Daily gospel

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel….

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross…… Thursday 14 September 2017 .

"We adore You, O Christ , and we praise You because by Your Holy Cross You have  redeemed the World” 

It is certain that accepting of carrying the cross out of sheer obedience is the most beautiful declaration of love ! If somebody is willing to take on the cross upon the request of someone else this is the most beautiful testimony of his unconditional devotion !! Unfortunately we only love until it suits us , once love becomes painful we very easily turn our back on each other , even though the mystery of love only ripens in the mystery of the cross, that is when it becomes the source of life ! Paul is explaining that “Christ became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. “ Letter to the Phillipians 2,8

Can our  love of Christ endure some humiliation, setbacks , pain? Or does the first sign of trouble, inconvenience that we experience on the way we embarked upon out of our love for Christ discourage us and we start complaining ?? Is there room in our love for our husband or wife to accomodate some inconvenience, our companion's clumsiness, stumbling? Is the fabric of the love between us strong enough either to carry the cross as well , can it withstand our weaknesses, inaptness arising from our insignificance ??

Lets remember that real love starts where pain appears, because until then we did not love , we only had a good time!32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 32-36

Photo : showing the secluded  chapel named after Saint John the Baptist , near Sóvárad.

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

"No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish

but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him. 

John 3, 13-17