Los discípulos estaban en una habitación cerrada temiendo por sus vidas cuando Jesús se les apareció y dijo: “La paz esté con ustedes.” Estaban emocionados de volver a verlo. Jesús repitió: “La paz esté con ustedes.” ¿Por qué Jesús repite Paz esté con ustedes?
John Pilch escribió: “La palabra hebrea para “paz” es muy rica y tiene al menos ocho significados diferentes. Cuando Jesús dice a sus discípulos asustados, “La Paz esté con ustedes”, declara una realidad fáctica. Su resurrección ha ganado la paz inquebrantable para ellos; por lo tanto, no es apropiado para traducir su declaración como un deseo: la paz sea con ustedes. “Jesús no les está deseando la paz; declara con firme seguridad de que la poseen, de ahí que se debe descartar todo temor”.
Piensen en eso por un momento. La resurrección de Jesús ganó la paz – ya no hay ninguna razón para temer o preocuparse – sólo viven en su paz. Pero eso es difícil de hacer. Les tomó a los discípulos un tiempo para darse cuenta de la paz. En Pentecostés se dieron cuenta de la verdadera paz y luego audazmente proclamaron que Jesús era el Mesías. Pasaron de la clandestinidad por temor a las autoridades a salir a las calles y en el templo proclamando que Jesús es el Señor. Fue sólo porque después de Pentecostés tenían el coraje de salir de su escondite.
Cuando Jesús repitió: “La paz esté con ustedes.” La segunda vez, él continuó diciendo “Como el Padre me ha enviado, así también los envío yo”. Y habiendo dicho esto, sopló sobre ellos y les dijo, “Reciban al Espíritu Santo. A los que les perdonen los pecados, les quedarán perdonados; y a los que no se los perdonen, les quedarán sin perdonar.”
Cuando el Espíritu Santo descendió sobre los discípulos, era diferente a todo lo que la gente había visto en su vida. No sabían cómo describirlo. La mejor descripción era que sonaba como una ráfaga de viento impetuoso que llenó toda la casa. También había los que decían que parecía como lenguas de fuego que se repartieron y se posaron sobre cada uno de ellos.
Después de esto, ya no se escondieron detrás de las puertas cerradas por temor por sus vidas. Ellos predicaron el Evangelio que Jesús resucitó de entre los muertos. Ellos lo habían visto, hablado con él y comió con él. ¡Estaba vivo!
¡Cambió sus vidas y cambió el mundo para siempre!
Se puede cambiar nuestras vidas también si estamos dispuestos a dejarlo. Los discípulos esperaban el Espíritu Santo como Jesús les dijo. Estaban ansiosos por el Espíritu Santo y querían que el Espíritu Santo llegara a ellos. Ellos querían la paz que Jesús les prometió. Y dispuestos permiten que el poder del Espíritu Santo descienda sobre ellos de una manera poderosa.
¿Qué pasaría si dejamos que el Espíritu Santo consuma totalmente nuestras vidas hoy en día? ¿Sería como los discípulos? Ellos hablaron en otras lenguas; sanaron a los enfermos y tenía el poder de perdonar los pecados. Estos regalos están presentes aún hoy en día. El perdón de los pecados viene dado por el sacerdote en el sacramento de la penitencia.
Hoy recordamos el primer Pentecostés, cuando el Espíritu Santo descendió sobre los discípulos. Ese fue un evento que cambia el mundo. ¿Por qué no hace eso mismo trabajo poder en nosotros hoy?
En el momento en que Pablo escribió a los Gálatas, las cosas eran ya diferentes. El celo por el Evangelio fue menor de lo que era para los primeros discípulos. Pablo ofrece instrucciones sobre cómo vivir en el Espíritu. Comienza identificando los deseos de la carne; otra palabra para el mundo. Entonces Pablo los exhorta a evitar estos deseos del mundo. Pero Pablo no se detiene allí. Hay esperanza para el futuro. Él dijo: “En cambio, el fruto del Espíritu es amor, gozo, paz, paciencia, amabilidad, bondad, fidelidad, mansedumbre, dominio de sí mismo.” Pablo da las características de la vida cristiana en el mundo.
Pablo comenzó la lista de virtudes con amor. Cristo dijo a Amar a Dios con todo tu corazón ya tu prójimo como a ti mismo. Entendió que el amor era el más grande de los mandamientos. Es por eso que Pablo comenzó la lista con amor.
Continuó con alegría. Todo el mundo quiere estar cerca de una persona feliz. Pero una persona que tiene la alegría es diferente de alguien que es feliz. Alegría está estrechamente relacionada con la alegría y la felicidad, a pesar de la alegría es más un estado del ser que una emoción; resultado de la elección. La alegría es parte de ser un cristiano. La alegría es consecuencia de la paz; pero sólo la paz que Dios puede dar.
La próxima virtud que enumera Pablo es la paz. Jesús se apareció a los discípulos y les dijo: “La paz esté con ustedes.” Fue muy importante para Jesús que dijo de nuevo. La paz es muy difícil de alcanzar hoy. Siempre hablamos de la paz; la paz en el Medio Oriente, la paz entre Israel y Palestina, la paz entre Rusia y Estados Unidos, la paz entre ISIS y el resto del mundo, y la lista sigue y sigue. Incluso nos deseamos la paz dentro de nuestras familias en las que los miembros de la familia no han hablado entre sí durante décadas.
La paz es tan difícil de alcanzar y no satisface incluso cuando las partes en conflicto negocian y firman un tratado de paz. Una de las partes es siempre insatisfecha con alguna parte del acuerdo. Este tipo de paz es la ausencia de guerra y la lucha entre sí.
Pero la paz que Jesús dio a sus discípulos era diferente. Era una paz que era profunda y duradera. Creo que la verdadera paz de Dios es lo que dio a los discípulos el valor en Pentecostés. Ya no atendidos por las cosas de este mundo porque no tenían paz en la promesa de la vida eterna.
Los escritos de Pablo son tanto para nosotros hoy como lo era a los Gálatas. “Si tenemos la vida del Espíritu, actuemos conforme a ese mismo Espíritu.” Eso es difícil. Ha sido difícil a lo largo de toda la historia. Considere la historia de los israelitas. Los deseos del mundo se convertirían en demasiado y caerían lejos de Dios. Luego se arrepienten y seguir a Dios y recibir sus bendiciones. Los deseos del mundo todavía están con nosotros hoy y serán en el futuro. Debemos esforzarnos por seguir el Espíritu en todo lo que hacemos.
Nos encontramos con la verdadera paz en el servicio a los demás. El Espíritu nos lleva a ayudar a los pobres, a la viuda, al huérfano, al extranjero y el inmigrante. Papa Francisco es un brillante ejemplo de servicio a los demás.
¿Vamos a seguir el Espíritu y llegar a la persona sin hogar o el inmigrante? ¿O los deseos del mundo que nos consumirá hasta el punto que estamos demasiado ocupados para molestarse con ellos? ¿Vamos a seguir al Espíritu en la reparación de las relaciones rotas dentro de nuestras familias y amigos? ¿O los deseos del mundo en los celos, la envidia y el egoísmo mantenernos separados? ¿Vamos a dejar que la paz que sólo viene de Dios nos abruman por completo por lo que tenemos el coraje de luchar por la verdad?
En algunos momentos el diácono o sacerdote nos pedirán intercambiar un signo de la paz. ¿Cuando decimos: “La paz esté con ustedes” le decimos en serio la paz que Dios da?
La paz esté con ustedes.
S20150524 Pentecost B
Filed under Homilies
20150524 Pentecost B
The disciples were in a locked room fearing for their lives when Jesus appeared to them and said “Peace be with you.” They were excited that they were with seeing him again. Jesus repeated it “Peace be with you.” Why did Jesus repeat Peace be with you?
John Pilch wrote: “The Hebrew word for “peace” is very rich and has at least eight different meanings. When Jesus says to his frightened disciples, “Peace to you,” he declares a factual reality. His resurrection has gained unshakable peace for them; hence it is inappropriate to translate his statement as a wish: “[May] peace be to [or with] you.” Jesus is not wishing them peace; he declares with firm assurance that they possess it, hence they should discard all fear.”
Think about that for a moment. Jesus’ resurrection gained peace – no longer any reason to fear or worry – just live in his peace. But that is hard to do. It took the disciples a while to realize that peace. At Pentecost that they realized real peace and then boldly proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah. They went from hiding for fear of the authorities to going out into the streets and into the temple proclaiming that Jesus is Lord. It was only because of Pentecost that they had the courage to leave their hiding place.
When Jesus repeated “Peace be with you.” the second time, he went on to say “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained. ”
When the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples, it was unlike anything people had ever seen. They didn’t know how to describe it. The best description was that it sounded like a strong driving wind that filled the entire house. There was also what appeared to them as tongues of a fire that parted and came to rest on each one of them.
After this, they were no longer hiding behind locked doors fearing for their lives. They preached the Gospel that Jesus was raised from the dead. They had seen him, talked with him and ate with him. He was alive!
It changed their lives and changed the world forever!
It can change our lives too if we are willing to let it. The disciples waited for the Holy Spirit as Jesus told them. They were looking forward to the Holy Spirit and wanted the Holy Spirit to come to them. They wanted the peace that Jesus promised them. And they willing let the power of the Holy Spirit descend upon them in a powerful way.
What would happen if we let the Holy Spirit totally consume our lives today? Would it be like the disciples? They spoke in other languages; they healed the sick and had the power to forgive sins. These gifts are present even today. The forgiveness of sins is given by the priest in the sacrament of penance.
Today we remember the first Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Disciples. That was a world changing event. Why doesn’t that same power work in us today?
By the time Paul wrote to the Galatians, things were already different. The zeal for the Gospel was less than it was for the early disciples. Paul provides instructions on how to live in the Spirit. He starts by identifying the desires of the flesh; another word for world. Then Paul admonishes them to avoid these desires of the world. But Paul doesn’t stop there. There is hope for the future. He said “In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Paul gives the characteristics of a Christian living in the world.
Paul started the list of virtues with love. Christ said to Love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. He understood that love was the greatest of the commandments. That’s why Paul started the list with love.
He continued with joy. Everyone wants to be around a happy person. But a person who has joy is different from someone who is happy. Joy is closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice. Joy is part of being a Christian. Joy is a result of peace; but only the peace that God can give.
The next virtue that Paul lists is peace. Jesus appeared to the disciples and said “Peace be with you.” It was so important to Jesus that he said it again. Peace is very elusive today. We always talk of peace; peace in the Middle East, peace between Israel and Palestine, peace between Russia and the United States, peace between ISIS and the rest of the world, and the list goes on and on. We even desire peace within our families where family members haven’t spoken to each other for decades.
Peace is so elusive and does not satisfy even when the fighting parties negotiate and sign a peace treaty. One party is always dissatisfied with some part of the agreement. This kind of peace is just an absence of war and fighting with each other.
But the peace that Jesus gave to the disciples was different. It was a peace that was deep and lasting. I believe that the real peace from God is what gave the disciples the courage on Pentecost. They no longer cared for the things of this world because they had peace in the promise of eternal life.
Paul’s writing is as much for us today as it was to the Galatians. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.” That is difficult. It has been difficult throughout all of history. Consider the history of the Israelites. The desires of the world would become too much and they would fall away from God. Then they would repent and follow God and receive his blessings. The desires of the world are still with us today and will be in the future. We must strive to follow the Spirit in all that we do.
We find true peace in serving others. The Spirit leads us to help the poor, the widow, the orphan, the stranger and the immigrant. Pope Francis is a shining example of serving others.
Will we follow the Spirit and reach out to the homeless person or the immigrant? Or will the desires of the world consume us to the point that we are too busy to bother with them? Will we follow the Spirit in mending broken relationships within our families and friends? Or will the desires of the world in jealousy, envy and selfishness keep us apart? Will we let the peace that only comes from God completely overwhelm us so we have the courage to stand up for truth?
During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Deacon or Priest will ask us to exchange a Sign of Peace. When we say “Peace be with you” will we really mean the peace that God gives?
Peace be with you.
Filed under Homilies
20150523 Pentecost Vigil B
It seems appropriate that the first reading for the Vigil tells how different languages came about and the reading on Pentecost tells how everyone heard the Gospel message in their own language. The first reading tonight explains how all the people of the world spoke the same language. I wonder if they still had problems communicating like we do today – we all speak United States English and we have problems understanding each other.
Wouldn’t it be nice to speak a word and have it mean the same thing throughout the world? Everyone would know what you were talking about and understand you. Let’s put this reading in context. It is easy to condemn the people for building a tower to heaven. But this was after the flood so they wanted to make sure that the tower would be high enough that it would survive another flood.
Could you imagine what it was like the day that God confused their languages? All of a sudden, you don’t understand a thing that I am saying. You understood me five minutes ago so what is wrong with you now? So you begin searching for someone who can understand you. You go from person to person until you find someone, then the two of you search until you find another person who understands you, then the three of you search for another and on and on and on.
Then the groups of people who understand each other begin to form cities and nations. They spread out over the earth to have some space to themselves. And then the bickering and fighting really begin. This was the result of our sinfulness and arrogance that we could overcome God.
Tomorrow morning the picture is completely different. After the Holy Spirit descends on the Apostles, they speak in the native language of the people visiting Jerusalem.
Listen to the reading from Acts:
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
After a long list of nations, it continues: … as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”
By the mighty acts of God through the Holy Spirit, all people were united again in one body, one spirit in Christ. Each could understand the Gospel message that Christ was crucified for our sins, died and was buried, then was resurrected from the dead to bring us new life. This was the beginning of the Church, not made with hands, of the believers that we are a part of today.
The second reading talks about Hope.
Hope.
Hope is something that some people yearn for every day. That is because without God, there is no hope. And most of the world does not know God. Hope only exists if we are looking for something unseen. In hope we were saved. That was an unseen act. And now with hope we look forward to eternal life. Even the Spirit prays for us and intercedes for us in our weakness that we will always serve God and follow his ways. This gives us the hope of eternal life in a glorified body with God in heaven.
Jesus said that all who thirst should come and drink. The Holy Spirit would flow out of each person who believes in him. This is how the Gospel is spread throughout the world to all people who become one body in Christ. The hope that we have is spread to a world that does not have hope, to a world that is lost and looking for more to life.
Will we say yes to Jesus and let the Holy Spirit dwell in us? Or will we be like the people of Babel who couldn’t understand one another? Will we let the Holy Spirit flow through us to bring hope to a confused and troubled world filled with bickering and fighting?
Come Holy Spirit; make me an instrument of your peace.
Filed under Homilies
S20150426 Easter 4 B
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.
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
S20150322 Lent 5 B
Jesús dijo: “Yo les aseguro que si el grano de trigo, sembrado en la tierra, no muere, queda infecundo; pero si muere, producirá mucho fruto”.
Un grano de trigo que nunca se planta siempre será “Solo un grano de trigo”. Pero cuando se siembra un grano de trigo, regado y el sol calienta el suelo, del grano brotará un tallo y crecerán unos cincuenta granos de trigo. Piensa en ello; cincuenta granos de trigo de una sola semilla.
Jesús utilizó parábolas y ejemplos, que las multitudes podían entender. Fueron los pobres de la época que llegaron a escuchar a Jesús y eran principalmente agricultores y pastores. Mediante el uso de referencias a estas ocupaciones, la gente podía entender la lección que Jesús estaba enseñando en la historia.
Como se trata de nuestro grupo aquí en la Santa Cruz, debo referirme a una semilla de papa, que producirá seis o siete papas para que entendamos mejor la historia.
Jesús continuó “El que se ama a si mismo, se pierde; el que aborrece a sí mismo en este mundo vida en este mundo, se asegura para la vida eterna. El que me sirve, que me siga, para que donde yo esté, también este mi servidor. El que me sirve sera honrado por mi Padre”.
John Pilch escribió “La parábola de la semilla indica los medios por los cuales será glorificado Jesús. Su muerte será la fuente de vida para muchos, en realidad para todos los hijos de Israel (y no israelitas). Por otra parte, los que siguen a Jesús ganarán su entrada a la vida eterna a través de la muerte.
Por esta razón, el que está demasiado apegado a la vida en este mundo no va a llegar a ser tan honorable como un seguidor de Jesús que prefiere la vida en el mundo venidero. En la eternidad, el discípulo será con Jesús en el amor del Padre, un estado honorable que nada en el mundo puede igualar. ”
Pero nos estamos adelantando al Evangelio. Algunos griegos que habían venido a adorar en la fiesta de la Pascua, fueron a Felipe y le preguntaron: “Señor, quisiéramos ver a Jesús.” Esta es la primera mención de un pueblo no judío que busca a Jesús. La palabra griega “ver” también significa “para visitar a”, “para cumplir” o “para tener una entrevista con”.
Es común en la cultura mediterránea que alguien sea un mediador o un patrón para obtener acceso para una persona que no conoces. Felipe y Andrés eran de Betsaida de Galilea. Los Galileos eran en su mayoría bilingües. Por lo tanto, es probable que se acercaron a Felipe y a Andrés porque ambos tienen nombres griegos y serían capaces de traducir para ellos.
Si nosotros también queremos ver a Jesús. Gerald Darring escribió “Si quisiéramos ver a Jesús, tenemos que buscar los granos caídos de trigo que nos rodean, como son los enfermos y empobrecidos, los maltratados y oprimidos. Si quisiéramos ver a Jesús, tenemos que buscar a los que están perdiendo sus vidas, las víctimas de la pobreza, el abuso, la discriminación y la guerra.
Lo que necesitamos es un nuevo pacto, una alianza de amor y perdón. Tenemos que cumplir con lo escrito en nuestros corazones, que somos el pueblo de Dios, que aspiramos a ser como Cristo en la transformación de la oscuridad del dolor del mundo en la vida y la alegría de la Pascua”.
Jeremías dijo que Dios establecería un nuevo pacto con los hijos de Israel. No sería igual que el antiguo pacto con sus padres, pero un nuevo pacto que sería en sus corazones. “Ya no van a tener necesidad de enseñar a sus amigos y familiares cómo conocer a Jehová. Todos, de menor a mayor, me conocerán, dice Jehová, porque yo perdonaré su maldad y no recordara más sus pecados”.
Jesús vino a cumplir ese pacto. El camino hacia la realización no fue fácil. Jesús sabía el camino traería tentación, el sufrimiento y la muerte. Habló de esto al final del Evangelio cuando dijo: “Y cuando yo sea levantado de la tierra, atraeré a todos hacia mí”.
A través de la nueva alianza de su muerte y resurrección, Jesús venció a la muerte para traernos la salvación. El mensaje del Evangelio de hoy es buscar a Cristo, servir a los demás, perder el amor de esta vida y seguirlo de modo que cuando morimos, vamos a ganar la vida eterna.
San Josemaría Escrivá escribió “he distinguido como cuatro etapas en nuestro esfuerzo por identificarse con él Cristo de búsqueda, encontrándolo, conocerlo, amarlo. Puede parecer claro para ustedes que son sólo en la primera etapa. Búscalo entonces, con avidez; buscarlo dentro de vosotros mismos con todas tus fuerzas. Si se actúa con determinación, me atrevo a garantizar que ya lo habéis encontrado, y han comenzado a llegar a conocerlo y amarlo, ya tener vuestra conversación en los cielos”.
Si quisiéramos ver a Jesús, debemos perder nuestro amor por esta vida y seguir a Jesús. Seguir a Jesús significa vivir la vida que él vivió: servir a los pobres, a la viuda, al huérfano, al extranjero y el inmigrante. Si estamos con él en esta vida, entonces vamos a estar con él en el cielo por toda la eternidad.
Nuestro mundo está preocupado y desgarrado por la violencia y la guerra, por el odio y la falta de respeto por el valor de la vida. Todos hemos sido creados a imagen de Dios y cada persona merece ser tratado con amabilidad y respeto por su valor individual como hijo de Dios. Necesitamos paz en Ferguson Missouri or Pasco Washington y el resto de nuestro país, independientemente de que una persona está en la sociedad, la cantidad de dinero que poseen, el color de su piel, su origen cultural o la generación en la que nacieron. Necesitamos paz en Oriente Medio para que los cristianos puedan vivir sin temor de que serán quemados o decapitados.
Debemos orar por la paz en nuestro mundo. Debemos orar para que podamos respetar y tratar a cada persona con dignidad, independientemente de su color. Debemos orar por los cristianos en Siria e Irak que Dios les de la fuerza en sus momentos de necesidad. Debemos morir a nosotros mismos para que podamos compartir el amor de Dios con todos los que conocemos.
¿Vamos a seguir a Jesús y servir a los demás como él lo hizo? ¿O vamos a seguir siendo “Solo un grano de trigo”?
Filed under Homilies
20150322 Lent 5 B
Jesus said “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.”
A grain of wheat that is never planted will always be ‘Just a Grain of Wheat’. But when a grain of wheat is planted, watered and the sun warms the soil, the single grain will sprout a stalk and grow into about fifty kernels of wheat. Think about it; fifty kernels of wheat from that one seed.
Jesus used parables and examples that the crowds could understand. It was the poor of that time who came to hear Jesus and they were mainly farmers and shepherds. By using references to these occupations, the people could understand the lesson Jesus was teaching in the story.
Since this is a Holy Cross group, I should refer to a seed potato which will produce six or seven potatoes so we would understand the story better.
Jesus continued “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
John Pilch wrote “The parable of the seed indicates the means by which Jesus will be glorified. His death will be the source of life for many, actually for all (Israelites and non-Israelites). Moreover, those who follow Jesus will gain their entry to eternal life through death.
For this reason, the one who is too attached to life in this world will not prove to be as honorable a follower of Jesus as the one who prefers life in the world to come. In eternity, the disciple will be with Jesus in the Father’s love, an honorable status that nothing on earth can match.”
But we are getting ahead of the Gospel. Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” This is the first mention of a non-Jewish people who are seeking Jesus. The Greek word “to see” also means “to visit with”, “to meet” or “to have an interview with”.
It is common in Mediterranean culture to have someone be a mediator or a patron to obtain access for you to a person you don’t know. Philip and Andrew were from Bethsaida in Galilee. Galileans were mostly bilingual. Therefore, they probably came to Philip and he went to Andrew because they have Greek names and would be able to translate for them.
We too want to see Jesus. Gerald Darring wrote “If we should like to see Jesus, we need to look for the fallen grains of wheat around us, the sick and impoverished, the abused and oppressed. If we should like to see Jesus, we need to look for those who are losing their lives, the victims of poverty, abuse, discrimination, and war.
What we need is a new covenant, a covenant of love and forgiveness. We need to have written in our hearts that we are God’s people, that we aspire to be like Christ in transforming the darkness of the world’s pain into the life and joy of Easter.”
Jerimiah said that God would establish a New Covenant with the children of Israel. It would not be like the Old Covenant with their fathers, but a new covenant that would be in their hearts. “No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.”
Jesus came to fulfill that covenant. The path to fulfillment was not easy. Jesus knew the path would bring temptation, suffering and death. He spoke about this at the end of the Gospel when he said “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”
Through the New Covenant of his death and resurrection, Jesus overcame death to bring us salvation. The message in today’s Gospel is to seek Christ, serve others, lose the love of this life and follow him so that when we die, we will gain eternal life.
St Josemaría Escrivá wrote “I have distinguished as it were four stages in our effort to identify ourselves with Christ—seeking him, finding him, getting to know him, loving him. It may seem clear to you that you are only at the first stage. Seek him then, hungrily; seek him within yourselves with all your strength. If you act with determination, I am ready to guarantee that you have already found him, and have begun to get to know him and to love him, and to hold your conversation in heaven.”
If we would like to see Jesus, we must lose our love for this life and follow Jesus. To follow Jesus means to live the life that he lived: serving the poor, the widow, the orphan, the stranger and the immigrant. If we are with him in this life, then we will be with him in heaven for all of eternity.
Our world is troubled and torn by violence and war, by hatred and disrespect for the value of life. We are all created in God’s image and each person deserves to be treated with kindness and respect for their individual worth as a child of God. We need peace in Ferguson Missouri and the rest of our country regardless of where a person is in society, how much money they own, the color of their skin, their cultural background or the generation in which they were born. We need peace in the Middle East so that Christians can live without fear that they will be burned or beheaded.
We must pray for peace in our world. We must pray that we will respect and treat each person with dignity regardless of their color. We must pray for the Christians in Syria and Iraq that God will give them strength in their time of need. We must die to self so we can share God’s love with everyone we meet.
Will we follow Jesus and serve others as he did? Or will we remain ‘Just a Grain of Wheat’?
Filed under Homilies
20150313 No Commandment Greater than These
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe repeats it agreeing with Jesus that it is the first of all the commandments when he said “Well said, teacher. You are right ….” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
Even though Jesus had harsh words for the Scribes and Pharisees, Jesus could tell that this person before him was really seeking the truth. That is why Jesus told him that he was close to the Kingdom of God.
Yesterday, Jeremiah talked about the lack of faithfulness and sincerity to God. Even for the faithful, little things creep into our lives that affect our sincerity toward others which eventually affects our sincerity to God. Today, Jesus leaves no doubt about what it takes to serve God. The Scribe, a Doctor of the Law, asked Jesus which was first of all the commandments.
Jesus gave him a very detailed list. Love your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. This takes care of the entire body: the heart takes care of the physical, the soul the spiritual, the mind the mental and the strength the things which we are passionate about – the emotions.
But Jesus did not stop after he stated the first of all the commandments; he then gave the path for action to share our love for God through our neighbor. When we love God with our whole being, we just naturally share that love with others.
In the Gospel Jesus said “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Sometimes, we can get discouraged and depressed. We may even feel that we are worthless or unworthy. When we love God with our whole being, we will love ourselves and every one we meet. We will respect each person for their human dignity for we are all made in the image of God. And it is obvious to others that God’s love dwells within us in how we treat others; whether it is a stranger, a family member or a close friend.
The world is torn apart by our inability to love each other and treat each person with respect. That is obvious by the turmoil in Ferguson Missouri, the racist chants on college campuses and the hatred that ISIS has for others – Muslins as well as Christians.
We need to pray for peace in our world, to pray for the aggressors and persecutors of the Christians, for the racist (regardless of their color) in our country and for the unrest and turmoil in our families.
We must love God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourselves so that we too, like the scribe, can be close to the Kingdom of God.
Filed under Homilies
20150312 Sincere with Jesus
In the first reading, Jeremiah called on the people to admit their sins and repent, but the people didn’t listen. Jeremiah failed but it was not due to his efforts, it was due to the people’s hardness of heart. The Major Prophets Bible Commentary provides an insight to the issue: “the people’s hardheartedness, that is, the insensitivity that prevents them from examining their consciences in a desire to change where necessary and thus be able to hear the voice of God. Holy Scripture calls this obstinacy “hardness of heart” or “stubbornness of heart”. It is a kind of inner resistance, an imperviousness to the voice of conscience, but it can be traced back to free choices that people have made.”
Faithfulness has disappeared; the word itself is banished from their speech.
The New Jerusalem Bible uses a different word for Faithfulness: “Sincerity is no more, it has vanished from their mouths.” Sincerity is defined as: the quality or state of being sincere: honesty of mind: freedom from hypocrisy.
I like the second and third phrases. These are two topics that Jesus talked about during his earthly ministry. Freedom from hypocrisy is probably one of the most difficult states to accomplish. Jesus was always chiding the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. Jesus would tell the church leaders that the real problem was going through the motions without meaning it in their hearts. We are no different today.
It is easy for our thoughts to interfere with our relationship with others and God. How often does our mind wander when the other person is talking? Or maybe we are thinking that the person really doesn’t mean what they are saying. It is so easy for us to do that.
We too, like the Pharisees, can go through the motions of worship with hard hearts that don’t care for the person next to us. We pray without meaning. We hand out food to the poor just going through the motions. Our hearts are not in loving and serving God because we are just going through the motions.
The response for the Psalm today: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
The Psalmist wrote: Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.”
“Faithfulness has disappeared; the word itself is banished from their speech.” It seems ironic to say those words to you; you who are here for daily mass. I am sure there are others who would be here if they were able – work or school obligations prevent many from being here. I know that work was the reason I was unable to attend daily mass. After I retired, I have tried to attend every day. But even then, it is hard to accomplish.
You make it a priority to come to daily mass. You make it a priority to be sincere in all of your interactions with others. When we are sincere and treat others with respect and integrity, we are with Jesus in building the kingdom. At the end of today’s Gospel Jesus said “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Let us be sincere in how we live our lives so we will be with Jesus in his kingdom.
Filed under Homilies
