“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God”(1 Jn 4:7)

“Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit whom he gave us.” (1 John 3:24)

With best wishes sent in spirit to the hermitage – and a special prayer on Fr. Jay’s birthday.

Margaret, Editor in Chief

“We saw His star at its rising and have come to do Him homage.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“See what great love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are.” (1 John 3:1)

“Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you.  If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father.” (1 John 2:24)

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. To those who accepted him he gave power to become the children of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.” (Lk 2: 39-40)

Our Lord had a place which He could call “home”: “they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.” He would be there for 30 years, practicing family life and being obedient to “the law of the Lord,” He would not only fulfill “all the prescriptions of the law” but also live the beauty of the normal, daily life of the family: staying together, being responsible for some duties, sharing love and life, helping each other and praying together, just like we do in our daily lives.

“A holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, and adore the Lord. Today a great light has come upon the earth.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Dear Friends,

Today is the first day of my individual retreat. I will spend the next two weeks in a hermitage (run by Carmelite Fathers in Poland), alone in a small simple cabin in the forest: with no electricity, only with a fireplace and a small propane bottle for cooking, BUT with the chapel and  the Blessed Sacrament.  Large enough for  the two of us: Our Lord and me. And the Angels, of course. 🙂

It’s the most important time in my life every year. It’s the time maent not to be separated from you, but to be closer to you–because of being closer to Him. A very blessed and a very difficult time, because the “desert” shows you the truth about yourself: about your weaknesses, your pride, your egoism and your sins. Fortunately, it also shows you the unconditional love of God–how much you are loved.

I will keep you in my prayer, but at the same time there will be no homilies for two weeks, as I will be outside communication technologies. The editors will publish one sentence from the daily readings on our Family Support Foundation blog, together with a photo which features the hermitage. Please keep His word alive in your heart, and keep me in your prayer. And see you in two weeks. 🙂

“When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord.” (Lk 2: 22-23)

When the world proclaims the end of Christmas and goes to the next event–New Year’s Day, we contemplate every day, every single fact of Our Lord’s life. “The parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord”: the Son of God was presented to His Father. We can imagine the look of love from the Father to His Son. God the Father has the same love for every one of us.

“God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not parish, but may have eternal life.” (Entrance Antiphon)

“Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another,  if one has a grievance against another;  as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.” (Col 3: 12-14)

The virtues listed above are important in every relationship, but absolutely necessary in family life: “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience”… We have some idea of their importance and life changing role after the Love and Life Programs. When forgiveness and tenderness complement each other, love is “the bond of perfection.”

Today we celebrate the feast of The Holy Family, which is our model of the family as the domestic church, where everybody is concerned with the happiness of others and everybody is a total and sincere gift of self. We can invite the Holy Family into our families and our homes and ask them to help us to be like them.

“Let the peace of Christ control you hearts, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” (Gospel Acclamation)