Tell the world that we perished

Go, passer-by, and tell the world
That we perished in the cause,
Faithful to our orders.

The Warsaw Uprising in August-September of 1944 was the largest and perhaps most heroic underground campaign of World War II. It was also one of the most desperate and little known battles of the war. Yet even as the Poles rose up against the Germans in the heart of Warsaw, they were callously betrayed. Not by their enemies but by their allies. Watch their fight, their lives, their faith and how they liberated one Jewish concentration camp.

My grandfather died during Warsaw Uprising.

Two fictitious profiles on FB – Kostek and Sosna – made for youth to interact and read about the lives of two young Poles living during the uprising, 24 hours non stop updates, pictures etc, live virtual diary. GREAT IDEA!

CNN Warsaw Rising web site

Warsaw Uprising website with lots of resources

Warsaw Rising Museum in Warsaw

Miasto Ruin – world’s first digital reconstruction of the destroyed city

BBC Battle for Warsaw web site and the movie:

Nuns instead of Lady Gaga

Couple of years ago the Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz made an album “Chant: Music For Paradise” which sold more than one million copies, after climbing to the top of European charts with their Gragorian chants.

Today’s story is similar, but about the Benedictine nuns of the Abbaye de Notre-Dame de l’Annonciation, from France ear Avignon. They have signed a deal with Decca Records, part of Universal Music, which counts Lady Gaga and U2 among its acts.

Their album “Voice: Chant from Avignon”, is scheduled for release in November 2010

How to die to see God

Mystical Prayer in the Holy Spirit

St. Bonaventure - Doctor of the Church

This reading on mystical (contemplative) prayer, taken from St. Bonaventure’s Journey of the Mind to God (Cap. 7,1 2.4.6: Opera Omnia, 5, 312-313), is used in the Roman Office of Readings for the Feast (liturgical memorial) of St. Bonaventure on July 15.

Christ is both the way and the door. Christ is the staircase and the vehicle, like the throne of mercy over the Ark of the Covenant, and the mystery hidden from the ages. A man should turn his full attention to this throne of mercy, and should gaze at him hanging on the cross, full of faith, hope and charity, devoted, full of wonder and joy, marked by gratitude, and open to praise and jubilation. Then such a man will make with Christ a pasch, that is, a passing-over. Through the branches of the cross he will pass over the Red Sea, leaving Egypt and entering the desert. There he will taste the hidden manna, and rest with Christ in the sepulchre, as if he were dead to things outside. He will experience, as much as is possible for one who is still living, what was promised to the thief who hung beside Christ: Today you will be with me in paradise.

For this passover to be perfect, we must suspend all the operations of the mind and we must transform the peak of our affections, directing them to God alone. This is a sacred mystical experience. It cannot be comprehended by anyone unless he surrenders himself to it; nor can he surrender himself to it unless he longs for it; nor can he long for it unless the Holy Spirit, whom Christ sent into the world, should come and inflame his innermost soul. Hence the Apostle says that this mystical wisdom is revealed by the Holy Spirit.

If you ask how such things can occur, seek the answer in God’s grace, not in doctrine; in the longing of the will, not in the understanding; in the sighs of prayer, not in research; seek the bridegroom not the teacher; God and not man; darkness not daylight; and look not to the light but rather to the raging fire that carries the soul to God with intense fervour and glowing love. The fir is God, and the furnace is in Jerusalem, fired by Christ in the ardour of his loving passion. Only he understood this who said: My soul chose hanging and my bones death. Anyone who cherishes this kind of death can see God, for it is certainly true that: No man can look upon me and live.

Let us die, then, and enter into the darkness, silencing our anxieties, our passions and all the fantasies of our imagination. Let us pass over with the crucified Christ from this world to the Father, so that, when the Father has shown himself to us, we can say with Philip: It is enough. We may hear with Paul: My grace is sufficient for you; and we can rejoice with David, saying: My flesh and my heart fail me, but God is the strength of my heart and my heritage for ever. Blessed be the Lord for ever, and let all the people say: Amen. Amen!

This is an interesting read, because in our times everything points to the opposite way of believers reaching to God’s presence. Christians are trying to find God mostly by experiencing Him, and the cavalcades of worldly distractions might suggest that the same intensity of emotional engagement with “spiritual” things (think: cool, relevant Christian church) will overpower the former and bring the soothing presence of God (with His blessings = answers to my prayers). Not so, says St. Bonaventure, and many mystics. Cherishing death is the way.

this is eternal life that they may know You

Who would ever thought that Catholic Catechism would become one of my favorite books? Since our come back to the Catholic church I read it almost daily and I will read through it all systematically and slowly, so I can ponder and meditate upon every point. I don’t know how long it will take and it does not matter. So here comes the Prologue.

“FATHER, . . . this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”  John 17:3 “God our Savior desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Tim 2:4 ”There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” Acts 4:12 - than the name of JESUS.  Catholic Catechism, Prologue

Love knows the best. We can love only what we know. Mind can’t understand, but will can embrace. We need to know him with the heart and will, not only with the mind. If we know him in that way, we will fall down and adore.

This alone is the true knowledge of God: to know that God is beyond knowing.

–St. Thomas Aquinas.

When God visits you with measureless gifts, let your memory open immediately to receive what your intellect knows in His divine love, and let your will rise with burning desire to receive and gaze at the blazing heart of the giver, the gentle, good Jesus. Thus, you will find yourself burning and clothed with fire, and with the gift of the blood of God’s Son, and you will be free from all pain and unease. This is what took away the pain of the holy disciples when they had to leave Mary and one another, although they willingly bore the separation in order to spread the word of God.
Run, run, run.
– Saint Catherine of Siena

The issue of authority in the Early Christianity

Notes from “The issue of authority in the Early Christianity” Dr Kenneth Howell teaching from Coming Home Network Conference

1. Questions that need to be asked

• How did the authority of the Apostles expressed itself in their ministries, when the New Testament was not yet completed?
• What kind of authority did the Apostles have? Was it just a guidence and suggestions without the force of the divine law?
• Was the authority of apostles shared by others and passed on or did it cease with their death?
• If the authority of the Apostles was passed, what form did it take?

2. Great Commission was given to the Apostles as the foundation of the church: the ministry of Word and Sacraments, modeled after Jesus’ ministry: preach and heal.

3. John 20 – What kind of authority did Jesus give to the Apostles when He appeared to them? It is the same authority as Christ had himself - the authority of forgiveness of sins was given to the Apostles. If ultimate authority does not derive from the Book, because the Book came from the church, the ultimate authority comes from that body of men that God planted in this world to do his work.

4. The Acts of the Apostles describes the ministry which surrounded mostly two Apostles – Peter (ch.1-12) and Paul (ch. 13-28)

5. Two important decades of the church of the first century:

• First Ecumenical Council (Acts 15) in Jerusalem concerning the main question: Is circumcision necessary for salvation? (Do the Gentiles have to live as Jews to be saved? ) The Pharisees in Antioch were insisting on circumcising Gentiles, so Paul and Barnabas brough this question to the  Apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem. Apostles and presbyters together with the whole church made their decision, and sent the letter with their decision to inform the church of Antioch, which was looking to Jerusalem church as to the mother church. The leaders of the church recognized historical connection that must be maintained with what has proceeded them. How much connection do we need with history that proceeded us? Do we live in continuity or are we free to establish a sort of different faith based on what we read in the New Testament? The church had the sense of “catholicity” already there. They communicated the decision in the form of the letter and four messengers. The church in Antioch did now want to make the decision by themselves, but asked the church in Jerusalem for a council. This happened around 50-60 AD.
• If Peter and Paul were in Rome in the early 60ties than what Peter says at the end of his second letter is important 2Pet 3:15 Peter is affirming the authority of divine inspiration of writings of another Apostle.
• In the last letters of Paul to Timothy and Titus he tells them that they should be very careful to protect the sound teaching (sound words, helpful teaching) which they have received. Paul mentions that those who oppose the Gospel do not hold to those sound words of Jesus. And he tells Titus that he should ordain presbyters who are able to exhort in the sound teaching and to rebuke those who contradict them. The content of faith (deposit of faith) has to be guarded and transferred to their successors. 2 Tim 2:2: This is the pattern of the passing on of the content of faith to the next generation.
• Paul leaves instructions how to establish permanent offices of bishops, presbyters (elders=priests), deacons. Content of the faith and the offices guarding the content.

6. From 60 AD to 120 AD all of the witnesses suggest that the notion of the Apostolic succession and the authority of a bishop is a norm and the rule within the church. Clement of Rome, third bishop of Rome after Peter, wrote a letter in the 90ties to Corinthians who wanted to overthrow their bishop. The letter explains the order of authority given: God- Jesus-Apostles and the order of continuity of authority within the church in the office of bishops, as well as the primacy of the Roman bishop.

7. The authority of a bishop and pope (bishop of Rome) is the authority of a servant. Authority does not derive from bishops themselves, but authority derives by being faithful witnesses in the offices that were established by the Apostles.

8. I live in a church where the leaders lived in a stream of continuity from the times of Jesus and Apostles. This continuity with the early church gives us the confidence that what we believe was not invented yesterday, that what we believe comes fro the very root of the church with a divine authority of Christ Himself. The church that we are part of has been established by a living Son of God, and He decided that He would commit that authority to fallible men.

how to raise a saint and a martyr in the heart of Europe today

In few hours Marianna Popieluszko will be present at the Mass for the Beatification of her son, father Jerzy Popieluszko (Yeh-zhee  Poh-pye-woosh-koh), who was murdered over 25 years ago. She will carry the relics of her own son to the altar.

Father Jerzy Popieluszko was a Solidarity chaplain and became a spiritual leader of those who were pursuing non-violent liberation of Poland from Communism. You can read father’s Jerzy story now in many places now, but I wanted to find more about his upbringing, childhood and the role of parents in raising a present day saint and martyr.

These are few nuggets that I found around the web, mostly from his mom’s interviews.

Father Jerzy’s family lived in a small village Okopy in the far East of Poland, which is almost exactly the geographical center of Europe. His parents were peasants, lived simply and were very devout Catholics, as most of Poles in that region. When Marianna was pregnant with her son, she consecrated him for the glory of God and to Mary and prayed that he will become a priest one day. She says that she doesn’t know if her prayers were answered, or maybe someone else’s but Jerzy, born of the Feast of the Cross, became a priest.

“God gives grace, and if a person responds to it, and walks God’s way, he will receive this grace.”

Since his childhood, Jerzy was fascinated by priesthood. He would walk 5km (3 miles) daily to serve as an altar boy at the Holy Mass, before the school, and after school he went to church to pray Rosary. People thought that he was to religious.

“After seventh grade he wanted to join lower seminary in Niepokalanow (Maximilan Kolbe’s City of the Immaculate), but I told him that he was to young then. When his friends finished high school and were celebrating the High Scholl Ball – he took the train to Warsaw for the seminary, I was happy when he became priest and I was praying constantly that he will be faithful to God, because this is the most important thing in life”.

She was teaching her children how to pray kneeling daily before the small home altar with the figure of the Holy Mother. On Wednesdays – they prayed to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, on Fridays – to the Heart of Jesus, on Saturdays – to Black Madonna of Czestochowa. In May the whole family would recite Litany of the Blessed Virgin, in July – to the Blood of Jesus, in October  and throughout the rest of the year – the Rosary. During the storms she would lit a candle and pray.

“His first seminary was in his home.”

“He was a nice, obedient child, but every child can be that way, if parents will keep them straight. All my children were the same. I did not punish them, there was no hitting, but very stern words: You have to do it. My kids were not into mischief. Who prays well, has no place for silliness in his life”

“Death of Jerzy for me is like a stone for my whole life. It is a great pain. This wound is opening over and over, for who can forget such a thing. But I do not judge no one, and I do not demand no one’s death. God Himself will judge them one day. And the murderer’s will have to bare their penance. But I ask Jesus to forgive them. I would be teh most happy if they would come to God.”

John Paul II concluded meeting with Marianna: “Mother, you have given us a great son”. And she responded, suprising even the pope: “Holy Father, I did not give him, but God has given him to the world through me. I gave him to the CHurch and I can’t take him back.”The Pope kissed her and hugged her.

What is the most important thing in life?

“To be faithful to God and, as much as one can, to serve others.

She feels his presence.

“Once my legs were hurting me greatly and I should go for operation. When I cam to the grave of father Jerzy, the pain dissapeared. Now I can digg potatoes even for the whole week without a break” (she was over 80 years old when she said that).

How does it feel to be a mother of a martyr?

“You will know it only if you live through it. You have to receive the will of God. God chooses his martyrs. It is not possible to become one without His grace.”

What do you pray while you pray Rosary?

“I pray for repentance of sinners, priestly vocations, and I thank for received graces.”

What is the most important thing in life?

” God. If God is first, everything will take it’s rightful place. After you wake up, think about God right away. Then Rosary – one part. And then you start your day.

Do you pray to father Jerzy?

“I pray to God.”

But through father’s intercession?

“I don’t bother him, because people have more urgent needs, and he knows what I need and he is asking God for it.”

Do you feel his protection?

” I feel protection of Mary, Queen of Poland. Mother understands the best and in her hands is everything.”

Last words of father Popieluszko, before going on a fateful trip to another city:

“Let’s pray so we can be free from fear and intimidation, but mostly free from the desire of revenge and retaliation”

Announcement of finding the body of father Popieluszko, where people gathered in the church repeat three times “… and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”.

The next day father Jerzy’s mom in the church where Popieluszko served turned to the people and said: “I forgive. I forgive.”

Marianna received St. Rita’s International reward, which is given to people who forgive the murderers of their close ones. She says she has forgiven the murderers of her son and she is praying for their conversion. She said that “they were fighting God, not my son”, and that they were trying to fight the church. Since then she can’t recite Rosary other than Sorrowful Mysteries.

Polish late President Lech Kaczynski awarded posthumously father Jerzy Popieluszko with an Order of the White Eagle which is the highest decoration given to Polish citizens for their merits. Here he is kissing Marianna’s hand and expressing his gratitude.

The mother of Father Jerzy Popieliszko, Marianna, second left, prays with family members at her son’s grave in front of the St. Stanislaw Kostka church in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, June 5, 2010

gdziekolwiek jest Chrystus, tam Kosciol Katolicki

Nie ma nic powazniejszego niz swietokradztwo schizmy, gdyz zadna przyczyna nie usprawiedliwia rozlamu jednosci kosciola.

sw. Augustyn, 400r.

Kiedy odsylamy ich do tej Tradycji, ktora wziela swoj poczatek od Apostolow, i jest zachowana za pomoca sukcesji prezbiterow w kosciolach, oni sprzeciwiaja sie Tradycji, mowiac, ze sami sa madrzejsi, nie tylko od prezbiterow, lecz takze od Apostolow.

sw. Ireneusz, 180 r.

Posluszenstwo prezbiterom kosciola, ktorzy, jak juz wykazalem, posiadaja sukcesje od Apostolow, jest niezbedne. Wszystkich innych, ktorzy odeszli od pierwotnej sukcesji , zbieraja sie razem w jakichs innych miejscach, powinnismy podejrzewac. Gdyz sa to albo heretycy lub umysly przewrotne albo schizmatycy, nadeci i samozadowalajacy sie. Dlatego odpowiednim jest powsciagliwosc w stosunku do nich wszystkich, a przylgniecie do tych, o ktorych, jak juz wspomnialem, trzymaja sie doktryny Apostolow.

sw. Ireneusz 180 r.

Nie moze byc uwazany za biskupa ten, ktory nie jest niczyim nastepca. Pogardzil on bowiem ewangeliczna i Apostolska Tradycja z niego wyplywajaca. Gdyz prawdziwy pasterz pozostaje i przewodniczy Kosciolowi Bozemu przez sukcesyjna ordynacje. Dlatego staje sie on obcym i bluznierca, wrogiem pokoju Panskiego.

sw. Cyprian z Kartaginy 250 r.

Gdyz z tym kosciolem rzymskim, z powodu jego poteznego pierwszenstwa, kazdy inny kosciol, czyli wszedzie i wszyscy wierzacy, powinni sie  zgadzac.

sw. Ireneusz 180 r.

Zwroccie uwage na tych, ktorzy posiadaja innowiercze opinie na temat laski Jezusa Chrystusa, ktory przyszedl do nas, i zobaczcie jak przeciwne (odmienne)  sa one umyslowi Bozemu… Wstrzymuja sie oni od Eucharystii i modlitwy, gdyz nie wyznaja, ze Eucharystia jest cialem naszego Zbawiciela Jezusa Chrystusa.

sw Ignacy Antiochenski 107 r.

Uwazajcie, aby podazac za biskupem, tak jak Jezus podazal za Ojcem…Ten, kto szanuje biskupa, jest szanowany przez Boga; ktokolwiek czyni cos bez wiedzy biskupa, tak naprawde sluzy diablu.

sw. Ignacy Antiochenski, 107 r

Czym byl Piotr, tym byla zaiste i reszta. Piotrowi dane jest pierwszenstwo, aby okazac, ze jeden jest Kosciol Chrystusa i jedna katedra.

St. Cyprian 251 r.

Jezeli ktokolwiek w kosciele podaza sladami schizmatyka, nie odziedziczy krolestwa Bozego.

sw. Ignacy Antiochenski 110 r.

Gdziekolwiek się pokaże biskup, niech tam będą wszyscy. Tak jak gdziekolwiek jest Chrystus, tam też jest Kościół katolicki.

sw. Ignacy Antiochenski 110 r.

Ty, Panie, wiesz, że chciałbym zachować do końca paru przyjaciół

Panie, Ty wiesz lepiej aniżeli ja sam,

że się starzeje i pewnego dnia bedę stary.

Zachowaj mnie od zgubnego nawyku mniemania,

ze muszę coś powiedzieć na każdy temat i przy każdej okazji.

Odbierz mi chęć prostowania każdemu jego ścieżek.

Uczyń mnie poważnym, lecz nie ponurym, czynnym, lecz nie narzucającym się.

Szkoda mi nie spożytkować wielkich zasobów mądrości, jakie posiadam,

ale Ty, Panie, wiesz, że chciałbym zachować do końca paru przyjaciół.

Wyzwól mój umysł od niekończącego brnięcia w szczegóły

i dodaj mi skrzydeł, bym w lot przechodził do rzeczy.

Zamknij mi usta w przedmiocie mych niedomagań i cierpień, w miarę jak ich przybywa,

a chęć wyliczenia ich staje się z upływem lat coraz słodsza.

Nie proszę o łaskę rozkoszowania sie opowieściami o cudzych cierpieniach ,

ale daj mi cierpliwość wysłuchania ich.

Nie śmiem Cie prosić o lepszą pamięć, ale prosze Cię o większą pokorę

i mniej niezachwianą pewność, gdy moje wspomnienia wydają sie sprzeczne z cudzymi.

Uzycz mi chwalebnego poczucia, że czasami moge się mylić.

Zachowaj mnie miłym dla ludzi, choć z niektórymi z nich doprawdy trudno wytrzymać.

Nie chcę byc świętym, ale zgryźliwi starcy- to jeden ze szczytów osiągnięć szatana.

Daj mi zdolność dostrzegania dobrych rzeczy w nieoczekiwanych miejscach

i niespodziewanych zalet w ludziach. Daj mi, Panie łaskę mówienia im o tym.

Tekst znajdujący sie przy grobie Świętego Tomasz z Akwinu w Tuluzie

rozlam jest grzechem

rozłam – podział, zwykle na dwa przeciwstawne obozy

rozlamac sie – 1. stać się rozłamanym 2. utracic jednosc

Na pytanie: “Dlaczego powrot do Kosciola Katolickiego wlasnie teraz?” moglabym odpowiedziec prosto: Gdyz zrozumialam, ze to jest wlasnie kosciol, ktory zalozyl nasz Pan Jezus Chrystus 2000 lat temu i ze Jego pragnieniem bylo, aby kosciol ten byl jeden, a nie podzielony na 30 000 (wiem, powtarzam sie jak zdarta plyta…). Jedno z pierwszych nurtujacych pytan, ktore doprowadzily mnie do tej decyzji bylo nastepujace:

Co mial na mysli Pan modlac sie o jednosc kosciola? I pytania towarzyszace:

Czy naprawde mozemy twierdzic, ze nam nie przeszkadza, ze mamy 30 000 denominacji i ze to jest swiadectwem chrzescijanskiej jednosci, aczkolwiek w “roznorodnosci”? Jednym slowem, na czym ta jednosc ma sie opierac?

Czy naprawde mozemy twierdzic, ze coraz to kolejne rozlamy wewnatrz kosciolow i wspolnot doprowadzajace do odejscia i tworzenia oddzielnych “kosciolow” (czasem za przyzwoleniem, z tzw. blogoslawienstwem lidera czy pastora, bo nic innego rozlamu i tak juz nie uratuje), to dzielo Boze i czy przechodzenie nad tym do porzadku dziennego po paru latach (bo nic innego w sumie juz sie nie da zrobic i kolejne jatrzenia spowoduja tylko wiekszy bol i rozdarcie) jest biblijne? Czy “dawanie sobie prawa” do odejscia i rozlamu jest biblijne?

Czy jestemy pewni, ze zamiarem slow Pawla, piszacego pod wplywem Ducha Swietego o Ciele Chrystusa bylo, aby reka nie zgadzala sie z sercem ani noga, lecz kazde z nich twierdzilo, ze “tak nam Pan powiedzial i tak nas poprowadzil?” Skoro Chrystus jest glowa kosciola, czy mozemy trwac w przekonaniu, ze wszystkie “denominacje” sa rownorzedne? Na jakiej podstawie mozemy tak twierdzic, skoro kazda z tych denominacji ma nieco lub zasadniczo inne wyznanie wiary….czyzby sluchali slow tego samego Chrystusa, ktory jest jeden, niepodzielony i mowi tylko prawde? Skad wiec tyle zamieszania teologicznego?

Czy bedziemy udawac, ze nas nie rania i nie raza ciagle rozlamy wewnatrz kosciolow, ktore sa spowodowane glownie niezgoda teologiczna, lub pragnieniem rozpoczecia “wlasnej, namaszczonej poslugi”, co do ktorej ludzie twierdza, ze maja powolanie, otrzymali slowa prorocze, ich potwierdzenia lub inne “niezbite dowody”?

Czy nie mamy dosyc twierdzen typu: “Ludzie pojda tam, gdzie jest zycie”, gdyz tak naprawde wiemy, ze ludzie pojda po prostu tam, gdzie chca i to z bardzo roznych wzgledow?

"A teraz dzieci przedstawia scenke odtwarzajaca rozlam kosciola,
ktory doprowadzil do powstania naszego kosciola"

Przez dlugi czas zylam w swiadomosci, ze jednosc chrzescijan to okazywanie wzajemnego szacunku, organizowanie wspolnych przedsiewziec (od nieformalnych po ogromne parotysieczne konferencje z udzialem wielu chrzescijankich denominacji) ewangelizacyjnych, modlitewnych lub konferencji sluzacych ku zbudowaniu wszystkich kosciolow, wspolpraca w danym regionie geograficznym. Najprostsza formula bylo: Jednoczy nas Bog, jesli wiec zblizamy sie do Niego, zblizamy sie do siebie. Niewazne, ze mielismy rozne koncepcje kosciola, sluzby, roznice teologiczne zacierane byly miloscia i otwartoscia (zeby nie uzyc niemodnego obecnie slowa: tolerancja). Problemy pojawialy sie wtedy, kiedy dochodzilismy do wniosku, ze  jedni sluchajac tego samego Ducha Swietego co inni, dochodzili do innych wnioskow i wg tego ukierunkowywali swoje dzialania. Sytuacja niekiedy stawala sie tak powazna, ze coraz czesciej slyszalo sie stwierdzenia, ze w sumie to niewazne, czy jestesmy jednomyslni, lecz bardziej powinnismy zwracac uwage na zasade: “Kto nie jest przeciwko nam, jest z nami” i jej sie trzymac.

Rozlamow widzialam wiele.  Z reguly rozumiem, ze dzieje sie tak czesto, gdyz lider jakiejs frakcji wewnatrz juz istniejacych struktur ma inne zdanie niz jej glowny przywodca. Czesto czuje sie niezrozumiany, gdyz nie slucha sie tego, co  on “od Boga otrzymal”, rodzi sie brak osobistego zaufania, poczucie odrzucenia lub zwykla zazdrosc i o rozlam juz jest nietrudno. Nie pomaga rowniez to, ze wielu przywodcow/liderow ma za soba podobne historie rozlamowe, ktorych byli bohaterami glownymi lub w ktorych uczestniczyli aktywnie,  jakim wiec glosem autorytatywnym moga byc, skoro ich osobiste “naznaczenie” do nowego dziela bylo tylko ich decyzja indywidualna – no moze poswiadczona przez kilku przyjaciol, posiadajacych takie samo lub podobne rozeznanie w sprawie. Jakie prawo maja wiec teraz do wypowiadania opinii nieprzychylnych w stosunku do ich nastepcow? W kuluarach rozlamow widac jednak zawsze: brak poddania, samowole, pyche, lek przed utrata wplywow, zranienia, gorycz, odrzucenie, egoizm.

Slawetny i do znudzenia przywolywany przyklad sporu Barnaby i Pawla (zwiazanego takze z Markiem) jest obecnie czesto podawany jako biblijny przyklad usprawiedliwiajacy rozlamy. Nie mogli sie dogadac, kazdy mial powolanie, wizje i misje, to sie rozeszli, Pan im blogoslawil…dlaczego my nie moglibysmy? Przyklad ten jest o tyle niefortunny, ze Pawel i Barnaba pozostali nadal w tym samym kosciele; ich opinie co do sposobu poslug byly inne natomiast ich poddanie jednej prawdzie bylo bezsporne. W Biblii nie ma nigdzie wskazowek, ze Jezus wstepujac do nieba zakladal, ze Jego kosciol bedzie skladal sie z wielu denominacji, grup podzielonych w wierze w inne prawdy wiary. W modlitwie J17 Jezus przyrownal jednosc, o ktora sie modlil do jednosci, jaka on ma z Ojcem: doskonalej, stalej i wiecznej, ktorej celem jest swiadczenie swiatu o Bozej milosci.

Pare lat temu ( ze 3 czy 4 chyba) chodzilo mi po glowie slowo “rozlam”. Nie dawalo mi spokoju. Przyznaje sie, ze sieklo mnie, a nawet zdenerwowalo wtedy stwierdzenie “rozlam jest grzechem” . Sieklo mnie dlatego, bo wiedzialam, ze jest to prawda, a zdenerwowalo dlatego, ze to musialam wyczytac u biskupa katolickiego, a jeszcze bardziej dlatego, ze sugerowalo to, ze moge sie mylic, ze trwam w bledzie lub jestem ignorantem do kwadratu. Od tego wiele sie zaczelo.

W nastepnym poscie bedzie o tym czym jednosc kosciola jest, lub czym powinna byc.

aby byli jedno