In his message for the Feast of the Holy Family, the Bishop of Gozo Mgr Mario Grech said that family life can experience a number of tensions, both because of the difficulties inside, as in the case of relationships between family members, as well as due to external challenges, such as financial pressures.

The Bishop pointed out that despite these hard moments, many families remain together, for which, the Bishop said, he is very grateful.

“At the same time,” Mgr Grech added, “I can not forget those families who surrendered under some pressure or another – I am thinking of those families where there is lack of understanding, or have economic difficulties, where there is illness, and so many other reasons.”

“There are also those married couples who separate and perhaps also enter into a second relationship. I remember also those who chose to experience a form of family life that differs from the model of the Family of Nazareth.”

“God with is our families who are in the darkness of life,” the Bishop said, as He was with the Family of Nazareth.”

Today, 29th December 2013, Feast of the Holy Family.

The message in Maltese, is shown in full below:

Aktar ma jghaddi z-zmien nintebah kemm il-familji taghna jixbhu lill-Familja ta’ Nazareth li ghaddiet minn waqtiet ta’ insigurtà u qtigh il-qalb.

Il-familja nixtequha tkun miexja fuq ir-rubini, imma l-verità hija xorta ohra: pjuttost fil-familja nghixu ghadd ta’ tensjonijiet, kemm minhabba d-diffikultajiet minn gewwa bhal fil-kaz ta’ relazzjonijiet bejn l-istess membri fi hdan il-familja, u kemm minhabba l-isfidi li gejjin minn barra bhalma huma l-pressjonijiet li jsiru mill-qasam ekonomiku. Jekk noholmu familja minghajr din it-tbatija, ma nkunux b’saqajna mal-art!

Minkejja dawn il-mumenti iebsin, hafna familji jibqghu wieqfa fuq riglejhom, u ta’ dan jien inhossni hafna rikonoxxenti. Ghandna familji li jafu jbatu ghal xulxin. Fl-istess waqt ma nistax ninsa lil dawk il-familji li cedew taht xi pressjoni jew ohra – ghandi f’mohhi lil dawk il-familji fejn hemm in-nuqqas ta’ ftehim, fejn hemm diffikultajiet ekonomici, fejn hemm il-mard, u tant ohrajn. Hemm ukoll dawk il-koppji mizzewga li nfirdu u forsi wkoll dahlu fit-tieni relazzjoni. Niftakar ukoll f’dawk li ghazlu li jaghmlu esperjenza ta’ ghamla ta’ familja differenti mill-mudell tal-Familja ta’ Nazareth.

F’dawn is-sitwazzjonijiet hemm persuni li huma mahbubin minn Alla. Insib interessanti li l-Familja ta’ Nazareth ukoll kellha l-esperjenza tal-“lejl” mudlam… Alla ma ndahalx biex Marija, Guzeppi u t-tarbija ma jgarrbux it-toqol tal-lejl, imma Alla kien maghhom matul il-lejl! Hekk ukoll jaghmel Alla mal-familji taghna li jinsabu fid-dlam tal-hajja – Alla qieghed hemm u bil-Vangelu tal-familja jibqa’ jibghatilna d-dawl.

Illum, 29 ta’ Dicembru 2013, festa tal-Familja Mqaddsa.

+ Mario Grech

Bishop of Gozo

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