Messalin C 201
When
the captain and the court officers had brought the apostles in and made them stand
before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, "We gave you strict
orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name? Yet you have filled Jerusalem Israel
L-Ewwel Lezzjoni - mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 5,
27b-32, 40b-41
F'dak iż-żmien, il-qaddejja
ressqu lill-appostli quddiem is-Sinedriju. U l-qassis il-kbir qalilhom: "Aħna għednielkom fuq li għednielkom biex ma
tgħallmux fuq dan l-isem. U araw, issa mlejtu 'l Ġerusalemm bit-tagħlim
tagħkom, u tridu titfgħu fuqna l-ħtija ta' demm dan il-bniedem!" Iżda Pietru,
flimkien mal-appostli, wieġeb u qal: "Jeħtieġ nobdu aktar lil Alla milli
l-bnedmin. Alla ta' missirijietna qajjem lil Ġesu' li intom
qtiltuh billi dendiltuh ma' għuda. Alla għollieħ bil-leminija tiegħu u għamlu kap u salvatur, biex jagħti lil
Iżrael l-indiema u l-maħfra
tad-dnubiet. U ta' dan kollu hawn
xhieda aħna flimkien mal-Ispirtu s-Santu li Alla ta lil dawk li jobduh." Lill-appostli
wara li tawhom is-swat, ordnawlhom li ma jitkellmux fuq l-isem ta' Ġesu';
imbagħad telquhom. Iżda huma ħarġu minn
Responsorial
Psalm PSALM 30:2,
4, 5-6, 11-12, 13
R. Alleluia.
I
will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit. R/
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit. R/
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing. R/
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks. R/
Salm Responsorjali SALM 29 (30)
R/: Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.
Ngħollik, Mulej, għax
erfajtni,
u ma ferraħtx l-għedewwa
tiegħi bija.
Mulej, tellajtli mill-mewt
'il ruħi,
ħlistni minn
Għannu lill-Mulej, ħbieb
tiegħu,
faħħru l-isem imqaddes
tiegħu.
Għax ftit iddum is-saħna
tiegħu,
iżda għomor sħiħ l-imħabba
tiegħu.
Filgħaxija jidħol il-biki,
filgħodu jidwi l-għajjat ta'
ferħ. R/
Ismagħni, Mulej, u ħenn għalija;
kun, Mulej, l-għajnuna
tiegħi!
Int bdilt fi żfin l-għali
tiegħi.
Mulej, Alla tiegħi, infaħħrek
għal dejjem. R/
Reading
2 REVELATIONS
5:11-14
I,
John, looked and heard the voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and
the living creatures and the elders. They were countless in number, and they
cried out in a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and
strength, honor and glory and blessing.” Then I heard every creature in heaven
and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry
out: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor,
glory and might, forever and ever.” The four living creatures answered, “Amen,”
and the elders fell down and worshiped. This
is the Word of The Lord.
l-Tieni Lezzjoni mill-Ktieb tal-Apokalissi 5,
11-14
Jiena, Ġwanni, ħarist, u minn
Gospel
- JOHN 21:1-19
At
that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias Galilee , Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will
come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they
caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but
the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children,
have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them,
“Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So
they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So
the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he
tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The
other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about
a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on
shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them,
“Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged
the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there
were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they
realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to
them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was
revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. When they had
finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love
me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love
you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you
know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him
the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that
Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he
said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said
to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you
used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will
stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you
do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would
glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.” This is
the Word of The Lord.
Evanġelju - Qari
skont San Ġwann 21, 1-19
F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' raġa
deher lid-dixxipli ħdejn il-baħar ta' Tiberija. Dehrilhom hekk: Xmun Pietru, Tumas, li jgħidulu t-Tewmi,
Natanjel minn minn minn
/////////////////////////// COMMENTARY:
Christ is the light of
charity for the world
By Archbishop Mgr Francesco Follo, permanent observer of the Holy See to
UNESCO, Paris.
At Easter, the first of all
Sundays, we have celebrated the victory of the Word of Life that is Light. This
light has conquered darkness. It is the beginning of a life that is not subject
to the wear and tear of time because it is in the eternal youth of God. We have
celebrated the victory of a Love that is stronger than death and stronger than
the sin that has let death and its darkness enter the world.
Last Sunday, the second
Sunday of Easter, we have been reminded of Jesus’ tenderness toward Thomas, his
passionate disciple who was not there when Jesus appeared for the first time
after the resurrection. The apostle, confronted with the concreteness of the
Redeemer’s presence, recognized him and pronounced the most beautiful words of
the Christian faith: “My Lord and my God.” Then Jesus looked at Thomas with
eyes full of mercy. With a look that gives peace and trust,
instills courage and audacity and unleashes irresistible passion and strength
He invited all the apostles to go to the limits of the earth to announce the
Gospel, the best and most beautiful news that men, in any place and in any
time, need.
In this third Sunday of
Easter Jesus manifests his presence only to some of the apostles to confirm
their vocation to be swept in by a love infinite, merciful and faithful, like
the fish of the miraculous catch. It is not only an apparition to confirm them
in the certainty of His Resurrection. It is also a recall of the mission to be
fishermen of men.
With his apparitions Jesus
shows a saintly and loyal Presence. As He did then, today Jesus invites us to
be with him (Jn 21:4) on the lake’s shore.
With his Presence Jesus shows
that the given Love conquers death for him and for his friends, Judas included.
Let’s not forget that when Judas went to betray Him, Jesus called him “Friend.”
How could we not think that this word had pierced the traitor’s heart? Maybe in
the last minute of his life Judas remembering that word and the kiss, felt that
the Master still loved him and would have welcomed him among the others in the
new life.
At the Last Supper Jesus said
to all the Apostles “I will no longer call you slaves, I call you friends” ( Jn
15:15). Jesus gives to us the same gift, He calls us “friends.”
Because we are his friends,
Jesus speaks to us as a friend does. He asks us to love one another presenting
his love as the source, the example and the measure of our reciprocal and
brotherly love. ( Jn 15:12)
In conclusion we can say that
the Resurrected invites his Apostles and us to be with Him. We must “be” with
Him, grafted in Him as the shoots of the vine to be able to have eternal Life.
“We must be with Jesus to be able to be with the others” (Benedict XVI to the
Fraternity of Saint Charles Borromeo, February 13, 2011). In being with Him we
share eternal and universal love.
Power that comes from love:
Do you love me?… I love you…Feed my flock.
After the meal with the bread
offered by Jesus and the fish of the miraculous catch, the dialogue between
Jesus and Peter begins. Jesus reminds Peter of his betrayal. It was enough to
have some words spoken by a gossipy servant to make him fall. This reminder is
painful for Peter, but Jesus asks neither clarification nor justification. He
asks him only if he loves Him because it is not important that his future pope
is strong or consistent. He wants only to know if he loves Him and if he still
wants to follow him. The one who will become the Bishop of Rome who presides
over charity receives his assignment through a “test” on charity. To Peter who
was offering his pain, Christ confirms his love.
Our journey toward sanctity
is not made without betrayals but it is necessary that we renew everyday our
friendship with Christ.
Jesus’ three questions are
different because Jesus follows Peter’s answers.
To the first question: Do you
love me (from the Greek agapas me from agapao) more than these? Peter answers
not using the right word. In fact while Jesus uses a verb seldom utilized,
agapao, the verb of the absolute love, Peter uses a simple verb, the one
indicating friendship and affection (from the Greek fileo ) and doesn’t make
any comparison between him and the other apostles.
The second question is
“Simon, son of John, do you love me (agapas me)?” Jesus has understood Peter’s
difficulties and asks less. There is no comparison with the others, but the
request for absolute love (agape) is still there. Peter answers again that he
loves him, but in using again the verb fileo (the one more reassuring, more
human: I’m your friend, you know, I love you) he demonstrates that he doesn’t
understand well what Jesus is asking. Peter doesn’t dare to speak of love he
prefers to speak of friendship and affection.
In the third question Jesus
changes the verb and lowers his expectations on Peter. He comes closer to his
unsure heart, accepts his limits and uses Peter’s verb “Peter fileis me?” He
asks him affection if love is too much or at least friendship if love is too
frightening. Jesus demonstrates his love in lowering three times the requirements
of love and in slowing down his pace (as He does on the road to Emmaus) to
match the one of the disciple.
Jesus accepts that Peter
“loves” Him in the only way the disciple thinks he can do it. Since Jesus knows
that Peter truly and completely loves Him, gives him the supremacy of love to
take care of the Church. Jesus put on Peter’s shoulders the power that comes
from charity (agape). Peter, who was able to recognize his misery and to
receive Christ’s love, will be able to serve and to take care of his brothers
in need of love and truth. Peter is ready, he will know how to help his poor
brothers, because he has accepted his poverty and has asked for the love of the
Master who invited him to be forever his follower.
What about us?
To Peter and to every one of
us Jesus says the final word of today’s gospel: “Follow me”. Together with
Peter, let’s follow Christ without forgetting a fundamental fact: Jesus Christ
appears first to the women, his loyal followers, not to the disciples or to the
apostles whom He had chosen to be the carriers of his Gospel into the world.
To the women He gives the
mystery of the Resurrection making them the first witnesses of this truth.
Perhaps He wants to reward their sensibility to his message and their strength
which had pushed them up Calvary .
Perhaps He wants to show a
fine side of his humanity, with grace and kindness He approaches and helps the
ones who counted less in the world. We can read this in the gospel of Matthew
28:9-10 “And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They
approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do
not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee ,
and there they will see me.” This will in fact happen as we can see in today’s
Gospel. Even the apparition to Mary Magdalene (Jn 20:11-18) is of a remarkable
finery from the side of the woman who reveals her passionate and reserved
dedication to Jesus and from the side of the Master who treats her with
kindness and goodness.
The Church will have to take
inspiration from this priority given to the women at Easter. Over the centuries
she had been able to count on them for their life of faith, prayer and
apostolate. I think that the consecrated
Virgins are the example that a life offered to God in consecration makes sure
that love is the completion that makes faith and charity alive and operative.
(Gal 5:6) This is what Saint Augustine
Practical advice: I invite you to repeat often
this prayer by Saint Augustine: “Lord, guard our hearts united forever so that
in following your path our affection becomes charity” (Custode Domine, animas nostras in perpetuo iunctas, ut te solum
sequentes in via dilectio nostra caritas fieri posset) ///////////////////////////////
