Wednesday, June 29, 2022

 

LLAMADOS Y ENVIADOS

Lucas,10, 1-12    This coming week's Gospel Reflection 7.3.22

 

Cada vez qué escucho este pasaje del evangelio, en el cual Jesús designó y envió otros 72 discípulos a proclamar el Reino y les ordenó no llevar nada con ellos; ni dinero, ni morral…pienso en la persona y el ministerio de San Francisco de Asís. El tomó el consejo evangélico de no llevar nada para el camino, al pie de la letra y exhortó a sus discípulos hacer lo mismo. San Francisco es el modelo del ideal de pobreza evangélica por excelencia y el hombre de paz por excelencia.

 

     Recuerdo aquel momento en la vida del santo cuando invitó a uno de los hermanos a acompañarle a predicar el Reino. Caminaron por el pueblo, se encontraron varias personas y regresaron a casa. Cuando el hermano le preguntó, ¿hermano Francisco, cuando vamos a hacer la prédica? Él respondió, “es lo que hemos estado haciendo toda la mañana “. Esto es, predicar con el ejemplo de nuestra vida.  predicar por lo que somos.

 

     Recuerdo el ejemplo del santo Padre, el Papa Francisco quien escogió el nombre del santo de Asís para que fuera su modelo, eligió vivir en la casa santa Marta, no en el palacio de los papas y viste una sencilla sotana blanca, abandonando toda vestimenta, todo ornamento que pueda dar la impresión de ostentavión.

 

  Recuerdo el ejemplo de vida de los misioneros de esta diócesis, sacerdotes y dos hermanas religiosas de las Josefinas de Brentwood, que fueron comisionados y enviados, a mediado de los años 80, por el señor Obispo McGann, de feliz memoria, a un lugar remoto de la República Dominicana, cerca de la frontera con Haití.

 

      Más de 25 años más tarde cuando personas de esta diócesis íbamos a visitarlos para vivir una experiencia misionera, nos encontrábamos que nunca estábamos seguros de que habría corriente eléctrica y /o agua corriente al regresar a la casa parroquial. Y de agua caliente, ni hablemos.

 

    Nos preguntábamos, ¿cómo serían las condiciones de vida 25 años antes cuando los misioneros de nuestra diócesis llegaron allí por primera vez? Nosotros por lo general, permanecíamos allí de miércoles a domingo. Regresaríamos a casa a todas las comodidades de la vida en nuestro país.

 

    Pero los misioneros, sacerdotes y hermanas religiosas y una misionera laica, permanecían allí viviendo a la manera de la gente a quienes quieren llevar la palabra de Dios.

    

  ¿Qué nos está diciendo Dios a ti, amiga/o lector, y a mi mediante este pasaje evangélico sobre la manera como debemos prepararnos para anunciar el Reino?

 

    Deseo que este fin de semana en que celebramos la independencia de esta nación, demos gracias a Dios por todos los beneficios materiales y por los valores que la nación representa, especialmente la libertad y la Paz.

 

El Caballero de Nuestra Seeñora

 

 

 

 

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Follow me

 How do you respond to Jesus's call? We are told that many are called, few are chosen. Personally, I believe that in one way or another, everyone is "called." We all have different traits, skills, and abilities. So the way in which each one of us is called to serve the Lord may be quite different. But we are all called, and we are all given the free will to respond in our own way. 

How do you respond to Jesus's call? Are you the one that doesn't wait for him to invite you but tells him what you are going to do? Are you perhaps the one that say's "yes, but...." Maybe you are the one that is willing, but has unfinished business that must be taken care of first. 

As members of the Catholic Church, we all have a share in Christ's mission as Priest, Prophet, and King. Be assured, Jesus is calling you. What is your response? 

+ Theophilus

Thursday, June 16, 2022

BEING SATISFIED

 


“They all ate and were satisfied.”  What does it mean to be satisfied?  Are we ever satisfied?  If we put a bowl of chocolate in front of a child, chances are they would keep eating and eating the chocolate until their tummy’s hurt.  And so it is with so much in our consumeristic society.  Let’s take for example our current TV watching.  Most of us have streaming services now.  I spend more time browsing through the hundreds of selections of movie choices than I do actually watching a movie!  We just never seem satisfied.  Of course, that is most apparent in our physical and sensual desires.  We just keep yearning for more and more.

But perhaps the thing we can never seem to get enough of is what feeds our egos. If it makes us look good, we do it?  As a matter of fact, the litmus test for making most decisions is, “How will this make me look?”   We decide on what to do not based on what is good for society, but what is good for me as an individual.  We see this played out in the political arena all the time, but it is not limited to there.  We find it in the business world, in ecclesial organizations and sadly in families.  The family is meant to be the most important foundation of our society and yet so often families are simply a variety of egos sharing an apartment or a house.  So many marriages fail over roommate issues.  We decide we are going to live for ourselves and not for the good of the other.  We even often expect our family members to feed our egos, when our true concern should be for their needs.  We are never satisfied.

So how does one become satisfied?  One is satisfied by searching for a deeper desire, that is a desire for God.  We all have that desire.  It is the desire for the pure love that God is and that God alone can give.  It is not love that feeds the ego, but love that is gift and is meant to be given away as gift.   We all have that desire and so did the multitudes that went to hear Jesus speak.  There didn’t seem to be enough for them, at least by the world’s standards, but what Jesus would offer would be more than enough.  There were those twelve wicker baskets of leftovers.  Apparently, everyone was satisfied.

And so, when we find ourselves wanting more and more and never feeling satisfied, perhaps that’s because we are wanting for that which can never satisfy.  We need to pause in those moments of dissatisfaction and ask ourselves, “What is it that I really want?  What will bring me true happiness?”  It is there that we will find God.  The beautiful thing is that while we are yearning for God, God is yearning for us.  And while God does not need to be satisfied, he still longs for us.  And in that moment when we come to face to face with him, totally soaking him in and he totally soaking us in, then we will truly be satisfied.

-The Servant

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

 

THE MOST HOLY TRINITY

John 16: 12-15 - Gospel Reflection for June 12, 2022

 

I have three children.  I love each one with all my heart and soul.  Each one is different.  Each one has their own unique gifts, talents, personality.  My relationship with each child is also unique, but with one thing in common:  with each one the relationship is based on unconditional, sacrificial love.

 

Nothing has allowed me to gain a fuller sense of The Most Holy Trinity than my three children.  One God – three persons.  Each “person” unique.  Each “person” providing a different relationship – but each a relationship with the One True God. A relationship based on unconditional, sacrificial love.

 

And whether I contemplate my relationship with my children, or my relationship with God, that sense of “ONE” is overwhelming.     God’s love for each of us – whether we are contemplating the one who created us, the one who sacrificed himself for us, or the one who guides us – is so deep, so profound, that’ God’s own glory is “declared” to each of us. 

 

“Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”

 

The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit.  ONE with each other; One with me.

 

One with you.

 

“Call Me Ishmael”

 

Friday, June 3, 2022

Two Tools to Change the World.

 This weeks gospel John 20:19-23 the disciples were in a locked room when Jesus appeared to them.  When he appeared he said “Peace be with you”. This may have been an attempt to reassure them that they were in Gods presence. Since the resurrection the disciples were living in fear of the Jews and may have  needed to hear those words. Then Jesus’s said again “Peace be with you. As the father has sent me , so I send you.  “Jesus spoke again and said “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them.  Who’s sins you retain are retained” After reading this gospel  I see that Jesus appeared with the intention of sending the disciples out into the world.  He was passing the responsibility of spreading God’s word  over to them. The time had finally come for the disciples to step  up, complete the mission and go out into the world to build the church. I believe that’s what he meant when he said "Just as the father has sent me so I send you  Jesus was officially sending them out. I think that in order for them to head out and spread God’s word they needed 2 things.  They needed The Holy Spirit  and the  incredible power of forgiveness. 

    Forgiveness is an area of life that many of us men struggle with.  Letting go of something that someone has said or done to you is rarely easy. Especially if it was particularly painful.  Do you struggle with forgiveness? Has someone wronged you and you simply can’t get over it? Has someone done something so painful to you that you continue  relive the experience in your head over and over again? If so, I’m sure you aren’t alone.  What I have found is that forgiving  and letting go is part of being a “good” Christian. Forgiving is part of being Christlike. Jesus forgave the disciples for all of their wrongdoings. He didn’t hold on to them. He didn’t keep an account of all of their mistakes. He didn’t throw it in their face and remind them.  Most importantly he freed them. He allowed the disciples to move forward.  When we forgive we free ourselves and we free the people that have wronged  us.  That’s the transformative power that exists with forgiveness.  A lack of forgiveness for one person is really a lack of forgiveness for everyone. I say this because when you walk around with a heavy heart it affects everyone you encounter.  What hurt are you holding on to? What hurt can’t you let go of? I have struggled with forgiveness myself. I’ve labeled and branded many people as liars, thieves, backstabber and every other name. Over the years I have found that those labels are unfair. In God’s eyes have all fallen short. What does God do? Does he brand and label us? No.  Has he labeled me a sinner?  No. He can, but he hasn’t.  He has labeled me simply as his child. We are still his children. We are still loved.  Loved with all of our imperfections. Loved with all of our missteps. That type of love give us the space to improve. We don’t feel the guilt and shame that comes from unforgiving.  We can grow and be better Christians. Imagine life with God throwing our sins back in our face. That’s not  Christianity.  That’s why in this gospel I believe Jesus gave the disciples this very powerful gift of forgiveness. 

   

     In order to spread the word ,Jesus knew that the disciples  needed the presence of the Holy Spirit. . The disciples were given a very challenging task and without the Holy Spirit it wasn’t possible.  The spirit of God was going to be there right be their sides providing them with the love and guidance that they need.  The Holy Spirit isn’t a power or force. It’s a person that helps us in our times of need. Haven’t you ever been “rescued” from a challenging time in your life.  That first responder was The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a teacher giving us the wisdom to make better choices.  The choices that God wants us to make. They may not alway be the choices we want. The Holy Spirit is a guide, helping us navigate our way through life’s many twists and turns.  When Jesus told the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit. He meant receive the spirit of God.  Maybe he meant be aware of the presence of God's Spirit in your life. Are we always present to God's spirit? I'd be the first person to say no.  Yes, of course sometimes, but definitely not at all times.  I think we are to accept that the Holy Spirit is an "all the time" type of person.  Yes, we forget but he doesn't. He is always at our side. We just need to be reminded and  made aware just like the disciples. 


    Armed  with the power of forgiveness and the spirit of God, the disciples begin their mission.  The mission to spread the word of God throughout the world.  When Jesus appeared in that room I doubt the disciples knew that they were receiving two of the greatest tools a Christian can ask for.  What I find most fascinating is that those tools are available to us as well. We can all powerfully forgive others and free them to be better in our eyes. We can rebrand someone as a “brother” instead of “liar, cheater, thief”.  As Christians we all have access to the Holy Spirit. He is always available and ready to guide us  along our journey through life.  Let’s remember to put our tools to good use in a world that needs it more than ever.