News from the Church in Malta
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today we will resume the catecheses of the Jubilee cycle on Jesus Christ our hope.
At the beginning of his Gospel, Luke shows the effects of the transforming power of the Word of God, which reaches not only the halls of the Temple, but also the poor dwelling of a young woman, Mary, who, betrothed to Joseph, still lives with her family… Read more »
Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
The Gospel of today’s liturgy (Jn 2:1-11) tells us about Jesus’ first sign, when He turns water into wine during a wedding feast in Cana, in Galilee. It is an account that foreshadows and encapsulates the whole of Jesus’ mission: on the day of the coming of the Messiah – so said the prophets – the Lord will prepare “a feast of … choice wines” (Is 25:6) and “the mountains shall drip with the juice of grapes” (Am 9:13); Jesus is the Bridegroom who brings the “good wine”… Read more »
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
In the last audience we spoke about children, and today too we will talk about children. Last week we focused on how, in his work, Jesus repeatedly spoke of the importance of protecting, welcoming and loving the little ones.
Yet, even today in the world, hundreds of millions of minors, despite not being of the minimum age to undergo the obligations of adulthood, are forced to work and many of them are exposed to particularly dangerous work; not to mention the boys and girls who are slaves to trafficking for prostitution or pornography, and forced marriages… Read more »
Pope Francis’ widely-anticipated autobiography ‘Hope’ hits bookshelves in 80 countries this Jubilee, and includes narrated memories, anecdotes, photos, and elements offered personally to readers.
Pope Francis’ greatly-anticipated autobiography ‘Hope’ has hit bookshelves on Tuesday, 14 January 2025, in 80 countries globally.
The text, written firsthand by the Pope but with the collaboration of Italian writer Carlo Musso, is also made available to English-speaking readers in the United States through the publisher Random House, and in the UK, through the publisher Viking… Read more »
Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
The feast of the Baptism of Jesus, which we celebrate today, makes us think of many things, including our own Baptism. Jesus joins His people, who are going to receive baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I like to recall the words of a hymn of today’s liturgy: Jesus goes to be baptized by John, “with a bare soul and bare feet”… Read more »
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 »
