„He delivers and rescues,
he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth;
for he has saved Daniel
from the power of the lions.”. (Daniel 6:28)

A few days before we found out that our youngest son was conceived, I had a chirurgical intervention and I got a strong dose of anaesthetics. After that I took an antibiotic that is also prohibited during pregnancy but we were not aware that Michał was already there. So at the beginning of his life we were worried about his state of health and we were in fear for his life All the more we entrusted the situation to God. A this time we read the story of King Nebuchadnezzar who let throw three young men into the furnace. They experience a miraculous intervention of God: “But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace to be with Azariah and his companions, and drove the fiery flame out of the furnace, 50 and made the inside of the furnace as though a moist wind were whistling through it. The fire did not touch them at all and caused them no pain or distress (Daniel 3: 49-50). I clutched to this story and asked God to send us also an angel who will save him.

Our Michał is 9 moths old now. He is healthy, very joyful and develops very well. And the first word accompanying his birth was Angel, because he was born precisely at noon, when we heard bells ringing for Angelus Dominus.

„For there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” (Daniel 3: 96)

Basia

He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.

Luke 21:2

He noticed her with no effort, he found her with the eyes of the heart. His heart ran out to her and recognized her in what is most important but hidden from the eyes. Even though St. Luke calls her “a poor widow”, one of many others, for Jesus she was not anonymous. She wasn’t poor, either. He delighted in her as if he’d found a pearl.

His sight is so surprising, so out of fashion. It’s a good news for us, too. Even if we tend to feel ignored, set aside, alone, maybe even disrespected and on the margin of the world-changing matters, His eyes, so abundant in peace, rest on us. And He can notice each impulse of the heart, each crumb of love – also when it seems to us we are so poor that we don’t really have much to offer.

Margaret

Viva!!!

The sermons in the Basilica can sometimes end with the call “!Viva Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe!: And the whole church shouts thunderously: “!Viva!” Right after that someone shouts  “!Viva Christo Rey!” and the response is also deafening. Those who were at the St. Peter’s  Square in Rome know what I mean – Latin America is not afraid to voice their feelings. I heard those shouts every time I went to the Basilica, so I understand that that’s the way things are there. Where Our Lady is so much loved, there’s also so much love to Her Son – contrary to the fears of many people that worshipping Mary may obscure the concentration on the Christ in the church.

Whenever I think about this dialogue of the two crucified people: the good thief and Jesus, I think about the incredible “today you will be with me in paradise”. TODAY. Not something like “you know well, that in your situation the best I can do is to send you to the ourgatory, where you’ll spend some time, because, you know, you haven’t been living well”… We would send so many people to the purgatory for a looong stay, and full of self-admiration because it’s clear those people merit in fact something else.

And HE said: TODAY, Of course the good thief fulfilled all the conditions to make amends with God, but…

God’s mercy, God’s perspective, Christ the King. Today in the Basilica Christ was crowned as the king of Mexico, and Gos’s presence was so palpable. Where the Mother is loved so much, there’s also great love to Her Son.

Remembering you on this special day

Padre J.

The Sadducees who doubt in the Resurrection have come to my mind who set a trap for Jesus, asking Him about following husbands of one wife.
And I see many Sadducees around me – they try to obscure the image of God with their comments, cynical remarks and ironic behaviour and they try to prove that He doesn’t exist.

But He does not abandon us, He comforts us and gives us faith. Over 2000 ago and today He replies to the Sadducees:

“The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’” (Luke 20: 34-37)

This is Good News. so full of hope, and dignity, for me, for you and for everyone.

Jesus doesn’t want us to become or to remain Sadducees, because that would mean that we’d remain on your own, tragically alone and hopeless.

Dorota

„… against Wisdom evil cannot prevail.” (Wisdom 7: 30 )

Lord, You have shown us that love wins over everything. You have learnt us to love our enemies with your life. Nothing could shatter your love and goodness, even death on the cross. Let us also not be overcome by evil. Let us not lose hope in suffering, difficulties and problems. Give us strength to overcome obstacles and let us always trust in your mercy and never give up.

„Let me live that I may praise you,
and may your laws sustain me..” (Psalm 119: 175)

Basia

You hem me in behind and before, and You lay Your hand upon me.

(Psalm 139:5)

The way we touch God  is often a gesture of testing, checking on Him, putting our fingers into His side, and into His wounds. It is so difficult to believe in good intentions, in the promise, the love which does not dictate any initial conditions. On our part – there’s so much doubt, mistrust, and anxiety.

And yet He lets us do all that, remembering, who we are. And He does let us touch and find Him. But His gestures are so different from ours. He doesn’t check on us, He is not suspicious, He doesn’t keep the distance. “You lay Your hand upon me…” It’s the same gesture with which we calm down our children and express our proximity. Infinite acceptance and the desire to protect them – just because they are there.

Margaret

Photograph: source

„ The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?”  (Psalm 27: 1)

“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Łk 15, 2)

„ You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? ” (Rz 14:10)

If I believe in God who is a defender and not an accuser and experience Him, such faith is an obligation for me to learn to see those around me with hope and to give them  safe space and time to grow. I am obliged to be patient and to accept them in the way He accepts us  – with understanding and sympathy, without being judgmental and superioriyu. With hope, because He always is hopeful against us.

Basia

“Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)

When I walk the crowded street and I pass by hundreds of people – young, elderly, in their prime, some of them smiling, some sad – I understand that each of them bears a cross and none is more important than the other. A cross that seems small may have a knot that rubs so much as to open a never healing wound. And the cross that seems big ma be light. It is of no importance, a cross is a cross.

What is important is to accept the cross and carry it and not to run away pretending that it doesn’t exist.

To understand my cross I had to go to the desert – even though I was at home, at work and had my duties to do. At my own wish I cut off the media and the noise but I was filed with the sense of emptiness and loneliness. I knew that God was with me but I didn’t understand Him at all/ The obligation of prayer helped me stand by Him and later came concrete signs and persons sent by Him to lead me out of the desert.
Thank you, God, for  my cross- the one that I carry and for my brothers and sisters in faith who carry their crosses in trust. Thank you for the grace and strength that you give us so that we can accept and carry our crosses.

Greetings,

Dorota

I have used the opportunity to attend the Bible Study meeting. This is a local initiative of the Omaha diocese – so that as many people as possible can deepen their knowledge of the Holy Scripture in the Year of Faith.

Every week in the evening about 200 meet to analyse together another fragment of the Bible. The main lecturer is Sharon Doran, the wife of Stefan (a doctor-neurologist who records all he meetings of Catholic Bible Study and puts them in the internet for the users). They have 5 sons. Sharon has been struggling against cancer for over 10 years, she has had many operations. She is trained to be a teacher and Bible specialist.

After the introduction into the subject of conversion, delivered by the deacon, everyone goes to small rooms for group meetings (women only, men only or mixed groups), so as to report on the preparations for todays’ meeting, based on the materials. Today it is Acts, chapter 9 – the conversion of St. Paul. After an hourly meeting we come back to the main hall, where Sharon introduces us into the theology of this fragment with passion and skill.

I admire everything here. The hall full of people. In each group a leader who knows what it’s all about. And everything is organised by lay people. I am so happy to see the talents so well used and I remember all the Programmes recently run – there were so many talents used to serve others.

It’s so good to be in the Church, among the truth seekers. We seek truth about ourselves and our calling.

From Omaha

Fr. Jay

“This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.(…) Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength”.(Ne 8: 9 – 10)

Although today is Thursday and not Sunday, I can still give it to the Lord and see things I can thank for and feel joy. I can appreciate my nearest and dearest, concentrate on the good in them. I can be thankful and from gratitude there’s only one step to real joy.

„I am thankful:

– when I can tidy up after a meeting because it means that I have friends;

– for the taxes I pay because it means that I have revenues;

– for the clothes that are too tight because it means that I have something to eat;

– for the lawn to mow and the house to paint because it means I have somewhere to live (…).

– for the tiredness and pain in my muscles because it means that I have worked hard;

– for the alarm clock that wakes me up in the morning because it means that I can live another day.” (Lasse Lundberg)*

It can be so helpful to change the way you think.

Have a good day!

Basia

*From the book of Liv Larsson “Gratitude and happiness as a lifestyle”, 2011.