Las lecturas que lleva el Evangelio el día de hoy tienen urgencia en ellas, el momento de la destrucción está cerca, Jesús llama a sus discípulos a difundir la Buena Nueva. Jonás leyó un mensaje de destrucción a la gente de Nínive: “Dentro de cuarenta días Nínive será destruida”. Pablo dijo que el tiempo se acaba: “porque este mundo que vemos es pasajero”. El verso para el Aleluya el día de hoy es: “El reino de Dios ha llegado; crean en la Buena Nueva”.
Marcos continúa con este urgente mensaje. Jesús comienza su ministerio proclamando el Evangelio de Dios con un llamado a arrepentirse y creer. “Se ha cumplido el tiempo y el reino de Dios ya está cerca. Arrepiéntanse y crean en el Evangelio”.
Desde el comienzo de su ministerio público en Galilea, Jesús buscó compañeros de trabajo para ayudarlo con su misión. Jesús sabía que no iba a encontrar compañeros de trabajo entre los líderes religiosos, eran demasiado corruptos y arrogantes, no soportarían las dificultades de ser un discípulo de Cristo. Jesús sabía que tenía que buscar a compañeros de trabajo que estaban acostumbrados al trabajo duro, personas que lucharan y cuyo estilo de vida era sencillo como la suya.
Jesús llamó a Simón y a su hermano Andrés: “Sígname y haré de ustedes pescadores de hombres.” Ellos dejaron sus redes y lo siguieron. La misma historia se repitió poco después, cuando Jesús llamó a Santiago y a su hermano Juan.
A menudo nos preguntamos por qué estos hermanos inmediatamente salieron de sus barcos, y dejaron a sus familias y su estilo de vida para seguir a alguien que caminaba por la orilla y los llamó. ¿Cómo pudieron hacer esto? ¿Qué pasó con sus familias? ¿Cómo sus familias iban a sobrevivir sin ellos? Esto el día de hoy simplemente no tiene sentido para nosotros.
Dr. John Pilch ofrece una idea de la cultura mediterránea.
“Es muy probable que Jesús y sus cuatro seguidores que convoco no sean extraños. Si no lo han conocido personalmente, antes de ese tiempo, eran conscientes de las aspiraciones y objetivos de Jesús. Las noticias viajaban rápidamente en el mundo antiguo gracias a los chismes. Técnicamente, un grupo que se reúne para un propósito específico por un tiempo limitado se llama una “coalición”. La coalición que Jesús reúne, técnicamente se llama una “facción” porque se centra en un personaje central que posee y controla la lealtad del grupo. Invariablemente, el líder de una facción tiene una meta y reúne a su alrededor a otros que comparten la meta.
¿Cuáles fueron la meta, las aspiraciones, objetivos, y las esperanzas de los pescadores que se unieron a la facción de Jesús? Estas nunca se detallan. Los hechos, sin embargo, que Jesús era conocido como el hijo de un artesano y que estos primeros cuatro miembros de su grupo fueron pescadores hacen que sea probable que encontraron una causa común en las dificultades opresivas de su vida cotidiana. Este tipo de experiencias serían el fundamento de un proyecto más amplio de Jesús de anunciar el reino de Dios, el patrón auténtico del padre de Israel.
Jonás y Zebedeo tuvieron que contratar a más obreros para sustituir a sus hijos que siguieron a Jesús. Calcularon que esta apuesta a corto plazo podría mejorar su situación si Jesús pudo entregar lo que prometió.
Pero sus apóstoles no entendían que la promesa que Jesús predicaba era del corazón. No entendían que era la esperanza espiritual en vez de alivio físico de la vida de trabajo duro y la ocupación que los romanos querían. Jesús predicó “el reino de Dios ya está cerca. Arrepiéntanse y crean en el Evangelio”.
¡Estamos llamados a ser discípulos; creer en el Evangelio! Creo que el verbo. “Creer” requiere una acción: el arrepentimiento y la Fe, que cambiará la forma en que vivimos. Juan Pablo el segundo subraya la importancia de la conversión: “Por lo tanto, la Iglesia profesa y proclama la conversión. La conversión a Dios consiste siempre en descubrir su misericordia, es decir, en el descubrimiento de que el amor que es paciente y amable, ya que sólo el Creador y Padre pueden ser; el amor al que “Dios Padre y de nuestro Señor Jesucristo” es fiel hasta las últimas consecuencias en la historia de su pacto con el hombre: hasta la cruz, la muerte y resurrección del Hijo. La conversión a Dios es siempre el fruto del “redescubrimiento” de este Padre, que es rico en misericordia. ”
El encuentro de Pablo con Jesús en el camino de Damasco causó su conversión y cambió su vida para siempre. Pablo se convirtió y dejo de perseguir y tener nuevos cristianos asesinados, se dedicó a predicar que el Reino de Dios está cerca. Es por eso que hay urgencia en todos los escritos de Pablo que debemos prepararnos para el tiempo del fin, que está cerca.
En la segunda lectura, Pablo escribe a su manera lo que está pasando en el mundo actual. Afirma que el tiempo se acaba, y pide a los corintios a cambiar su vida, que se concentren en lo que es correcto.
Nosotros, como los discípulos y Pablo, hemos escuchado el mensaje de arrepentimiento de Jesús. No tenemos que depender de la red de chismes porque tenemos los Evangelios, escritos de Pablo y todas las enseñanzas y la tradición de la Iglesias.
Reginald Fuller escribió “El llamado de los discípulos …. sirve para ilustrar lo que significa arrepentirse y creer en el Evangelio. Esto no significa aceptar ciertas verdades eternas, sino que se adjunta a la persona de Jesús, para ir junto con él en su camino – una manera que conduzca a la cruz.” El camino para nosotros probablemente no conducirá una cruz o nuestro martirio, pero en muchas partes del mundo, especialmente en Oriente Medio y otros países musulmanes, si lo harían.
Jesús nos habla hoy: “el reino de Dios ya está cerca. Arrepiéntanse y crean en el Evangelio.” ¿Vamos por completo nosotros mismos adjuntar a la persona de Jesús? ¿O vamos a aceptar las verdades de las edades y con las formalidades de asistir a misa o simplemente vivir una buena vida? Jesús ofreció esperanza a un mundo roto. ¿Vamos a arrepentirnos y luego demostrar que creemos en el Evangelio por la forma en que vivimos? ¿Vamos a caminar con Jesús en la forma en que camina? ¿Caminando con Jesús no puede llevar a la muerte, caminaremos con él, incluso si conduce a la persecución? El reino de Dios ya está cerca. ¿Creemos?
Monthly Archives: January 2015
S20150125 Ordinario 3 B
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20150125 Ordinary 3 B
The readings have urgency in them, the time of destruction is near, which leads into the Gospel where Jesus calls his disciples to spread the Good News. Jonah delivered a message of destruction to the people of Nineveh: “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed”. Paul said that time is running out: “For the world in its present form is passing away.” The verse for the Alleluia today is: “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
Mark continues with this urgent message. Jesus begins his ministry proclaiming the Gospel of God with a call to repent and believe. “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
From the start of his public ministry in Galilee, the Messiah looked for co-workers to help with his mission. Jesus knew that he would not find co-workers among the religious leaders. They were too corrupt and arrogant to endure the hardships of being a disciple of Christ. Jesus knew that he had to look for co-workers who were used to hard work, people who struggled and whose lifestyle was plain like his.
Jesus called to Simeon and his brother Andrew: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They abandoned their nets and followed him. The same story was repeated a short time later when Jesus called James and his brother John.
We often question why these brothers immediately left their boats, their families and their livelihood to follow someone who walked along the shore and called to them. How could they do this? What happened to their families? How did their families survive without them there to support them? This just doesn’t make sense to us today.
Dr. John Pilch provides some insight into the Mediterranean culture.
“It is highly likely that Jesus and the four followers he summons here are not strangers. If they have not personally met each other before this time, they were aware of each other’s aspirations and objectives. News travelled quickly in the ancient world thanks to gossip networks.
Gathering a following is a common occurrence in the Mediterranean world. Technically, a group that gathers for a specific purpose for a limited time is called a “coalition.” The coalition that Jesus gathers is technically called a “faction” because it focuses on a central person who holds and controls the loyalty of the group. Invariably, the faction leader has a grievance and gathers around him others who share the grievance.
What were the grievance and the aspirations, objectives, and hopes of the fishermen who joined Jesus’ faction? These are never spelled out. The facts, however, that Jesus was known as the son of an artisan and that these first four members of his group were fishermen make it probable that they found common cause in the oppressive difficulties of their daily lives. Such experiences would be the underpinning for Jesus’ broader project of proclaiming the reign of God, the authentic patron or father of Israel.
Jonah and Zebedee had to hire more day laborers to replace their sons who followed Jesus. They calculated that this short-term gamble might improve their lot if Jesus could deliver what he promised.”
But their fathers didn’t understand that the promise Jesus preached was of the heart. They didn’t understand that it was spiritual hope instead of physical relief from the life of hard work and the occupation of the Romans that they wanted. Jesus preached “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
We are called to be disciples; to believe in the Gospel! Believe is a verb. “Believe” requires action: repentance and then a faith that will change the way we live. John Paul II underlines the importance of conversion: “Therefore, the Church professes and proclaims conversion. Conversion to God always consists in discovering his mercy, that is, in discovering that love which is patient and kind as only the Creator and Father can be; the love to which the ‘God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’ is faithful to the uttermost consequences in the history of his covenant with man: even to the Cross and to the death and resurrection of the Son. Conversion to God is always the fruit of the ‘rediscovery’ of this Father, who is rich in mercy.
Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus caused his conversion and changed his life forever. Paul turned from persecuting and having the new Christians killed to preaching that the Kingdom of God is at hand. That’s why there is urgency in all of Paul’s writings that we must prepare for the end time is near.
In the second reading, Paul writes that the world in its present form is passing away. He states that time is running out and calls for the Corinthians to change their lives and concentrate on what is right.
We, like the disciples and Paul, have heard Jesus’ message of repentance. We do not have to rely on the gossip network because we have the Gospels, Paul’s writings and all of the Church’s teachings and tradition to teach us.
Reginald Fuller wrote “The call of the disciples …. serves to illustrate what it means to repent and believe in the gospel. It does not mean to accept certain timeless truths but to be attached to the person of Jesus, to go along with him in his way — a way that will lead to the cross.” The way for us will probably not lead to a cross or our martyrdom, but in many parts of the world, particularly the Middle East and other Muslim countries, it would.
Jesus speaks to us today: “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Will we completely attach ourselves to the person of Jesus? Or will we accept the truths of the ages and go through the motions of attending mass or just living a good life? Jesus offered hope to a broken world. Will we repent and then show that we believe in the Gospel by the way we live? Will we walk with Jesus in the way that he walks? Walking with Jesus may not lead to death for us but will we walk with him even if it leads to persecution? The Kingdom of God is at hand. Do we believe?
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20150108 Fulfilled in Your Hearing
Jesus was in the synagogue of his hometown Nazareth on the Sabbath as was his custom. “He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”
This passage taken that Jesus quoted is from Isaiah. It is a proclamation of justice that is the core of the teachings of Christ and the mission of the Catholic Church. It is the concern for all of the marginalized in our society: for the poor, for the homeless, for the widow, the orphan and the stranger, for those in prison, for those caught in domestic violence and abuse, for those mistreated by racism and hatred, for those persecuted for their faith regardless if they are Christian, Jewish or Muslim.
Jesus said “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Is the Spirit of the Lord upon us? Can we say with Christ that this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing?
If the church’s mission is to live the teachings and ministry of Christ, the church must be a pillar of justice not only for all of those who are part of the church but for everyone in the world. Pope Francis follows this in his daily life; he treats all people with respect for their human dignity. This is an example for the entire world to see and follow. Pope Francis shows people how to live the teachings of Christ and the church.
Each of us must ask this question: Is the Spirit of the Lord upon me? Let us show the world that love still exists by the way we live our lives.
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20150107 Jesus Went Off to Pray
These verses just before today’s Gospel reading provide us with the complete story. “The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.”
But the people saw them leaving and ran ahead. When they embarked from the boat, Jesus had pity on them and began to teach them. When it was time to eat, Jesus took a few loaves of bread, blessed them and fed five thousand men plus women and children.
“Then he made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray.”
Jesus did this a lot. When the crowds pressed in around him and everyone was demanding his attention, he would slip away to pray. Sometimes Jesus would take three or all of the disciples with him, but even then, he would go off by himself to pray to his Father.
In this case, the disciples were out in the communities working, teaching the Good News. Jesus knew that the disciples were weary and did not even have time to eat so he tried to slip away with them to a deserted place to rest and pray. But the crowds wanted help from this person who performed miracles.
Jesus knew that the disciples were exhausted at this point and made them get into the boat and leave even before the crowds were gone. Only then could Jesus go off to the mountain to pray.
After all of the festivities of Christmas and New Year’s parties with family and friends, it’s time to rest. Serving others is difficult work. It is mentally and emotionally draining. Our bodies require some down time to let the Holy Spirit minister to us, to refresh us and give us a new attitude of joy and patience. Then we can love others as Jesus loves us.
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20141226 St Stephen the First Martyr
I am wearing red today because it is the Feast of St Stephen, the first martyr. It seems appropriate that the feast of the first martyr is comes the first day after the Birth of Our Lord.
When we look at the Gospel, Jesus explains the cost of being a Christian. “Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.”
“When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. …. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
“Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name.…”
It is not all doom. Jesus gave an ending with hope: “…. but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
In many parts of the world today, Christians are martyred for their faith. The area of Syria and Iraq that is controlled by ISIS is the one that is in the news the most because it is so rampant. But other parts of the world, especially Muslim controlled areas, Christians are persecuted for their faith.
We are fortunate in this county that we aren’t martyred for our Catholic faith. It is important that we pray every day for Christians around the world that are being persecuted and martyred. We need to pray the God will strengthen them and keep them in his care. We also need to ask God to provide for them and grant them a special place in his kingdom.
I know we are busy in our daily duties, but let’s remember the Church and these Christians throughout the world in our prayers each day this coming year.
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