On November 26, 2024, the Hungarian Parliamentary Prayer Group held its 169th prayer breakfast. At the last regular gathering before the Advent season, almost every seat in the prayer hall was filled. However, in addition to the joy of waiting and the meeting, there was also a place for worry and uncertainty among the participants. The lines of Luke's Gospel (Lk 21, 5-11), in which Jesus spoke to his disciples and the people about wars, famines and pestilences, natural calamities and extraordinary heavenly signs, which precede the coming of the final judgment, perfectly suited the duality of the mood. Hearing his words, the people were frightened. However, Christ warned them that all these things must come to pass, but this is not the end. According to his teaching, false prophets will try to mislead people in his name. However, the eternal Truth can always be recognized if we follow the way of Christ, which leads us to eternal life.
In his speech, Dr. György Bakondi, Emeritus Chair of the Board of Trustees, spoke about the frightening proximity of the wars raging in our neighborhood and in many parts of the world, and the possibility of their expansion. As he said, humanity has not been so close to a nuclear war since the Cold War, which would have unforeseeable consequences. In addition to armed conflicts, Europe also has to deal with illegal migration, which can fundamentally and irreversibly change the composition of the societies of individual countries. At the same time, the General also spoke about the fact that we can always count on divine providence, but we must realize this in our own lives.
The thoughts of the General had a noticeable impact on those present. Joining them, many participants spoke. Among them, Róbert Szendrei, the Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Hungarian Parliamentary Prayer Group Foundation, noted that the coronavirus epidemic that has recently swept the world, climate change, and the resulting food crisis can also be interpreted as a warning sign.
In addition to the signs preceding the final judgment, prayer group member Márk Aurél Érszegi drew attention to the approach of the Advent season and the joyful anticipation of the coming of the Saviour. From the daily gospel teaching, he highlighted Jesus' admonition that "not to be afraid", which also refers to divine providence. In addition, he recalled the testimonies of those African and Middle Eastern Christian delegations during their visit to the prayer group, who were able to experience the Lord's care and grace even in war conditions.
The meeting was closed by the leader of the prayer group, Imre Vejkey, who briefly reviewed this year's tasks and finally invited those present to a joint prayer.