L-omelija tal-Arċisqof Charles Jude Scicluna
Qed nippreżentaw lill-Mulej erba’ żgħażagħ li quddiem il-Knisja għadhom kemm ikkonfermaw mhux biss il-prezenża tagħhom imma wkoll id-deċiżjoni tagħhom. Immedjatament wara din l-omelija, fid-djalogu mal-Isqof se jieħdu impenji għal ħajjithom kollha. Imma l-impenn l-iżjed fundamentali u li l-Knisja titlob fuqhom illum hu dak li jibqgħu sħaħ fit-talb. Hekk titlob il-Knisja fuq id-djakni il-ġodda – biex bil-ħeġġa fil-ħidma tagħhom ikollhom servizz b’qalb ħelwa u jżommu ruħhom sħaħ sal-aħħar fit-talb. It-talb hu l-pedament tar-relazzjoni tagħkom ma’ Alla, il-pedament tal-missjoni tagħkom, il-pedament tal-perseveranza tagħkom.
You are called, we are being called, my brothers, to persevere in the spirit of prayer. Prayer is your relationship with Jesus. It is the source of your calling, the source of your mission, the source of your fidelity, the source of your life.
Intom fid-djakonat imsejħin tilbsu l-fardal tal-qaddej. Il-qaddej li jitbaxxa biex jaħsel ir-riġlejn, bħalma ħasel ir-riġlejn Sidna Ġesù.
As you become deacons, you take on the apron of Jesus Christ, the apron of humble service to each and everyone in the community. U intom ukoll tirċievu l-missjoni li xxandru l-Kelma ta’ Alla. Imma qabel xejn tkunu xhieda għaliha. You are being called to evangelise, to bring the good news by words but especially through your witness.
Aħna nilqgħu d-don tagħkom, don verament Kattoliku. We accept and graciously receive the gift of your Catholic presence, universal presence: a diocesean deacon, a religious from the family of Don Bosco and two young men, one from India and one from Singapore, dedicated to the service of evangelisation. You are the image of the beauty of the faith of the Catholic Church. Intom xhieda sabiħa tal-wiċċ universali tal-Knisja Kattolika u tal-fidi tagħna.
Nitolbu għalikom biex id-deċizzjonijiet li ħadtu żżommkom ferħanin fir-risq it-tajjeb u l-ħażin, bħalma jgħidu l-miżżewġin. May your commitment that you pronounced today before the Church keep you happy, in good times and in bad times as your beloved parents said when they pronounced the wedding vows. Yours is also a commitment, a commitment for life.
But there is only one thing that I am going to ask you. This is what Jesus insists upon in today’s Gospel. When Peter tells Jesus: “you will never wash my feet” (Jn 13:6). Jesus insists: “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” (Jn 13:8).
Nixtieqkom tiftakru xi ħaġa li qrajna fl-Evanġelju tal-lum. Meta Pietru lil Ġesù jgħidlu: “Int, Mulej, taħsilli saqajja? Ma jkun qatt” (Ġw 13:6). Ġesu jgħidlu: “Jekk ma naħsillekx saqajk, ma jkollokx x’taqsam miegħi” (Ġw13:8). Issa l-esperti tal-Iskrittura jistgħu jagħtuna ħafna interpretazzjonijiet ta’ dan il-mument minn dan il-kapitlu 13 ta’ San Ġwann. X’ried jgħid eżatt Ġesù?
Ħalluni nislet riflessjoni personali ħafna li dejjem tolqotni meta naqra u nitlob fuq dan il-kapitlu sabiħ. Ġesù jaf li għandu bżonn jaħsilli saqajja. Jekk inħallih, jien nidħol fir-relazzjoni vera miegħu għax jaf li għandi bżonnu. Jekk ngħidlu jien ma għandix bżonnok, allura mhu ser nintrefgħu qatt.
Pietru, ġustament, meta jirrealizza xi jrid jgħid Ġesù, jgħidlu: “Mulej, mhux saqajja biss, imma jdejja u rasi wkoll” (Ġw 13:9). U Ġesù jgħidlu: “Min hu maħsul, ma għandux għalfejn jinħasel kollu, ħlief saqajh, għax hu kollu kemm hu nadif” (Ġw 13:10). Ġesù qed jgħid: jiena nkun qaddej tiegħek billi nnaddfek, nippurifikak, naħslek b’demmi. Nagħmlek kontinwament sabiħ. Inġedded kuljum fik il-fedeltà. U hekk ikollok x’tasqam miegħi, hekk tidħol fir-relazzjoni vera tat-talb. Ħallini biss naħsillek saqajk.
Jesus insists in his dialogue with Peter in today’s Gospel that it is necessary that Peter accepts Jesus as his servant that gives his life for his salvation, that gives his life as a gift for the salvation, purification, and empowerment of Peter, because that openness to the ministry of Jesus in our lives makes us and transform us into ministers of the community. Let us let Jesus wash our feet, purify us, wash us with his sacred blood, continuously confirms in our faith, in our hope, in our love, in our fidelity. May the Lord keep you always under his gracious and merciful gaze.
✠ Charles Jude Scicluna
Arċisqof ta’ Malta
Qari tal-quddiesa
Qari I: Ġer 1:4-8
Salm: 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24
Qari II: Ef 4:1-7, 11-13
L-Evanġelju: Ġw 13:1-17