Homily by Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi
Today, as a nation, we are celebrating the precious achievement of independence. Independence is never to be taken for granted. It is the fruit of the vision, sacrifices and perseverance of those who came before us, and we remember them with deep gratitude. It is not simply the absence of foreign domination, but the freedom to shape our destiny, to stand as a united people, and to live our values.
Like the steward in today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke, we have been entrusted with something precious: our land, our history, and our community life. To be independent means to be responsible, because freedom without responsibility quickly degenerates into chaos or abuse. Freedom is not a self-centred autonomy, but the capacity to live for what is good and true. True freedom flourishes when rooted in truth, justice and love.
The steward and national accountability
In today’s Gospel, the steward is called to account. He had misused what was entrusted to him and had to face the consequences. This parable reminds us that accountability is not an optional extra. It is an essential part of freedom. What applies to an individual applies also to a nation. One day, history will ask us: What did you do with your independence? Did you build a society based on integrity and honesty, or did you squander your freedom in dishonesty and self-interest?
Independence calls for accountability, integrity, wisdom and justice. We should never forget: corruption that eats away at justice, money laundering that fuels crime, exploitation of the weak that crushes the innocent, abuse of power that betrays trust, environmental plundering that wounds creation, and the scourge of drugs that poisons families and enslaves whole generations – these are not insignificant mistakes, but they are betrayals of independence itself. When such evil takes root, independence is hollowed out from within.
True independence is not measured only by flags, parades or political speeches. It is measured by the ethical fibre of our society, by whether we treat each person with dignity, whether the poor are protected, whether justice is upheld even when inconvenient. Independence has both a political and an ethical dimension, and only when both are honoured can we stand before God and history with a clear conscience.
Serving God, not money
Jesus concludes the parable with a strong warning: “You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). The enemy of true independence is not only foreign conquest but also internal slavery – the greed for money, for wealth, for power. A nation that serves money may still appear independent, but in reality the citizens are bound by invisible chains.
Our independence is put to the test by how we administer wealth, how we run our economy, and whom we choose to serve. The measure of our independence is seen in the way we treat the most vulnerable – the unborn, the elderly, the sick, the poor, the migrants, the homeless, those facing mental health challenges. Jesus himself identified with them: “Whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did to me” (Matthew 25:40).
The foundation of true independence
Independence calls us to choose a consistent life ethic always, which means defending and cherishing human life at every stage, in every condition, and in every person. The protection of life should not be a matter of convenience but of conviction. It should not depend on popular consent, because even a single human life is precious. A society that claims to be free, but permits the destruction of life at its weakest points, undermines its very foundations.
As a nation, the Maltese firmly believe that we cannot proclaim freedom if we silence the voice of the unborn. We cannot speak of progress if we abandon the elderly to loneliness or treat them as a burden. We cannot uphold dignity if we ignore the plight of the migrant or close our eyes to the suffering of the poor. Independence cannot be selective; it must be consistent, woven like a seamless garment from conception to natural death, from citizen to stranger, from the strong to the weak.
A nation that embraces this ethic lives an independence which is rooted in justice and love. A nation that abandons it becomes a prisoner of fear, expediency and self-interest. The greatness of a nation can be judged by how it treats its weakest members.
Independence is not isolation
Independence is never meant to isolate us. We live in a world of interdependence and our freedom must always be lived in solidarity with others. True freedom reaches beyond itself; it seeks the good of other nations, of Europe, of the international community.
Our national independence should continue to inspire us to work for peace and justice beyond our borders. It should lead us to speak out boldly against the massacre of innocents, wherever it occurs, whether through aggression, war, terrorism, or systemic injustice.
We are called not only to guard our own freedom, but to be a voice for those who have none. Independence matures when it becomes generosity – when a nation uses its freedom to lift others up, not to build walls of indifference.
Stewardship of freedom
Today’s Gospel teaches us that freedom and independence are not trophies to be displayed, but responsibilities to be lived. Independence is a call to fidelity, honesty and courage in the service of the common good of people today and of future generations. Let us all work so that more young people may commit themselves wholeheartedly to the building of a nation that cherishes these values.
Let us build a society where independence is not merely celebrated once a year, but lived daily by embracing a consistent ethic of life that is shown in concrete acts of honesty, justice and solidarity, and in the work for unity, as we pray in our national anthem: “strengthen unity and peace among the Maltese”.
✠ Joseph Galea-Curmi
Auxiliary Bishop of Malta