News from the Church in Malta
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
I wish to dedicate this and the next catechesis to children, and to reflect in particular on the scourge of child labour.
Nowadays we want to turn our gaze towards Mars or towards virtual worlds, but we struggle to look in the eyes of a child who has been left at the margins and who is exploited or abused… Read more »
Dear brothers and sisters, happy Feast of the Epiphany!
Today the Church celebrates the manifestation of Jesus, and the Gospel concentrates on the Magi, who at the end of a long journey reach Jerusalem to adore Jesus.
If we look closely, we will discover something a bit stranger: while these wise men from far away come to find Jesus, those who were close by do not take one step towards the grotto in Bethlehem… Read more »
Pope Francis presides at Mass on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, and recalls that the star which points to Jesus is visible to everyone, inviting us to seek Him in all things.
“The star speaks to us of God’s dream that men and women everywhere, in all their rich variety, will together form one family that can live harmoniously in prosperity and peace.”
Pope Francis offered that reminder on Monday as he presided at Mass in St… Read more »
Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
And well done, you are brave, with the rain! Happy Sunday!
Today the Gospel (cf. Jn 1:1-18), talking to us about Jesus, Word incarnate, tells us that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn 1:5). It reminds us, then, how powerful is God’s love, which is not overcome by anything and which, despite obstacles and rejections, continues to shine and illuminate our path… Read more »
Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace
I. Listening to the plea of an endangered humanity
1. At the dawn of this New Year given to us by our heavenly Father, a year of Jubilee in the spirit of hope, I offer heartfelt good wishes of peace to every man and woman. I think especially of those who feel downtrodden, burdened by their past mistakes, oppressed by the judgment of others and incapable of perceiving even a glimmer of hope for their own lives… Read more »
Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
Today we celebrate the Holy Family of Nazareth. The Gospel tells of when Jesus, at the age of twelve, at the end of the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, went missing from Mary and Joseph, who found Him afterwards in the Temple conversing with the teachers (cf. Lk 2:41-52). The Evangelist Luke reveals the state of mind of Mary who asks Jesus, “Son, why have you done this to us? … Read more »
VATICAN MEDIA Divisione Foto
In an audio message broadcast today by the BBC as the “Thought for the Day,” Pope Francis urges us not to look at the future “with pessimism and resignation,” but to always choose the path of love and view the world with “the gentle gaze of hope”.
“I hope that during this Jubilee, we practice kindness as a form of love to connect with others,” says Pope Francis in a message offered to the BBC’s “Thought for the Day.”
In his message, the Holy Father highlights the importance of hope and kindness, which he says “touch the very heart of the Gospel and show us the path to follow in our behaviour.”
A world full of hope and kindness, he says, “is a more beautiful world” while “a society that looks to the future with confidence and treats people with respect and empathy is more humane.”
‘We can choose love’
Pope Francis notes that the Jubilee Year, which began on Christmas Eve, calls us to be pilgrims of hope, and he encourages everyone to choose love in a world beset with wars, social injustices, and various forms of violence… Read more »
Dear brothers and sisters, happy feast day! Happy feast day to everyone.
Today, immediately after Christmas, the liturgy celebrates Saint Stephen, the first martyr. The account of his stoning is found in the Acts of the Apostles (cf. 6:8-12; 7:54-60) and presents it to us while, dying, he prays for his killers. And this gives us pause for thought: in fact, even though at first sight Stephen seems to be helplessly suffering violence, in reality, as a truly free man, he continues to love even his killers and to offer his life for them, like Jesus (cf. Jn 10:17-18; Lk 23:34); he offers his life so that they may repent and, having been forgiven, be given eternal life… Read more »
An angel of the Lord, bathed in light, illumines the night and brings glad tidings to the shepherds: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:10-11). Heaven breaks forth upon earth amid the wonder of the poor and the singing of angels… Read more »
Starting from the Holy Year of 1900, we retrace some key moments of the ceremonies for the opening of the Holy Door.
One of the symbolic images of every Jubilee is that of the Pontiff crossing the threshold of the Holy Door. This is a moment deeply rooted in the Middle Ages. The first pilgrim to cross the threshold is always the Bishop of Rome… Read more »
