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czwartek, 25 sierpień 2011 11:47

A few words about criticism (22A)

Maidstone, 28th August 2011

 

Dear disciples of Jesus Christ.
Probably only once in the history of the church the pope was called Satan. By God. In today’s Gospel Jesus said to Simon Peter: “Get behind me, Satan!” (Mt 16:23). Thinking about this, I’d like to say just three words concerning criticism.

1. Firstly: God is not afraid of criticism.
In the first reading prophet Jeremiah says:
You have seduced me, Lord and I have let myself be seduced; you have overpowered me: you were the stronger. (Jer 20:7 NJB). Inanother translationwe read: You deceived me, LORD, and I was deceive (NIV).
Why did God allow these words to be written?
In The Book of Psalms we read: Why do you reject my soul, LORD, and hide your face from me? (Ps 88:15) or Awake! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Rise up! Do not reject us forever! (Ps 44:24)
In the Bible we find a lot of similar words. The people were not afraid to accuse God or to criticize him. Why did God allow these words to be written? Because God is not afraid of criticism. Because God prefers sincerity to hypocrisy. 

2. Secondly: God is not afraid of saying difficult things.
Ha said through the prophet Isaiah:
Your meetings I utterly detest; to me they are a burden I am tired of bearing. When you stretch out your hands I turn my eyes away. You may multiply your prayers, I shall not be listening. (Isa 1:15-16)
Ha said through the prophet Malachi:
'And now, priests, iIf you will not listen, if you will not sincerely resolve to glorify my name, says Yahweh Sabaoth, I shall certainly lay a curse on you and I shall curse your blessing. (Mal 2:1-2)
Even in the Gospel we can read:
Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of corruption.
God is not afraid of saying difficult things. God is not afraid to criticize. Why? What for? Because God prefers to save people even by hard means than to be polite at any price. Because God is like a doctor who tells patients the truth even though they don’t like it. 

3. Lastly: God teaches how to criticize constructively.
Jesus said:
Why do you observe the splinter in your brother's eye and never notice the great log in your own? […] Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother's eye. (Mat 7:3.5)
This is the first rule. If you want to criticize others, start by criticizing yourself.

The second rule is:
If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. (Mat 18:15).

The third rule is: If we wish to criticize publicly we must keep it generally. Jesus criticized the scribes and Pharisees without singling out any individual. Jesus criticized them generally knowing that not all were wrong.

The fourth rule is: If the evil is public we can react publicly. And criticize even by name. Saint Paul wrote in his letter to Galatians:
When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong. For, until some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself, because he was afraid of the circumcised. (Gal 2:11-12).

The fifth rule is: Temper any criticism with love. If you don’t love, don’t criticize. Sometimes God says hard things but he loves people more than anyone. Sometime parents are forced to criticized the child but it is done with love. Saint Paul criticized Peter not because he didn’t love him or because he wanted to destroy him. Paul loved Peter, the church and the truth.

Dear disciples of Jesus Christ.
If God is not afraid of criticism why should we be? If Saint Peter was not afraid of criticism why should we be? The truth is not afraid of anything, neither the truth nor the lie.
We know that the issue of criticism is delicate. But we cannot forget that criticism is a good step towards development. Anyone who is afraid of criticism will never progress.

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sobota, 20 sierpień 2011 15:26

Who depends on who? (21A)

Maidstone, 21st August 2011

 

Let me put two questions.

1. The first: “Who are you?” Who do people say you are?
What does your family say about you? Are you a rock?
What does your friends say about you? Are you a light?
What does your church say about you? Are you a support?
What does your country say about you? Are you a son?
Who are you for yourself?

In today’s readings Shebna is the master of the palace but he will be dismissed from his office.
Eliakim is going to be a father for to the inhabitations of Jerusalem.
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Peter is a rock and on this rock Jesus will build the Church.
Everybody is somebody but what is interesting and intriguing that in all these cases the position of the persons depends on the relationship with God. 

Do you know? Do I know?
My and your position depends on relationship with God.
“Who you are” depends on “who God is to you”.
“Who I am” depends on “who God is to me”.

We depend on God so Jesus is asking today: “Who do you say I am?” 

2. The second question is: “Who is God?”.
For Shebna God was a cruel lord who removed him from his office.
For Eliakim was a surprising giver.
For Psalmist God was wonderful so he said: “I thank you for your faithfulness and love. Your Love, o Lord, is eternal”.
For Paul God was unfathomable: “How rich are the depths of God, how deep his wisdom and knowledge”.
Some people say Jesus was John the Baptist, some Elijah and others he was one of the prophets. For Peter Jesus was the Christ.

Who is God? Who is Jesus? 
In all these cases the answer depended on the people. In a certain way we can say that God depends on people, depends on who speaks about him.

Let me show one example from the papal visit to Spain. In Thursday we could read in “The Telegraph”:
“Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Madrid to protest against a four-day visit by Pope Benedict. Participants expressed discontent over the costs of his third trip to a country struggling to exit a recession”.
And that’s all. Nothing about who really pays for the papal visit. Nothing about money brought to Spain by million young people from all over the world. Nothing about Spain’s government spokesman Jose Blanco who rejected criticism of the cost of the pope's visit. The same manipulated news I heard on BBC4 and read in London Evening Standard.
And the same kind of manipulation we see when people speak about God. Conscious or unconscious.
So where is the truth? Who is God? Who is Jesus Christ?

If we ask today: “Who is God?” we know that the answer depends on the people.
But it doesn’t mean that the Truth is relative. Not. Not at all. It means the Truth is humble.
It doesn’t mean that the Truth is uncertain. Not. Not at all. It means the Truth is challenging.
It doesn’t mean that the Truth is just for me but not necessarily for anyone else. Not. Not at all. It means we are responsible for the Truth. We are responsible for God who depends on us.
We are the window of God!
We are the Jesus Christ’s face.
We are the gate and the door of our Lord.
We are the mouth of the everlasting Word.
We are the hands of the Almighty One.
We are the feet of the messenger of good news.

God relies on us so Jesus is asking today: “Who do you say I am?”

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środa, 17 sierpień 2011 23:46

Funeral of Mrs Mary Agnes Haw

 Leicester, 18th July 2007

 

Dear Brother and Sisters!
It’s quite hard for me to say something proper during this homily because I haven’t had this grace to get to know Mrs Mary Agnes Haw. Nonetheless I’ve heard from Fr. Eddy, your parish priest, a lot of good words about her. And not only from him, but also from different people who are coming to say the words of praise and commendation. She was a great woman! I’m sure that all of you, and especially her children, Mary and Michel can say more words and more accurate words on the occasion of Mary’s funeral.
What I can do is to read the Gospel before the coffin and to try to catch the truth about death and life. 

The first and last Jesus’ word is: “Do not let your hearts be troubled!” Don’t be afraid!
Somebody can say: We are not afraid. Mary had a long life, a good life. What can we afraid about? But Jesus knows very well our hearts and says: “Do not let your hearts be troubled!” Because even we belief in resurrection there is always a small question: “What is after the death”? Is it. really true that we are going to meet each other? Maybe it is only the tradition and nothing more... Perhaps our life finishes with the sprinkling the body with holy water...
If Jesus says: “Do not let your hearts be troubled!”, it means, Jesus knows that sometimes we let our hearts be troubled”. It means: it is nothing strange when the people are afraid. It means Jesus understands all feelings: The feelings of those who are in the tombs and of those who are walking still on the surface of the earth.

Yes, Jesus understands it, but against all doubts and all feelings Jesus, who takes Mary today in his arms, he is speaking to the whole world: “Do not let your hearts be troubled” There are many rooms in my father’s house; if there were not, I should have told you.” And not only Jesus. The Book of Wisdom is sure: “The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God. In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die, but they are in the peace. The Song from the Book of Psalms repeats: “If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear”. And still in our hearts we remember the Gospel’s words: “I’m the resurrection and the life. They who come to me shall never die”.

The resurrection is the fact. It is not only a matter of faith. How the sun rises despite the clouds, despite the blindness of the people, despite we are look at it or not, despite we know what the sun is or not, so the same with the resurrection. We don’t have to believe in Mary’s afterlife. Despite our faith our doubts she’s just begun a new life, the life better then our, happier than our and without end. The new life with God, whom she dedicated her life, with all saints to whom she prayed and in the celestial sanctuary because she knew take care about the terrestrial one.

The first and the last truth about death and life is: Jesus is right.
And Mary knew it form the beginning until the death. 

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środa, 17 sierpień 2011 23:34

Wake

New York, St. Margaret, 5th August 2007

 

Dear Brother and Sisters! Dear Family!
I would like to say just one word.
In the name of Jesus Christ and his gospel, in the name of our faith.

Be sure: our sister has not finished her life. She didn’t die. Not at all. What we see is only an appearance of the end. What we see is only the necessity of our body. If we want to live for ever we must leave this earthly body. If we want to live in the heaven we have to leave the house on the earth.
Jesus says: “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?”
Jesus says: “I am the resurrection and the life whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die”.
Jesus says: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever”.
It’s nothing strange that we are sad, we cry, that we let our hearts be troubled. Even Jesus cried when he saw the death of his friend Lazarus.
Jesus understands our feelings, but against all doubts and all feelings Jesus, who takes today our sister in his arms, he is speaking to us: “I’m the resurrection and the life. They who come to me shall never die”. 

Dear Sister.
We thank you today for your life.
We thank you for your faith. We thank you and we pray for you.
If you need our prayer so that Jesus can purify you from all your sins, accept this gift from us.
If you are just purified, pray for us, so that we never cease to believe in Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life. 

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środa, 17 sierpień 2011 23:22

To want and to have (Tue/4/Lent)

Jerusalem, Nore Dame, 20th March 2007

 

In today’s gospel we have two necessary conditions to be healed by Jesus.

Do you want to be well? - Jesus asks - Do you want to be well?

In parish where I was born there was an assistant priest who he liked repeat: We won't convert the whole world to the Christianity. But it would be great to do something so that the people want more, just to cause willingness to the gospel. 
If somebody doesn’t want we can not do anything. 
Do you want to be well?

But the sick mad didn’t answer: Yes, I want to be well. He answered: “I have no one”.
The Greek says more dramatically: "I have no man, I have no human being".
That was very sad answer: he has been for 38 years sick and he hasn't found anybody who would help him.

To want sometimes is not enough. Sometimes or maybe very often we need the others to be healed from any kind of sickness. 

Let us pray for the people that they want to want.
Let us for the people that they find people.

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środa, 17 sierpień 2011 23:15

Priests and Pharisees (Tue/2/Lent)

Jerusalem, Nore Dame, 6th March 2007

 

Just three questions and three answers.

1. About whom is Jesus saying in today’s gospel?
It’s quite obvious that today’s gospel is speaking about priests. The Bible doesn’t want to speak about the people in the past, because it is the book of life. From the point of view of unbeliever the gospel speaks only about scribes and Pharisees. But if we belief in the living gospel we see in those scribes and Pharisees everybody who preach Gospel nowadays and speaks about God.

2. How should we treat priests who don’t live according their teaching?
We should treat them as a road sign. A road sing shows for instance how can we get the city, in which direction must we turn. We have to be grateful that the sign shows us the truth. But what is very sad, that this road sign never will go to the city and never will be happy, that the true life is more wonderful than speaking about it. 
I beg you for pardon, that sometimes we don’t live as we teach. Don’t lose courage! Don’t be angry with the road sign who doesn’t go in the direction that shows! But you go and thank God that you know the direction! And please, pray for us…

3. How should we understand a ban, prohibition to call Rabbi, Muster, Father?
Usually we say: it is only metaphor. Don’t take it literally! And we try to explain Jesus’ words in another way. I think it would be easier just to put Jesus’ words into practice and to live at least one month without calling anybody father, rabbi or muster. There are a lot of different names to call the people we know. So you can call me in this month “brother Wojciech” or just Wojciech so we will put at least a piece of the Gospel into practice.

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środa, 17 sierpień 2011 23:08

The Lord's feet (Tue/27/II)

Jerusalem, Notre Dame, 10th Ocober 2006

 

It’s very difficult to sit beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
It’s very difficult because sometimes we don’t know where are the feet of the Lord.
It’s very difficult because we are not sure if this is really Jesus who speaks.

It’s easier to do a lot of things that are more specific, more visible, more tangible.
It’s easier to say the mass than to listen to the Lord.
It’s easier to read the reading than to listen to God.
It’s easier to clean the church than to listen to what I have to clean in my life.
It’s easier to prepare a lunch than to listen to what I should eat every day.

However, we are not the people who want to take life easy.
Let us think where are the feet of the Lord!
Let us listen to him!
Because this is the better part and it will not be taken from us.

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środa, 17 sierpień 2011 23:00

Business (Wed/33/II)

Jerusalem, Notre Dame, 22nd November 2006

 

 

Business is very trendy.
Do you do a lot of business? You are good!
Are you successful in business? You are top man! 

A nobleman in today’s gospel uses the word that occurs in New Testament only once: “do business”.
A nobleman, who is God’s image, gave gold coins to his servants and said: “Engage in trade” – “do business”. And they did - something or nothing.

What about business in my life?
What do I do with the coins that God gave me?
How many did I multiply the gifts I received from God?
Let us learn from the people of business how increase our spiritual gifts!

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środa, 17 sierpień 2011 22:35

Science and faith (Wed/9/I)

Jerusalem, Notre Dame, 6th June 2007

 

Today‘s gospel is very a good example for discussion: science and faith.

Sadducees were well educated people in the time of Jesus. And they didn’t believe in the resurrection and they had a logical argumentation. They thought: “We are right! Jesus is wrong! The resurrection is illogical!”
Jesus believed in resurrection and he had also a logical argumentation. And more: He said to them “You are greatly misled”.
So we have problem. On the one hand Sadducees: “we are right”. On the other hand: Jesus: “You are greatly misled”. Where is the truth?

The Sadducees didn’t believe in the argumentation of Jesus. In the Act o Apostles we read they still don’t believe in the resurrection. So even Jesus didn’t convince them of the life after death. 
But what is important Sadducees didn’t have more arguments, or better arguments. They only didn’t have courage to confess that the faith is a matter of grace and not a matter of argumentation.

The same problem we have nowadays. A lot of people - especially scientists - have  a lot arguments against our faith. And we have a lot arguments in favour of our faith. And we can repeat with Jesus "You are greatly misled". But what we don’t like it and it is not fair, when the people abuse the scientific authority to say something against God, church and faith. Science and logic are never against God because he is the master of the universe. So we ask: “Dear scientist. Don’t say: it’s against science or logic. Be honest, please. Just say: I don’t have a grace to believe in God”.

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środa, 17 sierpień 2011 22:24

About law (Tue/2/I)

Jerusalem, Notre Dame, 15th January 2007

 

 

Today’s gospel gives two very important suggestions concerning the law.

It is not enough to say: it is lawful or it is unlawful.
It is not enough to say that the law is in effect or in binding.
The law should be first of all for man.
This is the first suggestion.
The Sabbath was made for the man, not man for the Sabbath.
If the law is inhuman or against man, this kind of law is not binding and nobody has to respect it.

But we can ask: What is good for man? How can we know that what is good for me is good for you?
So we need the second indication.
And Jesus says: “The Son of Man is lord even the Sabbath”.
If God is the lord of the law, we can sleep tranquilly.
The law should respect God.
This is the second suggestion.

If the law is not against man and not against God, this law is valid, binding and in effect.

 

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