Sometimes, my Lord, the silence is so intense that even the kitchen clock fades away and all I can hear is my own heartbeat. So much is happening, and You remain so silent. But it’s not the silence of resent or indifference. This silence is Your calmness, Your peace, the unchangeable pace of your heart. When my own heart is trying to deal with all that went out of control, surprised me or turned out otherwise than expected – in human understanding, even failed – Your heart is not surprised at all. It loves and always hopes, preserves and protects.

Also today, you are ahead of me. Where I am now – you’ve already been. And you come back to accompany me, to pick me up. You can see what’s to come just round the corner. And you convince me to rely on You, and adjust my wild pulse to the peace of Your heart.

Małgosia

He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” (Luke 8:21)

To be Jesus’s sister. Incredible dignity.

So little is necessary – to hear and put into practice.

But this is not so easy. How can I receive His word  and put it into practice in the reality of this very day?

When Jesus announces to the crowd who actually His mother and brothers are, in a way He tells His family to wait. Because if we hear His Word and accept it, it will change us over the time. Over the time.

Dosia

on a piece of paper, please, in order not to forget:

I never stop believing in you.

Jesus

This is how the last big city on the trail to the Wild West says goobye to all those setting off on their journey: with a rainbow – the sign of hope (a riddle again: where am I?).

The sign of hope – of God, who is faithful in His covenant with man. It’s good to realize it day by day that we are His children. All too often we let the other people determine who we are. And yet it was God who invited me to live. It was Him who called me. Only He knows the magnitude of my calling, of my life tasks, and their meaning. He gives the scope to my life and puts it in the right perspective.

When I was taking the picture, someone took a picture of me. Can “hope” come to mind when one sees a priest?

Fr Jay

Today I was at the concert: “Music and the Spoken Word,” which has been taking place each Sunday ever since 15 July 1929.Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square played five beautiful pieces of classical choir and orchestra music.*

During the concert Lloyd D. Newell** gave a short but moving speech (and he’s been doing that on every Sunday for 22 years). And I want to write about that. He talked about this wonderful device called GPS. When you happen to take the wrong route, it says calmly: “recalculating” and gives you the way to fix the mistake. No complaint, no giving reproachful looks or sighing. It just lets you go back on track.

We all need to recalculate our plans, goals and expectations. In the whole process it’s worth to keep calm, stay nice and a bit objective towards your own self. It’s good to remember we ARE LEARNING to grow and become better – and that takes a little time. We have to realize that mistakes are stepping stones on the path to better life – and not insurmountable obstacles.

Not to mention the fact that it’s always worth to be nice. Everywhere. Have a very nice day, Dear Readers from the Harbour.

Still from Salt Lake City,

Fr. Jay

15.07.2012, 21:16 US Mountain Daylight Time

* Concert:

**Od lewej Vice-President and President of the Choir, one priest you may know, Mary Ellen Smoot and Lloyd D. Newell – the speaker.

I know well that you watch over those who place their every hope in You (…) That’s why I have resolved to live from now on without fear, and offer to You all my cares and all my sorrows.

The author of that “Prayer of Trust” was St Claude de la Colombierre, spiritual father and friend of St Margaret Mary Alacoque. I’m recalling those words and before the new day begins, I’m trying to see the lessons learnt from the day that ends: my telling the Lord that I trust Him may be so far away from practice of everyday life.

Because to trust – means to admit to failure and ask for help in the right moment. To trust is to be able to change plans, when situation requires, since it’s there, in the unpredictable “Emergency Plan” i will meet Him. Trust means to let the other person disturb me, when they want something from me at the “wrong time”. To lose something. To swallow up disappointment.

So being careless in the Christian sense is not all that easy. “The adult” in us still believes he/she knows better and is able to handle things on their own. It’s only “the child” who relies on the Father, because His love is endless… and He know so much more. He never hurts. And is very patient explaining life to His child.

Małgosia

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses … For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12: 8-10)

Why did St Paul write that? Why did he “delight” in his weaknesses, why did he boast about them? He – a great saint?

“The more you experience your weakness, the more your trustfulness should grow” – maybe that’s the key to understanding St Paul? In that thought shared by a very young Carmelite sister, St Elisabeth of the Trinity?

It’s good to experience the victory over one’s weakness, overcome it with your willpower, and self-improvement. Saints could do that. We know St Paul was able to do it, too.

But it is also good to see in one’s own weakness – as he did – an ally, and not the enemy you must defeat at any cost. It’s good to stop relying just on oneself and place the whole hope in Him – that He will carry me in His arms, He will protect with His grace the weakest places in me, He will take in His hands whatever seems to overwhelm and terrify me. Then always, when I am “weak” – He will make me strong with the power of trust. Maybe that’s what my weakness is necessary for – to become allied with trust.

Basia

“Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against.” (Matthew 2:25)

In the most difficult moments of our married life I reminded Lord Jesus of His own words – asking for His help.

Sometimes we have no clear idea of what we need. All we know is that we’re not getting it, that things go wrong. In order to get rid of the anxiety, we pass it forward – to the husband, wife, children. And that doesn’t help, either – as the love we are trying to get can’t be won by a scream.

It is good to have a break and look inside. It’s good to look after oneself. It’s good to search for the source of one’s own anxiety, to have a look at the unsolved problems, complexes, fears. Our spouse may not have the remedy for some of our ailments – but God’d love that heals may cure them.

In His arms you can scream out your pain, you can cry it out with tears streaming down your cheeks. His great – and so tangible – love will be the witness that will never lose faith in you! And then you can accept His word of peace. The peace for your heart, the peace for your marriage.

Małgosia

“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

“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