predication.net

There are some things in which we will never measure up to God:
We will never equal God in the work of CREATION: we will never create a Universe out of nothing, nor can we keep it in existence as God does.
We will never equal God in LOVE: None of us will ever love every single person personally and lay down our lives for every single person personally as Jesus did: “Jesus, during his life, his agony, and his passion, knew and loved every one of us individually and gave himself up for each of us: the Son of God ‘loved me and gave himself up for me’ (Gal 2:20)” (CCC 478).
We will never equal God in HOLINESS: we are sinners, we have done evil, and it is only by God’s gift of love and forgiveness that we are allowed to think at all the life of God, which God lives in Himself, received from no one, and has never denied or lost in any way.
But there are things in which we can indeed be like God:
But that in which we can become like Him is not the GOAL and the RESULT, but the SPORT of LIFE:
We can CREATE as best we can, dedicate our whole being to it – and so BE like God!
We can LOVE as best we can, with all our being – and so BE like God!
We can choose HOLINESS as best we can, with all our being – and so BE like God!
This is the secret of deification:
We do not become like God because we CAN DO THE SAME WORKS as God,…
… but because we can DO much lesser works EQUALLY LIKE GOD – and thus BE LIKE GOD, even though we cannot do the great things God has done!
… a threefold vulnerability
FAITH IN GOD AND LOVE OF GOD = vulnerability: I begin to live according to something that does not come from me but from God. I give God power over my life and thus freely give up my previous independence in the name of love. I allow God to intervene in my life, change it, and turn it upside down (cf. St. Francis of Assisi!)…
CIRQUE = vulnerability: I open my life to other people, I give them the possibility to enter our life, we stop hiding from them, pretending… we open ourselves to them, to their lives, to their needs…
CREATORS HIP (“apostolate”) = vulnerability: we open ourselves even to people “outside” to invite them to a relationship and to share their lives with us, even though we know that many of them are evil and many times they will take advantage of this, and it will require sacrifice from us, a willingness to go through the effort, the suffering,…
And yet it is worth it because it is the PAIN OF BIRTH: “When a woman gives birth, she is despondent, for her hour has come. But as soon as she gives birth to a child, she no longer thinks of the pain for the joy that a human being has come into the world. 22 You are sad now, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice. And your joy no one will take from you. (Joh 16:21-22

Saint Jerome  (347-420) is a Teacher of the Church, a saint, and one of the most outstanding scholars of the Catholic Church. He translated the Holy Scriptures into Latin (Vulgate); this translation of the Bible is still used in the Catholic Church today.

He studied in Rome, worked in Trier, Germany, and later in Venice. From 370 he was a member of a group of ascetic monks, and from age 26, he traveled to the East several times, where he visited various monastic communities.

Saint Jerome had to fight all his life with laziness and partly with his explosive and choleric nature, so regarding inactivity, he was competent in informing how laziness should be highly valued.

After the consecration of St., in 385, Hieronymus temporarily settled in Bethlehem and founded three female and one male monastery. One hundred seventeen Vulgate above of Jerome’s letters have been preserved from his work, but the most important work was the translation of the Holy Scriptures from Greek and Hebrew into Latin (the aforementioned Vulgate, which was later declared an official translation by the Council of Trent 1545-1564).

In 385, he settled in Bethlehem and founded three female and one male monastery. At this time, he also wrote his famous works – 117 letters of Hieronymus have been preserved, of which 19 were addressed to his contemporary St. Augustin; his work On Excellent Men (Church) is also known.

St. Jerome always said procrastination, laziness, and anger must be decisively fought. Like St. Paul, St. Jerome also claimed that laziness is a sin against Love. Laziness is the mother of all evils because it opens the door to temptation, and by not doing what we have, we harm ourselves (we don’t use our talents) and others.

Laziness is the mother of sin. As the Book of Sirach says ( Sir 22, 1-2 ): 1 . They throw a smeared stone at the lazy man, and everyone says he is worthy of contempt. 2 . They throw dung from the oxen at the sloth; whoever touches the throw, everyone shakes their hand.

As the Book of Proverbs says ( Proverbs 21:25 ): 25 . One’s lust kills a lazy person because robots protect his hands, and the Holy Scripture praises a diligent woman ( Prov . 31,27 ) because: 27 . He follows the progress of all the work around the house and does not eat from idle bread.

St. Paul openly says, in his Second Letter to the Thessalonians, that he who does not work should not eat either ( 2 Thess . 3:10-12 ): 10 . After all, even when we were with you, we commanded you this: He who does not want to work, let him not eat either. 11 . For we hear that some among you are living disorderly, doing nothing but chasing after useless things. 12 . Thus, we command and call upon them in the Lord Jesus Christ to work peacefully and thus eat their bread.

In one of his letters, St. Jerome wrote: “ Anyone who is inactive becomes a prey to vain desires. In Egypt, the monks in the monasteries had a rule that they would not accept anyone unwilling to work. Work is necessary to support the body, especially the soul. ” If we are busy doing good, then we are less susceptible to bad temptations, ” states another of his thoughts, St. Hieronymus.

Like St. Jerome, other saints encourage a determined fight against laziness. 9 points can help us in the battle against laziness:

1. Setting clear and realistic goals and priorities. _ St. Augustine of Hippie urges us to set accurate daily, weekly, annual, and lifelong dreams. We must try to fulfill as many of these goals as possible.

2. In the fight against laziness, proceed with successive steps. St. Francis of Assisi recommends dividing each task into smaller, partial units and solving them gradually.

3. Stay disciplined. Holy Mother Teresa of Calcutta states that if we want the lamp to burn continuously, we must pour oil into it. We must not neglect our duties; we must fulfill them with discipline.

4. Let’s be persistent and patient. In the fight against temptations and laziness, there is no need to give up if we partially fail. Saint Francis de Sales encourages us not to be discouraged even when we die. You don’t have to give up and keep going until you reach your goal.

5. Don’t get distracted. Saint John Paul II. states that if we are delighted within ourselves, we will not succeed. If we eliminate distractions within ourselves, our effectiveness will increase substantially.

6. Do not overload yourself unnecessarily. St. Augustine says that if we take too much work on our shoulders, our work will not be productive. It’s better to do one thing right than ten things wrong.

7. Generosity to others. St. Teresa of Avila says that perfect love is carried in the sign of love for neighbors, while our person is relegated to the background. When we think less about ourselves and more about our loved ones, it moves us to action and overcomes our spiritual laziness.

8. Work with love. As Saint Francis de Sales says, carrying out all activities with love in the heart is necessary. We don’t have to worry about the future if we are driven by love. Love is also a potent weapon against fear; the fear of failure is often the root of procrastination. A day not spent motivated by love is a day wasted.

9. Rest is not laziness. Rest does not mean that we do nothing; we engage in activities that require less effort. As Saint Josemaria Escrivá de Balaguer says, we should not confuse well-deserved rest with laziness. A well-deserved rest is a time when we can recharge our energy to continue with the next activity.

Have you read the book: “Who’s Who”? The names Herod, John the Baptist, Elijah, and others are not there. Are they not up to date? Sometimes someone writes rude words on this page. I accept the criticism. It’s interesting that they write it secretly. I know they don’t everyone is suitable for everyone When a person starts using his mind, he always wants to know, hear, and experience a lot.

Herod in the Gospel puts us to shame when the evangelist Luke wrote about him that he wanted to see the Lord Jesus. He said: “John rose from the dead…” (Luke 9:7). He was a ruler, and he learned about Jesus from several sources. The messengers, the people who surrounded him, took care of it, and that is why the reports about Jesus are different. Some considered the Lord Jesus to be John the Baptist, whom Herod had beheaded in prison when the daughter of his illegitimate wife Herodias asked for John’s head as a gift. Others believed that John the Baptist rose from the dead. They also considered Christ to be Elijah, who also taught the people, and he marveled at his works, which God did with his hands. Let us remember the sacrifice on the mountain, when he defeated the priests of the god Baal, who were 450, and their sacrifice was not burned, but his. Others said that Jesus was indeed a prophet. He acted prudently, and his deeds were extraordinary. He often pointed to repentance. When Herod hears all this, he does not know what to think about it. He does not believe that John rose from the dead, but when he hears about Christ as a miraculous miracle worker, when he hears more than one report about his teaching, he asks himself: Who is he, then, that I hear such talk about him?

Therefore, we should try to get to know the Lord Jesus’ teachings better, keep his commands, and find time to meet him when reading the Holy Scriptures, when celebrating the Holy Mass, and when approaching the sacraments. It is a good sign when you feel, sister, brother, that in your life the Lord Jesus is not a stranger, but that you are looking for him, that you want to meet him often, that you have something to say to him in prayer, in contemplation, in meditation, in the community, in the family… Your attitude is on the right track. Saint Vincent de Paul talks about his experience. He was already a priest when he arrived as a slave in Tunis. The ship they were sailing on was captured by pirates. He was digging irrigation canals in the August heat. He never hid the fact that he was a priest. The slave master hated him for that very reason. Vincent is once told by his fellow slave, a Frenchman: “This is real hell!” And Vincent answered him: “No! Wherever God is, there is no hell. And God is here. God knows about us.” Vincent himself did not know why the Lord God allowed this to happen to him, but he did not despair. He did not lose faith in the presence of God, not even when he was struggling with fever – malaria for three months. Even then he felt inside God. Slavery ends with escape. He does not escape alone, but with his slave master, in which, with the help of his wife, the Mohammedan Fatima, he awakens his conscience and confesses to Vincent that he too was a priest and also fell into slavery. However, he, unlike Vincent could not stand slavery, and he betrayed God. but with his slave master, in which, with the help of his wife, the Mohammedan Fatima, he awakens his conscience and confesses to Vincent that he too was a priest and also fell into slavery. However, he, unlike Vincent, could not stand slavery and betrayed God. but with his slave master, in which, with the help of his wife, the Mohammedan Fatima, he awakens his conscience and confesses to Vincent that he too was a priest and also fell into slavery. However, he, unlike Vincent, could 

Are there many of us Christians? In the beginning, how many disciples were there? He commanded them: “Take nothing for your journey…” (Lk 9:2). I would like to dwell on two expressions in this sentence. “…and sent them forth to preach” (Mk. 6:7). The Lord gradually prepared the apostles for their ministry. The evangelist meant that Jesus recognized His disciples as sufficiently prepared to go forth independently to preach the Word of God. From that moment on, they are Christ’s faithful helpers. From now on, the Lord wants them to walk around Galilee on their own, see for themselves the difficulty of this ministry, and find out what they need for it.

Why does He send them out two by two? In pairs, they are trustworthy witnesses under the Judaistic law. And, of course, it was also helpful because they could help one another because unexpected situations can happen when wandering. So why doesn’t Jesus send his disciples to preach right after he is called? Because he wants to prepare them for this massive project of spreading the Gospel, which has been going on for the third millennium. Jesus invites the disciples to preach the gospel in several places in the Holy Scriptures. When we look after Mark’s Gospel, Jesus tells the disciples: “Go and preach, make new disciples” (cf. Mk 16:15-18). He sends them out, but he gives them his power. This power connects today’s reading and the end of the Gospel. He sends them with his passion that awakens and changes human hearts. He has also called us to go out to preach, to heal, and to fight evil spirits.

This power connects today’s reading and the end of the Gospel. He sends them with his passion that awakens and changes human hearts. He has also called us to go out to preach, to heal, and to fight evil spirits. There are also times in our lives when we hear the unmistakable voice of God calling us, and we can stand up and go. Are we also ready to proclaim the gospel and God in our neighborhood, home, and workplace? Many times, we have prayed, and the power and bliss of prayer came deeply and set hearts on fire, quenched passions, reason became apparent, and the will wanted only good.

The Lord called us in Baptism, sent us into the world through the Sacraments of Marriage and Priesthood, and gave us strength in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. He touches our hearts every day. God never leaves us; we can forget him only for a time. The Lord never leaves us once He has handled the human spirit. He is still calling and sending us, and He will do so a second and a third time…, expecting our response. The Lord only does some things at a time. He allows us to reflect, digest, and remember the experience we have already received. But he calls and sends more insistently, encouraging us to follow Christ and serve the Church actively. Such is the nature of the call and mission from the Lord. We must remember this in our daily lives. We must keep in our hearts the joy that God is, that he knows me, and I know him. And it is in this that we are like the apostles. Jesus sends his disciples and us to preach the Gospel and live according to his commandments, and he stays with us.

Have you ever experienced a feeling of inferiority? So you know how this condition destroys a person. 

Today, we want to discuss what to do so that such a state does not control us. The Lord Jesus Himself teaches us with a metaphor in the Gospel: “No one lights a candle and does not cover it with a vessel” (Lk 8, 16). We can begin the explanation with questions. Why does the Lord Jesus use such comparisons, known from the daily life of his listeners? Lord Jesus, as an excellent teacher, wants his listeners to understand, as clearly as possible and with great benefit, the meaning of the words necessary for salvation. When his listeners meet familiar things in the future, take them in their hands, enjoy them for their lives, and remind them of other essential items necessary for their soul and salvation. The metaphor of light should also become a great reminder for the listeners. Everything without which it would be tough for us to imagine our lives, Jesus begins with the words: “You are.”

These are values ​​that should penetrate us deeply, that we should unconditionally adopt and identify with. Everyday encounter with light is supposed to help us to do this. Therefore, it is not enough for him to know it himself; he must enrich those without such knowledge with his life. Can anyone imagine life without the sun? Scientists say there would be no life on Earth within eight minutes, and within 24 hours, the temperature would drop below minus 250 degrees. As we cannot imagine life without the sun, so will the world be without God. Living without God is not possible. A Christian should bring light and warmth to his surroundings with his life. It is up to each of us how we will fulfill our role in today’s time, our time, the time when God called us to bear witness, to pass the earth test. A good Christian is not afraid of difficulties crosses. He trusts God and cooperates with his gifts, which include today’s words from the Gospel about salt and light. We are determined not to let God down When we realize that God is counting on us. It is said that “God’s mills grind slowly but surely” and “the Lord God is not hasty, but mindful.” It is fitting that we do not let ourselves be led astray from the path Jesus himself invited us to try to be light. 

Let’s try to imagine a yard with domestic birds. Occasionally, these birders get excited when they see wild ducks and geese fly by in the spring and fall. They also want to take off, like any goose or duck. They run a few steps, stutter, and try to wave their clipped or stunted wings, but in the end, they stay in the muddy yard, where a fence demarcates their modest stay.

Faith does not bind us with wings, and they do not stunt our branches. Faith makes us free and happy – when we live as Christians.  

We have different natures, figures, and approaches to values, including keeping God’s word. What is essential in listening to God’s word? The Lord Jesus talks about this topic in the parable of the sower, how he sowed seeds that yielded different crops. He ended the legend with the words: “He who has ears, let him listen” (Mt 13:9).

What did Lord Jesus mean by that? Words have a deep meaning. The audience hears the words and understands them, but they lack a kind of “inner ear.” A parable without inner listening tells them nothing. The Lord Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah: “You will hear and not understand, you will look and not see. Because the heart of this people has become numb” (Isaiah 6:9-10). With the parable of the “sower,” Jesus points out the need for a Christian’s commitment to obtaining heaven’s kingdom. And therefore, at their request, he gives the apostles an interpretation of the parable.

Theologians believe that Jesus was thinking of himself under the sower. Indeed, Jesus knew that many would not accept his word – teaching. A wealthy bachelor left him. The Pharisees and scribes resented his education. We can believe that under the sower, Jesus probably meant the disciples, twelve, and everyone who followed the Lord. Lord Jesus wants to point out that the sower cannot be influenced, embittered, and intimidated by any failure. He doesn’t have to think about a lot of obstacles and adversities. The sower is supposed to be a realist. Success will not lead him to pride and promotion. Failure does not diminish his courage, perseverance, loyalty, diligence, and seriousness. It cannot be deterred. The believer should not only be a sower but also a seed. Who would not wish that the words of a bountiful harvest did not apply to him? If we want to achieve this, we must fulfill the prerequisites. Know how to listen correctly, listen carefully, and obey. To be shaped by God’s word every day. And also to become God’s word itself.

In the book “Our Father” Albíno Luciani places an image in the depths of our hearts. Whoever accepts it will learn a lot. Some people have made their lives a waiting room. Trains come and go, and they say to themselves: “Not this one yet; I’ll board the next one.” That means: “Then I’ll confess at the end of my life.” However, such an attitude is risky because this is not a form of touristic travel but a path to eternal salvation. We have and must be involved in our own lives. But it is correct when we know how to put our hands to work in the parish or the family. Let us not look at the heat of the day, at what we have already done, but at the reward that awaits us from Jesus, the author of the parable of the sower and the field, at the end of life.

May it be the wish of each of us for himself and for all that Jesus says to his faithful: “Enter into the joy of your master