During these weeks, many of us are traveling by car, on vacation. With the growing number of means of transport, we feel more and more clearly that those who want to reach their destination with certainty need above all vigilance, alertness and the ability to react quickly. Without this, they endanger themselves and others. Vigilance is the key word that we encounter today in the readings of Holy Scripture. The comparison with driving a car is not at all misguided, as it may seem at first glance: those who are not vigilant in faith and react out of excessive interest easily lose sight of the situation and risk various losses. Each of today’s three readings mentions a completely different aspect of vigilance. Those who are vigilant live something more than just this moment. The text from the Book of Wisdom clarifies this statement: vigilance recognizes a greater scope of expectation and counts on the improbable, the extraordinary, and surprises from God. By remembering God’s history with Israel, the Jewish minority gains courage. God’s faithfulness has long been the basis of His promise (the exodus from Egypt), and so God’s people can take God seriously and build on their faithfulness to Him. His people are able to endure difficult life situations, they are able to stay awake, to pay attention to God’s signs even in suffering, because they know that God will never break His promise and will not take the election of His people for granted.

He who is vigilant has the courage to make a change! This fundamental characteristic of vigilance is clear in the life of Abraham, which the second reading tells us about. When a person hears God’s call, vigilance leads him to the courage to make a change, to set out – even if it is risky – into new situations in life. In Abraham’s journey, we can see that believing on the path of promise means that one must overcome, pass decisive tests of proof, by taking God’s word seriously and letting himself be guided by it. For Abraham, this means giving up his life’s security and setting out for a land unknown to him. It means trusting in God’s power to give life and the promise of abundant offspring. It means trusting in the hardest, humanly seemingly meaningless task, giving up his own son. It is always a future that cannot be estimated, and whose risk can only be overcome with the certainty that it is God himself who comes to meet man – and this is precisely in hopeless situations, when there is nothing left to count on, when everything seems to be lost. This is faith: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Watchful Essen develops a feeling for the things of God, for people, for behavior in certain life situations. For every believer, basic attitudes such as freedom from material possessions, vigilance regarding the future coming of the Lord, and faithfulness in dealing with God’s goods and the people God has entrusted to us are essential. These basic attitudes are not abstract principles, but become carriers of life when encountering quite concrete people and events. The Gospel makes it clear that inattention and lack of sensitivity have negative consequences for both our relationship with the world and our relationship with God. Vigilance and openness to God and people, on the other hand, create a lasting and indestructible community. Waiting on the Lord becomes concrete only in a helpful, loving treatment of all creation. Vigilance is therefore an attitude of life that helps me to be attentive and vigilant in my life. When I am alert and attentive, I perceive the chances and possibilities that my life offers me. However, if I focus only on guarding my treasures, it can happen that I overlook the chances that offer me to change my life. However, when I am open to what comes in my life, I can accept it, even if it seems at first to be something incomprehensible, unacceptable and too demanding, which in the end can contribute to growth and great profit.

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On August 9, 1942, philosopher Edita Stein perished in the Nazi extermination camp Auschwitz II – Birkenau. She came from a Jewish family, was baptized as an adult, and after entering the Carmelite order, she took the name Therese Benedict of the Cross. In 1998 she was canonized and proclaimed co-patron of Europe. The Church celebrates her feast day on August 9.Man is called to live in his innermost self and to gain mastery over himself in a way that is only possible from here; and only from this center of his being is he also able to deal correctly with the world, only from here can he find the place in it that is destined for him. Yet he never fully sees his innermost self. It remains a mystery to him that only God can reveal to him – to the extent that he pleases. And yet man has his innermost self in his own hands: he can dispose of it in perfect freedom, but he also has the duty to protect it as a precious treasure entrusted to him. In the realm of the spirit, this treasure must have immense value: angels have been ordered to guard it; evil spirits try to seize it; and God himself has chosen it as his dwelling. Neither good nor evil spirits, however, have free access to the deepest depths of the soul.he right to decide for itself belongs to the soul. The fact that God also respects this right is the great mystery of personal freedom. God wishes to rule over created spirits only on the basis of the free gift of their love. He knows the thoughts of the heart. His gaze penetrates the furthest abysses and depths of the soul, the bottom of which the soul itself will never see unless he illuminates them for it. However, God does not want to seize possession of it unless it itself wants to do so. And yet God does everything so that the soul freely surrenders its will to him as a gift of his love and allows itself to be led by him to a blessed union.

God is love. Therefore, if God captivates the soul, it means that the soul burns with love, if its spirit is ready for it. For everything that is finite, eternal love is a consuming fire. And all the movements that awaken created things in the soul are finite. If the soul surrenders itself to created things, it will betray this love of God, but it will never completely escape it. God’s love will then become a consuming fire for itself.

In Christ, thanks to his nature and his free choice, there was nothing that was contrary to love. He lived every moment of his life in unreserved surrender to the love of God. However, by becoming man, he took upon himself the whole weight of the sins of humanity, seized them with his merciful love and hid them in his soul: in the Ecce venio (Behold, I come…), with which he began his earthly life and which he explicitly renewed in his baptism, and in his Fiat (Become…) in Gethsemane. Thus was fulfilled the fire of reconciliation that had been burning within him throughout all the sufferings of his life, but which, however, flared up like an unstoppable conflagration in the Garden of Olives and on the Cross, because there the Father took away from him the tangible bliss of indissoluble union in order to give him over entirely to the last and most painful test: the experience of ultimate abandonment by God. The words It is finished… announce that this fire of reconciliation has burned out, and the phrase Father, into your hands I commend my spirit… proclaim the definitive return to eternal, untarnished union in love.

In the suffering and death of Christ, our sins were consumed by fire. If we accept this by faith and if we accept the whole of Christ in the surrender of this faith – which means, however, that we choose the path of following Christ and also follow it – then he himself will lead us “through his suffering and death to the glory of the resurrection”. This is what we experience in contemplation: through the heat of the conciliatory fire we pass to the blissful union in love. This also explains the ambiguous character of contemplation, which is at once death and resurrection. After the dark night, the living flame of love shines.

Today, we celebrate the memory of Saint Dominic, who was one of those who brought people to Christ with his life and proclamation. He was born in 1170 in Spain and devoted his whole life to serving God and spreading the faith. Dominic founded the Order of Friars of Preachers, known as the Dominicans.

At that time, a delusional Albigensian sect was spreading in southern France. Dominic was sent to them and to other heretics to bring them to conversion. Together with his spiritual sons, he was involved in missionary work and traveled throughout Europe to spread the gospel and strengthen the faith of believers. His passionate devotion to God and truth, his passion to proclaim the gospel, brought a new spiritual fire to the Church. Dominic was known for his wisdom, humility, and love for his neighbors. His life story is full of examples of sacrifice and service.

Saint Dominic died in 1221 in Bologna. With his courage, love, and faithfulness to God, he still inspires many believers today to a deeper spiritual life and service to their neighbors. We can learn endurance from him so that we do not give up the struggle with the delusions of our time.

Jesus is aware of his limited Time on earth; therefore, he cannot be drawn into endless disputes where justice is only seemingly at stake.

Film Defined Time starring Justin Timberlake, he plays with the idea that from the age of 25, people stop aging, and at the same Time have only one year left to live.

Instead of money, they pay for everything with minutes, hours, and days from the rest of their lives. The remaining Time shines on their forearms. How can they get it? By working hard, gambling, or engaging with local gangs. They look for victims, join hands with them, and steal their Time on their counter.

Coffee in such a world costs three minutes. The opposite has happened to the beliefs of enterprising people – money has become Time. Such an idea can disturb us and, at the same Time, disrupt the value ladder.

It’s a shame that such a display is not on the forearms of people who even today have endless legal disputes with their neighbors, siblings, or former friends.

The man who turns to Jesus as a judge in a dispute with his brother is also missing. Perhaps he takes him as God’s ambassador, who should judge justly as the God of the Old Testament, since Jesus claims to come from him.

However, Jesus is aware of his limited Time on earth, so he cannot be drawn into endless disputes, where justice is only seemingly at stake. His great intuition quickly grasps the whole case and identifies the real problem: this person’s greed. He thus elegantly avoids the trap. He knows that those traps are like pigs that stain people’s lives and steal their Time.

His foresight resembles the wisdom of a rabbi, as seen in the actions of a young boy who wanted to marry. And the rabbi supported him in this. Later, the bachelor decided not to get married because the bride’s family seemed strange. And the rabbi nodded: “Don’t get married. “

But then the young person found out that his father-in-law would buy him a car and arrange a well-paid job after the wedding. And the rabbi again agreed to his getting married. When the boy came to him for the fourth Time, saying that he would not get married because he would have to live with his in-laws, the rabbi told him in a raised voice: “Don’t get married. And I’ll give you one more piece of advice – get baptized. “

When the surprised bachelor asked for an explanation, he briefly answered that he would go to the priest next Time with such banalities and not to him… Even the rabbi understood that he was wasting Time with a person who would like to throw responsibility on someone else.

I remember three brothers whose father wanted to secure their future for life. In addition to the sprawling house, he also left them money, gold, and other property. However, three brides who had caused mutual animosity among their brothers could not have the final say. It ended in court, the brothers stopped talking, and people walked around the extinguished house for a long time.

The process of inheritance exposes relationships. The father concentrated on the property, but forgot the key that would have allowed the sons to divide it peacefully. He forgot that he had not yet created a home by building a house. Another might believe the illusion that by shortening the lives of others, he will prolong his life.

In one prayer to the Holy Spirit, the believer asks that the Spirit reveal to him the truth of created things, so that he can distinguish between illusion and what remains forever. Things create the appearance of life. The book of Ecclesiastes names it as vanity (hebr. hebel) – which is the name of a cloud that evaporates when the sun’s rays touch.

If people live in healthy relationships, family and parish communities, we always find sharing (tal. zdivision). Where sin prevails, there is division (tal. divisione).

Accumulating with a false sense of security is also the central theme of Kiešťlowski’s last film from the cycle Decalogue. Two brothers meet at their father’s funeral. They know that his father was a freak who sacrificed everything to collect stamps, and his family broke up for them.

When they walk into his stale Warsaw apartment, the presence of security features and a safe will indicate the rarity of the collection. To increase its value, switch from the pink Mercurius to the blue and yellow one.

Suddenly, they are overcome by the same destructive passion that was with their father. See it in the scene under the balcony when the older brother confesses that this is why he forgot all his problems. The brothers begin to communicate with the philatelists to find the missing mark. However, the owner of the pink Mercurio does not want to sell it. He is willing to exchange it for a healthy kidney to save his sick daughter.

The movie ends dramatically. While the older brother has his kidney removed, unknown perpetrators rob the older man’s apartment and take the entire rare collection of stamps.

At the end, the brothers’ smiles seemed to convince the viewer that they had succumbed to a false desire, but a nice brotherly relationship still took precedence.

We celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord in the middle of summer, at a time that is often given to us for rest, for gaining strength, maybe for traveling and new impressions or even for inner silence and reevaluation of life, it’s a time when we can open up to many that we easily lose or overlook on a weekday “It’s also a time when we can be gifted many “experiences on the mountain” both literally and figuratively. We want to stay in lovely places and return to them once more. Therefore, it is essential to consciously remember meetings with people and the experiences we have had. We can’t cling to them, but they can be a support for us when we have fallen back into the monotony of everyday life Woven into the carpet of our life, they enrich it with colorful colors, they add certainty, especially when looking at sleep in general, already experienced that our life has a definitive and constant meaning, they add strength in times of suffering and bleakness.

A similar experience for the disciples was likely Jesus’ transformation on Mount, in addition to the desert, where they encountered God and had an experience close to him, which is particularly important. Just as mountains are lifted from the land, so are encounters with God lifted from the everyday. In these experiences, God himself cancels the limited perspective of man for a short moment – as a guarantee and expectation of eternal glory. Jesus’ transfiguration shows that God’s light is the future. This light is stronger than the experience of suffering and death. This transfiguration is an encouragement to trust in Jesus’ life, even during the trip to Jerusalem to the cross. Much more need, fear, and sadness await the disciples; on the other hand, they are already gifted with a view of the future on the mountain of resurrection. As for this, the message of Jesus’ transfiguration is an expected, anticipated Easter message for us, which helps in the time of conquering the desert period in our lives, by being carried by experience, that we have refuge in God, and that he accepts us as His beloved daughter or His beloved son.

Then it can be easier to bear, and the heavy burden can be viewed through the eyes of a new creative perspective. Such moments of transformation cannot be forced. We can only be open and prepared for them, but they will always remain a gift that will unexpectedly visit our lives and whose incalculability may sometimes surprise us. It can be powerful emotional experiences, but it can also be a “ounly” feeling of oneness with God, immersion in His love, His joy, His peace. May we all be blessed, especially in the summer season, with this or that moment, in which God’s affection and closeness will illuminate us like a shining, unexpected light.

As we  gather today inthe magnificent Basilica die Santa Maria Maggiore, let us take a moment to appreciate the beauty  that surrounds us. This sacred  space, with its stunning mosaics and towering columns, is not merely a tesatamentto human artistry but a reflection of  our faith and devotion. In the heart of this basilica, we are reminded of the importance of Mary, the Mother of God,who stands as our  intercessor and quide. Just as this basilica was built to honor her, let  us  honor  her in our lives by followiing  her example of faith, of faith, obedience, and love.

Mary*s  life a journey of trust in God’s plan, even when faced with uncertainty. We ,too, are called to trust in the Lord, especially in times of doubt and and fear. Like Mary,let us say  yes  to God’s will, enbracing the path He lays before us, no  matter how challenging it may seem. As we reflect on the  mosaiics that depict the  story  of  salvation, let us remember that we are part of this divine narrative. Each of  us  has a unique role  to play in God’s plan. Our lives, like  the intracate designs of these tiles, contribute to the larger picture of His grace and love. In the comming  week, I encourage you to find ways to embody the spirit of this  scred  place. Reacg out to those in  nessd, offer words of comfort, and let your actions  reflect the lobe of Christ. As  we leave this beautiful basilica, may  we carry the  light of faith into  our  communities sharing  the  joy that  comes from knowing our  Sarvior. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for  the gift Your Mother, Mary. Help  us  to follow  her example and to trust in Your  divine  plan for our lives. May this  basilica inspire us to live out our faith boldly  and to love  one another as You have  loved us.

You are a priest forever › Heb 5, 6. The writer Antonio Sicari writes in the book Portraits of Saints, that the life of the holy parish priest is full of innocence and wonders, until one is tempted to tell it like a fairy tale. And the tale would read like this: „ Once upon a time, a Christian-based village boy named John lived in France, who loved solitude and God from his earliest childhood. And since the lords in Paris caused a revolution and prevented people from praying, the child and his parents went to mass in the corner of a granary. Priests hid in those days, and when they were caught, their heads were shaved. That is why John dreamed of becoming a priest. Although he could pray, he lacked education. He guarded sheep and worked in the fields.

The entered the seminar very late and failed all exams. But professions were very rare at the time, so they finally let him graduate. He was appointed parish priest in Arsa and remained there until his death. He was a parish priest in the most remote village in France. However, he was a parish priest through and through and this does not happen often. He was so much so that the most remote village of France could be proud of the most important parish priest of France. All of France went on a journey to see him. He took all who came to him, and if he had not died, he would have converted all of France. He healed souls and bodies. He read in his hearts like from a book. The devil tempted him, but even so he could not prevent himself from becoming a holy man. He became a canon, then a knight of the Road Legion, then a saint. But as long as he lived, he never understood why. And that was the most beautiful proof that he really deserved fame. In paradise, where the true value of the people will be revealed, the events of the 19th century are called the century of the parish priest of Ars, but France has no idea.

In this narrative we feel the hand of the artist, who, in a few short strokes, managed to draw almost the entire profile of the saint, the patron saint of priests. But suddenly the author stops and realizes that in reality behind this innocence lies a deep authentic drama of a person who faithfully served God and his neighbors. His perfect devotion to vocation is an encouragement and an invitation to us, because the Church is not made up of people who are better than others, but of people who want to become better than they are.

Every first Friday of the month is dedicated to the most holy heart of Jesus. This respect has been held for centuries. If we wanted to find a beginning, we would have to look back to the early Christian age. But the most tremendous respect was held in the 17th century, when St. Margaret Mary Alacoque received a revelation from the Lord Jesus. Among other things, he requested a memorable holiday in which people would worship the „Divine Heart of Jesus“. We celebrate this holiday on the Friday after the octave of the feast of the Body and Blood of the Lord. In addition, we commemorate every first Friday of the month, especially.

 Why do we worship the heart??? Because the heart in the biblical view represents the center of the PERSON of man. The heart forms an essential characteristic of a person. Even today, when we want to say that someone is good, we use the expression: „ has a good and noble heart.“

 The reverence of the Heart of Jesus is not the reverence of a carnal heart separated from his person, but in it the whole human and divine person of the Son of God is worshiped. However, Christ’s eternal and immense love is mainly worshiped. The love that is given to us is given to us to be given further through us. In the litanies to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we also have an invocation: „Heart of Jesus, burning hearth of love“. Here we see that there is no mention of a flame, but a focus of love, from which love for us radiates to penetrate even into our hearts.

 Today’s people are often characterized as being who is thirsty for love. French priest Guy Gilbert says: If a person looks tough and dull, if he opposes and rebels, if he is aggressive, it is because he feels ‘weakly loved.“  Our task is to receive and give God’s love, originating from Jesus’ heart. („Come to me all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will strengthen you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am quiet and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your soul. My yoke is pleasant and my burden is light.“Mt 11,28-30)

 Jean Ladame says: „If Christians will have an open heart and understanding for the needs of others, if they are not afraid of otherness ( skin color, culture, religion) if they cry with those who cry, rejoicing with those who rejoice to be able to obey, help, sympathize with their brothers and cooperate in everyday life, then they will become a question mark for many, because people will ask: „Where they take that attention to every person, that presence in every suffering, to alleviate it, in every injustice, to face it with courage, in every difficulty, to share it.“

 If we even partially succeed, we will be able to say not so much in words as in deeds: „ Through God’s love, God’s grace, Divine heart I am what I am.“ 

But by God’s grace I am what I am, and his grace was not in vain in me. After all, I worked more than all of them, actually not even me, but God’s grace with me (1Cor. 15,10).