“A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God, twenty barley loaves made from the firstfruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, ‘Give it to the people to eat.’ But his servant objected, ‘How can I set this before a hundred people?’  Elisha insisted, ‘Give it to the people to eat.’ ‘For thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’ And when they had eaten, there was some left over, as the LORD had said.” (2 KGS 4: 42-44}

The power of God’s word and the power of faith. For Elisha,what God said was more important than the objection of his servant: “How can I set this before a hundred people?” The same miracle we will see in Jesus life. Now we have different bread, which is Our Lord’s body, and this is much more than just for living–it is for our eternal life. If our daily lives are so important to God, how much more will He take care of our spiritual lives.

“A great prophet has arisen in our midst. God has visited his people.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;…
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.” (2 KOR 4: 7-8.10)

Today is the feast of St. James. But meditating Our Lord’s word for today, I can’t stop thinking about our brother, Fr. Darek, who has experienced in himselfthese words: “carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus.” The cancer is eating his body piece by piece, and at any moment he could die. He is so young, and only a priest for 2 years, and from the beginning of his priesthood, he has been very limited in his service because of cancer. We strongly believe “that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in his body,” and our vocation as priests is more to be unified with Him than to work for Him. And being with Him is so “that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.”

 “I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord”. (Gospel Acclamation)

“But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” (MK 13: 23)

Mother Teresa from Calcutta used to say that God expects from us not success but faithfulness. Our vocation to “bear fruit” is not about “production” but about “hearing the word and understanding it,” and from this and from perseverance comes a yield: “a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (MT 13: 16-17)

The privilege of discipleship—to see and to hear the most important message from Our Lord: we are God’s children, we are unconditionally loved, and God gave us His only begotten Son not only to redeem us but also to invite us to the most intimate relationship with God the Father and to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. For this we need new and blessed eyes and new and blessed ears. Only those who are able to see God’s Son, the Second Person in the Holy Trinity, in the Child Jesus can recognize God’s merciful love in the Cross.

“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ and then reported what he told her.” (JN 20: 18)

Tradition called Mary Magdalene the Apostle to the Apostles. The only reason she was sent by Our Lord with her mission to the Apostles was that she was there. And the reason she was there was–she loved Him so much, and she was in a panic when He disappeared. “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Even if it was beyond her abilities—“I will take him,” she would like to be with Him. We can take Our Lord with us wherever we go by receiving Him into our hearts in Holy Communion. “I will take him.”

“Tell us Mary, what did you see on the way? I saw the glory of the risen Christ, I saw his empty tomb.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (MT 12: 49-50      )

Our Lord is always between His Father and us. The will of His heavenly Father is the most important thing. He came to us because of His Father’s will, and Our Lord knows perfectly that there is nothing more important for us than to “do the will of my heavenly Father.” “Whoever does His will” became His “brother, and sister, and mother.” And this is the ultimate will of the Father—to make us His family.

“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Why did you do this to us? Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Did we not tell you this in Egypt, when we said, ‘Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians’? Far better for us to be the slaves of the Egyptians than to die in the desert.” (EX 14: 11-12)

It was a real challenge for Moses to serve his nation. Rejected, misunderstood and alone, he decided to follow God’s will rather than to be afraid of human emotions. Sometimes we can’t see the bigger perspective, and we prefer to keep what we know ratherthan to explore new options. God always will send us leaders and guides to direct us to a new life.

“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’” (MK 6: 30-31)

A very good strategy—report to Jesus. Every day we are active, and many of our activities are connected with our vocation. It is good to report to Him what was done and what we learned and taught. Going to Our Lord with all our activities is mainly to “gather together with Jesus,” knowing that in many places in this world the good news is proclaimed and shared, and we are just a part of it.

“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.” (MT 12: 19-21)

Gentleness is the very first step in our Programs. Without this virtue we can’t think about any real relationship, especially about a marriage relationship and any cooperation which protects our dignity. The first element of gentleness is negative: “he will not contend or cry out… a bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench,” but they are just the first steps to self-control and self-ownership. Later it becomes more positive—“he brings justice to victory.” And lastly he brings hope.

“God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.” (MT 12: 6-8)

Mercy is practicing what we receive from God. Mercy is thinking more about others than about ourselves. It is looking more at what we can do right now for our brother or sister than what we need from them. It is looking for good which can come only when I get involved. It is following Our Lord.

“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord, I know them, and they follow me.” (Gospel Acclamation)