A Marian stole

To end this year, I send you greetings with a Marian theme, wearing a beautiful stole I came across in the parish at Naxxar. I had to take a picture wearing it, and a few close-ups of the beautiful embroidery done on it. It was manufactured in Belgium, and it has 12 scenes from the life of the Blessed Mother. May the Blessed Virgin Mary protect us all throughout the New Year, and as we start the year honoring her as our Mother and the mother of Jesus, we implore her to guide us safely in 2020.

     

City of Lights

The entrance to the capital city Valletta was turned into a spectacular display of lights with a carousel, a large Ferris-wheel, other attractions with plenty of lights as well as a skating rink, literally an ice-skating rink, in an island where the temperatures never get below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Throngs of people, families with children and inquisitive individuals and photographers like myself descended on this place, both during the day and in the evening. 

These two photos show the comparison between day and night, and I’m sure there will be quite a sight at the stroke of midnight on January 1st, 2020.

The Holy Family

The Holy Family by the Le Nain brothers

Today 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 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 Beverly Hills California, Buckingham Palace in London, St Julian’s, New York or Oregon, or Nazareth in the Holy Land, boys will be boys!

Il Bambino

The center of Christmas is baby Jesus, and in every church, baby Jesus is placed at the main altar. In Malta, we call him il Bambino, little baby. This image you see here is the baby we have in my childhood church at St Julian’s old parish church. Let us remember today the many children who suffer and are abused, those who have to flee their country as immigrants with the parents, often separated from them. Let us remember today, the feast of the Holy Innocents, the many boys that were killed by Herod when Jesus was born. They sacrificed their lives for another boy they never met, and never knew. We pray today also for the innumerable number of unborn babies that were killed through abortion. And we pray for many unwed women who are carrying babies that they will courageously continue with their pregnancy and find the motivation to raise their babies with love and affection. If not, at least give them up for adoption. We pray for all bambini today, all our precious children.

Impressive Nativity

Plenty of exhibitions are going on right now in Malta, the result of incredible craftsmanship that so many young people show with their hands and their heads. This particular one was displayed in a garage in Balzan, along with a few other nativities. 

The entire nativity on display

But this one impressed me the most with its detail and the clever way in which it was crafted, using little base space, but plenty of characters spread at different levels. Enjoy these photos I took of this masterpiece, and please, do click on each photo to see a detailed close-up of some particular scenes.

Two Maltese traditions

There are two Maltese traditions connected to Christmas which take place on Christmas Eve. The first one is a procession with the manger of Baby Jesus held throughout the streets of most parishes, ending in the parish church. A small band playing carols and Christmas hymns accompany the children, 4 of whom carry the manger. Lanterns and candles are also part of the festive procession. Once inside the church, some children are chosen to preach a brief sermon on the Christmas story. It could be one child, or in some cases two, while I was able to get three siblings this year to help in the homily, answering a few questions about their participation and preparation for Christmas. In the past it was always an altar boy dressed in his cassock and surplice to deliver the Christmas sermon, always held just before the midnight Mass.

In my chapel with Thomas, Jeremy, and Sophie Zammit.

Well, I’m not fond of midnight Masses, and besides, I have to celebrate three evening Masses and three morning Masses on Christmas. So the Masses are at 5 PM, 7 PM and 8:30PM, with the morning Masses at 7 AM, 10:30 AM, and 11:30 AM. So between 10 PM on Christmas Eve and 5 AM, I try to get some sleep. Many other traditions are becoming more popular in Malta, like a big meal hosted by the church for those who spend Christmas alone, and a huge fund-raiser on December 26 for charity and a foundation to help sick children who need special care abroad.

Christ is born!

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.
 

  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….

May the Light of Christ in your heart be shared with your loved ones, families and friends.

A Blessed Christmas to all visitors of this Blog.

Christmas Greetings

I share with you all Christmas greetings in various languages.

Argentine - Felices Pascuas y Feliz Año Nuevo.
Armenian - Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand.
Bohemian - Vesele Vanoce.
Bulgarian - Tchestita Koleda.
Chinese - Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan.
Croatian - Srecna Nova Godina I Srecan Bozic.
Czech - Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok.
Danish - Glædelig Jul.
Dutch - Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar.
English - Merry Christmas.
Estonian - Roomsaid joulupuhi ja onnerikast uut aast.
Filipino - Maligayang Pasko at manibagong baong taon.
Finnish - Hyvaa joulua.
French - Joyeux Noël.
German - Froehliche Weihnachten.
Greek - Kala Christouyenna.
Hawaiian - Mele Kalikimaka.
Hebrew - Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova.
Hindi - Shub Naya Baras. (also Sando Xanga)
Hungarian - Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket.
Icelandic - Gledileg Jol.
Indonesian - Selamat Hari Natal.
Iraqi - Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah.

Irish - Nollaig Shona Dhuit.
Italian - Buon Natale.
Japanese - Meri Kurisumasu.
Korean - Sung Tan Chuk Ha.
Lithuanian - Linksmu Kaledu.
Maltese - Il-Milied it-Tajjeb.
Norwegian - God Jul.
Peru - Felices Fiestas.
Polish - Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia.
Portuguese - Boas Festas.
Rumanian - Sarbatori Fericite.
Russian - S Rozhdestvom.
Serbia - Hristos se rodi.
Slovak - Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok.
Spanish - Feliz Navidad.
Swedish - God Jul.
Turkish - Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun.
USA - A Merry Christmas
U.K. - Happy Christmas.
Ukrainian - Srozhdestvom Kristovym.
Vietnamese - Chung Mung Giang Sinh.
Welsh - Nadolig Llawen.

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 highlighted in our Gospel readings these last few days prior to Christmas. A touching picture I found is the encounter of Mary and Elizabeth as their babies also rejoice at their first encounter. In 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, which is originally portrayed in the movie “The Nativity Story.” I am sure that most pregnant women, besides being anxious about the countdown to delivery, are filled with joy and exuberance because of the blessed event about to take place.

And when two pregnant women meet, no doubt they talk and smile and laugh about their babies kicking and moving around. They all have incredible stories to tell and share. Just like my mother who always told me that when I was born, it was either me or her surviving. Thankfully we both did. And it was only towards the end of my grandmother’s life that she told me why the anxiety and the me-or-her option – simply because I was born with feet first. That probably explains also why I love feet and love to wear sandals and flip-flops. Another artist reproduced the encounter of Mary and Elizabeth, and it is one of my favorites. I hope it becomes yours too.

More Christmas decorations

Neapolitan presepio in Divine Mercy church, Naxxar, Malta

I share again with you a few more decorations I come across in our small island, preparing itself for this festive season. Simplicity, spirituality, and sensitivity are the qualities that highlight most of the decorations. The trees, stars and glittering lights are becoming more prominent, but the center of attraction remains baby Jesus, who will be displayed in presepios, nativities, and especially in churches. Neapolitan nativities are also becoming more common with elaborate statues, draped in real clothes and with ethnic backgrounds.

Christmas Lights

Street lights at Naxxar, Malta

Beautiful displays of Christmas lights abound in Malta and they seem to be increasing year by year. Streets and squares are well lit up by artistic designs that will enlighten common neighborhoods for a few weeks, usually until January 6. Just about every town and village has its own characteristic imprint on the Christmas season. I will share more similar photos, as well as various nativities displayed by enthusiasts who spend weeks and months working on their creations.

Street lights at San Gwann, Malta

House decoration at Naxxar

Christmas flowers

Three Christmas Flowers are very popular at this time of the year, and this is a little information on each of them:

The Poinsettia - (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a culturally and commercially important plant species of the diverse family that is indigenous to Mexico and Central America. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. It derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, who introduced the plant into the United States in 1825.

The Christmas Cactus - (Schlumbergera) is a small genus of cacti with six species found in the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil. Plants grow on trees or rocks in habitats which are generally shady with high humidity and can be quite different in appearance from their desert-dwelling cousins. Most species of Schlumbergera have stems that resemble leaf-like pads joined one to the other and flowers that appear from areoles at the joints and tips of the stems. In Brazil, the genus is referred to as Flor de Maio (May flower), reflecting the period in which they flower in the Southern Hemisphere. This genus contains the popular house plants known by a variety of names including Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus, Crab Cactus, and Holiday Cactus. In Europe, these plants are largely produced for sale in the period before Christmas and are called: Weihnachtskaktus in German, Cactus de Noël in French, and Cacto de Navidad in Spanish.

Star of Bethlehem - (Ornithogalum) is a genus of perennial plants mostly native to southern Europe and southern Africa belonging to the family Asparagaceae. There are some species native to other areas such as the Caucasus. Growing from a bulb, species have linear basal leaves and a slender stalk, up to 30 cm or more tall, bearing clusters of typically white star-shaped flowers, often striped with green. The common name of the genus, Star-of-Bethlehem, is based on its star-shaped flowers, after the Star of Bethlehem that appeared in the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus.

December prayer

Dear God, deliver me from the phony Christmas; the one that reaches its materialistic tentacles out to capture me and rob me of the real thing. Deliver me from the mania and madness of harried schedules, from frantic shopping... the acquiring of goods for people who don't need them, don't want them, won't wear them and can't use them. Save me from the folly of mood changes brought on by holly, mistletoe, wreaths, boughs, and eggnog. For once, O God, clear my ears of the ringing of the cash register and the clanging of bells and in their place let me hear the angel's song. For once let me fill my soul with the reading of the Christ-child, the wise men, the angels, and the star, instead of feeding my body on fruitcakes and caloried candies and cakes.
O Lord, don't let me fall prey again to all the trappings of the season to the point that I miss the real event. Lord, deliver me from over fondness of food, a yearning to party, the urge to spend with the plastic cards, the temptation to spend hundreds of dollars or euros in on-line spending. And Lord, in the giving and exchanging of myriads of gifts, let me not forget to give a worthy gift to Him whose birthday it really is.

Christmas Joy

 This is time to receive Joy, but also time to share it, certainly not to keep it to yourself.
- Christmas Joy is in the fact that you can make people forget about the past with a present.
- Christmas Joy is seeing our children singing their hearts out during their Christmas program.
- Christmas Joy is reading a message from a young girl that all she wants for Christmas is “some time from daddy to stay at home with us.”
- Christmas Joy is seeing people checking my blog every morning, and informing me that I was late when I did not post my daily entry by 9 AM.
- Christmas Joy is sharing a reflection every day, especially sharing memories of how other people celebrate Christmas.
- Christmas joy is when I receive e-mails from our college students, especially after I share with them some photos of Malta.
- Christmas Joy is seeing a very attentive congregation every time I preach and when I celebrate Mass.
- Christmas Joy is seeing more people giving me CDs to burn them my collection of Christmas music or photos.
- Christmas Joy is seeing long lines of people coming for confession.
- Christmas Joy is hearing someone tell me “Thanks Father for praying for me - the doctor says I’m gonna be fine.”
- Christmas Joy is seeing all children on their best behavior, and their behavior gets even nicer the closer we come to Christmas.
- Christmas Joy is being able to smile, hold a warm hand, hug a friend and be happy that you lived through another year.
- Christmas Joy is visiting beautiful churches and nativities as so many craftsmen and aficionados create their own presepio, as visitors admire their work, being exhibited during the Christmas season.

A Tree for my friends

                        *

                                   This
                                                                       Xmas,
                                                                      I would
                                                                    like to put
                                                                up a tree in my
                                                             heart, and instead
                                                           of hanging presents,
                                                         I would like to put the
                                                        names of all my friends.
                                                    Close friends and not so close
                                                 friends. The old friends, the new
                                              friends. Those that I see every day
                                         and the ones that I rarely see. The ones
                                       that I always remember and the ones that
                                    I sometimes forget. The ones that are always
                                there and the ones that seldom are. The friends of
                               difficult times and the ones of happy times. Friends
                         who, without meaning to, I have hurt, or without meaning
                     to, have hurt me. Those that I know well and those I only know
                   by name. Those that owe me little and those that I owe so much. 
               My humble friends and my important friends. The names of all those
              that have passed through my life no matter how fleetingly. A tree with
                                                  very deep roots and very long
                                                    and strong branches so that
                                                     their names may never be
                                                     plucked from my heart. So
                                                       that new names from all
                               over may join the existing ones. A tree with a very
                                pleasant shade so that our friendship may take a
                                moment of rest from the battles of life. "May the
                                  happy moments of Christmas brighten every
                                    day of 2020". These are my sincere wishes.

Boris, Donald and the rest

I never write posts on politics, but I could not resist this one after seeing this funny cartoon in ‘The Economist.’ It shows two leaders who had their share of ups and downs, Donald Trump, the US President who is about to be impeached, and Boris Johnson who just won an election as the British Prime Minister, ready to exit the European Union. However, there are other leaders who are in turmoil or rejoicing in exuberance. For example, while Netanyahu is still trying to form a government in Israel, Finland just elected a fairly young female Prime Minister. On the other hand, right here in Malta, we are going through a hectic time with stories of corruption, which led to the Prime Minister to resign, besides other ministers and a chief-of-staff also resigning, as investigations about the murder of a well-known journalist are undergoing in court. These stories have dominated the news throughout most of November and still ongoing as we approach Christmas, with some severe repercussions on the economy as people are afraid of venturing out to shop, while daily protests dominate and obstruct the entrance to the capital city, Valletta. Add to this the volcanic eruption in New Zealand, devastating fires in Australia, floods in Venice and other parts of the world, making it an almost catastrophic end-of-the-year scenario. But I hope at least I brought a temporary smile on your face as you look at Twitterdum and Twaddledee.

Happy Anniversary Pope Francis

Padre Jorge Bergoglio, when he was ordained a priest, December 13, 1969.

It was on December 13, 1969 that Jorge Bergoglio was ordained a priest. Little did know on that day that 50 years later he would be the leading the Catholic Church as the Vicar of Christ, as Pope Francis. A few months after his election as Pope, he issued a long letter, called an Apostolic Exhortation, called Evangelium Gaudium (The Gospel of Joy) which is filled with warnings, encouragement, and challenges, all rooted in a pastor's love for the flock. He speaks in general how our religion, our Gospel is one of joy. These are some extracts from it:

“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting Him encounter them.“
“People should seek to abandon the complacent attitude that says: ‘We have always done it this way’. I invite everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective communities.”
On difficulties we have to face, Pope Francis writes: “Let us not say, then, that things are harder today; they are simply different. But let us learn also from the saints who have gone before us, who confronted the difficulties of their own day.“

He speaks about Joy - “Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a thousand conditions were met. To some extent, this is because our ‘technological society has succeeded in multiplying occasions of pleasure, yet has found it very difficult to create, enhance and engender joy’.” Happy 50th anniversary of priesthood, dear Pope Francis.

A Playmobil Nativity

A few years ago, while visiting my family in Malta, I found in my nephews' collection of toys a Christmas Nativity set produced by Playmobil. I also found out that these little figures are assembled in Malta, in a big factory which was built over three decades ago. Playmobil is a line of toys produced by the Brandstatter Group, headquartered in Zirndorf, Germany. This ever-growing company was started in 1975 and even though the plastic pieces are made in Germany, they are all assembled in Malta, which gives every box the distinctive honor of seeing "Made in Malta" on every box produced. The signature Playmobil toy is a 7.5 cm (approximately 3 inches) tall (1:24 scale) human figure, in its early days known as a "klicky". A wide range of accessories, buildings, and vehicles, as well as many sorts of animals, are also part of the Playmobil line. Playmobil toys are produced in themed series of sets as well as individual special figures and playsets. New products and product lines developed by a 50-strong development team are introduced frequently, and older sets are discontinued. Recently a full-length movie was produced with these cute characters. The nativity is complete with camels, kings, Santa Claus and a few rabbits, very popular in Malta, even as a delicious meal.

St Lucy

We celebrate today the feast of Saint Lucy, one of the early young martyrs of the Catholic church. Lucy's name means "light", with the same root as "lucid" which means "clear and radiant." Unfortunately for us, Lucy's history does not match her name. Shrouded in the darkness of time, all we really know for certain is that this brave woman who lived in Syracuse lost her life in the persecution of Christians in the early fourth century. Her veneration spread to Rome so that by the sixth century the whole Church recognized her courage in defense of the faith. Her mother tried to arrange a marriage for her with a pagan. Lucy apparently knew that her mother would not be convinced by a young girl's vow so she devised a plan to convince her mother that Christ was a much more powerful partner for life. Eventually, her mother listened to Lucy's desire and she committed her life to God. Unfortunately, her bridegroom did not see the same light and he betrayed Lucy to the governor as a Christian. This governor tried to send her into prostitution but the guards who came to take her away found her stiff and heavy as a mountain. Finally, she was killed. As much as the facts of Lucy's specific case are unknown, we know that many Christians suffered incredible torture and a painful death for their faith during Diocletian's reign. Lucy's name is probably also connected to statues of Lucy holding a dish with two eyes on it. This refers to another legend in which Lucy's eyes were put out by Diocletian as part of his torture, just because she had the most beautiful eyes. The legend concludes with God restoring Lucy's eyes. Lucy's name also played a large part in naming Lucy as a patron saint of the blind and those with eye-trouble.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most treasured among Mexicans and Catholics alike. It all started in 1531 when an Aztec Indian named Juan Diego was walking through the Tepeyac hill country in central Mexico. Near Tepeyac Hill he encountered a beautiful woman surrounded by a ball of light as bright as the sun. Speaking in his native tongue, the beautiful lady identified herself: "My dear little son, I love you. I desire you to know who I am. I desire a church in this place where your people may experience my compassion." Juan, age 57, went to the palace of the Bishop Juan de Zumarraga and requested to meet immediately with the bishop who told Juan that he would consider the request of the Lady, but asked for proof. Juan dutifully returned to the hill and told Mary, who was again waiting for him there, of the bishop's request. Mary responded: "My little son, am I not your Mother? Do not fear. The Bishop shall have his sign. Come back to this place tomorrow." Unfortunately, Juan was not able to return to the hill the next day. His uncle had become mortally ill and Juan stayed with him to care for him. After two days, with his uncle near death, Juan left his side to find a priest. Juan had to pass Tepeyac Hill to get to the priest. As he was passing, he found Mary waiting for him. She spoke: "Do not be distressed, my littlest son. Your uncle will not die at this time. He is quite well. Go to the top of the hill and cut the flowers that are growing there. Bring them then to me." While it was freezing on the hillside, Juan obeyed Mary's instructions and went to the top of the hill where he found a full bloom of Castilian roses. Removing his tilma, a poncho-like cape, he cut the roses and carried them back to Mary. She rearranged the roses and told him: "My little son, this is the sign I am sending to the Bishop. Tell him that with this sign I request his greatest efforts to complete the church I desire in this place. Show these flowers to no one else but the Bishop. This time the Bishop will believe all you tell him." At the palace, Juan once again came before the bishop and several of his advisors. He told the bishop his story and opened the tilma letting the flowers fall out. But it wasn't the beautiful roses that caused the bishop and his advisors to fall to their knees; for there, on the tilma, was a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary precisely as Juan had described her. The next day, after showing the Tilma at the Cathedral, Juan took the bishop to the spot where he first met Mary. He then returned to his village where he met his uncle who was completely cured. A church was built soon after the apparition. A new basilica was built recently where thousands of pilgrims will visit today and every day.

The Boxer

Simon and Garfunkel, early and later years

The lyrics of the timeless song ‘The Boxer’ by Simon and Garfunkel may be described as a lament, in which the singer describes his struggles to overcome loneliness and poverty; but the final verse switches to the figure of the boxer, who despite being defeated by ‘every glove that laid him down or cut him till he cried out in his anger and his shame,’ pulls himself up and resumes the fight. This song is about people who fall down and stand up again, similar to a boxer who finds himself bleeding on the canvas, but garnering enough courage to stand up and continues the fight. We all find ourselves in a low and weak place in life sometimes. On occasion, we even hit rock bottom. Indeed, there are moments when we fail so miserably that we give up hope of things ever being set right again. But where there is life, there is always hope. We all have the potential to rise above our failures and overcome our mistakes. Eventually things do get better. It may take some time, and on the positive side, ultimately, the path of every setback can lead to understanding, growth, maturity. On occasion, it may also require forgiveness. This Christmas, let us pray for people who feel lonely, or discouraged and disheartened, that they can rise up to the challenge and find hope and peace in their heart and looking at the Christ Child.

Stay with us dear Jesus.

Enrico Regnaud's 'Nativity at St Teresa Church, Cospicua, Malta

As we head John the Baptist's advice to prepare for the coming of Jesus in our homes, heart, lives, and parish communities, I share with you today this reflection from one of my homilies:

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 and 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 on 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.

Saint Juan Diego

Juan Diego was born in 1474 in the ward of Tlayacac in Cuauhtitlan, north of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). On December 9, 1531, the native Mexican Juan Diego rose before dawn to walk fifteen miles to daily Mass in what is now Mexico City. Juan lived a simple life as a weaver, farmer, and laborer. That morning, as Juan passed Tepeyac Hill, he heard music and saw a glowing cloud encircled by a rainbow. A woman's voice called him to the top of the hill. There he saw a beautiful young woman dressed like an Aztec princess. She said she was the Virgin Mary and asked Juan to tell the bishop to build a church on that site. She said, "I vividly desire that a church be built on this site so that in it I can be present and give my love, compassion, help, and defense, for I am your most devoted mother . . . to hear your laments and to remedy all your miseries, pains, and sufferings."
The Bishop Zummaraga was kind but skeptical. He asked Juan to bring proof of the Lady's identity. Before Juan could go back to the Lady, he found out his uncle was dying. Hurrying to get a priest, Juan missed his meeting with the Lady. The Lady, however, met him on his path and told him that his uncle had been cured. She then told Juan to climb to the top of the hill where they first met. Juan was shocked to find flowers growing in the frozen soil. He gathered them in his cloak and took them at once to the bishop. Juan told the bishop what had happened and opened his cloak. The flowers that fell to the ground were Castilian roses (which were not grown in Mexico). But the bishop's eyes were on the glowing image of the Lady imprinted inside Juan's cloak or tilma.
Soon after, a church was built on the site where our Lady appeared, and thousands converted to Christianity. Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared the patroness of the Americas. Juan Diego died on May 30, 1548, at the age of 74. Juan Diego deeply loved the Holy Eucharist, and by special permission of the Bishop, he received Holy Communion three times a week, a highly unusual occurrence in those times. He was beatified in 1990 and was canonized on July 31, 2002, at the Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City by Pope St. John Paul II.

Immaculate Conception

'Conception' by Esteban Murillo

Just imagine the millions of Christmas cards being exchanged right now, going across the globe, many of which are images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, frequently with baby Jesus and St Joseph. Just imagine the thousands upon thousands of nativities being set up and displayed around the world with the Holy Family taking center stage for the Advent and Christmas season.
The 166 million links and articles to the word ‘Blessed Mother’ produced by Google, and the 5 million images produced when you type the words ‘Our Lady’ are proof of how dominant she still is in the Catholic church and in Christian culture around the world. And when I think that more than half of the parishes in my home country of Malta are dedicated to the Blessed Mother, it shows the devotion people still have towards her.
Many were also the classical works written in sacred music, starting with various Gregorian chants melodies and continuing with the Magnificat, Salve Regina, Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and so much more by many great composers. They all get their inspiration from the image of Mary, conceived without sin, a privilege that was only granted to her and no one else. Just as Jesus was considered the new Adam, so Mary is considered the new Eve. In 1760, Pope Clement XIII authorized the celebration of the Immaculate Conception in the Catholic church. But it was only in 1854 that Pope Pius IX, after consulting with all the bishops of the world, pronounced and proclaimed the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. This was a rare event and it took another 96 years to have another Dogma proclaimed, this time the Assumption of Mary in 1950. Then another event happened that affirmed the Immaculate Conception of Mary, only 4 years later, when in 1858, the apparition at Lourdes took place, Mary revealing herself to Bernadette Soubirous as the Immaculate Conception. It was the Encyclical 'Ineffabilis Deus' that proclaimed the Dogma proclaims that the Blessed Virgin Mary, “in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful.”

Murillo’s Marian paintings

Two versions of the Immaculate Conception by Murillo

One of my favorite artists is Esteban Bartolome Murillo, a Spanish artist who painted many masterpieces with a religious theme. Among his paintings are 12 different versions of the Immaculate Conception. In Seville in the time of Murillo, there was great interest and hunger for paintings of Mary conceived without sin, and that is why he ended up painting so many similar works for various churches, in a span of 35 years between 1645 and 1680. At that time there was a controversy between the Franciscans and the Dominicans and the church sided with the Franciscans who claimed that Mary was conceived without sin at the moment of conception, as was later affirmed in the dogma proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854. 

In the paintings, Mary is seen standing on a globe with the snake under her feet, and with various angels surrounding her. The majority of these paintings are in the Prada Museum in Madrid, while 2 of them are in Seville, and a few others in Russia. In all of them, Mary is seen as a 14 or 15-year old beautiful girl, just before she gave birth to Jesus.

St Nicholas

A statue of St Nicholas in the square of the parish dedicated to him at Siggiewi, Malta

St. Nicholas was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man, and became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors.
Perhaps the best-known story about Nicholas concerns his charity toward a poor man who was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters of marriageable age. Rather than see them forced into prostitution, Nicholas secretly tossed a bag of gold through the poor man’s window on three separate occasions, thus enabling the daughters to be married. Over the centuries, this particular legend evolved into the custom of gift-giving on the saint’s feast. And so in the English-speaking countries, St. Nicholas became, by a twist of the tongue, Santa Claus.
Under the ruthless Emperor Diocletian, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for murderers, thieves, and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, the same Council that devised the Nicene Creed we recite during Sunday Mass. He died December 6, 343 in Myra and was buried in his Cathedral church.
In the spring of 1087, sailors from Bari, afraid of the Muslim invasion, succeeded in spiriting away the relics from that Cathedral, bringing them to Bari, a seaport on the southeast coast of Italy. An impressive church was built over St. Nicholas' crypt and many faithful journeyed to honor the saint who had rescued children, prisoners, sailors, famine victims, and many others through his compassion, generosity, and the countless miracles. To this day pilgrims and tourists visit Bari's great Basilica di San Nicola. Both the Eastern and Western Churches honor him, and it is claimed that, after the Blessed Virgin, he is the saint most pictured by Christian artists.

Angels and children

The image of Angels has always impressed me and since they appeared on the cave of Bethlehem when Jesus was born announcing “Glory to God in the highest,” they signaled to the shepherds where to find the newborn baby, who came to adore Him and pay Him homage, as did the Three Kings later on. Naturally, Angels remind me of innocent children in their unpredictability, innocence, and spontaneity. Gratefully in my ministry I am frequently surrounded with children, and in my several parishes in the USA, I cherished the time I spent with them, celebrating Mass for them, visiting them in their classes, and presenting interactive and illustrated talks to them. Christmas pageants also feature many children dressed as angels. It is a joy seeing little children running around with a care-free attitude, tirelessly chasing each other and playing freely with no concern about any of the world’s problems. Maybe we should learn a big lesson from them, and enjoy every moment and share joy, happiness, smiles and sheer exuberance. Too bad that childhood is so short-lived, and soon we’re facing college courses, dating, driving in heavy traffic and eventually raising a family themselves. Too bad we cannot remain like angels, ageless and ever so young.   

30 years ago

Bush and Gorbachev at the Malta summit in 1989

30 years ago, a historical summit was held in Malta between US President George H. W. Bush and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, taking place on December 2–3, 1989, just a few weeks after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It was their second meeting following a meeting that included Ronald Reagan in New York in December 1988. During the summit, Bush and Gorbachev would declare an end to the Cold War. News reports of the time referred to the Malta Summit as the most important since 1945, when British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed on a post-war plan for Europe at the Yalta Conference. Of course I was still in New York at that time, and I followed eagerly the reports of the US TV and newspapers, keeing a lot of clippings from those days. 

The commemorative coin issued on the anniversary of the Malta 1989 summit.

This was before the Internet came around, but I was able to enjoy a lot of footage on Malta, which were filmed in the days leading to the summit. Unfortunately, the weather was very stormy during those 2 days, and the official meeting was done on the Russian ship berthed at Marsaxlokk harbor, with huge waves and terrible winds which put a damper on an otherwise historic milestone for the Maltese Islands. Nonetheless Malta got not only its 15 minutes of fame, but rather an extended 15 days of fame and TV and media coverage.

St Francis Xavier

St. Francis Xavier being commissioned for the missions by St. Ignatius of Loyola

Francis was born in the family castle of Xavier, near Pamplona in the Basque area of Spanish Navarre on April 7, 1506. He was sent to the University of Paris in 1525, secured his licentiate in 1528. There he met Ignatius Loyola and became one of the seven who in 1534, at Montmartre, founded the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. In 1536 he left Paris to join Ignatius in Venice, from where they all intended to go as missionaries to Palestine (a trip which never materialized.)
He was ordained a priest there in 1537, went to Rome in 1538, and in 1540 when the pope formally recognized the Society, was ordered, with Fr. Simon Rodriguez, to the Far East as the first Jesuit missionaries. King John III kept Fr. Simon in Lisbon, but Francis, after a year's voyage, six months of which were spent at Mozambique where he preached and gave aid to the sick, eventually arrived in Goa, India in 1542 with Fr. Paul of Camerino an Italian, and Francis Mansihas, a Portuguese. There he began preaching to the natives and attempted to reform his fellow Europeans, living among the natives and adopting their customs on his travels. During the next decade, he converted tens of thousands to Christianity.
He visited a large part of India, New Guinea, and the Philippines as well as Japan. In 1551, India and the East were set up as a separate province and Ignatius made Francis its first provincial. In 1552 he set out for China, landed on the island of Sancian within sight of his goal, but died before he reached the mainland. Working against great difficulties, language problems, inadequate funds, and lack of cooperation, often actual resistance from European officials, he left the mark of his missionary zeal and energy on areas that clung to Christianity for centuries. He was canonized in 1622 and proclaimed patron of all foreign missions by Pope Pius X.