projekt Katolicyzm

Ojciec Robet Barron od ponad roku jeździ po świecie przygotowując projekt Katolicyzm, który ma przybliżyć piękno i moc chrześcijaństwa od czasów Jezusa. Zwiastun programu:

Włochy Słowo apostoł pochodzi od greckiego ἀποστέλλω, co oznacza posłać. Jezus zebrał tych dwunastu ludzi, których sam ukształtował według własnego serca i posłal ich.

Wiara chrześcijańska nigdy nie miała być prywatnym przywilejem, lecz miała być przekazywana, rozsiewana po świecie jak ziarno. Kościół apostolski więc aż do dnia dzisiejszego nadal posiada ten wspaniały misjonarski cel.

Irlandia Bóg, którego niesutannie głosił Jezus to Bóg miłosierdzia, Bóg łaskawej miłości, w którego naturze leży dawanie.

USA Kiedy szukam w swoim wnętrzu tego miejsca, które jest moim sednem, w którym tu i teraz jestem stworzeniem stworzonym przez Boga, wtedy niechybnie odkrywam to najgłębsze centrum wszystkich i wszytkiego  co znajduję w kosmosie.

PolskaW czerwcu 1979 roku Jan Paweł II odprawił Mszę św. tutaj na pl. Zwycięstwa. Głosił Słowo i mówił o Bogu wolności oraz o prawach człowieka. Tłum zaczął skandować: Chcemy Boga! Chcemy Boga!

Grecja Jednym  ulubionych słów św. Pawła jest δύναμις (dunamis), które oznacza moc. Słowo dynamit stąd się wywodzi. Paweł powtarza, że Ewangelia jest dunamis. Kiedy więc podróżował z tym dynamitem po tej części świata, bo to właśnie robił, dynamitem był Bóg, który jest miłością, dynamitem był Jezus Chrystus, który objawił się jako zmarwtychwstały i ten dynamit miał przewrócić świat do góry nogami.

Izrael Szczególną cechą chrześcijaństwa jest, i na nim się ono opiera, jest fakt, że Jezus konsekwentnie mówi i działa jako Bóg.

Turcja Pewnego dnia w skromnej mieścinie Nazaret młodej żydowskiej dziewczynie, która nie miała więcej niż 14 lub 15 lat, objawił się anioł. Ich rozmowa miała nadzwyczajny przebieg.

Meksyk Matka Boża z Guadelupe stała się dla tego narodu i tych ludzi nośnikiem Boga, który nie posługuje się przemocą, nie obarcza winą, lecz niesie miłość.

Indie W pierwszych tygodniach i miesiącach swojego nowego życia matka Teresa doświadczyla samotności i zniechęcenia, lecz wytrwała i wiele z jej byłych uczennic przyłączyło się do niej tutaj, w slumsach Kalkuty.

Hiszpania W głębi swej duszy Teresa z Avila odnalazła Chrystusa w niej zamieszkującego. Przyrównała to do twierdzy (zamku). Zdala sobie sprawę, że aby zostać zakorzenionym  w Chrystusie trzeba być zakorzenonym w tej mocy, ktoóra tu i teraz stwarza kosmos, która wykracza poza czas i przestrzeń.

Niemcy Istoty Boga samego nie jesteśmy w stanie uchwycić, lecz istnienia Boga nie można ukryć. Bóg daje o sobie do zrozumienia przez każdy zakątek i zakamarek, który stworzył.

Uganda Tertulian, ojciec Kościoła powiedział, że krew męczenników jest ziarnem chrześcijan. Czy właśnie z tym mamy tu do czynienia? Odpowiedzcie sami.

Francja Umysł, wola, dusza poszukują prawdy ostatecznej, dobra ostatecznego, piękna absolutnego. Dusza wyrywa się ku tym transcendentnym celom.

Wrzesień 2011. Ujrzysz wiarę katolicką jak nigdy dotąd. Będziesz świadkiem historii, świadkiem mocy, świadkiem piękna, świadkiem radości.

The present life is a comedy, which passes away.

From SERMON XII. SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY – ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SALVATION – ” He sent them into his vineyard.” MATTHEW xx. 2 by St. Alphonsus Liguori

“How,” says Salvian, ”does it happen that a Christian believes, and still does not fear the future?” Christians believe death, judgment, hell, and Paradise: but they live as if they believed them not as if these truths of faith were tables or the inventions of human genius. Many live as it they were never to die, or as if they had not to give God an account of their life as if there were neither hell nor a heaven. Perhaps they do not believe in them? They believe, but do not reflect on them; and thus they are lost.

If the soul is lost, all is lost.

“What exchange can a man give for his soul:” (Matt. xvi. 26.)  (…) If, from being created by God to his own image, you do not comprehend the value of your soul, learn it from Jesus Christ, who has redeemed you with his own blood.

God, then, sets so high a value on your soul; such is its value in the estimation of Satan, that, to become master of it, he does not sleep night or day, but is continually going about to make it his own. Hence St. Augustine exclaims: “The enemy sleeps not, and you are asleep.” The enemy is always awake to injure you, and you slumber. Pope Benedict the Twelfth, being asked by a prince for a favour which he could not conscientiously grant, said to the ambassador: Tell the prince, that, if I had two souls, I might be able to lose one of them in order to please him; but, since I have but one, I cannot consent to lose it. Thus he refused the favour which the prince sought from him.

“What doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul ?”“But one thing is necessary ?” (Luke x. 42.) It is not necessary to become rich on this earth to acquire honours and dignities; but it is necessary to save our souls; because, unless we gain heaven we shall be condemned to hell: there is no middle place: we must be either saved or damned. God has not created us for this earth; neither does he preserve our lives that we may become rich and enjoy amusements. “And the end life everlasting.” (Hom, vi. 22.) He has created us, and preserved us, that we may acquire eternal glory.

St. Philip Neri, conversing one day with Francis Zazzera, a young man of talent who expected to make a fortune in the world, said to him: “You shall realize a great fortune; you shall be a prelate, afterwards a cardinal, and in the end, perhaps, pope. But what must follow? what must follow? Go, my son, think on these words.” The young man departed, and after meditating on the words, what must follow? what must follow? he renounced his worldly prospects, and gave himself entirely to God;

“The fashion of this world passeth away.” (i Cor. vii. 31.) On this passage, Cornelius à Lapide , says, that “the world is as it were a stage.” The present life is a comedy, which passes away. Happy the man who acts his part well in this comedy by saving his soul.

David said: “One thing I have asked of the Lord; this I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord.” (Ps. xxvi. 4.) One thing only have I sought, and will for ever seek, from God that he may grant me the grace to save my soul; for, if I save my soul, all is safe; if I lose it, all is lost.

”The summer is ended, and we are not saved.” (Jer. viii. 20.)

“With fear and trembling work out your salvation. ” (Phil. ii. 12.) Hence, if we wish to save our souls, we must labour strenuously to avoid dangerous occasions, to resist temptations, and to frequent the sacraments. Without labour we cannot obtain heaven. “The violent bear it away.” The saints tremble at the thought of eternity.

December 13th, 1981

My mom woke me up. It was unusually quiet, even for a frosty winter morning Sunday. She looked very worried. I could tell she was not trying to panic and keep calm, but something was definitely wrong. She looked at me, as figuring out, how to break the news, and in a serious tone of voice announced: “I think, there is a war”.

photo from "The Solidarity phenomenon"

“War?!!! But… I am so young…there could not be a war, I have to live my life first…” these were my very first thoughts, and I don’t even remember if I said it out loud. Thousands of streaming thoughts were piercing my mind. “War? Like in 1939, when Nazis invaded? Did the Russians cross our borders? Would they be so arrogant and insolent? Are the other Warsaw Pact allies with them? Will they occupy, close the schools, churches? Are they arresting, killing, torturing people? Do I have anything in the house that I should worry about? Any underground bulletins, anti-communist brochures?” I prayed something like: “Oh God, help us”

After few moments we realized that we were cut off from the world. Although living in a popular communist version of apartment complex (bloki), there was silence, like never before. TV (those two channels that we had then) did not transmit anything. Only sadly torturing Chopin pieces in the radio.

I was walking from window to window. No people outside, neither on the balconies or by the windows. Fear invaded not only our country, but now my little apartment, my future, my imagination. “Revenge”, I thought. “We crossed the line, THEY had to do something about it. This is it “.

Then we’ve heard an announcement on TV. Our general, Jaruzelski, with a typical monotony proclaimed “State of War” (Stan wojenny). Military coup. No traveling. No school for some time. No social meetings. Evening curfew. Telephone conversations censored. Restrictions. Choking up the leftover dreams for something better than this undignified existence.

I went to church. On the streets some armored vehicles, some ZOMO guys warming their hands over the street fires.

During the Mass solemn prayers. Thousands came. It seemed that everybody wanted to check out, if we will give up, if THEY will win. Some were crying, some devastated, many confused, many in rage.

This was my birthday. Not a happy one. I did not have a party. My sweet 16…

famous iconic photo taken by Chris Niedenthal, Newsweek reporter: armored vehicle standing by the movie theatre “Moscow”, and the movie being advertised is “Apocalypse now” by Francis Copolla who was inspired by Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of darkness”

Early Challenges and the Confessions of the Church

Great lecture from the series The Threefold Body of Christ by a joint preaching project of our Priories of St. Vincent Ferrer in New York City and St. Mary in New Haven, CT.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

 

(a) The Hebrew/Jewish tradition

(b) The Platonic insight and the Hellenic situation

(c) Jesus at the confluence of Judaic and Hellenic thought and Gnosticism

(d) The Alexandrian and Antiochene responses

(e) Arianism, Nestorianism, and Monophysitism; Augustine

The Threefold Body of Christ: Fr. Wagner | Ordo…, posted with vodpod

Lesser known facts about st. Maximilian Kolbe

Rajmund Kolbe had a vision of Mary at the age of 12 – she brought him two crowns, white-symbolizing purity and red-symbolizing martyrdom. He received both. At the age of 13 he joined minor Franciscan seminary, became novice at 16, at 21 received doctorate in philosophy (in Jesuit Gregorianum) in Rome, at 19 in theology. At 21 he presented his patent for spaceship, at the age 24 became a priest and at age 25 became a professor.

Marianna Kolbe

His parents, who were educated only in elementary schools, belonged to the third order Franciscans, they home schooled during early years, helped the poor (not being well of themselves) and sick. Looking for jobs, they ended up in a big industrial city of Łódź, but soon after decided that because of the kids they need to move to the little village nearby. They ran a small store and gave away so may things to the poor that they lost the store. Because of the political unrest they downsized to a small one room apartment and changed apartments often. They both worked 12 h daily, went to the Mass daily at 5 am, prayed together as a family, and thought their kids this order of life: work, study and play only if you have time.  They belonged to a rosary group and every Sunday attended Eucharistic adoration, which they themselves organized.

The boys were responsible for keeping the apartment clean, they cooked and brought food for their parents twice a day to the factory, and they made dinners daily and walked parents from their factory to spend time with them at the evening. Marianna helped as a doula after her factory work, and studied herself at the evenings to become better help for the poor women without medical help. Juliusz supported local parochial library, and made book covers, and wrote articles for a local newspaper. He evangelized everyone around, trying to convert even local Evangelical pastor, and Marianna, feeling inadequacy for raising her boys, constantly called upon Mary’s help. Her conversations had only one focus: God. She was very firm and expected nothing but the best from the boys. After having five sons, they decided to live in chastity.

Young Rajmund Kolbe

They were very patriotic family (Poland was under partitions for over 100 years when the boys were small) and talked a lot about Polish history.

After their three boys went to to the seminaries (two boys died while young), both parents decided to consecrate their lives only to God. Marianna lived in the house of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Felix and Juliusz helped Franciscan monasteries.  Marianna’s words: “I loved my sons and husband more than my life, but not more than God.” She survived all of her sons and husband, and died in 1946.

Christian is my name, but Catholic my surname

Saint Pacian (310—391 AD), bishop of Barcelona and Church Father in his Epistle I explains that “Catholic” marks the unity of the people that were uncorrupted:

But under the Apostles, you will say, no one was called Catholic. Be it thus. It shall have been so. Allow even that. When after the Apostles heresies had burst forth, and were striving under various names to tear piecemeal and divide the Dove and the Queen of God, did not the Apostolic people require a name of their own, whereby to mark the unity of the people that were uncorrupted, lest the error of some should rend limb by limb the undefiled virgin of God? Was it not seemly that the chief head should be distinguished by its own peculiar appellation? Suppose, this very day, I entered a populous city. When I had found Marcionites, Apollinarians, Cataphrygians, Novatians, and others of the kind who call themselves Christians, by what name should I recognise the congregation of my own people, unless it were named Catholic? Come tell me, who bestowed so many names on the other peoples? Why have so many cities, so many nations, each their own description? The man who asks the meaning of the Catholic Name, will he be ignorant himself of the cause of his own name if I shall enquire its origin? Whence was it delivered to me? Certainly that which has stood through so many ages was not borrowed from man. This name “Catholic” sounds not of Marcion, nor of Apelles, nor of Montanus, nor does it take heretics as its authors.

st. Pacian

Many things the Holy Spirit hath taught us, Whom God sent from Heaven to the Apostles as their Comforter and Guide. Many things reason teaches us, as Paul saith, and honesty, and, as he says, nature herself. What! Is the authority of Apostolic men, of Primitive Priests, of the most blessed Martyr and Doctor Cyprian, of slight weight with us? Do we wish to teach the teacher? Are we wiser than he was, and are we puffed up by the spirit of the flesh against the man, whom his noble shedding of blood, and a crown of most glorious suffering, have set forth as a witness of the Eternal God? What thinkest thou of so many Priests on this same side, who throughout the whole world were compacted together in one bond of peace with this same Cyprian? What of so many aged Bishops, so many Martyrs, so many Confessors? Come say, if they were not sufficient authorities for the use of this name, are we sufficient for its rejection? And shall the Fathers rather follow our authority, and the antiquity of Saints give way to be emended by us, and times now putrifying through their sins, pluck out the grey hairs of Apostolic age? And yet, my brother, be not troubled; Christian is my name, but Catholic my surname. The former gives me a name, the latter distinguishes me. By the one I am approved; by the other I am but marked.

THE NUPTIALS OF THE LAMB AND HIS BRIDE, Stephen Adam, 1906

And if at last we must give an account of the word Catholic, and draw it out from the Greek by a Latin interpretation, “Catholic” is ‘every where one, or, (as learned men think,) “obedience in all,” i. e. all the commands of God. Whence the Apostle, Whether ye he obedient in all things; and again, For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous. Therefore he who is a Catholic, the same man is obedient . He who is obedient, the same is a Christian, and thus the Catholic is a Christian. Wherefore our people when named Catholic are separated by this appellation from the heretical name. But if also the word Catholic means ‘every where one,’ as those first think, David indicates this very thing, when he saith, The queen did stand in a vesture of gold, wrought about with, divers colours; that is, one amidst all. And in the Song of Songs the Bridegroom speaketh these words, My dove, My undefiled, is but one; she is the only one of her mother; she is the choice one of her that bare her. Again it is written, The virgins shall be brought unto the King after her. And further, Virgins without number. Therefore amidst all she is one, and one over all. If thou askest the reason of the name, it is evident.

Bridegroom shares His cross

Jesus now hath many lovers of His celestial kingdom:
but few bearers of His Cross.
He bath many who are desirous of consolations:
but few of tribulation.
He findeth many companions of His table:
but few of His abstinence.
All desire to rejoice with Him:
Few wish to endure anything for Him.
Many follow Jesus to the breaking of bread:
but few to the drinking of the cup of His Passion.
Many reverence His miracles:
few follow the shame of His Cross.

[The Imitation of Christ] – Thomas a Kempis

Wielu ma dzisiaj Jezus tych, co kochają Jego Królestwo niebieskie, ale mało takich, którzy dźwigaliby Jego krzyż. Wielu ma spragnionych Jego pocieszenia, lecz mało pragnących dzielić z Nim ból. Wielu znajdzie przyjaciół do stołu, ale mało do postu.
Wszyscy chcą się z Nim cieszyć, mało pragnie dla Niego i z Nim cierpieć. Wielu idzie za Jezusem do momentu łamania chleba, lecz niewielu aż do wychylenia kielicha męki. Wielu podziwia Jego cuda, mało postępuje za hańbą krzyża.

[O naśladowaniu Chrystusa] – Tomasz z Kempis

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