Finding Christ today

Sunday after January 1

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

Solennita' tal-Epifanija tal-Mulej

M essalin Ċ pp 129

Reading 1    -    Isaiah 60:1-6

Rise up in splendour, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

L-Ewwel Qari  -    mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija  60, 1-6

Qum!  Ħa jiddi wiċċek! Id-dawl tiegħek wasal! Jiddi fuqek sebħ il-Mulej! Ara d-dlamijiet jiksu l-art, u sħab iswed il-popli; iżda fuqek jiddi l-Mulej, u s-sebħ tiegħu jfeġġ fuqek. Il-ġnus  għad jimxu fid-dawl tiegħek, u s-slaten fid-dija tas-sebħ tiegħek. Għolli u dawwar għajnejk madwarek u ara: ilkoll miġbura  ġejjin għandek. Uliedek ġejjin mill-bogħod, u bnietek iġorruhom fuq id-dirgħajn. Imbagħad tħares u wiċċek jiddi, u tħabbat u timtela qalbek, għax fuqek taqa' l-kotra tal-ġid tal-ibħra, u l-għana tal-ġnus jiġi għandek. Imrieħel ta' iġmla għad jgħattuk, l-iġmla żgħar ta' Midjan u Għefa; ilkoll minn Seba jiġu, mgħobbija bid-deheb u l-inċens, u jxandru t-tifħir tal-Mulej. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm         -       PSALM  72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13.

R. (cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.                                R/

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

The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.                                                         R/

For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.                                          R/

Salm Responsorjali    -    Salm  71 (72)

                R/   Il-ġnus kollha tal-art jagħtuk qima, Mulej.

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

il-ġustizzja tiegħek lil bin is-sultan,

biex jiġġudika l-poplu tiegħek bil-ġustizzja,

u bil-ħaqq  l-imsejknin tiegħek.                                               R/

Tħaddar f'jiemu l-ġustizzja,

u sliem kotran sa ma jintemm il-qamar.

Isaltan minn baħar sa l-baħar,

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

Is-slaten ta' Tarsis u l-gżejjer jagħtuh ir-rigali,

is-slaten ta' Seba u ta' Saba għotjiet iġibulu.

Iqimuh is-slaten kollha,

Il-ġnus kollha lilu jaqdu.                                                               R/

Għax hu jeħles lill-fqir li jsejjaħlu,

u lill-imsejken li m'għandux minn jgħinu.

Iħenn għad-dgħajjef u għall-fqajjar;

il-ħajja tal-fqajrin isalva.                                                               R/

Second Reading    -   Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

Brothers and sisters:  You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace  that was given to me for your benefit,  namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. It was not made known to people in other generations  as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:  that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

It-Tieni Qari   -   mill-Ittra lill-Efesin 3. 2-3a;5-6)

Ħuti,  intom smajtu bil-pjan tal-grazzja  li  Alla tani għall-ġid tagħkom, jiġifieri, li permezz  ta'  rivelazzjoni għarrafni l-misteru.  Dan hu l-misteru li fil-ġenerazzjonijiet l-imgħoddija ma kienx mgħarraf lill-bnedmin bħalma issa ġie rrivelat lill-appostli qaddisa tiegħu u lill-profeti fl-Ispirtu, jiġifieri, li l-pagani huma msejħa biex ikollhom sehem  mill-istess wegħda, fi' Kristu Sidna permezz tal-Evanġelju.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel   -    Matthew 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod,  behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,  “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled,  and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,  He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,  for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the magi secretly  and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said,  “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word,  that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,  until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star,  and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures  and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,  they departed for their country by another way.

Evanġelju   -    skond San Mattew 2, 1-12

Meta twieled Ġesu' f'Betleħem tal-Lhudija, fiż-żmien is-sultan Erodi, xi maġi mill-Lvant  ġew  Ġerusalem jistaqsu:   "Fejn hu dak li twieled sultan tal-Lhud? Għax rajna l-kewkba tiegħu tielgħa u ġejna nqimu." Is-sultan Erodi sama' bihom, u tħawwad hu u Ġerusalemm kollha miegħu. Ġabar flimkien  il-qassisin il-kbar u  l-kittieba kollha tal-poplu, u ried jaf mingħandhom fejn kellu jitwieled il-Messija. U huma qalulu:  "F'Betlehem, tal-Lhudija,  għax hekk inkiteb mill-profeta:  "U int, Betlehem,  art ta' Ġuda, le, m'intix l-iżgħar fost il-bliet il-kbar ta' Ġuda, għax minnek joħroġ mexxej li jirgħa l-poplu tiegħi Iżrael" Erodi mbagħad sejjaħ lill-maġi bil-moħbi, u tkixxef bir-reqqa kollha mingħandhom iż-żmien li fih dehritilhom il-kewkba; bagħathom Betlehem u qalilhom:  "Morru,  staqsu sewwa għat-tifel, u meta ssibuh ejjew għiduli, ħalli jien ukoll niġi nqimu." Dawk, wara li semgħu lis-sultan, telqu,  u ara, il-kewkba li kienu raw tielgħa bdiet miexja quddiemhom sakemm waslet u  waqfet fuq il-post fejn kien hemm it-tifel. Kif raw il-kewkba mtlew b'ferħ kbir tassew. Meta mbagħad daħlu d-dar u raw lit-tifel ma'  Ommu Marija, inxteħtu fl-art iqimuh; fetħu t-teżori tagħhom u offrewlu rigali, deheb, inċens u mirra. Imbagħad, billi kienu mwissijin f'ħolma biex ma jerġgħux  imorru għand Erodi, telqu lura lejn arthom minn triq oħra. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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COMMENTARY: by Fr Thomas Rosica

A STAR AND A PURE HEART

The term epiphany means “to show,” “to make known” or “to reveal.” The solemnity of the Epiphany had its origin in the Eastern Church. In Jerusalem, close to Bethlehem, the feast had a special reference to the Nativity. Today in Eastern Orthodox churches, the emphasis for this feast is on the shining forth and revelation of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and second person of the Holy Trinity at the time of his baptism. Usually called the feast of the Theophany, it is one of the great feasts of the liturgical year. “Theophany” comes from the Greek for “God shining forth.”

The West took up the Oriental January feast, retaining all its chief characteristics, though attaching overwhelming importance, as time went on, to the visit of the Magi who bring gifts to visit the Christ child, and thus “reveal” Jesus to the world as Lord and King.  The feast is observed as a time of focusing on the mission of the Church in reaching others by “showing” Jesus as the Saviour of all people. The future rejection of Jesus by Israel and his acceptance by the Gentiles are retrojected into this scene of the Matthew’s narrative.

Details

King Herod reigned from 37 to 4 B.C. The “magi” were a designation of the Persian priestly caste and the word became used of those who were regarded as having more than human knowledge. Matthew’s Magi are astrologers. As for the star in Matthew’s story, it was a common ancient belief that a new star appeared at the time of a ruler’s birth.  Matthew also draws upon the Old Testament story of Balaam, who had prophesied that “a star shall advance from Jacob” (Numbers 24:17), though there the star means not an astral phenomenon but the king himself.

The act of worship by the Magi, which corresponded to Simeon’s blessing that the child Jesus would be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” (Luke 2:32), was one of the first indications that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, of all races, and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to only a few.

The Magi from the East, foreigners in every sense of the word, were guided not only by their own wisdom and knowledge of the stars, but were aided by the Hebrew Scriptures that now form the Old Testament.  The meaning of this is important — Christ calls all peoples of all nations, Gentiles as well as Jews, to follow him. We could say that Jerusalem and the Old Testament serve as a new starting point for these Gentile pilgrims on their road to faith in Jesus.  The people of the big city, indeed even Herod himself, were instrumental in leading the magi back to Christ!

Finding Christ today

A child is born at the same time as a death-dealing power rules. King Herod tries to co-opt the wise men to betray their journey, to end their commitment to future possibility and new life. At the centre of the whole story of striking contrasts lies a baby who is joy. Herod is afraid of this “great joy for all the people.” 

Our societies and cultures are becoming increasingly afraid of human life — the greatest joy for all peoples! We must recommit ourselves to life — preserving it, upholding it, blessing it and giving thanks to God for this greatest of gifts.  Some of us are destined to find the Christ child only after a long, tedious journey like that of the Magi. Our worldly wisdom and worldly ways, our ecclesiastical façades need to disappear; we must make sacrifices to find our deepest meaning and peace that is Christ. Most wise people need to make quite a trek if they are to find any lasting meaning.

Simple folk can usually find the Lord by crossing a field like shepherds; they bring their poverty, humility and simple openness. But knowledge, wisdom, power, prestige, and the lack of humility often lead to despair. People who believe they have the immediate, final truth and clarity about anything often are led into bleak, dead-end streets or they remain lost in the desert of solitude, self-sufficiency, selfishness and despair.

In the end, the magi went their own way, and because they refused to be seduced by cynicism, because they allowed themselves to be surprised by this great joy, the star to which they had committed themselves appeared again. This is not only the description of the times into which Jesus was born, but also our times. When we have found our lasting joy in the midst of the encircling gloom, cynicism, despair, indifference and meaninglessness, the only thing to do is to kneel and adore.

If we are truly wise, let us do what the wise astrologers did. When we hear the voice of the old king of death and fear and cynicism, let us have the courage to go our own way — rejoicing. The star and the journey will send us onwards, by newer paths, to come into the presence of the Child of Light and the Prince of Peace, who is the fulfillment of humanity’s deepest hopes and desires for light, justice, love and peace.

The journey continues

The words of the great French Catholic writer Georges Bernanos (1888-1948) speak beautifully of the meaning of this great feast in our day:

                “From the beginning, My Church has been what it is today, and will be until the end of time, a scandal to the strong, a disappointment to the weak, the ordeal and the consolation of those interior souls who seek in it nothing but Myself.

                “Yes […] whoever looks for Me there will find Me there; but he will have to look, and I am better hidden than people think, or than certain of My priests would have you believe. I am still more difficult to discover than I was in the little stable at Bethlehem for those who will not approach Me humbly, in the footsteps of the shepherds and the Magi.

                “It is true that palaces have been built in My honor, with galleries and peristyles without number, magnificently illuminated day and night, populated with guards and sentries. But if you want to find Me there, the clever thing is to do as they did on the old road in Judea, buried under the snow, and ask for the only thing you need – a star and a pure heart.”

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TREASURED WORDS

The Octave Day of Christmas -  January 1, 2016

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

Solennita' tal-Imqaddsa Omm Alla  Marija

Messalin Ċ pp 123

Reading 1  -  Numbers 6:22-27

The LORD said to Moses:  “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:  This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace! So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,  and I will bless them.” This is the Word of Thje Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari  -   mill-Ktieb tan-Numri 6, 22-27

Il-Mulej kellem lil Mose’ u qallu: “Kellem lil Aron u lil uliedu u għidilhom: "Meta tbierku lil ulied Israel,  hekk għandkom tgħidulhom: ‘Ibierkek il-Mulej u jħarsek! Jixħet il-Mulej id-dija ta’ wiċċu fuqek  u jurik il-ħniena! Iħares lejk il-Mulej bi mħabba, u jagħtik is-sliem!” Hekk huma jsejħu ismi fuq ulied Iżrael, u jiena nberikhom.” Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                                   PSALM 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.

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/

May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.                                  R/

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/

Salm Responsorjali     -     Salm 66 (67)  

                Iħenn għalina Alla, u jberikna.

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                         Galatians 4:4-7

Brothers and sisters: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,  to ransom those  under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. As proof that you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his  Son into our hearts,  crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son,  and if a son then also an heir, through God. This is the Word of Thje Lord.

It-Tieni Qari   -   mill-Ittra lill-Galaltin 4, 4-7

Ħuti, meta waslet il-milja taż-żmien,  Alla bagħat lil Ibnu, imwieled minn mara, imwieled taħt il-Liġi,  biex jifdi lil dawk li kienu taħt il-Liġi,  biex ikollna l-adozzjoni ta’ wlied. U għax intom ulied,  Alla bagħat  l-Ispirtu ta’ Ibnu f’qalbna jgħajjat” “Abba Missier!” U hekk m’intix iżjed ilsir, iżda iben, werriet ukoll bil-grazzja ta’ Alla. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                Luke 2:16-21

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.When they saw this, they made known  the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it  were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen,  just as it had been told to them. When eight days were completed for his circumcision,  he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.  This is the Word of Thje Lord.

Evanġelju   -  Qari skond San Luqa  2, 16-21

F’dak iż-żmien: ir-rgħajja marru jgħaġġlu, u  sabu lil Marija u lil Ġużeppi, bit-tarbija mimduda f’maxtura. Kif raw dan, bdew igħarrfu b’kulma kien   intqal lilhom dwar dik it-tarbija, u  kull min semgħhom baqa’ mistagħġeb b’dak li qalulhom ir-rgħajja.    Marija, min-naħa tagħha,  baqgħet tgħożż  f’qalbha dawn  il-ħwejjeġ kollha u taħseb  fuqhom bejnha u bejn ruħha. Ir-rgħajja mbagħad reġgħu lura,  isebbħu u jfaħħru lil Alla  għal kulma  kienu raw u semgħu,  kif l-anġlu kien qalilhom. Meta wasal it-tmien jum biex lit-tifel  jgħmlulu ċ-ċirkonċiżjoni, semmewh Ġesu’, bl-isem li kien tah l-anġlu qabel ma tnissel fil-ġuf. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Mary Treasured These Words In Her Heart

What memories do you cherish? Why are these memories so special?

The New Year is upon us. A time to cherish last year’s events and a time to look forward to new challenges. In the midst of the parades and bowl games, we take time to take stock and plan.

In the verses from Luke which we will read on January 1, the mother of Jesus took the time to reflect on the events of her Son’s birth. In doing so, she cherished the memories mothers have of their first experience of child birth. And she cherished the message that her Son would be the Messiah and Lord of all.

Luke had an interest in the low and the outcast. The audience for the message would be the lowly, confirmation of the message would be a common (even overlooked) sight. The audience for the message were the least in society: shepherds. Despite their scriptural and pastoral image, shepherd were held in disdain, for most were hired to watch the flocks of the rich. Without personal financial investment, these hired hands had the reputations as cowards in the face of trouble; many were hired because they lacked any other employable skills. And how would the message be confirmed? The shepherds would see a young family with a newborn. These images were antithetical to common expectations. Many Jews anticipated the Messiah to be born in the midst of luxury; many expected the news of the Messiah would be confirmed by the leadership in Jerusalem (i.e., the Sanhedrin or the Temple priests) and spread from the leaders to the people. Luke painted a much different picture. (Compare the birth of Moses in Exodus to the birth of Jesus for similarities and differences.)

The shepherds spread the Good News to the household; all responded in awe, but one. Mary reacted in a way expected for a Semite woman: silence. But she “treasured up these words, pondering them together in her heart.” Even in her silence, Mary believed the message of the angel. She bore Messiah and Lord into the world. She would add the words of the shepherds to the memories in her heart.

The gospel ended with a transitional verse about the circumcision of Jesus (2:20). His circumcision would lead to the next scene in the infancy narrative: the presentation of the Lord in the Temple (2:22-40).

How do we react to Good News? Do we glorify God? How do we reflect on his goodness in our hearts?

Readings for Sunday, December 27, 2015

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Lectionary: 17

Reading 1   1Samuel 1, 20-22, 24-28

She conceived and, at the end of her pregnancy, bore a son whom she named Samuel. “Because I asked the LORD for him. ”The next time her husband Elkanah was going up with the rest of his household to offer the customary sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vows, Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband, “Once the child is weaned, I will take him to appear before the LORD and leave him there forever.”  Once he was weaned, she brought him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and presented him at the house of the LORD in Shiloh .After they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the child to Eli. Then Hannah spoke up: “Excuse me, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here near you, praying to the LORD.I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.” Then they worshiped there before the LORD.   This is the Word of he Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni    -     mill-Ewwel Ktieb ta' Samwel 1, 20-22, 24-28

F'dak iż-żmien Anna tqalet, u meta wasal żmienha wildet iben usemmietu Samwell "għaliex – kif qalet hi – tlabtu lill-Mulej." Elkana bil-familja kollha tala' joffri s-sagrifiċċju ta' kull  sena lill-Mulej u jtemm il-wegħda tiegħu.     Imma Anna ma telgħetx, għaliex qalet lil żewġha:  "Meta nkun ftamt it-tifel, imbagħad nieħdu biex jidher quddiem il-Mulej, u jibqa' hemm għal dejjem." U meta fatmitu, Anna tellgħet 'il binha magħha fid-dar tal- Mulej f'Silo.   Ħadet magħha gendus ta' tliet snin, efa dqiq u żaqq inbid, u marret bitii-tfajjel magħha.   Hemm qatlu  l-gendus, u ressqu t-tifel quddiem Għeli, u qaltlu: "Nitolbok, sidi; daqskemm int ħaj, sidi, jien dik il-mara li Kienet  wieqfa hawn ħdejk titlob lill-Mulej.   Għal dan it- tifel kont tlabt, u l-Mulej laqa' t-talba tiegħi u tani li tlabtu. U issa jien se nagħtih lill-Mulej il-jiem kollha ta' ħajtu, u kemm idum ħaj ikun tal-Mulej."    U qiemu lill-Mulej hemmhekk.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm     PSalm 84

R/  Blessed are those who dwell in your house!

How lovely your dwelling,

O LORD of hosts!^a

My soul yearns and pines

for the courts of the LORD.^b        /R

Blessed are those who dwell in your house!

They never cease to praise you.

Blessed the man who finds refuge in you,

in their hearts are pilgrim roads.            R/

LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;

listen, God of Jacob.^*

O God, watch over our shield;

look upon the face of your anointed.^d        R/

Salm Responsorjali                    Salm 83 b(84)

R/  Ħenjin dawk li jgħammru f'darek, Mulej                    

Kemm hi għażiża d-dar tiegħek,

Mulej tal-eżerċti!

Tixxennaq u tinfena ruħi għat-tempju tal-Mulej;

ngħanni ferħan b'ruħi u ġismi lil Alla l-ħaj.                          R/.

Ħenjin dawk li jgħammru f'darek;

huma jfaħħruk għal dejjem.

Ħenjin dawk li jsibu fik il-qawwa tagħhom,

li għandhom għal qalbhom il-pellegrinaġġ għat-tempju.           R/

Mulej, Alla tal-eżerċti, isma talbi;

agħti widen, Alla ta' Ġakobb.

Ħares, o Alla, lejn it-tarka tagħna,

ħares lejn is-sultan, il-midluk tiegħek.                  R/

Reading 2       1 JOHN 3, 1 – 2, 21-24

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.  Beloved, if [our] hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit that he gave us. This is the Word of he  Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni    -   Qari mill-1 Ittra ta' San Ġwann Appostlu 3, 1 – 2, 21-24

Għeżież, araw b'liema għożża ħabbna l-Missieri; nistgħu nissejħu wlieid Alla, u hekk aħna tassew! Għalhekk id-dinja ma tagħrafniex, għax ma għarfitx lilu... Għeżież, issa aħna wlied Alla, imma x'se nkunu 'l quddiem Mhuwiex irrivelat lilna.   Madankollu nafu li meta jidher hu, aħna nkunu bħalu, għax narawh kif inhu. Għeżież, jekk il-kuxjenza  ma ċċanfarniex, aħna qalbna qawwija Quddiem Alla, u kulma nitolbu naqilgħuh mingħanduuuu, għax Qegħdin inżommu l-kmandamenti tiegħu u nagħmlu dak li Jogħġob lilu. Dan hu l-kmandament tiegħu:  li nemmnu fl-isem ta' Ibnu Ġesu' Kristu, u nħobbu ;l xulxin, kif wissiena hu.  Min iżomm il- kandamenti tiegħu jgħammar f'Alla u Alla fih.  B'hekk  nagħrfu li hu jgħammar fina; bl-Ispirtu li hu tana. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel   LuKe 2:41-52

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,  and when he was twelve years old,  they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning,  the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,  but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,  but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple,  sitting in the midst of the teachers,  listening to them and asking them questions,  and all who heard him were astounded  at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished,  and his mother said to him,  “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favour before God and man. This is the Word of he Lord.

Evanġelju   -  Qari skond San Luqa, 2,41-52

Ta' kull sena l-ġenituri ta' Ġesu kienu jmorru Ġerusalemm għall-festa tal-Għid..  Meta kellu tnax-il sena telgħu wkoll, skont id-drawwa ta' dik il-festa.  Wara li għaddew dawk il- ġranet qabdu t-triq lura, imma t-tfajjel Ġesu' baqa'  Ġerusalemm bla ma kienu jafu fit-triq magħhom; iżda meta  wara jum mixi fititxewh fost qrabathom u n-nies li kienu  jafuhom, ma sabuhx, u għalhekk reġgħu  lura Ġerusalemm  ifittxuh. Wara tlitt ijiem sabuh fit-tempju, bilqiegħda f'nofs l- galliem, jismagħhom u jistaqsihom; u kull min  smgħu baqa' mistagħġeb bid-dehen  u t-tweġibiet tiegħu. Kif rawh, instamtu, u ommu qaltlu:  "Ibni, dan  għaliex  għamiltilna hekk?   Ara, missierek u jien konna qiegħdin  infittxuk b'qalbna maqsuma."   U hu qalilhom:  "U għaliex   kontu qegħdin tfittxuni?   Ma tafux li jiena għandu nkun f'dak  li hu ta' Missieri?   Iżda kliemu ma fehmuhx. Imbagħad niżel magħhomu raġa mar Nażaret; u kien jobdihom.   U ommu kienet tgħożż f'qalbha hawn il-ħwejjeġ kollha.   U hekk  Ġesu' baqa' jikber fl-għerf, fis-snin u fil-grazzja, quddiem  Alla u quddiem il-bnedmin Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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A Glimpse of What Can Be

A reflection  by Larry Broding 

As the New Year approaches, what do you see this coming year?

 Explain your answer to yourself.

"Happy New Year"

These words ring out at this time each year. Words that cause us to take stock of the past. Words that inspire us to look for hope in the future. Words of reflection and anticipation. Words of conservation and of change. Words of the old and the new.

Like last week, Luke presented the tension between the old and the new. Last week, Elizabeth, representing the old, honored the new in Mary. This week, Jesus himself proclaimed his place in God's new order, as he honored the old traditions.  As Luke presented a maturing Jesus, he began to paint the tension between the old (Jewish traditions) and the new (the way of the Nazarene). While Jesus stood firmly within the traditions of Judaism, his words revealed something far greater. God had indeed begun to act in the world.

Again, Luke used an account in the infancy narrative to bridge from the old to the new, from the people's daily traditions to the realization of God's Son. In the set up of the account, Luke stressed continuity with Jewish tradition within a family. Joseph and Mary traveled with their clan to Jerusalem for Passover. The capital had the one place where the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob definitely dwelt: the Temple. The importance of the city and its Temple gave a focal point to Jewish spirituality. Both realized the fulfillment of God's promise to Father Abraham for a nation and its land. The family tradition of pilgrimage reinforced the Jewish spiritual focus. Joseph and Mary walked, like their Exodus ancestors, to a place that symbolized Judaism's history and aspirations. The pilgrimage had spiritual overtones, but so did its end point.

Luke mixed images of Jesus in the narrative. At first, Luke introduced Jesus as a young man, a "son of the Law" who had all the rights and the obligations of an adult male. As such, Jesus accompanied Joseph and Mary to the festival in Jerusalem. Yet, when Jesus stayed behind, Luke referred to him as a "young boy," a term that had overtones of enslavement. Whom was he enslaved to? The answer would come later in the narrative.

The search for Jesus heightened the tension between the image of the "son of the Law" and the enslaved minor. The Holy Couple sought for Jesus among his clan, where everyone thought his place should be. (Remember that members of his own clan and his townsfolk would later reject Jesus in Luke 4:14-30) The old would define his place within his family. But the new would define the place of Jesus within a new family, with a new Father.

Joseph and Mary returned to the place where, according to tradition, the Messiah would be revealed in his glory. This was the second of two narrative accounts in which Luke used the place and the people to emphasize that point. In Luke 2:22-38, the parents presented the child at the Temple. And two prophets proclaimed the Good News that the Messiah had been born.

In this second account, Jesus himself revealed his Messiahship with an enigmatic answer. "Did you not know that it was necessary (for) me to be in the (things) of my Father?" As the note mentioned above, the phrase can refer to place (the Temple) or to affairs (his teaching ministry). In either case, Jesus acted in the role God had given him. While Jesus might have been an enfranchised Jewish male, he, as the only Son of God, was enslaved to the will of his Father. Jesus did not really belong to the clan from Nazareth. He belonged to his true Father. Jesus' place was in the Father's house (i.e., building and family). Jesus' mission was to teach the people the way back to the Father. He amazed the teachers just as he would amaze the people along his mission road. But Joseph and Mary did not understand his reasoning.

The tension between the parents and the child began to fulfill the prophecy Simeon made to Mary and foreshadowed Jesus' death and resurrection. The search caused Mary pain and anxiety (one of the swords that pierced her heart). The climax of the story occurred three days after the celebration of Passover (a foreshadowing of the Resurrection).

Despite the confrontation, Jesus grew in honou (wisdom, size, and reputation). Jesus was a faithful Jew as he honoued his parents and obeyed the Fourth Commandment. He existed within the old, the Jewish tradition. But all signs pointed to the new. He was the Messiah. And he would reveal God acting in a new way, with a new people.

 

The hallmark of Jesus' life before his baptism was silence. He lived an ordinary life, doing what ordinary people did at the time. He was a Jew, obedient to his faith, his family, and his profession. In that way, Jesus lived as we live. The silence of his early years stressed his solidarity with our human condition. But that silence also sowed the seeds of his ministry, his obedience to the Father.

The finding of Jesus in the Temple is the only break to that silence. As we saw above, that narrative looked to that ordinary life, but also looked forward to an extraordinary ministry.

How has God broken through the daily routine of your life to reveal himself?

How has he proclaimed himself Lord?

"Happy New Year!"   This is a time to set aside daily routine and take a glimpse of what can be. Jesus gave his mother and foster father such a glimpse. The vision may have jolted the couple, but it pointed to what would be. We, too, need a time to seek God's will, to take a peek at the future. What we see may jolt us, too. But, that vision will lead to joy and to hope.

Take a few moments now to pray for the coming year.

What requests do you have this year? Write down all your thoughts and put them away. Review them next year at this time. You will be surprised what God has in store.

May God bless us all this coming year!

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