Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel 5 December 2018
"I have compassion for the crowd,” Matthew 15, 29
Our Lord Jesus Christ feels sorry for the people ! During the first days of Advent on 3 December , we visited with Csák János and V. Simon László one of the best known prisons in Budapest , the so called “ transit prison” establishment ! I spoke to simple folks with plain words , I told them that we are all waiting for Advent , and I believe that no matter how long their time of Advent is sooner or later Christmas will come and that they should not give up hope, because it is certain that for them as well the long awaited day will come when they’ll be free !
In Hungary close on 20,000 people are imprisoned , the angel will come to the prison as well this year !! I was looking at the people and even though I knew that some of them committed terrible crimes my heart was filled by genuine sorrow ! Apart from the sorrow all along and even now the gnawing anger is there as well ! Yes I am angry with myself , the Church, the education system , because we were unable to tell the people clearly, nicely , intelligibly the ten commandments written by God on the stone slab! If we could have taught these commandments , if we could have carved into their hearts our God’s guidelines to happiness then I doubt it if today we would be building prisons , instead they could be transformed into museums !
These people should sue all tolerant, accepting ,liberal education systems who are accomplices , and even their own parents as well, for the fact that they have to be languishing in prison now for 10-20-40 years in an area between 3-4 square meters ! I would bring every parent , teacher, actors who stand on a stage, politicians forming public opinions and naturally priests as well for a quiet time in Advent, and I would lock them at least for a day in one of the cells here , where if they stretch their arms out they can easily touch both parallel walls easily ! Yes every single person who wants to address children , adults , should humbly move in at least for a day or so into such a prison , so that they can suddenly realise the weight of their own words , responsibilities, deeds/ actions.
We teach the rules of physics, chemistry , mathematics, spelling to our children ! Why don’t we explain nicely , clearly to the generation growing up God’s ten commandments ?! I believe that God’s precious showing the way should be included as a subject for matriculation , in the light of which we could live our earthly lives in power, health , peace.!
In the rules of the road they introduced seatbelts , and for children , babies special seats and even though at first people were angry , rebelling , but by now it was proven that just because of these two rules much fewer loose their lives , become disabled on the roads! The commandments, the control of freedom , are the wings of true freedom !! I believe that not only the prisons would become emptier if we paid seriously more attention to the laws guiding our lives , but even the child protection establishments, the hospitals , the divorce courts, but even the pharmacies selling sedatives could all reduce the number of their employees .
As a good preparation for Advent learn by heart God’s precious ten commandments , in the meantime at least on the internet pay a visit to a prison !
Praying for freedom,
Father Csaba
translated by dr k.e.
Photo : An Advent meeting in a prison.
After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way." The disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?" Jesus asked them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.
Matthew 15:29-37
Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel 5 December 2018