Il-Ktieb il-Kbir (The Great Book) is one of some 140 books written by St George Preca, Founder of the Society of Christian Doctrine. It was originally written in Maltese in the 1920s when Fr Preca was in his forties. Its contents reveal a dedicated priest already advanced in holiness.
The book was specifically written for the meditation by the SDC Members, but in 1967 it was published for public use.
Following in the long tradition of Thomas à Kempis and other classical spiritual masters, Fr Preca regarded “Christ crucified” as an indivisible and indispensible manual in his spirituality, as can clearly be seen from Preca’s first written Rule of 1909. The underlying reason is well put in his much later and more mature work, The Sanctuary of Christ’s Spirit: “How can one open that Great Book, Jesus Christ crucified,and fail to be imbued with his spirit? For those who really gaze at him, Christ crucified proves to be the source giving forth the spirit of eternal life… You will also then be filled with horror for sin and with love for God who, through the death of his Son, cleansed our soul in his divine blood, transforming us from children of wrath to children of grace”.
Indeed, this is why Fr Preca emphatically believed that Christ crucified “is the Book that the saints followed.” He presents him to every Christian as “the surest way for eternal glory.” He invites everyone to fix their gaze at the Crucified Lord all the days of their earthly life.
The style of the book is typical of Fr Preca’s: deep thoughts, which are highly biblical, are condensed in short sentences which the leader needs to meditate slowly in order to elicit and savour all the practical conclusions for one’s Christian life. For, again typically, Fr Preca’s writings are directly meant for practice and not just for the pleasure of reading them. Indeed, they resulted from his own spiritual wrestling to put on Christ.
The basic invitation contained in every page of Il-Ktieb il-Kbir (The Great Book) is that which St Paul made to the Galatians: undergo the process of spiritual birth and death “until Christ is formed in you” (Gal 4,19).
The following is Page Forty-one from Il-Ktieb il-Kbir (The Great Book):
Dearly beloved, look attentively at your Divine Master and reflect about:
Trust in God
Proof: The very enemies of Jesus Christ testified to his full trust in God. Looking at Jesus on the cross, they said, “He puts his trust in God; now let God rescue him if He wants him” (Mt 27,43). And before He expired, Jesus cried in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 2,46). How could it be that He had no trust in God when He himself taught us not to call anyone “Father” on this earth, but have trust only in God? (Mt 23,9).
Reflections from this Page:
- The uncertainty of the future renders us incapable of resting assured upon our own self, even if we are rich, wise or strong.
- The emotions and fickleness of human beings do not allow us to depend on any person for all are subject to death at any time.
- In the book of the prophet Daniel it is àwritten that God will save those who trust in him (Dan 13,60).
- Our repose in only in God. We were made for him. No one but him has all the means of consolation. He alone is not subject to no change whatsoever.
Resolution: We resolve to put our trust in God’s power and, in all our spiritual and material needs, to unload all our cares on to the Lord. Thus, undoubtedly, we will be giving him glory with sincere gratitude.
