CIS NEWSLETTER  No. 54 - May 2008 “Vita Antonii” – The life of Saint Anthony the Abbot (256-351) What follows is taken from the sacred teaching of Saint Anthony of Egypt, the first Hermit in the first centuries of the Church. The Church was reforming itself. For many, Anthony was guide and father. He preached ceaselessly and made others enthusiastic to listen to him. His main teachings were about the assaults of the devils. He spoke from experience and explained that the devils envied Christians and did their utmost to deviate them from their saintly ways. These could be defeated by prayer, fasting and trust in God. They know that the greater our virtuous progress the greater their regress. We Christians continue to thrive in spite of their hindrance and this is a clear sign that devils do not power over us. Anthony taught that since by our side there is the Lord, who conquered evil, we should not be afraid; because the Lord keeps our enemies away from us. Anthony used to say that we should dedicate little time for our body and much longer time for our soul, and seek spiritual benefit so our soul would not be swept by carnal pleasures. He lived a martyr of the conscience every day, battling against the devil and his evil. He insisted that what counted was faith founded on love for Christ. His teaching was full of love and those who listened to him felt supported. “Let’s be patient with each other and help each other bear the burden of life; let’s judge ourselves and do our outmost to change where we failed … And when we mould ourselves … we would be able to control our body to please God and crush the net of the enemy.” (Sant’Atanasju, Il-Ħajja ta’ Sant’Anton Abbati, Gozo Press 2003, p. 70). Anthony was very prudent. Though not highly schooled, he was wise and diligent. “He had sweet gentle manners. His words were endowed with the wisdom of God so much that none could contradict him. Everybody that met him felt content with the advices he gave.” (Sant’Atanasju, Il-Ħajja ta’ Sant’Anton Abbati, Gozo Press 2003, p. 87) God showed Anthony that he was going to die at the age of one hundred and five. “Let Christ be your breath. Place your trust in him and live as if you were going to die everyday, keep watch on yourselves and remember the things I told you.” (Sant’Atanasju, Il-Ħajja ta’ Sant’Anton Abbati, Gozo Press 2003, p. 101) The virtues of Saint Anthony and his soul beloved by God, made exalted, admired and longed for by those who never saw him. . Reflection and Prayer How much time in my personal life am I allowing God to fill my heart through prayer and personal reflection not to allow the devil to deviate me from God’s plan for me? When was it last that I scanned my conscience? Do I examine my conscience everyday to see which graces God blessed me with and see how I cooperated with them or let them pass unnoticed? St. Anthony was prudent, wise and diligent. How am I influencing others I meet at home, at work, at public places, etc. with my presence?   Mary Xuereb   Book Review Tħallix ħajtek duħħan … agħmilha nar Christian Colombo Malta: Klabb Qari Nisrani, 2008. pp.47. ISBN. 978-99909-2-111-3   credit: http://chriss.mysite.maltanet.net At the start of the Easter Vigil, the newly-kindled fire offers a powerful image of Christ, raised to a glorious life into which we too have been incorporated. The fire spreads among the silent congregation, from candle to candle, filling the church with light; filling our hearts with the faith, hope and love that are hallmarks of the new life in Christ. This slender book opens with the same compelling imagery – an invitation and a command: ‘kindle the fire in your life’. It echoes Jesus’s words: I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already. (Lk 12, 49). His yearning was first fulfilled at Pentecost, when something appeared to [the apostles] that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2, 3). Christian Colombo, a young member of the Christian Life Community, sets out to draw his readers towards this transforming experience of opening themselves to the incarnate Word of God, and to the Holy Spirit. Kindling the fire in our lives is not easy. Our efforts are often disrupted by a suffocating ‘smoke’ that comes from misconceptions about God and about our faith, as well as uncertainty about the meaning or value of our lives. Contemporary life fans this ‘smoke’: the world’s dominant ‘values’ discourage committed relationships; the noise and clutter of everyday life snuffs out the silence within which God speaks to our hearts. Prayer, then, is the first step towards kindling or re-kindling the cleansing, comforting, light-giving fire. Contemplating God, conversing with God sets the kindling ablaze. The book recognises this, and offers a range of simple, practical suggestions for prayer. It draws on two traditions – the ineffable simplicity of the Society of Christian Doctrine (Il-Mużew) and the richly imaginative Ignatian tradition. Once the fire has been kindled, signs of its presence begin to appear. It transforms our vision of life; attitudes towards money, wealth, suffering, sickness, sin; above all, the spiritual fire forges bonds of love in our relationships with God, with our neighbour, with our very selves. The book points out the signs of this transforming power. It is a little jewel of the spiritual life. Compact, well-written, practical and wise, it will undoubtedly have a broad appeal. Anyone who wishes to kindle the flame of a loving relationship with God will find it a guide to prayer. So too, it will help those who are suffocating in ‘smoke’ to look within themselves for signs of spiritual fire, and thereby resume their pilgrimage towards the fullness of life and love.   Edward Warrington   Prayer for Holiness O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Who, by the will of the Father,  with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, have by Your death given life to the world, deliver me by this Your Most Sacred Body and Blood from all sins and from every evil. Make me always cling to Your commandments, and never permit me to be separated from You. Who with the same God the Father and the Holy Spirit, live and reign, God, world without end. Amen. From the CIS Programme MEJJU Irtir fuq il-Quddiesa Kull irtir, bħall-ħajja Nisranija kollha, għandu bħala ċentru l-Ewkaristija. Dan l-Irtir mhux biss hekk, imma it-talb stess u r-riflessjoni jsiru fuq il-Quddiesa: il-bażi teoloġika tagħha; it-tifsira ta’ kull parti: il-miġemgħa, il-Kelma ta' Alla, l-offerti, il-kliem ta' Gesù fl-Aħħar Ċena, u t-tqarbin ; u fl-aħħar kif ngħixu l-Quddiesa fil-ħajja ta' kuljum. B'hekk nittamaw li nidħlu dejjem iżjed fil-fond ta' din l-azzjoni li ħallielna Gesu` biex nagħmluha b'tifkira tiegħu. Data: Mill-Ġimgħa 16 ta’ Mejju fil-għaxija sal-Ħadd 18, wara nofs in-nhar Imexxi: Fr Mario Jaccarini S.J. Post: Mount St Joseph Retreat House, Mosta Aħna ulied id-Dawl Flimkien permezz tat-talb nippruvaw nidħlu dejjem aktar 'l gewwa fil-misteru ta' Alla. Naraw ukoll x'impatt għandu fuq il-ħajja tagħna ta' kuljum it-twemmin tagħna f'dan il-misteru. X'jgħidilna fuq ir-relazzjonijiet tagħna fil-familja, mal-ħbieb, fis-soċjetà dan il-misteru? Data: Mill-Ġimgha, 23 ta' Mejju, 2008 fis-7.00 ta' filghaxija sal-Ħadd, 25 ta' Mejju wara l-pranzu. Imexxu: Dr. Edward Warrington u Fr. Paul Zammit, SJ Post: Dar Manresa, Victoria, Ghawdex   ĠUNJU Personalità, Spiritwalità u Talb Kull wieħed minna mhux bħall-ieħor. Il-Psikoloġija tagħtina strumenti biex insiru nafu lilna nfusna aħjar. Fost dawn hemm l-indikatur Myers Briggs (MBT). F’dan is-seminar nużaw dan l-instrument biex insiru nafu aħjar lilna nfusna u wkoll nifhmu liema modi ta’ talb l-aktar li jaqblu mal-personalità tagħna. Data: Mill-Ġimgħa 13 ta’ Ġunju filgħaxija sal-Ħadd 15 ta’ Ġunju, wara nofs in-nhar. Imexxi: Fr Alfred Micallef S.J. Post: Mount St Joseph Retreat House, Mosta