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Vjaġġ

24/01/2024

Din hija l-ewwel parti mis-serje Tug of War, riżorsa maħsuba għaż-żgħażagħ minn Malta Catholic Youth Network bil-kontribut ta’ Dr Joseph Ciappara.

 

Min hu Abraham?

Ir-rakkont tas-sejħa t’Abraham jibda proprju f’kapitlu 12 mill-Ġenesi, iżda kif jagħlaq kapitlu 11, l-awtur itina ftit kuntest ta’ min kien Abram u tal-familja tiegħu. Min jaf kemm-il darba smajna b’dan Abram! Probabbilment smajna li hu figura sinifikanti kemm fil-Ġudaiżmu, fil-Kristjaniżmu, kif ukoll fl-Iżlam. Tant hu hekk li dawn ir-reliġjonijiet insejħulhom ‘Abramiċi’. Abraham kien, għadu, u jibqa’ l-ewwel fost il-patrijarki, il-persuna magħżula minn Alla biex minnu jitnissel u jitwieled il-poplu Lhudi.

 

Kif nistgħu nirrelataw miegħu speċjalment f’dal-vjaġġ tar-Randan?

Meta nħarsu lejn l-ambjent familjari tiegħu, naraw kif dan il-personaġġ għandu ħafna x’jgħidilna u x’jgħallimna. Kapitlu 11 jgħidilna li Abram kien l-ikbar fost it-3 subien ta’ Teraħ. L-awtur jgħidilna li Ħaran, l-iżgħar fost is-subien, miet qabel missieru Teraħ. Għaldaqstant, nagħrfu li din il-familja diġà għaddiet minn telfa u li ċertament hija wkoll ħasda. Riflessjoni għalina minn dan kollu hi: liema huma dawk l-esperjenzi f’ħajjitna li jaħsduna u jpoġġulna saqajna mal-art? L-istess kapitlu jgħidilna wkoll li Saraj, il-mara t’Abram, kienet sterili u għalhekk ma setax ikollha tfal. Mill-ewwel għandna indikazzjoni li din il-familja għaddejja minn problemi fil-ħajja li attwalment jgħaddi minnhom kulħadd. F’dan kollu, Alla jogħġbu jagħżel minn din il-familja, minkejja dawn l-isfidi msemmija. L-awtur iżid li, wara l-mewt ta’ Ħaran, Teraħ jaqbad il-familja — lil Abram, Saraj, u Lot (it-tifel ta’ Ħaran) — u jitilqu f’post ieħor. Għaldaqstant, mistoqsija ġusta hi: Teraħ qed jipprova jaħrab minn din it-traġedja li ġratlu? Biss, wara ftit, l-awtur jerġa’ jipprovdilna dettall bl-istess isem tal-personaġġ li għadu kif miet: Ħaran. Jgħidilna li din il-familja marret f’post jismu Ħaran, u bdiet tgħix hemm. Forsi dan huwa mod sottili kif l-awtur sagru qed jgħidilna li Teraħ, minkejja li qed jipprova jaħrab mit-traġedja t’ibnu, qed jerġa’ jaffronta din it-traġedja li terġa’ tirritorna b’mod qawwi fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum tiegħu, tant li jieqaf f’post li jismu eżatt bħal ibnu l-maħbub li tilef. Għalhekk, riflessjoni oħra importanti hawn hi: X’inhuma dawk ir-realtajiet f’ħajjitna li qed naħarbu minnhom? Jekk mhux illum, għada hemm mnejn li nerġgħu nħabbtu wiċċna magħhom.

 

Minn fejn beda l-vjaġġ tas-sejħa?

Li nafu fiċ-ċert hu li f’punt partikulari f’ħajjet Abram, Alla intervjena. Madankollu, meta kien iż-żmien u fejn kien il-post, l-awtur ma jispeċifikax. Kapitlu 12 jibda: “U l-Mulej qal lil Abram, ‘Qum u itlaq minn artek, minn art twelidek, u minn dar missierek, lejn l-art li se nurik.’” Sejħa li letteralment tiġri bħal sajjetta fil-bnazzi. Hemm Rabbini li jgħidu li Abram kellu 40 sena meta Alla intervjena f’ħajtu; biss, l-awtur sagru ma jgħidilniex dwar dan. 40 sena m’għandniex niħduhom b’mod letterali. Meta jissemma n-numru 40 fl-Iskrittura nfissru l-kompletezza ta’ fażi ta’ ħajja. Għaldaqstant, l-40 sena attribwiti lil Abram mir-Rabbini huma l-mument meta Alla għarraf lil Abram biex jinqala’ minn fejn kien u jibda din il-mixja ta’ skoperta dwaru nnifsu u dwar Alla f’ħajtu. Wara dan, imbagħad, titwieled il-missjoni li minnu jitnissel il-poplu l-magħżul u li minnu tibda l-istorja tas-salvazzjoni.

 

X’nistgħu napplikaw għall-vjaġġi tagħna llum?

Is-sens ta’ Tug of War ma jidher imkien iktar qawwi daqskemm jidher f’Abraham. Aħna meta naqraw is-sejħa forsi nistħajlu li Alla qed isejjaħ lil Abram biex jitlaq minn fejn hu. Madankollu, apparti l-mixja fiżika tal-ħajja, hemm iktar minn hekk. Li kieku jkollna nittraduċuha għal-lingwa oriġinali — Lech Lecha — it-traduzzjoni proprja għandha tkun: itlaq lejk innifsek. U din hi proprju t-Tug of War. Kontradizzjoni. Hemm is-sejħa għal Abram biex joħroġ minn dak kollu li għamlu Abram sa dakinhar, miż-żoni ta’ kumdità li ħafna drabi aħna wkoll insibu ruħna fihom. Sejħa biex jitlaq minn dar missieru, u mill-art ta’ Ur (art fertili ħafna fil-Mesopotamja). L-awtur, biex iżid ma’ dan, jgħidilna li Abram telaq lejn id-deżert. Allura, il-personaġġ qed jinqala’ minn kumdità biex jidħol fi proċess ta’ tbatija: tbatija t’inċertezza u ta’ dak li mhuwiex magħruf. U din hi l-iktar ħaġa li tbeżża’ ’l-bniedem: dak li mhuwiex magħruf. Hawn nies li huma komdi fit-tbatija tagħhom, tant hu hekk li bl-Ingliż ngħiduha: “better the devil you know.” Għaliex? Dak li ma nafux iwaħħaxna, allura kultant naħsbu li aħjar nibqgħu fejn inkunu. Imma Alla jintervjeni u hawn tidħol it-tieni parti tas-sejħa — Lecha — lejk innifsek. U allura nagħrfu li l-vjaġġ mhuwiex biss fiżiku, imma wkoll spiritwali-interjuri. L-estern f’Tug of War mal-intern. U dan il-vjaġġ hu dak li jistedinna nagħmlu r-Randan:

  • Liema hi dik il-kumdità f’ħajjitna li Alla qed jistedinna biex ninqalgħu minnha?
    Tista’ tkun dipendenza imma tista’ wkoll tkun persuna, kif Abram kien dipendenti minn missieru, anke f’età matura. U missieru, daqstant ieħor, dipendenti fuqu. Ċertament dan huwa pass fid-dlam għalina lkoll, iżda li jlaqqagħna magħna nfusna u jippermettilna nikbru.

  • X’inhu dak il-pass fid-dlam li qed nibżgħu nieħdu u li mhux qed iħallina nikbru?
    L-ostaklu li mhux qed iħallina niltaqgħu magħna nfusna jostakolalna wkoll il-vjaġġ li niltaqgħu mal-veru Alla.

Missier Qaddis, nitolbuk tibgħat l-Ispirtu tiegħek fi qlubna u ddawlilna moħħna sabiex nagħrfu s-sejħiet li tagħmel f’ħajjitna. Nitolbuk iddawlilna r-realtajiet li qegħdin fid-dlam, li jġegħluna naħarbu, u li bihom inħossuna skomdi. Għinna naċċettaw dawn ir-realtajiet, niltaqgħu magħhom, u bihom nikbru. Fuq kollox, Mulej, nitolbuk tagħtina l-qawwa tal-Ispirtu tiegħek li jagħtina l-kuraġġ ninqalgħu mill-kumditajiet tagħna biex nibdew dan il-vjaġġ. Il-vjaġġ t’Abram kien flimkien miegħek: inti kont hemm ma’ kull pass li għamel f’ħajtu, kull pass fiżiku u spiritwali. Għalhekk nitolbuk biex dal-vjaġġ tar-Randan idaħħalna fina nfusna għaliex hemm niskopru l-identità sabiħa tiegħek.

 

Longing for God

01/12/2023

 

“By the very fact that we are created in the image of God, we continuously long for Him – waiting to be satiated by His presence. ‘This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins’ (1 John, 4:10).

“God waits for us. In Jn. 4 . Jesus meets the Samaritan woman – he was waiting for her at the well. ‘Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden’ (MT. 11, 28.). We can come to him because He is already waiting for us, He is the One who makes himself available to us.

“There is OUR WAITING FOR THE LORD: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord’, (Is. 55, 8).

“It is an active waiting – by being open to His time and His ways, here and now. ‘Yesterday has gone, tomorrow has not yet come and we have only today to make him known, loved and served’ (St. Teresa of Calcutta).

“Waiting to see Him at work in our lives entails a lot of faith, patience and perseverance – ‘The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how…’. (Mk 4. 26 – 27).

“Waiting is welcoming, recognising, and meeting the person in front of us, being fully present to him/her. BUT we need the light of FAITH and the LIGHT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT to see Jesus in that person: like John, who was open to the Holy Spirit and could say to Peter, ‘it is the Lord’ (Jn, 21. Verse 7). It is not easy to see Jesus in “difficult” children, in the drug-addict, in the person that tries to control or manipulate.

“‘We need to be pure of heart to see Jesus in the person of the poor. Therefore, the more repugnant the work, or the more disfigured or deformed the image of God in the person, the greater will be our faith in loving devotion in seeing the face of Jesus and lovingly ministering to Him in the distressing disguise’. (St. Teresa of Calcutta).

“‘Let us beg our Lady to lend us her heart so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate, her heart so full of love and humility tat we may be able to receive and carry Jesus with the same sentiments with which she received him and carried Him’. (Missionaries of Charity’s Prayer Book).”

 

Make time to reflect

It comes natural to us to see God in that which is good and beautiful, but, sometimes the persons we meet might not meet these criteria. Sometimes, the people we meet can suffer from jealousy, pride, egoism, and unforgiveness. But the Missionaries of Charity speak to us of the joy and the beauty that lie in also loving such persons. Indeed, they even tell us that it is in loving those who are difficult to love, that we grow and mirror Jesus the most!

  • Take a moment to reflect upon this and upon those persons in your life whom you think need the most love.
  • Where do you seek to meet with God?
  • Who are the people in whom you find the opportunity to meet God? How are you letting God meet you? God, too, is longing for you!

Longing for a Sign

01/12/2023

 

Sometimes you seem too perfect, always just beyond my grasp.

     I wonder if I’ll ever truly know you, or start to understand what lies hidden in your depths.

Sometimes I feel too weak for you, like I’m unworthy of your strength.

     You built your house on the rock; I’m a tower toppled over by thunder and rain.

Sometimes you shine so brightly I fear you might snuff out the shadows in my heart.

     So I hang halfway between the shadows and you, betting my soul on a coin toss.

Dreading how good you might make me,

     I keep you at arm’s length, seeking shelter below the trash heap.

Yet in my despair I desire you,

     And though I have dug my hole deep, I still look to the sun when it’s cold.

And so I wait for a sign, because signs are all that I know.

     And when the nights grow long and the days lose their light,

          And I have been torn up and scattered,

I seek out your warmth and await the new dawn, that I may be born once again.

This is the experience of someone who finds himself caught between two polarities, and waits for a sign to take a leap of faith. Sometimes we fear change, even when we’re deeply in need of it.

Make time to reflect

  • Are there any areas in your life where you know what you must do, but delay it out of a reluctance to let your old self go?
  • How do you reconcile the conflicts that arise within yourself?
  • Are you truly in need of a sign, or are you resisting the signs that have already been given to you?

Longing to See Her Face

01/12/2023

“In various phases of life, we have to enter a process of waiting whether we like it or not. I must admit that I am not always capable of doing so. However, this time around, I cannot try to wait any less by paying for fast shipping or asking someone to pick up an item for me. This kind of waiting is completely new to me: that of a child. This is a kind of waiting that is unrelenting in its lessons of life.

“Personally, this waiting is exciting, joyful, and gives me a strong sense of gratitude for the new life unfolding. I wish the next few months would pass as quickly as possible so I can finally meet our little one and see her face! However, among the positive emotions, there is also an element of anxiety, of doubt for what I cannot see or control; for what is unknown.

“These are the moments that help me realise that, in life, I cannot have control over everything, and the desire for control can also work against me. While these emotions may be mixed and I always prefer to be content and calm, they are the same emotions that draw me to the presence of God. They humble me to open my eyes to relinquish control and offer what I have in my heart and mind to Him. These are the moments that remind me of how God was faithful to me in previous experiences through which I have learnt that He is truly providential and patient. Reflecting on the past helps me build a sense of gratitude, while at the same time giving me the courage to continue to live in the present and offer my future to the Lord.

“In all of this, I find the courage to wait. Most of all, I come to understand that waiting is an inevitable journey, both an external and an internal one. It is a process within myself, with my loved ones, and with God.

“During this waiting, I decided to choose a particular song to listen to in quietness and prayer: ‘Not in a Hurry’, by Will Reagan. This is a song which I enjoy playing to my baby, especially now that I have learnt that babies hear sounds outside their mothers’ bodies at 27 weeks. Whilst praying with the mentioned song, I continue to grasp the importance of sitting with my emotions, patiently, before the Lord. I understand that this is a process that takes time and that I need to accept it with a spirit of gratitude and humility. Even though at times, it is not always easy to appreciate each and every moment, this period is helping me to understand that this waiting is an attitude which in return provokes more opportunities to think, reflect, and act with a sense of responsibility.”

Have a listen to ‘Not in a Hurry’ by Will Reagan, and make the most of it by reciting a verse or two in your prayer.

This is the experience of a 25 year old Maltese female who is counting the days to see the face of the one she is carrying.

Make time to reflect

  • We might not be expecting a child at the moment. However, what face am I eager to see? Various authors in the Bibles, especially Psalmists, express their desire to see the face of the Lord, a term which in other words means to enter in a deeper communion to discover something more of God.
  • How are you desiring to know God better?
  • The narrator lets her adverse emotions be a vehicle to draw herself to God. How do you make use of such emotions?
  • In times of doubt, she recalls experiences in which the Lord was faithful to her in the past. What are some of your experiences in which you find refuge?

Longing for Change

01/12/2023

“The experience of travelling to another country is a transformative one. It helps you embrace the unknown and appreciate the diversity of the world around. This experience helped me overcome my fears and doubts. It helped me discover a strength and resilience I never knew I possessed.

“But to go a bit back, my wait to come to Malta was filled with both excitement and anticipation. I had always dreamed of visiting the beautiful island. I couldn’t wait to explore its rich history and culture. I also looked forward to enjoying the warm weather and stunning beaches, the ancient Megalithic Temples, the medieval city of Valletta, and the Blue Grotto. I also wanted to try some of the local food! My wait became a canvas upon which dreams were painted, each stroke adding enthusiasm to the anticipation. But for me, waiting was also a stressful and anxious experience. Indeed, as I prepared to embark on my first trip abroad, I found myself wrestling with a wave of emotions. The excitement was real, but I was also anxious about the language barrier, worried about getting lost or making a fool of myself. I was also concerned about cultural differences and the possibility of offending someone inadvertently. Doubts accompanied me throughout. Questions swirled in my mind, casting a shadow over my excitement.

“Through it all, however, I felt God’s presence and guidance. There were many times when I felt discouraged and hopeless, but God always gave me the strength to keep going. One way in which God helped me was by providing me with opportunities to connect with other people who were also waiting to move to Malta. These connections were a source of great comfort and support for me. We were able to share our experiences, and to encourage each other through difficult times. God also helped me by giving me the strength to face my fears and doubts. There were many times when I was afraid that my dream of moving to Malta would never come true; but God reminded me that He was with me and that He would never leave me or forsake me.

“Throughout, I had been praying to Mother Mary as I regularly recited the Holy Rosary. I also never missed Holy Mass. There were also many verses from scripture that struck me and accompanied me on my journey. One of the most important is Philippians 4:6-7: ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’ This verse has been a source of great comfort as it reminds me that I can always turn to God for help and that His peace is more powerful than any worry or trouble that I could ever face.

“Another verse that has been important to me is Romans 8:28, which says: ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’ This verse has helped me to see that even in the midst of difficult times, God is still working for my good. He is using all of my experiences, both good and bad, to shape me into the person He wants me to be.”

This is the experience of Arslan, a young adult from Pakistan who left his country to seek a better future.

Make time to reflect

  • Do you resonate with any of his longings? What is that change which you are currently longing for?
  • He recalls a time in which excitement was overcome by anxiety and stress. What steals your excitement and joy in life?
  • The narrator acknowledges God’s providence as he met other people with whom he could share such a life-changing experience. Are there any people who remind you of this providential attribute of God?
  • He finally concludes that God uses all experiences, both good and bad, for his very own good. What do you make of this statement? Which area in your life needs to better listen to Romans 8:28?

Imħasseb

27/03/2023

Riflessjoni għall-Ġimgħa Mqaddsa

Jekk qatt ħassejt iż-żiffa friska qalb il-muntanji fin-Nofsinhar tal-Polonja, hemm mnejn iltqajt ma’ din l-immaġni mnaqqxa fuq il-bibien tipiċi tal-madwar. Wiċċ Kristu mħasseb, imserraħ fuq idu, f’mument sieket fil-ġrajja mqanqla tal-Passjoni. Mument ċkejken qabel dik l-istess id iltaqgħet mal-iskald aħrax t’għuda li xejn ma tixbah is-slaleb xkatlati bi truf imdiehba tal-vari madwarna.

Similaritajiet ta’ dan l-immaġni jinsabu wkoll il-Ġermanja u l-Litwanja, fost l-oħrajn.

Xi jħalli fik il-wiċċ imħasseb ta’ dak li s-soltu nħares lejh setgħan u sovran? Ngħid għalija, l-ewwel sentiment iqanqal fija togħma morra li taħsad il-mod ta’ kif kultant inħares lejn il-fidi. Naf li l-fidi mhijiex maġija li fiha nsib konfort immedjat, imma l-immaġni t’Alla mħasseb xorta tistona ma’ ħsibijieti. Nippreferih miexi fuq il-baħar, ifejjaq l-impossibbli u jsikket il-maltemp. Nippreferih mhux imħasseb. Jekk xejn, il-muskulatura erojka mirquma tal-iskultura tal-Ħassieb ta’ Rodin, hi ferm iktar attraenti.


Hu maħsub li din l-immaġni, qabel il-figura ta’ Kristu, kienet tirrappreżenta ‘l Ġob: raġel “perfett u tajjeb” (Ġob 1:1), tal-familja, ta’ fidi, u b’sitwazzjoni finanzjarja komda. Nistħajjel li bħali, xewqtek tħabbrek għal dan l-għajxien. Iżda żgur li ma tħabbrekx għall-kumplament tan-narrattiva kkaratterizzata minn: fallimenti f’ħidmietu, imwiet ta’ familjari, mard, solitudni, u dwejjaq. F’sommarju ta’ ftit kliem, f’Ġob nilmħu diżappunt. Għalkemm xewqti ma tħabbrekx għal din l-iżvolta, nagħraf li, xi ftit jew wisq, doqt ftit mill-imrar ta’ Ġob f’ħajti. Bħalu staqsejt “għaliex?” u ddiżappuntajt ruħi f’Alla li fih tant ittamajt u qdejt. Tħassibt. Kont nixtieq verżjoni ta’ ħajja aħjar jew imqar rimedji iktar effiċjenti. Kont nippreferi immaġni t’alla inqas fraġli. Imma ma setax kelli immaġni t’imħabba aħjar minn dak t’Alla ħosbien! Vulnerabbli fil-ġisem. Vulnerabbli fil-ħsieb. Bħali. Miegħi.


Bħalma l-maltemp jikxef l-abiltajiet tal-baħri, Alla ma jiddistikkax ruħu mill-immaġni tiegħu ħosbien, u b’hekk jikxef imħabbtu. Ma kienx ikun veru bniedem li kieku qatt ma ġarrab il-ġlidiet tal-moħħ li magħhom aħna nissieltu ta’ kuljum. Is-saħħa mentali mhuwiex suġġett aljen għal Kristu, għax bħali u bħalek issielet miegħu sa għereq l-għaraq tad-demm. Għall-kuntrarju tiegħi, ma jagħżilx li jaħrab mal-ewwel buffuri ta’ sofferenza.


Fit-tħassib uman, mexa pass eqreb biex jifhem dak li, ħaddieħor jew saħansitra inti stess, ma tistax tifhem fik innifsek. Fit-tħassib tiegħu seta’ jilmaħ u jifhem it-tħassib tiegħek. U għax int ukoll parti minn din-narrattiva, fit-tħassib jagħraf opportunità ta’ mħabba. Imħabba li mhux dejjem hemm raġuni valida għaliha, jew li mhux dejjem tkun reċiprokata. Għax dejjem hemm mnejn l-iben il-ħali jiddawwar biex jiġi. Jekk jiġi! L-istennija ta’ Kristu mnaqqxa f’wiċċ ħosbien imserrħa f’idejh, ma tistrihx qabel tarak mill-ġdid.


Ħnientu, friska iktar miż-żiffa tal-muntanji, titħasseb għalik.

This Christmas, Make Room

12/12/2022

I can only imagine the attentiveness of parents just before the woman gives birth. Many parents prepare the famous hospital bag weeks – if not months – before the delivery day, to make sure they are fully equipped when the moment arrives. I believe that Joseph and Mary were just as mindful before Jesus was born, while also being filled with joy and excitement. These are undoubtedly memorable moments cherished by many which make everything else seem irrelevant.

During these delicate moments, the last thing that I would want to think of  is a 30-minute telephone survey by one of some statistic agencies – which have a tendency to test my nerves every so often. Joseph and Mary were not exempt from such statistical exercises; their government had in fact demanded their participation a few days before the delivery. The only difference was that the couple had to embark on a 33–hour journey between Nazareth and Bethlehem to enrol themselves. I must thank Google maps for the 33-hour calculation, though this might have been slightly different knowing the vulnerability of Mary in her last pregnancy days (if not hours) and the accompaniment of a poor donkey.

The couple had to leave their home in this vulnerable situation in order to foster responsibility and  be lawful citizens.
NB: The Romans had not been a corruption-free authority either.

Am I willing to leave my comfort zones to meet my obligations towards the state/superiors?

Knowing Joseph’s profession, I can only imagine what he had been preparing to ensure that  baby Jesus received a warm welcome to planet Earth. The simplest preparation that comes to mind is a comfy bed where the mother and child could rest. Yet, he had to leave everything behind to participate in such census, and the selfless woman who had just accompanied Elizabeth in her pregnancy now found herself on a physically and emotionally challenging journey with Joseph – without the warmth of that bed which her husband had planned for baby Jesus and without the warmth of their relatives’ presence.

Would I be able to sit with my own self in moments of vulnerability without being distracted by my possessions?
Would I be able to acknowledge and trust God amid my suffering?

The time for Mary to deliver arrived, and we all know how the rest of the story unfolded. The most comfortable piece of furniture found by the carpenter was nothing less than a manger, and the ones who had accompanied the couple during these joyful moments were none other than some sheep and the poor donkey. I cannot imagine how the couple must have felt at  that  point, after being stripped of all their plans and desires, and finding themselves in a place far from luxurious or fit for a rising king – a cave. A human disappointment. Nevertheless, God still finds His delight, especially now that He could start engaging with His beloved children through an embodied medium, in the simplest form of communication: a newborn’s cry.

Am I aware of God’s wish to reach out to me today?

Aspiring to build a space for Jesus  to dwell in is wonderful; however, are these dreams  replacing  my thirst to meet Him? Am I so preoccupied with being sinless or with my works, that I am forgetting that this is a two-way relationship?

May this story humble us in the realisation that Jesus brings life when and wherever He wants to. He does not require us to be fully equipped; rather, He requires us to have an expectant heart. God did not choose a carpenter to satisfy His needs to sleep in a luxurious bed; rather He chose Joseph for who he was. Mary was not chosen because she was a skilful mother; He chose her because of who she was.

In the same way, God wants to encounter me and you today, not because of what we can offer, but because of who we are, for He is in love with us, despite our disappointments or failed plans. Just as He wanted to journey with Joseph and Mary, He wants to walk the journey of life with me and you.

How can I make room for Jesus this Christmas?

Healthy Tension

05/09/2017

Tension and stress are rarely associated with something positive. And yet the Gospel invites us to live in healthy tension. Tension is when one is stretched between two contradictory points. And the Gospel has many of these contradictory invitations. John portrays Jesus as calling his disciples to be in the world but not of this world (Jn 17:14-15). Matthew and Luke both write of the contradiction ‘For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’ (Mt 16:25; Lk 9:24). But perhaps the greatest sign of contradiction of all is Christ’s death on the cross, in order to bring life to the full. This is the ultimate tension. Christ here is literally stretched on the cross to bring heaven and earth together, to redeem all the human race in the loving embrace of God the Father.   

Perhaps our contemporary culture is more open to living in tension after all. Our culture no longer thinks in black and white. Our culture stretches our potential to all limits. So too our youth ministry can invite and challenge young people to live these healthy gospel tensions, as challenging as they may be. Can we invite them to be more of Christian witnesses in their daily lives? In the world but not of this world? To speak in a counter-cultural manner? To write blogs, facebook posts, newspaper articles in favour of life, truth and more Christian values?

Can we invite them to live out of their comfort zone? Without their gadgets? To live a period intensely for others, perhaps through voluntary work? To make radical choices in their lives? Isn’t this the way we invite them to lose their life in order to gain it?

Any youth minister who has challenged a youth group, be it daring them to an abseiling adventure or to a mission, know that they rise up to the occasion. And when they live in tension, it acts like a catapult. It helps them grow in spiritual maturity, it helps them be of witness to others and mobilise others to taste what they have experienced.

As youth leaders and ministers, we too are called to live in a tension that is life-giving and creative. We are called to be lamps to others and recognise the mission which we have been given for “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” At the same time, it is important we acknowledge that we bear ‘this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” So, in our journey as youth leaders, we need to continuously strive between doing all to polish and train ourselves so that we shine God’s light brightly, whilst at the same time trusting that it is God who will work through us, if we only step out of his way!

Christine Rossi

Ms Rossi together with Profs Adrian-Mario Gellel will be presenting their research entitled: ‘Of Lamps & Clay vessels – Towards the validation of non-formal and informal learning of youth leaders in Church youth groups.’ on the 23rd September 2017 at Sala San Gorg Preca – Catholic Institute in Floriana at 9am. For more info please send an email on: [email protected]