Master, I want to see

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

It-30 Ħadd matul is-Sena

" Messalin B pp 498

Reading 1                             Jeremiah 31:7-9

Thus says the LORD: Shout with joy for Jacob, exult at the head of the nations; proclaim your praise and say: The LORD has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them back from the land of the north; I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst, the mothers and those with child; they shall return as an immense throng. They departed in tears, but I will console them and guide them; I will lead them to brooks of water, on a level road, so that none shall stumble. For I am a father to Israel,Ephraim is my first-born. This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari    -    mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġeremija  31, 7-9

Dan igħid il-Mulej: Għannu bil-ferħ għal Ġakobb, sellmu lill-ewlieni fost il-ġnus! Xandru, faħħru u niedu: "Il-Mulej salva l-poplu tiegħu, il-fdal ta' Israel!" Arawni, se nġibhom minn art it-tramuntana, niġborhom mil-ibgħad art, ilkoll kemm huma, l-għomja u z-zopop, in-nisa bit-tfal u n-nisa fil-ħlas; kotra  kbira terġa' lura  hawn. Jiġu bil-biki; imma nfarraġhom jiena u nġibhom lura.   Immexxihom lejn ilma ġieri, minn mogħdijiet watja biex ma jitfixlux.. Għax jien  missier għal Iżrael, u Efrajm hu ibni l-kbir."   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm      PSALM 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6

R. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.                                 R/

Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.                                                                       R/

Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.                                                                 R/

Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.                                         R/

Salm Responsorjali     -    SALM 125 (126)

                R/  Kbir f'għemilu l-Mulej magħna!

Meta l-Mulej reġġa' lura l-imjassra ta' Sijon,

konna qisna mitlufa f'ħolma;

imbagħad bid-daħk imtela fommna,

u  b'għajjat ta' ferħ ilsienna.                                       R/

Imbagħad bdew igħidu fost il-ġnus;

"Kbir f'għemilu l-Mulej magħhom!"

Kbir f'għemilu l-Mulej magħna!

U aħna bil-ferħ imtlejna.                                             R/

Biddel, Mulej, xortina,

bħall-widien ta' Neġeb!

Dawk li jiżirigħu fid-dmugħ

jaħsdu bl-għana ta' ferħ.                                              R/

Huma sejrin, imorru  jibku,

Iġorru  iż-żerriegħa għaż-żrigħ.

Iżda huma u ġejjin  lura, jiġu b'għana ta' ferħ,

Iġorru l-qatet f'idejhom.                                              R/

Reading 2    -    Hebrewss 5:1-6

Brothers and sisters: Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him: You are my son: this day I have begotten you; just as he says in another place: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Qari    -     mill-Ittra lil Lhud 5,1-6

Kull qassis il-kbir meħud minn  fost il-bnedmin, hu mqiegħed għall-bnedmin f'dak li għandu  x'jaqsam ma' Alla, biex joffri doni u sagrifiċċji għad-dnubiet. Hu dak li jista' jagħder 'il dawk li ma jafux u li jiżbaljaw, għax huwa mlibbes bid-dgħufija;   u  minħabba f'hekk  għandu joffri sagrifiċċji għad-dnubiet tiegħu ukoll, bħalma joffrihom għad-dnubiet tal-poplu. Ħadd ma għandu jieħu b'idejh dal-ġieħ għalih innifsu, imma biss min hu msejjaħ minn Alla, sewwasew  kif kien imsejjajħ  Aron.   Għax hekk ukoll Kristu ma tax lilu innifsu l-ġieħ li  jkun qassis il-kbir, imma dan  tahulu Alla, li qallu: "Ibni int; illum  jien nissiltek." U kif igħid ukoll band'oħra: 'Int qassis għal dejjem skond l-ordni ta' Melkisedek.'  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                    Mark 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me." And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me." Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you." He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju    -     skond San Mark  10:46-52

F'dak iż-żmien,  waqt li Ġesu' kien ħiereġ minn Ġeriko, flimkien mad-dixxipli tiegħu u ma' kotra kbira ta'nies, kien hemm wieħed tallab agħma, jismu Bartilmew, bin Timew, bilqiegħda mal-ġenb tat-triq. Dan, meta sama' li kien Ġesu' ta' Nazaret. qabad jgħajjat u jgħid: "Ġesu',  bin David, ikollok ħniena minni!" Kien hemm ħafna li bdew jgħajtu miegħu biex jiskot imma hu aktar beda jgħajjat:  "Bin David, ikollok ħniena minni!"  Ġesu' waqaf u qal:  "Sejħulu." Huma sejħu l-agħma u qalulu: "Agħmel il-qalb!  Qum, qiegħed isejjaħlek." Dak tajjar il-mantar minn fuqu,  qabeż fuq riġlejħ u mar ħdejn Ġesu'. U Ġesu' kellmu u qallu:  "Xi  trid nagħmillek?" "Li nara, Rabbuni,"  wieġbu l-agħma. U Ġesu': "Mur, il-fidi tiegħek fejqitek". U minnfih raġa' beda jara, u baqa' miexi warajh fit-triq. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Commentary by Fr Raniero Cantalamessa ofm cap

"Chosen from and for men"

The Gospel passage recounts the cure of the blind man of Jericho, Bartimaeus.

Bartimaeus is someone who does not miss an opportunity. He heard that Jesus was passing by, understood that it was the opportunity of his life and acted swiftly. The reaction of those present -- "and many rebuked him, telling him to be silent" -- makes evident the unadmitted pretension of the wealthy of all times: That misery remain hidden, that it not show itself, that it not disturb the sight and dreams of those who are well.

The term "blind" has been charged with so many negative meanings that it is right to reserve it, as the tendency is today, to the moral blindness of ignorance and insensitivity. Bartimaeus is not blind; he is only sightless. He sees better with his heart than many of those around him, because he has faith and cherishes hope. More than that, it is this interior vision of faith which also helps him to recover his external vision of things. "Your faith has made you well," Jesus says to him.

I pause here in the explanation of the Gospel because I am anxious to develop a topic present in this Sunday's second reading, regarding the figure and role of the priest. It is said of a priest first of all that he is "chosen from among men." He is not, therefore, an uprooted being or fallen from heaven, but a human being who has behind him a family and a history like everyone else.

"Chosen from among men" also means that the priest is made of the same fabric as any other human creature: with the emotions, struggles, doubts and weaknesses of everybody else. Scripture sees in this a benefit for other men, not a motive for scandal. In this way, in fact, the priest will be more ready to have compassion, as he is also cloaked in weakness.

Chosen from among men, the priest is moreover "appointed to act on behalf of men," that is, given back to them, placed at their service -- a service that affects man's most profound dimension, his eternal destiny.

St. Paul summarizes the priestly ministry with a phrase: "This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthians 4:1). This does not mean that the priest is indifferent to the needs -- including human -- of people, but that he is also concerned with these with a spirit that is different from that of sociologists and politicians. Often the parish is the strongest point of aggregation, including social, in the life of a country or district.

We have sketched the positive vision of the priest's figure. We know that it is not always so. Every now and then the news reminds us that another reality also exists, made of weakness and infidelity --- of this reality the Church can do no more than ask forgiveness.

But there is a truth that must be recalled for a certain consolation of the people. As man, the priest can err, but the gestures he carries out as priest, at the altar or in the confessional, are not invalid or ineffective because of it. The people are not deprived of God's grace because of the unworthiness of the priest. It is Christ who baptizes, celebrates, forgives; the priest is only the instrument.

I like to recall in this connection, the words uttered before dying by the country priest of Georges Bernanos: "All is grace."   Even the misery of his alcoholism seems to him to be a grace, because it has made him more merciful toward people. God is not that concerned that his representatives on earth be perfect, but that they be merciful.

[Translation by ZENIT]   © Innovative Media Inc.

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"What do you wish me to do for you?"

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Id-29 Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin  B p 492

Reading 1       -          Isaiah 53:10-11

The LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity. If he gives his life as an offering for sin,  he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him. Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear. This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari   -    mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 53, 10-11

Il-Mulej għoġbu jgħakksu bil-mard. Jekk joffri ruħu b'sagrifiċċju ta' riparazzjoni, huwa għad jara nisel u jtawwal jiemu; u r-rieda tal-Mulej isseħħ bih. Wara t-tbatija tiegħu għad jara d-dawl, jixba' bit-tagħrif tiegħu. Il-ġust jiġġustifika lill-qaddej tiegħu quddiem  il-kotra, u l-ħażen tagħhom jitgħabba bih hu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                       PSALM 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.      R/

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.                                  R/

Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.                                 R/

Salm Responsorjali    -      Salm 32 (33)

                R/     Ħa tkun,   Mulej,  it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna, kif fik hi t-tama tagħna.

Sewwa hi l-kelma tal-Mulej,

kollox bil- fedelta' huwa  għamel;

Hu jħobb id-drit u s-sewwa;

bit-tjieba tal-Mulej mimlija l-art.                            R/

Ara, għajnejn il-Mulej fuq dawk li jibżgħu minnu,

fuq dawk li jittamaw fit-tjieba tiegħu.

Biex jeħilsilhom mill-mewt ħajjithom,

u jaħjihom fi żmien il-ġuħ.                                          R/

Ruħna tixxennaq għall-Mulej,

hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħna,

Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna,

kif fik hi t-tama tagħna.                                 R/           

Reading 2                             Hebrews 4:14-16

Brothers and sisters: Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Qari     -         mill-Ittra lill-Lhud 4, 14-16

Ħuti,  meta aħna għandna l-qassis il-kbir, li hu tassew kbir, qassis li daħal fis-smewwiet, Ġesu' Bin Alla, ħa nżommu sħiħa l-fidi tagħna u nistqarruha. Għax aħna ma għandniex qassis il-kbir li ma  jistax jagħder in-nuqqas ta' ħila tagħna,  imma għandna wieħed li kien imġarrab   bħalna f'kollox, minbarra d-dnub.   Ħa nersqu, mela, b'qalbna qawwija lejn it-tron tal-grazzja,  biex naqilgħu ħniena u nsibu f'waqtha l-grazzja li neħtieġu.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel           -           Mark 10:35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee,  came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?" They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left." Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Evanġelju    -    i mill-Evanġelju ta' San Mark 10, 35-46

F'dak iż-żmien,  (Ġakbu u Ġwanni, ulied Żebedew, resqu lejn lejh u qalulu: "Mgħallem, dak li se nitolbuk irriduk tagħtihulna." "Xi triduni nagħmlilkom?" staqsiehom. U huma weġbuh:  "Ħallina noqogħdu wieħed fuq  il-lemin tiegħek u l-ieħor fuq  ix-xellug fil-glorja tiegħek." Imma Ġesu' qalilhom:  "Ma tafux x'intom titolbu. Għandkom ħila tixorbu l-kalċi li se nixrob jien, u titgħammdu bil-magħmudija li biha se nitgħammed jien?"  "Għandna", qalulu. Imbagħad  qalilhom Ġesu':   "Il-kalċi li se nixrob jien tixorbuh, iva,  u titgħammdu ukoll bil-magħmudija li  biha se nitgħammed jien;    imma li wieħed  joqgħod fuq il-lemin u x-xellug tiegħi, din mhix ħaġa tiegħi li nagħtiha jien, imma hi għal dawk li għalihom kienet imħejjija." Il-għaxra l-oħra, meta semgħu dan,  saħnu għal Ġakbu u għal Ġwanni.) Imma Ġesu' sejħilhom  u qalilhom: "Tafu intom, dawk in-nies li l-bnedmin igħodduhom  bħala  kapijiet tal-pagani, jaħkmu fuqhom, u  l-kbarat tagħhom iħaddmu s-setgħa tagħhom fuqhom.   Fostkom ma għandux ikun hekk,  imma min irid ikun kbir fostkom,  għandu jkun qaddej tagħkom, u  min irid ikun l-ewwel fostkom,  għandu joqgħod ilsir ta' kulħadd.   Għax hekk  ukoll Bin il-bniedem,  hu ma ġiex biex ikun moqdi,  imma biex jaqdi u biex jagħti  ħajtu b'fidwa għall-kotra." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Commentary:

Father Cantalamessa on Power

The Great Exercise Power

After the Gospel on riches, this Sunday's Gospel gives us Christ's judgment on another of the great idols of the world: power.  Power, like money, is not intrinsically evil. God describes himself as "the Omnipotent" and Scripture says "power belongs to God" (Psalm 62:11).    However, given that man had abused the power granted to him, transforming it into control by the strongest and oppression of the weakest, what did God do?

To give us an example, God stripped himself of his omnipotence; from being "omnipotent," he made himself "impotent."  He "emptied himself, taking the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:7). He transformed power into service. The first reading of the day contains a prophetic description of this "impotent" Savior. "He grew up like a sapling before him, like a shoot from the parched earth. ... He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity."

Thus a new power is revealed, that of the cross: "Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise" (1 Corinthians 1:27). In the Magnificat, Mary sings in advance this silent revolution brought by the coming of Christ: "He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones" (Luke 1:52).

Who is accused under this denunciation of power? Only dictators and tyrants? Would that it were so! It would refer, in this case, to exceptions. Instead, it affects us all. Power has infinite ramifications, it gets in everywhere, as certain sands of the Sahara when the sirocco wind blows. It even gets into the Church.

The problem of power, therefore, is not posed only in the political realm. If we stay in that realm, we do no more than join the group of those who are always ready to strike others' breast for their own faults. It is easy to denounce collective faults, or those of the past; it is far more difficult when it comes to personal and present faults.

Mary says that God "dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart; he has thrown down the rulers from their thrones" (Luke 1:51ff.). She singles out implicitly a precise area in which the "will to power" must be combated: our own hearts.

Our minds -- the thoughts of the heart -- can become a kind of throne on which we sit to dictate laws and thunder against those who do not submit to us. We are, at least in our wishes if not in deeds, the "mighty on thrones."

Sadly, in the family itself it is possible that our innate will to power and abuse might manifest itself, causing constant suffering to those who are victims of it, which is often -- not always -- the woman.

What does the Gospel oppose to power? Service: a power for others, not over others!

Power confers authority, but service confers something more, authority that means respect, esteem, a true ascendancy over others. The Gospel also opposes power with nonviolence, that is, power of another kind, moral, not physical power.

Jesus said that he could have asked the Father for twelve legions of angels to defeat his enemies who were just about to crucify him (Matthew 26:53), but he preferred to pray for them. And it was in this way that he achieved victory.

Service is not always expressed, however, in silence and submission to power. Sometimes it can impel one to raise one's voice against power and its abuses. This is what Jesus did. In his life he experienced the abuse of the political and religious power of the time. That is why he is close to all those -- in any environment (the family, community, civil society) --who go through the experience of an evil and tyrannical power.

With his help it is possible not "to be overcome by evil," as he was not -- more than that, to "overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).           [Translation by ZENIT] © Innovative Media Inc.
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Correction: Last week's commentary by Father Cantalamessa should have read: "However, it is clear that today almsgiving and charity is no longer the only way to use wealth for the common good, or perhaps the most advisable." The word "only" was inadvertently omitted from the English translation. We apologize for the error.

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God is not against the rich!

 Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

It-28 Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin B p 487

Reading 1   -  Wisdom 7:7-11

I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her; because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand, and before her, silver is to be accounted mire. Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep. Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands.  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari  -   mill-Ktieb tal-Għerf 7, 7-11

Jien tlabt u qlajt għaqal; Sejjaħt, u ġie  fuqi l-ispirtu tal-għerf.  Dan  l-għerf qistu aqwa minn kull xettru u tron, u ntbaħt li l-għana m'hu xejn ħdejh. Ma  xebbaħtx miegħu l-ħaġra l-aktar prezzjuża, għax id-deheb kollu ħdejh mhuwiex ħlief ftit ramel, u l-fidda quddiemu qisha ftit  tajn. Aktar  mis-saħħa u s-sbuħija ħabbejtu, u għoġobni aktar mid-dawl; għax id-dija tiegħu ma tgħib qatt. Mal-għerf ġieni il-ġid kollu, u miegħu ġiebli għana bla qjies.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm       -   pSALM 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

 R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!                                                        R/

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us,
for the years when we saw evil.                                                R/

Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children;
and may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!                                                 R/

Salm Responsorjali   -   Salm 89 (90)

                R/   Imliena bit-tjieba tiegħek, Mulej.

Għalliemna ngħoddu jiem ħajjitna,

sabiex aħna nimxu bil-għaqal.

Dur lejna, Mulej!  Kemm se ddum?

Ħenn għall-qaddejja tiegħek.                                               R/

Imliena kmieni bit-tjieba tiegħek,

biex nifirħu u nithennew ħajjitna kollha.

Ferraħna daqskemm għakkistna,

għas-snin li fihom rajna l-ħsara.                                             R/  

Ħa jidher għemilek quddiem il-qaddejja tiegħek,

u l-kobor tiegħek quddiem uliedhom.

Ħa tkun fuqna l-grazzja ta' Alla Sidna!

Wettqilna inti  x-xogħol ta' idejna,

Wettaq, iva,  xogħol idejna.                                                        R/

Reading 2    -    Hebrews 4:12-13

Brothers and sisters: Indeed the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.  .  This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Qari   -   mill-Ittra lill-Lhud 4, 12-13

Ħuti,  l-Kelma ta' Alla hi ħajja u qawwija, taqta' aktar minn xabla b'żewġt ixfar; hija tinfed sa  jinfirdu minn xulxin ir-ruħ u l-ispirtu, u l-ġogi u l-mudullun;   u tgħarbel il-ħsibijiet u l-fehmiet tal-qalb.  Xejn ma hemm fil-ħolqien li hu moħbi għalih, imma kollox hu miftuħ  għal għajnejn Alla, li lilu rridu nagħtu kont.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel    -  Mark 10:17-30

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother." He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.  Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God." Peter began to say to him, "We have given up everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come."   This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju   -    skond San Mark 10, 17-30

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' kien se jaqbad it-triq lejn Ġerusalem, meta mar fuqu wieħed jgħaġġel,  niżel għarkupptejh quddiemu u qallu: "Mgħallem tajjeb, x'għandi nagħmel biex nikseb il-ħajja ta' dejjem? Qallu Ġesu':  " Għaliex qiegħed issejjaħli tajjeb'?   Ħadd m'hu tajjeb ħlief Alla biss. Inti l-kmandamenti tafhom:  la toqtolx, la tiżnix,  la tisraqx, la tixhedx fil-falz, la tiħux bil- qerq dak li hu ta' ħaddieħor;  weġġaħ lil missierek u 'l ommok". U dak wieġbu u qallu:   "Mgħallem, jiena dan  kollu  ili nħarsu minn żgħożiti."    Imbagħad Ġesu' xeħet fuqu ħarsa ta' mħabba u qallu:   "Ħaġa waħda tonqsok: mur  bigħ li għandek,  agħtih lill-fqar, u  jkollok teżor fis-sema;  imbagħad ejja u imxi warajja."    Imma għal dan il-kliem ir-raġel qarras wiċċu u  telaq b'qalbu sewda, għaliex kellu bosta ġid. Ġesu' mbagħad ħares ħarsa madwaru u qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu:   "Kemm hi iebsa għall-għonja li jidħlu fis-Saltna ta' Alla!"    Id-dixxipli stagħġbu għal din il-kelma, imma Ġesu' reġa' qalilhom:   "Kemm hi iebsa, uliedi, li wieħed jidħol fis-Saltna ta' Alla!   Eħfef li ġemel igħaddi minn għajn ta' labra milli  wieħed għani jidħol fis-Saltna ta' Alla."   Huma stagħġbu wisq aktar, u bdew igħidu wieħed lil ieħor:   "Mela min jista' jsalva?"   Ġesu' ħares lejhom u qalilhom:   "Għall-bnedmin dan ma jistax ikun, imma għal Alla iva;  għax għal Alla kollox jista' jkun." Qabeż Pietru u qallu:  "Tajjeb! Aħna ħallejna kollox, u ġejna warajk."   Qallu Ġesu':  "Tassew ngħidilkom, li fost dawk kollha  li minħabba fija u l-Evanġelju jħallu lil darhom jew lil ħuthom jew lil ommhom jew lil missierhom jew  lil uliedhom jew l-egħlieqi tagħhom, ma hemm ħadd  fosthom li minn issa, f'din id-dinja stess, ma jirċevix,  għal mitt darba iktar, djar,  aħwa, subien u bniet,  ommijiet, ulied u għelieqi flimkien ma' persekuzzjonijiet, u  l-ħajja ta' dejjem fiż-żmien li ġej." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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"How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"

Mark 10:17-30

God Is Not Against the Rich, Says Father Cantalamessa -

A preliminary observation is necessary to clarify any possible ambiguities when reading what this Sunday's Gospel says about wealth.  Jesus never condemns wealth or earthly goods in themselves. Among his friends is, also, Joseph of Arimathea, a "rich man"; Zaccheus is declared "saved," though he kept half his goods for himself which, given his office of tax collector, must have been considerable.

What Jesus condemns is exaggerated attachment to money and property; to make one's life depend on these and to accumulate riches only for oneself (Luke 12:13-21).  The word which God uses for excessive attachment to money is "idolatry" (Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:5). Money is not one of many idols; it is the idol par excellence, literally, "molten gods" (Exodus 34:17).

It is the anti-God because it creates a sort of alternative world, it changes the object of the theological virtues. Faith, hope and charity are no longer placed in God, but in money. Effected is a sinister inversion of all values.

"Nothing is impossible for God," says Scripture, and also: "Everything is possible for the one who believes." But the world says: "Everything is possible for the one who has money."  Avarice, in addition to being idolatry, is also the source of unhappiness. The avaricious is an unhappy man. Distrusting everyone, he isolates himself. He has not affection, not even for those of his own flesh, whom he always sees as taking advantage and who, in turn, really nourish only one desire in regard to him: That he die soon to inherit his wealth.

Tense to the point of breaking to save money, he denies himself everything in life and so does not enjoy either this world or God, as his self-denial is not for him.   Instead of having security and tranquility, he is an eternal hostage of his money. However, Jesus does not leave any one without the hope of salvation, including the rich man. The question is not "whether the rich man is saved" (this has never been in discussion in Christian tradition), but "What rich man is saved?"

Jesus points out to the rich a way out of their dangerous situation: "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes" (Matthew 6:20); "make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations" (Luke 16:9). 

It might be said that Jesus was advising the rich to transfer their capital abroad! But not to Switzerland -- to heaven! Many, says St. Augustine, exert themselves to put their money under earth, depriving themselves of the pleasure of seeing it, at times all their life, just to be sure it is safe.

Why not put it no less than in heaven, where it would be much safer, and where it will be found again one day forever? And how to do this? It is simple, continues St. Augustine: God offers you the carriers in the poor. They are going there where you hope to go one day. God's need is here, in the poor, and he will give it back to you when you go there.

However, it is clear that today almsgiving and charity is no longer the only way to use wealth for the common good, or perhaps the most advisable. There is also honesty in paying one's taxes, to create new jobs, to give a more generous salary to workers when the situation allows it, to initiate local enterprises in developing countries.

In sum, when one makes money yield, makes it flow, they are channels for the water to circulate, not artificial lakes that keep it for themselves.     [Translation from the Italian original by ZENIT]  © Innovative Media Inc.

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 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is-27 Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin B p 481

Reading 1            -              Genesis 2:18-24

The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him." So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;  whatever the man called each of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.  So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called 'woman, ' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken." That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari    -    mill-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 2, 18-24

Il-Mulej Alla qal:   "Mhux sewwa li bniedem jiqa' waħdu.Ħa nagħmillu għajnuna tgħodd għalih." U l-Mulej Alla sawwar mill-art l-annimali selvaġġi  u t-tajt kollu tal-ajru, u ġiebhom quddiem  il-bniedem biex jara xi jsemmihom, u skont ma jkun il-bniedem semma lil kull ħliqa ħajja, dak ikun isimha. U l-bniedem ta isem  lil kull bhima u 'l kull tajra tal-ajru,  u 'l kull annimal selvaġġ;  imma għall-bniedem ma nstabet ebda  għajnuna tgħodd għalih. U l-Mulej Alla tefa' nagħsa tqila fuq il-bniedem;u dan raqad. U ħadlu waħda minn kustiljih  u flokha mlieh bil-laħam.   U l-Mulej Alla sawwar il-kustilja,  li kien ħa mill-bniedem,   f'mara, u ġiiebha lill-bniedem. Imbagħad il-bniedem qal:   "Din id-darba  din hi  għadma  minn għadmi, u  laħam minn laħmi, għalhekk tissejjah mara, għax mir-raġel ittieħdet hi." Għalhekk ir-raġel iħalli lil missieru u lil ommu u jingħaqad ma' martu  u jsiru ġisem wieħed. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                     Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

R. (cf. 5) May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.                                     R/

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.                                                                   R/

Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.                                                           R/

May you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel!                                                              R/

Salm Responsorjali    - Salm 127(128)

R/   Iberikna l-Mulej il-jiem kollha ta' ħajjitna.

Ħieni kull min jibża' mill-Mulej,

kull min jimxi fit-triqat tiegħu!

Mix-xogħol ta' idejk inti tiekol,

ħieni int, u riżqek tajjeb.                              R/

Martek tkun bħal dielja għammiela

Fl-irkejjen ta' darek;

uliedek bħal xitel taż-żebbuġ

madwar il-mejda tiegħek.                          R/

Ara, kif ikun imbierek

il-bniedem li jibża mill-Mulej!

Ibierkek il-Mulej minn Sijon!     R/

Jalla tara l-ġid ta' Ġerusalemm

tul ħajtek  kollha!                            

Jalla  tara wlied uliedek!

Sliem għal Iżrael!                                             R/

Reading 2       Hebrews 2:9-11

Brothers and sisters:  He "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels, " that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them 'brothers.'   This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Qari      -   mill-Ittra lil Lhud 2, 9-11           

Ħuti, lil dak li għal ftit taż-żmien, kien imniżżel ftit inqas mill-anġli,  lil Ġesu', aħna issa qegħdin narawh imżejjen fil-glorja u l-ġieħ minħabba fil-mewt li hu bata, biex, għall-grazzja  ta' Alla, il-mewt li daq tkun  għall-ġid ta' kulħadd. Għax kien jixraq li Alla, li għalih u bih sar kollox, waqt li jwassal ħafna wlied għallll-glorja, jagħmel li l-Awtur tas-salvazzjoni tagħhom  ikun perfett  bis-saħħa tas-sofferenzi.  Għax kemm dak li jqaddes,  u kemm dawk li jiġu mqaddsin, ilkoll huma mill-istess wieħed. U għalhekk Ġesu' ma jistħix isejħilhom ħutu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                                               Mark 10:2-16

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate." In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and  marries another, she commits adultery."  And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the  kingdom of God like a child will no  enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them. This is the Word of the Lord.

Evanġelju    -   Qari skond San Mark 10, 2-16           

 F'dak iż-żmien, resqu xi Fariżej lejn Ġesu' u biex  iġarrbuh staqsewh jekk raġel jistax jitlaq 'il martu. Weġibhom u qal:  "X'ordnalkom Mose?" Qalulu:  "Mose' ta  l-permess li wieħed jagħmel  il-kitba tad-divorzju, u jibgħatha." Imbagħad weġibhom Ġesu':  "Minħabba l-ebusija ta' qalbkom kitbilkom din l-ordni.  Iżda sa mill-bidu   tal-ħolqien Alla għamilhom raġel u mara. Għalhekk mela raġel jħalli lil missieru u 'l-ommu u jingħaqad ma' martu, u t-tnejn isiru ġisem wieħed. Għalhekk  mhumiex iżjed tnejn, imma ġisem wieħed. Mela dak li għaqqad Alla ma għandux jifirdu l-bniedem." Xħin daħlu d-dar id-dixxipli reġgħu staqsewh fuq dan, u hu qalilhom:  "Min jitlaq lil martu u jiżżewweġ oħra jkun ħati ta' adulterju kontra l-ewwel waħda; u jekk mara titlaq lil żewġha u tiżżewweġ ieħor tkun ħatja ta' adulterju." Ġibdulu quddiemu  xi tfal ċkejknin biex iberrikom, iżda d-dixxipli tiegħu qabdu jgħajtu magħhom. Ġesu', meta ra hekk, inkorla u qalilhom: "Ħalluhom it-tfal iż-żgħar jiġu għandi; iżżommuhomx, għax ta' min hu bħalhom hija  s-Saltna ta' Alla.   Tassew  ngħidilkom, li min is-Saltna ta' Alla ma  jilqgħhiex bħal tifel ċkejken ma jidħolx fiha."   Imbagħad ħaddanhom  miegħu u qiegħed idejh fuqhom u berikom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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Father Cantalamessa on Marriage:

                          The Two Shall Become One Flesh

The topic of this 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time is marriage. The first reading (Genesis 2:18-24) begins with the well-known words: "The Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.'"

In our days the evil of marriage is separation and divorce, whereas in the time of Jesus it was repudiation. In a certain sense, the latter was a worse evil, because it also implied an injustice in regard to the woman, which, sadly, persists in certain cultures. Man, in fact, had the right to repudiate his wife, but the wife did not have the right to repudiate her husband.

There were two opposite opinions in Judaism, in regard to repudiation. According to one of them, it was lawful to repudiate one's wife for any reason, hence, at the discretion of the husband. According to another, however, a grave reason was necessary, established by the law.

One day they subjected Jesus to this question, hoping that he would adopt a position in favor of one or the other thesis. However, they received an answer they did not expect: "Because of the hardness of your hearts he [Moses] wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother (and be joined to his wife), and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate."

The law of Moses about repudiation is seen by Christ as an unwanted disposition, but tolerated by God (as polygamy and other disorders), because of hardness of heart and human immaturity. Jesus did not criticize Moses for the concession made; he recognized that in this matter the human lawmaker cannot fail to keep in mind the reality in fact.

However, he re-proposed to all the original ideal of the indissoluble union between man and woman -- "one flesh" -- that, at least for his disciples, must be the only form possible of marriage.

However, Jesus did not limit himself to reaffirming the law; he added grace to it. This means that Christian spouses not only have the duty to remain faithful until death; they also have the necessary aids to do so. From Christ's redeeming death comes a strength -- the Holy Spirit -- which permeates every aspect of the believer's life, including marriage. The latter is even raised to the dignity of a sacrament and of living image of the spousal union with the Church on the cross (Ephesians 5:31-32).

To say that marriage is a sacrament does not only mean -- as often believed -- that in it the union of the sexes is permitted, licit and good, which outside of it would be disorder and sin; it means even more yet, to say that marriage becomes a way of being united to Christ through love of the other, a real path of sanctification.

This positive view is the one that Benedict XVI happily showed in his encyclical "Deus Caritas Est" on love and charity. In it the Pope does not compare the indissoluble union in marriage to another form of erotic love; but presents it as the most mature and perfect form, not only from the Christian, but also from the human point of view.

"It is part of love's growth toward higher levels and inward purification that it now seeks to become definitive, and it does so in a twofold sense: both in the sense of exclusivity (this particular person alone) and in the sense of being 'forever.' Love embraces the whole of existence in each of its dimensions, including the dimension of time. It could hardly be otherwise, since its promise looks toward its definitive goal: love looks to the eternal" (No. 60).

This ideal of conjugal fidelity has never been easy (adultery is a word that resounds ominously even in the Bible!). But today the permissive and hedonist culture in which we live has made it immensely more difficult. The alarming crisis that the institution of marriage is going through in our society is easy for all to see.

Civil laws, such as that in Spain, permit (and indirectly, in this way, encourage!) beginning divorce proceedings just a few months after life in common. Words like: "I am sick of this life," "I'm going," "If it's like this, each one on his own!" are uttered between spouses at the first difficulty.

Let it be said in passing: I believe that Christian spouses should accuse themselves in confession of the simple fact of having uttered one of these words, because the sole fact of saying them is an offense to the unity, and constitutes a dangerous psychological precedent.

In this marriage suffers the common mentality of "use and discard." If a device or tool is in some way damaged or dented, no thought is given to repairing it -- those who did such repairs have disappeared -- there is only thought of replacing it. Applied to marriage, this mentality is deadly.

What can be done to contain this tendency, cause of so much evil for society and so much sadness for children? I have a suggestion: Rediscover the art of repairing!

Replace the "use and discard" mentality with that of "use and repair." Almost no one does repairs now. But if this art of repairing is no longer done for clothes, it must be practiced in marriage. Repair the big tears, and repair them immediately.

St. Paul gave very good counsels in this respect: "Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil," "forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other," "Bear one another's burdens" (Ephesians 4:26-27; Colossians 3:13; Galatians 6:2).

What is important is that one must understand that in this process of tears and repairs, of crises and surmounted obstacles, marriage is not exhausted, but is refined and improves. I perceive an analogy between the process that leads to a successful marriage and one that leads to holiness.

In their path toward perfection, the saints often go through the so-called dark night of the senses, in which they no longer experience any feeling, or impulse.

They have aridity, are empty, do everything through will power alone and with effort. After this, comes the "dark night of the spirit," in which not only feelings enter into crisis, but also the intelligence and will. There is even doubt that one is on the right road; if it has not all been an error; complete darkness, endless temptations. They go forward only through faith.

Does everything end then? On the contrary! All this was but purification. After they have passed through these crises, the saints realize how much more profound and selfless their love of God now is, in relation to that of the beginning.

For many couples, it will not be difficult to recognize their own experience. They have also frequently gone through the night of the senses in their marriage, in which the latter have no rapture of ecstasy, and if there ever was, it is only a memory of the past. Some also experience the dark night of the spirit, the state in which the profoundest option is in crisis, and it seems that there is no longer anything in common.

If with good will and the help of someone these crises are surmounted, one realizes to what point the impulse and enthusiasm of the first days was but little compared to the stable love and communion matured over the years.

If at first husband and wife loved one another for the satisfaction it gave them, today perhaps they love one another a bit more with a love of tenderness, free of egoism and capable of compassion; they love one another for the things they have gone through and suffered together.  

[Translation from the Italian original by ZENIT]  © Innovative Media Inc.

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