ON THE THRESHOLD
Lidia Dudkiewicz, The Editor-in-Chief of ‘Niedziela’
Words written on the Wall of the parish church in Wadowice: ‘Time is flying, eternity is waiting’, were read every day by Karol Wojtyła, when looking through his home window. In the beginning of the new year it is worth noting that all of us should remember these words, as time is flying and it is not possible to return to the past moments. Everything is on the move, everything is passing….It was defined perfectly by a philosopher who said that it is not possible to step twice in the same river. Whereas, what is surprising, is the thought of Lew Tołstoj which is quoted by an author of the text published in the current edition of ‘Sunday’: ‘Time is beyond us and before us, it is not with us’. Therefore it is worth living consciously and wisely. Theologians remind us that time experienced on the earth decides about our eternity. So, the matter is of the supreme significant, and it is beyond any opinions. In the present pastoral year, celebrated under the motto: ‘We are filled with the Holy Spirit’, we have an unusual and reliable guardian on our way to eternity – this is the Holy Spirit. So, we must open ourselves up to His gifts: wisdom, reason, advice, courage, skill, religiousness and Divine fear.
Life of every Catholic is passing in the rhythm of the ecclesiastical year and among events, also from the secular life, which must be planned beforehand, put down in a calendar not to miss them. The Anno Domini 2018 is celebrated as the Year of St. Stanisław, Kostka – in relation to the 450th anniversary of this brave young man’s death, who had made a foot pilgrimage from Vienna through the Alps to Rome, following - despite circumstances – the voice of his vocation. In the current year we also remember about the Holy Father Pio – in relation to his 50th death anniversary. Another guide on spiritual ways of the year 2018 is St. John Paul II – ‘Lolek from Wadowice, who grew up to Heaven’ – as his friend from his childhood, Danuta Gruszczyńska, said. On 16 October there is the 40th anniversary of his election for the Holy See. In ‘L’Osservatore Romano’ it was once written that John Paul II is ‘the beat of God’s heart given to humankind’. Surely, in this beginning year we are going to live in this rhythm and be fervent in reading the teaching of the Polish Pope, who was connecting the earth with Heaven in his holiness during his life, and now he is connecting Heaven with the earth as our particular advocator to God.
In 2018 we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of regaining independence by Poland. on this occasion the ‘Sunday’ touches on various issues. We began with two suggested historical calendars. The first one is a calendar of the Catholic patriot. The second one is a calendar of a Pole, reminding about the most important events of 1918, directly preceding regaining independence by Poland. The ‘Sunday’ also starts its multimedia possibilities in order to commemorate the fathers of independence: Józef Piłsudski, Roman Dmowski, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Wincenty Witos, Ignacy Daszyński and Wojciech Korfanty. Prominent Polish historians are going to speak to video cameras of the TV studio NIEDZIELA TV about the fathers of independence. Soon we are will announce a competition of the ‘Sunday’ which gained its National Patronage of President of Poland Andrzej Duda on the 100th Anniversary of Regaining Independence. All this is to the glory of our beloved Homeland.
Translation: Aneta Amrozik
„Niedziela” 1/2018 (7 I 2018)