7.26.2014

E-mail sabiħ li rċevejt dil-ġimgħa... Din il-post niddedikaha lil dawk kollha li qed jattendu l-live-ins tas-Seminarju das-sajf, u l-familji tagħhom...

Life is like a journey on a train...
with its stations...with changes of routes...and with accidents!

At birth we boarded the train and met our parents, and we believe they will always travel on our side.
However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us to continue the journey alone.

As time goes by, other people will board the train.  
Some will be significant, like our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of our life. 
Many will step down and leave a permanent vacuum. 
Others will go so unnoticed, that we don't even realize they have vacated their seats!

This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and permanent farewells.
Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers... requiring that we give the best of ourselves.
The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. 


So, we must live in the best way - love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are.
It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to leave the train and leave our seat empty - we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on after we have gone.


I wish you a joyful journey on the train of life. 
May you reap success and give lots of love. 
More importantly, thank God for the journey!
Lastly, I thank you for being one of the passengers on my train!

God Bless you.

7.22.2014

"Xi tfisser tkun saċerdot?"

Kultant nitħabat jien stess biex inwieġeb dik id-domanda!  Wieħed żagħzugħ - li wasal biex jibda t-triq lejn is-saċerdozju bħala Seminarista - f'ittra sabiħa li bagħatli, esprimiha b'dan il-mod...

Għalija li nkun saċerdot tfisser li rrid ningħata għall-poplu t’Alla u naqdih f’dak kollu li niġi mitlub nagħmel. Inħoss li taqdi lill-ħaddieħor hi xi ħaġa vera sabiħa u personalment rajt is-sabiħ tagħha matul l-aħħar snin li kont nifforma parti mit-tmexxija tal-grupp taż-żgħażagħ tal-parroċċa. Għalija s-saċerdot hu dak il-bniedem magħżul biex iwassal il-kelma t’Alla u jgħaqqad il-bniedem m’Alla permezz tas-sagramenti. Dak il-bniedem magħżul b’dan il-mod minn Alla biex jaqdi lilu, hu tassew ixxurtjat. Il-qassis għandu jkun dak li jgħix hu stess l-ewwel dak li jipprietka, u jkun ta’ eżempju għall-poplu b’għemilu u bl-ubbidjenza tiegħu. Jekk hi din is-sejħa li qed jagħmilli l-Mulej, jien nixtieq inżomm dan kollu quddiem għajnejja u nwettqu bl-akbar ferħ. 

Ejjew inżommu lil dan iż-żagħżugħ - u oħrajn li bħalu jinsabu għadejjin mill-istess taqbida - biex lil Alla jċedulu ħajjithom u jħalluh ifawwarhom bil-ferħ u l-kuraġġ.

6.18.2014

This is the will of God that Christ both did and taught:
Humility in dealings with others..
Steadfastness in faith...
Modesty in words...
Justice in deed...
Mercifulness in works...
Discipline in morals...
To be unable to do a wrong, and to be able to bear a wrong when it is done...
To keep peace with the brethren...
To love God with all one’s heart...
To love God because he is a Father but fear him because he is God...
To prefer nothing whatever to Christ because he preferred nothing to us...
To adhere inseparably to his love...
To stand faithfully and bravely by his cross...
When there is any conflict over his name and honour, to exhibit in discourse that steadfastness in which we proclaim him...
In torture, to show that confidence in which we unite...
In death, that patience in which we are crowned.
This is what it means to want to be co-heirs with Christ, this is what it means to do what God commands, this is what it is to fulfil the will of the Father.
(St Cyprian's treatise on the Lord's Prayer, Thy kingdom come)













Prayer
Lord God, strength of those who hope in you, support us in our prayer:
because we are weak and can do nothing without you,
give us always the help of your grace so that, in fulfilling your commandments,
we may please you in all we desire and do.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

6.12.2014

Pope Francis sends message to World Cup opening

Pope Francis delivered a video message to the organisers, players and fans participating in the 2014 World Cup tournament in Brazil. Delivered in Portuguese, the message expresses the Holy Father’s hope that, in addition to a celebration of sport, this World Cup can be transformed into a festival of solidarity between peoples.The message goes on to say sport is not only a form of entertainment, but also a tool to communicate the values ​​that promote the good of the human person and help to build a more peaceful and fraternal coexistence.The Holy Father’s message also discusses the importance of sport in moral education, since the sporting spirit is one that teaches the need for discipline, effort and sacrifice to succeed and achieve excellence – becoming a constant reminder of the sacrifices necessary to grow in the virtues that build the character of a person.Football, the message continues to say, can and should be a school for the formation of a "culture of encounter", leading to harmony and peace among peoples – teaching as it does the value of fair play and authentic team effort – values, the message concludes, without which all of society is damaged.

5.25.2014




GOD'S PLAN FOR US IS TO LEAD US TO TRUE SPIRITUAL FREEDOM, SO THAT ANY CHOICE OR DECISION WE MAKE WILL BE TRULY INSPIRED BY HIM AND NOT BY OURSELVES.



Lord my God, when your love spilled over
into creation
You thought of me. 
I am
from Love... of Love... for Love.
Let my heart, O God, always
recognize, cherish and enjoy Your goodness in all of creation.
Direct all that is me toward your praise.
Teach me reverence for every person, all things.
Energize me in your service.
Lord God
may nothing ever distract me from Your love...
Neither health nor sickness, wealth nor poverty
honor nor dishonor
long life or short life.
May I never seek, nor choose to be, other
than You intend or wish.
Amen.

5.08.2014


TISTA’ INT MA TIĠI BŻONN ĦADD?
X’tista’ tagħmel biex tkun fiż-żgur ...

1 Aħseb dejjem f’ta’ madwarek; kun ħbieb magħhom u għinhom kif tista’…

2 Sib oħrajn bl-istess gosti bħal tiegħek u sir midħla tagħhom. Involvi ruħek mhux tistenna lilhom jiġu!

3 Meta xi ħaġa tkun vera qed iddejqek, għid lil xi ħadd; jekk dan ma jagħtix każ, mur sib lil xi ħadd ieħor. Iżżomx kollox ġo fik…

4 Itlob l-għajnuna kull meta jkollok bżonnha. Kulħadd se jiġi bżonn ftit għajnuna.

5 Spjega lill-oħrajn dak li tkun biħsiebek tagħmel u timmaġinax li se jsiru jafu waħedhom.

6 Kun int għal ħaddieħor it-tip ta’ persuna li int tkun tixtieq li jkollok madwarek…

7 Meta tara ‘l xi ħadd imdejjaq jew waħdu, staqsi x’hemm bżonn. Min jaf… dik il-persuna għad tkun tista’ tgħin lilek.

8 Tiddejjaqx titlob il-membri tal-familja biex jgħinuk. Issuġġerixxi li darba fil-ġimgħa l-familja kollha tiltaqa’ u kulħadd ikollu ċans jitkellem fuq x’hiex irid.

9 Jekk wegħidt xi ħaġa ‘l xi ħadd, żomm kelmtek…

10 Kun ta min jafda fuqek, ta min jafdak, u onest ma’ kulħadd.

4.19.2014

Din hi l-omelija li l-Papa Franġisku għamel waqt il-funzjoni tat-tberik taż-żjut, nhar Ħamis ix-Xirka filgħodu, fil-Bażilika ta' San Pietru.  Matul din il-quddiesa jiġu mbierka / konsagrati ż-żjut li jintużaw matul is-sena fis-sagramenti tal-Magħmudija, l-Konfermazzjoni, l-Ordni sagri, u l-Griżma tal-morda. Dan il-jum jissejjaħ Ħamis ix-Xirka għax hu mument qawwi ta' unità fost il-kleru tad-djoċesi, li jinġabru madwar l-isqof djoċesan u jġeddu l-wegħdiet saċerdotali tagħhom li jibqgħu fidili lejn Ġesù li sejħilhom, waqt li jagħrfu u jkollhom għal qalbhom ix-xewqat espressi tal-isqof fit-treġija tad-djoċesi.

Il-Papa għażel li jitkellem dwar il-ferħ li jkollhom is-saċerdoti huma u jaqdu lil Ġesù u l-poplu tiegħu.


Anointed with the oil of gladness

Dear Brother Priests,
In the eternal “today” of Holy Thursday, when Christ showed his love for us to the end (cf. Jn 13:1), we recall the happy day of the institution of the priesthood, as well as the day of our own priestly ordination. The Lord anointed us in Christ with the oil of gladness, and this anointing invites us to accept and appreciate this great gift: the gladness, the joy of being a priest. Priestly joy is a priceless treasure, not only for the priest himself but for the entire faithful people of God: that faithful people from which he is called to be anointed and which he, in turn, is sent to anoint.
Anointed with the oil of gladness so as to anoint others with the oil of gladness. Priestly joy has its source in the Father’s love, and the Lord wishes the joy of this Love to be “ours” and to be “complete” (Jn 15:11). I like to reflect on joy by contemplating Our Lady, for Mary, the “Mother of the living Gospel, is a wellspring of joy for God’s little ones” (Evangelii Gaudium, 288). I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that being priest is very little indeed: the incomparable grandeur of the gift granted us for the ministry sets us among the least of men. The priest is the poorest of men unless Jesus enriches him by his poverty, the most useless of servants unless Jesus calls him his friend, the most ignorant of men unless Jesus patiently teaches him as he did Peter, the frailest of Christians unless the Good Shepherd strengthens him in the midst of the flock. No one is more “little” than a priest left to his own devices.  And so our prayer of protection against every snare of the Evil One is the prayer of our Mother: I am a priest because he has regarded my littleness (cf. Lk 1:48). And in that littleness we find our joy.
For me, there are three significant features of our priestly joy. It is a joy which anoints us (not one which “greases” us, making us unctuous, sumptuous and presumptuous), it is a joy which is imperishable and it is a missionary joy which spreads and attracts, starting backwards – with those farthest away from us.
A joy which anoints us. In a word: it has penetrated deep within our hearts, it has shaped them and strengthened them sacramentally. The signs of the ordination liturgy speak to us of the Church’s maternal desire to pass on and share with others all that the Lord has given us: the laying on of hands, the anointing with sacred chrism, the clothing with sacred vestments, the first consecration which immediately follows… Grace fills us to the brim and overflows, fully, abundantly and entirely in each priest. We are anointed down to our very bones… and our joy, which wells up from deep within, is the echo of this anointing.
An imperishable joy. The fullness of the Gift, which no one can take away or increase, is an unfailing source of joy: an imperishable joy which the Lord has promised no one can take from us (Jn 16:22). It can lie dormant, or be clogged by sin or by life’s troubles, yet deep down it remains intact, like the embers of a burnt log beneath the ashes, and it can always be renewed. Paul’s exhortation to Timothy remains ever timely: I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands (cf. 2 Tim 1:6).
A missionary joy. I would like especially to share with you and to stress this third feature: priestly joy is deeply bound up with God’s holy and faithful people, for it is an eminently missionary joy. Our anointing is meant for anointing God’s holy and faithful people: for baptizing and confirming them, healing and sanctifying them, blessing, comforting and evangelizing them.
And since this joy is one which only springs up when the shepherd is in the midst of his flock (for even in the silence of his prayer, the shepherd who worships the Father is with his sheep), it is a “guarded joy”, watched over by the flock itself. Even in those gloomy moments when everything looks dark and a feeling of isolation takes hold of us, in those moments of listlessness and boredom which at times overcome us in our priestly life (and which I too have experienced), even in those moments God’s people are able to “guard” that joy; they are able to protect you, to embrace you and to help you open your heart to find renewed joy.
A “guarded joy”: one guarded by the flock but also guarded by three sisters who surround it, tend it and defend it: sister poverty, sister fidelity and sister obedience.
Priestly joy is a joy which is sister to poverty. The priest is poor in terms of purely human joy. He has given up so much! And because he is poor, he, who gives so much to others, has to seek his joy from the Lord and from God’s faithful people. He doesn’t need to try to create it for himself. We know that our people are very generous in thanking priests for their slightest blessing and especially for the sacraments. Many people, in speaking of the crisis of priestly identity, fail to realize that identity presupposes belonging. There is no identity – and consequently no joy of life – without an active and unwavering sense of belonging to God’s faithful people (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 268). The priest who strives to find his priestly identity by soul-searching and introspection will encounter numerous “exit” signs... signs that say: exit from yourself, exit to seek God in adoration, go out and give your people what was entrusted to you, for your people will make you feel and taste who you are, what your name is, what your identity is.  They will make you rejoice in that hundredfold which the Lord has promised to those who serve him. Unless you “exit” from yourself, the oil grows rancid and the anointing cannot be fruitful. Going out from ourselves presupposes self-denial; it means poverty.
Priestly joy is a joy which is sister to fidelity. Not primarily in the sense that we are all “immaculate” (would that by God’s grace we were!), for we are sinners, but in the sense of an ever renewed fidelity to the one Bride, to the Church. Here fruitfulness is key. The spiritual children which the Lord gives each priest, the children he has baptized, the families he has blessed and helped on their way, the sick he has comforted, the young people he catechizes and helps to grow, the poor he assists… all these are the “Bride” whom he rejoices to treat as his supreme and only love and to whom he is constantly faithful. It is the living Church, with a first name and a last name, which the priest shepherds in his parish or in the mission entrusted to him. That mission brings him joy whenever he is faithful to it, whenever he does all that he has to do and lets go of everything that he has to let go of, as long as he stands firm amid the flock which the Lord has entrusted to him: Feed my sheep (cf. Jn 21:16,17).
Priestly joy is a joy which is sister to obedience. An obedience to the Church in the hierarchy which gives us, as it were, not simply the external framework for our obedience: the parish to which I am sent, my ministerial assignments, my particular work … but also union with God the Father, the source of all fatherhood. It is likewise an obedience to the Church in service: in availability and readiness to serve everyone, always and as best I can, following the example of “Our Lady of Promptness” (cf. Lk 1:39), who hastens to serve Elizabeth her kinswoman and is concerned for the kitchen of Cana when the wine runs out. The availability of her priests makes the Church a house with open doors, a refuge for sinners, a home for people living on the streets, a place of loving care for the sick, a camp for the young, a classroom for catechizing children about to make their First Communion… Wherever God’s people have desires or needs, there is the priest, who knows how to listen (ob-audire) and feels a loving mandate from Christ who sends him to relieve that need with mercy or to encourage those good desires with resourceful charity.
All who are called should know that genuine and complete joy does exist in this world: it is the joy of being taken from the people we love and then being sent back to them as dispensers of the gifts and counsels of Jesus, the one Good Shepherd who, with deep compassion for all the little ones and the outcasts of this earth, wearied and oppressed like sheep without a shepherd, wants to associate many others to his ministry, so as himself to remain with us and to work, in the person of his priests, for the good of his people.  On this priestly Thursday I ask the Lord Jesus to enable many young people to discover that burning zeal which joy kindles in our hearts as soon as we have the stroke of boldness needed to respond willingly to his call.
On this priestly Thursday I ask the Lord Jesus to preserve the joy sparkling in the eyes of the recently ordained who go forth to devour the world, to spend themselves fully in the midst of God's faithful people, rejoicing as they prepare their first homily, their first Mass, their first Baptism, their first confession… It is the joy of being able to share with wonder, and for the first time as God’s anointed, the treasure of the Gospel and to feel the faithful people anointing you again and in yet another way: by their requests, by bowing their heads for your blessing, by taking your hands, by bringing you their children, by pleading for their sick… Preserve, Lord, in your young priests the joy of going forth, of doing everything as if for the first time, the joy of spending their lives fully for you.
On this priestly Thursday I ask the Lord Jesus to confirm the priestly joy of those who have already ministered for some years. The joy which, without leaving their eyes, is also found on the shoulders of those who bear the burden of the ministry, those priests who, having experienced the labours of the apostolate, gather their strength and rearm themselves: “get a second wind”, as the athletes say. Lord, preserve the depth, wisdom and maturity of the joy felt by these older priests. May they be able to pray with Nehemiah: “the joy of the Lord is my strength” (cf. Neh 8:10).
Finally, on this priestly Thursday I ask the Lord Jesus to make better known the joy of elderly priests, whether healthy or infirm. It is the joy of the Cross, which springs from the knowledge that we possess an imperishable treasure in perishable earthen vessels. May these priests find happiness wherever they are; may they experience already, in the passage of the years, a taste of eternity (Guardini). May they know the joy of handing on the torch, the joy of seeing new generations of their spiritual children, and of hailing the promises from afar, smiling and at peace, in that hope which does not disappoint.

2.21.2014

THE BEATITUDES FOR TODAY
Blessed are they who know how to laugh at their mistakes.... they will always be happy.

Blessed are they who know how to distinguish a mountain from a molehill.... they will avoid many problems.

Blessed are they who know how to listen and keep quiet.... they will learn many new things.

Blessed are they who are attentive to the requests of others.... they will be dispensers of joy!

Blessed are you if you look at the little things with attention and the important things
with serenity.... you will go far in life.


Blessed are you if you know how to appreciate a smile and forget a thoughtlessness.... your walk in life will be full of sunshine!
Blessed are you if you know how to interpret with kindness the attitude of others
(even against what it appears to be).... you will be judged naive but it's the price of love!


Blessed are those who think before they act and pray before they think....
they will avoid great messes!

Blessed are you, above all, when you know how to recognise Our Lord in all those you meet: you will have found true light and true peace.

12.14.2013

People are like stained-glass windows...
They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,
but when the darkness sets in,
their true beauty is revealed only
if there is a light from within.

Elizabeth Kübler-Ross

12.03.2013

TALBA GĦAL MIN QED IFITTEX IT-TRIQ

Mulej Alla tiegħi, int ħlaqtni għax ħabbejtni.
Kont miegħi il-jiem kollha ta' ħajti, mingħajr qatt ma ħallejtni waħdi.
Naf li inti tixtieqli l-aqwa ġid, u tixtieq tarani kuntent.
Qed nikber, Mulej,
u bħalissa jibdew għaddejjin ħafna ħsibijiet minn moħħi...
X'se nagħmel b'ħajti?
X'jagħti sens tassew lil ħajti?
Għandi ħafna xewqat...
Il-ġenituri, tal-familja, u l-ħbieb jgħiduli ħafna affarijiet...
Imma jien x'nixtieq nagħmel?
X'inhu l-aħjar għalija?
Mulej, inti qed tħares lejja dritt f'għajnejja...
Qed tħares lejja b'imħabba kbira...
Ma tixtieq xejn iktar ħlief tgħinni biex tarani kuntent.
Agħtini libertà sħiħa, Mulej.
Tħallinix inkun marbut ma' dak li mhux importanti.
Tħallix lil qalbi tinġibed wara affarijiet li jlellxu,
bħall-flus, bħall-karriera.
Tħallix li nkun immexxi minn x'jaħsbu fuqi l-oħrajn.
Imma agħmel li ħaġa waħda biss inkun nixtieq:
li nagħmel dak li tixtieq inti minni.
Iva, Mulej, agħtini l-libertà li nkun nixtieq nagħmel biss
dak li tixtieq minni int,
għax huwa dak li jagħmilni ferħan tassew.
Grazzi, Mulej. Grazzi ħafna.

10.22.2013


STAQSEJNA XI STUDENTI TAS-SEKONDARJA GĦALA MA JGĦADDUX MINGĦAJR ĠESÙ. QED INĠIB FTIT MIR-RISPOSTI GĦAX ĦASSEJT LI HEMM ĦAFNA GĦERF F'DAK LI QALU.

QATT KELLEK DOMANDA DWAR XI JFISSER "TPOĠĠI LIL ĠESÙ FIĊ-ĊENTRU TA' ĦAJTEK?" DAK LI KITBU SĦABNA GĦANDU JGĦINEK...

Jien ma ngħaddix mingħajr Ġesù għax...
... Hu jiġbidni lejh
... mingħajru d-dinja tkun post kiesaħ u mimli mibegħda
... Hu l-paċi tagħna
... bla Ġesù m'hemmx mistrieħ
... inkella ma jkollix ferħ ġo fija
... ma nkunx nista' nagħmel paċi miegħi innifsi
... Hu  jaħfirli dejjem, u dejjem jibqa' jħobbni
... Hu biss jagħtini l-imħabba vera, u ħadd aktar
... jekk m'għandix lil Ġesù m'għandix fidi u imħabba
... kien Ġesù li ħalaqni u miet għalija, u mingħajru ngħix fil-mewt u d-dwejjaq.
... Hu jmexxini matul ħajti
... Hu salvana u jħobbna
... mingħajru m'hemmx fidi
... ma tistax tgħaddi mingħajr xi ħadd li taf li jħobbok!
... jemmen fija u jiggwidani fit-triq it-tajba
... iħobbni, u jien nafda fih għax huwa l-ħabib tiegħi
... huwa daqskieku ħija
... mingħajru ma jkollix ma' min nitkellem u niftaħ qalbi... ma jkollix ferħ
... Hu biss jaħfirli d-dnub tiegħi
... jagħtini l-grazzja u jgħinni fil-ħajja
... aħna dejjem bid-dnub mingħajr Ġesù
... huwa dak li tani l-ħajja u jrid jagħti sens lil ħajti wkoll
... nixtieq il-paċi u l-imħabba
... inkella nkun waħdi, imma jekk Ġesù jkun miegħi naf li dejjem hemm xi ħadd ħdejja
... huwa dejjem miegħi u huwa l-gwida matul il-vjaġġ ta' ħajti
... Hu l-unika persuna li dejjem ikun miegħi speċjalment meta jitlaqni kulħadd
... nikkalma meta nkun imdejjaq
... Hu l-mudell ta' kif għandi ngħix
... dejjem ikun hemm biex jgħinni, speċjalment fl-aktar mumenti diffiċli ta' ħajti
... mingħajru la jien u l-anqas in-nies li naf ma jkun hawn
... jagħtina tweġibiet għal mistoqsijiet li l-bniedem waħdu ma jasalx biex iweġibhom
... għax hu l-ħabib tiegħi, u meta nipprova nkellmu dejjem inħossni aħjar.

10.21.2013




Faith is a flame 
that grows stronger 
the more it is shared and passed on, 
so that everyone 
may know, love and believe 
in Jesus Christ, 
the Lord of life and history.

Papa Franġisku