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A strong message – Bishop Galea-Curmi

Mass on the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

12/09/2021   The Parish Church of the Annunciation, Ħal Balzan

L-omelija tal-Isqof Joseph Galea-Curmi

Għandu mnejn ninħasdu bil-kliem li Ġesù qal lil Pietru, li kien wieħed mill-aktar ħbieb ta’ ġewwa miegħu, meta qallu: “Itlaq minn quddiemi, ja xitan”. Ħa nifhmu sew x’ġara. L-ewwel, meta Ġesù staqsa lid-dixxipli x’jaħsbu n-nies, mir-risposti deher ċar li n-nies kellhom ħafna ideat żbaljati dwar min hu. Imma meta staqsa lid-dixxipli x’jaħsbu huma, Pietru kellu r-risposta preċiża: “Inti l-Messija”. Imbagħad, meta Ġesù beda jispjega xi tfisser li hu kien il-Messija u jgħid minn xiex kien se jgħaddi – ibati, jiċħduh, joqtluh – qabel ma jasal għall-glorja, Pietru ġibdu lejh u beda jlumu, u kien dan il-mument meta Ġesù qallu: “itlaq minn quddiemi, ja xitan”… Read more »

The Sunday Gospel: 12th September

12/09/2021

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the day

First Reading: Is 50:5-9a
Psalm: 114(116):1-2,3-4,5-6,8-9
Second Reading: James 2:14-18

Gospel: Mk 8:27-35

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly… Read more »

He speaks clearly and directly – Bishop Galea-Curmi

10/09/2021   The Chapel of Our Lady of Manresa at the Archbishop's Curia, Floriana

L-omelija tal-Isqof Joseph Galea-Curmi

Ġesù ma joqgħodx jomgħodha. Jitkellem ċar u dirett. Għalhekk hawnhekk jgħid: “Għax tara t-tibna f’għajn ħuk, u ma tarax it-travu għandek f’għajnek int?” U jgħid: “Neħħi l-ewwel it-travu minn għajnek int, ħalli mbagħad tara sewwa kif tneħħi t-tibna minn għajn ħuk”. 

Hu kliem li nifhmuh, għax jaqbel ħafna mal-esperjenza tagħna l-bnedmin. Kultant inħarsu lejn l-oħrajn u naraw il-ħażin, naraw id-difetti… Read more »

The Gospel of the day: 8th September

08/09/2021

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Solemnity
Readings of the day

First Reading: Micah 5: 1-4a
Psalm: 12: 6
Second Reading: Rom 8: 28-30

Gospel: Mt 1: 1-16. 18-23

An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse… Read more »

The Sunday Gospel: 5th September

05/09/2021

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the day

First Reading: Is 35:4-7a
Psalm: 145(146):7,8-9a,9bc,10
Second Reading: James 2:1-5

Gospel: Mk 7:31-37

In those days, Jesus returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 

Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” Read more »

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So as not to fail – Bishop Galea-Curmi

30/08/2021   The Chapel of Our Lady of Manresa at the Archbishop's Curia, Floriana

L-omelija tal-Isqof Joseph Galea-Curmi

Nixtieqkom tinnutaw ftit x’ġara f’din il-ġrajja mill-Evanġelju skont San Luqa, meta Ġesù jmur lura Nażaret fejn kien trabba, u jidħol fis-sinagoga. Meta jidħol hemmhekk, u jieħu dik is-silta mill-Profeta Iżaija li tħabbar il-missjoni tiegħu, l-Evanġelju jgħid li “lkoll laqgħu kliemu u stagħġbu għall-kliem mimli ħlewwa li kien ħiereġ minn fommu”. Reazzjoni sabiħa, pożittiva. Jilqgħu l-kelma.

Imma mbagħad, ftit wara, meta Ġesù jispjega aktar fid-dettall, tinbidel għal kollox ir-reazzjoni tagħhom… Read more »

Wise and smart – Bishop Galea-Curmi

Mass on the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

29/08/2021   The Church of St Joseph the Worker, Xemxija

L-omelija tal-Isqof Joseph Galea-Curmi

F’dan iż-żmien ta’ pandemija li għexna u għadna qed ngħixu, kemm-il darba fakkarna lil xulxin kemm hemm bżonn insegwu l-miżuri għall-ħarsien tas-saħħa, fosthom il-ħasil tal-idejn, l-użu tas-sanitiser, eċċ. Imma wkoll daż-żmien fakkarna li hemm xi miżuri li tajjeb li nsegwuhom, anke meta ma jkunx hawn pandemija. Waħda minnhom hi l-ħasil tal-idejn, u l-ħasil tal-idejn qabel l-ikel. Hekk aħna mdorrijin nagħmlu, u hekk għandna nagħmlu u hi ħaġa tajba, u hekk jgħallmu l-ġenituri lit-tfal tagħhom mindu żgħar… Read more »

Redeeming love – Bishop Galea-Curmi

Mass on the feast of St Julian

29/08/2021   The Parish Church of St Julian's, St Julian's

L-omelija tal-Isqof Joseph Galea-Curmi

San Ġiljan hu qaddis li ħalla impressjoni kbira tul is-snin. Jingħad li f’Malta d-devozzjoni lejh bdiet fis-seklu 15. Għalkemm ma nafux ħafna dettalji storiċi fuq ħajtu, ħajtu hi espressa f’diversi poeżiji, pitturi u rappreżentazzjonijiet artistiċi oħra, speċjalment fil-Medju Evu. Fi Franza, fil-Katidral ta’ Rouen, u fil-Katidral ta’ Chartres, hemm ħġieġ bl-istained-glass sbieħ ħafna bl-istorja ta’ ħajtu.

X’ninnutaw f’dan kollu? … Read more »

The Sunday Gospel: 29th August

29/08/2021

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings of the day

First Reading: Deut 4, 1-2,6-8
Psalm: 14(15), 2-3a,3cd-4ab,5
Second Reading: James 1, 17-18,21b-22,27

Gospel: Mk 7, 1-8,14-15,21-23

In those days, the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles… Read more »

Making sure the oil never runs out – Bishop Galea-Curmi

27/08/2021   The Chapel of Our Lady of Manresa at the Archbishop's Curia, Floriana

L-omelija tal-Isqof Joseph Galea-Curmi

Bil-parabbola tal-għaxar xebbiet, Ġesù jrid jurina x’għandna nagħmlu biex nidħlu fis-Saltna tas-Sema. Hawn qed isemmi dawn l-għaxar xebbiet li kienu lesti biex jakkumpanjaw lill-għarus bl-imsiebaħ mixgħula – għax din kienet ċerimonja li ssir bil-lejl.

Imma Ġesù jgħid: ħamsa kienu boloh u ħamsa għaqlin. X’juri l-bluha u l-għaqal? L-għaqlin ħadu ż-żejt fil-kwies biex ikollhom biżżejjed għall-imsiebaħ, ħa jibqgħu mixgħula, u l-boloh ma ħadux żejt magħhom… Read more »