predication.net

In the Book of Holy Scripture, which we also call the Book of Books, we can find a thought every day that is always temporal. So it is today. In the history of salvation, the relationship between man and God used to be likened to that of a model husband and wife. This was sure because, among the Israelites, great emphasis was placed on married life. Their marriages were, therefore, always solemnized with great solemnity. Unfortunately, in the case of faithfulness to the Lord God, they often sinned grievously, and consequently, the Lord often rebuked them severely for it. The prophet Hosea tells of one such transgression of Israel against the Lord God. It was when the northern tribes broke away from Jerusalem in the time of King Solomon. Therefore, they gradually forgot the Lord God and worshipped various idols, thanking them for blessing them. The prophet Hosea sternly admonishes the nation. And when they finally turned away from the models, the Lord welcomed them back with the kind of love only a good husband receives from his wife. The Lord promised them salvation, and man was reunited with his heavenly Father in the days of the Redeemer.

In the Gospel, the Pharisees reproached Jesus for his disciples’ failure to fast: ‘John’s disciples often fast and pray, even the disciples of the Pharisees, and yours eat and drink’ (Lk 5:33).

Moses prescribed the Israelites to fast once a year. But the Pharisees commanded frequent fasts. However, they did this not out of love for the Lord God, but only so that the people would admire them. Therefore, the Lord Jesus answered them: “Can you ask the wedding guests to fast while the bridegroom is with them?” (Lk. 5:34). In other words: The Old Testament is now coming to an end, along with all our false regulations. With my Church, I now begin the New Testament, the basis of which will be the union of the soul and heart with the Heavenly Father, as much as being married to Him. At such a solemn moment, let us not be ashamed and grieved, for this wedding is a time for rejoicing. But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then in those days, they will fast. So Christ is God’s bridegroom, and the Church is his bride.

In reality, however, the Church is all of us; therefore, we owe our heavenly Bridegroom a kind of marital fidelity.
In Holy Baptism, we are brought into such close union with the Lord Jesus that it is as if our souls were married to the Lord forever. Thus were fulfilled the prophetic words in which the Lord foretold of His people: “Then will I betroth thee forever; I will betroth thee for truth and righteousness, love and mercy; I will betroth thee for faithfulness, that thou mayest know the Lord” (Hos. 2:21-22).

Jesus is called the betrothed of our soul in the Gospel. And as the betrothed of our soul, he wants to share his love, happiness, and peace with us. He expects the same from us, who are betrothed to him. St. Paul urges us to realize vividly that there is a much deeper union between Christ and his betrothed, the Church, than there is, for example, between spouses. This union is not written in ink but by God Himself, not on tablets of stone, but on the fleshly tablets of human hearts.

When we were sinners, the Lord Himself had mercy on us. He entered into a close union with us, which should oblige us to live in the humility of deep appreciation, joy, and happiness and should be shared with our neighbors with whom we form the bride of Christ, the holy Church. In this respect, we should learn from the chosen people’s history. They have always paid heavily for it when they have embezzlemarriagee Lord God and broken their marriage to Him. Therefore, we should always live so that we never die our unity of union with the Lord and are always His alone.

But what does our practical life tell us? We must admit that we have many weaknesses in this respect. We may outwardly pretend that we have not forsaken our God and Lord, but we worship false idols in our hearts. In self-love, we curse ourselves, our pleasures, and our wealth. On Sundays, as it were, we honor the Lord so as not to be told, but we bow down to everything but Him all week long. We have no right to condemn the people of the Old Testament. This is especially so because the Lord has given us far more than them. He has entirely given us revelation, which they only longed for. The Lord has given us His Spirit to guide us, sanctify us, and give us an increase in the grace of God. He has given us the sacraments so that in them, His risen Son may nourish us spiritually so that we may not starve on life’s journey.

Therefore, let us not be surprised that the Lord expects much more from us for all this. He desires our unwavering faith, fidelity, and sincere love so that our marriage to Him may be as close as possible and our happiness as complete as possible. At every Holy Mass, Our Lord wants to cement his bonds of marriage to us, to his betrothed, the Church. He, therefore, desires our complete devotion and fidelity.

That is why He has called us here to give ourselves entirely to Him today, because tomorrow may be too late. If, therefore, we give ourselves entirely to the Lord, He can also say of us the words of the Gospel, “Can you ask the wedding guests to fast while the bridegroom is with them?” (Lk 5:34). But they must grieve if they have lost Him by their unbelief. May the Risen Body of Jesus be our solemn commitment today that we are his alone – in our cares and joys, so that we may be prepared for his eternal wedding feast, which will never end in heaven with him.

Let us, therefore, reach more often to the Holy Scriptures for our instruction!

Perhaps we cannot imagine life without pain and suffering. It is said that he who has not suffered cannot understand the suffering and the sick. Societies worldwide spend considerable sums to alleviate and prevent pain in the human body. Pain is as old as man has known sin, for it is its consequence. But God has not ceased to love man. He promised to send a Redeemer as soon as He left Eden.

As we read the Gospel, we learn that Jesus comes into the world for all to proclaim the kingdom of God to all. His activity is missionary. That is why he does not want to act only around Capernaum, but, as we read today, he answers the apostles, “I must proclaim the kingdom of God to other cities also, for that is what I was sent to do” (Lk 4:43). These words speak of Jesus’ great concern for all people.

The Lord Jesus had to help many. We can feel it also from the words of St. Mark the Evangelist, who is not in a position to describe everything and is content with a mere remark: “And he healed many who were afflicted with various infirmities, and cast out many evil spirits….” (Mk 1:34). The expression “many” speaks for itself. When we think of these words from the Gospel, it is as if St. Paul, in the second reading, wanted to add a note to them: “… I have become the servant of all, that I may gain as many as possible” (1 Cor. 9:19). In the same way, the ministry of the Lord Jesus for all can be compared to that of a servant, an unfree man who works for others without rest, without reward, often without recognition. The Lord Jesus did not desire or seek recognition from men. On the contrary, he usually strictly commands the healed not to tell anyone about it. He was only interested in the person who needed his help and nothing more.

We can also put it this way: Jesus cares about man’s body and soul. We see He longs to get into the human soul through the healed body. We have read that healing Simon Peter’s mother-in-law is not just some human gesture. He wanted something more from his action. Jesus was starting from the situation that every person, without examining who they are and what they are, is to be helped. It is not enough just to put a hand on his shoulder and say a comforting word: “May God comfort you,” but one must comfort the person. We are to help him concretely and not leave him to his fate. “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; … I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me” (Mt 25:35-36). We can say that the words also apply to us: “Truly I say to you: Whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me” (Mt. 25:40).

In short, we can say that the believing Christian, whose faith is alive and who truly lives by faith, cannot live without noticing in practice the concrete help he gives to another when he sees him in need. It should not make any difference to the Christian who needs help what kind of person he is, for Jesus makes it clear that whatever we do to a neighbor for Christ’s sake, we do as it were to Christ Himself. Jesus is primarily concerned for the soul of man. Mark’s words call our attention to this: “He healed many… and cast out many evil spirits” (Mk 1:34).

The casting out of evil spirits, even if it involved specific people, should be a warning for us to give serious thought. It is a symbol of a sad reality. For many need to be cast out of their hearts, not evil spirits, but they need to be freed from weaknesses, passions, and sinful habits, for if Christ and his gospel are to prevail in their hearts, there must first be a cleansing, removal of that which does not belong there. This is what he commands us to do to build up the kingdom of God in our hearts and our neighbors’ hearts. Jesus came into the world to do this, to convince people of how much He cares about saving immortal souls. This salvation begins with deliverance from evil. And that often requires a good example, a good word, or encouragement from another.

We, believers, are to prepare ourselves for that as well. We need one another. Cooperation and example will help us to live our lives more fully. How does one feel good in the presence of such a person who is not egotistical, who knows how to rejoice and mourn together, who does not know the definition of “quid pro quo,” but for the sake of helping his neighbor can forget himself… We have many such examples. Let us remember Mother Teresa, Don Bosco, Vincent de Paul, and the Daughters of Christian Charity – Vincentians who care for the sick and poor without any reward here on earth. They know how to help the body but also the soul. Even if they do not desire fame and recognition, they are admired by the unbelieving world.

Mother Teresa is a Nobel Prize winner, but also other honors in the world. St. Vincent was poor, and yet it was said of him, and it was true, that he was the wealthiest man because he knew how to receive with one hand and give it away with the other, where it was most needed.

Yes, we cannot imagine life without pain and suffering. We are not only modern people but also people of faith, so let us be even more aware of our mission in this area. Let us be more like brothers. Let us be more human, not limit ourselves, and not say that this does not concern me because today, someone may need you. Tomorrow you may need someone else, both physically and materially, and spiritually. And when we understand this in practice, today’s Gospel and our reflection have not been a waste of time, but a great benefit to our lives.

Human life can be compared to a boat on the sea. We have to get on a ship to sail happily to the other shore, to the end of our life – to eternity. For us, such a boat is the Catholic Church, which we boarded in Holy Baptism. But are we in the right boat? The Gospel tells us that we are. Christ got into one of the boats that belonged to Simon and taught from it. We don’t think this was an accident! Let’s look at the circumstances under which Christ did this. Many people flocked after Him because they were eager for the Word of God. Not to be pushed into the water so that they might better understand Him, Jesus gets into Peter’s boat, and from this floating pulpit, He teaches. Today, this little boat of Peter is the Catholic Church. Christ teaches from it today as well.

We often witness the words, “Faith as faith. Religion is religion, for we all believe in one God. If this were true, Christ would not have chosen St. Peter’s boat but would have declared that people should believe whatever they want, and all will be well. But Christ never and nowhere said this. It is true that neither Peter himself nor those present immediately understood why Christ chose Peter’s boat. They understood it only afterward when He said to Peter: “You are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. To you, I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 16:18-19). And later, he gave him this power by saying, “Feed my sheep!” (Jn. 21:15-17). Jesus directly appointed St. Peter as his church’s helmsman with these words. The Church can therefore save everyone who hears her voice, who lives in her, who accesses the sacraments in which Christ himself administers to us his grace necessary for salvation.

Among the many religions of the world, then, we must see the holy Church established by Christ Himself and that it is still headed by the immediate successor of St. Peter, the Pope. This is the mark of its authenticity, for Jesus, Himself, willed and ordained it.

Hence, the Council of Nicaea, as early as 325, declared, “To the bishop who resides in Rome belongs the honor of a patriarch because he is the successor of St. Peter, to whom Christ has given the supreme authority over the whole Church.” This is why Christ chose the same boat of St. Peter and taught from it, in order thus to testify to the authenticity of the Church, built on the rock which is Peter and his successor, the Pope. Holy Church is the Mother who offers every man to find true happiness through her. Throughout history and in our time, many erring people have found their lost meaning of life in the Church, in the truths of God, which she proclaims infallibly in Jesus, who lives in her.

Clemens Brentano, the eminent nineteenth-century poet, wrote to his niece: “When I had somewhat prematurely and wholly abandoned the Catholic way of life when I wandered without faith and purpose, and when I found myself in northern Germany, far from the Church, without rudder and mast, like the legendary Robinson of old, on the sands, I lay that night in great mental anguish, and I thought of the terrible path on which I had embarked to discover the new world. Again and again, I asked myself if there was even one point in the long line of years I had lived that I could lean upon, where I could seek refuge.

Then my childhood came to mind, and the way the fresh air woke me up when I opened my eyes and saw my mother sitting by my cot, bent over me, praying. Then she stretched out her hand and made a cross on my forehead. This childhood memory became a mainstay for me. I clung to it, and from it, I tried to come out into life. I struggled to piece together all the remnants of the forgotten prayers of my youth. And that saved me! That was the stalk I grabbed hold of at the last moment, for everything else had failed. I returned to the bosom of the Church in which I found my Mother.

Let us also allow the true joy of belonging to the holy Church to enter our hearts. Let us be active sons and daughters of her so we can truly live this joy. Let us consider her as our Mother and Teacher. We often see the Church being the target of all kinds of ridicule and attacks. We are rightly proud of the present successor of St. Peter, and yet many do not forgive themselves for various remarks and insults against him. Let us pray for the Holy Father! It has always mattered what this first man of the Church says. And in these times, at this moment, it is essential. After all, we don’t even need to do a great analysis of the whole issue. His work requires a lot of prayer from us. We believe he is in the love of God, God’s darling, as Peter was. How many times has he testified to this? But even though he is God’s darling, he still needs the support of our prayer.

Let us pray daily for the Holy Father. In this way, too, let us show that we love St. Peter’s Church so that by living actively in her as in a ship, we may sail to the shores of eternity.

The Gospel tells of teaching with power, at which all present were amazed. In the synagogue of Capernaum, Jesus proved his teaching by his deed when he freed a man from an unclean spirit. The main point of the Gospel passage is the concept of power. Jesus’ power was demonstrated in word and deed. The focus is not on the possessed but on Jesus, to whom the possessor himself points: ‘I know who you are: The Holy One of God” (Lk 4:34). The Holy One of God is a prophet in the Old Testament, later associated with the figure of the awaited Messiah. This event does not reveal the mystery of Jesus but speaks of the nearness of something expected but unsuspected in its reality. In the case of Jesus, word and deed form a unity.

Paul, the apostle, later writes of this to the Corinthians, “My speech and my preaching consisted not in persuasive and wise words, but in demonstrations of the Spirit and power, so that your faith may not be based on human wisdom but the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:4-5). And to the Thessalonians, Paul says of the teaching of the Lord Jesus: “For our gospel has not come to you in word only, but also in power and the Holy Spirit and all fullness” (1 Thess. 1:5). Therefore, it is not only what Jesus taught and did that matters, but who He is.

If our word is so weak, where does our life, the whole human race, indeed all of life, get its strength and permanence from? There must be a mighty word, the word of God, by which all things were made and governs all things. God reveals Himself to His people as the Mighty One in the world, as the Mighty One in history. But the most significant manifestation of his power is his love. In love, the power of God’s word is manifested. Such was also one of the first experiences of his disciples in the Gospel. The word of Jesus has power over nature, sickness, unclean spirits, sin, and death. Therefore, they all wondered, “What is this word, that by mighty power…” (Lk 4:36).

Paul Miki is only 33 years old. He is a student preparing for the priesthood. However, he celebrates his first Mass not at the altar but in “longing” on the cross. He serves it his native land. He was crucified because he spread the teachings of Jesus Christ. He died in the years when the Savior died on the cross.

They were dying because they were supposedly guilty of treason. On February 5, 1597, on a hill near Nagasaki, 17 young men died, including three twelve-year-old boys, minstrels Francis, Tonko, and Matthias. What did they do? They believed the words of the Lord Jesus. He taught them to love everyone without distinction. Friends and enemies.
On the cross, Paul prayed, “I thank the Lord that I am on the cross. I forgive Caesar and his counselors. I bequeath to you, my dear fellow citizens: There is no other way to heaven to salvation than the way of Christians. I wish all to come to know the life of Jesus Christ…”

Although the spear of the executioners interrupted the sermon on the cross, a few faith writings remain. And how did the little ones behave? They ask, “Where is my cross? Which is my cross?”

The symbol of Christianity is the cross: shoulder-high – up towards God, shoulder wide – towards our fellow man. On the cross was nailed the strongest love – the Savior.

The power from the teachings of Jesus Christ brought Paul Miki and companions to witness the faith of many who saw them die, who, even centuries later, by their moving example, embarked on the journey of faith. We are therefore offered the opportunity to help the Holy Father build peace in human hearts and the world through youth. Please try, all of you, to the best of your abilities and capacities. Parents model and set an example in fulfilling your daily, mundane responsibilities. By reading and reflecting on the Holy Scriptures together. You, boys and girls, by taking a greater interest in the spiritual life, in the needs and interests of the Church. All of us by a more conscientious performance of our Christian duties, by a more earnest and deeper living of the teachings of Jesus Christ. We will each fulfill the Year of Faith as we can receive the powerful learning that can transform our lives as well. The Lord Jesus often ends with the instruction, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mt. 11:15).

Let us pray, brothers and sisters, that today’s Word of God may penetrate our hearts and enkindle what was cold, bring light where it was already dark, strengthen where despair was growing, and so we too may become witnesses of teaching that has power.

How ridiculous we often are! We accept the stranger; we listen to him; we applaud him, even though he is of inferior quality, of low value, simply because he is a stranger. We will not accept our own, even though he is a respected personality. And so it was with Jesus. The Gospel describes the end of Jesus’ public appearance in Nazareth. This event had a theatrical course. Let us notice it more closely and from the point of view of the Virgin Mary. Although the Gospel says nothing about her, we can quite rightly assume that she was present in person at the drama, for she lived in Nazareth.

The Lord Jesus had returned to his city after an extended stay in Judea and Jerusalem, where he first appeared as a teacher, prophet, and wonder worker. The fame about him had preceded him, and his fellow citizens were quite surprised at what they heard. They had known Jesus for many years, and except for his incredible honesty, purity, and bravery, they had never noticed anything extraordinary about him. They were, therefore, rightly very curious about him.

Surely Our Lady sensed from their words and behavior that they were distrustful and contemptuous of Jesus. On the one hand, they rejoiced that the Teacher, who was beginning to be famous, would also make their little town famous, but on the other hand, they did not believe that this simple craftsman could accomplish anything significant.

At first, Our Lady was thrilled to have her beloved son home again. All the beautiful moments she had spent with him in the Nazareth house during his hidden life were renewed. She was again able to prepare his food, fix his clothes, and especially talk with him, to listen to his beautiful explanations of God’s deep mysteries. However, hidden pain and fear were already beginning to stir into this uplifting joy, for she knew that Jesus was the promised Redeemer, and she would have to suffer much. She had a hunch that this suffering would begin already here in Nazareth.

The Sabbath came, and everyone rushed to the synagogue for worship, knowing that Jesus would speak on that occasion. For it was customary for the ruler of the temple to ask the most prominent rabbi, or teacher, present to explain the Holy Scriptures. Although only men were present in the main room so that the women would not be wholly deprived of the word of God, they were allowed to listen in an adjoining room, separated by a curtain so they could not be seen. Our Lady was probably seated among the women, watching the voices from behind the curtain in tense anticipation. After the psalms had been sung and the usual prayers said, the synagogue leader asked Jesus to say a few words to explain the Holy Scriptures. Jesus stood in a high place in front of the entire congregation. When the scroll was handed to him, he read aloud the site where the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of the Redeemer. Then there was silence for a while. All eyes were on Jesus. Imagine the Virgin Mary, who did not see these faces but listened intently to every noise so she could pick out what might be happening there.

Then Jesus began his sermon. First, he said that the time of the Redeemer’s coming had already come. The natives liked that. After all, how could they not? It was the long-standing desire of all people that the Redeemer would come as soon as possible. The Evangelist says that they all swore to him. The Virgin Mary was relieved: Praise God that they are not against Him! But then Jesus began to hint that the promised Redeemer was himself. He didn’t tell them immediately but gradually prepared them for it. But some began to murmur loudly: Do we not know thee? Art thou not the son of Joseph? Such a fool! The Virgin Mary was pricked at heart. But the Lord Jesus continued. He did not soften his statements but, on the contrary, threw sharp reproaches in their faces. They do not deserve that God should send them a prophet, for a prophet is not rare in his own country. God is sometimes fonder of the heathen, as was the widow of Zarephath of Sidon and Naaman of Syria. That was too much! To consider them, the orthodox Jews, as inferior to the Gentiles! There was an outcry. The Virgin Mary groaned: God, what is being done? She thought so and went out, horrified. She saw Jesus shoved before her by furious people to the edge of the abyss. They wanted to throw him down and throw stones at him.

But Jesus’ hour had not yet come. He allowed them to mistreat him, but he did not let them kill him. Suddenly, he turned around. A mysterious power went out of him as if from heaven, and no one dared to touch him again. He strolled through them and left. Our Lady breathed a sigh of relief. From then on, Jesus did not go to Nazareth and stayed with St. Peter in Capernaum, which became his city.

This Nazareth incident is instructive for Christians in that not accepting Jesus always means excellent harm. How many benefits and graces would the Nazarene’s have received had they not driven Jesus away? We know that Jesus loved his country.

May this event strengthen us to trust in God’s help and encourage us to accept more readily the teachings of Christ that bring grace and God’s blessing. Let us not let the teachings of the Lord Jesus grow stale!

God, who has put love in the hearts of mothers for their children, be with you.
I present to us the model of a mother who never had the position of a “celebrity” but always acted as a mother who loves, sacrifices, and prays. A mother who believes in God’s ability to change hearts and lives! A woman who perseveres in faith, a woman who could accompany her son on his life journey; although it was a difficult journey, in the end, it became a victorious journey.

Jesus, you have endured life’s joys and sorrows. Lord, have mercy on us.
You were always ready for the hour the Father had set.

You called us to follow your way. Lord, have mercy on us.

You may have already figured out who I am talking about and who it represents for today’s society that wants to see a woman only as always the best beauty, missing in one way or another, a woman who works hard only for “me,” a woman who is available for “me,” a woman as an object, a woman as a commodity, a woman who deserves, just not as a feminine mother, as an exemplary mother.
Saint Monica, mother of the great sinner and Saint Augustine! Again, not a “celebrity” but a real-thinking woman who once accepted the role of the profession of wife and mother. And although her role as wife was not fulfilled, because she had a fate for many women, when after years she is rejected by her husband, because she may no longer be twenty but something more, she may have lost her “figure” when her child was born, or she may no longer have a taste for various superficial marital games and the like . . Nevertheless, she does not cease to be responsible for the one who has become the fruit of the marriage relationship. She has not ceased to be a responsible mother who has given everything for the child’s salvation, for whom she feels responsible. She was direct and open.
Thus, she becomes a role model for today’s mothers, who, unlike her, are often silent about the way of life that Augustine led. Kind and companionable, illegitimate child. And in those times when Christianity was barely making its way into society, she was not afraid to say to her son “non licet Tibi” – it is not permitted to associate this word with the most powerful word – the word of prayer. Persistent and unceasing! So today, I said perhaps more than was necessary. The wise will understand that today is the day for all mothers who patiently pray for lost children, and are a challenge to all who do not pray!

The missionary narrates: “We organized spiritual exercises. We also needed funds to carry out, which the participants had to pay for themselves. When they learned the amount, one girl was left sad. Where to get the money from? Should I ask for it from my parents? Impossible! Father doesn’t go to church, and mother doesn’t care about such things. She sees only the hairdresser, the jewels, and the household how she looked forward to being able to spend in silence with Christ, whom she had secretly visited in church! Knowing that several children were in a similar situation, we asked them to write to see who could contribute how much to help their classmates. There were both pleasant and less pleasant answers on the slips. But one made me very happy. I got only one euro and nothing more. I worked to earn it. Please take me with you!” That one euro earned another euro.

We have just heard one of the most important parables. It is possible that once you saw after the first few sentences that the parable of the talents was being read, you stopped perceiving any further. After all, you already know it. And so you began to wander in your thoughts. You thought about where to go for entertainment today, what’s on TV today, whether the dessert will turn out according to the new recipe, who’s next to me, and what my home is doing…

And it is this parable that we should meditate on more often. It can very quickly happen that we live our lives contentedly believing what good Christians we are, only to be shown otherwise at God’s judgment! God’s standards and ours are not the same. We judge ourselves in a different light than God will judge us. It is from the gospel that we learn what the difference is. We get in the habit of comparing ourselves, judging ourselves with others, and not judging ourselves by what God has put in us. He expects more from the one who has been given five talents than from the one who has been given only two or one. He hopes to give back at least something from the one who has received one.

Brothers and sisters, this is where Christ paused and looked at His hearers. For many, that was enough. He meant to say: Woe to you, brother, sister, who have received even this one talent and have destroyed even that one! Are you satisfied with yourself? Are you living in an orderly family? Your colleague is getting divorced for the second time – and you are still exalting yourself! Immediately, you think you are better and feel that your contentment is in place. But it is quite possible that if you knew his life’s journey, if you knew all that he has experienced in life if it could be expressed in some measure what he has received from God and what you have received, and now add to that your faults and his faults, perhaps it would work out to your disadvantage! You probably had better parents than he did; you didn’t have as bad friends as he did. In a word, you got more graces than he did. His scandals are public knowledge, so he’s more humble. He realizes his sinfulness, which makes him more disposed to make some great turn in life. Maybe at the last minute. And maybe so honestly that it balances out everything negative in his life. While you, in the consciousness of your moral high ground, become uncritical and perhaps do not even notice how selfishness, malice, and pride grow within you, clouding your vision, deceiving you, or turning your gaze on your glittering exterior and hiding your stinking interior.

It is hard to look at myself through God’s eyes and recognize what God expects of me. It wouldn’t even be possible without God’s grace. The servant in the parable saw what talents he had been given. But ours are so unspecific. Man is prone to misjudge himself. He overestimates something, underestimates something. Someone feels shortchanged if he feels less physical strength, and he, in turn, judges the one who does not have such good insight. And from such a one-sided evaluation of one’s abilities, one does not use and buries the talents one has been given. He will tell himself: If I had as much money as that guy, how many people would I have gifted with it? But I don’t. And with this statement ends his inquiry of conscience about the love of neighbor. And it does not occur to him at all that he has skillful and healthy hands, that he can lend a helping hand in building, that he has good feet and can go to that friend with whom he is angry that he has the gift of expression and wastes it in useless and going nowhere debates, that he has a fine figure, not to draw near to Christ and say that even the young man needs Christ. Still, on the contrary, he goes and turns his back on Christ till the time when his forehead is covered with wrinkles, and his hair is white.

One man narrates, Last year I was at the spa. My roommate and I took communion daily. A friend just happened to invite me to church. I got my soul in order, a peaceful mind, and my physical health returned.

We can say that this spa friend used his talent, and the brother-patient above dug up his talent, leaving behind his fear of the strict administrator.

Father, mother, you too, my dear friend, it is the end of the holiday season. The school gates have opened. Adults are returning to their duties. Wouldn’t it be good to return to Christ if I neglected Him over the holidays to find Him again? Let us magnify our talents! 

This one is among the serious questions as winter or the end of the year approaches: How prepared are you? Editors often ask this question to road workers in charge of winter road maintenance.

Similarly, the Lord God asks us: How prepared are you? In the Gospel, these words were spoken. “The bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!” (Mt 25:6).

These words of Jesus were spoken while Jesus was instructing the crowds in the silence of the mountain. Shortly before, He had pointed out the actions of two men. He called one of them foolish because he built his house on sand. The other he called wise because he chose to make his home on a rock. The crowds understood. The house on the rock withstood the rush of the waters and the force of the wind, while the house built on sand collapsed.
The wise are those who hear the Gospel and carry it out. Unwise are those who hear these words but do not act on them. Some bring oil with them, others only empty vessels. The oil is the Gospel lived in life. He who has no oil brings with him no work.

Jesus put the seriousness of these words into the pleasant atmosphere of the wedding feast. The wedding itself is enjoyable, and not only the family but all those invited prepare for it. Jesus points out that if we can look forward and rejoice at pleasant events that last only a moment, how much more should we be responsible for preparing for joys that will have no end?
We often judge a person who does not think. We pause over the actions of such people and often ask, “Man, where was your sense?!”
Likewise, the foolish virgins took the lamps but did not take the oil. They did not prepare themselves. Behold, what irresponsibility!

In the spirit of these words of Christ about the wise and foolish virgins, let us consider ourselves. If someone were to call us stupid and unreasonable, we would be able to judge and be angry with him, or at least we would beg to differ. But what if one day it came from the mouth of God Himself? Lest we hear the words of the bridegroom in the Gospel, “Truly I say to you: I do not know you” (Mt 25:12).
Let us notice those virgins whom Jesus praises. Indeed it cost them the trouble of taking and procuring enough oil for their vessels, but it paid off. The reward did not bypass them.

What does this mean for us? We all want to be the wise servants whom Christ praises, “Right, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over little, I will set you over much” (Matt. 25:23). Jesus has placed a precious gift in our hearts – the gift of faith. That lamp of ours, which is to be always ready, which is to shine, is our faith. The more we realize its greatness and beauty, the more its light grows. Only the thief seeks the darkness when stealing so that he may not be seen.
But Christ says: “You are the light of the world…” (Mt 5:14).
All must see our light of faith. He who does not always believe, who believes only when it benefits him, cannot be a wise virgin. Today’s unbelieving world looks critically at us Christians. If they do not see the works of our faith, they will never desire to join our ranks, to unite with us. Shining lamps in the hands of virgins, these are our days lived in union with God.
How much oil is in my supply, and what is the state of my soul? What is our attitude towards prayer, towards the sacraments, towards the Mass, towards our brothers and sisters?

A ready Christian is a happy Christian. Such a one does not worry about tomorrow. He is not afraid of reproach or ridicule. He does not hide his face from shame and spittle. He often surrenders his soul to the Father. Always again and again. Life without God, without faith, is nonsense, madness. A life full of faith is shown to us by sane virgins. Today’s century is permeated with unbelief and darkness, so I ask you: Who is to give back to the world the joy, the lost faith, if not us? We who beat our breasts that we are Christians! If we want to leave truly happy, let us make a serious decision. Be always ready! The bridegroom is not coming; I am healthy and young, and death is still far off, but “I am ready.”

You all probably know the writer Cronin. Do you know how he came to faith? Strangely and excitingly: As a young doctor, he worked in a mining village. One day, the gas exploded in the mine, and a group of 14 miners was left underground. While the rescue crews were doing their best, the whole settlement prayed feverishly and asked God for help. After five days, the rescuers reached the miners. They were all shocked to see no trace of despair on the faces of the miners, on the contrary. They came out singing: Lord, our help from the ages…
When the young doctor Cronin saw this, he didn’t even want to believe it. When asked who had given them so much courage, they replied: “Faith in God who loves us!” Then Cronin, believing neither in God nor the human soul, began to think, study and pray. After years of searching, he found God. He was baptized and became a Christian.

Behold, simple people, and they were able to light a lamp for a man who thought he no longer needed anyone.
We don’t abound with anything special, either. We boast of nothing else except in the crosses of Jesus Christ. Do we not also want to light, to give joy to others? But first, we must shine! Everyone must see that we are ready. We must be able to discern the values in our lives.

Those in charge often make excuses for others; road workers for contractors, superiors for subordinates, subordinates for seniors, just because they didn’t do everything they could to prepare. What about us Christians? Are we prepared? Is everything right with our faith?