DIVINE SIGN OF CONTRADICTION (Lk 2, 35) - Archbishop of Malta, Mons. Paul Cremona

Archbishop of Malta, Mons. Paul Cremona

It was Our Lady, along with St Joseph, who first heard the words uttered by Simeon the prophet when they went to present the child Jesus at the Temple. Simeon told them that the child Jesus was “destined to be a sign of contradiction” (Lk 2, 35).

This is already an indication of the burden that the child Jesus had to carry. With him, Our Lady and St Joseph had to carry the suffering of this burden. Simeon also told them that “a sword will pierce your soul too.”

This prophecy of Simeon was a statement of fact. Our Lord came to bring to our knowledge the eternal decrees of the Creator. He was opposed by the cultures of that time, the Jewish and the Roman, who had strayed from the eternal decrees of God. This resulted in His crucifixion. It was the prophecy come true.

This is the challenge that Jesus faced. This is the challenge that the Church faces at all times. It does not choose to enter into any conflict. But to flee conflict means that it is relinquishing to be a sign (Mt 5,13: “You are the salt of the earth… You are light for the world”).

It would become absorbed in the prevalent culture, going along with it as it paves the way to a new culture. This is a cross that the Church has to carry. Many reason that the Church must adapt itself to the prevalent culture. However, faced with the eternal decrees of God’s wisdom, it cannot do so.

The Roman culture very much resembled today’s culture in its licentiousness, its disregard for marriage and family, its disregard for life. If Our Lord Jesus Christ wished the Church to accept these attitudes, why did He not tell us this 2,000 years ago?

It would have spared the lives of so many thousands of Christian martyrs!

Some accuse the Church of either being after numbers or of risking losing numbers of the faithful if it does not change with the times. The Church is not interested in numbers in themselves. It is interested mainly in being a sign of the eternal teachings of Our Lord.

Numbers at the cost of losing its identity according to Christ’s teachings is surely not what the Lord wishes from the Church. It strives to be a sign and opens its arms to all who want to join it on this mission.

The Church has no interest in building a theocratic state. History has taught that this distorts its mission.

Its only interest is to propose and, possibly, influence secular society with its values centred around love: around the dignity of every person and of passing this through the mediation of love – lived and acquired within the context of a stable family.

All this has to be conveyed by the Church in the same way as Christ did, through universal love and humility, reminding itself continually of its own limitations and the sinfulness of its members.

I leave it up to the readers to interpret in all calm and justice the role of the Church in this light, even in the run-up to the referendum.

I hope that all those who will be voting in the referendum in favour of the stability of marriage and, hence, against the introduction of divorce on the basis of their Catholic faith, will be motivated by these sentiments.

Published on The Times of Malta of 26th May 2011.

Ittra Pastorali - Ghazla Favur Zwieg Dejjiemi. Mejju 2011

GĦAŻLA FAVUR ŻWIEĠ DEJJIEMI

Għeżież,
F’dan il-Ħames Ħadd tal-Għid, il-Mulej irregalalna Kelma tiegħu li trid iddawwalna fl-għażla tagħna għal Sidna Ġesù Kristu, fi ħdan il-Knisja Kattolika: “Jiena hu t-Triq, il-Verità u l-Ħajja. Ħadd ma jmur għand il-Missier, jekk mhux permezz tiegħi” (Ġw 14, 6).
Il-Mulej qiegħed jgħidilna li dak li lkoll nixtiequ – li mmorru għand Alla l-Missier – irridu norbtuh ma’ Persuna, li hu Sidna Ġesù Kristu. Għal min hu Kristjan, m’hemmx triq oħra li twasslu għand il-Missier. Kull wieħed u waħda minna rridu nagħżlu lil Ġesù bħala l-Verità: dak li jgħid hu huwa l-veru valur tal-affarijiet li hemm madwarna. Irridu narawhom mill¬-għajnejn tiegħu. Irridu nagħżlu lil Ġesù’ bħala t-Triq biex naslu għal din il-Verità. Toroq oħra ma jwasslux! Meta nagħmlu dawn l-għażliet, imbagħad, nindunaw u nduqu l-Ħajja vera għalina l-bnedmin.
Aħna nixtiequ li anki f’dan ir-Referendum dwar id-divorzju, u għalhekk dwar iż-żwieġ, aħna lkoll niġu mmexxijin minn dan il-kliem ta’ Ġesù.
Huwa f’dan id-dawl li aħna qegħdin ngħaddulkom din l-Ittra Pastorali qabel ir-Referendum.
Permezz tar-Referendum li ser isir ftit ġranet oħra, qed niġu msejħa biex bħala ċittadini, permezz tal-vot, nesprimu l-konvinzjoni tagħna dwar iż-żwieġ.
Mhux sew li dan l-appell jaqa’ f’widnejn torox. Ma nistgħux nibqgħu indifferenti. Ma jurix sinjal ta’ maturita ċivika u kristjana min jagħzel li ma jiħux sehem f’dan ir-Referendum li jittratta suġġett daqshekk importanti.
Iż-żwieġ u l-familja huma esperjenza għal qalbna ħafna u hawn qbil fis-soċjetà li hemm bżonn ninvestu aktar għat-tisħiħ tagħhom. Iż-żwieġ u l-familja huma l-qafas naturali meħtieg, kemm biex persuna tgħix u tikber f’ambjent ta’ mħabba ġenwina, kif ukoll għal binja ta’ soċjetà b’saħħitha. L-esperjenza tgħallimna li dan huwa sewwasew li titlob id-dinjità tal-bniedem.
Hu għalhekk, għax taqbel mad-dinjità tal-bniedem, li Ġesù jgħallimna li ż-żwieġ, min-natura tiegħu, għandu rabta dejjiema.
Meta din l-esperjenza tal-imħabba fiż-żwieġ u l-familja tmur ħażin, fil-qlub jinfetħu ġerħat li ma jagħlqux malajr. Ilkoll nafu persuni mweġġgħa għax iż-żwieġ tagħhom ma rnexxiex. Nassigurawkom li l-karba tagħhom inħossuha f’qalbna, ir-Rgħajja Spiritwali tagħkom, bħalma hija fil-qalb ta’ Alla. Fl-istess waqt, wieħed japprezza li ħafna minn dawn il-persuni separati, meta jitkellmu dwar iż-żwieġ tagħhom, jistqarru li jiddispjaċihom ħafna li ż-żwieġ tagħhom falla. Dan ifisser li min hu mġarrab, għalkemm batut, ħafna drabi jikkonferma kemm iż-żwieġ veru għandu jkun l-għożża tagħna bħala nazzjon. B’imħabba lejn dawk li qegħdin ibatu, u lejn il-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri, irridu naraw flimkien kif nibnu kundizzjonijiet aħjar għaż-żwieġ u l-familja li jistgħu jnaqqsu dawn il-weġgħat.
Il-mistoqsija li qed jagħmel ir-Referendum, dwar jekk irridux li d-divorzju jsir parti mil-liġijiet ta’ pajjiżna, hija mistoqsija li se jkollha effett fuq iż-żwieġ fih innifsu u tolqot l-imġiba tagħna ċ-ċittadini u l-ġid komuni ta’ pajjiżna. Iċ-ċittadin għandu jagħti tweġiba mdawla mir-raġuni.
Iżda, fil-qafas ta’ dak li qed ngħidu, iċ-ċittadin kattoliku għandu kontribut speċjali x’joffri. It-tagħlim ta’ Ġesù Kristu, kif espress u mwassal mil-liġi morali mxandra mill-Knisja, ma jħallilniex dubju li d-divorzju huwa soluzzjoni ħażina li fuqha ma tistax tibni soċjetà stabbli. Soċjetà bi żwieġ stabbli tfisser tnaqqis fin-numru ta’ dawk li jbatu fis-soċjetà tagħna tal-ġejjieni; hija sinjal ta’ mħabba lejn il-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri. Hekk it-twemmin nisrani jixħet aktar dawl fuq il-verità dwar in-natura taż-żwieġ.
Fid-dawl ta’ dan kollu, għalhekk, huwa dmir tagħna bħala Rgħajja Spiritwali li nfakkru lill-poplu ta’ Alla u lil dawk kollha ta’ rieda tajba li kull meta fil-pajjiż issir sejħa biex iċ-ċittadini juru l-fehma tagħhom permezz tal-vot, bħal fil-kaz ta’ dan ir-Referendum, huwa dmir morali li wieħed jitfa’ l-vot liberu tiegħu. Aktar ma d-deċiżjoni tkun dwar valuri li qatt ma nistgħu inpartuhom, bħalma huwa fil-każ ta’ żwieġ dejjiemi, aktar tikber il-gravità morali ta’ dan id-dmir.
L-għażla tagħna f’dan ir-Referendum titlob ħafna ħsieb għax iġġorr magħha responsabbiltà kbira. Hija deċiżjoni li ser ikollha effetti mhux biss fuq il-preżent, imma wkoll fil-futur. Permezz tal-vot tiegħu, iċ-ċittadin ser jibni jew iħott. Għażla favur żwieġ dejjiemi hija att ta’ fiduċja fil-familja mibnija fuq rabta ta’ mħabba li ma tinħallx bir-rieda tal-bniedem; filwaqt li għażla favur id-divorzju twassal lejn aktar tifrik taż-żwieġ u l-familja, u allura anki tal-valur u l-kwalità tal-ħajja. Ilkoll se nġorru l-konsegwenzi tad-deċiżjoni tagħna.
Quddiem dan ir-Referendum, in-nisrani ma jistax ma jagħmilx il-mistoqsijiet fundamentali li kull nisrani jrid jagħmel fl-għażliet importanti li jieħu, dejjem b’referenza lejn Sidna Ġesù Kristu. Bil-Magħmudija, in-Nisrani sar ta’ Ġesù u għażel li jimxi warajh. Għalhekk:
• l-għemejjel tan-nisrani dejjem isiru quddiem Sidna Gesù Kristu u f’konfront mat¬tagħlim tiegħu. Anki d-deċiżjoni fuq il-vot tar-Referendum trid issir f’dan id-dawl: li jien quddiem Ġesù se jkolli nagħti kont għall-għażla tiegħi;
• l-għemejjel tan-nisrani dejjem isiru fid-dawl tal-missjoni li hu laqa’, flimkien mal-insara kollha, mingħand il-Mulej Ġesù: “Morru fid-dinja kollha, xandru l-Bxara t-Tajba”. Għan-¬nisrani kull għemil huwa okkażjoni biex jagħti s-sehem tiegħu ħalli t-tagħlim ta’ Ġesù jitwettaq fis-soċjetà tal-bnedmin li l-Missier tant iħobb. Anki l-vot fir-Referendum, għan-nisrani huwa okkażjoni biex iwettaq dan. Għalhekk, kull wieħed u waħda minna l-insara, aħna msejħin biex fil-vot nagħrfu okkażjoni biex nieħdu sehem fil-missjoni tal-Mulej Ġesù dwar iż-żwieġ u l-familja. M’għandniex nitilfu din l-okkażjoni minħabba nuqqas ta’ interess jew nuqqas ta’ ħeġġa.
Nirrikmandaw li kull nisrani jitlob l-għajnuna tas-Sema, bl-interċessjoni tal-Madonna, Sultana tal-familji, biex f’din is-siegħa hekk importanti, fid-direzzjoni li ser nagħtu liż-żwieġ u lill-familja f’pajjiżna, aħna nagħmlu għażla skont ir-rieda ta’ Alla.
Insejħu fuqkom il-barka ta’ Alla.
+ PAWLU CREMONA O.P. - Arċisqof ta’ Malta
+ MARIO GRECH - Isqof ta’ Għawdex
+ ANNETTO DEPASQUALE - Isqof Titulari ta’ Aradi

Grizma - Omelija ta' l-Isqof Mario Grech - San Gorg Ghawdex-15 ta' Mejju 2011

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THE POWER OF THE PRAYER OF THE ROSARY - The powerful prayer of exorcism - Father Gabriel Amorth

Beautiful Reasons for praying the Rosary even more often

Father Gabriel Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican writes:

One day a colleague of mine heard the devil say during an exorcism:

"Every Hail Mary is like a blow on my head. If Christ-ians knew how powerful the Rosary was, it would be my end."

The secret that makes this prayer so effective is that
The Rosary is both prayer and meditation. It is addressed to the Father, to the Blessed Virgin, and to the Holy Trinity, and is a meditation centered on Christ.

Please enunciate each word of the Rosary clearly and distinctly. Do not trample on the heels of the words of anyone with your words. Do not speak over the leader if you are following or the respondent if you are leading the Rosary. Remember that they also are having a conversation with Mary Our Mother and it is not polite to speak when someone else is speaking.

In the case of the public Rosary there are only two people speaking: the leader and the respondents. Each is speaking to the Blessed Mother and listening carefully to her response within their hearts as they meditate on the scene before them in their consideration of the mystery being spoken of and interpreted and translated into their lives.

Spread this powerful prayer of exorcism, the Rosary, which contains the Our Father, the Perfect Prayer, prayed five times in the recitation of each set of the Rosary's Mysteries, backed up by the powerful prayers of Our Mother who prays with us as we pray 53 Hail Mary's.

When you pray Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now....., the Blessed Mother comes instantly to your side to pray with you. And she does not come alone. She brings angels with her. And not just one or two for she is the Queen of Angels, so choirs of angels come with her. And she and Jesus are joined at the heart and cannot be separated so she brings Jesus with her. And Jesus cannot be separated from the Trinity so He brings the Father and the Holy Spirit with Him. And where the Holy Trinity is, all of creation is, and you are surrounded by such beauty and light as you cannot imagine in this life.

Your Mother comes as Our Lady of Grace with her hands outstretched. Rays of Light emit from her hands piercing your body, healing you and filling you with graces. This is your inheritance which was poured out from the heart of Jesus on the Cross, when the centurion pierced His Heart with the spear, into the only pure vessel ready to receive such graces at that time, Your Mother.

Now as you pray the Rosary, or even just recite one Hail Mary, you receive your portion of these graces.

He also said at this time, "Anyone who goes to Mary and prays the Rosary cannot be touched by Satan."

Is it any wonder that anyone who prays the Rosary from the heart is so blessed and protected, and powerful in their prayers for others ?

http://www.catholicbooks.net/?p=455

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