IN ORDER TO COME OUT FROM A SPHERE OF COMFORT
MARIA FORTUNA-SUDOR
- We are extreme, when every day we allow for raising ourselves from death, we – as individuals and as a society. This is an exciting perspective! It is worth letting ourselves change, become mature and arise from death through faith in God who is our Father – said archbishop Celestino Migliore to believers at the Holy Mass on Sunday 8 March 2015 in the church of St. Joseph in Kraków-Podgórze
The Apostolic Nuncio in Poland – archbishop Celestino Migliore arrived in Kraków in order to meet with extreme priests and then set off to an Extreme Road of Cross Stations from the church in Kraków to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska.
Resist a temptation
As Fr. Jacek Stryczek informed, the inventor of the Extreme Road of Cross Stations, the meeting in Kraków was attended by 20 of 80 priests from various parts of Poland, who decided to participate in a new project ‘an Extreme priest’ initiated this year. – Here there appears an idea of the comfort sphere – explained Fr. Stryczek during a meeting with journalists. – It seems to me that when people speak about priestly vocation, they imagine that somebody will be a great priest, that he will redeem people. Whereas in life there appears a temptation of comfort. The priest explained that he wanted to remind about the main idea of priesthood, also the universal one, that: ‘Who wants to save his life, will lose it…’. He admitted that extreme priests wanted to meet one another and find out who they were. He added: - It turned out that we have a lot in common and what will be next we do not know yet.
An Extreme Road of Cross Stations is always exceeding oneself and coming out from the sphere of comfort – said Fr. Witold Bednarz from the diocese of Zamość and he explained: ‘During an Extreme Road of Cross Stations I somehow reach a point in which I do not feel like doing anything. And I know that if I said at this point: ‘Stop!’ and took a rest, I would behave so in my later life. And if at this moment I exceed myself and go further, in this way I am learning to overcome challenges, which I am facing and which the world, school, bishop, diocese are giving to me…..The priest confessed that he had experienced the comfort sphere as a cleric of the 4th year, when he had already been sure that he would become a priest, whereas, he found out that it would not happen so. – And it was a turning point in my life, a very traumatic experience for me for which I thank God! At that time I learned that it is worth exceeding oneself and come out from this sphere of comfort.
Whereas Fr. Alojzy Garbarz, a Franciscan Bernardyn admits that there are such moments, during the Extreme Road of Cross Stations when the body stops being obedient and a man would like to take rest, be in a nice place. He notes: - But then one must get together and go further. Being asked what he is motivated by, he explained: - The fact that Jesus did not demand a warm little bed, going to Golgotha. He knew why he was going there. Entering the Extreme Road of the Cross, one must know why one is going there. Not to have fun, or talk with acquaintances, but only to discover one’s inner nature and God in such challenges, uncover Christ’s cross in one’s cross, which everyone is carrying on this Road.
Accepting suffering
After the Holy Mass and a meeting with journalists, archbishop Celestino Migliore set off on the Extreme Road of Cross Stations from Kraków to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. The Nuncio admitted that he likes walking in mountains, with which he has been emotionally attached since his childhood. Asked whether and how he had got prepared for walking at night on such a long route, he smiled and said: - Only 44 km? I thought that more! Then he explained: Extremes everyday is accepting Jesus’ suffering in people. Where there is injustice, suffering, oppression. This means extremes and we must be there. He added that an extreme priest is a …..normal priest. The Apostolic Nuncio explained that there are various sources which give us strength so that we could exceed borders. He noted: - I think that these inner ones are more important, that is, for example, education from parents, faith, love, everything altogether!
Before entering the Extreme Road of Cross Stations, the Extreme Nuncio admitted that for the nearest hours he would have time for reflections and prayer. He added that on Monday midday he would have to be in Warsaw, but it is possible!
AA
„Niedziela” 11/2015