“‘Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.’ He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, ‘I will do it. Be made clean.’ His leprosy was cleansed immediately.” (MT 8: 2-3)

So comforting are the words: “I will do it.” Our Lord waits for our requests. He is a merciful God, Who came to us to restore our lives and to give us true freedom. When we ask Him, when we come to Him, He is always ready to hear us and answer.

“Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (MT 7: 21)

We are not invited to do something important for God (like prophesy or drive out demons). We are invited to be His children, to be with Him in relationship and “enter the Kingdom of heaven” to be with Him forever. When do-ing is not related to be-ing, we are in danger. Only those who are listening to Him, praying and loving Him can know “the will of the Father in heaven” and love to do it. The Kingdom of heaven is not for “the one who does” important things for God but for “the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” And it could be something very simple–like washing dishes.

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

“‘What, then, will this child be?’ For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.” (LK 1: 66. 80)

St. John the Baptist, the “prophet of the Most High,” located between the Old and the New Testament, “was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.” The best place to prepare himself to serve God and to “become strong in spirit.” The last prophet of the Old Testament and one of the first martyrs of the New One; one life and so rich. Each of us is invited to serve God, and each of us is protected by “the hand of the Lord,” Who is with us. Everyone’s life should be rich.

“You, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets.” (MT 7: 12)

Since the XVIII Century, this quote has been called the Golden Rule and can be used to protect all our relationships. We are never alone, and all our actions can help us to grow or can damage us and our neighbors. When we follow the example of Our Lord, we are able to choose wisely how to do to others.

“I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” (GN 12)

When Abram received this call from God, he was 75 years old. And he was asked to “go forth” instead of settle down. God’s answer for Abram’s obedience and trust in God was: “I will make of you a great nation” and “I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” We are also asked by God to “go forth” to “a land that God will show us.” The beauty of our daily reflection on God’s word is that we can always be inspired to leave our routines and look for a new perspective.

“The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Cor 5, 17)

The good news is that “the old things have passed away” and “new things have come.” This is always possible for couples (and of course not only for them) who decide to reflect on their relationship and start again. It doesn’t matter how long we are together or how often we have had difficult times;we always have a chance for a new beginning. We are His children, and “whoever is in Christ is a new creation.”

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

“Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” (MT 6: 34)

It is so natural for us—“to worry about tomorrow” and to fulfill our plans, projects (how often with tomorrow’s deadline) and so many other things. God’s grace comes to every single moment in our lives, not to our plans for the future. It is Important to be in the here and now, where we can meet God and His will.

“Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.” (MT 6: 19-20)

Our destination is in heaven, and there should be the storage where all our treasures go. Whatever we keep here, we will lose after our death; whatever we send to heaven, we will find later. For Our Lord, treasure is not based on material values but on our heart.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (MT 6: 7-8)

We are used to thinking, that it is so important to communicate our needs because otherwise we do not get what is important to us. We forget that our Father not only “knows what we need,” but He also He knows “before we ask Him.” Our Lord always protects us in advance, looking for the best for us. He said to St. Faustina: “I understand all your troubles and misery (…) no one will understand a soul entirely—that is beyond human ability. Therefore, I have remained on earth to comfort your aching heart and to fortify your soul, so that you will not falter on the way” (Diary, 1487).

“You have received a spirit of adoption as sons through which we cry: Abba! Father!” (Gospel Acclamation)

(1) The whole Program 3 had been offered to Our Lady long before it began

(2) Just before hour zero

(3) Topic 1: “Culture Invited Home”

(4) Workshop summary

(5) Though we talk in foreign languages, the problems are not foreign at all

(6) Paul John, the youngest Coach in this Program

(7) Matthew Spielberg-Cuarón was shooting a film about the Program

(8) Meal time (Marychu & Juan Manuel,  Agnieszka on the far right, first row: Pepe and Armin)

(9) Song of songs festival 😉

(10) Workshop in the English-speaking group

(11) Think-tank with the Coaches of the Polish group – Dosia and  Jarek – before Workshop 6

(12) Workshop-workout: Yes, we can!

(13) Take your time to prepare a good strategy for this one!

(14) The Programs Co-Author, Agnieszka Rogalska, arrived from Warsaw for the Holy Mass

(15) The Mass with the Renewal of Marriage Vows – celebrated by a “Befriended Priest from Poland”

(16) We were joined by our Friends – the Graduates of Programs from Wrocław

(17) Renewed in love

(18) And they lived long and happily ever after

Photos: Małgorzata Rybak (1), (3) and (6), Danusia Opala (16), (17), (18), Beatriz Gonzalez – the remaining ones