“…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)

“… your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify you heavenly Father” (Mt 5:16)

See your good deeds – and glorify your Father.

Being transparent. Thruogh my good deeds the others can see and glorify heavenly Father. In every context of life.

A dream of every preacher: “my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of Spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God” (1 Cor 2:5). Transparent.

The image of God the Father is much clearer for a child if its parents love each other, respect each other, honor each other and pray together.

“Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care, that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace, they may be defended always by your protection.” (Collect)

“And if a household is divided against itself, that household can never last.” (Mk 3:25)

A divided household.

Ono of the biggest sufferings in family life. A divided couple, divided parents, divided children… The main temptation: I am right. True love is not about who is right. It is about… love. Beyond who is right. What we can do for our children is to give them a united household. United thruough the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of love. When we can’t see, when we can’t hear, when we can’t feel the other person, it is the ultimate time to pray to the Holy Spirit. He will not tell us who is right, He will tell us how to love.

“Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought light to life through the Gospel” (Alleluia versus)

“…formed me in the womb…” (Iz 49:5)

This is about me. This is about my spouse. This is about our children, friends, parents, neighbors. This is also about Him and our relations.

“Formed me…”. This is not an automatic creation. This is personal. This is about how important I am for Him. My existence is a proof of God’s love. The experience of Eve was: ‘I have acquired a man with the help of Yahweh,’ (Gen 4:1). And of so many women who become mothers.

“Formed me…” The source of my dignity. I can be the weakest person in the world and He will never stop loving me. I will never stop being His son, His likeness. I can’t lose it, no one can take it away from me.

And this is the perfect gift I can offer to my spouse, to our children, friends… Myself as a child of God. When I am giving myself to others, God is always included. Without Him I do not exists. With Him I can fulfill my life.

“Formed me…” and loves me in every moment in my life.

“We have come to know and to believe in the love that God has for us” (1 Jn 4:16).

“And His teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, He taught them with authority.” (Mk 1:22)

With authority. The true authority is based on love not on position, profession or bank account. “His teaching made a deep impression”. Mark didn’t write any detail about His teaching, only how much His listeners were impressed. Later, they saw how an unclean spirit went out of a man. And their comment was exactly the same: “Here is a teaching that is new, and with authority behind it” (Mk 1:27).

Every parent knows this. Their authority over children comes not from age, position or anything like that. The true authority comes from their love to children. And every child will follow this authority automatically.

I found it to be true so many times. When I put all my love into my words, my gestures – everything bacame simpler. Everyone prefers to answer to love and not to force. When your child is crying and you say: “stop crying!”, this is teaching by force; when you say: “please come and tell me what happened”, this is teaching by love.

“Receive the word of God, not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God” (Alleluia versus)

“…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)

“But to those who did accept him, he gave power to become children of God” (J  1:12). 

In our life we receive so many identities: A daughter or son, sister or brother, student, worker, wife or husband, friend, mother or father, patient or doctor, nurse, physician.  Some of them are based on our education and profession, some of them – on our relations, some – on our age and place in society.

Our true identity is based on our faith – “but to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God”. And all our other identities should be rooted in this true one. This is the only way to be a good wife/husband, employe and boss, parent or child. Today we are finishing the year and will start soon a New one. The best way to think about the New Year is not to think about the time wasted, but rather about the opportunities that the New Year brings: for the realization of my true identity.

As children of God we can do more than our limited human capabilities let us.

“But to those who did accept him, he gave power to become children of God” (J  1:12).

“…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

Civilization of death. Still the same. Only rights, no responsibilities. And me and myself. “When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under” (Mt 2:16). 2 years old and under. True enemies. A real danger. Indeed.

In civilization of death a child still is a danger, “something” which could change MY plans, MY career, MY life and MY world.

This civilization is all around. Like the devil. TRYING. Sometimes with a quiet suggestion – you have the right to…

Civilization of life starts with responsibilities: What can I do for YOU? In this civilization we do not HAVE children. We ARE parents. And our responsibility is to protect them, love them, educate them, pray with them, encourage them and… Parents know how creative is their vocation to be parents.

With my prayers for you, who serve the civilization of life in so many places and in a so many ways.

God bless

Fr. Jay