Saying Grace In A Restaurant

Last week, I took my children to a restaurant. 

My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. 

As we bowed our heads he said, 'God is good, God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!' 

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark, 'That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!' 

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, 'Did I do it wrong? Is  God mad at me?' 

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job, and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table 

He winked at my son and said, 'I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer.' 

'Really?' my son asked. 

'Cross my heart,' the man replied. 

Then, in a theatrical whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), 'Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes.' 

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment, and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. 

He picked up his sundae and, without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, 'Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already.' 

Pentecostés: Nacer del Espíritu

Vida en el Espíritu (Jn 20, 19-23)

(P. Luis Tamayo)

Leía un comentario que me llamó la atención y cuando se refería a los humanos en general, no nos definía como personas, ni siquiera como seres humanos. Nos llamaba mamíferos. Y la verdad es que cada vez le entiendo más. Si uno lo piensa, en esto hay algo de verdad, y eso explica muchas de las reacciones, de los gestos y de los comportamientos que nos salen. 

Esta semana fue el partido de fútbol de la final, Barcelona Manchester. Imagino que visteis el comportamiento irracional, animal, descerebrado de la gente en las calles de Barcelona… patadas, puñetazos, insultos. Hay mucho de animal en nuestra forma de relacionarnos con los demás. La forma de celebrar las victorias se parece más a un programa de Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente. 

Si miramos el lenguaje seductor se asemeja mucho a los rituales de apareamiento de muchas especies animales. El deseo de ser mirados, valorados. Desplegar nuestras habilidades, luciéndolas, como pavos reales, por el deseo de ser amados. Esto es lo que el escritor que he mencionado antes llama animal, y lo que el evangelio mismo llama carne o mundo. Son reacciones, ambiciones, deseos que nacen de lo más animal del ser humano. Por ejemplo el afán de las riquezas, el deseos de triunfo, son carne. Es carne todo lo que es inmediato, pasajero, efímero. Es carne el vivir en un clima de rivalidad, de competitividad. De buscar machacar, vencer, destrozar al rival. Es muy animal el sentirse superior al otro, dominarlo, humillarlo. Cuantas discusiones no tienen una sincera búsqueda de la verdad, que enriquece y beneficia a todos, sino la oscura satisfacción de sentirse vencedor. De humillar, de quedar por encima de los demás. Se llama la seducción del poder, del mirar al resto de la humanidad desde arriba. De sentirse más fuerte, de inspirar temor y respeto. La campaña política que estamos viviendo en España es más un careo entre dos gallitos que un verdadero debate político donde se habla de propuestas.

La fiesta de Pentecostés es una invitación a nacer de nuevo, y a descubrir que además de esa carne que nos constituye, de ese animal de instintos básicos, hay una oferta, que hay que acoger libre y voluntariamente, y ésta es la posibilidad de nacer a la vida en el Espíritu. Pentecostés es una vuelta a los grandes valores del Evangelio. El mundo no creyente necesita ver en los cristianos lo que es una vida nueva, que supone la transformación de nuestra humanidad y llevarla a los extremos de amor divino, que nos enseña Jesús. 

Nacer a la vida del Espíritu supone vivir con otras categorías y con otros criterios. El principal es el amor, la entrega, la generosidad, la donación de uno mismo, y vivir en función de los demás. Eso es nacer de nuevo. “Sabemos que hemos pasado de la muerte a la vida, cuando amamos a nuestros hermanos”. 1ª Jn 3,14.

Feast of Pentecost

Receive the kiss of the Holy Spirit for your mission!

(Fr. James McTavish FMVD)

Today we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Feast of Pentecost. The gospel is taken from John 20, 19-23. The 1st reading is Acts 2,1-11, the Psalm is 103, and the 2nd reading from 1st Corinthians 12, 3-7, 12-13.

Do you like gifts? Today is coming the great gift promised by Jesus, the Holy Spirit. Come Holy Spirit come! Renew the face of the earth. How much our world of today needs renewal. Lord send forth your Spirit. Today the Church celebrates the great feast of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles of the early Church. This divine fire that changed everything. 

Before the apostles were timid, they had run away from the cross and denied Jesus. But after the coming of the Holy Spirit they were full of boldness, proclaiming the mighty works of God in the middle of persecutions. What happened? They received the Helper, the Divine consoler, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. We too need his presence to change our lives so we do not get tired to ask, “Maranatha! Come Holy Spirit!”

One beautiful thing about this gift of the Holy Spirit is that it really is a gift, it is unmerited. The disciples had not really done anything to deserve it. They had abandoned Jesus in his hour of need yet in the Gospel today we see Jesus returning amongst them, not to denounce them but to announce to them “Peace be with you!” He says it twice and shows them his hands and feet with their wounds. “Peace be with you because I have overcome the world”. It is the first day of the week, the first day of the new creation. Who will make all things new? The Holy Spirit! “As the Father sent me, so I send you”. After saying this he breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit”. What a beautiful gesture to breath on them. They receive the breath of life, the divine breath, the Spirit of the Lord. This breath that once blew over the chaos of creation bringing order, this Spirit of life that was breathed into the clay of lifeless man to animate him and bring him to life (See Gen 2,7). This ‘kiss of life’ to bring the disciples back from the dead. As anyone who has done a First Aid course will know, the ‘kiss of life’ is a way to resuscitate someone who has stopped breathing. This technique also called ‘mouth to mouth’ is when air is blown into a person to revive them. Jesus breathes on his disciples giving them the kiss of life, the kiss of divine life. 

Jesus wants to send the disciples into the mission in the same way as he was sent – ‘As the Father sent me, so I send you’. How were you sent Lord? With a kiss! The Church Fathers called the Holy Spirit ‘the kiss between the Father and the Son’. How reassuring to be sent with a kiss. When I was a schoolboy I was not allowed to leave my house without first getting a kiss from my mum. She would send me with a kiss. God wants to send us into the mission with a kiss. Where do we get this divine kiss? In prayer of course. I remember the letters of my grandmother. She would write to me and on the back of the envelope she would put S.W.A.L.K. I asked what this meant. Sealed With A Loving Kiss! How nice to receive news sealed with a loving kiss. Every time we pray with the Scripture we are receiving Good News sealed with a kiss, the kiss of our loving Father in heaven who in the Word of God runs out to meet us, to embrace us and to kiss us (Cf. Dei Verbum 21). To be sent into the mission with this kiss of love. To feel loved when we go to the mission. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and has sent me to proclaim the Good News of his love. Each moment of prayer is to receive the love to be equipped for the mission. Of course after receiving all this love we will run to the mission! This is why prayer is the motor of the mission. As Jaime Bonet, the founder of Verbum Dei states “a truly apostolic life is an abundantly contemplative life”. In prayer we receive the Spirit, this Spirit who as Pope John Paul II reminded us is “the principal agent of the mission”.

So of course after receiving the Spirit the apostles ran to the mission overflowing with love! Each one ready to do battle enriched with the gifts of the Spirit- joy, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Which gift do you most need in your life? Ask, and you will receive. “There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose”(1 Cor 12, 4-7). All the gifts of the Spirit are for a good purpose, to build up the Church, the Body of Christ. Today our world needs to receive the Spirit, to receive the Divine breath of life, to transform, to put order where there is chaos and to animate all of us Christians to work and serve for the good of others. 

May the ‘powerful wind from heaven’ that the disciples experienced on Pentecost morn all those years ago come and fill us with his holy presence and his many gifts. May the tongues of fire rest on our heads too! The Spirit gave them the gift of speech and all who were listening understood them. Let us ask for this same gift that when we speak all can understand. What is it that makes our speech and our lives understandable to all? The universal language of love. Everyone understands when they are being loved. May each Christian today receive the Divine breath of pure love, that their lives can be animated only by this love for the building of Christ’s body, the Church. May each of us use the gifts we receive today not simply for our own sanctification but to love those around us. Come Holy Spirit, renew the face of the earth! Come and set our hearts on fire. The Spirit gave the first apostles the gift of speech. Grant us the gift of speech so that we too can proclaim with passion “the mighty acts of God” (Acts 2, 11). 

Happy Feast of Pentecost to all of you!

SET FREE THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

Biblical Reflection for Solemnity of Pentecost

(By Father Thomas Rosica, CSB)

Christian theology of the Holy Spirit is rooted in Judaism. The term Spirit translates the Hebrew word (ruah) and even in the pronunciation of it we detect God's wind and breath. The wind of God, the breath of God, the presence of God are all ways of referring to God's presence.

The expression "Holy Spirit" was used only seven times in the Old Testament, whereas the terms "Spirit of God" or "Spirit of the Lord" occurs 67 times in the Hebrew Scriptures. In the very first line of the book of Genesis 1:1, God's Spirit was gently hovering over the primordial waters waiting for the opportune moment of drawing order from that chaos.

Jesus, himself, uses the sensory image of the wind in the mysterious, nocturnal conversation with Nicodemus when he talks about the Spirit as the wind that blows where it wills [cf. John 3]. This, then, is the Spirit's first function in the Scriptures: to be the mysterious presence of God in history, not reducible to human or earthly logic.

The second function of the Spirit in the Old Testament is that of putting things in order. The Genesis creation account [Chapter 1] reveals a descending Spirit upon this formless world and its descent produces the miracle of creation, the transformation of chaos into cosmos, of disorder, into order, of anonymity into community. 

The third function of the Spirit in the Old Testament is life-giver. In Genesis 2:7, we read: "The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the Spirit, the breath of life and man became a living being. As a result of this divine breath, the human creature is transformed into a living being, no longer to be simply a creature but a partner made in the image and likeness of God, with whom and to whom God speaks and confides responsibility for the world."

The fourth function of the Holy Spirit is guide. We read in Isaiah 11: "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord." The fear of the Lord is not something that terrorizes people but could be understood as our ability to say "wow," "awesome" before God's handiwork and God's creation.

The fifth function of the Spirit is healer, articulated so powerfully in the prophecy of Ezekiel 36:26-27 -- "I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees." The Spirit enters, recreates, restores to health and vanquishes sin.

The sixth function of the Holy Spirit is the universal principle. We read in Joel 3:1-2: "I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, even upon the men-servants and the maid-servants, in those days I will pour out my spirit." The day will come when all humanity will be truly possessed by the spirit and that day will coincide with the eagerly awaited Messianic age of which the prophets speak. It was this principle that captivated Jesus'activity and ministry in a remarkable way.

The seventh function of the Holy Spirit takes place on the feast of Pentecost when the disciples were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The coming of the Holy Spirit signals the start of a world-wide mission for Christians beyond their geographic boundaries of Israel, first from Israel to Rome, and then from Rome then to the ends of the earth. It is a mission that overcomes human obstacles and has the Spirit as its driving force.

GUIADOS POR EL ESPÍRITU SANTO

El Espíritu Santo, plenitud de la obra de Cristo 

(Por monseñor José Ignacio Munilla, obispo de Palencia)

Para que nos demos cuenta de la importancia del Espíritu Santo en la vida de la Iglesia, nos puede ayudar el reflexionar sobre las palabras de Jesús en el Evangelio de San Juan: "Os conviene que yo me vaya, porque así vendrá a vosotros el Espíritu que viene de mi Padre" (Jn 16, 7). Dicho de otra manera: ¡hemos "salido ganando" con la Ascensión de Jesús a los cielos, porque fue compensada con creces en la venida del Espíritu Santo! En efecto, sin la acción del Espíritu Santo no habríamos podido conocer en profundidad a Jesucristo: "Pero el abogado, el Espíritu Santo, a quien el Padre enviará en mi nombre, hará que recordéis cuanto yo os he enseñado y os lo explicará todo" (Jn 14, 26). 

Dos errores distintos, pero confluyentes:

 

Necesitamos renovar nuestra fe en el Espíritu Santo, precisamente cuando se está extendiendo la absurda creencia de que el "acceso" a la figura de Jesucristo haya podido permanecer vedado hasta el momento presente. Parece que gracias a algunas recientes investigaciones ¡estaríamos en disposición de conocer, por primera vez, el mensaje original de Jesucristo! Esta falsa suposición se está difundiendo en ámbitos y niveles bien distintos:

En primer lugar, la encontramos muy desarrollada en la abundante literatura y filmografía anticatólica de corte esotérico. Se intenta intoxicar la opinión pública, presentando lo que es mera quimera e invención, bajo un ambiguo formato que emula a la historia novelada. Los guiones de estas producciones son muy similares: la Iglesia Católica habría "secuestrado" al auténtico Jesucristo a lo largo de la historia, hasta que ha llegado este momento en que somos liberados de la ignorancia, gracias al descubrimiento de algún papiro secreto que habría sido ocultado y custodiado a lo largo de los siglos por las órdenes oscurantistas medievales. ¡La cosa sería para tomarla a risa, si no fuera por la desafección sembrada, que lleva incluso a confundir la ficción con la realidad!

Pero no estamos hablando exclusivamente de un fenómeno extraeclesial. Entre nosotros, también se desarrollan métodos exegéticos que buscan el acceso al "Jesús histórico", que bien parecen dar crédito a la premisa de que la fe en Jesucristo predicada por la Iglesia Católica se haya alejado de la figura originaria. En efecto, determinadas exégesis de los textos evangélicos utilizan exclusivamente el método histórico-crítico, y desprecian o ignoran la exégesis canónica que la Iglesia ha realizado durante veinte siglos bajo la asistencia del Espíritu Santo. Quienes así proceden, parecen olvidarse de que el Magisterio de la Iglesia y los mismos santos, han sido inspirados y sostenidos en todo momento por la acción del Espíritu, para profundizar y predicar el misterio de Cristo.

Nosotros no dudamos de que la promesa de asistencia del Espíritu se ha visto cumplida con creces, de forma que hoy estamos en disposición de hacer una afirmación que posiblemente pueda sorprender y escandalizar a quienes han asumido los errores de planteamiento a los que nos hemos referido: los católicos del siglo XXI tenemos un conocimiento mucho más profundo y exacto de la figura y del mensaje de Jesucristo que el que tuvieron sus primeros discípulos. Más aún, no nos cabe duda de que los cristianos que vivan dentro de cinco siglos se habrán acercado a Jesucristo y a su Evangelio, todavía más que nosotros.

En pocas palabras: el paso del tiempo no nos ha alejado de Jesucristo, sino todo lo contrario; ya que es el Espíritu Santo quien dirige la historia de la salvación hasta la plena manifestación del Señor en la Parusía. Mientras tanto, el Paráclito, el Espíritu de la Verdad, continúa guiándonos hacia la plena comprensión del misterio de Cristo, nos fortalece con sus dones y nos enriquece con sus carismas.

Nos preparamos para un nuevo Pentecostés, porque Dios desea completar en nosotros la santidad que obró en María. Así lo decía el "Papa bueno", el beato Juan XXIII: "El Espíritu Santo, que formó el cuerpo de Cristo en el seno de María, forma también, une, sana y fortifica a los miembros de Cristo". Por ello, por intercesión de Santa María suplicamos: ¡Ven, Espíritu Santo!

A Catholic Framework for Economic Life

(A Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops)

As followers of Jesus Christ and participants in a powerful economy, Catholics in the United States are called to work for greater economic justice in the face of persistent poverty, growing income-gaps, and increasing discussion of economic issues in the United States and around the world. We urge Catholics to use the following ethical framework for economic life as principles for reflection, criteria for judgment and directions for action. These principles are drawn directly from Catholic teaching on economic life. 

1. The economy exists for the person, not the person for the economy. 

2. All economic life should be shaped by moral principles. Economic choices and institutions must be judged by how they protect or undermine the life and dignity of the human person, support the family and serve the common good. 

3. A fundamental moral measure of any economy is how the poor and vulnerable are faring. 

4. All people have a right to life and to secure the basic necessities of life (e.g., food, clothing, shelter, education, health care, safe environment, economic security.) 

5. All people have the right to economic initiative, to productive work, to just wages and benefits, to decent working conditions as well as to organize and join unions or other associations. 

6. All people, to the extent they are able, have a corresponding duty to work, a responsibility to provide the needs of their families and an obligation to contribute to the broader society. 

7. In economic life, free markets have both cleat advantages and limits; government has essential responsibilities and limitations; voluntary groups have irreplaceable roles, but cannot substitute for the proper working of the market and the just policies of the state. 

8. Society has a moral obligation, including governmental action where necessary, to assure opportunity, meet basic human needs, and pursue justice in economic life. 

9. Workers, owners, managers, stockholders and consumers are moral agents in economic life. By our choices, initiative, creativity and investment, we enhance or diminish economic opportunity, community life and social justice. 

10. The global economy has moral dimensions and human consequences. Decisions on investment, trade, aid and development should protect human life and promote human rights, especially for those most in need wherever they might live on this globe. 

According to Pope John Paul II, the Catholic tradition calls for a “society of work, enterprise and participation” which “is not directed against the market, but demands that the market be appropriately controlled by the forces of society and by the state to assure that the basic needs of the whole society are satisfied.”  (Centesimus Annus, 35).  All of economic life should recognize the fact that we all are God’s children and members of one human family, called to exercise a clear priority for “the least among us.”  

POPE2YOU.NET TO APPEAL TO YOUTH

New Vatican Web Site Launches Thursday

The Vatican is set to unveil its newest Web page this week. Called Pope2You.net, the site aims to bring the words and messages of Benedict XVI to the youth.

Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Vatican Council for Social Communications, told ZENIT the project is a response to Benedict XVI's message for the World Day of Social Communications, which was addressed to the "digital generation."

The president of the dicastery said the idea began with the aim of getting the youth to read the message the Pope addressed to them on the responsible use of new technologies.

He said the site allows young people to do many of the things they can do on other sites, but with a twist.

He said the site looks "to create new forms to relate with young people," and to help the Pope "speak to young people to bring the message of hope and joy."
--- --- ---
On the Net:
www.pope2you.net

ST. THERESE RELICS TO VISIT ENGLAND AND WALES

England and Wales are preparing for this autumn's arrival of the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

A press release from the bishops' conference announced today that "excitement is growing" faced to the upcoming tour of the relics through the country, which will take place from Sep. 16 to Oct. 16.

Ascension Sunday, REFLECTION Sunday´s Gospel

“Stop looking up in the sky! Get stuck in there’s work to be done!”

(Fr. James McTavish FMVD)

Today we celebrate Christ’s Ascension. The gospel is taken from Mark 16, 15-20. The first reading is from Acts 1,1-11 and the second reading from Ephesians 1, 17-28.

Today is Ascension Sunday. Jesus ascends to heaven ‘to take his place at the right hand of God’. How lucky we are to have a friend in high places! Often when you need something done it helps to have a friend in high places. They can assist you, open doors for you, make the way ahead easier. The disciples are so impressed at seeing the Lord ascending into heaven that they are stood still, looking up into the sky. Two men in white (angels in disguise!) ask them ‘Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking up into the sky?’ It is a reminder not to be daydreaming but that there is some serious work to be done. If Jesus has gone back to the Father it is to empower his disciples. To give them strength to work in the Lord’s vineyard and to start to reap the harvest. 

Jesus gives instructions to the disciples in the gospel “Go into the whole world, proclaim the Good News to all creation”. Go ‘into’, so the mission is not a spectator sport. It is not just to stand by idly watching on from a distance. The lot of every Christian is to get stuck in, to get their hands dirty. Jesus empowers the disciples for this great and challenging task. ‘These are the signs that will be associated with believers: You will cast out evil spirits, you will speak new languages, pick up snakes in your hands, be unharmed if you drink deadly poison and laying hands on the sick they will recover’. As the song goes, “You will see miracles, if you believe”. In His Ascension Jesus does not abandon the disciples but accompanied and ‘worked with them’. The greek word for ‘worked with’ is synergy. Synergy is where the total amount is greater than the sum of the parts or in other words one plus one equals not two but three! Sometimes we can feel our efforts are very small but the Lord multiplies our efficiency. The little seed in the Lord’s hands can bear fruit 30, 60, 100. 

This why St Paul in the second reading encourages the Ephesians asking that God may “enlighten the eyes of your heart”. What a beautiful expression! Do you know your heart has eyes? To what is St Paul referring? He is talking about that inner sense capable to see God working in the world. Many think that God is silent or simply does not care about the world. But if we open the eyes of our heart we will see him working very hard in the world around us. The pure of heart will see God and are able to read the Good News of God in the events around them. Lord open our eyes of faith so we can collaborate with your powerful works in the world. To see God already at work give so much courage in sharing the Good News to others. He has already planted what the Tradition of the Church calls “seeds of the Word” in the hearts of all men. Seeds of truth and goodness. To announce the Gospel is simply to remind people of the treasure they have in them and to help them recognize the good work of God in their lives already. God is already present we just need to collaborate. Lord how can I collaborate more with your work in me, in my family, in my community?

In what way is God working already in the world? We can see it in many ways if we have eyes to see. Today is the 43rd World Communications Day. Pope Benedict XVI in his message speaks of God’s presence in the world. Talking of technology and all the means of communication like cellphones, chatting, Internet and the like he writes “their popularity with users should not surprise us, as they respond to a fundamental desire of people to communicate and to relate to each other. This desire for communication and friendship is rooted in our very nature as human beings … it should be seen primarily as a reflection of our participation in the communicative and unifying Love of God, who desires to make of all humanity one family. When we find ourselves drawn towards other people, when we want to know more about them and make ourselves known to them, we are responding to God’s call - a call that is imprinted in our nature as beings created in the image and likeness of God, the God of communication and communion.” For this reason Pope Benedict encourages the young to be evangelizers of the great digital continent, “Human hearts are yearning for a world where love endures, where gifts are shared, where unity is built, where freedom finds meaning in truth, and where identity is found in respectful communion. Our faith can respond to these expectations: may you become its heralds!” 

So there is no time to be looking up in the sky and daydreaming. There is work to be done. Open our eyes of faith Lord to see where you are calling us to action! To collaborate with you to make sprout these seeds of the Word you have already planted. If we believe we will see miracles. Let us be courageous and go into the whole world. Christ will be with us to accompany us and to work with us. This is our guarantee. He will confirm our words with powerful signs. The world is waiting for Good News, the people are waiting for words of hope and Christ is waiting for your response. What are you waiting for? Let’s go!

La Ascensión, REFLEXION Evangelio Semanal

Elevados a la máxima dignidad!

(P. Luis Tamayo)

Todo aquello que aconteció durante los días que transcurren entre la resurrección del Señor y su ascensión ocurrieron para nuestro beneficio y salvación.

En aquellos días Jesús con su resurrección abolió el temor a la muerte para abrirnos a la vida eterna; con su resurrección Cristo nos otorgó no solo la inmortalidad del alma, sino también la del cuerpo. Todo aquello que aconteció entonces, el Señor lo estaba dando para nosotros. 

Si entonces se acercó a los abatidos discípulos de Emaus para devolverles la esperanza y la confianza era para que hoy nosotros tuviéramos la esperanza y confianza de su presencia entre nosotros. Todo esto ocurrió por nosotros. El Señor les abrió el entendimiento de las Escrituras, para que nosotros hoy podamos comprender la Palabra de Dios. Se dio a conocer en la fracción del pan y les abrió los ojos para que nosotros hoy le podamos reconocer en el altar en su cuerpo y sangre glorificados.

Por los tanto, dice san León Magno, durante todo este tiempo que media entre la resurrección del Señor y su ascensión, El mismo se ocupó en demostrar que su resurrección era tan real como su nacimiento, pasión y muerte.

Y la ascensión, que celebramos hoy, también aconteció para nuestro beneficio. Es decir, que cuando Jesús sube al cielo es la definitiva verdad por la que entendemos que no solo su alma, sino que también su naturaleza humana asciende a la Gloria del Padre, y con él la naturaleza humana de todo hombre y mujer es elevada a la máxima dignidad.

Hoy, por la ascensión de Jesús a la Gloria del Padre, celebramos que la pequeñez y debilidad de nuestra naturaleza humana es elevada a la más grande dignidad. Nuestra humanidad o las tendencias de la carne… aquello que a veces encontramos como un obstáculo para nuestra vida cristiana, puede llegar a ser convertido en ocasión de elevarlo a la más alta dignidad del hombre. Esto es lo que celebramos hoy. La ascensión es la elevación de la dignidad humana a lo más grande según los designios de Dios.

Una mujer me contaba que se ponía muy nerviosa con su marido pues este se acaba de jubilar y esta todo el día en casa, y cuando ella era la reina de la casa ahora el no hace más que entorpecer sus labores. Ella me decía que le pegaba muchos gritos pues se irritaba cuando el quería ayudar… pero siempre la liaba. Al ver la degradación de su relación en una confesión tomo la opción de ver su buena voluntad y apreciar su colaboración… y cuando él metía la pata… se mordía la lengua, alzaba una oración a Dios, y al final le daba las gracias o le explicaba como hacerlo mejor.

Lo que al principio fue falta de entendimiento y que pudiera ser un obstáculo al final se llegó a convertir en ocasión de amor y convivencia.

Ayer en un reportaje de la televisión sobre pueblos abandonados, entrevistaron a un hombre que por opción se fue a vivir solo en un pueblo, y dijo algo que me llamó la atención: “tenemos que aprender a vivir solos y estar a gusto con uno en la soledad, pues si no es así, aunque estés rodeado de gente no estarás bien”.

Hoy celebramos que la soledad con poder de atemorizar al hombre, puede llegar a convertirse en ocasión de encuentro con uno mismo y plenitud. El sentimiento de soledad puede ser elevado a algo muy digno y una ocasión única donde descubrir la grandeza y profundidad del corazón humano.

Cualquier tentación de la carne… puede ser un camino de no quedarme atrapado en las apetencias primeras, y poder elevar mi humanidad a la más alta dignidad sin dejarme llevar por los engaños aparentes.

Jesús asciende al cielo no solo en alma, sino en cuerpo y alma para decirnos que todo aquello que en un principio pudiera parecer un obstáculo para la vida de crecimiento puede llegar a ser una gran ocasión para ser elevado a la más alta dignidad.

Easter, REFLECTION Sunday´s Gospel

“I command you…”

(Fr. James McTavish FMVD)

In the film “Braveheart” there is a moment when William Wallace cries out his famous slogan “Freedom!” Freedom is highly valued in our world of today and rightly so. But what is our concept of freedom? For some it is to do whatever they feel like or want to without reference to anyone else. And of course there can be no reference to any rules or prohibitions as this would limit this supposed ‘freedom’. But is this really true freedom? 

Jesus today in our Gospel (John 15, 9-17) opens the door to true freedom. True freedom for man is to do the will of God. Authentic and liberating freedom is for the creature to do the will of his Creator otherwise man ends up not free but actually enslaved. Five times Jesus mentions ‘commandments’ or ‘commands’. What has this got to do with true freedom? It seems that the commandments, especially the commandments of the Church are the antithesis of freedom! If you ask many people today about the Church and the Catholic faith they will say that it is a list of commandments, rules and regulations if you like that curb freedom. As if it is just to follow a big list of “Don’ts”. Don’t do this, don’t do that! So many reject faith and belief in God because they desire freedom. But does not true freedom have certain rules? How do we see those rules? As a way of denying freedom? Closer inspection will reveal that these rules and commandments are actually the only way to safeguard authentic freedom.

A simple example may suffice. What is the most powerful sports car in the world? To avoid prolonged discussion let us take as an example of fine craftsmanship a Lamborghini. Now a Lamborghini has a huge engine and an aerodynamic body contour – it is designed to go fast. But there are certain rules to follow. If the manufacturer commanded you “Put high grade petrol in the tank” only a foolish man would fill up the tank with diesel. If the creator of the car said “Remain on the road” how would you understand this? As a prohibition designed to stop you enjoying the car? Is it not in fact a commandment to actually ensure its best performance. The rules and regulations or commandments and prohibitions are to be observed so that one can make maximum use of the potential of the racing machine. If we decide to be rebellious we can say “No one tells me what to do. I will not follow this commandment to stay on the road. It is my car and I will do what I want with it. I want to be free so I will drive it at 180 miles per hour on the pavement of the high street. Freedom!” Yes and your ‘freedom’ will result in you crashing your car and also damaging untold lives. 

Now imagine the Creator of heaven and earth grants you the gift of receiving another high performance engine, a product of so much power and energy. To what am I referring? The human heart. The motor of our lives, the source of all our vitality. And if the Creator of this superb work of art gives some guidelines to follow, so that it can be used to its maximum potential, who but the most ignorant and dull person would not listen to those instructions. And thus Jesus, who fully reveals God to us and man to himself explains to us how to get the maximum power and benefit out of the human heart. He does not want us driving along in first gear in our loving all our lives. He gives us commandments to protect our heart, to ensure and safeguard the love contained therein. If he tells us to live from his love, to remain united to him, to not mix this love with other loves it is not to curb our freedom it is to canalize and maximize our potential as human beings. 

For example there are some commandments of the Church regarding sexuality. Are they to curb and curtail it only or to order and direct it so that its true beauty can be revealed? And if we say “I will do with it what I want. No one tells me what to do. I want to be free.” What happens? Well instead of dominating our instincts they soon dominate us. Far from being free one becomes become enslaved. How many people addicted to pornography on the Internet, alcohol or gambling will testify to the truth of this. They will tell you themselves that the initial novelty is very soon replaced by a total enslavery and oppressing dependence that when severe can damage many lives. But the same is also true of many inner vices such as judging others or holding resentment. At first it seems you have control but very soon things get out of control. How much sweeter to listen to the voice of Jesus than the voice of the Accuser.

If Jesus tells us to remain in his love and obey his commandments it is for our own good. He tells us them “so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (John 15,11). And what is this difficult commandment he gives us that supposedly takes away our freedom? “Love one another!” If we don’t love we actually lose our freedom and very soon become enslaved. Our human heart is made to love. It is a high powered machine capable to love! Only in loving God and each other does our heart do what it is made to do. Use it! Don’t be afraid. 

Lord help us to be mature in our Christian following, to welcome your commandments especially that of loving and discover in that our true freedom. Amen.

V Pascua, REFLEXION Evangelio Semanal

“Obras son amores y no buenas razones”

(P. Luis Tamayo)

Jesús dice: Éste es mi mandamiento: que os améis unos a otros como yo os he amado. La pregunta que me surge es ¿Qué es amar?... pues hoy todo el mundo habla del amor, y cada uno entiende la feria según le fue en ella, es decir, que cada uno lo puede entender según le vaya.

Los más liberales dicen que el amor es hacer el sexo, es decir, utilizan la expresión “hacer el amor”… 

Los más materialistas llegan a creer que el amor es dar cosas a sus seres más queridos… Una vez hablaba con una chica joven y me decía: “mis padres me lo han dado todo, materialmente hablando nunca me ha faltado de nada, pero yo no quería cosas yo quería estar con ellos. Charlar, pasar tiempo, jugar a las cartas, sentarnos a contar chistes, dar un paseo, simplemente estar con ellos… pero poco estaban en casa, siempre trabajando.

Para los más egoístas amar sería hacer cosas por los demás pero esperando siempre recibir algo a cambio. 

Para los más altruistas amar sería irse unas vacaciones de voluntario a un país del tercer mundo con una ONG… aunque luego al regresar a casa y a ver visto tanta pobreza, necesidad y miseria su vida continúe igual de consumista. Fueron vacaciones, no fue un compromiso con los necesitados.

Para los manipuladores, amar sería manipular al otro para hacer lo que yo creo que es mejor y aquellos que son más débiles acaban siendo manejados. Como aquella chica que convence a su amiga insegura que aborte, aún en contra de sus valores, solo por que ella piensa que es lo más práctico… pero en el fondo no ha respetado los valores de la otra chica, no se ha interesado que es lo que ella cree profundamente… la primera convence a la otra para hacer lo que ella piensa. Amar pasaría primero por interesarme que es lo que piensa la otra persona y respetar profundamente sus valores.

¿Qué es amar? Cada uno lo puede entender de distinta manera. Amar es una palabra demasiado usada, o bien se podría decir, mal usada. ¿Que es amar? ¿dónde encontramos la verdadera definición del amor? Vas a cualquier Casa del Libro… y puedes encontrar cientos de títulos con la palabra amor.

Hay un refrán que dice: “Obras son amores y no buenas razones”. El amor se entiende desde el ejemplo, desde la acción y no solo desde un libro.

Amar no son razones lógicas… amar es acción. Jesús dice: amaos como yo os he amado… y uno le puede preguntar a Jesús: ¿y como me has amado, Señor? Y el dice a continuación: Nadie tiene amor más grande que el que da la vida por sus amigos. Vosotros sois mis amigos, y por vosotros yo he dado la vida. Para los que tenemos fe, lo vemos en la cruz.

Dar la vida por otro, a veces son gestos heroicos, pero otras veces son gestos sencillos.  Dar la vida por el otro puede ir desde el compromiso con otra persona desde situaciones sencillas hasta situaciones más difíciles.

Como esa joven que me decía que para ayudar a su compañera de clase en los exámenes, renunció a su comodidad y le propuso a la amiga que la ayudaba a estudiar lo que no entendía sin importale restar tiempo para ella. 

O como la mama que aún sabiendo que va a tener un niño retrasado, decide no abortar y asumirlo para toda la vida. Estas cosas no se entienden desde la lógica… hay que ser muy generosos y muy desprendidos para dar la vida por otra persona. Invertir horas, tiempo, detalles, gestos, palabras… ¿Por qué sabes que un hogar es alegre, está lleno de vida, hay verdadero amor? por que hay alguien que esta dando la vida por los demás generosamente al estilo de Cristo.

San Francisco de Asis escribió una oración donde expresaba que amar no era recibir sino darse:

Señor, haz de mí un instrumento de tu paz:

donde haya odio, que yo lleve el amor;

donde haya ofensa, que yo lleve el perdón;

donde haya discordia, que yo lleve la unión;

donde haya duda, que yo lleve la fe;

donde haya error, que yo lleve la verdad;

donde haya desesperación, que yo lleve la esperanza;

donde haya tristeza, que yo lleve la alegría;

donde haya tiniebla, que yo lleve la luz.

Oh, maestro, haz que yo nunca busque

ser consolado, sino consolar;

ser comprendido, sino comprender;

ser amado, sino yo amar.

Porque es dando como se recibe;

es perdonando, como se es perdonado;

y muriendo se resucita a la vida eterna.

Amén.

¿Por qué no mantener el corazón siempre joven?

¿ENVEJEZCO?

ENVEJEZCO: Cuando me cierro a nuevas ideas y me vuelvo radical…

ENVEJEZCO: Cuando lo nuevo me asusta y mi mente insiste en no renovarse…

ENVEJEZCO: Cuando me vuelvo impaciente, intransigente y no consigo dialogar…

ENVEJEZCO: Cuando mi pensamiento abandona la casa y retorna sin nada…

ENVEJEZCO: Cuando me preocupo mucho y después me culpo por no haber tenido motivos para preocuparme…

ENVEJEZCO: Cuando pienso mucho en mí mismo y me olvido de los otros…

ENVEJEZCO: Cuando tengo oportunidad de amar pero vence el miedo de arriesgar…

ENVEJEZCO: Cuando permito que el cansancio y el desaliento habiten en mi alma y me lamento constantemente de todo…

ENVEJEZCO: Cuando paro de luchar…