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It’s wonderful to watch the development of all these new things – and it’s great to have them and to benefit from them, doing things the faster, easier and smarter way.

Maybe one day all of us will have one… well, that was probably the idea behind.

However cool they may be, though, there might be reasons for many of us for not getting the most recent stuff. Other priorities you spend your money on. Or simply the lack of money.

Will we one day really get there, so that not only the happier of us will get to buy stuff, but also that we overcome the issues of hunger and the real poverty? How can I help today? Having an iPad is really cool, and it’s perfectly ok to get one – but should we keep looking at the other side of the planet at all?

Or am I just being naive again, and should I live where I am and not bother about the problems I cannot solve, anyway?

Sometimes you simply need help from your friends. You feel so small when calling them and asking about their time and whether they would like to do it..

How great it is when you hear – I’ll be happy to do it for you – I’m so glad to be able to help you.

Then you know that these people are blessed with the gift of being able to give and help – and be happy, not because of you’ve been helped, but just rejoice in knowing how great these people really are.

If I offer a bit of help, suddenly I hear people saying thanks, and praising me. But what really happened is, that I just gave them the same thing I got from somebody else – or even less!

If I do anything good, it doesn’t mean that I am a better person than anybody else. It doesn’t mean that I would deserve anything more than others. It doesn’t matter that I should expect any gratefulness or praise.

If I do good, I do it because I see the meaning of Love and I know what happens when it is expressed and given further. If I do anything good, I know that it was just my way of saying thanks to God who gave me so much, that I cannot even list it all.

“Time and energy belong to God. Why do you squander them on obstacles along the way? The ocean is full of waver, yet a boat continues to glide over the water and ignore the waves.”

Time and energy belong to God. Wow. Never saw it this way. What I do during the day today, everything belongs to God. Whatever I decide to do, whatever I spend my time on today, all will belong to God.

Yet so many minutes, or even hours, and sometimes whole days I just spend unaware of what I am doing, and careless about the meaning of spending my time and energy.  Sometimes, it’s absolutely useless.

Yesterday I might, however, finally found a thing I would like to do – since I’ve been intensively thinking about starting a voluntary work recently. I found it quite difficult to find a suitable charity where I would not feel that I am serving to somebody who doesn’t need it, or somebody who doesn’t even care about it.

I found Samaritans, a local charity who listen to people who need to talk. You can call them and have a chat before you intend to commit a suicide. Or if you have any other serious problems.

I would like to get training from them, so that I will learn how to listen to people, and what I find even more difficult, know what to say or how to react when somebody shares their pain with me.

But I don’t want to rush this, and would like to get a confirmation from God that this is the way I should take. I will leave it for a week or so, and then call the charity, unless I get any feeling that it would not be right thing to do.

Lord, please, let me grow in Your love, let me use the time I got from You usefully and help me contribute to Your plan of joy for everyone - and help me talk to people in a way that will enable them see You.

“Avoid false humility. It is necessary to be ambitious in the search of knowledge, in the desire to act and to take risks, but all of this for God and for the Church.”

Today, I was looking at various volunteer opportunities in the area where I live. And was wondering what would be the best option for me to help somebody – where could I actually both grow and at the same time, use my skills and resources in a way which will be of most effect to somebody who really needs it.

So I came to these criteria:

• Time & place of the work needs to be close to where I live
• My skills & strenghts must be used in a way I enjoy
• The work will really be needed and it will be a great help to somebody – which will enable them to grow in a certain way
• The beneficiaries will want and welcome my work
• They will not be able to reward me elsewise than by saying “Thank you”

Now let’s talk about humility. Am I somebody who can get up now and help elderly people to live a better life? Am I patient enough to do it? Or should I look at working with kids instead?

I am also looking for some ongoing work, where I will be able to see the results of what I’m doing – eg seeing a person growing.

Lord, You gave me so much, and I don’ t know what I am still waiting for to be able to get up and start sharing this with people who maybe just need a bit of Your smile to start seeing life in a different way. Please, help me to find my place there.

“You are not ready to follow the will of God, yet you allow yourself to be enslaved by many people.”

Was thinking this morning what actually makes me work – what makes me do things, tick all my to-do lists, hurry up with proposals, or finish various tasks before the deadline. Is it money? Appreciation form others?

Maybe it is myself being enslaved by those who have at least once praised me, or those whom I like or admire.

And then I asked myself, what would need to happen so that I would start working on the “higher” things, such as prayer for others, self-discipline, excercise, helping people etc.

I was wondering what it could be – should I just organise myself better, just like I organize my time at work? Should I find a structure for my prayer, so that I could “tick” it in my daily to-do list after I finish it? Should I plan my calls to other people in order to help them?

Or will it come on its own, by the will of God? Should I push myself now, or should I leave it for God?

“You can sacrifice your life, sacrifice your whole existence because of your overwhelming hope in Jesus Christ. “He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven. He will come again in glory…. His kingdom will have no end.””

Just because You love me, I will now go and serve You. Not as slaves serve, and then they complain about their masters; not as when employees work, and then they complain about low pay; not as kids help, and then they compete between each other who is better…

I want to learn how to serve You and not count, nor care about what others think, but solely rely on You. I want to do some small and hidden things, in peace and quiet, but with great love. I want to live this service. I might not get busy or tired, but it will be something You want me to do.

Please, Lord, direct my steps, as You know what is for me the best.

“In the solemn pilgrimage in which thousands of people take part, everybody wants to carry the cross at the head of the procession. But, in the pilgrimage of our everyday lives how many are prepared to carry their own crosses? It is indeed difficult to be an unsung hero/heroine.”

Lord, please, help me be humble and quiet, even when I am doing things that everybody can, or even must, see. When I play the guitar at your mass, there are many people who can admire me singing. Because You gave me the gift. But please, let me not consider myself anything more than other people, and please, let me then do even more good things which nobody will be able to see, but which will help.

Last Sunday somebody from the choir told me: “Quickly, play more songs now, while you are being famous, standing in front of the crowd.” And I felt oppressed a lot by this, because it was pointing out how much I love to stand in the limelight. Jee, do I really appear like being so hungry for fame?

“Relationships are risky – you can get hurt easily. But when you approach the person who hurts you, and you ask them why are they doing so, you will find out that they actually love you. There might be a barrier between you and others – be courageous to overcome it.”

And here I am back with my image of a small rabbit at the edge of a clearance. He is afraid to move away from his secure big rock, behind which he is hiding. Don’t be afraid, get out from your shell, and you will discover lots of “green grass” which is love and the riches knowing other people brings.

“Spread throughout the whole world and proclaim in a loud voice to everyone: “There is one man who has laid down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13, 1Cor 15:3, 2Cor 5:14-15, 1Thess 5:9-10).”

Yesterday I was struck by the reading – Matthew 25, 35: “For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in.”

What do these words mean to me? It’s about the final judgement, when Jesus will separate goats from sheep. Based on what? On how we looked after our neighbours, how we helped the needy, how we shared our belongings.

So now the road is clear – go and find Jesus in all people I meet, everybody who needs anything should get it from me.

It’s a life mission and if I do anything else, I fail – we should meet God in other people. Don’t be afraid to step out of the crowd and be the one who, like Veronica from the way of the cross, goes ahead and helps.

It’s what Jesus did, isn’t it?

“Everyday you must decrease your self centeredness and increase your love of the neighbor. Everyday, lessen your reliance on self and instead increase your trust in God.”

My father told me about 13 points of Sir Benjamin Franklin and here I would like to share them with you:

1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.

2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.

3. Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.

4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.

5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste nothing.

6. Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. Justice: Wrong none, by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.

11. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.

12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Benjamin focused on one of these for one week, and then he moved to another one. When he finished the list, he started again. I like ths idea, and I would like to join him now – starting with the first point the next Monday and then keep going untill I will be able to live like Jesus…

Again, I would like to stress that I am not able to do this on my own – and I invite God to help me with this.