L-omelija tal-Arċisqof Charles Jude Scicluna
Ġesù jinkoraġġina li nobdu l-kmandamenti, imma jrid jgħallimna, forsi, tagħlima radikali importanti. Mhux kwistjoni biss x’tagħmel, imma l-qalb tiegħek fejn qiegħda? U bl-eżempji prattiċi, jitkellem dwar ir-rabja, dwar il-fedeltà, jitkellem dwar il-kelma li Alla jkun xhud tagħha. U jgħidilna mhux kwistjoni biss li ma toqtolx lil ħuk, imma jekk int tobogħdu, qalbek mhix fil-paċi, imħassra. Mhix kwistjoni biss li lil martek ma tibdilhiex ma’ ħaddieħor. Imma jekk fil-qalb tiegħek m’hemmx imħabba ta’ fedeltà, l-imħabba tiegħek mhix safja. Inti tista’ ssejjaħ lil Alla tiegħek bħala xhud ta’ dak li tgħid u tagħmel, imma mhux aħjar minflok tagħmel hekk, il-kelma tiegħek tkun: iva iva, le le? Il-Mulej qed jgħallimna li l-aħħar żewġ kmandamenti: id-disa’ u l-għaxra, – li ma tantx insemmgħu – jitkellmu dwar ix-xewqat tagħna, dwar ir-rebgħa tagħna, huma wkoll importanti ħafna.
Mela forsi lil ħija ma qtiltux bis-sejf, imma stajt qtiltu b’ilsieni. Lill-mara forsi ma bdiltiex ma’ xi ħadd ieħor, billi mort ma’ xi ħadd ieħor, imma qed nitrattaha ħażin. Jew inkella f’qalbi qed inbejjed għal ħaddieħor. Ġesù iħares lejn il-fedeltà lejn xulxin, lejn Alla, billi nibdew mill-qalb tagħna. U llum nitolbuh lill-Mulej biex il-qalb tagħna tkun safja.
I would like to share a few words in English. The Gospel today — quite a long one — speaks about moments when Jesus invites us to look at our hearts. He talks about our anger that may lead to murder, and he tells us that even if we do not kill one another, we may still harm one another, and that if anger is left unchecked in our hearts, it poisons them.
He speaks about fidelity in marriage. It is not only a question of sleeping with another woman, but of a faithfulness that begins with purity of heart — in the way we look at other people and in the promises we make and must keep.
He also speaks about our temptation to make the Lord a guarantee of what we say, think, and do by our oaths. He tells us that this is not really necessary: what is true should simply be treated as true, and what is false should be treated as false.
In a culture where we are bombarded with fake news and fake relationships, where our hearts are devoured by passions, we need to listen to the Lord’s word today, as he invites us to move beyond external actions and examine where our hearts truly are.
✠ Charles Jude Scicluna
Arċisqof ta’ Malta
