Today, the daily and arduous battle of Maltese citizens is to uphold their dignity and rights as human beings and to defend themselves from those who govern over them. Unfortunately, sometimes, politicians do not care about the rights of all citizens but only think about their own.
I would like to focus on the problem of power in this country. However, I have to be careful because though the tongue has no bones it is strong enough to break a heart.
Still, if no one talks about sensitive issues, we will carry on moving in the wrong direction. According to Marcus Aurelius, “you can also commit injustice by doing nothing”.
Among the 300 or so books German Benedictine monk Anselm Grum wrote is one entitled Power: a seductive captivating force, which made me reflect on the situation here. Charlie Chaplin had expressed himself thus about power: “You need power only when you want to do something harmful. Otherwise, love is enough.”
It is not the one who lives in the forest who is uncivilised but the one who destroys it. In both Malta and Gozo, we, therefore, urgently need to engage in deep recovery, especially within our heart, and the best way to start is by listening.
Resorting only to frustration, discouragement, grumbling and depression will only work against us. We must stop feeling guilty if we adopt a different outlook to that of others.
We also have to bear in mind that power gives rise to satisfaction but, at the same time, it can cause very difficult moments. It is wrong to think that those in power have the last word for that is God’s prerogative.
Being the only powerful God, it is He who has the faculty to let us enjoy the dignity of power. But the temptation to dominate on everyone and everything is too strong for man to resist.
On the other hand, the one who wields power needs to have the sensibility to wear the shoes of every citizen and refrain from condemning.
Just see the newspapers to understand the injustice prevailing in Malta. Power is used to subject Maltese citizens to mental violence, abusing their dignity and humiliating them. Those who wield power fail society through their selfishness and by putting their personal interests first.
We are living in a state of big confusion, vulnerability and fragility. Where are we heading?- Fr Charles Cini
How devastating abuse of power can be is manifest in those parts of the world where dictators prevail, completely disregarding the common good. They are so inebriated with power they exercise absolute control over everything. They brutally resist different ideas and oppress the people.
Many are those blinded by power, their personality deformed.
In the letter by St Paul to the Romans (12.2) we read: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is; His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Let us keep away from people who will never admit they are wrong, always pointing their finger elsewhere. Those in power continuously strive to have a hold on the environment around them.
Worse, they surround themselves with cronies who also crave power as many of their people struggle to make ends meet. St Mother Teresa of Calcutta used to say: “Poverty is not made by God, it is created by you and me when we do not share what we have.”
Still, faced by such a tragic situation, we must not accept defeat. We need to draw on knowledge, traditions, culture and our conscience. That applies to our brothers and sisters across the globe, especially in the more troubled corners, as it does to us here.
We must wisely battle corruption and evil. Since many voices have, for different reasons, been silenced, we have to pick up courage and also be confident and have faith in ourselves.
However, we must be transparent in all our decisions. This will guard against favouritism, which is abuse of power.
We are living in a state of big confusion, vulnerability and fragility. Where are we heading?
We need to seriously ask ourselves whether the social development of the Maltese citizens, and also of our political leaders, is what it should be.
Do politicians accept constructive criticism? Sometimes, the negative way in which they exercise their authority is a threat to citizens. Certain people are creating a climate of power through the systematic use of insults, humiliation and abuse in interpersonal relations.
Love, respect, altruism, emotions and, especially, dignity must never go on holiday.
Let us not resort to blackmail because all Maltese have the same rights. We are all Maltese. Our blood, sentiments and dignity are all the same: Maltese and Gozitan.
We need to reconcile ourselves: we all have the same capacity to hear each other and share our ideas. We live in a world where positive ideas, the joy of living and the dignity of man are constantly being challenged.
One can lie as much as one wants but not to oneself. Man is destroying his own principles and ignoring the lessons we learn in life, including those bequeathed to us by our forefathers and, especially, St Paul.
Nature belongs to God. It was given to man as a gift but only to embellish it and benefit from throughout his short stay on earth.
Violence, destruction and hatred belongs only to mafia people. Violence and abuse in a country can only obliterate human dignity. That can never be right because, as Pope Francis told us, “Our dynamics must be: organising hope in the world around us; face the poor that are the sons of God”.
I finish with the deep thoughts of Blaze Pascal: “They have some true principles but they misuse them. Now, the abuse of truth ought to be as much punished as the introduction of falsehood. As if there were two hells, one for sin against love, the other for those against justice.’’
Genuine and altruistic power renders a service to the citizens and a free environment.
Fr Charles Cini is a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco.