Today is the beginning of the Lent. This is a very special time, a time of grace. I read with a new sensitivity the Message of His Holiness Benedict XVI for Lent.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/lent/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20121015_lent-2013_en.html

In the light of what happened on Monday I read his words a bit like a testament because quite soon he will stop preaching as the Pope.

The whole Message is wonderful. It is worth reading carefully. Let me share with you two sentences from it:

Christians are people who have been conquered by Christ’s love and accordingly, under the influence of that love – – they are profoundly open to loving their neighbour in concrete ways (cf. ibid., 33).“ [nr 1]

Everything begins from the humble acceptance of faith (“knowing that one is loved by God”), but has to arrive at the truth of charity (“knowing how to love God and neighbour”), which remains for ever, as the fulfilment of all the virtues (cf. 1 Cor 13:13). [nr 4]

We can say in concise terms that what we need to is to “believe Love”  (1 J 4, 16).  This is the programme for the Lent. For each of us it means different things, different efforts and a different point of departure… The point of arrival is common to all of us.

See you on the way.

I remember you all and pray for you.

Father  Jarosław

Our edtiting team colleagues, Basia and Michał, have welcomed today their son Michal Junior at this side of the belly.

Congratulations! We send greetings and pray, thanking God for the safe delivery of the Small Man.

Welcome to the world! There are so many wonderful things before you, so much good – for you and through you.

The Harbour team

Ever since last Thursday, Łomianki near Warsaw, Poland, have become the European NaProTechnology center.

The team from Omaha arrived first. Starting on Monday, we were preparing lecture rooms, places for individual meetings with the Instructors, checking if the equipment works properly. On Thursday the Educators started their course: students from Africa, Croatia, Ireland and Poland. They are the most advanced – they’ll be licensed to teach the Instructors.

On Saturday we began classes for those who had come across Creighton Model System in other places than Omaha and Łomianki. There are the students from France, England, Scotland, Lithuania and, of course, Poland. Today the participants from Education Phase 1 in September will start arriving, mainly doctors, and tomorrow – all the remaining students. That makes up altogether almost 120 participants from 12 countries.

So this is a challenge, not only related to logistics, but also the chance of experiencing something axtraordinary: meeting people from different parts of the world, who have various jobs and life vocations, but who share one desire to serve married couples and those who wish to fulfil their parenthood in God’s way. So what’s to be expected is not only very intensive immersion course, but also the time of great prayer. It was wonderful to see and hear Our Father spoken in so many languages, to experience the sense of being united on one faith. Even though the responses to the priest celebrating the Mass were given in different languages, they only confirmed the universality of the Liturgy.

Each participant has brought their experience of meeting married couples. They are here to learn to help them better. Now it’s time for us to help the participants and to support them with our prayer.

From the heart of the events,

the eye witness

Fr Jay

I have gone through my Favourites. I have located myself in Google Earth and Street View. I have chnaged my status on the Facebook. I have expressed myself through “I like it” and I have checked whether others were also finding it difficult to concentrate at work. I have put the speck of the day on the blog, because it has landed on my memory. That’s not enough.

There is some hunger in me that cries that I still don’t know where I am and what for. I leave my things, I need to find the definite answer. I go to the One to whom my whole life leads me. I search there. He doesn’t say that He “likes it” but that He loves. Even if nuclear weapons eliminate Google and Street View from the face of the earth, He will not stop. He says that great waters will not extinguish this love. I need to find some time to hear.

“I’m so happy to see you” – I hear those words in my ears and I know already what I will say to those who I’m going to meet now.

M

As I relaxed before the birth, I watched an episode of the old film “Early Edition”. The hero believed that it was his task to save a plane from disaster (that he knew was going to happen at a certain time) and he did what he could to do this, He failed because in the meantime he took care of a girl that was hurt in a car accident and he didn’t make it on time to the airport. And he had great qualms of conscience that he didn’t manage.

He was so amazed when it turned out that the father of the saved girl who arrived at the airport at the hour of the expected disaster was the pilot of the plane that did not take off (and hence did not collapse) because of the accident of the pilot’s daughter.

and I just think to myself how limited our perception of reality is. Sometimes a situation when we fail or do not fulfil our plans is a necessary part of a bigger scheme of Somebody who always strives for greatest possible good and who sees better, further and deeper. I

It’s a pity I still cling to my visions and plans. It would be so much easier if I were constantly open to “other than I think”.

P.S.

Thank you, Gosia, for fresh inspirations and for the title that I like very much. 

Basia

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
for He knows how we are formed,
He remembers that we are dust

Psalm 103:13-14

There is this particular kind pain – of not fulfilling the others’ expectations.

How many times do I project on God the groan of disappointment over myself. And obviously nobody would like to hear: “I expected you’d do better than this”. In all my considerations of “what would have happened, had I…”, I  rehearse the fear that I failed. Worse, I can feel it coming again. Failure is there, waiting round the corner, and it shows up between all the good things that we manage to accomplish in between.

But He never fails to come to our aid in our weakness. He takes the bruised and scratched child into His arms, the child who wanted to tell Him something very important, but stumbled and fell, went into the stinging nettles, simply didn’t make it.

It’s so great that the end of my power only marks the begining of His.

Małgosia

“Why do you confuse yourselves by worrying? Leave the care of your affairs to me and everything will be peaceful. I say to you in truth that every act of true, blind, complete surrender to me produces the effect that you desire and resolves all difficult situations.

How many things I do when the soul, in so much spiritual and material need, turns to me, looks at me and says to me: ‘YOU TAKE CARE OF IT,’ then closes its eyes and rests.

Repose in me, believing in my goodness, and I promise you by my love that, if you say, ‘You take care of it.’ I will take care of it all, I will console you, liberate you and guide you.
And when I must lead you on a path different from the one you see, I will prepare you, I will carry you in my arms; I will let you find yourself, like children who have fallen asleep their mother’s arms, on the other bank of the river.  What troubles you and hurts you immensely are your reason, your thoughts, and your worry, and your desire at all costs to deal with what afflicts you.” *

It does help! It helps not only a woman expecting labour like me.

Grateful for your prayers,

Basia

* you’ll find the complete text of Fr Dolindo’s act of trust here: http://www.dolindo.org/english/rely.html

I left. And went straight into action – to the meeting of families of our Wrocław Holy Family Center.

I needed that long time spent on the journey (500 km) from the Hermitage to the city of Wrocław in order to slowly adjust. Almost two weeks of living outside civilization (no tap water, no electricity and a fire place to keep warm), but closer to God and simple lifestyle – have let me distance myself from that everyday pursuit for time, for getting all things done, answering e-mails swiftly and so many other details which are so challenging each day.

I’m sorry I’m writing as late as today to thank all of You for being with me, for your prayers, memory and support. I always need it and am happy to receive it 😉 , but believe me: it is particularly necessary during the time of the “desert”, when you have to face your own weakness, so surprisingly great (especially when you’d thought that “I’ve mastered this or that” or “it’s not so tragic with me as it used to be”) – and you also experience God’s love that goes beyond reason.

Thank you for being there with me.

With a heartfelt prayer of gratitude,

Fr Jay

In the final scene of the battle for life and death, little Lucy Pevensie mounts a horse and goes off to look for Aslan. When all the forces should be put to the battle, she moves in the opposite direction.

This is such a moment – of overburdening with urgent projects where the good of my family and other people is at stake. It happens a lot. In fact what I should do is to stop sleeping and freeze physiology. And certainly, according to common sense, limit the time for prayer.

Little Lucy listens to hear heart and goes to look for the one who knows all the answers. He also has the time for a fond welcome and a conversation, although it looks like Narnia is going to lose any moment now.

And then comes the scene when Lucy, at Aslan’s side, faces the hundreds of the enemy’s army. And this is the end of the battle. One roar of the Lion who has been asked to come to the site of the battle. All is saved.

I need this logic.

Małgosia

The instructor, an experienced man, knows how to help them. He encourages, shows, corrects, praises. And I am so astounded that only yesterday they had no idea how to balance their bodies, how to turn and stop. Today they go ski on their own.

They trusted us and the instructor. Now they know it was worth listening to us.

 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how (Mark 4: 26-27).

Please, Lord, give me the patience and trust so that I can accept your ways and allow Your word grow in me.

Dosia