The End of the World?

Readings for November 18, 2012

  

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

It-33 Ħadd matul is-Sena 'B'

               Messalin  'B' pp 515

                  

 

Reading 1 - Daniel 12:1-3

In those days, I Daniel, heard this word of the Lord: "At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace. But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever."  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari -  mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Danjel 12, 1-2

F'dak iż-żmien  iqum Mikiel, il-prinċep il-kbir, dak li qiegħed fuq ulied il-poplu tiegħek. Imbagħad jiġi żmien ta' għawġ,  li qatt ma jkun deher  ieħor bħalu minn mindu ġens kien ġens sa dak iż-żmien. Imma jkun żmien li fih il-poplu tiegħek jinħeles, dawk kollha li jkunu nstabu miktuba fil-ktieb. U ħafna minn dawk li huma rieqda fit-trab tal-art  jistenbħu,  min għall-ħajja ta' dejjem, u min għall-għajb u l-istmerrija għal dejjem. Il-bnedmin bil-għaqal ikollhom fuqhom dija bħal  dik tas-sema, u dawk li jkunu waslu 'l ħafna  fis-sewwa jkunu jiddu  bħal kwiekeb għal dejjem ta' dejjem.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

---------------------------

Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11

O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.                     
R. (1) You are my inheritance, O Lord!

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.            

R. (1) You are my inheritance, O Lord!

You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.              

R. (1) You are my inheritance, O Lord!

-------------------

Salm Responsorjali - Salm 15 (16)

Mulej, inti s-sehem tal-wirt u r-riżq tiegħi,

inti żżomm f'idejk xortija.

Inżomm il-Mulej dejjem quddiemi,

għax bih f'leminti qatt ma nitħarrek.                 

R/   Ħarisni, o Allaj, għax fik  jien  nistkenn.

Hekk tifraħ qalbi u tithenna ruħi,

u ġismi wkoll jistrieħ bil-kwiet.

Għax inti ma titlaqnix fl-imwiet,

ma tħallix il-maħbub tiegħek jara l-qabar.          

R/   Ħarisni, o Allaj, għax fik  jien  nistkenn.

Inti tgħallimni t-triq tal-ħajja,

hemm il-milja tal-ferħ quddiemek,

hemm għaxqa għal dejjem f'lemintek.   

R/   Ħarisni, o Allaj, għax fik  jien  nistkenn.

-------------------

Reading 2 - Hebrews 10:11-14, 18

Brothers and sisters: Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated. Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Qari -  mill-Ittra lil Lhud 10, 11- 14-18

Kull qassis ieħor imur kuljum biex jaqdi l-ministeru tiegħu, u joffri  u jerġa' joffri l-istess

sagrifiċċju, bla ma jistgħu qatt ineħħu d-dnubiet. Imma, Kristu,  wara li offra sagrifiċċju wieħed għad-dnubiet,   qagħad għal dejjem fuq in-naħa tal-lemin ta' Alla, fejn qiegħed jistenna sa ma l-għedewwa tiegħu jitqiegħdu  mirfes taħt riġejh.   Għax hu, b'offerta waħda  għamel perfetti għal dejjem lil dawk, li hu jqaddes. Issa, fejn hemm il-maħfra tad-dnubiet,  ma hemmx  għalfejn  issir aktar l-offerta għad-dnubiet. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

----------------

Gospel -Mark 13:24-32

Jesus said to his disciples: "In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.  Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.  But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju  -  skond San Mark  13, 24-32

F'dak iż-żmien,   Ġesu' qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: "Wara jiem ta' dwejjaq kbar, ix-xemx  tiddallam,

il-qamar jitlef id-dija tiegħu, il-kwiekeb  jibdew jaqgħu mis-sema, u l-qawmien tas-smewwiet jitqallbu. Imbagħad jaraw lil Bin il-bniedem  ġej  fis-sħab b'qawwa  kbira u bi glorja.   U mbagħad  jibgħat  l-anġli  biex jiġbor flimkien il-maħturin tiegħu  mill-erbat irjieħ, minn tarf l-artb sa tarf is-sema. Mis-siġra tat-tin tgħallmu din il-parabbola.  Meta l-fergħa tagħha tirtab u tarmi l-weraq, intom tintebħu li s-sajf  fil-qrib. Hekk ukoll meta taraw  dan jiġri,  kunu afu li hu fil-qrib, fil-bieb. Tassew ngħidilkom,  li ma jgħaddix dan in-nisel qabel ma jiġri dan kollu.   Is-sema  u l-art jgħaddu,  imma kliemi ma jgħaddix. Dwar dak il-jum u s-siegħa ħadd ma jaf meta se jaslu, anqas l-anġli fis-sema,  u anqas l-Iben; ħadd ħlief il-Missier. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

-----------------------
COMMENTARY

Father Cantalamessa on the End of the World

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

How many times has the world already ended?

The Gospel of the second to last Sunday of the liturgical year is the classic text on the end of the world. There has always been someone who has taken it upon themselves to wave this page of the Gospel in the face of their contemporaries and provoke psychosis and fear. My advice is to be calm and to not let yourself be in the least bit troubled by these visions of catastrophe.

Just read the last line of the same Gospel passage: "But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." If neither the angels nor the Son (insofar as he is man and not insofar as he is God) know the day or hour of the end, is it possible that a member of some sect or some religious fanatic would know and be authorized to announce it? In the Gospel Jesus assures us of the fact of his return and the gathering his chosen ones from the "four winds"; the when and the how of his return (on the clouds between the darkening of the sun and the falling of the stars) is part of the figurative language of the literary genre of these discourses.

Another observation might help explain certain pages of the Gospel. When we talk about the end of the world on the basis of the understanding of time that we have today, we immediately think of the absolute end of the world, after which there can be nothing but eternity. But the Bible goes about its reasoning with relative and historical categories more than with absolute and metaphysical ones. Thus, when the Bible speaks of the end of the world, it intends quite often the concrete world, that which in fact exists for and is known by a certain group of people, their world. It is, in sum, the end of a world that is being treated not the end of the world, even if the two perspectives at times intertwine.

Jesus says: "This generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place." Is he mistaken? No, it was the world that was known to his hearers that passed away, the Jewish world. It tragically passed away with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. When, in 410, the Vandals sacked Rome, many great figures of the time thought that it was the end of the world. They were not all that wrong; one world did end, the one created by Rome with its empire. In this sense, those who, with the destruction of the twin towers on September 11, 2001, thought of the end of the world, were not mistaken ...

None of this diminishes the seriousness of the Christian charge but only deepens it. It would be the greatest foolishness to console oneself by saying that no one knows when the end of the world will be and forgetting that, for any of us, it could be this very night. For this reason Jesus concludes today's Gospel with the recommendation that we "be vigilant because no one knows when the exact moment will be."

We must, I think, completely change the attitude with which we listen to these Gospels that speak of the end of the world and the return of Christ. We must no longer regard as a punishment and a veiled threat that which the Scriptures call "the blessed hope" of Christians, that is, the return of our Lord Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). The mistaken idea we have of God must be corrected. The recurrent talk about the end of the world which is often engaged in by those with a distorted religious sentiment, has a devastating effect on many people. It reinforces the idea of a God who is always angry, ready to vent his wrath on the world. But this is not the God of the Bible which a psalm describes as "merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, who will not always accuse or keep his anger forever ... because he knows that we are made of dust" (Psalm 103:8-14).

The power of giving

Readings for Sunday, November 11, 2012

 

          Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

            It-32 Ħadd matul is-Sena   - Sena'B'

           Messalin B   pp 509

Reading 1 - 1 Kings 17:10-16

In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, "Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink." She left to get it, and he called out after her, "Please bring along a bit of bread." She answered, "As the LORD, your God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die." Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'" She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

                                

L-Ewwel Qari -  mill-Ewwel Ktieb tas-Slaten (17, 10-16)

F'dak iż-żmien, il-Profeta Elija qam u rħiela lejn Sarefta.  Kif wasal ħdejn il-bieb tal-belt,

kien hemm waħda armla tiġbor il-ħatab. Elija sejħilha u qalilha:  "Jekk jogħġbok, ġibli f'bieqja belgħa ilma x'nixrob!"  Hi u sejra, Elija raġa' sejħilha u qalilha: "Ġibli wkoll, jekk jogħġbok, kisra ħobż f'idejk!" Hija wieġbet:  "Daqskemm hu ħaj il-Mulej, Alla tiegħek,ma għandi xejn  maħbuż; qabda dqiq f'ġarra u ftit żejt fil-kus kulma baqagħli. Ara, qiegħda niġbor biċċtejn ħatab; issa nħejji xi ħaġa għalija u għal ibni; u mbagħad nikluha u mmutu." Elija wieġeb:   "La tibżax, mur u agħmel kif għidtli;   imma qabel  agħmel ftira żgħira għalija, u ġibhieli. Imbagħad agħmel għalik u għal ibnek. Għax din hi l-kelma tal-Mulej, Alla ta' Israel: Il-ġarra tad-dqiq ma tintemm qatt, u l-kus taż-żejt ma jitbattalx, sa dakinhar li l-Mulej jibgħat ix-xita fil-pajjiż." U dik marret u għamlet kif qalilha Elija. Damu jieklu għal żmien, hi u hu u darha  kollha. U l-ġarra tad-dqiq ma ntemmitx, u l-kus taż-żejt ma tbattalx, kif  kien qal il-Mulej permezz ta' Elija.        Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

-------------------

Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.                            

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!         

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. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!         

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. Alleluia.           

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!         

Salm Responsorjali  (Salm145   (146)    

Il-Mulej  jagħmel ħaqq lill-maħqurin,

u jagħti l-ħobż lill-imġewħin.

Il Mulej jeħles lill-imjassrin.      

R/         Faħħar, ruħ tiegħi, il Mulej.                

Il-Mulej jiftaħ għajnejn l-għomja.

Il-Mulej jerfa' lill-milwijin,

Il-Mulej iħobb lill-ġusti.

Il-Mulej iħares lill-barranin.                               

R/         Faħħar, ruħ tiegħi, il Mulej.    

Il-Mulej iżomm lill-iltim u lill-armla,

imma lill-ħżiena jħarbatilhom triqathom.

Il-Mulej isaltan għal dejjem,

Alla tiegħek, Sijon,minn nisel għal nisel.

R/                   Faħħar, ruħ tiegħi, il Mulej.

------------------------

Reading 2 - Hebrews 9:24-28

Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf. Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

It-Tieni Qari  -  mill-Ittra lill-Lhud (9, 24-28)

Kristu ma daħalx f'santwarju magħmul b'idejn il-bnedmin, li hu biss xhieda tas-santwarju veru,

imma daħal  fis-sema stess, biex issa jidher għalina quddiem Alla. U  daħal hemm  mhux biex minn  żmien għal żmien joffri lilu nnifsu bħalma l-qassis il-kbir jidħol  kull sena fiss-santwarju  biex joffri demm ħaddieħor. Li  kieku kien hekk, kien ikollu jbati ħafna drabi sa mill-ħolqien tad-dinja. Iżda issa deher  darba għal dejjem, meta waslet il-milja taż-żminijiet,  biex  ineħħi d-dnub bis-sagrifiċċju tiegħu nnifsu. U kif hu miktub għall-bnedmin li għandhom  imutu darba biss, u wara dan isir il-ġudizzju, hekk ukoll Kristu,  wara li offra lilu nnifsu darba biss  biex jitgħabba bid-dnubiet tal-kotra, għad jerġa' jidher darb'oħra, mhux biex ineħħi d-dnubiet, imma biex isalva lil dawk li qegħdin jistennewh bil-ħerqa. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

----------------------------------

Gospel - Mark 12:38-44

In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation."  He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood."

L-Evanġelju -  skond San Mark (12,  38-44)

F'dak iż-żmien,  Ġesu' kien qiegħed jgħallem u jgħid: "Iftħu għajnejkom mill-kittieba, li  jħobbu jduru mat-toroq bi lbies twal, jixtiequ min isellmilhom fil-pjazez, u fis-sinagogi joqogħdu  fis-siġġijiet ta' quddiem, u fil-postijiet ewlenin fil-pranzijiet; iberbqu ġid ir-romol,  u mbagħad għal wiċċ in-nies idumu ħafna jitolbu. Dawn jieħdu kundanna akbar iebsa." Ġesu' kien qiegħed biswit it-teżor, iħares u jara xi flus jitfgħu n-nies fit-teżor. Bosta għonja bdew jitfgħu ħafna. Resqet waħda armla fqira u tefgħet biċċtejn żgħar, jiġifieri xi żewġ ċenteżmi. Hu sejjaħ id-dixxipli tiegħu u qalilhom: "Tassew ngħidilkom, li din l-armla fqira tefgħet iktar minn dawk kollha li tefgħu fit-teżor. Għax dawk kollha tefgħu miż-żejjed tagħhom, imma hi, fil-faqar tagħha, tefgħet kulma kellha, dak kollu li kellha biex tgħix."  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

=====================

Father Cantalamessa on Marriage in Heaven

    

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

One day, Jesus was standing before the temple treasury, watching people deposit their offerings. He saw a poor widow come and put in all she had, two copper coins, which make a penny. He turned to his disciples and said, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than the others. All have given from their excess, but she, in her poverty, put in all she had, all she had to live on."

We might call this Sunday the "Sunday of the widows." The story of a widow was also told in the first reading, the widow of Zarephath who gave up all she had left to eat (a handful of flour and a drop of oil) to prepare a meal for the prophet Elijah.

This is a good occasion in which to turn our attention toward both the widows and the widowers of today. If the Bible speaks so often of widows and never of widowers it is because in ancient society the woman who was left alone was at a greater disadvantage than the man who was left alone. Today there is no longer this difference. Actually, in general it now seems that women who are alone manage much better than men.

On this occasion I would like to treat a theme that is of definite interest not only to widows and widowers but also to all those who are married, especially during this month in which we remember the dead. Does the death of a husband or wife, which brings about the legal end of a marriage, also bring with it the total end of communion between the two persons? Does something of that bond which so strongly united two persons on earth remain in heaven, or will all be forgotten once we have crossed the threshold into eternal life?

One day, some Sadducees presented Jesus with the unlikely case of a woman who was successively the wife of seven brothers, asking him whose wife she would be after the resurrection. Jesus answered: "When they rise from the dead they will neither marry nor be given in marriage but will be like angels in heaven" (Mark 12:25).

Interpreting this saying of Jesus wrongly, some have claimed that marriage will have no follow-up in heaven. But with his reply Jesus is rejecting the caricature the Sadducees presented of heaven, as if it were going to be a simple continuation of the earthly relationship of the spouses. Jesus does not exclude the possibility that they might rediscover in God the bond that united them on earth.

According to this vision, marriage does not come to a complete end at death but is transfigured, spiritualized, freed from the limits that mark life on earth, as also the ties between parents and children or between friends will not be forgotten. In a preface for the dead the liturgy proclaims: "Life is transformed, not taken away." Even marriage, which is part of life, will be transfigured, not nullified.

But what about those who have had a negative experience of earthly marriage, an experience of misunderstanding and suffering? Should not this idea that the marital bond will not break at death be for them, rather than a consolation, a reason for fear? No, for in the passage from time to eternity the good remains and evil falls away. The love that united them, perhaps for only a brief time, remains; defects, misunderstandings, suffering that they inflicted on each other, will fall away.

Indeed, this very suffering, accepted with faith, will be transformed into glory. Many spouses will experience true love for each other only when they will be reunited "in God," and with this love there will be the joy and fullness of the union that they did not know on earth. In God all will be understood, all will be excused, all will be forgiven.

Some will ask of course about those who have been legitimately married to different people, widowers and widows who have remarried. (This was the case presented to Jesus of the seven brothers who  successively had the same woman as their wife.) Even for them we must repeat the same thing: That which was truly love and self-surrender between each of the husbands or wives, being objectively a good coming from God, will not be dissolved. In heaven there will not be rivalry in love or jealousy. These things do not belong to true love but to the intrinsic limits of the creature. 

(Translation by Zenit)

Life After Death

 EXTRA>>>>>
All Souls Day  - Friday, November 2

Commentary by Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, the Pontifical preacher

The feast of All Saints' Day and the commemoration of All the Faithful Departed have something in common, and for this reason, have been placed one after the other. Both celebrations speak to us of what's beyond. If we didn't believe in a life after death, it would not be worth it to celebrate the feast of the saints, and even less, to visit the cemetery. Who would we go to visit or why would we light a candle or bring a flower?

Thus, everything in this day invites us to a wise reflection: "Teach us to count our days," says a Psalm, "that we may gain wisdom of heart." "We live like tree leaves in autumn" (G. Ungaretti). The tree in spring blooms again, but with other leaves; the world will continue after us, but with other inhabitants. Leaves don't have a second life; they disintegrate where they fall. Does the same happen to us? That's where the analogy ends. Jesus promised: "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in, even if he dies, will live." This is the great challenge of faith, not just for Christians, but also for Jews and Muslims, for everyone who believes in a personal God.

Those who have seen the movie "Doctor Zhivago" will remember the famous song from Lara, the sound track. The Italian version says: "I don't know what it is, but there is a place from which we will never return …" The song points to the meaning of the famous novel by Pasternak on which the movie is based: Two lovers find each other, seek each other, but they are those whom destiny (we find ourselves in the tumultuous epoch of the Bolshevik Revolution) cruelly separates, until the final scene when their paths cross again, but without recognizing one another.

Every time I hear the notes of this song, my faith brings me almost to shout out inside me: Yes, there is a place from where we will never return and from where we will not want to return. Jesus has gone to prepare it for us, he has opened life for us with his resurrection and he has indicated the path to follow him with the passage of the beatitudes. A place where time will stop to make way for eternity; where love will be full and total. Not just the love of God and for God but also all honest and holy love lived on earth.

Faith doesn't free believers from the anguish of having to die, but it soothes us with hope. A preface of the Mass (for All Souls' Day) says: "If the certainty of having to die saddens us, the hope of future immortality consoles us." In this sense, there is a moving testimony that also comes from Russia. In 1972, in a clandestine magazine a prayer was published that had been found in the jacket pocket of a soldier, Aleksander Zacepa, composed just before the World War II battle in which he would die.

It says: "Hear me, oh God! In my lifetime, I have not spoken with you even once, but today I have the desire to celebrate. Since I was little, they have always told me that you don't exist. And I, like an idiot, believed it.

"I have never contemplated your works, but tonight I have seen from the crater of a grenade the sky full of stars, and I have been fascinated by their splendor. In that instant I have understood how terrible is the deception. I don't know, oh God, if you will give me your hand, but I say to you that you understand me …

"Is it not strange that in the middle of a frightful hell, light has appeared to me, and I have discovered you?

"I have nothing more to tell you. I feel happy, because I have known you. At midnight, we have to attack, but I am not afraid. You see us.

"They have given the signal. I have to go. How good it was to be with you! I want to tell you, and you know, that the battle will be difficult: Perhaps this night, I will go to knock on your door. And if up to now, I have not been your friend, when I go, will you allow me to enter?

"But, what's happening to me? I cry? My God, look at what has happened to me. Only now, I have begun to see with clarity. My God, I go. It will be difficult to return. How strange, now, death does not make me afraid."    [Translation by ZENIT
===========
THE WEEKLY READINGS FOR NEXT SUNDAY, 4th NOVEMBER, APPEAR BELOW THIS POST.

Love the Lord your God

Readings for November 4, 2012

   Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Il-31 Ħadd ta' Matul is-Sena  -  Sena 'B'                                             

Messalin 'B' pp 503

Reading 1 - Deuteronomy 6:2-6

Moses spoke to the people, saying: "Fear the LORD, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus have long life. Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them, that you may grow and prosper the more, in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey. "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today."  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni - Qari mill-Ktieb tad-Dewteronomju.  6, 2-6

Mose' kellem lill-poplu u qal:   "Ibża' millMulej, Alla tiegħek, billi int, ibnek u bin ibnek, tħarsu dejjem il-liġijiet u l-kmandamenti kollha tiegħu, li jien qiegħed nagħtik, biex ikollok għomor twil. Isma',  o  Iżrael,  u ħu ħsieb agħmilhom, biex ikollok il-ġid u toktor ħafna, bħalma wiegħed il-Mulej, Alla ta' misssierijietkom,  li jagħtik art tnixxi ħalib u għasel. Isma', o Iżrael:  Alla tagħna l-Mulej, il-Mulej waħdu. Ħobb, mela, lill-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, b'qalbek kollha u b'saħhtek kollha. Żomm f'qalbek dan il-kliem u dawn il-kmandamenti li qiegħed  nagħtik illum." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

----------------------

Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51

I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.     

R. (2) I love you, Lord, my strength.

My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.                                   

R. (2) I love you, Lord, my strength.

The LORD lives! And blessed be my rock!
Extolled be God my savior.
You who gave great victories to your king
and showed kindness to your anointed.              

R. (2) I love you, Lord, my strength.

                                                                

Salm Responsorjali  (Salm 17)  

Inħobbok, Mulej, qawwa tiegħi!

Il-Mulej blata tiegħi,

fortizza u ħellies tiegħi!                        

R/    Inħobbok, Mulej, qawwa tiegħi!   

Alla tiegħi, sur tal-kenn tiegħi u tarka tiegħi,

qawwa tas-salvazzjoni tiegħi, u kenn tiegħi!

Insejjaħ il-Mulej, li hu ta' min ifaħhru,

u nkun meħlus mill-għedewwa tiegħi.     

R/    Inħobbok, Mulej, qawwa tiegħi!   

Ħaj il-Mulej!   Imbierek hu, il-blata tiegħi!

Ikun imfahhar Alla tas-salvazzjoni tiegħi!

Hu jkabbar ir-rebħ lis-sultan tiegħu,

juri mħabbtu mal-midluk tiegħu.                       

R/    Inħobbok, Mulej, qawwa tiegħi!   

----------------------------------

Reading 2 - Hebrews 7:23-28

Brothers and sisters: The levitical priests were many because they were prevented by death from remaining in office, but Jesus, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away. Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the  people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.  This is the Word of the Lord.

                                       

It-Tieni Lezzjoni - Qari mill-Ittra lill-Lhud.  7, 23-28

Ħuti, dawk tal-imgħoddi kienu jsiru qassisin f'għadd kbir, għax minħabba fil-mewt ma kinux jistgħu jibqgħu għal dejjem. Imma Ġesu', billi jibqa' għal dejjem, għandu saċerdożju li ma jintemm qatt.   Għalhekk ukoll huwa jista' jsalva għalkollox   'il dawk li bih jersqu lejn Alla, ladarba hu jibqa' għal dejjem  ħaj biex jidħol għalihom. Dan hu, tabilħaqq, il-qassis il-kbiri li kien jgħodd għalina: qaddis, innoċenti, safi, maqtugħ mill-midinbin, merfugħ 'il fuq  mis-smewwiet; li ma għandux  bżonn, bħall- qassisin il-kbar l-oħra, joffri kuljum is-sagrifiċċju,  l-ewwel għad-dnubiet tiegħu stess, imbagħad għad-dnubiet tal-poplu.   Dan hu għamlu darba għal dejjem, meta offra lilu nnifsu. Għax il-Liġi tqiegħed bħala qassisin il-kbar bnedmin li huma dgħajfa; iżda l-kelma tal-ġurament, li ġiet wara  il-Liġi, tqiegħed Iben, li ġie magħmul perfett għal-dejjem.

Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

----------------------------

Gospel - Mark 12:28b-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?"
Jesus replied, "The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, 'He is One and there is no other than he.' And 'to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself' is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to ask him any more questions.  This is the Word of the Lord.

Evangelju - Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Mark. 12,  28b-34

F'dak iż-żmien, wieħed mill-kittieba resaq fuq Ġesu' u staqsieħ: "Liema wieħed fost il-kmandamenti kollha huwa l-ewwel?" Ġesu' wieġbu:  "L-ewwel wieħed huwa dan:  Isma' Iżrael!  Il-Mulej, Alla tagħna, Mulej wieħedhu, u int għandek tħobb lill-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, b'qalbek kollha,  b'ruħek kollha, b'moħħom kollu, u bil-qawwa tiegħek kollha.   U t-tieni hu dan:  "Ħobb lil għajrek bħalek innifsek.  Ma hemmx kmandament ieħor akbar minn dawn."  Qallu l-kittieb;   "Sewwa qiegħed tgħid,  Mgħallem; għandek raġun tgħid li wieħed hemm, u li ma hemmx ieħor ħliefu.  Iva, li tħobb lilu b'qalbek kollha, b'moħħok kollu, u bil-qawwa tiegħek kollha, u li tħobb lil għajrek bħalek innifsek, huwa aqwa minn kull sagrifiċċju tal-ħruq u mis-sagrifiċċji kollha." Ġesu', meta rah kemm kien wieġeb bil-għaqal, qallu: "M'intix 'il bogħod mis-Saltna ta' Alla. U ħadd ma kellu l-ħila jistaqsih iżjed.         Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

------------------------

COMMENTARY:

Father Cantalamessa on LOVING GOD

A commentary on the Gospel reading by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap, Pontifical Household Preacher

Love the Lord your God

One day one of the scribes came to Jesus asking him which was the first commandment of the law and Jesus answered, citing the words of the law: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one God. And you shall love the Lord your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind, and with your whole strength." But Jesus immediately added that there is a second commandment similar to this, and it is to "love your neighbor as yourself."

If we are to understand the meaning of the scribe's question and Jesus' response, we need to bear in mind the following. In the Judaism of Jesus' time there were two opposite tendencies.

On the one hand there was a tendency to endlessly multiply the commandments and precepts of the law, creating norms and obligations for every minimal detail of life. On the other hand there was the desire to look underneath this suffocating congeries of norms to find those things that really count for God, the spirit of all the commandments.

The scribe's question and Jesus' response are situated in this approach to the essentials of the law, in this desire not to get lost in the thousand other secondary precepts. It is precisely this lesson about method that above all we must learn from today's gospel. There are things in life that are important but not urgent (in the sense that nothing will happen if we let them slide); and vice versa, there are things that are urgent but not important. The danger is that we will systematically sacrifice the important things to pursue those that are urgent but often secondary.

How do we avoid this danger? A story will help us understand how. One day an old professor was asked to speak as an expert to some large North American corporations on personal time management. He decided to try an experiment. Standing before a group ready to take notes, he pulled out from under the table a large, empty glass vase. He placed a dozen tennis-ball-size rocks in the vase until it was full. When he was not able to add more rocks he asked those present: "Does the vase seem full to you?" and they all answered "Yes!" He waited a moment and then asked: "Are you sure?"

  He again bent down and pulled a box full of pebbles from under the table and carefully poured the pebbles into the vase, moving the vase a little so that the pebbles could reach the rocks at the very bottom. He asked: "Is the vase full this time?"

His audience, having become more prudent, began to understand and said: "Perhaps not yet." "Very good!" the old professor replied. Again he bent down and this time picked up a bag of sand and poured it into the vase with care. The sand filled all the spaces between the rocks and the pebbles.

He then asked again: "Is the vase full now?" And they all answered without hesitation: "No!" "Indeed," the old professor said and, as they expected, took the pitcher of water from the table and poured it into the vase up to the brim.

At this point he looked up at his audience and asked: "What great truth does this experiment show us?" The bravest of the group, reflecting on the theme of the course -- time management -- replied: "This shows us that even when our schedule is full, with a little effort we can always add some other task, some other thing to do."

"No," the professor answered, "It's not that. The experiment shows us something else. If you don't put the big rocks in the vase first, then you will never be able to put them in afterward."

There was a moment of silence and everyone took in the evidence for this affirmation.

The professor continued: "What are the big rocks, the priorities, in your life? Health? Family? Friends? Defending a cause? Accomplishing something that is close to your heart?

"The important thing is to put these big rocks on your agenda first. If you give priority to a thousand other little things -- the pebbles, the sand -- your life will be filled with meaninglessness and you will never find time to dedicate yourself to the truly important things.

"So, never forget to pose this question to yourself: 'What are the important things in my life?' Put these things at the head of your agenda."

Then, with a friendly gesture the old professor bid farewell to his audience and left the room.

To the "big rocks" mentioned by the professor -- health, family, friends -- we need to add two others, which are the biggest of all, the two greatest commandments: love God and your neighbor.

Truly, loving God, more than a commandment, is a privilege, a concession. If one day we find him, we will not cease to thank God for commanding us to love him and we will not desire to do anything else but cultivate this love.