“ After we
were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The native people showed us
unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had
begun to rain and was cold.” –Acts
28:1-2
Acts 27 and 28 describes the shipwreck of
Paul and Luke on the island of Malta.
St. Paul's bay is the traditional site and it fits well with the
description given us by Luke, Paul's traveling companion and missionary
correspondent who wrote the New Testament book of Acts. On the reef that the Roman ship struck before
they could reach the shore there stands today a large statue of St. Paul. The orientation of the statue is north and
out to sea pointing in the direction of Sicily and Italy where Paul was to make
his final journey.
Near the shore of the bay is The Chapel of
the Holy Bonfire. Obviously, there is no
definitive proof that this is the exact spot the Maltese built a fire to warm
Paul and the rest of the shipwreck victims, but there is a strong historic
tradition that the church of today sits on the location of a medieval church
which in turn was built on the site of a chapel going back to the first century. Regardless of where the bonfire actually happened, that single act of kindness
and hospitality, which would have been unknown or soon forgotten had it not
been immortalized in scripture, had ramifications for the spiritual history of
Malta and eventually the entire world.
Warmed by the fire, St. Paul was strengthened and able to continue
towards his date with destiny in the capitol of the Roman Empire where he
longed to preach the Gospel of Christ and to strengthen the church.
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| Statue of St. Paul facing north towards Rome |
My mind is always captivated by the fact
that God uses the small kindnesses we offer to others and uses them
greatly. When I reflect upon the story
of Paul’s encounter with the Maltese, it stirs in me the desire to look for the
opportunity to be the ‘stranger’ who offers kindness out of a generous
spirit. We never really know the impact
of these small deeds but when we do them we are in that moment acting most like
our Creator. For God is generous beyond
human reckoning.
In the Maltese capitol city of Valleta, the
Cathedral of St. John is also a point of interest. It is of no biblical significance, but was
the conventual church of the Knights Hospitallar of Jerusalem. This order of knights was formed during the
first crusade (1099 AD) and gave shelter and care to sick and injured pilgrims
from Europe who had made the journey to the Holy Land. When Jerusalem was eventually retaken by the
Muslims, the knights moved their headquarters to Crete and then to Malta. Of interest in the church are the many side
chapels, beautiful works of art (including a rare painting by Caravaggio
executed when he lived in Malta for a short period),and the ornate graves of
the knights in the floor of the church.
This Knightly Order continues today but has been headquartered in Rome
since Napoleon captured Malta during the 19th century.
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| Bonfire Church at St. Paul's Bay |
All
of Malta is beautiful and even as St. Luke described the kindness of the
Maltese that spirit is still present today.
When you travel around Malta and its companion island Gozo, you quickly
see and feel that this small outpost in the Mediterranean has seen its share of
history. This island nation has its own
identity and seems to welcome today, while not forgetting its heritage. While remote, it is very accessible and
well-worth the time and expense of a visit.
