A letter to St Joseph

Statue of St Joseph venerated in the Franciscan church in Rabat, Malta

I wrote this fictitious letter to St Joseph, whose feast we celebrate today. We especially pray today for all those named Joseph and Josephine, those nearing death and those searching for work.

Dear Saint Joseph,

Today being your feast day, I thought of writing you a few lines mainly to show my gratitude for all you did for Jesus and Mary, and for us all. Very few people are greater than you are! Because being so close to Jesus and Mary, you are also the most blessed and full of grace. Well, if you weren’t so special and blessed, God would not have trusted you with his two most priceless possessions, marrying Mary, in spite of all the gossiping that was going on before your engagement, and then taking the role of a foster father of Jesus, protecting him, educating him and raising him from infancy to adulthood. You are fairly unknown around the world, but at least at Christmas time your image explodes all around the world with the millions of religious Christmas cards exchanged between families and friends.

We read in the Gospels that God always conveyed his messages to you in dreams and during sleep. This doesn’t mean that He wanted you to be passive, as if you didn’t know what was going on. We never see you in dialogue with Mary, or giving your opinion in stressful situations. But you let Mary handle all situations, as she dialogued with the Angel Gabriel, at the wedding at Cana, or when Jesus was lost in the temple - she spoke, and you were silent. You receive the message, and made sure it was worked out and implemented. That was your divine mission and vocation - to be a silent instrument in the hands of God. I bet you enjoyed teaching Jesus the carpenter’s trade and other duties and chores around the house at Nazareth. 

But like any other boy, I’m sure he had his moments which made you laugh. Did He obey you and Mary? Was He helpful with some household chores? Did He always say His prayers? What did He like to eat? Which vegetable did He dislike? Which toys did He fancy playing with? Did He keep His room clean and in order? What hobbies did he have as a child? Did He always show respect to you and other relatives? Did He ever date any girl as a young man? And like every child you must have been overjoyed hen He grew His first tooth, made His first step by himself,  when He said His first word, even when He learned how to pee by himself, when He started school, when he got his first bump on his forehead and His first scratch on his knee, like all boys do, and many other spontaneous situations.

Please Saint Joseph, just as you protected Mary and Jesus, I ask you to protect our church, of which you are its special patron saint. Give us more vocations because we need priests and nuns to continue the work in parishes, schools, orphanages and hospitals. Give us good parents, responsible and loving, ready to sacrifice their lives for their children and families, just as you and Mary did. Please pray for all workers, that they may honestly give their share of labor and be dedicated in their mission, always admiring you as their patron saint, another feast of yours we celebrate on May 1st. Be patient with us, dear St Joseph, because we tend to be hard-headed and spoiled at times. Remind us always to be grateful for all the blessings that you and your Son and wife give us, day by day.

Signed - a friend and an admirer.

Passion Stamps

The Crucifixion as an Icon from Greece

Many countries fond of philately have issued artistic stamps over the years relating to the Passion of Jesus and Holy Week traditions. Most of them depict some of the famous paintings by artists over the years who have left us beautiful, dramatic images of the suffering and death of Jesus 2000 years ago. Enjoy these few selection of stamps, which can be in themselves a great subject for meditation.

Passion stamps from Fujeira

Set of 14 stamps depicting the Stations of the Cross

St Patrick

The Irish tradition has finally hit even our little island of Malta, mainly demonstrated by the thousands of young people congregating at St. Julian’s for a huge Beer-fest. This spontaneous event is getting bigger and bigger, even though so far has been peaceful with people socializing and just drinking, peeing, drinking, peeing, and then go home and sleep, some of them at 3 AM the next day, maybe even later. And as the world turns green today, the Chicago river turns green with a special dye used today, and as the big New York Irish parade walks down 5th Avenue, here are some Irish blessings which should cheer you up.

May the embers from the open hearth warm your hands,
May the sun's rays from the Irish sky warm your face,
May the children's bright smiles warm your heart,
May the everlasting love I give you warm your soul.

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.

May the hand of a friend always be near you.
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow.
May the soft winds freshen your spirit.

May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you.
May God enfold you in the mantle of His love.
And may you be in heaven
Half an hour before the devil knows you’re gone!

Almighty God Church

Pastor Steve Jones of Almighty God church was delayed going home one night on a Saturday and decided to call his wife that he would be delayed by an hour or so. So he called her but there was no answer. He knew she was home, but strangely, she did not answer. Half an hour later he called again, and she answered right way and quickly alerted her of his delay. He then asked her why she didn't answer before. She said she never heard the phone, or he may have called a wrong number. So they both let it go. The following Monday Steve was again at his parish office and late in the evening he got a call from a student who seemed very despondent. He asked the pastor why he had called him  Saturday evening. Steve did not recognize the number and had no idea who the student was. He told the student that he did not call him, and apologized anyway, especially after it dawned on him that it could have been the first call he made to his wife. The student  told him he didn’t need to apologize for anything, but then continued....’well let me tell you my story. Saturday evening I was very depressed and heart-broken. I broke up from my girlfriend and my grades were very low as I was going through a rough time at school. In fact I had decided to commit suicide Saturday evening. But out of nowhere came this phone call, and when I looked at the phone to see who had called, I saw written on the screen ‘Almighty God...’ the word church didn’t fit on the small screen. That is when I realized that God wanted me here for a reason. Then I started praying, went to sleep and on Sunday I went to church, thanking God why that phone came in at the appropriate time to save my life. When Pastor Steve went home told his wife this story, they embraced each other and cried tears of happiness, as they recalled how a wrong number had saved a young man’s life.

Mary Stuart’s Prayer

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), was Queen of Scotland from December 14, 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. Mar suffered a lot under Queen Elizabeth I and was imprisoned for many years. She was a devout Catholic and was beheaded on February 8, 1587, aged 44. She wrote this beautiful prayer when she was still alive.

Keep us, o God from all pettiness.

Let us be large in thought, in word and in deed.

Let us be done with fault-finding and leave off all self-seeking.

May we put away all pretence and meet each other face to face, without self-pity and without prejudice.

May we never be hasty in judgment, and always be generous.

Let us always take time for all things, and make us to grow calm, serene and gentle.

Teach us to put into action our better impulses, to be straightforward and unafraid.

Grant that we may realize that it is the little things of life that create differences, that in the big things of life, we are as one.

And, o Lord God, let us not forget to be kind. Amen.

Popes – the lighter side

We always see our Popes during official meetings, church services and other solemn occasions. Very rarely we see them relax and enjoying the lighter side of their personal lives. Well, here are three moments caught by the Vatican photographers which make you smile, or even laugh. The first one took place during one of the general audiences of Pope Francis, when a young boy came up on stage. He started chatting with the Pope, then moved to the Swiss Guard, standing in attention as the boy tried to shake hands with him. Both the Pope and Mons Ganswein could not resist a smile, as the security guards were nervous this boy would do something unusual.

The second photo shows Pope Benedict XVI in the back seat of his car, while one of his cats sits next to him in the reserved passenger seat. Benedict loved cats, as well a beer and a playing on his piano. His cats roamed around his office and would often jump on his lap as he was sitting, reading, praying or just trying to write at this desk.

The third photo shows Pope Francis in his earlier years as Pope saluting to a Swiss Guard as he passes by the entrance to the Casa Santa Marta.

Happy Anniversary Pope Francis

Front page of one of the March 14, 2013 newspapers.

It was 12 years ago that Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was chosen by his fellow Cardinals to be the next Pope, choosing the name Francis. The above photo was one of many that appeared the next day in front pages of all the national newspapers. As he continues to recover from the recent hospitalization of pneumonia and bronchitis, we pray for his continual presence in the church at least for a few more years. He was a son of Italian immigrants, one of 5 children. When still a Cardinal he was known to be very humble, rides the bus, cooks his own meals, and even asked to people to bless him just after he was elected. 

Born December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Entered the Society of Jesus: March 11, 1958

Ordained priest: December 13, 1969

Consecrated Bishop: June 27, 1992

Elevated to Cardinal: February 21, 2001

Elected Pope: March 13, 2013

Ad Multos Annos Papa Francesco.

Parent’s prayer for patience

                 
When my son asks me something to test me, give me enough wisdom to give him the best answer.

When I start to show nervousness,  give me a mountain of patience.     

When anger gets the best of me, give me the strength to control it.

When I insist that I deserve to win the argument, teach me to be more flexible.

When I start taking life a little bit too seriously, remind me to add a little sense of humor.

When I feel overwhelmed with my life’s problems, give me the power to tackle them properly.

When I am afraid, and at times terrified,  give me a good dose of courage.

When I am hard-headed, teach me how to calm down and relax before acting irrationally.

When I act double-faced, remind me of the values I grew up with and which my parents taught me.

When I feel the weight of the entire world pressing on me, let me remember the many blessings I have received.

When I lose my way, dear Lord,  bring me back towards the road of joy, love and peace.

Martyrs Shrine a National Shrine

On January 27, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) designated Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, New York, as a National Shrine. This is the place where eight 17th-century Jesuit missionaries, including Saints René Goupil, Isaac Jogues and Jean de Lalande, were killed by the Mohawk tribe. Once a Mohawk village of Osserenon, the location is also the birthplace of St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), a Mohawk who became the first canonized North American Indigenous woman. I visited this place with a group of parishioners in 2001, and this photo is symbolic of this holy place, with three crosses representing 3 of the martyrs, all French Jesuits. Traditionally known as the National Shrine of North American Martyrs after the Jesuit missionaries’ canonization in 1930, the site sees thousands of pilgrims journeying to Auriesville to soak in the rich history and devote themselves to prayer, seeking the saints’ intercession. Though the shrine receives pilgrims from Catholic schools, New York City and, indeed, all over the world, it has become a hub for the Catholic Church in New York state. In 2023, 8,000 people journeyed to the shrine and participated in festivities aligned with the National Eucharistic Revival.

‘You’ll never walk alone.’

The main gate at Liverpool Football stadium

The musical Carousel was written in 1945 by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and in it is one of the most popular tunes ever written, ‘You’ll never walk alone.’ Since the early 1960s, it has become synonymous with the Liverpool Football Club, when their fans sing it before the start of every match. The touching words are very meaningful especially to those who have suffered a loss, a tragedy or a mishap of any sort. Ponder the words...

When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high. And don’t be afraid of the dark.

At the end of a storm is a golden sky and the sweet silver song of a lark.

Walk on through the wind. Walk on through the rain. Though your dreams be tossed and blow, walk on, walk on, with a hope in your heart.

And you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never, ever walk alone. Walk on, walk on with a hope in your heart.

And you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never walk alone.

The gift of music

There is a Jewish legend that says that when God was creating the world, He called all the angels and asked them if there is something missing in what He did. One of them told Him ‘we need somehow to make a sound to thank you, oh Creator.’ And God created the sounds of nature, the wind, birds chirping, parrots mimicking, waterfalls splashing water, the barking and growling of dogs, tigers, penguins and so much more. Then God gave man and woman their voice, and they started to sing, and eventually they created instruments, like drums, harps, flutes from reeds and others. Thus music was created, and through it we can communicate, express our joys and festivities that developed over the centuries. Imagine how boring life would be without sounds, without music. Kahlil Gibran from Lebanon called music the language of our soul. Plato claimed that it’s the medicine of our souls. Pablo Casals, a Spanish musician said that music is a divine way of expressing beautiful things of the heart. And the great Johann Sebastian Bach used to write SDG on each of his hundreds of manuscripts, which means Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone we give glory.) Bach believed that the main purpose of music is to praise God. And when we listen to his Mass in B Minor, and so many of his cantatas and oratorios, we are truly honoring Him by the beauty they evoke.

Pope Francis on Lent

                   
As he continues to recover from pneumonia and other ailments, let us ponder some words shared by Pope Francis on how we can approach this Lenten season.....

Let us abstain from harsh words and show more mercy in our speech.

Let us abstain from anger and be filled with patience.

Let us abstain from complaining and start to trust God more.

Let us abstain from boredom on any occasion and be more grateful towards God and others.

Let us abstain from objecting for no reason and look more positive towards life around us.

Let us abstain from vengeance and start to forgive more freely.

Let us abstain from the bitterness in our actions and cherish the sweetness of life.

Let us abstain from too much chatting and start to appreciate the gift of silence.

Let us abstain from too much stress and find time for mental relaxation and some prayer time.

Let us abstain from pessimism, and be filled with enthusiasm in confronting every day ahead of us.

Let us abstain from egoism and  indifference and show more love towards our fellow men and women.

Prayer 12

This is a section of prayer number 12 from the Book of Prayers, (also known as the Book of Lamentations) by St Gregory of Narek. Since I discovered this book and this newly-canonized saint, I have been overwhelmed by the many beautifully-written prayers to God. If you check further down his biography posted on his feast day on February 27, you can also get a link to the entire Book of Prayers, and see for yourself the variety of meaningful prayers, divided into 95 prayers or chapters.

Accept with sweetness almighty Lord my bitter prayers.

Look with pity upon my mournful face.

Dispel, all-bestowing God, my shameful sadness.

Lift, merciful God, my unbearable burden.

Cast off, potent God, my mortal habits.

Spoil, triumphant God, my wayward pleasures.

Dissipate, exalted God, my wanton fog.

Block, life-giving God, my destructive ways.

Undo, secret-seeing God, my evil entrapments.

Fend off, inscrutable God, my assailants.

Inscribe your name on the skylight of my abode.

Cover the roof of my temple with your hand.

Mark the threshold of my cell with your blood.

Imprint the outside of my door with your sign.

Protect the mat where I rest with your right hand.

Keep my cot pure from all seductions.

Preserve my suffering soul by your will.

Steady the breath of life you have given my flesh.

Surround me with your heavenly host.

Prayer to Christ Crucified

Mdina Cathedral crucifix

All you who are crying, come to Him, because He is crying too.
All you who are suffering, come to Him, because he can heal you.
All you who are afraid, come to Him, because He always has a smile waiting for you.
All you who are hungry, come to Him, because He’ll feed you the Living Bread.
All you who are in darkness, come to Him, because He will guide you with His Light.
All you who are lost, search for His guiding hand, and you will never get lost from now on.
All you who feel persecuted, come to Him because He had his share of persecution too.
All you who are lonely, come close to Him, because He too was very lonely on the Cross.
All you who feel being punished unfairly, just look at Him. He died for you, unfairly.
All you who are dying, come to Him, and you will live forever.

Lent

At the start of this Lenten season, we reflect on three important phrases which the priest will say while marking our foreheads with ashes:

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”
“Turn away from sin, and believe in the Gospel”
“Repent and believe in the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

It is interesting to note that in European countries, including Italy and Malta, the ashes are placed or dropped on top of the head, instead of marked on the forehead as is done in the USA. I also had a custom of asking the people to bring back the old palms or olive branches from last year’s Palm Sunday and I will burn them a few days before, and use the ashes from the burned palms for the celebration of Ash Wednesday. This also shows the continuity between one year and another, from ashes to palms, and from palms to ashes. It is also a reminder of the stark fact that from dust we came, and to dust we will return, as the first phrase proclaims. Some parishes in New York replace the holy water fonts with ashes instead of holy water during Lent. 

Funny photos

To celebrate Mardi Gras and the last day of Carnival, I share with you three cute photos to put a smile on your face. Tomorrow we start the season of Lent, and from now until Easter most of my posts will be related to Lenten reflections and Holy Week. 

Carnival is celebrated in many countries around the world, but curiously enough, other than New Orleans, it had never been a popular holiday in the United States. Yet Brazil goes crazy this weekend, as well as other South American nations, and few European countries too, including Malta.

Treasures

There are treasures in life, but owners are few

Of money and power to buy things brand new.

Yet you can be wealthy and feel regal too,

If you will just look for the treasures in you.

These treasures in life are not hard to find

When you look in your heart, your soul, and your mind.

For when you are willing to share what's within,

Your fervent search for riches will end.

The joy and the laughter, the smile that you bring;

The heart unafraid to love and to sing;

The hand always willing to help those in need;

Ones quick to reach out, to labor and feed.

So thank you for sharing these great gifts inside;

The caring, the cheering, the hug when one cried.

Thanks for the energy, encouragement too,

And thank you for sharing the treasures in you.

Solid Silver

Many of our Maltese churches are adorned with beautiful artefacts, from statues to altars, from candle-stands to ornate vestments, from chalices to monstrances. Then there are the altar fronts, made of solid silver. This particular one is from the Zabbar church museum, which is probably used for the annual Our Lady of Grace feast in mid-September, and then displayed in the parish museum the rest of the year. These works of art and silversmiths are probably 200 to 500 years old, and are displayed in front of the main altar. The ornamentation is truly remarkable, and they were made probably from the silver which parishioners donated over the years, their treasured necklaces, earrings, jugs and bowls and other silver items they had at home.

Carnival time

Today I just share with you some photos from the Carnival being held in Malta this weekend, just before the beginning of Lent. Plenty of floats parade through the streets of the capital city in Valletta, as young revellers dance in their elaborate costumes, in competition to win the prize for the best group. The floats have various moveable parts, along with loud music. You may recognize some of the characters shown here, as they are presented in paper-mache sculptures, which are usually destroyed after the Carnival weekend is over. Some of the mechanisms are kept and another float will be built next year. 

A typical float based on 'Sister Act'

A few families are very dedicated to present colorful floats, which are their pride and joy. The costumes are also meticulously designed, are pretty heavy, but are worn with pride, and since it's colder in February, they don't mind the extra baggage they have to carry.

Charlie Chaplin’s words of wisdom

                       
These are some interesting quotes attributed to the comedian Charlie Chaplin who died at the age of 88 on Christmas Day in 1977.

Whatever is of this world, everything will pass, even our problems.

I like to walk in the rain – this way no one will notice the tears coming from my eyes.

A day that is completely lost is a day when we don’t share a smile or a happy joke.

The best 6 doctors in our world are: the sun, rest, exercise, diet, respect towards others and respect towards yourself. Remain faithful to these 6 doctors and your life will be longer with them than without them.

If you see the moon, you see God’s beauty. If you see the sun, you see God’s strength.

If you look at the mirror, you will see God’s most beautiful creation. Believe in who you see.

We re all tourists. God is the travel agent, and our life is the voyage.

God already planned our voyage – He booked our residence and and prepared  our eventual destination. Trust Him and you will have a pleasant life.

So live every day as best as your can, because tomorrow may never come.

St Gregory of Narek

This new saint has been introduced to the liturgical calendar 2 years ago, but he was quoted often by Pope St John Paul II. I was curious to search for his writings, among them the Book of Lamentations (of course not the Old Testament book,) 95 chapters of beautiful, meaningful and well-constructed prayers by St Gregory of Narek, an Armenian saint born in 945 AD. You will find them all in the link at the end of this post, but I share with you just one chapter, just part of chapter 3, a list of attributes to God almighty, to whom all these prayers are addressed. It’s a long, long sentence, but please, do meditate on these phrases....

Lord, my Lord, grantor of gifts, root of goodness, ruler of all equally, creator of all from nothing, glorified, awesome, awe inspiring, beyond understanding, dreadful, mighty, stern, unbearable, unapproachable, incomprehensible, inconceivable, ineffable, invisible, unexaminable,  untouchable, unsearchable, without beginning, outside of time, unclouded knowledge, bold vision, true being, exalted and humble, blessed existence, shadowless dawn, ray shining upon all, light professing to all, unwavering assurance, undisturbable calm, indelible seal, infinite image, witnessed name, taste of sweetness, cup of bliss, soul-nourishing bread, love in dark exile, unambiguous promise, covering most desirable, garment most protective, cloak most worthy, ornament most glorious, great help, trustworthy refuge, undiminishing grace, inexhaustible treasure, pure rain, glittering dew, universal cure, free healing, health restored, sublime spur, undeceiving call, good news for all, king who lifts up the slave, defender who loves the poor, giver of endless wealth, safe harbor, unyielding command, hope without bounds, long in vision, unsparing in generosity, just right hand that dispenses to all, impartial eye, voice of comfort, consoling tidings, harbinger of bliss, living name, finger of foresight, unstumbling start, sincere course, life-giving will, candid advice, unenvying honor, broad possibility, narrow restriction, track without trace, path without markers, image indescribable, quantity immeasurable, model inimitable, unparalleled compassion, inexhaustible mercy, humility celebrated, kiss of salvation. 

And more than these worthy epithets, dedicated to your Godliness, you who are blessed, praised, lauded, preached, evangelized, proclaimed, exalted, recounted, sought with unflagging desire, whatever your streams of sweetness bring us, shall be illustrated in these image-filled psalms, showing you joyful in my salvation, blessed Lord.

http://armenianhouse.org/grigor-narekatsi/tenets.html

The invention of shoes

Many years ago, when poverty was prevalent everywhere, a king decided to make a long voyage on foot. Back then everyone walked in bare feet, so this king didn’t know what to expect for his trip. He had to walk on rocks, soil, pebbles, splinters and sand. The soles of his feet were butchered with sores, and yet he reached his destination, quite a few miles, in utter anguish and pain. In his frustration, he ordered that all the roads should be covered with leather, so that no one will ever have to suffer as much as he did. He ordered that they should use the skin of cows to cover the roads. Of course the farmers and ranchers were up in arms with the king, and it was no use for them explaining how many cows they had to kill to finish the job he had just ordered. Not to mention the loss of milk and meat and the livelihood of so many farmers and their families. Everyone was so upset with the king’s decision, but no one had the nerve to confront him about his proposal to kill so many hundreds of cows to cover the roads. One courageous farmer decided to go and speak to the king and propose an alternative suggestion. The humble farmer spoke up....’Your Highness, may I suggest something very practical instead of killing all these cows and starving all your people without milk and meat.....so I suggest that instead of covering all the roads, you cover with leather the soles of your feet, this way you don’t have to struggle walking on pebbles and thorns and rocks, and this way you won’t get hurt at all, but at the same time, we’ll save the lives of so many cows.‘ The king was delighted with this idea and thanked the farmer for his brilliant suggestion. And from that day on people fixed pieces of leathers and placed them under the soles of their feet, tying them with a string. And so, moccasins were invented, which eventually became shoes, for the warm days they used sandals and for the athletic ones, in our time, we have tennis shoes, which became sneakers. The moral for this story: don’t try to change the world, but start by changing yourself.

Hope

This being the Jubilee year dedicated to Hope, I thought it would be a good idea to share with you some meaningful definitions of Hope from various sources.

Hope is ‘the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.’ - Catechism of the Catholic church.

Hope is ‘the virtue by which we trust God to give us everything that we need to get us to heaven’ – St Thomas Aquinas.

Hope is ‘a distinguishing mark of Christians by the fact that they have a future: It is not that they know the details of what awaits them, but they know in general terms that their life will not end in emptiness.’ – Spe Salvi, encyclical by Pope Benedict XVI.

“Hope represents a destination, and living in hope is about having the certainty that life has a purpose, that it moves towards a goal and that, consequentially, the choices and the steps I make today are of importance and not just insignificant or a matter of waiting for something to happen.” - Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim, Norway.

“O Lord God, I hope by your grace for the pardon of all my sins and after life here to gain eternal happiness because you have promised it who are infinitely powerful, faithful, kind and merciful. In this hope I intend to live and die. Amen.” – the Act of Hope.

You can share hope by offering ‘a smile, a small gesture of friendship, a kind look, a ready ear, a good deed, in the knowledge that, in the Spirit of Jesus, these can become, for those who receive them, rich seeds of hope.’ – Papal Bull by Pope Francis for the Jubilee Year of Hope.

Night Prayer

Almighty God, during these solitary hours of night, I give you my thoughts, my joys and my worries too. Be the Light in the darkness that every night creates, and let me sleep in the care of Your Love. As I sleep, please renew my mind with Your Spirit. Show me in my dreams what you prepared for me, because I know for sure that it is much bigger than what I can even begin to imagine. Fill my heart with Peace, and eliminate all my anxieties. I trust in Your comforting arms my loved ones, and all those who tonight will need your consolation and support. Let Your Light shine upon us, so that we may wake up in the morning with renewed energy, and grateful for your Grace and  Love.

Malta marathon

At the end of the 1985 NYC marathon.

Today Malta hosts the annual marathon around our small island, the 40^th edition. I am of course beyond my marathon days, although my nephew Julian has taken part in a few marathons or half-marathons with very good times. This event brings back nostalgic memories when I took part in the New York City marathon three times, in 1985, 1986 and 1987. It all started when a parishioner asked me if I wanted to participate in the marathon, because he got the official number, but could not go. So, without any training and with no idea what running 26 miles and 385 yards meant, I was on the starting line-up with 30,000 other athletes. Of course I walked all the way to the end, but successfully finished and received the medal, which I treasure.

My three medals I won in 1985, 1986 and 1987.

 Two more medals later I retired from running, and even though I did not win the race, I always cherish the immortal words of Pierre Rene de Coubertin, the founder of the Olympic Games...’ the important thing is not to win, but to participate.’ Orlando Pizzolato, the 1985 winner took home $100,000 and a Mercedes Benz, but I took with me many happy and precious memories. 

And this is a photo of my nephew and namesake Julian Cassar during one of his half-marathons. Today's time for him was 1 hour 40 minutes, which is quite impressive. An athlete from Morocco won today’s Malta marathon. Over 5000 athletes took part in today's race. Quite a few athletes did a shorter distance and raised money for charity. This year actually is also my 40th anniversary of my first marathon, which was held in November 1985. Congratulations Julian, and I hope one day you can do the New York City marathon.