The evangelisation journey ‘The greatest love’, proposed by the Abramo Community,is included in the diverse diocesan initiatives for the ‘Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy’. The Shroud is a linen bedsheet containing the double image close to the head of a dead man as a result of a series of tortures ending with the crucifixion. The Shroud, with the characteristics of its imprint, represents a direct and immediate cross-reference which helps to understand and meditate the dramatic reality of the Passion of Jesus.Pope John Paul II defined it as ‘the mirror of the Gospel’. The exhibition of the authentic copy of the Holy Shroud, in the natural size in our parochial parishes, starting from the three Jubilee churches in our Diocese, will be an occasion to go through a spiritual experience for a deeper conversion to Jesus, which starts from the contemplation of the suffering and glorious face of Christ, the fount of that stronger ‘love’ which ‘speaks to our heart and pushes us to climb up the mountain of Calvary and to look at the wood of the Cross. The Shroud teaches us also that we should not, as Christians, distance ourselves from the history of sufferance and of bucketfuls of tears, but encourages us to become protagonists of the “Church in exit’, witnesses of God’s Love who consoles, frees and heals in every social context and of tears and, in particular, towards the existential peripheries. Ostentation, therefore, will be accompanied by various proposals of spirituality, of liturgical animation and evangelisation, according to the dynamic of missionary exits, with the purpose of catching up the young persons in the streets , schools, clubs, families, and the poorer and suffering persons. The project will be achieved in the of ‘The Church as school of communion’ through the work together and the collaboration of parishes, associations, groups and movements which will live ‘the joy’ of working together as lay persons co-responsible in the Chruch evangelical action.
VIDEO https://youtu.be/LIvASPDRb08
FOLLOW THE MISSION http://shroudmalta.com THE SCHEDULE, THE EVENTS…….
THIS WEEK END IN SENGLEA SCHEDULE
FRIDAY 4 9 am Shroud Service for the pilgrims in Oratorio 10 am Holy Mass with Abramo community animation 11 am – 11.30 Experience of the Greatest love in Oratorio 5.30-6pm Shroud Service for the pilgrims in Oratorio 6 pm Holy Mass (with Abramo community animation) 6.30-7 pm Experience of the greater love in Oratorio 8.30 pm NICODEMUS youth group in Oratorio (animation by Abramo Community)
SATURDAY 5 10-12 pm HOME VISITS with Legionary of Mary 6 pm Holy Mass with Abramo community animation 6.45pm (after the Holy Mass) Shroud Service for the pilgrims in Oratorio
SUNDAY 6 from 8.30 am Shroud Service for the pilgrims in Oratorio 9,30- 13,00 evangelization in Senglea Clubs 5 pm Shroud Service for the pilgrims in Oratorio 6 pm Holy Mass with Abramo community animation (Sunday 13, 27)
We are slowly getting closer to the endless grace which God has bestowed upon us through His Holiness Pope Francis during the Jubilee of Mercy. But God’s mercy never comes to an end, and neither his desire, on which, through his example, we show mercy to one another. For this reason the invitation to mercy continues to form a very important part in the new evangelisation which we need in order to live as a Church. The exhibition of the authentic copy of the Sacred Sindone or, as we know it, is the burial sheet of Christ. It can be for us a means of spiritual experience to help us turn our heads to Jesus Christ whilst we contemplate His heavily beaten but glorious face. He is the source of love which moves us through our roots in order to follow his actions. He is the love through which he spoke to our souls so that he encourages us to walk up to Calvary and look face to face towards the cross. The Shroud teaches us not to remove from our eyes and our hearts the tears and suffering of all persons. As we look at Him we compare the likeness of man who went through suffering and death in order to rise from death. We feel the comfort, recovery, and release from detention he brought us and, with happiness, we will be witnesses to them for persons who are in need, that is, all mankind who, at one time or another during their life, in some situation or other, find the hill tough, which is occasionally difficult to walk, their lives’ Calvary. The painting of Christ’s face, who gave up His life like a grain, so that we do not remain alone and so every one of us can feel His arm over our shoulders, walking alongside us, so that all of us will be supporting arms for our brethren, whoever they may be. Therefore, whilst we give thanks to the Abramo Community for their initiative, we invite you both as a Church and as individuals, we do not get bored looking at the mirror’s image of sufferance. Equally, we do not get bored looking at our own bruises and those of our neighbours, so that we too, through our expressions, improve highly our quality of life, through comforting words, recovery and comfort.
SER MONS Charles Scicluna Archbishop of Malta
