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Meditation for the Second Sunday after the Nativity of the Lord, year B1

Today’s readings

God, Lord, Ruler of the Universe, King, Lord of Lords, Adonai, Elohim, Yahweh, Friend, Savior, Messiah, Liberator or Boss. That’s what I called God, and my favorite phrase to God was: Boss. I also often said: “It’s the Boss’s will, the Boss wanted it, you don’t discuss it with the Boss, etc.”. Reflecting on the beginning of the Gospel of St. John, where the author is delighted with the eternal Word and, taking into account the experience of the past year, I have to change my mind. Now He’s just my Dad. God, I mean Dad turned out to be someone closest to me.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). In some translations we can read that “The Word became man and dwelt among us.” God in Jesus took on a LIMITED, WEAK, FRAGILE, DEADLY human body. He was a child like you and me. He was dependent on others, grew up and learned. He worked and, like each of us, he had responsibilities towards home and work. I know it sounds a little bland and for us it is almost imperceptible, but God – the Creator of the world, Perfection itself – felt cold, hungry and finally pain. He knew what tears of fear, despair and love were. He knew what joy and fun were. He knew what it was like to get enough sleep and what it was like to sleep. He took care of his physiological needs. Maybe he was standing up pissing – we know what it entails – and had a tent in the morning? Most didn’t like Him, not just didn’t love Him. Some were afraid of him, others were ashamed. Not everyone wanted to listen to him. He was insulted, mixed with mud and gossiped about. His relatives did not understand him, and his friends failed at the time of trial. In the biggest – excuse me – shit in his life, he was alone, abandoned by everyone. The few people who would like to be with Him at this time did not have a chance. They were just at the cross, earlier, during the interrogations, there was no one who could and would like to side with Jesus. In the end, God was deprived of life.

Meditation for the Second Sunday after the Nativity of the Lord, year B1

Today’s readings

God, Lord, Ruler of the Universe, King, Lord of Lords, Adonai, Elohim, Yahweh, Friend, Savior, Messiah, Liberator or Boss. That’s what I called God, and my favorite phrase to God was: Boss. I also often said: “It is the will of the Boss, the Boss wanted it so, you do not discuss with the Boss, etc.”. Reflecting on the beginning of the Gospel of St. John, where the author is delighted with the eternal Word and, taking into account the experience of the past year, I have to change my mind. Now He’s just my Dad. God, I mean Dad turned out to be someone closest to me.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). In some translations we can read that “The Word became man and dwelt among us.” God in Jesus took on a LIMITED, WEAK, FRAGILE, DEADLY human body. He was a child like you and me. He was dependent on others, grew up and learned. He worked and, like each of us, he had responsibilities towards home and work. I know it sounds a little bland and for us it is almost imperceptible, but God – the Creator of the world, Perfection itself – felt cold, hungry and finally pain. He knew what tears of fear, despair and love were. He knew what joy and fun were. He knew what it was like to get enough sleep and what it was like to be in the night. He took care of his physiological needs. Maybe he was standing up pissing – we know what it entails – and he had a tent in the morning? Most didn’t like Him, not just didn’t love Him. Some were afraid of him, others were ashamed. Not everyone wanted to listen to him. He was insulted, mixed with mud and gossiped about. His relatives did not understand him, and his friends failed at the time of trial. In the biggest – excuse me – shit in his life, he was alone, abandoned by everyone. The few people who would like to be with Him at this time did not have a chance. They were just at the cross, earlier, during the interrogations, there was no one who could and would like to side with Jesus. In the end, God was deprived of life.

I am chronically and terminally ill. From an early age, I know what it means to pain in the body and soul. I know what it means to have limitations and to be weaker than others. It is difficult to admit that you do not know something and that you need to fill the gaps in knowledge. I know what it means to be dependent on others and have responsibilities – sometimes painful and pointless. I know what it is like to be hungry for a few days because gastric reflux has refused to eat anything. The long sleepless nights caused by the stress present in every chronic disease are also no stranger to me. I have a body that wants to meet its needs. Quite a large group of people do not like me, on the contrary – hostile. Despite many years of acquaintance, some people still fear me and my illness. More than once, I have met this unpleasant moment when someone did not want to admit their acquaintance with me. Some people want to listen and read me, but for the vast majority of them I am unworthy of having something to say. Freak, Yeti, E.T., fat man, stupid incarnation of evil, boor, simpleton and selfish. What I have not heard about myself from the second circuit … The last people who understand and support what I do and who I am are members of my family. And friends… Well, how many declared great friendship, and how few of them remained in the hour of trial? Some wanted to be with me, but there was no such possibility. Because each of us has such things in our heart, in life, in which we are completely alone. And even if he would like to let someone in, there is no chance. You just can’t go in there, and even if they’re willing, they can’t. We sick people know it perfectly well. We have such spheres, moments of life in which we will always be completely alone and it will always be like that. I also know what it means to love someone and be loved, and after some time, just like that, to be just nobody for that person. Of course, in my life there were also tears of despair, pain, and love. More than once, I also partied, celebrated or just simply enjoyed myself and showed joy. After all, life has many faces, including the good, beautiful and joyful faces. I think many of you have had similar, if not the same experiences.

“And the Word became man and dwelt among us,” just like us. Limited, fragile, weak, dependent on others, abandoned, just small. Moreover, God wanted to be so close to us that He Himself assumed humanity. He was like us in everything but sin. He was experiencing the same as you and me. How great love must it be to be so humiliated for someone! Knowing at the same time that this love will be so many times rejected by my and your sin. Knowing that I will never be able to respond equally to this love. I don’t know about you, but I feel bad about it … Except for him it’s not a problem! He just wants to be with me!

In the original, in Greek, we have something like this: “And the Word was made flesh, and it pitched a tent among us.” We know from the Old Testament that the tent is the place where the Israelites who traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land came to pray. In Exodus in the 33rd chapter, the 11th verse, we read that in the tent, “the Lord spoke with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend.” This verse highlights Moses’ extraordinary bond with God. A relationship in which God allowed man to come to himself with everything and made himself known to him. In the book of Sirach, in the 24th chapter, in the hymn of Wisdom, in the 8th verse, we read that the Creator commanded her to pitch a tent in Israel. And then in verse 19, we read: “Come to me, all who thirst for me, and you will be filled with my fruit.”. How this harmonizes with Jesus’ words: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).

God wants to talk to us, He wants to, He wants a relationship with us. In Psalm 139, the author wants to make us aware that the Lord is our creator and knows us perfectly well. He is with us always and everywhere. And although we find it hard to believe, we are wonderful to Him! Because we are exactly what He wanted us to be! On the other hand, the psalmist in Psalm 147 confirms that each of us is precious to God, He knows and cares for everyone.

“To all those who received Him (i.e., the Word), those who put their trust in His person and power, He gave the right to become children of God, not because of blood, physical drive or human design, but because of God ”.

God, through the incarnation of his Son, made each one of us a son. Not because we deserve it, not because, like some of our parents, he had a mishap, but because he just wanted to! He wanted because he loves and can’t stop! “In Christ, He chose us in love before the creation of the universe, to be holy and spotless before His face. He made a decision in advance that we would be His sons through Jesus Christ – just as He pleased and as He intended! ” (Eph 1: 4-6) And He wants a relationship, He wants to be our Father. He wants us to be not only sons but also heirs (Eph 1:11). He wants to talk to us face to face and lets us get to know him. Man has only one goal in his life: to know God and be united with Him! There is no other purpose in our life! He wants us to come to Him and let our father guide us like children.

God wasn’t my Dad for a long time. He was not the closest thing for a long time. The past year, in which I experienced the pain and limitations caused by illness, the pain of losing a loved one, rejection, spitting, made me realize the incredible closeness of Jesus. I admit that at one point I was really fed up, I doubted and lost hope. I tried to deny what had happened and ran away, incl. into music. For months I wanted to be someone I am not, and played and lost a lot of my life. I was also successful, I gained a lot. You can say that I was successful in almost every sphere of my life. But when the difficult months came, when things were happening for which there was no rational explanation, everything turned out to be empty. There was a void that was empty. Due to doubt, loss of hope, music, I had to fight a spiritual and physical battle with the evil spirit. Let me put it straight: I wanted to die. In addition, a disease that was taking its toll more and more. I was on an antibiotic practically all year long. I was losing my physical, spiritual and mental strength. I felt no one needed and useless. I just finished my studies, I wanted to go into life, but I was not able to start any work. The plans went wild.

In October 2013, I went for the third week of the Spiritual Exercises. It was there that I experienced that Jesus was also a human being and that he lived what I experienced. I understood what His love is and I realized how immensely He loves me. Despite my mistakes, sins, my stupidity, He loves me and … He likes me! And when you like someone, you just want to be with them. That’s where God became my Father! Closer than anyone else.

When I returned to His bosom, everything started to return to normal. SAME cases began to be resolved. I got a job offer. There were a few obstacles, but they were overcome. Throughout Advent 2013, God assured me that He was with me. I am not to worry because I am in His hands. I took more and more peace of heart. I experienced the love and tenderness of my relatives. Yet another issue troubled me: health. There was no end to the infection, and subsequent tests showed nothing. Doctors had no advice and decided that it just had to be this way. But there is one last test that no one has figured out yet, a nasal swab. And paradoxically, to my joy, the cause of my illnesses that have been going on for over 2 years has been found. The correct treatment was applied, and it got better! It may not be time to announce final victory, but everything seems to be going well.

I came to the tent. To the tent that the Father has pitched in my heart, to that place where only He and I are. This is where I can come with those moments, things that others don’t have access to. He has revealed and is revealing to me daily. He can be known as he is. A is a father who loves and cares for his son. For me, he is ready to sacrifice everything! It makes me know my will and invites me to wander.

In conclusion, I would like to say that since I got to know the Father, I understood what the Lord’s prayer is. I discovered its meaning and power. I understood the meaning of Jesus’ words: “In prayer, do not be talkative like the pagans, the Father knows what you need. He cares for you better than birds, and dresses you more beautifully than flowers. You just trust and believe He is the Father. ”

I invite you to pray. Bow your head, close your eyes and pray the prayer you know well, with only one difference:

MY Father who are in Heaven

Your kingdom come

Thy will be done, as in Heaven, also on Earth

Give MY daily bread to ME today

And forgive MY debts for I also forgive MY debtors

And lead ME not into temptation

But keep ME from evil

Sunday reflections

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In the original, in Greek, we have something like this: “And the Word was made flesh, and it pitched a tent among us.” We know from the Old Testament that the tent is the place where the Israelites who traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land came to pray. In Exodus in the 33rd chapter, the 11th verse, we read that in the tent, “the Lord spoke with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend.” This verse highlights Moses’ extraordinary bond with God. A relationship in which God allowed man to come to himself with everything and made himself known to him. In the book of Sirach, in the 24th chapter, in the hymn of Wisdom, in the 8th verse, we read that the Creator commanded her to pitch a tent in Israel. And then in verse 19, we read, “Come to me, all who thirst for me, and you will be filled with my fruit.” How this harmonizes with Jesus’ words: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).

God, through the incarnation of his Son, made each one of us sonorous. Not because we deserve it, not because, like some of our parents, he had a mishap, but because he just wanted to! He wanted because he loves and can’t stop! “In Christ, He chose us in love before the creation of the universe, to be holy and spotless before His face. He made a decision in advance that we would be His sons through Jesus Christ – just as He pleased and as He intended! ” (Eph 1: 4-6) And He wants a relationship, He wants to be our Father. He wants us to be not only sons but also heirs (Eph 1:11). He wants to talk to us face to face and lets us get to know him. Man has only one goal in his life: to know God and be united with Him! There is no other purpose in our life! He wants us to come to Him and let our father guide us like children.

God wasn’t my Dad for a long time. He was not the closest person for a long time. The past year, in which I experienced the pain and limitations caused by illness, the pain of losing a loved one, rejection, spitting, made me realize the incredible closeness of Jesus. I admit that at one point I was really fed up, I doubted and lost hope. I tried to deny what had happened and ran away, incl. into music. For months I wanted to be someone I am not, and played and lost a lot of my life. I was also successful, I gained a lot. You could say that I was successful in almost every sphere of my life. But when the difficult months came, when things were happening for which there was no rational explanation, everything turned out to be empty. There was a void that was empty. Due to doubt, loss of hope, music, I had to fight a spiritual and physical battle with the evil spirit. Let me put it straight: I wanted to die. In addition, a disease that was taking its toll more and more. I was on an antibiotic practically all year long. I was losing my physical, spiritual and mental strength. I felt no one needed and useless. I just finished my studies, I wanted to go into life, but I was not able to start any work. The plans went wild.

When I returned to His bosom, everything started to return to normal. SAME cases began to be resolved. I got a job offer. There were a few obstacles, but they were overcome. Throughout Advent 2013, God assured me that He was with me. I am not to worry because I am in His hands. I took more and more peace of heart. I experienced the love and tenderness of my relatives. Yet another issue troubled me: health. There was no end to the infection, and subsequent tests showed nothing. Doctors had no advice and decided that it just had to be like that. But there is one last test that no one has figured out yet, a nasal swab. And paradoxically, to my joy, the cause of my illnesses that have been going on for over 2 years has been found. The correct treatment was applied, and it got better! It may not be time to announce final victory, but everything seems to be going well.