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There have long been controversies over how to prepare someone
he is to receive the body of the Lord. This dispute came to an end with the provision of 1905. It distinguishes between two preparations:
necessary and desirable. Some dispositions are absolutely necessary to allow admission. However, it does not follow that we should still be content with that alone absolutely necessary. It is desirable that we strive for the best possible preparation. The following are considered necessary: ​​the state of sanctifying grace, good faith, the Eucharistic fast. The Council of Trent refers to the words of St. Paul (1 Cor 11:28), and therefore orders that one who is aware of grievous sin we did not approach St. receiving without having to do so before did not sacra mentally testify ». The custom of confession before accepting the body of the Lord penetrated vividly into the faith and customs of the people. However, we are right to ask today whether this is an exaggeration. Severe sins in the true sense of the word do not occur daily nor week. And yet we should go to the reception as often as possible. So it is definitely wrong not to go to the Lord’s table at Mass only because we could not confess before. St. Paul writes: Let a man examine himself and only then let them take the bread and drink it from the cup (1 Cor 11, 28-29). It can also hide comfort in the habit at all times to confess, because such a person does not intend to think seriously about his relationship with God, he does not want to He “researched” and preferred absolution rather than magic medicine. For those who often receive, regular spiritual guidance in confession is commendable. However, it cannot be praised frequent confession out of empty habit or unreasonable anxiety. Church documents often speak of confession before communion, but it is not until the 7th century that people have rarely begun to approach the Lord’s table. On the contrary, it is not good to discourage confession to those who they have doubts. They can also accept the Eucharist because they are certainly and certainly not aware of grave sin. It happens however, they often have their doubts then so psychologically they grieve that they are losing their inner peace and security. Therefore, they are better when they confess that they say “for sure”. But let them ask the confessor not to fall into unnecessary anxiety. So we are still convinced that purification should precede the union of the soul with Christ. Confession and the Eucharist, so they have a mutual relationship, they belong to each other. This relationship however, it must not become mechanical. The best advice for the day life is the way for everyone to resolve this issue in agreement with his confessor. He who is reasonable will not exaggerate in neither direction nor in the other. The physical preparation for the reception of the Sacrament of the Altar is called. Eucharistic fast. It’s a very old custom. Valid from midnight. Today, it is enough to be hungry one hour before communion. However, the Eucharistic fast does not interfere with drinking water or taking medication. Other regulations applied in the Middle Ages. The spouses were encouraged to exercise restraint in marital relations for several days before admission. Here and there a few days of fasting and silence were required.

Talk about “escaping from the world” or after a new one about «dialogue with the world»? It seems that the Church in the last time has significantly changed its attitude to the world and its values, especially after the Second Vatican Council! These are questions or objections that we often hear. They are not the rest new and cannot be said to be superficial, not mature phrases. Man’s relationship to the world and to God is a fundamental religious problem. We seem to be standing from the beginning before a dangerous choice between the two options. All looks promising. Either we are looking for God in the world, then we face the dangers of pantheism, monism, materialism, or declare that God is fundamentally different from the world. But then we can’t avoid it the objection of materialists that religion distracts from the world. After all, Christian Estheticians say this clearly: “Love to God and love for the world are irreconcilable. » In the Gospel Vol. John, this idea comes often back and emphatically. if
you were of the world, the world would love what is his, but because
you are not of the world, that I have chosen you out of the world, the world of you hates (John 15:19). And yet we read the same Gospel: For God so loved the world, that he gave his son of his birth, lest any man that believed in him perish, but to have eternal life (John 3:16). Christ is the Savior of the world and sends his disciples all over the world (Mt 16:15) to be the light of the world (Mt 5: 1)It is also interesting that we, when we speak about the «world», we mean rather its size, space, the «living world». In Aramaic, in the word of Christ, the expression Alma, The world also means a certain period of time, some time, about as when we say “today’s world”, in the “Roman world”
etc. From this it can be seen that the word “world” can have several meanings. The four most important are the following:
1. the visible and invisible world, that is, all that God he created;
2. visible nature (what illuminates the sun, light; «World» originally means light);
3. human society (“living in the world”, “coming into contact with the world”);
4. corrupt society, bad environment, temptations
(«To warn the world»), that is, the world in a moral sense. The visible world «Only Christianity liberated the material world from prehistoric times a curse, »rightly writes a modern theologian. They weren’t all systems are radically dualistic to see in matter all evil. Nevertheless, neither philosophy nor religion could sufficiently resolve the relationship between God and the world. Either God will deal with the world, but then he will be from world dependent and will not be an almighty and happy God. Or he does not deal with the world, he is completely out of place, as Aristotle thought. But then the value of the world is small and it does not remain, only to flee from it to God.
In his beautiful homilies on Hexameter (i.e.work of creation in six days according to the Bible) shows St. Basil, how this gap between God and the world was bridged by the word of Scripture In the beginning God created … (Gen 1: 1) heaven, earth, plants, animals … all this is not against God nor outside of God, but it is his work. And God saw it good (Gen 1:12). The whole visible world is presented here
in the image of a beautiful garden, prepared for the one who has it
to inhabit, t. j. man the image of God (Gen 1:27). In this sense, of course, there is no point in speaking about «escape from the world». Spiritual books say the opposite about the proper «use» of the world, about the «use of creatures». Example we read right in the first meditation of the Exercises of St. Ignatius:”Everything on earth is created for man to help him achieve the goal for which he was created.” now the basic rule on “enjoying the world” is then expressed:
as much as we can, and we must use as much as we can for good.
If the world is “good”, then it can only be a means for good. Everything else is not use, but abuse. Western authors like to show how everything can be used for a good deed: field, house, money, health, etc. Eastern writers, who are more prone to contemplation, speak with greater enthusiasm about the beauty of the world, its harmony, colors. All this is then to serve us to remind us of the size and beauty of the Creator. Nature it then becomes the “glass soul”, the book in which we read about God. Modern authors add new considerations. They say on the responsibility of today’s man for nature, for the shape of the earth, to remain a clean and dignified abode to all people. “The visible world is beautiful,” writes St. Gregor Nazianz, «consists of heaven and earth …, each amount is tasteful but the most harmonious and the harmony of the individual parts deserves praise. Everything is in the right proportions. Is an’s a perfect universe, order, beauty. » providence God created the world. However, the Catechism adds: “It preserves and governs it.” Theologians say that governing and preserving the world is a continuation of creation. But it is the human way of speaking, God is not in time. Therefore, it is not at all conceivable that he could create the world first and then leave and leave it to its fate. On the contrary, it is still in it present by his providence. However, we must not imagine that too humanly either. Primitive man is afraid of evil gods, spirits. Trying to therefore reconcile them to victims or avoid them. Science and culture usually rid people of this superstitious horror before unknown mysterious creatures. However, it arouses fear new. It shows man his helplessness against the relentless laws of nature. This necessity, which governs the world, laid the foundation for physics, technology, all science. We don’t have to call on the river gods to break down our bridge, it is enough to calculate what surge of water it can withstand. And the doctor assure us that we can live in peace. These laws us however, they will be convinced that at the same age we will die that it will not be possible do nothing because it is a natural necessity. Day by day we get to know better and better laws of nature. It is advantageous, we can avoid any necessity as well as water, when we know where it is flowing. Daily However, we find that there are more necessities than we think. Are the laws of heredity, the influence of climate, diet, environment, we compile statistics on mortality, development, etc. What does the individual mean in these numbers?

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However, the development in God’s grace is invisible. After all, however, it recognizes and estimated by external signs. It manifests itself in the action of man, in his efforts, in desires. For that certain stages of spiritual development can be indicated. Because it is an arbitrary division, it can be more degrees or less. The famous book of St. Ján Klimak Ladder to Heaven (Scala Paradise) describes the rise of perfection in 30 chapters. Origen speaks of 42 stops heading to the heavenly Jerusalem. It is the easiest and most natural, however, the division into three degrees of perfection. Everything like notes St. Thomas Aquinas, for he has a beginning, means and end. Thus, even in the spiritual life, they are beginners, advanced and perfect. Greek authors sometimes talk about those who are afraid of “who hope” and “who love”. Beginners for it leads to good the most fear of God’s punishments, the more advanced hope for rewards, the perfect then live mainly in God’s love. Life can be compared to a journey. Origen clung to such an image and developed it into a parable biblical idea. The life of a Christian begins by coming out of Egypt, that is, from the slavery of sin, going through the red plague, that is, baptismal cleansing. The end is the entrance to the Promised Land. In the meantime, however, the Jews stopped many times.
Symbolically, Origen interprets Hebrew names and calculated 42 “stops” on the path to perfection. However, it is the division is quite artificial, but the description of how the author gives it expresses a subtle life experience. However, it is much easier to compare spiritual growth to bodily life. Ascetic authors often talk about people who are still children, minors in the spiritual life, about men and finally about the elderly. The word “old man” indicates in ancient Christian literature a man so spiritually mature that he can be the spiritual leader of others. The stages of ascent, the stages of the journey, are determined primarily by what goal we have before our eyes. The Eastern Fathers had in mind, above all, the true knowledge of God, a contemplation called Greek theory.
Purification from sins, imperfections, life in virtues were simply called praxis, activity. So, they often said that the spiritual life is divided into two parts: praxis theory. The first stage leads to the second. However, the division into three levels is more liked. Therefore, they divided the theory into two further stages: 1. The search for God in created things, the so-called physical theory, and the 2nd knowledge of the Holy Trinity, that is, theology. These divisions seem artificial to us. Eastern authors who write about contemplation they commonly use them.
In the West, another division has taken place, although it also comes from the Eastern author, the Pseudo Dionysus of the Areopagus. There is often talk of a cleansing, enlightening and connecting way (via purgative, illumination, unitary). On the way to God it is necessary to first cleanse oneself of everything that hinders perfection. Then the growth in the knowledge of the truth begins, when the soul desires only to connect with God.
The names of the degrees indicate that these are different aspects of the spiritual life, one or the other of which predominates. So that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to clean up who anymore seeks to connect with God. The steps still overlap. So it’s hard to say who’s on. However, the preachers encourage constant progress, until real conversion, to hard work in improvement. Yet sensible spiritual leaders know it is harmful and unreasonable to hurry, it neglects a lot good when recklessly wants only the better. St Ján Klimak derisively says: «If anyone wants his floating in the sky of your own free will, pull it by the leg because he would almost fall and touch. “
So it is better to continue slowly, to improve in small things, but persevering and still, as inconspicuously every life grows. “One practices in one virtue, another traditionally in another, someone in all, »writes St. Gregor of Nazianzus,  “And we must all have one thing in common: steady growth.”

The more the sun is visible in the world, the more God is in
the spiritual world, the source of light … The sun illuminates the eyes,
God illuminates the mind. The sun is the most beautiful we see,
God is the most beautiful thing we know. ”St. Gregor Nazianzus, who writes these words, took the idea from Plato. Most ancient religions in Egypt, Iran, and India identified God’s world with light. The Greeks and Jews spoke alike, but they knew that the sun was not God, that the light was visible, only an image of the invisible, spiritual truth and beauty, God who dwells in inaccessible light (1 Tim 6:16). In addition, Christians believe in the deity of Jesus Christ who is light from light, true God from true God. He is real a light that illuminates every person coming on the world. He was in the world, and the world arose through him, and the world knew him not (John 1: 9-10). Today, after two millennia, we are also knowing this the light is only dim, as if in a mirror (1 Cor 13:12), in reflections. It is similar to the visible sun. His
beauty and efficiency in full glory cannot be affected if we stare intently at the hot disk in the sky. The sun is in the views of the east and the west, in the silver edges of the clouds, in the play of wines, in the golden rain under the treetops, in colors and shadows of the forest, throughout the country. So, the light of Christ he lives and shines in his brothers, in millions of human beings, in the Church, which is his mystical body. Through him we also became sons of light: You once were they were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live like children Light! (Ephesians 5: 8). Even the lamp will not sound and will not be placed under meter, but on a candlestick to shine on everyone in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matt. 15:15). The pattern of all perfection is undoubtedly Christ, but a practical guide that guides us to approached their ideal, living people come first, creation in the image of God (Gen 1:27), with which daily we meet: mother, father, teacher, priest, friends, acquaintances, distant people we read about. As a guide the artist is all the beautiful things he sees around him, so our guide to perfection is all the good we encounter if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. Nevertheless, there are instructions for painters, exercises on strings for violinists, rules of harmony for composers. These guides are not intended to be drawn an ideal picture of beauty to which everyone should unconditionally adapt. Rather, they are indicators that who s studies art has better seen and perceived true beauty. The “instructions for Christian perfection”, “instructions for spiritual life”, theoretical considerations have a similar meaning on «asceticism and mysticism», on «spiritual theology». Arose similar to art manuals. Experiences were gained great masters, expressed themselves in short formulas, those were then arranged according to a certain system. Usually practical practice prevailed: it begins with what it is supposed to know and what a beginner is to practice, advice for the advanced follows, finally speaking of the highest degrees of connection with God, which is called mystical.
The term «asceticism» comes from the Greek askeo, to practice,
e.g. in the war. So we call ASCIIs the part of the spiritual life where the effort to purify, we deny, the exercise in virtues is more outstanding. Title «spiritual theology» is newer. Some have tried to mention the name «spiritual biology »as the doctrine of spiritual life.
Today we realize that in the past this department in theological studies he neglected enough precisely because ascetic literature was predominantly practical; these were often popular and incomplete books. However, it does not follow that attempts at completeness are most useful. As there are different directions in painting, there are also different tendencies in spirituality. It is good to know the rules of classical paintings, but they cannot be used mechanically by an impressionist. Others are the motives that led to the holiness of the hermits, others of those who prefer to live together. In the same way
no one becomes a composer just because studied the rules of counterpoint. Theoretical instructions, however, they will benefit the one who has the talent for music, who will they train in those who do not want to remain self-growing and unwell. The artist is sensitive to reality, but can absorb, appropriate the experience of others, especially those who have succeeded to see and express what others would miss.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. This wonderful event of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ is described to us by all three synoptic evangelists, and is referred to by the Apostle Peter in his second letter. The mystery of the Transfiguration of the Lord is closely related to the mystery of Christ’s death and Resurrection. As it was with the Lord Jesus, so it will be with us: our glorification and resurrection also begins with our pains and crosses on this earth. When people want to express something abstract, they have long used various symbols and images. For example, the symbol of love is the heart, the symbol of happiness is a four-leaf clover, the symbol of peace is a dove. And we see something similar in the Scriptures: The scribes also resort to symbols, images, comparisons, when they want to bring us at least a little closer to the unimaginable and incomprehensible concept of God.

Today’s gospel of the transfiguration of Christ the Lord also uses similar images to indicate to us that the Son of Man came close to God, that he was completely filled with God’s presence, that he was completely united with his heavenly Father. The holy evangelists use three symbols that are often used in the Scriptures to express this fascinating event of the Transfiguration of the Lord: it is an image of a mountain, a light, and a cloud. The mountain is mentioned as the place where the Lord Jesus meets the heavenly Father. In biblical expression, the mountain is the place of God’s presence and God’s action. We also like to climb mountains. The ascent is strenuous, but the experience above is worth it. A view from above tells us of our insignificance, of the greatness of the Creator, of the beauty of God’s world. At the top, we feel somehow closer to God, we run more to the safety and protection of God’s hand.

Christ the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration is surrounded and transformed by radiant brightness – great light. Light banishes darkness, uncertainty, fear. Light means God’s nearness. In the fire of a burning bush, the Lord announces His presence to Moses in the wilderness. The psalmist often identifies God with light: “Lord, you are my light and my salvation!” And finally we have a cloud. In the Bible, the cloud is often the place from which God speaks. The cloud, the cloud brings rain, is a sign of the harvest. The cloud gives a beneficial shadow in the sun. The mountain, the sunshine, and the cloud — the three basic elements of nature — are a symbol of God’s mysterious closeness in the Bible. The invisible Lord of heaven and earth speaks of them.

Today’s Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, therefore, teaches us receptivity to the signs of God’s closeness. But today’s holiday also reminds us that we too must change. Not as suddenly as the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, not so perfectly — perhaps once in heaven. But we are to change gradually, daily, unnoticed. We change, of course – it is enough to meet a classmate after years and see how he has changed – and he sees in us how we have changed. We change, but it is meant to be a change to beauty, not a kind of bitterness. The beauty of a youthful face should mature into the beauty of the whole personality.

At the end of the school year, he asked the children’s catechist which topic they liked the most. The fifteen-year-old boy replied without hesitation, “The transformation of the Lord on Mount Tabor!” You have told us, after all, that the Lord Jesus has done what concerns us all. He showed the three apostles what we would be like after death. Here we can be sick and weak, here they can persecute and kill us, but all this is nothing. We will transform as the Lord Jesus! And then we learned that after the Resurrection the wounds of the Lord Jesus shone. Therefore, we do not have to be afraid of suffering and persecution. We can really look forward to changing! ”

The boy actually expressed great hope. Hope for eternal life, hope for a better future. However, we must keep in mind that the prelude to our mountain Tábor – the prelude to our transformation – is our personal cross. Christ the Lord did not invite all the twelve apostles to Mount Tabor, but chose only three of them — Peter, James, and John. The team wanted to emphasize that only the elect will be worthy of this mystery. He says to each of us: Your cross, dear brother, dear sister – your persecution will one day be so glorious! So this is a reflection of the joyful message of today’s Gospel of the Transfiguration of the Lord. We, the brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus, are also to be transformed into the ever-increasing beauty of God’s children. So let us try – at the transformation in the Holy Mass – to see with the sight of our heart a piece of the beauty of the transformed Christ the Lord. Let us also be transformed a little by the loving gaze of Jesus, because he lives and reigns from this time to the ages of ages. 

After the chapter on man, we point the compass towards faith. Let’s start with the question, how many people are believers in your city? We can hear different answers. Those who go to church give less than those who don’t. Who reads the statistics is based on them. Some draw on experience, others on ideas about the number of believers. Neither idea nor experience have exact numbers here. But there is a difference between faith and faith. Imagine the situation. At the bus station, he asks a middle-aged man if he is a believer. The man answers I am an unbeliever. This man goes to the hospital but doesn’t know the way. He asks a passing pedestrian. He explains the way to him and he believes a pedestrian he has never seen in his life. He goes to the hospital, where he is examined by a doctor he has never seen and does not ask him to show him a medical degree. He goes back from the hospital by bus to the station and does not ask the bus driver to show him his driver’s license. If our man were really unbelievers, as he claims, he would check everything and everyone, in one word he would not believe anyone. He didn’t do it because he believed. But even so, it is not the faith we have in mind. I can already hear the objection that without such faith, life would be impossible. We could characterize this rather as trust. So what is faith? It is a gift, it is grace. Faith is not a philosophical or worldview. Faith is a lifestyle. Faith is the acceptance of the Son of God Jesus Christ into our lives. Faith is a step into mystery. I’m sure you know this story. A circus came to the village. The artist erected two tall pillars, stretched a rope between them, and walked on the rope with a furrier. Then he put two sacks of potatoes in the pantry and walked safely along the rope. Then he asked a question. Do you believe that I would safely transport each of you to the other end? People excited enthusiastically. We believe. There’s someone upstairs to try it. However, no one signed up. Yes, it’s easy to stand down and call believe, but it’s harder to prove by deed that I really believe. It’s easy to say. Of course, I am a believer, but it is harder to enter Jesus’ arms and be transferred from the old to the new life. It depends on man whether he is willing to ascend there and be led safely by the Creator of the universe himself. Most people don’t care about this great adventure. Therefore, true faith cannot be spoken of here.