Bill Murray’s kindness

It’s amazing how some people keep their kindness and generous spirit hidden from the public eye. This was the case with film actor and comedian Bill Murray. In 1979, Bill Murray’s comedy partner from the improv days, Danny, had a psychotic break on stage. Danny’s family abandoned him, friends disappeared and his career ended overnight. Bill Murray visited Danny for 35 years every single week while he was in psychiatric hospitals. Yet Danny didn’t always recognize Bill Murray who would sit next to him in silence, often for hours. In 2014, Danny died, never recovering. At the funeral, Danny’s doctor revealed that Bill had been paying for Danny’s private care all 35 years....a total of $2.1 million. Bill’s only comment was ‘He made me funny. I owed him sanity.’ Then Bill Murray disappeared from the funeral before anyone could thank him. It is so true that your true best friends are those who stay with you, when everyone else has left you.

Monastery

One of the nuns monasteries in Malta goes back 450 years and from the 100 nuns it once housed, there are now 3 elderly nuns living in it. St Catherine's Monastery in Valletta was founded in 1575 as a safe haven for female orphans. At the heart of the monastery lies a rare, enclosed garden, a space of light and colour sheltered from the city's noise. Once a quarry that provided stone for the monastery's construction, it now sustains fruit trees, herbs and vines rooted around three freshwater wells. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes and medicinal herbs nourished the nuns for centuries, making the garden the monastery's backbone. Today, cats roam freely among the plants, enjoying the same tranquillity that once sustained generations of cloistered women. The bedrooms reflect the austere nature of monastic life. One room belonged to the Mother Superior, distinguished only by a bed with curtains, with the other representing a typical nun's quarters. Furnishings were sparse: a chair, a bedside table, a wash basin, a kneeler for prayer, and a small desk used for reading or meals. The crucifix, however, always stood at the centre of every room. 

Poverty was a vow, not a hardship, and their only luxury was spirituality. Community prayer and personal devotion filled these spaces with sanctified silence. Food preparation areas speak to the monastery's connection with the wider community, as meals were prepared not just for the nuns, but also for people in need. Work began early, after prayers, and continued throughout the day. Even sackcloth used to transport wheat was recycled into kitchen aprons, and nothing went to waste. The nuns’ living quarters now is above ground, while the underground complex stands as testimony to centuries of devotion, labour and resilience.

A New Year – new beginnings

Madonna by Sassoferrato

We start this year with a special feast in honor of Mary, Mother of Jesus, Mother of God, and Mother of us all. January 1st, since 1968 has also been considered as the World Day of Peace, and I dedicate this year to the Blessed Mother as she blesses us with her protection and love. May she always protect our families, those still hurting with recent tragedies, those who lost loved ones, and those who seem lost or disoriented in life. As she knows the pain and anguish of losing a child, may we look towards her for direction, for motivation, and consolation. May Mary, the Queen of Peace and her Son, the Prince of Peace bless the world with peace and harmony, the poor with care and prosperity, the despairing with hope and confidence, the grieving with comfort and gladness, the oppressed with freedom and deliverance, the suffering with solace and relief.

 As we start another year, we see ahead of us 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, 31,536,000 seconds. And all of it is a gift from God. We have done nothing to deserve it, earn it, or purchase it. Like the air we breathe, time comes to us as a part of life. The gift of time is not ours alone. It is given equally to each person. Rich and poor, educated and ignorant, strong and weak—every man, woman and child has the same twenty-four hours every day. Another important thing about time is that you cannot stop it. There is no way to slow it down, turn it off, or adjust it. Time marches on. And you cannot bring back time. Once it is gone, it is gone. Yesterday is lost forever. If yesterday is lost, tomorrow is uncertain. We may look ahead at a full year’s block of time, but we really have no guarantee that we will experience any of it. Obviously, time is one of our most precious possessions. We can waste it. We can worry over it. We can spend it on ourselves. Or, as good stewards, we can invest it in the kingdom of God. As the seconds tick away, will you be tossing time out the window, or will you make every minute count? Make this simple resolution this year - make every minute count!

I wish all visitors to this blog a healthy, peace-filled, joyous and harmonious New Year!

End of year blessings

This is a time for reflection as well as celebration. As you look back on the past year and all that has taken place in your life, remember each experience for the good that has come out of it and for the knowledge you have gained. Remember the efforts you have made and the goals you have reached. Remember the love you have shared and the happiness you have brought. Remember the laughter, the joy, the hard work, and the tears. And as you reflect on the past year, also be thinking of the new one to come. Because most importantly, this is a time of new beginnings and a celebration of life. As we still have to listen to stories of heart-break and conflict in some troubled areas, we hope that this New Year we will see the end of most of them, especially in Ukraine, Sudan and the entire Middle-East region. May you continue to be close to your family and friends who came into your life and are still close to you, even through an occasional email. I personally cherish the friends I still have from New York and Oregon as well as Malta. There are many others whom I’ll meet in the future, presently unknown to me - they are not strangers, but only friends I’ve not yet met. Finally I thank God for the blessings of my priesthood, through which I can share my love of the church, my love of the faith and my love for the people entrusted to my care. Happy New Year!

Pope Leo’s Monthly intentions for 2026

                 
These are the Prayer Intentions of Pope Leo XIV entrusted to his world-wide prayer network for 2026.

JANUARY - For prayer with the Word of God.
Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.

FEBRUARY - For children with incurable diseases.
Let us pray that children suffering from incurable diseases and their families receive the necessary medical care and support, never losing strength and hope.

MARCH - For disarmament and peace.
Let us pray that nations move toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that world leaders choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence.

APRIL - For priests in crisis.
Let us pray for priests going through moments of crisis in their vocation, that they may find the accompaniment they need and that communities may support them with understanding and prayer.

MAY - That everyone might have food.
Let us pray that everyone, from large producers to small consumers, be committed to avoid wasting food, and to ensure that everyone has access to quality food.

JUNE - For the values of sports.
Let us pray that sports be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, and that they promote values such as respect, solidarity, and personal growth.

JULY - For respect for human life.
Let us pray for the respect and protection of human life in all its stages, recognizing it as a gift from God.

AUGUST - For evangelization in the city.
Let us pray that in large cities often marked by anonymity and loneliness we find new ways to proclaim the Gospel, discovering creative paths to build community.

SEPTEMBER - For the care of water.
Let us pray for a just and sustainable management of water, a vital resource, so that everyone may have equal access to it.

OCTOBER - For mental health ministry.
Let us pray that the mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of persons with mental illnesses.

NOVEMBER - For the proper use of wealth.
Let us pray for the proper use of wealth, that not succumbing to the temptation of selfishness, it may always be put at the service the common good and solidarity of those who have less.

DECEMBER - For single-parent families.
Let us pray for families experiencing the absence of a mother or father, that they may find accompaniment in the Church, and help and strength in the Faith during difficult times.

On coming among us......

Dear Jesus, You came among us to show us the beautiful face of  the Father.

You came among us to show us that the father has not given up on us yet.

You came among us through Mary, and you want us to come to You through her.

You came among us to search the lost ones and fill our lives with true meaning.

You came among us so that we won’t feel alone or lonely.

You came among us small and humble so that we don’t feel superior to others.

You came among us in suffering since all those whom we love need to be prepared for suffering.

You came among us and like all of us you experienced hunger, poverty and persecution.

You came among us to remain with us and become our daily food.

You came among us to list us up from misery and give us true freedom.

You came among us to heal humanity which is sick, and make it divine.

You came among us so that we won’t forget that we still need You.

You came among us, and since birth you walked the way to the Cross.

You came among us and filled us with peace, truth and beauty.

You came among us to remind us that we are children of God and you made us heirs of heaven.

Prayer for Families

On this ‘Holy Family of Nazareth Sunday,’ I share with you this beautiful and meaningful prayer. May all families live by the standards this prayer evokes:

O God, in the beginning You brought together man and woman in holy marriage that they might share Your work of creation and bring enriching life to one another. We commend to Your constant care the homes where Your people dwell. Knit together in growing affection those who have been made one flesh so that their love may never fail. Turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the hearts of children to their parents. Take away the roots of bitterness, vanity and self-seeking that brings dissension where family peace should reign. Inspire them rather, with loyalty, faith and sacrifice, that in all the changes and circumstances of life they may stand strongly together in mutual service and love. Help all parents, whether single or married, to use wisdom, understanding, and consideration for the entire family unit when making decisions that will affect all those in their households.  Open their minds and hearts so that discipline is just, effective, and kind, yet firm, teaching the children in their families that there are consequences to their actions.

The Holy Family

The Holy Family by the Le Nain Brothers

Tomorrow the church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family. Many of the pictures shown of the Holy Family of Nazareth depict them as the perfect couple with Jesus well behaved and obedient, usually playing with a bird, holding a pomegranate, or with John the Baptist. They still had their share of problems and issues to deal with, all through their lives. To start they had to escape into Egypt for 2 years because Herod was trying to kill baby Jesus. Once they settled in Nazareth, Mary and Joseph raised their son in a very simple environment. As a baby, Jesus had to be diaper-changed, he had to be nursed, toilet-trained eventually, learn how to walk, how to talk, and many other things that babies do as they grow and mature.  This painting shows the human aspect, because the Holy Family was like every family, and they enjoyed being together. This way we can very easily connect with the Holy Family of Nazareth, because they were very much like every family raising toddlers. They had their hands full, and we don’t even know what tricks Jesus played on his parents. Because whether you’re in New York, Bend, Oregon, Beverly Hills California, Buckingham Palace in London, or Malta, or Nazareth in the Holy Land, boys will be boys!

St. Stephen

Annibale Carracci - The stoning of St Stephen

I realized that over the past 14 years since I’ve been doing this blog, I only placed a post on St. Stephen once, probably because it is close to Christmas and I choose to add a few other reflections on the seasonal festivities. And since he is the name of my Guardian Angel, I think he deserves an appropriate post on his feast day. St. Stephen was a Christian deacon and the first Christian martyr, dying in 36 AD in Jerusalem. He was a foreign-born Jew who spoke Greek. It happened that there were some complaints that the care of the elderly widows was being neglected by the Hebrew-speaking majority. The apostles presented the matter to the congregation and, instructing it to select seven deacons for this community service. They were chosen and ordained, and Stephen, became the best known of the seven. Stephen was bitterly opposed to the Temple of Jerusalem and its sacrificial cult. His martyrdom is described in detail in in the Acts of the Apostles, (chapter 7) where we see him confronting the Sanhedrin about his defence of the faith. This defence before the rabbinic court enraged his Jewish audience, and he was taken out of the city and stoned to death. Saul was present at the stoning, but did not participate, but those who did placed their clothes next to him. Stephen’s final words, a prayer of forgiveness for his attackers, echo those of Jesus on the cross. Stephen is the patron saint of deacons and stonemasons.  

It's a Boy !

                       

It's a Boy !

And his name is Jesus

Saint Irenaeus wrote in the 3rd Century: 

“because of his boundless love, Jesus became what we are,         
that He might make us to be what He is.” 

He became man so that He can make us all Holy.
 

Don’t forget that the Creator made Christmas possible.

Friends make Christmas beautiful.

Music makes Christmas festive.

Cakes and Mince-pies make Christmas appetizing.

What we give to others make Christmas generous.

Lights make Christmas joyful and colorful.

Presepios make Christmas nostalgic and typically Maltese.

Poinsettias make Christmas colorful and floral.

Churches make Christmas holy and reverent.

Love makes Christmas complete.

But it’s Jesus who makes Christmas what it is.

 

The Gift of Christmas is received by trusting hearts….  

       The Love of Christmas is shared by caring hearts….           

The Joy of Christmas is expressed by giving hearts….

A Blessed Christmas to all visitors of this Blog.

Vatican Homeless recognized

The Triptych by Lucas Cranach and Michael Triegel

In 2018, German artist Michael Triegel asked a homeless man in Rome to pose for a drawing, thinking that he would make an ideal model for St. Peter if he ever needed to paint the first pope. Seven years on, the man's likeness has gone on display in the Vatican, a reunion of sorts that came about by improbable chance. The homeless German man Burkhard Scheffler died from the cold in 2022 on the edge of St. Peter’s Square. The saga began in Germany, where Triegel in 2019 won a commission from the Protestant Cathedral in the city of Naumburg to create a new central panel for its altar by Renaissance master Lucas Cranach the Elder. The panel would replace an original that was destroyed in 1541 during the Reformation. Cranach's two side panels survived. Triegel, a Catholic convert, leapt at the prospect of a "collaboration with Cranach." Triegel planned out his painting and drew on that encounter he had in 2018 with the homeless man in Rome. The man took his place as St. Peter among the saints gathered around Mary and the infant Jesus. Triegel said it was important that his subjects would be real people, not just historic. St. Paul was based on a rabbi Triegel met in Jerusalem, while Mary was modelled on the artist's daughter. In the back behind Mary was Protestant pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, an opponent of the Nazis who was executed in 1945.

Burkhard Scheffler in baseball hat

Triegel's St. Peter is bearded, wears a red baseball cap complete with his flowing beard and those alert eyes. The man, Burkhard Scheffler, had suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Italy's harsh lockdowns, fewer and fewer people ventured out to provide handouts and food to those in need. Scheffler was arrested in May 2020 after he apparently threatened someone with a knife for refusing to give him change. He was sentenced to three years in prison and released in late 2022. Known to many in the Vatican, he had grown weak in prison. On the night of Nov. 25, 2022, Scheffler died from the cold. His death caught the attention of Pope Francis, who had made a priority of caring for the homeless people around the Vatican. Under Francis' watch, the Vatican installed showers, a barber shop and clinic in the colonnade of St. Peter's. Francis' almsgiver went out on cold nights to distribute sleeping bags. Hours after Scheffler died, the Vatican spokesperson issued a statement saying he had been cared for by the Vatican's charity office but unfortunately, the rain and cold weather contributed to aggravate his fragile condition. Pope Francis asked that Scheffler be buried at the Teutonic cemetery on the grounds of the Vatican, alongside many German-speaking priests, pilgrims and notables. His simple tomb is in the small pilgrim section, in the shadow of St Peter’s Basilica and just a few yards from the tomb of the real St. Peter. The altar with the painting is now on a two-year loan to the Vatican chapel, a stone's throw from Scheffler's grave, itself just steps from the tomb of St. Peter.

Jesus’ favorite gifts

Jesus speaks to us this Christmas ‘If you really want to give me a special gift this Christmas, I have a short list of a few of my wishes:

1.                   Try to visit someone who is alone, in a nursing home or hospital.

2.                  To your young children, do not spend lots of money on simple toys or gifts that will soon be ignored or outdated, but rather, give them some quality time, to play with them, to take them for a ride, visit a museum or a movie with them, or even take them to lunch just you and them.

3.                  Think of someone who has hurt you in the past, and try to forgive them.

4.                  Smile to everyone you meet – there are lonely people this time of year and some even become suicidal. Your smile may be something insignificant for you, but not for them. Smile sincerely. Smile often.

5.                  Show yourself as truly authentic Christians, wherever you are. Maybe by your actions and words and example people would recognize that you belong to Me.

6.                  Love me and do what I suggested. Life is short, but use every second to do good.’

Three Wise Women

Every year after Christmas, we await the arrival of the three Wise Men bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and the presepios will be complete when the three magnificent statuettes will be placed in front of baby Jesus. But let us remember that before the star of Bethlehem led the Wise Men to the cave where the baby was born, there were three Wise Women who prepared in their own way the road to the birth of Jesus: the Blessed Mother, St. Elizabeth, and the prophetess Anna, daughter of Phanuel. We refer to them as the Three Wise Women. Mary was the woman who believed. Her wisdom comes from the way she showed her faith ‘Thy will be done !’ St. Elizabeth was the woman who recognized. When Mary visited her in Għajn Karim, she recognized the presence of the Messiah, still unborn. ‘Blessed are you, and bless is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.’ The prophetess Anna was the woman who waited. When she became a widow until the age of 84, she stayed in the temple, praising God and fasting and praying, and waiting. And when she saw the Messiah, she started to proclaim His presence, being gifted for her waiting, and persevering in her faith.

Mary and Elizabeth

As we approach the celebration of Christmas, the focus now moves to the Holy Family as Mary and Joseph prepare for the birth of their baby. The Annunciation and the Visitation are also highlighted in the Gospel readings this week. A touching picture I found is the encounter of Mary and Elizabeth as their babies also rejoice at their first encounter. Most paintings of the Visitation, one sees Mary and Elizabeth in a very reverent and serious mood, but this picture shows a lighter, more human reaction, both of them laughing and smiling, a scene which is originally portrayed in the movie “The Nativity Story.” Another artist reproduced this encounter and it is one of my favorites. I hope it becomes yours too.

The same scene from the 'The Nativity Story'

My parents’ masterpiece

Over the years my parents have always decorated our home with Christmas symbols, including a large presepio, a Nativity display that my father created for us, the whole town of Bethlehem. They also set up a canopy with baby Jesus and two angels in the entrance of our house, something which I refer to as a masterpiece, because they put so much love, detail and attention to it. The above photo shows my parents next to it, back in the 1990s, a ritual they enjoyed doing every Christmas. 

Surrounding baby Jesus are pots of grown vetch, (ġulbiena in Maltese) a seed that grows very white, as long as it is grown in the dark. It is usually planted in early December and watered every few days, until a few days before Christmas. It may look similar to alfalfa, but it’s used frequently by many families and churches for the Christmas season.  Two angels sit on each side of Baby Jesus, kneeling in prayer.

Stay with us, dear Jesus

As we await the arrival of Jesus, born again in Bethlehem, in our homes, in our families and in our hearts, we pray that He will stay with us throughout the new year.

Stay with us Jesus, because when it gets dark, You’re the only source of Light in our lives.
When we get lonely, You’re the perfect companion.
When we are afraid, You can surely encourage us.
When we fear the unknown future, You affirm our past and present.
When we experience weakness, You are there to strengthen us.
When we lose our way to You, Your spiritual compass is our one and only hope.
When we lose heart, You always comfort us an show us compassion.
When we don’t know what to say or how to pray, You always have the right suggestion.       
When we cannot see clearly, You always help us focus our perspective of life.
When we want to hurt others and say that nasty word, You always correct our speech and manner of behavior.
When we act stubborn, You tolerate us.
When we act selfish, You show us a kind caring way to do things.
And when we falter as humans, You grant us Your mercy and Forgiveness. Not only that, but You forgive and forget.

7 joys of St Joseph

St Joseph consoling a tired Jesus

As during Holy Week we reflect on the 7 sorrows of Mary, it’s appropriate during this Christmas week to reflect also on the 7 joys which St Joseph experienced while raising his son Jesus.

1.                 When the Angel appeared to him and revealed that he would be the foster father of the Messiah.

2.                 When his son was born and shepherds came to adore him in Bethlehem.

3.                 When he revealed what name his son would be given, as revealed to him by the Angel.

4.                 When the 3 Kings came to adore him and offer Him their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

5.                 The prophecy of Simon at the Presentation, that his son would be great and special.

6.                 When he could return to Nazareth with Mary and young Jesus after spending 2 years wandering in Egypt, fearful of Herod’s plan to kill their son..

7.                 When he found 12 year old Jesus in the temple, after being lost for 3 days, and with Mary were worried and searching for Him.