Malta's bishops have urged the faithful not to fear being different and to transmit the message that Christ's teachings and values truly lead to the common good.

"The culture of our time must understand that the relativism it proposes will lead us nowhere and is not going to make humanity happy," they said in their pastoral letter for Lent, which is being read out and shown in video recordings in churches today.

Archbishop Paul Cremona and Gozo Bishop Mario Grech spoke of the need for a fundamental change in Christian life, and invited people to follow St Paul's example. They said human beings needed something solid on which to build their life, and this came through their faith in God.

The bishops insisted that it was the responsibility of every Christian to delve deeper into the Easter mystery during Lent and transmit this message by word of mouth, but especially by living it.

"We have to be the first to give more importance to what belongs to the spirit than to material things. We have to show that our joy does not come from things of this earth but from heaven," they said.

People had to be ready to change and convert and not expect Christ to change his teachings to accommodate them according to the type of life they designed for themselves.

"Some, although they have not abandoned faith and religion, feel they can choose what they want to keep and what to discard... Instead of having Christ at the centre, they put themselves there. These people have yet to make a leap in their faith, which allows them to accept Christ in full," they said.

The letter may be viewed at www.maltadiocese.org.