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Who brought you to church today? Who sent you there? While you were forced? The kids could play computer games, you left the pots on the stove and left them. After all, what happens here happens the same every day, doesn’t it? And therefore, who caused you to come here? Is there something special about this temple that you preferred over other activities? Is there anything better? Or did you take it as your duty? After all, there are so many movies, interests, and other uses of time, why spend your time here? These minutes will never come back, the part of life we ​​lived here will never change! Never! We sacrificed a few minutes of our lives to God. This moment will forever be recorded in our life, it cannot be changed!

“When they saw him, they worshipped him. but some doubted. Jesus approached them and said to them: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go then…” (Mt 28:16-20). Jesus sends his disciples to be his witnesses and live his life. It happens every day after Holy Mass when the priest says: Go in the name of God.” Jesus’ departure from Earth connected the cross and the crown. The Ascension took place on the Mount of Olives, at its foot lies Bethany. When they passed through it, they also passed through the Garden of Gethsemane, and through the place where he wept over Jerusalem. His heart was not filled with bitterness from the cross, because the ascension was the fruit of the crucifixion. As he said, it was fitting that he should suffer and thus enter into glory. He shows us an example of how we can reach heaven – through suffering, the cross, and through love. He sends people, he sends us. Jesus goes to his Father and sends us among people. Our task consists of learning, in keeping everything that the Lord has commanded us; our mission lies in the love of God. We are in this world because God’s love caused it. Everything in our life develops from love. After all, the apostles, when Jesus was ascending to heaven, were staring at the sky. The one they loved is leaving them. But God encourages them through the angels: Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven?

This Jesus … will come as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1.9-11). When he ascended into heaven, he blessed them. They should wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. They filled with joy and did so. Although, even though they stayed in the city, they did not just wait passively. But the Scripture says: “…with great joy, they returned to Jerusalem. They were still in the temple and glorified God” (Lk 24.52b-53). They waited for the Holy Spirit in joy and prayers. They did not know when he would come, but they remained in the temple, praising God and waiting, encouraged by the promise of Jesus.

Jesus is leaving, who is going to prepare a place for us in his kingdom, and power is coming from on high. Jesus did not leave completely, only physically, because, in each person of the Holy Trinity, there is the whole of God. After all, then the Lord’s words that he will be with us for all days until the end of the world would not apply. He is with us precisely through the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ ascension ends his physical activity on earth and begins the action of the apostles, our witnesses. Jesus is the King of heaven, he told Pilate himself (cf. Lk 23:2-3). According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, heaven does not denote a place, a kind of space, but the majesty of God and his presence in the hearts of the righteous (CCC 2802). However, Jesus is a different King than the worldly king (cf. Jn 18.36). His kingdom is not of this world, his kingdom is a kingdom of love and peace. He is the King who thinks more of the good of his creatures, to their happiness. “Those. who die in God’s grace and friendship with God, and are perfectly purified, live forever with Christ. They are forever like God” (CCC 1023), because they see him face to face. He. The King. came, descended to his creation, and became their servant. Jesus became our servant (cf. Phil 2, 7) so that he showed us an example of humble and devoted following of God.

When a boy or girl is in love, they can stare at their partner. When the disciples looked up to heaven, they expressed their love for Jesus. Jesus ascended physically to heaven, but in doing so He descended spiritually into the heart of man. The Lord can dwell in the heart all the time, it depends on the openness and purity of our heart. By ascending to heaven, he wants to arouse in us the desire for heaven. Jesus’ ascension does not want to take us physically out of this world but wants our hearts to be always in God’s presence, to be in heaven. When Jesus prayed, he said: “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one” (Jn 17:15). Christ sends us to families, to various jobs, to communities. To be physically among people, but with the heart to be ascended to heaven, to the glory of God. Being in the presence of the Lord can be proved by our mind is always fixed on God, that we awaken the intention to do everything for the love of God. It is sometimes difficult to do this, but daily prayer will slowly begin to introduce us to it. Whenever we remember God, then we can arouse our love for God so that at the end of our lives we too can honestly say: It is finished” (Jn 19.30). Jesus won for us eternal life, which we will live in communion with God, we contemplate, we always look at his face and we are happy. And all we need is the desire for God, for heaven, and the pursuit of a pure life. we contemplate, we keep looking at his face, and we are happy. And all we require is the desire for God, for heaven, and the pursuit of a clean life. we contemplate, we keep looking at his face, and we are happy. And all we need is the desire for God, for heaven, and the pursuit of a clean life.

St. John Maria Vianney says: “We could be holy and even work miracles, but if we lack love, we will not get to heaven.” God has shown us his love, and now it is our turn to show our love for him. May we example, Abraham, who obeyed God with love and wanted to sacrifice his only son? And many others… Such heroism is possible only out of love for God. “Because God is the king of the whole earth. sing to him a song of praise, God reigns over the nations. God sits on to his holy throne” (Psalm 47:8-9). So why did we come here, who drew us here to the temple? It is this God, his love. The King of the entire earth and heaven, who still gives himself to us today in the forms of bread and wine. He ascended to heaven today and wants to take us too. therefore he used maybe our friend, Mom or Dad. Grandma or we came because we long for heaven. into which only the saints will enter.

Lord Jesus, you are the one to whom all power is given in heaven and on earth, King of Israel, thank you for giving us life today with you and your Father in heaven Thank you that today we have become owners of paradise we are with you mystically and at the same time realistically raised to heavenly heights. Through you, we have gained extraordinary grace from what we have lost. Please make us holy, so that we always do everything with love, and that we keep everything that you have commanded us. Teacher, teach us to be always in your presence, to be a witness. Lord, arm us with power from on high, I want to reach heaven, help me. Holy Spirit, I am waiting for you, come! 

Many wished for the death, the demise of the Church, which is the work of Jesus Christ, but which is governed by the Holy Spirit through the visible head, the hierarchy of the Church headed by the Pope. There were also periods in the Church when many believers fell into despair and fear for the Church. However, they forgot that the Church is not the work of man, but of God. Therefore, it will not hurt us to reflect on a passage from the Gospel today and strengthen our faith.

“You will be sorry that I am leaving. For if I do not leave, the Comforter will not come to you. But when I leave, I will send him to you” (Jn 16:7). These words must have surprised the apostles when they heard them from the Lord Jesus. He wants to leave them. They do not understand and do not understand, and therefore he explains to them that when he leaves, it will be true for them and the future Church until the end of the world, because they will only gain by doing so, precisely through the action of the Holy Spirit. a long time of waiting for the Messiah, a different idea of ​​Jesus. There were still many unclear places for them, and therefore his absence after his departure will cure them of the earthly understanding of the teaching they received. This will come to them through the “advocate”, that is, through the third divine person – the Holy Spirit, who is the true God with the Father and the Son. This Holy Spirit became the link in the invisible process between the Lord Jesus and the visible head of the Church on earth until the end of time. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, the world will recognize that it was not the Lord Jesus, but the world that committed the crime, unbelief. So we can understand that the one who does not believe condemns himself, because he does not cooperate with the one who not only created this, redeemed it after committing sin, but controls him until the end of the world. The world will realize that the death of the Lord Jesus is not a defeat for us, on the contrary, a victory. Christ’s resurrection is the greatest defeat for the unbelieving world. None of us doubts that the Holy Spirit is active among us Although Jesus – our Redeemer and The Saviour has left us, under the influence of the Holy Spirit the whole world can progress more and more and get to know the person of the Lord Jesus more deeply.

We can say that although we have not met the physical Christ as a person, our faith is no less, no less weak. By the departure of the Lord Jesus to the Father, we became able to receive the Holy Spirit and under his influence we can grow in faith and love. We boldly put aside fear for the future of the Church. Even if we don’t see it in rosy cocolorseven if we encounter amazing resistance and hatred towards the Church, the words of the Lord Jesus apply, which have proven themselves many times over two thousand years: “… the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18 

We know that miracles do not happen any more. That’s one attitude, but there are others, including the Catholic one. The attitude of the Catholics, of Eastern Orthodoxy and also of some Protestants is that yes, miracles are happening today and have happened throughout the history of Christianity. Some Protestant trends, including fundamentalism and much of evangelicalism, say that miracles don’t happen any more. Secularism says that miracles cannot happen.

Some Catholics have been influenced by the last two positions, but especially secularism. They think that even miracles recorded in the Bible are suspect, and they are quite convinced that today miracles cannot happen today. They say that miracles are pre-scientific. Yes, but they are also fabulous. They happened in the period before modern science, they happened during it, and they will continue to happen when this period is over. The attitude of both these Catholics and the secularists they emulate is truly unscientific. It is not based on conclusions drawn from scientific research into alleged miracles. Go to Lourdes, for example, or any other place of alleged miracles, and you won’t find a single sceptic taking notes and researching people who claim to miraculously healed. They know that after the New Testament period is over, they miracles can’t happen, so why would they bother to check it out? Their arguments look something like this: If Christianity only was just beginning, miracles were used to confirm its authenticity. “They went out and preached everywhere. The Lord helped them and confirmed their words by the signs that accompanied them” (Mk 16:20). But miracles are already unnecessary, for until the death of the last Apostle, Christianity had firmly established. They are no longer necessary for conversion to the faith, for the faith comes through the Bible.

In support of their claim, they quote the following verses: “Jesus did before the eyes of his disciples many other signs which are not, not, written in this book. But these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is Messiah, the Son of God, and that by faith you may have life in his name.” So then faith is of preaching, and preaching by the word of Christ.” (Rom 10:17).
What do these verses prove in reality? The Apostle John described some of Christ’s miracles so that the reader will believe in Christ. This does not mean that there will be no more miracles for future generations. Some people will believe based on what they read. Others need a special incentive that will come through a miracle. A verse from Romans} Is true that faith comes through the word of Christ, but not everyone is for this word in the same way. Some still require additional incentive of a miracle.
Another of the arguments used against miracles today is that the end of miracles was foretold in 1 Corinthians 13:8: “Prophecy shall cease, tongues shall be silent, and knowledge shall pass away.” But this verse speaks first of all of the heaven, where we shall rejoice in the blessed
vision, to see God face to face. Now, down here, “we see only dimly, as in a mirror” (1 Cor 13:12). In heaven, there will be no need of miracles to support faith, because we will know. Secondly, this is the verse chosen as proof of the attitude against miracles in our day, for it speaks of the disappearance of the early forms of prophesying and speaking in tongues. The implication is that such gifts, including miracles, are no longer have come to an end, but this does not follow. Even if prophecy and speaking in tongues disappeared forever in the first century (now we are not discussing whether they have reappeared in our time), their disappearance is not necessarily indicative of miracles. If miracles were necessary to get Christianity off the ground, why shouldn’t they be necessary to sustain it?

The fact remains that the Bible nowhere says that all miracles are ended with the end of New Testament times. Of course, the nor does it say that the miracles will continue until our time. So, as in so many other areas, the Scriptures are silent on this one. Why would, should not? Whether miracles are happening today is a question for scientific investigation, not for conjecture. But the necessary tool is an open and clear mind.

 What does it mean to bear witness? What are my difficulties in testifying and before whom? What do I gain by testifying? I am directly participating in the event… it has a greater weight of testimony than the one who gives testimony but that he heard it, read it… 

Jesus said: “But you also bear witness” (Jn 15:27). According to Jesus, we are to assume the role of his witnesses together with the Holy Spirit. Bearing witness should be an honour for us. Jesus does not promise earthly privileges to his witnesses, quite the opposite. A Christian must not be an obstacle to someone in following Christ. Those who do not give us an adequate witness, let us not judge, let us not condemn, but let us build in ourselves patience, trust, humility, perseverance and other virtues. Let us sanctify ourselves. Let our witness be about Jesus. The more the world expects from us testimony, all the more willingly, even if we act with the victims. So we don’t forget to bear witness with small, everyday deeds, words, behavior…

Jesus is waiting for our answer. It is impossible to block one’s ears before God’s word, not to give an answer with one’s life. God speaks to us through the voice of our conscience, through the Church, through people, things, events. The Easter season demands the same from each of us. ” Love to believe and believe to love!“Listen to God and respond as God asks of us in our conscience. Jesus died for our sins. We realize the importance and need to learn to listen to God in our conscience and respond correctly not only with words, but also with thoughts and actions. The child does not listen to the words of the parents, perhaps he responds to the third, fourth appeal. How does he love his parents? A student does not listen to the teacher. Can he get praise? When a car driver does not listen to the running of his car’s engine, he can break down his car. A runner athlete does not follow the starter’s shot, can he stand on the podium? And when listening matters in ordinary social, sports, cultural life, shouldn’t it in spiritual life? To listen to save my soul. To listen and respond correctly to the demands made. Listening means for us: to do everything to fulfil in our life , what God asks of us. “Follow me”(John 21:19)! The call of Jesus to each of us. A challenge that is not limited by time, space, place, people. Have a true conscience.

In the review “L Éncyclopedie de la vie pratique” (Encyclopedia of practical life), he states that the average person devotes 70 years of his life: 8 years to study and education, 9 years to entertainment, 3 years to body hygiene, 6 years to eating, 5 years to walking, 11 years of work, 4 years of reading, 24 years of sleep and rest. We are to live with Jesus in every moment.

To answer this question, we need to understand how Jesus experienced his inner relationship with the Father, and how that relationship then translated to people. And how we are to enter into a relationship with Jesus. Jesus speaks of the need for love, for it is through love that the deepest bond is formed. Let’s think about how Jesus loves us as the Father loves Jesus. We see, that he loves him in such a way that he gives him a mission.

And how Jesus loves the disciples. In a way that makes him fully available. Love is love when He doesn’t keep something for Himself and gives Himself for people. Staying in my love is therefore problematic because they say the shirt is closer than the coat. In this case, closer is that which is more perceptible to the senses, and so staying in awareness of God’s love is not easy. For we are so distracted from it, whether by external distraction, by the multitude of duties that demand attention, or by internal distraction, that it is easier for a man to dwell in thought on what he has experienced than on that mysterious awareness of God’s love.

This is precisely what cannot be achieved by some single decision. It is in abiding that one must keep on abiding. This love is conditioned by obedience to God, that is, by keeping His commandments. Usually, we contrast obeying and loving. Obedience is regulations and barracks, and love is voluntary and joy. It is not quite so. Parents tell the child. You may do this, you may not do that, but it is imbued with love. Keeping the commandments means tuning into the life of God because everything that God has created has been distorted by sin. The commandments came into being after sin. Until then, there was no need for commandments because man made his own choices for what was good and did not need commandments. As a result of sin, man began to go off course, and those courses needed to be named. And those are the commandments, or in other words, the standards by which man is to live with God. Sin means that man wants to go his own way and thus loses God.

We have it instilled in us that a commandment is something that restricts a person. Why? It must be said that our concept of sin is subject to certain distortions, which have ancient historical origins. It was that misguided asceticism, whether influenced by Jansenism or other currents. Love and commandment were separated and God was feared. The times were different. Children were punished more than they are today. The atmosphere was that parents were commanding children, but there was also an awareness that God punishes us when we do wrong. The upbringing of the priests also had an influence. The essence of the command is love. To keep the commandments without God’s grace is unthinkable.

Today, however, it is as if people themselves create and determine, what is good and bad. To keep the commandments is to understand them. The commandments are the condition of love, but they are also the fruit of love. Our civilization would not exist if there were no physical laws. We are discovering them. As soon as a man breaks a physical law, it is a crash. We just cannot perceive that certain laws are also written in the heart of man. Man chooses his path. If he keeps the commandments he decides life, if he does not, he decides death. The commandments do not restrict life, but on the contrary, protect man’s life from misfortune. One should not only command and forbid, but also explain why something is commanded or forbidden. What is my relationship to the commandments?

People who hate God also hate those who try to live for God with love. That is why it is not rare that for love and goodness, man repays man with hatred.

Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you” (Jn 15:18). And he immediately explains why this hatred exists: “If you were of the world, the world would love what is his, but because you are not of the world, because I chose you out of the world, the world hates you” (Jn 15:19). These words belong to the second part of the farewell speech of the Lord Jesus at the Last Supper. And specifically, a disharmonious tone crept into that message of love, by which he wants to prepare his apostles for the fact that although they will try to sow love around them, they will reap the hatred of the world for this effort because not all have Jesus as leader in their lives. Those who do not have it hate Jesus, and because his disciples belong to Christ, they will be subject to a wave of hatred similar to that of Christ himself. In addition to the fact that Jesus chose them from the world, that is, from the power of evil, they no longer belong to the world, and the world knows how to take revenge for this because the world loves only what belongs to it, which does not exceed its boundaries, principles, and way of life. Therefore, the world’s revenge for friendship with Jesus is most often manifested by the persecution of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus draws their attention to this and at the same time wants to please them, to encourage them, that even he himself was repaid in this way by the world. With these words, the apostles begin to realize the union, the bond with Christ, that they will have to suffer with Christ, but that they will also know the joy of the successes they will achieve while spreading the Gospel of Jesus. Because many people will accept faith and believe in the Lord Jesus, and thus the number of Christians will increase.

Likewise, we also have to reckon with the fact that we will not avoid the hatred of the world because of the teachings of Jesus. That’s why we have to reckon with the hostility of the world, we will experience humiliation, and even we have to reckon with persecution for Christ. All this is the tax that a Christian pays for his obedience and faithfulness to Christ. We have to put up with this and not look for an escape route. We realize that when there are confrontations with evil in our lives, this is also a necessary thing for the Christian life. The history of the Church tells us about countless multitudes of those who were hated by the world and had to lay down their lives for God.

After all, at this time we remember St. Stanislav, the bishop of Kraków, whom the king has executed as an “inconvenient” person. We remember Pope Martin I., who leads the Church in difficult times, the boat Petrus. Although he had to sacrifice his own life, he did not betray. We remember Juraj, who as a soldier and commander knows how to judge who is a superior officer, so he prefers martyrdom.

However, not all of them died a martyr’s death. We have a long line of believers: Dominik Savio dies young, but the motto from the day he was on the first St. received, he kept: Better to die than to sin.