Acta Benedicti Pp. XVI 283

lives we need the help of God's grace. With him, we can do all things: without

him we can do nothing.

We know from Saint Mark's Gospel the signs that accompany those who

put their faith in Jesus: they will pick up serpents and be unharmed, they will

lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.2 These signs were immediately

recognized by your forebears when Paul came among them. A viper attached

itself to his hand, but he simply shook it off into the fire, and suffered no

harm. He was taken to see the father of Publius, the protos of the island, and

after praying and laying hands on him, Paul healed him of his fever. Of all

the gifts brought to these shores in the course of your people's history, the

gift brought by Paul was the greatest of all, and it is much to your credit that

it was immediately accepted and treasured. Gh̄ożżu l-fidi u l-valuri li takom

l-Appostlu Missierkom San Pawl. [Preserve the faith and values transmitted to

you by your father the Apostle Saint Paul]. Continue to explore the richness

and depth of Paul's gift to you and be sure to hand it on not only to your

children, but to all those you encounter today. No visitor to Malta could fail

to be impressed by the devotion of your people, the vibrant faith manifested

in your feast-day celebrations, the beauty of your churches and shrines. But

that gift needs to be shared with others, it needs to be articulated. As Moses

taught the people of Israel, the words of the Lord "shall be upon your heart,

and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them

when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie

down and when you rise".3 This was well understood by Malta's first cano-

nized Saint, Dun Ġorġ Preca. His tireless work of catechesis, inspiring young

and old with a love for Christian doctrine and a deep devotion to the Incar-

nate Word of God, set an example that I urge you to maintain. Remember

that the exchange of goods between these islands and the world outside is a

two-way process. What you receive, evaluate with care, and what you have

that is of value, be sure to share with others.

I would like to address a particular word to the priests present here, in

this year devoted to a celebration of the great gift of the priesthood. Dun

Ġorġ was a priest of remarkable humility, goodness, meekness and generos-

ity, deeply devoted to prayer and with a passion for communicating the

truths of the Gospel. Let him serve as a model and an inspiration for you,

as you strive to fulfil the mission you have received to feed the Lord's flock.

2 Cfr. Mk 16:18. 3 Deut 6:6-7.