Mt 16,13-19

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty.

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: See Jesus meeting Peter.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: about the desire to meet Jesus as I am  

 

  1. Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

Jesus is curious how people see him and who they think he is. This curiosity may seem very natural. However, it takes courage to ask such a question. Jesus might have heard various things about himself, not necessarily all pleasant and easy to accept. He wants to meet every human being, no matter who that person thinks he is. We know from various passages of the gospel that even his disciples, considering him their Teacher, they had difficulty trusting him, believing what he said, he promised. As if the mere experience of having a relationship with him, of experiencing an encounter with him, is not enough to believe that he is the Messiah. Believe, not just know. Knowledge, although helpful, is not enough to build a close relationship. And this is the relationship that Jesus wants with each of us.Probably if you had heard the question today from Jesus: who do you think I am, you would have answered similarly to Peter. But do you believe he is the Messiah? Who do you consider Jesus to be, not on the level of your knowledge, but on your inner feeling, experiencing a relationship with him?

 

 2.     Simon Peter 

Today, on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, I invite you to look at Peter. We know that Peter became the first pope, Jesus gave him authority: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Peter was a fisherman, he was also a man of self-confidence and great ideals. He had various contradictions within him that we can call internal conflicts. He has the courage to walk on water, and then he melts. He does not want Jesus to wash his feet and then he wants to be completely bathed by him. He declares that even if he had to die with Jesus, he would not deny him, and immediately after that he denies him three times. In all of this and with of all this, Peter is with Jesus all the time, meets him, allows him to touch himself, to touch these difficult, conflicted places. Therefore, it did not have to be easy for Peter to touch, confront himself, perhaps he felt ashamed, he wanted to run away. Jesus accepted Peter as he was, loved him. Peter endured these difficult moments and thanks to this a transformation could take place in him.How is it with you? How do you allow yourself to be met, touched by Jesus?

 

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)

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Mt 7,6.12-14

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty.

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: See the wide and narrow gate. What do the gates look like, what are they made of? Look what’s behind the gates.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: for the desire to find my value in God 

 

1. Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.

We can treat these words as a warning to carefully consider what and to whom I can say. Not everyone is able to accept and respect what I want to say or do to him. This applies to various spaces: both matters related to my life, advice on the life of another person, or what I would proselytize others. Maybe it is worth reflecting, for what purpose I want to say something, what the other person can gain thanks to it (and not me – e.g. expanding my ego, raising my value, showing on what heights of spirituality I am already)? Look also at yourself, how do you accept what others give you, what they say to you?

 

2.In everything do to others as you would have them do to you …

It seems as a simple rule: let’s give others what we would like to get. I suggest that you start with yourself, that you see: how you treat yourself, what you are to yourself, what your expectations are, what kindness, gentleness you have to yourself. It’s very likely that just as you approach yourself, you do the same to others (you may feel disagreement with these words now, but I know from experience that it is the truth).

 

3.… narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life

How is it possible for God to create a gate too narrow to pass it for us? Is it possible that God wants only a few people to come to him? Rather unbelievable! God wants to meet each of us. So, what can happen if the gate is too narrow to pass? Perhaps we are making this gate too narrow, not because of its size, but because of the luggage we carry and we want to carry. It may also be needed to hand luggage, look after, but if we focus all our attention on it, it may obscure other things, important relationships, and the luggage can become more important than them. What is your luggage: what beliefs, obligations, care for financial and material security are in it? What does the carrying the luggage give you? How do you feel this luggage in you? Think you leave it, how do you feel then? What can you lose and gain? 

 

4. Fortunately, there is good news: Jesus is waiting for you and he can help you pass this gate.

Meet with Jesus, maybe just near the narrow gate. Perhaps now he will help you unpack your baggage and guide you through this gate …

 

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)

 

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Mt 5,43-47

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: Jesus is in Galilee. Perhaps he is on one of the mountains, fewer it is a beautiful view of the area. See the lake, fields, meadows. There are a lot of people on this mountain. Everyone is listening to what Jesus says. Today, he explains to people what love to another person is about. Listen… be present in this scene.

 

Ask for the fruit of meditation: that I would like to love God, myself and others more 

 

1.     … love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you …

Jesus sets a very difficult requirement for us. Perhaps each of us can still pray for our enemies, but to love them seems impossible. However, we can realize that Christ lives in everyone, and if I cannot love my enemy, I can love Christ who is in him.Also ask yourself: who is my greatest enemy, who do I think badly about, who do I complain about the most, who do I reject, etc.? Are you not your own enemy? Do you forget about yourself, add more burdens to bear and punish yourself? Maybe it is worth starting with yourself, liking yourself, loving yourself with everything you have and what you are. The commandment of love says: love your neighbor as yourself. So, until you love yourself, you will not be able to love others, especially your enemies. And now you may not even agree that this is the case, and you may think that you love others but not yourself. But is it really? If you are strict and very demanding on yourself, then for others as well. If you do not give yourself the right to make a mistake, the failures of others will make you very angry. Look at yourself with love and tenderness, touch yourself with love and tenderness, just like the loving Father God does. He accepts you as you are now, you don’t have to do anything else to deserve his love. Perhaps, starting today, you will stop persecuting yourself and be gentle with yourself. What are you feeling now?

 

2. …he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust

These words show that there is a place on earth for everyone. Every man is God’s creature and God loves everyone, and he gives everyone the same goods out of his love. It is up to each of us to see and accept them. Both abundance and shortage are often difficult to accept. Look at the reality that surrounds you as a certain unity, in which there is a place for every human being, in which there is a space for difficult and pleasant feelings, in which there is a space for good and unpleasant events. Maybe it is worthwhile to merge what seems difficult to accept …

 

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

 

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)

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Mt 5,13-16

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: Imagine your home, the room. There is a lamp. It’s evening. You can light the lamp and notice what you can see thanks to the light. Feel the warmth of light, its glow.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: that I would like to be the salt of the earth and light for others

 

1.     You are the salt of the earth. …if salt loses its taste…

Jesus calls us the salt of the earth. Salt has various properties: it cleans, gives flavor, preserves, and enhances the value of dishes. So, it is a very important ingredient that gives and extracts flavor. However, salt may lose its flavor if it is not properly cared for and stored. It may not be known to us, but in the place where Jesus lived, salt was sourced from the Dead Sea and needed to be cleaned and properly stored, otherwise it would not be usable. So, Jesus, calling you salt, tells you how important you are and how much you need to take care of yourself in order to be able and feel the flavors of your life and at the same time give flavors to your life and life in the places where you are. Tastes don’t always have to be pleasant, each of us has our favorites and the ones we don’t like. Both are important and tasting everyone allows you to feel their fullness, variety and finding your favorites. Sometimes it happens, especially when we are in a rush, that we swallow food and do not even know what it tasted like. Today try to taste what you eat, drink. Note that when you eat a mixture of ingredients (e.g. a salad), one of the unlikely taste ingredients can sometimes even increase the flavor of the whole dish, and sometimes make you unable to eat it, and sometimes you just need to add salt to be able to eat it, eat this dish. And it is probably the same in our lives …Think about what it means to you that you are the salt of the earth. What flavor are you giving your life? What flavor are you giving others? How do you care for your taste? What shapes your taste? How does your relationship with Jesus affect your taste?

 

2.     You are the light a lamp… it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.

Jesus says about us again: we are the light of the world and we are to shine for others. The lamp illuminates the darkness, allows you to see what cannot be seen in the dark, illuminates the path you are walking, enables you to be on the right path, and allows you to avoid getting lost. However, it does not seem to be able to blind you. The light you give is to be adapted to the person using it. It should help on the way, in life. You also need light that illuminates your path, that illuminates your interior, allows you to see darker spaces inside you, find what is hidden, invisible. It may not be pleasant sometimes, it may even be painful, but only what is visible and conscious gives us understanding of ourselves, our behavior and, if necessary, it can be changed by us.What kind of light do you shine for others? What is the light you give to your loved ones in their life and your everyday life? What is the light for you?Maybe today you will let Jesus illuminate your interior and see darker recesses?

 

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)

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