Be my King!

The phrase: Jesus, remember me when you enter into your kingdom, is one of the powerful expressions of faith we find in the New Testament. Expressed by the repentant thief crucified alongside Jesus, it reflects a profound acknowledgment of Jesus's divinity and the promise of eternal life. Despite his past wrongdoings, the thief's plea is an act of humility and trust, recognizing that salvation is granted to us through the grace of God. His simple and sincere request embodies a deep hope for redemption and acceptance into the divine kingdom. This moment, recorded in the Gospel of Luke, illustrates the core Christian belief in the power of repentance and Jesus's boundless mercy. Jesus's response, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise", affirms the kindgom of God is open to all who turn to Him with genuine faith. St. George Preca urges us to offer our hearts to God and let Him be the king of our hearts. Let us pray: Lord God, give me your grace so that I may be able to give you my heart, for I can do nothing without your help! This echoes the humility and dependence on divine grace demonstrated by the repentant thief, reminding us of the transformative power of faith and the hope of eternal life that Jesus, our merciful King, offers. May Jesus be the King of our heart!

Praying Through Pain by Barbara Lee is a practical guide on finding comfort through prayer during difficult times. Lee shares her own experiences and those of others to illustrate how prayer can help when we are suffering. She encourages honesty in prayer, urging readers to express all their emotions, including anger and sadness. The book addresses various types of pain and provides specific prayers for different situations. Lee draws on Ignatian spirituality, which emphasises how to find God even in suffering. The book includes personal stories that demonstrate the power of prayer in real life. Lee takes an inclusive approach, showing how prayer and pain are integral to our lives and how they connect us. She encourages readers to view prayer not as an escape from pain but as a way to endure and transform it. The book also highlights the importance of community and reaching out to others in times of hurt. Praying Through Pain is not just about personal prayer; it is also a call to be more compassionate and empathetic toward others. This book is highly recommended for anyone seeking spiritual support during tough times, offering hope and practical advice on praying through pain.

Reflection by Joe Galea, SDC Member   Le Bénédicité (Saying Grace) is a highly regarded painting by Jean Siméon Chardin. It depicts a serene, modest household scene where a mother invites her two children to say grace before their meal. The setting, marked by its simplicity and cleanliness, exudes a spiritual atmosphere. The white tablecloth signifies the purity of the home. Chardin captures the profound spirituality in everyday life, emphasizing cleanliness, order, and silence as elements of sacredness. The painting, produced in 1740 and housed in the Louvre Museum in France, continues to convey its message today through the heartfelt prayers of the children under their mother's affectionate gaze.

“Like a great waterwheel, the liturgical year goes on relentlessly irrigating our souls, softening the ground of our hearts, nourishing the soil of our lives until the seed of the Word of God itself begins to grow in us, comes to fruit in us, ripens in us the spiritual journey of a lifetime.” This profound imagery captures the essence of Joan Chittister's: The Liturgical Year: The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life. The book explores the rhythms and rituals of the Christian liturgical calendar, presenting it as a cyclical journey that deepens spiritual awareness and growth. Chittister, an esteemed American Benedictine nun, brings her extensive experience and wisdom to the pages. with credibility and depth in her reflections. Through her eloquent prose, Chittister examines each season and feast day, revealing how these liturgical practices are not mere routines but transformative experiences. She encourages readers to engage with the liturgical year intentionally, to find meaning and renewal in its yearly cycles. Her insights make The Liturgical Year a spiritual guide for anyone seeking a deeper connection with his faith. This work is an adventure in human growth and an exercise in spiritual ripening.

The latest encyclical letter by Pope Francis is titled Dilexit Nos (He Loved Us), and it focuses on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This encyclical, which was published on October 24, 2024, delves into the themes of human and divine love as exemplified by the heart of Jesus Christ. Pope Francis highlights the importance of rediscovering the heart in a world challenged by wars, social and economic inequalities, consumerism, and technological advances that can undermine human values. The encyclical is structured into five chapters, each exploring different aspects of devotion to the Sacred Heart and its implications for personal and communal spiritual renewal. One significant aspect of Dilexit Nos is its call for a transformation beginning from the heart, advocating for actions and words of love inspired by Christ's example. Pope Francis encourages the faithful to build a new civilisation of love, emphasising the need for repentance and missionary zeal to share the transformative love of Christ with the world​. Read the full text of the encyclical letter Dilexit Nos.

by Carmel G. Cauchi, SDC Member   During the month of November we remember our departed brothers and sisters, we offer masses for the repose of their souls, and visit the graves of our loved ones to put candles and flowers on them, and pray for them. But why do we do that? Because we believe that not everything ends with death, but there is another life, eternal life. This is what we say at the end of the Creed: "And I await the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen”. And in the mass for the dead we say "For those who believe in you, Lord, life does not end but changes". This is not a loose belief, but based on three great guarantees that Jesus Christ himself gives us: The first guarantee for those who have faith is: "Truly, truly I say to you that whoever believes in me has eternal life." (Jn 6,47) The second guarantee is for those who observe God's Law: "Truly, truly I say to you that whoever keeps my word will never see death." (Jn 8, 51) The third guarantee is for those who approach the Eucharist: "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day." (Jn 6,54) So Jesus will give an eternity of happiness to those who believe in him, observe his Law and receive Holy Communion often. Thus we don't look at death with fear because we know and believe that it will lead us to meet the Lord and live with him and our loved ones forever. Saint Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, wanted a painting of death in a different way from how it is usually depicted: a skeleton with a sickle in its hand. He asked the painter to paint it as a beautiful angel with a golden key in his hand. Because for him death is not a sickle, but a key, it is not an end but a beginning, it is not an alley but a passage, it is not a defeat but a victory. Death is the door through which we pass to a brighter and better life. And that's how we should consider it. This is what we say at the end of the prayer of Saint Francis: "It is in dying that we are born to eternal life."