Series on the unfreedoms – Part 3: Excessive influencibility, false pliability and dependence on public opinion

In the last two meditations, we had looked at two different deficiencies of freedom: fear and human respects. In addition, we had talked a little about inferiority complexes. On our path of following Christ, we are called to overcome – with God’s help – all these limitations to our freedom, so that they do not become an obstacle on this path and do not prevent the freedom that faith gives us from shining forth in our Christian witness. Today we will look at three other forms of unfreedom, which have a certain similarity. Read More

Series on the unfreedoms – Part 2: Human respects  

I am doing this series of meditations on the “unfreedom” because, in my opinion, it is important that our Christian witness be permeated by that freedom which only the Lord can grant us: “if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free…” (Jn 8:36). Even if we try to live in the Will of God – and this is what every person who has lived a true conversion desires – there may be certain weaknesses that prevent us from fulfilling His Will willingly, completely and immediately. Although not all of us may be affected by each of the weaknesses of freedom that we will discuss in the next meditations, it is important to take note of all of them. Perhaps in this way we can help others whose freedom is restricted by all kinds of fears and other shortcomings. To develop this theme, I take some guidelines from Dietrich von Hildebrand’s book “Our Transformation in Christ”, especially from the chapter called “True Freedom”. Read More

Series on the unfreedoms – Part 1: The fear

If you are familiar with my daily meditations, you will notice that I try to offer a help to deepen the way of following Christ, based on Sacred Scripture and the authentic teaching of the Church. Occasionally, I interrupt the usual rhythm of the biblical meditations to deal with a theme that I consider important in the form of a “series”. In this way, certain topics related to the spiritual life can be dealt with in greater depth.

On this occasion, I will deal with a topic that – as far as I know – is not often dealt with in the context of the spiritual way. It is the so-called “unfreedom”, which prevents our faith from expressing itself in all its beauty and consequently also obscures our witness of life, which should be an invitation for others to find the way to God. Read More

True and false zeal

Gal 1:3-24

For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Read More

Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary: “The great prayer”

In today’s meditation I would like to speak again about the Holy Rosary, because today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, and the whole month of October is usually considered to be the “Month of the Rosary”.

The Holy Rosary, also known as the ‘Psalter of the Virgin Mary’, is one of the best-known and most popular prayers in the Catholic Church. In various apparitions, Our Lady insists that we pray it, and there are extraordinary testimonies of its efficacy. Read More