MA NISTGĦUX NGĦADDU MINGĦAJR IL-ĦADD. ITTRA PASTORALI FIL-BIDU TAS-SENA PASTORALI 2026-2027 MILL-E.T. MONS. ANTON TEUMA ISQOF TA’ GĦAWDEX.
Għeżież ħuti Saċerdoti, Reliġjużi u lajċi Nsara,
Il-Ħadd huwa jum sabiħ u differenti mill-ġranet l-oħra tal-ġimgħa. Sa mill-ewwel żminijiet tagħha, il-Knisja għarfitu bħala l-jum li fih niltaqgħu mal-Mulej Irxoxt, ma’ xulxin u mal-ħajja tagħna stess fid-dawl tiegħu.
Il-Kelma ta’ Alla tgħidilna: “Dan hu l-jum li għamel il-Mulej; ħa nifirħu u nithennew fih!” (Salm 118:24). Huwa jum ta’ festa u ta’ ikla, fejn il-Mulej jistieden lil kulħadd għall-mejda tiegħu: “Għidu lill-mistednin: Ara, il-mejda tiegħi lesta; il-barrin u l-għoġiela msemmna diġà maqtula u kollox lest; ejjew għall-festa” (Mt 22:4). Il-Ħadd, għalhekk, huwa l-jum li għamel il-Mulej u li fih jagħtina l-ħajja mill-ġdid.
Il-Ħadd: jum il-Mulej u jum il-Qawmien
Kien l-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, il-Ħadd, meta n-nisa marru ħdejn il-qabar u sabu li l-ġebla kienet tneħħiet. Kristu kien qam mill-imwiet (ara Mt 28:1-10; Mk 16:1-8; Lq 24:1-12; Ġw 20:1-18). Għalhekk, għall-Insara, kull Ħadd huwa jum l-Għid li niċċelebraw kull ġimgħa. Mhuwiex sempliċement tifkira ta’ ġrajja tal-passat, iżda l-laqgħa tagħna mal-Mulej ħaj illum.
Sa mill-bidu, id-dixxipli kienu jinġabru “fl-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa” biex jisimgħu l-Kelma u jaqsmu l-ħobż (ara Atti 20:7). San Pawl isemmi wkoll il-ġbir għall-persuni fil-bżonn f’dan il-jum (ara 1 Kor 16:2).
San Injazju ta’ Antjokja jgħid li l-Insara jgħixu “skont il-Jum tal-Mulej”, għaliex fih seħħ il-bidu tal-ħajja tagħhom fi Kristu. San Ġustinu Martri, fit-tieni seklu, jiddeskrivi lill-Insara bħala komunità li f’jum il-Ħadd kienet tinġabar flimkien, tisma’ l-Kelma, titlob, tiċċelebra l-Ewkaristija u tieħu ħsieb dawk fil-bżonn.
Sa mill-bidu, għalhekk, il-Ħadd kien fl-istess ħin jum ta’ qima lil Alla, jum tal-komunità u jum ta’ karità.
Il-Ħadd: jum l-Ewkaristija u tal-komunità
Il-qalba tal-Ħadd hija l-Ewkaristija. Kif jgħidilna l-Katekiżmu tal-Knisja Kattolika, “iċ-ċelebrazzjoni tal-Ħadd u l-Ewkaristija jinsabu fil-qalba tal-ħajja tal-Knisja” (n. 2177).
Irridu noqogħdu attenti li l-ħafna attivitajiet marbutin ma’ wliedna, anki jekk sbieħ u tajbin, ma jbegħduniex minn din il-laqgħa mal-Mulej. Il-Vanġelu jfakkarna: “Iżda dawk ma tawx kas; min mar l-għalqa, min għan-negozju tiegħu” (v. 5), u ma marrux għall-festa.
Meta niġu għall-Quddiesa tal-Ħadd, ma nkunux sempliċement individwi li jiġu biex kull wieħed jitlob għalih innifsu. Niġu bħala poplu, bħala familja, bħala Ġisem ta’ Kristu. Nisimgħu l-istess Kelma, nieklu mill-istess Ħobż, u nixorbu mill-istess Kalċi. Il-Mulej jiġborna flimkien u jagħmilna komunità.
Il-Papa Franġisku fakkarna li mmorru l-Quddiesa biex niltaqgħu mal-Mulej Irxoxt, jew aħjar, biex inħallu lilu jiltaqa’ magħna, nisimgħu l-Kelma tiegħu u nitrejqu mill-mejda tiegħu, u b’hekk insiru l-Knisja, il-Ġisem ħaj tiegħu fid-dinja.
Għalhekk, il-Ħadd għandu jkun ukoll jum li fih nerġgħu nsibu lil xulxin: jum li fih il-familja tiekol flimkien, iżżur lil xi qarib jew ħabib li jinsab waħdu, tagħti ħin lit-tfal u liż-żgħażagħ, u tiltaqa’ ma’ persuni li matul il-ġimgħa forsi ma jkollniex ħin għalihom.
Il-Ħadd ifakkarna li l-ħajja mhijiex magħmula biss minn xogħol, effiċjenza u produttività. Il-bniedem mhuwiex magna li trid tipproduċi kontinwament. Aħna wlied Alla li għandna bżonn niltaqgħu, inħobbu, irroddu ħajr u nistrieħu.
Il-Ħadd: jum il-mistrieħ
Il-Bibbja tgħidilna li wara l-ħidma tal-ħolqien, Alla “strieħ fis-seba’ jum” u bierek dak il-jum (ara Ġen 2:2-3). Il-mistrieħ bibliku mhuwiex għażż, iżda waqfien quddiem is-sbuħija tal-ħolqien u quddiem Alla.
Il-Papa Franġisku fakkarna li l-mistrieħ awtentiku mhuwiex ħarba mir-realtà. Huwa l-mument tal-kontemplazzjoni u tat-tifħir; huwa l-waqt li fih nistgħu nħarsu lejn il-ħajja u ngħidu: ‘Kemm hi sabiħa l-ħajja!’.
Dan huwa messaġġ importanti fi żmien meta tant nies huma għajjenin u għandhom l-impressjoni li jekk jieqfu jaħdmu, kollox jieqaf. Imma Alla jgħallimna li aħna m’aħniex dak li nipproduċu. Il-valur tagħna ma jiddependix mill-ħidma tagħna. Għandna valur għax aħna maħbubin minn Alla.
Għalhekk, il-Ħadd huwa stedina biex nitgħallmu mill-ġdid l-arti tal-mistrieħ: mistrieħ tal-ġisem, mistrieħ tal-moħħ, imma fuq kollox mistrieħ tal-qalb f’Alla.
Fl-Enċiklika Laudato si’, il-Papa Franġisku jgħid li l-Ħadd għandu l-qawwa li jfejjaq ir-relazzjonijiet tagħna ma’ Alla, magħna nfusna, mal-oħrajn u mal-ħolqien (ara n. 237). Huwa jum li jgħinna niskopru mill-ġdid il-valur tal-ħajja u jħarisna minn attiviżmu bla waqfien, mill-kilba għall-profitt u mill-konsum bla qies.
Il-Ħadd: jum il-karità
Ma nistgħux niċċelebraw il-Ħadd b’mod awtentiku jekk il-qalb tagħna tibqa’ magħluqa għall-oħrajn.
San Ġustinu Martri jiddeskrivi kif l-ewwel Insara kienu jaqsmu dak li kellhom ma’ dawk fil-bżonn. Mill-ġabra tal-komunità kienu jgħinu lill-iltiema, lir-romol, lill-morda, lill-priġunieri, lill-barranin u lil dawk kollha li kienu jeħtieġu l-għajnuna.
Kemm hu sabiħ dan! Il-Ħadd jibda fuq l-altar u jkompli fit-triq tal-karità. Dak li nirċievu mingħand Kristu fl-Ewkaristija għandu jsir rigal lil ħutna.
Għalhekk, f’xi Ħadd nistgħu nżuru persuna anzjana li ilha ma tara lil xi ħadd; f’Ħadd ieħor niftakru f’familja li għaddejja minn diffikultà; u f’Ħadd ieħor nagħtu ftit mill-ħin tagħna lil min għandu bżonn is-smigħ u l-kumpanija tagħna.
Il-Papa Ljun XIV qed ifakkarna wkoll li l-fidi Nisranija ma tistax tkun separata mill-imħabba lejn l-oħrajn. Il-laqgħa vera u l-komunjoni jibnu kultura ta’ laqgħa, fejn il-persuna l-oħra tiġi milqugħa b’qalb miftuħa. Il-Ħadd huwa “l-jum oriġinali tal-festa” (ara Udjenza ġenerali, 12.08.2026), li fih il-komunità tal-fidili tinġabar biex tisma’ l-Kelma u tieħu sehem fl-
Ewkaristija, u turi b’mod viżibbli l-komunjoni tagħha mal-Mulej u l-appartenenza tagħha għal Kristu u għall-Knisja.
Ejjew nerġgħu niskopru l-ġmiel tal-Ħadd
Għeżież ħuti, il-Ħadd huwa rigal, mhux piż. Fl-Ittra appostolika Desiderio desideravi, il-Papa Franġisku fakkarna li l-Ħadd, qabel ma jkun preċett, huwa rigal li Alla jagħti lill-poplu tiegħu (ara n. 65).
Ejjew għalhekk ma nħallux il-Ħadd isir sempliċement jum ieħor ta’ xogħol, xiri, ġiri u attivitajiet. Ejjew ma nħalluhx jispiċċa jum mingħajr Alla, mingħajr komunità u mingħajr karità.
Ejjew nagħmlu mill-Ħadd jum ta’ Kristu, jum tal-familja, jum tal-komunità, jum tal-mistrieħ u jum tal-imħabba.
Ħalli l-Ewkaristija tal-Ħadd terġa’ ssir il-qalba tal-ħajja tagħna. Ħalli l-Kelma ta’ Alla tmexxina. Ħalli l-mistrieħ jagħtina ħajja ġdida. Ħalli l-laqgħa mal-komunità tgħaqqadna aktar. U ħalli l-karità tagħmel viżibbli l-Mulej li qam mill-imwiet.
Il-Mulej jagħtikom il-barka tiegħu, lilkom u lill-familji tagħkom.
Mogħtija mill-Kurja tal-Isqof, il-Belt Victoria, illum 30 ta’ Settembru 2026, Tifkira ta’ San Ġilormu, Saċerdot u Duttur tal-Knisja.
Mons. Edward Zammit ✠ Anton Teuma
Kanċillier Isqof ta’ Għawdex
We cannot do without Sunday. Pastoral Letter for the Opening of the Pastoral Year 2026-2027H.L. by Mgr Anton Teuma, Bishop of Gozo
My dear brother Priests, Religious and Lay Christians,
Sunday is special, different from the other days of the week. From its inception the Church considered Sunday as the day when the community meets with the Risen Christ, with each other, and we connect with our own lives in his light.
The Word of God proclaims: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps 118:24). It is the feast day characterised by the fraternal meal laid on by the Lord for his guests: “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet” (Mt 22:4). Thus, Sunday is the day the Lord has made, and he donates us life anew.
Sunday: the day of the Lord and the day of Resurrection
It was the first day of the week, Sunday, when the women went to the tomb and found that the stone had been removed. Christ had risen from the dead (cfr Mt 28:1-10; Mc 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-18). This is why for us Christians every Sunday is Easter Sunday which is celebrated every week. It is not merely a memory of a past event but our meeting the Lord today.
From the very first days Christians used to convene “on the first day of the week” to listen to the Word of the Lord and break the bread (cfr Acts 20:7). St Paul mentions also the collection in aid of the needy (cfr 1 Cor 16:2)
St Ignatius of Antioch says that Christians live “according to the Day of the Lord” because on that day their life in Christ took root. St Justin Martyr in the 2nd century defines Christians as the community which on Sunday convened to listen to the Word of the Lord, pray, celebrate the Eucharist and take care of the needy.
Thus, from the beginning Sunday was the day of adoration of the Lord, the day of the community and the day of charity.
Sunday: the day of the Eucharist and of the community
The essence of Sunday is the Eucharist. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “the Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life” (n. 2177)
We must make sure that our children’s activities, which are beneficial, do not obstruct our meeting with the Lord. The Gospel reminds us: “But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business” (Mt 22:5) and they stayed away from the feast.
When we are present for Sunday Mass, we are not merely individuals concerned with our private needs. We are present as the Lord’s People, his family, his body. We listen to the same Word, partake of the same Bread, and drink from the same Cup. The Lord convenes us and makes us one community.
Pope Francis reminds us that we attend the Mass to meet with the Risen Lord, or better still to let him come to us, listen to his Word, sit at his table, so that we can become his Church, his living Body in today’s world.
Consequently, Sunday should facilitate our being together: the day when the family eats together, pays a visit to a relative or someone who is alone, gives time to children and adolescents, and meets with friends.
Sunday reminds us that life does not consist only of work, efficiency and productivity. The human person is not a machine which has to produce continuously. We are the children of God who need to meet, love, give thanks and rest.
Sunday: a day of rest
The Bible narrates that following the work of creation, God “rested on the seventh day” and blessed that day (cfr Gen 2:2-3). The biblical rest is not laziness, but a pause in front of the beauty of creation and before God.
Pope Francis reminds us that authentic rests is not an escape from reality. It is a time of contemplation and praise; the time when we can view life and proclaim: ‘Life is beautiful!’.
This is a truly timely message when so many are giving up on life and are convinced that if they stop working, everything will end. But God teaches us that we are not that which we produce. Our value does not depend on what we produce. We are valued because we are loved by God.
In this manner Sunday is a call to rediscover the art of rest: the rest of our body; the rest of our mind; but above all the rest of our hearts in God.
Pope Francis in his Encyclical Laudato si’ states that Sunday is a day which heals our relationships with God, with ourselves, with others and with the world (cfr n. 237). It is the day which helps us rediscover the value of life and shelters us from feverish activism, the lure of profit and boundless consumerism.
Sunday: a day of charity
We just cannot celebrate Sunday in an authentic manner if our hearts remain alienated from others.
St Justin Martyr describes how the early Christians used to share with those in need. The Sunday collection served to help the orphans, the widows, the sick, the prisoners, the outsiders and all in need.
This is truly encouraging! Sunday starts off at the altar and proceeds down the way of charity. What we receive from Christ in the Eucharist should become our gift to the brethren.
Thus, on a particular Sunday we can visit some elderly person who suffers neglect; on another Sunday some family facing difficult times; yet on another Sunday be close to someone who needs comfort and solace of company.
Pope Leo XIV reminds us that our Christian Faith cannot be divorced from our love to our neighbours. Authentic communion creates a culture of welcoming where the other feels at home. Sunday is the “original feast day” (cfr General Audience, 12.08.26) when the community of believers meets to listen to the Word, partakes of the Eucharist and externalises its communion with the Lord and its adherence to Christ and his Church.
Let us rediscover the beauty of Sunday
My dear brethren, Sunday is a gift not a burden. In his Apostolic letter Desiderio desideravi, Pope Francis reminds us that Sunday, before being the Day of Precept, is the gift God gives to his People (cfr n. 65).
Let us not allow Sunday to become another workday replete with buying, activities and fretting about. Let us not allow Sunday to pass without God, the community and charity.
Let us make of Sunday the day of Christ, the day of the family, the day of the community, the day of rest, and the day of charity.
May the Eucharist become again the essence of our lives. Let the Word of God guide us. Let rest revive us. Let our meeting with the community give us life anew. Let our being in the community deepen our unity. May charity make visible the Risen Lord.
The Lord imparts to you and to your families his blessing.
Given from the Bishop’s Curia, Victoria, today 30th September 2026, memory of St Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church.
Mons. Edward Zammit ✠ Anton Teuma
Chancellor Bishop of Gozo