“I forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

This is how Margitka L. recalls the spiritual retreat in Pécel in August 1941:
“We traveled home together as well. Our souls resonated with the uplifting experience of the retreat.”

• “We will become saints. I’m telling you this, and you should keep whispering it into my ear. We’ll succeed! Let’s write about it, pray for it, and strengthen each other,” said [Magdi].
• “We didn’t aim to be saints raised to the altar. Each of us wanted to save souls and contribute to God’s kingdom in our everyday lives,” I continued.
• “What if one of us were to actually be raised to the altar?”
• “We will testify for one another.”
• “But I’ll do it! After all, I’ll outlive you because I’m younger! I’ll recount everything because I know all about what you’re doing,” said Magdi.

“We mingled our serious thoughts with humor and laughter. Ultimately, we dismissed the idea, saying there would be no need for it. We would be ordinary little saints, unnoticed by anyone.”

The Prayer of Hope
Intercession is the prayer of hope. I begin with Christ’s victory: He has conquered sin, all evil, death, and desires to grant everyone the gift of His resurrected life. When I see difficulties, suffering, and unsolvable, hopeless situations, I ask Christ to bring His victory into these circumstances. This can be done in the following steps:

✢ I place myself in God’s presence. (See above.)
✢ I praise God for the gifts of creation and redemption.
✢ From this perspective, I look at the situations I want to pray for. I bring these before Jesus and ask Him to manifest His victory in these areas.
✢ Finally, I thank Christ for all that He does, even for what I cannot yet see.

The rosary is an excellent tool for this. During this Advent season, we especially recommend the first two joyful mysteries:

✢ “Whom you, O Virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit” – I ask Our Lady to help me open my heart to receive Christ’s presence more deeply in my life.
✢ “Whom you, O Virgin, carried in visiting Elizabeth” – I ask Our Lady to help me carry Christ to every place I visit.

The Virgin Mary left us only one prayer, in which she sings of the hope that guided her through life’s challenges to her glorification (Luke 1:46-55). Let us pray with her, who knew how to live in the presence and joy of Jesus:

The Magnificat
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked with favor on the lowliness of His servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name. His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, according to the promise He made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

For Children
Magdi found celebrating Jesus’ birth very important. Surely, you are also looking forward to Christmas. To welcome Jesus at Christmas, you need to prepare room for Him in your heart. Decide to use smart devices less during Advent (e.g., no more than half an hour daily). Use the extra time to play with your siblings, read the story of Jesus’ birth, make Christmas gifts and decorations, visit your grandparents, help bake cookies with your mother, and share them with elderly neighbors living alone. Additionally, bring joy to your parents by helping them with household chores.

For Young People
When expecting guests, we usually tidy up and clean. Our living space affects and shapes us. Though we can’t change much, consider what you can adjust in your room or environment to make it truly feel like home. Jesus wants to be with you there too. Ask for His help to create a space where both you and He can feel at home.

For Families
Despite challenges, Magdi tried to attend church early in the morning and late at night to meet God.

Before Christmas, seek opportunities for encounters. Attend one or more Rorate Masses together if possible. Light the Advent wreath candles as a family at least once a week. While doing so, pray, sing, and read a passage from Scripture.

For the Elderly
When thinking about the future, let us recognize that life always moves toward fulfillment, not destruction. As we age, we prepare for our encounter with God, the source of our ultimate happiness. After our earthly pilgrimage, we will be with Him who embraced us in loneliness and helped carry our burdens.

Offer your struggles and pain for your loved ones, helpers, or others in even more difficult situations.