Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Two words today are crucial: joy and conversion. The third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete – Sunday of Joy (the color pink is a symbol of joy), speaks of the joy of expectation of the coming Awaited One, but in order to experience this joy, you need to convert.
Do not take the words of the conversion as instructions or warnings. Our conversion is also our openness to the words, gestures and actions of Christ, who leads us to Himself, to His heart. This openness represents our trust, because, as we hear in the first reading, “Then the eyes of the blind shall see, and the ears of the deaf be opened. Then the lame shall leap like a stag, and the mute tongue sing for joy. For waters will burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the Arabah” (Isaiah 35,5-6). So it is the joy of what will happen, what we await, what we expect.
How then do we prepare for His coming and conversion? Saint James in his letter gives us this advice: “You too must be patient. Make your hearts strong, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5.8). Each of us interprets these words in our own way, just as each of us will be looking for each other’s standard of conduct. James tells us: ” Take as an example of perseverance and patience, brothers, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord” (James 5:10).

So let’s ask ourselves a few questions: What do I think about God, in my heart, for my whole life and actions? Do you as a Christian, not only believe in Him, but also trust Him? Do I mention Him to others? Do I give witness of Him in my family, workplace, school? The disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus: “Are you He who is to come, or should we look for another?” We may get to know Lord Jesus when despite the noise of the world we will see what He has done and is still doing for us, the people. In this world, many did and still try to silence the message of Christ, to deny His existence and mission, or to minimize and twist it. Therefore, the question that the disciples of John asked only once, we should ask many times, over and over again.

Today, Monsignor Wladysław Podeszwik is thanking God for 60 years of his priestly vocation during the thanksgiving Mass. Monsignors loves Jesus with all his heart and witnesses Him everywhere wherever he goes. During communist times, for his fidelity to God and the Church, he had been repeatedly persecuted. The priests, sisters, deacons, parishioners and friends today surround the distinguished jubilarian to thank God for his example of faith, love, perseverance and trust in God. In the crisis of vocations, we need all the beautiful example of a zealous and joyful priest. May the Lord Jesus through the intercession of the Blessed Mother bless and protect Monsignor Wladyslaw, so that for many more years he could serve God and people. God bless!