(18 Apr 10 - RV) Granaries Square, is high on a hill, between the Maltese capital
Valetta and neighbouring Floriana. On Sunday light rain carried by strong winds failed
to dampen the high spirits of the Maltese people. They began arriving on the hill
top before dawn, the elderly and the young, entire families, grandparents, parents
and children. Young people climbed from the waterfront of Valetta port, to keep the
crowds company in song as they waited for morning to come.
They waited
patiently until shortly before 10 am local time, when an enormous cheer greeted the
sight of the white pope mobile as it emerged from beneath the sandstone arches of
the capital Valetta, winding its way through the tens of thousands, who transformed
the cities streets into a carpet of yellow and white.
It came to a halt
before the Church of St Publius, dedicated to the man who became the island nation’s
first bishop. There Pope Benedict XVI vested in white and gold, and as the choir
entoned Tu es Petrus, 700 concelebrating priests solemnly processed to the
altar, announcing the beginning of Mass.
Beneath the simple white cross
that adorned the wooden altar, the Archbishop of Malta, Paul Cremona, welcomed the
Pope: “Today we are searching especially for a new evangelisation”. He said the Church
had a mission of love to witness to its faith and the values inherent in it, especially
the sanctity of life from the moment of conception; the dignity of every person and
the importance of a stable family based on marriage.
Archbishop Cremona
went on: “We know that in the light of these changing conditions we cannot just
cling to the model of the Church to which we have been accustomed for decades”. “We
have to return to the Church as it unfolds in the Acts of the Apostles: a Church which
centres around the listening to and the sharing of the Word and the Eucharist”; “A
Church humble enough to recognise the failures and sins in its members but strong
enough to count on the presence of the Holy Spirit; a Church which does not seek privileges,
but merely strives just to deliver the Good News of the Lord”.
In his
homily Pope Benedict noted that “no visitor to Malta could fail to be impressed” by
the people’s devotion. He spoke of the first Christian visitor to touch their shores,
the Apostle to the Gentiles Paul, in the year 60 AD. Many have since disembarked,
he continued, praising Malta’s discernment in knowing how to draw upon the best of
what they have to offer:
“I urge you to continue to do so. Not everything
that today’s world proposes is worthy of acceptance by the people of Malta. Many
voices try to persuade us to put aside our faith in God and his Church, and to choose
for ourselves the values and beliefs by which to live. They tell us we have no need
of God or the Church”.
But reflecting on the First Reading taken from
the Acts of the Apostles, the reading known as the Gospel of Malta, that recounts
the Shipwreck of St Paul, Pope Benedict urged the faithful of Malta to follow Paul’s
example and place their trust in the Lord: “It is tempting
to think that today’s advanced technology can answer all our needs and save us from
all the perils and dangers that beset us. But it is not so”. At
every moment of our lives we depend entirely on God, said Pope Benedict only he can
protect us from harm, only he can guide us through the storms of life. Then commenting
on the Gospel of St John Chapter 21, he added : “More than any of the cargo we
might carry with us – in terms of our human accomplishments, our possessions, our
technology – it is our relationship with the Lord that provides the key to our happiness
and our human fulfilment. And he calls us to a relationship of love”. In
the dialogue between Jesus and Peter on the shore he said we see the basis of all
pastoral ministry in the Church. “It is our love for the Lord that must inform
every aspect of our preaching and teaching, our celebration of the sacraments, and
our care for the people of God. It is our love for the Lord that moves us to love
those whom he loves, and to accept gladly the task of communicating his love to those
we serve. During our Lord’s Passion, Peter denied him three times. Now, after the
Resurrection, Jesus invites him three times to avow his love, in this way offering
him healing and forgiveness and at the same time entrusting him with his mission.
The miraculous catch of fish underlined the apostles’ dependence on God for the success
of their earthly projects. The dialogue between Peter and Jesus underlined the need
for divine mercy in order to heal their spiritual wounds, the wounds of sin. In every
area of our lives we need the help of God’s grace. With him, we can do all things:
without him we can do nothing.
Pope Benedict concluded that Malta’s
gift needs to be shared with others, it needs to be articulated. He said “Remember
that the exchange of goods between these islands and the world outside is a two-way
process. What you receive, evaluate with care, and what you have that is of value,
be sure to share with others”.