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Reflection on 1Cor 15:45
Post date: 2017-02-12Autor: BCP
The first man was a living soul and committing sin he lost this life given to him by God. The last Adam, i.e. Christ, however, is a life-giving spirit. A dead soul cannot enter the kingdom of God unless and until given life by the Spirit of Jesus. He Himself said: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” So through the faith in Christ and through Baptism we are born into the kingdom of God. At that moment, Jesus gives us life through His Spirit. Of course, it is our task to keep this life even in the moment of our physical death and thus to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Reflection on 1Cor 14:3-4
Post date: 2017-01-28Autor: BCP
At the beginning of chapter 14, it is said that we should pursue love but desire earnestly spiritual gifts, especially that we may prophesy. The Apostle Paul compares the gift of prophecy with the gift of prayer in a tongue. He explains that if someone prays in an unknown tongue, other people are not edified because it is the Spirit of God who prays to God the Father from the depths of the soul and no one understands it. He who prays edifies himself but not the community. It is different with the gift of prophecy. The gift of prophecy is no fortune-telling, although it is true that sometimes God reveals future things through prophecy. But this is not the purpose of prophesying. Verse 3 says what the purpose is: 1) edification, 2) exhortation, 3) comfort.
How to humble ourselves truly
Post date: 2017-01-23Autor: BCP
A living fellowship and certain forms of self-humiliation are the best means of dying to our self. The first and basic form is that I accept the order established by God and that I want to be open to the Holy Spirit every day and to do the will of God to the extent I am able to discern it. Humility also means that I sincerely consider others better than myself (cf. Phi 2:3).
Reflection on 1Cor 10:20-21
Post date: 2017-01-14Autor: BCP
True Christianity built on a true relationship to Christ, when we trust in Him and make sacrifices for His sake, cannot be associated with various occult practices or superstitions which are false beliefs and lead us away from Christ and salvation. A true Christian who has received Jesus as his personal Saviour and Lord must renounce these practices which influence him from all sides in order to bring him under their control. One must know clearly that the Church has always taught that pagan cults do not lead to the true God but to the worship of demons.
How pride manifests itself
Post date: 2017-01-11Autor: BCP
You can ask yourself: How does pride manifest itself? The others around me are better than me – jealousy. And this manifests itself even if we follow Jesus: competitiveness, comparing with others, sadness or bad mood if I am not who I want to be. For the most part I am not interested in who God wants me to be and what His plan for my life is.
Reflection on 1Cor 6:19-20
Post date: 2016-12-31Autor: BCP
The Word of God expresses three truths: 1) our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, 2) the Spirit of God lives in us, 3) we are not our own. And it adds that we were bought at a price. This price was the death of Christ on the cross! Therefore we are called to glorify God in our body. The Scripture says in another place: “The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord.” (v.13) Life is short, and what is more, we know neither the day nor the hour, so we must be ready at all times for departure from this life, God’s judgment and eternity.
Let our soul be the Bethlehem stable where God Himself comes
Post date: 2016-12-23Autor: BCP
During Christmas Mass, we wish to experience our encounter with Jesus. Let us realize again the Word of God especially at the moment of Holy Communion: “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” Let our soul be the Bethlehem stable where God Himself comes. Let us be like the Blessed Virgin who bore Christ and gave Him to the world. Let us also bear Him in our hearts, abide in Him, remain rooted in Christ and bring Him to others.
Reflection on 1Cor 6:9-10
Post date: 2016-12-17Autor: BCP
The Word of God says that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. The opposite of unrighteousness is righteousness. He is righteous who gives God what is due to God and man what is due to man. It is written about Saint Joseph that he was a righteous man. The Holy Scripture, however, speaks above all about the righteousness of God which consists in the fact that sin was justly punished. Dying on the cross, Jesus suffered the punishment for all our sins and all our unrighteousness. Only if we have believed in Christ, i.e. put on His righteousness, we can be saved. We cannot make amends for sins or the root of sin in us by our own efforts.
The situation today is difficult. What can we do?
Post date: 2016-12-13Autor: BCP
The devil deceives us and we believe lies. The spirit of antichrist rules and changes the thinking to such extent that people no longer distinguish good from evil. We literally breathe this atmosphere from television, music or contact with people who have the spirit of the world. We must be aware that we are powerless and work out our own salvation with diligence, grieve about this situation and give it to Jesus in prayer again and again. We need a living fellowship, and we also need to carry out mission. However, we first need to be rooted in Jesus ourselves and only then can we give Him to others. We need to seek what God’s will is. It is important to have small groups, a fellowship, and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Everyone prophesies on the level one stands on
Post date: 2016-12-12Autor: BCP
We really need the Word of God. The mere letter of Scripture is not enough. We need the word of prophecy which God gives for a particular situation. Therefore, God’s Word says: “Desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” So each of us has to desire it. And everyone then prophesies on the level one stands on – that means, depending on one’s own experience of God. If you stand at the gate of the temple of God, you prophesy from that place. If you stand in the sanctuary, you prophesy from the sanctuary. If you stand in the Holy of Holies, then your word has the greatest power.
Reflection on Acts 26:18
Post date: 2016-12-03Autor: BCP
Jesus said these words when He appeared to the Apostle Paul before his conversion, on his way to Damascus. Jesus entrusted the Apostle with the task of opening people’s eyes by bearing witness to Him in the power of God so that they may turn from darkness to light. So both the Jews and the Gentiles were in darkness and had to be converted. The Jews as well as the Gentiles were in the power of Satan and needed to turn to God. They had to receive Christ so as to receive, through faith in Him, forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among the sanctified.
Salvation is in Christ alone (video)
Post date: 2016-11-20Autor: BCP
Salvation is in Christ alone. + Elijah Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate
Reflection on Acts 4:11-12
Post date: 2016-11-19Autor: BCP
There is salvation in no one else! There is salvation in Jesus alone! There are no other ways or alternatives of salvation but Jesus Christ. There is no other name by which we must be saved. These words are true and will be true forever. Even if the whole world were convinced of the opposite, it would be wrong! These words are true for you also. There is no other name in which you have eternal life. There is no other way on which you can be saved. There are no other alternatives of salvation.
God’s way to salvation (video)
Post date: 2016-11-14Autor: BCP
God’s way to salvation. + Elijah Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate
“Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (1Cor 14:1)
Post date: 2016-11-11Autor: BCP
“Pursue love.” We should pursue love, true love. Not love which is, in essence, apostasy from Christ and a compromise with the spirit of the world. The word “love” is now very frequently used in the Church. However, this term now includes everything – fornication, betrayal, apostasy from Christ. Everything is “love”; only one thing is not allowed – defending Jesus Christ and loving Him with a pure heart. What is love – true love – “agape”? The manifestation of this love is that I want to be saved and I also want others to obtain salvation; and then whether I endure pain or suffering or carry a cross in union with Christ or I have to tell the truth which hurts, this all is love.
Reflection on Acts 2:41-42
Post date: 2016-11-06Autor: BCP
“Those who received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship (koinonia), in the breaking of bread (Eucharist), and in prayers.” That was the fruit of the descent of the Holy Spirit and of Peter’s sermon – the Church – living fellowship – was born and started to grow. On the seventh day, Sunday, when we commemorate the Resurrection of Christ and the Descent of the Holy Spirit, we try to find time for prayer, Divine Liturgy and fellowship. Here we can receive again the apostles’ doctrine through the Word of God and also receive encouragement through the examples of saints and martyrs as well as through personal testimonies of faith.
What to do so as not to go to Purgatory?
Post date: 2016-11-04Autor: BCP
We have to be converted, to receive Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. We have to be renewed by the Holy Spirit and to walk in the Holy Spirit. But this is still not enough for escaping Purgatory. So what shall we do? The Word of God says: “He – Jesus – will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Mt 3:11) So this is a very important thing – baptism with fire. Jesus says: “I came to cast fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Lk 12:49) Where shall this fire be kindled? In us. It shall purify us. It is a fire of zeal, of pure love for Jesus. A fire that shall burn all manifestations of our pride, self-love, envy, self-pity, criticism, rebellion, impurity, various dependences – on people, things or plans.
Let us do works worthy of eternity
Post date: 2016-11-01Autor: BCP
Before you stand before the judgment seat of God, do your best so as not to stand there with empty hands. We will be judged not only for doing evil. We are obliged to do good – to do works worthy of eternity. We will be judged for what we were obliged to do and did not do. Every good word, every encouragement, every step of faith, every suffering which we accept and bear, every mockery and every persecution for the sake of Christ is of great worth. So let us live by faith. Certainly, we will not be justified through our good works only but we are justified through the righteousness of Christ.
After the promise comes the test and only then the blessing (video)
Post date: 2016-10-29Autor: BCP
After the promise comes the test and only then the blessing. + Elijah Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate
Reflection on Acts 2:38-39
Post date: 2016-10-22Autor: BCP
In his sermon, Peter spoke about Jesus, His death and resurrection. In the end, he said painful words: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!” On hearing those words of accusation – whom you crucified – the pilgrims could take offence. They came to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Pentecost; many of them had not been there on the feast of Passover. They could not influence the Jewish council of elders headed by Annas and Caiaphas who exploited Pilate and forced him into committing a crime of justice – the killing of the innocent Christ. However, they neither took offence nor clenched their fists nor shouted fanatically like the hateful crowd on the feast of Passover a few weeks ago. They asked penitently: “What shall we do?” Do I ask myself the same question? What should I do for the sake of my salvation and the salvation of my household and my nation? Peter said to them that they should repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.