Baptism of the Lord.

Posted on 6. January 2023 by Peter Prochac

Humanism is the fruit of change

One of the slogans of the European Renaissance and humanism was a rebirth. A man should have reached it in the process of returning to ancient ideals, which were supposed to change him. The idea of ​​rebirth conquered many geniuses and Renaissance popes at that time. Fine art found the theme of the baptism of Jesus Christ in one of the iconographic types of rebirth. In the Gospel, we read how John the Baptist announced to his listeners the need for repentance and change. People then decided to change their lives and get baptized. Jesus Christ also joined the line of repentant people waiting for baptism.

The change did not occur

Renaissance painters approached the idea of ​​humanism by placing beautiful Italian nature, fortified cities, and mighty castles in the background of the biblical scene. It was supposed to be an image of harmony with what the gospel brings to the society of the new age. Some artists supplemented the depicted subject with a theological goal. In the scene of Christ’s baptism, for example, they expressed it with the image of the Holy Spirit, which in the form of a dove descends on the baptized Jesus, or with the image of the open sky, from where the heavenly Father confirms his Son. They were deep thoughts that have not lost their motivational charge to this day.

However, at the time of the Renaissance, the desired change in human society did not occur. The morals of the popes of that time also fell. The sorry state of Christianity was transferred from Italy, the cradle of humanism and the Renaissance, to other countries. The growing tension between the religious ideal and reality provoked reformation currents and internal wars in Germany. The situation resulted in the division of Western Christendom.

Human society usually tends to understand renewal or social awakening only in external categories. It changes the architecture of buildings, the appearance of cities, the design of objects that we take in our hands every day, and their price ranges, but internally, a person does not change for the better. It remains the same. Nor did humanism and the Renaissance create a new type of humanity. Rather, they liked classical antiquity and its way of life. He was characterized by too much conceit, vanity, pride, strength, and a cult of personality leading titanium. Church and state laws and traditional orders were then considered limiting individual freedom. People thought they were heroes and supermen, but they were licentious and spendthrift, cheats, liars, and cruel. They did not stop glorifying each other and talking about immortal glory. No age before had so many immortal poets,

Authentic humanism

The problem proved intractable, where humanism became the only ideal for personal or social life. If humanism is to be authentic, it must be preceded and animated by religious thinking. Let’s look at John the Baptist as he refuses to baptize Jesus in the Sunday Gospel. He believes that Christ as the Lamb of God is first like him. A fixed hierarchy does not allow for change. Accepting Christ’s argument about the fulfillment of what is just brings change. We don’t know how long it took for John to understand that he had to renounce even the dearest idea that he had nurtured and cherished for the Messiah for many years.

We see it only in a religious and humane gesture of service. Humanism in the Gospel is born from the constant demand for change in human and religious thinking. Priorities mainly demand change, because they found themselves in a different position due to new circumstances. John, who at first repeated that he was not worthy to untie the strap of the Messiah’s shoe, suddenly baptizes him as a sign of repentance.

Service of a different kind changes John, and thus he becomes a man of New Testament times. It is an ideal to which we all aspire. It can be recognized in accompanying the humane behavior of today’s Christians. To become humane, let us learn from John. The passage about the baptism of Jesus suggests that the first steps towards the humanization of a person take place in his decision-making when we choose what the other wants. Let us decide consciously to live the Christian ideal in which we were baptized. Not only because of the wishes of parents and relatives but for a step towards humanizing ourselves.

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Success means more than making money.

Posted on 5. January 2023 by Peter Prochac

Success means doing the best we can with what we have.
Success is about doing, not about getting – about succeeding, not winning. Wynn Davis.
The most important discovery in life at the age of thirty-nine, I first understood what it meant to be successful. What have I achieved? I became CEO of a Fortune company.  Did I bring home my first Mercedes? Did I win the lottery? Did I win a huge amount of money in the game and want to be a Millionaire? Nothing like that, I just made a simple but profound discovery. I discovered, how life works and what’s most significant in life. After years of groping around.
I understood what it means to succeed in life and how to go about it. With this… I had always lacked two things: a sense of inner peace and a sense of self-worth. Plus, I began to enjoy life more than I ever had before. What was the fundamental discovery? Is there a blueprint for success?  I’m convinced there is. But you won’t find it nicely prepared and tastefully packaged, nor will you see it advertised on television. It’s nothing new, no secrets, no magic. That’s why this manual is a bust. It’s very old, too simple, and too innocent. But it works. After years of historical, philosophical, and psychological study.
I’ve come to realize that life and success can be boiled down to a few basic principles that we’ve known for thousands of years. In search of the recipe for the “good life”. I took several paths and eventually found myself where I was where I started, with what I call the old-fashioned truths. As Edward Albee says in his play It Happened at the Zoo, “…sometimes it is necessary to take the wrong road for a long time, to get back right and fast.”
Does this book contain instructions? Can you find it among the 20 offered? I hope so. If you apply these ancient principles consistently, you will understand and experience the true meaning of success. I am truly convinced of this. A Swedish proverb says we grow old too fast and grow wise too late. Maybe that doesn’t have to happen. Maybe you’ll my book will help you wise up before I do. And if you’re older, that’s okay. It’s never too late to learn. The smartest people in the world are the ones …are who can be happy.
We can’t seem to make up our minds about whether money is bad or good. If someone is said to be successful, it usually means they are rich. So wealth must be good. But they also say that money can’t buy happiness. So it must be bad. Wealthy people donate billions of dollars every year to needed projects, which is good. But haven’t we heard that money is the source of all evil? So they’re back bad. Poor people criticize the rich but would like to be rich. So how is that so? Is money good or bad? Neither. But we live in a society where money is often associated with success, so we must analyze it. We need to clarify some of the myths that circulate about money, and we need to look at it from the right perspective. In connection with money, I would like to draw attention to two phenomena:
1. Money is not bad
Does the Bible say that money is the root of all evil? No. The Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil. That is a big difference. There’s nothing wrong with money. Wanting to have money is not wrong, and having it is not wrong, even in large quantities. The key question is how we get it and what we do with it. Money honestly acquired and well spent can do a lot of good. Can it buy happiness? He who said probably didn’t have enough. It can buy much more happiness than poverty. I think the best way to solve this problem was described by Pearl Bailey when she said, “I was poor, my dear, and I was rich. Let me tell you, being rich is better.” And it’s true. Success, and money, are probably better in most cases. Being rich is not illegal or immoral, but it’s not everything.

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Epiphany of the Lord.

Posted on 4. January 2023 by Peter Prochac

Dies enthält ein Bild von: Three Kings Day

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Feast of the Epiphany – Three Kings

Posted on 4. January 2023 by Peter Prochac

Christian commitment – a matter of faith, hope, and love (Mt 2:1-12

During the holidays, in moments of silence, did you also think a lot about the things of everyday life? Perhaps also your attitude towards faith. His commitment. When we can get involved in other areas of life, how is it in getting involved in faith? Why do young people like to go to the disco? Why do I like to sit down at the chessboard? Why do I like to pick up a book? Or will I sit down at the piano? Because I’m happy about it? Yes. I have to make some effort, effort, but the result will please, satisfy, enrich, and fill with peace, and a feeling of happiness.

Today – on the Feast of the Epiphany – we read how the wise men: “… they fell to the ground and worshiped
him. Then they opened their treasuries and gave him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Mt 2:11-12).

Let us consider what a great desire it must have been that compelled the sages to set out on their journey. When they independently read from the books of the Jews that the star is supposed to announce the birth of an extraordinary king. They want to see him, to bow to him, and not only decency told them not to go empty-handed. Their commitment leads them to embark on a journey to an unknown land. Familiar events, familiar things, familiar people, and yet new motives, attitudes, and a new possibility of engagement.

People in the Gospel can be divided into several groups of personal involvement about Christ.
Herod represents people interested only in themselves. They make sure that no one and nothing threatens their comfort or well-being… They get involved when they feel threatened. They don’t shy away from pretense, meanness, and lies, they commit terror, violin and ce, and murder… Their involvement ends sooner than they think, is and often is the exact opposite of what they desire. Their lives can be compared to the grain of the parable, which the birds pick up before it takes root and starts to grow a stalk. What kind of life is this? Is this how we should realize our life? What is the meaning, essence, and goal of life on earth? One can also talk about baptized people, but not Christians. God is their enemy.
Some leaders of the nation from the groups of Pharisees and scribes represent the second group. They are educated, they have a responsibility, they know where it is written about the birth of the Messiah, they know where he is to be born, and, perhaps, they even saw a star and burned like a seed because it took root on a rock. Later they cut to catch Jesus talking, cut to his life, and even blaspheme him as he dies on the cross. The essence of life is power, glory, silent consent to sin, and obeisance. A Christian only gets involved when it suits him. Self against God.
Another group consists of the curious around Jesus from his birth to his resurrection. Soldiers murder Bethlehem boys. Judas betrays for thirty pieces of silver. A young man who has many possessions goes away sad. The crowd that seeks Jesus after the multiplication of the loaves and fishes does not accept Jesus’ words about true food. Another seed fell into a thorn. It suffocated. A Christian who engages only in the external forum fulfills his duties only out of habit: holidays are a matter of tradition, faith a matter of folklore. Such people cannot deny themselves, and therefore they will never feel the joy of personal involvement in faith. They cannot offer themselves as gold, frankincense, or myrrh. Their eyes do not see or do not want to see a model, an example of others from their surroundings, who in their commitment can give up and control a lot, but they receive much more than Jesus promised them.
The serious group is represented by shepherds and kings at the manger. What happened to them later? The important thing is that they fulfilled what was expected of them, what was asked of them. Shepherds talk and then keep silent. The kings returned to their country, and we know nothing more about their further activities. However, in their place, in their time, they were a grain that fulfilled its mission. It brought a harvest. A hundredfold harvest. God is no respecter of persons, but everyone who fears him and does what is right is pleasing to him. God gives us time, space, and talent and expects us to fulfill his expectation in the time he has determined, the length of which we do not know. Our commitment is a decisive value that cannot be underestimated.
During repairs around the church, and parish building, but also on other occasions, personal involvement brings joy, well-being, and often growth in faith.
They built a new church on the estate. a company built the church. It indeed brought many advantages: close to the church, pleasant a environment, and so on. Believers in its construction were involved only financially.
Others built a church on the estate, but with their help. This church also has many advantages, but one surpasses the previous ones, and it can be expressed in words: it is our church. Even after years, their memories are linked to certain things, and events during the construction and construction of the church. Personal commitment.

When an old musician was passing by a church where a new organ had recently been installed and heard it being played, he wanted to try the organ. He asked the organist, who was rehearsing some compositions. But he got a negative answer. He asked politely again, but the organist answered:
I’m sorry, but where would we get if everyone walking by wanted to try a new organ?
The old musician begged for the third time: “Just one song.”
He was not granted. He was leaving sadly, when suddenly his composition sounded from the organ, but very pitifully. He took offense. He returned and pointedly remarked,
“Sir, this piece must be played differently, let me.”
The organist—amazed by his insistence—allowed him to play. Beautiful notes rang out from the organ. Now the organist himself puts his hand on his shoulder and asks:
“Who are you?”
“Mendelssohn.”
“What? Are you a music composer? I’m sorry I didn’t let you right away.’

The musician was personally involved. How many times do we easily and quickly renounce personal involvement for our cause, beneficial for the soul or souls of others? It is necessary to pursue your goal, which is by the words: Thy will be done… Knowing how to bring a gift to God. Even himself as a king, his gifts. Let’s consider what the Child Jesus rightfully expects from us as a gift. That we have nothing? And what is most valuable to ourselves?
The sages accepted the appeal to the star. They made the journey. They brought gifts. Many stars in our life invite us on the way to realize the words: Thy will be done. And our answer?

Christmas holidays are like days of spiritual exercises, during which we have more time to think about our involvement in spiritual life. Even today’s Gospel about the wise men is a lesson, a call to a more active approach in the field of engagement.

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John Nepomuk Neumann

Posted on 3. January 2023 by Peter Prochac

Saint of the Three Nations
There are few in the calendar and in the history of the saints who consider their three distinct nations. One of them is the saint of today, the Czech national patron saint, St. Jan Nepomuk Neumann, bishop. Our Czech nation, and especially those of us in southern Bohemia, claim this saint. As you surely know, he was born on March 28, 1811, in Prachatice. His mother was Czech, as evidenced by her maiden name: Anežka Lepší. Young Jan studied in České Budějovice at the gymnasium and then at the theological faculty in Prague. However, his father, hosier Filip Neumann, was German, and German was spoken at home in his family. For this reason, even the Germans – especially the neighboring nation of the Bavarians – rightly consider him as their saint. The third nation that worships him with special piety is the Americans because Saint Jan Nepomuk Neumann worked blessedly in the States, he did much good here, and also died a holy death here as the fourth bishop of the city of Philadelphia. He is the first bishop from the United States to be canonized.

The vocation to the priesthood awoke in young John very early. It is said that he enjoyed ministering as a schoolboy and even made a small altar at home, at which he often prayed. Another story from his childhood is also known, which he recorded in his diary. When he once prayed before a meal, he made a large Latin cross instead of three small crosses. The old nanny immediately noticed this and remarked with a smile: “Look, our Honzíek will be a priest one day!” She guessed right, although Jan’s path to the priesthood was certainly not paved with roses. On the contrary – many different obstacles awaited him, but whom the Lord calls, He will also give him the strength to overcome all difficulties. So it was rather a thorny path, but young John knew very well that whoever decided to follow Christ the Lord must also carry his cross.

He had to overcome the first difficulties at home because his father wanted him to become a doctor. He did not spend the first years of his theological studies in a priestly seminary, but in a sublet with the widow Nováková. The seminarians from Budějovič then lived in the former Capuchin monastery, which was small and not enough for everyone. Nevertheless, Bishop Růžička recognized a gifted student in young Neumann and therefore sent him to further studies at the Faculty of Theology in Prague. There he also had to deal with the remnants of Josephine Freemasonry theories, which still tenaciously persisted in the opinions of some professors. However, they did not lead the young Neumann astray, rather, on the contrary, they increased his devotion to the Holy Church. 

Then came another blow for which he was not prepared, and which must have caused him deep grief. He was already looking forward to his ordination, but the bishop postponed his ordination at the last minute. What happened? Nowadays it will sound incredible – almost like a fairy tale – when we hear that our dioceses had an excess of priests in the first half of the 19th century, and that the bishops did not have a suitable location for them. Today, on the other hand, we have already gotten used to their ever-increasing shortage, which is increasing year by year. At that time, however, there were more young priests than the bishops needed. Young theologians were forced to look for employment elsewhere – even outside their homeland if they did not want to wait a long time for a vacant position as a chaplain!

The young theologian Jan Nepomuk Neumann also followed this path. He did not think twice, and at the beginning of February 1836, he left for the United States with the permission and blessing of his bishop. There in New York, Bishop Dubois, who had previously been looking for priests in Europe, welcomed him with sincere joy and ordained him the same year, on June 25, 1836, in his cathedral. Patrick on the priest. We must bear in mind that the United States was still a mission territory at that time. They were only the states on the eastern Atlantic coast, since the great campaign to the Wild West, towards the Pacific, was just beginning. Immigrants from all over the world poured into North America, so the success of the priests’ pastoral work depended primarily on their language skills. However, Jan was very well prepared in this respect. He knew German and Czech, could also communicate in Polish,

Priest John’s first place of work was the Williamsville mission station near Niagara Falls. From there he made long journeys to distant villages, where he had to do everything necessary – from preaching to provisioning. Later, he found effective support in his brother Václav, who came to see him and helped him as a cook, church minister, and, catechist. The reputation of priest Jan Neumann grew greatly, as already in 1851 the archbishop of Baltimore chose him as his confessor and recommended him to the office of bishop in Philadelphia. At that time, however, Neumann was already a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer – popularly known as the Redemptorists, which he joined together with his brother Václav in 1840. On February 1, 1852, Pope Bl. Pius IX appointed Jan Nepomuk Neumann as the bishop of the city of Philadelphia, and the episcopal consecration followed in two months. Bishop Jan knew that he would not have an easy job.

Bishop Jan was truly blessed in his diocese. He built 80 new churches and founded over a hundred parish church schools. He is therefore rightly considered the father of American Catholic education. He also founded a small seminary for the growth of priestly vocations and reformed a large priestly seminary. He founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis. He is the author of two very successful and popular catechisms and Bible histories for children and youth. Thanks to his tireless care, the construction of the Philadelphia Cathedral was completed. He spent most of his time on episcopal and missionary visits to his diocese. During a visit to Rome in 1854, as part of the definition of the article of faith on the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, Philadelphia Bishop Jan Nepomuk Neumann told the Holy Father Pius IX that his diocese needed many more priests and that it still had only 35 schools with about 10,000 pupils. The Pope promised him help. In the following year, 1855, Bishop Neumann saw his native Bohemia for the last time and celebrated the pontifical mass of St. at the grave of his patron John of Nepomuk in the Cathedral of St. Welcome to Prague Castle. His native Prachatice also welcomed his native.

After all, since 1857, Bishop Jan had his work somewhat easier, because he got a bishop – coadjutor Jakub Bedřich Wood. He came from a banking family, so Neumann was happy to leave the financial issues of the diocese to him. He dedicated himself to spiritual service for his entrusted flocks and was a really good shepherd for them. He tirelessly cared for his sheep literally until the last moment of his life. And so his last day came. On January 5, 1860, while returning home, he fainted and fell on the pavement of the street. They brought him to his mansion already dead. Four days later, his successor, Bishop Wood, pronounced over his coffin the truly prophetic words: “This bishop was a saint.” And he was not wrong. In the second session of the Second Vatican Council, on October 13, 1963, the Holy Father Paul VI. beatified, and on June 19, 1977, the same Pope declared him a saint. Saint Jan Nepomuk Neumann drew strength from the cross of Christ and often repeated to himself: Passion of Christ, strengthen me! This is a great message for all of us – let us also try to draw strength from the cross of Christ. Let us too, following the example of Saint Bishop John, meditate on the suffering of Christ the Lord, let us seek help from the Mother of the Redeemer, the Virgin Mary, and so one day we too will reach eternal life in perfect joy. Saint John of Nepomuk Neumann, pray for us!

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What did Benedict XVI mean? for the church and the world 

Posted on 2. January 2023 by Peter Prochac

Several aspects of the pontificate of silent martyrdom.

The late pope emeritus warned the church not to reduce the message of Jesus to the vague values ​​of political moralism.

Several aspects of the pontificate of silent martyrdomJoseph Ratzinger – Benedict XVI. was a great gift of God to the church and the world. Uniquely, he was able to reconcile deep intellectual knowledge with spiritual penetration of the problem, in other words, integrally combine Fides et ratio, faith, and reason, and thus penetrate to the essence of things, understand complex phenomena and foresee their further development.

The key word of his theological thinking and pontificate was the truth. This term was already in his archbishop’s motto and the title of two key encyclicals.

While today’s secularized world is dominated by the dictates of relativism, enforced by political power through the ubiquitous media offensive and coercive means, Ratzinger never stopped proclaiming that objective truth independent of human will exists and that man naturally seeks it.

It is not enough, therefore, to be “polite” concerning supposed Christian love, to “discuss” and “tolerate each other”, because even Christian love is nothing if it is not rooted in truth, and Christian tolerance tolerates the sinner, but not his error and sin.

As Catholics, we have a moral obligation to the truth, which is only one and is not “in the middle”, as political correctness cheaply offers us today, but it is where it is, and as Christians, we have a moral obligation to seek and proclaim it, opportune importune, that is even if it causes resistance.

He ruthlessly pointed out the crisis in the church

During the Way of the Cross in the Coliseum on Good Friday 2005, shortly before the death of Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger spoke harsh words about the crisis in the Church: “ How little faith there is in so many theories, how many empty words there are!” How much dirt there is in the church, and even among those who in the priesthood should belong to him (that is, Jesus).”

Pope Benedict XVI. then he mercilessly pointed out the crisis in the church, the “pride, and self-centeredness”, especially among those who should completely belong to it [the church] as priests!”, and the lack of faith. He compared the church to a boat that is tossed between ideological currents, “into which water flows from all sides”, in which there is too much of the human and not enough of the divine.

Ratzinger’s principles and ideas provoked a huge backlash from the secular, anti-Church-biased world.

He warned the church and theology not to reduce the message of Jesus to vague values ​​that merge with the general meaningless slogans of political moralism such as decency, tolerance, protection of creation, and peace…, in the middle of which, however, God is forgotten, without whom they become empty and exploitable.

Pope Benedict was convinced that the church and theology had already wasted a lot of time in minor fights over details and had lost sight of the essentials. The Church must not allow itself to be degraded to a cheap social moralizer or an institution of social assistance, it must become itself again, return to its most proper task of proclaiming God’s word and God’s kingdom, and each of its priests must be an alter Christus, “another Christ”, who is in the name of Christ’s truth, he is not even afraid of Calvary.

Integral human development is not possible without God

Although Benedict XVI. wrote only one explicitly social encyclical, which was published a few months after the outbreak of the great financial crisis of 2008, in it he gave a clear message to the world: integral human development cannot be achieved without God.

Marxism and liberalism – he considered both ideologies and systems to be very related because they are built on the same materialism without God – tried to achieve development through purely economic, material means, but these are not only insufficient, but without God, they become dehumanized and counterproductive.

When we remove the moral principle and reduce the economy to the principle of profit and its functioning to a market mechanism, it becomes a destructive tool hostile to man, unable to ensure the integral material-spiritual development of man and the common good of the nation and the state.

Economics also needs the idea of ​​a selfless gift, solidarity, and work out of love and devotion, work is “decent” only when a person chooses it voluntarily, and income is “decent” when it allows one to support a family and provide education and upbringing for children, to enjoy respect in society, to let your voice be heard in the public space, to have a dignified perspective on the time of retirement.

A society of freedom and justice is not possible without the gospel, truly human development is only possible when it touches all people and the whole person, in his material and spiritual dimensions.

Empty Europe

Ratzinger was convinced that the European “civilization of technology and trade, which is triumphantly spreading throughout the world” is “a post-European culture, born from the demise of the old European cultures”.

Europe is emptied from the inside, paralyzed by the will to live, the rejection of the future, manifested by the rejection of children and “pathological” self-hatred. It opens itself up to foreign values, but does not love itself, it sees only everything reprehensible and destructive in its history, it laudably punishes the dishonor of the faith of Israel or Islam, but it offers its own Christianity as a prey to attack and supports multiculturalism, which in reality is only a denial of its own and sacred.

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THE NAME OF JESUS.

Posted on 1. January 2023 by Peter Prochac

Old Testament tradition

Anyone who knows a little about Spanish culture is certainly familiar with two first names such as José María or Jesús María, etc. Although unusual for our ears and tradition, the fact remains that the Spanish commonly use Jesús – Jesus as a first name. However, this name is not used in most Christian Europe. The name Jesus is of Hebrew origin and means… “The LORD (YHVH) saves; The LORD is salvation .” In Jesus’ time, the newer form Ješú ( a ) was already used. The original Hebrew name of Yehoshua is also found in the Old Testament. Several people have it. The first of them is Joshua, the son of Nun, who is known as the war leader of the Israelites and Moses’ guide during the ascent and descent from Mount Sinai. He was the guardian of the entrance to the tent of revelation and the leader of the people to the Promised Land (Sir 46,1). The book of Sirach, therefore, calls him Moses’ successor in prophecy. 2 Kr 23.8 writes about another Joshua who was a city commander. The city gate of Jerusalem was also named after him. Thus, such a commander had to be distinguished by extraordinary faithful service and loyalty to the king. Thirdly, let’s mention the high priest Josue, Josedek’s son. He is mentioned together with the Judean deputy Zerubbabel as the restorer of the temple (Hag 1,1). Raised in spirit, High Priest Joshua was cleansed of guilt, gifted with new authority, and entrusted with additional duties. The prophet Zechariah gives the high priest Joshua the rank of an anointed one, and he will be crowned after the restoration of the temple (Zech 3-4; 6). The books of Ezra-Nehemiah call it a shorter versionYeshua, which sounds almost the same as the later Aramaic form of the name Jesus.

From this brief overview, we see that the persons who bore the name of Joshua played an important role in leading the Israelites to the Promised Land, in the defense of the city, or the post-exile restoration of the temple. Undoubtedly, the figure of Joshua, Moses’ successor in the prophecy, played a particularly significant role. This Joshua finished what Moses started but could not finish by himself. Moses, at the command of the LORD, led the people out of Egypt, and Joshua, at the command of the LORD, led the people into the Promised Land. The first he brought out of slavery, and the second led to the blessed land. This last image is significant for understanding the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

The name Jesus in the period of the New Testament

In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the name Joshua is pronounced Jésús. This name is also the name of the only author of the Old Testament writing who signed his writing – Jésús, son of Sirach from Jerusalem (Sir 50,27). In the New Testament Greek text, the name Jesus has the same Greek form as all the mentioned names – Jésús. At the time when books were written with capital Greek letters, the full form of the name Joshua or Jesus looked like this – IHCOUC, where the Greek letter sigma, although it looked like our Latin “C”, was always pronounced like our “s”. In other words, it was always pronounced Jésús. However, copyists used to make abbreviations of words and especially well-known names. And so the internal letters HCOU were omitted from the Greek word IHCOUC and the abbreviation IC was created. This abbreviation is well known from the icons where it denotes the name of Jesus. The abbreviation XC similarly refers to another Greek word, XPISTOC (read Christos ) Christ. So the name Jesus has the same meaning as the name Joshua. Here I would like to mention an incident that happened three years ago to a young family. She already had several children who bore biblical names such as Jacob and Jeremiah. They wanted to name their newborn son Joshua. Surprisingly, the officials of the city officials did not see this. The local pastor had to intervene, who confirmed in writing that the name Joshua is not dangerous and that it is also found in the Bible. The reasoning worked, so now that I’m putting a cross on little Joshua’s forehead, I’ll remember what a precious name he bea

In this context, one of the greatest preachers of the Middle Ages should be mentioned – St. Bernardín of Siena (1380-1444). This Franciscan reformer is known as the Apostle of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. He brought many to conversion and reconciliation. Since he associated preaching with the Most Holy Name of Jesus and is said to have been the first to use it significantly more often than others, he also used the monogram IHS instead of the full name IHCOUC. As a great propagator of deep reverence for the name of Jesus, he is represented with this abbreviation, which is in the sun-shining disk. A hundred years later, the Jesuit fathers would become the successors of the extraordinary reverence for the name of Jesus. Originally, the abbreviation IHS was only used instead of the full name Jesus. Only much later, it began to be interpreted symbolically. It was assumed that each letter stands for a different word, of course in Latin, and thusIesus Homini Salvator meant Jesus saved man– more beautiful Jesus Saved Sinners. Although this interpretation of the name is not original, it is correct in content and deviates little from the original meaning of the name Jesus – the LORD saves or the LORD saves. All the writers of the New Testament wrote the writings of the New Testament at least 15 years after the death, resurrection, and ascension of our LORD Jesus Christ. Therefore, filled with the Holy Spirit and under the influence of his inspiration, they gave Easter meaning to many events. Therefore, when they describe the name Jesus, they immediately give it meaning not only from the name itself but especially from what Jesus did for man. Evangelists Matthew and Luke agree that the angel commanded to name Mary’s child Jesus (Mt 1:21; Lk 1:31; 2:21). The angel also explains to Joseph that he will name him Jesus, because he, Jesus, will free the people from their sins. God’s messenger explains not the name, but the role of Jesus – Jesus is the deliverer of people from their sins. None of the people can do that. Thus, the name Jesus in the case of Christ himself foreshadows a deeper meaning. It reminds us not only that his name means LORD is salvation, but that Jesus is the LORD himself – God, and that he saves man by freeing him from the slavery of sin.

Other persons in the New Testament with the name Jesus It is interesting that the New Testament also knows several other persons who have the name Jesus or Jesús. Jesus’ ancestor, the son of Eliezer, is mentioned first (Luke 3:29). The second Jesus, better known as Barabas (translated as “son of the father”), was a rebel and a murderer (Mk 15:7). Together with Jesus the Messiah, Pilate offers the people a choice (Mt 27:16-17). Certainly, the same names caused copyists to prefer not to name this rebel by the name Jésús, but only Barabbas, in many manuscripts. In the Acts of the Apostles, a certain wizard Elymus, Barjésú (“son of Jesus”; Acts 13,6-8) is mentioned. The fourth and last case of a man named Jésúsis Paul’s reliable associate also called Justus (“just”). This was Paul’s consolation (Col 4:11). In addition to Jesus the LORD, the New Testament mentions four more persons with the name Jesus – two of them have a negative character and the other two have a positive character. The last of them, Justus, is an example of an active worker in God’s kingdom.

Respect for the name

It is a sin to damage another person’s name. Everyone is sensitive to their name. On the other hand, respecting other people’s names means respecting them. Thus, the name in the basic sense of the word captures the whole person. Therefore, respecting the names of others is an expression of respect and love for them. To have respect for God’s name, LORD is even one of the Ten Commandments of God. And in this commandment, is also an expression of respect and love for God the Creator and Liberator. Let’s go back to the name Jesus. The word of St. Paul the Apostle to the Philippians beautifully expresses, come to a living faith in tradition. He wrote to the Philippians that God, in his salvation plan, exalted Jesus above all and gave him a name that is above every other name. He did this so that in the name of Jesus every knee would bow in heaven, on earth, and in the underworld and that every tongue confesses that Jesus, the Messiah, is Lord! Paying respect to the name of Jesus is not a humiliation for anyone, but it is an expression of our faith in the glory of God the Father (Phil 2,9-11). Worshiping the name of Jesus is not a magic formula that saves from evil. Worshiping the name of Jesus in true faith – that is, worshiping Jesus as a man and God in one person – is a profession of faith and giving praise to God’s condescension for his saving plan with us. To call on the name of Jesus is to bend the knee and bow the heart before the one who is God and man with a humble heart in one person. Calling on Jesus is the prayer of a good thief asking for salvation. As Joshua led the people to the Promised Land, so Jesus leads those who call to him to paradise (Luke 23:42). Let us often call on Jesus as LORD and have hope! You don’t have to wait for January 3, when there is any remembrance of the Most Holy Name, Jesus. Let us call with hope, Jesus, remember us…

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Article of Faith: I believe in Jesus Christ.

Posted on 1. January 2023 by Peter Prochac

Who is Jesus Christ? A question that is still relevant, timeless, and thought-provoking. The name Jesus means “God gives salvation.” It expresses Jesus’ identity and his mission. And in turn, Christ means “anointed one.” God sanctified him and anointed him with the Holy Spirit for the work of redemption. Thus, his very name reveals to us who he is. At the outset, however, we must answer the question whether this is a fictional character or a real person who lived on this earth. Many opponents say that Jesus is a mere invention of the evangelists, a kind of ideal that the Church created for itself. But the evidence is clear. Many non-Christian historical sources, such as the pagan writers Pliny and Tacitus, as well as the Jewish historians Josephus Flavius and the Talmud, testify to the life of Jesus Christ. Based on these sources, we know that Christ is not some fictional character, but a real person. We learn the most about his life from the Gospels, as recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Each of them, in a particular style, presents their perspective, but they have one thing in common – the Good News. The Son of God became man, by the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh from the Virgin Mary for us humans and our salvation. He did this to reconcile us sinners to God, to let us know his infinite love, to be a model of holiness for us, and to make us partakers of God’s nature. The Holy Father Benedict XVI says: “God is so great that he can become small. God is so powerful that he can become defenseless and comes to us as a helpless child so that we can love him.” Jesus showed by many signs that He has divine power over nature, evil spirits, sin, and over death. His divine origin, his divine son ship, he supremely proved by his resurrection. Jesus Christ is both a true God and a true man in one person. They are not two distinct persons, nor is there any competition between the two natures, nor is there any mixture or fusion. In Jesus Christ, God became one of us and our brother, and yet He never ceased to be God and therefore our Lord. That is to say, the 2nd article of faith is pointing to faith in Christ, the God-man, who is our only Lord because He saved us.

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An Argentine priest on how not to succumb to secularism 

Posted on 31. December 2022 by Peter Prochac

Let’s defend the truth, but let’s empathize with others

Let's defend the truth, but let's empathize with others

Spreading the faith is the very essence of the Christian vocation. However, in today’s society, which is often anti-Catholic, this task can seem almost impossible.

In an interview for Postojna, Argentine priest, philosophy,er, and writer Mariano Fazio talks about how to work on the spread of the Gospel even today and how to prevent ourselves from succumbing to secularization. According to him, three Englishmen can be an example for us: Saint Thomas More, Saint JP Newman, and GK Chesterton.

One of your books is called Reshaping the World from the Inside Out. In it, you write about how today’s Christians can change the world. But if we look at the numbers, there are about a billion Catholics in the world, but society is moving further and further away from God. Do you believe that this can be changed?

Yes, I believe that, that’s why I wrote the book. I even think that this task is inherent in the very essence of the Christian vocation. But the first condition for reshaping the world, that is, for us to be able to improve it, is to love it. The word world has two meanings in the Christian tradition. The first is the world as sin, as something far from God’s plan. The second is the world as a place of our sanctification, of our life. And this meaning prevailed in the last documents of the Magisterium.

We cannot change the world if we do not love it. Only if someone likes someone, wants the best for him, tries to advise him, and help him. And such is the relationship of Christians to the world. We love the world, so we want to make it better.

What does this mean in practice?

In order to love the world, we must know it. It is therefore very important that we know well the current culture, what ideas prevail in it, and what kind of things society solves. Because if we don’t know anything about it, if we close ourselves in a ghetto, in our self-referential world, as Pope Francis used to say, if we are not in contact with the reality of the world, we will hardly be able to change it.

How to avoid the world from changing us?

First of all, you need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. People engaged in intellectual work think that everything is decided in the world of ideas. Thoughts are indeed very important, but more important is the experience of one’s faith. Not only from an intellectual point of view but mainly from an existential point of view. We must have a personal relationship with Jesus, a real life of prayer. It is important to personally follow Christ and live the doctrine he brought. It has many consequences in political, social, economic, and cultural life, and if we want to live an authentic Christian life, we must know it. Another important ingredient is the unity of life.

What do you mean?

We are always at risk of pharisaism. People can know the truth, and know what values ​​need to be defended, but at the same time live in such a way that their lives do not reflect these values ​​at all. Saint Paul VI. said that humanity today believes more in witnesses than in teachers. These two things are not mutually exclusive, but the witness of our life is the foundation. And one more thing must not be forgotten – Christian doctrine must be explained in an evangelical style.

Pope Francis often emphasizes this when he says that the essence of the Gospel is basically in two places: in the Beatitudes and the 25th chapter of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. There Jesus talks about the last judgment and that we will be judged according to how we treated our loved ones. Our effort to change and improve the world will be effective to the extent that we help our loved ones.

You mentioned the danger of being locked up in a ghetto. In his book Benedict’s Choice, American conservative intellectual Rod Dreher suggests that we as a community must separate ourselves from the world and come together to strengthen each other, maintain our faith, and not succumb to the world’s secularizing influences. It’s a good idea?

It is very important that we have the support of the community and that we are very united. And not only at the level of ideas, but also to feel that we support each other, we like that we are not alone. This is necessary, but the goal is to penetrate all areas of society. Today, for example, a family is in a big crisis. But the solution is not to have a very good Christian family isolated at home. This family can mediate the Christian experience of relationships full of love, understanding, and forgiveness, for example, to their neighbors as well. And it will appeal to them and they will want to live like them.

Doesn’t the opposite happen?

The key is to be authentic Christians. This means truly following Christ with all the consequences that entail. If we doubt, we don’t have a deep spiritual life, we are at risk, I would even say it is almost certain that the secularized environment will swallow us up. I like a quote from Saint John Paul II. from Novo Millenio Ineunte, where he proposes a pastoral plan for the third millennium. He says that a Christian without a prayer life is a Christian who is jeopardizing his faith. The anti-Christian environment will not swallow us if we anchor ourselves in the Christian life, in the relationship with our Lord. 

You wrote a book about three important English Catholics who can be an example for Catholics today. They are Saint Thomas More, Saint John Paul Newman, and GK Chesterton. Why these three?

The example of these three Englishmen can be a light for us in the situation we are experiencing. We talked about the unity of life. Saint Thomas More was a loyal subject of his king, he served his country with all his abilities. But there came a moment when obedience would mean betrayal of conscience. There are moments in life when a person has to choose: either he will be faithful to what he considers to be the truth and thus preserve his dignity, or he will adapt to the circumstances. Nowadays, many Christians find themselves in such a situation, and Saint Thomas More can be a light for us. He preferred fidelity to the truth. And he did it with joy, even humor. He was joking until the last moment of his life. And he was able to do it precisely because of his faith.

Cardinal Newman is a different case.

He was a man of his time in a very anti-Catholic England. He too was deeply anti-Catholic, he was full of prejudices, but at the same time, he had a great love for the truth and searched for it all his life. In the end, he found her where he didn’t want to find her – in the Catholic Church. Man naturally seeks the truth, and when he finds it, he must adapt to it. Newman is a great example of an honest search for truth. When he found her, he accepted her, although it brought him great trouble. He experienced misunderstanding on the part of the Anglicans and, unfortunately, also on the part of his new Catholic brothers.

Chesterton is rather known for his ingenious paradoxes.

Chesterton also went through a long process of conversion. I would like to point out that he did not adapt to what was politically correct. He spoke truths that people of his time did not like, but at the same time, he did it in such a way that everyone listened to him and liked him. Great personalities such as the writer GB Shaw and HG Wells, who were agnostics with great prejudices against the Catholic Church, considered Chesterton to be their best friend. He knew how to defend the truth with a smile, and irony and at the same time with great respect for others. He was able to win the friendship of everyone he met. He is thus a great example of a defender of the faith, without acting as a hammer against heretics. He had empathy with others and that is the way even today.

They are really admirable people, but when we look at the story of Saint Thomas More, for example, it ends tragically – he was beheaded. It is a cruel example that the defense of the truth can at best exclude us from society and political life. Sometimes it may seem that it is better to give up fighting for some things so that one can continue to influence at least in some other areas.

Saint Thomas More is a great example because he used all his political capacities, he never chose martyrdom. Until he was directly asked whether he agreed or disagreed with the king’s decision, he said nothing because he wanted to continue to serve the king and be a positive influence. But at one point, he couldn’t be quiet anymore. So we have to strategically think about the defense of our values, so that, figuratively speaking, we don’t get beheaded right away. We must always strive to be in these environments, to love everyone with Christian love, and to spread the truth with wisdom. Even in the Gospel, it is said that the sons of this world are more discerning than the sons of light. We must be foresight, and cunning, and use all our abilities to make the truth prevail. It’s not about covering it up but saying it at the right time and in the right way.

However, people often have the experience that if they go against the flow and defend Christian values, they are gradually excluded. Whether from the work team, from the family, or even from a group of friends.

We Christians, and especially those who work in public, must learn to speak the truth attractively. First of all, we must be convinced that this truth is attractive in itself. But to spread the truth appealingly, we need empathy. We must know who is in front of us and try to understand him, put ourselves in his circumstances and look for what unites us.

This is not always easy.

But it can be done. We can show it with the example of abortion. What connects me to a person who defends abortion? If it is a good person, then that mother connects us. If it is a case where a woman was raped, it is a tragedy. And we, who defend life from its conception, cannot say that the mother is stolen from us because we are only interested in the child. We are just as interested in the mother as those who advocate abortion. We must try to save the mother, help her, and create a safety net because the child is not to blame for what happened. And now we can also talk about the child. It’s about creating a bridge between us and the person who thinks abortion is good or a necessary evil.

Another example can be gender ideology. All ideology is based at least in part on reality because otherwise, it would not exist. It is true that throughout history certain genders have been assigned functions that were very limited in the case of women. The criticism of these artificially created social functions is valid. But gender ideology does not understand that there are things that are simply inherent to women, and others are inherent to men. When talking about this topic, it is good to start by acknowledging that there was discrimination against women, and because of it, women had very limited options.

Saint John Paul II is an example for me. On a visit to Cuba, he said he recognized the concern of Marx’s followers for health and education. I don’t think he agreed with the Cuban health or education system. But it is simply true, at least in Latin America, that the followers of Marxism had a great sensitivity to increasing the availability of health care and education.

Another dilemma when working in a public space is what topics to pay attention to. To fight mainly for basic, although very divisive issues such as the protection of life and family? Or prefer less conflicting topics?

Benedict XVI spoke of uncompromising principles. Pope Francis said that for him all values ​​and principles are uncompromising. It wasn’t a criticism of Benedict, he just said that what he says should be applied to all values. At the same time, I don’t think that one can either protect the family and life from conception or choose to care for the poor and so on. To follow Christ means to defend all these. Love always comes first, but love is not only the service of the poor but also the defense of life. 

Do you think that Pope Francis prefers to focus on what sounds good to all people and avoids more difficult topics?

Rather, I think that the statements of Pope Francis are always interpreted very ideologically. When it comes to abortion, few popes have spoken with as much clarity on the subject as he has. František said that abortion means paying a murderer to kill one’s child. So the Pope is expressing himself clearly. At the same time, he often emphasizes the social teaching of the church. Every pope has his background, and it is logical that Francis, who comes from Latin America, where there is huge social inequality, will press on these topics.

But Benedict XVI also had very strong positions in this area. A friend of mine wrote a book about Francis, and one chapter is called Economics according to Pope Francis. It contains harsh texts about the priority of the universal destination of goods over private property. However, the last sentence of this chapter tells the reader that all these texts come from Pope Benedict XVI. The author wanted to show that Benedict XVI. and Francis are actually in great harmony.

Many do not think so.

Benedict’s big theme is the dictatorship of relativism, which is a serious cultural and intellectual problem. With Pope Francis, it is a culture of shredding, which is a practical consequence of the dictatorship of relativism. If there is no truth, whoever has more political and economic power will win. And the weakest will pay for it.

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Jan 01 Mary, Mother of God

Posted on 30. December 2022 by Peter Prochac

The beginning of the new year.

Simon Tokarszevsky was sent to exile in Siberia. In his memoirs, he describes an interesting event. His mother was waiting for him at one station. She approached him and hugged him. Then she turned to the other exiles and exclaimed: “I also want to bless you all in the name of your mothers.” Then she approached from man to man, to all those who had to go into exile. She hugged everyone and blessed them with the sign of the cross on their foreheads. Some of the men started to sing the song Holy God… The song Holy God gradually came out of the mouths of all the convicts.
The author notes: Mother’s blessing and immediately the song became a boost and courage for the difficult time that was ahead of us.
We stand on the threshold of a new year. We experience a feeling of uncertainty, but also hope and expectations for the future. We can wish for a “happy new year”, but we can’t quite plan it ourselves. On the first day of the New Year, we realize the need and importance of God’s blessing.

On the first day of the civil year, the Church reminds us of an important article of faith that the Mother of Jesus is the Mother of God. And the Church lets us read the text of the Gospel, where it is mentioned how Mary reacted to the shepherds’ visit to her Son’s manager. “Mary kept all the words in her heart and thought about them” (Luke 2:19).

Why this view of the Mother of God on the first day? What does it mean for us that Mary is the Mother of God? Does this mean that Mary gave birth to Jesus as God? Not! Mary is not a goddess. Mary conceived, gave birth, and raised Jesus Christ in his human nature; thus, she is the mother of Jesus Christ only in his human nature. But we believe that from the first moment of conception, the human nature of Jesus Christ was united with the eternal person of the Son of God, and therefore Mary is the Mother of God. We believe that the epithet Theotokos speaks of the truth of our belief that Jesus Christ, one of the three divine persons, took on a human nature through his mother, the Virgin Mary, in addition to his divine nature – which he has had from eternity. He became like us through his mother at the time of his conception in her womb. Therefore, from the beginning, the Church has honored Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, as the Mother of God.
On what basis do we believe in the divine motherhood of the Virgin Mary? We believe in the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God, because that is how the Scriptures present her to us, clearly and expressively. In several places in the Gospels, we have evidence that the Virgin Mary is the mother of Jesus. At the announcement, “that she conceived of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 1:18), at the memory of the shepherds: “They entered the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they fell to the ground and worshiped him” (Mt 2:11). Joseph received an order from the angel: “Get up, take the child and his mother with you, go to Egypt” (Mt 2:13) and then in Egypt a second order: “Take the child and his mother with you and go to the land of Israel” (Mt 2.20). When Jesus was teaching, “his mother was standing outside” (Mt 12:46). When the people saw what Jesus was doing and teaching, they said, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” Isn’t his mother called Mary” (Mt 13:55)? In the account of the wedding in Cana of Galilee we read: “The mother of Jesus was also there” (Jn 2:1). The Gospels show very impressively that Mary – like other mothers – carried Jesus for nine months under her heart and gave birth to him when her time came (cf. Lk 2:5-7). In particular, the angel’s announcement speaks of the maternal mission of Mary, that she is the mother of Jesus, the mother of the Son of God: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And therefore the child will also be called holy, he will be the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). And Elizabeth also confesses: “What did I do to deserve that the mother of my Lord comes to me” (Luke 1:43)? “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And therefore the child will also be called holy, he will be the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). And Elizabeth also confesses: “What did I do to deserve that the mother of my Lord comes to me” (Luke 1:43)? “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And therefore the child will also be called holy, he will be the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). And Elizabeth also confesses: “What did I do to deserve that the mother of my Lord comes to me” (Luke 1:43)?
We believe that the Virgin Mary is the Mother of God, both physically and spiritually, because she conceived Jesus physically and accepted him in faith with her “fiat”, and that is how we say that she is the Mother of God.
As a dogma, an article of faith, that the Virgin Mary is the mother of God “Theotokos”, as taught by the Eastern churches, was declared by the council in Ephesus in 431. This is what St. Ignatius of Antioch, one of the most important martyrs.
These and other arguments lead us today to Mary, the Mother of God, to ask her to intercede with her Son at the beginning of the new civil year. We believe that Mary is an inexhaustible source of grace that we receive from her Son through her. During the entire liturgical year, we remember this and implement it in our lives. This is also our prayer to the Mother of God. We want to understand with her eyes, her heart, the whole depth, as it is only possible for us, of the love of God. Here is also the beginning of the respect for her mother’s heart. We believe that the Mother of God blesses us in the name of her Son, and the Son in turn blesses us in the name of the Father in the Holy Spirit.
As we begin a new year, we are full of anticipation for what it will mean for us. However, we know that when we place our hope and confidence in the hands of God, God’s Son, we will not be disappointed by the intercession of his mother. It was not yet heard who fled under her protection, begged her for help and comfort, and asked her not to listen to him. After all, Mary is also our Mother. When Jesus was dying as our brother for our sins, he entrusted us all to her care when he said to his mother, looking at the apostle John: “Behold, your son” (Jn 19:26). We realize that everything happens from God’s providence. Therefore, in our human life, there is no coincidence, no senseless event, that everything has its goal and its role in God’s general plan.

This is how Dag Hammarskjöld, one of the first UN secretaries-general, who tragically perished in Africa, understood it. He wrote in his diary: “When I said yes to God for the first time, I began to understand the meaning of life. When I repeated yes, then everything made sense. Because now everything has a deep meaning, I cannot live otherwise than in the spirit of yes.”

It is right to start the new year with your real “yes” to God through Mary. Mary played her role in God’s plan. God has a plan for me too. We must implement this plan. Knowing how to accept God in your life, in every situation of life, every day. What awaits us during these days of the year? What will we have to deal with? It will certainly be advantageous for us when we have a prayer tree with God, a human Mary, the Mother of God, and ours.

We can find inspiration in the so-called Ten Commandments of Christian Love.
1. Have respect for every person, because Christ lives in him. Have compassion for the misfortune of your brother, your neighbor.
2. Think good of all people, do not think bad of anyone. Try to find something good in every person.
3. Speak only well of everyone, do not speak ill of anyone. Try to correct the evil you have caused with your words, do not cause misunderstandings between people, but reconcile them if possible.
4. Speak kindly to everyone, never raise your voice, do not offend anyone, do not make someone cry, and try to please people rather. Be good.
5. Forgive insults, do not harbor anger in your heart, and always reconcile first.
6. Do everything to benefit your neighbor, be as good as you expect people to be to you. Never think of what others owe you, but think of what you owe others.
7. Have compassion for the suffering and help them, encourage and advise them.
8. Work honestly, because others benefit from your work, as you benefit from the work of others.
9. Participate in social assistance provided to your neighbor. Be generous to the needs of your fellow man. Be generous to the needs of the sick and suffering. Try to look for people in your neighborhood who need help.
10. Pray for all people, including your enemies.

Isn’t that a memento? It touches the happiness of each of us.

One Chinese story tells of a peasant who had an old horse. It happened that once his horse ran away. Those around him wanted to make it easier for him to lose his horse, and that’s why they felt sorry for him. The old man answered them: “Bad luck? Misfortune? Who knows?” After a week, the horse returned and brought a herd of wild horses. Now the neighbors congratulated the old man. The old man responded by saying, “Luck? Bad luck? Who knows?” Later, when his son wanted to saddle a wild horse, he fell to the ground and broke his leg. They all shook their heads that it was bad luck. The old man spoke again, “Misfortune? Bad luck? Happiness? Who knows?” A few days later, an army passed through the village and the healthy men were dragged away. When the neighbors saw that the farmer’s son was not taken because of his broken leg, they said that he was lucky. At this, the old man said, “Luck? Bad luck? Who knows?”

Everything can appear to be evil at first glance, and it can be good in disguise. And everything that can look good can be evil. Therefore, it is wise to leave things to God’s decision, what is happiness and what is bad luck, and let us give thanks because with those who love God, all things can be understood as good.
Have you ever heard the phrase: “And everything will be good, and everything will be good, and indeed everything will be good!?” (Juliana from Norwich from the journal of patients of Masaryk’s oncology clinic in Brno).

At the beginning of the new year, let’s ask the intercession of the Virgin Mary for the necessary blessings, graces, gifts, success, health, strength, and wisdom… “Mother of God, I entrust this entire new year to your protection. We believe in the love of your Son. And we pledge our allegiance to his teaching of love.

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