This is a gentle appeal to Fr Martin Micallef, Editor and general director of Kliem il-Ħajja to reconsider the general policy underpinning this precious widely-circulated publication bequeathed by pioneering Capuchin biblical scholar Fr Donat Spiteri.
It has morphed beyond recognition into a repetitive sketchy commentary on the daily Mass gospel readings with hardly any exegetic allusions, however slight. Even as a handy version help for a daily Lectio Divina, to my mind, it leaves much to be desired.
Whereas formerly the commentary was compiled by an invited rotating select group of biblicists – including female contributors – and covered the entire Bible, now the daily reflections are the product of the same mind and, over the years, appear rather stale and almost trite.
If one were to consider extending the commentaries to include all the daily Mass readings, one would have to include the first reading or lesson and the responsorial psalm.
These, rather than just the mere four gospels, would open up a vast new horizon.
Fr Micallef’s doctoral speciality is the New Testament but this is no reason why a group of biblicists – and, thankfully, we now have quite a promising number – are not invited to contribute.
Hardly any Biblicist of repute is competent enough to comment on both the Old and New Testaments. I, therefore, can appreciate why Fr Micallef felt constrained to confine his commentaries solely to his speciality, namely the four gospels.
I recollect Fr Spiteri expressing his wish that his brainchild –Kliem il-Ħajja – will remain after him under the exclusive control of the Maltese Capuchin Province. The Malta Bible Society was in no way involved in this publication, let alone the Maltese Curia. But, even so, this is no reason to restrict so tightly its scope and range of topics.
Perhaps it is time to consider this suggestion of including the rest of the daily Mass readings as sources, to uplift the level of the publication’s content. One person on his own cannot possibly undertake satisfactorily such a demanding new venture: it would be sheer folly to attempt it.
What I suggest was done in the past. Why not give it another try?