My father, born 100 years ago

My father John was born on March 26,1925 - today he would have turned 100! So wishing him a Happy Birthday in heaven, I share a few reflections I shared at my funeral homily I did in 2002, when he died on January 4..... The tremendous amount of good that my father accomplished was done with sincere and genuine humility. Whether he was painting a room, or plastering a roof before the rainy season, whether he was decorating a cake or weeding a garden, whether he was ironing a mountain of clothes or preparing a rabbit or a chicken for us to eat, he did everything with a sincere interest, sheer joy and a total commitment. In one of the letters he used to write to me every week, precisely on the occasion of my parents' 50^th Anniversary  in 1998, I remember my dad writing to me that the best thing that ever happened to him was when he met my mother. . . . . they knew each other since they were very young, and got married young too, but the way they raised our family is nothing short of a masterpiece. I do not say this just to show off, but those who knew him well, know exactly what I mean.

He used to recall the hardships he experienced during World War II during which time he was still a teenager. Once he found a pair of shoes belonging to a dead British sailor and wore them for two weeks straight, as he was afraid another boy would steal them from him. On another occasion he was sent by his mother to buy a case of tomatoes from Madliena (5 miles away from home), and when he reached his home at St Julian's, the case was empty as he was starving, and ate all the tomatoes.

My father as a policeman     -     their wedding day July 24, 1948

Following the end of the war, my dad entered the Police Department, a career which he served with pride, honor and impeccable devotion. He was loved, respected and fulfilled his duties with utmost dedication, and gave his life, heart and soul to help retain order in our nation, which was going through some troublesome period. It was the highlight of my week when he used to take me or my brother to his Office, where we ended up playing with everything we found on his desk. In a letter sent to him in 1971 by the ex-Police Commissioner Vivian deGray, he wrote about my father: " Mr John Cassar worked under me in the Police Force for over 25 years. He was always employed on clerical duties to the full satisfaction of his superiors. Mr Cassar is a courteous, respectful, capable, conscientious and reliable clerk of unimpeachable probity and integrity."

June 19, 1977 - my ordination

In 1948, my mother and father were married and had 5 children between 1949 and 1964, Josephine and Rose-Marie, myself and Paul, and since we were very close in age and since they always dressed us alike, many people thought that my parents had two sets of twins. Then came Marcel, and since we were much older than him, he found himself being raised by 6 parents instead of two. Undoubtedly they treasured us and loved us to no end, and the timely discipline we experienced from them, molded us into fine young people, respected wherever we went and wherever we worked. My mother and father were simply and utterly inseparable. Many people remember them for the generous heart they have, and all of us who were so much closer to them, can witness that theirs was truly a heart of gold. And we only heard the word NO as a warning, as a timely correction and an appropriate and deserved scolding. My father was a man who was happy and content with just about everything, and was happy with the simple things in life. He was not a demanding person and never restricted us or placed any impossible rules or unfair regulations around the house. He will do anything to make everyone happy, and he was "jack-of-all-trades," heart and soul. There wasn't anything he couldn't fix, or try to fix. He was proud of all our accomplishments, and they would be twice as happy today seeing their two grandchildren excelling as doctors. As I pray for him especially today, I also pray to him, as his presence in my life has kept me going in my priesthood for another 23 years so far. May we always follow his example of sacrifice, commitment to our duties and showing responsibility in everything we do. Happy 100th Birthday dad !

July 24 1998 - 50th wedding anniversary

The Annunciation

The Annunciation by Emvin Cremona at Balzan church, Malta

We celebrate today the feast of the Annunciation, that historic moment when Mary said her YES that changed history, and thus came the dawn of a new life. Many consider Mary as the new Eve, just as Jesus is referred to as the new Adam, and so today we see Jesus conceived in the womb of Mary. We always wonder: what if Mary said NO to the Angel Gabriel ? Would another girl have been picked instead? Would we have to wait another hundred or a thousand years for the Messiah to be born? Would history have been much different than it was over the past 2000 years? We realize today also the responsibility we have to receive Jesus in our hearts, in our lives, in our families, in our homes. And most importantly, just as Mary shared Jesus with the rest of humanity, it is our sacred duty to share Him with everyone we know. And just as Mary’s YES changed history, our YES can change many people’s lives, especially those who have not heard of Him yet, and those who have distanced themselves from Him. We pray today especially for the innocent people being killed in so many war-stricken countries, and may their leaders utter an emphatic YES to peace, to harmony, to an endless cease-fire, and may we feel Mary’s protection on our lives, our families and our children.

Handel’s perseverance

Georg Frederic Handel is well known for his concertos, operas and oratorios, besides many sacred music selections. He lived between 1685 and 1759 and he experienced many misfortunes throughout his life. He owed many people a lot of money, he often despaired, and he even had a brain haemorrhage which left him paralyzed on his right side. For 4 years he could not walk or write. All the doctors gave up on him. By the age of 60, he felt his life was over. However a friend of his challenged him to write something different. After spending some time reading the Bible, he started scribbling a new oratorio.  After 24 days focusing on his project, he had finished the most famous oratorio ever produced, Messiah.

Figs

Today in the Gospel Jesus speaks about figs, one of my favorite fruits, along with strawberries. My childhood memories take me to my grandmother’s house where she had a large fig tree, and my job in the summer months was to climbs its branches and clip as many figs as possible. I would fill buckets of large, juicy figs, while a large portion of them would end up in my stomach. Unfortunately that tree is no more, and sadly enough some unknown bug had destroyed most fig trees in Malta, and botanists just cannot revive them or bring them back to the way they were before. There's something magical about eating a fresh fig. Figs also connect you to the history of humanity. After all, how many other foods can say they've been written about in the Bible, eaten by Greek Olympians and talked about in ancient mythology? Yes, there's something magical about figs, but don't let that intimidate you. There's a reason why people have been eating figs since the Neolithic period—they're easy, delicious and nourishing. Figs are believed to have originated in Western Asia. They arrived in the Mediterranean region, and consequently the rest of the world, through human migration. Archaeological evidence traces figs back to at least 5000 B.C. Some scholars believe that figs were one of the first plants to be domesticated by humans. Figs are available during the summer to early fall depending on the variety. There are 5 different types of figs: Black Mission Figs, Kadota Figs, Brown Turkey Figs, Calimyrna Figs and Adriatic Figs. Figs grow in climates that are warm and dry like in the Mediterranean region – so Malta is ideal to cultivate them and hopefully revive their premature destruction by pesty bugs. In the U.S., the majority of figs are grown in California.

Remembering Archbishop Cremona

Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona is being honored today with a state funeral. Born in Valletta on January 25, 1946, Mgr. Cremona served as Archbishop of Malta between January 26, 2007, and October 18, 2014, before resigning at 68. He completed his primary education at the Montessori school in Valletta and then pursued the secondary level at the Lyceum in Ħamrun. In September 1962, he joined the Dominican Order and professed on September 29, 1963. He studied philosophy and theology at the College of St Thomas Aquinas at the Dominican Priory at Rabat and was ordained priest on March 22, 1969, precisely 56 years ago. After his priestly ordination, Mgr. Cremona was sent to follow higher studies in Moral Theology at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome (Angelicum) where, in 1973, he graduated Doctor in Theology presenting the thesis The Concept of Peace in Pope John XXIII. Between 1974 and 1980 he was prior at the priory of Our Lady of the Grotto at Rabat. He was re-elected to the same office in 1997 and again served two terms up to 2003. In 1981 he was chosen Provincial of the Maltese Dominican Province, an office he held for two four-year terms. On termination of office, he was entrusted with the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima in Gwardamanġia as its parish priest. In 2005 Mgr. Cremona was chosen as Parish Priest of the Parish of Jesus of Nazareth in Sliema. His nomination as Archbishop of Malta was made public on December 2, 2006, and he was ordained Bishop on January 26. Archbishop Cremona initially spent his retirement at the Dominican Friary in Rabat, Malta, before relocating to Id-Dar tal-Kleru in Birkirkara in more recent years. He will always be remembered for his pastoral approach, his humility and his ever-present smile. May God grant him eternal rest.

A kind king

A very kind and fair king

A very kind Emperor one day visited the prison and to each prisoner he put the following question “Why are you here and what have you done?”  All the prisoners, with the exception of one, replied that they are innocent and that they have done nothing wrong. One solitary prisoner replied that he was guilty and deserved the punishment given by the court. The Emperor ordered that all prisoners be brought to the main hall. On seeing them all lined up, he said to them “I visited this prison with the view of seeing how you were being treated, and to ask you personally why each of you are here. All of you except for one said that they are innocent.....” Then turning to the one prisoner why admitted he was guilty, the Emperor said to him “young man, leave here at once and go back to your home for if you remain here, I am afraid you will corrupt all those who are innocent, just as a bad apple will spoil a basketful of good ones.”  Moral of this story: Bear always in mind to speak the truth, for truth will always prevail at the end.

Lenten soup

From my journals of 2003 and 2013: My first few weeks in my new parish in John Day, Oregon in March 2003, also coincided with the last two weeks of Lent, and besides holding the Stations of the Cross on Friday, the Knights of Columbus organized a Fish Fry in the sizeable parish hall, and I was surprised to see over 100 people in attendance, not just parishioners but anyone in town who enjoyed fellowship and fish and chips. The Knights enjoyed cooking the crispy fish, which as far as I remember was called Alaskan pollock. This was held every Friday in Lent. Then when I was in St Francis of Assisi in Bend, from 2013 to 2016, I started another custom by providing our children with soups on Wednesday when they had their weekly Religion class. This was a personal project which I enjoyed doing as I love cooking soups. Most of the time I prepared lentil or split-pea soups, complete with crackers or bread. Children came in droves with their parents, which they also enjoyed a bowl of hearty soup with many complements. Since we had close to 200 children to feed, I had to prepare 3 large pots of soup, and it took a big portion of an afternoon to cut up the celery, carrots, potatoes, onion and diced ham. Everything was diced small and the combination of all the ingredients, plus some cayenne pepper, thyme and salt and pepper created a delicious meal. I always had left-overs which I kept in plastic containers, which I froze and enjoyed on another day. I doubt if they kept this tradition after I left, but that memory remains in my mind as I’m sure it still is a treasured recollection on those who enjoyed my soups over a decade ago. Especially those who had asked for my recipe which I gave out willingly and happily.

A letter to St Joseph

Statue of St Joseph venerated in the Franciscan church in Rabat, Malta

I wrote this fictitious letter to St Joseph, whose feast we celebrate today. We especially pray today for all those named Joseph and Josephine, those nearing death and those searching for work.

Dear Saint Joseph,

Today being your feast day, I thought of writing you a few lines mainly to show my gratitude for all you did for Jesus and Mary, and for us all. Very few people are greater than you are! Because being so close to Jesus and Mary, you are also the most blessed and full of grace. Well, if you weren’t so special and blessed, God would not have trusted you with his two most priceless possessions, marrying Mary, in spite of all the gossiping that was going on before your engagement, and then taking the role of a foster father of Jesus, protecting him, educating him and raising him from infancy to adulthood. You are fairly unknown around the world, but at least at Christmas time your image explodes all around the world with the millions of religious Christmas cards exchanged between families and friends.

We read in the Gospels that God always conveyed his messages to you in dreams and during sleep. This doesn’t mean that He wanted you to be passive, as if you didn’t know what was going on. We never see you in dialogue with Mary, or giving your opinion in stressful situations. But you let Mary handle all situations, as she dialogued with the Angel Gabriel, at the wedding at Cana, or when Jesus was lost in the temple - she spoke, and you were silent. You receive the message, and made sure it was worked out and implemented. That was your divine mission and vocation - to be a silent instrument in the hands of God. I bet you enjoyed teaching Jesus the carpenter’s trade and other duties and chores around the house at Nazareth. 

But like any other boy, I’m sure he had his moments which made you laugh. Did He obey you and Mary? Was He helpful with some household chores? Did He always say His prayers? What did He like to eat? Which vegetable did He dislike? Which toys did He fancy playing with? Did He keep His room clean and in order? What hobbies did he have as a child? Did He always show respect to you and other relatives? Did He ever date any girl as a young man? And like every child you must have been overjoyed hen He grew His first tooth, made His first step by himself,  when He said His first word, even when He learned how to pee by himself, when He started school, when he got his first bump on his forehead and His first scratch on his knee, like all boys do, and many other spontaneous situations.

Please Saint Joseph, just as you protected Mary and Jesus, I ask you to protect our church, of which you are its special patron saint. Give us more vocations because we need priests and nuns to continue the work in parishes, schools, orphanages and hospitals. Give us good parents, responsible and loving, ready to sacrifice their lives for their children and families, just as you and Mary did. Please pray for all workers, that they may honestly give their share of labor and be dedicated in their mission, always admiring you as their patron saint, another feast of yours we celebrate on May 1st. Be patient with us, dear St Joseph, because we tend to be hard-headed and spoiled at times. Remind us always to be grateful for all the blessings that you and your Son and wife give us, day by day.

Signed - a friend and an admirer.

Passion Stamps

The Crucifixion as an Icon from Greece

Many countries fond of philately have issued artistic stamps over the years relating to the Passion of Jesus and Holy Week traditions. Most of them depict some of the famous paintings by artists over the years who have left us beautiful, dramatic images of the suffering and death of Jesus 2000 years ago. Enjoy these few selection of stamps, which can be in themselves a great subject for meditation.

Passion stamps from Fujeira

Set of 14 stamps depicting the Stations of the Cross

St Patrick

The Irish tradition has finally hit even our little island of Malta, mainly demonstrated by the thousands of young people congregating at St. Julian’s for a huge Beer-fest. This spontaneous event is getting bigger and bigger, even though so far has been peaceful with people socializing and just drinking, peeing, drinking, peeing, and then go home and sleep, some of them at 3 AM the next day, maybe even later. And as the world turns green today, the Chicago river turns green with a special dye used today, and as the big New York Irish parade walks down 5th Avenue, here are some Irish blessings which should cheer you up.

May the embers from the open hearth warm your hands,
May the sun's rays from the Irish sky warm your face,
May the children's bright smiles warm your heart,
May the everlasting love I give you warm your soul.

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.

May the hand of a friend always be near you.
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow.
May the soft winds freshen your spirit.

May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you.
May God enfold you in the mantle of His love.
And may you be in heaven
Half an hour before the devil knows you’re gone!

Almighty God Church

Pastor Steve Jones of Almighty God church was delayed going home one night on a Saturday and decided to call his wife that he would be delayed by an hour or so. So he called her but there was no answer. He knew she was home, but strangely, she did not answer. Half an hour later he called again, and she answered right way and quickly alerted her of his delay. He then asked her why she didn't answer before. She said she never heard the phone, or he may have called a wrong number. So they both let it go. The following Monday Steve was again at his parish office and late in the evening he got a call from a student who seemed very despondent. He asked the pastor why he had called him  Saturday evening. Steve did not recognize the number and had no idea who the student was. He told the student that he did not call him, and apologized anyway, especially after it dawned on him that it could have been the first call he made to his wife. The student  told him he didn’t need to apologize for anything, but then continued....’well let me tell you my story. Saturday evening I was very depressed and heart-broken. I broke up from my girlfriend and my grades were very low as I was going through a rough time at school. In fact I had decided to commit suicide Saturday evening. But out of nowhere came this phone call, and when I looked at the phone to see who had called, I saw written on the screen ‘Almighty God...’ the word church didn’t fit on the small screen. That is when I realized that God wanted me here for a reason. Then I started praying, went to sleep and on Sunday I went to church, thanking God why that phone came in at the appropriate time to save my life. When Pastor Steve went home told his wife this story, they embraced each other and cried tears of happiness, as they recalled how a wrong number had saved a young man’s life.

Mary Stuart’s Prayer

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), was Queen of Scotland from December 14, 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. Mar suffered a lot under Queen Elizabeth I and was imprisoned for many years. She was a devout Catholic and was beheaded on February 8, 1587, aged 44. She wrote this beautiful prayer when she was still alive.

Keep us, o God from all pettiness.

Let us be large in thought, in word and in deed.

Let us be done with fault-finding and leave off all self-seeking.

May we put away all pretence and meet each other face to face, without self-pity and without prejudice.

May we never be hasty in judgment, and always be generous.

Let us always take time for all things, and make us to grow calm, serene and gentle.

Teach us to put into action our better impulses, to be straightforward and unafraid.

Grant that we may realize that it is the little things of life that create differences, that in the big things of life, we are as one.

And, o Lord God, let us not forget to be kind. Amen.

Popes – the lighter side

We always see our Popes during official meetings, church services and other solemn occasions. Very rarely we see them relax and enjoying the lighter side of their personal lives. Well, here are three moments caught by the Vatican photographers which make you smile, or even laugh. The first one took place during one of the general audiences of Pope Francis, when a young boy came up on stage. He started chatting with the Pope, then moved to the Swiss Guard, standing in attention as the boy tried to shake hands with him. Both the Pope and Mons Ganswein could not resist a smile, as the security guards were nervous this boy would do something unusual.

The second photo shows Pope Benedict XVI in the back seat of his car, while one of his cats sits next to him in the reserved passenger seat. Benedict loved cats, as well a beer and a playing on his piano. His cats roamed around his office and would often jump on his lap as he was sitting, reading, praying or just trying to write at this desk.

The third photo shows Pope Francis in his earlier years as Pope saluting to a Swiss Guard as he passes by the entrance to the Casa Santa Marta.

Happy Anniversary Pope Francis

Front page of one of the March 14, 2013 newspapers.

It was 12 years ago that Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was chosen by his fellow Cardinals to be the next Pope, choosing the name Francis. The above photo was one of many that appeared the next day in front pages of all the national newspapers. As he continues to recover from the recent hospitalization of pneumonia and bronchitis, we pray for his continual presence in the church at least for a few more years. He was a son of Italian immigrants, one of 5 children. When still a Cardinal he was known to be very humble, rides the bus, cooks his own meals, and even asked to people to bless him just after he was elected. 

Born December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Entered the Society of Jesus: March 11, 1958

Ordained priest: December 13, 1969

Consecrated Bishop: June 27, 1992

Elevated to Cardinal: February 21, 2001

Elected Pope: March 13, 2013

Ad Multos Annos Papa Francesco.

Parent’s prayer for patience

                 
When my son asks me something to test me, give me enough wisdom to give him the best answer.

When I start to show nervousness,  give me a mountain of patience.     

When anger gets the best of me, give me the strength to control it.

When I insist that I deserve to win the argument, teach me to be more flexible.

When I start taking life a little bit too seriously, remind me to add a little sense of humor.

When I feel overwhelmed with my life’s problems, give me the power to tackle them properly.

When I am afraid, and at times terrified,  give me a good dose of courage.

When I am hard-headed, teach me how to calm down and relax before acting irrationally.

When I act double-faced, remind me of the values I grew up with and which my parents taught me.

When I feel the weight of the entire world pressing on me, let me remember the many blessings I have received.

When I lose my way, dear Lord,  bring me back towards the road of joy, love and peace.

Martyrs Shrine a National Shrine

On January 27, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) designated Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, New York, as a National Shrine. This is the place where eight 17th-century Jesuit missionaries, including Saints René Goupil, Isaac Jogues and Jean de Lalande, were killed by the Mohawk tribe. Once a Mohawk village of Osserenon, the location is also the birthplace of St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), a Mohawk who became the first canonized North American Indigenous woman. I visited this place with a group of parishioners in 2001, and this photo is symbolic of this holy place, with three crosses representing 3 of the martyrs, all French Jesuits. Traditionally known as the National Shrine of North American Martyrs after the Jesuit missionaries’ canonization in 1930, the site sees thousands of pilgrims journeying to Auriesville to soak in the rich history and devote themselves to prayer, seeking the saints’ intercession. Though the shrine receives pilgrims from Catholic schools, New York City and, indeed, all over the world, it has become a hub for the Catholic Church in New York state. In 2023, 8,000 people journeyed to the shrine and participated in festivities aligned with the National Eucharistic Revival.

‘You’ll never walk alone.’

The main gate at Liverpool Football stadium

The musical Carousel was written in 1945 by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and in it is one of the most popular tunes ever written, ‘You’ll never walk alone.’ Since the early 1960s, it has become synonymous with the Liverpool Football Club, when their fans sing it before the start of every match. The touching words are very meaningful especially to those who have suffered a loss, a tragedy or a mishap of any sort. Ponder the words...

When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high. And don’t be afraid of the dark.

At the end of a storm is a golden sky and the sweet silver song of a lark.

Walk on through the wind. Walk on through the rain. Though your dreams be tossed and blow, walk on, walk on, with a hope in your heart.

And you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never, ever walk alone. Walk on, walk on with a hope in your heart.

And you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never walk alone.

The gift of music

There is a Jewish legend that says that when God was creating the world, He called all the angels and asked them if there is something missing in what He did. One of them told Him ‘we need somehow to make a sound to thank you, oh Creator.’ And God created the sounds of nature, the wind, birds chirping, parrots mimicking, waterfalls splashing water, the barking and growling of dogs, tigers, penguins and so much more. Then God gave man and woman their voice, and they started to sing, and eventually they created instruments, like drums, harps, flutes from reeds and others. Thus music was created, and through it we can communicate, express our joys and festivities that developed over the centuries. Imagine how boring life would be without sounds, without music. Kahlil Gibran from Lebanon called music the language of our soul. Plato claimed that it’s the medicine of our souls. Pablo Casals, a Spanish musician said that music is a divine way of expressing beautiful things of the heart. And the great Johann Sebastian Bach used to write SDG on each of his hundreds of manuscripts, which means Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone we give glory.) Bach believed that the main purpose of music is to praise God. And when we listen to his Mass in B Minor, and so many of his cantatas and oratorios, we are truly honoring Him by the beauty they evoke.

Pope Francis on Lent

                   
As he continues to recover from pneumonia and other ailments, let us ponder some words shared by Pope Francis on how we can approach this Lenten season.....

Let us abstain from harsh words and show more mercy in our speech.

Let us abstain from anger and be filled with patience.

Let us abstain from complaining and start to trust God more.

Let us abstain from boredom on any occasion and be more grateful towards God and others.

Let us abstain from objecting for no reason and look more positive towards life around us.

Let us abstain from vengeance and start to forgive more freely.

Let us abstain from the bitterness in our actions and cherish the sweetness of life.

Let us abstain from too much chatting and start to appreciate the gift of silence.

Let us abstain from too much stress and find time for mental relaxation and some prayer time.

Let us abstain from pessimism, and be filled with enthusiasm in confronting every day ahead of us.

Let us abstain from egoism and  indifference and show more love towards our fellow men and women.

Prayer 12

This is a section of prayer number 12 from the Book of Prayers, (also known as the Book of Lamentations) by St Gregory of Narek. Since I discovered this book and this newly-canonized saint, I have been overwhelmed by the many beautifully-written prayers to God. If you check further down his biography posted on his feast day on February 27, you can also get a link to the entire Book of Prayers, and see for yourself the variety of meaningful prayers, divided into 95 prayers or chapters.

Accept with sweetness almighty Lord my bitter prayers.

Look with pity upon my mournful face.

Dispel, all-bestowing God, my shameful sadness.

Lift, merciful God, my unbearable burden.

Cast off, potent God, my mortal habits.

Spoil, triumphant God, my wayward pleasures.

Dissipate, exalted God, my wanton fog.

Block, life-giving God, my destructive ways.

Undo, secret-seeing God, my evil entrapments.

Fend off, inscrutable God, my assailants.

Inscribe your name on the skylight of my abode.

Cover the roof of my temple with your hand.

Mark the threshold of my cell with your blood.

Imprint the outside of my door with your sign.

Protect the mat where I rest with your right hand.

Keep my cot pure from all seductions.

Preserve my suffering soul by your will.

Steady the breath of life you have given my flesh.

Surround me with your heavenly host.

Prayer to Christ Crucified

Mdina Cathedral crucifix

All you who are crying, come to Him, because He is crying too.
All you who are suffering, come to Him, because he can heal you.
All you who are afraid, come to Him, because He always has a smile waiting for you.
All you who are hungry, come to Him, because He’ll feed you the Living Bread.
All you who are in darkness, come to Him, because He will guide you with His Light.
All you who are lost, search for His guiding hand, and you will never get lost from now on.
All you who feel persecuted, come to Him because He had his share of persecution too.
All you who are lonely, come close to Him, because He too was very lonely on the Cross.
All you who feel being punished unfairly, just look at Him. He died for you, unfairly.
All you who are dying, come to Him, and you will live forever.

Lent

At the start of this Lenten season, we reflect on three important phrases which the priest will say while marking our foreheads with ashes:

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”
“Turn away from sin, and believe in the Gospel”
“Repent and believe in the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

It is interesting to note that in European countries, including Italy and Malta, the ashes are placed or dropped on top of the head, instead of marked on the forehead as is done in the USA. I also had a custom of asking the people to bring back the old palms or olive branches from last year’s Palm Sunday and I will burn them a few days before, and use the ashes from the burned palms for the celebration of Ash Wednesday. This also shows the continuity between one year and another, from ashes to palms, and from palms to ashes. It is also a reminder of the stark fact that from dust we came, and to dust we will return, as the first phrase proclaims. Some parishes in New York replace the holy water fonts with ashes instead of holy water during Lent. 

Funny photos

To celebrate Mardi Gras and the last day of Carnival, I share with you three cute photos to put a smile on your face. Tomorrow we start the season of Lent, and from now until Easter most of my posts will be related to Lenten reflections and Holy Week. 

Carnival is celebrated in many countries around the world, but curiously enough, other than New Orleans, it had never been a popular holiday in the United States. Yet Brazil goes crazy this weekend, as well as other South American nations, and few European countries too, including Malta.

Treasures

There are treasures in life, but owners are few

Of money and power to buy things brand new.

Yet you can be wealthy and feel regal too,

If you will just look for the treasures in you.

These treasures in life are not hard to find

When you look in your heart, your soul, and your mind.

For when you are willing to share what's within,

Your fervent search for riches will end.

The joy and the laughter, the smile that you bring;

The heart unafraid to love and to sing;

The hand always willing to help those in need;

Ones quick to reach out, to labor and feed.

So thank you for sharing these great gifts inside;

The caring, the cheering, the hug when one cried.

Thanks for the energy, encouragement too,

And thank you for sharing the treasures in you.

Solid Silver

Many of our Maltese churches are adorned with beautiful artefacts, from statues to altars, from candle-stands to ornate vestments, from chalices to monstrances. Then there are the altar fronts, made of solid silver. This particular one is from the Zabbar church museum, which is probably used for the annual Our Lady of Grace feast in mid-September, and then displayed in the parish museum the rest of the year. These works of art and silversmiths are probably 200 to 500 years old, and are displayed in front of the main altar. The ornamentation is truly remarkable, and they were made probably from the silver which parishioners donated over the years, their treasured necklaces, earrings, jugs and bowls and other silver items they had at home.

Carnival time

Today I just share with you some photos from the Carnival being held in Malta this weekend, just before the beginning of Lent. Plenty of floats parade through the streets of the capital city in Valletta, as young revellers dance in their elaborate costumes, in competition to win the prize for the best group. The floats have various moveable parts, along with loud music. You may recognize some of the characters shown here, as they are presented in paper-mache sculptures, which are usually destroyed after the Carnival weekend is over. Some of the mechanisms are kept and another float will be built next year. 

A typical float based on 'Sister Act'

A few families are very dedicated to present colorful floats, which are their pride and joy. The costumes are also meticulously designed, are pretty heavy, but are worn with pride, and since it's colder in February, they don't mind the extra baggage they have to carry.