Mudell għall-Knisja f’Malta

1. Mudell għall-Knisja f’Malta L-Arċisqof Pawl Cremona: Il-Knisja murija fl-Atti tal-Appostli Kapitli 2 u 4 hi l-mudell għall-Knisja f’Malta tallum u ta’ għada

2. -- H.E. Most. Rev. Paul CREMONA, O.P., Archbishop of Malta, President of the Episcopal Conference (MALTA)I shall be speaking in the context of traditionally Catholic Countries like Malta. Whenever we speak of a new Evangelization, we find a stumbling-block. Many of our faithful still live in nostalgia of, and compare the present situation, with the model of the Church that was present 30 to 40 years ago. Since the Catholic Church has not remained in a privileged position as it was then, they live in an atmosphere of shock when the Church, or its Pastors, are challenged. Many times they stand in fear of speaking openly before this, many times, hostile culture.

3. We need to go out of this traumatic experience to enter into a new evangelization. We have to help the faithful recognize that that kind of Church does not exist anymore, and it cannot be proposed again in this changed world. We cannot continue comparing our reality to that reality.We have to propose a new model of being Church and the model which corresponds most to today's reality is the primitive Christian community as it is described in chapters 2 and 4 of the Acts of the Apostles, and brought to life in the other writings of the New Testament.We have to compare the Church today to, and shape it on, that community.[Original text: English]

4. Atti 2,1-4 • Knisja li tinġabar flimkien għat-talb • Knisja li tistenna l-qawwa t’Alla li taħkimha • Knisja li tirċievi d-don tal-Ispirtu s-Santu • Knisja li turi l-qawwa tal-Ispirtu bit-talb tal-ilsna.

5. Atti 2,5-13 • Knisja li xxandar l-għemejjel t’Alla bla mistħija quddiem kulħadd • Knisja li tkun mgħoddija biż-żmien

6. Atti 2,14-41 • Knisja mmexxija mill-Vigarju ta’ Kristu, San Pietru. • San Pietru jagħti xhieda bla qerq, bla biża’ dwar il-ħtieġa assoluta tal-fidi f’Ġesù Kristu biex bniedem isalva. • Numru kbir ta’ nies jikkonvertu u jingħaqdu mad-dixxipli.

7. Atti 2,42 L-erba’ pilastri ta’ Knisja ħajja u dinamika: • jżommu sħiħ fit-tagħlim tal-Appostli • fl-għaqda ta’ bejniethom (koinonia = jaqsmu kollox bejniethom) • fl-Ewkaristija (il-qsim tal-Ħobż) • fit-talb flimkien

8. Atti 2,43-47 “Dawk kollha li kienu jemmnu kienu ħaġa waħda, u kienu jaqsmu kollox bejniethom... kuljum kienu jmorru fit-tempju flimkien, jaqsmu l-Ħobż fi djarhom u jissieħbu fl-ikel bi qlub ferħana u safja; u kienu jfaħħru lil Alla ... u minn jum għall-ieħor il-Mulej kien iżidilhom magħhom lil dawk li jkunu salvi.”

9. Atti 4,1-22 • San Pietru u San Ġwann jagħtu xhieda qalbenija bil-kliem u bil-mirakli ta’ fejqan quddiem il-kapijiet tal-Lhud. • Eluf ikomplu jiżdidu. • San Pietru u San Ġwann jixhdu quddiem il-kbarat li Ġesù hu s-salvatur uniku tal-bnedmin. Il-fidi fih biss tiswa.

10. Atti 4,23-31 L-Ispirtu s-Santu jerġa’ jinżel fuqhom u fihom meta jitolbuh bil-ħerqa għax qed ikunu mġarrbin.

11. Atti 4,32-37 “... dawk li emmnu kienu qalb waħda u ruħ waħda ... kellhom kollox flimkien... b’qawwa kbira l-appostli kienu jagħtu xhieda tal-qawmien tal-Mulej Ġesù ... kien jitqassam kollox skond il-ħtieġa ta’ kull wieħed...”