“This is the work of God, that you believe in the One He sent.” (Jn 6:29)

It is not only my work, but also God is helping me to believe. God takes care of all the aspects of my life: physical, intellectual, spiritual and religious. He is our Father and as a Father He is thinking about me and takes care of me as a whole person. My spiritual life is most important because it grants my eternal life. God’s love would like to have me with Him in heaven. His words come every day to protect this life in me, guide me, encourage me and help me in day by day situations.

“One does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (Alleluia versus).

“You must be born from above.” (Jn 3:7)

An everyday invitation. Once born, we should be born again “from above.” To change our perspective: from my point of view into the point of view from “from above;” to change our relations: from “expectations” to “gift of self”; to change our work: from “I have to work” to “I’d like to share and serve”; to change our prayer: from “change my life for better, now” to “help me understand my role” and from “I-need-it” to “thank-You”.

“If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin, alleluia.” (Communion Antiphon)

“…anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mk 10:15)

How difficult it is for us to be “like a little child.” The only way for me to be “like a child” is to let a child lead me while playing together. Of course you will draw all the attention of other people, but the child you are playing with will not even notice that.

Praying doesn’t mean a serious face, proper gesture, nice sentences… A prayer is: “it is so good to be with You, Lord”, “I love You”, “help me”, “thank You”, “Please…” and all the other words we use to address a living Person.

“Let my prayer come like incense before you” (Ps 141:2)

“The nearer you go to God, the nearer God will come to you.” (James 4:8)

The basic strategy – not only to be “near” Him, but to be “nearer.” He is always close to us. We are His children, but even children can go far away from their Father. How often not because we want to, but because we forget about Him in daily life. So many things to do. Before going to sleep something reminds us: I haven’t prayed today. Too tired today. Tomorrow I will spend more time with Him. And “tomorrow” is always tomorrow. The only chance we have is today.

“The nearer you go to God”. How much nearer? In what way? Needs my answer. This is between me and Him: “You go – He will come to you”.

“… whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me” (Mk 9:37).

“The Lord took away his sins, making his strength ever greater; he gave him a royal covenant, and a glorious throne in Israel.” (Sirach 47:11).

He gave thanks: “In all his activities he gave thanks to the Holy One Most High in words of glory; he put all his heart into his songs out of love for his Creator” (Sir 47:8).

We have spent some time listening to the story of David in the recent Bible readings. The good and bad episodes. “The Lord took away his sins” because “in all his activities he gave thanks” and “put all his heart… out of love for his Creator”.

A man of full passion. Always hot. Never lukewarm.

“Gave thanks” expresses full respect to the Holy One. And the proper answer for us, His creatures. I like to start a new day just with a simple “gave thanks”. It is like going back to the recent events, and looking at them in a different way – through God’s presence. When He is present, everything changes. He is the Holy One Most High.

“Clothe us, Lord God, with the virtues of the Heart of your Son and set us aflame with his love, that, conformed to his image, we may merit a share in eternal redemption”. (Collect).

“…hear the word” (Mk 4:20)

Daily word. Daily food. A daily love-letter from Him. A manual, an instruction, orientation, word-of-support or just a sign from Him – I love You, I am close to You, I am Your Protector, Savior, Redeemer… If You look at the litanies, you will be amazed how many names He has to express His love to us.

“Hear the word”. One word daily. One minute from your busy schedule to listen to Him, to His word.

When I started to listen to Him as the first thing in my day, I found how it changed my world. You listen differently to the news, to your family, friends and co-workers. You listen to the message, not to the words. You hear the word.

“The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever”. (Alleluia versus)

“But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast.” (Mk 2:20)

It happens from time to time that we lose our contact with God. Prayer is difficult, as if nobody was listening, words sound strange, there is no consolation or joy. We have no idea what to do to change that.

And here is the advice for this particular moment. Fast. A strange word. Who fasts these days? Is it that we fast only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday?

Fast has a very long tradition and is a great help in our relation with God. Fast helps us to rearrange our priorities. It is not simply a not-eating action. Fast is to remind us of the main purpose of my life. Such as food helps you go on living physically, fast helps you live spiritually. The same role – helps to live. But with the fast, it is easier to remember about our final destination. To live for eternity.

It could be the fast from food or television or sweets, or many other things. To fast is to open my eyes to the mystery, the hidden presence of God in my life. It is an act of solidarity with my Lord fasting for 40 days. I helps me understand once again my vocation, my identity, my priorities. Prayer connected with fasting shows you other layers. And brings Him back to you.

“I am a true vine and you are branches, says the Lord. Whoever reminds in me, and I in him, bears fruit in plenty.” (Cf. Jn 15:1.5)

“Samuel…did not let a single word fall to the ground of all that He had told him”. (1 Sam 3:19)

One of my favorite sentences in the Bible. The dream of my whole priestly life. Unfortunately, many today’s translations have made this sentence more practical than poetical, loosing the beauty of the original version.

Protecting His “single word” from falling to the ground. What an important mission. Especially for us, believers. Especially today, when the modern world prefers to choose only some of His words.

I found that the best place to protect His words is my memory united with my heart. When I put His word into my heart with care and love, it stays there forever.

It is so important at the beginning of our prayer to prepare our heart to receive His words. “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam 3:10).

God never tires of calling us. He had called Samuel three times until he was ready to answer properly. So He called again – for the fourth time. Without any reproach. With the same love as for the first time.

“Samuel grew up. Yahweh was with him and did not let a single word fall to the ground of all that he had told him”. (1 Sam 3:19)

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean. Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, ‘I do will it’” (Lk 5:12-13)

Yesterday I spoke about His voice. Today He shows His love expressed by touch. It wasn’t just a touch. He touched a lepper, a man who was unclean, not-to-touch. He stretched out His hand and touched him. “And leprosy left him immediately.”

I come to Him to be touched, by Him, by His love. He does not mind my lack of perfection in almost all areas of my life. I am not gentle enough, nor respectful enough, my daily gift of self is far below the gifts I receive. But I know, after every meeting with Him, that when I ask Him for His touch, He does not only touch me, but also gives me a hug, but also holds me firmly in His arms.

Lord, touch me today with all your love and make me clean, please. This is not only for me. This is also for my sisters and brothers. To share with them what I have received from You. “That will be proof for them” (Lk 5:14).

“All … were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth” (Lk 4:22). 

I like to open the Gospel and not to read it, but to try to listen to Him. Not only to read His words, but also imagine how He was saying it. The Good News is not only about words and sentences He used, it is also about how He proclaimed them. He has come not to correct us, change us, repair us, make the-best-version-of-ourselves… He has come to tell us about how God loves us. “Through this revelation, therefore, the invisible God (see Col. 1;15, 1 Tim. 1:17) out of the abundance of His love speaks to men as friends (see Ex. 33:11; John 15:14-15) and lives among them (see Bar. 3:38), so that He may invite and take them into fellowship with Himself” (Dei Verbum 2).

“Out of the abundance of His love”.

I like to imagine how His words could sound. Put all your love into your words, into the way you are speaking, put all your love into your expression when you are saying it – and still it will be far away from the way He does this.

He has come to invite us and take us into a close relationship with Himself. And He has done so only out of love.

“God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life” (J 3:16) – Communion Antiphon