😉

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”  (Matthew 6:26)

That’s how our God devised things: when I start taking care of the other people, He – in the meantime – takes care of me. When I only “look after number one*,” I waste a lot of time and energy, and I spoil His chance to look after me. And He’ll do it much better than I could – left to my own (poor) devices. I’ve experienced that many times. 🙂

Małgosia

*take care of myself first

– worried several individuals and couples who visited me recently.

And experts on communication say: it is impossible “not to communicate.” People communicate things all the time. So where are those problems?

Is it so difficult to communicate: I love you, you are so beautiful, I like to be with you, I have to hold you close and take some of your courage and strength, I love listening to your voice, I fell in love with your eyes the first time I saw them and I’m so happy they are looking at ME with love… (you could continue for a looooooong time, for sure)?

Don’t the problems with communication arise, becasue we choose rather: He hasn’t said any good word to me for ages, when will I get his “thank you?”, he treats me like air, I’m only a money-making machine and an issue-solving robot, she wants something from me again, I’d like some peace and quiet… (you could continue for a looooooong time, for sure)?

And maybe you could start your communication adventure with repeating aloud: “Till death do us part”? From this perspective it may be easier to communicate what’s essential.

Fr. Jay

— „You are the most beautiful woman in the world!”

I saw at once I’d missed.

—„You bake the best pies!”

I was didn’t get too many points for that one.

— „You look great…  you are the most wonderful mother…”

I was trying to meet the needs. Unfortunately, the effect was poor.

—“Maybe you could tell me what you want to hear. Can you teach me?”

The lesson turned into a very nice evening. It’s good to start dialogue. 🙂

Michał

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:44-45a)

That’s a very difficult challenge. Difficult and inconvenient. When we think of it the human way – almost impossible.

Fortunately, as christians, we don’t have to do anything on our own, using our own powers. Jesus teaches us every day to love “despite” and not “because of something”. He’s loved us endlessly – us, the sinners, the enemies. On no condition and with no merits on our part: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you” (John 15:9)

And He, who has loved us limitlessly, teaches us how to pray for the enemies when He is brought to die on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

And He knows it’s not easy, and that it will cost us a lot, so in the time of hardship He will be with us: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of time” (Matthew 28:20).

Dosia

Success tastes great.

But it is facing the failure that is a real challenge. Because you have to cope with disappointment, sometimes anger and shame. You have to include in your self-portrait weakness, powerlessness, mistake. How much understanding have I got for our Polish national football team after their last (lost) match.

We imagine the path of our development as constatnt ascending above our limitations. But nothing teaches so good as failure, as the hard landing which finishes the flight on the wings of our own capacity.

Afterwards you can start from scratch, from the mustard seed. From learning the alphabet of love, patience and service. With Him. And it is the weakness, not success, which attracts Him to us. He can act when our self-sufficiency gives up.Our helplessness touches His heart.

Yes, we are called to ascending. In His arms, when He bends over to lift us up.*

Małgosia

*You can read in the book by little Therese of Lisieux.

or a perfect parent:

Rembrandt, The Return of the Prodigal Son (fragment)

Two shades of irrevocable love:

Love which accepts unconditionally, tender, selfless, giving comfort- associated more with the love of a mother.

Love which requires, gives the impulse to reach out, firm, encouraging and equipping the other with confidence – associated more with the love of a father.

They need to go together, as one palm needs the other.

Heart to Heart. That’s how it should be.

We worship each Heart separately, because either of them is different. Though they have one thing in common: they’ve set the example of how to become a complete gift of oneself, and they are masters of loving to the end. They’re not only the objects of worship, but also the actual place where you meet love.

Each of us may find repose in Her Heart. That’s how the Son of God began his life – 9 months right under Her heart. And Her love was with Him to the end. Before He commanded His spirit to the Father, He entrusted us to Her care.

Blessed John Paul II – when he was meditating on the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – said that in Christ God loves us in a human way, which has been great comfort for me ever since. How many ideas occur to me when I start thinking how SHE loves me…

Fr. Jay

I was 16 years old when I arrived at Paray-le-Monial in France. The participants of Session des Jeunes came from various corners of Europe and the world – we, Poles, were then just a handful. I remember very well the Holy Sacrament placed in the middle of a meadow. You could come and stay there any time of day. In the rays of a huge simple monstrance there were young adults, the elderly, families with children – some kneeling, some sitting, and some of them even lying on the grass. So many people – in such complete silence, the silence free of anxiety.

I was surprised to hear during one of the meetings that Paray was where my Patron Saint – St Marguirette Marie Alacoque used to live. Anyone could go to another place of the adoration of the Holy Sacrament – the chapel where Lord Jesus told St. Margaret about His Heart: that it loves beyond reason, that it is compassionate but rejected and in pain for the lack of reciprocity. And it’s ready to give.

There is nothing in this Heart that would be alien to human heart – except for the sin. There is no such sadness, disappointment and joy that this Heart wouldn’t be familiar with. It’s a safe place for a home. It holds a special place for your own heart. And for those you love.

If you want to fulfill the wish of Jesus, which he confided to St. Margaret in Paray-le-Monial, tell Him that you love Him. He needs so much to hear it just from you.

Małgosia

The words of today’s Gospel send shivers up and down my spine. It’s because I often tend to consider myself “a decent person”, sometimes even better than the others. But God knows my heart inside out and He knows how often it stores resent or prejudice, especially towards those who did something wrong to me.

Whenever I think I’m left to my own devices, I can’t achieve much. God doesn’t care about the “rat race” (on the way to sainthood as well!) – all that matters to Him is a humble heart. If I admit my weakness and ask Him for help – He’ll come and help.

And He loves us not because we are “good”, but because we’re His children.

Dosia