United with Christ | In Christo Iesu

Now you have been united with Christ Jesus (Eph 2:13).

We sometimes live apart from Christ. It happens when we are dissatisfied with ourselves, when we give up, fall into sin, or sink into despair. Generally speaking, it occurs when we focus too much on ourselves rather than on Jesus Christ living within us. On the contrary, when we draw close to the Lord, we become calmer, more peaceful, and filled with love. Our vocation is to remain always united with Him.

In the Catholic Church, we receive Holy Communion for the first time as children. Usually, children at this age are so thrilled to participate in the Eucharist that their eyes shine with wonder. They truly live with Christ, in Christ, and through Christ. The sad reality is that as we grow older, we often lose that excitement. We try to live on our own strength because we are no longer children. Yet, the truth is that we remain children of God throughout our entire lives. Jesus reminds us of this in the New Testament when He points us toward the promises God has made to us (v. 12).

We are not meant to live in the world without God and without hope. We are invited to live with Christ, holding fast to the hope that we are always God's beloved children. Therefore, we no longer desire to be far from Him. We gather in the Church to participate in the Body and Blood of Christ, receiving through Him peace, happiness, and the fullness of life.

Jesus Christ alone can unite us inwardly and bring us into harmony with our brothers and sisters. His mission is to make us one in Himself and to break down the dividing walls of hostility that separate us from one another (v. 14). He blesses us and pours peace into our hearts and minds. Together with Christ, we are reconciled to God the Father and to neighbor. This is our Good News. This is our eternal covenant.

We are no longer far off; we truly live in Christ Jesus. We come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit (v. 18) as members of one family of God (v. 19). United, we are His heavenly Kingdom and His holy temple, where God dwells by His Spirit (v. 22). Amen.

Reflection on 2 Ephesians 2:11-22  by Jozef.

(Listen to podcast here)

Adpropinquans | Near

Jesus himself drew near and went with them - Luke 24: 15

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"That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him." Luke 24: 13-16

Two disciples going to Emmaus are immersed in sadness, completely devastated, according to them everything ended on Good Friday. Jesus, in whom they placed their hope, turned out to be a failure, was crucified, and died a cruel and embarrassing death. Their eyes and hearts are so filled with sadness and closed by it that they do not even recognize Jesus who joins them on the way.

How often in our own lives we do not notice Jesus who walks through life with us. We often focus only on our own affairs, on our own feelings. Especially in times of sadness, suffering or problems, we do not notice Christ who is with us and wants to be our support. Jesus wants to be with us in all moments of our lives, especially the difficult ones. Just as he taught the disciples going to Emmaus, helped them understand and believe, Jesus also wants to help us and be our support in difficulties and suffering. He wants to talk to us, strengthen us and our faith. However, we must first notice that He is with us, that He walks through life with us, and incline our hearts to listen to His words.

And the second point: the disciples had hope in Jesus, they expected something from him. True, we should put our hope in Jesus, but at the same time it cannot only be hope for what we wish for, for our own expectations. "But we had hoped that" say the disciples on the road to Emmaus. How often do we also have our own assumptions about God and His plans. We think we understand, or we just hope, that God's plan is the same as our own plan, our expectations. However, often this is not the case. God's plans are not adjusted to our plans, we must adjust our plans and expectations to what God desires, to His plan. 

Even if we feel disappointed in some way by what God has done in our lives, the path he has led us, we must trust Him, entrust ourselves completely to God and His plans and go through life with Him.

Reflection on Luke 24: 13-35 by Agata Wierzbowska

(Listen to podcast here)

Vigilate | Be vigilant

"Be vigilant, praying at all times" -  Luke 21:36.

At the beginning of the New Year 2024, we look forward to the future. We are still determining what will happen. So we are afraid and distressed. Thus, the Son of God teaches us how to approach our future. He stayed in the temple during the day and prayed on the mount in the evening (v. 37). He showed his disciples how they should behave. After talking with his heavenly Father, he knew how to preach. Moreover, he could heal the sick and encourage those in trouble.

In the coming year 2024, we can learn from the Divine Word. We can follow Jesus and also become vigilant while we don't know the future. Our life should be like his life. Thus, we should be more attentive to ourselves. Our hearts don't have to be weighed down by egoism and the cares of this life. As Christians, we should not focus on things that must pass away but rather on the Word of Life.

We do believe that the Kingdom of God is nearer and nearer. So, our life is closer and closer to eternity. So we lift up our heads and look with hope to the future. Our Redeemer lives and comes with great power and majesty (v. 27). We are not alone anymore. We don't need to face our problems by ourselves. For our strength is in the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.

We are not children of the world but the children of light. Let's not be overwhelmed by distress which governs among the unbelievers. We know that everything must happen according to the will of God. Let us open the Holy Bible and enter the New Year with its wisdom and truth. We are going to the future in the love of the Divine Word.

Reflection on Luke 21:20 - 38 by Józef Trzebuniak.

(Listen to podcast here)

Sustinuerit in finem | Endures to the end

"You will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved." - Mark 13:13

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When I was a newly converted believer, I was deeply troubled by the violent images described by Jesus about the Last Days before His second coming. However, as I began to mature in my faith and continued to feed on His Word, I began to see the greater plan of God's mercy as He is preparing all of us for the coming of the new Jerusalem as described in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 21:1-8, 22-27).

From the beginning of Scripture, God had intended to be in communion with Man. But as a result of disobedience and doubt in God's Sovereignty by Adam & Eve, sin entered into creation and has corrupted earth with death and sickness. Our Holy God already had His sovereign salvation plan of sending His only begotten Son to atone for our sins in the Garden of Eden when He prophesied that the Seed of Eve shall crush the serpent's head and covered the shameful couple with a sacrificed lamb's skin.

There may be frightening signs and tribulations before this happen, but St Paul encouraged us to look forward with hope in his first epistle to the church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13). 

I will close my sharing with the words from "Revelation Song":

Verse:

Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain

Holy holy is He

Sing a new song to Him Who sits on

Heaven's mercy seat

Chorus:

Holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty

Who was and is and is to come

With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings

You are my everything and I will adore You

Verse:

Clothed in rainbows of living color

Flashes of lightning rolls of thunder

Blessing and honor strength and glory and power be

To You the only wise King

Verse:

Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder

At the mention of Your name

Jesus Your name is power, breath and living water

Such a marvelous mystery

© 2004 Gateway Create Publishing/Integrity's Praise! Music CCLI: 4447960 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Gxjtd6Wp4

Reflection on Mark 13:1-19 by Chris Tan

Abundetis in spe | Abound in hope

"So that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope" — Romans 15:13 (ESV).

Photo by fancycrave1 from Pixabay

Christmas is coming. For us Christians, it is a special day each year. Christmas means hope. We know that Christmas starts with the power of the Holy Spirit. Blessed Mary received divine grace. She believed that the word of God was true and real. She abounded in faith, hope, and love. In her body the Word became flesh.

Thus all the Gentiles could recognize their Lord in the little child who was born in Bethlehem. All the people who met him rejoiced and extolled him. All the weak and sinful people experienced peace in their hearts.

We are also able to open our hearts to the coming of Jesus Christ. Especially now during Christmas time of 2021 in our concrete reality and circumstances. We do need hope, peace, and love which flourished in the life of the holy family in Bethlehem. We do long for God's truthfulness in the world of distrust, hate, and anxiety. 

Let us welcome one another in the spirit of Christmas. Let us understand that the promises of God are precious and certain. Let us glorify God for his mercy towards humanity. For God the Father keeps sending his holy angels who announce hope, peace, and love. As Christians, we ought to praise the Lord among our sisters and brothers. We are to sing to his holy name. "May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in sharing the Christmas" (v. 13). 

 

 

Reflection on Romans 15:7-13 by Fr. Józef Trzebuniak, SVD

(Listen to the Podcast here)