Ġesù Kristu Sultan by Lawrenz Sciberras

‘{esu Kristu Sultan’

Author: Lawrenz Sciberras Publishers: Gozo Press; Gozo Year: 2017 Pages: 166

Mgr Lawrence Scibberas’ latest publication is a collection of reflections upon the regal, priestly and prophetic role of the Lord Jesus Christ, a triple role that Christianity celebrates on Palm Sunday, a week before the Paschal celebration. It is important to mention here that it was Achille Ratti, later on Pope Pius XI, who during his pontificate, instituted the feast of Christ the King in order to instigate the Church to reflect at length about the universal kingship of Christ. Since Vatican II, the 24th Sunday in the Ordinary Time of the year commemorates the person of Jesus Christ who is not only king of the universe put strickly speaking is also the keeper of time, that medium upon which we constantly talk but hardly ever realize it is out of our control. What better way than to recognise Christ as King of one and all and then as a result, reflect upon these high qualities of the Son of Man!

Sciberras is known as the author of many books and biblical studies. His literary works have been published in the periodical L-Art Imqaddsa and Dawl

Franġiskan not to mention Leħen is-Sewwa and many others. However, from time to time, he does collect the best of his works and publish them in book form. Ġesù Kristu Sultan is the most recent of his published works; it brings together many biblical thoughts and reflections about the kingship of Christ as perceived from different perspectives. What I like about Sciberras’ style is his ability to mix together the theological teaching of the Church and the biblical exegesis. This is an ability for which Sciberras is to be congratulated since not all biblical scholars give weight to Catholic theology in the same way that not all theologians care to study the Bible in detail before presenting us with their finished opuses. Sciberras writes in a straight-forward manner; he leaves no stone unturned to present us with biblical citations that enrich our own meditations. In fact, the book is ideal for meditation but it will also prove helpful to preachers and R.E. teachers alike. Student and scholar will enjoy reading it and from an artistic point of view, I noticed that even the accomapnying pictures are suggestive.

Throughout the years Mgr Sciberras has presented us with dozens of books that have the Bible as their starting point. As we commemorate the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation – a reformation that among other reasons was launched in order that Christians would appreciate the Word of God and make it their own – Sciberras’ book is both timely and timeless. It is a gem in the crown of liturgical literature in the Maltese language.