In the Book of Hosea God is revealing some plan for his people Israel: “I will allure them and bring them into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to them. And there they will answer as in the days of their youth, as at the time when they came out of the land of Egypt.”
For two weeks I will be out in some polish wilderness. They don’t have desert here but they have some good forests. In an old monastery lost in the woods I will spend my time with Jesus. As an Oblate every year I am obliged to give a week to some intense prayers and reflections. As I am blest to have my sabbatical this year I am going to double this blessing and I am disappearing from this world for two weeks. The rule of the place where I am going to is simple: NO PHONES, NOT TV, NO RADIO, NO INTERNET but PLENTY OF SILNCE, PRAYERS AND REFLECTIONS. It means that for two weeks from Monday I can only be reached by an angel with divine message ;)
I would like to ask you to pray for me during these two weeks so that I may repent at last. I promise I will not be selfish in my prayers and I will pray for you as well.
This year I will be guided by God’s Word from the Book of Hosea and Tobit.
I am off to my wilderness. Pray for me.

After listening to the Gospel for this Sunday I have two images in my head. The first it is a painting I saw in Bethlehem, precisely in the chapel of the Catholic University there. It captures the scene from today’s Gospel, a shepherd going to search for the lost sheep. It reflects so well the character of the surroundings of Bethlehem full of sharp cliffs and crevices. The image shows a sheep that fell of the cliff and the shepherd holding on to a shrub and pulling up the poor lamb. Looking at the image I cannot stop thinking about how much it resembles what happened on the cross. 14th September is the Feast of the Exultation of the Cross and 15th of September places before our eyes Our Lady of Sorrows. It is a perfect timing to link what happened on the cross with the parable of the Good Shepherd going out to look for the lost sheep. The intensity of the painting from Bethlehem and the intensity of each crucifix is similar. The Good Shepherd pulling himself up as he holds on to the tree in order to pull up his lamb reminds the same Shepherd on the cross who through the nails are hold on to the tree of the cross in order to pull us up from the swamp of our sins, hopelessness, failures, senselessness of our life, discouragements etc. As Christ was pulling himself up on the cross it wasn’t only to prolong his human life but to pull us up with him, to pull us up to heaven.
We can compare Christ the Good Shepherd to an ambulance or a rescue. He goes out to look for those in danger whether they are worthy of his rescue operation or not. That’s why this image of the Good Shepherd is so close to our hearts. In fact it has been close to people’s hearts as the first image of Christ that is preserved it the image of the Good Shepherd carrying the lost Sheep or more precisely a goat, on his shoulders. It was painted more than 1800 years ago in the Roman Catacombs. It is the second image I think of after listening to the Gospel of this Sunday. This painting reminds us that the Good Shepherd is not only merciful but wise as well. We all know that the ambulance doesn’t drive the patient around the city for ages but they take the quickest way to hospital. The rescue team doesn’t put on a barbecue in the remote area for the rescued person either but they bring the person back to the family and friends as quickly as they can. As we look at the Good Shepherd with the goat on his shoulders we need ask an important question: “Where is he going to?” The answer is: “Christ the Good Shepherd is going back to his flock, to his Church.” He is wise, he knows that his lost sheep, his lost Christian needs some environment where he or she can recover. Christ the Lord believes that the Church that he established is such an environment. That’s why he is taking the quickest road to the community of his followers like the ambulance rushing to hospital or the rescue team rushing to the family and friends of the lost person. Christ believes in his Church, he believes that it is the best environment for all people to get better. The question I would like to leave you with is: “Do you believe that he is right?”

As the holiday season is over here in Poland I decided to spend a few days at the Baltic Sea. Apart from beautiful seaside surroundings which kind of reminded me of Australia I wanted particularly to pay a visit to this part of the country which has so much history, especially in terms of the history of the Catholic Faith in Poland. The place I came to is Kolobrzeg. Here in 1000 one of the first dioceses in Poland  was established. I wanted to write a Catholic Diocese but in truth at that time the Church wasn’t divided yet as the Great Eastern Schism happened some 54 years later. So in the year of 1000 a bishop was sent to the town to start mission work as it was still a pagan territory. Bishop Reinbern who came here didn’t waste time and worked hard to establish a Christian community. Unfortunately seven years later when he was away travelling pagans started a revolt and destroyed all signs of Christianity in the area. At the same time the place broke off its bond with Poland. A couple of centuries later another missionary, St Otto of Bamberg, came to Kolobrzeg and managed to establish a community that not only survived but thrived as well. In 1270 they started building a church which is still the main church of the town. What amazed me was the vision they had. The town had no more than two thousand inhabitants but the church they built then is monumental. In 1530 the church was taken over by Protestants and was used by them until World War II. In 1945 the communist regime turned the church into a museum and only in 1974 it was given back to the Catholic Church after Pope Paul VI established a new diocese of Koszalin.
The town of Kolbrzeg is also remembered for the marriage to the Sea that was performed by Polish soldiers as they liberated the country from Natzis. In a symbolic gesture the commander of the army thrown a ring into the Baltic Sea fulfilling the dream of many Poles to have access to the Sea after a couple of centuries when Poland was conquered by neighboring countries.
It was a reflective visit to me, particularly in the context of the Year of Faith. Praying there and celebrating Mass in the memorable Basilica I thought how well the story of the town reflects ups and downs of our own story when we need to struggle to remain faithful to Christ. How often what is sinful in us seems to take over the good seeds sown by the Lord like it happened here in 1007 when a pagan revolt destroyed the beginnings of Christianity but Jesus never gives up. He sent St Otto to spread the Good News that was rejected a couple centuries earlier and the same Jesus sends his messengers to us to support what is good in us and to eradicate what is contrary to our vocation. Today Kolobrzeg is a well know health resort with its special climate but for me it is the place where one can breathe not only fresh air with its healing qualities but it is a place where one can sense the efforts of Christ to give his people true happiness – his very own person.

Today's Gospel is one of the Passages that can be used by people who want to justify their wicked ways of life. The children who find it difficult to love their parents find perfect excuse to withhold their love saying that Jesus told his followers to hate their parents. Husbands and wives could use this Gospel to go ahead with their divorce plans citing that it is the command Jesus gave. Those who would like to wipe Christianity off the face of the earth could think that it is a perfect evidence that Christian faith promotes hatred and other dysfunctional, antisocial behavior. Maybe some good Catholic would quickly turn this page of the Hoy Scriptures over as it looks embarrassing. So what should we do with this "embarrassing" passage of the Gospel?
Firstly I would like to focus on the story of a catholic woman who fell in love with a Muslim man.  It was great love. At least she said so. However there was an issue, the man said that he couldn't marry her until she converted to Islam. The woman was saying: " I love him so much. He loves me too. We have been created for each other. Can God who is love be upset with me giving myself to love? I believe God is going to be so happy seeing my happiness."
My dear friends of Christ.
Jesus whom we hear this Sunday doesn't hit the natural bonds and relationship. He doesn't change the fourth commandment about honoring our parents either. But Jesus does hit the bonds and relationships that stand between him and us. It isn't just theoretical reflection but it must have been Jesus' answer to a dilemma one of his followers had. We can imagine Our Lord walking, surrounded by people. He knew them, not just their names but their struggles and problems as well. What we hear this Sunday from Christ, must have been a reaction to a situation when a follower was torn between Christ and his family or friends, who tried to lead him away from the Teacher from Nazareth. Jesus says: "If there are people who stand on your way to Salvation, who try to pull you away from it it is wrong. You need to free yourself from these bonds and relationships because if your human relationships don't help you to be a better disciple of mine leave them." 
Again it is not encouragement for those who want to excuse themselves from building solid and healthy relationships but it is a prove of how well Christ knows what is happening in human interior and he offers a diagnosis of the problem with firmness and truth.
Maybe among us there are people who need to stand up to their relatives and friends who are an obstacle for them on the way to salvation. If you see such a case in your life and if you find it difficult to change it you can be sure that today's Gospel is addressed to you as Jesus knows what your heart hides. It doesn't matter how comfortable and safe you feel now. It is high time to leave this cosy environment an to take up the cross of challenge, unknown and loneliness in order to follow Jesus. He is the person with whom we must build a relationship.

Coming back to the woman from the story we can only hope that she realized that giving up on Christ wasn't to help her find love and happiness. 

It can be believed that vocation to the priesthood or the religious life is like the moment of conversion St. Paul had on the way to Damascus when he saw tue Lord Jesus and fell of the horse. A few days later he was baptized and was ready to preach the Gospel. I have no doubts  that God can touch a person so powerfully that the touch can change the whole person straight away. Even if I wanted to have such an experience the story of my vocation is really plain and ordinary in its development. However I still believe that God has touched me powerfully though it was spread over a number of years when I was maturing to embrace God's call to the priesthood as an Oblate of Mary Immaculate. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned my pilgrimage to the hometown of JP2 and his growing up under the watchful eyes of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Shrine and in his parish church where he prayed like his classmates before the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor. In my case there was also a similar situation. When I reflect on my vocation it is hard to point out a particular moment that influenced me, rather I need to highlight a long period of time that was marked by various questions about what I would like to do in the future, about asking God about the idea of becoming a priest that kept coming to my mind, but mainly that period was the time of prayer. Like JP2 I also had my shrine. It was our local cathedral where the image of Our Lady is venerated. It is a copy of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa. The image is known for the tears that appeared on it on July 3, 1949. It was the time when Poland was recovering from the wounds of WW2 but the Russian communism was taking over the country. The incident contributed to faith's growth in people who kept flowing to the cathedral not only to see the tears but to pray and to make confessions. Every time I visit the Lublin Cathedral I recall how Mary was filling my heart and mind with her love and passion for Jesus. For me these inspirations were like the tears that so many saw years ago. The tears that changed hears of so many. I love praying in this cathedral that is "my shrine", here I spent most of the mornings when I had to wait for classes when I was a high school student. How many 7am Masses I attended here! Today I am most grateful that my schedule was so hopeless that every morning I had nearly 2 hours before classes started. Most of my classmates felt sorry for me but I am sure now that it was of God's making. God knew that I needed those hours with Our Lady. She was "my private tutor" in the ways of The Lord. Probably I wouldn't be an Oblate priest today if I hadn't prayed with her to her Son Jesus Christ

          There was a young man in Poland who even in high school made a great contribution to his local parish. He was able to use his leadership and organization skills to bring life and energy to various groups in the church. When he completed his HSC with high scores nobody was surprised that he chose the seminary. Again in the seminary he did brilliantly. He was ordained a priest and shortly his bishop sent him to Rome to do PhD. When he returned home, soon he was given very responsible duties. Looking at his “achievements” some were jealous but most of the people were convinced that soon he was to be appointed a bishop. With his skills and academic background he seemed to be a perfect candidate. When some people were expecting the appointment to be announced very soon a curious thing happened. An elderly and sick bishop from Africa came to Poland looking for missionaries. Visiting the city where the young priest lived the African Bishop had a chat with him and said: “How much good you could do in our poor diocese in Africa. Could you consider becoming a missionary?” After a few months the priest went to see his bishop and requested permission to go to Africa as a missionary. When people asked him why he was giving up such a bright career he answered: “I’ve got skills they need.” Soon he went to Africa.
     Sisters and brothers in Christ!           
     At the outset of the new school year, the best teacher the world ever had – Jesus Christ, is giving a lesson. Before teachers start their classes this year Christ gives the first one. However his class isn’t just for the primary,  middle or high school students. His class is for all of us. What is the topic of his lecture? If you paid attention to the Gospel passage for this Sunday you know it already – HUMILITY. Jesus Christ isn’t giving us a talk on good manners at table but he trains us in humility. Humility is necessary if one is to learn, as humility makes us acknowledge that there is more to learn, that we don’t know everything. A humble person can learn a lot. One may say that the proud can learn a lot too. Well, it is true but a humble person will take his knowledge where it can serve those who are less knowledgeable. On the other hand a proud person will go where he or she can make others to serve him or her because he or she knows more.           
     I like the story of the priest who became a missionary because it shows  us what humanity is all about. Sometimes people say how insignificant they are, how little they know but in their hearts they just pray that somebody may deny it and start saying how clever and wonderful they are. The priest from the story was humble enough to learn a lot. But he was humble not prestige hungry as he was prepared to use his high qualifications to serve the poor instead of promoting himself. Like the man from the parable, told by Jesus today, he chose the last seat. Because of that he gave those who would never be able to go
higher to benefit from his skills as he was mixing with them.           
     Humility is based on a realistic judgment of myself. It has nothing to do with laziness, cowardice, passiveness, not having own opinion, withdrawal from social network. A truly humble person know what he or she can achieve and will work hard and consistently to achieve it. If you want to know what proves that there is humility in you let me tell you that it is JOY. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “The humble are not surprised by their distress; it leads them to trust more, to hold fast in constancy.” Seeing their failures they also see an opportunity to improve, to work harder. In their successes they praise God as it is God who is the source of their joy not their successes. The priest who has been now working in Africa for a number of years isn’t miserable and depressed. He doesn’t think that he wastes his time there but he cheerfully uses his skills to serve his new friends. JOY AND HUMILTY ARE TWINS.