The Good Works of St Benedict

Saint Benedict (480-547 AD)

As we celebrate today the feast of St Benedict, I want you to reflect on a chapter from his Rule which is very prayerful, very scriptural and worth keeping to pray along with. It is called the ‘Instruments of Good Works.’ To save space on my blog, I will post the list as a continuous paragraph.

In the first place, to love the Lord God with the whole heart, the whole soul, and the whole strength. Then one’s neighbor as if oneself. Then, not to kill. Not to commit adultery. Not to steal. Not to covet. Not to utter false witness. To honor all men. To do as one would be done by. To deny oneself that one may follow Christ. To chastise the body. Not to embrace delights. To love fasting. To relieve the poor. To clothe the naked. To visit the sick. To bury the dead. To help in tribulation. To console the sorrowing. To become a stranger to worldly deeds. To prefer nothing to the love of Christ. Not to carry anger into effect. Not to prolong the duration of one’s wrath. Not to retain guile in one’s heart. Not to make a false peace. Not to abandon charity. Not to swear, lest perchance one forswear. To utter only truth from heart and mouth. Not to return evil for evil. Not to do injury, but to suffer it patiently. To love enemies. Not to curse in return those who curse one, but rather to bless them. To bear persecution for righteousness.
Not to be proud. Not to be given to much wine. Not to be gluttonous. Not given to much sleep. Not to be sluggish. Not to be given to grumbling. Not to be a detractor. To put one’s hope in God. When one sees any good in oneself to attribute it to God, not to self. But to recognize that evil always comes from self and to refer it to self. To have a wholesome fear of the day of judgment. With fear to shrink from hell. To long for eternal life with all spiritual desire. To have the expectation of death daily before one’s eyes. Hour by hour to keep guard over one’s every act. To know for certain that God sees one everywhere. Forthwith to dash down upon the Rock, even Christ, any evil thoughts approaching the heart: and to lay them open before one’s superior. To keep one’s mouth from evil or depraved speech. Not to love to speak much. Not to speak useless or mirth-provoking words. Not to love much or excessive laughter. To listen with goodwill to holy reading. To be frequently occupied in prayer. With tears and groaning daily to confess in prayer to God one’s past sins and concerning those same sins to amend for the future.
Not to fulfill the desires of the flesh: to hate one’s own will. To yield obedience in all things to the abbot’s precepts, even if he himself act contrary to their spirit, the which be far from him: being mindful of that precept of the Lord: “What they say, do ye; but what they do, do ye not.” Not to wish to be called holy before one is, but to be so first, whereby one would be so called the more truly. By deeds daily to fulfil the precepts of God. To love chastity. Not to hate anyone. Not to harbour jealousy. Not to love contention. To avoid elation. To venerate seniors. To love juniors. In the love of Christ to pray for one’s enemies. In case of discord with anyone to make peace before the setting of the sun. And never to despair of the mercy of God.

Courage, Safety, and Heroism

The past two weeks have been dominated by the search-and-rescue efforts by a large number of heroes, divers, paramedics and Navy seal members to bring the 12 Thai soccer boys and their coach to safety. Today we give tribute to the number of rescue workers who sacrificed their lives and their time and families to bring these boys to safety after a technically difficult rescue effort. It is unfortunate that our news is constantly dominated by evil stories of mass shootings, terrorism, hijackings and other tragedies. So it is imperative that we emphasize and applaud the heroism and selfless generosity of these rescue workers who have gathered in Thailand from around the globe to hopefully save these boys. As they now rest comfortably in a hospital, being quarantined for a few extra days, and recovering from their ordeal, we pray today in thanksgiving for the collective effort the world has shown towards this incredible story. 

I am sure movie script-writers are already planning for a blockbuster movie on this heroic rescue effort, but due credit should be given today to the innumerable number of heroes who helped in saving these soccer boys, in time before the monsoon rains arrive. And we thank God for keeping the rains to a minimum of 20 mm, as the average at this time is usually over 100 mm. Let us pray, and thank God for such a happy, positive outcome to this story. Let us also not forget the Thai Navy sea diver who lost his life last week in the process of helping the children out of the cave.

Rome

Rome, the Eternal City (click to enlarge)

A simple photo today which I took a few years ago of the Eternal City, Rome. Crossing over to the USA, I had to change planes at various European airports. Occasionally I used Fiumicino Airport outside Rome, and just before descending into that busy airport, we crossed over the heart of Rome, and I was lucky enough to snap this photo, with the Vatican right in the center of this photo.

Why God created mothers

In the beginning, when the world was empty, all the children were in heaven. All of them were happy, playing together and enjoying all the blessings that life offered them. One day God called all the children around him and told them: ‘As you can see, the world I just created is empty. So I was thinking of sending you into the world to fill it with joy, innocence and happiness.’ Some of the children answered right away: ‘ Yes, we will go, but we have to take with us the music and singing we so much enjoy here in heaven.’ And God created birds, who sang beautiful, chirping melodious songs. Another group of children told God: ‘We too will go into the world, but we have to take with us the beautiful colors that are here in heaven, because we won’t survive without the beauty of these colors that embellish our heaven.’ And God created flowers, all kinds of floral displays with unimaginable colors.’ Yet another group of children told God: ‘We too will go into the world, but we have to also enjoy the depth and blueness of the sky, because we want to enjoy freedom and independence.’ And God created the seas and the oceans. Then a solitary boy, a  little timid and shy raised his hand and wanted to ask God a question: ‘ Dear God, if you want me to go into the world, I will never disobey you, but I need someone with me who can stay close to me, love me, take my hand and walk with me wherever I want to go.’ And God liked the idea very much. And he created mothers.

A Summer Prayer

Balzan church celebrating the feast of the Annunciation this weekend

Heavenly Father, you know that I don’t like summer – the hot climate, sticky conditions, sweating all the time, long unending days, too many people crowding around, unnecessary noise, buzzing and biting mosquitoes and other annoyances. But this year I decided to look at the good side of summer. First and foremost the abundance of juicy fruit, like peaches, strawberries, watermelon, and grapes. Eating fresh salads with crisp lettuce, cucumber, meaty tomatoes and olives and capers. Hearing the ripples of waves near the seashore, seeing people wearing flip-flops and sandals, walking barefoot on the soft sand, taking a stroll on a rare cool evening by the sea. Hanging out in an air-conditioned room, dozing off to some nice relaxing music, attending an open-air concert, eating a delicious ice-cream. Visiting friends you haven’t seen in a while, talking to friends who don’t seem to be in a rush, taking a siesta in the afternoon, less traffic on the roads. And last but not least, the celebrations held in each parish with richly decorated churches, festive decorative banners, statues, fireworks and marching bands.

St Maria Goretti

An old photo of St Maria Goretti

A young girl with little schooling became one of the most popular saints in Italy by the middle of the 20th century. Born in 1890, Maria Goretti was one day by her house and a neighbor attempted to rape her, and even though she resisted him, she was killed by 14 stab wounds. She died 24 hours after being stabbed, also giving her enough time to receive Holy Communion. Her killer Alessandro Serenelli was jailed, sentenced to 30 years in prison, and was unrepentant for a while. Eventually, he changed his life, even becoming a Franciscan Capuchin lay brother after being released 27 years later. One of the first things he did after his release was visiting Maria’s mother and apologize to her. Maria was beatified in 1947, and on that occasion, her mother and siblings appeared with Pope Pius XII at the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. Alessandro was even present at Maria Goretti’s canonization on June 24, 1950. Over half a million people had gathered in the Vatican piazza for her canonization. St Maria Goretti is the patron of youth, chastity, and purity.

Alessandro praying in front of an image of St Maria Goretti

A few years before he died, Alessandro wrote this note in his will: “I’m nearly 80 years old. I’m about to depart. Looking back at my past, I can see that in my early youth, I chose a bad path which led me to ruin myself. My behavior was influenced by print, mass-media and bad examples which are followed by the majority of young people without even thinking. And I did the same. I was not worried.
There were a lot of generous and devoted people who surrounded me, but I paid no attention to them because a violent force blinded me and pushed me toward a wrong way of life. When I was 20 years-old, I committed a crime of passion. Now, that memory represents something horrible for me. Maria Goretti, now a Saint, was my good Angel, sent to me through Providence to guide and save me. I still have impressed upon my heart her words of rebuke and of pardon. She prayed for me, she interceded for her murderer. Thirty years of prison followed. If I had been of age, I would have spent all my life in prison. I accepted to be condemned because it was my own fault.
Little Maria was really my light, my protectress; with her help, I behaved well during the 27 years of prison and tried to live honestly when I was again accepted by the members of society. The Brothers of St. Francis, Capuchins from Marche, welcomed me with angelic charity into their monastery as a brother, not as a servant. I’ve been living with their community for 24 years, and now I am serenely waiting to witness the vision of God, to hug my loved ones again, and to be next to my Guardian Angel and her dear mother, Assunta.

Alessandro visiting Assunta, Maria's mother after release from prison

I hope this letter that I wrote can teach others the happy lesson of avoiding evil and of always following the right path, like little children. I feel that religion with its precepts is not something we can live without, but rather it is the real comfort, the real strength in life and the only safe way in every circumstance, even the most painful ones of life.”
                                                                                  –Alessandro Serenelli, May 5, 1961

St Anthony Mary Zaccaria

St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539)

At the same time that Martin Luther was attacking abuses in the Church, a reformation within the Church was already being attempted. Among the early movers of the Counter-Reformation was Anthony Mary Zaccaria. He was born in 1502 in Cremona, Italy. His mother became a widow at 18, and devoted herself to the spiritual education of her son. He was educated at the University of Padua and received a medical doctorate at 22.  While working among the poor of his native Cremona in Italy, was attracted to the religious apostolate. He renounced his rights to any future inheritance, worked as a catechist, and was ordained a priest at the age of 26. Called to Milan in a few years, he laid the foundations of three religious congregations, one for men, one for women, and an association of married couples. Their aim was the reform of the decadent society of their day, beginning with the clergy, religious, and lay people. Greatly inspired by Saint Paul—his congregation is named the Barnabites, after St Barnabas, the faithful companion of that St. Paul—Anthony preached with great vigor in church and street, conducted popular missions, and was not ashamed of doing public penance.

He encouraged such innovations as the collaboration of the laity in the apostolate, frequent Communion, the Forty Hours devotion, and the ringing of church bells at 3:00 p.m. on Fridays. His holiness moved many to reform their lives, but as with all saints, it also moved many to oppose him. Twice his community had to undergo official religious investigation, and twice it was exonerated. While on a mission of peace, he became seriously ill and was brought home for a visit to his mother. He died at Cremona at the age of 36 on July 5, 1539. He was beatified in 1890 and canonized in 1897, both done by Pope Leo XIII. St Anthony Mary Zaccaria is the patron of surgeons and doctors.

St Elizabeth of Portugal

St Elizabeth of Portugal (1271-1336)

Elizabeth was a Spanish princess, born in 1271 and married at the age of 12 to King Denis of Portugal. In those days, girls were given to marriage at a very young age and she was a beautiful girl, very devout and beloved by everyone. Her husband, however, was not much of a nice man and often he would embarrass his wife and cause scandal. An uncomfortable situation was going to put Elizabeth in a bad light, but it turned out that it taught Denis a big lesson, and turned his life around. He started to respect Elizabeth and died in peace. When he was sick, his wife was totally dedicated to him and did not leave his side except to attend Mass. Elizabeth lived another 11 years after his death and did lots of charitable work, and was a role model for many of her family members who admired her for bringing harmony to everyone. She even unified entire countries at odds with each other. She died on July 4 1336 and was buried in the cemetery of a monastery in Coimbra, Portugal. She was canonized on the feast of the Holy Trinity by Pope Urban VIII in 1625. Attending daily Mass, Elizabeth found the courage to carry all the crosses she encountered in her life, with dignity, patience, and love.

Saint Thomas

'The Doubting Thomas' by Caravaggio

One of the 12 apostles, Thomas will unfortunately always be remembered for his doubting fit, right after the Resurrection of Jesus. He would not believe unless he saw with his eyes and touched with his hands the wounds of Jesus. This story is the origin of the term 'Doubting Thomas.' After seeing Jesus alive (the Bible never states whether Thomas actually touched Christ's wounds), Thomas professed his faith in Jesus, exclaiming "My Lord and my God!"; and on this account, to his credit, he is also called Thomas the Believer. Thomas is more specifically identified as "Thomas, also called the Twin" (Didymus.)

Just as Saints Peter and Paul are said to have brought Christianity to Greece and Rome, Saint Mark brought it to Egypt, Saint John to Syria and Asia Minor, Thomas is often said to have taken it eastwards as far as India. He is popularly known as the patron saint of India. Ancient writers used the designation "India" for all countries south and east of the Roman Empire's frontiers, which could mean China, the Far East, and beyond, just about half of the world!
The expression of faith which St Thomas uttered, “My Lord and my God,” has become a very popular expression that people use during the elevation of the Body and Blood of Christ. Some people say it softly, others audibly enough. It is not part of the liturgical rubrics, but it is a powerful expression of faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. I can only imagine how terrible St Thomas must have felt after realizing that it was really Jesus he was seeing again when He reappeared to the apostles gathered in the upper room. The Roman Catholic and Anglican calendars honor him on July 3, the day on which his relics are believed to have been translated to Mylapore, a place along the coast of Chennai in India to the city of Edessa and Mesopotamia. This took place in 232 AD and the transfer of his relics were organized by an Indian king.

Jules Rimet

Jules Rimet represented in a stamp issued by Hungary

Known as the Catholic visionary who founded the World Cup, I thought it would be fitting to give tribute today to Jules Rimet, as we follow the 2018 World Cup in Russia with may surprises, as past winners keep tumbling out, one after the other. Italy, winner of 4 finals did not even make it to Russia, then Germany, also winners of 4 finals, got knocked out, as did Argentina, winner of 2 finals. Then it was Spain’s turn to return home, and now only Uruguay, France, Brazil and England are the only past winners still left in the round of 16, trimming it to 8 by tomorrow. And with Brazil and England playing over the next 2 days, who knows what may happen to them? But back to Rimet, Jules was born on October 14 1873 and grew up mostly in Paris, where he became a lawyer and was involved in many social humanitarian projects. As a young boy he was an altar-boy and a choir member at his church. As an adult he worked hard to harmonize the reltionship between church and state. Realizing how sport can bring people together, he tried to involve many young people from the working class into sports, especially football or soccer. He founded the Red Star Saint Ouen, one of the best teams in France, and continued to climb the ladder of success as an adminstrative spearhead in international sport. In 1921, he became the President of the Federation Internationale de Football (FIFA), a role he cherished for 33 years. After World War I, which brought a lot of division among nations, he introduced the World Cup in 1930, and he himself went to Uruguay to host the first competition. 

The Jules Rimet Cup on the left and the new trophy on the right.

The cup was named the Jules Rimet trophy. He also insisted that the players taking part would be people who would be able to earn a living by practising their sport. It is unfortunate however that nowadays the players are multi-millionaires, which led Jules’ grandson Yves to say:’”My grandfather would be very disappointed today to see the sport he loved being dominated by the business of money.” The Jules Rimet trophy was awarded permanently to Brazil in 1970, for winning the World Cup three times, and a new cup was created for subsequent competitions.

The Obstacle in Our Path

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand! Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition. Every difficult situation presents an opportunity for change, growth, transformation. Blessed is that person who can conquer it.

The early Christian Martyrs

Most of us remember the Holocaust, genocide in some countries, the loss of lives at World Wars, the martyrs of September 11, 2001, and then there are the early Christian martyrs.The day after the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the Church commemorates the many unknown, possibly in 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 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. 

Saint Peter and Saint Paul

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 of 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 traveled 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.

Hospitality and Immigration

The LifeLine ship that was allowed in Malta yesterday with 230 immigrants.

The present situation with immigration, both in the Mediterranean Sea and on the US-Mexico border leads me to share a few comments, especially since Malta has been often mentioned over the past few weeks. In fact just yesterday, Malta allowed over 230 refugees to enter the main harbor, with the prospect of having many of these refugees distributed among other countries, members of the European Union. 

Malta has always been hospitable to foreigners. Back in 60 AD St Paul and his crew were welcomed after the historic and providential shipwreck on the shores of Malta. Over the centuries, many foreigners settled on our small island and presently, walking through the local streets, all you hear are foreign languages and sometimes I feel I am still in New York City or London or Madrid. Malta is only 112 square miles, and extremely overcrowded already. Over the past 20 years or so, hundreds of refugees from North Africa have landed in Malta and were given political asylum or refugee status, but the problem is that Malta is too small to take in more immigrants. Many of these refugees escaping their countries want to land in Italy or Greece or Spain, from where they can spread, travel and settle all over Europe. They certainly don’t wish to end up in Malta which is so limited with space, and we are already the third most densely populated country in the world. In my hometown of St Julian’s for example, 40% of the population are foreigners. It baffles me when I stand outside our home in the evening, and I see only foreign students and visitors walk by, and all I hear are European languages, not to mention the carers in our Retirement Home who are predominantly Eastern Europeans, from the Philippines and even India and Pakistan. My hope is that the countries from where these immigrants are escaping, can strengthen their countries and governments, and develop more humane cities, in such a way that people do not have to fear living there and escape elsewhere, jeopardizing their lives and thousands of others to find a safe haven. Let us continue to pray as the leaders of the European Union discuss this issue over the next few days.

From the mouth of babes - part 1

Touching words from the mouth of babes. A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?'

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

'Love is when you can still walk on the sand towards a sunset and feel like you've just been married all over again.' - Christina age 8

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.' Rebecca - age 7

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that.’ Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,' Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikkas on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.' Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6 

A kind action

Maria and Nat King Cole

One night, at 11:30 P.M., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960's. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. 

It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

                                                                                     Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

True Love

This story is told by a nurse: It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 am, when an elderly gentleman, in his 80's, arrived to have sutures (stitches) removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him.  I saw him looking at his watch and decided since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound. While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had a doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer Disease. As we talked, and I finished dressing his wound, I asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.  I was surprised and asked him. "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are? He smiled as he patted my hand and said... "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is."  I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goosebumps, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life." True love is neither physical nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be. 

Birth of John the Baptist

There are three paintings that depict a young St John the Baptist which are favorites of mine for different reasons. They are all by the Spanish painter Esteban Bartolome’ Murillo and they show John the Baptist as a little boy, John always being accompanied by a little lamb, symbolizing his famous words “Behold the Lamb of God,” the phrase he used to welcome Jesus when he came to the Jordan River to be baptized by him. The other two paintings are of John by himself, one of them with a pondering look, while the other shows him in a remorseful or apologetic mood, again both of them with the lamb next to him. Today the Catholic Church celebrates his birth, 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. This is the message we receive on the 2nd Sunday of Advent when we focus again on John the Baptist as we see him preparing the way of the Lord, setting the stage for Jesus’ arrival - doing all the rough work and then disappear, getting hardly any credit. But that was his role and never complained about it. In the Gospel of John the Evangelist (Jn 3:30,) we read that John the Baptist said about Jesus: “He must increase, while I must decrease.” This is very indicative of what will happen after Jesus’ baptism. Jesus became well known, while John disappeared in the background. Yet while the popularity of Jesus increased, John faded away, and we see him again being arrested and then being beheaded by Herod. Yet there is another interesting twist to the phrase “He must increase and I must decrease.” John’s birthday falls close to the summer solstice, one of the longest days of the year, and from now on, the days will start decreasing, leading to one of the shortest days of the year, which is Christmas, the birthday of Jesus, close to the winter’s solstice, and from then on, the days will start getting longer. “I must decrease, while He must increase.”

It’s a notion worth adapting to in our daily lives - we must decrease our yearnings, our dreams, our wishes, while we should let Him increase in us, increasing our potential to love, increase our prayer life, our devotion to duty, our commitment to our faith. This is the message the church wants us to remember this weekend. We can obviously decrease the clutter from our lives and increase the goodness that is certainly already in your heart.

Pope St. John XXIII

Pope St John XXIII on the sedia gestatoria.

Pope John XXIII was known for his funny remarks. Pope John rarely used the Sedia Gestatoria, that chair carried by 8 men. One day he decided to raise the salary of those carriers. When they asked him why, he simply replied: ‘They deserve the raise, to counter the added weight they have to carry.’

Just after he was elected Pope, he was meeting Bishop Fulton Sheen at the Vatican. As he welcomed Bishop Sheen he said to him: ‘The Lord knew for 77 years that I was going to be a Pope. Don’t you think he should have made me a little more cute and less chubby!’

While visiting Regina Coeli prison at Christmastime in 1958, he admitted to the prisoners that he too had stolen an apple when he was a child. He told the prisoners ‘That day I had a great sense of remorse like all of you. I spent a long time worrying about my mistake. But I was lucky because I was never caught. And if I was caught, how could I have given that apple back? I had eaten it a long time ago!’

One day in the Vatican Gardens, Pope John met the gardener who was bottling some wine from the small vineyard. He filled a glass with the wine, tasted it as the wine connoisseurs like to do. After he drank it, the Pope said: ‘Enrico, do me a favor, don’t let the Monsignori taste this wine, because they would want it for the Mass, and they may end up saying 4 or 5 Masses each day!’

St Thomas More and John Fisher

St. Thomas More

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. Thomas More and St John Fisher

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." St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher 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. Aloysius Gonzaga was born at Castiglione near Mantua, Italy, in 1568 to a celebrated family of wealth and prestige. As the first born 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 the 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 traveled 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 at the Roman College, he continued to devote his time to prayer and practices of austerity. His spiritual director was St. 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.

Class of 1977

Ordination Class of 1977 (click to enlarge)

Here is a group picture of me and my classmates after celebrating Mass at Resurrection chapel yesterday at Hilltop Gardens on the occasion of our 41st anniversary. A nice crowd of families and friends attended who enjoyed the celebration as well as the reception that followed. It is an annual get-together that has been held over the years, each year in a different church. This year we remembered especially Fr Teddy Cumbo, one of us who died this past January. From left to right, they are: Fr. Carmel Mercieca, Msgr. Carmel Farrugia, Fr. Gino Gauci, Fr. Joe Borg, Msgr. Joe Bajada, Fr. Julian Cassar, Msgr. Charles Attard, Msgr. Anton Gouder, Fr. Tancred Sultana, Fr. Walter Cauchi, Fr. Mario Tong. To one and all: Ad Multos Annos!

41st Anniversary

The day of our Ordination, June 19, 1977

Today I celebrate 41 years since my ordination to the priesthood. We just had a retreat with my classmates, and tonight we will concelebrate Mass at my chapel here at Hilltop Gardens. I thank the Lord for giving us all these years to minister to the people God has entrusted in our care. We have plenty of memories as we reminisced through stories, anecdotes and recollections which remain indelible in our minds. 

An informal photo before our ordination with our Rector, Msgr Victor Grech.

I pray especially today for the parishioners I had served over the years: St. Julian’s Malta, Holy Spirit in New Hyde Park, NY, St. Anthony, Rocky Point, NY, Holy Family, Hicksville, NY, St Stanislaus Kostka, Pleasant Valley, NY, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, John Day, Oregon, St Francis de Sales Cathedral, Baker City, Oregon, St. Francis of Assisi, Bend, Oregon, and the last two years the community of Hilltop Gardens and Simblija Care Home in Naxxar, Malta.

A modern litany to Mary

Mary, hope of our future.

Mary, model of endless waiting.

Mary, model of enduring patience.

Mary, help during our redemption from sin.

Mary, model of timely tolerance.

Mary, beautiful beyond anything ever created.

Mary, healer of all emotional pain.

Mary, consoler of the broken-hearted.

Mary, comforter of those hurt by unkind treatment.

Mary, example of perseverance and determination.

Mary, guide for those seeking a new beginning.

Mary, strength of all families.

Mary, source of much-needed spiritual stamina.

Mary, our Mother, pray for us.

My soccer career

As the World Cup is going on, and bringing millions of people together in a spirit of fair play and spectacular action, I want to go back in time and share with you three photos that describe my humble soccer career. Back in 1957, when I was just 5 years old, I used to be the ball-boy, also called mascot of the soccer team from my home town of St Julian’s members of the Catholic Action Society. I simply carried the ball and posed for pictures with the team, made up of young men, 4 of whom were uncles and cousins of mine.

The other photo is from my Seminary years where I used to organize a 7-a-side soccer league, encouraging all seminarians to participate. My intention was to involve as many as possible to play, even though some of the seminarians were far from athletic. In this photo from 1972 with 6 others, who are all priests, I was the goalkeeper, standing first on the left in a light-colored shirt.

Priorities

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar........and the beer. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes." The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty Space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix what is broekn. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."

World Cup 2018

The world is presently enraptured in following the final stages of the Soccer World Cup. It is being held in Russia and is held every 4 years, with many preliminary matches to be played to choose the final 32 teams. As of 2026, which will be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico, the teams in the finals stages will be 48, obviously to crown one nation. Over the years, a few elite teams have won the top prize, including Brazil (5 times,) Germany (4 times,) Italy (4 times,) Argentina (twice,) Uruguay (twice,) Spain, France and England (once each.) My memories of World Cup frenzy goes back to my childhood years, starting from 1958 when Brazil beat Sweden in the final, and that’s when my father had bought a television set in black and white, and many of his friends used to come and watch the games. My biggest recollection is the 1966 edition which was held in England and won by England, as well as the 1970 edition held in Mexico, won by Brazil by beating Italy in the grand final. The favorites this year are Brazil, Germany, Spain and France. Unfortunately both Italy and the USA did not make it to the final stages. And please, don't look for Malta - we're too small to even win a game in the preliminary stages, although Iceland, with a smaller population than Malta, made it to the finals this year.

Sand and Stone

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE. They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE. The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you! , you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?" The other friend replied "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it." LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.