BENEDICTUS - Kantiku ta' Zakkarija - Canticle of Zechariah - Luke 1:67-79

 

 



Kantiku ta' Zakkarija - Il-Benedictus   

Imbierek il-Mulej, Alla ta' Izrael, *
ghaliex gie jzur u jifdi l-poplu tieghu,
u waqqaf ghalina qawwa ta' salvazzjoni *
f'dar David, qaddej tieghu,

bhalma kien wieghed fl-imghoddi *
b'fomm il-profeti qaddisin tieghu,
biex isalvana mill-ghedewwa taghna *
u minn idejn dawk kollha li joboghduna.

B'hekk juri hniena ma' missirijietna, *
u jiftakar fil-patt qaddis tieghu,
fil-halfa li halef lil Abraham missierna, *
li jaghtina

li, mehlusin minn idejn l-ghedewwa taghna, *
naqduh bla biza'
tul hajjitna kollha, *
bil-gustizzja u l-qdusija quddiemu.

U inti, tfajjel, tissejjah profeta ta' l-Gholi; *
ghax tmur qabel il-Mulej biex thejjilu triqatu,
biex tgharraf lill-poplu tieghu bis-salvazzjoni, *
bil-mahfra ta' dnubiethom,

hierga mill-qalb hanina ta' Alla taghna, *
li jibaghtilna mill-gholi z-zjara tax-Xemx tielgha,

ha jdawwal lil dawk li jinsabu
fid-dlamijiet u d-dell tal-mewt, *
ha jmexxi l-passi taghna fit-triq tas-sliem.

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Luke 1:68 – 79
The Messiah and his forerunner

 

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

 

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

 

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

 

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

 

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

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John 9:2-3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life !" --- Jn 9:1-41

Jn 9:1-41 -- Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind - Ġesù jfejjaq raġel agħma minn twelidu

9. Ġesù jfejjaq raġel agħma minn twelidu
[Ġw:9:1] Kif kien għaddej, lemaħ raġel agħma minn twelidu, [Ġw:9:2] u d-dixxipli tiegħu staqsewh: "Rabbi, dan twieled agħma għax dineb hu stess, jew għax dinbu l-ġenituri tiegħu?" [Ġw:9:3] Ġesù wieġeb: "Mhux għax dineb hu jew il-ġenituri tiegħu, imma ġralu hekk biex l-għemil ta' Alla jidher fih. [Ġw:9:4] Sakemm għadu binhar, jeħtiġilna nagħmlu  x-xogħol ta' dak li bagħatni, għax jasal il-lejl meta ħadd ma jkun jista' jaħdem. [Ġw:9:5] Sakemm għadni fid-dinja, jiena hu d-dawl  tad-dinja." [Ġw:9:6] Kif qal dan, beżaq fl-art, għamel minnu qisu tajn, u dilek bih għajnejn ir-raġel agħma. [Ġw:9:7] U qallu: "Mur inħasel  fil-menqgħa ta' Silwam." Din tfisser 'il-Mibgħut'. Mela dak mar, nħasel u ġie jara. [Ġw:9:8] Il-ġirien u dawk li s-soltu kienu jarawh, għax hu kien tallab, qalu: "Dan m'huwiex dak li kien joqgħod bilqiegħda jittallab?" [Ġw:9:9] Xi wħud qalu: "Iva, hu." Oħrajn qalu: "Le, imma jixbhu." Iżda hu qalilhom: "Jiena hu." [Ġw:9:10] Qalulu: "Mela kif infetħulek għajnejk?" [Ġw:9:11] Weġibhom: "Wieħed raġel, jgħidulu Ġesù, għamel ftit tajn, dilikli għajnejja bih, u qalli, 'Mur fis-Silwam u nħasel hemm.' Mort, nħsilt, u ġejt nara." [Ġw:9:12] Qalulu: "Fejn huwa dan ir-raġel?" Qalilhom: "Ma nafx."
Il-Fariżej jistaqsu dwar il-fejqan
[Ġw:9:13] Lil dan il-bniedem li fl-imgħoddi kien agħma ħaduh għand  il-Fariżej. [Ġw:9:14] Issa dak in-nhar li Ġesù għamel it-tajn u fetaħ għajnejn l-agħma inzerta kien is-Sibt. [Ġw:9:15] Il-Fariżej ukoll staqsew mill-ġdid lill-agħma kif sar jara. U hu qalilhom: "Qegħedli ftit tajn fuq għajnejja, mort ninħasel, u issa qiegħed nara." [Ġw:9:16] Xi wħud  mill-Fariżej qalu: "Dan il-bniedem m'huwiex ġej mingħand Alla, għax ma jħarisx is-Sibt." Iżda oħrajn qalu: "Kif jista' wieħed midneb jagħmel sinjali bħal dawn?" U ma qablux bejniethom. [Ġw:9:17] U reġgħu qalu lill-agħma: "Int x'jidhirlek minnu, issa li fetaħlek għajnejk?" Qalilhom: "Dak profeta."
[Ġw:9:18] Il-Lhud ma ridux jemmnu li hu kien agħma u ħa  d-dawl qabel ma bagħtu għall-ġenituri ta' dak li sar jara, [Ġw:9:19] u staqsewhom: "Dan, li intom qegħdin tgħidu li twieled agħma, dan binkom? Mela issa kif ġie jara?"  [Ġw:9:20] Il-ġenituri tiegħu wieġbu u qalulhom: "Nafu li dan hu t-tifel tagħna u li twieled agħma; [Ġw:9:21] imma kif issa ġie jara, dan ma nafuhx, u anqas ma nafu min fetaħlu għajnejh. Staqsu lilu, żmien għandu; ħa jitkellem hu għalih innifsu." [Ġw:9:22] Il-ġenituri tiegħu wieġbu hekk għaliex beżgħu  mil-Lhud, għax il-Lhud kienu ġa ftiehmu bejniethom li jekk xi ħadd jistqarr li Ġesù hu l-Messija, isib ruħu barra mis-sinagoga. [Ġw:9:23] Kien għalhekk li l-ġenituri tiegħu wieġbu, 'Żmien għandu, staqsu lilu.'
[Ġw:9:24] Għal darb'oħra reġgħu bagħtu għal dak li kien agħma u qalulu: "Agħti glorja lil Alla! Aħna nafu li dan il-bniedem huwa midneb." [Ġw:9:25] Dak weġibhom: "Jekk hux midneb ma nafx; ħaġa waħda naf: li jien kont agħma u issa qiegħed nara." [Ġw:9:26] Qalulu: "Imma hu x'għamillek? Kif fetaħhomlok għajnejk?" [Ġw:9:27] U hu weġibhom: "Ġa għedtilkom u ma smajtux! Xi tridu tisimgħu iżjed? Jaqaw tridu intom ukoll issiru dixxipli tiegħu?" [Ġw:9:28] U qabdu jgħajjruh u qalulu: "Dak int dixxiplu tiegħu! Aħna ta' Mosè dixxipli! [Ġw:9:29] Aħna nafu li lil Mosè kellmu Alla, imma dan ma nafux minn fejn hu!" [Ġw:9:30] Weġibhom ir-raġel u qalilhom: "Sewwa! Hawn qiegħed l-għaġeb, li intom ma tafux minn fejn inqala', u madankollu lili fetaħli għajnejja! [Ġw:9:31] Aħna nafu li Alla m'hux se jisma' lill-midinbin; iżda mbagħad jekk wieħed ikun iqim lil Alla u jagħmel ir-rieda tiegħu, lil dan jisimgħu. [Ġw:9:32] Qatt fid-dinja ma nstema' li xi ħadd fetaħ għajnejn wieħed agħma  mit-twelid. [Ġw:9:33] Li kieku dan ma kienx ġej mingħand Alla, xejn ma kien ikollu ħila jagħmel." [Ġw:9:34] Mbagħad qabżu u qalulu: "Int se tgħallem lilna, int li twelidt dnubiet waħdek?" U keċċewh 'il barra.
L-għama spiritwali
[Ġw:9:35] Ġesù sama' li keċċewh 'il barra; sabu u qallu: "Temmen inti f'Bin il-bniedem?" [Ġw:9:36] Dak wieġeb u qallu: "Min hu, Mulej, biex nemmen fih?" [Ġw:9:37] Qallu Ġesù: "Mhux biss rajtu, imma huwa dak stess li qiegħed ikellmek." [Ġw:9:38] Qallu: "Nemmen, Mulej!" U nxteħet għarkubbtejh quddiemu. [Ġw:9:39] Mbagħad Ġesù qal: "Jien ġejt fid-dinja biex nagħmel ħaqq, biex min ma jarax isir jara, u min jara jagħma."
[Ġw:9:40] Xi wħud mill-Fariżej li kienu hemm madwaru semgħuh jgħid dan u staqsewh: "Aħna wkoll għomja?"  [Ġw:9:41] Weġibhom Ġesù: "Li kieku kontu għomja, ma kontux tkunu ħatja ta' dnub. Imma issa qegħdin tgħidu, 'Aħna naraw.' Mela d-dnub tagħkom għadu fuqkom."

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CATHOLIC TEACHINGS
REGARDING
ANCESTRAL CURSES
ERRONEUS INTERPRETATION CAN BE HARMFUL
by Fr. Antony Payyapally

There are some people who twist the Word of God while speaking about ancestral curses. I have heard many people giving wrong interpretations when talking about the primeval curse mentioned in the Bible.

Some allege that sins of parents or ancestors are the cause of various misfortunes like sickness, not having children, accidents, loss of fortunes, debts, etc. Such erroneous interpretations can give rise to a lot of misunderstandings. They can be the reason for children to have an aversion for their parents. When children tell their parents that it is due to their misdeeds that their own children are not able to find life-partners or that they are not having children, imagine the grief and guilt feelings that the old parents will experience!

Once an elderly couple came to see me. The man had his chin twisted to one side. I asked them whether it was always like that. "No, Father" the wife replied, "Yesterday our darling son caught his father's neck and twisted it." Then I asked whether their son was suffering from any mental disorders. "No, Father," again she replied, "The other day he went to attend a one-day convention. Ever since he came back from there he hates his father's sight. Whenever they happen to face each other, the son threatens the father and abuses him." Since their house was not far away I sent for the son and during the conversation casually asked him why he had beaten his father. Immediately he flared up and replied that the old man should not only be thrashed but must be killed. Then he took off his shirt and showed me his body disfigured by the skin disease known as psoriasis. Only his face was not affected.

"For the past twelve years," he said, "I am putting up with this. I have gone to every hospital and have taken all kinds of medicines, but to no effect. I did not know how it came about, but recently I attended a retreat. The retreat preacher told us that God would punish up till the fourth and fifth generations for the curses incurred by the ancestors. I went to him for counseling and after praying he told me that my sickness was the result of the sins of my father's father. When I came to know that my grandfather is the cause of my ailment I felt bitter against my father too. I was so angry that when I reached home seeing my father sitting in the verandah I said to myself, 'His father is dead but he is here and let him pay for it,' so I gave him a tight one."

I corrected the wrong notions that he had acquired. I showed him the context in the Bible where we read; "I bring punishment on those who hate me and on their descendents down to the third and fourth generation" (Exodus 20:5). God seeing the iniquity and hard-heartedness of the Israelites said this so that they might not be lost and to teach them the seriousness of their sins. Later when Jesus came He gave us a clear answer when seeing a blind man the disciple asked Him, "Teacher, whose sins caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parents' sin?" Jesus answered, "His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parent's sins. He is blind so that God's power might be seen at work in him" (Jn. 9:2-3).

In the Book of Ezekiel we read, "What is this proverb people keep repeating in the land of Israel? 'The parents ate the sour grapes, but the children got the sour taste.' As surely as I am the living God, says the sovereign Lord, You will not repeat this proverb in Israel anymore. The life of every person belongs to me, the life of the parent as well as that of the child. The person who sins is the one who will die" (18:1-4). If the father eats sour grapes the son will not get the sour taste, only the father will get it. Everyone's life is in God's hands. "Parents are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their children, and children are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their parents; a person is to be put to death only for a crime he himself has committed"(2 Kings 14:6).

"You know what was paid to set you free from the worthless manner of life handed down by your ancestors. It was not something that can be destroyed, such as silver or gold. It was the costly sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or flaw"(1 Peter 1:18-19). In order to take away the sin of the whole world God gave us a lamb, His own son(Jn.1:29). This Lamb that was sent to take away the sin of the whole human race was sacrificed on the cross on Calvary. For our sake, due to our sins, Christ became accursed. Therefore, we should not put blame on our ancestors or our parents for the cause of our sicknesses, or debts or having no children. I said all this to that son who stood before me with tears in his eyes. "Your illness is in the plan of God," I told him.

Before my very eyes he fell at his father's feet and begged for pardon. Three or four weeks later the father, the mother and the son together came to see me. He took off his shirt before me; he was completely healed of his skin disease. Thanks be to God!

http://www.catholicdoors.com/misc/apologetics/ancestralcurses.htm


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Pain Management...
http://medjugorjemalta.blogspot.com.mt/2015/12/pain-management-catholic-teachings.html




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