We are at St. Joseph’s in Kalisz, every year we make a pilgrimage here. We remember before Him about the affairs of the Church, the congregation about the affairs of each of us.
Sisters “give your spiritual life to St. Joseph, He is an unfailing guide.” encourages us the Custos of the National Shrine in Kalisz.
He has great favor in heaven, He is the Father who protects those who flee to Him.
Greetings from Kalisz.
s. M. Małgorzata Cur
Wednesday of the 3rd week of Lent
First reading – Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9
In this passage we can see two important elements. What is the purpose of the all the laws and customs? It’s very clear. Now, Israel, take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them, that you may have life and may enter and take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you. To have life and to possess the land God had promised. Again, it is said; Keep them, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom and understanding. This is live with wisdom and understanding. So ultimately the purpose of the laws and customs are to have life, to possess the promised land, to live with wisdom and understanding. In other words, the laws and customs are for our integral development. To find light and to live in light. The second element in this reading: about what we should be proud about in our life? And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? If we want to be proud about something, it should be about the closeness of God with us. God is close to us in the Eucharist, in other sacraments and in the Word of God. This is what makes us happy in our life. The closeness of God despite our sinfulness. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to find the beauty of the laws of God and His closeness.
Tuesday of the 3rd week of Lent
First reading – Daniel 3:25,34-43
“Azariah stood in the heart of the fire, and he began to pray”. This is beautiful. Standing in the midst of the fire and praying. Standing in the midst of our problems which could consume us, which could destroy us, which could finish us, and pray. Here prayer is not something out of the mouth but out of the heart. Here prayer is a reviving of a relationship. Here prayer is a reliving of a relationship. A relationship of trust. A relationship of confidence. A relationship of understanding oneself and of understanding of God. “Grant us deliverance worthy of your wonderful deeds, let your name win glory, Lord”. These words explain it. Deliverance is requested based on what. A deliverance worthy of the wonderful deeds of the Lord. And the motive of the deliverance is the glory of the Lord. So, the relationship with the Lord is a relationship where the Lord is the center. His wonderful deeds are the basis of this relationship, and His glory is the objective of this relationship. That is why Azariah can say this prayer in the midst of the fire. When the wonderful deeds of the Lord become the basis of our relationship with God, when His Glory is the objective of our relationship, we could also pray standing in the middle of our difficulties. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to assure that the wonderous deeds of the Lord are the basis of our prayer and His glory is our objective.
Monday of the 3rd week of Lent
First reading – 2 Kings 5:1-15
This is reading which calls our attention to the Plan of God which is revealed to us through the simplest people around. This is the story where the Lord guides the history through the servants and not through the kings. A servant girl from Israel reveals the possibility of the healing for Naaman. The Naaman and his wife followed the word of that servant girl. And Naaman went to Israel. Then when the Prophet Elisha said to go and take bath in the Jordan, Naaman became angry. But again, we read, “But his servants approached him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had asked you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? All the more reason, then, when he says to you, “Bathe, and you will become clean.”’ So, he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. Naaman listening to the words of his servants. The Plan of God is revealed through the simple and humble circumstances in our life. The big signs are easy to read but small signs are difficult to recognize. But small signs are equally important and so necessary to be open and sensible to the small signs in our life. Let’s reflect: Lent is a time to train ourselves to see and recognize the humble circumstances through which God speaks to us.
3rd Sunday of Lent
First reading – Exodus 17:3-7
“Is the Lord with us, or not?”. This is the question we face in every crisis of our life. Even now with all the natural disasters, epidemic and wars around us, we sometimes are prompted to ask this question. People complaining against Moses. Moses feeling threatened by the people. Moses appealing to the Lord. Complaints, threats and appeals. The realities of our daily life too. The Lord answers: “Take with you some of the elders of Israel and move on to the forefront of the people; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the river and go. I shall be standing before you there on the rock, at Horeb. You must strike the rock, and water will flow from it for the people to drink.” Walking the elders to the forefront, taking the staff, encountering the Lord who stand before the rock, striking the rock. This is what we must do to strengthen ourselves in faith. Walking with the saints of the Church, not following the crowd but going to the forefront, receiving the sacraments, meeting the Lord in the Word of God, and making the difference in life. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to strengthen ourselves in faith by making a difference in life.
