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Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Today, men in white robes, heavenly messengers, address us with the same words. The Son of God has accomplished the work of salvation for which he took on human nature. Jesus Christ, the God-man, fulfilled the promise that the Creator made in the earthly paradise to the first people after sin: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15). Christ finally triumphed over Satan; redeemed man from the slavery of sin at the price of his most precious blood; and when he rose from the dead, he opened the gates of heaven for us. Now Jesus Christ, the God-man, takes our human nature to heaven, to the Father’s house, and shows that the ultimate goal and fulfillment of human life is eternal happiness, heaven.

But do we really want to go to Heaven? Are we aware that eternal happiness is worth striving for? How often do we ask the Lord God in our prayers to help us reach heaven? Or are our intentions, efforts and plans more connected to securing happiness in this life? The temporal equivalent of happiness is paradise. The ultimate fulfilment of human life in eternity is heaven. Today, let us ask ourselves whether we desire heaven or paradise more. Are our daily efforts directed towards creating paradise on earth, or are they intended to lead us to heaven? What is the highest value of life for me? ‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be’ (Matthew 6:21).

The Creator placed Adam and Eve in an earthly paradise. They were given perfect conditions for life and development. They were given a clear command by the Lord to develop, be fruitful and enrich themselves: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it’ (Genesis 1:28). According to God’s plan, life in paradise was to be one of love and peace, free from disease, suffering, cataclysms and injustice. Humanity was to develop harmoniously and subdue the earth. Unfortunately, the sin of pride and disobedience deprived the first humans of their earthly paradise. ‘Therefore […] through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin’ (Romans 5:12). Man was deprived of paradise, and life forces each of us to work hard for our daily bread and face adversity and human weakness. We all experience the imperfections of human nature through illness, suffering and death. However, through hard work and sacrifice, we conquer the earth and strive to build a replacement for the biblical Garden of Eden here on earth. We are trying to build a paradise on earth. Each of us wants to be happy, fulfilled, and secure in life. We all have different ideas about what makes us happy, but that is what we are all about in our everyday lives..

Although many people do not want to admit it, it must be acknowledged that our lives are getting better and better thanks to hard work and effort. People complain all the time. However, the amazing fact is that the more a person has, the more they invent and demand. The desire to live in an earthly paradise will never be satisfied. Material things will never make a person fully happy. We will always want more. The rush for the lost paradise is happening before our eyes. People have never lived as well as they do now, and I do not know if they have ever been as greedy and demanding as they are today. We want paradise here on earth. Yet we do not fully know what that paradise should be. Yet we push away the truth about spiritual life, human transience and the completion of human life in eternity.

The outstanding film director Andrei Tarkovsky said: ‘If a person lives without knowing the reasons for their existence, without knowing why they came into the world or why they have to live here for several decades, then the world will reach the position in which we are now.’ Since the Enlightenment, humanity has become excessively interested in material things and has allowed the desire for knowledge to dominate it’Therefore,. If, at the same time, humanity had yearned for spiritual values, it would have developed in a more harmonious way, guided by spiritual principles. Today’s civilisation has reached a dead end. People and politicians have become slaves to the system they themselves created. Computers have taken power over people. To stop this process, we need spiritual work and enlightenment from above. Only this can save us.

We live very comfortably and in abundance. We never go hungry. Perhaps most of all, however, we lack gratitude and appreciation for everything we have and have achieved in life, and the joy that should accompany them. However, despite all the beauty in this world, we mustn’t forget that heaven awaits us — eternal happiness after our temporary life ends. Everyone who comes to this world will someday leave it. In death, no one will replace us. We cannot take the earthly paradise with us. So let us enjoy life and not lament, but instead enjoy the fruits of our labour. At the same time, let us work for heaven. Let us not forget eternity. Let us undertake spiritual work with faith in order to achieve eternal salvation. We were called to life and came to this world primarily to achieve this. We will leave the paradise we have laboriously built over time. We will leave everything we have gathered behind. Everyone knows this, yet many people are reluctant to acknowledge this truth. This cannot be done. Even the death of their loved ones will not convince them. Neither will their own fatal illness. It is a drama that the Lord Jesus speaks about in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus: ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead’ (Luke 16:31).

Therefore, St Paul prays: ‘May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him’ (Ephesians 1:17). Let us strive to be wise in life. Just as we are prudent in temporal matters, so should we be wise in matters of the spirit. ‘May the eyes of your heart be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints (Ephesiansit 1:18). Let us strive to see the hope of our calling to eternal happiness. Jesus Christ atoned for our sins by dying on the cross. When he rose from the dead, he opened the gates of heaven. St Paul says of this: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’ (1 Cor 2:9).

No earthly paradise, however perfect, will ever satisfy the desires of the human heart. We all experience this truth. We earn, buy, furnish and repair, and then we start thinking about what new things we could introduce into our lives. Material possessions, work achievements, entertainment and pleasures will never make a person truly happy. What each of us needs most is love. Those who have found love no longer search for it but enjoy the stability and fulfillment that it gives. Without love, an earthly paradise becomes hell. Conversely, where there is love, even in modesty, paradise is created.

Heaven is infinite, loving happiness. ‘We who have believed have come to know the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God and God abides in them’ (1 John 4:16). It is good that we conquer the earth. However, we will never build a paradise here that satisfies our desires. We must remember this. Jesus’ ascension to heaven shows us the ultimate purpose of human existence. Heaven is the communion of the saved people with God in the Holy Trinity, one forever and ever. Therefore, let us strive for heaven more than for an earthly paradise. The earthly paradise will pass away, but heaven will be eternal. Amen.

Today we celebrate the feast of the Virgin Mary of Fatima, which reminds us of the appearance of the Virgin Mary with three small shepherds, Lucia, Hyacinte, and Francis. We could say that this apparition hurt timeless.

As Pope Pius XII already pointed out, the great hierarchy of modernity is the loss of meaning for hierarchy. This world suffered and still suffers from the worst wars in the history of humanity. Never before had the people been tortured by a hierarchy, except in the 20th century. Joseph Ratzinger, the most humble Pope Benedict XVI, spoke aptly about this: „no previous time did not also experience cruel and bloody wars like our time. There were more mountains than a caddy before the.“ team And as John Paul II led the Pope: „God is merciful, the Father of goodness, who does not abandon us, even though we may have deviated significantly from his vole. Right in this world „horror and Holocaust, God wanted to please the people. One of them also had the appearance of the Virgin Mary.“

At the end of the 19th century, the apparition in Lourdes was highlighted; at the beginning of the 20th century, the Fatimid apparition stood out. These facts point to different visual parallels. On the one hand, the investigators of the Virgin Mary have always been very young people, of simple condition, and even illiterate. However, they were willing to submit to the yoke of the heavenly Father. She recognizes Jesus as her brother, sister, or mother. Our Lady’s call to prayer, as well as reconciliation for human sins, penance, and prayer for sinners, was the second distinctive feature of the javelin.

At the end of the 19th century, the apparitions in Lourdes were highlighted; at the beginning of the 20th century, those in Fatima stood out. These events have visual parallels. On the one hand, the investigators of the Virgin Mary were always very young people of humble origin, often illiterate. However, they were willing to submit to the will of the heavenly Father. She recognized these people as her brothers, sisters, or mother. The second distinctive feature of the apparition was Our Lady’s call to prayer and penance, as well as reconciliation for human sins and prayer for sinners.
Let us pray for this and hire today so that we, the men and women of this world, may fulfill the throne of the heavenly Father and thus reach out to our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are also children of the Father and our brothers and sisters.

Jesus speaks several times about the world, especially in his farewell to the apostles (cf. Jn 15:18-21). And here he says, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before it hated you” (v. 18). He speaks clearly of the world’s hatred for Jesus and for us. And in the prayer that he offers at the table among the disciples at the [Last] Supper, he asks the Father not to take them out of the world, but to protect them from the spirit of the world (cf. Jn 17:15). We can ask ourselves, “What is the spirit of the world?” What worldliness can hate, kill, and corrupt Jesus, his disciples, and the Church? It would be good for us to reflect on what the spirit of the world is and what it is. Worldliness is the offer of a way of life. Some people think that worldliness means feasting and celebration. No. Worldliness can be that, but it is not the essential thing.

Worldliness is a culture, a culture of transience, a culture of appearances and pretense, a culture of what is today and not tomorrow, and what will be tomorrow and not today. It is made up of superficial values. This culture knows no loyalty because it changes according to circumstances; it negotiates everything. This is a worldly culture, a culture of worldliness. A disposable culture suits it. A culture that lacks loyalty and is uprooted. However, it is a way of life that many Christians also lead. They are Christians, but worldly.

Jesus, superficial, in the parable of the grain falling into the ground, says that worldly cares choke the Word of God, preventing it from growing (Mt 13:22). Paul says to the Galatians, “We lived as slaves under the rule of the elements of the world” (cf. Gal 4:3). I am always deeply affected by the final pages of Father de Lubac’s book Meditations on the Church (Carmelitánské nakladatelství, Kostelní Vydří 2010, p.172), where he speaks on three pages about “spiritual secularization,” which he describes as the worst thing that could befall the Church. He is not exaggerating, because he lists other terrible evils in addition to it. Worldly spirituality is the worst because it is a hermeneutics of life, a way of life, and a way in which Christianity can also be lived. And to survive the proclamation of the Gospel, it hates and kills.

When it is said of martyrs that they were killed out of hatred for the faith… yes, for some it was hatred over a theological issue, but for most it was the martyrdom of somethingsuperficial else. Most were persecuted precisely by worldliness, which hates faith and kills, as with Jesus. It is curious. Someone may say to me, “But father, worldliness is just superficiality; let’s not exaggerate.” Worldliness is not superficial at all! It has deep roots. It is chameleon-like, changing according to circumstances, but the essence remains the same. It is an offer of [a way of] life, and it permeates everything, even the Church. Worldliness, mundane hermeneutics, and superficialities are the sacrifices that make up everything.

And the apostle Paul came to Athens and was deeply moved when he saw the altars of various gods on the Areopagus. He reflected on the situation and said [to the Athenians]: “I see that you are very religious in every way. […] I noticed an altar with the inscription ‘To an unknown god’. I know him, and I have come to tell you about him” (cf. Acts 17:22-23). ​​And he began to preach the Gospel. But when he began to speak about the Cross and the Resurrection, they became bored and left (cf. Acts 17:32). The only thing that worldliness does not tolerate is the indecency of the Cross. It hates it. The only remedy against the worldly spirit is Christ, who died for us and rose from the dead, insults, and foolishness (1 Cor 1:23).

Therefore, in dialogue, when Saint John speaks of the world, he says, “And this faith is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith” (1 John 5:4). This alone: ​​faith in Jesus Christ, killed and risen. And that does not mean being fanatics. It does not mean refusing to dialogue with all people. No, but with the conviction of faith, I am freed from the insult, foolishness, and victory of the cross. And the victory, as John says, “is our faith.” Let us ask the Holy Spirit in these last days of Easter—and also during the Pentecost novena—for the grace to distinguish between what is worldly and what is evangelical and not to be deceived, because the world hates us; the world hated Jesus. Jesus prayed that the Father would save us from worldliness (cf. John 17:15).

Today our Lord invites us to fraternal love: “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12), that is, as you have seen me love and as you will see me love again. Jesus speaks to you as a friend, for he told you that his Father is calling you, that he wants you to become apostles, and that he expects you to bear fruit, fruit that is expressed in love. Saint John Chrysostom says, “If love were to spread everywhere, infinite goodness would be born from it.” Giving love is equivalent to creating life. Spouses know this well because they love each other, give themselves to each other, and accept the role of parents by being ready at the same time to renounce and deny themselves.

They give their strength, their time, and a piece of their existence for the benefit of those they must care for, protect, educate, and, in short, serve. Missionaries know this too, who, with the same Christian spirit of sacrifice and renunciation, offer their lives for the Gospel. And so do religious priests and bishops, and with them all the disciples of Jesus who have consecrated themselves to our Savior. Jesus had already told you a little earlier what is required for love and fruit-bearing: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn 12:24).

Jesus invites you to lose your life, to give it to him without fear, to die voluntarily if necessary, so that you can love your brother with the love of Christ, and indeed the supernatural love. Jesus invites you to strive for concrete expressions of love; This is how the Apostle James understood it when he saidreligious a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Keep warm and well fed,’ but you do not give them the things needed for the body, what good is it? So faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.” (James 2:15-17).

Thoughts on today’s Gospel

If you are looking for an example of love: No one has greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Such a person was Christ on the cross. And if he laid down his life for us, it should not be difficult for us to endure any hardship that comes our way. › St. Thomas Aquinas.

Our definition of love must be based on contemplating Jesus’ death on the cross. In this contemplation, the Christian discovers the path along which his life and love must follow › Benedict XVI

By uniting himself in his human heart with the Father’s love for men, Jesus “showed his love to the end” (Jn 13:1), because “greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Thus, in his suffering and death, Jesus’ humanity became the free and perfect instrument of his divine love, which wants all men to be saved. He freely accepted his suffering and death out of love for his Father and for the men whom the Father wants to save: “No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (Jn 10:18). Hence the supreme freedom of the Son of God when he voluntarily goes to death › Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 609.

Humans desire valuable things, such as happiness, joy and knowledge. However, they often desire these things without embarking on the arduous journey of acquiring them. We know that sitting at a school desk is necessary to acquire knowledge. If I want joy, I must discover its true source and remove from my life anything that destroys it.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that love is the path to joy. If we want joy, we must receive and give love. Today’s Gospel passage is a continuation of the text about the vine and the branches. The vine symbolizes God, and the branches symbolize us, humans. The grapes on the vine do not come from the branch itself. For the grapes to ripen, the branch must be connected to the vine. Just as the branch must be connected to the vine, so we humans need a constant connection with our life-giving source: God.

Although we often talk about love and recognize its importance in our lives, it is not always easy to love and show love in everyday situations. Jesus’ love is more than just a feeling; it is a gift. He receives this gift of love from the Father and gives it to others. ‘As the Father loves me, so I love you. ‘Remain in my love!’ Similarly, if a person believes and accepts that God loves them and that Jesus gave his life for them out of love, they begin to experience life more fully. Then we can bestow love to others.

Remaining in the love of Jesus means living according to his commandments. This involves loving God and our neighbor, forgiving others, serving them, and giving ourselves to them. To bear such fruit, we must remain connected to Jesus and live in his love. When we live in the love of Jesus, we experience true joy. This joy does not depend on external circumstances but comes from within. It is the joy of being loved by God and of loving others. May today’s Gospel inspire us to open ourselves to the love of Jesus and pass it on. It is often a challenging journey, but it leads to a life of fulfillment and true joy.

Thoughts related to today’s Gospel: Let us consider concrete ways in which we can experience the love of Jesus in our lives. What obstacles prevent us from experiencing this love? How can we give this love to others?

You may have seen the movie “Walking on the Clouds,” where there is a vine-dresser scene of “Stay! Stay with me.” A vineyard owner came from Mexico and invested everything he had, everything he owned, to acquire a vineyard. He and the original owner went outside, and the old vine dresser looked at the new owner and asked, “What do you see?” He replied, “I see a lot of work, many vines, and a lot of grapes.”

The old owner took the young man to an iron fence, and he said that he could really only see one vine. All the growth—all the fruit—came from that one root, planted long ago. If that root dies, the vineyard dies too. Everything the family owned was in that one root, that one vine. God, who loves you more than anything else, invested everything he had and came himself, in the flesh, and his name is Jesus. Jesus is the vine. Jesus is God’s complete and total investment.

Everything, every bit of fruit we have, depends on this vine. We were created by God to know Him and to be connected through Jesus. We are not alone. Someone shares our lives. Someone is there for us, just as we are all there for each other. If we abide in Christ, it means that we have a close, daily relationship with Him. This is how we become a branch of the vine called Christianity. A branch that bears fruit. Our desires will be His desires if we pray according to His words, and He is connected to us through prayer.

Being connected means that we will live a productive life. The vine and its fruit point to the nutrients that nourish the branches to bear abundant fruit. The relationship between the vine and the branches is the love between God and Jesus and between Jesus and us. In other words, we are to love one another as Christ loved us. If a branch is not attached to the vine, it withers and dies. The very life of the branch depends on its attachment to the vine. The same thing will happen if we try to function in this life without Jesus. There is one plague that attacks the branches of the vine, and if it is not dealt with severely, it will destroy its fruitfulness. That plague is sin. Sin blocks the free flow of the sap of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Branches cannot bear fruit apart from the vine. The basic requirement of a Christian is that he be connected to Jesus. We, as branches, are completely dependent on the vine, Jesus. All we have to do is let the sap of the vine flow freely through us. “Compatibility” is a term that, thanks to the widespread use of computers and mobile phones, is becoming an increasingly common word in our everyday vocabulary. Compatibility refers to a state in which two things can exist or occur together without problems or conflicts. It is the ability of two systems to work together without modification.

For example, a computer running Windows 98, an older version, will not be able to support many of the latest programs and software. This is because of the “compatibility” problem. For example, an older Nokia 1100 mobile phone without Android will not be able to run many new applications, such as WhatsApp or Viber. This is because of the “compatibility” problem. This compatibility problem can also appear in our spiritual life.
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When we are not in the right relationship with God, we cannot understand many of his plans for us. When we are not in harmony with God’s will, we lose the possibility of understanding many of his desires for us. Let us stay connected to Jesus so that we can bear fruit that will last forever. Let us ask for a constant connection with Jesus, in Jesus and in Jesus. Here and forever!

Holy

Holiday: May 5th

* 960 Reichersdorf, Bavaria
† 1038 Hildesheim, Lower Saxony

Meaning of the name: strong with God’s help

Attribute: bishop’s crozier

Gotthard was born in 960 as the son of a servant of Ratmund in Reichersdorf in the Bishopric of Passau. His father originally served in a wealthy monastery, which, however, became very impoverished during the wars with the Hungarians. Since Gotthard received a gift, Archbishop Frederick of Salzburg himself provided him with an education in the humanities and theological sciences. After returning from Salzburg in 990, Gotthard entered the monastery in Niederaltaich. Three years later, he was ordained a priest, and in 996, he became abbot.

He worked conscientiously to restore the monastery, and soon, under his leadership, it became one of the most important in the bishopric. The economic situation improved; the buildings were rebuilt. Emperor Henry II also noticed his skill, and at his request in 1005, Gotthard moved to the Thuringian abbey in Hersfeld and Tegersee. Despite the monks’ resistance to the reforms, Gotthard patiently reformed these monasteries. In 1013, he returned to his monastery in Niederaltaich. He continued to devote himself to the management of the monasteries.

In 1022, he became bishop of Hildesheim (south of Hanover). However, his personal life hardly changed. He remained faithful to a simple and unpretentious life. He avoided the political gatherings of the princes and was more interested in the common people. He cared for the poor and sick and heard confessions. At the same time, he took care of the people’s worldly needs. He had a hospital and a house for pilgrims built. Approximately thirty churches were built in the diocese at his initiative. South of Hildesheim, he built a Benedictine monastery, where he often retreated to meditate and pray. In 1038, he felt that his strength was weakening. He was taken to the monastery of St. Maurice in Hildesheim and died there on May 5, 1038. In 1131, Pope Innocent II declared him a saint. He is the first Bavarian to be canonized.