Malta Houses of Worship

By Guest Blogger: LinDel Sandlin

Beautiful paintings.

Intricate mosaics.

Massive silver incense burners.

Altars covered in 24 karat gold.

But where is God’s spirit?

Bones of so-called saints on display.

Silver laid atop gold ornamentations, making them more ostentatious.

Statues that are paraded around the village annually.

Does God reside among these lifeless relics?

Behind overwhelming displays of opulence

that glorify the Knights of Malta and bishops of Rome

more than they glorify the Christ,

drips the blood and agony of slaves,

forced laborers and

indigenous peoples throughout the Americas.

How did the merciful Christ give rise to torturous Inquisitors?

These things I ponder as I wander

through Malta’s beautiful, yet hollow, baroque cathedrals

searching for connection to the Divine.

Perhaps it is the hearts of sincere and humble believers

that breathe life into houses of worship

not the other way around.

For me, Great Spirit does not reside in houses built by vain men.

Nor does it exalt the suffering of its saints

or use fear and shame to extract devotion from its followers.

Great Spirit does not speak to me in antiquated books

but in the wind.

In the rain.

In the sacred fire.

Most certainly it speaks from the hearts of all my fellow inhabitants

Of our Mother the Earth.

written May 17, 2024

Healer Heal Thyself