Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Spirituality. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Spirituality. Mostrar todas las entradas

12 ene 2014

Bautismo del Señor, REFLEXION Evangelio Semanal

Mira como te mira
P. Luis J. Tamayo

Fue Jesús de Galilea al Jordán y se presento a Juan para que lo bautizara. Pero Juan trataba de impedírselo diciendo: «Soy yo el que necesita ser bautizado por ti, ¿y tú vienes a mí?» Jesús le respondió: «Déjame ahora, pues conviene que así cumplamos toda justicia.» Entonces le dejó. Bautizado Jesús, salió luego del agua; y en esto se abrieron los cielos y vio al Espíritu de Dios que bajaba en forma de paloma y venía sobre él. Y una voz que salía de los cielos decía: «Este es mi Hijo amado, en quien me complazco.» (Mt 3, 13-17)

El Bautismo marca un salto cualitativo en la vida de Jesús. Hay un giro, un salto de la vida oculta a la vida publica. Hasta ahora han sido 30 años de vida oculta que poco se sabe. Hay algunos datos que dicen que Jesús vivía bajo la autoridad de sus padres, en familia en Nazareth. Una vida normal y sencilla.
Pero se da el acontecimiento de recibir el bautismo de Juan, y con ello Jesús es ungido por el Espíritu Santo, el Espíritu de Dios. Es una experiencia profunda que Jesús hace como Hijo de Dios.
El cambio de vida, el salto cualitativo no surge de las bonitas palabras del Bautista, o del rito del bautismo de quedar sumergido en las aguas del Jordán.  Sino que lo que Jesús vive ahí es una experiencia personal y profunda del Espíritu Santo, saberse Hijo de Dios.
La Escritura es escueta en su lenguaje, el genero no pretende narrar una experiencia espiritual mística de forma poética, no es este el fin, sino que por medio de un lenguaje simbólico y sencillo el evangelista expresa la experiencia: se abrieron los cielos y vio al Espíritu de Dios que bajaba en forma de paloma y venía sobre él. Y una voz que salía de los cielos decía: “Este es mi Hijo amado, en quien me complazco”. Los discípulos tendrían noción de esta experiencia de mística por lo que Jesús mismo, más adelante, les debió de explicar.
Ahora que damos comienzo al nuevo año, es muy común empezar con el deseo de nuevos propósitos: año nuevo, vida nueva. Y nos marcamos el propósito de hacer un poco más de ejercicio, de dedicarle menos tiempo al ordenador, de salir más con la mujer, de ir con más frecuencia a los museos, de leer más libros, de perder unos kilos… al final son buenos propósitos, pero son más superficiales. Lo que de verdad va a marcar una experiencia de vida nueva es la conciencia de sabernos hijos de Dios, hijos en el Hijo. Esta experiencia ya se nos ha hecho accesible desde el día de nuestro bautismo, por medio del Espíritu Santo, somos hechos hijos en el Hijo, y por lo tanto el acceso directo al amor del Padre. El verdadero cambio es saberse muy amado, es saberse predilecto… desde aquí salen un modus vivendi, una forma de vida nueva que va más allá de la norma que muchas veces cansa. Personalizar la vida cristiana en una experiencia interior: sabernos hijos en el Hijo. Por medio del ES se nos abre la puerta… pero nosotros debemos entrar. Es don y tarea. Es gracia y voluntad. Es regalo y ejercicio. Es donación y esfuerzo.
Es una invitación a la oración, a la contemplación, a sacar ratos de silencio y de ponerse delante de Dios Padre y sentirse muy amado y predilecto.
Una amiga fue un año a Calcuta a hacer el voluntariado con la Madre Teresa, me contaba que fue recibida por la madre a una entrevista. Dice que cuando estaba delante de ella se sintió privilegiada, dice que parecía que la Madre, con todas las ocupaciones que tenía, había dejado todo de lado para prestar su absoluta atención a escucharla. Sintió una mirada privilegiada. Esta debiera ser nuestra oración, como diría santa Teresa de Ávila: “Mira como te mira”. 

24 nov 2012

Christ the King, Year B


Be a King by Following THE King
(Fr. James McTavish)

Dan 7:13-14 Ps 93:1a, 1b-2, 5 Rev 1:5-8 John 18:33b-37

The feast of Christ the King was instituted in 1925 by Pius XI. That period was a time of Kings and empires, of countries seeking to dominate others, to rule over one another. The pope instituted the feast to underline the Kingship of Christ – May Christ the King truly be the King of our heart, mind and will! I don’t know if you have actually ever lived under a king or queen. I am from Britain and I have always lived under Queen Elizabeth II. She has an empire, power and is very rich. The kingship of Christ is so very different. He was poor, and lacking in worldly power and status. He said “My kingdom does not belong to this world.” What sort of King is he? What sort of Kingdom does he have?

In the first reading from the book of Daniel we have a vision. “I saw one like a Son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; when he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship; all peoples, nations, and languages serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.” (Dan 7, 13-14). Many kings and queens will come and go but the kingship of Christ is everlasting. In the second reading it says, “Jesus Christ is the …ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us a line of kings” (Apoc. 1, 5-8). When did this happen? When did we become kings? Let us see if we know our theology. When did you become a king? In baptism! We receive the anointing with chrism and participate in the priestly, prophetic and KINGLY mission of Christ. All baptized are kings already. When you next fill out a form asking for blood type, don’t put ‘O’ for ordinary any more, put ‘R’ for royalty!

What does it mean to be incorporated into the Kingly mission of Christ? The Kingly mission of all the lay faithful is twofold – 1. To have dominion over the kingdom of sin and 2. To participate fully in the building of the Kingdom (cf. Lumen Gentium no. 36).

We need to dominate sin and not be dominated by it. For example, many people are dominated by material goods. So instead of putting Christ on the throne of our hearts they actually put the dollar sign. But you are called to dominate money, and use it well to build up the Kingdom. Like the lady in the little store in the squatter’s area in front of our house. One day buying bleach I asked her how much it was. I bought it and gave her thirty pesos. Not thirty she said, thirteen. Wow! In a corrupt world this woman is building up a kingdom of justice. She is really helping build the kingdom. She is not dominated by riches even though she is poor, instead she dominates her desire for wealth and helps build up the Kingdom. Let us not pay lip service to Christ the King alone - worshipping him with our mouths yet our lives remain far from him.

Our King is a humble one. Pilate did not recognize or understand this Kingship. “Are you the King of the Jews” he asked? Jesus is very clear “My Kingdom is not of this world.” Maybe we can be like Pilate – we have difficulty to recognize Christ the true King because many other kings dominate our heart. Who reigns in your heart? Is it Christ the King?

The only way that Christ may reign in us is to obey him. He states, “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” (Jn 18, 37). The King of truth desires that we listen to him. In a retreat this week I understood from the Lord two things – to share everything with him in prayer and to work hard in building up his Kingdom. I started to pray but I was so sleepy, every time I wanted to pray my eyes were closing. It is so easy to be dominated by laziness and comfort! I had to get off my chair and kneel in front of the Lord in the tabernacle and beg him for strength to help me pray. Sometimes my feelings reign in me, I can even feel sad at times but Jesus reminded me to share everything with him. In that way he can really reign in my heart.

As baptized, let us take up the challenge to work in building up the Kingdom. I have seen many good people working for the Kingdom of Heaven. I have met others who are working only for earthly honours, riches and pleasures for their family but this kingdom will pass away. How about you? How are you working to build up the Kingdom of Heaven? Who is the King in your heart – is it really Christ? Let him truly reign and you will not be dominated by other kings.

Let us continue this celebration asking for the desire to build up the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us truly marvel at the kingly dignity we have. So many will do foolish things trying to find this dignity yet as children of God we already have this kingly identity? One father we know got on to a bus and found his daughter passed out drunk and covered in vomit. “This is my beloved daughter,” he said. God, our heavenly Father, looks at many of his children today with so much love because many also are losing their dignity. They don’t know who they are. Will you tell them? Will you help them discover their true dignity?

May we grow in faith to recognize the coming of our humble King, who makes himself present in every Eucharist, in all his power and glory, in a small piece of bread. Christ the King, may you truly reign in us, give us dominion over sin and make us more determined to build up your Kingdom here on earth.

27 jun 2009

El año Paulino llega a su fin

Sólo los enamorados enamoran
(Autor: Mons. José Ignacio Munilla Aguirre)

La fuerza de San Pablo nace de su profunda experiencia interior: "Vivo en la fe del Hijo de Dios, que me amó y se entregó a sí mismo por mí" (Ga 2, 20). Fundado en la conciencia de saberse amado incondicionalmente por Cristo, Pablo vive con radicalidad los consejos evangélicos: “Por mi parte, muy gustosamente me daré y me desgastaré totalmente por vosotros” (2 Co 12, 15). La consecuencia lógica de todo esto es que la figura de Pablo “arrastró” en su tiempo –y lo sigue haciendo en el presente- a muchísimas personas, al seguimiento de Cristo: “Sed imitadores míos como yo lo soy de Cristo” (1 Co 11, 1).

He aquí una de las intuiciones que más ha sido subrayada en este Año Paulino que llega a su fin: La Nueva Evangelización sólo podrá ser acometida con éxito por quienes estén “enamorados de Cristo”. Las características del momento en que vivimos acentúan más, si cabe, esta convicción. La secularización interna de la Iglesia se caracteriza por un estilo de vida relajada, “alérgico” a cualquier sacrificio y renuncia, que se expresa con un discurso plano, en el que sólo se desarrollan los puntos de consenso con la cultura dominante. La experiencia nos demuestra que por este camino, todos los proyectos pastorales están condenados a la esterilidad.

San Pablo no buscó gratuitamente conflictos, pero tampoco los rehuyó cuando se presentaron. Nunca cedió a la tentación de procurar una falsa armonía con su entorno, sino que “combatió” decididamente con la espada de la palabra. En su ministerio apostólico no faltaron incomprensiones y disputas, tal y como él mismo reconoce: "Tuvimos la valentía de predicaros el Evangelio de Dios entre frecuentes luchas... Como sabéis, nunca nos presentamos con palabras aduladoras" (1 Ts 2, 2. 5).

Sin embargo, no podemos olvidar que la clave del ministerio de San Pablo no está en su espíritu combativo; sino que, más bien hemos de decir que, la clave del espíritu combativo de Pablo se explica por su “encuentro” con el Resucitado: “Todo lo juzgo como pérdida ante la sublimidad del conocimiento de Cristo Jesús. Por Él lo perdí todo, y todo lo estimo basura con tal de ganar a Cristo” (Flp 3, 8). Lo que motiva a San Pablo es el hecho de ser amado por Cristo, de donde se deriva un celo apostólico inagotable. El espíritu de lucha que muestra el Apóstol de los gentiles en sus Cartas, así como su capacidad de sufrimiento, es proporcional a su amor por Cristo.

7 jun 2009

DON'T FORGET GOD ON VACATION


Work Also Shouldn't Distract Us From Him

Benedict XVI is proposing that the way to live an authentic life is by leaving moments for God, as much during work as during vacation.

The Pope suggested this today during the general audience in St. Peter's Square, during which he focused on the figure of Rabanus Maurus, an 8th century monk from Germany.

The Holy Father concluded his address by citing one of Rabanus' phrases: "He who neglects contemplation is deprived of the vision of the light of God; he who is carried away with worry and allows his thoughts to be crushed by the tumult of the things of the world is condemned to the absolute impossibility of penetrating the secrets of the invisible God."

The Pontiff contended that "Rabanus Maurus addressed these words to us today."

He explained: "While at work, with its frenetic rhythms, and during vacation, we have to reserve moments for God. [We have to] open our lives up to him, directing a thought to him, a reflection, a brief prayer. 

"And above all, we mustn't forget that Sunday is the day of Our Lord, the day of the liturgy, [the day] to perceive in the beauty of our churches, in the sacred music and in the Word of God, the same beauty of our God, allowing him to enter into our being."

"Only in this way," the Pontiff concluded, "is our life made great; it is truly made a life."

31 may 2009

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!

30 may 2009

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.

22 mar 2009

(Part 1) "Morality Tells Us What to Do"


1. From Faith to Virtues

Levels of the reading of Scripture: First the letter, which teaches you what has occurred; second, what you must believe, the allegory. / Morality, what to do; what to tend toward, the anagogy ("Littera gesta docet, quid credas allegoria. / Moralis, quid agas; quo tendas anagogia"). We have arrived the third level of the reading of Scripture: the moral, which seeks to draw from practical teachings for life and customs.

It is important to note the order with which these different meanings of the Bible follow one another: Morality does not come first and then the mystery, first works and then faith, but on the contrary. The principle articulated by St. Gregory the Great is respected: One does not come from virtues to faith, but from faith to virtues." (St. Gregory the Great, "Homilies on Ezekiel," II, 7 (PL 76, 1018).)

Unfortunately, at a certain moment this order is disturbed. To some Fathers it seemed more suitable pedagogically to address moral things first and then the mystical which are the highest. Ambrose proposes therefore a new order: first, history, second morality, third mystery. (St. Ambrose, "Commentary on the Gospel of Luke," III, 35 (PL 15, 1603).)

This tendency was reinforced by the fact that the active life was related to morality and contemplative life to mystery, and it is well known how in the Middle Ages contemplation symbolized by Mary, was considered higher than the active life symbolized by Martha.

Later, when the custom was affirmed of dividing the spiritual life in the three famous stages of the purgative life, the illuminative life, and the mystical life, morality which precedes the purgative life could not but precede, in commenting on Scripture, attention to the mystery. 

In this way, in practice if not in theory, works were placed before faith, morality before the kerygma. (Cf. H. de Lubac, "Exégèse médiévale," cit., I,2, p.413). This would also contribute to create that situation which furnished Luther with the pretext for his radical debate. Christ is not for him a model to imitate in one's own life, but a gift to be received through faith, full stop. It was the birth of the controversy on faith and works, destined to go on for a long time and to create so many false oppositions.

Today, with the joint document of the Catholic Church and the Federation of Lutheran Churches, agreement has been reached at least on this point; not faith or works, but faith and works, each one, however, in the proper order. In the end, it was what St. Gregory the Great had enunciated in his maxim: "One does not come from virtues to faith, but from faith to virtues."

5 feb 2009

One day at a time


Living life one day at a time

Some people believe in fate, that certain things are meant to be, or were meant to be. In its extreme form this has led to the belief in pre-destination. Nothing is pre-ordained from the human perspective, that humans in their own minds haven't conjured up, and then created self fulfilling prophecies. The slogan says, "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it." Another slogan says, "You made your bed, now lie in it." and people sometimes cynically, bitterly, and self righteously say, "I told you so!" or "What did you expect?"

Human behavior does have consequences both positive and negative, and "what goes around comes around", and yet humans create their own predicaments, and they often create "accidents waiting to happen" as well was "blessings which were bound to occur."

The person who is leading the spiritual life strives to live with responsibility, response - ability, and awareness. The spiritual person understands that thoughts, feelings, and behavior have consequences for oneself as well as for others and the world, and knowing this, strives to live with impeccability meaning that the person living the spiritual life does so with as few strings attached as possible, completing each act to fulfill any obligation, and freeing oneself then to live each day fully and completely.

The person living the spiritual life is free, aware, and creative and in these qualities there is great joy living life large,
one day at a time, and worrying about tomorrow when tomorrow becomes today.

11 ene 2009

The Baptism of the Lord


“Don’t be afraid to dive in!”
(Fr. James McTavish FMVD)

Today the Universal Church celebrates the baptism of the Lord when Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan. Baptism is a sacrament, a mystery. What does it mean that Jesus was baptized? In being baptized Jesus enters fully into the human condition. Entering the water he shows us his desire to enter into our human situation, to dive in. 

In Greek, the word baptize means to dip or immerse oneself in water. In antiquity it was common in baptism for the candidate to be fully immersed in the water. Jesus was the first one to enter fully and totally into the murky depths of the Jordan, but in a symbolic and real way to dive into the murky depths of our humanity. He goes ahead of us, sanctifying what he finds and opening a way. Jesus is fully human and fully divine. Often we have an expression “I am only human”. If only we were really fully human! The one who is fully human is the one who lets himself be loved fully by God, who is divinized and sanctified by the Spirit. 

Without God’s grace and love we cannot enter fully into the human experience. What we see, the complexities, contradictions and ambiguities frighten us off. The human condition marked by sin is not possible for us to embrace without divine assistance. Only the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world can redeem us. St Maximus of Turin commented “Christ is baptized, not that he may be sanctified in the waters, but that he himself may sanctify the waters”. He sanctifies the human condition, loving it, embracing it and redeeming it. John Paul II in his encyclical about the Christ the Redeemer of man wrote that man remains a mystery unto himself unless he encounters love, embraces it and makes it his own (Cf. Redemptor hominis 10). 

What is the consequence of not fully encountering and embracing love? We sit on the fence. We don’t commit, we don’t dive in. How often we are afraid to commit! Afraid to make a decision, uncertain and insecure. Of course we need to discern well, to “test everything and retain what is good”. But sometimes it is very obvious what is needed! We know God’s will clearly. 

Committing ourselves means we have to confront our inconsistencies. Don’t be afraid to dive in!!! Sometimes watching rock concerts you see the die hard fans climbing on stage and before the security can capture them they launch themselves into the crowd in what is known as ‘stage diving’. They do this because they know they will be caught by many safe hands of people in the crowd. And us? We know that when we dive into God’s will, the safe hands of three very dependable persons will catch us – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit will catch us! 
In the baptism scene God the Father speaks and reminds all to trust in Jesus “This is my Son, my beloved. Listen to him”. The Father assures us that we are safe in the hands of his Son. Trust is very important. What is Jesus telling you? So if God is for you who can be against you? Time is passing fast. Get on with it. Otherwise we grow old and we are only theoretical persons, people who bore others with all our ‘plans’ but no action because we have no faith. What are you afraid of? The worst that can happen is that we make a mistake! Don’t be afraid! Dive in…

10 ene 2009

The Baptism of the Lord


The water of baptism flows with healing mercy.
 (by Luis Tamayo)

In the Western Church we end the Christmas season with the Feast of the Lord’s “Baptism in the Jordan”. It marks the beginning of what is called his “public” ministry. He was thirty years old. He spent thirty redemptive years of life in what writers have sometimes called His “hidden years” in Nazareth’s school, “growing in wisdom and stature”. (Luke 2:52) They were not “hidden” in the sense of unimportant. It simply means that we do not find much about them in the Gospel accounts. There is no doubt that even during those so called “hidden” years the plan, purpose and redemptive implications of the entire saving life, death, and resurrection of Jesus were being manifested and revealed. They reveal how the ordinary becomes “extraordinary” when lived in communion with the Father. 

The “Baptism of the Lord” is also called the “Theophany”, the manifestation of God Himself. The word “Epiphany” means “manifestation”, a making present, a revealing. Our Gospel at the Liturgy will recount the wondrous revealing of the Holy Trinity. As the Incarnate Word of the Father was immersed in the Waters, the voice of the Father is heard and the Spirit descends. (Mark 1:7-11) 

The “Theophany” has inspired extraordinary reflection in the Tradition. Here is an excerpt from an early homily: “Therefore the Lord Jesus came to baptism, and willed to have his body washed with water. Perhaps some one will say: “He who is holy, why did he wish to be baptized?” Pay attention therefore! Christ is baptized, not that he may be sanctified in the waters, but that he himself may sanctify the waters, and by his own purification may purify those streams which he touches.” (St. Maximus of Turin, 423 AD) 

The waters of the Jordan are sanctified by the Son and now all water is sanctified. Just as the Spirit hovered over the waters of the original creation, the Spirit hovers over the waters where the Son is immersed by John. This is the reason why in the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, the clergy often lead the faithful to rivers and entire rivers are blessed! 

One of the first elements of creation created by the Father through the Son, is now re-created through the Incarnate Son. 

The Word Incarnate stands in the waters of the earth which was created through Him. Into these waters, through which the people of Israel were once delivered, the entire human race is now invited to follow Jesus. 

The Greek word for “Baptism” means to be immersed. The entire world will be “immersed” in God and transformed.
Descending into the waters of the Jordan Jesus, who shares our humanity, makes that living water flow with healing mercy for those who accepts Jesus in their life. 

1 ene 2009

2009... God is With Us!!

Emmanuel (God is with us)

To be called "simple" is not usually a compliment. Yet one dictionary defines the word as meaning plain, honest and intelligible. So maybe it's not such a bad thing to be. Nevertheless, somehow we feel suspicious when something seems too simple. "Where is the catch?" we ask ourselves. It is almost as though we need some elaborate complexities before we can accept it.

Jesus understood this human weakness very well. Throughout his life he used simple illustrations to reveal God's plans. He used the corn, a relaxed meal with friends, fishing and wine-making, so vividly and effectively. Yet the Scribes and Pharisees constantly asked, "What's the catch?" each time they encountered him.

Simplicity is at the heart of Christ's message, "Your heavenly Father loves you as you are", no strings, no catch. Even if we turn away or do not believe this, he still loves us.

During the weeks of Advent, we listen to many rousing prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. At the end of this season we are presented with a little baby. The baby Jesus might appear too simple a solution to the problems of God's people. "What's the catch?" we may ask.

Christ's birth is the celebration of the great Emmanuel (God is with us) mystery. And God is with us so that we may know that we are infinitely loveable. To come as a baby was his first and greatest lesson to us, for it teaches us the most important lessons of all about God's attitude towards us.

A child is full of freshness and trusting love. Its eyes are to the future - to growing up. Unspoilt by prejudice or bitterness, each child is a new beginning. A child's loving confidence can make the greatest villain think again, and it can bring new life to the old and weary.

But the greatest lesson is one which we have all experienced when we have stretched out a tentative finger to a new baby - he or she grasps it with an uncanny strength. Stretch out just one finger to the Lord this Christmas and he will take strong hold of you for as long as you let him.

27 dic 2008

TWELVE STEPS... to mess up the New Year 2009


1- Look for something negative and hold on to it.
2- Make a few mountains out of some molehills.
3- Avoid positive, happy people.
4- Talk with negative people about how unfair and unjust the world is.
5- Hurry up to get in a rush -- with something unimportant, if possible.
6- Never read anything funny and don't listen to jokes. 
Above all: Don't laugh -- nothing is funny.
7- Consider how nice everything could be, if only life wasn't so mean.
8- Call someone, who had hurt in the past and try to revenge.
9- Sort out something that upsets yourself, and then look for people 
who are willing to help you with this concern.
10- Seek a reason for self-pity -- a quite sure reason.
11- If you feel miserable don't talk about it, keep it under your hat.
12- Pin the blame for your problems on someone else, no matter who.

14 dic 2008

"The 'Nearness' of God Is a Question of Love"

This third Sunday of Advent is called "Gaudete Sunday" 
(by Benedict XVI)

"Rejoice," following the entrance antiphon of the Holy Mass that takes up St. Paul's expression in his Letter to the Philippians, which says: "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I tell you: Rejoice."

Immediately afterward St. Paul explains why: "The Lord is near" (Philippians 4:4-5). This is the reason for joy. But what is meant by "The Lord is near"? How are we to understand this "nearness" of God? The Apostle Paul, writing to the Christians of Philippi, is obviously thinking about Christ's return, and he invites them to rejoice because this return is certain. Nevertheless, the same St. Paul, in his first Letter to the Thessalonians, warns that no one can know the moment of the Lord's return (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2) and puts them on guard against all alarmism, as if the Lord's return were imminent (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2).

Thus, already at that time, the Church, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, understood more and more that the "nearness" of God is not a question of space and time, but rather a question of love: Love is near! Christmas will come to remind us of this fundamental truth of our faith and, before the crèche, taste Christian joy, contemplating in the face of the newborn Jesus the God who drew near to us for love.