On December 16, 2025, the Hungarian Parliamentary Prayer Group held its 184th end-of-year prayer breakfast.
Imre Vejkey, leader of the prayer group, was the first to share his Advent thoughts with those present. He emphasized that our Christian faith is not a rigid set of rules to be learned, but rather the result of our friendship with the Lord. With this freedom, we can throw ourselves into God's arms, but we can also turn our backs on His love. Let us turn toward the light that was born in Bethlehem. Let us be like the wise men who not only saw the star, but also followed it with faith. Many saw it, but did not follow it. Let us be like the shepherds who went to the manger at the call of the Angel.
Ezt követően a napi olvasmányt ismertette Szofoniás könyvéből, amelyben Isten megígéri a Megváltót, mint a szegények Szabadítóját és Üdvözítőjét. He then presented the daily reading from the Book of Zephaniah, in which God promises the Savior as the Deliverer and Redeemer of the poor. (Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13)
He then quoted the Gospel reading of the day, which spoke of loving God not with words but with deeds.
At that time, Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people, "What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to one and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' The son replied, 'I don't want to,' but later he changed his mind and went. He went to the other and said the same thing. He answered, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him." These are the words of the Gospel. (Mt 21:28-32)
According to his reflection on the daily reading, the two sons who appear in it are not simply good and bad: both are sinners. One lives in open rebellion, the other in the sin of apparent obedience. The decisive difference between them is repentance: the first son regrets his decision and does the Father's will, for the kingdom of God is opened to us on the basis of obedient faith.
The third candle of Advent also shows that God is drawing near. He is drawing near, but He is not forcing Himself upon us. Man's response should not be primarily words, but a way of life. Without deeds, a "yes" is empty. Advent waiting is therefore not passive, but hope with ethical consequences. Those who truly wait for the Lord already allow the purifying light of judgment and the power of grace to transform their lives.
Dr. György Bakondi, emeritus chairman of the board of trustees of the Hungarian Parliamentary Prayer Group Foundation, reflected on the Gospel passage and emphasized the importance of work, which has been a reality since Adam. The Lord created Adam and a garden for him to tend. The divine call to work is therefore not related to original sin, that is, we do not have to work because Adam did not obey the Lord's commands, for work already existed before that. Work is our obligation arising from our divine sonship, the fulfillment of which goes beyond providing for our livelihood and the needs of ourselves and our families.
Rather, we should view it as the fulfillment of a divine purpose and practice it in a way that strengthens our faith, unites our communities, and ensures and promotes the well-being of the entire human community, beyond the well-being of our families, according to God's will. Therefore, we must strive to sanctify our work, that is, to perform it at the highest level possible, following God's will and imitating His perfection. This work, performed according to divine will, can lead us to ever higher levels of well-being in our communities and humanity, and to a stronger bond with God.
On this special occasion, the prayer group welcomed Mária Petrás, winner of the Kossuth Prize and Prima Primissima Prize, and her folk singers and orchestra, who enhanced the Advent preparations with their performance of Christmas folk songs and prayers.
