Augustinians Malta - Agostinjani

14 hours ago

Some moments from our Thanksgiving Eucharist, marking the conclusion of our Ordinary Provincial Chapter. Grateful for the journey shared, the prayers offered, and the path ahead…
This the homily during the Thanksgiving Eucharist by the Vicar General of the Order Fr Alexander Lam OSA
…

Dear brothers and sisters,

I come to you bringing warm greetings from the Prior General, Fr. Joseph Farrell, who had planned to preside over this celebration but, due to his duties, had to change his plans and accompany Pope Leo XVI on his visit to Annaba, ancient city of Hippo and the former episcopal seat of our Spiritual Father Augustine. We give thanks to God for Pope Leo and his recent visit to Algeria, where the friars of the Province of Malta also worked for many years, serving as a living presence of the Order in those lands.

Today, with this Eucharistic celebration, we conclude the Ordinary Provincial Chapter of the Province of St. Mark of Malta. For this reason, we have gathered as an Augustinian family to thank God for the gifts received over the past four years, and to ask him once again for his grace for the next four years of the Province’s life, which has once again asked to be guided by the leadership of Fr. Leslie Gatt, whom we thank once again for his “yes” to this, far from easy, ministry.

I would like to take this opportunity to comment on two aspects that, it seems to me, emerge from today’s readings and that lead us to the very heart of our charism: How do we enter into the unity of communion? And how do we live within it?

How does one enter into communion? On the one hand, the Gospel of John presents Jesus declaring himself to be the Door: “I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved,” and on the other hand, the first reading tells us that “after the day of Pentecost, the brothers were constant in…” Therefore, one enters into communion through Jesus, and one also enters with the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe that this, though it may seem obvious, is not always so. I will stop on this for a moment.

We can enter into the unity of communion only through the person of Jesus—that is, by following in his footsteps, obeying his Word, changing our mindset, and adopting his attitudes and ways of thinking, feeling, and acting; in short, by embracing the way he chose to live.

Sometimes in life, and when faced with different situations, we revert to our human logic, which is not always inspired by the Gospel; we revert to our natural ways of facing our challenges, of defending ourselves, of attacking, of blaming others, of closing ourselves off in our own interests, or in our sorrows. Only in Jesus, only by entering through him, are we one. In the one Christ, this is how we can be one. In illo uno unum… as the motto of pope Leo constantly reminds us.

But this transformation, dear brothers and sisters, is possible only through charity, which, as Romans 5:5 says, is first and foremost a gift. For “it has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” It is love that enables us to enter through Jesus; it is the gift of the Holy Spirit. how much we must ask for God’s Holy Spirit! To possess love—or rather, to be possessed by God’s love—is what allows us to enter into communion. How often do we pause in that contemplation, how often do we allow ourselves to be amazed by it?

However, this gift, which we ask for, is also sought with a restless heart. Having experienced the celebrations of Holy Week, we now know how to receive the Holy Spirit, whom we will celebrate at Pentecost: we receive him by living out Easter. That is, by uniting ourselves with Christ, participating in his death and resurrection, continually renewing our baptism, leaving behind the old self—as St. Paul says—with its passions and sins, and putting on the new self. For whoever possesses the love of Christ sets aside their own interests for those of Christ, as stated in 1 Corinthians 13.

In short, brothers and sisters, Augustinians, if you wish to live in unity, let yourself be captivated by God’s love, and enter through the door that is Jesus, dying to the disordered love of self, so that the ordered love of God, neighbor, and self may arise.

But how do we live in unity, in communion? I believe today’s readings also tell us that too. In the Gospel, Jesus mentions that he is the good shepherd, the one who lays down his life for the sheep. And if we think about it, he himself describes what it means to lay down one’s life: it means that in the face of danger, he does not abandon his sheep; it means he does not scatter them or cause them harm; it means he cares for them, knows them, and calls them by name; it means he seeks out those who have strayed. This is how he lays down his life for them.

Have you ever realized this? Here’s a tip for your contemplation of Jesus: these attitudes that Christ has toward us are also the attitudes he asks us to have toward one another. Jesus tells us this clearly in the Gospel of John, chapter 13, verses 34–35: “Love one another as I have loved you! By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.” Brothers and sisters, this is how communion is lived.

Furthermore—and with this I will conclude—the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles depicts a picture of the early Jerusalem community, an image of great and central significance in Augustinian spirituality and tradition. It tells us that the early believers lived in unity, holding all things in common, praising God with joy and with all their hearts, and that the Lord added to their number those whom he called to salvation. To have everything in common—we religious have solemnly promised to live this out literally—but lay Augustinians are also called to share God, our great common good; to share their faith, their hopes and failures, their challenges and projects, their mission; and even to help one another materially. But all this self-giving, dear friends, is lived with joy, praising God for being able to live it, praising God for being blessed with the presence of brothers and sisters in our lives, for being able to journey through this life in the light of Christ. I speak to you of the enthusiasm to evangelize through words and works of charity, of the desire to seek out our brothers and sisters who are not yet in unity with us, so that we may all form one flock, under one shepherd, Christ Jesus our Lord. It will be the Lord himself who will unite to us those called to the Christian faith and to the Augustinian life, if we live in this way.

Let us pray that all of us—religious and laypeople alike—may experience this Eucharist by renewing the spirit that God poured out upon our father Saint Augustine, and, inspired by his love, may we become seeds of the Kingdom, so that many others may find God’s salvation through our witness. ... See MoreSee Less

+8

Augustinians Malta - Agostinjani

3 days ago

Sharing a few moments from the Ordinary Provincial Chapter.

As we continue our discussions and discern the path ahead, we kindly ask you to keep us in your prayers. May the Spirit guide every decision for the good of all.

Thank you for your support 🙏 ... See MoreSee Less

+8