[:mt]Kelma tal-Ħajja ta’ Lulju[:en]July Word of Life[:]

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“Kull min jagħmel ir-rieda ta’ Missieri li hu fis-Smewwiet, dak huwa ħija, u oħti, u ommi” (Mt 12, 50).

Il-Vanġelu ta’ San Mattew jirrakkonta ġrajja mill-ħajja ta’ Ġesù li nistgħu nitilfu l-importanza tagħha: ommu u qrabatu marru Kafarnahum fejn kien mad-dixxipli tiegħu biex iwassal l-imħabba tal-Missier lil kulħadd. Milli jidher kienu mxew ħafna sa ma sabuh, u wara xtaqu li jkellmuh. Ma daħlux fejn kien jinsab Ġesù, imma bagħtulu messaġġ: “Ara, ommok u ħutek qegħdin barra jfittxu li jkellmuk”.

Il-familja kienet realtà importanti ħafna għall-poplu Lhudi: il-poplu stess kien meqjus “bin” Alla, werriet tal-wegħdiet tiegħu, u l-Lhud kienu jżommu ’l xulxin bħala “aħwa”. Imma Ġesù qal xi ħaġa mhux mistennija: medd idu b’mod solenni lejn id-dixxipli tiegħu u qal:

“Kull min jagħmel ir-rieda ta’ Missieri li hu fis-Smewwiet, dak huwa ħija, u oħti, u ommi”.

Hawnhekk Ġesù wera dimensjoni ġdida: kulħadd jista’ jħossu parti minn din il-familja, kemm-il darba nimpenjaw ruħna biex nagħrfu r-rieda ta’ Missierna li hu fis-Smewwiet u nagħmluha.

Kulħadd, kbir jew żgħir, raġel jew mara, f’saħħtu jew marid, ta’ kull kultura u pożizzjoni soċjali, Alla jitfa’ ħarstu fuq kull persuna u inti tista’ tidħol f’rabta miegħu, biex issir tafu u titħabbeb miegħu.

Mela kulħadd jista’ jagħmel ir-rieda t’Alla. Din hi li nħobbuh u li nħobbu ’l xulxin bħal aħwa. U jekk inħobbu, Ġesù jagħrafna bħala qraba tiegħu: ħutu. Dan hu l-akbar ċans li għandna, li jissorprendina; jeħlisna mill-imgħoddi, mill-biżat u mill-iskemi tagħna. Anki l-limiti u n-nuqqasijiet tagħna jistgħu jsiru okkażjoni biex nirnexxu f’ħajjitna, li  mbagħad żgur tieħu togħma oħra.

“Kull min jagħmel ir-rieda ta’ Missieri li hu fis-Smewwiet, dak huwa ħija, u oħti, u ommi”.

Saħansitra nistgħu b’xi mod insiru omm Ġesù. Bħal Marija, mat-tħabbira tal-anġlu Gabriel sa fuq il-kalvarju u l-ewwel żminijiet tal-Knisja, hekk ukoll kull wieħed u waħda minna jista’ jwelled u jerġa’ jwelled lil Ġesù ġewwa fih, jekk hu jgħix il-Vanġelu; u permezz tal-imħabba tagħna lejn xulxin, aħna nagħtu sehemna biex Ġesù jerġa’ jitwieled fostna.

‘Kunu familja’: din hi stedina li Chiara Lubich għamlet lil min jixtieq jgħix il-Kelma  t’Alla. “Hemm fostkom min qed ibati għax għaddej minn provi spiritwali jew morali? Ifhmuh bħal u aktar minn omm, uruh it-triq bil-kliem u bl-eżempju. Tħalluhx nieqes, anzi uruh l-għożża tal-familja. Hemm fostkom min hu marid? Ġibu ruħkom miegħu ta’ aħwa. […] Kull ma tagħmlu, […] qabelxejn għandu jkun imżejjen bi spirtu ta’ familja. U kulfejn tmorru biex twasslu l-idejal ta’ Kristu […], agħmlu minn kollox biex bil-prudenza kollha, imma b’deċiżjoni, toħolqu spirtu ta’ familja. Dan huwa spirtu umli, li jrid il-ġid tal-oħrajn, ma jitkabbarx… hu l-karità ħajja”[1].

“Kull min jagħmel ir-rieda ta’ Missieri li hu fis-Smewwiet, dak huwa ħija, u oħti, u ommi”.

Kull wieħed u waħda minna jista’  jiskopri kuljum il-missjoni li Alla l-Missier jafdalu f’idejh biex il-bnedmin kollha jkunu familja waħda.

F’naħa mill-belt ta’ Homs, fis-Sirja, hemm aktar minn mija u ħamsin tifel u tifla, fil-maġġoranza tagħhom Musulmani, li jiltaqgħu wara l-iskola f’dar tal-Knisja Griega-Ortodossa. Sandra, li tieħu ħsieb dawn it-tfal, tgħid hekk: “Aħna nilqgħu u ngħinu lil dawn it-tfal permezz ta’ għalliema u speċjalisti u noħolqu klima ta’ familja mibnija fuq id-djalogu u l-ħarsien tal-valuri. Ħafna minn dawn it-tfal għaddew minn trawmi u tbatija kbira, u xi  wħud minnhom m’humiex interessati fit-tagħlim u huma aggressivi. Nixtiequ li dawn it-tfal jerġgħu jibnu l-fiduċja fihom infushom u fl-oħrajn. Il-gwerra kissret ħafna familji, u hawnhekk huma qed jerġgħu jsibu x-xewqa u t-tama li jibdew kollox mill-ġdid”.

Letizia Magri

[1] C. Lubich, fir-rivista Gen’s, 30 (2000/ 2), pġ. 42.

https://soundcloud.com/user-63571203/word-of-life-july-2020[:en]“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Mt. 12:50).

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Matthew’s Gospel recounts an episode in Jesus’ life that can seem unimportant.  His mother and her family went to Capernaum where Jesus was staying with the disciples proclaiming the Father’s love to all. They had probably walked a long way to find him and they wanted to talk to him. They did not go straight to the place where he was but they sent a message: “Your mother and your brothers are outside and are trying to speak to you.” The family dimension was certainly very important for the people of Israel: they themselves were considered to be “children” of God and heirs to his promises. Furthermore, the people of Israel regarded one another as “brothers”. But Jesus opened up an unexpected perspective: with a solemn gesture of his hand he pointed to the disciples and said:

“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus revealed a new dimension: anyone at all can feel part of this family if that person is committed to knowing and fulfilling the will of the one Father. Anyone: adult or child, man or woman, healthy or ill, of every culture and social position. Anyone: every person is made in the image of God Love. Indeed, each person is a being created by God with whom he or she can enter into a relationship of knowledge and friendship.

Therefore, anyone can do the will of God which is love for him and love for one another. And, if we love, Jesus recognizes us as his family – his brothers and sisters. This is such a huge opportunity that it catches us by surprise; it frees us from the past, from our fears, from our way of seeing things. In this perspective, even our limitations and our fragility can be “launching pads” that propel us towards fulfilment. There is a qualitative leap in everything.

“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

In a certain way, we too can be the “mother” of Jesus. Just as Mary was open and available to God from the time of the Annunciation till Calvary and then during the birth of the Church, so we too can give birth and rebirth to Jesus in ourselves by living the Gospel, and our mutual love can contribute to generating the presence of Jesus in our communities.

On one occasion, when Focolare founder Chiara Lubich was addressing a group of people eager to live the Word of God, she said: “‘Be a family’. Are there people among you who are suffering spiritual or moral trials? Be understanding of them as a mother would and even more. Enlighten them through your word or example. Don’t let them lack the warmth of a family but rather increase it. Are there people among you who are suffering physically? May they be our preferred brothers and sisters. […] Never put any activity of any kind before the spirit of family with those brothers and sisters with whom you are living. And wherever you go to bring Christ’s ideal […], you will do no better than try to create with discretion, prudence but with solid conviction, the spirit of a family. It is a humble spirit, it wishes the best for everyone, it is not proud, it is […] true charity.”

“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

In everyday life, we can discover the task that the Father has entrusted to us to build the great human family. In the Homs area in Syria, more than one hundred and fifty children, mostly Muslims, attend after-school sessions in a building that belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church. Sandra, the director, said: “We are a team of teachers and specialists and our aim is to create a family atmosphere of welcome and support.  Our work is based on dialogue and the promotion of values. Many children are affected by the trauma and suffering they have experienced. Some are apathetic, others aggressive. We want to rebuild their trust in themselves and in others. The war often causes division among families but here they find the desire and the hope to start again.”

Letizia Magri

https://soundcloud.com/user-63571203/word-of-life-july-2020[:]