Daily gospel

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel Monday 7 May 2018

"an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. “John 15,3

Even from the distance of 2000 years one reads with dismay Jesus’ words. It is hard to understand how can the evil spirit be  in possession of such power ? How is it capable to mix up the good with evil in so many peoples' heads ? Having been in Iraq,  Syria I saw that murder , wars in many people’s mind are the only plausible way , and the people fighting against each other , that they can only love their country , people in reality if they exterminate the others without mercy , and even destroy their last remains from this Earth. Unfortunately one does not have to travel to the Middle East because even here in the Carpathian basin often in our immediate vicinity  the murderous disease is raging. Everyday people, with good intentions forgetting about themselves , each other often for a mere trifling thing start to criticise , condemn , hate each other . Having visited prisons I have often met  with murderers , having heard the confession of many . Most of them after the event cannot comprehend themselves what could have clouded their minds to such an extent as to assault others’ lives. Sitting in St Peter Square in Rome I was observing the loud, nice Italian students and I was thinking what could have caused in the battle for Doberdó the Austro-Hungarian and the Italian states , in the area of Slovenia to massacre over a few years more than one and half million soldiers . Two Catholic countries , on both sides army bishops , chaplains asking for God’s blessing on the weapons sending the people to a hero ’s death. I don’t think that my , our duty is to condemn people infected by the virus of pestilence , leprosy , the Spanish flu , but to protect ourselves, our loved ones from this murderous disease. The same way I believe that we do not have to condemn a person sunk in the hell of hatred , but with mercy and love heal our brethren , and to everything , that this infectious disease does not take hold of us, our society. Jesus Christ’s warning is for all of us :” Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Peter1, 5-8 Unfortunately the evil spirit is powerful enough  to infect either me or you as well ,our whole society , the man of the twenty first century rightly proud of his achievements . "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, “ St Paul Philippians 2, 12-30- says Jesus Christ . We have to watch ourselves with criticism , and do not let into our minds the burning “amber” of anger,  hatred , the unforgiving temper that should be extinguished immediately ! I am not saying that we should not stand by the truth “mollycoddled" , but lets not get deterred from the way of Jesus. Our Master always stood by the truth. In His mouth yes was yes, no was no, and even accepted the death on the cross for  the truth for which  the Heavenly Father sent Him into this world. On the one hand Jesus forbid violence to Saint Peter who drew out his sword , on the other hand He encourages all of us to active love in line with the truth. Lets learn from the doctors , who calmly without loosing their temper , weighing up the pros and cons calmly undertake the surgery in the interest of the patient . We are also facing the tensions born out of injustice , lets weigh up the situation wisely following the example of the doctors serving life , with a cool head lets make that decision that will serve the interest of all of us. During my duty among families in trouble  : I experienced that just like in mathematics , in life also there are the good solutions . There are answers to all ills that can be beneficial for all . For us in our own microcosmos , in the lives of our brethren around us , but in lives of the big families of mankind we also have to look for and find these “good solutions”.

With love,

Father Csaba

translated by dr k.e.

Jesus said to the disciples, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you."

John 15:26-16:4a