IL-QARI U L-EVANGELJU TAL-HADD - TODAY'S GOSPEL
IL - QARI TA' :
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01 APRIL 2018
25 ta' MARZU, 2018
18 ta' MARZU, 2018
11 ta' MARZU, 2018
Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
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L - 4 ta' MARZU 2018
01 ta' APRIL 2018
L-Għid il-Kbir tal-Qawmien tal-Mulej mill-Imwiet
Solennità - Quddiesa tal-Jum
Qari I
Aħna kilna u xrobna miegħu wara li qam mill-imwiet.
Atti 10, 34a.37-43
Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli
F’dak iż-żmien, Pietru qabad jitkellem u qal: “Intom tafu b’dak li ġara mal-Lhudija kollha, ibda mill-Galilija, wara li Ġwanni kien xandar il-magħmudija; tafu kif Alla kkonsagra lil Ġesù ta’ Nazaret bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u bil-qawwa, u kif dan Ġesù għadda jagħmel il-ġid u jfejjaq lil dawk kollha li kienu maħkuma mix-xitan, għax Alla kien miegħu. U aħna xhud ta’ dak kollu li hu għamel fl-art tal-Lhudija u f’Ġerusalemm. Tawh il-mewt billi dendluh mal-għuda tas-salib; imma Alla qajmu mill-imwiet fit-tielet jum u għamel li hu jidher, mhux lil kulħadd, imma lix-xhieda li Alla għażel minn qabel, lilna, li miegħu kilna u xrobna wara l-qawmien tiegħu mill-imwiet.
Lilna ordnalna biex inxandruh lill-poplu u nixhdu li dan hu dak li Alla għamlu mħallef tal-ħajjin u tal-mejtin. Il-profeti kollha jixhdu għalih u jgħidu li kull min jemmen fih jaqla’ l-maħfra tad-dnubiet bis-saħħa ta’ ismu”.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Salm Responsorjali
Salm 117 (118), 1-2.16ab-17. 22-23
R/. (24): Dan hu l-jum li għamel il-Mulej;
ħa nifirħu u nithennew fih. Hallelujah
Faħħru lill-Mulej, għaliex hu tajjeb,
għax għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu!
Ħa jgħidu wlied Iżrael:
“Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu”. R/.
Il-leminija tal-Mulej ’il fuq merfugħa,
il-leminija tal-Mulej għamlet ħwejjeġ ta’ ħila!
Ma mmutx, imma nibqa’ ngħix,
u nħabbar l-għemejjel tal-Mulej. R/.
Il-ġebla li warrbu l-bennejja
saret il-ġebla tax-xewka.
Bis-saħħa tal-Mulej seħħ dan:
ħaġa tal-għaġeb f’għajnejna. R/.
Qari II
Fittxu l-ħwejjeġ tas-sema, fejn qiegħed Kristu.
Kol 3, 1-4
Qari mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Kolossin
Ħuti, jekk intom irxuxtajtu ma’ Kristu, fittxu l-ħwejjeġ tas-sema, fejn Kristu qiegħed fuq il-lemin ta’ Alla. Aħsbu fil-ħwejjeġ tas-sema, mhux f’dawk tal-art. Għax intom mittu, imma ħajjitkom hi moħbija flimkien ma’ Kristu f’Alla. Meta jidher Kristu, li hu l-ħajja tagħkom, imbagħad intom ukoll tidhru flimkien miegħu fil-glorja.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Jew
Qari II
Tnaddfu mill-ħmira l-qadima, ħa tkunu għaġna ġdida.
1 Kor 5, 6b-8
Qari mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Korintin
Ħuti, ma tafux li ftit ħmira ttalla’ l-għaġna kollha? Tnaddfu mill-ħmira l-qadima ħalli tkunu għaġna ġdida, kif intom bla ħmira. Il-Ħaruf tal-Għid tagħna, li hu Kristu, hu maqtul! Nagħmlu festa, mhux bil-ħmira l-qadima, anqas bil-ħmira tal-qerq u tal-ħażen, imma bil-ħobż bla ħmira tas-safa u tas-sewwa.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Sekwenza
Ħa jgħollu l-insara b’tifħirhom
il-Vittma tal-Għid:
għax feda l-Ħaruf in-nagħaġ tiegħu
mill-jasar tal-mewt;
Ġesù raġa’ ħabbeb il-midneb
ma’ Alla l-Missier.
F’taqbida tal-għaġeb mal-Ħajja
inqerdet il-Mewt;
u qam Sid il-ħajja mill-qabar,
isaltan rebbieħ.
“Għidilna, Marija, ħabbrilna:
fit-triq lil min rajt?”
“Jien rajt qabar Kristu li rxoxta
fis-sebħ tal-qawmien;
rajt l-Anġli li ġew jagħtu xhieda,
il-faxxa, il-liżar.
Irxoxta mill-mewt Kristu Sidi,
li fih ittamajt!
Mar hu l-Galilija qabilkom:
hemmhekk se tarawh”.
O, nemmnu li llum Kristu rxoxta
tassew mill-imwiet!
Int mela, Sultan, ħenn għalina,
O Kristu rebbieħ.
Ammen! Hallelujah!
Victimae paschali laudes
immolent christiani.
Agnus redemit oves:
Christus innocens
Patri reconciliavit peccatores.
Mors et vita
duello conflixere mirando:
dux vitae mortuus,
regnat vivus.
Dic nobis, Maria,
quid vidisti in via?
Sepulcrum Christi viventis:
et gloriam vidi resurgentis.
Angelicos testes,
sudarium et vestes.
Surrexit Christus spes mea:
praecedet suos in Galilaeam.
Scimus Christum
surrexisse a mortuis vere:
tu nobis, victor Rex,
miserere.
Amen. Alleluia.
Akklamazzjoni qabel l-Evanġelju
ara 1 Kor 5, 7b-8a
Hallelujah. R/. Hallelujah
Il-Ħaruf tal-Għid tagħna, li hu Kristu, hu maqtul:
nagħmlu mela festa fil-Mulej.
R/. Hallelujah
Evanġelju
Kristu kellu jqum mill-imwiet.
Ġw 20, 1-9
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Ġwann
Kien l-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, filgħodu kmieni kif kien għadu d-dlam, u Marija ta’ Magdala ġiet ħdejn il-qabar u rat il-blata mneħħija mill-qabar. Għalhekk telqet tiġri għand Xmun Pietru u għand id-dixxiplu l-ieħor li kien iħobb Ġesù, u qaltilhom: “Qalgħu lill-Mulej mill-qabar, u ma nafux fejn qegħduh!”.
Pietru u d-dixxiplu l-ieħor ħarġu u ġew ħdejn il-qabar. It-tnejn ġrew flimkien, imma d-dixxiplu l-ieħor ħaffef aktar minn Pietru u laħaq qablu ħdejn il-qabar. Tbaxxa, u ra l-faxex tal-għażel imqiegħda hemm, iżda ma daħalx. Imbagħad wasal warajh Xmun Pietru, daħal fil-qabar, u ra l-faxex tal-għażel imqiegħda hemm, u l-maktur li kien madwar rasu; dan ma kienx mal-faxex, imma mitwi u mqiegħed f’post għalih. Imbagħad id-dixxiplu l-ieħor, li kien wasal l-ewwel ħdejn il-qabar, daħal hu wkoll, ra, u emmen.
Sa dakinhar kienu għadhom ma fehmux l-Iskrittura li tgħid li kellu jqum mill-imwiet.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
Jew
Evanġelju
Qam mill-Imwiet, u sejjer il-Galilija qabilkom.
Mt 28, 1-10
Qari mill-Evanġelju skond San Mattew
Meta għadda s-Sibt, maż-żerniq tal-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, Marija ta’ Magdala u Marija l-oħra marru jaraw il-qabar. U ara, inħasset theżhiża kbira għax niżel anġlu tal-Mulej mis-sema, u resaq igerbeb il-ġebla u qagħad bilqiegħda fuqha. Id-dehra tiegħu kienet bħal berqa; ilbiesu abjad bħas-silġ. Bil-biża’ tiegħu l-għassiesa qabdithom rogħda u saru qishom mejtin. Iżda l-anġlu qabad u qal lin-nisa: “Tibżgħu xejn intom għax jiena naf li qegħdin tfittxu lil Ġesù li kien imsallab. Mhuwiex hawn, għaliex qam, kif kien qal. Ejjew araw il-post fejn kien qiegħed. U morru malajr għidu lid-dixxipli tiegħu: “Qam mill-imwiet. U araw, huwa sejjer il-Galilija qabilkom: tarawh hemmhekk”. Araw, għedthulkom”.
Dawk telqu malajr minn ħdejn il-qabar, kollhom biża’ u ferħ kbir, u marru jiġru jagħtu l-aħbar lid-dixxipli tiegħu. U ara, iltaqa’ magħhom Ġesù u qalilhom: “Is-sliem għalikom”. Huma resqu lejh, qabdulu riġlejh u nxteħtu quddiemu. Imbagħad Ġesù qalilhom: “Tibżgħu xejn; morru wasslu l-aħbar lil ħuti biex jitilqu lejn il-Galilija; lili jarawni hemmhekk”.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu===============================
01 APRIL 2018
Gospel JN 20:1-9
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
"They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don't know where they put him."
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.
Or
When the sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome
bought spices so that they might go and anoint him.
Very early when the sun had risen,
on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb.
They were saying to one another,
"Who will roll back the stone for us
from the entrance to the tomb?"
When they looked up,
they saw that the stone had been rolled back;
it was very large.
On entering the tomb they saw a young man
sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe,
and they were utterly amazed.
He said to them, "Do not be amazed!
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified.
He has been raised; he is not here.
Behold the place where they laid him.
But go and tell his disciples and Peter,
'He is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him, as he told you.'"
Or
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus' disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
"What are you discussing as you walk along?"
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?"
And he replied to them, "What sort of things?"
They said to him,
"The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see."
And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?"
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, "Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
"Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the eleven and those with them who were saying,
"The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"
Then the two recounted
what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
"They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don't know where they put him."
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.
Or
Gospel MK 16:1-7
When the sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome
bought spices so that they might go and anoint him.
Very early when the sun had risen,
on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb.
They were saying to one another,
"Who will roll back the stone for us
from the entrance to the tomb?"
When they looked up,
they saw that the stone had been rolled back;
it was very large.
On entering the tomb they saw a young man
sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe,
and they were utterly amazed.
He said to them, "Do not be amazed!
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified.
He has been raised; he is not here.
Behold the place where they laid him.
But go and tell his disciples and Peter,
'He is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him, as he told you.'"
Or
Gospel LK 24:13-35
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus' disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
"What are you discussing as you walk along?"
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?"
And he replied to them, "What sort of things?"
They said to him,
"The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see."
And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?"
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, "Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
"Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the eleven and those with them who were saying,
"The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"
Then the two recounted
what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.
========================================
25 ta' MARZU, 2018
Ħadd il-Palm u l-Passjoni tal-Mulej
Tifkira tad-Daħla tal-Mulej f’Ġerusalemm
Evanġelju
Imbierek min ġej f’isem il-Mulej.
Mk 11, 1-10
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Mark
Xħin waslu qrib Ġerusalemm, quddiem Betfaġe u Betanja, ħdejn l-Għolja taż-Żebbuġ, Ġesù bagħat tnejn mid-dixxipli tiegħu u qalilhom: “Morru fir-raħal li hemm biswitkom, u kif taslu hemmhekk issibu felu marbut li ħadd qatt għadu ma rikeb fuqu. Ħolluh u ġibuh. Jekk xi ħadd jistaqsikom, ‘Dan kif qegħdin tagħmluh?’, għidulu, ‘Il-Mulej jeħtieġu, u malajr jerġa’ jibagħtu hawn’”.
Marru, u sabu felu marbut ħdejn bieb barra fit-triq; u ħallewh. Xi wħud minn dawk li kienu hemm qalulhom: “X’intom tħolluh tagħmlu dak il-felu?” Huma weġbuhom kif kien qalilhom Ġesù, u dawk ħallewhom jagħmlu.
Ħadu l-felu lil Ġesù, qiegħdu l-imnatar tagħhom fuq il-felu, u Ġesù rikeb fuqu. U bosta nies firxu fit-triq l-imnatar tagħhom, u oħrajn xi friegħi ħodor li kienu qatgħu mill-għelieqi. U kemm dawk li kienu miexja quddiem u kemm dawk li kienu miexja wara, bdew jgħajtu: “Hosanna! Imbierek min ġej f’isem il-Mulej! Imbierka s-Saltna li ġejja ta’ David missierna. Hosanna fl-ogħla tas-smewwiet!”.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
Jew
Evanġelju
Imbierek min ġej f’isem il-Mulej.
Ġw 12, 12-16
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Ġwann
F’dak iż-żmien, il-folol ta’ nies li kienu ġew għall-festa, kif semgħu li Ġesù kien ġej Ġerusalemm, ħadu l-friegħi tal-palm u ħarġu jilqgħuh. U bdew jgħajtu: “Hosanna! Imbierek min ġej f’isem il-Mulej! Imbierek is-sultan ta’ Iżrael!”.
Ġesù sab felu u rikeb fuqu, kif hemm miktub, ”Tibżax, bint Sijon! Ara, ġej is-sultan tiegħek, riekeb fuq felu ta’ ħmara”. Għall-ewwel id-dixxipli tiegħu ma fehmuhomx dawn il-ħwejjeġ; iżda meta Ġesù kien igglorifikat, imbagħad ftakru li dan kien inkiteb fuqu, u hekk għamlulu.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
Ħadd il-Palm u l-Passjoni tal-Mulej
Il-Quddiesa
Qari I
Ma ħbejtx wiċċi mit-tagħjir.
Is 50, 4-7
Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija
Sidi l-Mulej tani lsien ta’ wieħed jitgħallem,
biex nagħraf ngħin lill-għajjien b’xi kelma.
Ta’ kull filgħodu jqajjimli lil widinti,
biex nisma’ bħal wieħed jitgħallem.
Sidi l-Mulej fetaħli widinti,
u jiena ma webbistx rasi,
ma rġajtx lura.
Tajt dahri lil dawk li kienu jsawtuni,
ħaddejja lil dawk li kien jnittfuli lħiti;
ma ħbejtx wiċċi mit-tagħjir u l-bżieq.
Sidi l-Mulej jgħinni,
għalhekk ma nitħawwadx;
għalhekk għamilt wiċċi bħaż-żnied:
jien naf li ma jkollix mniex nistħi.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Salm Responsorjali
Salm 21 (22), 8-9.17-18a.19-20.23-24
R/. (2a): Alla tiegħi, Alla tiegħi, għaliex tlaqtni?
Dawk kollha li jarawni jidħku bija,
jgħajbuni, iħarrku rashom u jgħidu:
“F’idejn il-Mulej intelaq; ħa jeħilsu hu!
Ħa jsalvah hu, la bih jitgħaxxaq!” R/.
Qabda klieb daru għalija;
ġemgħa nies ħżiena rassewni.
Taqqbuli idejja u riġlejja;
nista’ ngħodd għadmi kollu. R/.
Ħwejġi jaqsmu bejniethom,
jaqtgħu x-xorti għal-libsa tiegħi.
Mulej, la titbegħidx minni;
qawwa tiegħi, fittex għinni! R/.
Inxandar ismek lil ħuti;
infaħħrek f’nofs il-ġemgħa.
Faħħru l-Mulej, intom li tibżgħu minnu;
sebbħuh ilkoll, nisel Ġakobb!
ibżgħu minnu lkoll, ulied Iżrael! R/.
Qari II
Kristu ċekken lilu nnifsu; għalhekk Alla għollieh.
Fil 2, 6-11
Qari mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Filippin
Ġesù Kristu li għad li kellu n-natura ta’ Alla,
ma qagħadx ifittex tiegħu li hu daqs Alla,
iżda xejjen lilu nnifsu billi ħa n-natura ta’ lsir,
sar jixbah lill-bnedmin, u deher minn barra bħala bniedem;
ċekken lilu nnifsu, billi obda sal-mewt,
anzi sal-mewt tas-salib.
Għalhekk Alla għollieh sas-smewwiet
u żejnu bl-isem li hu fuq kull isem,
biex fl-isem ta’ Ġesù
– fis-sema, fl-art u f’qiegħ l-art –
il-ħlejjaq kollha jinżlu għarkupptejhom,
u kull ilsien jistqarr:
“Ġesù Kristu hu l-Mulej”,
għall-glorja ta’ Alla l-Missier.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Akklamazzjoni qabel l-Evanġelju
Fil 2, 8-9
Glorja u tifħir lilek, Kristu!
Minħabba fina Kristu obda sal-mewt, anzi sal-mewt tas-salib.
Għalhekk Alla għollieh sas-smewwiet,
u żejnu bl-isem li hu fuq kull isem.
R/. Glorja u tifħir lilek, Kristu!
Evanġelju
Mk 14, 1 - 15, 47
Il-Passjoni ta’ Sidna Ġesù Kristu skont San Mark
I
K Kien għad baqa’ jumejn għall-Għid u għall-Ażżmi, u l-qassisin il-kbar u l-kittieba bdew ifittxu kif jaqbdu lil Ġesù bil-qerq ta’ moħħhom u jagħtuh il-mewt. Għax bdew jgħidu:
S “Mhux fil-festa, li ma tqumx xi rewwixta fil-poplu”.
K Ġesù kien qiegħed jiekol għand Xmun il-lebbruż f’Betanja. Daħlet mara, b’vażett tal-alabastru biż-żejt ifuħ ta’ nard pur, jiswa ħafna, kissret għonq il-vażett, u ferrgħet iż-żejt fuq ras Ġesù. U kien hemm xi wħud li bdew jitmasħnu bejniethom u jgħidu:
S “Dal-ħala kollu ta’ fwieħa għalfejn? Dil-fwieħa setgħet iġġib aktar minn tliet mitt dinar u jingħataw lill-foqra”.
K U bdew jeħduha magħha. Imma Ġesù qal:
Ġ “Ħalluha; għala qegħdin iddejquha? Ħaġa tajba għamlet miegħi. Il-foqra ssibuhom dejjem magħkom, u tistgħu tgħinuhom kull meta tridu. Imma lili mhux dejjem se ssibuni magħkom. Hi għamlet li setgħet; dilkitli ġismi bil-fwieħa għad-difna minn qabel. Tassew ngħidilkom, li kull fejn jixxandar l-Evanġelju fid-dinja kollha li għamlet din jingħad ukoll, b’tifkira tagħha”.
K Imbagħad Ġuda l-Iskarjota, wieħed mit-Tnax, mar għand il-qassisin il-kbar biex jagħtihom lil Ġesù f’idejhom. Għal din l-aħbar ferħu ħafna, u wegħduh li jagħtuh xi flus. U hu beda jfittex il-waqt tajjeb biex jagħtihom lil Ġesù f’idejhom. Fl-ewwel jum tal-Ażżmi, meta kienu jissagrifikaw il-ħaruf tal-Għid, id-dixxipli tiegħu qalulu:
S “Fejn tridna mmorru nħejju biex tiekol l-ikla tal-Għid?”
K Imbagħad hu bagħat tnejn mid-dixxipli tiegħu u qalilhom:
Ġ “Morru l-belt, u tiltaqgħu ma’ raġel iġorr ġarra ilma. Morru warajh, u għidu lil sid id-dar ta’ fejn tarawh dieħel, ‘Qallek l-Imgħallem: Fejn hi l-kamra tiegħi li fiha nista’ niekol l-ikla tal-Għid mad-dixxipli tiegħi?ż U hu jurikhom kamra kbira fuq, mgħammra u lesta. Ħejjulna hemmhekk”.
K U d-dixxipli marru u daħlu fil-belt u sabu kollox kif kien qalilhom hu; u ħejjew l-ikla tal-Għid.
Għall-ħin ta’ filgħaxija Ġesù ġie mat-Tnax. U kif kienu fuq il-mejda jieklu qal:
Ġ “Tassew ngħidilkom, li wieħed minnkom se jittradini, wieħed li qiegħed jiekol miegħi”.
K Huma bdew isewdu qalbhom, u wieħed wara l-ieħor staqsewh:
S “Jaqaw jien?”
K Qalilhom:
Ġ “Wieħed mit-Tnax, li qiegħed ibill il-ħobż fi platt wieħed miegħi. Għax Bin il-bniedem imur, kif hemm miktub fuqu; imma ħażin għalih dak il-bniedem li permezz tiegħu Bin il-bniedem ikun mogħti f’idejn l-għedewwa! Kien ikun aħjar għalih dak il-bniedem li kieku ma twieled xejn!”.
K Huma u jieklu, ħa l-ħobż f’idejh, qal il-barka, qasmu, newwilhulhom u qal:
Ġ “Ħudu, dan hu ġismi”.
K Imbagħad ħa l-kalċi f’idejh, radd il-ħajr, u newwilhulhom, u lkoll xorbu minnu. U qalilhom:
Ġ “Dan huwa demmi, id-demm tal-patt, li jixxerred għal ħafna. Tassew ngħidilkom, li ma nixrobx iżjed mill-frott tad-dielja sa dak in-nhar li nixrob inbid ġdid fis-Saltna ta’ Alla”.
K Imbagħad kantaw is-salmi u ħarġu lejn l-Għolja taż-Żebbuġ. U Ġesù qalilhom:
Ġ “Ilkoll se titħawdu, għax hu miktub: żNidrob ir-ragħaj, u n-nagħaġ jitferrxuż. Imma wara li nqum mill-mewt, immur il-Galilija qabilkom”.
K Qallu Pietru:
S “Ukoll jekk jitfixkel kulħadd, jiena ma nitfixkilx”.
K Qallu Ġesù:
Ġ “Tassew ngħidlek, li llum, dal-lejl stess, qabel ma s-serduk ikun idden darbtejn, int tkun ġa ċħadtni tliet darbiet”.
K Iżda Pietru tenna bil-qawwa kollha:
S “Le, ma niċħdekx, anqas jekk ikolli mmut miegħek!”
K U l-oħrajn ukoll, kollha qalu l-istess. Waslu f’qasam jismu Ġetsemani, u qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu:
Ġ “Oqogħdu bilqiegħda hawn sakemm nitlob”.
K U ħa miegħu lil Pietru u lil Ġakbu u lil Ġwanni, u bdew jaħkmuh il-biża’ u d-dwejjaq. Qalilhom:
Ġ “Inħossni mnikket għall-mewt; ibqgħu hawn u ishru”.
K Mexa kemmxejn ‘il quddiem, inxteħet fl-art, u talab li, jekk jista’ jkun titwarrab minnu dik is-siegħa. U qal:
Ġ “Abbà, Missier, kollox jista’ jkun għalik; biegħed minni dan il-kalċi! Iżda mhux li rrid jien, imma li trid int”.
K Ġie ħdejhom u sabhom reqdin, u qal lil Pietru:
Ġ “Xmun, rieqed? Ma flaħtx tishar siegħa waħda! Ishru u itolbu biex ma tidħlux fit-tiġrib. L-ispirtu, iva, irid; imma l-ġisem dgħajjef”.
K U raġa’ mar u tenna l-istess talba. Mill-ġdid ġie u għal darb’oħra sabhom reqdin għax għajnejhom kienu tqal bin-ngħas; u ma għarfux x’jaqbu jgħidulu. Ġie għat-tielet darba u qalilhom:
Ġ “Torqdu issa u tistrieħu? Biżżejjed. Is-siegħa waslet; araw li Bin il-bniedem se jkun mogħti f’idejn il-midinbin. Qumu! Ejjew immorru! Ara, dak li se jittradini hu fil-qrib!”.
K Minnufih, kif kien għadu jitkellem, wasal Ġuda, wieħed mit-Tnax, b’ġemgħa nies miegħu, armati bis-sjuf u l-bsaten, mibgħuta mill-qassisin il-kbar u mill-kittieba u x-xjuħ. Issa dak li kien se jittradih kien tahom sinjal minn qabel u qalilhom:
S “Dak li nbusu huwa hu; aqbduh u morru bih mgħasses tajjeb”.
K Malli mbagħad wasal, baqa’ sejjer fuqu u qallu:
S “Rabbi”.
K U biesu. Huma meddew idejhom fuqu u qabduh. Imma wieħed minn dawk ta’ madwaru silet is-sejf, ta daqqa bih lill-qaddej tal-qassis il-kbir u qatagħlu widintu. Ġesù dar fuqhom u qalilhom:
Ġ “Qiskom ħriġtu għal xi ħalliel, armati bis-sjuf u l-bsaten biex taqbdu lili! Jien kuljum kont inkun fostkom fit-tempju ngħallem u ma żammejtunix. Imma dan kollu ġara biex isseħħ l-Iskrittura”.
K Imbagħad id-dixxipli tiegħu kollha telquh u ħarbu. Wieħed żagħżugħ mar warajh imgeżwer b’liżar biss fuq xejn, u qabduh; imma hu telqilhom il-liżar f’idejhom u ħarab għeri. Ħadu lil Ġesù għand il-qassis il-kbir, u nġabru l-qassisin il-kbar kollha u x-xjuħ u l-kittieba. Pietru kien baqa’ miexi warajh mill-bogħod sa ġol-palazz tal-qassis il-kbir, u qagħad bilqiegħda mal-qaddejja ħdejn in-nar għas-sħana. Il-qassisin il-kbar u s-Sinedriju kollu bdew ifittxu xhieda kontra Ġesù biex jagħtuh il-mewt, u ma sabux. Tassew li kien hemm ħafna li xehdu bil-qerq kontra tiegħu, imma x-xhieda tagħhom ma kinitx taqbel. Imbagħad qamu xi wħud jagħtu xhieda qarrieqa kontra tiegħu u qalu:
S “Aħna smajnieh jgħid, ‘Jiena nħott dan it-tempju mibni bl-idejn, u fi tlitt ijiem nibni ieħor li ma jkunx mibni bl-idejn!’”
K Imma x-xhieda tagħhom anqas f’dan ma kienet taqbel.
Imbagħad il-qassis il-kbir qam f’nofs il-ġemgħa u staqsa lil Ġesù:
S “Xejn ma twieġeb? X’inhuma jixhdu dawn kontra tiegħek?”
K Iżda hu baqa’ sieket u ma wieġeb xejn. Mill-ġdid il-qassis il-kbir staqsieh u qallu:
S “Int il-Messija, Bin l-Imbierek?”
K Ġesù wieġbu:
Ġ “Jien hu, u intom għad taraw lil Bin il-bniedem bilqiegħda n-naħa tal-lemin tal-Qawwa u ġej fuq is-sħab tas-sema”.
K Imbagħad il-qassis il-kbir ċarrat l-ilbies ta’ fuqu u qal:
S “Xi ħtieġa għandna iżjed ta’ xhieda? Id-dagħwa smajtuha! X’jidhrilkom?”
K U kollha qatgħuhielu li kien ħaqqu l-mewt. Imbagħad xi wħud bdew jobżqulu fuqu, jgħattulu wiċċu, jagħtuh bil-ponn u jgħidulu:
S “Aqta’ min!”.
K U l-qaddejja bdew jagħtuh bil-ħarta. Waqt li Pietru kien isfel ’il ġewwa mid-daħla tal-palazz, ġiet waħda qaddejja tal-qassis il-kbir. Kif rat lil Pietru qiegħed għas-sħana, waħħlet għajnejha fuqu u qaltlu:
S “Int ukoll kont ma’ Ġesù ta’ Nazaret”.
K Imma hu ċaħad u qal:
S “Ma nafx, m’iniex nifhem x’inti tgħid”.
K U ħareġ ’il barra fid-daħla tal-palazz. U s-serduk idden. Il-qaddejja ratu, u reġgħet bdiet tgħid lil dawk li kienu hemm:
S “Dan wieħed minnhom”.
K U mill-ġdid ċaħad. Wara ftit dawk li kienu ħdejh reġgħu qalu lil Pietru:
S “Tassew, int wieħed minnhom; għax int ukoll mill-Galilija”.
K Imbagħad qabad jisħet lilu nnifsu u jaħlef:
S “Jiena ma nafux lil dan il-bniedem li qegħdin issemmu”.
K Minnufih is-serduk idden għat-tieni darba. Pietru ftakar fil-kelma li kien qallu Ġesù: “Qabel ma s-serduk jidden darbtejn, inti tiċħadni tliet darbiet”. U nfexx jibki.
II
K Filgħodu kmieni l-qassisin il-kbar iltaqgħu malajr max-xjuħ u mal-kittieba u mas-Sinedriju kollu biex jiftiehmu bejniethom.
Imbagħad rabtu lil Ġesù, ħaduh u tawh f’idejn Pilatu. Pilatu staqsieh:
S “Inti s-sultan tal-Lhud?”
K U hu wieġeb u qallu:
Ġ “Int qiegħed tgħidu”.
K Il-qassisin il-kbar bdew jaqilgħu ħafna akkużi kontra tiegħu.
Iżda Pilatu raġa’ staqsieh:
S “Ma twieġeb xejn? Ara kemm akkużi qegħdin iġibu kontra tiegħek!”
K Imma Ġesù ma wieġeb xejn iżjed, hekk li Pilatu baqa’ mistagħġeb. F’nhar ta’ festa kien jitilqilhom wieħed ħabsi, lil dak li kienu jitolbu huma. Issa fil-ħabs kien hemm wieħed jismu Barabba, arrestat flimkien max-xewwiexa li fir-rewwixta kienu qatlu lil xi ħadd. In-nies telgħu u bdew jitolbuh jagħmel kif kien jagħmlilhom dejjem. Qabad Pilatu u qalilhom:
S “Tridux nitilqilkom is-sultan tal-Lhud?”
K Għax hu għaraf tajjeb li l-qassisin il-kbar kienu tawh lil Ġesù f’idejh minħabba l-għira. Iżda l-qassisin il-kbar bdew ixewxu n-nies li aħjar jitilqilhom lil Barabba. Pilatu raġa’ staqsiehom u qalilhom:
S “U x’nagħmel imbagħad b’dak li intom issejħulu s-sultan tal-Lhud?”
K Iżda huma nfexxew jgħajtu mill-ġdid:
S “Sallbu!”
K Qalilhom Pilatu:
S “Imma x’għamel ħażin?”
K Huma aktar bdew jgħajtu:
S “Sallbu!”
K Pilatu mbagħad, biex jogħġob lin-nies, telqilhom lil Barabba, u lil Ġesù, wara li tah is-swat, tahulhom biex isallbuh. Is-suldati ħaduh magħhom ġewwa fil-palazz, jiġifieri l-Pretorju, u sejħu r-riġment kollu. Libbsuh ilbies aħmar skur, u qegħdulu fuq rasu kuruna minsuġa mix-xewk. U bdew isellmulu:
S “Is-sliem għalik, sultan tal-Lhud!”
K U qabdu jagħtuh b’qasba fuq rasu, jobżqulu fuqu, u jilwu rkupptejhom quddiemu biex jagħtuh qima. Imbagħad, wara li għaddewh biż-żufjett, neżżgħulu l-ilbies aħmar u xeddewlu ħwejġu.
U ħaduh ’il barra biex isallbuh. Kien għaddej wieħed, Xmun minn Ċireni, missier Xandru u Rufu, ġej lura mir-raba’, u ġagħluh jerfagħlu s-salib. U wassluh f’post jismu Golgota, li jfisser post il-Qorriegħa. U tawh jixrob inbid imħallat bil-mirra, imma hu ma riedx jieħu minnu. Imbagħad sallbuh, u qassmu ħwejġu bejniethom billi tellgħuhom bix-xorti ħalli kull wieħed jieħu li jmissu. Kienet it-tielet siegħa xħin sallbuh. Il-kitba li turi l-ħtija tal-kundanna tiegħu kienet tgħid hekk: “Is-sultan tal-Lhud”. Miegħu sallbu wkoll żewġ ħallelin, wieħed fuq
il-lemin u l-ieħor fuq ix-xellug. Dawk li kienu għaddejjin bdew jgħajruh, iċaqilqu rashom u jgħidu:
S “Għajb għalik, int li tħott it-tempju u tfittex terġa’ tibnih fi tlitt ijiem! Inżel minn fuq is-salib u salva lilek innifsek!”
K Hekk ukoll il-qassisin il-kbar bdew jiddieħku bih bejniethom u mal-kittieba u jgħidu:
S “Salva oħrajn, lilu nnifsu ma jistax isalva! Ħa jinżel issa l-Messija, is-sultan ta’ Iżrael, minn fuq is-salib biex aħna naraw u nemmnu!”
K U dawk li kienu msallbin miegħu bdew imaqdruh huma wkoll. Xħin saret is-sitt siegħa waqgħet dalma kbira fuq il-pajjiż kollu sad-disa’ siegħa. U fid-disa’ siegħa Ġesù għajjat b’leħen qawwi:
Ġ “Eloì, Eloì, lemà sabaqtàni!”
K li jfisser:
Ġ “Alla tiegħi, Alla tiegħi, għaliex tlaqtni!”
K Xi wħud minn dawk li kienu hemm, kif semgħuh, qalu:
S “Ara, qiegħed isejjaħ lil Elija!”
K U mar wieħed jiġri jxappap sponża bl-inbid qares, waħħalha f’tarf ta’ qasba u tah jixrob filwaqt li qal:
S “Stennew, ħa naraw jiġix Elija jniżżlu!”
K Imma Ġesù għajjat għajta kbira u radd ruħu.
Hawnhekk kulħadd jinżel għarkopptejh u jinżamm is-skiet għal ftit ħin.
K U l-purtiera tas-santwarju ċċarrtet fi tnejn minn fuq s’isfel.
Iċ-ċenturjun li kien wieqaf biswitu, meta rah jgħajjat u jmut hekk, qal:
S “Dan il-bniedem kien tassew Bin Alla!”
III
K Kien hemm ukoll xi nisa jħarsu mill-bogħod, fosthom Marija ta’ Magdala, Marija omm Ġakbu ż-żgħir u Ġosè, u Salomi; dawn, meta Ġesù kien fil-Galilija, kienu jmorru miegħu u jaqduh. U kien hemm ukoll bosta oħrajn li kienu telgħu Ġerusalemm miegħu.
Kien ġa sar filgħaxija, u billi kien Jum it-Tħejjija, jiġifieri lejlet is-Sibt, Ġużeppi minn Arimatija, membru magħruf tal-Kunsill, li hu wkoll kien jistenna s-Saltna ta’ Alla, għamel il-ħila, daħal quddiem Pilatu u talbu l-ġisem ta’ Ġesù. Pilatu stagħġeb li kien ġa miet; bagħat għaċ-ċenturjun u staqsieh jekk kienx ilu li miet. Meta mbagħad sar jaf mingħand iċ-ċenturjun, ta l-ġisem ta’ Ġesù lil Ġużeppi, u dan xtara liżar tal-għażel, niżżel lil Ġesù mis-salib, keffnu fil-liżar u qiegħdu f’qabar imħaffer fil-blat; imbagħad gerbeb ġebla fid-daħla tal-qabar. Marija ta’ Magdala u Marija omm Ġosè qagħdu jaraw fejn tqiegħed.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
TODAY'S GOSPEL
25th MARCH 2018
Gospel - MK 14:1—15:47
The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread
were to take place in two days' time.
So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way
to arrest him by treachery and put him to death.
They said, "Not during the festival,
for fear that there may be a riot among the people."
When he was in Bethany reclining at table
in the house of Simon the leper,
a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil,
costly genuine spikenard.
She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.
There were some who were indignant.
"Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?
It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages
and the money given to the poor."
They were infuriated with her.
Jesus said, "Let her alone.
Why do you make trouble for her?
She has done a good thing for me.
The poor you will always have with you,
and whenever you wish you can do good to them,
but you will not always have me.
She has done what she could.
She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.
Amen, I say to you,
wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world,
what she has done will be told in memory of her."
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,
went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them.
When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money.
Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
when they sacrificed the Passover lamb,
his disciples said to him,
"Where do you want us to go
and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"
He sent two of his disciples and said to them,
"Go into the city and a man will meet you,
carrying a jar of water.
Follow him.
Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,
'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.
Make the preparations for us there."
The disciples then went off, entered the city,
and found it just as he had told them;
and they prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he came with the Twelve.
And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said,
"Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me,
one who is eating with me."
They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one,
"Surely it is not I?"
He said to them,
"One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.
For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born."
While they were eating,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, and said,
"Take it; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,
and they all drank from it.
He said to them,
"This is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you,
I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine
until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Then Jesus said to them,
"All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be dispersed.
But after I have been raised up,
I shall go before you to Galilee."
Peter said to him,
"Even though all should have their faith shaken,
mine will not be."
Then Jesus said to him,
"Amen, I say to you,
this very night before the cock crows twice
you will deny me three times."
But he vehemently replied,
"Even though I should have to die with you,
I will not deny you."
And they all spoke similarly.
Then they came to a place named Gethsemane,
and he said to his disciples,
"Sit here while I pray."
He took with him Peter, James, and John,
and began to be troubled and distressed.
Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death.
Remain here and keep watch."
He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed
that if it were possible the hour might pass by him;
he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you.
Take this cup away from me,
but not what I will but what you will."
When he returned he found them asleep.
He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep?
Could you not keep watch for one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."
Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.
Then he returned once more and found them asleep,
for they could not keep their eyes open
and did not know what to answer him.
He returned a third time and said to them,
"Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?
It is enough. The hour has come.
Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
Get up, let us go.
See, my betrayer is at hand."
Then, while he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,
accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs
who had come from the chief priests,
the scribes, and the elders.
His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying,
"The man I shall kiss is the one;
arrest him and lead him away securely."
He came and immediately went over to him and said,
"Rabbi." And he kissed him.
At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.
One of the bystanders drew his sword,
struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear.
Jesus said to them in reply,
"Have you come out as against a robber,
with swords and clubs, to seize me?
Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area,
yet you did not arrest me;
but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled."
And they all left him and fled.
Now a young man followed him
wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body.
They seized him,
but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked.
They led Jesus away to the high priest,
and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.
Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest's courtyard
and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire.
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin
kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus
in order to put him to death, but they found none.
Many gave false witness against him,
but their testimony did not agree.
Some took the stand and testified falsely against him,
alleging, "We heard him say,
'I will destroy this temple made with hands
and within three days I will build another
not made with hands.'"
Even so their testimony did not agree.
The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus,
saying, "Have you no answer?
What are these men testifying against you?"
But he was silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked him and said to him,
"Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?"
Then Jesus answered, "I am;
and 'you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power
and coming with the clouds of heaven.'"
At that the high priest tore his garments and said,
"What further need have we of witnesses?
You have heard the blasphemy.
What do you think?"
They all condemned him as deserving to die.
Some began to spit on him.
They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, "Prophesy!"
And the guards greeted him with blows.
While Peter was below in the courtyard,
one of the high priest's maids came along.
Seeing Peter warming himself,
she looked intently at him and said,
"You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus."
But he denied it saying,
"I neither know nor understand what you are talking about."
So he went out into the outer court.
Then the cock crowed.
The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders,
"This man is one of them."
Once again he denied it.
A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more,
"Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean."
He began to curse and to swear,
"I do not know this man about whom you are talking."
And immediately a cock crowed a second time.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him,
"Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times."
He broke down and wept.
As soon as morning came,
the chief priests with the elders and the scribes,
that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council.
They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.
Pilate questioned him,
"Are you the king of the Jews?"
He said to him in reply, "You say so."
The chief priests accused him of many things.
Again Pilate questioned him,
"Have you no answer?
See how many things they accuse you of."
Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them
one prisoner whom they requested.
A man called Barabbas was then in prison
along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.
The crowd came forward and began to ask him
to do for them as he was accustomed.
Pilate answered,
"Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?"
For he knew that it was out of envy
that the chief priests had handed him over.
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd
to have him release Barabbas for them instead.
Pilate again said to them in reply,
"Then what do you want me to do
with the man you call the king of the Jews?"
They shouted again, "Crucify him."
Pilate said to them, "Why? What evil has he done?"
They only shouted the louder, "Crucify him."
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,
released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged,
handed him over to be crucified.
The soldiers led him away inside the palace,
that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.
They clothed him in purple and,
weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.
They began to salute him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him.
They knelt before him in homage.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the purple cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him out to crucify him.
They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon,
a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country,
the father of Alexander and Rufus,
to carry his cross.
They brought him to the place of Golgotha
— which is translated Place of the Skull —
They gave him wine drugged with myrrh,
but he did not take it.
Then they crucified him and divided his garments
by casting lots for them to see what each should take.
It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him.
The inscription of the charge against him read,
"The King of the Jews."
With him they crucified two revolutionaries,
one on his right and one on his left.
Those passing by reviled him,
shaking their heads and saying,
"Aha! You who would destroy the temple
and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself by coming down from the cross."
Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes,
mocked him among themselves and said,
"He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Christ, the King of Israel,
come down now from the cross
that we may see and believe."
Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.
At noon darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And at three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?"
which is translated,
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
"Look, he is calling Elijah."
One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed
and gave it to him to drink saying,
"Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down."
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
Here all kneel and pause for a short time.
The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
When the centurion who stood facing him
saw how he breathed his last he said,
"Truly this man was the Son of God!"
There were also women looking on from a distance.
Among them were Mary Magdalene,
Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.
These women had followed him when he was in Galilee
and ministered to him.
There were also many other women
who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
When it was already evening,
since it was the day of preparation,
the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea,
a distinguished member of the council,
who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God,
came and courageously went to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus.
Pilate was amazed that he was already dead.
He summoned the centurion
and asked him if Jesus had already died.
And when he learned of it from the centurion,
he gave the body to Joseph.
Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down,
wrapped him in the linen cloth,
and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock.
Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses
watched where he was laid.
were to take place in two days' time.
So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way
to arrest him by treachery and put him to death.
They said, "Not during the festival,
for fear that there may be a riot among the people."
When he was in Bethany reclining at table
in the house of Simon the leper,
a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil,
costly genuine spikenard.
She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.
There were some who were indignant.
"Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?
It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages
and the money given to the poor."
They were infuriated with her.
Jesus said, "Let her alone.
Why do you make trouble for her?
She has done a good thing for me.
The poor you will always have with you,
and whenever you wish you can do good to them,
but you will not always have me.
She has done what she could.
She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.
Amen, I say to you,
wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world,
what she has done will be told in memory of her."
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,
went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them.
When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money.
Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
when they sacrificed the Passover lamb,
his disciples said to him,
"Where do you want us to go
and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"
He sent two of his disciples and said to them,
"Go into the city and a man will meet you,
carrying a jar of water.
Follow him.
Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,
'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.
Make the preparations for us there."
The disciples then went off, entered the city,
and found it just as he had told them;
and they prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he came with the Twelve.
And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said,
"Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me,
one who is eating with me."
They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one,
"Surely it is not I?"
He said to them,
"One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.
For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born."
While they were eating,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, and said,
"Take it; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,
and they all drank from it.
He said to them,
"This is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you,
I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine
until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Then Jesus said to them,
"All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be dispersed.
But after I have been raised up,
I shall go before you to Galilee."
Peter said to him,
"Even though all should have their faith shaken,
mine will not be."
Then Jesus said to him,
"Amen, I say to you,
this very night before the cock crows twice
you will deny me three times."
But he vehemently replied,
"Even though I should have to die with you,
I will not deny you."
And they all spoke similarly.
Then they came to a place named Gethsemane,
and he said to his disciples,
"Sit here while I pray."
He took with him Peter, James, and John,
and began to be troubled and distressed.
Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death.
Remain here and keep watch."
He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed
that if it were possible the hour might pass by him;
he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you.
Take this cup away from me,
but not what I will but what you will."
When he returned he found them asleep.
He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep?
Could you not keep watch for one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."
Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.
Then he returned once more and found them asleep,
for they could not keep their eyes open
and did not know what to answer him.
He returned a third time and said to them,
"Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?
It is enough. The hour has come.
Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
Get up, let us go.
See, my betrayer is at hand."
Then, while he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,
accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs
who had come from the chief priests,
the scribes, and the elders.
His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying,
"The man I shall kiss is the one;
arrest him and lead him away securely."
He came and immediately went over to him and said,
"Rabbi." And he kissed him.
At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.
One of the bystanders drew his sword,
struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear.
Jesus said to them in reply,
"Have you come out as against a robber,
with swords and clubs, to seize me?
Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area,
yet you did not arrest me;
but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled."
And they all left him and fled.
Now a young man followed him
wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body.
They seized him,
but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked.
They led Jesus away to the high priest,
and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.
Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest's courtyard
and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire.
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin
kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus
in order to put him to death, but they found none.
Many gave false witness against him,
but their testimony did not agree.
Some took the stand and testified falsely against him,
alleging, "We heard him say,
'I will destroy this temple made with hands
and within three days I will build another
not made with hands.'"
Even so their testimony did not agree.
The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus,
saying, "Have you no answer?
What are these men testifying against you?"
But he was silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked him and said to him,
"Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?"
Then Jesus answered, "I am;
and 'you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power
and coming with the clouds of heaven.'"
At that the high priest tore his garments and said,
"What further need have we of witnesses?
You have heard the blasphemy.
What do you think?"
They all condemned him as deserving to die.
Some began to spit on him.
They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, "Prophesy!"
And the guards greeted him with blows.
While Peter was below in the courtyard,
one of the high priest's maids came along.
Seeing Peter warming himself,
she looked intently at him and said,
"You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus."
But he denied it saying,
"I neither know nor understand what you are talking about."
So he went out into the outer court.
Then the cock crowed.
The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders,
"This man is one of them."
Once again he denied it.
A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more,
"Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean."
He began to curse and to swear,
"I do not know this man about whom you are talking."
And immediately a cock crowed a second time.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him,
"Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times."
He broke down and wept.
As soon as morning came,
the chief priests with the elders and the scribes,
that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council.
They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.
Pilate questioned him,
"Are you the king of the Jews?"
He said to him in reply, "You say so."
The chief priests accused him of many things.
Again Pilate questioned him,
"Have you no answer?
See how many things they accuse you of."
Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them
one prisoner whom they requested.
A man called Barabbas was then in prison
along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.
The crowd came forward and began to ask him
to do for them as he was accustomed.
Pilate answered,
"Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?"
For he knew that it was out of envy
that the chief priests had handed him over.
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd
to have him release Barabbas for them instead.
Pilate again said to them in reply,
"Then what do you want me to do
with the man you call the king of the Jews?"
They shouted again, "Crucify him."
Pilate said to them, "Why? What evil has he done?"
They only shouted the louder, "Crucify him."
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,
released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged,
handed him over to be crucified.
The soldiers led him away inside the palace,
that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.
They clothed him in purple and,
weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.
They began to salute him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him.
They knelt before him in homage.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the purple cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him out to crucify him.
They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon,
a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country,
the father of Alexander and Rufus,
to carry his cross.
They brought him to the place of Golgotha
— which is translated Place of the Skull —
They gave him wine drugged with myrrh,
but he did not take it.
Then they crucified him and divided his garments
by casting lots for them to see what each should take.
It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him.
The inscription of the charge against him read,
"The King of the Jews."
With him they crucified two revolutionaries,
one on his right and one on his left.
Those passing by reviled him,
shaking their heads and saying,
"Aha! You who would destroy the temple
and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself by coming down from the cross."
Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes,
mocked him among themselves and said,
"He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Christ, the King of Israel,
come down now from the cross
that we may see and believe."
Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.
At noon darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And at three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?"
which is translated,
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
"Look, he is calling Elijah."
One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed
and gave it to him to drink saying,
"Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down."
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
Here all kneel and pause for a short time.
The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
When the centurion who stood facing him
saw how he breathed his last he said,
"Truly this man was the Son of God!"
There were also women looking on from a distance.
Among them were Mary Magdalene,
Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.
These women had followed him when he was in Galilee
and ministered to him.
There were also many other women
who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
When it was already evening,
since it was the day of preparation,
the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea,
a distinguished member of the council,
who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God,
came and courageously went to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus.
Pilate was amazed that he was already dead.
He summoned the centurion
and asked him if Jesus had already died.
And when he learned of it from the centurion,
he gave the body to Joseph.
Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down,
wrapped him in the linen cloth,
and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock.
Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses
watched where he was laid.
==========================================
18 ta' MARZU, 2018
Il-Ħames Ħadd tar-Randan
Qari I
Nagħmel patt ġdid, u l-ħtijiet ma niftakarhomx iżjed.
Ġer 31, 31-34
Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġeremija
Araw, għad jiġi żmien,
oraklu tal-Mulej,
meta jien nagħmel patt ġdid ma’ dar Iżrael u dar Ġuda;
mhux bħall-patt li għamilt ma’ missirijiethom
fiż-żmien meta qbadthom minn idejhom
biex ħriġthom mill-art tal-Eġittu, il-patt tiegħi li huma kisru,
għalkemm jien kont l-għarus tagħhom,
oraklu tal-Mulej.
Imma dan ikun il-patt li għad nagħmel ma’ dar Iżrael
wara dawk il-jiem,
oraklu tal-Mulej.
Inqiegħed il-liġi tiegħi fosthom u niktibha f’qalbhom;
u jiena nkun Alla tagħhom, u huma jkunu l-poplu tiegħi.
Ma jgħallmux iżjed lil xulxin,
u ħadd ma jgħid lil ħuh: “Agħraf il-Mulej”,
għaliex ilkoll kemm huma jkunu jafuni, miż-żgħir sal-kbir,
oraklu tal-Mulej.
Għax jien naħfrilhom ħżunithom,
u ħtijiethom ma niftakarhomx aktar.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Salm Responsorjali
Salm 50 (51), 3-4.12-13.14-15
R/. (12a): Oħloq fija qalb safja, o Alla
Ikollok ħniena minni, o Alla, fi tjubitek;
fil-kobor tal-ħniena tiegħek ħassar ħtijieti.
Aħsilni kollni mill-ħtija tiegħi;
naddafni mid-dnub tiegħi. R/.
Oħloq fija qalb safja, o Alla,
u spirtu qawwi ġedded fija.
La twarrabnix minn quddiemek,
tneħħix minni l-ispirtu qaddis tiegħek. R/.
Roddli l-hena tas-salvazzjoni tiegħek,
u bi spirtu qalbieni wettaqni.
Lill-midinbin ngħallem triqatek,
u l-ħatjin jerġgħu lura lejk. R/.
Qari II
Kristu sar awtur tas-salvazzjoni ta’ dejjem.
Lhud 5, 7-9
Qari mill-Ittra lil-Lhud
Meta kien jgħix fuq din l-art, Kristu offra talb u suppliki b’leħen għoli u bid-dmugħ lil dak li seta’ jsalvah mill-mewt. U kien mismugħ minħabba fil-qima tiegħu lejn Alla. Għad li kien Iben, tgħallem minn dak li bata xi tfisser l-ubbidjenza. U, billi laħaq il-perfezzjoni, sar awtur tas-salvazzjoni ta’ dejjem għal kull min jisma’ minnu.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Akklamazzjoni qabel l-Evanġelju
Ġw 12, 26
Glorja u tifħir lilek, Kristu!
Jekk xi ħadd irid jaqdini, hu għandu jimxi warajja;
u fejn inkun jien, hemm ukoll ikun il-qaddej tiegħi.
R/. Glorja u tifħir lilek, Kristu!
Evanġelju
Jekk il-ħabba tal-qamħ, li taqa’ fl-art, tmut hi tagħmel ħafna frott.
Ġw 12, 20-33
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Ġwann
F’dak iż-żmien, fost dawk li telgħu biex iqimu lil Alla fil-festa kien hemm xi Griegi. Dawn marru għand Filippu li kien minn Betsajda tal-Galilija, u talbuh: “Sinjur, nixtiequ naraw lil Ġesù”.
Filippu mar jgħid lil Indrì, u mbagħad Indrì u Filippu marru jgħidu lil Ġesù. U Ġesù weġibhom: “Waslet is-siegħa li fiha Bin il-bniedem ikun igglorifikat. Tassew tassew ngħidilkom, jekk il-ħabba tal-qamħ ma taqax fl-art u tmut, hi tibqa’ weħidha; imma jekk tmut, tagħmel ħafna frott. Min iħobb lil ħajtu jitlifha; imma min jobgħod lil ħajtu f’din id-dinja jħarisha għall-ħajja ta’ dejjem. Jekk xi ħadd irid jaqdini, hu għandu jimxi warajja, u fejn inkun jien, hemm ukoll ikun il-qaddej tiegħi. Min jaqdi lili, il-Missier jagħtih ġieħ. Issa qiegħed inħoss ruħi mħawda. U x’naqbad ngħid? Missier, eħlisni minn din is-siegħa? Imma jien għalhekk ġejt: għal din is-siegħa. Missier, agħti glorja lil ismek”. Dak il-ħin instama’ leħen mis-sema: “Jien diġà gglorifikajtu, u nerġa’ nigglorifikah”.
In-nies li kienu hemm semgħuh, u qalu li kien qiegħed iriegħed. Oħrajn qalu: “Kellmu xi anġlu”. Ġesù wieġeb: “Dan il-leħen ma ġiex għalija, imma għalikom. Il-ġudizzju ta’ din id-dinja qiegħed isir issa. Issa se jitkeċċa l-Prinċep ta’ din id-dinja. U meta nintrefa’ ’l fuq mill-art, jiena niġbed il-bnedmin kollha lejja”. Hu qal dan biex jurihom b’liema mewt kien sejjer imut.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
TODAY'S GOSPEL
18th MARCH, 2018
18th MARCH, 2018
Gospel JN 12:20-33
Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."
Philip went and told Andrew;
then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
Jesus answered them,
"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.
"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour'?
But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name."
Then a voice came from heaven,
"I have glorified it and will glorify it again."
The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder;
but others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
Jesus answered and said,
"This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
Now is the time of judgment on this world;
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself."
He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."
Philip went and told Andrew;
then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
Jesus answered them,
"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.
"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour'?
But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name."
Then a voice came from heaven,
"I have glorified it and will glorify it again."
The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder;
but others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
Jesus answered and said,
"This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
Now is the time of judgment on this world;
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself."
He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
=============
11 ta' MARZU, 2018
Ir-Raba’ Ħadd tar-Randan
Qari I
Il-jasar u l-ħelsien tal-poplu huma sinjal tal-korla u l-ħniena tal-Mulej.
2 Kron 36, 14-16.19-23
Qari mit-Tieni Ktieb tal-Kronaki
F’dak iż-żmien, il-kbarat kollha tal-qassisin u l-poplu komplew jidinbu u jagħmlu l-qżiżijiet kollha tal-ġnus, u niġġsu t-tempju tal-Mulej li hu kien qaddes f’Ġerusalemm. U billi ġietu ħasra mill-poplu tiegħu, u mill-għamara tiegħu, il-Mulej, Alla ta’ missirijiethom, kien ta’ sikwit jibgħat iwiddibhom bil-messaġġiera tiegħu. Iżda huma kienu jiddieħku bil-mibgħutin tiegħu, imaqdru kliemu, u jkasbru l-profeti tiegħu, sa ma saħnet il-korla tal-Mulej għall-poplu tiegħu, hekk li ma setgħux jeħilsuha aktar. U ħarqulhom it-tempju ta’ Alla, ġarrfu s-swar ta’ Ġerusalemm, taw in-nar lill-palazzi kollha tagħha, u hekk qerdulha kull ma kellha prezzjuż.
U dawk li ħelsu mill-qerda tax-xabla, Nabukodonosor eżiljahom lejn il-Babilonja, u baqgħu suġġetti għalih u għal uliedu, sa ma ġew jaħkmu fuqhom il-Persjani. Hekk seħħ dak li qal Alla b’fomm Ġeremija: “Sakemm tgawdi l-art il-mistrieħ ta’ Sibtijietha, ma tinħadimx l-art iż-żmien kollu tal-ħerba tagħha, sa ma jgħaddu sebgħin sena”.
Fl-ewwel sena ta’ Ċiru, sultan tal-Persja, biex isseħħ il-kelma tal-Mulej li kienet intqalet b’fomm Ġeremija, il-Mulej qanqal lil Ċiru, sultan tal-Persja, u dan xandar proklama fis-saltna tiegħu kollha, saħansitra bil-miktub, li kienet tgħid: “Dan jgħid Ċiru sultan tal-Persja: ‘Il-Mulej, Alla tas-sema, tani f’idejja s-saltniet kollha talart, u hu qabbadni nibnilu tempju f’Ġerusalemm, li hi f’Ġuda. Kull min minnkom hu mill-poplu tiegħu, ħa jkun il-Mulej miegħu, u jitla’’”.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Salm Responsorjali
136 (137), 1-2.3.4-5.6
R/. (6a): Jeħilli lsieni mas-saqaf ta’ ħalqi,
jekk ma niftakarx fik, Ġerusalemm!
F’xatt ix-xmajjar ta’ Babilonja,
hemm qgħadna bilqiegħda u bkejna,
aħna u niftakru f’Sijon.
Mas-siġar tal-luq tagħha,
dendilna ċ-ċetri tagħna. R/.
Għax hemm, dawk li ijassruna,
talbuna ngħannulhom xi għanja;
dawk li hemm għakksuna
stennew minna għana ta’ ferħ:
“Għannulna mill-għana ta’ Sijon”. R/.
Kif nistgħu ngħannu l-għana tal-Mulej
f’art barranija?
Tibbiesli idi l-leminija,
jekk qatt ninsa lilek, Ġerusalemm! R/.
Jeħilli lsieni mas-saqaf ta’ ħalqi,
jekk ma niftakarx fik,
jekk ma nżommx ’il Ġerusalemm
’il fuq minn kull ferħ tiegħi! R/.
Qari II
Kontu mejta minħabba fid-dnubiet, u bi grazzja intom salvi.
Ef 2, 4-10
Qari mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Efesin
Ħuti, Alla, għani fil-ħniena tiegħu, bis-saħħa tal-imħabba kbira li biha ħabbna, meta aħna konna mejta minħabba fi dnubietna, tana ħajja ġdida flimkien ma’ Kristu – bi grazzja intom salvi. Qajjimna miegħu u qegħedna fis-smewwiet ma’ Kristu Ġesù, biex juri fiż-żminijiet li ġejjin l-għana bla qjies tal-grazzja tiegħu bit-tjieba li wera magħna fi Kristu Ġesù.
Intom salvi bil-grazzja, permezz tal-fidi; u dan mhux bis-saħħa tagħkom, imma b’don ta’ Alla; mhux bl-opri, biex ħadd ma jiftaħar. Aħna ħolqien tiegħu, maħluqa fi Kristu Ġesù biex nagħmlu l-opri tajba li Alla ħejjielna minn qabel li għandna nagħmlu.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Akklamazzjoni qabel l-Evanġelju
Ġw 3, 16
Glorja u tifħir lilek, Kristu!
Alla hekk ħabb lid-dinja
li ta lil Ibnu l-waħdieni,
biex kull min jemmen fih ikollu l-ħajja ta’ dejjem.
R/. Glorja u tifħir lilek, Kristu!
Evanġelju
Alla bagħat lil Ibnu fid-dinja biex bih hija ssalva.
Ġw 3, 14-21
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Ġwann
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lil Nikodemu: “Kif Mosè rafa’ s-serp fid-deżert, hekk jeħtieġ li jkun merfugħ Bin il-bniedem,biex kull min jemmen fih ikollu l-ħajja ta’ dejjem.
Għax Alla hekk ħabb lid-dinja li ta lil Ibnu l-waħdieni, biex kull min jemmen fih ma jintilifx, iżda jkollu l-ħajja ta’ dejjem.Għax Alla ma bagħatx lil Ibnu fid-dinja biex jagħmel ħaqq mid-dinja, imma biex id-dinja ssalva permezz tiegħu.Min jemmen fih ma jkunx ikkundannat; iżda min ma jemminx huwa ġa kkundannat, għax ma emminx fl-isem tal-Iben il-waħdieni ta’ Alla.
U l-ġudizzju huwa dan: li d-dawl ġie fid-dinja, imma l-bnedmin ħabbew id-dlam aktar mid-dawl, għax l-għemil tagħhom kien ħażin. Għax kull min jagħmel il-ħażen jobgħod id-dawl, u ma jersaqx lejn id-dawl, biex għemilu ma jinkixifx.Imma min jagħmel is-sewwa jersaq lejn id-dawl, biex juri li hemm Alla f’għemilu”.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
TODAY'S GOSPEL - 11th MARCH, 2018
Gospel JOHN 3:14-21
“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
L - 4 ta' MARZU 2018
It-Tielet Ħadd tar-Randan
Qari I
Il-Liġi ngħatat permezz ta’ Mosè.
Eż 20, 1-17
Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Eżodu
F’dak iż-żmien, Alla tkellem u qal dan kollu lill-poplu: “Jiena hu l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, li ħriġtek mill-art tal-Eġittu, minn dar il-jasar. Ma jkollokx allat oħra għajri. La tagħmilx għalik suriet minquxa u ebda xbieha ta’ ebda ħaġa li hemm fl-għoli tas-sema, jew isfel fl-art, jew fil-baħar taħt l-art. La tmilx quddiemhom: la tadurahomx għaliex jiena hu l-Mulej Alla tiegħek, Alla għajjur, li npatti l-ħażen tal-missirijiet fuq l-ulied sat-tielet u r-raba’ ġenerazzjoni lil dawk li jobogħduni; imma nagħder sal-elf nisel lil min iħobbni u jżomm il-kmadamenti tiegħi.
La ssemmix l-isem tal-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, fix-xejn: għaliex lil min isemmi l-isem tiegħu fix-xejn, il-Mulej ma jħallihx bla kastig.
Ftakar f’jum is-Sibt u qaddsu. Sitt ijiem taħdem u tagħmel kull ma għandek tagħmel; imma s-seba’ jum hu jum il-mistrieħ f’ġieħ il-Mulej, Alla tiegħek. Dan il-jum ma tagħmel ebda xogħol, int, ibnek, il-qaddej u l-qaddejja tiegħek, il-bhejjem tiegħek, u l-barrani li jkun ġewwa bwiebek. Għax f’sitt ijiem il-Mulej għamel is-smewwiet u l-art; il-baħar u kull ma hemm fihom, u strieħ fis-seba’ jum. Għalhekk il-Mulej bierek is-seba’ jum u qaddsu.
Weġġaħ lil missierek u lil ommok, sabiex jitkattru jiemek fuq l-art li l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, jagħtik.
La toqtolx.
La tagħmilx adulterju.
La tisraqx.
La tagħtix xhieda giddieba kontra għajrek.
La tixtieqx dar għajrek: la tixtieqx il-mara ta’ għajrek, il-qaddej jew il-qaddejja tiegħu, l-għoġol jew il-ħmar tiegħu, u xejn minn kull ma għandu għajrek”.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Jew il-forma l-qasira
Qari I
Il-Liġi ngħatat permezz ta’ Mosè.
Eż 20, 1-3.7-8.12-17
Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Eżodu
F’dak iż-żmien, Alla tkellem u qal dan kollu lill-poplu: “Jiena hu l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, li ħriġtek mill-art tal-Eġittu, minn dar il-jasar. Ma jkollokx allat oħra għajri. La ssemmix l-isem tal-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, fix-xejn: għaliex lil min isemmi l-isem tiegħu fix-xejn, il-Mulej ma jħallihx bla kastig. Ftakar f’jum is-Sibt u qaddsu.
Weġġaħ lil missierek u lil ommok, sabiex jitkattru jiemek fuq l-art li l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, jagħtik.
La toqtolx.
La tagħmilx adulterju.
La tisraqx.
La tagħtix xhieda giddieba kontra għajrek.
La tixtieqx dar għajrek: la tixtieqx il-mara ta’ għajrek, il-qaddej jew il-qaddejja tiegħu, l-għoġol jew il-ħmar tiegħu, u xejn minn kull ma għandu għajrek”.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Salm Responsorjali
Salm 18 (19), 8.9.10.11
R/. (Ġw 6, 68ċ): Mulej, int għandek il-kliem tal-ħajja ta’ dejjem
Il-liġi tal-Mulej perfetta,
u tagħti l-ħajja;
ix-xhieda tal-Mulej hi sewwa,
u tgħallem lil min ma jafx. R/.
Il-preċetti tal-Mulej dritti,
u jferrħu l-qalb;
il-kmadament tal-Mulej safi,
u jdawwal l-għajnejn. R/.
Il-biża’ tal-Mulej sinċier,
u jibqa’ għal dejjem;
il-ġudizzji tal-Mulej sewwa,
u mseddqa għal kollox. R/.
Huma egħżeż mid-deheb,
mid-deheb l-aktar fin,
oħla mill-għasel
u mill-qtar tax-xehda. R/.
Qari II
Aħna nxandru ’l Kristu msallab.
1 Kor 1, 22-25
Qari mill-Ewwel ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Korintin
Ħuti, il-Lhud jitolbu s-sinjali, u l-Griegi jfittxu l-għerf, imma aħna nxandru ’l Kristu msallab, skandlu għal-Lhud u bluha għall-Griegi; iżda għal dawk li huma msejħin, sew Lhud sew Griegi, Kristu huwa l-qawwa ta’ Alla u l-għerf ta’ Alla. Għax il-bluha ta’ Alla hija għarfa iktar mill-bnedmin, u d-dgħufija ta’ Alla hija aqwa mill-bnedmin.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Akklamazzjoni qabel l-Evanġelju
Ġw 3, 16
Glorja u tifħir lilek, Kristu!
Alla hekk ħabb lid-dinja
li ta lil Ibnu l-waħdieni,
biex kull min jemmen fih ikollu l-ħajja ta’ dejjem.
R/. Glorja u tifħir lilek, Kristu!
Evanġelju
Ħottu dan it-tempju, u fi tlitt ijiem nerġa’ ntellgħu.
Ġw 2, 13-25
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Ġwann
Kien qorob l-Għid tal-Lhud, u Ġesù tela’ Ġerusalemm. Fit-tempju sab min qiegħed ibigħ barrin, nagħaġ u ħamiem, u min kien bilqiegħda jsarraf il-flus. Għamel sawt mill-ħbula, u keċċiehom ilkoll ’il barra mit-tempju, bin-nagħaġ u l-barrin tagħhom; xerred il-flus ta’ dawk li kien jsarrfu, u qalbilhom l-imwejjed. U lill-bejjiegħa tal-ħamiem qalilhom: “Warrbu dawn minn hawn, u dar Missieri tagħmluhiex dar tan-negozju!” Id-dixxipli ftakru f’dak li kien hemm miktub fl-Iskrittura: “Il-ħeġġa għal darek fnietni”.
Imbagħad il-Lhud qabdu u qalulu: “X’sinjal se turina li inti tista’ tagħmel dan?” Ġesù weġibhom: “Ħottu dan it-tempju, u fi tlitt ijiem jien nerġa’ntellgħu”. Għalhekk il-Lhud qalulu: “Dan it-tempju ħa sitta u erbgħin sena biex inbena, u int se ttellgħu fi tlitt ijiem?”.
Iżda hu tkellem fuq it-tempju tal-ġisem tiegħu. Meta mbagħad qam mill-imwiet, id-dixxipli tiegħu ftakru f’dak li kien qal, u emmnu fl-Iskrittura u fil-kliem li kien qal Ġesù. Waqt li kien Ġerusalemm għall-festa tal-Għid, kien hemm ħafna li emmnu f’ismu billi raw is-sinjali li kien jagħmel. Imma Ġesù, min-naħa tiegħu, ma kienx jafda fihom, għax hu kien jaf lil kulħadd u ma kellux bżonn min jagħtih xhieda fuq il-bniedem, għax hu stess kien jaf x’hemm fil-bniedem.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
TODAY'S GOSPEL - 4th MARCH, 2018
Gospel JOHN 2:13-25
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
"Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
"What sign can you show us for doing this?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said,
"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?"
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all,
and did not need anyone to testify about human nature.
He himself understood it well.
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
"Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
"What sign can you show us for doing this?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said,
"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?"
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all,
and did not need anyone to testify about human nature.
He himself understood it well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
25 ta' FRAR, 2018
It-Tieni Ħadd tar-Randan
Qari I
Is-sagrifiċċju ta’ missierna Abraham.
Ġen 22, 1-2.9a.10-13.15-18
Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi
F’dak iż-żmien, Alla ried iġarrab lil Abraham u qallu: “Abraham!”. U hu wieġbu: “Hawn jien!” U qallu: “Aqbad lil ibnek il-waħdieni, li inti tħobb, lil Iżakk; u mur lejn l-art ta’ Morija, u hemm offrih b’sagrifiċċju tal-ħruq fuq waħda mill-għoljiet li jien se ngħidlek”. U waslu fil-post li kien semmielu Alla. U Abraham medd idu u qabad is-sikkina biex joqtol lil ibnu. U sejjaħlu l-anġlu tal-Mulej mis-smewwiet u qallu: “Abraham, Abraham!” U dan wieġbu: “Hawn jien”. U qallu:“La tmiddx idek fuq iż-żagħżugħ u tagħmillu ebda ħsara; għax issa naf li inti tibża’ minn Alla, u ma ċaħħadtnix minn ibnek il-waħdieni”.
U Abraham rafa’ għajnejh, ta ħarsa madwaru, u ra muntun warajh maqbud minn qrunu fil-friegħi. U Abraham mar u qabad il-muntun, u offrieh b’sagrifiċċju tal-ħruq minflok ibnu. U għat-tieni darba l-anġlu tal-Mulej sejjaħ lil Abraham mis-smewwiet u qallu: “Naħlef fuq ruħi – oraklu tal-Mulej – la darba int għamilt ħaġa bħal din, u ma ċaħħadtnix minn ibnek il-waħdieni, jien imbierkek żgur u nkattarlek sewwa lil nislek bħall-kwiekeb tas-sema u bħar-ramel f’xatt il-baħar; u nislek għad jiret bwieb l-għedewwa tiegħu. U jitbierku b’nislek il-ġnus kollha tal-art talli smajt minn kelmti”.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Salm Responsorjali
Salm 115 (116), 10.15-19
R/. (9): Jien nimxi quddiem il-Mulej f’art il-ħajjin
Bqajt nemmen, imqar meta għedt:
“Jien imdejjaq ħafna!”
Għażiża f’għajnejn il-Mulej
hi l-mewt tal-ħbieb tiegħu. R/.
Iva, Mulej, jien qaddej tiegħek,
jien qaddej tiegħek, bin il-qaddejja tiegħek.
Int ħallejtli l-irbit tiegħi.
Lilek noffri sagrifiċċju ta’ radd il-ħajr,
u isem il-Mulej insejjaħ. R/.
Intemm lill-Mulej il-wegħdiet tiegħi,
quddiem il-poplu tiegħu kollu,
fil-btieħi ta’ dar il-Mulej,
ġo nofsok, Ġerusalemm! R/.
Qari II
Alla lanqas lil ibnu stess ma ħafirha.
Rum 8, 31b-34
Qari mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lir-Rumani
Ħuti, jekk Alla hu magħna min jista’ jkun kontra tagħna? Hu, li lanqas lil Ibnu stess ma ħafirha, imma tah għalina lkoll, kif ma jagħtiniex ukoll kollox miegħu? Min se jakkuża l-magħżulin ta’ Alla? Alla stess hu dak li jiġġustifikahom. Min se jikkundannahom? Kristu Ġesù li miet, jew aħjar, li qam mill-imwiet, jinsab fuq il-lemin ta’ Alla, hu li jidħol għalina.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla
Akklamazzjoni qabel l-Evanġelju
ara Mk 9, 7
Glorja u tifħir lilek, Kristu!
Minn ġos-sħaba kollha dawl instama’ leħen il-Missier jgħid:
“Dan hu Ibni l-għażiż, li fih sibt l-għaxqa tiegħi, isimgħu lilu”.
R/. Glorja u tifħir lilek, Kristu!
Evanġelju
Dan hu Ibni l-għażiż.
Mk 9, 2-10
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Mark
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù ħa miegħu lil Pietru u lil Ġakbu u lil Ġwanni, tellagħhom weħidhom fuq muntanja għolja, u tbiddel quddiemhom. Ilbiesu sar abjad u jgħammex b’dija tal-għaġeb: ebda ħassiel fid-dinja ma jista’ jġib il-ħwejjeġ bojod daqshekk. U dehrilhom Elija ma’ Mosè, jitkellmu ma’ Ġesù.
Qabad Pietru u qal lil Ġesù: “Mgħallem, kemm hu sew li aħna hawn! Ħa ntellgħu tliet tined, waħda għalik, waħda għal Mosè, u waħda għal Elija”. Dan qalu għax ma kienx jaf x’jaqbad jgħid bil-biża’ kbir li waqa’ fuqhom.
Imbagħad ġiet sħaba u għattiethom, u minn ġos-sħaba nstama’ leħen jgħid: “Dan hu Ibni l-għażiż, isimgħu lilu”. Minnufih taw ħarsa madwarhom, u ma raw lil ħadd iżjed magħhom ħlief lil Ġesù waħdu.
Huma u neżlin minn fuq il-muntanja, tahom ordni biex ma jitkellmu ma’ ħadd fuq li kienu raw qabel ma Bin il-bniedem ikun qam mill-imwiet. Huma żammew kollox moħbi, iżda bdew jistaqsu lil xulxin x’kien ifisser tqum mill-imwiet.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
********
TODAY'S GOSPEL - 25th FEBRUARY, 2018
Gospel MK 9:2-10
Jesus took Peter, James, and John
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
from the cloud came a voice,
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
from the cloud came a voice,
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.
Posted by Charles V. Farrugia
