Jan 29, 2023 | NEWS
Such a greeting is now often heard in Ukraine. But even those who were forced to leave their country need a sense of belonging, of mutual support and help.
This is also the case with those who came to Berlin as refugees soon after the war against Ukraine began in the spring of 2022, and who have found refuge, among other places, on the grounds of the Marienkrankenhaus in Berlin-Lankwitz, which is under the sponsorship of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary v.d.U.E.. These are mainly women with their children. They also try to be together and share their pain, but also their joy.
The Orthodox Christmas, for example, was such an occasion. This time our guests wanted to express their gratitude for the help received and not only spent this special day together with the Sisters of Mary, but also prepared a wonderful feast of traditional Ukrainian dishes.
In order for the benefit received to continue to bear fruit, they do not leave it at gratitude, but organize further help to the best of their ability. As they say, it is also a kind of therapy for them.
May peace reign in our hearts and in the world!
Sr. Natanaela
Jan 28, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
First reading – Zephaniah 2:3,3:12-13
70ᵗʰ World Leprosy Day
“In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people, and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord”. In these words of the Prophet, Lord associates Himself with a group of people who are humble and lowly. He identifies Himself with that people. Because they seek refuse in the name of the Lord. They have only Lord as their refuge. They have nothing else other than the Lord. Those who have nothing else other than the Lord, they are special before the Lord. The Lord assumes them as His own. Our challenge is to be part of that group which the Lord assumes as His own. For that what we should do? The prophet answers: “seek integrity, seek humility”. Seeking the integrity is seeking the truth of the love of God. The truth of the love of God is that it’s all encompassing, it’s integral. And to assimilate that love of God, I must seek humility. In order to get the love of God, I must be humble. I must take out my pride so that the love of God can be take the place of my ego. Let’s reflect: Do I belong to those who seek refuge in the name of the Lord or not?
Jan 27, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Doctor
on Saturday of week 3 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19
Faith is depicted as the motor of the life of Abraham and Sarah. Each aspect of their life is guided by faith beginning from their departure from their own country and living in the tents. They believed in the promises because of faith. “All these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that had been promised”. Here we see also an important element of faith. They believed in the promises, and they died without seeing the fulfilment of promises. Moreover, they were even put on test due to faith. “It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac”. We see these two elements of faith: they did not see the fulfilment of the promises and they were tested. So why do you believe? They believed because they identified themselves with the promises of God. Faith is identifying oneself with the plan of God. It is not something we have but it’s something we become. “They lived there in tents while he looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God”. While living in the tents they identified themselves with the city founded, designed and built by God. While having only one son, they identified themselves with descendants as many as the stars of heaven or grains of sand. Abraham offered his son because he saw his son living. So, faith is not having something but leaving everything so that you have only the plan of God, you become the plan of God. Let’s reflect: Is my faith just a confidence or is it me becoming the plan of God?
Jan 26, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 3 in Ordinary Time
or Saint Angela Merici, Virgin
First reading – Hebrews 10:32-39
“For you not only shared in the sufferings of those who were in prison, but you happily accepted being stripped of your belongings, knowing that you owned something that was better and lasting”. This is the key to welcome all challenges and difficulties on our way of following Christ, the light of our life. That is why we read, “Remember all the sufferings that you had to meet after you received the light, in earlier days”. When we start following the light, we meet with challenges and difficulties. Not only inner difficulties but also public difficulties and challenges. “sometimes by being yourselves publicly exposed to insults and violence, and sometimes as associates of others who were treated in the same way”. Then the question is how do you face it? The Letter says that we can do it when we own something that is better and lasting. Owning something, being identified with something. This is not something but that is a person, the person of Jesus Christ. When we feel that we belong to Jesus Christ, we have His love and His love is better and last forever, we can face any difficulties in following Him. We accept the difficulties not ourselves alone, but together with Jesus Christ. And then even we go to a further level. We will try to share the sufferings of others, “not only shared in the sufferings of those were in prison”. The more I feel like being part of Jesus Christ, driven by Jesus Christ, the more happily I face difficulties and I share the difficulties of others. We don’t draw back or drown in it. We keep going with the light to be light for others. Let’s reflect: Do I feel that I belong to Jesus Christ when I face difficulties in my life?
Jan 25, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops
on Thursday of week 3 in Ordinary Time
First reading – 2 Timothy 1:1-8
St. Paul is wishing Timothy, “… grace, mercy and peace…”. Grace to activate our gifts, mercy to absolve our weakness and peace to endure the challenges. Grace is needed not to have a spirit of timidity. Grace is needed to have the Spirit of power, love, and self-control. Mercy is needed not to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord. We are ashamed when we have weaknesses or shortcomings. But there the mercy of God will help. Then peace is needed to bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News. For all this, we must rely on the power of God. For all this St. Paul is praying for Timothy. In prayer, Paul is uniting his wishes to Timothy and his advises to Timothy. Advises must be accompanied by wishes and both be united in prayer. Let’s reflect: how much we unite in our prayers our advices to others with wishes for grace, mercy and peace?
