L-omelija tal-Arċisqof Charles Jude Scicluna
Għal darbtejn fl-Evanġelju li għadna kemm smajna, nisimgħu l-kliem: “Tibżgħu xejn” (Mt 28:5). L-anġlu lin-nisa li qed ifittxu katavru, jgħidilhom: “Tibżgħux xejn intom għax jien naf li qegħdin tfittxu lil Ġesù li kien imsallab. Mhuwiex hawn, għaliex qam, kif kien qal” (Mt 28:5-6). U Ġesù ukoll jgħid l-istess kelma lid-dixxipli: “Tibżgħu xejn; morru wasslu l-aħbar lil ħuti” (Mt 28:10).
Illum, f’dan il-lejl qaddis, il-biża’ jintrebaħ mill-imħabba. Illum, f’dan il-lejl qaddis, aħna li nfittxu l-katavru ta’ dnubietna, insibu qabar vojt. Għax il-Mulej rebaħ fuq id-dnub tagħna, keċċa d-dlamijiet ta’ qalbna. Illum, il-Mulej qed jgħidilna: la tibżgħux! Illum, ir-ragħaj li ta ħajtu għan-nagħaġ tiegħu, jurina l-mergħat ta’ dejjem. Illum, il-qamħa li waqgħet fl-art biex ma tmutx, biex ma tibqax weħdiha; imma tmut u tħalli l-frott, illum qed tara ħsad kbir.
Nixtieq insellem lill-aħwa tan-Neokatekumenali, li wara ħafna snin ta’ dixxipulat, illum, solennement mal-Knisja, qegħdin iġeddu l-wegħdiet tal-magħmudija. Vorrei ringraziare Eusebio e Giulietta che hanno partorito tanti figli spiritwali. Grazie.
I would like to greet our Catechumens as you prepare to receive the great gift of baptism. Twice in the Gospel, today, the Lord tells you: “Do not be afraid!” (Mt 28:5). Do not be afraid to follow Jesus. Do not be afraid!
Do not be afraid, you are being sent to bring to the world good news, news of peace, of joy, of redemption, and of salvation.
You are not following a dead man, but the Risen Lord. Do not be afraid, you are being sent to bring to the world good news, news of peace, of joy, of redemption, and of salvation. And as we rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord, whom we cried as the Crucified, we now rejoice, looking on to His wounds, as the sign of true love.
And we commit ourselves notwithstanding our sins, to follow Him. Let us take the word of the Apostle to heart, in this Blessed night: “Let us die to sin, and rise to love and life” (Rom 6:11). And whenever we falter, whenever our steps become weak, we do not lose hearts.
The words of Jesus today will re-echo in our hearts: “Do not be afraid!”
✠ Charles Jude Scicluna
Arċisqof ta’ Malta
Qari tal-quddiesa
Qari I: Ġen 1:1–2:2
Salm: 103 (104):1-2a,5-6,10,12,13-14,24,35ċ
Qari II: Ġen 22:1-18
Salm: 15 (16):5,8,9-10,11
Qari III: Eż 14:15–15:1
Salm: Eż 15:1-2,3-4,5-6,17-18
Qari IV: Iż 54:5-14
Salm: 29 (30):2,4,5-6,11,12a,13b
Qari V: Iż 55:1-11
Salm: Is 12:2-3,4bċd,5-6
Qari VI: Bar 3:9-15,32– 4:4
Salm: 18 (19):8,9,10,11
Qari VII: Eżek 36:16-17a,18-28
Salm: 41 (42):3.5bċd; 42 (43):3,4
Qari VIII: Rum 6:3-11
Salm: 117 (118):1-2,16ab-17,22-2
L-Evanġelju: Mt 28:1-10
