Malta should play an active role in the international community for concrete steps to be taken to promote an authentic human family in which one could live in peace built on tolerance and reciprocal respect, Apostolic Administrator Bishop Charles Scicluna said today.
In his Remembrance Day homily during Concelebrated Mass at St John’s Co-Cathedral, Mgr Scicluna said the words enemy, aggressor or defender were just labels given by humans to each other.
Photo: Matthew Mirabelli“Let us pray that we may overcome these labels and promote human dignity which unites us, and for which Jesus Christ gave up his life…
“The sacrifice of these innocent people, who were condemned to death by their politicians, puts upon our own politicians a great responsibility, that they may strive to build in our world a culture of peace, founded upon justice.”
Bishop Scicluna noted that, unfortunately, there were various conflicts and wars in the world, which Pope Francis described as the third world war, constituting new modes of aggression.
“Sometimes this hatred and cruelty is being perpetrated in the name of religion. Barbaric acts are performed which we have never before heard of, or which are reminiscent of the barbarity two thousand years ago. When we see pictures and footage of such cruelty on the media, we ask: How can a man display such cruelty towards another man like him? How can the slaughter of the innocent be justified in the name of God?
Photo: Matthew Mirabelli“Therefore, Remembrance Day is also a reminder that mankind, in the name of God, is capable of committing endless barbaric acts. Let us pray to the God of Peace to heal our wounds and soften the callous hearts of mankind.”
The bishop called on the Maltese to also think about the Maltese opting for a military career.
“We are in need of people to defend the spirit of democracy and tolerance which are values so dear to us. This is not an invitation to irenicism, or a refusal to use arms, rendering it impossible to defend ourselves.
“Rather it is an invitation for Malta to play an active role in the international community, which we joined 50 years ago, so that we may take concrete steps to promote an authentic human family in which, in spite of the differences between us, one can live in peace built on tolerance and reciprocal respect,” he said.
Mass was preceded with an inspection of a guard of honour and followed with a wreath laying ceremony at the war memorial in Floriana.
Poppy wreaths are being placed at the foot of the monument with ex-servicemen from the Royal British Legion and other organisations taking part.