predication.net

Indeed, it has happened to you that you needed something, you asked for it, and you knew they had it, that it was in their power to get it and get it, but you were not their acquaintance, so you left without success, without help. We say that everything goes different at once if one has an uncle upstairs in the office… In other words: Without patronage, you will get nowhere. And today, let’s add: Not even to heaven!

In the Gospel, we heard how his mother and the apostles, cousins, and cousins demanded to meet Jesus. That is to say, in the language in which the Lord Jesus and his contemporaries spoke, there was no difference in words between brother and cousin. Thus, it would seem to us at first sight that the Virgin Mary had more than one child, and the Lord Jesus could have had both a brother and a sister. Such a misunderstanding of this part of the Gospel is still held by many churches and sects today because they do not know or do not want to know the true meaning and content of these words. But that is not the point of this passage. The Lord Jesus here gives us a very high exaltation of spiritual kinship over carnal kinship.

Those who hear the words of Jesus are in a beautiful relationship with Him, the other members of this family, and their own mother, father, brother, or sister. That our commitment to this spiritual community is more vital than to the blood community, he makes us aware of this by his example. When Jesus, on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, leaves his parents, he later abandons his mother and stays in the company of those who want to listen to him. When he is interrupted by relatives while proclaiming the Gospel, he leaves them waiting. He emphasizes the primacy of spiritual kinship with these words: “For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Mt 12:50).

We who are baptized are well off. We have a Father in heaven. Jesus Christ won for us this familial relationship when, in the Holy Spirit, He adopted us as His brothers. It is a pity, however, that we so disturb it by sin. For by sin we oppose and deprive ourselves of the right of sons hip, we cease to be children, brothers, sisters, and mothers. But what are we to do when, through human weakness, this happens to us? We are to make amends at once, as soon as possible.

Remember the war. Many of you have experienced it; others have seen it, at least in the movies. When they did a house search, they looked through the whole house; from the roof to the basement, they looked in the closets, under the bed, and in the bed. Nothing escaped the watchful eye of the searchers. Such a thorough search of one’s soul should be undertaken by every single Catholic Christian. Yes, even one who approaches the Sacrament of Reconciliation every month.

You come here, dear brothers and sisters, and you often feel more ill mentally than physically. You are held by fear, you feel tension and dissatisfaction with yourself and your conscience. You would like most of all to erase all this and start anew. Yes, start. You have the opportunity and ample free time to conduct a thorough review of your spiritual life. After all, you want to be happy. But how do you want to feel comfortable if you are not family with Jesus?

Get ready and be reconciled to God! Typically, you are still out of breath, and the priest has to wait until you are out of breath and then move on. But this is not about the priest, he will wait, but it is about those who are also waiting… but above all, it is about you. When you are not ready, you just speak as if from a record that has been playing in the confessional for thirty or forty years. No. Before an excellent holy confession, break up the worn-out record, for you are tired of listening to it yourself, and try to listen to another, a new one, which will play after a good and sincere prayer before the sacrament of reconciliation. Then reflect. Take the help of the spiritual mirror that every prayer book has and examine your friendship, your family, and your spiritual relationship with Jesus. Admittedly, it can’t be done quickly. Every significant thing needs time to be realized.

Confession is the most important thing for a Catholic Christian after sin. This means that one who wishes to make a good, Holy Confession must find a time and place where he will not be disturbed by anyone or anything. Accordingly, since he has not been to confession, he must devote time to it accordingly. When a person does not question his conscience daily, when he ignores his conscience, he must make more effort, slowly sifting through his life, friendships, acquaintances, and attitudes. Even one who has not been to confession for many years and today has the opportunity can prepare himself in this way.

No one can plead before a righteous Judge that he has not been told where he is. And maybe Jesus is sending you here to start a new life with us today. The true, supernatural one. At home, you are ashamed, afraid of being seen, and you don’t have complete trust in the priest; he is your friend and a sinner. Do not hesitate! Jesus is waiting! But for you, brother and sister, who also come to Holy Confession every week, the words apply to you too: “For everyone who does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Mt 12:50).

You, too, need to give more time to your confession sacrament of reconciliation from time to time. Compare the seasons to see if you are improving in your individual sins or loosening up. Whether a true reformation is taking place in you, or whether you are falling into complacency.

Often we may try to bargain with Jesus, perhaps in the manner of, “I love all men. But do not ask me to do good to my neighbor… that I should always have to `sacrifice’ myself in the family… At work, too, everyone uses me…” …and many other questions pop up in one’s mind day in and day out.

It is also necessary for us to remember to keep our lives rooted and directed only to God. For just today. He calls us, “Abide in me and I in you…. for without me, you can do nothing.” And he goes on to say: “Whoever abides in me bears much fruit.” (Jn. 15:4, 5). Can we say why such a radical command is Jesus telling us to `stay in me’? Yes, Jesus knows that the world is filled with hatred, and  malice and this can pull a person to this side. To stay with Jesus means: to accept his teaching and follow him. To willingly serve him and be his disciple. Staying with Jesus doesn’t mean simply staying present, nor does it mean simply performing certain acts that we think will fulfill our commitment to God. Abiding in Jesus is first and foremost a matter of the heart – a response to his love for us, and a personal and compelling one.

Often, too, we are only rarely tolerant and rarely accept the truth of others. Perhaps the greatest fact remains that we humans today are very one-sided. We want everyone to think the way we do because we are convinced that our view is the most correct one. Jesus wants us to be partakers of the very life of God. In baptism, we become children of God and members of his body, which is the Church. Jesus wants us to share in the fullness of what he himself has.

Let us try to look at the trunk of the tree and the branches. Together they form the same being – unity, together, they feed and act and bear the same fruit because they are nourished by the same sap. We, too, are to be continually nourished by the sap of Christ – his body and blood, for it is only in him that we move and have our being. Only in him can we say: “My Lord and my God.” Only in him are our faith, hope, and love.

The Holy Scriptures tell us: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance.” (Gal. 5:22). And just as a tree bears fruit to the extent that it is rooted in good soil, so we bear fruit to the time that we are rooted in Christ. The fruit of the Spirit will be manifested in our lives if we learn to abide by the love and power of Jesus. Only then will we love others if we experience God’s love for ourselves. To abide in Christ is to offer our hearts to the Lord and allow his Spirit to minister to others through us.

For St. John received a revelation when he allowed Jesus to fill his mind and heart. St. John Bosco was an Italian peasant with little education, but by submitting his life to the Spirit, he was able to evangelize thousands of young boys and save them from a life of poverty and violence.

An educated pagan, travelling in Europe, met a Catholic priest on a train. He asked him more out of curiosity than sincere interest: “What are the fundamental principles of your religion and Christian doctrine?” Instead of answering, the priest reached for his Catechism and handed it to the stranger. The latter consulted the book but then objected: “I don’t have time to read and study everything. Could you not give me a shorter table of contents of the Christian religion?”
The priest thought for a moment, then pointed to a place in the catechism, “I believe in God…”
The stranger read it but immediately objected again: “Even these principles, so concise and comprehensive, would need further explanation, and we will part in a moment. Could you not express to me still more briefly and more clearly the essence of your religion?”
Again the priest thought for a moment and then answered gravely, almost solemnly, in the words of the Lord Jesus in the Holy Gospel, “Thou shalt love thy God above all things, and thy neighbor as thyself.” The stranger was surprised. He thought and said nothing. In a moment, as the priest was about to get off the train, he shook his hand and said: “Truly, there can be no more beautiful religion than yours, which has such principles!”

Sure enough, this stranger may have understood the words to mean that to stay with Jesus was to accept his teachings and follow him, to serve him and be his disciple willingly. Yes, having radical positions is necessary, and continue standing up for God’s truth.

It is appropriate, now, to say to ourselves: “I need to be rooted and perfected in God’s perfection. Lord Jesus, my soul is comforted by you. I place my hope in you, who know all things, see all things, love all things, and fulfill all things. Lord Jesus, I offer you my heart – penetrate it with your presence and love.

Not only is the personality of the Lord Jesus significant in the time after His birth until the end of time, but the personality of the Lord Jesus as the future Messiah was significant even before His birth. The Lord Jesus Himself confirms this in the Gospel when He quotes the prophet Isaiah saying, “Behold my servant whom I have chosen….” (Mt. 12:18). Why he applies these words to himself, the Gospel explains, “Many followed him, and he healed them all, only he warned them not to betray him. Thus was fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet” (Mt. 12:15-17).

Isaiah’s words are part of a song in which the Old Testament singer sings of the future servant of the Lord. Catholic exegetes and many other faithful scholars hold to this day that the Servant of the Lord spoken of in these songs is the Messiah-Jesus Christ. The ancient Jews also expounded on the Messiah. The Chaldean Targum, the Talmud, and many others have interpreted them. Today, we can say that all the songs say about the Servant of the Lord has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The similarity between the Servant of the Lord and Jesus Christ is so significant that it is impossible not to recognize it. And apart from the Lord Jesus, there is no one who can embody the person sung and portrayed by these strokes. The person of the Messiah is known to Isaiah and is often presented to us in his prophecies.

However, we know and see from the life of the Lord Jesus that the Pharisees want to kill the Lord Jesus. Therefore, Jesus withdraws into the background, and at the same time, He commands those He healed to be silent. But we know that these do just the opposite. This is why the Lord Jesus is always getting into trouble, and this is why they later demand a death sentence for Him from Pilate. Strangely, such a little enviable life, which the Lord Jesus had to lead, became the focus of attention and the meaning of life for people until the end of time. But permeating all this is something joyful, to which we rightly give the name of the Gospel – glad tidings of joy. We understand this action when we understand the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus in the light of divine revelation.

What about our meekness? Do we argue with others, shout at each other? The words are true of Jesus: “He will not grieve, neither will he shout… He will not break a bruised reed, he will not quench a dying wick…” Mt. 12:19-20). Do we feel that this too belongs to us?
What about our humility? Can we see something good in the behavior and actions of others? Do we not extinguish the attempt at good by contempt, by the rejection of the other? Are we indeed disciples of the Lord Jesus? Can we be silent, and can we be silent? These and similar questions should be noticed in the practice of our lives.

The person of the Lord Jesus was, is, and will be significant for us and is worth following, imitating, and living according to the teachings of Jesus.

Right at the outset, let us remind ourselves: Sunday is to Christians what the Sabbath once was and is to the Jews. The meaning of Sunday and church attendance is an expression of reverence for the Most High, that God is not indifferent to man. Further, Sunday is for strengthening and developing excellence and rest, the release of tension necessary for the health of the body and soul. When one draws strength for work, it is not to the detriment of the work itself. One is aware that like the flowers in the garden need to be nurtured and tended, the good in man also needs to be developed and cultivated. This is a universal law that no one doubts. Even if one plants, sows, and hoes in the garden, there are still enough weeds. And this is also true of developing the good in man. It does not follow from the fact that even those people who go to church, and are not always exemplary, cultivating goodness and respect for the beautiful principles that are the foundation of a beautiful society is useless.
The command of the Pater obliges us, “On Sundays and on the commanded feast day, attend the entire Holy Mass.”

The Church enjoins that the faithful, if possible, should attend Holy Mass on Sundays and on the commanded feast. The sacrifice of the Mass is a renewal of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The Holy Mass is not only a reminder of this sacrifice and transfiguration at the Last Supper but also a call for the faithful to sacrifice for the good, to heroism in the midst of the difficulties that life heaps upon man. The sacrifice for good, even if no one knows about it or will know about it, is not in vain; it is not lost. The Eucharistic banquet is an invitation to the faithful to share their goods, respect one another, and form one family whose members do not destroy one another but bring joy and help one another. This is also how we are to understand participation in the Mass, which is to continue in concrete, everyday life, in honest work, in reconciliation with neighbors and relatives, and this is the most beautiful contribution to the beautification of life and is the most beautiful service to life.

What was given by Jesus for the Sabbath is also true for Sunday. Sunday is for man, and not man for Sunday. Sometimes it happens that if a man wants to avoid immense damage, he has to work on Sunday. This is especially true in harvesting in various disasters. Working in hotels, in transport, in some factories, if the work is round the clock, then one has to work even on Sundays.

However, the latest fashion is to ignore Sunday and the holiday. Such people do not realize that neglecting reverence for the Lord God, God’s laws, and the Senator does not benefit economic prosperity; on the contrary, sins and ignorance destroy it. Cultivating the beautiful principles of honesty, conscientiousness, truthfulness, and beautiful mental qualities are also the foundation of economic prosperity. They are the guarantee that people will not steal from one another, or lie to one another, lest the results of dabbling in human wickedness be destroyed. Trust is not only a religious and ethical concept, but also an economic one. For a business that is trusted to make good products also makes millions of dollars. Ignoring and trampling God’s laws and commandments is a manifestation of man’s shortsightedness, for respect for these laws protects even the one who mocks them.

A certain white colonizer mocked an African American chieftain for learning the catechism. “If it were not for this,” says the African American, “I should have eaten you long ago.” It is sometimes opined that in the interest of religion not to antagonize the powerful, it is necessary to be silent in regard to the wrongs, exploitation, and suffering from the innocent. But this is the greatest betrayal of religion, a betrayal of the will of God which protects all men, and it has suffered most from this betrayal in the past.

When St. Sebastian was accused of being a Christian, the Emperor Diocletian himself had him summoned and said to him:
“I valued you as a friend, and you repay me in this way? You betray me like this?”
Sebastian answered, “Great emperor, you have no more faithful servants than the Christians. We love our country and obey the emperor’s commands. However, we believe that the emperor is not God. God is higher than the emperor, and God’s laws protect all people, even the emperor.”
Emperor Diocletian did not understand these arguments because he thought he was the sovereign lord over the whole empire. He did not recognize a higher lord. Soon, on the basis of the same principles of violence that he himself used, he himself was assassinated.

Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will strengthen you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

It is the time of the holiday season, so looked forward to and eagerly anticipated by our pupils and students. It is also the time of summer vacations. yes, the time of vacations, rest and relaxation. I’m sure many of you have already planned where and how you will spend this year’s vacation to make the most of it. And it is necessary. There’s no denying that. One needs rest and especially in today’s hectic world.
If by any chance you haven’t decided how to spend this year’s holiday, you still have the opportunity to choose from the many offers from travel agents who offer them to you through advertisements on the radio, television, or various banners and posters.

Listening well and carefully to the Gospel, you will not have missed the fact that there was also an offer of where to seek rest. For Jesus speaks to us in today’s Gospel in this way: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… and you will find rest for your souls!” (Mt 11:28-29).

Brothers and sisters, however, there is no rest like rest. Travel agencies offer us rest on holidays, whether it is somewhere by the sea, in the mountains, in a cottage, etc. A holiday takes us out of our problems and troubles for two or three weeks and then we are back in the hustle and bustle of work again. And again there are the same problems, again there are the same worries, again we have to struggle with them. A holiday will not solve these worries. Rest is only relative. Vacation only helps us in forgetting for a few days that one problem, that one worry. That is, not a solution, but just forgetting. But then is it real rest? I think you will all admit that such rest is really only relative.

But one longs for real rest. That is to say, if he has any worries and problems pressing on him, he wants to solve them and overcome them so that they do not press on him any more, and not just forget them. Only then can one attain real peace and rest when he gets rid of worries and problems permanently. What has been man’s greatest worry and the greatest problem that has prevented him from being truly content permanently and from being able to have true rest? What was probably the thing that most consumed, tormented, and gnawed him even today, causing him to be perpetually restless?

You may be thinking rightly at this moment – yes, it is sin!
Sin has disturbed the harmony between God and man, it has caused unrest in man himself. And by the fact that through man’s fault sin has come into the world, one can no longer speak of true rest, for man is always troubled with something, always has a kind of remorse, a restlessness in his soul. He could not and cannot find that true peace, true rest.

But here comes “Someone” who speaks to that afflicted, weary and suffering man in this way: Come to me, come with all your sins that torment you, afflict you, and cause you constant restlessness. Come to me with all your toils, with all your worries, with all your troubles and burdens, with me you will find true rest; only I will give you true peace!

Could that “somebody” have said that to you? Were they not empty words? Yes, he could have said that. For that “someone” was the Son of God Himself, and He came into this world to reconcile the righteousness of God by dying on the cross and to testify to God on behalf of man His original obedience. God no longer needs to be angry with man, but accepts him truly in friendly love. Peace in God is the prerequisite for peace in man himself. The removal of sin has removed all that corrupts the human being and created the possibility of harmony and true peace, and the resulting true rest in the heart of man.
Surely now we understand why Jesus can so boldly say that He will give and secure for us that true peace. For by removing the chief hindrance to peace, which was man’s sin, he has also removed the secondary ones which actually flow from that sin, either directly or indirectly.

But, brothers and sisters, some of you might now say this: Somehow it does not seem to me. Do these words of Jesus, that whoever comes to him will find peace and rest with him, really apply today? Is it not just the opposite? For if I follow Jesus, then I am the object of ridicule, scorn and contempt. Perhaps I am looked upon as a backward backward man. I am sorry and embarrassed. My colleague who is no longer following Jesus, he has already attained a higher status and salary, and I can’t attain that, my children didn’t get to go to school. And all because I am still following Jesus. But then where is his promised peace and rest?

Pride is an unfortunate and evil characteristic of man. It is even worse when a believer adopts it. It is not rare for a superficial believer to think it is enough to go to Mass or the sacraments, but their other life says otherwise.
More than one priest has wondered about the behavior of the “pious” who let those around them know they are the “best.” Even some dare to say that they have heaven assured. Yes, perhaps they attend Mass more than others and even approach the sacraments, but only to be noticed and seen for what they are by the world and those around them. And yet their private life, their interior life, is terrible. These find it very difficult to renounce the error of their ways. Pride makes them unhappy. And if someone were to reprimand them, it would be a living hell.

As we are, so will our towns and villages be. Therefore, the Lord Jesus also said in the Gospel: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!” (Mt. 11:21).

We know that the Lord Jesus often stayed in these towns and performed many of His miracles there. These cities were inhabited by Jews who were overly confident of their salvation. They thought they were Abraham’s seed, God had given them the Law through Moses, and therefore they did not accept the doctrine of repentance. John the Baptist dedicated the words to them: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 3:2). And elsewhere, John says: “O generation of vipers, who has shown you how to escape the wrath to come? Bring forth, therefore, fruit worthy of repentance! Do not presume that you can say: For I say to you: God can raise children to Abraham even from these stones. The ax is already laid to the roots of the trees! And every tree that does not bear good fruit will cut down and throw into the fire” (Matt. 3:1-10).
God, Himself, comes in the person of the Lord Jesus and proves His mission by miracles. But even this did not move their hearts, which remained hardened. That is why Jesus calls to them: “Woe!”

We must realize, and it is self-evident and logical, that the greater the grace of God, the greater the responsibility of those who reject it. Naturally, therefore, they must also expect more severe punishment. This was true then, and it is true today.
Let us ask: Who today is concerned about the salvation of his soul? Who today fears the judgment of the Lord Jesus? In practice, we should take exceptionally that we must not be indifferent to what will follow our death and must not be indifferent to how we use the gifts we receive from the Lord Jesus.
We say that the Lord God is good. Yes, He offers us His gifts today, but He is also waiting for our response. This means, however, that we fulfill the duties He expects of us in humility and love. Remember that God is all-knowing and will not tolerate mere tinsel or superficiality. Therefore, we must not squander the graces offered and bestowed upon us by such a way of life. Otherwise, let us rightly expect even more severe punishment, and Jesus’ punishment: “Woe!”

We see much sin, evil, and scandal in our surroundings too. Some of it is public and some secret, but it is a profound lesson for us to repent for ourselves voluntarily, our dear ones, for unbelievers, and hardened sinners. There are many possibilities and ways. But, unfortunately, in the pursuit of good, even believers often commit follies, and suddenly even the interest is gone.

When someone close to us fails to fulfill their religious duties, be it a daughter, a husband, or a son… let us try to make sure that we, at least, do not cast the Lord Jesus out of our family. Let us pray, give thanks, and forgive them as well. We do not have to tell them. Let us do it in silence and be sure that God will be in our hearts as if on an island.

On May 13, 1981, gunshots rang out in the square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The shots were aimed at the Holy Father! Shots were fired at John Paul II, driving through the square in an open car through the crowds of pilgrims; he was a blessing. Evil men wanted to kill the Pope, the successor of St. Peter. For long hours at the Gemelli Hospital, doctors struggled for the life of the wounded Pope. They saved him. After this act, many people thought that the Holy Father would be more vigilant and careful and would stop meeting crowds of the faithful. They said he would shut himself up in the Vatican and run the Church from there. Nothing of the sort has happened. The Pope has enhanced protection, a car with bulletproof glass, but the Holy Father has not left the meeting with the faithful. He continued to come among the faithful and speak to them about Jesus Christ. Indeed, his life was constantly in danger with all the security measures.
What did the Holy Father want to tell us? First, the proclamation of the truth about God is a more serious matter than his own life, and this is what the Gospel tells us: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Mt 10:28).

Where did the Holy Father draw this courage from? People who live near the Pope say that the Holy Father spent much time kneeling before the tabernacle. Then, he often encounters the Lord Jesus in prayer in the Eucharist and Our Lady in the Rosary.

Have you ever wondered what the first words of the Lord Jesus were to the people after His Resurrection?
“Peace be with you!” (Lk 24:36). Jesus said it twice, indeed emphasizing it as an achievement, the victory of his Resurrection, the triumph over fear, and the endowment of human hearts with peace. He overcame death in himself, but he died and rose again for us, as we confess in I Believe in God.

Kierkegaard, one of the foremost contemporary philosophers, said: “Man only truly ceases to be afraid when he has overcome his greatest fear, and that is the fear of death.” (Bib. Eccl. 5/87, p. 281).

This should not be very difficult for us Christians, for Christ said that as He rose from the dead, so shall we rise. Therefore, we take the words of the Gospel, “Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul” (Mt. 10:28) as a strength. Death on earth is only one episode in life; therefore, the fear of it cannot influence our actions.
But let us notice the words more: “Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt 10:28) – that is, fear God, the Lord of life here on earth, but also the eternal, just God who rewards the good and punishes the bad, as we confess in one of the central truths of our faith. Some people see such a God as more of a “scarecrow” to the man who harms him and wishes him dead, but the opposite is true.

God wants to endow man with freedom. Such a philosopher was, for example, the German philosopher Nietzsche, who promised man’s freedom by teaching the death of God. Many systems have already tried to realize this, but thanks to God, people have already had the opportunity to see what liberation it leads to. Just think of Nazism. Man, freed from God, fell into true freedom – bondage to various addictions and enslavement and stripped of all values to the limits of possibility. Fear and difficulties in everyday life often cripple man’s freedom and independence. Let us learn to overcome and conquer them.

St. Paul writes: It is not to fear but to freedom that God created us.
In this struggle for freedom and inner independence, God Himself is our help. How many times in the pages of the Gospels did He give us courage! “But you also have all the hairs of your head numbered. Do not be afraid, therefore, for you are more valuable than many sparrows” (Mt 10:30).

Difficulties. How many we have on our journey through life! They stand in our way daily, at school, at work, and in the family. But we need to realize again and again that God does not want us to be afraid. On the contrary, God wants us to be men of courage and persevere in life’s journey: the way, the truth, and the life. This is what He has appointed us to do and promised to help us: belief, I have overcome! We must be made stronger by the power that faith gives us. We must be strong in faith. We need this strength today, perhaps more than ever. We must be more robust in the hope that brings joy in life and does not give consent to grieve the Holy Spirit. We need to be stronger in the power of grace, which is more powerful than death.

I would now like to introduce you to a boy, Jack the seventh-grader. Jack is a tall, hard-working boy, but he is shy. Because of this timidity, he has had many problems. During a recess in the locker room, before gym class, a rosary fell out of Jack’s pocket. The boys, though not mean, began to make fun of Jack. They called him “parson.” It was to the credit of Jack’s timidity. They mocked him more and more. But it didn’t last long. They all quieted down at once when Jack, in a low but firm voice, said to them:
“Now, if you’d like to know, I carry not only a rosary but also a chain and a locket. Besides, I go to the May devotion every day, and I don’t miss a single rosary during the winter. In addition, I pray at home in the morning and in the evening, and I take my cap off before church. What else would you like to know?”
All the boys hung their heads. Jack prevailed. This incident aroused the attention of the whole school. From that time on, the boys respected Jack, even though he was small-tempered, and shy, but besides that, he didn’t tell his classmates that every time he went to school, he would stop for a moment at the church.

This is the story a priest friend told me.
In Jack the words spoken by the Lord Jesus in the Gospel are fulfilled, “Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32). What the Lord Jesus says in the Gospel does not need much explanation. There is not and cannot be anything more serious in a person’s life than God! We can lose everything but God. Everything can be renounced, but not God. If Jesus is your greatest treasure, you will surely be a good person and a Christian.

Let us learn today the courage to confess Jesus, even in events and incidents like Jack had. For there will surely be times in the future when evil men will demand that you deny or renounce God. It would be a terrible thing if the words of the Lord Jesus in the Gospel applied to any of us: “But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Mt. 10:33).

The best school of courage is that we belong to Jesus. It is also the frequent encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist, Holy Mass, Holy Communion, adoration, prayer before the tabernacle… Have you noticed that this school was aptly recognized both by the aforementioned Jack and by the Holy Father John Paul II?
Let us try, and from today onwards, may the Lord Jesus in the Eucharist be not only a guest for us, but also a great friend.

At the same time, he warns them that they will be as among wolves. And therefore, they are to be as careful as serpents and as simple as doves. How to explain that they are to go among men, yet we hear: Beware of men. I don’t know how it’s in the original (I’m not that educated, nor do I have access to the original Greek Matthew written in Aramaic), but I think it’s meant to say, as it is in the Czech translation, But beware of men-. The apostles are to beware of people – be prepared for trouble. It is also in the context of the above: Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves.

Though we are not apostles (though in some sense we should be), we too are sent among men. And to varying degrees. We are given parents, siblings, and classmates – we are to regard these as God-given gifts. We are to take them as they are, even love them, and be grateful to God for them. To handle the eventual tensions of which the Lord Jesus speaks to us. They are partly our neighbors, our co-workers. Therefore, in part, we can also choose those (by moving, by changing jobs – if we can do so).

What kind of people are we to protect? Perhaps not so much. Those who will hand you over to the courts will scourge you in their synagogues and, for my sake, will drag you before rulers and kings to bear witness to them and the Gentiles. Before those, we have the opportunity to bear witness. It is a Christian virtue, a gift of the Holy Spirit – power. If this is lacking in us Christians, some people terrorize the neighborhood – even the whole parish when no one stands up to them. I have noticed this in the well-publicized case in our parish. Many have said: Leave it alone! Do you know what it is? She will take revenge; she is aggressive, she has connections…

So who are we to protect or fear? Those who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What are they like? Who are the ones who are close to our opportunity to sin! In this regard, the ancient ascetic writers had a motto: In fuga salus (in-flight is salvation). What should this mean? Someone has to avoid friends whom he cannot resist and who will pull him towards gambling, alcohol, dogs, and a life of debauchery. Someone can’t resist some tongues and starts gossiping with them; someone can’t control himself on the playground… We are also sent. We are not tested beyond our strength. It is up to us to be careful and wise whether we keep the counsel of the Lord Jesus.