El LLAMA A CADA UNA PO SU NOMBRE

 

 

En la isla del Caribe donde yo nací no se crían ovejas probablemente debido al calor que hace especialmente durante los meses de verano.

 

De niño había escuchado cuentos de ovejas, especialmente aquel que dice que dice,” María tenía una oveja como la nieve de Blanca “.

 

Para mí entonces, la oveja era un animal exótico, algo que yo deseaba ver como también deseaba ver la nieve/

 

Por los años 60 fui a estudiar a España. Comencé con un curso de verano que tenía lugar en el campo, en las montañas en las afueras de Madrid, al principio de la Sierra de Guadarrama   Allí vi por primera vez no solo una oveja sino rebaños de ovejas.

 

Comprobé que ciertamente cada oveja, cada rebaño reconoce la voz de su pastor. Me explicaron que las ovejas tienen muy poca visión. Para compensar la Naturaleza las ha provisto con una gran sensibilidad de oído.  Cada oveja tiene un nombre propio y responde cuando el pastor que las conoce por nombre, las llama por su nombre.

 

Me admiraba observar que, estando todas las ovejas en un corral, a la voz de su pastor cada rebaño seguía a este quien lo conduciría a prados verdes.

 

Al igual que los discípulos en el Evangelio de hoy, yo nunca había entendido bien la figura del Buen Pastor. Al presenciar la estrecha relación entre pastor y rebaño, entre el pastor y cada oveja, la parábola cobró un significado más profundo para mí.

 

Al igual que el pastor conoce a cada una de sus ovejas tú, Señor, me conoces por nombre. Estás cerca de mí y me proteges con cuidado amoroso. Si escucho tu voz, me conduces por lugares de luz y de paz y me llamas para que sirva de pastor a mis hermanos y hermanas.

 

Pero a diferencia de las ovejas que siempre reconocen la voz de su pastor y lo siguen, yo no siempre reconozco tu voz. No siempre escucho tu voz. Como los discípulos de Emaús, mis ojos y mis oídos están velados y no siempre reconozco. ni escucho tu llamada. Misericordia, señor misericordia.

 

Oh señor, concédeme la gracia de reconocer tu voz y ser buen pastor en mi hogar, en mis relaciones con mi esposa tratándola siempre de manera amorosa, escuchándola, y nunca olvidándome que ella es mi compañera y no me sirva.

 

Oh Señor, Que yo sea un buen pastor en mis relaciones con mis hijos, Estando siempre dispuesto a sacrificarme por ellos. Siempre estar listo escucharlos, guiarlos y corregirlos cariñosamente…

The Knight of Our Lady.

 

On the Road

 

Road trips.  Those two words evoke different feelings depending on the perspective of the person about to embark on one.   As a child, I remember being ecstatic when I learned that my family was about to take a road trip.  Most of our adventures were several hour-long trips from our home in New York City to the country in Upstate New York or out east to Long Island. The longest trip was a 1,100-mile journey to visit my grandparents in Florida. I remember hardly being able to sleep the night before.  The excitement of the adventure ahead would keep my eyes opened and the hours would tick by slowly.

Another type of road trip might not evoke the same excitement.  We can think of the salesperson, weighed down with worry over making a sales quota, on a business trip away from his family.  We can think of a truck driver trying to get his shipment delivered despite a dangerous and blinding snowstorm.

Or there is one family on the road to a family funeral, and another on the road to a family wedding.  The reality is all of these types of road trips likely happen simultaneously every single day on roads all around the world.  In fact, we are all on the individual roads of our lives, each of us getting from point A to point B, all with a different experience, all with a different perspective at any moment.

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus find themselves with a specific experience.  They find themselves with a specific perspective.  They had turned their whole lives over to Jesus.  They were expecting so much from him.  Now, those expectations seem to have vanished.  They saw him arrested, sentenced to death, tortured, and nailed to a cross.  Now, some women from the group are talking about him rising from the dead.  So, their perspective is one of confusion, sadness, disappointment, but perhaps tinged with a glimmer of hope. 

And in the middle of their road trip trying to get away from it all, going to a place seven miles away from Jerusalem, Jesus himself walks with them. At first, they do not recognize him, probably because of their cloud of confusion.  But gradually as he explains the Scriptures and breaks the bread, they see it is him.  He has been walking with them all of the time.

And so, he walks with us.  On each road of our lives, whether that be an exciting journey or a burdensome trip, he is there.  He is there at every moment.  He is there when we are distressed.  He is there when we are joyful.  He is there when we are clear and determined.  He is there when we are lost and confused.  He is present on every journey.

With that knowledge, we get on the road with confidence.  No matter what our circumstances, we get on the road with hope.   For he is present to us, not just to be our companion, but to turn us around and lead us ultimately to the new and eternal Jerusalem, where we will be in his presence for all eternity.

- The Servant

 

 

 

 

 

Second Sunday of Easter (or Divine Mercy Sunday)

John 20:19-31

 

“Doubting Thomas”

 

          If I were to walk up to you an tell you that I had just literally seen the Risen Christ you would probably think that I had lost it, that I was hallucinating or having some sort of episode. 

          However, if I, my family, my neighbors, and friends were to walk up to you and tell you that we had all literally just seen the Risen Christ, you might be shocked and confused, but you most likely would not immediately think that we had all suddenly lost it and were having the same hallucination at the same time.

          So, too, with Thomas.  If only one disciple had told him that the Lord had appeared in the locked room Thomas’ disbelief would be understandable.  So why would he not believe all  “… the other disciples?”   Especially because Thomas had seen Jesus perform so many miracles and heard his preach and teach regarding His own Resurrection.

          While this passage, on its face, seems to speak to Thomas’ weak faith, when we peel back the layers of its meaning I think it reveals more. Perhaps Thomas’ disbelief is revealing his deepest desire – to have Jesus back.  (How many of us who have experienced the sudden loss of a loved one has wished that they could just wake up an realize that it was all just a dream?  Denial. An expression of our innermost desire: to have our loved one back.)  Perhaps Thomas’ utterance comes from his pain, his anger, his despair - his faith.

          The most beautiful thing, though, is that Jesus DID come back.  He did not abandon Thomas or leave him wanting.  He came back.  For Thomas.

When we look back on our own lives I believe we can all see that in our darkest moments – our moments of loss, despair, anger, doubt, uncertainty, confusion – Jesus has come back to us. Perhaps it is in those moments when we MOST feel His presence.  Perhaps so many of our own verbal expressions might, on their face, show a lack of faith, when they are, in fact, deep expressions of faith - our innermost desire to be with God. 

          On this Divine Mercy Sunday, may we all pray, “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you.”

 

“Call Me Ishmael”

 

Entering the Tomb.

 In today’s Gospel  John 20:1-9 Mary Magdala visits the tomb of Jesus. It’s very early and still dark outside. When she reaches the tomb , she finds  it empty. She runs to let Simon Peter and another disciple know what she saw.   She says “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have put him.” Peter and the other disciple run to the tomb to see for themselves. They ran together but the other disciple made it to the tomb before Peter. He looked inside but decided not enter.  He saw the linen cloths that  Jesus wore lying on the ground. When Peter finally arrived , he entered  the tomb  without any hesitation. He saw the linen cloths on the ground and also the cloth that had been over Jesus’s head.  The other disciple entered the tomb afterwards. He saw and believed. Until now they didn’t fully understand that Jesus must rise from the dead. 

Have you  ever questioned who Jesus is? Have you ever asked where is Jesus in my life? When you read today’s Gospel you find out that not even the disciples completely understood that the Son  of God must Rise.  The men that actually spent time  in person with Jesus still didn’t fully grasp the importance of the resurrection until they saw it.  They had to see it to believe.  They needed the proof. Remember that even the disciples had to witness it for themselves. So don’t feel bad if your faith is shaken every now and then. What I have found is each and every person in life will have a  moment in life where they  will see Jesus at work in their lives. We will all face what we consider insurmountable challenges that test us. When that day comes there is no amount of physical strength, money, grit, mental toughness or anything other than Jesus himself to give you the strength to carry on.   

I believe that in the lords infinite wisdom he knows each and every one of our hearts.  He understands our needs,  wants , desires and fears.  The lord understands our human condition and how we can  lose faith along our our  walk with him.   The walk of a Christian  is not  without challenges.  In fact , some can argue that when you choose to follow Christ the devil and evil choose to follow you.  This is why the lord makes sure we have no reason to doubt his existence and power. This is why we have the cross. This is why we had to see it. No different than the disciples that needed to see and believe.  We have seen.  The Cross is a brutal but necessary reminder to all that the lord has transcended all challenges  on this earthly plane.  He has overcome them all including death itself.  He is above everything we can  and will  ever face. So even as a Christian  when evil is present we still can look up to the cross knowing we have the Lords protection.     

Have you seen Jesus in your life ?  Have you witnessed the power of  Christ firsthand? Like Peter, seeing it for  yourself  may require entering the tomb.  Your version of the tomb may be an expected loss., financial hardship, challenge with an aging parent or rebellious child. Understand  that  tomb or challenge is sent from Jesus. Jesus’s hand is has a role in your tomb. All we have to do is look. Look for the him. Trust that his word  and promise is true.  Peter had  enough faith to go and see. He entered the tomb without any hesitation.  That’s what we are called to do. We  are called to face all of our challenges  boldly.  Yes we will fall short many times but  I believe the lord knows that too. He will always give you another opportunity to prove your faithfulness.  Peter fell short, yet he was given another chance.   So if you have fallen short in the past , do not let that stop you from trusting the lord today.  Today is a new day. A day in which you can remember that the lord has risen. He as made a way where there as none.  His love for you is above all.   Trust the lord with all your heart and,  when the time is right  enter the tomb. 

- Anonymous 

Is our fate sealed?

 This week's Gospel reading is for Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.  We know the events well. 

What strikes me at this reading is how Judas takes the thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus, and how the reading explains that this occurrence was foretold by the prophet Jeremiah. 

This may lead us to the question of whether our fate is beyond our control.  

The theologians have different views, I am sure, but here is how I understand it:

God is ahead of us, and/or outside of time, but we pick the road.  God knows the outcome, but that does not mean that we do not choose the road.  God knew what Judas would do, and Jeremiah documented what God knew would happen, but that does not mean that it was not Judas's choice.  It just means that God knew what Judas's choice would be.

What's the point?  Know that your decisions matter.  Know that it is never too late to pull out of a nose dive.  Know that all things are possible through Christ the Lord.

May God bless you this Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

- The Older Brother