discerning the call

If you are a teen who is discerning the call to the priesthood or religious life, try some of the following before talking to a vocations director.
Spend some time in daily prayer.
Become involved in a ministry at your parish.
Read a good spiritual book.
Study the Bible everyday.
Recite the Liturgy of the Hours.
Spend an hour a week in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Make a list of reasons why you feel God is calling you.

Take an hour and prayerfully write answers to these questions:
Imagine yourself five or ten years from now. Do you want to continue in life as you are now? Imagine yourself as a vowed religious or as a priest ten years from now.
Fantasize by going through an entire day in your future as a religious brother, sister, or priest. Visualize yourself doing what they does. How does your gut react to this exercise?
What is the most satisfying part of your week? What does that say about you?
Shadow a priest, sister or brother for a day. Accompany them through the various aspects of their ministry.
For one week, live as if you decided to enter a seminary or formation program. Notice how you felt. The following week live as if you decided to drop the religious life or priesthood vocation question and dismiss it. What feelings stir up in you?
Imagine Jesus looking you in the eye, calling you by your first name, and saying, "What is it you really want?" Spend time with the question. Tell Jesus all that you hope for in life. Then spend time listening to His response to your dreams. (What is the desire of your heart?)
What was the last major decision you made about your life? How did you come to that decision? Was it a good one? What can you learn from that experience about your vocation discernment?
Make a list of all the reasons it wouldn't be a good idea for you to become a religious sister, brother, or priest. Then make a list of all the reasons why it would be good! Which one weighs more? Bring the list before God in prayer and listen.
What advice would you give someone in your shoes regarding a vocation as a priest or as a religious?
Reflect on religious sisters and/or brothers/sisters who have been mentors for you. Which qualities would you like to imitate if you were called?

24/08/2008, Domingo de la 21ª semana de Tiempo Ordinario.

HOMILIA

Jesús en el Evangelio de hoy recorre tres pasos. Primero le pregunta a sus discípulos quien dicen otros quien es El; segundo Jesús les pregunta directamente qué dicen ellos de quien es El; y por último es El quien dirá quienes somos nosotros para Dios.

Jesús sabe que todos nosotros tenemos conocimientos adquiridos por otros de quien es Jesús. Desde las catequesis cuando éramos pequeños, hasta las homilías que escuchamos o un libro que leemos, mas o menos quien no usa las definiciones de otros para decir quien es Jesús. Por eso Jesús pregunta a los discípulos “¿Quién dice la gente que es el Hijo del Hombre?”.

Pero Jesús da otro paso y desvela su interés por que nosotros podamos definir con nuestras propias palabras nuestra experiencia personal de quien es El para “mi”. El quiere saber que experiencia personal tengo yo de El. ¿Cómo definiría yo quien es Jesús en mi vida?.

En el evangelio Jesús les preguntó: “Y vosotros, ¿quién decís que soy yo?”. Ahora no es lo que yo se que otros dicen, a Jesús le interesa saber que es lo que yo digo...

Así que Pedro muy atrevido contesta: “Tu eres el Mesías, el Hijo de Dios vivo”. Y es así como Pedro entendió quien era Jesús para él. El Mesías, su Salvador, quien le rescató de una vida pequeña de pescador de peces con muy poco horizonte a una vida nueva fascinante de un horizonte mas amplio de pescador de hombres, de servidor de otros, de creador de comunidad con otros.

El salmo 62 me vale para decir quien es Jesús para mi. Señor tu eres mi roca, mi salvación y mi fuerza. Jesús tu eres quien da sentido a mi vida, a mis esfuerzos, a mi perseverancia, a mi vocación. Jesús tu eres mi fuerza cuando me canso, tu eres mi roca cuando dudo. Jesús perseverar en una sociedad laicista no es fácil, pero es aquí donde tu eres mi motivación, mi razón de ser, mi entusiasmo, mi energía, mis ganas de vivir y mi ilusión por seguir siendo sacerdote.

Al final del Evangelio Jesús, muy inteligente, quiere llevarnos a lo mas profundo, a entender quien soy yo para El. Jesús dice en el Evangelio: “Ahora te digo yo: Tú eres Pedro, y sobre ti edificaré mi Iglesia...”. Es impresionante la mirada que Dios tiene sobre nuestra vida, así como vio en Pedro no al orgulloso Simon el pescador, sino a Pedro – la piedra – sobre el cual construirá la Iglesia, así mismo mira en cada uno de nosotros la posibilidad de ir construyendo una Iglesia mas viva y dinámica, una Iglesia mas atractiva y llena de espíritu. Pero para ello necesita que tú y yo podamos afianzar esta experiencia personal de quien es Jesús en mi vida.

Ahora Jesús te pregunta: “Y tú ¿Quién dices que soy yo para ti?”

víctimas en Barajas : consuelo espiritual a los familiares

El obispo auxiliar de Madrid destacó la importante labor que están realizando los sacerdotes, "no sólo de Madrid sino también de otras diócesis", que han acudido al Pabellón del IFEMA para ofrecer consuelo espiritual a los familiares।

La archidiócesis de Madrid ha anunciado la celebración, el próximo 1 de septiembre, de un solemne funeral en la catedral de la Almudena, que será presidido por el cardenal Rouco.

Thougts about humility (by Jason A. Baguia)

(Click the title to obtain the complete article)

The foundation for humility simply is that each human being is quite powerless in and of himself.  Deprived of God, family, friends, society, and all the graces and blessings that come his way he is dust.  Since everyhing has been given to him and is not his in the strictest sense of the word, that is, not originating from him, and not meant for him alone, he has no reason for vainglory.

Sexualized teens or the chastity choice

(Click on the title to get into the article)

Interesting article about how today´s society is so focus on sex issues, from media, comercials, to internet or easy access through mobiles.

¿Any answer? True Love Revolution is a new, non-sectarian student-run organization at Harvard College dedicated to the promotion of premarital sexual abstinence.

La SOLEDAD, una reflexión desde la vida de Jesús

(Haz click en el titulo para obtener el articulo)

Interesante reflexión sobre la soledad que Jesús experimento como hombre.  ¿Por que he de temer, entonces, a mi propia soledad?  Quizás mi soledad es lugar teológico, lugar de encuentro con mi Dios.

Luis Tamayo

LA VALENTÍA DE DISENTIR. (Por el presbítero Félix Jiménez Tutor)

(Haz click en el título, te llevara directo al artículo.)

Artículo interesante y crítico con la Iglesia Católica.  Quien no quiere una Iglesia mejor, mas cercana, mas aterrizada a los problemas de la sociedad, mas misionera, mas dinámica...? Yo así la quiero, ¿Y tú? ¿Como sueñas a tu Iglesia? Basta de solo criticar, tan comun del caracter español y hagamos algo por ella todos juntos.

 Quien ha vivido al otro lado (en mi caso Asia) donde la Iglesia Católica es minoritaria puede saborear algo de por donde han de ir las cosas...   

Te invito a que reflexiones sobre "nuestra" Iglesia.  ¿Que estás dispuesto a hacer? si no tienes respuestas podemos dialogar.

Luis Tamayo

Mother Mary (from Jason A. Baguia)

First of all, I want to thank Fr. Luis for giving me this chance to share my faith with more people. Gracias, Padre!

My experience of the recent XXIII World Youth Day (WYD) in Sydney, Australia from July 15-20 remains vivid in my mind and heart. Today, as the whole Catholic World celebrates the feast of the Dedication of Saint Mary Major, the largest church in honor of Mary, Mother of Jesus Our Lord in Rome, I recall and deeply cherish the words of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI at the Angelus on the closing of the WYD. Of Mary, the Pope said:

As Mary stood before the Lord, she represented the whole of humanity. In the angel’s message, it was as if God made a marriage proposal to the human race. And in our name, Mary said yes.

In fairy tales, the story ends there, and all “live happily ever after”. In real life it is not so simple. For Mary there were many struggles ahead, as she lived out the consequences of the “yes” that she had given to the Lord. Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce her heart. When Jesus was twelve years old, she experienced every parent’s worst nightmare when, for three days, the child went missing. And after his public ministry, she suffered the agony of witnessing his crucifixion and death. Throughout her trials she remained faithful to her promise, sustained by the Spirit of fortitude. And she was gloriously rewarded.

Dear young people, we too must remain faithful to the “yes” that we have given to the Lord’s offer of friendship. We know that he will never abandon us. We know that he will always sustain us through the gifts of the Spirit. Mary accepted the Lord’s “proposal” in our name. So let us turn to her and ask her to guide us as we struggle to remain faithful to the life-giving relationship that God has established with each one of us. She is our example and our inspiration, she intercedes for us with her Son, and with a mother’s love she shields us from harm.

As I return to the world of family, friends, work, and working in the Lord's vineyard through music, youth ministry, prayer, and preaching, I thank the Lord for the gift of a Mother in the spiritual life, a mother who has suffered for the cause of good more than any other person aside from Jesus. She has gone ahead of each of us and to me she is a reminder that no suffering because of love is ever wasted, that pouring out one's life trying to be faithful to God's plans is worth it and is the cause of a joy that never ends. I ask her to continue to accompany me as I look to do God's will daily, so that in my life, too, the words she once sang will be true: "My spirit rejoices in God my Savior... the Almighty has done great things for me." (Luke 1:47,49)

Camino de Santiago (click here)

Fr. Luis Tamayo & Daniel McTavish

An amazing experience!  What started as a simple walk it turned out to be a fantastic experience.  Faith, friendship, prayer, nature, and above all our Lord Jesus Christ!

Daniel McTavish came all the way to Spain to visit me and thinking what to do... we ended up walking the Camino de Santiago (St. James).  We walked 4 days, an average of 20-25 km per day.  WOW!!! Amazing!

We met very interesting people, two belgians in their 70´s walking all the way from Belgium, a 26y.o. young lady coming all the way from Ginebra, Switzerland, two japanese, etc. Every end of stage we will join the Mass.  I will concelebrate with the local priest.  I will always see this couple joining the Mass.  Once i understood from within "go and say hallo"... so at the end of the mass before i even approached to them... They came to me... So this way i met Olga y Rafael, wonderful people!

We walked only from St. Jean Pied de Port (France) to Pamplona, 4 days.  But enough to awaken the hunger for more.  Silence, nature, lovely people, light, wind, sun, air, green, trees, etc... everything speaks of God´s love, His presence sorrounding us.  I charged batteries!

Have a look: www.caminodesantiago.com

El hechizo del riesgo en los jóvenes

El hechizo del riesgo!

Parece ser que la causa por la que las personas buscamos el riesgo es la afirmación de nosotros mismos, ya que en el riesgo y la conquista estriba muchas veces nuestra autorealización; quien nunca se arriesga por algo, quien jamás lucha y se la juega por algo, puede llegar a convertirse en una persona mediocre y pusilánime.  

El riesgo a la base de toda elección: 1) Conocerte a ti mismo: Parte de tus propias posibilidades y aspira a algo más. 2) Es siempre mejor elegir que quedarse pasivo. 3) Precipitarse no es buen consejero. 4) Siempre estoy a tiempo de rectificar.