OUR ADVENT IN THE YEAR OF FAITH
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
We are beginning the Advent in the Year of Faith. It is a special time of opening our eyes onto God. We realize that it is God to whom we are grateful for the existence of the world, that we have a possibility to observe His beauty and admire the wisdom of the work of creation. And one must be either naïve or very focused on oneself, in order to insist that the world has appeared from itself, that everything started to exist as a result of some explosions, but nobody can answer the question how the first particle of matter appeared and how these explosions happened. There are some rules of searching for the truth about everything which exists, there is a kind of methodology but we must also answer these usual questions worrying the man in which there is whole wisdom of life, whole knowledge about the man and the world, pointing onto conclusively God’s factor.
In the Advent of the Year of Faith we are opening ourselvesonto Jesus who revealed the internal life of the Only God in the Holy Trinity to us; Jesus arriving in order to tell us that God is Father who loves us and sends – Him, God’s Son, in order to give us an example of behaving as God’s children and the Holy Spirit who is to strengthen us on this road. Jesus also becomes our redeemer in his redeeming act done on the wood of cross. His action is firmly fixed in possibilities of cognition of human mind and also emphasizing grace and power of God which accompanies the road of faith. We are invited by the Church to experience these unusual mysteries at the time of the holy Advent, that is, waiting for Christmas. In this pastoral year, starting just from the Advent, our motto is going to be as follows: ‘To be the salt of the earth’. The Church will remind us these words because they are the core of life of every Christian. The special accent should be put on the Christian testimony which is connected with the task of new evangelization – in workplaces, in Poland, Europe and in the world. Christ must start shining in our life.
In the Advent we will see many forms of experiencing the closeness of Christ. These are going to be retreats, Advent Holy Masses and other church services, as well as our personal resolutions, prayers and renunciations. The ‘Sunday’ suggested the action of writing letters in the Year of Faith – to friends, children, parents, to various social groups – which can contribute to a greater understanding among people, among our communities and generally in the society, like it took place in the 80s of the last century when ‘Solidarity’ appeared. At the difficult time when there was still the communist regime, joining people together, thinking how to help others and how to build homeland anew, brought blessed fruits.
Today our task is not easy either. We often experience them in solitude, being afraid of free speaking, we are worried about our fate, work, about possibilities of the experience. Therefore we need solidarity and also the feeling that the man is not alone and that somebody wants to help him, and support him with a good word. This all takes place in the atmosphere of the Gospel the best, which was brought by Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the base and a guarantee ofunity in family, parish and community – and in further perspective – unity in the whole society.
I would also like to encourage priests to our action of writing letters. Maybe you would like to write a letter to your parishioners, tell them about problems connected with faith which you encounter, or maybe you will explain or signalize something…In a letter it is possible to say a lot, express many expectations, pains but also joys.
So, please, feel welcomed, Dear Readers, in the Year of Faith, to undertake the beautiful work of writing letters.An additional incentive is the announcement of a contest by the ‘Sunday’ whose main prizes – separately for priests and laymen – are pilgrimages to Rome. We are waiting for Your letters – the most interesting ones and connected with important issues in the area of faith are going to be published – everybody interested in what you would like to tell them about faith are waiting for the letters.
The letters signed with a motto or a pseudo-name, with envelopes attached to them, signed with the same motto and involving personal data of address, telephone number or e-mail and CDs with e-text, should be sent till 31 January 2013 at the address of the ‘Sunday’ with a note: ‘Konkurs’ (‘Contest’). The details of the rules on: www.niedziela.pl
(AA)
"Niedziela" 49/2012