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Reflection on Mt 5:21-22
Post date: 2015-11-07Autor: BCP
Anger is a manifestation of hatred, which is the contrary of love. It can be of different degrees and can be heightened to deep aversion or bitter hostility, be it in the political or, and above all, religious sphere. The wicked hate the righteous (Psa 34:22) often without a cause (Psa 35:19). Hatred towards a brother and neighbour is forbidden in the Scripture (Lev 19:17; Deu 19:11). The world hates Jesus and His disciples (Jn 15:18; Lk 19:14). Hatred is understood here as demonic power (1Jn 2:9) dominating the world.
Sin causes suffering to those who sin as well as to those around them
Post date: 2015-11-06Autor: BCP
Every sin causes suffering to the person sinning as well as to the people around him. Even a secret sin causes harm and has an impact on others. Ultimately, all things will be brought to light. We have the law of God which God has given us. He wants us to live according to it and to respect it. He will then bestow His blessing and peace on us.
Reflection on Mt 5:20
Post date: 2015-10-24Autor: BCP
Jesus speaks about two kinds of righteousness. About the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, and about the righteousness by faith. Unless our righteousness is by faith, we shall not enter the kingdom of God.What does the righteousness of God consist in which allows us to enter the kingdom of God? Jesus Christ, true God, became man and bore the just punishment on the cross for sin, i.e. death. He who believes in Christ, that means, receives salvation by His death, will be saved – will enter the kingdom of God – will attain heaven. Jesus endured punishment on my behalf and He gives me eternal life freely – I only need to receive it, to believe in the love of God, and that is the saving faith. This righteousness of God exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.
No one can serve two masters
Post date: 2015-10-19Autor: BCP
Jesus says that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve both the devil and God. Each of you should ask yourself: Whom do I serve? Who is my master? God, Jesus Christ, or sin or false philosophy which I favour because I can thus be in the darkness of sin? Today, you must make a radical choice and say a definite “yes” to God and a definite “no” to the devil.
Reflection on Mt 5:11-12
Post date: 2015-10-10Autor: BCP
The words of the eighth Beatitude are clear and concrete for everyone who follows Jesus sincerely. Jesus speaks about persecution and also emphasizes the reward, which is the kingdom of heaven. Each of you could talk about suffering and persecution which you endure because you desire to follow Jesus in earnest and because you have at heart the salvation of your soul and the souls of your close relatives as well as spiritual resurrection of the whole nation. You gladly suffer insults and all evil owing to your faithfulness to Jesus and His Gospel!
Reflection on Jn 21:17
Post date: 2015-09-26Autor: BCP
Every normal person knows that the situation that has arisen is not about mercy towards refugees but rather about cleverly planned Islamization of the Czech nation. Natural and justified fear has matured into repeated demonstrations. What are the servants of the Church doing at this decisive moment? They are doing the same as some traitorous politicians: they are digging a grave for the Czechs. Today, the Catholic hierarchy becomes an instrument of self-destruction of Christianity and the opium of the Czech people! They are in unity of spirit with the globalization elite and faithfully serve them. Therefore, they must repent!
ONE HOUR WITH JESUS (CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER)
Post date: 2015-09-18Autor: BCP
“Could you not watch with Me one hour (daily)? Watch and pray.” (Mt 26:40f) Jesus is calling, calling with all His heart! And still, no one has lifted up his voice so often and so many times in vain as Jesus Christ. No call has been so little understood – and this has been even by those who knew Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. Here we come across the greatest contradiction, namely that people though calling Jesus their Lord do not follow Him. How to understand this? The way of following Jesus may be opened only with one key, with the key of pure love. There is no other key. Therefore the Lord also says that by keeping the First Commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart”, one is given the key to all righteous deeds. The way of following our Lord and perseverance is not possible without love which can be best realized in a contemplative prayer. At least one hour (daily) with Jesus (cf. Mt 26:40).
Holy hour
Post date: 2015-09-17Autor: BCP
Almost every Christian family needs spiritual rebirth which is not possible without family prayer. It is time when we can learn in practice to give our life problems to God. For the beginning, it is enough if at least two members of the family begin to pray together every evening, best from 8 to 9 p.m. – this is the so-called holy hour. At this hour, all members of the family turn off the TV, computer, the internet, and pray to God together. The beginnings are the hardest. However, if you overcome the obstacles and develop this holy habit, it will become the source of blessing and strengthen your relationship both to God and to your family. The family will begin to function properly like a healthy organism. It will be formed by the Word of God, by the wisdom of God rather than by the programme of the world which implants lies and amorality in people.
Prayer guards (continual prayer)
Post date: 2015-09-17Autor: BCP
The Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate encourages Christians to turn to God in continual prayer. He will give you the wisdom and strength in the fight against demonic forces of darkness. Through your faith He will save your nation. Therefore, set prayer guards. Let all pray daily from 8 to 9 p.m. (holy hour) throughout the year. 23 people divide the remaining 23 hours of the day among themselves – this is one prayer guard praying for one week. There are three other prayer guards which pray during the next three weeks – each guard prays for one week. This rhythm is repeated all the year round.
Reflection on Jn 19:28-29
Post date: 2015-09-12Autor: BCP
Jesus feels physical thirst caused by the loss of blood during the scourging and crucifixion. However, He also experiences spiritual thirst. He thirsts for the accomplishment of the work of redemption and love: “God so loved the world (you) that He gave His only begotten Son…” Jesus fervently desires to finish the work of salvation. But He also thirsts in you – He thirsts for your love, He desires you to be spiritually transformed, to be in spiritual union with Him. This is the way of following and the way of the cross. It requires daily self-denial in small matters.
Reflection on Jn 19:26-27
Post date: 2015-09-11Autor: BCP
Jesus wants us too to be disciples standing by the cross and united by love to Jesus crucified. A disciple forsakes everything for the sake of Christ, even his fear of death, because he knows that Jesus conquered death. In reward for faithfulness in the following of Christ, which is a demonstration of practical love, Jesus gives eternal life.
Lord, let Your fire burn it up!
Post date: 2015-09-05Autor: BCP
Jesus baptizes us with fire too so that this fire will burn up all dirt of moral impurity in us. If there are some impure images in our mind, let the fire burn it up. Our eye, the inner eye, must be clear. Everything must be brought to light. We need to repent time and again. We must call a lie a lie, evil evil, just as it is. This is repentance. God will then work.
You cannot serve God and mammon
Post date: 2015-09-01Autor: BCP
What is mammon? We suppose it to be money but it is not just money. There are a lot of things which can become mammon. Mammon is all that we prefer to God whom we should love with all our heart. In other words, it is all that our heart clings to and we then serve it. We unite to it in our spirit, open ourselves to it and then we are no longer able to serve God. Mammon can be our bondage, as was the case of Mary Magdalene. Jesus delivered her from her bondage, from unclean spirits. She was a slave; her bondage was her mammon. She was unable to serve God. But Jesus delivered her.
God wants to open our eyes
Post date: 2015-08-27Autor: BCP
The most important thing in our life is to walk in the truth, i.e. to be humble. The devil is a very, very intelligent spirit. If we try to fight against the spirit of lies with logic, he deceives us. However, if we really want the Holy Spirit to lead us and to work through us, we need to stop: “Lord, I see, feel or understand it in this way but now I stand in Your light.” Jesus says: “I am the light of the world.” So if we stand in the light of God, Jesus opens our eyes as He opened the eyes of Mary Magdalene after His resurrection. She did not know Him; she supposed Him to be the gardener. Only when Jesus called her by name, her eyes were opened and she cried out: “Rabboni!”
Let us serve God
Post date: 2015-08-25Autor: BCP
Let us serve God. Yes, we are weak, but the Apostle Paul says: “When I am weak, then I am strong.” (2Cor 12:10) I keep falling but I must repent. Let us come to God as we are, wretched and miserable. Jesus is waiting for us to give Him our weakness, our sin, because He wants to give us His forgiveness and peace.
Love for Christ
Post date: 2015-08-20Autor: BCP
What is love? It is no sentimentality. Love for Christ means to keep His commandments. It means to have a personal relationship with Christ, i.e. to be personally aware of the following truths: “You died for me. You love me. You suffered for me, You carried a cross, fell down, humbled among criminals and murderers as if You were one of them. Finally, You were crucified at Calvary. I am ready, too, to suffer or even to lay down my life for Your sake.
Do not worry about your life
Post date: 2015-08-17Autor: BCP
Jesus tells us to put all our trust in God. He tells us to look at birds and lilies to see how God cares for them. We cannot make one hair white or black by our endeavour. We cannot add a single day, hour or second to our life by worrying or keeping our nose to the grindstone. In other words, let us rely on God, let us be mindful of eternal life. Our life is in God’s hands.
Reflection on Jn 17:26
Post date: 2015-08-15Autor: BCP
Jesus says that He revealed to the disciples, and to no one else, the mystery of the name of God the Father, which is also the name of Jesus. The Father loves the Son from eternity. He gave Him His name, and Jesus reveals this name to those who are His. This name is Yehoshua – Lord is salvation – Jesus.
The spirit of the Prophet Elijah
Post date: 2015-08-08Autor: BCP
God’s almighty power is connected with obedience to the Word of God, as we can see it in the case of the prophet Elijah: I have done all these things at Your word. God sent him to the Brook Cherith, so he did go there; when God sent him to Zarephath, he did go to Zarephath; when God told him what to do on Mount Carmel, he said: Let this people know that I have done all these things at Your word! So the essence of the prophetic spirit is the obedience of faith and obedience to the Word of God. God wants us all to be prophets. He wants to speak through every one of us. We should learn, too, the obedience to God’s Word so that we may unite to the almighty power of God in a prayer of faith.