My favorite painting

'Triptych of the Holy Rosary' by Hans Suess Von Kulmbach

One of the paintings that struck me the very first moment I saw it is the 'Triptych of the Holy Rosary' by Hans Suess Von Kulmbach (1510,) which is in the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, Madrid. The two side panels show the Presentation of Mary, with St. Joachim and St. Anne at the bottom of the steps, while the other one show Mary’s parents in a loving embrace. The center and more prominent panel is very descriptive, and shows the Crucifixion encircled within the Rosary beads, each Hail Mary symbolized by a rose flower. The 5 Our Fathers are symbolized by 5 crosses, also symbolic of the 5 wounds of Christ. A scene from hell is shown in the bottom, with two angels above and two others below, one of whom I seen saving a baby and the other holding scales in his hands.

The 4 layers of saints are described as follows, from top, left to right: 

1. With God the Father and the Holy Spirit are seen Mary and a variety of angels.
2. Melchizedek, David, Moses, John the Baptist - Peter, Mark, Paul and Luke.
3. Lawrence, George, Erasmus, Stephen, Holy Innocent baby - Gregory, Jerome, Nicholas, Charlemagne.
4. Clare, Agnes, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria - Anne, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Helen.

There will not be any posts over the next few days. Stay tuned.

The Prodigal Son in the key of F

The Prodigal Son by Esteban Murillo

Feeling footloose and frisky a feather-brained fellow forced his fond father to fork over the family finances. He flew far to foreign fields and frittered his fortune feasting fabulously with faithless friends. Finally facing famine and fleeced by his fellows in folly, he found himself a feed-flinger in a filthy farmyard.

Fairly famished he fain would have filled his frame with the foraged foods of the fodder fragments left by the filthy farmyard creatures.

'Fooey', he said, 'My father's flunkies fare far fancier,' the frazzled fugitive found feverishly, frankly facing facts. Frustrated by failure and filled with foreboding he forthwith fled to his family. Falling at his father's feet, he floundered forlornly. 'Father, I have flunked and fruitlessly forfeited family favor.'

But the faithful father, forestalling further flinching frantically flagged the flunkies. 'Fetch forth the finest fatling and fix a feast.' But the fugitive's fault-finding frater frowned on the fickle forgiveness of the former folderol. His fury flashed. But fussing was futile, for the far-sighted  father figured, such filial fidelity is fine, but what forbids fervent festivity.

The fugitive is found. 'Unfurl the flags, with fanfares flaring, let fun and frolic freely flow.' Former failure is forgotten, folly forsaken, forgiveness forms the foundation for future fortitude."

Forgiveness

O God, forgive us for the faults which make us difficult to live with.
If we behave as if we were the only people for whom life is difficult;
If we behave as if we were far harder worked than anyone else;
If we behave as if we were the only people who were ever disappointed, or the only people who ever got a raw deal; If we are far too self-centered and far too full of self-pity:
Forgive us, 0 God.
If we are too impatient to finish the work we have begun; 
If we are too impatient to listen to someone who wants to talk to us, or to give someone a helping hand; 
If we think that other people are fools, and make no attempt to conceal our contempt for them:
Forgive us, 0 God.
If we too often rub people the wrong way;
If we spoil a good case by trying to ram it down someone's throat;
If we do things that get on people's nerves, and go on doing them, even when we are asked not to:
Forgive us, 0 God.
Help us to take the selfishness and the ugliness out of life and to do better in the days to come.

Praying for London

I offer my prayers today to the city of London as another terrorist attack shatters the peaceful and harmonious life of this big, welcoming city. It all happened on one of the most popular bridges and under the shadow of the most historic landmark of London. 
I pray for the victims and their families during these trying days and also for the safety of everyone traveling. May God give eternal peace to those who were innocently killed so suddenly. 

The Marriage of Joseph and Mary

Continuing on the theme of Saint Joseph, I want to share with you a pretty unknown painting which I discovered last Sunday at the Franciscan church where the feast of St Joseph was held in Rabat. I came across this painting by chance, as it was hanging in a small room off the sacristy, hidden by candles, flowers and a cross. Apparently the Franciscans didn’t think anything of it, otherwise they would have displayed it more prominently. But when I removed the items mentioned, I was able to take a quick photo, before anyone would see me. Actually this was the time when the statue of St Joseph was being taken out in procession. So all the eyes of the people were on him, and everyone was inside the main body of the church. 

The anonymous painting reveal the moment when Joseph and Mary are being united in marriage. One can notice that both of them are kneeling and wearing floral crowns, as the bearded high priest, also kneeling, holds both of their hands and they exchange their vows. Various people are invited, as well as neighbors and friends. On the right side one can also notice two bowls on a stand, possibly being filled with wine which the bride and groom would consume. Joseph is holding a staff with spikenard at the end. Spikenard produces an aromatic oil, and was also included in Pope Francis' coat-of-arms. All the people seen in the painting seem focused on the couple as they look in anticipation, ready to rejoice and wish Mary and Joseph many blessings and prayers in anticipation of the birth of Jesus. 

St Joseph's Church

On Sunday I ventured to the church dedicated to St Joseph, in Rabat, Malta, where the celebration of the saint was being celebrated. There was the evening procession in the unusual cooler temperatures of mid-March, so much different than the warm days in July and August, when the majority of village festas are celebrated. 

But I want you to enjoy just a few photos of the beautiful ornate church, dressed up in all its splendor and glory. One of the photos shows a bishop leading the Evening Vespers, while others highlight the tapestries on walls, the chandeliers, the heavy silver sanctuary lamp as well as the painted ceiling. Please click on each photo to enlarge and get a better resolution of this magnificent church, run by the Franciscans. It is not a parish church but is very much loved by many. In two weeks, they will also hold the Good Friday procession with biblical characters and passion statues.

Saint Joseph

Dear St Joseph,
- Today being your feast day, I thought of writing you a few lines mainly to show my gratitude to you for all you did for Jesus and Mary his mother. Very few people are greater than you, because who was ever closer to Mary and Jesus than you. You married Mary even though many people were suspicious of you, and you were patient enough to raise Jesus from his birth to the day you died, and left him as an orphan and his mother as a widow. Joseph, you showed your greatness by your humility. By being humble and quiet and staying always in the background, your image shone forth majestically and we admire the simple life you led, and your courage in taking Mary as your wife, in spite of the gossip that was going on from other people.
- I can only imagine how special and happy was that house in Nazareth, raising Jesus as a baby, a toddler, a young boy and as a teenager. A few questions come to mind:
- Was he obedient to you and his mother? Did he go to sleep on time? Did he get up on time? Did he say his prayers? Did he obey at home? Did he have any sleepovers? Did he have any girlfriends? Did his friends knew how special he was? It hurts me to read that the people of Nazareth threw stones at him when he visited them years later!
- Did he play any tricks on you and Mary? Since he was an only boy, he couldn’t blame his brothers and sisters if something went missing, if something broke. Did he always do his chores? Did he go to school, which were probably different from our schools? Did he do his homework?
- Dear St Joseph, we admire your kindness in dealing with other people. When a stressful situation appeared, you always let Mary handle it, like when Jesus was lost in the temple for 3 days, or like the wedding at Cana, when they ran out of wine. You always stayed in the background, and this also shows that you were respectful of others and avoided any quarrels and conflicts.
- I ask you finally St Joseph to keep our families in your prayers. Just as you protected your family from Herod, from harm and from those who hated you, your wife and your Son, please protect our families and children from danger. I beg you also, please pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We need more priests and sisters to work in our parishes, schools, hospitals and other places. And I finally ask you to remember those who work, those looking for work, especially husbands and fathers who lost their jobs.

The gift of water

Seeing Jesus in today’s Gospel asking a Samaritan woman for water shows his humanity, yet His divinity shines through in this beautiful conversation between the two of them. He offers her special water that needs no replenishing. Whoever drinks of His water will never thirst.  We ask today for this special water that nourishes and cleanses at the same time. Water can also be destructive as happens during a flood, but it also destroys original sin when a baby is baptized. We appreciate the gift of Holy Water that is used so often for blessings of everyday objects. Just this past week, after one of my weekly Masses, I was asked to bless 8 fruit trees, an aquarium, a swimming pool and an architect’s office. The Samaritan woman could have reacted with fear. Yet she responded with courage, and brought the entire village to meet Jesus, who decided to stay with them for 2 days. So we thank you Lord today for this gift, and may we always feel nourished by Your life-giving water, and respond to your invitation with courage and gratitude.

Interesting Trivia

A Sumatran Tiger

Some interesting trivia for you today:

 - Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
 - In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.
 - There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
 - There are more chicken than people in the world.
 - The longest one syllable word in the English language is screeched.
 - On the Canadian two-dollar bill, the flag flying over the Monument is an American flag.
 - The Name for the Wizard of Oz was thought up when the creator, Frank Baum looked at a filing cabinet and saw the files categories in two batches A-N and O-Z, hence Oz.
 - The microwave was invented when a researched walked by a radar tube, and a
chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
 - The average person falls asleep in 7 minutes. 
 - 'Stewardesses' is the longest word you can type with the left hand.
 - How come “abbreviated” is a such a long word ?
 - Why do we put suits in a garment back, and put garments in a suitcase ?
 - Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of a bottle ?
 - Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
 - Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.
 - A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
 - No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver or purple.
 - Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.
 - Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.
 - There are only four words in the English language which end in "‑dous":
tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.
 - Los Angeles's full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de
los Angeles de Porciuncula."

Saint Patrick

St. Patrick was of Romano-British origin, and born about the year 389 AD. His father, Calpurnius, was a deacon, and Patrick's own full name was probably Patricius Magonus Sucatus. When he was 16, he was captured in Britain by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Ireland. During six bleak years spent as a herdsman, he turned with fervor to his faith. Hearing at last in a dream that the ship in which he was to escape was ready, he fled his master and found passage to Britain. There he came near to starvation and suffered a second brief captivity before he was reunited with his family. Thereafter, he became a priest and eventually a bishop. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland and probably responsible in part for the Christianization of the Anglo-Saxons. In a dream vision it seemed “all the children of Ireland from their mothers’ wombs were stretching out their hands” to him. He understood the vision to be a call to do mission work in pagan Ireland. Despite opposition from those who felt his education had been defective, he was sent to carry out the task. He went to the west and north, where the faith had never been preached, obtained the protection of local kings and made numerous converts. 

Because of the island’s pagan background, Patrick was emphatic in encouraging widows to remain chaste and young women to consecrate their virginity to Christ. He ordained many priests, divided the country into dioceses, held Church councils, founded several monasteries and continually urged his people to greater holiness in Christ. He suffered much opposition from pagan druids and was criticized in both England and Ireland for the way he conducted his mission. Patrick died about 461, and was buried in the vicinity of the future Cathedral town of Down. 

Legends about Patrick abound; but truth is best served by our seeing two solid qualities in him: He was humble and he was courageous. The determination to accept suffering and success with equal indifference guided the life of God’s instrument for winning most of Ireland for Christ.

One of his famous quotes is called the Breastplate of St. Patrick:
“Christ shield me this day: 
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, 
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, 
Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, 
Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me, 
Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me”

The Passion Flower

Known also as the passion flowers or passion vines, Passiflora is a genus of about 500 species of flowering plants, the namesakes of the family Passifloraceae. They are mostly vines, with some being shrubs. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish Christian missionaries adopted the unique physical structures of this plant, particularly the numbers of its various flower parts, as symbols of the last days of Jesus and especially his crucifixion:
The Blue Passion Flower (Passiflora Caerulea) shows most elements of the Christian symbolism
The pointed tips of the leaves were taken to represent the lance that pierced Jesus’ side.
The tendrils represent the whips used in the flagellation of Christ.
The ten petals and sepals represent the ten faithful apostles (excluding St. Peter and Judas Iscariot)

The flower's radial filaments, which can number more than a hundred and vary from flower to flower, represent the crown of thorns.

The chalice-shaped ovary with its receptacle represents the chalice or the Holy Grail.
The 3 stigmas represent the 3 nails and the 5 anthers below them the 5 wounds (four by the nails and one by the lance).
The blue and white colors of many species' flowers represent Heaven and Purity.
I took the above photos in Malta, where the Passion flowers grow profusely, especially in the spring.

Infiorata

Just a few days after the Azure Window disappeared, and when people were afraid that interest in our sister island of Gozo will start to decrease, another beautiful display of craftsmanship was held this past weekend. It was a floral extravaganza called Infiorata, whereby colored flower petals were placed on the ground to create various designs, as seen from these photos. This needed a lot of planning, and lots of prayers for a calm windy-less few days. The street that led to the Cathedral church in Victoria, Gozo was literally painted with floral designs. Another design to celebrate Malta’s present Presidency in the European Union was held further up the road. 

Something similar to this is held in Spain on the feast of Corpus Christi and in many Central American countries during Holy Week. Infiorata comes from the word fiore, meaning flower, and this display once again shows the craftsmanship of many Maltese and Gozitan enthusiasts, who will further show their Holy Week statues and other passion artifacts over the next few weeks. Stay tuned for much more to come.

The Crucifixion

This is one of the earliest known depictions of the Crucifixion in Christian art. It was made in Rome about AD 420‑30, at a time when the Roman empire in Western Europe was fragmenting. The panel is one of four, originally mounted on the sides of a small ivory casket, each carved with a scene from Christ’s Passion. This panel is exhibited at the British Museum in London.

In this image the Crucifixion is combined with another scene of death: the suicide of the disciple Judas after he has betrayed Jesus. The stiff, clothed body of Judas pulls down the branch of a tree, and a spilled sack of coins lies at his feet. In contrast the exposed limbs of Christ still appear vigorous, and he gazes at the viewer, triumphant in death. A plaque over Christ’s head is inscribed REX IUD (King of the Jews). The Virgin Mary and John the Baptist stand to the left of the cross, while on the right Longinus steps from beneath the arm of the cross, just before he pierces Jesus’ side with a lance.

Miniature churches

Presently an interesting exhibition is taking place in Malta, in preparation for Holy Week and Easter. Enthusiasts of miniature churches, statues and other religious artefacts are exhibiting their craftsmanship and artwork. More photos will appear over the next few weeks, even from past exhibitions, but these are just three photos from the present exhibition. 

One can see miniature altars all dressed up for the special occasion of their particular feast, the first one being St Helena and the second one St Dominic. The exhibits are complete with candlesticks, credence tables, floral bouquets, chairs and statues. The third photos shows the entire exhibition on display. 

Why people pray

A minister dies and, resplendent in his clerical collar and colorful robes, is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. Just ahead of him is a guy dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans. Saint Peter addresses this guy, "Who are you, so that I may know whether or not to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven?" The guy replies, "I'm Joe Green, taxi-driver, of Noo Yawk City." Saint Peter consults his list. He smiles and says to the taxi-driver, "Take this silken robe and golden staff, and enter into the Kingdom." So the taxi-driver goes into Heaven with his robe and staff, and now the minister is at the first of the line. He stands erect and, without being asked, proclaims, "I am Joseph Snow, head pastor of Saint Mary's for the last forty-three years." Saint Peter consults his list. Looking up, he says to the minister, "Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the Kingdom of Heaven." "Just a minute," says the minister. "That man was a taxi-driver, and you issued him a silken robe and golden staff; but I get wood and cotton. How can this be?" "Up here, we work by results," says Saint Peter. "While you preached, people slept; while he drove, (recklessly, fast and carelessly,) people prayed."

For this I thank you, Lord

Unto You, my Lord, I pledge my feeble body. 

Not to be healed but to be forgiven. 

Not to be recreated in my own image, but to be created in your own image. 

Not to grieve but to have hope. 

Not to have questions but to have answers.

Not to have anger but to have understanding. 

Not to have fear but to have commitment. 

Not to have ideals but to have concrete ideas. 

Not to be ruled but to rule myself. 

Not to have love, but to be love and give love to others.

Not to take but to share.

Not to critique but to know.

Not to complain but to be thankful for each day You give me.

For this and all things I say thanks.

The Azure Window

An iconic part of Malta’s heritage is no more. The Azure Window on the western side of the island of Gozo, the sister island of Malta collapsed on Wednesday March 8^th at 9:40 AM. It is situated in the area called Dwejra. Yes, we were experiencing a severe storm when it happened, but obviously the collapse was the result of years of erosion, sea water splashing on the massive boulder that created such a scenic view for tourists and locals alike. The natural arch was photographed millions of times by photographers from around the world, and 80% of the visitors to the island of Gozo, made sure to visit the Azure Window. They posed in front of it, while a few others ventured to walk on it, something was prohibited over the past few months. 

The Azure Window used as a backdrop for the 1981 movie "Clash of the Titans"

From the photos one can see that it was much fuller in size, as was the case when it was used as a backdrop for the movie “Clash of the Titans,” filmed in 1981. Recent photos show the horizontal part crumbling piece by piece. The window was used as a backdrop also in the movies “The Odyssey” (1997), “The Count of Monte Cristo” (2002) and HBO’s TV series “Game of Thrones.” The Azure Window was created after two limestone sea caves collapsed. Researchers say that it was created around the 1870s. The flagship of the Gozitan touristic sites has sunk in its same birth place from where for many decades, it stood high and proud heralding one of the natural beauties the little island is endowed with. 

All Gozitans as well as Maltese were saddened with this loss. Although Dwejra had been "orphaned" with the loss, the tourism community in Gozo believed Dwejra would continue to attract thousands of tourists every day.

Grunewald's Crucifixion - part 3

During this last meditation on Grünewald’s depiction of the crucifixion of Christ, we focus today on the body of Jesus, wrapped in a loincloth. Most of the crucified were nailed naked to intensify the shame. Here we see the body lacerated by the previous flogging, leaving many marks which bled profusely. Some splinters are still stuck to his body. Even the cloth is ripped, showing that the flogging soldiers showed no mercy at all, and lashed him all over his body. To the casual observer, Grünewald’s Crucifixion evokes empathy in the face of another’s torment. Through the eyes of faith the Christian disciple is led a step further. For in pondering this image we can be moved through beauty to enter into the redemptive meaning of Christ’s suffering. For through this visual homily, Grünewald, the painter, encourages us along the Lenten journey to persevere in our own daily patterns of dying and rising to new life.

This painting was commissioned for the Antoinite monastery at Isenheim, painted between 1510 and 1515 and was intended to give support to patients in the monastic hospital. Christ appears hideous, his skin swollen and torn as a result of the flagellation and torture that He endured. Even the horizontal beam of the cross looks tired as it sags with the weight of Christ’s body adding to the mood of the moment. This was understandably a powerful image in a hospital that specialized in caring for those suffering from skin complaints. In this painting, we are hemmed in by the immensities of darkness, alone with pain, forced to face the truth. The Old Testament often talks of a “suffering servant”, and obviously Grünewald's Crucifixion comes to mind when we think of this metaphor. Gothic art had reached an electrifying greatness in this particular heart-wrenching painting.

Grunewald's Crucifixion - part 2

Continuing our meditation on the crucifixion by Mathias Grünewald, we focus today on the hands and feet of Jesus, pierced mercilessly by atrocious nails. One can see the contortions of the muscles in one of his hands. Those were the same hands that helped his father in the carpenter’s shop in Nazareth, the same hands that helped his mother Mary in daily domestic chores. Those were the same hands that changed the water into wine, that healed many sick people, that raised Lazarus and others. Those were the hands that fed the five thousand men, that changed the bread and wine into His own Body and Blood. And now those same hands are being tortured. These same hands were shown to Thomas after the Resurrection, and later on blessed the apostles before Jesus ascended into heaven.

The feet of Jesus too are depicted in a most gruesome way. They too were nailed to the wood of the cross, pierced most probably through the navicular or cuneiform bones. These were the same feet that trod the hills of Galilee, that climbed the Mount of the Beatitudes, Mount Tabor and finally the Mount of Olives. These were the same feet that walked on water. The same feet that as a little child ran and jumped and played with his friends.  These were the feet that climbed the hill of Calvary, that fell three times on the way there. Grünewald paints the feet as if resting temporarily on a horizontal piece of wood, so that the crucified can rest his feet and still be able to breathe, prolonging the painful death. 

             (tomorrow - the body of Jesus)

Grunewald’s Crucifixion - part 1

Matthias Grunewald’s Crucifixion

Father Benedict Groeschel writes that the one crucifixion painting that moves him the most is the one painted by Mathias Grünewald. I went searching for it and as you can see, he was absolutely right. If we can only comprehend what the crucifixion looked like, this is it. For the next 3 days I will share a brief reflection on this moving painting, focusing on various sections of it. The painting actually forms part of the central panel of the Isenheim altarpiece, painted between 1510 and 1515. 

Like a preacher on Good Friday, Grünewald left nothing undone to bring home to us the horrors of this scene of suffering: Christ's dying body is distorted by the torture of the cross; the thorns of the scourges stick in the festering wounds which cover the whole figure. The dark red blood forms a glaring contrast to the sickly green of the flesh. By His features and the impressive gesture of His hands, the Man of Sorrows speaks to us of the meaning of His Calvary. His suffering is reflected in the traditional group of Mary, in the garb of a widow, fainting in the arms of St John the Evangelist, to whose care the Lord has commended her, and in the smaller figure of St Mary Magdalene with her vessel of ointments, wringing her hands in sorrow. On the other side of the Cross, there stands the powerful figure of St John the Baptist with the ancient symbol of the lamb carrying the cross and pouring out its blood into the chalice of the Holy Communion.  
                                                                         (to be continued)

Fasting and Feasting

Many people focus so much on the fasting aspect of Lent, that they overlook the feasting aspect. Yes, it's OK to avoid the negatives, but it's just as important to accentuate the positives.

Fast on criticism, feast on praise
Fast on resentment, feast on contentment
Fast on self-pity, feast on happiness
Fast from hatred, feast on peace
Fast from jealousy, feast on love
Fast from pride, feast on humility
Fast from selfishness, feast on service
Fast on apathy, feast on faith
Fast from complaining, feast on appreciation
Fast from carelessness, feast on commitment
Fast from egoism, feast on altruism
Fast from gossiping, feast on concern
Fast from laziness, feast on prayer
Fast from anger, feast on joy
Fast from dishonesty, feast on sincerity
Fast from frowning, feast on smiling
Fast from pessimism, feast on optimism
Fast from revenge, feast on forgiveness
Fast from anxiety, feast on hope
Fast from sensual temptation, feast on purity
Fast from taking, feast on giving

Fast from fear, feast on courage
Fast from impatience, feast on tolerance
Fast from cheating, feast on honesty
Fast from fighting, feast on reconciling 
Fast from the TV, feast on some spiritual reading
Fast from the newspaper, feast on the bible
Fast from competition, feast on teamwork
Fast from passive indifference, feast on positive action
Fast from yourself, feast on Jesus & others.

Temptations

On this first Sunday of Lent, we see Jesus being tempted by the devil in the desert, and then we see him in prayer, while encouraging the people to “repent and believe in the gospel.” This was the same message of John the Baptist in Advent as it was last Wednesday on Ash Wednesday. The three temptations which the devil used to tempt or test Jesus were of magic...'turn these stones into bread,' fantasy.....'jump from here and the angels will come and catch you,' and of power.....'bow down and adore me.' May I suggest this guideline to help you throughout your Lenten journey:

Repent - admit of your weaknesses and ask for forgiveness.
Return - come back to church where you can find comfort and consolation.
Reorient yourself - make the adjustments you need.
Resolve to change - ask God to help you make the changes you need for a better life.
Rejoice - be happy with the person that is your NEW YOU.
Remember - the blessings you received, so that you don’t start taking God for granted.

Confession

An impressive few photos to share with you today as Pope Francis prepares to lead a Penitential Service at the Vatican, and then goes on to hear confessions himself. But two years ago, the one thing that surprised everyone is the fact that before he entered his confessional, he himself went to confess, across from his own confessional. It was yet another humbling scene of this Argentinian Pope. A few weeks earlier he helped out in hearing confessions at another venue when young people were gathered.

In his homily, among other things, Pope Francis had said: Conversion is not a matter of a moment or a year, but is a commitment that lasts a lifetime. Who among us can be assumed not to be a sinner? No one. The Apostle John writes: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” The Pope then referred to an essential element of the Christian life.

He encouraged us to put on the new man. This new life allows one to look at reality with different eyes, without being distracted by things that do not matter and cannot last long. For this we are called to abandon sinful behavior and fix our gaze on that which is essential. Behold the difference between the life deformed by sin and the life illumined by grace. From the heart of the man renewed according to God come good behaviors: always to speak with truth and avoid any lie; to steal not, but rather to share what you have with others; especially with those in need; not to give in to anger, resentment and revenge, but to be gentle, magnanimous and ready to forgive; not to fall into backbiting that ruins people’s good name, but to look more rather on each person’s positive side.

Where there is Love......

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat." "Is the man of the house home?" they asked. "No", she said. "He's out." "Then we cannot come in," they replied. 

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened. "Go tell them I am home and invite them in!" The woman went out and invited the men in. "We do not go into a House together," they replied. "Why is that?" she wanted to know. One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home." The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!" His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?" 

Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!" "Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest." The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest." Love got up and started walking toward the house. 

 The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?" The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!!!!"

MY WISH FOR YOU........ Where there is pain, I wish you peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubting, I wish you a renewed confidence in your ability to work through them. Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I wish you understanding, patience, and renewed strength. Where there is fear, I wish you love, and courage. And where there is Love, you will find Success and Wealth.

Prayer to Christ Crucified

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.

Ash Wednesday

Pope Francis receives ashes on his head

The season of Lent today starts with a double reminder, of our mortality, and of our need to do penance. Two of the phrases priests will say as they impose ashes on people’s foreheads today precisely suggest two ways to prepare for this holy season. “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” reminds us all of our mortality, a fact we all have to face some time or another. On the other hand the priest may say “Repent and believe in the Good News of Jesus Christ,” encouraging us to do penance and turn away from sin. This is also a time to do less and to do more. Less of the complaining, less of the vices and pleasures we all like, less of the anger, impatience, disrespect and aloofness that we show to others. And more of the respect, more of the kindness we show, more of the concern and genuine interest, love and compassion we show towards others in the many simple ways that we come across in our daily lives. 

Pope Benedict XVI receives ashes on his head

In Malta and Italy the custom is that the ashes are placed on top of the head of people, unlike other countries when a cross is traced on the forehead of each person. This has been my custom for the past 35 years in the USA, but now I have to go back to the other custom, ashes on the head.  Even the ashes are made from burning olive branches not palms. Since we don’t have any palm trees in Malta, people receive olive branches on Palm Sunday, and the old ones are burned to produce ashes, as I did over the past few days. Join me in the next 40 days as I share with you reflections and meditations, traditions and customs that make Lent and Holy Week a most reverent and devout period of the year.