Homily by Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi

Dear brothers and sisters,
dear Lasallian School Leaders and Educators,

Today’s Gospel, taken from John 21, brings us to the shores of the Sea of Tiberias. It is a quiet, mysterious, deeply human encounter – the Risen Christ appearing to his disciples who have gone fishing. It is a moment of reconnection, recognition, and renewal. It is also, I believe, a Gospel with much to say to us today, to you as Lasallian leaders gathered here in Malta for your Congress, having as theme “Growing Together in Lasallian Spirituality” – this year, in fact, is the year of Lasallian Spirituality.

Let us enter the scene.

“I’m going fishing.”

Peter, restless and uncertain, decides to return to what he knows – fishing. “I’m going fishing” (Jn 21:3). It’s his comfort zone, a familiar space. The others say, “We’ll come with you” (Jn 21:3).

Isn’t this, in some way, a mirror of our leadership journeys? Often, we navigate times of fatigue, doubt, or simply routine. In our schools, we may feel tempted to “go fishing” – that is, to return to the familiar, the measurable, the safe. Yet the night yields nothing for Peter and the rest. Without the presence of Christ, even the best of our strategies can come up empty.

Lasallian spirituality reminds you that your mission is not just about managing schools – it is about touching hearts, building communities of faith and service, and seeing each young person as a child of God. Without this deeper vision, our nets risk coming up empty.

“It is the Lord!”

When dawn breaks, Jesus stands on the shore. He speaks to them, gently guiding them to cast the net differently – and suddenly, there’s an abundance. And the “disciple whom Jesus loved” recognizes him: “It is the Lord!” (Jn 21:7)

Growth in spirituality begins with this recognition: to see the Lord present in our midst – on the shorelines of our work, in the early morning struggles, in the voice that invites us to try again, to hope again, to serve in a new way. And to respond to him with zeal.

As Lasallian leaders, it is a challenge for you to recognise the Lord’s presence and action in your daily experiences – in the faces of students entrusted in your care, in the silent resilience of a struggling educator, in the unexpected idea shared by a colleague that changes your perspective.

This is the heart of Lasallian spirituality: faith in the presence of God. You are called not only to run schools, but to animate communities of faith, where God is known and loved, where young people feel seen, valued, and called by name.

“Come and have breakfast.”

Jesus tells his disciples: “Come and have breakfast” (Jn 21:12). What a profoundly human gesture! Jesus, the Risen One, prepares breakfast. He does not appear in glory but in simplicity, in care. He feeds them – just as he calls us to feed and be fed.

In this act, we see another pillar of Lasallian spirituality: community. Community is how Lasallian spirituality comes to life and how it is supported and sustained. It is the engine of Lasallian education. We grow together when we gather, share, nourish each other.

Your Congress is a modern “breakfast by the sea” – a chance to listen, to encourage one another, to rediscover that your mission is not yours alone.

Christian leadership is not solitary. Saint John Baptist de La Salle understood this well – he formed communities of Brothers, lay collaborators, and educators, convinced that together they could change lives. We too are called to grow together, not just in skill or planning, but in deep spiritual friendship, trust, and shared vision.

From Shoreline to Mission

Dear friends, as we reflect on this Gospel:

  • Let us be rooted in Christ and return to him, especially when our nets feel empty.
  • Let us recognize him in the daily rhythms of our schools and respond to him with zeal.
  • Let us gather around him, allowing ourselves to be nourished by the Word, the Eucharist, and one another.

Growth in Lasallian spirituality is not just for your own sake, but for the sake of the young people entrusted to you – especially the poor, the vulnerable, the overlooked. As Christ says to Peter just a few verses later: “Feed my lambs… Take care of my sheep” (Jn 21:15-16).

This is our mission. This is our joy!

✠ Joseph Galea-Curmi 
    Auxiliary Bishop of Malta