On a visit to the Holy Land, a gentleman bought a nativity set with all the figures: Jesus, Mary and the shepherds. At the airport on the way back home, security was extremely tight. The Customs officers checked and X-rayed each figure, even Baby Jesus. The officer apologised that no chances could be taken. One had to be sure there was nothing explosive in the set.
Later, the gentleman thought to himself: If the officer only knew the set contains the most explosive power in the world!
Yes! Jesus Christ, the Son of God born a weak little child not hiding his weakness in his adulthood, is strong and powerful in his weakness. I am strong, with my own dignity, in my weakness, poverty, vulnerability.
My friends with intellectual disabilities teach me I am strong when I recognise, accept and not hide my vulnerability.
They show me we are individual persons and strong when we learn to accept our helplessness and not when we are autonomous and self-sufficient.
In Jean Vanier’s words: “The poor person is one in need who recognises the need and cries out for help. Weakness is frequently considered a defect. However, little children are weak; they cannot fend for themselves. People with intellectual disabilities are weak; they cannot cope all alone. This does not mean they have no value. They need someone who can walk with them.
“In this book I have occasionally used the words ‘poor’ and ‘weak’ and I am aware they go against certain cultural norms that want everyone to be strong and powerful. We all have our limits and disabilities. We all need each other. But some people recognise their poverty; others do not” (An Ark For The Poor, Jean Vanier, 1995, p.14).
How well did Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi understand and express all this in the logo of Id-Dar tal-Providenza: a beautiful, weak flower because of a fragile broken stalk enthroned in an open supportive hand! Through this logo, Mgr Azzopardi helps us to keep always in heart and mind that, in Jean Vanier’s words, “to love someone is not first of all to do things for them but to reveal to them their beauty and value, to say to them through our attitude: ‘You are beautiful. You are important. I trust you. You can trust yourself’” (From Brokenness To Community, Jean Vanier, 1992, p.16).