With six other priests I had the opportunity to participate on this extraordinary retreat again. I published about this retreat the testimony of 4 pages and now I want to add additional impressions. These retreats are truly exceptional and difficult to compare with any other. The person standing in front of you is someone who is absolutely and totally committed to God, is permeated by God and blessed with extraordinary gifts of healings, and enters into the depths of faith. The testimonies that he gives are difficult to describe. The experience is necessary. Not only encyclopedic but especially experienced biblical concept is remarkable beside the gift of healing and entering into a special human problems.
For example, with the concept of Sin he is able to open directly a flood of biblical references that fit completely into one another and form a logical whole. Very few people truly love God and they miss the context. At this time we live in a special stage of eclipse and because the absence of a deep inner relationship I might even call it DARKNESS. Many great theologians certainly exceed in biblical science but in their recitation and the concept is more perceptible great professionalism and a kind of restraint and caution to the enthusiasm and the right radicalism. Contrary Father James has it very genuine and real.
His impressive speech in which he emphasis on clear and vocal diction, which is interwoven with examples, singing and repeating the commonplace as it should be Jesus, Jesus, and similar lunatic speeches emphasizing literally live connection with the Lord, this is something UNPRECEDENTED, POWERFUL and LIBERATING: there is no need to worry about any superficiality or that some comes on the retreat just because of the healing. If such a person just wants the healing this person is quickly literally sucked into the drama of reality to the Bible, the Holy Scriptures. This person sees and hears and turns. Otherwise one would have run away, because there is not other option.
I was personally very strengthened by the presence of another outstanding priest who with his bravery and courage proved to be in a church in many ways. It's a Jesuit father Francis Lízna, who I grandly admire. Certainly there are known his books describing his incredible journeys across Europe, from Fatima to the Crimea and elsewhere. Alone, on his foots! Father Francis himself testified about his initial skepticism when his parishioners enthusiastically recounted the events of past retreat, which I wrote a long essay, and made no secret of his prior doubts. Now he saw and believed.
Here I would like to mention some of the pain of this kind, where we hear different skeptical views of those who did not experience something similar themselves. Here I should highlight the amazing father Cardinal Christoph Schönborn who visited Medjugorje and gave very strong testimony at the end of last year. Therefore SOLID and CLEAR SOUND OF CHURCH is extremely valuable, especially at this difficult age full of half-hearted and empty phrases.
Father James is here absolutely authentic. You can clearly see that his every word is a hammer blow, but it is also full of love and understanding. There is no feel of many insurances and rhetorical maneuvering which can be sometimes perceived in other cases. To be sure, such expressions can be also valuable because everyone has the opportunity to create these semi-real images of truth.
But father JAMES has this view prepared in his heart and with immense power and authority he communicates it. His amazing courage to preach to the Muslims in the Persian Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia is something incredible. He also published evidence of his suffering and torture that he experienced and it is always evidence of authenticity.
Some people are worried about the future of the Church. It is utter nonsense, because the Holy Bible is clear "that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". But they can overwhelm individuals who lose the truth of Christ and take the myths, or even restrictions of institutions that promote crimes especially in the moral area.
I am not specific here, because every thinking creature, which is set in the realities of the world perceives the ongoing corruption that is in the stage of crystallization and early will occur in numerous confrontations, which have long been evident in countries with an Islamic majority. Attacks and harassment, which has prelude in different types of chicanes and even attacks on the head of the church will naturally grow as Christians do not extend to the forms that are degrading any religion. It is about violence.
It always starts at the stage of chimeric perception of the situation in which a supporter of the violent concepts forces to remove all obstacles and chooses the absurdity as it was invading Iraq or bombing of Belgrade. It can be expected in the near future as well. Satan, whom many don’t consider as a real entity forms his followers exactly as he was tempted Jesus in the desert and in other situations, he is becoming increasingly impatient, and as the murderer from the beginning will soon lead physical attacks on the believers.
Therefore, it is so fundamentally important to use even this SHORT TIME OF GRACE and fully open to God. Hopefully not because of the certainty that we shall be saved physically, but to save the SOUL. The soul is immortal. Therefore we are so grateful to father James and others, to father Anthony, who has such a great gift for young people and other God gifted witnesses. Therefore, we are grateful for MEDJUGORJE, for FATIMA but also for all other places where we hope that MOTHER MARY comes, or came to repeat what she said at Cana: MAKE EVERYTHING HE SAID ...
Time we are experiencing is difficult. But has it been easy anytime in history? And just when Christians were experiencing oppression their inner strength grew. The exterior was removed by cleansing, imprisonments, liquidations. It precedes the professional preparation and moral addiction to money, power, influence. Today's modern-day slaves tying with their commitments in their golden cages, cut off from reality and thinking that their power is the power and money are actually the most vulnerable because they live outside of reality. But also normal ordinary people are making their “absurd land” with their addictions of all kinds.
I just watched part of a program on our youth, wallowing in meaningless games full of violence and killings on the internet and saw how this device is diabolical. Yes, it is a fact. But there is also something much more beautiful and fuller. There is an offer of our Lord Jesus Christ and His gift of love that we can discover and draw. It is a way of life, not skulls and deadheads killers, not destructive violence.
Dear father James thank you ... I'll try at least a brief lift in English and I would be very grateful if there can be found someone who could make at least short extract out of this writing.
Retreats for next year are already full! Let us pray that father James could come more often and in particular to GIVE RETREATS TO THE PRIESTS! We need it the most. Our priest's duty is to preach the CHRIST and not myths or pleasant stories. God's word is strong and sharp, and gives an opportunity for reflection:
- WHERE DO I GO?
- AM I IN THE MERCY?
- DO I LOVE JESUS and the CHURCH? The one founded by Jesus? The one true and Catholic?
- Do I love Mary, or am I playing a double game that reverence for Mother of God wouldn’t touch someone?
These are personal issues. Let us thank God that there are preaching people who stand on full Apostolic foundation. Pray for courage and wisdom especially for those who are entrusted to lead the Church.
Let us pray for the Holy Father, it's a solid column, let us pray and give thanks for Czech father Primate Archbishop DOMINICA DUKA on the St. Adalbert Tribune. Lets ignore provocations and attacks, but entrust the Holy Spirit, He'll make what is own to him and create the church in the power of true witnesses. Let us be full of peace, because we are VICTORIOUS. With the Christ on the cross and even when we go though painful time, let us rejoice anyway. Peace and goodness and a lot of grace...
Published on Magnificat (Slovakia) - Click here for the original page
http://www.magnificat.sk/2011/01/katolicti-knezi-pro-jezise/