The second Sunday of Advent is almost here, showing how fast time flies when preparing for Christmas, the Nativity of Christ. However, during this stressful period, shadowed by uncertainties, powerlessness and depression caused by coronavirus, it may seem hard to calm down and prepare appropriately for the Holy Day. Franciscan monk, Brother Guia Hugó, who serves at the Church of the Virgin Mary in Csíksomlyó (Şumuleu Ciuc) and is the manager of the church, offers some advice to those who wish to have a nice and meaningful Advent despite everything happening in the world. Brother Guia Hugó spoke about his Advent preparations and presented their life in the monastery, as well as the monks’ tasks and challenges; he also talked about a tragedy that hit the Franciscan community in the last couple of weeks.
TransylvaniaNOW: Advent is the time of waiting, of silence, to prepare for the Nativity of Christ. Usually, not in such turbulent times, how do you prepare for Christmas? What are your “habits”? Do you change your everyday life?
Brother Guia Hugó: In preparing for Christmas, I have a lot of help from our Mother, the Church, which organizes our daily lives carefully and wisely. I am thinking about the Advent Masses, especially the Rorate Masses, the charm, lights, readings, prayers, songs and faces that touch my heart and soul greatly. So my “habits” include the Rorate Masses. In addition to this, confessions also help greatly in the preparation for Christmas, as the work of the Savior continues in this sacrament, who became a man for us, to love us, be with us, and help us, in short, to redeem us.
So far, this is not very different from my everyday “habits,” but some other things are. The preparation also includes the rehearsals that meticulously prepare the Nativity Play presented on Christmas Eve. In this time, my childhood memories are more present, memories that are the basic experiences of my life: work, play, fatigue, friendship, laughter, seriousness, excitement, meditation, observation, questioning things, gifting… This is the time when I post most of my handwritten letters, letters filled with faith, hope and love, with felicitations, not in the hope of reciprocity, but with the goal of spreading joy and the joy of gifting. I can also mention Advent wreath-making and blessing celebrated in the community, the Advent and Christmas choir rehearsals, the preparation of our own Advent and Christmas fair, baking and cooking, or even cleaning. The festive mood brings some changes in my life, but the important things, faith, hope, love, giving attention, service and joy are the same that accompany me on the other days of the year.
TN: Many people are shocked emotionally by the current situation. Some are having a hard time with the lockdown, that they cannot see their friends and family; others are tired of feeling helpless, vulnerable, of the fear of infection, the constant concern. Under these circumstances, under this stress, it is almost impossible to calm down, is hard to prepare for Christmas. What do you suggest, what should people do at such a time, what should they try to pay more attention to in order to have a good Advent?
Brother Guia Hugó: To prepare and wait for the Holy Day… Waiting is one of the main subjects of the school of love. Only those can wait, who can love. The true measure of love is waiting. However, in general, we don’t like to wait because that is a time of uncertainty; while waiting, we must fight those things that would distract us, fight the feeling that this waiting is not worth it. The person who loves to wait undergoes a silent process of inner purification. The real purpose of waiting is to get rid of our expectations, to create space for another person the way he or she is, the way he or she will come, and not the way we imagined. This is the purpose of Advent: to learn, to wait for Jesus; to be cleansed of our expectations of Him. Israel, the people of God also envisioned a warrior Messiah, but instead of a leader, a fragile and stateless infant came to them. They awaited a superhero, but they received a person who washed feet, humiliated himself, and allowed himself to be crucified. We could think that the expectations of the people of Israel have been ignored, but the truth is, that the only thing that has collapsed was the huge castle built up by their expectations. The truth is that their desire, their expectation, has been fulfilled in an unimaginable way. (And in our lives as well!) The first Sunday of Advent asked me and you: How is your waiting? It is like, I would ask you: how do you dare to love? Are you willing to let go of your demands, your conditions, everything you hang on to too strongly, things that may fulfill your expectations, that could make your most real, deepest desires come true?
You love the person next to you, the person you are with! So, if it is necessary to forgive them, just forgive! If they don’t talk to you, take the initiative, talk to them! Do every good thing you can! Love, and don’t care if they don’t love you back! Love is a medicine, not a reward. Draw strength for all of this from God, from prayer, from receiving sacraments, from silence, from gratitude, because there is always something to thankful for. Draw strength from practicing love!
TN: What are the roles of Franciscan monks during this coronavirus Advent? What are the most difficult challenges you have faced recently? Are there any positives, surprising twists in this chaotic Advent?
Brother Guia Hugó: I currently live and serve at the place of worship of the Virgin Mary in Csíksomlyó (Şumuleu Ciuc). Six Franciscan brothers live here. One of our daily duties is to welcome with love those coming to us; we pray for them and the whole world. Some come to us for spiritual conversations, others to make confession, or to ask for prayers and advice; some just come because they simply need someone to listen to them, to pray with them. There are some people who are calling us on the phone or e-mailing us, asking for help. There are masses every day in the Church at 6:30 in the morning and 6 o’clock in the evening. Before these, and even during the masses, people can perform confessions. We carry out all of our activities with care, keeping up with the current epidemiological measures. Whenever we can, after the Mass, we go out to the square in front of the Church to meet with the people and say a good, courageous word to each other.
One of the hardest challenges now is to preserve personal relationships, the gift and joy of meeting and paying attention. It is also a challenge to figure out how we can deliver the Word of God to those who are stuck at home. We use the possibilities of the internet (this may be a positive surprise during this time), but it will never replace the personal participation at Masses, different pieties, catechisms for children, young people or adults. When it is possible, when it is allowed, we do everything we can to preserve and move forward with personal interactions!
TN: Did coronavirus change your lives drastically? Was the Franciscan community hit hard by the virus or how did you manage to overcome it and get the most out of it?
Brother Guia Hugó: I find that the current situation somewhat reduced the number of our tasks, as fewer people visit the Church in Csíksomlyó than usual. The coronavirus hit our brotherhood in a certain way as well: We dealt with it personally. Father Márk József, who was the oldest member of our convent and our Province, got infected with the virus. He was hospitalized and tested positive. As a result, those of us who had been in direct contact with him were quarantined for two weeks. By the end of our quarantine, the condition of Father József worsened greatly, and despite the fact that his second and last test was negative, he died in the 97th year of his life. He was released from the hospital and passed from this life to the Eternal life, from this beautiful world to the more beautiful Heaven at home, in the monastery, while we, his brothers, surrounded him with prayers. The transit of Father József was a bit hard for our community, as his presence was a gift for us all. He left a void behind. On the other hand, we believe that with him, there is one more mediator for us in the Kingdom of God, as the Father said: “I will pray for you much because you were very good to me.”
It was possible to overcome and to get the best out of this situation only with faith and active love, all of which is the gift of His Majesty and Glory, which He generously gives to all of us.
TN: What is the mood like in the monastery of Csíksomlyó lately? Describe one of your days: What do you do during this half-lockdown?
Brother Guia Hugó: It is a familiar atmosphere, filled with the moral of Advent. If I look at the faces of my brothers, I see peace and gratitude, but I believe that all of us must face the tension, the challenges of this situation alone and together as well. We have hope for a better and more beautiful future! God, the services, the everyday tasks and commitments, the common goals bring us closer. We have gathered in the name of the Lord, He is with us, and as the house blessing says, “Where God is, there is no need!” Where God is present, it is good for us to be. Thank Him for that!
The framework, the basis of my everyday life is the prayers with my brothers and believers and the Eucharist presented at Mass. All of my days are based on these. From this I feed, I draw strength for my everyday work. It is part of my daily life to carry out the tasks I receive from my brothers, as well as the meetings and discussions with those who come to us for help. When I am assigned to do the evening Masses for a week, I prepare for them by meditating. Whenever I can, I play sports, go out for a walk or a run. I like to take photos also. My everyday life includes researching the past of our province; I am currently paying special attention to Father Boros Fortuna, born in Zetelaka (Zetea), who is considered the martyr of our order, as he fell victim to communism. In the last couple of weeks, I have spent most of my time editing the very first, December issue of the Transylvanian Franciscan Family (available here or here). Once again, I would like to thank all those who worked hard to make this happen, God bless you! And for all the readers, I wish you all an Advent rich in faith, hope and love!
Title image: The Virgin Mary in the Church of Csíksomlyó. Photos: Brother Hugó Guia
