predication.net

The Bible follows a person and his transformation. It usually begins with the experience of being called or chosen. Let us recall the stories of certain people. They speak of Moses, Abraham, and Sarah, and of David, Jeremiah, Jonah, and Isaiah. There is also Israel itself. Much later, Peter and Paul appear, and above all, there is Mary. God always chooses a person. That is why, after the address: Do not be afraid, it is said: I will be with you” (cf. Ex 3:11). God’s election does not mean that God prefers someone or that someone is more worthy than others. Paul emphasized that the Jewish people were chosen once and for all: “It is not you who bear the root, but the root you” (Rom 11:16-18).

It is necessary to pray to the Lord of the harvest. Even today, there is a lack of workers who would show people the way to God. On the path to salvation, one cannot do without them. Today’s world is full of sick, disappointed, lost and unhappy people who need help.

Let us not think that we are too small. The ruler of Israel would come from Bethlehem, the smallest city in Judea (cf. Micah 5:1-2). Let us also remember the meeting in Ain Karin: Who am I, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? Elizabeth said to herself. Let us not ask ourselves, ‘Who am I?’ But instead: I am dreamed of, intended by God, and in the heart of God… We are preparing for the feast of the Nativity of God, so let us let life “jump” inside joy.

Light is an inconspicuous and magical word that subconsciously brings a smile to our faces. Light brings something good into our lives: energy, strength, joy, and a positive mood. Light also has its place in God’s order… A young man’s observation: “I reached into the inside pocket of my father’s jacket and felt something solid there. I took out a small booklet. It was the one he had used for years, the New Testament. He gave the attendant this booklet at every gas station. Even when dining at a restaurant, he invariably left a copy there along with a gratuity for the waiter. Without a word, my father showed us what mattered most to him. He knows the Lord and believes others should also have the chance to meet Him. He never knew the impact those booklets had on those to whom he gave them. He just wanted to be faithful to his calling to spread the word of God. Even in the season of Advent, we are sent to prepare the way for the Lord by faithfulness.

Many would say commercials annoy them most when watching TV. However, those who create commercials understand that it is a real science, as they must alert consumers, entice them, interest them, and praise the product. After reading today’s Gospel, we may feel like the Church does not know how to do effective advertising. The beginning of Advent belonged to the words of expectation, faith, and vigilance of the heart; to the word “wake up and listen!” But today’s Sunday is much sharper, literally stirring us up with harsh words.

He introduces us to John the Baptist, who not only warns but also directly provokes. From his youth, he was called to become consecrated, that is, pure. He did not cut his hair, did not drink wine, did not touch a woman, and knew only one love—the love of God. As a young man, he goes to the desert, where he lives for many years alone, homeless, without property, girded with a leather belt, tall, bony, tanned, with long hair, and a beard and mustache that cover his face. But the most important thing about him is that he was a saint, the greatest prophet of God. After all, Jesus himself said about him, “Among those born of women, there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.”

John looked at the world with the eyes of God, and words of grave accusation came out of his mouth. He stood undiplomatically and ruthlessly against the class of Pharisees and Sadducees, and when they also attempted to be baptized, instead of praising them, he rebuked them. You brood of vipers, who has shown you how to escape the punishment that is already threatening? Do not think that you can say, “We have Abraham as our father!”—but I tell you, God can raise these stones to life and raise children to Abraham. The axe is already laid to the root of the trees; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. And when they asked him what to do, he answered, “Bring forth fruit worthy of repentance!”

Perhaps someone will say to himself: He gave it to them… Well done to them, the proud… But be careful! John’s harsh words are also intended for us. What would he say to us today? You who call yourselves Christians, prepare the way for the One who will come after me, because He has much higher demands! Turn around and repent! Bring forth fruit of charitable deeds, and do not forget that Christ wants to look at people through your eyes and wants to manifest Himself through your words and your actions. He emphasizes that he has a shovel in his hand to clean his threshing floor. He will put the wheat into the barn and burn the chaff with fire. Therefore, the admonition applies to you too: improve yourselves, and remove pride, hardness, and rudeness. Find your way back to your husband, wife, parents, or children, to your neighbor, classmate, coworker… Be reconciled with God and repent!

A young man put on torn clothes, tied a rope around his waist, and went out into the city’s streets. The first impression people had of him was that he was some poor, crazy man. But when they looked at his back, they saw a large sign that read, “People in the Third World are starving, and here we are feasting!” Many stopped looking at him like he was crazy at that moment, and there were undoubtedly some who began to contemplate what he wanted to tell people. And they understood that when a young man doesn’t like something, he shows it in his own way. 

Did you notice the parallels between that young man and John the Baptist? Many also considered him crazy, and they treated his master the same way. The Evangelist Mark writes, “(Jesus) went into the house, and again a large crowd gathered, so that they couldn’t even eat.” When his relatives heard about it, they went to take him away, because many were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” Each of us should become John the Baptist. However, it requires a specific process. I must first repent and reconcile with God before I can ask others to repent. And let us not be sad if many consider us crazy, because they treated our Master and the prophets the same way. And for us, that is an honor!

I would have become a Christian long ago, but there are too many hypocrites among those who call themselves Christians, many have said. “That is no argument,” one might say. “People imitate something that has value. Nobody imitates forty-euro banknotes, because they do not exist today. But counterfeiters print fake fifty-euro banknotes precisely because they are considered genuine. So when many people pretend to be Christians, that proves that Christianity is beneficial.” I prefer not to belong to people who fall so far short of expectations. “So, do you want to avoid identifying as Slovak and European simply because there are many negative examples among Slovaks and Europeans?” If Jesus Christ, our Lord, has so few faithful disciples, is not that a reason for us to take his side and serve him especially faithfully?” Today, there is much in Christianity that does not agree with God’s will. Go, he still tolerates it.

It is necessary to constantly cry out like the two blind men: Son of David, have mercy on us! Jesus asked the blind men, “Do you believe that I can do this?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”

Two men were sitting on a train. They were arguing excitedly until one of them noticed that the other was a priest. Now the tone hardened. The Christian took out his Bible and read some passages. But it was useless. Everyone remained in their position. The mood in the compartment was approaching freezing point. Suddenly, his fellow passenger snatched the Bible from his hands and threw it out of the window of the moving train. And he angrily left the bathroom. A few months later, a man came to the priest and begged him, “I would like to be baptized.” – “What church do you belong to?” “None. I read the Bible. It showed me that I was a sinner. And then I came to know God as the God who saves.” – The priest asked, “How did you come across the Bible?” – “I found it while I was working. An object fell at my feet. It was the Bible.” – “Do you happen to have it with you?” – “Yes, here it is.” – The priest recognized that it was his Bible. In this way, Jesus can also open the eyes of the blind today. Let’s make an effort to reach Jesus during the Advent season. He opens our eyes so that we can see the things of God.

CURRICULUM VITAE

She is one of the holy martyrs of considerable importance, about whom no reliable written records have survived. She lived and died in Nicomedia as a virgin and martyr. Jesus’ prediction that “a man’s enemies will be those of his household” was fulfilled in her. (Mt 10:36)

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MAN AGAINST MAN FOR JESUS

The martyrology is very brief about the life of Saint Barbara of Nicomedia, referring to tradition. Important saints remembered her, honored her, and included her among the so-called 14 helpers in need, according to tradition. Her oldest depiction was discovered in the church of Santa Maria Antiqua on the Palatine in Rome, and this fresco dates from about the end of the 7th century.

She probably lived between the 2nd and 4th centuries in Nicomedia, which was also the seat of the Roman emperors in the East, in Bithynia (today Turkey), on the southern side of the Black Sea.

Legend presents her as the beautiful daughter of the wealthy Dioscurus, a great enemy of the Christians, whose teachings Barbara learns about. Dioscurus wanted to protect his daughter from their influence and imprisoned her in a tower, where she was supposed to lack nothing but freedom. On one of her father’s trips, she allegedly persuaded the masons to construct a third window for her prison, despite the original plan calling for only two. Barbara wanted them to remind her of the Holy Trinity, in whose company she longed to live. After her father’s return, an interrogation followed. Some say that during her father’s absence, she also received the sacrament of baptism, and when she confessed to him that she wanted to belong only to Christ, she was temporarily hidden in the ground from his wrath. Some versions say that she was hiding in a cave.

According to the legendary story, while her father was preparing cruel tortures for her, she meditated on the Passion of Christ and drew strength to endure everything for him. In anger, her father is said to have summoned the judge Marcian and had Barbara, who had heroically faced the planned tortures, severely flogged. However, Barbara contemplated Christ’s scourging, perceiving it as a gentle caress from peacock feathers. The next day, her enemies were surprised that the wounds from the scourging had disappeared from her body. However, they refused to acknowledge Christ’s healing power, which Barbara testified to, and interpreted it as a sign from the pagan gods, wanting her to show them gratitude for it. Her efforts to convince them of the opposite only aroused greater fury in them. Among the described tortures with which they wanted to turn her away from the faith are mentioned scratching with iron combs, burning her sides, beating her head, from which they tried to beat Christ out of her, and cutting off her breasts. Marcian’s final decision was to cut off Barbara’s head. They dragged her disfigured through the city to the execution ground, perhaps to discourage others from believing in the true God. However, they were spoiled by Barbara’s bravery and an angel who supposedly covered Barbara’s bleeding body with a white garment. Upon their arrival at the execution site, the father’s determination to carry out the task himself eliminated the need for an executioner. The legend ends by saying that when he beheaded his daughter with a sword, he himself was killed by lightning.

Opening Anselm Grün’s book Spiritual Therapy and the Christian Tradition, we read that this legend is perceived as full of symbolism. This begins with the heroine’s name, which is interpreted as meaning ‘foreigner’, showing that she does not belong to this world but to heaven. Even in prison, a person can experience inner freedom. Her father tried in vain to impose his will by force. God entered her heart, even through a locked door. With him came more light, broadening her narrow horizons. After her father tried to kill her for her faith upon his return, she found refuge in a cave. In the book above, the cave symbolizes the maternal sphere and protection from the father. Through the betrayal of the shepherd, the father’s power proves more potent than the mother’s in the book, and Barbora falls into the hands of the governor at her father’s behest. After being healed by angels from subsequent torture, she was allegedly whipped naked through the city with rods that turned into peacock feathers. The more she was beaten, the more she was adorned with them. This was supposedly to demonstrate that human aggression cannot harm the soul. According to this version of the story, she spent one more night in prison, during which an angel brought her the Body and Blood of the Lord to strengthen her for her final journey. This interpretation proves that a person who follows their own path cannot be harmed by external forces. If the head of the family tries to determine their life path and force them away from God, they cannot win. God protects him through angels, and death means a new life.

In this story, Anselm Grün explores the meaning of the individual attributes. Here, the tower is seen as a symbol of human self-realization and the solid foundations on which our life rests. It is also a symbol of contemplation, representing a place where God dwells with us. This circular building with three windows represents the wholeness of the Triune God living with and in us. As we do not know the actual reality, we are not obliged to adhere to all interpretations. The chalice being offered can also remind us that Christ was offered the symbolic chalice of suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. In accordance with the Father’s will, Jesus was strengthened to face his executioners. His acceptance of a shameful death became our redemption.

It is remembered that Barbora wears a green dress as a symbol of God’s power, reconciliation, and firm hope in eternal mercy. It is supposed to symbolize the renewal of life, which is commemorated by the so-called “barborkas”, which are placed in water so that they bloom at Christmas. This Christianized custom is supposed to remind us that a well-lived Advent should lead to the awakening of creative power coming from God and that by immersing ourselves in ourselves like Barbora, we should blossom with the life of Christ.

Emperor Justinian is said to have transferred the relics of St. Barbara in the 6th century to Constantinople, from where they were placed in the Cathedral of St. Mark in Venice around 1000, and in 1009 they were transferred to the nearby island of Torcello, to the church of St. John the Evangelist. Fr. Ekert states that in 1370 some of the relics of St. Barbara were also brought to Prague for the St. Vitus Cathedral by Charles IV. The most important Gothic church, St. Barbara, is located in Kutná Hora, Bohemia. Construction began in 1388. Some of its decorations date from the end of the 15th century, and the construction or reconstruction was completed between 1884 and 1905. The sculptural group of St. Barbara can be found on the Charles Bridge in Prague, between St. Margaret and St. Elizabeth. The original copy came from Ferdinand Maximilian and Jan Brokof in 1707. The inscription is a request: “Pray for us now and at the hour of death.” – We should not take this lightly. Similarly, in our churches, images of Barbara are proof of the respect paid to this saint in our country.

RESOLUTION, PRAYER

God, your power is especially manifested when it works in the weak: you strengthened Saint Barbara to bravely endure all torture; help us also, so that through her intercession we may triumphantly pass through all trials, not die a sudden death, but appear before you reconciled, after receiving the Holy Sacraments. We ask this through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, for he lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. 

CURRICULUM VITAE

He came from Navarre, Spain. He spent his youth during the political struggles for independence, during which his native castle also fell. While studying in Paris, he met Peter Faber and Ignatius of Loyola, who became his fellow brothers in 1534 when the Jesuit order was founded. He was a priest from 1537, and from 1541 he zealously and successfully preached the gospel in India, Ceylon, the Moluccas, and Japan. He died at the age of 46, on the island of Sancian, on his way to China.

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HIS PROGRAM WAS THE SALVATION OF SOULS

He was born on 7 April 1506 in the castle of Javier (Xavier) in the Basque part of the Kingdom of Navarre in northeastern Spain, as the youngest of five siblings. The four older ones were Magdalena, Anna, Miguel, and Juan. During his childhood, there were fights for independence between Basque Navarre on the one hand and Spain and France on the other. His father, Juan de Jasso died at that time and the fortifications of their castle were demolished during the fighting. Miguel and Juan joined the fighting. In 1521, 50 km northwest of Javier in Pamplona, ​​Ignatius of Loyola (d. 31 July) also fought against the Basques, who was hit in the leg by a cannonball here on 20 May and who later had a significant influence on Francis’s life.

Spain took over Navarre in 1524, when Francis was 18 years old, causing the Xaviers to lose a significant portion of their property. That year, both brothers returned, and the following year, Francis went to university in Paris. He had a lively and fiery nature, was ambitious, had above-average intelligence, and was also tolerant. From the beginning of his second year of university studies, he lived with the quiet, melancholic student Peter Faber (died 1 August). They are said to have complemented each other quite well, due to their contrasting personalities. Peter often tempered Francis’s sharper expressions with his prudence. An older, disabled student, Ignatius of Loyola, joined these two in the autumn of 1529. Francis was very slow to make friends with this new roommate, but they eventually united around the ideals that led to the founding of a new order.

In 1530, Francis obtained the academic title of Master, equivalent to today’s Doctor of Philosophy, and became an associate professor and director of a university college. Four years later, on August 15, 1534, he came to the Chapel of St. Dionysius in Montmartre, Paris, with Peter Faber, four other companions, and Ignatius of Loyola to found the Jesuits under his leadership. They took a vow to live in poverty, chastity, and service to souls in the Holy Land or to be at the disposal of the Pope as the vicar of Christ.

In the autumn of the same year, Francis held spiritual exercises under Ignatius’s guidance, and the salvation of souls became his life’s program. In 1535-1536, Francis studied theology and prepared for the sacrament of priesthood, which he received with his companions in June 1537 in Venice, and had his primogeniture in Vicenza.

In Venice, he and Ignatius were housed in a hospital for the terminally ill, providing them with the necessary services. Caring for these patients was, among other things, a matter of self-control and self-denial.

Due to tensions between Venice and the Turks, it was not possible to continue the planned journey to the Holy Land, and therefore the members of this religious group dispersed for a short time to the university cities of northern Italy (Francis went to Bologna). There they preached and provided various spiritual services until April 1538, when they met in Rome to cooperate with Ignatius in apostolic and charitable work. Their goal was papal approval of the Society of Jesus. Pope Paul III approved it orally in 1539 and in writing on 27 September 1540.

At the beginning of 1540, Portuguese King John III had already asked Ignatius to send his brothers to the Indian missions. With the Pope’s approval, he dispatched Francis Xavier along with the Portuguese Simon Rodriguez. Francis left for Lisbon in mid-March, where he arrived in June after the ships had sailed, and it was necessary to wait out the winter there. In the meantime, they preached in the city and cared for the sick. King João then decided to keep Rodriguez in Lisbon, and Francis was appointed apostolic nuncio to the East by Pope Paul III and received four letters of recommendation for the rulers there. With them and two assistants, the Italian P. Paolo Camerino and the not-yet-ordained Portuguese Fr. Mantillas, he set off for India. The journey from Lisbon to Goa on the west coast of India lasted from 7 April 1541 to 6 May 1542.

In the first stage of the journey, they rounded the Cape of Good Hope and, after about five months, arrived in Mozambique on the coast of Africa. Here, they had to wait out the winter and were able to continue by sea only in February. After an arduous journey, during which he was accompanied by seasickness and was constantly at the service of sailors, soldiers, convicts, slaves, and other various passengers, he began to care for the sick in Mozambique despite his exhaustion and illness.

Goa, a former Portuguese colony in India, became Francis’ first base in the country. He began his work in the city’s hospital with those who had also arrived from elsewhere. He slept on the floor next to the most seriously ill patients so that he could be ready to serve their needs.

After five months, he was sent south to Cape Kanyakumari. The natives there made their living by fishing for pearls and spoke Tamil. Francis had the basic prayers of the Church and the Ten Commandments translated into this language for them. He only began to learn Tamil with great difficulty, and then, as in the streets of Goa, he would ring a bell to call for catechism classes. He tirelessly spoke about God to children and adults.

From there, he also wrote to Ignatius in Rome about his activities: “I persistently went around the villages and washed all the children who had not yet been baptized with holy baptismal water. I thus purified a tremendous number of children who could hardly tell their right hand from their left. However, these children would not let me even pray the breviary, nor even eat or sleep, until I had taught them a prayer. And then I understood that they were the ones to whom the kingdom of heaven belonged… Many people in this area do not become Christians simply because there is no one available to convert them. And so the thought often crosses my mind that I should go around all the academic institutions throughout Europe—and especially the University of Paris—and shout everywhere like one deprived of one’s senses, to rouse those in whom there is more learning than love with the cry, “How terrible is the number of those who, through your fault, do not get to heaven and are rushing to hell!”

He then lived among the inhabitants of the Moluccas (now part of Indonesia). It is said that in one month, he baptized up to 10,000 Indians. In early 1545, he sailed to Malacca and then on to the island of Amon. From there, after a three-month stay, he went to the island of Ternate. After completing this journey, which he considered his duty as the Apostolic Nuncio to the Far East, he learned of Japan’s existence. In Goa, he distributed tasks to new missionaries of the TJ and in August 1549, on the junk of a Chinese sailor, he sailed to the shores of Japan. He set out on foot for Miyako, where he encountered ridicule and failed to reach the emperor. However, within two years, he had converted at least five hundred Japanese people to the Christian faith. On his return, he expected the conversion of China, which would also contribute to the spread of Christianity in this country. In November 1552, he sailed to the island of San Juan near Canton. Here, starving and feverish from hypothermia, he died on December 3rd at the age of 46.

He was beatified on October 25, 1619, by Pope Paul V, and canonized on March 12, 1622, by Pope Gregory XV.

RESOLUTION, PRAYER

Francis had no other goal than the salvation of souls. That was the most important thing in his heart and life. I will examine my conscience over his message, to what extent the salvation of souls for whom I am responsible is close to my heart – in my family, in the broader community of people with whom I interact, in others in my country, in Europe… From this, I will draw more concrete decisions and permanent initiatives, starting with correcting my mistakes.

God, you called Saint Francis Xavier to show the way to you by preaching the Gospel to thousands of people; fill the hearts of all believers with a zeal to spread the light of your truth, so that your Church may grow and fulfill its mission in the world. We ask this through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

The father could not cope with his rebellious son, so he sent him to the monastery for re-education. “What should we do with him?” The monks asked. The abbot thought for a moment and said, “Leave him alone. Let him be here with us and watch how we live.” After some time, the father stopped in the monastery and was surprised at how his son treated him. He could not stand it and asked, “What have they done to you?” The young man smiled: “You know, those monks believe that every person can be an angel, and that is why they treat him with immense respect and love. And when they treat others like that, over time, it changes those people into the way they see them.” The father was amazed and even asked the abbot himself, “Do you really think that we should treat people as if they were angels?” The abbot looked at him and said, “An angel is a messenger of God. And every person can be one in their own way.” Then the man interrupted him and said, “Well, I can imagine that a religious person can be a messenger of God because they live in communion with God, but there are so many evil, sinful, and cruel people in the world. How could they be messengers of God?” The abbot said, “A meeting with a good person will encourage you in faith and love. A meeting with a bad person will test your faith and love. Both are necessary. Sometimes we are full of goodness, and sometimes we are full of anger and malice. And therefore, regardless of what happens, let us try to perceive everyone we meet as a messenger of God. And whether he brings good or evil, let us always ask: “Lord, why did you send this person into my life? What message did you want to convey through this? ”And let us express thanks for every encouragement and trial. It is not easy, but, as you see, it also bears its fruit.”

In the Advent season, we must prepare the way for the Lord within ourselves. He wants to rejoice in us and glorify the Father for the graces addressed to the right recipient. Let us allow Jesus to exult within himself and above himself: I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth…

There is a well-known thesis: “So far, philosophers have only explained the world in various ways, but from now on, the point is to change it!” Or in a kind of secessionist antithesis: “So far, philosophers have only changed the world, but now, the point is to explain it!” Jesus did not come to explain the world or change it; he was sent to save it. Jesus Christ is the messenger of the Father—the God of love, who can do this in every heart, including yours.

  A wreath, the pre-Christmas rush, cooling off, Christmas advertising… St. Charles Borromeo said this about Advent: “Beloved, this period is so glorious and solemn that the Holy Spirit speaks of it: ‘The time of grace, the day of salvation, peace, and reconciliation.'” It is a time for which the ancient patriarchs and prophets prayed and sighed persistently, a time that the righteous Simeon saw with great joy, and which the Church still solemnly experiences… The Church celebrates this mystery every year, reminding us of God’s extravagant love for us. It also teaches us that Christ’s coming benefited not only those who lived at that time, but that we all share in his power to this day, provided we are willing to receive the grace he merited for us through holy faith and the sacraments, submit obediently to its influence, and lead a moral life. What does today’s Word of God say about us? At His first coming, the Lord said: ‘I will come and heal him.’ Do we need healing? Perhaps we will ask ourselves: ‘Others need it.’ But me?! This is where it breaks down; the need for Advent is revealed. Jesus came for those who required healing. The centurion did not consider himself worthy. Such an attitude is not an obstacle if a person realizes it. Jesus did not heal the Pharisees, who thought they were perfect and despised the centurion. Recognizing the need for healing is probably the most important thing. How can such an outcome be achieved? Do you know? A tourist approaches a hermit and asks him the meaning of his life in solitude. The hermit is currently drawing water from a well. The hermit tells the tourist to look into the water. ‘I see nothing,’ says the tourist, ‘only the rippled surface.’ The hermit carries the water away, then tells the tourist to look into it again. This time, he saw himself. Advent: we are overwhelmed by many duties and haste. It is probably necessary to fight for peace and time for ourselves.