Exactly a week ago, on November 24, someone told me, “Oh, one more month, and it will be Christmas. We will celebrate, we will celebrate, we will not go to work, and you will not go to school. It will finally be fine.” I didn’t even realize it that day. 

But after a while, it shook me. Wait, is this what Christmas is all about? Not going to work? Don’t go to school? Is this what Christmas is all about? And it’s already here. The first Sunday of Advent is a reality. The second, third, and fourth will come, and before we know it, the tree, food, presents, midnight mass, and… New Year. 

And work, school, and responsibilities. But where is the real Christmas in all this? Where is the celebration of the birth of the Lord in all this, apart from the rush of “writing a letter to Jesus” or the obligatory visit to the family? Where? And, after all, Advent is preparation for it. To celebrate! On the birth of the Lord! Not just by stating that Christmas is just around the corner.

Today’s gospel pulls us out of the Advent rush —not pre-Christmas, but Advent—and all the “important” responsibilities: “There will be signs in the sun and the moon, and in the stars, and on earth, the nations will be full of anxiety and confusion from the roar of the sea and the waves. People will be reconciled from the fear and expectation of what is coming into the world because the heavenly powers will tremble. 

These words of Jesus are miles away from the Christmas comfort many are preparing for today. We want comfort, not a forecast of disaster. We want pleasant moments, not anxiety—even if we somehow associate confusion with the holidays—confusion in shops, at work, and also at home. Likewise, we get scared if we don’t have time to buy the right gift. Well, it’s still only Advent. No Christmas!

We can imagine that beautiful and romantic moment, but we don’t even have to imagine it because we experience it if we want to watch the night sky. And with bated breath, they looked at the stars. Indeed, it is somehow more natural in the summer than in the winter, but even now, it is possible. 

Even though it is more difficult, we can still sometimes look at the sun and enjoy its warm rays—even in winter. In fact, they will please many even more than in the summer. But we can also imagine something else—that the sun will be veiled, covered, suddenly and out of the blue. We can also imagine a beautiful night show in the sky at a time when we can observe “falling stars,” i.e., a meteor shower.

All the above-mentioned “events” will please each of us. But can we also imagine that we would exchange its brightness for an anti-aircraft cover at the time of beautiful noon when the sun is wintry and jagged but pleasing? Instead of the “meteor shower theater,” would we watch flying and falling rockets? None of us wants even to imagine this, let alone admit it. Every romance ends with this idea.

This is the right challenge for the Advent season – so our hearts are not heavy. And if by chance they have become heavy, to get rid of this “overweight” that prevents the heart from flying and seeing “from God’s perspective”. 

What, then, should our hearts not be heavy? But still, that “selfish” fear for ourselves, in which we close the door and the heart of our life against the pain and misery of others. Are you saying that you don’t see the poor around you? I guess not only your heart, but also your eyes have become heavy, and you are blind. Blindness does not only have to be physical but also mental-selective. Still can’t see?

Gluttony is, figuratively speaking, also a desire to have – but only for oneself. And those who are proud of the slogan: “We don’t want other people’s, we don’t take our own” suffer from “gluttony.” Because, in reality, it is difficult to share a piece of bread or the next room. It is impossible to accept, to accept. And just to be sure, I will talk my neighbor and friend out of it, so I don’t feel embarrassed that someone has a more excellent heart than me.

Drunkenness is, figuratively speaking, the belief in a lie or falsehood that everyone is the mastermind of their happiness. If it were so, Christ would not have come into this world. However, he came because without him, we would not know what it means to love truly and selflessly – so that we too love like this.

And worries? Well, that is, figuratively, each of our introspection. When we are looking forward, I only look in the mirror—and see only myself. And I still tell myself, like in the fairy tale about Snow White, that I am the most beautiful person on earth.

“Take heed that your hearts are not heavy…” says Jesus on the First Sunday of Advent. So, let Advent be a time of changing mindsets and attitudes toward those who suffer in a way that we would never want to suffer. 

It is time to change the paradigm of love, which does not count how much it gives and how much it receives but constantly shares and does not worry about the future. Let the following days and weeks be a struggle against self-pity and self-centeredness, which we will overcome if God’s word enters our hearts and frees us to fulfill with love and without fear the words of today’s first reading from the prophet Jeremiah: “In those days and at that time a righteous shoot will sprout from David, who will do justice and righteousness on earth.”

  We should use our time for our sanctification, obtaining the necessary graces and merits, so that we are worthy to hear the words of God-Judge, as invited to the Kingdom of Heaven. The text of the Gospel reminds us of this. Jesus says: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt 4:19). Jesus addresses these words to two fishermen from the Sea of ​​Galilee, the brothers Simon and Peter. Andrew was with John Zebedee, the brother of James, a disciple of John the Baptist. John introduced them Jesus with the words: “Behold, the Lamb of God” (Jn 1:36). It was then that Andrew met Jesus for the first time, he talked with him, but he was not yet a disciple of Jesus. He probably continued his fishing (cf. Luke 5:1-5). In today’s Gospel, Jesus wants them to leave their craft. The words: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt 4:19) better describe the situation as follows: It’s here! I need you now. That’s why I want you to follow me!

This challenge of Jesus is blunt, but he asks a lot, but he also promises a lot. Jesus calls two brothers from Bethesda, east of the Jordan River (cf. Jn 1:44). The second pair were Zebedee’s sons. According to Mark, the mother’s name was Salome (cf. Mk 15:40), who is always named together. He was apparently the elder and John the younger. Together with Peter, they formed a close circle of Jesus’ confidants. This is how they are mentioned several times (cf. Mt 10:2; 17:1). Jesus’ call does not belong only to the aforementioned apostles. Jesus’ Gospel is not just a description of a one-time event. Jesus ‘ Gospel is a book that has its mission until the end of time . for three years of his public activity. Jesus’ challenge touches us too. Jesus walks around us. He addresses us on the street, in church, but also at school and at home. He invites us behind in the sense that we leave the superficial life we ​​have lived so far, or leave the sin in our life. For one, it may be a sinful acquaintance, for another a wrong approach to material things, another may have neglected the commandment of love in some form. Thus, an unhealthy non-Christian way of life can turn into an example of a convert. We were sinners. Let’s be a role model and an example. 

At the end of the world, there will be a general resurrection of our bodies. The characteristics of the bodies of the glorified will be different, and the characteristics of the bodies of the damned will be different. And behold, I will open your graves and bring you out of your coffins, says God through the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel. When the almighty voice shall sound, which shall be heard from east to west from north to south, the lying bodies, dried bones, and ashes shall be moved on the earth where they were deposited. All nature will begin to move. The sea, the land of the abyss, will be ready to give up the dead whom they thought they had swallowed up as their prey. They only cherished them so that one day, they could return them on demand.
Let us not marvel at the significant effect of the divine power that sustains the whole universe. The entire universe is like a speck in the eyes of God. God is omnipotent. It will be no problem for him to resurrect our bodies. Soul and body together form but one being. Man can achieve his goal only by preserving his natural constitution. But how can he preserve this natural constitution if he needs something that constitutes it? If they do not compose themselves in the order they were before. The nature of man necessarily requires the resurrection of the body. The whole creation passes from death to life. All you see has already been that nothing has been so lost that it will not reappear one day. Everything that once ceased, begins again. Everything ceases, only to be reborn. The soul has sinned using the body, therefore it is just that it should be justly punished. However, the soul also uses the body to do good works; thus, it must share in typical glorification. Also, the completeness of Christ’s victory over sin requires the resurrection, and his victory may be destroyed, even the power and kingdom of death. It must be remembered that as long as sin remains in the world, death will not cease to lie and exercise its cruel dominion over the human race. At the end of the ages, if the kingdom of sin is destroyed, the last enemy, death, will also be defeated. God will deliver His children from the power of death

The end of the world and one day the end of each of us is the theme presented to us by this week’s liturgy. Today’s reading from the book In the Revelation of St. John, the fall of Babylon symbolizes the downfall of worldliness, prosperity, and self-sufficiency. This apocalyptic scene is mirrored in today’s Gospel reading from Luke, where Jesus foretells the desolation of Jerusalem and his eventual return. Babylon, compared to “the great harlot,” is a city of deceit, where corruption and unclean spirits lie beneath its façade of magnificence and festivities. Ultimately, its destruction will be swift and total, leaving no trace..

“The sound of harpists, singers, pipers, and trumpeters will no longer be heard in you” – there will be no more beautiful celebrations. »No master of any craft will appear in you again« – because you are not a city of work, but of corruption. »The knocking of the mill will no longer be heard in you. The light of the lamp will no longer shine in you.« – it may be a city illuminated, but it will not shine. This is a corrupt civilization, »the voice of the bridegroom and the bride will no longer be heard in you«. There were many couples, many people, but no love. Desolation starts from within and ends when the Lord says “enough”. There will come a day when the Lord will say: »Enough of the pretense of this world«. This is the crisis of a civilization that considers itself proud and self-sufficient but is dictatorial and will end up like this.

Jerusalem will see another kind of destruction, namely the destruction of unfaithful love. It failed to recognize the love of God in His Son. Gentiles will trample the Holy City, the Lord will punish it because it has opened the gates of its heart to the Gentiles. Life – in our case the Christian life – becomes pagan. Are we living as Christians? It seems so, but in reality our life is pagan when these things happen and are subject to the seduction of Babylon. And Jerusalem lives like Babylon. He wants to make a synthesis that cannot be made. And both will disappear. Are you a Christian? Are you a Christian? Live like a Christian. You cannot mix water with oil. They will always remain separate. This is the end of a civilization that is self-contradictory, calling itself Christian and living like a heathen.

After the fall of both cities, the cry of the Lord will be heard. After destruction comes salvation. The angel will say, »Blessed are those who are invited to the Lamb’s wedding feast!«. It will be a grand, real celebration. Tragedies also exist in our lives, but if we find ourselves in front of them, let us look to the horizon because we are redeemed and the Lord will come to save us. We thus learn to undergo the trials of this world not in agreement with worldliness or paganism, which leads us to destruction, but in hope, detaching ourselves from these worldly and pagan temptations, looking to the horizon, hoping in Christ the Lord. Hope is our strength: we go forward. But we must plead with the Holy Spirit.

Think of the Babylons of our time. Consider, for example, the powerful empires of the last century that collapsed. And so will the great cities of today also end, and so will our life and if we follow the path of paganism. Only those who put their hope in the Lord will remain. With hope, therefore, let us open our hearts and turn away from the heathen life.

St. Catherine is a very popular saint, martyred at the beginning of the 4th century in Egypt, she is one of the three holy virgins (along with St. Barbara and St. Margaret) and the 14th saint of helpers in need. She is the patroness of theologians and philosophers.

Although the legends of her martyrdom contain many symbolic images, there is no doubt that behind them lies the life of a rare woman and an actual historical event. According to the Greek text Pasiio (narrative of the martyrdom) from the 6th century and Conversion (8th century), the young and beautiful Katerina came from an educated and noble family. In 307, the emperor Maxentius ordered grand pagan celebrations and sacrifices to the gods. Catherine refused to participate in them and even reproached the emperor for his folly: “Why do you want to bring this crowd into misery because of the cult of pagan gods? Learn to know God, the Creator of Jesus Christ, who freed humanity from hell with his cross.”

The monarch was not only surprised by this boldness, but also very touched and touched in the heart. He had orators and philosophers called to convince Catherine with their explanations. However, with her wisdom, the young Christian woman convicted them of the error, so many were even converted. She could not be persuaded to abandon her faith, even by generous marriage offers. That’s when the emperor had her beaten and put in prison. There, she was visited not only by the emperor’s wife, who also converted to the Christian faith, Jesus Christ appeared to her in a vision; Catherine’s soul since then belonged entirely to Him.

Because of the many conversions caused by Catherine’s wisdom, the emperor had her tortured on a wheel studded with nails, which, according to legend, broke during the torture, and therefore she was finally beheaded with a sword. The legend further states that the body of St. Catherine was transferred to Sinai, where a famous monastery dedicated to her name was founded. It still exists today and is visited by many pilgrims. St. Catherine is often depicted with her wheel pierced with nails or discussing with surprised philosophers. In the Franciscan monastery church in Jindřich Hradec, which is dedicated to St. Catherine, she is again depicted in a “mystical betrothal” to Jesus on the painting of the main altar, and her attribute – the executioner’s wheel – is not missing here either.

Her testimony and example make us realize a very important thing: we should strive for actual knowledge. However, the truth does not submit to the wishes of the powerful, nor do we have to arrive at it through mutual discussion, even if that is also necessary for a better understanding of it – see the conversion of the philosophers. Even education or professional studies, which we cannot underestimate, do not guarantee that we will understand things correctly. Wise is the man who can truthfully reveal the laws of this world, but he becomes a fool if he does not know the Creator of this world. And so far wiser is the one to whom the truth about God – and thus also about everything else – was revealed through the Holy Spirit. That is why St. Katerina is a shining example of Jesus’ words: “They will persecute you, deliver you to the synagogues for trial and prison, they will present you before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So take this to heart: Don’t prepare in advance how to defend yourself. For I will give you eloquence and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to resist or oppose.” (Lk 21, 12-15)

This time in November has led many of you to thoughts or discussions about whether there is life after death. Perhaps you have read the book Life After Life by the American doctor Moody, who deals with Lazarus’ symptoms. The stories he describes happened to those who survived clinical death and were awakened to life. This may not yet convince anyone of the existence of life after death. Still, many are troubled by many ambiguities when reading it, such as understanding depersonalization, the great light, the tunnel, the wonderful feeling of joy, and so on. In this soulful time, Jesus wants to bring light to our doubts with today’s Gospel, which describes the meeting of the Lord Jesus with the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection. The Sadducees asked the Lord Jesus about the resurrection of those who have died physically, and we also often meet the Sadducees.

A group of Sadducees sought conflict to oppose Jesus. The Sadducee class came from the strict priestly class and became more of a political than a religious group. We may take them as a second Jewish sect, smaller than the class of Pharisees, with whom they disagree because they teach more strictly and have confined the revelation of God to the Five Books of Moses. They deny the resurrection and the immortality of the soul; they do not believe in life after death and in angels. Therefore, they tell Jesus about a fictional event that is directed against him. They refer to the Law of Moses, which orders: “… if someone’s brother dies who had a wife but was childless, his brother should marry her and beget offspring for his brother” (Lk 20:28). They also tell of a woman who, after the death of her husband, was married to his seven brothers. That is why they ask the Lord Jesus: “Well, which of them will be the wife of the woman at the resurrection?” After all, seven of them had her as a wife” (Lk 20:33). The Sadducees say there can be no life after death because then comic scenes would follow. The previous question formulated in this way is ridiculous. However, it is not because there are many similar questions even today. Today, when people talk about life after death, many people do not believe in life after death, ridicule and misinterpret it. For one group, this life is compatible with our life here. That’s why they try to live fully here on earth, and that’s all they expect from life. The second group speaks of the second life as a mystery that beckons man. However, it is vague and, therefore, similar to dreaming of an earthly paradise where one will not lack material things, goods, and joy. So, they see the second life after death as a worldly life of a higher quality.