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“Henjin l-imnikkta, għax huma jkunu mfarrġa” (Mt 5, 4).
Min qatt ma beka f’ħajtu? U min qatt ma ra nies jibku u jofolqu għax għaddejjin mit-tbatija? Imbagħad, il-mezzi ta’ komunikazzjoni tallum, idaħħlu ġo djarna dak kollu li jiġri fid-dinja kollha, bil-periklu li nistgħu nidrawhom, u nwebbsu qalbna quddiem ix-xmara ta’ tbatija, qisu xejn mhu xejn.
Ġesù wkoll beka[1] u kien qrib il-biki tal-poplu tiegħu, li kien taħt ħakma barranija. Ħafna morda, foqra, romol, orfni, nies imwarrba minn kulħadd u midinba kienu jersqu lejH biex jisimgħu l-Kelma tiegħu, li kienet tfejjaqhom fil-ġisem u r-ruħ.
Fil-Vanġelu ta’ Mattew, Ġesù hu l-Messija li jwettaq il-wegħdiet li Alla għamel lil Iżrael u għalhekk hu jgħidilna:
“Henjin l-imnikkta, għax huma jkunu mfarrġa”.
Ġesù mhuwiex wieħed li ma jimpurtahx mit-tbatijiet tagħna. Hu jfejqilna qalbna mill-għebusija tal-egoiżmu, jimla l-vojt tagħna u jqawwina f’kulma ngħaddu minnu.
F’kumment ta’ Chiara Lubich fuq din il-Kelma tal-Vanġelu, insibu miktub hekk: “[…] B’dan il-kliem Ġesù ma jridx jgħid lil min hu mdejjaq biex jirrassenja ruħu u jwiegħdu ħlas fil-futur. Hu jaħseb ukoll fil-preżent. Filfatt, is-Saltna Tiegħu diġa tinsab fostna. Din is-Saltna hi preżenti f’Ġesù li, meta rxoxta minn mewta mill-aktar kiefra, rebaħ fuq il-mewt. Ġesù jinsab preżenti anki fina l-insara: Alla jinsab fina. It-Trinità tgħammar ġewwa qalbna. Għalhekk, il-beatitudni li qed iħabbar Ġesù, tista’ sseħħ issa stess. […] It-tbatijiet jistgħu jibqgħu għal ħafna żmien, imma hemm ħeġġa ġdida li tgħinna nġorru t-tiġrib tal-ħajja. B’din il-ħeġġa ngħinu lil ħaddieħor jirbaħ it-tbatijiet tiegħu, biex iħares lejhom kif għamel Ġesù: Hu ħaddan it-tbatija bħala mezz ta’ fidwa”[2].
“Henjin l-imnikkta, għax huma jkunu mfarrġa”.
Ġesù jgħallimna nkunu xhieda u għodda għal xulxin tal-imħabba kollha għożża u krejattiva tal-Missier. B’hekk titwieled dinja ġdida, li tfejqilna għal kollox ħajjitna u tiġbed lejha l-preżenza t’Alla fost il-bnedmin. Hu għajn ta’ faraġ li ma jintemm qatt li bih jixxotta kull demgħa tagħna.
B’dan il-mod Lena u Philippe, koppja mil-Libanu, qasmu l-esperjenza tagħhom mal-ħbieb tal-komunità nisranija: “Għeżież, din is-sena nixtiequ nroddulkom ħajr tal-awguri tagħkom għal Għid speċjali. Aħna ninsabu tajbin u qed noqogħdu attenti biex ma nesponux ruħna għall-virus. Madankollu, billi ninsabu fuq quddiem nett fil-ħidma tagħna mal-“Parrainage Liban”[3], ma nistgħux nibqgħu dejjem id-dar u qed noħorġu kull jumejn, biex ngħinu lil xi familji fil-bżonn u nagħtuhom flus, ilbies, ikel, mediċini, eċċ… Sa minn qabel bdiet il-pandemija tal-Covid-19, is-sitwazzjoni ekonomika tal-Pajjiż kienet waħda diffiċli ħafna u, kif qed jiġri mad-dinja kollha, kompliet tmur għall-għar. Imma l-Providenza ma tonqos qatt: xi ġimgħa ilu wieħed emigrant Libaniż bagħtilna l-għajnuna tiegħu. Talab lil Lena biex tiżgura platt sħun għal tlett ijiem fil-ġimgħa, lil tnax-il familja għax-xahar kollu t’April. Din hi konferma oħra tal-imħabba t’Alla, li ma tonqos qatt”.
Letizia Magri
[1] Ara Ġw 11, 35; Lq 19, 41.
[2] C. Lubich Kelma tal-Ħajja ta’ Novembru 1981, fil-ktieb Parole di Vita, ta’ Fabio Ciardi (Opere di Chiara Lubich 5; Città Nuova, Ruma, 2017) pġ. 221-222.
[3] Lena tgħid hekk: “Il-Parrainage Liban hi ħidma li bdiet fl-1993 minn grupp ta’ familji li kienu jgħixu l-Kelma tal-ħajja. Aħna bdejna ngħinu lil waħda omm ta’ ħamest itfal żgħar u li r-raġel tagħha jinsab il-ħabs. S’issa għenna madwar 200 familja, mil-Libanu kollu u tar-reliġjonijiet kollha. Dawk li jgħinuna huma impenjati b’ħafna modi biex jgħinu l-familji ħa jkunu awtonomi: imorru jżuruhom id-dar, ifittxu djar fejn joqogħdu u postijiet tax-xogħol, jgħinuhom fl-istudju, eċċ. Hemm madwar mitt ruħ kif ukoll xi ditti li jgħinuna finanzjarjament għax jemmnu fil-ħidma tagħna”.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Mt 5:4)
for ages 4-8 | for ages 9-17 | Print | Audio
Is there anyone who has not mourned at some time during his or her life? Is there anyone who has not known other people whose sorrow has overflown into tears? Nowadays the media brings images from all over the world into our homes, and we risk becoming so accustomed to seeing suffering that we could become indifferent towards the river of pain that seems to surround us.
There were times when Jesus himself wept (see Jn 11:35 or Lk 19:41); he also witnessed the tears of his people who suffered as a consequence of the foreign occupation of their land. Many people flocked to him — the sick, poor, widows, orphans, sinners, people everyone else avoided. They wanted to hear his Word and be healed, in body and soul.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is the Messiah who fulfils God’s promises to Israel and for this reason he proclaims:
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
Jesus is not indifferent to our tribulations and sufferings. He wants our hearts to be healed from the bitterness of selfishness; he wants to fill our loneliness and to give us strength in all we do.
This is what Focolare founder Chiara Lubich wrote in a commentary on this Gospel phrase: “With these words, Jesus does not want to lead people in sorrow toward an attitude of simple resignation by promising them a reward in the future. He is thinking about the present. In fact, his kingdom is already here, even if not definitively so. It is present in Jesus who has overcome death by rising again after dying in great affliction.
“It is also present in us, in our hearts as Christians: God is in us. The Trinity dwells within us. And so we can already experience the happiness that Jesus promised. … Sufferings remain but there is new energy to face the trials of life and to help others who are struggling in some way. There is new strength to overcome sufferings and to see and welcome them as a means of redemption as Jesus did.”
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
We can learn from Jesus how to be witnesses and instruments of the Father’s tender and creative love for one another. His teaching is the beginning of a new world where the very roots of our coexistence are healed. It attracts God’s presence among us, and this is an inexhaustible source of consolation that dries every tear.
Lena and Philippe from Lebanon shared their experience with friends from their community who are living in other parts of the world:
“Dear friends,
“Thank you for your very special Easter wishes this year. We are well and we are careful not to expose ourselves to the virus. However, we are on the front line at ‘Parrainage Liban’ [an organization that helps families in need in Lebanon, irrespective of race or religion, to become self-sufficient] and so we can’t stay at home all the time. We go out about every two days to ensure the urgent needs of some families can be met: they need money, clothes, food, medicine etc. …
“Even before Covid-19, the economic situation in the country was very difficult and now, like everywhere in the world, it has worsened. But providence is not lacking: last week a Lebanese man who now lives abroad sent us money. He asked Lena to ensure that twelve families have proper meals three days a week for the whole month of April. This was a beautiful confirmation of the love of God who is never outdone in generosity.”
Letizia Magri
Each month the Focolare chooses a Scripture passage as a guide and inspiration for daily living. The commentary on it was originally written by founder, Chiara Lubich (1920–2008). Today this Word of Life, written by an international commission and translated into 96 different languages, reaches several million people worldwide.
Read more:
Lubich, Chiara, “The foolishness of love,” Essential Writings, New City Press: 2007, pp. 96—97.
Lubich, Chiara, “Look at Jesus Forsaken and you will find the answer,” On the Holy Journey, New City Press: 1988, pp. 140—142.
Next month:
“The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?” (Ps 27:1)[:]
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