Hajja Salesjana July-September 2021

H AJJA S ALESJANA 4 Blurred lines... One look at the newspapers or a few minutes listening to the daily news and one becomes blatantly aware that there is an underlying factor that is meandering and slithering around our new normalcy. For more reasons than one, we seem to be blurring the fine lines between what is good and evil, of what is praiseworthy and dishonourable, of what is healthy recreation activity with nefarious ‘recreational’ activity. Fine taste, politeness, altruism and decorum seem to have been forced to pack up their bags and put to flight. Put than into the whole equation the rampant greed for power and quick money, the ongoing devouring and smothering with concrete of our little precious open spaces and countryside left on our tiny, yet once so beautiful island, and there you have it, the present of today. This is the reality in which we live and in which we as followers of Him who brings light into darkness must also do the same and be messengers of light, hope, solace, refreshment, guidance and most of all love in our here and now. It seems that all that once held society in place is being replaced with new ideas and ideologies and we are literally throwing away the baby with the bath water. Without God, society flounders, full stop. Without the values of the Gospel, rooted in the love of God and in the love of our neighbour, society begins to slowly disintegrate, crumble and collapse. One glimpse at history will confirm how many powerful societies before us, fell into disrepute, degenerated and consequently disappeared into the oblivious annals of time. Alas it seems humanity never learns! The request to have abortion decriminalised is tantamount to saying that sacrificing someone else on the altar of convenience is admissible! It seems we are forgetting that God is the author and owner of life and not mere mortals like us! An unborn child has every right to live just like you and me. The slogan of "All Lives Matter" should surely include the unborn who have no voice but ours. We are to take their hands not their life! Why condemn them to the cruellest death penalty when they are totally innocent? We are even now toying with the idea of providing our youth more easy accessibility for certain drugs as a means of recreation. How ridiculous can that get! It is indeed a contradiction in terms. Have we lost all reason and common sense? How can healthy recreation be achieved through drugs when so much scientific proof shows us that drugs ravage the whole human person? A few weeks ago we just celebrated Pentecost, a reminder of the wonders and awesomeness God can do in the lives of those people and societies freely open to Him. He can be our compass and our guide, as we traverse these tumultuous times. Living with, in and through Him we too can be a sign of contradiction pointing our society to Him who alone is the Way, the Truth and Life we all long and yearn to travel upon, espouse and hold. Only in Him life makes sense. Let us open up to Him once again! Fr. Sandro Camilleri sdb Photoby SamuelChenard