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Malti
[:mt]Niżżel il-fuljett tal-Kelma tal-Ħajja bil-Malti.
“Henjin dawk li jġibu l-paċi, għax huma jissejħu wlied Alla” (Mt 5, 9).
Dan l-aħħar, ħidma ta’ riċerka li saret minn tliet universitajiet Taljani sabet li f’sena waħda ntbagħtu aktar minn miljun messaġġ ta’ mibegħda fuq l-internet. Messaġġi vjolenti qed jintbagħtu kontra l-barranin, il-Lhud, imma l-aktar kontra n-nisa.
Żgur li ma nistgħux niġġeneralizzaw, imma kull wieħed u waħda minna, fil-familja, fuq il-post tax-xogħol, fil-qasam sportiv, ġarrabna xi forma ta’ ġlied u offiżi li jġibu l-firda u jpoġġu fil-periklu l-ħajja tagħna fis-soċjetà. Imbagħad nafu li bħalissa hemm għaddejjin 56 gwerra fid-dinja. Dan hu l-akbar numru mit-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija ʹl hawn u dan qed iħalli għadd kbir ta’ vittmi ċivili.
F’dan il-kuntest, kliem Ġesù jinstema’ aktar veru u qawwi minn qatt qabel.
“Henjin dawk li jġibu l-paċi, għax huma jissejħu wlied Alla”.
“Kull poplu, kull bniedem jixxennaq għall-paċi, għall-ftehim, għall-għaqda. Madankollu, wara snin kbar ta’ storja u minkejja l-isforzi kollha u rieda tajba għad ma għandniex ħila niksbu paċi stabbli u dejjiema. Ġesù ġie biex iġibilna l-paċi. Iżda kif jgħid hu din il-paċi mhijiex bħal dik li ‘tagħti d-dinja’[1] għax mhijiex biss nuqqas ta’ gwerra, ta’ ġlied, ta’ firdiet u trawmi. Il-paċi li jagħti ‘Hu’ hi hekk ukoll, imma hi ħafna aktar minn hekk: hi milja ta’ ħajja u ferħ, hi salvazzjoni sħiħa tal-bniedem, hi ħelsien, hi ġustizzja u mħabba tal-aħwa bejn il-ġnus kollha”[2].
Il-Kelma tal-Ħajja ta’ dan ix-xahar hi s-seba’ waħda mill-beatitudnijiet li nsibu fil-bidu tad-Diskors tal-Muntanja (Mt 5-7). Ġesù, li għex dawn il-beatitudnijiet kollha, ried li jgħallimhom lid-dixxipli. Ta’ min jinnota li huma kollha fil-plural. Dan iwassalna biex ngħidu li l-aċċent mhux qiegħed fuq l-imġiba individwali jew virtujiet personali imma pjuttost fuq etika li ngħixuha flimkien.
“Henjin dawk li jġibu l-paċi, għax huma jissejħu wlied Alla”.
Min huma dawk li jġibu l-paċi? Din il-“beatitudni hi l-aktar waħda attiva, li tista’ tissarraf f’azzjoni; dan il-kliem jixbaħ lil dak li nsibu fl-ewwel vers tal-Bibbja li jitkellem fuq il-ħolqien u li juri sens ta’ inizjattiva u tħabrik. Min-natura tagħha stess l-imħabba hi kreattiva […] u tfittex il-ftehim, ikun xi jkun il-prezz biex tiksbu. Jissejħu wlied Alla dawk li jitgħallmu l-arti tal-paċi u jħaddmuha; għax jafu li ma naslux għall-ftehim bla ma nagħtu ħajjitna stess għalih, u l-paċi rridu nfittxuha dejjem, minkejja kollox. […] Din mhix opra li tinkiseb bil-ħila tagħna, hi wirja tal-grazzja li ksibna mingħand Kristu, li hu l-paċi tagħna, li għamilna wlied Alla”[3].
“Henjin dawk li jġibu l-paċi, għax huma jissejħu wlied Alla”.
Mela kif ser ngħixu din il-Kelma? Qabelxejn irridu nxerrdu kullimkien l-imħabba vera. Imbagħad, meta naraw li l-paċi tinsab mhedda, irridu naraw x’nagħmlu. Xi drabi biżżejjed tisma’ b’imħabba lil dawk li ma jkunux jaqblu bejniethom, tismagħhom sal-aħħar. B’dan il-mod nistgħu naslu għal ftehim.
Ħafna drabi ir-relazzjonijiet jinkisru minħabba nuqqas ta’ ftehim dwar affarijiet żgħar: jeħtieġ li ma nċedux qabel ma naraw li dawn ir-relazzjonijiet jerġgħu lura għal li kienu. Nistgħu ukoll nagħtu sehemna f’xi grupp, f’xi għaqda, f’xi parroċċa fejn ninsabu, billi nagħtu l-ħajja lil xi inizjattivi li jqanqlu aktar kuxjenza dwar il-ħtieġa tal-paċi. Fid-dinja hawn għadd kbir ta’ inizjattivi kbar u żgħar, li jaħdmu b’risq il-paċi: mixjiet, kunċerti, laqgħat, l-istess volontarjat li joħloq kurrent ta’ ġenerożità li biha nistgħu nibnu l-paċi.
Insibu wkoll programmi ta’ edukazzjoni għall-paċi bħalma huma “Living Peace”[4]. Illum hemm aktar minn 2600 skola u grupp imsieħba f’dan il-proġett u aktar minn miljun tifel u tifla, żgħażagħ u adulti li jieħdu sehem f’attivitajiet li jsiru f’kull kontinent. Fost dawn insibu “L-Cube tal-paċi” – li hija ispirata mill-Cube tal-arti tal-imħabba ta’ Chiara Lubich[5]. Fuq kull faċċata ta’ din il-Cube tal-paċi hemm kliem li jgħin biex jinbnew rabtiet ta’ paċi. Hemm ukoll it-Time Out, inizjattiva li ssir fid-dinja kollha: wieħed jieqaf f’nofsinhar biex jagħmel mument ta’ skiet, ta’ riflessjoni u talb għal paċi.
Augusto Parody Reyes
u il-grupp tal-Kelma tal-Ħajja
[1] Ara Ġw 14, 27.
[2] C. Lubich, Parole di vita, ta’ Fabio Ciardi, (Opere di Chiara Lubich 5) Città Nuova Editrice, Roma 2017, pġ. 709 (Jannar 2004).
[3] Papa Francesco, Udjenza Ġenerali. Katekeżi fuq il-Beatitudnijiet. L-Erbgħa 15 ta’ April, 2020.
[4] http://livingpeaceinternational.org.
[5] C. Lubich, L’arte di amare, Città Nuova Editrice, Roma 2005.
[:en]
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Mt 5:9).
for ages 4-8 | Print | Audio
Recently, an observatory established by three Italian universities reported that more than a million hate messages were posted online in one year. Messages of hate against foreigners, Jews and, in particular, women are becoming increasingly violent.
Of course, we cannot generalise, but most of us, at some time, have experienced argumentative attitudes, insults and antagonism in our families or at work or during sport and so on which divide us and undermine social cohesion. On a more global level, there are currently 56 armed conflicts worldwide, the highest number since World War II, resulting in a significant number of civilian casualties.
It is in this context that Jesus’ thought provoking words resonate more truthfully and powerfully than ever.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
‘Every nation and every person feels a deep longing for peace, harmony and unity. Yet despite our efforts and goodwill, after thousands of years of history, we still find ourselves unable to achieve stable and lasting peace. Jesus came to bring us peace – a peace that, he tells us, is not like that which ‘the world gives’, [i] because it is not merely the absence of war, strife, division and trauma. His peace encompasses all of these things but it is so much more: it is the fullness of life and joy; it is the salvation of the whole person; it is freedom; it is justice and fraternity among all peoples, based on love.’ [ii]
This month’s Word of Life is the seventh Beatitude with which the Sermon on the Mount begins (Matthew 5–7). Jesus, who embodies all the Beatitudes, addresses his disciples instructing them. It is worth noting that the eight Beatitudes are formulated in the plural. This suggests that the emphasis is not on individual attitudes or personal virtues, but rather on a collective ethic carried out in a group.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Who are the peacemakers? ‘This ‘beatitude’ is the most active one and explicitly asks for concrete efforts. The words are similar to those in the first verse of the Bible that refers to creation and they indicate initiative and industriousness. Love is creative by nature … and seeks reconciliation at any cost. Those who have learned the art of peace and practise it are called children of God. They know that there can be no reconciliation without giving one’s life, and that peace must always be sought everywhere… This is not an autonomous work that is the fruit of one’s own abilities, but a manifestation of the grace received from Christ, who is our peace and has made us children of God.’ [iii]
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
So, how can we live out these words? Firstly, by spreading true love everywhere. Secondly, we must intervene when peace is threatened around us. Sometimes, simply listening lovingly and attentively to those in conflict can provide a way forward.
Furthermore, it asks that we do not give up until broken relationships, often caused by trivial matters, are restored. Perhaps we could initiate special activities within our groups, associations or parishes to raise awareness of the need for peace. There are myriad proposals around the world, large and small, that work for this: marches, concerts, conferences and volunteer work set in motion a current of generosity that builds peace.
There are also peace education programmes, such as ‘Living Peace’. [iv]To date, over two million children, young people and adults in more than 2,600 schools and groups on five continents are involved in its initiatives. These include launching the ‘Peace Dice’ — inspired by Chiara Lubich’s ‘art of loving’ [v] – with phrases written on each side to help build peaceful relationships, and the worldwide ‘Time Out’ initiative which is a moment of silence, reflection,or prayer for peace at 12:00 noon every day.
Prepared by Augusto Parody Reyes
and the Word of Life Team
[i] Cf. Jn 14:27
[ii] C. Lubich, Word of Life Jan 2004
[iii] Pope Francis, General Audience, 15 April 2020
[iv] http://livingpeaceinternational.org
[v] C. Lubich ‘The Art of Loving’, Rome 2000
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