Love Alone

Bl-isbaħ xewqat għal Milied hieni u qaddis u sena ġdida mimlija kull risq u barka mill-Mulej Wishing all a happy and saintly Christmas and a prosperous New Year 2009 Con todo afecto os deseo una santa y feliz navidad y próspero año nuevo 2009 Con tutto affetto vi deseo un buon natale e prospero anno nuovo 2009

El Instituto Carmelita de Malta es fruto de una colaboración de la Provinicia Carmelita y la Carmelita Desaclza, ambos presentes desde hace muchos siglos en Malta. Es un intento de promover en Malta nuestra espiritualidad y tradición. Su objectivo es de ofrecer cursos de Espiritualidad Carmelita y de Mariología en diversos niveles, tanto que en octubre pasado el instituto ha empezado ya dos cursos a nivel universitario de espiritualidad y acompañamiento espiritual. Se ofrecerán más cursos en el futuro. En el lugar también ha abierto un museo cuyo fin es también espiritual. El visitador está invitado a descubrir el viaje que el fraile carmelita hace hacia la unión con Dios a través de una guía en el museo donde se visita el Oratorio, el Refectorio, la Sala del Capítulo, la Celda, la Sacristía y por fin la Iglesia. Antes de salir, el visitador puede entrar en la cafetería que está en el mismo convento y gustar comidas y dulces típicamente monásticas. El proyecto del convento y del museo ...

Por fin tengo aquí unas fotos de mi Profesión Simple que tuvo lugar el pasado 8 de septiembre. Fue una maravilla, de verdad. Una celebración simple, pero muy bella y digna. Os deseo todo bien en la vida y que halléis al Señor como lo he hallado yo. Que os vaya todo bién, estéis donde estéis.

On Saturday, 4th October 2008, at 10.00 a.m., the Carmelite Church at Mdina, Malta, will be the venue of the inauguration of the Carmelite Institute Malta. The Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm., will be present for this occasion. The inauguration programme includes two lectures, one by Fr. Kees Waaijman, O.Carm., (Neer), on “Carmel: An Empty Space for God”, and another by Fr. Eugene McCaffrey, OCD, on “Carmel: A Lover’s Quest”. The Carmelite Institute Malta is a collaborative effort of the Maltese Carmelite Province and of the Maltese Province of Discalced Carmelites to promote in Malta the study of Carmelite spirituality and tradition. Its main goal is to offer courses in Carmelite spirituality and Mariology on various levels. In fact, starting October of this year, the Institute will be cooperating with the Faculty of Theology of the University of Malta to offer an MA programme in Spirituality. Students enrolled in this programme may opt to specialize in Carmelite ...

One of the key points the Catechism of the Catholic Church makes about prayer is that it involves a mutual relationship between God and the person praying. "Prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him," the Catechism states (no. 2560). Moreover, God is the initiator of the relationship: "In prayer, the faithful God's initiative of love always comes first (no. 2567). The human act of praying is a response to God's initiative. Perhaps this is not our experience. The move from saying prayers to meditating or praying from the heart can be difficult. Even the most loquacious person can be at a loss for words. I may not have a lot to say to God. Even more so does it seem that God has little to say to me. I wait in silence for God to speak and I hear nothing. God doesn't seem to be holding up his end of the deal. However, as I progress further in prayer, I realize God does speak. Usually not in words and often not at...

We live in a time of computers, of the virtual, of the immediate. News travels from one side of the world to the other in a fraction of a second. We have immediate access to a mountain of information. All of this undoubtedly has a positive value, as the Church has pointed out on numerous occasions. However, we do also run the risk of falling into the worrying superficiality of data with no criteria for analysis; information without formation, a light, post-modern culture which exalts the empty, the passing, the insignificant. Perhaps what this society needs, more than ever, is something that the Carmelite charism can offer: the meaning of contemplation, of spiritual depth. The Carmelite should be a man or woman with inner life, with depth, with spiritual riches, a man or woman who in the midst of the hustle and bustle of daily life, of the problems and contradictions of our time is able to create the inner silence in which God may speak. Sometimes we too are swept up in prejudice, hurr...

Megaliths, medieval dungeons and Calypso's Cave - Malta is positively mythic. The narrow meandering streets of its towns and villages are crowded with Renaissance cathedrals and Baroque palaces. As the countryside is dotted with the oldest known human structures in the world, Malta has rightly been described as an open-air museum. With 7,000 years of history, the Maltese Islands are steeped in culture and heritage. The Islands went through a golden Neolithic period, the remains of which are the mysterious megalithic temples dedicated to the goddess of fertility. Later on, the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Romans and the Byzantines, all left their traces on the Islands. There are megalithic monuments, Bronze Age dolmens, Punic tombs, remains of Roman Villas and traces of prehistoric man, which defy explanation, such as the mysterious 'cart' tracks. For three millennia, from around 5200 BC, the archipelago was home to a unique, temple-building civilisation. Ma...

Monólogo de un hombre: (eufórico)- ¡Hola! ¡Muy buenas noches público presente! Permítanme presentarme: Yo soy el hombre, el protagonista de la historia. ¿Qué? ¿No me reconocen? Franz Kafka en su libro La Metamorfosis escribió sobre mí: “¡Yo soy una cadena que no se puede romper, una muralla que no se puede derribar.” Ése soy yo! ¡Luchando! ¡Peleando! ¡Cayendo! Pero volviéndose a levantar en pos de la gloria y la conquista!Así lo hizo Alejandro Magno con su hueste de valientes cuando desde Macedonia hasta las orillas del río Indo levantaron un imperio. O cuando Julio César cruzando el Rubicón lanzó la famosa frase que perdura a través de los tiempos: “Vini, vidi, vicci” que traducido es: Vine, ví y vencí. ¡Ah! El hombre no sólo se conforma con conquistar imperios sino que se lanza a la aventura de la conquista del espacio. Desde Julio Verne, el afamado escritor francés de ciencia-ficción, hasta las sondas que se envían al planeta Marte; sin olvidar del momento cumbre cuando Neil Amstro...

Respóndens autem Angelus, dixit muliéribus: Nolíte timére: scio enim quod Jesum quæritis, allelúja. And the Angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus, alleluia.

When Thou, O Lover of Mankind, our God, wast come to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, which is close by Bethany, riding upon an ass's colt, the Hebrew children from Jerusalem met Thee carrying palm fronds in their hands, crying out and saying: Hosanna in the Highest ; and the faithful people, with branches of trees, cried: Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is He that cometh and shall come again in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel. Wherefore we the faithful also, with fear and love, with the signs of victory, cry out in joy to Thee, Who alone art immortal and the Victor, Who hast dominion over life and death: Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord, He that is blest and maketh us all to live, who have been found worthy to partake of Thy holy, most pure, immortal, life-giving, heavenly and fearful Mysteries unto the remission of our sins. For to Thee belongeth all glory, honor and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, a...

5th Week in Lent – Redeeming love The invitation to participate in the sufferings of Christ becomes ever more pressing. It is necessary that we show our love in carrying the cross together with Jesus. Our eyes are to be transfixed on God Who has annihilated Himself to the extent of death to redeem us: divine mercy is inexpressible. The liturgy reaches its peak in celebrating the mystery of redemption. "It was necessary that Lazarus should die, so that the faith of the disciples might also rise with him from the dead." Peter Chrysologus (c.400-450) Read the homily of the Holy Church Father Peter Chrysologus on today´s Gospel reading: http://peopleofstmarymagdalene.blogspot.com/2008/03/on-sunday-raising-of-lazarus.html De Los Sermones de San Agustín, Obispo (98, 4-7) Os he dicho esto con el fin de convenceros de que nuestro Señor Jesucristo realizó los milagros para significar algo con ellos, de forma que, exceptuando su ser algo admirable, grande y divino, aprendiésemos otra c...

4th Sunday in Lent: Victory over evil Commitment in love and truth is the axis of the struggle to reach spiritual freedom. Grasping the arms of humility, compunction and prayer, we shall succeed in overcoming sluggishness and discouragement. Yet it will above all be the hope in God to triumph over all forms of scattering. Then, after the struggle, there will invariably follow that peace which will render us sons of the Most High. Christ, light of the Father, come into my life .... come in my heart. Be my giuding light and force to go on each day persevering in your presence. "Christ, be my light" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsCET8oQyuA Mother Theresa De Los Sermones de San Agustin, obispo. (cfr. 136, 1-3) Habéis visto al ciego con los ojos de la fe; le visteis pasar de la ceguera a la visión y le oísteis errar. ¿En qué erraba este ciego? Lo diré: Lo primero, en juzgar que Cristo era un simple profeta, ignorando que era el Hijo de Dios; además hemos oído una respuesta suya...

3rd Sunday in Lent: Reviving waters In the work done for our purification, our part is to imitate Christ’s humility and to wait for the Father’s healing of our wounds, while concurring with the divine will and not falling back on our ego. We call the name of Jesus and his mercy will purify us, absolving our sin. We draw water from the inexhaustible fount of the Word of God and, in good time, living water will gush out of our heart. St Augustine on today's Gospel: http://standrewparish.blogspot.com/2008/02/3rd-sunday-of-lent-reflection.html Reading from The Interior Castle of Saint Teresa of Jesus (VI /11, 5-7) O Almighty God! how profound are Thy secrets and how different are spiritual matters from anything that can be seen or heard in this world! I can find nothing to which to liken these graces, insignificant as they are compared with many others Thou dost bestow on souls. This favour acts so strongly upon the spirit that it is consumed by desires yet knows not what to ask, for...

The following is a link to the Parish of St Benedict in the Archdiocese of Boston, USA. It uploads video clips every week explaining the Sunday Gospel with a very close eye on how to apply the words of Jesus Christ in our ordinary life. Although mostly spoken in an American reality, I think we can all take something from what Jesus tells us through Fr Robert J. Curr. http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=stbenedictsomerville Here is a sample video: The Solemnity of Christ the King God Bless Us All

2nd Week in Lent: Inner transformation http://www.dailymotion.com/cluster/blog/video/x4egrd_the-transfiguration_blog To reach union with God it is necessary that mind and will are purifie: the monk’s cell is actually cimparable to the oven in Babylon we find in the Bible. Yet whoever sets off resolutely on the path towards the discovery of divine beauty, will achieve a state of awareness of Him Who is immutable. God is fire and He transforms us. Dal Discorsi de san Leone Magno, Papa Questo è il Figlio mio , che non ha aspirato a impadronirsi di quell'uguaglianza che condivide insieme con me e non l'ha usurpata. Mantenendosi nella mia stessa condizione gloriosa, ha voluto abbassare la sua immutabile divinità fino alla condizione di schiavo per realizzare il nostro comune disegno di redimere il genere umano. Lui dunque, oggetto assoluto delle mie compiacenze, il cui insegnamento mi rivela, la cui umiltà mi esalta, lui dovete senza esitazione ascoltare. E gli è la verità e la v...

1st Week in Lent: Spiritual combat in the desert http://www.americancatholic.org/e-News/FriarJack/fj022805.asp The Gospel bids us always to practise vigilance everywhere. Without neglecting small things, the faithful should above all guard his thoughts and not fear at all the attacks that come from temptation – the biggest of all being sloth, idleness – because the one who is leading him is He Who reigns over all.We can keep a brake on our passions only if we are “held” by the Spirit. Dai Discorsi di san Leone Magno Nel vangelo odierno il Signore vinse l'avversario con le testimonianze della legge, senza far uso della sua potenza. In tal modo intese onorare di più l'uomo e punire di più l'avversario; infatti il nemico del genere umano fu vinto da lui, si direbbe, non già in quanto Dio, ma in quanto uomo. Egli dunque combatté in quella circostanza, perché poi anche noi combattessimo; e vinse, perché anche noi come lui potessimo vincere. Non esiste, miei cari, azione virtuos...

Jiena Glen Attard minn H’Attard. Bħalissa qiegħed noqgħod Salamanca (Spanja) għas-sena tan-Novizzjat tiegħi. Hawnhekk nixtieq naqsam miegħek l-esperjeza vokazzjonali tiegħi. U għażilt li nibda’ bi storja, parabbola: Kien hemm żewġt’ iħbieb jisimhom Jum u Lejl . Kienu jgħaddu jiem u ljieli sħaħ fil-kumpanija ta’ xulxin. Kienu jagħmlu kollox flimkien: jitolbu, jgħinu, jistudjaw, jilgħabu, jiddiskutu, joħorġu ... Kienu joqogħdu bieb ma’ bieb u kieku qatt kont tara lil wieħed mingħajr l-ieħor! Mela darba fost l-ohrajn Jum siefer u Lejl spiċċa jagħmel kollox waħdu. Ma kienx ikun jaf fejn se jaqbad jagħti rasu mingħajr sieħbu. Qatt daqs dik il-ħabta ma kien japprezza x’ħabib ta’ veru kien Jum għalih. Kien jistenna kuljum li Jum jiġi lura. Kien ihoss ħafna n-nuqqas tieghu u ta' tant mumenti sbieħ li qattgħu flimkien. U għaddew is-snin! U Jum reġa’ lura u mhux talli sab lil Lejl jistennieh iżda talli qatt daqs wara dak inhar ir-relazzjoni tagħhom ma kienet daqshekk tajba. Din l-istorja ...

Da " La Vita in Cristo " di Nicola Cabàsilas Noi non potevamo elevarci fino a Dio con i nostri mezzi, ma lui è disceso per incontrarci. Noi non lo cercavamo, ma lui ci desiderava. La pecora si mette forse in cerca del pastore? La dramma sospira il proprietario? Dio invece si è chinato verso la terra, ha cercato la sua immagine. E' andato nei luoghi dove la pecora si smarriva, per prendersela in spalle e ritrarla dall'errare. Dio ci ha resi partecipi della vita celeste, però senza trasferirci in cielo, ma lasciandoci in terra. Non ci ha condotti nei cieli, ma li ha fatti discendere fino a noi, secondo la parola del profeta: Abbassò i cieli e discese (Sal 17,10) . Dunque il Sole di giustizia entra in questo mondo tenebroso attraverso i sacri misteri come per altrettante finestre. Mette a morte la vita conforme a questo mondo e suscita quella celeste: così la luce del mondo vince il mondo, lei che ha detto: Io ho vinto il mondo? (Gv 16,33) In un corpo fragile e mortale C...