A name indicates an individual, means a particular being, and represents a person. This is especially evident from the Bible: The name of the Lord be glorified means God be glorified. Whoever knows the name of God knows God himself. Even in the prophet Isaiah, the Lord says to Israel: Do not be afraid, I have redeemed you, called you by your name, you are mine. And in another place, it is said: The Lord called me from my Mother’s womb; already in my Mother’s life, he thought of my name. And to the one who fears that his name will be forgotten after all, he is reminded: Can a woman forget her infant and not have pity on the son of her womb?

Even if she forgets him, I will never forget you. I carved you into my palms. Here, I will present two episodes from the New Testament that are connected with the name. God sends his messenger to a young girl in Nazareth. The Virgin’s name was Mary. The angel Gabriel was to announce to the recently betrothed Virgin that she would have a child. We don’t want to consider the surprise of Mária, Jozef, and perhaps the whole neighborhood. According to Luke, this surprise disappears behind the questions Mary asked the angel. Although the election of God to become the Mother of the Son of God was difficult for Mary to understand for some time, the announcement of the name was still tricky for the young woman to believe.

What young couple expecting a child doesn’t have a thousand thoughts about a name? Sometimes, the search for a name goes without controversy. Kinship often interferes, and traditions must also be taken into account. Sometimes, a movie, a book, a star, or a blockbuster plays a role, and saints play their part too. Frustrated that they couldn’t agree, the young father picks up a magazine, and a name is born. Everyone likes an inscription: Sabina. That’s just how it goes sometimes. The small but subtle joy of searching is denied to Maria. She didn’t have to look anymore. Mary is chosen to be the Mother of Jesus. This name is to be given to him. Jesus, God saves. God gives the name; the name is the program. This happened so many times in the Old Testament.

At the dawn of the New Testament, both mothers experience the God of their people. Elizabeth names her son John, a testament to God’s kindness. In obedient reverence, Mary names her son Jesus, a declaration of God’s saving grace. When God associates a person’s name with a purpose, or a mission, it prompts us to question whether this is the case when parents name their children. Regardless of the chosen name, parents hope their child will one day become a person of significance, leaving a lasting legacy.

Most often, a person does not say: my name is, but only: I am Kristina, I am Tomáš. Name and personality have something in common. People grow according to their name. We celebrate birthdays because we are happy to be alive. We celebrate name days because we rejoice that we are an unmistakable person, born for eternity. I called you by name. You belong to me, says God, according to Isaiah. This idea has something to do with the second event from the New Testament. Jesus is on his way and is facing a new, incomprehensible life for us. Many of his disciples cannot understand this. Even so, Mary Magdalene is very desperate. He runs to the grave on Easter morning, searches, cries, and lets the imaginary gardener talk.

And then one of the New Testament’s most beautiful, mysterious, moving events happens. Jesus speaks only to Mary. She recognizes the one who addressed her by the voice as the harpist’s hand brings the strings to sound, so the sound of Jesus’ voice brings Magdalene’s soul to exaltation. Only words like friendship, love, and affection can indicate why Mary Magdalene now recognized Jesus. We could also know something similar. Whoever pronounces our name as our name, perhaps in a hurry, is not insignificant to us. We feel love for him; we listen to him. When we are insecure, we feel biased. If we are afraid, the sound of our name burdens us. That sound shows the connection between me and you.

With our name, we have both a personal future and an entirely personal eternity. At the beginning of our life, we ​​are given two names: Christian, one given to us by our parents, and the other we receive as a result of the sacrament of baptism. With this name, we will survive all dying and humiliation and be called to the home of God. Only love gives a name. This also applies to us humans; it also applies to the mystery of God. Names are:

Gifts of the heart and kindness.

A sign of favor.

Statements of belonging.

A promise of God’s future.

We wish you joy from your first and Christian names, from the daily certainty of the living God who calls us all by name. The Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene tell us that God gives a name and calls by name. He gave us the name of the man and the task to be. He calls us by name: you are mine. That is our calling; you are not born to become dust and ashes but for life and eternity. We are told this twice a year, on birthdays and name days.

St. Notburga

Born:1265

Position: to put

Death: 1313

Patron: farmers, servants; invoked for a happy birth in all problematic situations in agriculture and livestock diseases

Attributes: alms, pitcher, loaves, ears of corn, maid, sickle

CURRICULUM VITAE

She came from Rattenberg in Tyrol. She lived as a pious, simple maid who, despite her mistress’s wrongs and malice, maintained a firm Christian attitude. In the second service, she became known for her principle of devoting herself to prayer and sanctifying Sundays and holy days from the first Vespers of the feast. She also excelled in her merciful love for people with low incomes throughout her life.

Her biography reminds us of what we need for a happy life. God has the first place in our lives. This also includes observing the third commandment and work associated with prayer. Holiness does not exclude any social group—the call to holiness applies to every condition.

THE TIME RESERVED TO GOD MUST BE OBSERVED

She was born in 1265 in Rattenberg in Tyrol, Austria. The parents lived in poverty, although they had a small farm, and the father mastered the hatter’s trade. The family had a Christian upbringing, and Notburga was led to honest work, piety, and other virtues from childhood. In a quiet, undemanding family, she acquired obedience, humility, and a kind attitude towards all people. That is why she soon became popular in the village. At the age of 18, allegedly after the death of her parents, she entered the service at the nearby castle of the lords of Rattenberg. Count Henry I and his wife respected the pious maids, and their kindness is also written about.

Notburga had a heart full of merciful love for people with low incomes and always gave them what she had saved for herself. In time, she was entrusted with some castle management and allowed to distribute the surplus food after dining among people experiencing poverty. At the same time, the excellent maid gave away what she earned herself. She lovingly added pious admonitions to the alms. However, after six years, the noble earl died, and his wife soon followed him. Their deaths ended a pleasant period at the castle.

Young Henry II did not follow his mother’s advice and did not observe that Nortburga’s work, combined with prayer and acts of mercy, brought blessings. He was influenced by his wife, Otília, a hard-hearted woman. She was mean to Notburg and put hard and unnecessary work on her. The scraps that used to be given to beggars had to all be thrown to the pigs by her order. Notburga, therefore, fasted and fed people experiencing poverty from her ration. Otília found out about it, she angered Henry II. against the maid, and he allegedly caught her with food in an apron on her way to people experiencing poverty. After the order “open the apron!” the young count, according to legend, saw only chips and lye. He let Nortburga continue on her way and informed Otília of the result of his inspection. Upon her return, the maid experienced the malice of her mistress, who accused her of mocking Henry II. and dismissed her from service. Nortburga remained calm despite all grievances and did not allow herself to be provoked, even by retaliatory thoughts. This is evidenced by the acts of love during Otília’s severe sudden illness. She nursed her patiently with kindness, prayed for her, and, before her death, led her to receive the sacraments. Then she left the castle.

She went to the service of a landowner in Eben, from whom she demanded a promise that after the “kneeling” with which the holiday day begins, she would no longer have to do any work and would be able to devote herself to prayer. Nevertheless, after a specific time, it happened that at harvest time, the landowner ordered the remaining part of the field to be harvested and prevented Notburze from going to the chapel of St. Rupert. According to legend, she raised the sickle and said: “God be the judge between me and you!” After that, her hand left the sickle, hanging in the air despite the attraction. The report that she hung up the sickle and went to prayers was later preserved on a plaque in the church dedicated to her, and the sickle became her main attribute.

Notburga continued to serve faithfully. Although she was said to be unable to write or read learned books, she mastered reading in nature and learned many profound truths about God from it. She appeared before him in contemplation with an open and repentant heart, praising him for his goodness.

Meanwhile, the situation at Rattenberg has changed. Henry II got into a war against his brother, and he considered the impoverishment and all the pains that the war caused as a punishment for the misdeeds he and Otilia had committed due to avarice. He decided to start a new life with a new wife and missed the maid with whom the blessing left the house. He sought out Notburga in Eben, sought her consent, and after making a deal with her landlord, brought her back to Rattenberg. Here, he entrusted her with the management of the economy. He married Margaret of Hohenegg, who respected the Notburgs. She lived with them until her death and helped them raise their children.

She was buried in Eben. The reason is that, according to her wishes, she was taken there by a carriage without a carriage, which stopped at her favorite chapel of St. Rupert. In 1434, a temple dedicated to this maid was built here. In 1718, her remains were allegedly transferred to the temple with the permission of the Pope. Pope Pius IX confirmed her cult on March 27, 1862. and the following year, its distribution was allegedly still limited. It was not canonization as we know it today, but she has the title of saint in the martyrology.

RESOLUTION, PRAYER

I will reflect on how much I have applied the priority of living with and for God in my life and set principles for improvement.

God revealed to us that love for You and our neighbor fulfills all Your commandments; help us, like Saint Notburga, willingly to show mercy and thus be among those who enter Your kingdom. Through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever.

Always faithful to God … In the book of the Holy Scriptures, which we also call the book of books, every day, we can find a thought that is always temporal. That’s how it is today. In the history of salvation, the relationship between man and God used to be compared to the relationship between exemplary spouses, probably because the Israelites placed great emphasis on married life. Therefore, their marriages always concluded with a grand ceremony. Unfortunately, in the case of faithfulness to the Lord God, they often sinned badly, and consequently, the Lord frequently reprimanded them severely for it. The prophet Hosea speaks of one such betrayal of Israel against the Lord God. During the time of King Solomon, the northern tribes broke away from Jerusalem. That is why they gradually forgot about God and worshiped various gods, thanking them for blessing them. The prophet Hosea sternly admonishes the nation. When they finally turned away from the idols, the Lord received them back with such love that a good husband received his wife. The Lord promised them salvation, and during the time of the Redeemer, man was once again united with the heavenly Father.

 In the Gospel, the Pharisees accused Jesus of not fasting: “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, and yours eat and drink” (Luke 5:33). Moses instructed the Israelites to fast once a year. But the Pharisees ordered frequent fasting. However, they did not do it out of love for the Lord God, only so that people would admire them. That is why the Lord Jesus answered them: “Can you ask the wedding guests to fast while the bridegroom is with them?” (Luke 5:34). In other words: The Old Testament ends now with all our false precepts. With my Church, I am starting a New Testament, the basis of which will be the union of soul and heart with the heavenly Father, as much as if he were married to her. At such a serious moment, we do not fast or grieve because this engagement is a time for rejoicing. But the days will come when they will take their bridegroom and fast on those days. So Christ is the divine bridegroom, and the Church is his bride. In reality, however, the Church is all of us; therefore, we owe our heavenly bridegroom as it were marital fidelity. At holy baptism, we connected closely with the Lord Jesus, as if our soul had been married to the Lord forever. This fulfilled the prophetic words that the Lord predicted about His people: “Then I will betroth you forever, for truth and justice I will betroth you, for love and mercy, I will betroth you for faithfulness, so you will know the Lord” (Oz 2,21- 22). In the Gospel, Jesus is called the fiancé of our soul. And as the fiancé of our soul, he wants to share his love, happiness, and peace with us. He expects the same from us who are betrothed to him. S

How to follow Jesus?

Jesus frequently called people to follow him, honestly warning them of the challenges ahead, saying “Take up your cross and follow me.” Yet, he also promised to accompany them on their journey. What does it mean to follow Jesus, and how can you embark on this path?

Many people today have a warped view of what it means to “follow Jesus”. For them, it might mean occasional church attendance, praying in times of crisis, and acts of token generosity. However, this is a far cry from the unwavering devotion of early Christians, for whom following Jesus was a way of life. Faced with the threat of death, they were compelled to make a definitive choice: total commitment or none at all.

What does it mean to follow Jesus in the 21st century? It may surprise you, but the definition of following Jesus has not changed; it’s about the same as it used to be.

Where does it start?

Following Jesus begins with listening to his words and responding to his call. His message is simple. He talks about love, sin and forgiveness, humility, justice, and gratitude.

The story of Jesus proves the immense love with which God loves us all. Jesus took upon himself the pain and guilt of the whole world. He died so that we would not have to die for our sins. But he is stronger than death. After three days in the grave, he returned to life and proved that he was more than an ordinary person. Faith in him brings eternal life to us, too.

Jesus wants us to respond to his call and follow him. Heals our inner wounds. He forgives our trespasses. It helps us restore what is broken. He is the light in the darkness we need and the hope that evil will not rule forever. And he wants us to pass this message of his love and hope on to others.

Leave and get more

The first followers of Jesus were simple fishermen. When he called to them, “Follow me,” they left their boats and fishing nets and went. 1 What he called them to was not just theoretical discussions a few times a month. He taught them how to live daily in God’s presence. He was an example for them of how to rely on God, make practical decisions, and approach the people around them with love.

To follow Jesus, you may not need to give up your earthly possessions or occupation like the first disciples. However, there may be something in your heart that holds a more significant place than God. What is it that you need to leave behind?

Jesus’ words remain relevant: to follow him, one must deny themselves, take up their cross, and surrender to his path. Those who cling to their life for selfish purposes will ultimately lose it, while those who surrender their life for Jesus and the gospel will find true salvation.

” There is no faith like faith.

True faith puts Jesus first in life – when nothing and no one matters more than our relationship with God. Everything else will then follow from our relationship with him.

Walking in his footsteps brings challenges and internal struggle with our selfishness. It is not easy to stop focusing on yourself and your interests and focus on loving and serving God and others. But remember that nothing you give up can even be compared to what you gain! According to the verse above, you will gain life – eternal life-more than anything this world has to offer!

The growth process

Jesus’ friends themselves often failed to follow him faithfully. They openly admit it in their writings that we read in the Bible today. Knowing that Jesus does not call to follow only those who already understand and manage everything is a relief. On the contrary, he reckons with our mistakes and weaknesses and, at the same time, with the growth of our faith.

Understanding and trust grow step by step on the common path. It was true for the first followers, and it is true for those today. The more we experience God’s love and care in practice, the easier we will give him space to love others through us and change our life priorities and desires.

Do you also want to follow Jesus?

To follow Jesus, seize the right opportunity – you don’t need to perfect yourself first. His original disciples were ordinary people, just like you. Following Jesus begins with a simple, honest conversation with God, submitting to His guidance and care. If you’re willing to entrust your life to God, be assured that He will walk alongside you, and you won’t regret this decision, no matter how challenging the journey may be.

If you are not yet ready to take this step and cannot fully trust Jesus, we invite you to our free online course, Why Jesus? Which will explain his message and what it means to follow him fully.

How did you decide?

Many believers today still think that the measure of a successful Christian life is: I keep the commandments. And they were very meticulous in keeping the commandments. We hear something of this in the Gospels. Was there love too? Or was it just such a slavery to regulations? Slavery is not a relationship. It’s just putting up with some necessity, I don’t enjoy it at all, it gets on my nerves. Friendship, that’s different. That’s my choice. I get a kind of joy out of it, and I try to avoid the kind of things that are detrimental to friendship. And God calls us to move from the attitude of a slave to that of a friend and son in our relationship with him. Each of us can ask ourselves. What am I keeping these commandments for? I am afraid of hell, or I have to be, God is satisfied then.

God has given us the commandments so that through them, our friendship and our relationship will grow. God does not want us to be such slaves to sterile purity. God gave me the commandments for my better life. Jesus speaks plainly and harshly about the scribes. This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And the heart is the key. Do you want to measure your relationship with God? See how you are to people. Pure religiosity means having our eyes open to those who need us. What good is it if my hands are clean, but they are empty.

Relationship cannot be taught. But we can use the means to help us. Commandments, prayers, confessions, God does not need these. We require it. He gave it to us to sustain and strengthen our relationship with Him, but also with the people we live with. Confession, for example, allows us to return to God. If I am interested in returning to God I am grateful to God for the gift of confession, if I am not interested he ignores that gift. If I love the Lord of God, I go to Mass, because it is a time when I can meet with Him. Friends meet. They take time for each other. And they don’t look at their watch. If I love the Lord God, I want to tell him how I live, what I’m sorry about, what I’m glad about. If I love the Lord God, I know that the commandments are there for my happiness. They are not easy. The spiritual life is not about commandments, it is about relationship. God is a friend who has given us instructions. He calls us to freedom, not slavery. Even when I don’t understand everything, I know He wants me well. And that is why I accept his way. Let us strive to please Heavenly Father, with a thought, with a good deed

Saint

Feast: September 3  (the day of his episcopal ordination)

* around 540 Rome

+ March 12, 604 

Pontificate: 590 – 604

Meaning of the name: watchful, awake (from Gr.)

Emblem: dove, seagull, book, papal tiara

St. Gregory was born in Rome around 540, the son of Jordan, a wealthy senator who later renounced his position and became one of the nine deacons of Rome. We also venerate Father and Mother Silvia as saints. Gregor received a thorough education and was appointed prefect by Emperor Justin the Younger, although Gregor was only 34 years old at the time. However, a year later – after his father’s death – he left his career as a prefect and founded a Benedictine monastery in his own house. He accepted their religious robes. In addition, he also founded six other monasteries in Sicily. During the pontificate of Pope Pelagius II. (579-590) became a deacon and papal envoy in Constantinople. After the death of Pelagius, he was unanimously elected pope.

Many turbulent events marked his pontificate. It was then that the migration of people took place. Thanks to Gregor, it was possible to Christianize the Visigoths in Spain. The Arian Lombards, Gauls, and Anglo-Saxons also returned to the true doctrine. During the plague in Rome, he performed a penitential devotion, after which the destruction was averted. He reformed the liturgy, especially liturgical singing. Until now, it has been used in the so-called religious services. The Gregorian chant is named after him and comes from his time. Also, the custom of celebrating the Gregorian Mass for the dead comes from this period. He wrote many works. He belongs to the four Western Church Fathers. History gave him the epithet Great, but he used the title “servus servorum Dei” (servant of God’s servants).