The power of the Cross today

Greek philosopher Plato distrusted the senses. He concluded that these (the senses) can tell you what is shifting and impermanent whereas the knowledge gained by reason is of things that are eternal and unchanging. In his book number seven, Republic, Plato compares humans who rely on their senses to prisoners watching shadows on a wall of a cave where they are imprisoned.

The same does the late Ġużè Ellul Mercer in his literary masterpiece entitled Leli ta’ Ħaż-Żgħir. Ellul Mercer artfully describes the close-minded population of a small hamlet known as Ħaż-Żgħir as being imprisoned in their own ignorance controlled mostly by the brainwashing dogma of the Church. His book is food for thought to many who are still living in a dark time of yore, which is not allowing their minds to see the realities of today and is keeping them imprisoned in a time warp. It is good to remind readers that the author of this classic book ended up buried in the unconsecrated part of the Addolorata cemetery, a special place infamously known as Il-Miżbla (dump).

Another author who showed both courage and cultivated interest in the history of Maltese politics is Gozitan born Bartholomew Zammit, or simply Bertu, as people know him in Gozo. In his book The Power Of The Cross, published in 1999, the author manages to transport readers back to the 1960s, a decade that remained famous for its politico-religious confrontation between the Church in Malta and the Labour Party of Dom Mintoff.

In my opinion, the book is a bold and detailed account of the agony and the ecstasy the Malta Labour Party, which believed in policies that helped and alleviated the plight of the lesser members of society, had to go through when faced with the Church’s authority, which, during those dark times, preferred leaving its faithful in ignorance and rags rather than fight a just cause against those who were corrupt, selfish and ruthless. The pressures and division which marked those turbulent years have left a black stain on the same Church.

It is opportune to point out that the main figure behind the Church’s stand then was none other than the late Archbishop Michael Gonzi who, to say the least, was well involved in the political scene and well connected to various wealthy family circles.

To point out how effective was the Church in the country’s political scene I would like to quote a paragraph from page 72 of Zammit’s book. Here, the author refers to the first three men who served as prime ministers of Malta. They were Senator Joseph Howard OBE, barrister Francesco Buhagiar and another barrister by the name of Ugo. P. Mifsud. This is what the author says: “For some unfortunate reasons, the first three prime ministers are almost forgotten... Probably their fear of the Church and the British, who were right behind their backs, forced their popularity to collapse”.

The book also refers to what former prime ministers Lord Gerard Strickland and Sir Paul Boffa said and did. Actually, one of the statements that struck me while reading this book was when the author wrote on the days when Prime Minister Strickland proposed compulsory schooling, which, back in those days, was definitely a great step forward to abolish illiteracy. Yet, the Church had promptly boycotted the measure by declaring from the altars that education was against the teachings of the Holy Mother.

When one hears of such things, a basic question immediately comes to mind: Why has the Church always been opposing measures that were or are meant to help the lives of the people, the same people to whom Jesus Christ preached about love and helped them on numerous occasions without looking at their political affiliations or social status? So my next question is a rather simple one: Is the Church really practising what is has been preaching throughout the years or has it turned into something which God and his son Jesus Christ had never expected?

The power of the Cross had initially been used by the first followers of the post-crucifix era to raise awareness and enlighten all sceptics about the fact that Jesus died on the Cross for a purpose, for the benefit of everyone and not just of some. In fact, He only used this power to pass on His everlasting message: to love one another just as He did because love and truth can conquer anything and win over anyone.

Now please correct me if I’m wrong but, according to readers, is this power being used for the same exact purpose as Jesus meant it or has it been manipulated to suit the needs and wants of those who occupy the high seats of power in the name of God?