Jesus cures us of our sicknesses and disbeliefs

//////////  Sunday, January 26 2020

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 67

It-Tielet Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1     Is 8:23—9:3

First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the end he has glorified the seaward road, the land west of the Jordan, the District of the Gentiles. Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness: for there is no gloom where but now there was distress. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as people make merry when dividing spoils. For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

Qari I      mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija Is 8. 23b - 9, 3

Alla bħalma qabel fl-imgħoddi kien mela bl-għajb l-art ta’ Żebulun u l-art ta’ Naftali, hekk issa fl-aħħar isebbaħ it-triq tal-baħar ’l hemm mill-Ġordan, il-Galilija tal-ġnus. Il-poplu li kien miexi fid-dlam ra dawl kbir; in-nies li joqogħdu f’art id-dlam dawl idda fuqhom. Int kattart il-ġens, kabbart l-hena; huma ferħu quddiemek, bħalma jifirħu fi żmien il-ħsad, bħalma jifirħu fi qsim il-priża. Għax il-madmad li kien itaqqlu, u l-ħatar ta’ fuq spallejh, u l-bastun tal-argużin, int kissirthom bħal f’jum Midjan. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm    PSALM 27:1, 4, 13-14

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

The LORD is my life’s refuge;

of whom should I be afraid?

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

One thing I ask of the LORD;

this I seek:

To dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD

and contemplate his temple.

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD

in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD with courage;

be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Salm Responsorjali    Salm 26 (27) 1.4.13-14 

R/. (1a): Il-Mulej id-dawl u s-salvazzjoni tiegħi

Il-Mulej id-dawl u s-salvazzjoni tiegħi;

minn min għandi nibża’?

Il-Mulej hu l-kenn tiegħi;

quddiem min għandi nitwerwer? R/.

Ħaġa waħda tlabt lill-Mulej,

ħaġa waħda nfittex:

li ngħammar f’dar il-Mulej

tul il-jiem kollha ta’ ħajti;

biex nitgħaxxaq bil-ħlewwa tal-Mulej

jien u nħares lejn it-tempju tiegħu. R/.

Nemmen li għad nara t-tjieba tal-Mulej f’art il-ħajjin.

Ittama fil-Mulej, żomm sħiħ u qawwi qalbek;

ittama fil-Mulej. R/.

Reading 2      1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-13, 17

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say,and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose. For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you. I mean that each of you is saying, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

Qari II      mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Korintin  1, 10-13.17

Nitlobkom, ħuti, f’isem Sidna Ġesù Kristu, biex tkunu taqblu fi kliemkom u ma jkunx hemm firdiet fostkom. Kunu magħqudin kif imiss, ħsieb wieħed u fehma waħda. Ħuti, in-nies ta’ Kloji qaluli fuqkom li fostkom hemm it-tilwim: irrid ngħid jien, li kull wieħed minnkom qiegħed jgħid: “Jiena ta’ Pawlu”, “U jiena ta’ Apollo”, “U jiena ta’ Kefa”, “U jiena ta’ Kristu”. Jaqaw Kristu mifrud? Forsi Pawlu kien li ssallab għalikom jew f’isem Pawlu tgħammidtu? Kristu ma bagħatnix biex ngħammed iżda biex inxandar l-Evanġelju, mhux bi kliem l-għerf sabiex ma jiġix fix-xejn is-salib ta’ Kristu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

Gospel       Matthew 4:12-23 or 4:12-17

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.

Evanġelju      Qari skond San Mattew 4, 12-23

Meta Ġesù sama’ li kienu arrestaw lil Ġwanni, warrab lejn il-Galilija. Telaq minn Nażaret u mar joqgħod Kafarnahum, qrib il-baħar, fl-inħawi ta’ Żebulun u Naftali, biex hekk iseħħ dak li kien ingħad permezz tal-profeta Isaija, meta qal:“Art ta’ Żebulun, u art ta’ Naftali, it-triq tal-baħar, art ’il hemm mill-Ġordan, Galilija tal-ġnus! Il-poplu li kien qiegħed fid-dlam ra dawl kbir; dawk li kienu f’art u dell il-mewt idda dawl għalihom”. Minn dak iż-żmien Ġesù beda jxandar u jgħid: “Indmu għax is-Saltna tas-Smewwiet waslet”. Huwa u jdur ma’ xatt il-baħar tal-Galilija lemaħ żewġt aħwa, Xmun jgħidulu Pietru, u ħuh Indrì, qegħdin jixħtu x-xbiek fil-baħar, għax kienu sajjieda. U qalilhom: “Ejjew warajja, u nagħmilkom sajjieda tal-bnedmin”. U minnufih telqu x-xbiek, u marru warajh. Wara li mexa minn hemm ra żewġt aħwa oħra, Ġakbu ta’ Żebedew u ħuh Ġwanni, qegħdin fid-dgħajsa ma’ missierhom Żebedew isewwu x-xbiek tagħhom, u sejħilhom. Minnufih telqu d-dgħajsa u lil missierhom, u marru warajh. Ġesù dar il-Galilija kollha jgħallem fis-sinagogi tagħhom, ixandar l-Evanġelju tas-Saltna u jfejjaq kull xorta ta’ mard u dgħufija fost il-poplu.Il-Kelma tal-Mulej   R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu

//////////////////////////   

On God’s Healing

In his commentary on this Sunday’s Gospel passage, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher of the Pontifical Household, points out nature and grace as the means man has to overcome his illnesses.

* * *

This Sunday we read that as he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers, casting a net into the sea as they were fishermen. He called “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And they left their nets and followed him. He walked further and saw two other brothers in a boat, with their father mending their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left their father and followed him. Jesus went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. (Matt 4:18-23)

The passage of this Gospel ends: “He went around all of Galilee….curing every disease and illness among the people.”  Approximately one-third of the Gospel is taken up by the cures wrought by Jesus in the brief period of his public life. It is impossible to eliminate these miracles, or to give them a natural explanation, without distorting the whole Gospel and making it incomprehensible.

The miracles of the Gospel present unmistakable characteristics. They are never carried out to astonish or to extol the one working them. There are some today who allow themselves to be fascinated when listening to those who seem to have certain powers of levitation, of making things appear and disappear, and other such things. To whom does this type of miracle serve, supposing that they are such? No one. Only themselves, to make disciples or money. Jesus works miracles out of compassion because he loves people. He also works miracles to help them believe. Finally, he heals to proclaim that God is the God of life and that in the end, together with death, sickness will also be overcome and there will be no more mourning or weeping.

Not only does Jesus cure, but he orders his apostles to do the same after him: “And he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal” (Luke 9:2). “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick” (Matthew 10:7-8). We always find the two things together: preach the Gospel and cure the sick. Man has two means to try to overcome his sicknesses: nature and grace. Nature indicates the intelligence, science, medicine, technology; grace indicates direct recourse to God, through faith and prayer and the sacraments. The latter are the means that the Church has at her disposition to “cure the sick.” Evil begins when a third way is attempted: the way of magic, the one which exerts pressure on alleged occult powers of the person, which are not based either on science or faith. In this case, either we are before pure charlatanism and deceit, or worse, before the action of God’s enemy.

It is not difficult to distinguish between a true charism of healing and its falsification in magic. In the first case, the person never attributes the results obtained to his own powers, but to God; in the second, people only exhibit their own supposed “extraordinary powers.” When, because of this, one reads announcements such as: Magician of so on and so forth “succeeds where others fail, resolves problems of all kinds, has recognized extraordinary powers, casts out demons, removes the evil eye…” One must not have a minute’s doubt — they are swindlers. Jesus said that demons were cast out “with fasting and prayer,” not by taking people’s money!

However, we must ask ourselves another question. What should we think of the one who, despite everything, does not heal? That this person does not have faith or that God does not love this person? Were the persistence of illness a sign that the person has no faith, or that God does not love him, one would have to conclude that the saints were the poorest in faith and the least loved by God, because some spent their life in bed. The answer is another. God’s power does not manifest itself only in one way — eliminating evil, curing physically — but also by giving the capacity, at times even the joy, of carrying one’s cross with Christ, completing what is lacking in his sufferings. Christ has also redeemed suffering and death. The latter is no longer a sign of sin, sharing in Adam’s fault, but is an instrument of redemption.  [Original in Italian published by Famiglia Cristiana. Translation by ZENIT].

/////////////////

He who takes away our sin

  « January 19 »

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 64   

It-Tieni Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1   ISAIAH 49:3, 5-6

The LORD said to me: You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Qari I        mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 49, 3.5-6

Il-Mulej qalli: “Iżrael, inti l-qaddej tiegħi, bik jiena nkun imfaħħar”. Issa tkellem il-Mulej, li minn ġuf ommi għamilni qaddej tiegħu, biex għandu nraġġa’ lura lil Ġakobb, u biex Iżrael jinġabar miegħu mill-ġdid – għax jien kont imfaħħar f’għajnejn il-Mulej, u Alla tiegħi kien il-qawwa tiegħi – u Hu qalli: “Tkun ħaġa żgħira wisq għalik, li inti tkun il-qaddej tiegħi, biex tqajjem it-tribù ta’ Ġakobb, u traġġa’ lura l-fdal ta’ Iżrael. Jien nagħmel minnek dawl għall-ġnus, biex is-salvazzjoni tiegħi sa truf l-art tinfirex”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm    PSALM 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10

I have waited, waited for the LORD,

and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.

And he put a new song into my mouth,

a hymn to our God.

R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or offering you wished not,

but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;

then said I, “Behold I come.”

R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,

to do your will, O my God, is my delight,

and your law is within my heart!”

R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;

I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Salm Responsorjali      Salm 39 (40), 2.4ab.7-8a.8b-9.10

R/. (8a.9a): Hawn jien, Mulej, ġej nagħmel ir-rieda tiegħek

Ittamajt b’tama qawwija fil-Mulej;

hu niżel ħdejja u sama’ l-għajta tiegħi.

Qegħedli fuq fommi għanja ġdida,

għanja ta’ tifħir lil Alla tagħna. R/.

Int ma titgħaxxaqx b’sagrifiċċji u b’offerti;

imma widnejja inti ftaħtli;

ma tlabtnix vittmi tal-ħruq u tat-tpattija.

Imbagħad jien għedt: “Hawn jien, ġej”. R/.

“Fil-bidu tal-ktieb hemm miktub fuqi

li nagħmel ir-rieda tiegħek.

Alla tiegħi, dan jogħġobni;

il-liġi tiegħek ġewwa qalbi”. R/.

Xandart il-ġustizzja f’ġemgħa kbira;

xufftejja ma żammejthomx magħluqa.

Mulej, dan inti tafu. R/.

Reading 2    1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-3

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Qari II     Bidu tal-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 1, 1-3

Pawlu, li Alla ried isejjaħlu biex ikun appostlu ta’ Kristu Ġesù, u Sòsteni ħuna, lill-knisja ta’ Alla li qiegħda f’Korintu; lil dawk li tqaddsu fi Kristu Ġesù, imsejħa biex ikunu qaddisin flimkien ma’ dawk kollha li f’kull pajjiż isejħu l-isem ta’ Ġesù Kristu, is-Sid tagħhom u tagħna; grazzja u sliem mingħand Alla missierna u l-Mulej Ġesù Kristu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel    JOHN 1:29-34

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

Evanġelju      Qari skond San Ġwann 1, 29-34

F’dak iż-żmien, Ġwanni, ra lil Ġesù riesaq lejh, u qal: “Araw il-Ħaruf ta’ Alla, li jneħħi d-dnub tad-dinja. Dan hu li għalih għedtilkom: “Warajja ġej bniedem li hu aqwa minni, għax kien qabli”. Anqas jien stess ma kont nafu, imma jien għalhekk ġejt ngħammed bl-ilma, biex hu jkun mgħarraf lil Iżrael”. U Ġwanni xehed għalih u qal: “Jiena rajt l-Ispirtu nieżel mis-sema bħal ħamiema u joqgħod fuqu. Tabilħaqq, anqas jien ma kont nafu; imma dak li bagħatni ngħammed bl-ilma, hu stess qalli: “Fuq min tara l-Ispirtu jinżel u joqgħod, dak hu li jgħammed bl-Ispirtu s-Santu”. Dan rajtu b’għajnejja, u għalhekk xhedt, dan hu l-Iben ta’ Alla”.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

////////////////////////////////////

////////////////////////////////////

Behold, the Lamb of God!

Gospel Commentary by Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, the Pontifical Household preacher

In this coming Sunday's Gospel we hear John the Baptist who, presenting Jesus to the world, exclaims: “Behold the lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world!”

The lamb, in the Bible, as in other cultures, is the symbol of being innocent; it cannot do evil to anyone but only suffer it. Following this symbolism, the first letter of Peter calls Christ “the lamb unspotted” (1:19) who, “reviled, did not revile; when he suffered, he threatened not” (2:23). Jesus, in other words, is par excellence the innocent one who suffers.

It has been written that the suffering of the innocent “is the rock of atheism.” After Auschwitz, the problem was posed in a still more acute way. There are countless books and dramas that have been written about this theme. It feels like being at a trial and hearing the voice of the judge ordering the defendant to stand up. The defendant in this case is God.

What does the faith have to say about all this? First of all, it is necessary that we all, believers and nonbelievers, adopt an attitude of humility, because if faith is not able to “explain” the suffering, much less is reason. The suffering of the innocent is something too pure and mysterious to try to close it up in one of our poor “explanations.” Jesus — who, as far as explanations go, certainly had more than us — faced with the suffering of the widow of Naim and the sisters of Lazarus, knew nothing better to do than to be moved and weep.

The Christian response to the problem of innocent suffering is wrapped up in one name: Jesus Christ! Jesus did not come to give us expert explanations about suffering, he came rather silently to take it upon himself. Taking it upon himself, however, he changed it entirely: from a sign of malediction, he made it an instrument of redemption. Even more: he made it the supreme value, the highest order of greatness in this world. After sin, the true greatness of the human creature is measured by the fact of bearing the least amount of guilt possible and the maximum amount of punishment possible. It is not so much in the one or the other taken separately — that is, in innocence or in suffering — as it is in the co-presence of the two in the same person. This is a type of suffering that brings us closer to God. Only God, in fact, if he suffers, suffers as innocent in an absolute sense.

Jesus, however, did not only give a meaning to innocent suffering, he also conferred a new power on it, a mysterious fruitfulness. Look at what flowed from the suffering of Christ: the resurrection and hope for the whole human race. But look also at what happens around us. How much energy and heroism is often brought out in a couple in the acceptance of a handicapped child, bedridden for years! How much unsuspected solidarity surrounds them! How much otherwise unknown capacity to love!

The most important thing, however, when we speak of innocent suffering, is not to explain it; it is not to increase it with our actions and our omissions. But neither is it enough not to increase innocent suffering; we must also try to relieve the innocent suffering that exists! Faced with a little girl frozen by the cold, who cries because of hunger pains, a man cried out in his heart one day to God: “Oh, God, where are you? Why don’t you do something for that innocent girl?” And God answered him: “I certainly have done something for her: I made you!”  [Translated from the Italian  by Joseph G. Trabbic]

/////////////////