"We Have Come To Worship Him"
(Matthew 2:2)
(Motto for World Youth Day 2005, Cologne)
by Fr. Dominic Borg, OCD
"Tempus fugit" (Time flies) says
the Latin; and indeed it does. The Carmel
Lights Magazine has been ready since the
end of June, waiting for me to write this
introduction. There must be a purpose why
this issue had to wait on me to come out
in August. We are all growing in age, but
we all like to tap ourselves on the shoulder
and balance this experience by saying to
ourselves: "Yes indeed, but we are still
young in heart." This August marks the
XX World Youth Day which is taking place
in Cologne. The International Handbook for
the XX World Youth Day 2005 is out, and you
are very privileged to have a taste of the
beauty and powerful messages that are being
communicated to the Youth, and to each one
of us who are "young in heart".
In this issue you will find two interesting
articles which are taken from the above mentioned
WYD Handbook. One is on Our Lady, and the
other is on the searching for Jesus, following
the pattern of the Wise Men in the Gospel
of Matthew. Both of these articles are a
mine of gold!
The month of August brings with it the feast
of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith
Stein). She is also mentioned at length in
the above mentioned Handbook for the Youth.
We are encouraged to embrace the Cross the
way Edith Stein embraced it, with love. August
15th, the Feast of The Assumption of Our
Lady, places in front of us another challenge:
Doing God's will and treasuring in our hearts
the Word of God. For us Carmelites, all the
feast days of Our Lady are a profound inspiration
that continue to energize us on our journey
of faith. The OCDS brothers and sisters who
attended the celebration on the 16th of July
at St. Andrew's Parish, can testify to the
truth of this statement. It was a very beautiful
experience indeed! Thank you for joining
us in London for the Celebration.
We cannot help but mention another moment
of grace which we had with the visit of Our
Fr. General and Fr. Robert Paul, one of the
Definitors General. Both of them had words
of praise for all the work that the OCDS
are doing in Canada. They were awe struck!
The homily that Fr. General delivered to
us during the Eucharist on the 26th of June
is found in this issue, together with Fr.
General's article on the Charism of the Carmelites.
I want to take this opportunity to thank
all those who worked so hard and so fast
to find a place for us to meet with Fr. General.
Our gratitude goes also to the Pastor of
St. Clement's Church, Monsignor John Murphy,
and to all the parishioners for allowing
us to use their premises. May the Good Lord
reward you all.
The history of the Order, and the history
of our Maltese Province are of great help
to us in establishing our roots in the experience
of those who worked so hard to lay foundations
upon which we stand today. Your interest
in these two histories are also being fed
in this issue, and a Booklet on the History
of the Maltese Province will be on sale during
the Congress.
AND, speaking of the Congress: IT IS COMING!!
Please continue to pray hard for the success
of the OCDS CONGRESS, and do not shrink from
demonstrating your support by your prayers,
attendance, and encouraging others to attend.
Fr. Victor Mallia, our Provincial, Fr. Martin
Borg, and Fr. Jorge Zurek will be with us
to deliver talks and help us with their expertise
on the Saints of the Order.
I cannot conclude this short introduction
without expressing my gratitude toward all
those who, as usual, are, and have been working
so hard in preparation for the Congress in
October. The list is very long, and the different
work varies a lot. Calendars, Music on CDs,
typing and printing of Programs, organizing
meetings and distribution of different jobs,
preparations with the hotel, printing of
the History of the Province, and many revisions
on it, preparation of other fund-raising
projects, etc., etc. ... May the Good Lord
and Mary, Our Mother, continue to support
us with their graces and may we continue
to work together for the Glorification of
the Church and of the Order.
"It is the Lord who goes before you.
He will be with you; he will not fail you
or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."
(Deuteronomy 31.8)
Yours in Carmel,
Fr. Dominic Borg, OCD