News from the Church in Malta
Dear brothers and sisters, buongiorno!
On this second Sunday of Advent, the Gospel speaks to us about John the Baptist, the precursor of Jesus (cf. Mk 1:1-8), and it describes him as “the voice of one crying in the desert” (v. 3). The desert, an empty place, where you do not communicate; and the voice, a means to speak – these seem like two contradictory images… Read more »
L-omelija tal-Isqof Joseph Galea-Curmi
“Kienet tmur għandu l-Lhudija kollha u n-nies kollha ta’ Ġerusalemm” (Mk 1:5). Dan hu li naqraw fl-Evanġelju llum fuq Ġwanni l-Battista meta kien fid-deżert. Il-preżenza tiegħu kienet tattira lil ħafna nies. Kien jidher ftit stramb minn barra, imma n-nies kienu jaraw fih bniedem awtentiku li qed iwassal messaġġ hekk importanti biex jippreparahom għall-miġja tal-Messija.
Fil-fatt, mal-ewwel jolqotna l-fatt li għalkemm kien ikollu tant nies madwaru jisimgħuh, qatt ma kien lin-nies jiġbidhom lejh biex jibqgħu miegħu, biex iħarsu lejh jew jisimgħu lilu u jieqfu hemm, imma kien kontinwament jipponta lejn Ġesù li ġej: “Ġej warajja min hu aqwa minni, li jien ma jistħoqqlix nitbaxxa quddiemu u nħoll il-qfieli tal-qorq tiegħu” (Mk 1:7)… Read more »
L-omelija tal-Arċisqof Charles Jude Scicluna
Fil-bidu ta’ din il-quddiesa u dan ir-rit solenni u storiku għal din il-parroċċa għażiża, aħna raxxaxna l-ilma mbierek fuqna nfusna. U fakkarna l-wegħda li għamel Ġwanni l-Battista, fl-Evanġelju li għadna kemm smajna, meta jgħid: Jiena għammidtkom bl-ilma, imma warajja ġej xi ħadd aqwa minni, li jgħammidkom bl-Ispirtu s-Santu. It-traxxix tal-ilma mbierek, lilna l-Insara jfakkarna dejjem fil-Mgħamudija tagħna.
Illum ukoll raxxaxna dan l-artal bl-ilma mbierek, għax minn hawn u ftit ieħor dan l-artal, bit-talba tal-Knisja, bid-dilka, biż-żejt tal-griżma, se jkun ikkonsagrat lil Alla… Read more »
Illum ġie inawgurat il‑Pilgrim’s Lodge, mużew ekkleżjastiku ġdid biswit is‑Santwarju Nazzjonali tal‑Madonna tal‑Mellieħa. Dan sar b’investiment konġunt ta’ €643,000 mill‑Fondazzjoni għall‑Patrimonju Kulturali tal‑Arċidjoċesi ta’ Malta, l‑Awtorità Maltija għat‑Turiżmu u fondi Ewropej.
Dan il‑mużew, li l‑binja tiegħu hi waħda mill‑eqdem fil‑Mellieħa, joffri tagħrif dwar l‑istorja tas‑Santwarju tal‑Mellieħa kif ukoll oġġetti devozzjonali użati mis‑santwarju matul is‑snin. Permezz ta’ dawn l‑oġġetti, kull min se jżur il‑post se jkun jista’ jesperjenza dak li għexu l‑pellegrini li matul is‑snin żaru l‑Madonna tal‑Mellieħa sabiex tinterċedi għalihom fil‑bżonnijiet tagħhom… Read more »
L-omelija tal-Arċisqof Charles Jude Scicluna
Bdejna naqraw it-tieni Evanġelju, l-Evanġelju skont San Mark. U San Mark jibda billi jispjegalna xi tfisser il-kelma ‘evanġelju’: “Il-bidu tal-Evanġelju ta’ Ġesù Kristu, l-Iben ta’ Alla” (Mk 1:1).
X’inhu l-għerq ta’ din il-kelma li bil-Grieg tfisser ‘aħbar tajba’ – evangélio? Kienet tintuża meta fil-bliet u rħula kienet tixxandar il-miġja tas-sultan; qed ngħidu eluf ta’ snin ilu, u anke fi żmien Ġesù u qabel, anke qabel iż-żmien il-profeta Iżaija 300 sena qabel Ġesù… Read more »
The 10th December, marks the 75th anniversary of the adoption, by the United Nations, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The drafters of the Universal Declaration were well aware of the countless terrible violations of human rights that had been committed especially in the two World Wars. Member States agreed that a blatant disregard for human rights had resulted in barbarous acts which outraged the conscience of mankind… Read more »
Tomorrow, Tuesday, 12th December 2023, the Archbishop’s Curia, including the Marriage Office in Floriana, and the Ecclesiastical Tribunal in Valletta, will be closed all day.
The Curia reopens on Thursday, 14th December 2023. Read more »
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Follow today’s Mass readings from here.
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament.
I love You above all things.
I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart… Read more »
Readings of the day
First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10
Psalm: 84 (85):9ab-10,11-12,13-14
Gospel: Luke 5:17-26
One day, while Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting nearby (they had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem); and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. Just then some men came, carrying a paralyzed man on a bed… Read more »
L-omelija tal-Arċisqof Charles Jude Scicluna
Qegħdin fl-ewwel versi tal-Evanġelju skont San Mark. U l-ewwel kliem ta’ dan l-Evanġelju, li għadna kemm smajna, u li qralna Fr Aayrton, jispjegaw x’inhi din il-kelma Evanġelju. Fil-fatt, hekk jibda: “Il-Bidu tal-Evanġelju ta’ Ġesù Kristu l-Iben ta’ Alla” (Mk 1:1). Imma minn fejn ġejja l-kelma Evanġelju? Bil-Grieg tfisser ‘Aħbar Tajba’. ‘Euangélion’ – Aħbar Tajba. Imma kellha sinifikat preċiż fi żmien Ġesù… Read more »
