I begin with a message from Pope Francis: “If we put the person in the middle, our life becomes more beautiful.”

Sadly, at times, we tend to adopt an attitude that is an abuse of our dignity, to the point that it leaves individuals nameless.

People, young and old, are addicted to their mobile phone. Text messages are killing our relationships and the decorum of human beings. A mother, with tears in her eyes, told me: “I cannot control my child. What I say is useless. His life, formation, ideas and, especially, education  are conditioned by his great friend, his mobile phone.”

Unfortunately, I think we have missed the bus; we are now all slaves. It is too late.

People have become greedy for money, even if it means trampling over others.

I invite our MPs to put themselves in the place of citizens and understand their deep feelings. They will learn a lot. What do they think about people sleeping on benches and on the ground in both Malta and Gozo?

It is imperative that all citizens, whether red or blue, are served in the same way. Leo Tolstoy wrote: “Respect was invented to cover the empty place where love should be.”

The government and the Maltese people are obliged to acknowledge the problems, the suffering and the crisis all Maltese and those choosing Malta as their home experience. The government is not just there to make rules and regulations.

It was heartening hearing President Myriam Spiteri Debono, a native of Gozo, like me, and both baptised at the Basilica of St George, declare: “We are slowly losing the sense of what is right and wrong.” And, I would add, we are not realising that money is controlling our life and that of our children.

Personally, I think people are becoming too weak. We have changed our values in our life.

Unfortunately, man has lost the value of choosing the best, the beautiful, the artistic and has, instead, become a slave of substitutes and fakes. Indeed, I wonder what is happening within our hearts. Is there still beauty, harmony, love for nature and happiness?

We should heed Don Bosco’s wise advice: “Be with Christ like the bird that is feeling the branch break and he continues to sing because he knows that he has his wings.”

People are becoming too weak. We have changed our values in our life- Fr Charles Cini

We need to stop and deeply analyse what is happening in our islands. As T.S. Eliot remarks: “Most of the problems in the world are caused by people wanting to be important.”

We frequently forget we are on a journey of transformation. We are exploring the wisdom of our soul. We are shedding old beliefs and stories that no longer fit.

Who are we becoming? We need to be brave. We must step into our authentic path. We can become our own authentic selves.

In his books, Viktor Frankl tells us: “There is no need to be ashamed of tears, for tears bare witness that a man has the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer.”

We must stop and reflect on why so many young people end up committing crimes and why suicide is, sadly, on the rise. You cannot do anything when it is too late. Don Bosco used to say: “Education begins at home, and it is a question of our heart.”

As I see it, at the core of the problem lie three main issues: education, discipline and the example and values we give to our children when they are still young.

Is the education we are giving our children in crisis? Our optics are money, pleasure, power and satisfaction. Sometimes, we play with statues, band marches, fireworks and street decorations but there is a big dichotomy between our faith and all the other external manifestations coming deep from our heart.

Let us have a good look at what type of education and example we are giving our children when they are young. I ask myself: Who is responsible for what is happening?

Are we priests still being heard when we preach?

The formation should begin when our children are still young and, especially, we need to give them a good example. Schools also have a very important role to play.

It is also crucial to ask about the authoritarian attitudes some parents adopt. Why are our children at times becoming aggressive? Sometimes, we, their guardians, lose control and take it out on them. Do parents, priests, adults and educators give a good example to our children? Why do we let our young children play with our mobile phone? Is this responsible?

Carl Jung wrote: “The world will ask who you are and if you don’t know, the world will tell you.”

People in Malta and Gozo seem to believe union with God means bliss, joy and delight. True, but only if we surrender our will and subject ourselves to Him through our thoughts, words and actions.

We need to believe and understand that the world is in pieces.

Fr Charles Cini is a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco.