Desde la primera lectura escuchamos: “sépanlo ustedes y sépanlo todo el pueblo de Israel: este hombre ha quedado sano en el nombre de Jesús de Nazaret, … Ningún otro puede salvarnos, pues en la tierra no existe ninguna otra persona a quien Dios haya constituido como salvador nuestro.”
¿Qué significa ser “salvo”? Significa ser hijos de Dios.
Juan, el apóstol, escribió: “Queridos hijos: Miren cuánto amor nos ha tenido el Padre, pues no sólo nos llamamos hijos de Dios, sino que lo somos.”
Joyce Ann Zimmerman escribió: “Como seres humanos tenemos difícultad para ser fieles en cuanto al amor. Todo el misterio Pascual nos revela cuán absolutamente el amor de Dios es fiel. “Dios nos ama porque él nos creó y quiere que lo sigamos. A lo largo de la historia, los hijos de Israel se apartaron de Dios una y otra vez. Sin embargo, Dios todavía los amaba y tenía misericordia de ellos cuando se arrepintieron de sus pecados y ofrecían los sacrificios apropiados. Jesús vino a poner fin a eso. Jesús se convirtió en el último sacrificio para que pudiéramos ser hechos hijos de Dios a través de él.
El amor de Dios es profundo y eterno. Siempre ahí para nosotros, es sin condicion, si sólo lo aceptamos. Le pedimos a Dios que nos perdone y dejar que su amor fluya por encima y en nosotros, Jesus es un canal de su amor al mundo que nos rodea. Debemos vivir hoy como hicieron los Apóstoles en la Iglesia Primitiva.
Jesús dijo: “Tengo además otras ovejas que no son de este redil y es necesario que las traiga también a ellas; escucharán mi voz y habrá un solo rebaño y un solo pastor.” El apóstol Pablo fue el encargado de llevar el Evangelio a los gentiles. Había muchas ovejas dentro de los gentiles y Pablo predico sobre Jesús crucificado y resucitado de entre los muertos a todos ellos.
El Diácono Greg kandra de la Arquidiócesis de Nueva York fue recientemente con un grupo de bloggers religiosos estadounidenses que se reunierón en Akel Biltaji de Amman Jordania. Cuando se le preguntó acerca de la importancia de la aceptación religiosa el alcalde dijo: “Lo qué es tan especial acerca de nosotros aquí, es la aceptación de la religion. No es tolerancia. La tolerancia es un poco condescendiente, ¿sabes? Esa no es la convivencia. Lo que importa es la aceptación. Una vez que aceptas, te encuentras en tomar y aceptar la religión y ser tomada en, también, por el otro. Una vez que te entregas y aceptas, así es como deben ser las cosas en una religión”.
Aceptación – no tolerancia. ¡Qué profundo! Jesús dijo: ” Tengo además otras ovejas que no son de este redil.” Habrá un solo rebaño – aceptación. Independientemente de su edad, su condición social, su riqueza, su color, sus diferencias con respecto a nosotros; Jesús dijo que ellos escucharán su voz y habrá un solo rebaño y un solo pastor.
Dios creó a todos nosotros; cada uno de nosotros como una persona única. Con toda nuestra idiosincrasia y diferencias, nuestros sueños y esperanzas, nuestra irreflexión y fracasos; Todos somos hijos de Dios. Juan el Apóstol dijo “Sin embargo, por lo que somos.” Sí somos hijos de Dios. ¿Seguimos el Buen Pastor Jesús?
John Kavanaugh escribió: ¿Debe el poder de su nombre verse limitado por nuestra propia audiencia de ella? ¿Son nuestros sacramentos, nuestras palabras y nuestras enseñanzas la condición necesaria para la salvación, o son los signos de la salvación que Jesús ya ha ganado para nosotros?
JESÚS – “Ningún otro puede salvarnos, pues en la tierra no existe ninguna otra persona a quien Dios haya constituido como salvador nuestro.” Los sacramentos de la Iglesia deben ser signos de nuestra fe y no nuestra propia fe. Nuestra fe debe mostrar en la forma en que vivimos nuestras vidas; debe mostrar en la forma en que servimos a los demás con el amor que viene de Dios.
Una de las maneras que mostramos nuestro amor por los demás es a travez de nuestro regalo a la Petición Católica Anual. La Peticion Católica Anual de este año, nos hara reflexionar sobre un futuro lleno de esperanza: Pasión por nuestra Fe, Promesa para nuestro futuro, Cuidado para nuestra Comunidad, y el amor por nuestra familia. Y sin embargo, por lo que somos – Hijos de Dios. Por favor considere en oración dar a las necesidades de nuestra Arquidiócesis como llevamos a cabo la Petición Católica Anual dos mil quince.
La Petición Católica apoya a los veintiocho seminaristas, la arquidiócesis esta desesperadamente necesitada para proporcionar sacerdotes a nuestras parroquias. Además, se ofrece ayuda para los sacerdotes jubilados y sus necesidades médicas después de que han dedicado sus vidas al servicio de la Iglesia. Proporciona fondos para las escuelas católicas, formación en la fe para todas las edades y la revista católica del noroeste que se entrega a cada hogar católico en la Arquidiócesis.
Tambien se le dan fondos y apoyo a los Servivios de Refugio Católicos que ofrece ayuda a más de ciento ocho mil personas. También apoyará las once escuelas secundarias y sesenta y tres escuelas primarias que sirven a más de veintidós mil doscientos cincuenta y tres estudiantes en la Arquidiócesis.
Ministerios culturales y étnicos hechos posibles por la Petición, que proporcionan una oportunidad para que la gente adore a Dios en su lengua materna. Esto es lo que significa ser un misionero medio de la Iglesia. Su generosa donación hace posible todo esto. El Arzobispo Sartain dijo que nuestro apoyo es esencial para la misión de la Iglesia. Sin ti, no habría ninguna Iglesia.
Usted ha recibido una carta del Arzobispo Sartain y Padre Jay, explicando el futuro lleno de esperanza sobre la Petición Anual. Por favor, de generosamente de las bendiciones que Dios nos ha dado. Si usted no puede dar nada este año, por favor, ayúdanos marcando cero en la sección total del compromiso de la tarjeta de la Campaña Anual Católica. Eso ahorrará el costo de los recordatorios de correo para devolver la tarjeta de compromiso. Incluso si no somos capaces de apoyar la Campaña Anual financieramente, todos podemos apoyar a nuestros ministerios con nuestras oraciones.
Si usted es capaz de aumentar su compromiso respecto al año pasado, ayudará a cubrir para aquellos que son incapaces de dar en estos tiempos económicos difíciles. Si cada uno de nosotros podría dar sólo un dólar al día, que nos ayudaría como Hijos de Dios para llegar a aquellos que están en necesidad.
Por favor tome un momento conmigo y complete con oración la tarjeta ahora y colóquelo en la canasta de ofrenda. Gracias por su apoyo a la Peticion Católica Anual y a las personas que son tocados por los muchos ministerios de la iglesia. Gracias por unirse a otros católicos en el oeste de Washington para proporcionar un futuro lleno de esperanza a los demás.
Monthly Archives: April 2015
S20150426 Easter 4 B
Filed under Homilies
20150426 Easter 4 B
From the first reading we hear: “then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, … There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”
What does it mean to be “saved”? It means to become Children of God.
John, the Apostle, wrote: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.”
Joyce Ann Zimmerman wrote: “As human beings we have a hard time being faithful about loving. The whole Easter mystery reveals to us how utterly faithful God is in loving us.” God loves us because he created us and wants us to follow him. Throughout history, the children of Israel turned away from God time and time again. Yet God still loved them and had mercy on them when they repented of their sins and offered the appropriate sacrifices. Jesus came to end that. Jesus became the last sacrifice so we could become Children of God through him.
God’s love is profound and eternal. It is always there for us if we only accept it. We ask God to forgive us and let his love flow over and in us so we can be a channel of his love to the world around us. We must live today just as the Apostles did in the Early Church.
Jesus said “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.” The Apostle Paul was commissioned to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. There were many sheep within the Gentiles and Paul preached Jesus crucified and risen from the dead to all of them.
Deacon Greg Kandra from the Archdiocese of New York was recently with a group of American religious bloggers who met with Mayor Akel Biltaji of Amman Jordan. When asked about the importance of religious acceptance the mayor said: “What is so unique about us here is acceptance. It’s not tolerance. Tolerance is a bit condescending, you know? That’s not coexistence. What matters is acceptance. Once you accept, you find yourself falling into taking the other in and being taken in, too, by the other. Once you surrender to that, that’s how things should be.”
Acceptance – not tolerance. How profound! Jesus said “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.” There will be one flock – acceptance. Regardless of their age, their status in society, their wealth, their color, their differences from us; Jesus said they will hear my voice and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
God created all of us; each of us as a unique person. With all of our idiosyncrasies and differences, our dreams and hopes, our thoughtlessness and failures; we are all Children of God. John the Apostle said “Yet so we are.” Yes we are children of God. Do we follow the Good Shepherd Jesus?
John Kavanaugh wrote: Must the power of his name be constrained by our own hearing of it? Are our sacraments, our words, and our teachings the required condition for salvation, or are they the signs of the salvation Jesus has already won for us?
JESUS –”There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” The sacraments of the Church must be signs of our faith and not our faith itself. Our faith must show in how we live our lives; it must show in how we serve others with the love that comes from God.
One of the ways that we show our love for others is our gift to the Annual Catholic Appeal. This year’s Annual Catholic Appeal has us reflect upon A Future Full of Hope: Passion for our Faith, Promise for our Future, Care for our Community, and Love for our Family. And yet so we are – Children of God. Please prayerfully consider giving to the needs of our Archdiocese as we conduct the 2015 Annual Catholic Appeal.
The Catholic Appeal supports the 28 Seminarians that we so desperately need to provide priests for our parishes. In addition, it provides for the retired priests and their medical needs after they have dedicated their lives to serving the church. It provides funding for Catholic schools, faith formation for all ages and the Northwest Catholic magazine that is delivered to every Catholic home in the Archdiocese.
Through the Appeal, Catholic Community Services provides help to over 108,000 individuals. It also supports the 11 high schools and 63 elementary schools serving over 22,253 students in the Archdiocese.
Cultural and ethnic ministries made possible by the Appeal provide an opportunity for people to worship in their native language. Your generous donation makes all of this possible. Archbishop Sartain said that our support is essential to the church’s mission. Without you, there would be no church.
You have received a letter from Archbishop Sartain and Father Jay explaining the Future Full of Hope Annual Appeal. Please give generously from the blessings God has given us. If you are unable to give anything this year, please help us by marking zero in the Total Pledge section of the Annual Catholic Appeal card. That will save the cost of mailing reminders to return the pledge card. Even if we are unable to support the Annual Appeal financially, we can all support our ministries with our prayers.
If you are able to increase your commitment from last year, it will help fill in for those who are unable to give in these difficult economic times. If each of us could give just one dollar a day, it would help us as God’s Children to reach out to those who are in need.
Please take a moment with me and prayerfully complete the card now and drop it in the offering basket. Thank you for your support of the Annual Catholic Appeal and the people who are touched by the many ministries of the church. Thank you for joining other Catholics in Western Washington to provide a Future Full of Hope to others.
Filed under Homilies
20150403 Good Friday
Jesus is dead.
He Died.
It is finished.
Through the consecration of the bread and wine by the priest, Catholics believe that the bread becomes the Body of Christ and the wine becomes the Blood of Christ. The body of Christ is kept in the Tabernacle from one mass to the next and the Sanctuary Candle burning next to the Tabernacle indicates that Christ is present. But there is no candle burning next to the Tabernacle today anywhere in the world; in fact the Tabernacle doors are open and the Tabernacle is empty to show that Christ is not here. He died!
How did this happen? In one short week, Jesus went from the throngs glorifying him to being condemned and put to death as a criminal.
Scourging and crucifixion were the two principle methods of punishment used by the Romans. Scourging with a whip of multiple ends, sometimes embedded with metal, was more than most men could survive. Thirty nine lashes were considered one short of what a man could survive without dying. Crucifixion was a painful method of death. Crucifixion was reserved for the worst criminal offenses, especially those accused of rebellion against the government.
Crucifixion was devised and designed by the Romans with more multiple goals in mind. First, crucifixion was designed to inflict optimal physical pain. The procedure was dragged out over a number of hours and the amount of pain inflicted at any given moment was carefully calculated so as not to cause unconsciousness and thus ease the pain of the one being crucified. Sometimes they even gave wine mixed with morphine to the person being crucified, not to ease their suffering, but to keep them from passing out from pain, so they could endure it longer. Crucifixion was designed to humiliate the person being crucified.
But it had a greater purpose. Rome had a resource crisis; inadequate budget and too few soldiers to control all the people in the conquered lands controlled by the Romans. Anyone who witnessed the suffering of crucifixion would think twice about committing an offense that would result in that sentence. Crucifixion was used as a method to control the masses of people in conquered lands. Therefore, the charge of rebellion would definitely get one crucified. Pilate had Jesus scourged and then handed over to be crucified.
John’s passion narrative emphasizes that Jesus was sentenced to death at noon, the very hour on the eve of Passover when the temple priests would begin to slaughter the paschal lambs. The inference is clear: Jesus is the real lamb who dies for the sins of the world.
After Jesus died, soldiers come and pierce his side with a lance. Immediately blood and water flow out. For John, Jesus’ death is the birth of something new in our lives.
Throughout his Passion it is Jesus who is in control, not the Jews or the Romans. Jesus decides on the moment of his death; he willing gives up his spirit to fulfill the Father’s plan. Jesus announces the completion of his sacrifice when he said “It is finished”. The Vulgate’s translation of “It is accomplished” states it better.
The crucifix here at Holy Cross depicts what Jesus did for me. Take a close look at it. There is blood running down his bruised and broken body. He suffered and submitted himself to death as a sacrifice for our sins to fulfil the Father’s plan of redemption for all.
Jesus died out of love for all people throughout history, living now and in future ages for all time. Jesus washed Judas’ feet knowing he would hand him over to the painful death he would suffer. How great a love Jesus had for all people, including the person would betray him.
Jesus willingly accepted the Father’s plan of salvation. In doing this, he gave his all for us. It is not easy to follow Jesus. Even the disciples who walked with him for the last couple of years, who last night at the supper table said that, they would never abandon him, completely disappeared. The disciples feared for their lives and left Jesus to die alone.
Today, many Christians throughout the world are dying for their faith. This is especially true in the Middle East where the governments are trying to wipe out the Church. How will we respond? If we had to die because we are Catholic; would we deny him like Peter? Would we desert him like the disciples? Or would we die for our faith like the martyrs of today?
Last night at the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and broke it, gave to his disciples and said: “This is my body given for you!”
Filed under Homilies
