Daily gospel

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel….Twentyfifth Sunday of Ordinary time….Sunday of the Holy Scripture

I have one big problem with today’s gospel……

I have been “hoeing” willingly in the Lord’s vineyard since 1982, that is when I said “yes" to the call of the landowner in the gospel , but so far I have never felt that I was doing the work of a day-labourer !! It is so great to joyously serve the Lord if I would be forbidden from doing this , then I would be the one paying to keep on working in the Lord’s vineyard !!

For me it’s no trouble to get going with two hundred children and walk from Gyulafehérvár to Marosszentimre , so that there we remember in the  ancient church, spectacular even in its ruins, the heroic battle of Hunyadi János in 1442! It is no trouble warning mischief-maker children , encourage them to  be good , to hearten them , to see how the spark of hope gleams in the hazel eyes ! Believe me it’s no problem  to embark on a journey today, and tomorrow morning in Budapest, to declare my strong stand by the beauty of the large family , in a show , called “family friendly “, the decision about accepting life, the acceptance, taking in children fallen out of the “nest”! It does not count as work tomorrow evening to give a presentation to several hundred young people, upon the invitation of the 777-portal , to testify about the wonderful efforts in Christ’s vineyard !!

With the adamant conviction of many years I shout to the world ,that it is great to raise the flag of the great King , our Lord Jesus Christ high!For me in the Lord’s vineyard to "bear the day's burden and the heat.”, is dignity , proud joy and even if the" landowner “ would not give me  even “a single  denarius “even then I would glorify Him on my knees , for He lead me on the   wonderful beautiful , triumphant way of love, goodness!! I encourage you with all my heart  , my dear brothers and sisters dare to say “ es" from the bottom of your hearts to the call that is coming again and again, leave the fishing boats, the moneychanger’s table and come into the vineyard of the Lord because “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few!!”

With love,

Father Csaba

translated by dr k.e.

Photo: It’s good to be good !! Our big girl from Kászon with the puppy !

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner

who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. 

After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,

he sent them into his vineyard. 

Going out about nine o'clock,

the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard,

and I will give you what is just.'

So they went off. 

And he went out again around noon,

and around three o'clock, and did likewise. 

Going out about five o'clock,

the landowner found others standing around, and said to them,

'Why do you stand here idle all day?'

They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.'

He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.'

When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,

'Summon the laborers and give them their pay,

beginning with the last and ending with the first.'

When those who had started about five o'clock came,

each received the usual daily wage. 

So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,

but each of them also got the usual wage. 

And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,

'These last ones worked only one hour,

and you have made them equal to us,

who bore the day's burden and the heat.'

He said to one of them in reply,

'My friend, I am not cheating you. 

Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 

Take what is yours and go. 

What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? 

Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? 

Are you envious because I am generous?'

Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Matthew 20, 1-16a

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel……..23 September 2017

We were born to grow “tall” and bear fruit a hundredfold !

I was invited to an old Chango for a festive lunch ! The nice large family were celebrating   the feast day of the head of the household . At the start of lunch the elderly man stood up and very humbly proposed a toast . His words left me with a deep impression :" It seems to me it was not that long ago that I was alone - orphaned at an early age ,  grew up as a servant in a small mountain homestead. Worked hard - he continued with a choking voice - managed to buy a small property here in Áldomáspatak. God helped me , sent me a wonderful woman , who presented me with four beautiful children . We raised them , found them nice wives , and at today’s holy mass , thanks be to God, nineteen of us praised God together ! The elderly man raised his glass high , then with tears in his eyes emptied the glass .

I was looking at this simple man with callous hands . During his life he only left his homeland when he had to enlist , he never went to school , spent his entire life with honest , hard work among the tall mountains but behold looking back in the evening of his life he has reasons to give thanks with teary eyes ! His family , his beloved children three of whom built their houses next to his, his beloved daughters-in-law , his grandchildren all took part during the pilgrim mass  before the festive  lunch are all like God’s blessings as a produce that bear fruit a hundredfold ! Can a man wish for more than giving thanks at the “sunset” of his life for his beloved family !?

Lets quieten down , take count of my own past life in the sunset of autumn ! The grains of wheat are accumulating will there be a produce  of fiftyfold -hundredfold ? Or are we tiptoeing with barren ear in the wind ?! So that you get a better idea take a wheat-stoke in your hand and take a good look at it ! It has hardly any root, its phylum is like a thin straw , it has virtually no leaf , the whole plant is the ear swaying in the wind carrying heavy grains. The grain of wheat is a wonderful example , a purposeful life, not a huge house lavishly furnished and empty rooms , but a wonderful small tiny home where everything but everything is serving the hundredfold produce ! Take a good look at your own life !! Who are you in God’s precious agricultural land , the bent wheat-stoke carrying the ripe ear or the worthless haughty seeds of dissension, that the Lord of the Harvest will throw into the fire ? The grace of conversion can change all this . The recognition of your weaknesses should not cause you to despair ! We were not given the spirit sadness ! Place your life  into the hands of God  and He will miraculously change your life around , He will lead you, your barren life will become a blessing and you’ll become the wheat-stoke , swaying in the wind , shedding tears of joy bringing a produce that is  hundredfold !

Wiht love ,

Father Csaba 

translated by dr k.e.

Photo : one of our kind carer from Gyergyószárhegy with her children accepted in the name of God !!

When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another

journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable. 

"A sower went out to sow his seed.

And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled,

and the birds of the sky ate it up.

Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew,

it withered for lack of moisture.

Some seed fell among thorns,

and the thorns grew with it and choked it.

And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew,

it produced fruit a hundredfold."

After saying this, he called out,

"Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."

Then his disciples asked him

what the meaning of this parable might be.

He answered,

"Knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God

has been granted to you;

but to the rest, they are made known through parables

so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.

"This is the meaning of the parable. 

The seed is the word of God.

Those on the path are the ones who have heard,

but the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts

that they may not believe and be saved.

Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear,

receive the word with joy, but they have no root;

they believe only for a time and fall away in time of temptation.

As for the seed that fell among thorns,

they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along,

they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, 

and they fail to produce mature fruit.

But as for the seed that fell on rich soil,

they are the ones who, when they have heard the word,

embrace it with a generous and good heart,

and bear fruit through perseverance.”

Luke 8, 4-15

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel ..Friday 22 September 2017

Jesus Christ  the Lord of the universe , could redeem the world on His own, but how nice it is that even prior to His incarnation, He knocks, through His herald to the modest virgin in Nazareth and asks for help. The same way He looks up Saint Joseph and initiates him as well in the great mystery of the redemption of the world.He calls the shepherds through his angels, places stars in the sky so that the wisemen of the orient can find Him. On the first day of His public at the start of His activity He already invites the team of the young apostles into His home . I like to visualise meeting the way Jesus introduces His newfound friends to Mary , the way they sit down to share a glass of wine whilst Mary prepares dinner for the young “Titans” . It is great to see as Jesus invites Peter at the sea of Galilee , or the way He addresses Matthew the tax collector : “ Come ,follow me and I’ll make you into fishers of man.” Jesus is not a lone wolf , He is always in a community , on all His journeys His disciples, His apostles are with Him, even on the Mount of Olives . It is nice to see that even on His way to the cross He acquires friends, the name of Simon, Veronica’s handkerchief all become part of Jesus’ big family . A moment on the cross on Golgotha is sufficient for Jesus to form a friendship for eternal life with the brigand on His right , whom He promises that “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”.

In the light of today’s gospel lets ponder about what is my relationship like with my dear colleagues , workmates , how much do I appreciate their help, their loyalty, their work ? How great it would be if following the example of Jesus I could humbly wash their feet, and even after a pain, hurt like the one suffered on Good Friday we could get back on our feet and we could get going hand in hand again building the Kingdom of God .

Amen .

Father Csaba 

translated by dr k.e.

Photo : congratulation to my dear colleague Bajkó Éva upon  just recently being awarded the high honour given out by the Széchenyi Society , the prize for the year 2017, which she received in Budapest !

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,

preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.

Accompanying him were the Twelve

and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,

Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,

Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,

Susanna, and many others

who provided for them out of their resources.

Luke 8, 1-3

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel…

Wednesday 20  September 2017

Why is it so difficult to be converted ? Why could the inhabitants of Nineveh in the days  of Jonah be converted and become free from the reward of sin ? In the days of Jeremiah why could not Israel convert upon the word of the prophet , and why did they perish by the sword of their enemy? Hearing the words of Jesus so many of them converted , but very many stayed on in their sinful way said :”‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’Luke 7, 35

Have I succeeded in converting !? Is love, goodness ,mercy leading me in my decisions ? Or else the evil spirit , the seven deadly sins  : envy, gluttony greed or avarice, lust , pride, sloth, wrath.

The evil one is a master fisher it hangs anything on the hook, that is temptation , resist it , because here you are the victim , and your eternal life is at stake !! Convert , free yourself from the domination of sin !!

Father Csaba

translated by dr k.e.

Picture: On a pilgrimage.

31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,

“ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’

33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

Luke 7, 31-35

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel….

Tuesday 19 September 2017

Many mothers are crying today for  many young men of Nain ! They do so rightly , because many young people are roaming as seemingly dead in one door and out the other , but they are not capable to make a home, establish a family , father a child !There are those who are pressing down the doorhandles of places of entertainment, there are those who go from college to college ! Then there are those who are roaming on the roads of the big, wide world , running wild they have no idea from where to where they roam, there are the ones telling tall stories, building castles in the air living their barren lives! The mothers are crying because they can see that their children are not approaching their goals like eagles with outstretched wings but like drifting leaves of a tree they just drag on with their lives !!! We cry out after Jesus, our Redeemer , who rejects complaint, and calls on powerfully on the young people of the XXI century as well “Young man, I say to you, arise.!!”Arise young man and get going, you who were born to live , to conquer, with your two strong arms, with your God given intellect build your own nest ! You were born to sweep off her feet the most beautiful girl, who will lend you wings, and for whom you are capable to do anything ! Besiege her with your love , ask her to become your wife , and to bear you strong, brave children !! Yes , you were born that by raising the flag in your hand high, make friends, allies conquer, make your most beautiful dreams come true , your beloved a mother , your homeland into your flowering home, for your own and your people’s sake.

With love .

Father Csaba 

translated by dr.k.e.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and r“God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Luke 7, 11-17

Father Csaba’s reflections on the gospel….

Monday 18 September 2017

How great is my faith ?! I believe that God who in the miracle of creation took hold of my hand and brought me into existence is mighty enough to guide me further amidst the worries , problems of the earthly life , from school year to school year towards  the promised eternal life ?! Do I believe that the mountains may move and the hills may turn to dance but the love of my Redeemer never leaves me ?I believe that God "A bruised reed he will not break,and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out “, He wants us to have a life  and that our life will be joyful, plentiful ! I believe that God not only wants that we produce fruit that lasts but with His divine goodness takes our side to become a human cathedral , that can be a worthy abode for Him for His meeting with His children !!

I believe that by the grace of God in the 2017-2018 school year I can achieve all the goals placed before me by the school , breaking my barriers I can become a champion?!

With love,

Father Csaba

translated by dr k.e.

7 When Jesus had finished saying all thisx to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.y 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Luke 7, 1-10

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel….

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross…… Thursday 14 September 2017 .

"We adore You, O Christ , and we praise You because by Your Holy Cross You have  redeemed the World” 

It is certain that accepting of carrying the cross out of sheer obedience is the most beautiful declaration of love ! If somebody is willing to take on the cross upon the request of someone else this is the most beautiful testimony of his unconditional devotion !! Unfortunately we only love until it suits us , once love becomes painful we very easily turn our back on each other , even though the mystery of love only ripens in the mystery of the cross, that is when it becomes the source of life ! Paul is explaining that “Christ became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. “ Letter to the Phillipians 2,8

Can our  love of Christ endure some humiliation, setbacks , pain? Or does the first sign of trouble, inconvenience that we experience on the way we embarked upon out of our love for Christ discourage us and we start complaining ?? Is there room in our love for our husband or wife to accomodate some inconvenience, our companion's clumsiness, stumbling? Is the fabric of the love between us strong enough either to carry the cross as well , can it withstand our weaknesses, inaptness arising from our insignificance ??

Lets remember that real love starts where pain appears, because until then we did not love , we only had a good time!32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 32-36

Photo : showing the secluded  chapel named after Saint John the Baptist , near Sóvárad.

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

"No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish

but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him. 

John 3, 13-17

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel……Wednesday 13 September 2017

I am wondering what would happen if either our archbishop, our priests or even I would would tell my colleagues on payday instead go giving them money this speech? It is certain that they would not understand me , that the apostles themselves just shrugged their shoulders upon hearing this particular job description !!

Poverty ? Hunger? Crying ? Hatred, contempt , slander ? Would this be the pay ? ! To top it all not only would we have to put up with all this , but even rejoice at hearing it !?

Yes, Christ’s way is very steep, at first sight seems not feasible ! Narrow gate is the one through which we have to get through to get into the presence of God ! Lets not get to a standstill , because if we get going with living faith everything will change just as our father Saint Francis’ life by meeting the leper: "When I was in sin, the sight of lepers nauseated me beyond measure; but then God himself led me into their company, and I had pity on them. When I had once become acquainted with them, what had previously nauseated me became a source of spiritual and physical consolation for me. Saint Francis of Assisi ..Testimony

Lets embark trustingly on the road shown to us by our Lord Jesus Christ , because under a different name, on a different road we cannot reach reach our goal, we cannot gain salvation !!

With love,

Father Csaba

translated by dr k.e.

Picture : on the one road , the road of pilgrimage with the children ….

Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:

"Blessed are you who are poor,

for the Kingdom of God is yours.

Blessed are you who are now hungry,

for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who are now weeping,

for you will laugh.

Blessed are you when people hate you,

and when they exclude and insult you,

and denounce your name as evil

on account of the Son of Man.

Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!

Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. 

For their ancestors treated the prophets 

in the same way.

But woe to you who are rich,

for you have received your consolation.

But woe to you who are filled now,

for you will be hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will grieve and weep.

Woe to you when all speak well of you,

for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

Luke 6, 20-26

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel……

Tuesday 12 September 2017 Feast of the Holy Name Of the Blessed Virgin Mary .

I wonder why did our Lord Jesus Christ call apostles, disciples ?? Why did He send them out with the glad tidings of the gospel into the World ? Why is is He asking us to be perfect as our Heavenly Father ?

Because He trusts us ! Our Redeemer can see that immeasurable lot of suffering that is in our world, that unfortunately we are the cause of and He is convinced that we are capable, to grab onto the blessing outstretched hand towards us , and together we can build a better , more liveable, peaceful world together , where we can all feel at home !! This huge project that started two thousand years ago , that still has not ended ! Lets not blame the world and each other , lets not whinge that the end of the world is here, but stand with trust , living faith bt the side of Jesus gathering apostles ! Our Lord two thousand years ago, seeing the problems existing then , does not proclaim the end of the world, it’s not Him, but, Pilate who is washing his hands helplessly, our Redeemer is the advocate of hope , “there is a solution “, that is why our place is next to Him !!

I call you lovingly to become the apostles of Christ !!

Father Csaba 

translated by dr k.e.

Photo : Children from Déva ready for action !

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray,

and he spent the night in prayer to God.

When day came, he called his disciples to himself,

and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:

Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,

James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,

Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,

Simon who was called a Zealot,

and Judas the son of James,

and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground.

A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people 

from all Judea and Jerusalem

and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon

came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;

and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.

Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him

because power came forth from him and healed them all.

Luke 6, 12-19

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel….10 September 2017 , 23. Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Limescale !!!

We were getting ready for mass in the yard of one of our houses , but  the strange, loud noises coming from next door were totally drowning out the children’s singing. I ask my colleague what the noise was ? “I have no idea came the reply , but since yesterday , today as well when we are outside in the yard the neighbour is continuously beating”  a piece of iron with a hammer "!! The altar server turned  to me and told me that yesterday the neighbour was the one who came over and cut down a plum tree from our yard….

The holy mass starts and I also feel the tension within myself….having ill-willed neighbours is a curse , what’ll happen if they loose their temper even more ? Even though during the homily I never mentioned the ongoing racket , I talked about peace, tranquility ,compromise , I could hardly wait for the ceremony to be over , so that I could actually see as to what is going on! I went over to the neighbour who welcomed me with great love , and showed me what he was doing : he bought iron pipes from a boiler room , and these pipes became thickly coated by limescale over the years . This was what he was trying to remove from pipes , about as thick as my fist, with a five kilo hammer , that sounded like a mortar in the peaceful country surroundings. He invited me in for a glass of wine , we chatted like good neighbours happily , I never even mentioned the plum tree .When I got home I called the smart altar server and asked him to show me where the tree was removed from? They showed me the stump , that was growing next to the man’s fence in our yard , that , as a good farmer the neighbour fell , I indicated as well I would have done the same with the wildly growing sapling  !

I took three pieces of the limescale knocked off the pipes. I showed it to the children and they asked me what was it ? Corpus delicti ,  of human prejudice, stupidity , the eloquent testimony ! I asked them to keep a couple of pieces for safekeeping and on other occasions before they pronounce judgement , take hold of a piece and knock on the door of the home of the other person and following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ just ask calmly : “ Peter, do you love me ? “

My dear brothers and sisters , I still have pieces  of the limescale left , I gladly send some to all who are capable to cripple others’ and their own lives’ with superficial judgements ! It would not hurt to drill a hole into  a piece or more and wear it around our necks constantly as a reminder that things are not always as they first appear and we judge accordingly harshly  as we seem to think it is !

With love,

Father Csaba 

translated by dr k.e.

15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Matthew 18, 15-20