Jesus calls and frees S writer Karl Zuchart wrote the novel Die, a fool, in which he describes the life of a philosopher, scholar, teacher, and adviser to King Henry VIII, also a saint – Thomas Morus. The writer puts the words in the king’s mouth addressed to Thomas: Die, fool! Why crazy? He was smarter than the king! Tomas was a religious person. He was aware that he must not agree to the king’s sin, even at the cost of his life. Therefore, he was a fool in the eyes of the king, but he is a darling in the eyes of God. Tomáš Morus believed Christ’s words and proved with his own life the truth of the words from today’s Gospel. If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, even his life, he cannot be my disciple. And whoever follows me and does not carry his cross cannot be my disciple » Lk 14, 26-27. In fact, these are two very close, although different teachings, on the basis of which a person becomes a disciple of the Lord Jesus. More clearly, Jesus addresses each of us if we want to count ourselves as his followers. Above all, the Lord Jesus points out the relationships that should arise between the members of our family, between us and our environment, how we should understand these relationships if we want to belong to Jesus. He also discusses our relationship with material goods so that we can remain faithful to the Lord Jesus. The words of the Lord Jesus, which touch on relationships with other people, amaze us, if not offend us at all: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, even his own life, he cannot be mine disciples” (Luke 14:26). Strange words. Should we doubt that they were spoken by Jesus, who tells us that children should love their parents, that spouses should live in love and forgiveness? yes, Jesus says so. This statement seems to have struck fear into numerous groups of believers, and therefore the exegetes explain that the term “hate” must not be taken in the sense of our colloquial speech, because it does not refer to aggression. In reality, however, the Lord Jesus teaches us to love God and our neighbor.

 Only the Lord Jesus can free us from the state of sin, which means that we cannot show love, nor can we maintain it in our relationship with sinners when sin separates us from God, because then it also separates us from our brothers. A sinner cannot love as he should. It would be wrong to admit that the Lord Jesus tells us to hate someone, on the contrary, Jesus wants to strengthen love in us. With his help, we can learn love and show it appropriately to others.

Jesus said: “Greater love has no one than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). After committing sin, we are also his enemies. Lord Jesus also died for our sins, and that is why he wants to work with us when he says: “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me” (Mt 13:24). This means experiencing again and again the mystery of death and resurrection with the Lord Jesus, and thus overcoming the evil way of love in ourselves, so that we can learn true love from the Lord Jesus through a change in ourselves. Saint Paul writes to Philemon, who has a slave, Onesimus. The slave runs away from him. Onezim meets Paul, who is in prison and accepts the teachings of the Lord Jesus there. Paul baptizes him and he becomes, as it were, Paul’s son. In this spirit, Paul writes a letter to Philemon, which he sends after Onesimus. In the letter, he points to love, that is, to the teaching of Christ, which Philemon and Onesimus also believed. So love must change everything. Therefore, Philemon should realize that although Onesimus is still his slave, but in the teaching he received from him, they are both brothers. Slave and master. Paul writes these words very psychologically, which is a wonderful thought for this time. Paul could have kept Onesimus with him as a helper in prison, but he sends him back to Philemon with the belief that this is how Philemon will truly show his love for the Lord Jesus.

Jesus also points out our correct relationship to material things, with two stories – parables about a man who wants to build a tower and a king who wants to wage war. Both make the same mistake. They lack responsible preparation for events. After all, common sense says that if you want to build something, first calculate whether you have it, whether you will be able to cover the costs you will need for the construction. Similarly, even if you want to start a fight against a stronger one, it is better to choose an agreement instead. With these words, the Lord Jesus confirms how it is necessary to have money for construction and the power of weapons for war, so it is necessary to renounce one’s desires and wishes, which could harm the soul, and thus I could not become a friend of Christ. This is not just a kind of partial, but a total friendship with the Lord Jesus. These words of the Gospel tell us that the multitudes who follow Jesus, which includes us, Jesus does not want to lie. Whoever wants to follow him must realize that it will cost him something. Therefore, a person must make a decision freely and voluntarily.

God on the cross is defeated before the world. But on the third day he is the biggest winner. Let’s realize that the student is not above the teacher. So, if we want to be disciples of Jesus, we must be able to take a proper attitude towards our own life. We often get caught up in nice words. Then we will make many things easier for ourselves. But let’s look a little further than the end of the nose! What will happen when we have to leave this world? Do we want to experience disappointment? He who began to build and could not finish will be laughed at. Do we also want to know ridicule at the end of our lives? He who wanted to go against the odds will be defeated. Do we also want to feel the most terrible defeat when we meet Jesus, our Judge? These words speak to us because no things, whether material or spiritual, no person, even the sweetest, no career and power of the disciple must prevail over the true love that is God! Therefore, let us not be afraid, let us try to control ourselves, to command ourselves when it comes to things beneficial for the salvation of the immortal soul. On the other hand, if we keep what God requires of us, He will repay us a hundredfold here on earth and once in eternity.

When the famous pagan teacher of rhetoric – Libanius – was dying, the students asked: Whom do you recommend as your successor? John of Antioch of Syria, if the Christians had not won him! John was baptized at the age of 20. He sat with this pagan teacher, but he also studied with Bishop Meletios, who also initiated him into the Holy Scriptures. He was amazingly humble. He was ordained as a preacher in Constantinople in the Church of Hagia Sophia, in the Temple of Wisdom. He soon earned the nickname “Goldilocks” for his eloquence in proclaiming God’s word. The emperor wanted to have him with him. However, John was faithful to Christ. He admonished, reprimanded, encouraged without exception, whether it was the common people or the emperor. He preached the living Gospel. Empress Eudoxia hated John because his sermons interfered with her plans. John could not be bought or intimidated. He was not afraid of the cross he carried as a preacher. Eudoxia banished him from the city. The people cried, the empress cheered. But not for long. On the night that John left Constantinople, there was a strong earthquake. Everyone saw the finger of God in this for the exiled John. The emperor called him back. John always put God first. He feared God more than men. He considered it more an honor to fulfill the will of God than the will of people. This is a lesson for us as well. Let us not make God sad by sin! Every sin is a betrayal of God’s love. Let’s realize that what made John great can make us, too. He was not afraid of intimidation, threats, oppression, because that’s when we announce our baptism. Then we are leaven, salt, light for this world. John was still in exile twice. There, too, he proved his faithfulness and devotion to God. He wasn’t afraid. On the way to exile, he fell exhausted in the town of Komane in Little Armenia.

Did we understand? The greater the sacrifice, the greater the reward. The reward in the case of the Lord Jesus awaits us, partly already here on earth with a clear conscience, but especially in eternity. Let us examine our conscience if we are not preferring something else, someone else, before God, so we are setting ourselves up for ridicule when we will not be able to finish our tower here on earth, because we will be called away, and maybe soon. Or do we want to oppose God who called us to this world and want to fight against him, stomp, insult, not fulfill our duties?! Tomáš Morus did not betray his convictions. He didn’t sign. And the king’s words: – Die, fool! – he said not to Tomáš, but to himself! Tomas lives… 

“LOVE your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5, 44); these words of Christ belong to the most distinctive features of his preaching. Perhaps they often contrast with our most immediate reactions. We realize that these are not words that require a superficial response, as if we are being asked to yield to those who do us wrong; it is much more: we must love and pray.

“Jesus’ words are clear (…). And it is not an option, and it is a command (…) He knows very well that loving our enemies is beyond our ability, so he became a man: not to leave us as we are, but to transform us into men and women capable of greater love, the love of theirs and our Father (…). This command to respond to insults and evil with love, created a new culture in the world: the culture of mercy (…). It is a revolution of love, the protagonists of which are the martyrs of all times”[1].

To achieve this, we place all our hope in grace. “I want to keep your precepts, never leave me” (Ps 119, 8), we pray in the psalm. God’s help works not only in our will but also in our minds and hearts. “I believe that I have no enemies,” wrote St. Josemaría at the time of the persecution. “In my life, I met people who hurt me, positively harmed me. I don’t think they’re enemies: I’m too small to have them. However, from now on they are included in the category of my benefactors, so I can entrust them to our Lord every day”[2].

God sends rain on the good and the bad…

“WHAT REASON DO YOU HAVE not to love?” asks St. John Chrysostom. “That’s the other answered your kindness with insults? That he wanted to shed your blood in gratitude for your favors? But if you love for Christ, these are reasons to love all the more. Because what destroys the friendships of this world strengthens the love of Christ. How? First, that ungrateful person is the cause of a greater reward for you. Secondly, this one needs more help and more intensive care”[3]. How gray the world would be if all people were the same and all were equally pleasant to us! This is not the reality, and Jesus asks us to love, pray for and serve everyone. To think otherwise reminds us of Cain’s words burning with envy and hatred: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gn 4:9).

If we turn our gaze to Christ, his love for all people will be heard in our soul: “That you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. After all, he makes the sun rise on the bad and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Mt 5, 45). “Today it will do us good to remember an enemy – I think each of us has one – who has done us wrong, or who wants to do us wrong, or who is trying to do us wrong. Let’s pray for him. Let us ask the Lord to give us the grace to love him”[4]. However, we don’t have to think about distant places, battlefields, or powerful enemies. Maybe even at home, we must fight to understand, forgive, and not hold grudges against our brother, daughter, or husband. How often have we seen grace make possible what we could not imagine before?

To bring the battlefield into our own lives…

“PEOPLE WITHOUT THE DESIRE TO CORRECT themselves are those who cease to pay attention to their own sins to focus on the sins of others,” writes St. Augustine. “They are not looking for what needs to be fixed, but what they can bite. And since they cannot justify themselves, they are always ready to accuse others”[5]. Accepting the task of loving our enemies means that we also learn to focus on our weaknesses, mistakes, and everything that has yet to be identified with Christ. This attitude is imbued with a much greater practical realism because what we can change with God’s help is what we have in our hearts. We leave the imaginary battlefield – the lives of others – to fill the world with the good of a much closer struggle. We let God change the course of history while we fix the one we have.

“We must be able to excuse everyone, and we must be able to forgive everyone. We will not call the unjust righteous, we will not say that insulting God is not an insult to God, and we will not call evil good. However, we will not respond to evil with other evil, but with clear teaching and good deeds: we will drown evil in the abundance of good (cf. Rom 12, 21)”[6]. It’s not that we don’t correct ourselves when circumstances call for it. It’s not about naivety but quite the opposite: acquiring God’s wisdom. A mature, generous, prudent love can forget wrongs, ignore errors of appreciation, gain courage, and imitate Christ on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk 23, 34). We can ask Our Lady, Queen of Peace, to teach us to love all her children, to pray for those who may have harmed us, and to help us transfer the battlefield to our souls: to fight against ourselves and not against others.

The years of the synodal pilgrimage 2023-2024 will undoubtedly go down in the history of the Church. One innovation succeeds the other in such a fast staccato that the faithful cannot digest the innovation properly, and the next batch is already coming. After last year’s Fiduccia supplicants declaration, “the masculinization of the Church,” and the announcement of various other innovations, such as the ordination of deaconesses, the abolition of celibacy, the Vatican has announced the publication of a document tomorrow, the description of which does not bode well.

According to the portal Katholisch.de, it will be a document concerning the function and primacy of the Roman bishop (pope), and in it, allegedly, ” the pope wants to reduce his supremacy. ” According to the aforementioned liberal and certainly well-informed portal, the text ” could have far-reaching consequences – and Francis indicated a major concession “

The text was prepared by the Vatican Dicastery for Christian Unity, under the leadership of Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch. I think the fact that in his presence, they gave Holy Communion to Protestants and calls for the involvement of both Protestants and Orthodox in the synodal journey is sufficient evidence of his views and attitudes:

According to Katholisch.de, the document “could fundamentally change the relationship between the Christian churches in the East and the West “.

The document will be titled “Bishop of Rome” and subtitled “Primacy and synodality in ecumenical conversations and responses to the encyclical UT unarm saint.”

The project received broad support from Pope Francis, and the portal Katholisch.de, in line with the expected innovations, emphasizes that from the beginning of his pontificate, he referred to himself primarily as the ” Bishop of Rome ” and ordered the revival of the title “Patriarch of the West “.

These indications of the localization of papal power are, of course, unassailable and legitimate on paper. The Pope is really, like St. Peter, the bishop of Rome, and is also the patriarch of the West. In addition to being the patriarch of the East, North and South. However, the fact that only certain historical signs are emphasized and others are silenced or diminished does not bode well. Combined with the deluge of ecumenical phraseology and, even worse, uncontrolled, arbitrary, chaotic and self-destructive practice, the expected text may become another nail in the coffin in which they have been trying for more than 60 years to deposit the exclusivity of the Catholic Church.

The portal Katholisch.de, with an infallible and years-cultivated sense of smell of everything that is pleasing heterodox for them, is already hotly asking:

However, the central question still remains open: Does the Pope continue to claim a superior position among the representatives of the Christian Church? ( Katholisch.de probably has in mind here some abstract church, i.e. a compound of all churches, within which the Catholic Church is only one of many and together with them creates the mentioned Christian church; ed. note) The Catholic Church considers this supremacy, known as the “primacy of the Pope” has been maintained since the early Middle Ages. (But, but, so the Catholic media doesn’t believe in the dogma of papal primacy? Doesn’t it believe Jesus commissioned St. Peter and gave him the keys? And they are obedient, vaccinated and accompanying; editor’s note) The last time, in 1870, The First Vatican Council supported and expanded this universal claim to power in dogma and canon law.”

Well, it seems that for some highly “obedient” Catholics, these ” questions of dogmatics and canon law ” obviously mean nothing. Paradoxically, on the one hand, they question the authority and exclusivity of the papal office as such, but on the other, they constantly call for obedience to Pope Francis and send anyone who dares to criticize his heterodox statements straight to schism, even though they do not argue for it. On the contrary, such an argument about schism can be a denial of the dogmatically binding teaching about the primacy of the Roman bishop.

But Katholisch.de eloquently explains these dogmas: “These decisions, as such, which arose in the crunch of time, should now be relativized and reinterpreted. “

Boom, and there it is. Nothing less and nothing more: the First Vatican Council, because it was interrupted by the demise of the Papal State (and never completed), according to liberals, took place in a ” time crunch ” and therefore its dogmatic statements will now be ” relativized and reinterpreted “.

Fortunately, something like that in II. The Vatican Council is not possible. He had a wide field of time at his disposal and thus could thoroughly work on his comprehensive documents so that they no longer need to be relativized because they are so nebulous and ambiguous that any interpretation clings to them like a glove.

According to official Vatican statements, the new document, as Katholisch.de writes,” aims to present a proposal for a renewed form of the papal office that could be recognized by other churches .” The portal even adds:

” Some in the Vatican believe that it is possible that, under the proposal, the pope will meet with other patriarchs and church leaders of the same level to consult with them.

The first meeting of this kind could take place in 2025 on the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which is still recognized today by almost all Christian churches. At that time, it was also possible to agree on a common procedure for determining the date of Easter between the Eastern churches and Rome, which was abandoned only later. According to information from the Vatican, Pope Francis is ready to meet the Eastern churches on this symbolically important issue. “

“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you, for it is better for you that one of your members should perish than that your whole body should go to hell. ” Let’s ask Jesus for grace, so that we always have a heart ready to love God and neighbor, free from sin’s bonds.

The Gospel is part of the Sermon on the Mount, the first of the great speeches in which Saint Matthew summarizes Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God. Jesus describes in detail the attitudes we should maintain about the Law, to God, to our neighbor, and prayer. At the beginning of the talk, he describes in detail the Beatitudes, which depict the face of Jesus Christ and show his love. Here, Jesus teaches us the fullness of the Law and invites us to go one step further, to live the Christian life not as commandments to be fulfilled but as attitudes to be achieved. Blessed means blessed. The Beatitudes are our path to happiness.

In this context, we should understand today’s gospel. Jesus descends to specific details to achieve the fullness of the Law.

On the occasion of the provision on adultery (cf. Ex 20:14; Deut 5:18), Jesus calls for high respect for others, which is the basis of the Law. If adultery consists in seizing a married person for personal gratification, it must not be done internally either, where the same sin is committed, even if not externally: “he has committed adultery in his heart” (v. 28). A teaching that calls for the surrender of the fullness of the heart. To be blessed and to achieve greater happiness, we must have a pure heart, a heart in love, where there is no place for selfishness, for the impure thoughts of the human heart.

Jesus also talks about the ancient practice of letting go. The law of Moses established the obligation of repudiation: a document signed by the husband authorizing the wife to be taken by another man. However, to emphasize the greatness and dignity of the marriage union with a woman, Jesus makes all rejections invalid because they still expose the woman and the one who received her to adultery.

Master urges us always to look within. Sin is not only an external but also an internal act. It harms us because it distances us from God and our neighbor. Therefore, the ability to overcome internal temptation predisposes us to be freer people because we have room for God, and for others, we are more able to love.

Jesus calls us to always look at the inner roots of our sins. Let’s ask him for grace so that we always have a heart ready to love God and neighbor, freed from the bonds of sin.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to cancel them, but to fulfill them.”

With a new teacher, director, or headmaster, questions and expectations are always associated with what he will keep from the old, what he will cancel or change, and whether it is in our favor. Perhaps Jesus could read similar expectations in the hearts of his disciples. Yes, in many ways, it was new, unconventional, perhaps even revolutionary, and yet, as far as God’s law is concerned, it did not destroy anything but complemented it.

Until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter or one title will pass from the Law until all is fulfilled.

There are many things in motion in the world, there are many unstable things, there must be something solid, certain, on which you can always lean, in every uncertainty, in every hesitation. God’s word is fulfilled in time, regardless of whether we accept it or not, whether we accept it whole, undiluted, or interpret it our way, with many theories that usually end with little or no commitment. The Lord Jesus in Nazareth confirmed the part of Scripture from the prophet Isaiah: “Today, the Scripture that you just heard has been fulfilled.” I wish we could notice something similar in our lives more often and be personally involved.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of these commandments, even the smallest one, and thus teaches people will be the least in the kingdom of heaven.

God’s word cannot be arbitrarily adapted according to one’s taste or dislike or the majority’s opinion. Not even according to those whom we love so much, but they do not know how to live according to God’s word, and we will not make them enemies because of it… In life, there are many opportunities to discount the requirements of God’s word, yet only a sincere effort as much as possible to adapt leads to the holiness of life.

But he who keeps them and teaches in this way will be great in the kingdom of heaven.

We have relatively enough teachers, but fewer are witnesses of what they teach. However, having teachers of God’s life who are also his witnesses is crucial. It is impossible to become such without a constant effort to remain a humble disciple of our Lord.

Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God ▪ Mt 5, 8.

B. Häring in the book Our stagnation in the new world writes: “Not external success, not economic and technical progress, but a pure heart (Mt 5, 8), a heart filled with selfless love for God and neighbor, he carries the hope that he will see God. God is love, and only those who truly love can know him here on earth and see him face to face one day (1 Cor 13:12)”. That is why only people with a pure heart are promised to see God. Only such “will look upon his face” (Revelation 22:4).

To St. John Vianey, an intelligent man, came to the parish priest in Ars and wanted to talk to him about his various difficulties with faith in God. The saint said to him: “Your confessor, kneel.” No, Father, understand me; I did not come to confess but to debate about faith.” But the saint again: “Kneel.” Okay father, but I’m not ready.”I’ll help you,” And he confessed. He confessed at length. He received absolution, and then the saint invited him to sit down and discuss all the difficulties. The guest, full of peace and spiritual joy, responded: “It is strange and strange, I no longer have any difficulties with the message of Jesus.” the saint replied: “Encase, you already have a pure heart. “” Jesus’‘ path to G d requires a pure heart more than wise reasoning. Whoever has a heart overflowing with crazy passions and earthly ambitions will never see God face to face nor drown in his blissful majesty.
“The Lord loves The pure in heart, and the unbroken are dear to him. The king is a friend to a man of lovely feathers” Proverbs 22, 11).

Today, we celebrate the memory of the Immaculate Heart of Mary—a heart filled with God, willing to listen and obey. In biblical language, the heart refers to the deepest essence of a person, from where all thoughts, words, and deeds come. What comes from the heart of the Virgin Mary? It is faith, obedience, tenderness, disposition, spirit of service, bravery, humility, simplicity, gratitude, and countless other virtues.

Why is this so? The answer lies in Jesus’ words: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt 6, 21). Mary’s treasure is her Son; her heart is wholly devoted to him. Therefore, Mary’s thoughts, words, and actions are rooted in Jesus’ contemplation; her heart is filled with the Lord.

Today’s Gospel provides a vivid illustration of this. After the episode of the lost and found Jesus in the temple, it is written: “And his mother kept all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:51). Saint Gregory of Nyasa reflects on this: “God reveals himself to those with a pure heart”. What does Mary hold in her heart? From the moment of Jesus’ incarnation to the agonizing moments on Calvary and His ascension, her heart is a repository of numerous contemplative and profound experiences: The joy of the angel Gabriel’s visit, who revealed God’s plans for her, the first touch and the first embrace of the newborn child, the first steps of her Son on this earth , the observation of his growth in wisdom and grace, her “participation” in the wedding in Cana, Jesus’ teachings during his ministry, the pain of the cross, and the hope of the resurrection’s victory…

Let us ask God today to give us the grace to love him more fully every day, with all our hearts. We also have the opportunity to meet Him, listen to Him, and keep all His Words in our hearts, just like the Virgin Mary.