Apr 10, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Stanislaus, Bishop, Martyr
Thursday of the 2nd week of Eastertide
Gospel – John 3:31-36
“though all who do accept his testimony are attesting the truthfulness of God, since he whom God has sent speaks God’s own words”. God sent the Word of God. In Jesus Christ we can find the truthfulness of God. The truthfulness of God is that Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything to him. So, in the Son we can find the eternal life. But if we refuse to believe in the Son, we will not have the possibility of having His life. The Truthfulness of God which is manifested in Jesus Christ becomes a reality in us with our faith in Jesus Christ. In order to be born from heaven we have to accept the one who descended from heaven. So, we participate in the life of Jesus Christ through our faith. And when we participate truly we will understand the love of God the Father for us. Let’s reflect: Easter is understanding the truthfulness of God manifested in the Son.
Apr 9, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of the 2nd week of Eastertide
Gospel – John 3:16-21
“but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God”. Light came to the world with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There was darkness and doubts before the resurrections of Jesus Christ. Darkness of sin and punishment. Doubts of our relationship with God. But all these are over with the Risen Christ. “For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved”. God wanted to save us, and He saved us through His only Son. Because “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life”. So, in Risen Christ we see the love of God manifested and the love of God giving us eternal life. He is not for condemnation but for salvation. Our life therefore must not be in darkness but in the light of Jesus Christ. Our life and actions must be in the light of His love for us. Let’s reflect: Easter is starting to live our life in the light of God’s love for us.
Apr 9, 2024 | NEWS
On Monday, April 8, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, the 33 DEDICATION retreat began in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Katowice. This is a unique retreat because it is a spiritual preparation for the 100th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Katowice. The metropolitan, Archbishop Adrian Galbas SAC, invited the faithful to participate in this spiritual journey, emphasizing that the retreat reflections were based on the texts of outstanding figures of the Silesian Church: Father Franciszek Blachnicki, Cardinal August Hlond and Blessed Father Franciszek Macha and Sister Dulcissima.
I am very pleased that this retreat is also under the patronage of our Servant of God, Sister Dulcissima. Reflections for each day of the retreat have been prepared in a beautiful manual, which includes texts by saints and candidates for the altars. On the title page we see Our Lady of Piekarska smiling, but also our sister Dulcissima.
You can experience these retreats in the form of audio, video and by visiting the You Tube channel: Apostolate 33, where specific reflections have been prepared for each day. These holy days are addressed to parish communities or groups of believers established at the parish, but also to individual participants – noted Archbishop Adrian Galbas.
The inauguration of this retreat began on April 8 with a holy mass in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Katowice, led by the archbishop.
During the homily, Archbishop Adrian emphasized that the goods that participants receive during these holy days are countless. “Thanks to this retreat, there is sincere devotion to Mary and sincere devotion to Mary,” the metropolitan said.
In our Brzeski community, we have started the 33-dedication retreat,
that is why, together with the superior, Sister Joanna, we were in the Katowice cathedral for the Eucharist inaugurating this holy time.
Our joy was great when at Holy Mass we also met our sisters from the community in Katowice: Superior Sr. Agnieszka and Sr. Zuzanna.
I will also add that the 33 DADICATION retreat also took the form: 33 EDICATION with priests from the Silesian region and was proposed by the Polish Episcopal Conference as a valued format of 33 days of retreat preparing for the act of devotion to the Mother of God. Sister Dulcissima Hoffmann also accompanies us here.
I am convinced that Sister Dulcissima’s presence at this holy time will bring spiritual fruits to all participants.
The author of the retreat reflections proposes:
Do like Sister Dulcissima, who, following the example of Mary, kept these matters in her heart and pondered them.
A shooting act from Sister Dulcissima for every day:
Jesus, fill me with the childlike love you had for Mary.
s.Małgorzata Cur
Apr 8, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of the 2nd week of Eastertide
Gospel – John 3:7-15
“If you do not believe me when I speak about things in this world, how are you going to believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things?” In this very interesting conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus we can find the tension between the revelation and the faith. Faith is not something static. Faith is dynamic especially when it regards to the revelation. Faith must adapt itself to the revelation. And not that faith block itself before revelation. Nicodemus is a very sincere man. He is searching for truth. He is even expressing his ignorance without fear. And through his sincere questions, we come to know very profound answers to some existential questions of our life. What we need a new life, and this new life is given by the Son of Man who is in heaven. We have His life. We live with His life. And this Son of Man is like serpent raised in the desert. Moses raised it according to the will of God and everyone looked at was save. In the New Testament, God the Father raised Jesus Christ and in Him we are all saved. His life is shared among us. We receive His life and our lives are new. Let’s reflect: Easter is understanding that we live with the life of Jesus Christ given to us in Baptism.
Apr 7, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
The Annunciation of the Lord – Solemnity
Gospel – Luke 1:26-3
“But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?” The Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord is in a different date this year. Since the original date is on the Holy Week, it’s moved to the first day after the Easter Week because the Feast must be celebrated in the right spirit. The Feast of Annunciation is the day when the heaven and earth united in the consent of the Virgin in Nazareth. Mary united heaven and earth. In her, the divinity and humanity become one. The distinction is eliminated. Mary heard the words of Angel Gabriel. When the angel Gabriel gave the news, the Virgen in Nazareth did not immediately say “yes”. Mary wanted to know her role in this plan of God. Then angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God”. Mary wanted to be part of the plan of God. She understood the plan of God. She said, “let what you have said be done to me”. Because Mary with her freedom and with her will, accepted to be part of the Will of God. Let’s reflect: Annunciation invites us to be part of God’s plan for humanity.
