L-omelija tal-Arċisqof Charles Jude Scicluna
“In-nagħaġ tiegħi jisimgħu leħni u jiena nagħrafhom u huma jimxu warajja” (Ġw 10:27). Ġesù f’din is-silta tal-Evanġelju jipprova jispjega x’inhi r-rabta tiegħu magħna. Din hija l-għaqda ta’ mħabba. Min iħobb għandu għatx biex jisma’ l-leħen tal-persuna maħbuba. ‘Kemm ħadt pjaċir nisma’ leħnek!’ Bħal meta l-omm iċemplilha t-tifel, avolja jekk kemm isaqsiha: ‘X’sajjart illum?’ Tieħu pjaċir tisma’ leħnu u hu jisma’ leħinha.
“In-nagħaġ tiegħi jisimgħu leħni” (Ġw 10:27). Kif nafu bil-Malti li tisma’ tfisser ukoll tobdi, naqra iżjed diffiċli din. Anke meta niftakru f’ommijietna, min jaf kemm-il darba qalulna: ‘isma’ minni, ibni, isma’ minni. Ma smajtx minni!’ Min jaf kemm-il darba smajnieha din.
“U jiena nagħrafhom” (Ġw 10:27). Li tagħraf, fil-kelma tal-Kotba Mqaddsa, hija li tħobb, tidħol f’intimità. Aħna nisimgħu leħnu, nippruvaw mhux dejjem jirnexxilna nobduh, jiġifieri mhux biss nisimgħuh, nisimgħu minnu. Imma hu jagħrafna, hu jħobbna, ta ħajtu għalina. U aħna min izappap minn hemm, min jogħtor minn hawn, nimxu warajh. “Jimxu warajja”. Ma jgħidx ‘itellqu’ warajja, jimxu warajja.
U x’se jagħtina Ġesù wara dan kollu? X’qed joffrilna? Ir-Ragħaj it-Tajjeb tagħna x’qed joffrilna? Qed joffrilna żewġ sigurezzi. Kemm hi ħaġa sabiħa li inti f’relazzjoni tħossok sigur! Il-ħajja ta’ dejjem u li mhu se jħallina qatt nitilqu. Nistgħu ngħidulu: ‘Ċaw, ċaw. Tlaqt jien.’ Imma hu ma jħalli lil ħadd jaħtafna mit-tgħanniqa tiegħu. Aħna nistgħu ngħidulu: ‘Le, grazzi.’ Imma hu jinsisti li la aħna tiegħu u huwa tagħna, se jibqa’ dejjem magħna.
The Lord talks about his relationship with each and every one of us today in this very beautiful passage from John 10: “The sheep listen to my voice, I know them, follow me.” This is the language of love. A person who loves you understands what it means to hear the voice of the Beloved. What joy!
And today I was reminiscing of the beauty of this relationship between a mother and her son or her daughter and the fact that it is such an extraordinary moment of union of love to listen to the voice of your mum, to hear her speak to you and for her to listen to you, to get a phone call or a message.
As you know Jesus said: “They listen to me and I know them.” In Scripture this is the language of love, the knowledge is intimacy, profound connection, relationship and we pilgrim behind our shepherd. Some of us manage to make a step or two, others fall behind but he doesn’t want to lose us. We are free to move away but he clings to us. He insists, in this extraordinary passage from John, the Lord insists: “I will not lose you, don’t be afraid”. He gives us this security of tenure, the security of somebody who loves us, has given his life for us.
As we pray for Christian unity let us also pray that we accept Jesus as our shepherd, that we listen to his voice, that we allow him to know us and that we pilgrim together. I pray that we recognise each other as brethren, at least we recognise that we are baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I hope I’m not asking for too much.
✠ Charles Jude Scicluna
Archbishop of Malta
Il-Qari tal-Quddiesa
Qari I: Atti 13:14,43-52
Responsorju: Salm 99(100):2,3,5
Qari II: Apok 7:9,14b-17
L-Evanġelju: Ġw 10:27-30
