The early martyrs

The day after the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the Church commemorates the many unknown, possibly thousands of Christian martyrs who shed their blood for their faith under ruthless Emperors. What is known as the Persecution era, so many martyrs died defending their faith, either through crucifixion, being burned, being eaten by lions or other excruciating methods of torture. Many of them were arrested just by being seen carrying a cross in their hands. Most of them congregated for prayer underground in catacombs, for fear of being arrested and killed. Some of the known martyrs have been canonized by the church, St Agnes, St Agatha, St Cecilia, St Ignatius of Antioch, St Sebastian, most of the early Popes, and so many others. It was only thanks to King Constantine who ended the Persecutions in 313 AD, that Christians could once again profess their faith freely and build basilicas and churches to worship in. May we show gratitude that we can freely worship in our churches and chapels – yet the persecution of Christians goes on in Syria, in many African countries, in the Middle East and Far East. Priests, nuns and monks have been killed even recently while praying in their convents and monasteries and churches. They are the modern martyrs in the modern Persecution Era, besides the many unborn babies killed through abortion.

St. Peter and St. Paul

A statue of St. Peter and St. Paul with Jesus sculpted by Michael Camilleri Cauchi

The two pillars of the church are honored today on their liturgical feast day. Even though they became known as the most popular apostles, their beginning was not as pleasant. Peter was the rough and tough type fisherman who had to be fine-tuned and polished by Jesus and eventually became the first Pope. However there were some conflicting moments in his life, especially during Jesus’ passion when Peter three times denied even knowing Jesus. Some friend eh! However Jesus forgave him, after the triple affirmation of faith, and changing his name from Simon to Peter, the Rock, on which the church was to be built. It must have worked, because from the 12 apostles, we are now up to 1.2 billion Catholics.

St Paul on the other hand was even more aggressive as he used to persecute Christians, only to be converted on his way to Damascus when Jesus appeared to him, and his complete turnaround started. He eventually travelled all over Eastern Europe, through Greece, modern day Turkey and even venturing on the sea being shipwrecked on my homeland of Malta where he baptized all the inhabitants. He also wrote letters to the many communities he visited, beautiful theological reflections which we read every Sunday in our 2nd reading at Mass. Both Peter and Paul were martyred, Peter being crucified upside down, and Paul being beheaded in Rome. Thousands of people every day visit the two majestic basilicas built in their honor, St. Peter’s Basilica and St Paul outside the Walls, both in Rome.

Peace and Tranquillity

In this frenetic lifestyle so many people are living nowadays, there is little time to appreciate the simple things in life. This photo I took in 1998 in Larchmont, New York reminds me of a certain peace and tranquillity that I cherish, away from the constant struggles we have to deal with in our daily busy lives. This gazebo was in Manor Park, in the town of Larchmont, NY, overlooking the Long Island Sound, and was a mere 15 miles from Manhattan, NYC, with millions of people mingling, working, socializing, celebrating or just living in one of the many skyscrapers. And as chaotic and confusing as life could be in a big city, particularly ‘the city that never sleeps,’ one can always find a little personal space to find solitude, a tranquil atmosphere to replenish your spirit. It could be a church, a tiny chapel, your own room, or under a gazebo looking at the sunset. I wish you can find this inner peace in your heart, in the silence and stillness that connects you with God.

Summer Reflections

The Sea – Lord, do not let the preoccupation about my ‘figure’ keep me away from wearing a bathing suit and jump into the sea. And when I return to the shore, remind me of the thousands who left their country as migrants and never reached shore.

The Heat – I promise Lord that I won’t complain because of the oppressive heat. When everything is baking under my feet, and when even the flags go into a deep sleep without any breeze, remind me of the cold temperatures in January and February. Thank you for the seasons which we can enjoy in their time.

The News – Lord, I wish that every day is like a weekend, with not much happening. I hope that the news I hear do not change my attitude or temper or peace of mind, but I don’t want to remain oblivious to the stories that happen, good or bad. But in this matter, please Lord, keep a sense of balance in what happens.

Nature – Lord, I want to imitate nature in the way it praises you through the seasons: smiling like the sun, green like the leaves, singing like the birds, cool like a delicious ice-cream, and keeping afloat with Your abundant Love for me.

Calmness – I don’t want to lose my patience with the traffic, as it seems that everyone is going to the same place I am heading for. Remind me that even in the summer, everyone is brother and sister to me.

Flip-Flops – Thank you Lord for some quaint summer noises, like the flapping of flip-flops, music coming out of a car window, cicadas harmonizing the evening, the ripple of waves on the seashore, the soft noise of an air-conditioner.

E-mails – But let me make a promise – that during this summer, I won’t be a slave to e-mails or my cell-phone, but let me enjoy peace and quiet, and not worry too much about the work waiting for me when summer is over. Maybe I can read a book or two, listen to some good music, watch a funny movie, eat a healthy salad – because every day is a gift from you.

From mother of 10 to cloistered nun

Anne Miller playing cards, and later in life as a cloistered nun

We always think of cloistered nuns as solitary women living in a convent with limited access to the outside world. There are of course exceptions, like the case of Anne Russell Miller who just died at the age of 92. She was quite a socialite, enjoying life in San Francisco, married and raising 10 children, and seeing over 40 grandchildren and great-grandchildren being added to her already large family. She smoked and drank, drove fast and played cards with her circle of friends. When her husband died in 1984, she started to retreat into her own personal space. Yet when she turned 61, her children hosted a lavish party for her with 800 guests. A few days later she went to Chicago, and entered a Carmelite convent  in Des Plaines, Illinois, living a contemplative life of complete silence, except for 30 minutes a day. Anne passed away a few weeks ago as Sister Mary Joseph of the Trinity, OCD.

Limited Edition

One day a young boy asked his grandfather “Grandpa, how could you live before, without technology, without internet, without computers, without drones, without cell-phones, without bitcoin, without Facebook?”

And the grandfather replied “Just like your generation lives today....without humanity, without dignity, without compassion, without honor, without respect, without personality, without character, without love, without modesty.

We today, whom you call us ‘old’ have been blessed. Our life is the test. When cycling, we never used the helmet. After school, we did our homework alone. And always went to play in the fields and meadows until sunset. We played with real friends, not with friends on the internet. When we were thirsty, we drank water from the fountain, not from bottled water. We never got sick when using the same glass with our friends. We never got fat eating bread and pasta every day. Nothing happened to our feet, even though we walked barefoot. We created our own toys with our own hands, and played with them for hours.

Our parents were not rich, but they gave us so much love, not video-games to keep us good and well-behaved. We never had cell-phones, DVDs, PlayStation, Xbox, video-games, personal computers, IPads, WiFi....but we had real friends.

We visited the house of our friends without being invited, and enjoyed with them a simple meal prepared by their mother, who always had an empty place at the dinner table.

We may have had black and white photos, but we find many colorful memories in those photos. We are unique and more comprehensive generation, because we are the last generation who listen to their parents, and also the first generation that had to listen to their children. We are a limited edition.

Birth of St. John the Baptist

Today the Catholic Church celebrates the birth of St. John the Baptist, and that is why we use the color white in our vestments. John is regarded as the last prophet of the Old Testament, while some refer to him as the first martyr of the New Testament, and we do have a commemoration of his martyrdom on August 29, but it’s his mysterious birth that is celebrated today, since Elizabeth his mother was advanced in age. John the Baptist as a prophet had a tough role to play - to point out the sins which were keeping the people from truly knowing, loving and serving God. He prepared the way of the Lord by calling people to lives of repentance. One particular aspect in John’s life is that he loved the desert, a quiet solitary life, even though people kept coming to him to be baptized.  This teaches us to find that special space for us to somehow create our own desert. This could be a hobby that you develop, to be alone for a while, away from cell-phones and other interruptions. This could be creating a nice meal for your family, learning a musical instrument, joining a choir, take a refreshing swim, a walk in the countryside, taking up photography, pick up a brush and try painting. I personally enjoy my desert space  in some of my hobbies that I learned by myself, and share the result with those around me, as I do with my flute playing, my PowerPoint talks, my watercoloring, photography and much more. May John the Baptist inspire you this year to create your desert and find the Lord there, waiting for you, to help you improve your spiritual life, and to steer away from clutter and distractions, while find peace and harmony, joy and calmness.

Life Lessons

A few years ago at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash.  At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times and began to cry.  The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back.  They all turned around and went back. Every one of them. One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." All nine linked arms and walked across the finish line together. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story.  Why?  Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What truly matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.

St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher

                  
These two British martyrs are among the most beloved in the English Catholic Church. St Thomas More was born at London in 1478. After a thorough grounding in religion and the classics, he entered Oxford to study law. Upon leaving the university he embarked on a legal career which took him to Parliament. In 1505, he married his beloved Jane Colt who bore him four children, and when she died at a young age, he married a widow, Alice Middleton, to be a mother for his young children. A great reformer, Thomas More numbered Bishops and scholars among his friends, and by 1516 wrote his world-famous book "Utopia". He attracted the attention of Henry VIII who appointed him to a succession of high posts, and finally made him Lord Chancellor in 1529. However, he resigned in 1532, at the height of his career, when Henry persisted in holding his own opinions regarding marriage and the supremacy of the Pope, while strongly opposing Henry's thirst for a divorce. This is when the Church of England broke away from the Catholic religion. The rest of Thomas’ life was spent in writing mostly in defense of the Church. In 1534, with his close friend, St John Fisher, he refused to render allegiance to the King as the Head of the Church of England and was confined to the Tower. Fifteen months later, he was tried and convicted of treason. On the scaffold, he told the crowd of spectators that he was dying as "the King's good servant- but God's first." He was beheaded on July 6, 1535. His life is depicted in the classic movie “A Man for all Seasons,” with Paul Scofield acting in an Oscar-winning performance.

St. John Fisher was born at Yorkshire in 1459, and educated at Cambridge. In 1504, he became Bishop of Rochester and Chancellor of Cambridge, in which capacity he also tutored Prince Henry who was to become Henry VIII. St John was dedicated to the welfare of his diocese and his university. From 1527, he actively opposed the King's divorce proceedings against Catherine, his wife in the sight of God. Unlike the other Bishops, St John refused to take the oath of succession, and he was imprisoned in the tower in April 1534. The next year he was made a Cardinal by Pope Paul III and Henry retaliated by having him beheaded within a month. A half hour before his execution, John Fisher opened his New Testament for the last time and his eyes fell on the following words from St. John's Gospel: "Eternal life is this: to know You, the only true God, and Him Whom You have sent, Jesus Christ. I have given You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave me to do. Do You now, Father, give me glory at Your side". Closing the book, he observed: "There is enough learning in that to last me the rest of my life." They were both canonized on May 19th, 1935, with Thomas More becoming the patron of lawyers and politicians.

St Aloysius Gonzaga

One of the patrons of youth, St Aloysius Gonzaga was an Italian Jesuit saint of the 16th century. Quite a few Jesuit colleges are named after him, including Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and St Aloysius College, in Malta. Aloysius is the Latin form of his given name, Luigi, in English known as Louis. The Gonzaga name is well known in Italy. Aloysius Gonzaga was born at Castiglione near Mantua, Italy, in 1568 to a celebrated family of wealth and prestige. As the firstborn son of his father, Ferrante, and his mother, Marta, he was in line to inherit his father's title of Marquis. He grew up amid the violence and brutality of Renaissance Italy and witnessed the murder of two of his brothers. In 1576, Aloysius' parents sent him to attend the court of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Francesco de Medici, in Florence. Later, accompanied by his parents, he travelled to Spain to join the court of Philip II in Madrid. In Spain, Aloysius decided he wanted to join the newly founded religious order, the Society of Jesus. His father resisted his decision and there followed a struggle of wills that continued after his return to Castiglione in 1584. But Aloysius eventually prevailed. Renouncing his right to the title of Marquis and to the vast wealth he was destined to inherit, he entered the Society of Jesus in Rome on November 25, 1585. During his early studies in Rome, he would regularly go out into the streets of the city to care for victims of the plague. He himself contracted the disease as a result of his efforts for the suffering and died on June 21, 1591, at the age of twenty-three, six years short of his ordination as a Jesuit priest.

Even before his time as a Jesuit, Aloysius was known for his love of prayer and fasting. He received his First Communion from St. Charles Borromeo. As a Jesuit novice at the Roman College, he continued to devote his time to prayer and practices of austerity. His spiritual director was Robert Bellarmine who later was canonized and declared a doctor of the church. When Robert was dying, he asked to be buried next to the grave of Aloysius. Today, they rest next to each other in the church of St. Ignatius Loyola in Rome. Pope Benedict XIII canonized Aloysius in 1726, and three years later declared him to be the patron of youth in the Catholic Church, an honor later confirmed by Pope Pius XI in 1926. Gonzaga University in Spokane is the only Jesuit university in the world named after St. Aloysius.

Father’s Day

We honor all fathers today as we cherish their memory, their hard work throughout the years, the sterling example they gave us in raising us a good Christians. With the world-wide popularity of Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is finally getting the recognition it deserves. May God bless all fathers that they would form decent and respectful characters in their children as citizens of the future. It all depends on their example as to what kind of families we will have in the future. May they always live up to their important roles as fathers, husbands, sons, grandfathers, godfathers and so many other hats they wear. May God also reward all the fathers who have gone to their eternal rest.

44th Anniversary

We celebrated Mass at my chapel at Hilltop Gardens, as we did 3 years ago.

Along with my classmates, today we celebrate 44 years serving the people of God in various roles, in various parishes, in Malta and beyond. I give thanks to my parents, brothers and sisters who have supported me throughout these years. I cherish the friendship of so many parishioners, in Malta, in New York and Oregon, who have touched my life in so many ways. Through a baptism, a funeral or a wedding, through the administration of the sacraments, through counselling and plenty of life-changing confessions, God has used me to bring people closer to Him. I am grateful to God for the talents he gave me, so that I can use them to inspire many friends who needed a timely moment of encouragement, through a prayer, a blog entry, a watercolor painting, a melody on my flute, a photograph, an e-mail, a homily, an uplifting letter of comfort. May God continue to give me the strength and enthusiasm to continue to cheer people up and show them the beauty of our Catholic faith. 

Wonderful quotes

  1.   If you feel far away from God, guess who moved?

  2.   Fear knocked. Faith answered. No one was there.

  3.   What you are is God's gift to you. What you become is your gift to God.

  4.   I am God's melody of life and He sings His song through me.

  5.   We can never really go where God is not, and where He is, all is well.

  6.   No matter what is happening in your life, know that God is waiting for you with open arms.

  7.   God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

  8.   Do your best and then sleep in peace. God is awake.

  9.   God has a purpose and plan for me that no one else can fulfill.

  10.  The will of God will never take you to where the grace of God will not protect you.

  11.  We are responsible for the effort, not the outcome.

  12.  We set the sail; God makes the wind.

  13.  Begin to weave and God will give you the thread.

  14.  Sometimes when God says "no", it's because He has something better in store for you.

  15.  The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us.

  16.  Prayer: don't bother to give God instructions, just report for duty.

  17.  It's my business to do God's business and it's His business to take care of my business.

  18.  Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm.

  19.  How come you're always running around looking for God? He's not lost.

 20. God put me on earth to accomplish a number of things; right now I'm so far behind I will live forever.

Steps to Happiness

                    
 Everybody Knows:

 You can't be all things to all people.

 You can't do all things at once.

 You can't do all things equally well.

 You can't do all things better than everyone else.

 Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.

 So:

 You have to find out who you are, and be that.

 You have to decide what comes first, and do that.

 You have to discover your strengths, and use them.

 You have to learn not to compete with others,

 Because no one else is in the contest of *being you*.

 Then:

  You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.

 You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.

 You will have learned to live with your limitations.

 You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.

 And you'll be a most vital mortal.

 Dare To Believe:

 That you are a wonderful, unique person.

 That you are a once-in-all-history event.

 That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.

 That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.

 And we'll be able to stay one up on what used to get us.

 May God Bless you and keep you safe.

For safety's sake

Do NOT ride in automobiles: they cause 20% of all fatal accidents.

Do NOT stay home: 17% of all accidents do occur in the home.

Do NOT walk on the streets or sidewalks: 14% of all accidents happen to

pedestrians.

Do NOT travel by air, rail, or water: 16% of all accidents happen on these.

Only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are

related to previous physical disorders.

Hence, the safest place for you to be at any time is in church.

Bible study is safe, too. The percentage there is even less.

Go to church!  IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Today I smiled

Today I smiled, and all at once things didn't look so bad.

Today I shared with someone else, a bit of hope I had.

Today I sang a little song, and felt my heart grow light,

and walked a happy little mile, with not a cloud in sight.

Today I worked with what I had and longed for nothing more,

And what had seemed like only weeds, were flowers at my door.

Today I loved a little more and complained a little less,

and in the giving of myself, I forgot my weariness.

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, people prayed.”

St Anthony

Today happens to be the feast of Saint Anthony, and since it falls on a Sunday, it is not celebrated liturgically. But we honor him nonetheless. St. Anthony of Padua was born August 15, 1195 near Lisbon, to a wealthy family and given the name Fernando. He was sent to the Cathedral school in Lisbon, but in 1210, at the age of 15 he entered the Augustinian monastery of Sao Vicente in Lisbon, against the wishes of his family. But in their monastery near his native city he was distracted by visits from relatives and friends. After two years, Fernando asked to be transferred. He was sent to Holy Cross in Coimbra, a great center of learning and capital of Portugal at that time. He devoted the next eight years of his life to study and prayer, immersing himself in Sacred Scripture. When news of the Franciscan martyrs in Morocco reached him, he joined the Franciscan Order in 1221, when he was 26 years old. At his own request, he was sent as a missionary to Morocco with the mission of preaching among the Moors. He had to return to Europe because of ill health. After this, St Anthony was moved to Romagna (Italy) and spent 9 months as a chaplain to hermits. He was so modest that he thought nothing of spending his days carrying on the lowliest duties of the kitchen and convent. But the Lord had bigger plans for this holy man. At an ordination ceremony, the priest who was about to give the sermon fell ill suddenly and St Anthony was called upon to give the sermon in his place. Although he refused with humility at first, he eventually had to do so because of his vow of obedience to his superior. The rest as they say, is history! The last two years of his life he spent in Padua, preaching, hearing confessions and working to help the poor. St. Anthony died on June 13th, 1231 at Arcella, a suburb of Padua in the apartment reserved for the chaplain of the sisterhood of Poor Clares of Arcella. There he received the last rites and died. He was only 36. Saint Anthony was canonized in 1232 by Pope Gregory IX and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1946. 

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Following the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, today we celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Similar to yesterday's feast, it was St. John Eudes who promoted this devotion first in 1648 in the town of Autun, France, and later on in all the French dioceses. In 1799, Pope Pius VI granted the Bishop of Palermo the permission to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in his diocese. When the revelation of the 'Miraculous Medal" to St Catherine Laboure took place in 1830, the impetus for this devotion was even more obvious. Mary's love for us all is just as powerful and consistent as that of her Son, Jesus. When we feel sad or depressed, let us go to Mary and enjoy her loving embrace given with compassion, devotion and respect. May she continue to protect everyone from the coronavirus at this critical time in history.

Feast of the Sacred Heart

                      
The feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus gained much popularity after the visions that St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had from Jesus around the year 1675. The church initially had doubts about the authenticity of the visions, but approved them almost 100 years later. The feast was first celebrated in France only but was extended to the universal church in 1856 by Pope Pius IX. The Sacred Heart is often depicted in Christian art as a flaming heart shining with divine light, pierced by a lance, surrounded by a crown of thorns, surmounted by a cross, and bleeding. If we can only comprehend the sacrifices Jesus made for us, and in spite of our weaknesses and shortcomings, He loves us unconditionally, even when we tend to take Him for granted. May our love for Him be just as powerful and intimate. May we appreciate His endless support and care towards our well-being, represented also in the way the church, priests, sisters and other people show their affection towards everything that is Roman Catholic.

Maltese windmills

There is a trend at the moment in Malta to restore old buildings. Nothing wrong with that, and in fact it's commendable. However what strikes us the most is the exorbitant number of construction zones going around in every part of the small island we inhabit. Tower cranes dominate every imaginable skyline, and skyscrapers are going up just about everywhere. Granted that with only 122 square miles of total area, we don’t have much where to expand, so they’re going up, up and further up. Yet, some sights can still be admired, like the few windmills we have spread out both in Malta and our sister island, Gozo. A few of them are being restored right now, and even though they will be just for cosmetic purpose, in the past they were used to help in the storing of wheat and grain and other functional uses.

Living beyond 100

They calculate that in Malta right now there are over 100 people who are 100 years and older. While most of us can expect to live to around 80, some people defy expectations and live to be over 100. In places such as Okinawa, Japan and Sardinia, Italy, there are many centenarians. The oldest person in history – a French woman named Jeanne Calment – lived to 122. When she was born in 1875, the average life expectancy was roughly 43. The oldest and still most widely used method for calculating life expectancy, and thus lifespan, relies on the Gompertz equation. This is the observation, first made in the 19th century, that human death rates from disease increase exponentially with time. Essentially, this means your chance of death – from cancer, heart disease and many infections, for example – roughly doubles every eight to nine years. But just how long could a human actually live? It’s a question people have been asking for centuries. While average life expectancy (the number of years a person can expect to live) is relatively easy to calculate, maximum lifespan estimates (the greatest age a human could possibly reach) are much harder to make. Recent study proposes that the limit to human lifespan is closer to 150. Three important things are worth considering. First is good genes, which makes living to be more than a hundred a good bet. Second, an excellent diet and exercise plan, which can add up to 15 years to life expectancy. And lastly, a breakthrough in turning our knowledge of the biology of ageing into treatments and medicines that can increase healthy lifespan. Right now in our Retirement Home at Hilltop Gardens there are two 101 year-olds, one 100 year-old, two 99 year-olds, three 98 year-olds, and a bunch over 95!

Recipe for a Happy Home

                        
Preheat Home with Love to the 100th Degree.

Add one carefully selected man and one carefully selected woman.

Add to the man the ability to be gentle, openly affectionate.

Stir in stability, strength and decisiveness.

Add to the woman the ability to generously offer encouragement.

Stir in a generous dose of loyalty, tenderness and creativity.

Boil, until all traces of nagging evaporate.

Carefully blend the two together.

Grease immediately with maturity.

Flour with common sense and a hefty size of tolerance.

Add heaping amounts of respect and honesty.

Constantly add kindness and understanding.

Carefully drain off selfishness, but retain individuality.

Whip in a sense of humor.

Add enough smiles and laughter for a good appearance.

Grind in responsibility and commitment.

Fold in patience mixed with insight.

Stir in the ability to sacrifice.

Soften with trust, tolerance and forgiveness.

For added richness, blend in plans and dreams for the future.

Season with children.

If I really cared . . . .(Spouses talk to each other)

If I really cared . . . I’d look you in the eyes when you talk to me; I’d think about what you’re saying rather than what I’m going to say next;  I’d hear your feelings as well as your words.

If I really cared . . . I’d listen without defending; I’d hear without deciding whether you‘re right or wrong; I’d ask you why, not just how and when and where.

If I really cared . . . I’d allow you inside my heart; I’d tell you my hopes, my dreams, my fears, my hurts; I’d tell you where I’ve blown it and when I’ve made it.

If I really cared . . .I’d laugh with you but not at you; I’d talk with you and not to you; and I know when it’s time to do neither.

If I really cared . . . I wouldn't climb over your walls; I’d hang around until you let me inside the gate; I wouldn’t unlock your secrets; I’d wait until you handed me the key.

If I really cared . . .I’d love you anyhow; but I’d ask for the best that you can give, and gently draw it from you.

If I really cared . . . I’d put my scripts away, and leave my solutions at home.  The performance would end. We’d be ourselves.

Corpus Christi

From the Vatican Museum, a magnificent tapestry of the Last Supper

A very special day indeed for all Catholics, as we celebrate the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, known also as Corpus Christi. We remember that day when Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper, as we reflect on the poetic words written by St Thomas Aquinas in 1264 at the order of Pope Urban IV, in his sequence Lauda Sion Salvatorem. Here are a few verses of this sequence, translated from the Latin original: 

His own act, at supper seated

    Christ ordain'd to be repeated

    In His memory divine;

    Wherefore now, with adoration,

    We, the host of our salvation,

 

Consecrate from bread and wine.

    Hear, what holy Church maintaineth,

    That the bread its substance changeth

    Into Flesh, the wine to Blood.

   

Jesu, shepherd of the sheep:

    Thou thy flock in safety keep,

    Living bread, thy life supply:

    Strengthen us, or else we die,

    Fill us with celestial grace.

   

Thou, who feedest us below:

    Source of all we have or know:

    Grant that with Thy Saints above,

    Sitting at the feast of love,

    We may see Thee face to face.

    Amen. Alleluia.

Angels, according to children

These are some expression from children about the role of angels in our lives:

Angels work with God, and take care of us children when God is busy doing something else.

My Guardian Angel helps me with my mathematics, but is not that good in science.

Angels are girls, because they wear clothing that boys don’t really like that much.

My angel is my grandma, who died last year.

Some angels help cure our pets when they get sick. And if they can’t heal them, they help us not to be too upset when they die.

When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath again, somewhere there's a tornado.

Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter.

What I don't get about angels is, why when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them.

I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.

God bless children....for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Covid-19 cases and deaths

This is the situation as of yesterday, with the number of cases for each country and number of fatalities of some major countries in the world. We pray for an end soon to this pandemic. But don’t forget, wash your hands, wear your mask and keep your distance!

USA                 34,156,112 cases              611,067 deaths

Brazil               16,720, 018 cases            467,985 deaths

India                28,568, 232 cases              340,604 deaths

Spain               3,693,012  cases                80,099 deaths

Italy                 4,225,163 cases                 124,342 deaths

UK                   4, 494,699  cases               127,794 deaths

China               91,170 cases                      4,636 deaths

Malta               30,557 cases                      419 deaths

Russia              5,099,182 cases                 122,660 deaths

France              5,685,915 cases                 109,758 deaths

Germany          3,698,863 cases                 89,528 deaths

Slovakia           350,129 cases                    12,375deaths

Czech Republik     1,662,608 cases           30,136 deaths

Israel                 839,532 cases                   6,416 deaths

Argentina          3,584, 447cases                79,873 deaths

Turkey              5,270,299 cases                 47,882 deaths

The Martyrs of Uganda

One of 22 Ugandan martyrs, Charles Lwanga is the patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa. He protected his fellow pages (aged 13 to 30) from the homosexual demands of the Bagandan ruler, Mwanga, and encouraged and instructed them in the Catholic faith during their imprisonment for refusing the ruler’s demands. For his own unwillingness to submit to the immoral acts and his efforts to safeguard the faith of his friends, Charles was burned to death at Namugongo on June 3, 1886, by Mwanga’s order. Charles first learned of Christ’s teachings from two retainers in the court of Chief Mawulugungu. While a catechumen, he entered the royal household as assistant to Joseph Mukaso, head of the court pages. On the night of Mukaso’s martyrdom for encouraging the African youths to resist Mwanga, Charles requested and received Baptism. Imprisoned with his friends, Charles’s courage and belief in God inspired them to remain chaste and faithful. When Pope St. Paul VI canonized these 22 martyrs on October 18, 1964, he referred to the Anglican pages martyred for the same reason. Although the Anglicans could not be canonized, they were named "with the others, also deserving mention" for enduring "death for the name of Christ". The Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs was built at the site of the executions, and serves as their shrine. Their remains are in Kampala. The order known as "The Brothers of St. Charles Lwanga" were founded in 1927 as an indigenous religious congregation of Ugandan men committed to providing education to the youth of their country.

Maltese knick-knacks

Maltese shops are beloved meeting places, and their owners make it a point to make their shops look very inviting, appealing and colorful. Visitors and local folks enjoy a meal or a drink in a friendly atmosphere, enhanced by colorful surroundings, attractive knick-knacks and different mementoes, some of which were probably given to the shop-owner by visitors or tourists. These are just two walls of a typical shop with various knick-knacks hanging on the walls. Among the items you can see are: clocks, plates, paintings, keys, lamps, posters, old maps, etc.

Festa season

Inside St Helen's church in Birkirkara, Malta

Once again, the festa season in Malta has been suspended, because of the Covid-19 situation. Churches are open with limited seating, with people still having to wear masks, and Masses are being celebrated, along with the ones televised daily. But the festa season, with its colorful banners, noisy evenings with marching bands and fireworks, plenty of statues lining up various streets, and the procession with the main statue of the titular saint of each parish – they’re all suspended. 

The same church with banners decorating the streets

The number of cases at the moment are very encouraging with 2 to 4 cases on average daily, and a total of 66 active cases presently. The number of people dying of Covid has been a steady 419 for the past two weeks, and hospitalisation is down to 3 cases. Still the health authorities are very cautious in letting mass events start again, to avoid another wave like the one that hit is unexpectedly earlier this year. Airports will be open from today, yet people arriving in Malta have to provide a negative test, and proof of the double vaccination. In the meantime, I will still go back to my hundreds of photos from past feasts and share them with you. These are just two from the parish of Birkirkara, dedicated to St. Helena.