Niżżel il-fuljett tal-Kelma tal-Ħajja bil-Malti
“Intom u sejrin, xandru u għidu li s-Saltna tas-Smewwiet waslet […] B’xejn ħadtu, b’xejn agħtu” (Mt 10,7-8).
F’dan il-kapitlu mill-Vanġelu ta’ San Mattew insibu li Ġesù kien għadu kemm għażel lill-appostli, sejħilhom b’isimhom u tahom is-setgħa li jkeċċu l-ispirti ħżiena u jfejqu kull xorta ta’ mard. (Mt 10,7-8). Ġesù tahom ukoll ordnijiet dwar fejn u kif kellhom iwettqu l-ewwel missjoni tagħhom. Il-messaġġ li kellhom iħabbru kien ċar: “is-Saltna tas-smewwiet waslet”[1].
Il-messaġġ li d-dixxipli ġew fdati biex ixandru waqt li “kienu fi triqthom” jisħaq li l-veru dixxiplu hu dak li qabel kollox jippriedka l-qrubija, iżda l-fatt stess li d-dixxipli kienu qed jagħmlu mixja flimkien ġa hu aħbar fiha nnifisha. Tant hu hekk li fil-Vanġelu ta’ San Ġwann insibu li meta Ġesu tahom il-Kmandament il-ġdid, hu saħaq: “Minn dan jagħraf kulħadd li intom dixxipli tiegħi: jekk tħobbu lil xulxin”[2].
“Intom u sejrin, xandru u għidu li s-Saltna tas-Smewwiet waslet […] B’xejn ħadtu, b’xejn agħtu” (Mt 10,7-8)
Is-“saltna tas-smewwiet” hi l-qalba tal-aħbar ta’ Ġesù. It-Testment il-Qadim jagħmel użu mill-espressjoni “saltna t’Alla” biex juri l-kobor t’Alla, it-tmexxija u l-ħidma ta’ fidwa li hu jwettaq fl-istorja tal-bnedmin. Hu s-sultan tad-dinja u fuq kollox hu s-sultan tal-poplu Lhudi li kien qed jistenna lil dak li kellu jiġi min-nisel ta’ David biex jerġa’ jagħtih postu fost il-ġnus. It-Testment il-Ġdid jippreżentalna lil Ġesù stess bħala dak li ġej min-nisel ta’ David u allura hu sultan. Is-saltna tas-smewwiet mhijiex saltna bħal dik ta’ din id-dinja: hi saltna ta’ paċi u ġustizzja, fejn wieħed jieħu ħsieb il-foqra, fejn hemm il-maħfra u r-rikonċiljazzjoni; hi saltna li twassal ħajja u dawl lill-ġnus kollha. Hi saltna li ġa teżisti fid-dinja u fil-qalb tal-bniedem, imma li tasal għall-milja tagħha meta Ġesù jerġa’ jiġi.
“Intom u sejrin, xandru u għidu li s-Saltna tas-Smewwiet waslet […] B’xejn ħadtu, b’xejn agħtu” (Mt 10,7-8).
Ġesù ħabbar li s-saltna t’Alla hi fil-qrib, li s-saltna waslet. Il-parabboli, bħal dik taż-żerriegħa tal-mustarda jew tal-ħmira li tkabbar l-għaġna kollha, iwassluna biex nifhmu li Alla jaħdem b’mod misterjuż u umli, imma b’mod kuraġġuż u li jieħu ż-żmien. Fil-kelma “qrib” hemm ukoll sens ta’ spazju. Meta d-dixxipli bdew mexjin u joqorbu lejn in-nies biex iwasslu l-preżenza tal-ispirtu ta’ Ġesù, is-saltna t’Alla bdiet toqrob. Għalhekk meta fil-Vanġelu ta’ San Mark, Ġesù qal lill-kittieb tal-Liġi: “M’intix ‘il bogħod mis-Saltna t’Alla”[3], wisq probabbli ma riedx jgħidlu biss: “Bdejt tifhem”, imma ried jgħidlu wkoll “M’intix ‘il bogħod minni”.
“Intom u sejrin, xandru u għidu li s-Saltna tas-Smewwiet waslet […] B’xejn ħadtu, b’xejn agħtu” (Mt 10,7-8).
“B’xejn ħadtu” hi t-traduzzjoni ta’ dak li fl-oriġinal Grieg ifisser “dak li ġejtu mogħtija bħala don”. Dan jurina li dak li rċevew l-appostli ma kienx mogħti lilhom għax kien jistħoqqilhom. L-għajn kienet il-ġenerożità t’Alla u l-fatt li kienu magħżula biex iwettqu missjoni partikulari. Chiara Lubich kitbet hekk: “Is-saltna t’Alla rridu nilqugħha. Hi don mogħti lilna minn Alla. M’hemm ebda sforz uman, ebda tentattiv axxetiku, ebda studju jew riċerka intellettwali li jistgħu jdaħħluna fis-saltna t’Alla. Hu Alla stess li jiltaqa’ magħna u jurina d-dawl tiegħu jew imissna bil-grazzja tiegħu. M’għandek ebda mertu li tista’ tiftaħar bih jew isserraħ fuqu biex ikollok dritt għal dan id-don t’Alla. Is-saltna hi offruta lilna bla ebda ħlas.”[4]
Aħna msejħin biex nilqgħu dan id-don anki llum, ħalli nkomplu nwettqu dak li Ġesu ħalla f’idejn l-appostli, inxandru l-Kelma u nuru bil-fatti li s-saltna hi qrib u, flimkien, nagħtu messaġġ ta’ tama lil kull bniedem: ngħidu lil din id-dinja mifluġa u mħassba li Alla jħobbha ħafna, li Alla għandu mħabba kbira għal kulħadd.
Augusto Parody Reyes
u il-grupp tal-Kelma tal-Ħajja
[1] Mt 10,7
[2] Gv 13,35
[3] Mc 12,34
[4] Ara C.Lubich Parole di Vita, minn Fabio Ciardi (Opere di Chiara Lubich 5) , Città Nuova, Ruma 2017
Photo credit: Pixabay
“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ […] Freely you have received, freely give.” (Mt 10:7-8).
In this chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, the apostles have just been chosen by Jesus. He has called them by name and given them special powers to cast out unclean spirits and the ability to heal every disease and infirmity. He then gives them instructions on where and how to carry out their first mission. In fact, the message they are to proclaim is clear: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (i)
The stipulation to proclaim this message as they go emphasises two things. First and foremost, true disciples should proclaim the closeness of the Kingdom but it is also true that their relationship, as they journey forward together, should also witness to this message. In fact, in John’s Gospel, after giving the new commandment, Jesus says: ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ (ii)
“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ […] Freely you have received, freely give.”
The ‘kingdom of heaven’ is at the heart of Jesus’ proclamation. The similar expression, ‘kingdom of God’, is used in the Old Testament to indicate God’s lordship, governance and saving action in human history. He is the ruler
of the world and especially of the people of Israel, who were waiting for a descendant of King David to restore Israel’s role among the nations. In the New Testament, Jesus himself is presented as this descendant and therefore king.
Unlike a temporal kingdom, the “kingdom of heaven” is a reign of peace and justice where forgiveness and reconciliation and care for the needy prevail, bringing light and life to all nations. It is a kingdom that already exists in the world and in the human heart but will only reach fulfilment at the return of Jesus.
“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ […] Freely you have received, freely give.”
Jesus announces that the kingdom is close in time. It is imminent. Parables such as that of the mustard seed or the leaven in the dough indicate that the kingdom grows humbly and mysteriously but with great tenacity. ‘Near’ also has a spatial meaning. When the disciples, who carry the presence of Jesus’ spirit, approach on foot, the kingdom of God approaches, and when, in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus says to the scribe, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God,’ (iii) he probably meant not only ‘you have begun to understand’ but also ‘you are not far from me.’
“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ […] Freely you have received, freely give.”
The word ‘freely’ translates a term that in the original Greek means ‘as a gift.’ This highlights that what the apostles received was not given to them because they deserved it. Instead, the source is God’s generosity and the fact
that they were chosen for a special mission.
Chiara Lubich writes: “The kingdom of God must therefore be welcomed. It is a gift that God gives you. In fact, no human effort, no ascetic endeavour, no study or intellectual research can bring you into the kingdom of God. It is God
himself who comes to meet you, who reveals himself with his light or touches you with his grace. there is no merit that you can boast of, or rely on, to be entitled to such a gift from God. The kingdom is offered to you freely” (iv)
Today, we too are called to welcome this gift. We are invited to continue the task that Jesus entrusted to the apostles, that is, to proclaim with words and deeds that the kingdom of God is near. Even in this troubled and uncertain
world, we are called to announce a message of hope to everyone we meet. God loves the world and each one of us immensely.
by Augusto Parody Reyes
and the Word of Life Team
(i) Mt. 10:7
(ii) Jn.13:35
(iii) Mk. 12:34
(iv) C. Lubich Word of Life, edited by Fabio Ciardi 2017
Photo credit: Pixabay[:]
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