Two Springs

Me at Lourdes, August 2011

Some people are distrustful or even disrespectful toward Mary, thinking that she –  in some mysterious way – competes with her Son.

What they overlook, though, is that God, the Holy Spirit, reached man through both Christ and Mary.

In fact you can't have One without the Other; this point can be well-proven in connection to the following fact that may provide both disabled and able-bodied visitors to Lourdes with strong confidence:

The Immaculata showed us all the famous French healing spring only because God had shown to her an inexhaustible Spring of all Graces, the most merciful Child Jesus, before!
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Tomasz, Racibórz +

P.S. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us all!

Two Presentations

The feast of the Presentation of the Lord, briefly referred to on this blog before, is, undoubtedly, one of the most important Christian feasts.

It is so, because of both its universality and multifaceted character; namely, it points to the following fact that just cannot be overlooked:

Each and every baptized person, who has once been presented in the temple, now – through the grace of Jesus and intercession of His loving Mother – can (and indeed should) become the best present for God.  

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 Tomasz, Racibórz +

P.S. Please pray for me.

Who Lent is Really for?

Lent, whether one like it or not, is a penitential period; the main point, though, is ''what, or rather Who, it is for''.

Yes, in my opinion Lenten time is not so much for mere penance, being rather the time for Jesus.

It is so for each and every of our penitential act gives us all a great opportunity to provide Christ with more place in our hearts.

He enters them many times, for he's entered Jerusalem before, but is willing to stay inside only when people are happy with His presence even after Palm Sunday.... longing for the one more than for what the world may offer.
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 Tomasz, Racibórz +

P.S. Have a blessed Holy Week and please pray for me.

One Baptism - Many Hopes

Today, while at the Holy Masses, most of us, adults, renew own baptismal promises, renouncing -- at the same time -- personal attachment to sins. In the last fact, in my opinion, lays the great significance and beauty of the Solemn Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

It is so for the baptismal renewal and joy are not reserved for the babies; they can  be with us all every single day, if only we trust that Jesus is stronger than anyone else and, subsequently, are willing to choose His Spirit over the worldly one.      

Even if you would fail once, twice or seventy-seven times, though, it is important for you to remember that Jesus instituted the baptismal practice not only for Himself and the ones who are to be baptized in the future, but also for these baptized people who still falsely believe that, because of some trespasses from the past, ''rivers of their lives'' have to remain unclean.

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Tomasz, Racibórz +

Son, Mother and Their Home

And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), and to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.  

Luke 2:22-24

On the third Sunday of Advent, let's ponder upon the role of Mary, who – as always – teaches each & every Christian of some good approaches to take toward her Son.

The statement, heard so much today,  "Jesus is important, not the church", may, sadly, be reduced to ''Jesus will do everything for me, while I need not to do anything..."

Had the words been approved by Christ, though, He would not chosen Mary as His Mother.

She, being a devout Jewish woman, tells us on each occasion ''I will do everything for Jesus, and – while our relation is of the most importance – will strengthen the bond between us, being present at the temple for my Son as often as possible*.
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Tomasz, Racibórz +

*Presentation in the temple & looking for Jesus in the temple, can both serve as great examples of the admirable attitude of the Blessed Virgin Mary toward Our Lord.

Prayer to Our Lady, Health of the Sick (ENG-PL)

Prayer to Our Lady, Health of the Sick

Virgin, most holy, Mother of the Word Incarnate, Treasurer of graces, and Refuge of sinners, I fly top your motherly affection with lively faith, and I beg of you the grace ever to do the will of God.

Into your most holy hands I commit the keeping of my heart, asking you for health of soul and body, in the certain hope that you, my most loving Mother, will hear my prayer.

Into the bosom of your tender mercy, this day, every day of my life, and at the hour of my death, I commend my soul and body.

To you I entrust all my hopes and consolations, all my trials and miseries, my life and the end of my life, that all my actions may be ordered and disposed according to your will and that of your Divine Son. Amen.

 ***

Modlitwa do Maryi, Uzdrowienia Chorych

Najświętsza Dziewico, Matko Wcielonego Słowa, Skarbniczko Łask oraz Ucieczko Grzeszników, uciekam się do Ciebie z żywą wiarą, licząc na matczyną troskę i błagając o łaskę nieustannego czynienia Woli Bożej.

W Twoje przenajświętsze dłonie oddaję moje serce, prosząc o zdrowie duszy i ciała, wierząc – aż do granic pewności – iż wysłuchasz mojej modlitwy. 

Na Twej piersi, w której skrywasz strumień łagodności i współczucia, od dziś, już na zawsze, także w godzinie mej śmierci, pragnę złożyć me ciało i duszę. 

Tobie powierzam wszelkie me nadzieje, pocieszenia, próby i cierpienia, następujące u zarania i na końcu życia, aby było ono poddane i rozporządzane według pragnień Twoich i Bożego Syna. Amen.

TRANSLATED BY:
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Tomasz, Racibórz +

Complete Sacrifice - Complete Assurance

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 12:46-50


The above-mentioned fragment is not, as some may think, the best proof that Mary is no-one special either to Jesus or to us. On the contrary, this excerpt fits perfectly to the one wherein Jesus says “Behold, your mother(...) behold, your son.”

God cannot contradict himself, and thus the two pieces of the Holy Gospel, being complementary to each other, only affirm to the fact that Mary is not for Jesus who gave us everything he had – His Mother included.

But why he has done this? First of all, as I think, to make His sacrifice complete; secondly, to provide the promised Holy Ghost, our Paraclete and Inspirer with the concrete voice.

Today each and every rosary enthusiast may listen to her words - “do whatever He tells you, just do His Will” - knowing that the ones are inspired by the Holy Spirit that dwells in her.  
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Tomasz, Racibórz +