Open letter to the Ukrainian government on the issue of gay pride parade

Post date:   2016-06-08
Autor:   BCP
On 27 May 2016, the United States Congress, Washington, DC 20515, posted through Ambassador a letter to the Ukrainian government. The congressmen intend to punish the representatives of religious and public life for performing their duty and standing in defence of the nation and its values against demoralization and devastation. Can the rights of the Ukrainian people not be defended anymore? Is defence of rights punishable? Can the Ukrainian clergy no longer preach God’s Word? So according to the US requirements, the Bible is a forbidden book because it is allegedly discriminatory since it calls homosexuality an abomination (cf. Lev 18:22).

Reflection on Mt 7:1-2

Post date:   2016-06-04
Autor:   BCP
The question of judging others: Jesus says: “Judge not, that you be not judged.” One must be clear about what this requirement means – judge not. It does not mean to abolish the courts and to let criminals rob and kill, appealing to this verse from Scripture. We are obliged to judge ourselves with righteous judgment too. Being superiors or parents, we are obliged to judge our subordinates or children with like judgment. If we neglect to judge with righteous judgment, we are careless and we will be responsible for crimes and rude behaviour. Thus, “judge not” refers to unjust condemnation or hasty judgment at an inappropriate place or time.

Our home is in heaven

Post date:   2016-06-03
Autor:   BCP
Our home is in heaven. We are mere pilgrims here, and we know neither the day nor the hour. We really need to be mindful of eternity. We will grow old, fall ill...The goal of our life is to be united to God and to live in this communion for all eternity. Eternal life begins already here on earth where God puts us to the test. The length of this test varies from life to life. These few decades of life will pass very quickly; and, moreover, they are full of suffering, disappointment... True happiness cannot be found in a career, money or pleasures. All is vanity. Everything will pass away. True happiness lies in a pure heart where God dwells. He who has received Jesus need not fear death anymore because Jesus is his Saviour to whom he gives his sins every day and Jesus forgives him again and again. And when he dies, he will just pass over to eternal joy and attain true happiness in heaven.

In heaven we will have everything the human heart desires

Post date:   2016-05-31
Autor:   BCP
Do we desire wealth and power? In heaven we will be heirs of God. Just think how rich our Father is and what an inheritance awaits us! All that belongs to God He will give us. He says that we shall be joint heirs with Christ. The Heavenly Father gave everything to Christ, and Jesus gave Himself to us and for us. To us who have received Him as our Saviour and are ready to endure a brief suffering or humiliation in this world for His sake He will give the crown of eternal glory. We need to know it.

Let us be dependent on Jesus alone

Post date:   2016-05-28
Autor:   BCP
There must be nothing to replace Jesus in our life, no other source of pleasure but Him alone who loved us from eternity and humbled Himself to the point of death, even the death of the cross, for our sake.

We can do nothing more than seek and do His holy will

Post date:   2016-05-25
Autor:   BCP
We should always try to discern what the Lord wills. The process of a sincere seeking of the will of God in serious life decisions is painful but what we do according to the will of God remains forever! We need to carry His cross, to accept the cross of uncertainty, seeking and powerlessness. Such are the ways of God – it is dying in practice. But it is worth it! Life is too short and we can do nothing more than seek and do His holy will.

Reflection on Mt 6:34

Post date:   2016-05-21
Autor:   BCP
We worry automatically. What to do with worries? We have to learn to give them to God in prayer every day. This is the only right solution. Our problems are often so big and difficult that we see no way out. If we learn to give our worries to God, prayer will become our daily need and our life will become fruitful. Every day we will experience the power and love of our Lord ever anew.

The root of liberalism

Post date:   2016-05-20
Autor:   BCP
Who are the liberal theologians? They are not men of faith nor defenders of orthodoxy, nor people of deep spirituality and prayer, nor people righteous before God who observe the laws of God without distorting or circumventing it.Liberal theologians disregard the true spiritual life and spiritual struggle for the salvation of immortal souls. They do not care about a personal relationship with God. They do not show true repentance – admit neither their sin nor sinfulness before God. On the contrary, they conceal sins, sanctify them and make sinfulness the norm. They thus remove God’s law and establish the teachings of men.

FOUR WORDS FROM UKRAINE

Post date:   2016-05-17
Autor:   BCP
This book consists of four topics which are actual particularly for the present times, leading people to repentance and to perceiving of their Christian identity.

Will there be a reform within the Focolare movement?

Post date:   2016-05-13
Autor:   BCP
We hereby address primarily sincere priests in this movement who are looking with pain at what direction the Focolare leadership has taken and are forced under obedience to accept this path. Therefore we hereby encourage them: Do not be afraid! You who are sincerely seeking, carry out an internal reform and return to the sound roots and to the true Spirit of the apostles and martyrs! If you should be excommunicated, start an orthodox branch that will rightly be called “The Work of Mary”. The Holy Mother of God is Queen of prophets. Saint John, who stood beside her by the cross, was not only an apostle but also a prophet, fully open to the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of God. Do not be afraid to start! May this year’s Pentecost (15 May 2016) be a spiritual breakthrough in the Focolare movement in the Czech Republic and may this breakthrough become a model of a true reform in the whole Church!