The Shipwreck of St Paul on Malta

Today is the national holy day as Malta celebrates the day when the faith arrived on our shores. It was the day in 60 AD when St Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta in a fierce north-easterly storm that is graphically recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, the entire chapter 27. It is a chapter that is frequently studied by sailors, oceanographers and maritime experts since it gives detailed account of how ships moved, how currents were controlled and how people traveled by primitive boats and galleys. Then chapter 28 gives us the account of the welcome that St Paul and St Luke received by the inhabitants. This first part of this beloved chapter speaks about three great qualities the Maltese people have shown to their unexpected visitors: hospitality, kindness and generosity. We are all so honored to read these chapters in our Masses today.

“Once we had reached safety we learned that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us extraordinary hospitality; they lit a fire and welcomed all of us because it had begun to rain and was cold. Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire when a viper, escaping from the heat, fastened on his hand. When the natives saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man must certainly be a murderer; though he escaped the sea, Justice has not let him remain alive.” But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm. They were expecting him to swell up or suddenly to fall down dead but, after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.  In the vicinity of that place were lands belonging to a man named Publius, the chief of the island. He welcomed us and received us cordially as his guests for three days. It so happened that the father of Publius was sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and, after praying, laid his hands on him and healed him. After this had taken place, the rest of the sick on the island came to Paul and were cured. They paid us great honor and when we eventually set sail they brought us the provisions we needed.” (Acts 28: 1-10)