IT-TMIEN ĦADD TA’ MATUL IS-SENA – 26 ta’ Frar 2017.

 

Il-laqgħa bdiet billi il-kelliem poġġa żewġ mistoqsijiet. L-ewwel waħda kienet:

X’nifhmu meta ngħidu bniedem li rnexxa?

Fost it-tweġibiet kien hemm min qal li Kristu nrexxa, għalkemm spiċċa mdendel ma’ salib. Imma ġeneralment meta ssemmi suċċess tifhem poter, karriera, flus, etċ. It-tieni  mistoqsija kienet:

Xi tfisser ħbiberija?

Għal din kien hemm diversi risposti, bħal fiduċja, imħabba, sinċerita’, sapport, onesta’, paċi.

Imbagħad inqara l-Ewwel Qari u l-Vanġelu tal-Ħadd. Wara kien hemm ftit ħin ta’ riflessjoni. Għaliex Ġesu’ qed ikun daqshekk iebes f’dan il-vanġelu? Wara kollox, “mingħajr flus la tgħannaq u lanqas tbus”. Ġesu’ hu ċar u radikali, kemm f’dan il-vanġelu u dak tal-ġimgħa l-oħra. Ma tistgħax taqdi lil Alla u lil flus. Aħna nagħmlu ħafna kompromessi, u anke skużi l-ikar validi, bħal familja, etċ. Għaliex qed jgħid hekk Ġesu’? X’inhu l-effett tal-ġid materjali? Risposta għal din kienet li trid taħdem, taqla’ l-flus biex tmantni l-familja. Trid tagħmel ir-rwol tiegħek imma anke taħseb fl-oħrajn. Ma rridux nagħmlu bħal ma kienu għamlu xi wħud fi żmien San Pawl – qagħdu b’idejhom fuq żaqqhom. San Pawl stess qal: “Min ma jaħdimx m’għandux dritt jiekol”. Il-ġid isir ħażin meta jiġi użat ħażin, bħal, per eżempju l-internet, li fih innifsu hu tajjeb, imma jista’ jsir ta’ xkiel.

Il-problema tal-ġid materjali hu li jagħlaqna – isir ossessjoni – min għandu dejjem irid. Inqiegħdu t-tama tagħna fil-ġid, li hu limitat, imbagħad lil Alla, li Hu infinit, nieħduh “for granted”.

Il-Papa Franġisku jitkellem ħafna fuq dan is-suġġett – ir-rikezzi u l-preokkupazzjonijiet. Isemmi l-parabbola taż-żerriegħa. Meta aħna nagħmlu kompromess mal-flus u l-ġid materjali nkunu qisna dik iż-żerriegħa li waqgħet qalb ix-xewk. Għal l-ewwel tinbet, imma x-xewk joħnoqha, għax moħħ il-bniedem jiggranfa ma’ dak li qed jara f’idejh. Jekk il-ġid nagħmluh alla tagħna, jaqtgħana minn kollox. Mhux il-ġid biss jagħmel hekk – il-kumdita’, il-mod kif inħarsu lejn l-emigranti, etċ.

Ġesu’ qalilna: “Kunu perfetti bħal ma Hu Missierkom”. Hawn min jirraġuna li l-perfezzjoni mhiex għal hawn u jieqaf hemm. Irridu nagħmlu pass ieħor, ġieli nitgerbu, imma rridu nqumu u nerġgħu. Ma rridux ninsew, fil-kumdita’ tagħna, li hawn faqar materjali. Hawn ħafna diffikultajiet. Imbagħad hawn min għandu minn kollox u jinsab waħdu. Is-solitutudni hi tip ta’ faqar kbir. Biex nirnexxu rridu nitgħallmu naqsmu mal-oħrajn, ma norbtux qalbna mal-ġid materjali, hu x’inhu. Anke jekk xi ħadd iweġġgħek, ma rridux inħallu dik l-azzjoni torbotlok qalbek u tifniek. Dak li qed jgħid Ġesu’ hu iebes: “Kunu perfetti”. Din hi l-isfida tal-vanġelu.

Il-Papa jgħid li waħda mill-problemi tal-ġid hu li jaqtagħna mill-ħin, mid-dinja. Jaqtgħek mill-passat, għada ħadd ma rah, mela kul u tpaxxa! Il-ħsieb tal-Papa għal dan ir-Randan hu mibni fuq il-Parabbola ta’ Lazzru u l-Għani. Dan tal-aħħar ma jissemmiex b’ismu. Irridu noqogħdu attenti li ma nitilfux l-identita’ tagħna. Inraqqdu l-kuxjenza. Il-kumdita’ fiha nnifisha mhix ħażina, imma rridu noqgħodu għajnejna miftuħa u saqajna mal-art. Il-Papa Franġisku terraq fis-slums, għamel għażla radikali u jaf x’inhuma l-weġgħat tan-nies. Jista’ jekk irid jgħix fil-lussu, imma mhux hekk. Għalhekk qed ikun skomdu għal ċerti nies.

Naslu issa għat-tieni parti tal-Vanġelu. Titkellem fuq l-ansjeta’ u l-biża’ tagħna u kif għandna nirbħuhom bil-fiduċja fil-provvidenza t’Alla. Il-fiduċja hi l-kejl ta’ kemm jien ħabib m’Alla. Il-fiduċja tilħaq il-milja tagħha meta lil Alla nagħtihilu bis-sħiħ.

Il-laqgħa għalqet bil-kwotazzjoni minn Santa Tereża:

Tħallix xi jtaqqlek, tħallix xi jbeżżgħek,

Min għandu ‘l Alla ma jonqsu xejn.

Tħallix xi jtaqqlek, tħallix xi jbeżżgħek,

Alla waħdu kollox.

Tista’ omm tinsa l-uliedha? Alla ma jinsiek qatt. Din hi l-fiduċja.

7 Ħadd matul is-Sena. Sena A.

Levitiku 19: 1-2, 17-18; Salm 102; 1 Kor 3: 16-23; Mattew 5: 38-48

Kemm-il darba niltaqgħu ma’ persunaġġi fl-evanġelji li Ġesù meta ltaqa’ magħhom qalilhom ‘dnubietek ikunu maħfura’. Il-parabbola tal-Iben il-Ħali twasslilna ħafna sentimenti bħall-maħfra, imħabba, stennija, ġustizzja, prefernzi u suppervja fost l-oħrajn. Forsi l-maħfra sinċiera hija l-akbar waħda li toħroġ bil-qawwa għalina. It-talb żgur li jgħinna biex nirbħu dawk il-mumenti mudlama li fihom ma nkunux nistgħu naslu għall-maħfra li tħallina nkomplu ngħixu ħajjitna b’mod kostruttiv. Il-kelliem tal-laqgħa semma kif il-Papa Franġisku qal li l-agħar ħaġa li nagħmlu meta nkunu ttentati hija li nidħlu fi djalogu max-xitan. Il-Papa semma l-eżempju ta’ Eva li tkellmet u ddjalogat max-xitan fil-ġnien tal-Eden; u dan wassalha biex taqa’ għalih. Mentri b’mod oppost insibu lil Ġesù li meta ġie ttentat fid-deżert huwa ma kompliex u ma tkellimx max-xitan. Ġesù ikkowatalu l-Kelma t’Alla fl-Iskrittura u waqaf hemm. Bit-talb għalhekk inkunu qegħdin nitolbu u nitkellmu ma’ Alla li jwassalna biex negħlbu dak li jkun qiegħed ifixkilna.

L-evanġelju tal-Ħadd li ġej huwa parti mid-diskors tal-muntanja. Huwa vanġelu iebes li forsi jdarrasna, peró dak huwa li għallimna Ġesù. L-akbar eżempju ta’ dan Ġesù tah fuq is-salib. Ġesù qiegħed jgħidilna biex inħobbu lill-għadu tagħna. Fuq is-salib huwa qal: “Aħfrilhom għax ma jafux x’inhuma jagħmlu.”

Ġesù jgħidilna li ma ġiex biex jibdel il-liġi imma biex jipperfezzjonaha. Fil-ktieb tal-Levitiku li fih il-liġijiet li kienu jużaw il-poplu Lhudi insibu kif azzjoni ħażina kienet twassal għal azzjoni ħażina oħra bi tpattija; kienet tpattija ta’ għajn għal għajn u sinna għal sinna.(Ma kinitx risposta u azzjoni ħażina akbar mill-azzjoni irċevuta). Ġesù peró qed jgħid xi ħaġa differenti; dik li npattu azzjoni jew nirreaġixxu azzjoni ħażina b’waħda tajba. Hekk ma tkunx qiegħed taġixxi bl-istint impulsiv tiegħek imma bil-kmandament il-ġdid tal-imħabba ta’ Ġesù. Ġesù qiegħed jurina li l-vendetta mhux tan-nisrani. San Ġorġ Preca kien isemmi ħafna l-manswetudni li tfisser il-maħfra tal-għedewwa. Għandna nżommu quddiem għajnejna li dan huwa proċess fit-triq tal-perfezzjoni. L-azzjonijiet tagħna mhuma xejn ħlief pass f’din it-triq; żgur li mhux se naslu mill-ewwel imma rridu nkunu kapaċi nagħmlu pass wara pass.

Aħna ulied il-Missier u minħabba li hu jħobb mingħajr distinzjoni, aħna rridu nkunu bħalu u nkunu kapaċi saħansitra nħobbu l-għedewwa tagħna. Alla jiġri wara l-midneb u wara min offendieh.

Dan allura jfisser li nkunu ġwejfa u ma nirreaġixxux għal dak li jiġrilna? Lanqas xejn. Waqt il-proċess ta’ Ġesù fil-passjoni, il-qaddej qal lil Ġesù “hekk twieġeb lill-qassis il-kbir?”, u tah daqqa ta’ ħarta. Ġesù kif irreaġixxa? B’mod vjolenti? Le. Ġesù rrispondieh u qallu: “Jekk għedt is-sewwa, għalfejn qed terfa’ jdejk fuqi?” Ma kienx aggressiv u ħallas bl-istess munita. Ġesù ma weġibx bi stqarrija imma wieġeb b’mistoqsija fejn meta twieġeb hekk tkun bdejt proċess li forsi jwassal biex dak li għamel l-azzjoni jaħseb fuq għemilu.

Il-Papa Franġisku qal li jekk bl-imħabba jiġu l-ulied, hekk bil-maħfra inkunu qegħdin inqajjmu lil xi ħadd mill-mewt; dik spiritwali. Aħna rridu nkunu xhieda ta’ dak li nemmnu bil-mod tal-ħajja tagħna. Il-kelliem semma lill-Kardinal Van Thuan li kien mitfugħ il-ħabs fil-Vjetnam għal 13-il sena. L-għassiesa tiegħu kienu jistaqsuh jekk jobgħodhomx. Huwa kien jgħidilhom le, anke le għal tpattija kieku joħroġ mill-ħabs. L-għassiesa stess ġew persważi bil-ħajja tiegħu tant li kienu jbiddlu l-għassiesa ħalli ma jiġux influwenzati minnu. Huwa għex il-virtujiet b’mod erojku fejn ħabb saħansitra lil dawk li kienu jżommuh fil-ħabs.

Il-Papa Franġisku qal kemm-il darba li aħna mdorrija nobogħdu, rridu nkunu dejjem minn fuq, inwieġbu t-tgħajjir b’tgħajjir u mdorrija nitgħajjru qisna qed ngħidu lil xulxin l-għodwa t-tajba. Dan l-evanġelju jfissrilna li mill-ġustizzja kif kienu jifhmuha l-Fariżej qegħdin ngħaddu għall-ġustizzja differenti tas-saltna t’Alla. Din il-ġustizzja qed turina kif aħna nitilgħu fuq il-muntanja tal-Beatitudnijiet. F’dan id-diskors tal-muntanja, Ġesù kien qiegħed jipprietka l-liġi l-ġdida, il-liġi tal-imħabba. Huma kien moħħhom fl-irqaqat u kienu qed jaraw lil Ġesù joħdilhom il-poter u l-kontroll. Ma kienx qiegħed jagħmel dan bil-vjolenza imma bl-imħabba.

Għalhekk dan ifisser li aħna rridu ninqatgħu mill-osservanza tal-liġi weħidha. Apparti mil-liġi aħna rridu ningħataw anke lill-għadu bla ma jistenna xejn lura. Ma rridux nistennew il-premju tal-azzjoni tajba li qed nagħmlu. Il-premju tiegħi imur lil hinn u l-ħajja tinbidel u l-Ispirtu tiegħi jgħaddi għal ħajja differenti. It-talb u l-fiduċja fl-Ispirtu s-Santu jgħinna biex noħorġu minn dawn il-ħafna spirali ta’ vjolenza u liġijiet li jekk ma ninquflhomx jirkbuna u jiħdulna l-kontroll tal-ħajja tagħna.

Ġesù jagħtina dawn l-erba’ suġġerimenti: 1)meta xi ħadd jagħtik daqqa ta’ ħarta fuq ħaddek tal-lemin, dawwarlu l-ieħor ukoll; 2)jekk xi ħadd itellgħek il-qorti u jeħodlok il-libsa, tih ukoll il-mantar; 3)min jitolbok timxi miegħu mil, imxi miegħu tnejn; 4)lil min tislef, titlobulux lura. Dawn jidhru iebsin imma juruna li m’għandniex nibqgħu passivi.

Alla ħalaqna xbiha tiegħu u huwa għalhekk li rridu nemmnu fl-imħabba gratwita u totali; u nagħmlu dan fid-dawl li Alla diġá għamel hekk magħna permezz ta’ Ibnu Ġesù li huwa, il-Missier, bagħat fostna.

The Youth of the Year Award 2016 organised by the Kerŷgma Movement was awarded to Mr James Borg Cumbo from San Gwann.  The award, which is sponsored by APS Bank, was announced by Mrs Bernice Micallef, President of the Kerŷgma Movement.  A Certificate of Special Merit was also awarded to Sara Portelli from Birkirkara for her voluntary work promoting the culture of life, defending the speechless and for her work within the Franciscan Community.

Her Excellency Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta, presented the trophy at the end of a mass which was celebrated at St Dominic’s Church, Rabat on Friday 3 February 2017.  Also present at the ceremony were the President’s husband Mr Edgar Preca, Prof. Emanuel P. Delia, Chairman of APS Bank Limited who sponsored the event, Mrs. Bernice Micallef, President of Kerŷgma Movement and Dr George Hyzler, Chairman of the Selection Board, among other guests.

James Borg Cumbo, is a 25-year-old youth from San Gwann who works with an insurance company.  In 2012, James went with friends for a youth exchange in Finland.  Here the participants were encouraged to reflect on the realities of life beyond our shores and this enkindled in them an interest to do missionary work.  The idea of setting up Karibu! Malta evolved from this (Karibu means Welcome in Swahili).

James was involved in this project to encourage youngsters to go to Kenya under the Youth in Action scheme but their application for funding was unsuccessful.  The youngsters who were interested to make this experience therefore decided that there was no alternative but to go anyway and pay the money from their own pockets.  At the time, James was secretary of the group and was responsible for the collection of local records as well as planning the activities for the children in Kenya.  Contact was made with Archbishop Emanuel Barbara in Kenya, and in August 2013 the group went to this country and from here commenced the Karibu! Malta experience.  The work done included general maintenance, activities with children and socializing with local people of Malindi and other villages nearby.  At the same time, they assessed projects which could be done in the future.  Here James talked with children to see how they really felt and what they wished for.  He saw the difference between the wishes of Maltese children those of Kenya who wished for the basics of life.

The group was so overwhelmed by the impact of this experience especially when returning to the comforts of their own homes, that they decided that this was not going to be a one-time event.  They therefore set up a specific committee, with James being appointed President.  He was responsible for drawing up a plan of fund-raising activities throughout the year and how the money collected could best be spent.  Team-building experiences were set-up for participants, the tour for 2014 was planned in conjunction with continuous communication with Archbishop Barbara.  This time they went to Ruiru and James and the other volunteers stayed at the Daughters of the Sacred Heart campus. Here the children called daily together with other street people. The Maltese group helped with cooking and food distribution and its financing.  For the children, this house was their only hope.  Karibu! Malta also funded a new kitchen so children could also learn how to cook.  Moreover, they laid tiles in the nearby church and also restructured St. Theresa Nuzzo School.

In 2015 and 2016 work was concentrated in Kipangajeni, a village located on the outskirts of Malindi.  The first building made of stone in the village was financed and built to be used as a chapel, as well as for various activities such as education for women, an infant school and a commuting area for residents of the village.  They also built for them their first public toilet.

In 2016 they built two rooms to be used as classrooms and two smaller rooms as offices for teachers.  They also arranged for the building of two other public toilets and installed a gutter around the roof of the hall to collect rainwater for free consumption.

James has so far gone to Kenya for four consecutive years and is planning another trip for July 2017.  This time a new 3-year project is being initiated in Mbaoni, another village very distant from the town of Malindi and therefore resources are very limited.  Karibu! Malta already introduced themselved by building them a bore-hole.  The school needs to be rebuilt since the present one is made of branches and is very deteriorated.  There are no benches for children who have sit on the ground and write on their lap.  Due to the amount of residents, the project is quite big, involving 11 classrooms, 3 administrative offices and 5 toilet pits.  Residents also wish for a church to be used also as a community meeting place and where women can get some education.  The cost of this entire project is estimated at €90,000.

James’ role as president, with the help of other members, is to initially find the right candidates to participate and who are able to work as a team.  Afterwards he arranges regular meetings to prepare them well for what they should expect in Kenya, where they will be living and what is expected of them.  At the same time, James begins to negotiate the best travel prices and to be able to take up as much luggage as possible to fill them with clothes for children.  During this period, fund-raising activities are commenced to collect money for the projects, usually one activity per month.  James also contacts suppliers to obtain sponsorships, applies for any necessary permits and distributes work to the members to meet their expectations and so that everyone feels part of the project, simultaneously ensuring that all work is done.  He also maintains constant contact with Malindi to ensure that everything is still on and that the Archbishop of Malindi and his assistants are taking care of all necessary permits.  Locally he liaises with the Health Department so that the participants take the necessary vaccinations and keeps records of any special health conditions of the participants to ensure their health during the experience.

The project in Mboani is undoubtedly the biggest project ever undertaken by Karibu! Malta and James is confident that with the continued support and generosity of the Maltese along with the work of the group, they will succeed and look forward.

The nominees for this year’s Award were: James Borg Cumbo from San Gwann, Alan Joseph Buhagiar from Zabbar, Fabio Cini from from Żebbuġ Gozo, Sarah Magro from Vittoriosa, the Mellieha Youth Group and Sara Portelli from Birkirkara.

This trophy is awarded every year in honour of the late Dr Rudolph Saliba who was Kerygma Movement’s first president.  Ms Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca congratulated the winner and the other finalists and the Kerygma Movement for organizing this annual event which showcases the voluntary work of so many youths.  She said that the work carried out by these youngsters and many others gave her encouragement and confidence in the Maltese society and these young people needed to continue to encourage other youngsters to further the good work they are doing locally and in other countries especially in Africa.  The President described these young people as the peace-builders of our community and were giving a lesson to those people who were using fear to scaremonger people through false messages of fear from people who really need respect and dignity.  We must not introduce social tensions simply because they are here.  Although these Maltese people do not mind at all digging their hands into their pockets to help the missions, when they actually encounter any of these people in our country, they see them as some kind of alien.  There is therefore the need to have someone to reveal the truth of these situations where these creations of God who are fleeing wars, poverty and hunger need to be given respect, dignity and the friendship that of these youngsters with hearts brimming with love and solidarity were giving them.  She therefore thanked them once again and said she is proud of the work they were doing as peace-builders and urged them to disclose this truth in the local environment.