Saint George Preca

Ibni, aghtini qalbek (Kliem Alla: Prov. 23, 26)
Binti, aghtini qalbek.

Sinjur Alla, Inti ikkmandajtni biex naghtik qalbi: ghalhekk ghatini l-grazzja tieghek biex jiena inkun nista' naghtihielek, ghax mingharjek ma nistghu naghmu xejn.

Ahna zguri li inti taghtina din il-grazzja la darba inti ikkmandajtna biex naghtuk qalbna, meta ahna nitolbuhielek ghall-glorja teighek, u ghall-gid taghna.

Ghatini l-grazzja tieghek, u jiena naghtik qalbi. Ammen.

(Silta minn 'Ftuh il-Qalb: Talb tal-Qaddej t'Alla, Dun Gorg Preca' L-Ewwel
Ktieb (1998), p. 111.)

To Hide

"Hide me in the shadow of your wings." Psalm 17:8
Hide me, hide me, hide me Lord. Grant me the grace to delight in hiding in You.

Delight in Weakness

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

2 Corinthians 12: 7-10

St Ignatius

Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty,
my memory, my understanding and my whole will.
All that I am and all that I possess You have given me.
I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will.
Give me only Your love and Your grace;
with these I will be rich enough,
and will desire nothing more.

-St Ignatius of Loyola

Dew drops

As parched as a leaf in the dezert am I.
I'm reminded of water
by the dew that settles at night:
In the cuddles of our children
as they sleep in our bed, and
in Ivan's warmth and that look on his face.

Yet, I know who I am.
I know how strong my sin is.
I am overcome by its strength,
sadened so much I feel ill.
Look at me- You know,
I'm in a million zillion pieces.
My unworthiness alone is whole
that is all I have to give You -
that and a scattered mess.
Stay away from me oh Lord :(

A little girl in a photo

While trying to be silent
to hear you pray in me,
I see a little girl in a photo,
So beautiful is her little face,
So small is she.

I feel Your love burn inside me for her little soul.
Oh how You love the way she loves You.
She is so tiny, her smile so warm.
You want to hold her in your arms and comfort her.

I hear you pray in me,
I could never do this.
I could never pray for this little girl -
I see faults, weaknesses,
one who keeps falling over and over again.

You see Your creation, you see a diamond -
I see only dust
for this tiny child is me.

Earsplitting Love

I am so very happy for this Jubilee year of the priest.

As always Lord, your Love shouts loudest in the most humbling situations: in a newborn lying in a manger, in a carpenter, in a man riding on a donkey, in the washing of feet, in Your last breath drawn while hanging on the Cross, in the very gift of Yourself: a tiny Crumb of Bread. So You choose a simple man, full of weakness and limitations, a sinner, a priest – You break bread and give to all with his hands, You breathe life to the world through his lungs. In every priest Lord, Your love is so loud it is deafening.