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.

Qari I     mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 55, 6-9 

Fittxu l-Mulej sakemm tistgħu ssibuh, sejħulu sakemm hu fil-qrib! Ħa jħalli triqtu l-midneb, u l-bniedem il-ħażin fehmietu; ħa jerġa’ lura għand il-Mulej u jħenn għalih, għand Alla tagħna għax hu jaħfer ħafna.Il-fehmiet tiegħi m’humiex fehmietkom, u t-triqat tiegħi m’humiex triqatkom. Oraklu tal-Mulej. Għax daqs kemm huma ogħla s-smewwiet mill-art,daqshekk ieħor huma triqati ’l fuq minn triqatkom, u l-fehmiet tiegħi mill-fehmiet tagħkom.Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm    PSALM 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18

Every day will I bless you,and I will praise your name forever and ever.Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

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. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. The LORD is near to all who call upon him to all who call upon him in truth.R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

Salm Responsorjali    Salm 144 (145), 2-3.8-9.17-18

R/. (18a): Qrib il-Mulej lejn kull min isejjaħlu

Kuljum irrid inbierkek, u nfaħħar ismek għal dejjem ta’ dejjem. Kbir il-Mulej, ta’ min ifaħħru bil-bosta, bla tarf il-kobor tiegħu. R/.

Twajjeb u ħanin il-Mulej, idum biex jagħdab u kollu tjieba, Twajjeb ma’ kulħadd il-Mulej, tjubitu fuq kull ma għamel. R/.

Ġust il-Mulej fl-imġiba tiegħu kollha, twajjeb f’dak kollu li għamel. Qrib il-Mulej lejn kull min isejjaħlulejn  kull min isejjaħlu fis-sewwa. R/.

Reading 2      PHILIPPIANS 1:20C-24, 27A

Brothers and sisters: Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh,that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ,for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit. Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Qari II     mill-Ittra lill-Filippin 1, 20c-24.27a

Ħuti, Kristu jkun imsebbaħ fil-ġisem tiegħi, sew jekk ngħix u sew jekk immut. Għax għalija l-ħajja hi Kristu, u l-mewt hi rebħ. Jekk għandi nibqa’ ħaj fil-ġisem, dan ifisser li għandi nagħti l-frott tax-xogħol tiegħi. X’naqbad nagħmel ma nafx; ninsab bejn ħaltejn. Min-naħa l-waħda, nixtieq nintemm u nkun ma’ Kristu, li jkun ħafna aħjar għalija; min-naħa l-oħra, jekk nibqa’ ngħix fil-ġisem, ikun ħafna aħjar għalikom. Ħaġa waħda ngħidilkom: ġibu ruħkom kif jixraq lill-Evanġelju ta’ Kristu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel      MATTHEW 20:1-16A

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock,the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace,and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,and I will give you what is just.’So they went off. And he went out again around noon,and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock,the landowner found others standing around, and said to them,‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,beginning with the last and ending with the first.’When those who had started about five o’clock came,each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,‘These last ones worked only one hour,and you have made them equal to us,who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’He said to one of them in reply,‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.

Evanġelju            skond San Mattew Matt 20, 1-16

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu din il-parabbola: "Is-Saltna tas-Smewwiet tixbah lil wieħed sid li ħareġ filgħodu kmieni ħafna biex isib nies tax-xogħol u jħaddimhom fl-għalqa tiegħu tad-dwieli. Ftiehem ma’ xi ħaddiema b’dinar kull jum u bagħathom l-għalqa. Ħareġ ukoll madwar it-tielet siegħa, ra oħrajn qegħdin fil-pjazza, bla xogħol, u qalilhom: “Morru intom ukoll l-għalqa, u nagħtikom li jkun ħaqqkom”. U marru. Raġa’ ħareġ għal xi s-sitt siegħa u mbagħad għal xi d-disgħa siegħa, u għamel l-istess. Għall-ħabta tal-ħdax-il siegħa raġa’ ħareġ u sab oħrajn qiegħda, u qalilhom: "Għaliex qegħdin hawn il-jum kollu ma tagħmlu xejn?”. Qalulu: “Għax ħadd ma qabbadna”. Qalilhom: “Morru intom ukoll l-għalqa”.Għal fil-għaxija mbagħad sid l-għalqa qal lill-prokuratur tiegħu: "Sejjaħ lill-ħaddiema u ħallashom, ibda minn dawk li ġew l-aħħar u spiċċa b’dawk tal-ewwel". Ġew dawk li daħlu għax-xogħol fil-ħdax-il siegħa u ħadu dinar kull wieħed. Ġew tal-ewwel, u stennew li kienu se jirċievu iktar, iżda huma wkoll ħadu dinar kull wieħed. Huma u jitħallsu qabdu jgemgmu kontra s-sid u jgħidu: “Dawn tal-aħħar siegħa waħda għamlu, u int qisthom bħalna li tgħabbejna bil-piż tal-jum u s-sħana!”.Qabeż is-sid u qal lil wieħed minnhom: "Ħabib, minn xejn ma nqastek jien; mhux b’dinar ftehemt miegħi? Ħu li jmissek u itlaq. Lil dan tal-aħħar irrid nagħtih daqs kemm tajt lilek. Ma nistax nagħmel li rrid bi ħwejġi jien? Jew qiegħed tgħir għax jien qalbi tajba?”. Hekk tal-aħħar jiġu l-ewwel, u tal-ewwel jiġu l-aħħar”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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Why be envious because I am generous? 

Catholic gospel inspirations -  by Joseph of Jesus and Mary

In the parable of the labourers for the vineyard and also in the parable of the prodigal son, I want to stress the great Divine Mercy, so that you take it as the model for your generosity and mercy.

It is so easy to receive and indeed you receive so much daily, in fact you have been receiving daily all of your life. But when it comes to give, everyone becomes mean and possessive, then generosity is given with restrain. "This is not what I teach, since I teach by my actions. I am the giver of all gifts."

I have said "give and you shall be given, be merciful and mercy will be shown to you“; so whatever you do for the least of my brothers will receive a reward. I assure you, you will always be rewarded for your generosity.

"Whatever work you do in my kingdom will be repaid according to my mercy, not according to your measure. I forgave the thief on the cross who accepted me as his saviour and who asked me to remember him when I entered my kingdom. He received the great gift that many virtuous men seek so eagerly and at such a cost with a simple act of faith and humility.

"You should rejoice and be glad because of my great mercy. I died on the cross to forgive everyone who comes to me with sincerity, asking pardon for their sins and with a desire to amend their lives.

"I don’t discriminate sinners, on the contrary, I have died for them and I would die again if it were necessary to bring them to me. I am the saviour of the world, my job is to forgive and to save, I want everyone to benefit from my mercy, I want everyone to be saved.

"The only condition for my salvation is humble repentance. I am willing to save even those to whom the world condemns; I am the God of the outcast, the rejected, the poor, and the sinful who are desperately in need of conversion."

For this reason Jesus calls everyone to be generous as He is generous, to help others as He helps everyone. Share with others as much as you can, pray for sinners so that they also obtain the rewards that you yourself expect, do not discriminate, do not underestimate anyone.

At the last moment there will be great confusion, because some who expected to be first will be last and the last will be the first.

In the meantime work diligently for the kingdom of heaven. Be good without measure, when you have to do something for someone remember that you are doing it for the Lord, when you see someone in need do not hesitate to help. Now you know that whatever you do for others you will be doing it for Him. So, love one another "as I have loved you."

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But how much should we forgive?

 

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 130

L-Erbgħa u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1    SIRAK 27:30—28:7

Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the LORD’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven. Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the LORD? Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins? If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins? Remember your last days, set enmity aside; remember death and decay, and cease from sin! Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbour; remember the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults.

Qari I       mill-Ktieb ta’ Bin Sirak 27, 30 – 28, 7

Għadab u qilla, dawn ukoll ta’ min jistmerrhom, u l-bniedem midneb mimli bihom. Min ifittex jitħallas b’idejh, isib ħlasu mingħand il-Mulej, li jifli sewwa dnubietu. Aħfer il-proxxmu dnubietu, u mbagħad titlob u dnubietek jinħafrulek. Bniedem irawwem għadab għal ieħor, u mbagħad se jfittex fejqan mingħand il-Mulej? Minn bniedem bħalu m’għandux ħniena, u mbagħad se jitlob għal dnubietu? Jekk bniedem jibqa’ mgħaddab, min se jpattilu għal dnubietu?  Ftakar fl-aħħar ta’ ħajtek, u ieqaf mill-mibegħda; ftakar fit-taħsir u l-mewt, u oqgħod għall-kmandamenti. Ftakar fil-kmandamenti u tobgħodx il-proxxmu; ftakar fil-patt tal-Għoli u agħlaq għajnejk għall-offiża.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm    PSALM 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion. 

He pardons all your iniquities, heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, crowns you with kindness and compassion. R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever. Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes.R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us. R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

Salm Responsorjali        Salm 102 (103), 1-2.3-4.9-10.11-12 

R/. (8): Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej

Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej! B’qalbi kollha nbierek l-isem qaddis tiegħu. Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej, u la tinsiex il-ġid kollu li għamel miegħek. R/. 

Hu jaħfer dnubietek kollha; ifejjaq il-mard tiegħek kollu;jifdi lil ħajtek mill-qabar; iħaddnek bit-tjieba u l-ħniena. R/. 

Ma joqgħodx jitlewwem magħna, u anqas jinkorla għal dejjem. Ma mexiex magħna skond ma ħaqqhom ħtijietna; ma ħallasniex skond ma ħaqqha ħżunitna. R/. 

Daqskemm huma s-smewwiet ’il fuq mill-art, hekk hi kbira tjubitu ma’ min jibża’ minnu; daqs kemm hu mbiegħed il-Lvant mill-Punent, hekk hu jbiegħed minna ħtijietna. R/.

Reading 2    ROMANS 14:7-9

Brothers and sisters: None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Qari II       mill-Ittra lir-Rumani  14, 7-9

Ħuti, ħadd minna ma jgħix għalih innifsu, u ħadd ma jmut għalih innifsu. Jekk ngħixu, ngħixu għall-Mulej; jekk immutu, immutu għall-Mulej. Sew jekk ngħixu, mela, sew jekk immutu, aħna tal-Mulej. Kristu għalhekk miet u rxoxta, biex ikun Sid kemm tal-ħajjin u kemm tal-mejtin. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel    MATTHEW 18:21-35

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?”  Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.  When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair.  His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!  I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.  Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.” 

Evanġelju      Qari skond San Mattew 18, 21-35

F’dak iż-żmien, Pietru resaq lejn Ġesù u qallu: “Mulej, xi kemm-il darba jrid jonqosni ħija biex jiena naħfirlu? Sa seba’ darbiet?”. Wieġbu Ġesù: “Ma ngħidlekx sa seba’ darbiet, imma sa sebgħa u sebgħin darba. Għalhekk is-Saltna tas-Smewwiet nistgħu nxebbhuha ma’ wieħed sultan, li ried jagħmel il-kontijiet mal-qaddejja tiegħu. Kif beda jagħmel dan, ħadulu quddiemu wieħed li kellu jagħtih għaxart elef talent. Billi ma kellux minn fejn irroddhomlu, is-sinjur ordna li jinbiegħu hu, martu, uliedu u kull ma kellu, ħalli b’hekk jitħallas id-dejn. Imma l-qaddej inxteħet quddiemu jitolbu u jgħidlu: “Sinjur, stabar ftit bija, kollox irroddlok”. Is-sinjur ġietu ħasra minn dak il-qaddej, bagħtu u ħafirlu dejnu. Mela dak il-qaddej joħroġ, u jiltaqa’ ma’ wieħed minn sħabu, li kellu jagħtih mitt dinar; qabdu minn għonqu u beda jagħfsu. “Ħallas dejnek,” qallu. Il-qaddej sieħbu nxteħet quddiemu jitolbu bil-ħniena u jgħidlu: “Stabar ftit bija u rroddlok”. Imma dak ma riedx jaf, mar u xeħtu l-ħabs sa ma jrodd kull ma kellu jagħtih.Sħabu l-qaddejja raw il-ġrajja kollha u sewdu qalbhom ħafna; marru għand is-sinjur tagħhom u tarrfulu kull ma kien ġara. Imbagħad is-sinjur bagħat għalih u qallu: “Ja qaddej ħażin, meta jiena ħfirtlek dak id-dejn kollu wara li tlabtni bil-ħniena, ma kienx imissek int ukoll tħenn għal sieħbek kif ħennejt jien għalik?”. U saħan bl-aħrax is-sinjur għalih, u tah f’idejn min jaħqru sa ma jrodd kull ma kellu jagħti. Hekk jagħmel lilkom Missieri li hu fis-Smewwiet jekk ma taħfrux lil xulxin minn qalbkom”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Why Forgive? 

In his commentary on this Sunday’s readings, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher of the Pontifical Household, answers the question of how much forgiveness is too much.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If we reflect well, however, many times, when we are about to say: “I forgive you!”, we would do better to change our attitude and words and say to the person before us: “Forgive me!” We would then realize that we also have something that the other must forgive. In fact, even more important than forgiving is the humility to ask for forgiveness.  [Italian original published in Famiglia Cristiana. Translation by ZENIT]

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Reconciling the sinner

 

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 127

It-Tlieta u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1      EZEKIEL 33:7-9

Thus says the LORD: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die, ” and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.

Qari I         mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Eżekjel 33, 7-9

Dan jgħid il-Mulej: “Lilek, o bniedem, qegħedtek għassies ta’ dar Iżrael. Meta tisma’ minn fommi xi kelma, għandek twiddibhom f’ismi. Jekk jien ngħid lill-midneb: “Int tmut żgur,” u int ma tkellmux u ma twiddbux biex jitlaq triqtu, hu, il-midneb, imut fi ħżunitu, imma demmu nfittxu minn idejk. Imma jekk inti twiddeb il-midneb dwar triqtu biex jerġa’ lura minnha u ma jerġax, hu jmut fi dnubu, imma int tkun salvajt ħajtek”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej   

Responsorial Psalm  PSALM 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him. R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us.For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.”R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Salm Responsorjali         Salm 94 (95), 1-2.6-7.8-9 

R/. (8): Isimgħu leħen il-Mulej u la twebbsux qalbkom 

Ejjew, ħa nfaħħru bl-hena l-Mulej, ħa ngħajtu bil-ferħ lill-blata tas-salvazzjoni tagħna! Nersqu quddiemu b’għana ta’ radd il-ħajr, ngħannulu b’għajat ta’ ferħ. R/. 

Ejjew inqimuh u ninxteħtu quddiemu, għarkubbtejna quddiem il-Mulej li ħalaqna! Għaliex hu Alla tagħna, u aħna l-poplu tal-mergħa tiegħu u n-nagħaġ tiegħu. R/. 

Mhux li kontu illum tisimgħu leħnu!“La twebbsux qalbkom bħal f’Meriba, bħal dakinhar f’Massa, fid-deżert, meta ġarrbuni u ttantawni missirijietkom, għalkemm raw dak li jien għamilt”. R/.

Reading 2        ROMANS 13:8-10

Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, ” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no evil to the neighbour; hence, love is the fulfilment of the law.

Qari II         mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 13, 8-10

Ħuti, tkunu obbligati lejn ħadd ħlief li tħobbu lil xulxin. Kull min iħobb ikun iħares il-bqija tal-Liġi. Għax il-kmandamenti: “La tagħmilx adulterju, la toqtolx, la tisraqx, la tkunx rgħib”, u kull preċett ieħor, hu liema hu, kollha jinġabru f’kelma waħda: “Ħobb il-proxxmu tiegħek bħalek innifsek”. L-imħabba ma tagħmilx deni lill-proxxmu; mela l-imħabba hi l-milja tal-Liġi. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

 Gospel       MATTEW 18:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.  If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Evanġelju          Qari skond San Mattew 18, 15-20

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Jekk ħuk jaqa’ f’xi dnub, mur sibu waħdu u widdbu. Jekk jisma’ minnek, tkun irbaħt lura lil ħuk. Jekk ma jismax, erġa’ mur u ħu miegħek wieħed jew tnejn oħra, biex kull ma jingħad jissaħħaħ bil-kelma ta’ żewġ xhieda jew tlieta. Jekk imbagħad anqas minnhom ma jkun irid jisma’, mur għid lill-knisja. U jekk anqas mill-knisja ma jkun irid jisma’ żommu b’wieħed pagan jew pubblikan. Tassew ngħidilkom, li kull ma torbtu fuq l-art ikun marbut fis-sema, u kull ma tħollu fuq l-art ikun maħlul fis-sema. Ngħidilkom ukoll li jekk tnejn minnkom fuq l-art jgħollu leħinhom flimkien biex jitolbu xi ħaġa, Missieri li hu fis-smewwiet, jagħtihielhom. Għax fejn tnejn jew tlieta jkunu miġbura f’ismi hemm inkun jien f’nofshom”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

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The Duty of Fraternal Correction

Gospel Commentary by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap, Pontifical Household Preacher

In the Gospel this Sunday we read: “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother sins, go and admonish him privately; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother.’”

Jesus speaks of all sins; he does not restrict the field to sins committed against us. In this latter sort of case, it is hard to know whether what moves us is zeal for truth or our own wounded pride. In any case, it would be more of a self-defense than a fraternal correction. When the sin is against us, the first duty is not correction but forgiveness.

Why does Jesus say to admonish your brother privately? Above all, this injunction has respect for your brother’s good name, his dignity in view.

The worst thing would be to want to correct a husband in the presence of his wife or a wife in the presence of her husband, a father in front of his children, a teacher in front of pupils, or a superior in the presence of inferiors; in other words, in the presence of those whose esteem is important for the person in question? The situation will soon become a public trial. It would be very difficult for the person to accept the correction well. His dignity would be compromised.

Jesus says that the admonishment should take place privately to give the person the chance to defend himself and explain his actions in complete freedom. Many times what appears to an outside observer to be a sin is not in the intention of the person who committed it. A frank explanation clears up many misunderstandings. But this is no longer possible when the person is publicly redressed and the incident brought to the awareness of others. 

When, for whatever reason, fraternal correction is not possible in private, there is something that must never be done in its place, and that is to divulge, without good reason, one’s brother’s fault, to speak ill of him or, indeed, to calumniate him, proposing as fact something that is not, or exaggerating the fault. “Do not speak ill of one another,” Scripture says (James 4:11). Gossip is not something innocent; it is ugly and reprehensible.

A woman once went to St. Philip Neri for confession, accusing herself badmouthing people. The saint absolved her but gave her a strange penance. He told her to go home, get a hen and come back, plucking the bird’s feathers as she walked along the street. When she had returned to him he said: “Now go back home and, as you go, pick up each feather that you plucked on the way.” The woman told him that it would be impossible since the wind had almost certainly blown them away in the meantime. But St. Philip was prepared: “You see,” he said, “just as it is impossible to pick up the feathers once the wind has scattered them, it is likewise impossible to gather gossip and calumnies back up once they have come out of our mouth.”

Returning to the theme of the correction, we should say that the good outcome of the correction does not always depend on us; despite our best intentions, the other may not accept the correction, he may harden. But this can be compensated for: When we ourselves are corrected, the good outcome does depend on us! Indeed, I could very well be the person who “who has sinned” and the “corrector” could easily be someone else: husband, wife, friend, confrere or father superior.

In sum, there is not only active correction but passive correction; there is not only the duty to correct but the duty to allow yourself to be corrected. And it is precisely here that we can see whether someone is mature enough to correct others. Whoever wants to correct someone must be ready, in turn, to be corrected. When you see someone accept an observation and you hear him or her answer with simplicity: “You are right. Thanks for letting me know!” Doff your cap because you are in the presence of a true man or true woman.

Christ’s teaching about fraternal correction must always be read together with what he says on another occasion: “Why do you regard the speck in your brother’s eye and ignore the bean in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’ when you do not see the beam that is in yours” (Luke 6:41)?

What Jesus has taught us about correction can be very useful in raising children too. Correction is one of the parent’s fundamental duties. “What son is not disciplined by his father?” Scripture says (Hebrews 12:7); and again: “Straighten the little plant while it is still young if you do not want it to be permanently crooked.” Completely renouncing every form of correction is one of the worst things that you can do to your children and unfortunately it very common today.

You must simply take care that the correction itself does not become an accusation or a criticism. In correcting you should just stick to reproving the error that was committed; don’t generalize it and reproach everything about the child and his conduct. Instead, use the correction to point out all the good things that you see in the child and how you expect much better from him, in such away that the correction becomes encouragement rather than disqualification. This was the method that St. John Bosco used with children.

It is not easy in individual cases to know whether it is better to correct something or let it go, speak or be silent. This is why it is important to remember the Golden Rule, valid in all cases, that St. Paul offers in the second letter: “Owe each other nothing but the debt of mutual love. […] Love does evil to no one.” Augustine synthesized everything in the maxim, “Love and do what you will.”

You must make sure above all that in your heart there is a fundamental disposition of welcome toward other persons. If you have this, then whatever you do, whether you correct or remain silent, you will be doing the right thing, because love “does evil to no one.”  [Translated from the Italian original by Zenit]    /////////////////////////////   

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WHAT ARE WE LIVING FOR?

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 124

It-Tnejn u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1     JEREMIAH 20:7-9

You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped; you were too strong for me, and you triumphed. All the day I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I must cry out, violence and outrage is my message; the word of the LORD has brought me derision and reproach all the day. I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will speak in his name no more. But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.

Qari I        mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġeremija 20, 7-9

Qarraqtni Mulej, u jien tqarraqt: kont aqwa minni, u għelibtni. Jien sirt id-daħka ta’ kuljum, kulħadd jiddieħak bija. Kull meta niġi nitkellem, jien ngħajjat, u nxandar, “Moħqrija u ħsara!”. Il-kelma tal-Mulej saret għalija tagħjir u tmaqdir kuljum. U jien għedt: “Ma nsemmihx aktar, ma nitkellimx aktar f’ismu”. Iżda f’qalbi hemm bħal nar jaqbad, magħluq f’għadmi. Għejejt inżommu magħluq ġo fija, ma niflaħx aktar għalih. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

Responsorial Psalm         PSALM 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

O God, you are my God whom I seek;

for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts

like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.

R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary

to see your power and your glory,

For your kindness is a greater good than life;

my lips shall glorify you.

R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Thus will I bless you while I live;

lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.

As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,

and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you. 

R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

You are my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.

My soul clings fast to you;

your right hand upholds me.

R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Salm Responsorjali    Salm 62 (63), 2.3-4.5-6.8-9 

R/. (2b): Għalik imxennaq jiena, Mulej, Alla tiegħi 

Alla, Alla tiegħi int; lilek ħerqan infittex.

Ruħi bil-għatx għalik,

għalik imxennaq jiena,

bħal art niexfa, maħruqa, bla ilma. R/. 

Għalhekk ġejt narak fit-tempju mqaddes tiegħek,

biex nitgħaxxaq bis-setgħa u l-glorja tiegħek.

Għax it-tjieba tiegħek aħjar mill-ħajja,

xufftejja jxandru t-tifħir tiegħek. R/. 

Għalhekk inbierkek tul ħajti kollha;

ngħolli idejja u nsejjaħ ismek.

Bħal b’ikel mill-aħjar li jsemmen nimtela,

u jgħannilek fommi b’xufftejn ferrieħa. R/. 

Għax int kont għajnuna għalija, 

għad-dell ta’ ġwenħajk ngħanni bil-ferħ.

Miegħek tingħaqad ruħi, 

int tweżinni bil-leminija tiegħek. R/.

Reading 2     ROMANS 12:1-2

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

Qari II        Qari mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 12, 1-2  

Nitlobkom ħuti, għall-ħniena ta’ Alla, offru ġisimkom b’sagrifiċċju ħaj, qaddis, jogħġob lil Alla, jiġifieri l-qima spiritwali tagħkom. Timxux max-xejra ta’ din id-dinja, iżda nbidlu skond it-tiġdid ta’ fehmietkom, biex iseħħilkom tagħrfu x’inhi r-rieda ta’ Alla, x’inhu ttajjeb li jogħġbu, x’inhu perfett. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

Gospel     MATTHEW 16:21-27

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”

Evanġelju      Qari skond San Mattew 16, 21-27

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù beda juri lid-dixxipli tiegħu li kien meħtieġ għalih li jmur Ġerusalemm, isofri ħafna mix-xjuħ u l-qassisin il-kbar u l-kittieba, joqtluh, u fit-tielet jum iqum. Pietru ġibdu lejh u beda jlumu u jgħidlu: “Allaħares, Mulej! Ma jkun qatt li dan jgħaddi minn għalik!”. Iżda Ġesù dar u qal lil Pietru: “Itlaq minn quddiemi, ja xitan! Int tfixkil għalija, għax m’intix tqis il-ħwejjeġ ta’ Alla, imma qiegħed taħsibha ta’ bniedem li int!”. Imbagħad qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Jekk xi ħadd irid jiġi warajja, għandu jiċħad lilu nnifsu, jerfa’ salibu, u jimxi warajja. Għax min irid isalva ħajtu, jitlifha, imma min jitlef ħajtu għall-imħabba tiegħi, isibha. Għax xi jkun jiswielu l-bniedem jekk jikseb id-dinja kollha u mbagħad jitlef ħajtu? Jew xi prezz se jagħti l-bniedem biex isalva ħajtu? Għax Bin il-bniedem għandu jiġi fil-glorja ta’ Missieru flimkien ma’ l-anġli tiegħu, u mbagħad irodd lil kull wieħed skond ma wieħed ikun għamel”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

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The Language of Love

Gospel Commentary by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap, Pontifical Household Preacher.

In this Sunday’s Gospel we hear Jesus who says: “Whoever wants to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. Because whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

What does it mean to “deny" yourself? And why should you deny yourself? We know about the indignation of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche over this the request of this Gospel.

I will begin answering these questions with an example. During the Nazi persecution, many trains full of Jews traveled from every part of Europe to the extermination camps. They were induced to get on the trains by false promises of being taken to places that would be better for them, when, in fact, they were being taken to their destruction. It happened at some of the stops that someone who knew the truth, called out from some hiding place to the passengers: “Get off! Run away!” Some succeeded in doing so.

The example is a hard one, but it expresses something of our situation. The train of life on which we are traveling is going toward death. About this, at least, there are no doubts. Our natural “I,” being mortal, is destined for destruction. What the Gospel is proposing to us when it exhorts us to deny ourselves, is to get off this train and board another one that leads to life. The train that leads to life is faith in him who said: “Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”

Paul understood this transferring from one transport to another and he describes it thus: “It is no longer I who lives, Christ lives in me.” If we assume the “I” of Christ we become immortal because he, risen from the dead, dies no more. This indicates the meaning of the words of the Gospel that we have heard. Christ’s call for us to deny ourselves and thus find life is not a call to abuse ourselves or reject ourselves in a simplistic way. It is the wisest of the bold steps that we can take in our lives.

But we must immediately make a qualification. Jesus does not ask us to deny “what we are,” but “what we have become.” We are images of God. Thus, we are something “very good,” as God himself said, immediately after creating man and woman. What we must deny is not that which God has made, but that which we ourselves have made by misusing our freedom -- the evil tendencies, sin, all those things that have covered over the original.

Years ago, off the coast of Calabria in southern Italy, there were discovered two encrusted masses that vaguely resembled human bodies. They were removed from the sea and carefully cleaned and freed. They turned out to be bronze statues of ancient warriors. They are known today as the Riace Warriors and are on display at the National Museum of Magna Grecia in Reggio Calabria. They are among the most admired sculptures of antiquity.

This example can help us understand the positive aspect of the Gospel proposal. Spiritually, we resemble the condition of those statues before their restoration. The beautiful image of God that we should be is covered over by the seven layers of the seven capital sins.

Perhaps it is not a bad idea to recall what these sins are, if we have forgotten them: pride, greed, lust, wrath, gluttony, envy and sloth. St. Paul calls this disfigured image, “the earthly image,” in contrast to the “heavenly image,” which is the resemblance of Christ.

“Denying ourselves,” therefore, is not a work of death, but one of life, of beauty and of joy. It is also a learning of the language of true love. Imagine, said the great Danish philosopher Kierkegaard, a purely human situation. Two young people love each other. But they belong to two different nations and speak completely different languages. If their love is to survive and grow, one of them must learn the language of the other. Otherwise, they will not be able to communicate and their love will not last.

This, Kierkegaard said, is how it is with us and God. We speak the language of the flesh, he speaks that of the spirit; we speak the language of selfishness, he that of love.

Denying yourself is learning the language of God so that we can communicate with him, but it is also learning the language that allows us to communicate with each other. We will not be able to say “yes” to the other -- beginning with our own wife or husband -- if we are not first of all able to say “no” to ourselves.

Keeping within the context of marriage, many problems and failures with the couple come from the fact that the man has never learned to express love for the woman, nor she for the man. Even when it speaks of denying ourselves, we see that the Gospel is much less distant from life than it is sometimes believed. [Translated from the Italian original by Zenit]

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So, tell me, who do you say I Am?

 

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time   (Lectionary: 121)

Il-Wieħed u Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena 

 

Reading 1     ISAIAH 22: 19-23

Thus says the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace: “I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station. On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut when he shuts, no one shall open. I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot, to be a place of honor for his family.” 

Qari I         mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 22, 19-23

Dan jgħid il-Mulej lil Sebna, dak li jieħu ħsieb il-palazz tas-sultan: “Inwarrbek minn postok, u nneħħik minn fejn qiegħed.  sejjaħ lill-qaddej tiegħi Eljakim, bin Ħilkija, inlibbsu l-libsa iegħek, u nħażżmu bit-terħa tiegħek, u nagħtih f’idejh il-ħakma tiegħek.U jkun missier għal min għammar f’Ġerusalemm, u għad-dar ta’ Ġuda.Inqiegħed muftieħ dar David fuq spallejh. Jiftaħ hu, u ħadd ma jagħlaq; jagħlaq hu, u ħadd ma jiftaħ. U nwaħħlu bħal mumar ma’ ħajt fis-sod, u jkun tron glorjuż għal dar missieru”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej    

Responsorial Psalm      PSALM 138: 1-2, 2, 3,6,8

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple. R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands. 

I will give thanks to your name, because of your kindness and your truth: When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me. R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands. 

The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees, and the proud he knows from afar. Your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands. R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands. 

 Salm Responsorjali        Salm 137 (138), 1-2a.2bc-3.6.8bc

R/. (8b): It-tjieba tiegħek, Mulej, tibqa’ għal dejjem

Irroddlok ħajr, Mulej, b’qalbi kollha, għaliex int smajt kliem fommi. Quddiem l-allat irrid ngħannilek. B’wiċċi fl-art ninxteħet quddiem is-santwarju tiegħek. R/. 

Irroddlok ħajr għat-tjieba u l-fedeltà tiegħek, għax int kabbart ismek u kelmtek fuq kollox. Meta sejjaħtlek, int weġibtni, kattarli l-qawwa f’ruħi. R/.

 Kbir il-Mulej, imma jieħu ħsieb iż-żgħar; u, għalkemm fl-għoli, jagħraf mill-bogħod. Il-Mulej iżomm kelmtu miegħi. It-tjieba tiegħek, Mulej, tibqa’ għal dejjem. R/.

 Reading 2           ROMANS 11: 33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor? Or who has given the Lord anything that he may be repaid? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.  

Qari II       mill-Ittra ta’ lir-Rumani 11, 33-36

Ħuti, kemm huma kbar l-għana, l-għerf u l-għaqal ta’ Alla! Kemm tassew ħadd ma jista’ jgħarbel il-ġudizzju tiegħu u jifhem it-triqat tiegħu! Għax min qatt għaraf moħħ il-Mulej? Min qatt kien il-kunsillier tiegħu? Min qatt tah l-ewwel biex jistħoqqlu l-ħlas? Kollox ġej minnu, kollox permezz tiegħu, kollox għalih. Lilu l-glorja għal dejjem ta’ dejjem. Amen!  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

Gospel       MATTHEW 16:  13-20

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

 Evanġelju         Qari skond San Mattew 16, 13-20

F’dak iż-żmien, meta wasal fl-inħawi ta’ Ċesarija ta’ Filippu, Ġesù staqsa lid-dixxipli tiegħu u qalilhom: “Min jgħidu n-nies li hu Bin il-bniedem?”. U huma weġbuh: “Xi wħud, Ġwanni l-Battista; oħrajn, Elija; u oħrajn, Ġeremija jew wieħed mill-profeti”. “Imma intom min tgħidu li jien?”, staqsiehom. U qabeż Xmun Pietru u qallu: “Inti l-Messija, Bin Alla l-ħaj”. U Ġesù wieġbu u qallu: “Hieni int, Xmun bin Ġona, għax mhux bniedem tad-demm u l-laħam uriek dan, imma Missieri li hu fis-smewwiet. U jiena ngħidlek: Inti Pietru, u fuq din il-blata jiena nibni l-Knisja tiegħi, u s-setgħat tal-infern ma jegħlbuhiex. Jiena nagħtik l-imfietaħ tas-Saltna tas-Smewwiet, u kull ma torbot fuq l-art ikun marbut fis-smewwiet, u kull ma tħoll fuq l-art ikun maħlul fis-smewwiet”. Imbagħad lid-dixxipli tiegħu wissiehom biex ma jitkellmu ma’ ħadd fuq li huwa l-Messija. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

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Who Do You Say I Am? 

Gospel Commentary by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap, Pontifical Household Preacher.

 There is a practice in today’s culture and society that can help us toward understanding this Sunday’s Gospel: opinion polls. These are conducted everywhere, especially in the political and commercial spheres. One day Jesus also wanted to do an opinion poll, but, as we shall see, for a different purpose. He did it not for political reasons, but for educational ones. 

Having arrived in Caesarea Philippi, that is, in the northernmost region of Israel, and taking a little rest alone with the apostles, Jesus asks them, point blank, “Who do people say that the son of man is?”  It seems that the apostles were not expecting to be asked more than to report what people were saying of him. They answered: "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 

But Jesus was not interested in measuring his popularity or in looking for an index of how well he was regarded by the people. His purpose was entirely different. So he immediately followed his first question with a second: “Who do you say that I am?" 

This second, unexpected question catches them completely off guard. There is silence and they stand looking at each other. In the Greek it makes it clear that all of the apostles together responded to the first question and that only one person, namely, Simon Peter, responded to the second question: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” 

Between the two responses there is a leap over an abyss, a “conversion.” To answer the first question it was only necessary to look around, to have listened to people’s opinions. But to answer the second question, it was necessary to look inside, to listen to a completely different voice, a voice that was not of flesh and blood but of the Father in heaven. Peter was enlightened from on high. 

It is the first clear recognition of the true identity of Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospels. The first public act of faith in Christ in history! Think about the wake that a big ship makes in the sea. It widens as the ship goes forward until it is lost on the horizon. But it begins at a single point, which is the ship itself. Faith in Jesus Christ is like this. It is as a wake that widens as it moves through history, and travels to “the very ends of the earth.” But it starts at a single point. And this point is Peter’s act of faith. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” 

Jesus uses another image, which implies stability rather than movement. It is a vertical instead of a horizontal image. It is that of a rock: “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church.” 

Jesus changes his name -- as often happens in the Bible when someone receives an important mission -- from Simon to Cephas, or Peter -- “rock.” The true rock, the “cornerstone” is, and remains, Jesus himself. But once he has risen and ascended into heaven, this “cornerstone,” though present and active, is invisible. It is necessary for a sign to represent him, a sign that makes Christ, who is the “unshakeable foundation,” visible and efficacious in history. And this sign is Peter and, after him, his vicar, the Pope, successor of Peter, as head of the college of apostles. 

But let us return to the idea of polling. Jesus' poll, as we saw, has two parts, which have two distinct questions. First, “Who do people say that I am?” And second, “Who do you say that I am?” 

Jesus does not seem to value very much what the people think of him. He wants to know what his disciples think of him. He immediately asks them to speak for themselves. He does not let them hide behind the opinions of others. He wants them to speak of their own opinions. Almost the identical situation repeats itself today. 

Today as well “people,” “public opinion,” has its ideas about Jesus. Jesus is in vogue. Just look at what is going on in the world of literature and entertainment. A year does not go by in which there does not appear a novel or a film with its own distorted and sacrilegious vision of Christ. Dan Brown’s “Da Vinci Code” has been the most well-known one of late and has produced many imitators. 

Then there are those who are middle-of-the-road, like the people of Jesus’ time, who believe Jesus to be “one of the prophets.” He is regarded as a fascinating person and placed alongside Socrates, Gandhi and Tolstoy. I am sure that Jesus does not scorn these responses to him, because the Bible says of him that he does not “quench the smouldering wick and does not break the bruised reed,” that is, he appreciates every honest effort on the part of man. 

But, the truth be told, this view of Jesus does not seem quite right even from a human point of view. Neither Gandhi nor Tolstoy ever said: “I am the way, the truth and the life,” or “Whoever loves father and mother more than me is not worth of me.” 

With Jesus you cannot not be middle-of-the-road. Either he is what he claims to be, or he is not a great man, but rather a great lunatic lifted up by history. There are no half-measures. There are buildings and structures made of steel -- I believe that the Eiffel Tower in Paris is one -- made in such a way that if you touch a certain point or remove a certain element, everything will come down. The edifice of the Christian faith is like this, and this neuralgic point is the divinity of Jesus Christ. 

But let us leave aside the responses of the people and consider the nonbelievers. Believing in the divinity of Christ is not enough; you must also bear witness to it. Whoever knows him and does not bear witness to this faith, indeed even hides it, is more responsible before God that those who do not have this faith. 

In a scene in Paul Claudel’s play “The Humiliated Father,” a Jewish girl, beautiful but blind, alluding to the double meaning of light, asks her Christian friend: “You who see, what use have you made of the light?” It is a question that is asked of all of us who claim to be believers. [Translated from the Italian original by Zenit] 

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LORD, HAVE PITY ON ME!

>>>  Sunday, August 16, 2020   <<< 

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time      Lectionary: 118 

L-Għoxrin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena 

 

Reading 1      ISAIAH 56:1, 6-7

Thus says the LORD: Observe what is right, do what is just; for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed. The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him, loving the name of the LORD, and becoming his servants—all who keep the sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain and Make joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. 

Qari 1        mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 56, 1.6-7

Dan jgħid il-Mulej: “Żommu s-sewwa u agħmlu l-ġustizzja, għax is-salvazzjoni tiegħi għoddha waslet, u l-ġustizzja tiegħi dalwaqt tfeġġ. Ulied il-frustier li ntrabtu mal-Mulej biex jaqduh, u biex iħobbu isem il-Mulej, u jkunu qaddejja tiegħu, kull min iħares is-Sibt u ma jiksrux u jżomm sħiħ fil-patt tiegħi, lil dawn inwassalhom sal-muntanja mqaddsa tiegħi, u nferraħhom f’dar it-talb tiegħi. Il-vittmi maħruqa u s-sagrifiċċji tagħhom ikunu jogħġbuni telgħin minn fuq l-artal tiegħi, għax dari dar it-talb tissejjaħ għall-popli kollha”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

Responsorial Psalm     PSALM 67: 2-3, 5.6.8

May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation. R. O God, let all the nations praise you! May the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity; the nations on the earth you guide. R. O God, let all the nations praise you! May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you! May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him! R. O God, let all the nations praise you! 

Salm Responsorjali      Salm 66 (67), 2-3.5.6.8

R/. (4): Ifaħħruk il-popli kollha, o Alla 

Iħenn għalina Alla, u jberikna; idawwar għal fuqna d-dija ta’ wiċċu! Biex jingħarfu fuq l-art triqatek, fost il-ġnus kollha s-salvazzjoni tiegħek. R/. 

Jithennew il-ġnus u jgħannu bil-ferħ, għax trieġi l-popli bis-sewwa,u l-ġnus fuq l-art inti tmexxihom. R/.

 Ifaħħruk il-popli, o Alla, ifaħħruk il-popli kollha. Iberikna Alla, u tibża’ minnu l-art kollha minn tarf għall-ieħor! R/. 

Reading 2       ROMANS  11: 13-15, 29-32

Brothers and sisters: I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry in order to make my race jealous and thus save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.  Just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now disobeyed in order that, by virtue of the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all. 

Qari 2         mill-Ittra lir-Rumani  11, 13-15.29-32

Ħuti, issa ngħid lilkom, il-pagani. Sakemm jiena appostlu tal-pagani nibqa’ nagħmel ġieħ lill-ministeru tiegħi, bit-tama li nqajjem l-għira ta’ ġensi u hekk insalva lil xi wħud minnhom. Għax jekk it-tkeċċija tagħhom ġiebet il-ħbiberija tad-dinja ma’ Alla, l-ilqugħ tagħhom mill-ġdid xi jkun ifisser, jekk mhux ħajja mill-imwiet? Alla ma jreġġax lura d-doni u s-sejħa tiegħu. Bħalma fl-imgħoddi intom ma kontux tobdu lil Alla, imma issa sibtu l-ħniena tiegħu minħabba d-diżubbidjenza tagħhom; hekk huma wkoll m’humiex jobduh minħabba l-ħniena li sibtu intom mingħandu, ħalli issa huma wkoll isibu l-ħniena. Għax Alla ħalla ’l kulħadd fil-jasar tad-diżubbidjenza, biex jagħmel ħniena ma’ kulħadd. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

Gospel          MATTHEW 15: 21-28

At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is tormented by a demon.”  But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. Jesus’ disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”  He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”  She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”  Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”  And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour. 

Evanġelju    Qari skond San Mattew 15, 21-28

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù telaq lejn Tir u Sidon. U ħarġet waħda mara Kangħanija minn dawk l-inħawi, u qabdet tgħajjat u tgħid: “Ħenn għalija, Mulej, Bin David; binti għandha fiha xitan, u magħdura ħafna!”. Iżda hu ma weġibhiex kelma. Resqu lejh id-dixxipli tiegħu, jitolbuh u jgħidulu: “Eħles minnha, għax ġejja tgħajjat warajna”. Imma hu qalilhom: “Ma ġejtx mibgħut ħlief għan-nagħaġ li ntilfu mid-dar ta’ Iżrael”. Iżda hi resqet, inxteħtet quddiemu u qaltlu: “Għinni Mulej!”. Hu weġibha: “Mhux sewwa tieħu l-ħobż tal-ulied u tixħtu lill-ġriewi”. “Hekk hu, Mulej – qaltlu – iżda l-ġriewi wkoll jieklu l-frak li jaqa’ minn fuq il-mejda ta’ sidienhom!”. Imbagħad wieġeb Ġesù u qalilha: “Mara, il-fidi tiegħek kbira! Ħa jsirlek kif tixtieq”. U minn dak il-ħin stess bintha fieqet. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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The Canaanite Woman 

A reflection by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur, a Senior Editor with Catholic Lane.com, she also blogs at http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com 

This week’s gospel told the story of the Canaanite woman who begs Jesus to heal her daughter. The Canaanite woman was a Gentile, a non-Jew. Jesus treats her downright coldly at first. As she pleads her case, Jesus ignores her. The disciples ask Jesus to do want she wants because she is aggravating them, following them around. He counters that he “was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel” and tells the woman herself that “it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to little dogs.” She replies, “Yes, Lord; but even little dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters’ table.” It is only then that Jesus responds with kindness and heals her daughter. 

It is important to note that this passage comes from Matthew’s gospel, which was written for Jews. The point of the story is to show that the Gentiles were eager to accept Jesus as Lord even though the Jews were reluctant to do so. It also illustrates the importance of faith. No matter what Jesus said to her, she kept believing that he could heal her daughter. 

As a mother, this story carries further meaning. The Canaanite woman is a mother who will do whatever she needs to do for her child. Her daughter is “tormented by a devil.” At that time, devils were blamed for both physical and mental illness, but with that word “tormented,” one gets the sense that this is most likely a mental affliction. Here is a daughter who is suffering, and most likely has been suffering for quite some time. There is no worse pain than watching your child suffer and not being able to do anything about it. She had heard of Jesus, perhaps even witnessed him heal someone. This is her last hope, and she is going to pursue it until she gets what she wants. She is willing to even verbally spar with Jesus. She doesn’t shrink away when Jesus questions her right to be there. She just keeps pushing. 

Every mother has to advocate for her child at some point, and it is not always easy. It can be hard to stand up to teachers, or principals, or doctors in order to make sure that a child gets what he or she needs. It can be hard to speak up, but it is part of a mother’s job. I am naturally a very introverted person. I hate conflict and don’t do a very good job of sticking up for myself. After my first child was born, however, I soon learned that I had to stick up for him because no one else would. I had to speak for him because he couldn’t speak for himself. When he was diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies, I had to tell people. I had to make sure that accommodations were made for him whenever he was going to be someplace without me. When he started school, I had to make sure that he would be safe. I had to teach his teachers and the cafeteria workers how to use his epi-pen. I had to make sure that his classroom would be peanut-free. I had to do the same if he went to a friend’s house or to a party. I have had to advocate for my younger son for other reasons. It just comes with the parenting territory. 

Mothers can be inspired by the Canaanite woman. I don’t think that I would have the courage to stand up to Jesus the way that she did. After he ignored me, I probably would have slunk away. The Canaanite woman reminds me, and all mothers, to stand firm, to continue to have faith and advocate for our children. Whether we are on our knees praying, or in the principal’s office discussing school policy, we are our child’s voice when they cannot speak for themselves. When we start to lose faith in our ability to be that voice, we can remember the Canaanite woman and emulate her courage and strength.

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