The Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law

Posted on 29. August 2026 by Peter Prochac

 

In the time of Jesus’ life, a Roman centurion had a magnificent synagogue built in Capernaum. Its white marble blocks were one and a half meters thick. It was the same centurion whose gravely ill servant Jesus healed from a distance, without entering his house. The synagogue was a Jewish house of prayer, in which scrolls with the Word of God were kept. So God was present there. And especially in the person of Jesus, who often visited it.

Right opposite the synagogue, a few dozen meters across the road, Saint Peter had his house. And in this house was his sick mother-in-law. It is strange – Peter’s mother-in-law lived right next to the source of healing – the house of God, in which the Word of God was kept, for by its power the world came into being, it has the power to heal diseases and cast out evil spirits. At least every Sabbath, prayers of people from the whole town and surrounding area were held there, and besides that, Jesus, the Son of God, was often personally present in it. And next door, only a few meters away, was a sick and life-broken mother-in-law. How is that possible? Was it because of the thick stone walls? No! It is something else that is the cause of our diseases, sufferings, and humiliation – and that is separation from God. What separated Peter’s mother-in-law from God and His healing?

Her own conviction that she was abandoned by God, useless and a burden, and the resulting sadness and negativity.

Contempt from people on the outside, who considered her cursed, rejected by God and sinful. This woman was separated from God by the belief that God did not love her, that she was not in His interest, that she was rejected by Him. And on the other hand, she lacked the faith through which she would touch God and receive healing.

Why was it like that? According to the Evangelist Mark, Peter’s mother-in-law had a much bigger problem than just a fever. A woman in biblical times needed a protector in life. A man represented that for her. Without a man she was nothing. Before marriage, her protector was her father and brothers. After marriage – her husband and sons. If her husband died, the care passed to her sons. If her sons died, the woman had to return to her original family, which would take care of her. And such a state was considered shameful, worse than illness or even death. Such widows were despised in Palestine at that time, because they were – according to their belief – a sign that God had turned away from them. And if God had turned away from someone, why should we take care of him?! So Peter’s mother-in-law also felt unnecessary, useless, abandoned by God, that she was a burden to the family.

Peter’s mother-in-law was more sick with another disease than with fever, and that was a loss of meaning, which robbed her of dignity. The fact that she lived in the house of her son-in-law Peter meant that she no longer had a husband, nor a son, nor her own family to which she could return. If she had, she would have done so. And so she had to stay with her son-in-law and be a burden to him. When fever was added to that, she was completely incapacitated, because as a sick and infirm person she was even more of a burden to her son-in-law.

But fortunately, she allowed Jesus to come to her and touch her. He took her by the hand, helped her to stand up and lifted her up. This word is symbolic. It means that He lifted her from her humiliation, disgrace, and being trampled down. The fact that immediately afterward she served Jesus and His disciples is evidence that Jesus truly healed her. Now she is strong enough to be able to take her position again, take over her role and start functioning normally in the house. In this way, Jesus restored meaning to her life, and she repays Him and His disciples with her service.

Sin, evil, the world, the devil causes us to weaken spiritually, physically, or even fall into paralysis. We all need Jesus to touch us and lift us up. We need Him to touch

our tongue – in the Eucharist

our mind and will – through daily reading of the Word of God

our stomach – through fasting, and not only from food, but today even more from the use of mass media and social networks

our soul – through monthly holy confession

our heart – through daily prayer of the holy rosary

Dear brothers and sisters! Let us allow Jesus to heal us through the sacraments and means of sanctification and let us also be instruments of His healing love for the people around us. Amen.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The embrace the opportunities of everyday life.

Posted on 28. August 2026 by Peter Prochac

 

We have a number of such ideals—what a man, a woman, a husband, a wife, a father, a mother, a priest, and so on should be like. Such ideals are often presented to us, or we present them to ourselves or to others. This need not be a problem as long as the ideal is seen as the goal of a long journey and as long as partial goals are also presented that motivate us to take the next step. But the situation becomes much more complicated when we start from the goal. This is how it should be, so let’s sell our property and have common ownership. And that is precisely where problems begin—he gave only that much, why should I give more; I have already given up, so why do I have to keep giving in again; I’m trying, and the others don’t care…

Exactly these kinds of situations arise when we approach things from the opposite direction, when we start from the goal. A person places himself as if at the finish line—this is how it should be—and then tries to build the road backward. What follows is a kind of social engineering, or better said, religious engineering. I know what my life should look like, so I strive by every possible means to construct everything so that it will be that way. But this is a road to frustration, disappointment, hopelessness, and discouragement.

I invite you now to look at how the first community approached it.

The description of the “ideal” community comes at the end of a narrative that begins in Acts chapter 3. There we read: 1 Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. They were not doing anything special and did not plan anything special. They were just going to pray, as they always did. But at the entrance to the temple they meet a man lame from birth, whom people carried there every day. The lame man expects money from them. Peter responds to his expectation: “Look at us!” 5 He looked at them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise and walk!” Peter does not give what is expected of him; he gives something much greater. We might say that we do not know how to heal, but that is no excuse—we still possess many things the world is poor in.

This healing arouses interest, and the apostles once again seize the opportunity. They see a chance to proclaim, so they use it: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?” It is worth reflecting on the structure of Peter’s address. It is a kerygmatic catechesis centered on Christ. He names the problem but also gives the solution. And above all, he gives hope. “You killed the Author of life, but God raised him from the dead; and we are witnesses of this.” “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your leaders.” “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.” In his speech Peter further points out how the prophecies of the Old Testament are fulfilled in Christ. It is worth reading the whole chapter.

Naturally, the event draws the attention of the priests: 1 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 They laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. It is interesting that it is precisely in times of persecution that they multiply.

The next day Peter has another opportunity to proclaim. He speaks with complete confidence. For the first time the apostles have the chance to experience that what Jesus promised them really works: “Make up your minds not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I will give you eloquence and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:14–15). Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, says in his defense: “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

This speech causes amazement: 13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, ordinary men, they were astonished; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

In the end they do threaten them, but Peter and John respond unambiguously: “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God; 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for they were all glorifying God for what had happened.

As we see, the apostles were not doing anything extraordinary; they had no plan to build anything. They did nothing artificial or preplanned, but acted entirely naturally. Everything came as the fruit of living their faith and seizing the opportunities that arose. Of course, they were not improvising. They had a strong personal experience, and they bore witness to it.

What qualifications did the apostles have for proclaiming? (reflect on the text and try to identify their qualifications and strengths)
What personal experience do I have with God? What do I see and hear about God?
Can I share it?
What are people hungry for today?
What could I offer them?
What opportunity could I use to invite someone to reflect? To encourage? To give hope?

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World Day for Prayer for the Preservation of Creation.

Posted on 28. August 2026 by Peter Prochac

Suggested Readings:**

* Genesis 1:26-31 and 2:15 – “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.”
* Psalm 104:24-30 – “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all.”
* Romans 8:19-23 – “Creation waits with eager longing… to be set free”
* Matthew 6:25-34 – Look at the birds of the air and the lilies of the field.

Beloved in Christ,

On this first day of September, Mother Church invites us to begin not with ourselves, but with the world around us. Since 1989, at the initiative of the Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios, and embraced since 2015 by Pope Francis for the Catholic Church, this day has been set aside as the World Day of Prayer for the Preservation of Creation.

It is no accident that it is today. For the Orthodox, September 1st is the beginning of the Church year – the Day of the Indiction. What better way to begin a new year than by remembering whose world this is?

The Psalmist says it plainly: “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it” – Psalm 24:1. It is not ours. It is given to us.

And that changes everything.

**1. Creation is a Gift, Not a Possession**

In our first reading from Genesis, we hear two verbs that we often forget. In Genesis 2:15, God places the human being in the garden “to till it and to keep it.” In Hebrew: *avad* and *shamar*.

*Avad* means to serve, to cultivate, to work. *Shamar* means to guard, to watch over, to preserve – the same word used for a shepherd watching his sheep, or Aaron’s blessing: “May the Lord bless you and keep you” – *shamar* you.

We were not placed here as owners, or as conquerors, or as consumers. We were placed here as gardeners. As keepers. As priests of creation.

Pope Francis in *Laudato Si’* calls this our vocation to be stewards, not masters. St. Basil the Great asked: “The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat in your closet belongs to the naked.”

Creation is not raw material for our endless appetite. It is a gift, a sacrament of God’s presence. As Patriarch Bartholomew, the “Green Patriarch,” teaches, to harm creation is a sin against God.

Look today at the world God made. The forests around Prešov, the water, the sky after rain. St. Francis of Assisi called them brother and sister for a reason. They are our kin.

**2. Creation is Groaning – Romans 8**

But St. Paul tells us a hard truth: creation is groaning. “Creation waits with eager longing… in bondage to decay.”

We do not need to look far to hear that groaning.

We hear it in the polluted rivers, in the forests that burn every summer, in the air that grows heavy, in the waste we throw away without thinking. We hear it in a climate that becomes more extreme, affecting first the poorest, the farmers, the most vulnerable among us.

When we wound the earth, we wound our neighbor. And when we wound our neighbor, we wound Christ himself.

The environmental crisis is not only a political or technical problem. It is a spiritual crisis. It comes from forgetting who we are. When man forgets he is a keeper, he becomes a destroyer.

An old Desert Father was asked why he wept looking at the trees. He answered: “Because creation obeys God perfectly, and I do not.”

**3. What Then Must We Do? The Hope of Renewal**

This day is called a Day of *Prayer*. So what do we pray for? And what must we do?

First, **we repent.** We confess that we have taken more than we need, that we have been indifferent, that we have thought of ourselves as separate from creation rather than part of it. Repentance in Greek is *metanoia* – a change of mind, a new way of seeing.

Second, **we give thanks and we contemplate.** When was the last time you simply thanked God for water? For bread? For light? The Eucharist itself – *eucharistia* means thanksgiving – takes bread and wine, fruit of the earth and work of human hands, and returns it to God. Every Liturgy is a prayer for creation.

I invite you this week to do one small, contemplative act: walk outside without your phone for 15 minutes. Look at one tree, one river, one hill. And pray Psalm 104.

Third, **we act with humility.** Preservation of creation does not require grand gestures. It requires faithful, small ones:

To till and to keep in our own homes – to waste less food, to use less, to repair rather than throw away, to plant, to clean a stream, to respect Sunday as a day of rest not only for us, but for the earth.

As St. Therese taught us, small acts done with great love can change the world.

God did not need us to create the world. But He chose to need us to keep it.

**Conclusion**

Brothers and sisters, today the Church begins its new year with a prayer for the world.

Let us leave this church today not only as forgiven sinners, but as renewed gardeners.

The earth is the Lord’s. We are its keepers. And one day, Paul promises, creation itself will be set free and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.

May we be worthy of that freedom.

Amen.

—

**Prayer for the Conclusion of the Sermon**

*You may use this as the final blessing or intercession:*

O God, Almighty Creator,
You created the heavens and the earth and saw that it was good.
You placed us in Your garden to till it and to keep it.
Forgive us when we have forgotten that we are dust,
and that the earth does not belong to us, but to You.
Teach us to see Your face in all creation,
to hear Your voice in the wind and the water,
and to serve as faithful stewards of all You have made.
Through Christ our Lord, who makes all things new. Amen.

—

If you want, I can adapt this for a specific tradition – Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Orthodox, or Evangelical – and for a specific length, 10 minutes or 20 minutes, or translate it into Slovak.

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Cooperation with God

Posted on 28. August 2026 by Peter Prochac

We have touched several times in our catecheses on the topic of our cooperation with God. We speak about spiritual growth and strive to move something forward in our lives. But what is the point? After all, the one who climbs a mountain is indeed closer to the light, yet he is almost as far from the sun as the one who stays below. We know well that we cannot ascend to God, but God descended to us to save us. And we also know that although God redeemed us without our consent, he will not save us against our will. Therefore, in spiritual literature, authors continually reflect on the relationship between God’s action and human action. Human effort is called “ascesis,” and union with God “mysticism.” In this context, these words take on an entirely new meaning. Ascesis not as something negative—self-denial and renunciation—but as the human contribution. What can I do so that God can work more effectively in me? What obstacle can I remove so that he can be realized in me? Ascesis is thus the renunciation of everything that prevents me from drawing near to God. And mysticism is not some incomprehensible revelations that no one understands, but the acceptance of God, union with him.

Naturally, we would like to give up the daily duties we must do and that exhaust us and rob us of time for prayer and the strength to grow spiritually. Therefore we live in a kind of tension—our desire for spiritual growth and the daily monotonous reality. What to do about it? The Lord invites us to salvation not by snatching us out of the world, but by teaching us how we can transform everyday activities into an instrument of our salvation. Thus, our effort should not be aimed primarily at escaping reality to gain more time and space for spiritual life, but at transforming the daily routine into a place of encounter with the Lord.

How to do this? The Christian tradition, unlike the pagan one, has a completely different view of work. The pagan tradition once saw work as something unworthy of a person because it binds him to matter. Physical work enslaves the spirit, attaching it to matter. Therefore, a free person was to devote himself to the liberal arts, while servile work was left to slaves who, according to ancient thought, were incapable of rising to higher perfection. Today’s pagan culture sees work as a means of livelihood. It sees no other value in it than self-realization and providing for one’s living. A person thus works because the work is enjoyable and fulfilling, or as a necessary evil to earn money. In both cases, it does not matter what one does; what matters is that it fulfills him, or that he earns money. Otherwise, he tries to avoid work, because he sees no other meaning in it.

This mentality is incompatible with faith. God reveals himself to us as someone who works. He creates the earth and sustains it in existence. The priests of the Old Testament work, the apostles work, and even Christ himself worked for most of his life. God works. We are created in God’s image; therefore, we too are created for work. This point is extremely important. Many of you long for a deeper spiritual life and strive to carve out more time for prayer. You long to go more often into silence, to adoration. But circumstances do not allow it. What then? The Lord invites us to discover in work the possibility of union with him—mysticism.

The first condition for this is to act according to God’s will. Otherwise, our life would make no sense within the great “liturgy of the world,” where everything moves precisely according to the plan of the One who governs the universe (Theodoret of Cyrus). From this it follows that every task of ours, when it is in its proper place, is the most important thing. At this moment, nothing better exists than to do what ought to be done. Therefore, according to St. John Berchmans, one of the essential elements of spirituality is to do what you are supposed to do. Duty in its proper place is the best act of piety. This gives us hope. Even a mother at home, whose life constantly revolves around her child and who often hardly has time to go to the restroom, let alone withdraw somewhere into silence and meditate undisturbed, need not despair. Changing and nursing the child at the right time is the best religious act. Work is in fact an expression of love for people. If I do my work honestly and responsibly, I am expressing love for people through it. And such work transforms me.

The other day an accountant complained to me. She had witnessed an indifference that saddened her. A request came from the court to the tax office to provide information from a tax return. It concerned determining a person’s income so that appropriate child support could be set. The clerk, who at that moment had nothing to do, opened the request and filed it away. “I have 30 days to respond.” He did not consider at all that some woman alone at home with a small child might be in financial need and need the money as soon as possible. He has 30 days by law. Even from this example we can see how work can be an act of love and how it can shape me and make me sensitive if I do not act merely mechanically but also reflect.

Of course, material work is directed toward matter. If it is to become spiritual, it must have a spiritual goal so that its effects are manifested in the spiritual realm. For this, a good intention is needed—one that transforms matter into spiritual value.

Let us explain this with an example. Someone asked three people who were doing the same job on a construction site, “What are you doing?” The first answered, “I’m shaping a stone.” The second, “I’m making a window.” The third, “I’m building a cathedral.” All three did the same thing, yet it was not the same. Between the first and the last there is a chasm. In intention, in attitude, in commitment, and in the resulting feeling about the work. We can see something similar in our lives. Writing a dictation with a child can be a senseless task that I must do because it must be learned so he doesn’t get a failing grade. If he learned it on his own, I wouldn’t lose so much time and I could be with my child in other ways. I would like to sit with him, talk, give him an experience that is important. Instead, I am wasting time here and struggling with him. Or it can be the provision of education. I study with him so that he becomes educated. Or it can be preparation for salvation. I am here and I study with him because I want to help him on the path to salvation. And for that one must grow in virtues. One of them is patience. He grows when he learns the “senseless” y’s, and I grow when I sit here patiently with him. I need not yearn to finish the study as soon as possible so that I finally have time for him; I am already sitting with him and I already have time for him. By the way, a question: do children rebel against studying precisely because they know that then the parent will sit down with them and they will be together? The parent is with the child for three hours until the material is learned, and all the while grumbles about why the child doesn’t learn on his own, how that time could be better used. But if the child learned the subject alone in half an hour, would he have the parent’s attention for himself in another activity for the whole three hours?

I know, it is not easy to motivate oneself in this way and always keep in mind the deeper meaning for which I act. Nor is it necessary. For a deed to be meritorious, I do not need an actual intention, that is, one I am consciously aware of during the activity. A virtual one is enough. That is, one I awaken in myself, occasionally remember, do not necessarily think about while performing the action, yet it still influences me. In this way the intention becomes a habitus—clothing. This is my identity, this is my conviction, in whose spirit I act. Therefore one of the ways to live in the world and have a spiritual life is to acquire such habitus—garments. To learn to give everyday activity a deeper meaning by realizing how it helps me on the path to salvation.

Which are the activities I perform every day?What deeper meaning could I give them?

What might help me to remind myself of that deeper meaning?

 

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St.Paulinus

Posted on 27. August 2026 by Peter Prochac

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, we reflect on the life and legacy of St. Paulinus of Trier, a shining example of faith, courage, and leadership in the early Church. St. Paulinus was a bishop who lived during a time when Christianity was still growing and often faced fierce opposition. His story offers us timeless lessons about standing firm in faith, serving with humility, and trusting in God’s providence.

St. Paulinus was known for his unwavering commitment to the truth of the Gospel. During the early centuries of the Church, heresies threatened the unity and purity of Christian teaching. Yet, Paulinus did not shy away from these challenges. He courageously defended the Nicene faith, affirming the divinity of Christ and the central truths revealed to us by God.

In his role as bishop, Paulinus demonstrated deep pastoral care and dedication to his flock. He was not only a teacher but also a protector, guiding the Christian community with wisdom and compassion through difficult times. His leadership reminds us that the role of a shepherd is to lead by example—grounded in prayer, rich in charity, and firm in faith.

Moreover, St. Paulinus experienced exile for his convictions, showing us what it means to suffer for righteousness. When we face trials for living out our faith, we look to him as a model of perseverance and trust in divine justice. He teaches us that God’s glory often shines brightest through our hardships.

As we remember St. Paulinus today, let us ask ourselves: How can we embody his courage and faithfulness in our own lives? Are we ready to stand firm in our beliefs when they are tested? Can we offer our communities the same care and leadership that he showed? And when difficulties come, do we trust like St. Paulinus that God’s grace will sustain us?

May the example of St. Paulinus inspire us to live boldly, love deeply, and serve faithfully. Let our hearts be strengthened by his witness, so we too can proclaim Christ with courage and joy.

Let us pray:
Lord, grant us the strength and courage of St. Paulinus. Help us to remain steadfast in our faith, to serve one another with love, and to trust in Your providence through every trial. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we might shine Your light in the world. Amen.

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Hope

Posted on 26. August 2026 by Peter Prochac

St. Thomas Aquinas says that the only object of our hope is eternal bliss in God. Therefore, we should not hope for anything less than He Himself.

But let us look at ourselves. Can I be saved? Do I have that hope when I look at my own life, at the many things I fail at, at the awareness of my own sinfulness? We also ask ourselves as people asked when John the Baptist was born: What will this child become? (cf. Luke 1:66) However, there is an essential difference here. The question about John was full of hope. “What then will this child be?” was strongly felt with the sense that “Indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.” But in our case, the question is more connected with fear and despair. What will happen to me, a poor sinner? We ask, like St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans, when he reflects on doing not the good he wants, but the evil he does not want. “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).

So how to have hope when looking at oneself and one’s own sinfulness?

As a priest, I have one extraordinary privilege that others often do not have. I have the grace to be close to people. Believers come for spiritual conversations and in doing so they bestow upon me a very beautiful and fragile gift—their inner self. It is hard to put into words how wonderful it is to assist God in the most amazing work, in the formation of conscience, in the salvation of a person. And during this activity, I meet many beautiful souls. I marvel at the longing for God hidden in many believers. I am amazed by the strength and courage with which many fight and search. I take my hat off to the bravery and determination of many others.

I meet young people from all kinds of family backgrounds. They have every predisposition to become losers, outcasts, failed people. Yet they are full of ideals, enthusiasm, desire for goodness and beauty. It is there, deep in their hearts. It is very fragile. They long to express it, but they are afraid. Therefore, no one knows about their rich and beautiful inner life. Similarly, I meet people full of energy and enthusiasm, people full of longing for God, people full of creativity and engagement. People willing to change and longing for someone to form them. In many, there is a huge hunger for the spiritual.

I meet people living in marriage, parents who on one hand are discouraged by what they fail to manage, but on the other hand are full of desire for the right way of life. People who sincerely regret their repeated failures and deeply appreciate their spouses for enduring with them despite everything. I meet people who do not bury their heads in the sand but face challenges and fight. I meet people faithful to God and the Church, even though they have been disappointed many times by priests. I meet elderly people who have lived many years together and now take care of each other. They endure each other’s whims, get on each other’s nerves, but still cannot live without each other.

But, as in every story, there is one “but.” I perceive all these things and others likely do as well. But the person in question does not see it at all or cannot appreciate it. Therefore, it happens that when I mention a reality I value, the person is surprised and does not want to believe it. Or they consider it completely normal, saying, “Everyone should do this. What’s so special about doing what I have to?” I do not wonder at this reaction at all. Because in this situation they react exactly as I do when my spiritual guide points out some good quality in me. I must admit it feels good, even though it is hard to believe.

Here we come to the fact that helps us to see ourselves with hope for salvation. We do not have a truthful view of ourselves. We either overestimate or underestimate ourselves. Either we are overly proud or we put ourselves down. But the view of another can help us see ourselves more truthfully. That is why God called us into community, to help one another grow. I have the opportunity to discover good in another person and motivate them to discover, develop, and put that good into practice. But at the same time, I also need this service from another person. Someone who looks at me with hope. So there is a double challenge—to give hope and to be willing to accept words of hope. The primary role of spouses is to sanctify each other. Among other things, this means appreciating the good in the other person and thereby motivating them to do the right thing. We give them hope that they too can be saved.

Not only spouses can show this service. Friends can do it too. Since the holidays are coming, and I will not be preparing catechesis, I give you a task: Be hope for each other. Be appreciative toward the people in your oikos (household/community). Discover the good in them and try to overcome shyness, thinking it is inappropriate or embarrassing, worrying about what others might think, and praise and encourage them.

Has anyone ever looked at me with hope? What was that feeling? Did I believe them?

Can I gratefully accept praise and encouragement from someone?

Do I look at others with hope?

Do I try to discover the good in the other and motivate them to do good?

Do I appreciate my neighbors?

What stops me from expressing words of recognition, gratitude, praise, admiration?

What good have I noticed lately in my partner? /For those not married, in the closest person?/ Have I told them?

—

Let me know if you want me to help with anything else!

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22.Sunday A in ordinary time Mt 16,21-27

Posted on 26. August 2026 by Peter Prochac

Text: Matthew 16:21–27

Introduction Just one passage earlier Peter confesses, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Today’s text shows how quickly a true confession can be followed by a misguided expectation. Jesus reveals the path of the Messiah: suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. Peter rebukes Him. Jesus then turns and calls His disciples—and us—to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow. This is not a minor adjustment to our lives; it is a complete reorientation of values, loyalties, and hopes.

Let’s walk through this text in three movements: the necessity of the cross, the scandal of misplaced love, and the paradox of true life.

1 The Necessity of the Cross (v. 21) “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things… and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

Must: Not a tragic accident, but divine necessity. The cross is not Plan B; it is the heart of God’s redemptive plan.

Suffering, death, resurrection: Jesus holds together all three. Many of us prefer a Jesus of wisdom without a cross, or a Jesus of victory without a tomb. He gives us all of Himself: the suffering Servant and the risen Lord.

Jerusalem: The center of worship becomes the scene of rejection. Even holy places can resist holy love.

Pastoral reflection:

We often pray for God’s will while quietly asking Him to avoid any path that includes cost. Jesus reveals God’s will as a road that passes through suffering to resurrection. The promise is not escape from hardship, but life through and beyond it.

The Scandal of Misplaced Love (vv. 22–23) “Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him… But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me… you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’”

Peter’s love is real, but misdirected. He wants a Christ without a cross—success without sacrifice, glory without Golgotha.

Jesus’ rebuke is sharp because the temptation is real. The “voice” that offered Jesus a kingdom without a cross in the wilderness now speaks through a friend with good intentions.

“Get behind me”: This is not a rejection of Peter’s discipleship, but a correction of its posture. Disciples belong behind Jesus, not in front of Him setting the agenda. Following means surrendering the scripts we write for God.

Pastoral reflection:

Good intentions can become stumbling blocks when they substitute our sensibilities for God’s wisdom. Beware the counsel that seems compassionate but avoids the redemptive way of the cross—whether in our personal ethics, our leadership, or our churches.

The Call to Discipleship (v. 24) “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Anyone: This is universal, not just for apostles or “radical Christians.”

Deny yourself: Not self-hatred, but dethroning the self as ultimate authority. It is saying “no” to the self as sovereign so we can say “yes” to Christ as Lord.

Take up your cross: More than bearing life’s inconveniences. It is a willing embrace of whatever obedience to Jesus costs—reputation, comfort, control, even life.

Follow me: The goal is not ascetic heroism; it is companionship with Jesus. The cross is not an end in itself; it is the path where He walks.

Practical applications:

In relationships: Prefer reconciliation over vindication; forgive when revenge would be sweeter; tell the truth when flattery would benefit you more.

In vocation: Choose integrity over advancement; serve rather than dominate; value people over profit.

In spiritual life: Prioritize prayer and Scripture when distraction is easier; confess sin rather than managing appearances; practice generosity when scarcity whispers fear.

In suffering: Carry hardship not with stoic denial but with surrendered trust, joining your pain to Christ’s and letting love have the last word.

The Paradox of True Life (vv. 25–26) “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

Saving vs. finding: The tight-fisted grip on life—image, safety, control—slips through our fingers. Surrender to Christ, surprisingly, returns life to us in a truer, deeper way.

Profit and loss: Jesus speaks the language of accounting to expose the bankruptcy of idolatry. The entire world’s gains cannot pay the debt of a lost soul.

The “for my sake”: This is not aimless self-sacrifice. It is a reorientation toward the Person of Jesus—His mission, His Kingdom, His love.

Contemporary idols to name:

Achievement: We can gain promotions, platforms, and plaques—and lose our capacity for wonder, rest, and compassion.

Pleasure: We can curate experiences—and numb our hunger for God.

Approval: We can be admired by crowds—and become strangers to our own souls.

Control: We can feel secure—and choke out the life of faith.

Jesus is not against joy, success, or honor; He rescues them from becoming counterfeit gods that cannot save.

Hope and Accountability (v. 27) “For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done.”

Glory and judgment: The cross-bearing present lives under the light of a coming glory. Our sacrifices are not lost; they are seen and will be rewarded.

Ethical gravity: Discipleship is not theoretical. Our deeds matter—how we love, forgive, speak, spend, and suffer. Grace does not negate obedience; it empowers it.

This future hope steadies us:

When obedience costs you now, remember the joy set before you.

When the world mislabels the way of Jesus as loss, recall that He will render the true verdict on reality.

Illustrations for preaching or meditation

The surgeon’s scalpel: It wounds to heal. God’s call to deny self feels like loss, but it removes what would kill us and restores what gives life.

The compass vs. the clock: We live by clocks (deadlines, demands), but discipleship gives us a compass—true north in Christ—even if it slows our apparent progress.

Seed in the soil (John 12 echoes this text): To cling to seed is to keep it small; to bury it is to multiply life.

Practices for a cross-shaped week

Daily prayer of surrender: “Lord Jesus, I step behind You today. Not my will, but Yours. Show me where to say no to myself so I can say yes to You.”

A deliberate act of self-denial: Choose one concrete sacrifice—fast a meal, give sacrificially, serve someone without being seen.

A reconciliatory step: Make one phone call, send one note, or have one conversation that prefers the cross-shaped way of forgiveness over pride.

Scripture to carry: Galatians 2:20; Philippians 3:7–10; Romans 12:1–2.

Gospel center: Before command, gift It is vital to see the order of this passage. Jesus does not say, “Take up your cross so that I will love you.” He says, “I am going to the cross for you—therefore follow me.” The cross we bear is not the price we pay for God’s favor; it is the path we walk because we already have it. He carried the one cross that saves; we carry crosses that shape.

Conclusion: Get behind Jesus Jesus says to Peter and to us: “Get behind me.” Not “Get away,” but “Get in line.” This is a word of mercy. He invites us out of the exhausting burden of self-lordship into the freedom of discipleship. The way of the cross is narrow, but it is not joyless. On the other side of death is resurrection. On the other side of surrender is life.

So today, let us step behind Jesus. Let us deny ourselves, take up our crosses—not as martyrs of our own making, but as followers of a crucified and risen Lord—and find, in losing, the life we were made to live.

A prayer to close Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, You set Your face toward Jerusalem for our salvation. Deliver us from the love of our own way. Place us behind You, under Your cross, within Your mercy. Give us courage to deny ourselves, grace to follow, and hope to endure, until we see You in glory. Amen

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Order

Posted on 25. August 2026 by Peter Prochac

Another essential means for “sustainable” spiritual growth is order. Keep order, and order will keep you. This is an old Latin proverb. Today, however, we do not like routine or monotony. We see no perspective or dynamics in it and do not understand how it could make us happy. We desire spontaneity more because there we see freedom and the fulfillment of all our dreams. But maintaining order does not mean routine and monotony; it means having boundaries that help us develop evenly, avoid extremes in some areas, and not neglect others. The enemy of our salvation seems to revel in extremes. Either he convinces us to do nothing because we have no time, it is not necessary, or it does not matter anyway, or when we realize that nothing leads anywhere, he shows us a huge mass of neglected tasks and pushes us to do everything quickly. The result is fatigue, discouragement, and a return to doing nothing. So order is an effective means to prevent this.



There is, of course, a second extreme – the world demands flexibility; today everything is flexible, starting with working hours. Then we also want to have some routine that helps us make space for things other than just rushing, but it simply doesn’t work. Of course, situations vary. But the rule remains – you must have a vision and try to realize it as much as possible. What is the smallest step I can and am able to take soon to have more order in my life?

Why is order necessary? The same applies in spiritual life as in learning, sports, or music. It is better to do little regularly than much occasionally. Spiritual life is not a performance to be completed but the meaning of life that every day directs us to the essence – to God. We have other such things too, like work, study, health. But in those areas, we face enough external pressure to act – the boss chases, pain occurs, we fail an exam, we embarrass ourselves. No such pressure exists for spiritual life. Therefore, there is no other choice than to set a daily, weekly routine, establish fixed points, and try to respect them.

Of course, extremes should be avoided – order should not be another opportunity for the evil one to torment us: “See what you are, you couldn’t manage again, you are not capable yet.” On the other hand, it should not be like a tear-off calendar – “If I succeed, I succeed; if not, there’s always tomorrow.” Then a week or a month passes, and we make no progress.

There is an interesting dilemma. Someone might say: “I will read from the Holy Scripture every day.” But the whole day passes, they are restless, tired in the evening, and sit down at the table needing to catch up on many things. So they read two chapters of Scripture. It takes half an hour because they fall asleep after every sentence, but they did it. Does it have meaning? Of course not. Then they say: “Well, I won’t read in such cases anymore.” They start skipping occasionally and then entirely because there is always a lot to do.

So what is better? The Psalmist says: “I do not make false promises” (Psalm 101:3). The daily routine is not meant to be filled with many activities and constantly adding new ones, as if the ideal is always doing more. The daily routine serves to ensure I manage everything necessary that day — time for prayer, work, rest, family, etc., without giving too much time to one thing at the expense of others. Such a routine teaches trust: once I have filled the time set for a task, I no longer focus on it but entrust it to God; He will take care of it. When can I say I have done enough? There is always more to add or improve, always at the expense of sleep, prayer, health, family. Where is the limit? Precisely in the order I have set.

Secondly, if something is occasionally not fulfilled due to exceptions — traveling, large celebrations, illness — nothing happens if something is skipped. What matters is returning to the set order immediately after returning to normal.

Order should not enslave me but give a framework that supports me.

Thirdly, it is necessary to cultivate good judgment and constantly remind yourself of the sense of order. This provides criteria to assess whether a change or omission is just an easier solution for me or a necessity for greater good. Honestly look at yourself. Why are you changing? Is it because it is easier or because after considering circumstances, you concluded that the change is for the greater good?

Fourthly, some things are good to consult. We are not always capable of proper judgment ourselves. The willingness to open topics before another person makes us attentive and humble. We no longer insist only on what we want because we know it must withstand scrutiny from others. One of the tasks of spiritual guidance is to teach discernment. At the start of spiritual growth, spiritual direction may be almost indispensable, as we cannot always discover the essence of our problem. It can easily happen that to remove a weakness, we make a resolution that in fact supports that weakness.

Basically, order is like any medicine. If insufficient, it is ineffective; if excessive, there is risk of overdose. Medicine is unpleasant but can be gotten used to and even become a dependency.

Do I have a daily routine? Does it include essential things? Are there things that are just meaningless drills? Am I missing something significant? Am I a slave to this routine? Have I ever consulted someone about what is essential and what is not?

Order is an excellent means to overcome the “noon demon.” This term is used by older ascetics to describe a state of discouragement, fatigue, laziness that comes upon a monk after morning enthusiasm, usually around noon. This demon also attacks us around the middle of life, around the age of 40, or after initial enthusiasm for a new spiritual activity. Then we lack the desire or strength for anything new and often keep things just out of habit. There is no need to worry if we act just out of habit. That is precisely why we try to form habits: so that in such situations, they hold us and do not allow us to fall deeper. God works in us even at those times.

Order and routine serve as a healthy backbone of life that protects us from extremes, burnout, and helps us grow without undue pressure to perform.

Why do we need order?
– Protection from extremes: Helps avoid laziness or excessive effort trying to do everything at once.
– Regularity: In spiritual life, small daily steps have more significance than occasional great efforts.
– Freedom without slavery: Routine supports us when enthusiasm fades but should not become a tool for self-torment after failure.

Reflection on your daily routine
Final questions from the text invite you to consider if your current lifestyle serves you or if you serve it:
– Do you have clear priorities? Are essential things included (prayer, rest, family, work)?
– Is it just drill? Does your day contain unnecessary duties that tire you but do not move you forward?
– Are you free? Can you accept exceptions without guilt and return to order once the situation calms?

If you like, we can look at:
– How to create a simple daily routine for prayer and rest
– How to overcome the feeling of discouragement (the noon demon)
– Whether you need to consult your state with a spiritual guide

 

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Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist

Posted on 25. August 2026 by Peter Prochac

Dear brothers and sisters, we celebrate the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist. Today, in the prayer of the preface, we will hear the words: “For we celebrate the work of Your grace in Christ’s forerunner, Saint John, whom You favored above all people with special kindness.” Indeed, God bestowed special favor upon Saint John the Baptist.

This favor was also shown in his birth to Saint Zechariah and Elizabeth. They were people of advanced age, who received the great gift of this child, and his birth and conception were accompanied by great signs. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the temple and announced that he would have a child—a great prophet and forerunner of Jesus Christ. Although Zechariah did not believe, another sign followed: he was unable to speak for nine months until John’s birth, and when he finally spoke at John’s birth, people saw it as a great sign. Also, when the Virgin Mary, blessed with child, met Elizabeth, who was also pregnant, the child John the Baptist rejoiced in Elizabeth’s womb. This was another great sign. Jesus Christ himself speaks about John the Baptist as a great prophet, stating that no one greater was born of a woman than John. Jesus himself gives strong testimony that God bestowed great favor on Saint John the Baptist, and today we celebrate his martyrdom.

Today we celebrate his end—an end at a relatively young age, perhaps around 30 years old, as he died a martyr’s death. But his end, his martyrdom, was a triumphant one, triumphant in the witness given by the words of today’s Scripture.

In today’s Gospel, we hear that John was imprisoned—John, who was taken captive by Herod—John, whom Herod enjoyed listening to, especially when John named Herod’s sin exactly: “You should not live with your brother’s wife.” These words were a rebuke. Yet Herod liked to listen to him, and though he was greatly troubled, he still listened with pleasure. This is a beautiful testimony that John could name the truth in such a way that it touched the person himself. That truth resonated with him, and he appreciated it because truth is compelling. The truth about ourselves is very good and important. The truth that touched Herod shook him so deeply that it also protected him. We see how Saint John the Baptist, though imprisoned and having no easy life, was not afraid and named the truth in such a way that Herod gladly listened to him. This is beautiful; Herod surely had a conscience, and it touched him deeply, resonating within him.

We see that later intrigues involving his unlawful wife Herodias, her daughter, and ultimately John the Baptist led to his death, as if to silence this truth. But truth cannot be silenced, because Jesus Christ comes, who said about Himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” And this truth could not be silenced, even though they tried to kill it on the cross and bury it in the tomb. But Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and this truth can never be silenced again. The truth that rightly names us, our life that people do not live, and we listen well to this truth from Jesus Christ, because this truth is much stronger than the voice of Saint John the Baptist, who named Herod’s sin. The voice of Jesus Christ tells us about ourselves—how we should live, what we should do, what to avoid, and where we find our happiness. This is the truth we too must listen to and gladly accept. And this truth can never be silenced or suppressed.

May Saint John the Baptist be a great example and model for us, who was not afraid to name the truth on one hand, and on the other hand, named it correctly in such a way that people were glad to listen to him. Amen.

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Following of Christ

Posted on 24. August 2026 by Peter Prochac

But what does this following of Christ mean? We often imagine Christ as a perfect person who fulfills the will of the Father and therefore is a model for us in keeping the law. In this way, anyone can accept Christ without a problem. As a model of the perfect man. But this view is insufficient and leads to an unsolvable situation. For Christ is not just a model, He is the way. And that is an essential difference. Ideals are necessary because they motivate us, but they are also dangerous because they lead to despair if we cannot fulfill them. Therefore, following Christ as a model of perfection leads to despair. We cannot do it. We are not up to it. And so, even though at first glance Jesus as a perfect man seems acceptable to everyone, worthy of being followed, it is a desperate path into hopelessness.

Following Christ, fortunately, is not copying a model of perfection, but living from His grace. He is the way, He is the strength, He is the one who enables us to come to the Father. Therefore, following Christ means the art of entering into His way of thinking and making His spirit our own. It is the art of asking questions and solving the problems of everyday life in this light: “What would Christ do?” or: “What would Christ advise me to do?”

Lest there be any misunderstanding, it must be emphasized right away that this is not a mechanical application of the Gospel – Jesus drives the merchants out of the temple, so I too will throw out people who offer pilgrimage tours in the church. Jesus praised Mary for sitting at His feet and warned Martha that she was attending to everything except what is essential, and so I too will stop taking care of the household and only read Scripture. That would be a misunderstanding. To follow Christ does not mean to copy what He does. To follow Christ means to understand the logic of Jesus’ thinking, what attitudes He takes, what is a value for Him, how He motivates people, how He admonishes them, then to observe the present age, which is different from Christ’s time, and to try to apply Christ’s attitudes even in today’s world.

It is not enough to look at Christ as a historical person, but we must see and accept Him in the history of the whole world. Among the Jews, those who could recognize Jesus as the Messiah were those who saw in Him the fulfillment of everything toward which the historical development of the Old Testament was heading. Those who understood that the history of the Old Testament is a history of God’s faithfulness and the people’s unfaithfulness, those who understood that history was heading toward the coming of the Messiah who would remove the burden of original sin and remove the heart of stone from our body and give us a heart of flesh. It was precisely these people who were able to accept Christ. Whoever did not understand these historical connections and saw only social injustice, the loss of authentic religiosity, political oppression by the Romans, was disappointed by Jesus, because He did not solve these situations according to his idea. A wrong understanding of Jerusalem, its Temple, the Kingdom, the prophets, led to the condemnation of Christ and His being handed over to death. It is precisely this that the apostles point to, and that is why they so gladly explain and summarize the history of the chosen nation in their sermons.

Similarly, we too can accept Christ only in the context of our own lives. Where is my life heading? What is its meaning and goal? Why do certain things happen? What is the Lord educating me for through them? We are invited to live our everyday life from the perspective of the goal toward which we are heading. And not from the perspective of the happiness and trouble-free life that we would like to have. Our everyday life is connected with our eternity and not only with our earthly happiness. Following Christ, therefore, is not detached from everyday reality. It is not valid to say: I go to work, I earn money there to survive, and then I can devote myself to my family and my salvation. I will build a pastoral center so that there is finally a suitable space for pastoral work and then evangelization will finally be possible. Perhaps I have said nothing new by this. It is completely natural and clear, and yet how often we forget it in concrete life. To follow Christ means to live one’s salvation here and now. To perceive every event of life as one that influences my salvation. And then to ask how Christ would act.

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