Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel Monday 16 April 2018….
I admire God’s humility , I admire that from that infinite height He is capable of coming among us , with goodness , patience to teach us . One is not sullied by what comes from the outside by what springs from within us . The pompous arrogance, selfishness, indolence, fornication, gluttony and every other sin springs from our hearts. A man, a family , even a triumphant party can be slandered, dragged through the mud but to defile ,break up a man , a community can only be done from the inside . It does not matter if somebody is right , but if they are conceited, arrogant , greedy they are no longer right , they no longer can count on the recognition ,respect due to the just ones. It would have been very strange if on the dawn of Easter Jesus would have appeared with a avenging grin to Pilate or Herod and wallowing in triumph He would have humiliated these unfortunate sinners. Jesus’ greatness is that He triumphs by not conquering anybody , He even opens wide the door of eternal life for conversion , starting anew .Jesus Christ did not conquer either Herod, or Pilate , but not even the Jews shouting “crucify Him” , but the spirit of anger, hate, despair, hopelessness , vengeance , the evil one wanting to triumph in all of us . Even in the extreme circumstances of Holy Thursday, Good Friday Jesus persevered , remained on the road of merciful love .
If He would not have done this , then even though He would have risen from the dead triumphantly, arrogantly conquering His enemies I would not have become a Catholic priest, a friar , raising high the cross of Christ .
Let us pray that in the smaller, or bigger battles of our lives but even in elections determining the future , the parties should not be wanting to conquer each other , but embarking on the way of love , joining forces trying to build the world further . What have you got that you did not get ? And if God gave you the victory why would you be arrogant, conceited , self-important ? God’s mercy could have decided and tomorrow may decide differently as well. By repentance lets do everything to conquer the evil within us , that God’s beautiful creation, may not be destroyed by the murderous sin wanting to surface from within us .
With great, great humility ,
Father Csaba
translated by dr k.e.
Picture: may the light of your candle, your triumph light up my face as well !
The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the lake saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, 'Rabbi, when did you come here?' Jesus answered them, 'Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.' Then they said to him, 'What must we do to perform the works of God?' Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.'
John 6:22-29
Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel Monday 16 April 2018….