Does Luke Really Portray Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant?
The Science Of Happiness
Sometimes its hard to be happy. But if you look at the wonderful gospel
scene of Our Lady's visit to her cousin St. Elizabeth, you will see how the
Holy Spirit reveals the science of real happiness. You too, can sing the
Magnificat ... if you submit to the 'science of happiness'!
The First Disciple (5/31/16)
31 ta' Mejju - IŻ-ŻJARA TAL-VERĠNI MQADDSA MARIJA - FESTA
ANTIFONA TAL-INTROJTU (Salm 65:16)
Ejjew, isimgħu u ngħidilkom,
intom ilkoll li tibżgħu minn Alla,
ngħidilkom x'għamel miegħi.
LEZZJONI 1 (Sofonija 3:14-18)
Qari mill-ktieb tal-Profeta Sofonija
[Sof:3:14] Għajjat bil-ferħ ta' qalbek, bint Sijon, Iżrael, samma' leħnek! Infexx fl-hena u ifraħ b'qalbek kollha, bint Ġerusalemm![Sof:3:15]Neħħa l-Mulej minn fuqek is-sentenza li kellek kontrik, keċċa l-għedewwa tiegħek. Is-sultan t'Iżrael, il-Mulej, hu f'nofsok; ma jkollokx iżjed ħsara minn xiex tibża'.[Sof:3:16] Dakinhar jgħidu lil Ġerusalemm: "Tibżax, Sijon, tħallix idejk jintelqu:[Sof:3:17] il-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, qiegħed f'nofsok, gwerrier li jsalva; minħabba fik jithenna b'hena kbir, fi mħabbtu jġeddek, jinfexx minħabba fik f'għajat ta' ferħ,[Sof:3:18]bħalkieku f'jum ta' festa.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
jew
LEZZJONI 1 (Rumani 12:9-16b)
Qari mill-Ittra ta' San Pawl Appostlu lir-Rumani
[Rum:12:9] Huti: Qisu li l-imħabba tagħkom ma tkunx wiċċb'ieħor; taħmlux il-ħażen; żommu mat-tajjeb.[Rum:12:10] Ħobbu lil xulxin bħal aħwa; fittxu li tistmaw lil xulxin.[Rum:12:11] Tħallux il-ħrara tagħkom tibred, tħeġġu fl-ispirtu, aqdu lill-Mulej.[Rum:12:12] Ifirħu bit-tama, stabru fl-hemm, itolbu bla waqfien.[Rum:12:13]Aqsmu ġidkom mal-qaddisin li jinsabu fil-bżonn; ilqgħu f'darkom lill-barranin.[Rum:12:14]Bierku lil dawk li jippersegwitawkom; bierku, u la tisħtu lil ħadd.[Rum:12:15]Ifirħu ma' min jifraħ, ibku ma' min jibki.[Rum:12:16] Aħsbu f'xulxin l-istess, taħsbux fi ħwejjeġ kbar, imma fittxu l-umli.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
SALM RESPONSORJALI (Isaija:12:2-6)
R. Kbir hu f'nosok il-Qaddis ta' Israel
Alla s-salvazzjoni tiegħi,
jiena nittama u ma nibżax.
Għax il-qawwa u il-għana tiegħi hu l-Mulej,
hu s-salvazzjoni tiegħi.
Kollkom ferħana,
timlew l-ilma mill-għejjun tas-salvazzjoni. R.
Għannu lill-Mulej, sejjħu lil ismu,
għarrfu lill-ġnus l-għeġubijiet tiegħu,
xandru li ismu huwa fil-għoli. R
Għannu lill-Mulej għax għamel ħwejjeġkbar;
ħa jkun dan magħruf min-nies kollha ta' l-art.
Aqbeż bil-ferħ,għanni,
int li tgħammar f'Sijon,
għax kbir hu f'nofsok il-Qaddis ta' Iżrael. R
- MAY 31 - THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
- AUGUST 15 - SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
- OCTOBER 14 - OUR LADY OF GOOD HEALTH - MADONNA TAS-SAĦĦA - Franciscan memorial - one of the alternative Gospels.
Evanġelju
Lq 1: 39-56
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Luqa
[Lq:1:39] F'dawk il-ġranet Marija qamet u marret tħaffef lejn il-għoljiet, f'belt tal-Lhudija. [Lq:1:40] Daħlet għand Żakkarija u sellmet lil Eliżabetta. [Lq:1:41] Malli Eliżabetta semgħet lil Marija ssellmilha, it-tarbija qabżet fil-ġuf tagħha u Eliżabetta mtliet bl-Ispirtu s-Santu; [Lq:1:42] u nfexxet f'għajta kbira u qalet: "Imbierka inti fost in-nisa, u mbierek il-frott tal-ġuf tiegħek! [Lq:1:43] U minn fejn ġieni dan li omm il-Mulej tiegħi tiġi għandi? [Lq:1:44] Għax ara, malli smajt f’widnejja leħen it-tislima tiegħek, it-tarbija li għandi fil-ġuf qabżet bil-ferħ [Lq:1:45] Iva, hienja dik li emmnet li jseħħ kulma bagħat jgħidilha l-Mulej !"
[Lq:1:46] Imbagħad qalet Marija: Ruħi tfaħħar il-kobor tal-Mulej,
[Lq:1:47] u l-ispirtu tiegħi jifraħ f'Alla s-Salvatur tiegħi,
[Lq:1:48] għax hu xeħet għajnejh fuq iċ-ċokon tal-qaddejja tiegħu. Iva, minn issa 'l quddiem kull nisel jibda jsejjaħli hienja,
[Lq:1:49] għax is-setgħani għamel miegħi ħwejjeġ kbar; qaddis hu l-isem tiegħu.
[Lq:1:50] Il-ħniena tiegħu tinfirex f'kull żmien fuq dawk li jibżgħu minnu.
[Lq:1:51] Hu wera l-qawwa ta' driegħu, xerred lil dawk li huma mkabbra f'qalbhom. [Lq:1:52] Niżżel is-setgħana minn fuq it-tron tagħhom, u għolla ċ-ċkejknin.
[Lq:1:53] Mela b'kull ġid 'il min hu bil-ġuħ, u l-għonja bagħathom 'il barra b'xejn.
[Lq:1:54] Ħa ħsieb Israel qaddej tiegħu, għax ftakar fil-ħniena tiegħu,
[Lq:1:55] bħalma wiegħed lil missirijietna - b'riżq Abraham u nislu għal dejjem."
[Lq:1:56] Marija baqgħet ma' Eliżabetta għal tliet xhur u mbagħad reġgħet lura lejn darha.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu.
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REFLECTIONS:
Do you recognize the indwelling presence of the Lord Jesus in your
life? Blessed are you if you see and recognize the Lord with the "eyes of
faith". The word "blessed" [makarios in Greek] literally
means "happiness" or "beatitude". It describes a
kind of joy which is serene and untouchable, self-contained, and independent
from chance and changing circumstances of life. There is a certain paradox for
those "blessed" by the Lord. Mary was given the "blessedness"
of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a
sword which pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. Anselm, a great
teacher and Archbishop of Canterbury (1033-1109), spoke these words in a homily:
"Without God's Son nothing could exist; without Mary's son, nothing could
be redeemed." To be chosen by God is an awesome privilege and
responsibility. Mary received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. Her
joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope,
and trust in God and his promises. Jesus promised his disciples that "no
one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). The Lord gives us a
supernatural joy which enables us to
bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take away. Do you know the joy of a life
given over to God in faith and trust?
What is the significance of Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth before
the birth of Jesus? When Elizabeth greeted Mary and recognized the Messiah in
Mary's womb they were filled with the Holy Spirit and with a joyful
anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promise to give a Saviour. What a
marvelous wonder for God to fill not only Elizabeth's heart with his Holy
Spirit but the child in her womb as well. John the Baptist, even before the
birth of the Messiah, pointed to his coming and leapt for joy in the womb of
his mother as the Holy Spirit revealed to him the presence of the King to be
born. The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to enable us to know and experience
the indwelling presence of God and the power of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit is
the way in which God reigns within each of us. Do you live in the joy and
knowledge of God's indwelling presence with you through his Holy Spirit?
"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me joy in
seeking you more closely. Increase my faith in all your promises, my hope in
the joys of heaven, and my love for You as my All."
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