Do I have “the mountain”? Where is my mountain? In my bedroom, office, favorite armchair or desk? Do I have a habit to go there frequently? He, “after the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied… went off to the mountain to pray” (Mk 6:45-46). Prayer is so natural for Him. Part of everything. Natural reaction to action. The foundation for all kind of activity.

We work hard, we are so tired, we need some rest, – and later, if we have enough strength, probably, we will pray. Have you ever tried to meet Him because you were tired? Have you prayed like this:

“Let me stay with You, Lord. I am so tired, because ‘the wind was against’ me. I have come to You empty, without any good or nice prayer. Just to be with You.” And maybe He will act as He did in today’s Gospel – “He got into the boat with them and the wind died down” (Mk 6:51).

Sometimes it is more important to be with Him without any word or spiritual activity. Just to be. Loving presence in silence is a prayer, too.

“…everyone who loves … knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 J 4:7-8)

Today’s world does not believe that God is love, but that love is a god. It is not a simple reversal of order. It is an absolutely different idea. God is a person. The only way to know him is to understand His true nature. And His true nature is love. Action follows being. God, who is love, loves. From love (noun) to love (verb). So “everyone who loves … knows God”.

Today’s readings remind me of the first encyclical letter of our beloved bl. John Paul II: “Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it. This, as has already been said, is why Christ the Redeemer “fully reveals man to himself”…. The man who wishes to understand himself thoroughly-and not just in accordance with immediate, partial, often superficial, and even illusory standards and measures of his being-he must with his unrest, uncertainty and even his weakness and sinfulness, with his life and death, draw near to Christ. He must, so to speak, enter into him with all his own self, he must “appropriate” and assimilate the whole of the reality of the Incarnation and Redemption in order to find himself. If this profound process takes place within him, he then bears fruit not only of adoration of God but also of deep wonder at himself. How precious must man be in the eyes of the Creator, if he “gained so great a Redeemer”, and if God “gave his only Son “in order that man “should not perish but have eternal life”” (RH 10).

“In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins” (1 J 4:10).

“…do  what pleases him” (1 J 3:22)

Preparing surprise for somebody gives us so much joy. Causing someone to smile is worth every effort. Think about what we do for our children waiting for the signs of The Wise Men midnight visit at our homes.

And, what’s more, we are able to do what pleases God himself. Our small hearts, our gestures full of weakness could please HIM!!! What a dignity we receive. Abyssus abyssum invocat (Latin) –  The depth is calling the depth. Our deep limitations can to reach incomprehensible God. 

Today we would like to visit Child Jesus with our gifts, like The Wise Man, and “do what pleases Him”. It could be a phone call to an old friend, it could be a small sign of liking to our neighbor, it could be several minutes with the Bible, or any other thing with this intention – to do what pleases Him. 

The Wise Kings “departed for their country by another way” (Mt 2:12). Probably we can expect that the same could happen to us: we could find another way back home – the way that He chose – “He went around all of Galilee …curing every disease and illness among the people” (Mt 4:23).

“Amen, I say to you: That you who left all and followed me will receive a hundredfold and posses eternal life” (Communion Antiphon)

“Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Mt 2:11)

They offered Him gifts. The best they had: gold – for the King, frankincense – for God, myrrh – for His death on the cross. But gold could also symbolize our love, frankincense – our longing, and myrrh – our suffering. 

When I go to visit Him, how often do I bring Him only leftovers. Remains of my time, busy schedule, last minutes of my day. How often did I fall asleep during the liturgy of hours, during my daily meditation. Not because of malice, only because I was so busy in the service of my Lord.

Today’s feast reminds me how important it is to put Him in the first place of my day – before I start to serve Him. Service is the measure of my love, and love first needs to meet its object.

The Magi first came to visit Him. The gifts were only a consequence of the visit. Without the visit – there are no gifts.

“Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ — which means Rock.” (J 1:42).

When I pray looking at Him hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, I like to think that He is also looking at me. What does He see in me? My sins, my limitations and shortcomings – or…?

Maybe He does for all of us what He did for Saint Peter: “you are to be called”…He has a new name for me, the name which will cover all the levels of my service.

Oh, how good it is to remain under the gaze of the Lord for a some time. Let Him look at you as often as possible. Maybe sometimes He will say something, but even if it is only His loving gaze at you, it is more than you can imagine. No one can look at you with such a great love.

“No one who remains in him sins” (1 John 3:6) 

Continuation.

St. Teresa of Avila suggested, for the beginners in prayer generally, and in meditation especially, that at the very first moment of meditation they should think about the best  companion for prayer – and invite Jesus. He is the best companion for your prayer and for your life.

If you try to remember several times a day that He lives in your heart as if you were a live tabernacle, you will see how your life is changing.

To remain in Him means to give Him a permanent place in your heart. And this is your meeting point.

For St. Teresa, accompanying Jesus was always very important. She shared  the way she learnt to be in His constant company, to remain in Him, both with her sisters and in her writings

“To remain in Him” is a process. Neither long nor short. Just a process. Any level could be improved. And the beauty of His company is that “no one who remains in him sins”.

“Remain in Him” (1 John 2:27)

A simple instruction: remain in Him. It is about intimacy with God. And it is about our private internal dialogue. Whom have you invited to be a part of your daily internal conversation? Who is your first adviser to ask for comments for daily situations? Because if you don’t let Him into your own monolgue, and if you don’t let Him remain your chief interlocutor, your internal dialogue will remain the same and nothing will ever change. You know too well all these daily comments: he/she doesn’t understand me, I’m so lonely, everybody is using me, no one appreciates my work, etc.

But if you train your internal dialogue to take place in close proximity with Our Lord, you will receive the best comments possible. With Him your heart will grow, your eyes will be open to see good things in you, your life and all around, and your ears will hear the Good News – even if it’s hidden in the conflicting emotions. He will appear in the comments you offer to the others.

“In times past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets: in these last days, he has spoken to us through his Son” (Alleluia verse)

“As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19)

We are starting the New Year. At its beginning we entrust all this coming year to the care of the Mother of God. We believe that She will take care of us, as She took care of Her Son. If God trusted Her this much, how could we not follow in His footsteps?

Today, we would like to place, in a very special way, each day of the time ahead of us in the Heart of Our Lady, Mother of God.

If we do it, we will get every day back not from “life”, circumstances, cruel and  heartless people, bad moods, complicated situations, but from … Her. And She, as a the best Mother in the world, will look after us.

Please remember that in every moment of your life, God is always waiting for you first – and not difficulties or troubles. God is always there in your life, BEFORE any situation you have to face. “…you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir, by God’s own act.” (Gal 4:7).

“…they returned to … their own town…” (Lk 2:39)

My own town, my home. These words are very special for people who travel a lot. Or are on a one-year trip abroad. Here, in Mexico, I have slept in twelve places. And it is not the end.

I like the idea that the Holy Family called one place in the world – “their own town”.

It sounds very similar to our families from Wrocław, Poland, always proud of their City – “in our city…”

And I think that the Holy Family is very close to anybody who is alone. Because they know how important it is to have one’s own place, own town. They spent some time as refugees, they were emigrants, so they understand perfectly anybody who is alone, not in his or her “own town”, who is coming back to a rented room or apartment, where no one is waiting for them.

From the moment when the Holy Family found “their own town”, no one is alone, no one is without a family, no one is forgotten. Because … “the Son of man came to save that which was lost.” (Mt 18:11). And the best idea with the “lost” is to bring them back to the family, remind them – you belong, you are a part of us. This is that kind of message, which should be repeated all over again to our kids:  I love you, you are our beloved daughter/son, I am so proud of you, etc…

When we have more people with “their own town”, there will be less broken hearts, wounded by people who used us as a hotel for one night.

If you will feel homeless at your place, where nobody takes care of you, immediately visit the Holy Family home, feel the atmosphere where you are loved and always welcomed, and go back to your home knowing how to share your love with the others. Simply “return to your own town”.

With a special prayer for all of you who are in need.

Fr. Jay

“And be thankful” (Col 3:16)

The life of the Holy Family, very private life, hidden life. Thirty years in silence. We know only about the beginning, escape to Egypt, episode in the Temple when Jesus was twelve years old and … nothing more.

We can say that Jesus wasted thirty years of His life doing nothing. Meaning: nothing important for God, like for example saving this world. But no.

This part of His life is so important for us. He chose to spend all those years in the family, with Mary, His mother, and St. Joseph – and only three years outside. The mission was the same: God “gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (J 3:16). In the family and outside the family.

That is why St. Paul wrote in such detail: “Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged” (Col 3:18-19.21).

This is still the same mission, Good News: “so that everyone … may have eternal life” (J 3:16).

And today is a very special day to “be thankful”. For the Holy Family, for the beauty of family life, which is a very special and personal way to sanctification: “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).

O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practicing the virtue of family life and in the bonds of charity, and so, in the joy of your house, delight one day in eternal rewards. (Collect)

Keeping all of You in my prayer

Fr. Jay