Through Mary To Jesus

"Through Mary to Jesus". This is a motto of the Sisters of the Congregation of Little Servants of Mary Immaculate (In Polish - Służebniczki Starowiejskie) which I am so familiar since the beginning of my priestly formation in Major Seminary in Kraków. The vicinity of our family apartment to the provincial house of the Sisters in Kraków-Grzegórzki made me a frequent visitor in their chapel.

Today, on the Solemnity of Holy Mary, Mother of God, I felt it was crucial to make my personal pilgrimage together with my Little Servants from Kiabakari to Cloistered Carmelite Sisters Monastery in Bunda to say Mass in honor of Our Lady at the beginning of the New Year in the initial stages of the Jubilee Year of Mercy and to commit myself to her maternal guidance and intercession in the School of Love of Jesus where She is a Head Teacher. May She lead us, may She lead me to Jesus, the King of Mercy and teach me how to listen to Him, how to follow Him, how to love Him, how to become a vessel and a tool of His Mercy.

I felt I need to empty myself completely on the Holy Mountain of Carmel in the presence of God to be filled anew with only this what is needed to become a true Missionary of Mercy in this Jubilee Year and beyond.

I came back home with my Sisters and finalize the pilgrimage passing through the Door of Mercy in Kiabakari Shrine.

"Through Mary to Jesus". This is the only proper and shortest way to learn and love Jesus and to acquire a comprehensive grasp of what really matters in our lives.

Full of Divine Mercy New Year, all my friends!

Quiet Reflections Over Sunday Morning Coffee

Waking up to the last day in the homeland before starting my long journey back to Kiabakari which will lead me initially to South America for the third World Apostolic Congress on Mercy. I will attend the Congress in the capacity of the national coordinator of Divine Mercy in Tanzania. I feel deeply honored and privileged as this will be my third time to participate in such a global event (the first was the Congress in Lateran Basilica in Rome, the second in the Divine Mercy Shrine in Kraków-Łagiewniki). 

But - first things first. 

Today is the last full day in Poland. The Mission Awareness Sunday in one of the Kraków's parishes. As I pray silently to gather my inner strength and resolve targeting them towards today's goals, the morning coffee brews across the room. In a few minutes I will be ready to cross the city from Grzegórzki to Biały Prądnik to begin my service to the Word of God. 

The so familiar scent of a freshly brewed coffee reminds me so many meeting and quiet chats over a cup of coffee with so many good friends throughout the past three months in Europe. So much to be grateful for to God and to His people. So many recollections, so many good experiences, so many challenges faced off boldly, so many things that happened shaping in a way the months to come.

I ask humbly for your kind prayers that the Word of God I will sow today with the power of the Holy Spirit yields abundant fruit in the Holy Church. I wish you all a blessed Lord's Day! 

Time to go.

Dunes

I had no time to reflect upon the last Sunday's Gospel. As it touched me deeply, I wanted to share with you a few thoughts on this. Since I am homebound and sick with flu, this is an opportune time to fulfill my desire...

The Seed

When we communicate with God, we tend to ask Him for prefabricated goods, final products, toys that do not demand much input or effort on our part, but bring us instant pleasure and gratification. Unfortunately, God has only one thing to offer. The seed...

Orphans

Two keywords of this Sunday Liturgy of the Word - "The Spirit of Truth" and "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you"."The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live." (from today's Gospel of Jn 14:15-21)

Restorer Of Ruined Homesteads

Looking at pictures taken at the beginning of the re-construction of sisters' covent and these taken today as we close in on the day of the completion of this project, I officially declare myself 'A Restorer of Ruined Homesteads' as today's first reading of the Saturday after Ash Wednesday puts it: < they shall call you, “Restorer of ruined homesteads.” > (Is 58)

The Four Living Creatures

Following patiently my hosts here in Princeton, NJ as they visit various malls and shopping establishments, I came across a strange setting in one of those shopping centers. My imagination sent me back to the Living Word of God in the Holy Scriptures, as I visualize what popped up in my mind looking at this...

Taken Away

"Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away." (Lk 8:17-18)

This are the final words of today's Gospel. Take care, then, how you hear... HOW YOU HEAR... This expression has taken me strongly this morning during the Mass at Sisters' place, as I always celebrate there, while being at home...