Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel ….." But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 24,13
Wednesday 26 December 2018 Saint Stephen the First Martyr.
The Church does not want to mislead us , does not want us to become indifferent, lazy in the warm and fuzzy festive mood !! Well, well the lights have not even burnt out on the Christmas tree , and already the candle lit as a memorial for the martyr Saint Stephen on the altar ! Yesterday the priest celebrated mass in white and gold vestment , reflecting on Christ's birth, in peace , giving one another presents, today he goes in blood-red vestment to the altar and speaks that the evil one is not asleep , but as it is written in the Holy Gospel : “ Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5,8
This world is not the Kingdom of Heaven , the goal is far away , we are God’s roaming people , and carefully, persevering we are on a pilgrimage on that narrow and steep road , that Christ showed us !! We have to struggle for our existence , we can also gain our eternal life walking on the way of love , accepting and carrying burdens !! For a Christian the earthly existence , is not a peaceful idleness , but a hard endeavour , the time of the conscious building of the Kingdom of God .It would be worthwhile to carve in stone the words of the great bishop Márton Áron and hang it on the walls of our homes !
“ ….Chritianity is the eternal dissatisfaction with what is and the way it is . Worry , to make the world better, a heroic effort , that with an all-embracing effort from this world to seize , comprehend heaven, with the strength of an expanded spirit to pull the materialistic world closer to heaven….” (Márton Áron)
With love,
Father Csaba
translated by dr k.e.
Photo : The pine-tree , lives, grows in frozen ground , snow , with its presence praising its Creator .
The Word of God
Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Matthew 10:17-22
Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel ….." But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 24,13