A recreational choice which builds and provides a new beginning’ – The Archbishop. In his Homily during Mass on New Year’s Day at the chapel of id-Dar tal-Providenza, Siggiewi, Archbishop Charles Jude Scicluna warned against the use of recreations drugs or alcohol, said, ”our youth have given us a wonderful lesson today. We have been told that to have the adventure in life, to find the way in life, to follow a light that never disappears; let us let Jesus be our light, Jesus be the adventure of our lives; Jesus will be “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14: 6).

The Homily is shown below –

”Let the Lord look at you with mercy and love and so you will have peace.

I will offer a brief thought because the sermon was performed by our youth today. In the blessing that Moses taught Aaron’s sons and their father Aaron, there is this phrase that I would like to offer to each and every one of us, at the beginning of a new year, at the beginning of the year 2022.

“Look at you “The Lord loves you and will give you peace” (Num. 6:26). How wonderful is this blessing, how wonderful it is for us, when we think of the Lord God, whom Jesus taught us to call “our Father in heaven” (Mt 6: 9); we understand that his look on us is a look of love. “May the Lord’s face shine on you, and show mercy! The Lord watches over you with love ”(Num. 6: 25-26). Notice how in God’s Word, love and mercy go hand in hand. When I think of the Lord God my Father, I understand that He loves and cares for me; and he cares for me because he loves me. He knows me, he cares for me, he is patient, like a father who loves his children. “The Lord watches over you with love and gives you peace” (Num. 6:26).Whatever we do, even if we choose a recreation, we choose to have a little peace of mind. How wonderful it is to teach ourselves, that what is true is recreational, it is what builds me, that gives me a new beginning. Recreation comes from a new creation.

Can I choose something recreational, that breaks me down or annoys me? Or do I just go back and forth, and bring my father and mother a truckload of trouble to the door? Can I call it recreational? Whatever it is – drugs or alcohol – if it hurts, it can never be recreation. It does not contain the secret of peace that the Lord wants to give me.

The adventure of love fills you with light and shows you the path in which you will never get lost.

At the beginning of this year we ask him to continue to look at us with love and mercy; but we also ask for the wisdom, that we seek true peace, not that which the world offers for four friends.

We made a lot of choices last year and will continue to do so. May the choices we make be the right ones. Can you tell me what’s right? Am I not the one who decides what is right? Let the Lord look at you with mercy and love and so you will have peace.

You can look for a never-ending light, an adventure that gives you a continuous ‘high,’ a path in which you will not get lost. You are right to do so, because that thirst is in every human being, in every person; but he chose Jesus. The adventure of love fills you with light and shows you the path in which you will never get lost.”

Happy New Year to all!

Charles Jude Scicluna

+ Archbishop of Malta

Photos: Curia – church.mt/photos

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