“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.” (DN 3: 95)
We can only trust in our Guardian Angels. We are supported by them in our vocation, in our professions and in our service. We can ask the Guardian Angels of our clients and patients for assistance. We can also invite others to help. Like the St. Lous Seminary works together with the FertilityCare Center. Every client receives a postcard addressed to the Seminary, and they send it to seminarians asking them for prayers. We practice in Poland spiritual adoption—from the 25th of March, many people accept unborn and endangered children to pray for them for 9 months. You can ask different people from your parish, like old clients or patients, to pray for your practice and to help you to deliver hope, solutions and an amazing service to those who are in need.
“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“‘Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and whoever looks at it after being bitten will live.’ Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” (NM 21: 8-9)
This is still a very recognizable symbol of pharmacies in Poland: a bronze serpent mounted on a pole with a cross in the background. We always need to look at Him; in Him is our health, our prosperity, our future and our salvation. When we serve our clients and our patients, it is good to remember that their health and their vocation is in God’s hands; He loves them more we can imagine and wants for them not only good health but also heaven with Him forever. This helps us to depend more on Him and to ask Him for help for us.
“The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.” (JN 8: 20)
The location of these words is important: “the treasury in the temple area.” The treasury was illuminated with the fire from the golden candelabras. The treasury of the Temple was adjacent to the Court of Women. Only Our Lord is the true light. And only when we are illuminated by Him and when we look through the eyes of Jesus, can we see properly the dignity and role of women. Every woman can recognize her true beauty in His eyes. Also we can see correctly their role in society as spouses and mothers. We can recognize their genius and outstanding service in so many areas where gentleness, respect, compassion and tenderness are so crucial. When we look through the eyes of Jesus, we can see beyond masks, wounds, rejections and injuries. Their beauty is not a temptation but an opportunity to praise the Lord, who called them to bring to our lives love and life.
“I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle.They said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?’ They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him.” (JN 8: 3-6)
It wasn’t about “such women who had been caught in adultery”; it wasn’t about eliminating sins from society; it was “to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him.” It is so sad that this woman was used twice—by an unknown man “in adultery” and by “the scribes and the Pharisees.” Unfortunately, we are living in times when utilitarianism is widely recognized and promoted. We can use others as a means to an end, and when they accept being used, they can consume themselves because there is no harm. World without sins, world without dignity, world without God. When we respect women, when we bring them back their dignity, and when we recognize in them God’s presence as God’s children, we build a new world.
“Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why did you not bring him?’ The guards answered, ‘Never before has anyone spoken like this man.’” (JN 7: 45-46)
It is always good to reflect upon the presence of Our Lord’s words in our lives. How often do we meditate on His words, and how often do we look for comfort coming from His words and His presence in our lives? Our Lord loves us and knows perfectly what we really need. He speaks with great authority: “Never before has anyone spoken like this man” because His authority comes from love. When we feel loved and when we feel important, we can reach our full potential, and we can grow and really—only the sky is the limit. And the same thing happens with our beloved ones: when they feel loved and important, protected and heard, they can do anything.
“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience.” (WIS 2: 19)
We know perfectly how important gentleness is. This is the very first step in our Programs. There is no chance for progress without gentleness. Hopefully, we will never experience torture to test our gentleness, but for sure there are moments in our lives when being gentle is not easy. But this is good because these are the right moments when our gentleness can grow and prepare us for even more difficult moments.
“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” (JNWed. 5: 21-23)
We were created to live forever. Because of original sin, we have to die, but “as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life.” There is life after life. The Scriptures say that “the Son give[s] life to whomever he wishes.” When we pray at the Church for our relatives, we strongly believe that our prayers and intervention are very helpful. Our Lord gave His life for us.
“I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me will never die.”
“One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be well?’” (JN 5: 5-6)
Our Lord “knew that one man had been ill for a long time,” and He even asked him: “Do you want to be well?” Being well has its consequences; there is no more compassion, no more self-pity and blaming others for difficult situations. It is time to take responsibility and start to live a mature life. Do you want to be well?
“A clean heart create for me, O God; give me back the joy of your salvation.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; for I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people.” (IS 65: 17-19)
During Lent Our Lord speaks about joy and happiness; this is what redemption is about. He came to us, sinners, not to condemn us, but to redeem us. And this is a reason “always [to] be rejoicing” and “to be a delight.” Lent leads us to resurrection, and we shouldn’t forget about it.
“Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the LORD will be with you.” (Gospel Acclamation)
