4 abr 2012

Domingo de Ramos


Detalles son amores y no buenas razones

P. Luis J. Tamayo

Hoy celebramos lo que la tradición ha llamado el Domingo de Ramos (Mateo 27, 11-54). Jesús entra hoy en Jerusalén, y a lo largo de esta semana vamos a ver como se desencadena una serie de hechos que van a marcar el momento culmen de nuestra fe: la pasión, muerte y resurrección de Nuestro Señor Jesús.

Pero hay que remarcar que todo este cambio de los hechos que rodean la muerte de Jesús desde la entrada gloriosa a Jerusalén, todo el desenlace terrible de la pasión hasta acabar en la cruz… no es un simple devenir de las circunstancias por casualidad ni es el azar.Todo esto no sucede por que sí, sino que es consecuencia de las decisiones que tomó Jesús.

Jesús cuando decide entrar a Jerusalén sabe a donde va y sabe que lo que va a pasar, a partir de ahora los acontecimientos se siguen uno a otro, a partir de ahora se produce como esa imagen del ‘efecto dominó’, es decir, toda la vida de Jesús, sus hechos, sus palabras, sus gestos, etc. han sido poner pieza a pieza del dominó, una seguida a la otra… y hoy, la entrada a Jerusalén será el empuje a la primera pieza que provocará la caída de todas las demás, una detrás de otra.

Pero quisiera recalcar que todos los acontecimientos que marcan la vida de Jesús no son casualidad, no pasan simplemente por que sí, sino que son fruto de las pequeñas decisiones que Jesús fue tomando en su propia vida. no se si vosotros lo habéis reflexionado pero muchas veces yo he escuchado decir: ‘Jesús tenía que morir’ o ‘su muerte fue un acto del destino’. El camino a Jerusalén no sucedió por que sí, sino que fue consecuencia de las decisiones que Jesús fue tomando. Libre y voluntariamente – dice la Escritura.

- Jesús decidió vivir de una forma, fue una decisión libre, escogió acercarse a los necesitados, escogió que no había día sin oración y alimentar su relación con su Padre-Dios, escogió perdonar a los que le hacían daño, escogió no murmurar de los demás por las espaldas sino que buscó decir la verdad con amor y caridad.

Pero lo mismo que Jesús escogió detalle a detalle esa forma de vida, Judas también hizo sus elecciones.

- Judas no dio oportunidad a dejarse amar, Judas decidió desconfiar de Jesús a pesar de sus muestras de amor ya amistad, Judas sonreía a Jesús por fuera pero su corazón estaba ya muy lejos. La traición de Judas no surgió de repente… fue fruto de toda una serie de opciones.Estuve con un matrimonio que se separó, la gente se sorprende… la separación es la conclusión de algo que ya empezó hace mucho tiempo. Dicen que si uno se cae es por que antes ya tropezó.

Hay un dicho popular que dice: Por un clavo se perdió una batalla, es decir, que el capitán de un ejercito montó un caballo al que no había revisado sus herraduras, camino a la batalla, una herradura perdió un clavo, más tarde cabalgando perdió la herradura, y cuando se encontraba galopando para arremeter contra el enemigo el caballo tropezó y calló al suelo mal hiriendo al capitán. Saquemos las conclusiones.

Es decir, que las cosas no acontecen sólo por que sí, sino que son fruto de las decisiones que vamos tomando en nuestra vida, y tomar una decisión es revisar las herraduras como no revisarlas, una decisión es ‘actuar’ como ‘omitir’ (así decimos: pensamientos, palabras, actos y omisiones). ¿Por qué Nadal es campeón del mundo? Por una vida invertida en el tenis, sacrificio, detalles, tiempo. ¿Por qué este chaval acabó con tan buenas notas? Por que fue estudiando día a día; ¿por qué esta niña acabó abortando? Por que fue dando entrada al novio cada vez a más intimidad… omitió el poner los límites del respeto a su persona; una vez que enciendes la mecha el fuego se dispara; ¿Por qué este matrimonio funciona? Por que desde que eran novios se dejaron guiar por un sacerdote. Un matrimonio muy unido me decía: la gente me dice ‘que envidia’, pero la gente se cree que esto es muy fácil… claro ellos ven sólo desde fuera, pero no saben la dedicación, la entrega, los gestos de amor, el tiempo invertido en escuchar, apoyar a mis hijos en todo momento.

Esto nos ayuda a ver que la vida está llena de detalles y que los detalles son vitales.¿Por qué esta persona tiene tan poca fe? Por que un día dejó de rezar por que tenía que ir al médico, luego dejó de practicar los sacramentos por que tenía otra razón, luego empezó a dudar de Dios por que le surgió una contradicción, y detalle tras detalle dejó enfriar el amor. O ¿por qué tanta fe? Porque sabe cuidar con detalle su vida espiritual: una pequeña oración durante el día, un pequeño pensamiento, dar gracias por una persona que me resulta difícil, no salir de casa por la mañana sin la oración hecha, cada vez que meto la pata examinarme y reconocer mi culpa, pedir perdón si es necesario, etc.


El amor son detalles, el amor es una elección por los detalles. San Agustín lo decía: el amor no es un sentimiento, sino un acto de voluntad, una decisión o una elección… A veces, estas decisiones son entradas a Jerusalén, donde la gente te aplaude y te reconoce; y otras veces son auténticos calvarios, donde te sientes rechazado y mal entendido.

En nuestra vida espiritual es lo mismo. Os invito a que esta Semana Santa y el resto de la vida sea una suma de detalles a Jesús. Así dice el dicho popular: Detalles son amores y no buenas razones.

3 abr 2012

Cuaresma V, REFLEXION Evangelio Semanal

Juan 12,20-33 “En aquel tiempo, algunos griegos acercándose a Felipe, el de Betsaida de Galilea, le rogaban:
«queremos ver a Jesús.» Felipe fue a decírselo a Andrés; y Andrés y Felipe fueron a decírselo a Jesús.

Jesús les contestó: «Ha llegado la hora de que sea glorificado el Hijo del hombre. Os aseguro que si el grano de trigo no cae en tierra y muere, queda infecundo; pero si muere, da mucho fruto. El que se ama a sí mismo se pierde, y el que se aborrece a sí mismo en este mundo se guardará para la vida eterna. El que quiera servirme, que me siga, y donde esté yo, allí también estará mi servidor; a quien me sirva, el Padre lo premiará.”

Hoy es el 5º domingo de Cuaresma, continuamos con la quinta reflexión sobre las tentaciones: Hoy vemos la tentación de rebajar la calidad del amor verdadero.

En el Evangelio de hoy hay una petición: queremos ver a Jesús!! Hoy lo traduciría por ese grito que hay en muchos corazones de: “queremos ver que el amor de verdad existe!”. Hay gente joven que me dice: “Yo no creo en el amor… es que no lo veo”, “es que la gente es muy egoísta”, “es que solo buscan sexo”, “es que se aprovechan de mi” (como el chiste: En una reunión el jefe del departamento les dice a todo su equipo: sois una panda de egoístas, aquí todo el mundo va a lo suyo, excepto yo, que voy a lo mío).

El deseo de todo hombre, creyente y no creyente es creer que el Amor es posible. Todo hombre necesita creer que el amor autentico y puro sin edulcorantes existe. ¿Por qué a uno se le saltan las lágrimas cuando ve una escena tierna en una película?, ¿Por qué uno se emociona cuando ve un abrazo lleno de lealtad entre dos amigos? ¿por qué a uno se le cae la baba cuando ve a un padre abrazar a su hijo? No hay mejor escena que ir a la llegada de un aeropuerto y mirar los abrazos que se da la gente cuando llegan… se te encoge el corazón. Estamos creados para el amor y lo necesitamos, necesitamos ver que existe.

Los cristianos tenemos una misión: Necesitamos ayudar a este mundo a ayudarles a creer que el amor autentico existe; que el amor desinteresado es verdad, que el amor generoso se puede vivir (1ª Corintios 13)

En Filipinas, una vez me ingresaron por una infección que me cogí en el estómago. No tenía a mi familia, y el otro sacerdote que vivía conmigo tenía que cubrir su trabajo más el mío. Fue impresionante ver como un grupo de personas de la parroquia se turnaron para hacerme compañía en el hospital. Yo me preguntaba: y a estas personas ¿qué les mueve a ocuparse de mi día y noche, con las responsabilidades que tienen? Sólo desde el amor de Dios es posible mover la generosidad en una persona, sólo desde el amor de Dios es posible construir una mistad verdadera y limpia.

¿Cuál es la tentación sutil? Edulcorar el amor verdadero, somos expertos en disfrazar actos de amor como generosos cuando en el fondo están llenos de egoísmo. Cuantas veces los hijos hacen un favor a los papas, pero porque esperan una recompensa, la propina, un dinero… y los adultos otro tanto de lo mismo.

Jesús dice: El que se ama a sí mismo se pierde. El que busca el amor propio se pierde lo mejor, se pierde el gozo de darse generosamente a los demás, se lo pierde!! Y dice Jesús: el que no se pone a sí mismo como el primero ganará una vida plena y gozosa. El que quiera servirme, que me siga, y a quien me sirva, el Padre lo premiará. ¿Cuál es ese premio? La alegría colmada. El amor de verdad es exigente, pero quien se mete por este camino descubre una vida fascinante. No nos dejemos llevar por la sutil tentación de rebajarlo y conformarnos con un sucedáneo que no sabe a amor autentico.

Palm Sunday, Year B

Humble daily conversion

Procession: Mark 11:1-10 or John 12:12-16

Isa 50:4-7 Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 Phil 2:6-11 Mark 14:1 – 15:47

Today we celebrate Palm Sunday and intensify our efforts to be close to Jesus as he is about to enter into his Passion. Perhaps it is time to pass over with Jesus, from a mediocre following of Christ to a passionate one, from lukewarmness to fervour. As we hear in the book of Revelations, the Lord desires that we are either hot or cold but not lukewarm. Hot is fervent and zealous, cold is struggling but in need of help. But the one who is only lukewarm does not feel they need the help of anyone. Jesus, help us to be passionate about you and on fire with your love as we approach the Holy Week. May we have the enthusiasm of the children who greeted you as you entered Jerusalem on the donkey.

This day, Palm Sunday can be a good day to pray for a conversion! Each day our founder Fr Jaime Bonet says that we need a humble, daily conversion. Even the great Saints needed moments of conversion. How did they become so “great” if it was not through many and repeated small conversions. A helpful example of conversion we find in the life of the great St Teresa of Avila who wrote: “From pastime to pastime, from vanity to vanity, from occasion to occasion, I would again begin to endanger my soul [...] The things of God gave me pleasure and I was unable to detach myself from those of the world. I wanted to reconcile these two so contrary enemies with one another: the life of the spirit with the tastes and pastimes of the senses.” The result of this state was profound unhappiness: “I fell and got up again, and I got up so badly that I fell again. Thus, in fact, I was so lacking in perfection that I was almost no longer aware of venial sins, and I did not fear mortals as I should have, because I did not flee from dangers. I can say that my life was one of the most painful that one could imagine, because I did not enjoy God, and I was not happy in the world. When I was in worldly pastimes, the thought of what I owed God made me spend it with affliction; and when I was with God, I was disturbed by the affections of the world.” St Teresa of Avila asked the Lord for the grace of “determined determination,” to “set my face like flint knowing that I will not be put to shame.” (Isaiah 50:7).

How many times we think we are already perfect! How humble was St Teresa of Avila to recognize her need for conversion and change. Like Christ himself: he did not rely on his divine status, or rest on his laurels that he was already the Son of God. Instead he emptied himself, becoming obedient to the point of death. May we too be humble because only the humble can advance along the royal road of following Christ. There is a beautiful prayer called the Litany of Humility. It is worth giving in its entirety and if you pray with it for sure it helps one to become more humble!

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being extolled ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being honoured ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being praised ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being preferred to others... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being consulted ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being approved ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being despised... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of suffering rebukes ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being calumniated ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being forgotten ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being ridiculed ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being wronged ... Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being suspected ... Deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I ... Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease ... Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside ... Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be praised and I unnoticed ... Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be preferred to me in everything... Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should… Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

Let us pray that during this week we can walk humbly with Jesus. St Andrew of Crete proposed: “Let's not put palms beneath his feet but put our-selves.” Let us take off our old selves, our stubbornness, our resistance to change, our desire to blame others, our tendency to not take seriously our own conversion and place it at the feet of Jesus. This is the way to really welcome the triumphant entry of the King into our hearts. Hosanna to the King of Kings. Lord, may you find space in my heart to live out your passion of love for humanity once again this Easter.

5th Sunday of Lent, Year B

We want to see Jesus!

Jer 31:31-34 Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15 Heb 5:7-9 John 12:20-33

Some Greeks come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and announced to the disciples “We want to see Jesus.” Perhaps the disciples are surprised as the Greeks were Gentiles, non-believers. How great when we are surprised in our journey of faith. How great when the search of others inspires us more. Searching is important for Christians and Lent is a privileged time for it. Forty days of searching, scouting and scouring. Moses gave forty days to a group of men to go ahead to the Promised Land and scout around, to check it out and bring back the first fruits. He told them to be courageous. We too have forty days to search, to explore, and to seek the first fruits of the resurrection. All great explorers were courageous, they had a dream and were motivated. What is your dream this Lent? What or who is motivating you?

We too want to see Jesus but we also need to search for him. Why though? We are Christians. Haven’t we already found him? But Jesus is not static! He says in the gospel “If a man serves me he must follow me.” Jesus says follow me because he is moving! If he was static how could he say “follow me?” Jesus is on the move. There is a film called “Catch Me If You Can.” But Jesus wants us to catch him, to catch a taste of his great love. Jesus knows that his love is the best thing for us. Our hearts can only be fulfilled by his love. He is convinced of this, that his love is the best for all men. So even during his Passion he knows that only his love can fulfil the human heart. Like a boy I saw once in medical school elections for the new President. After a long and boring afternoon listening to campaign speeches he was the last candidate to be interviewed. When he was asked why he should be voted as President he took the microphone and started to sing a line from a Tina Turner song - “Simply the best! Better than all the rest.” The whole medical school voted for him and he won. Jesus too wants to win our hearts. His love is simply the best, better than all the rest. Our hearts are made for this love. As St Augustine said: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in God.”

The search for God involves our whole being. St Augustine describes how we wasted so much time searching in the wrong places - “Too late did I love You, O Fairness, so ancient, and yet so new! Too late did I love You! For behold, You were within, and I without, and there did I seek You; I, unlovely, rushed heedlessly among the things of beauty You made. You were with me, but I was not with You.” But when he did encounter God it was a total encounter, an experience involving the 5 senses “You called, and cried aloud, and forced open my deafness. You gleamed and shone, and chased away my blindness. You exhaled odours, and I drew in my breath and do pant after You. I tasted, and do hunger and thirst. You touched me, and I burned for Your peace.” (Augustine’s Confessions, Book X, Ch. XXVII). Referring to this, the renowned Jesuit theologian Gerald O’Collins comments that the experience was an involvement of the human senses, of the intellect, the feelings, the will, the memory, of the entire being of St. Augustine. It is a total experience and that is why we need to keep on searching! It is interesting to examine what I am searching for and what moves me. What makes me sad also can help reveal our hidden motivations. And not to become discouraged or scandalized by ourselves when we find our motives less than perfect! But to keep striving and searching - Rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! Rely on the mighty LORD; constantly seek his face.” (Psalm 105:3-4).

We see this searching for God in the life of Jesus. The second reading of today (Hebrews 5:7-9) tells us that during his life on earth, “Christ offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears… Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered” so that he could become “perfect.” And in the gospel Jesus tells us that his soul is suffering. Sometimes testing is needed to reveal the true quality of something. Mother Teresa had moments of being tested in a kind of dark night of the soul. Jesus had moments of tension and difficulty searching to fulfil his Father’s will. How great when we experience restlessness and dissatisfaction at times in our Lenten journey. Don’t dismiss them straightaway. Perhaps it is the Spirit stirring our hearts to search for Jesus. Our hearts are sensitive to all that is not genuine or authentic love. Our hearts are just like the sensors of modern printers which can detect when the ink is not genuine or authentic. We cannot cheat our hearts. We can try to fill them with a love that seeks to impress others or a love for the worldly things but we detect that this love is not genuine. Only the love of Christ can fill us. Keep us moving Lord, help us to keep searching for you. Fill us with courage so that we can be bold explorers. Jesus we want to see you, to hear you, to experience your love in its fullness.

And ultimately our search as Christians is that others can come to know Jesus too. Our prayer is not only to ask for God’s blessings but to ask that our lives can be a blessing for others too. Not only to ask to see Jesus but that we can help others to see him. As St Thérèse of Lisieux noted, “A soul in love with Christ draws many others.” May our lives, and our search for Christ, help others to know and encounter him too.

4th Sunday of Lent, Year B

You are God’s work of art

2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23 Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 Eph 2:4-10 John 3:14-21

I remember once here in our missionary house in Manila, we were very busy making a chapel. In all the Verbum Dei chapels in the world there is Christ in the tabernacle, a cross, an image of Mary and a world map. The map reminds us that our lives are for the five continents as each Christian is called to have a universal love for all. We asked a young Filipino artist to make us a map, Filipino style. We gave her a kind of bamboo shell and left the rest to her creativity. When we saw the finished map, wow! A work of art, with bright vibrant colours. It is quite gorgeous. In the readings of this Sunday St. Paul uses the same terminology. He says we are God’s work of art. Wow! Have you ever considered yourself ‘a work of art’? Sometimes we feel more like work in progress! The reality is we are God’s unfinished masterpieces.

What fills us with more love and appreciation is when we remember where we have been rescued from. The first reading is a list of the faults and failures of the chosen people. God chooses to act through King Cyrus to bring his people back from Babylon. God does not get tired of loving. He is a very patient artist. Even in our sinfulness, when our hearts become hardened like stone, he does not lose sight of the masterpiece in the block of marble. St Paul reminds us “God loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy: when we were dead through our sins, he brought us to life with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-10). There are stories of old masterpieces lying in tatters and abandoned, gathering dust and unrecognized. Then an art collector spots the real value of the painting, seeing beyond the grime that has collected. God’s vision on us never changes. Even when our lives attract some dirt and grime he does not lose sight of our true colours which can remain hidden. We have been made in the image and likeness of Christ. And with so much love.

God’s masterpiece of love and mercy is most clearly revealed on the cross. John the evangelist tells us that “God loved the world so much that he gave his only son.” Sometimes we hear negative things about our world of today but we must never forget that God loves this world SO MUCH. So much that he sent his only Son; so much that he sent you and me. And the gift of the Son is this; “The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” In the desert Moses mounted the deadly snakes on a pole so that all looking at them would be saved. Christ is lifted up on the cross and all who fix their gaze on him and believe in him will be saved too. God’s mercy is so great that it can reconstruct broken lives and restore a person to their original beauty. It is like the famous statue of the Pieta in St Peter’s basilica. Once, a deranged man attacked it with a hammer, striking Michelangelo’s sculpture, breaking the marble nose and arm of the Virgin Mary. After painstaking reconstruction the statue was restored. Part of the mission of the Church is to restore damaged lives, through the sacrament of reconciliation, through her charitable works to give back dignity to lives that have lost their shines and to eyes that have stopped sparkling. Like the religious sisters here who have an orphanage for abandoned children. One of them was found on a garbage tip. But now after being rescued she is once more smiling again.

God continues to ask each one of us to participate in his work of restoring his masterpieces – the lives of each person. May we be like Mother Teresa, a pencil or paintbrush in the hands of the Lord, offering to him our hearts as colourful palettes of mercy, joy and forgiveness for him to continue his work of art in the lives of many people.

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year B

Spring clean our hearts!

Exod 20:1-17 Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11 1 Cor 1:22-25 John 2:13-25

In today’s Gospel we find an all-action Jesus causing havoc in the temple. He is all fired up “with zeal for his Father’s house.” The temple had become a market place and “a den of thieves.” Jesus enters and single-handedly starts operation clean-up. He is on a one man mission. He makes a whip out of cord and begins to drive out all the animals there – the oxen, sheep and doves. Then he knocks over the tables of the money lenders, spilling their coins everywhere. "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." (John 2:16). Zeal for his Father’s house consumed him. What is the significance of this act for us today? We are on the journey of Lent, a time of purification, a time to clean up our act. Jesus has the same passion for each one of us, for our following of him. He desires that our hearts be a house of prayer. He does not want our hearts and minds to be a market place.

Let us consider the animals present in the temple. Oxen don’t budge; they are typically animals that are very slow to respond, slow to react. If we are not careful our heart can become full of oxen. When we are so dominated by laziness, our will power is overrun by it. There are good things we can do but we lack the strength or desire. We become slow to react to the promptings of the Spirit. Our Lenten generosity becomes laboured. Jesus, enter into my heart and drive out all the oxen. And as for the doves well they are the symbol of peace but have you ever watched their behaviour when they are together? They often fight each other! Sometimes we are the same, externally seemingly with peace but maybe with violent criticisms within us. As part of our spiritual preparation this Lent it is important to examine our hearts.

The third animal present in the temple are the sheep. Now they typically follow blindly. They lack personal initiative and creativity. In the first reading we have the Ten Commandments. Sometimes we can complain that the Church is full of commandments and rules. There are only 10 written on stone yet to drive a car, the highway code gives us thousands of rules and regulations! Are those rules of driving to hinder us or to help us? To help us! Maybe the problem is that I am driving too slowly in my following! We have a heart that is like a Ferrari engine, with so much capacity of love and self-giving. Yet if I drive this Ferrari in first gear of course I will be bored and will complain. But the real problem is that I am not adventurous enough! You should be going at 300 kilometres per hour in a Ferrari! That heart you have is designed in the image and likeness of Christ. Don’t put limits on our loving! Do you put speed limits on your self-giving? I will help in this situation up to this point…I will give but only so much… these are self imposed rules and regulations, they do not come from Christ. Look at him hanging on the cross. Jesus did not put limits on his loving and does not want us to, either. As St Paul reminds us in the today’s second reading, we preach a crucified Christ. A man who loved to the very end. He did not limit his loving! Looking at him on the cross will help us remember that we have a heart designed to love to the maximum! Jesus did not put speed limits on his love for others. So go the extra mile, or even the extra mile per hour in our self giving this Lent!

As for the money lenders, well the love for money is often all too present in our world of today and in each one of our hearts. Like the boy in the big city who shouted “Help!” and no one noticed. Then he took a coin, dropped it on the floor and it hit the ground. The “ching” as the coin hit the ground stopped everyone in the city their tracks. Let us not become so sensitive to money that we become insensitive to the needs of others.

This Lent, like 2000 years ago, the temple of our hearts still needs a good clean out. The oxen, sheep and doves are still present in the temple of our hearts. Lord, come to us, save us. Help us to purify our hearts as we continue our Lenten journey to Jerusalem with you.

18 mar 2012

IV Domingo de Cuaresma

Luz y Tiniebla (P. Luis Tamayo)

Estamos en el cuarto domingo de Cuaresma. Recordamos que este es un tiempo especial que nos regala la Iglesia para retomar lo esencial del cristianismo, la vuelta al amor de Dios, y por ello aprender a discernir donde nos quedamos atascados en tentaciones que nos distraen y nos desvían de lo esencial. En esta Cuaresma tenemos 5 reflexiones sobre ciertos aspectos de la incansable tentación que nos acecha y la necesidad de discernirlas.

Ya dijimos que la tentación es parte de la dinámica de nuestro ser humanos. La tentación en sí misma no implica un mal; es sólo la invitación a una forma de mal. Jesús, como verdadero hombre también conoció la tentación. Otra cosa es el consentimiento de la tentación. La dinámica de la tentación siempre busca deslumbrarnos con la apariencia de bien y de atractivo con algo que al final nos va a conducir a la amargura y al dolor. Por eso la importancia del discernimiento para una doble tarea: reconocer como se disfraza el mal y tener un espíritu fuerte para rechazarlo.

Juan 3, 14-21: “Tanto amó Dios al mundo que entregó a su Hijo único para que no perezca ninguno de los que creen en él, sino que tengan vida eterna. Porque Dios no mandó su Hijo al mundo para juzgar al mundo, sino para que el mundo se salve por él (…) la luz vino al mundo, y los hombres prefirieron la tiniebla a la luz, porque sus obras eran malas. Pues todo el que obra perversamente detesta la luz y no se acerca a la luz, para no verse acusado por sus obras. En cambio, el que realiza la verdad se acerca a la luz, para que se vea que sus obras están hechas según Dios.”

El Evangelio de hoy juega con dos imágenes: La luz y la tiniebla. El discernimiento es ese pequeño ejercicio de examen de nuestros pensamientos, palabras, obras y omisiones que nos ayuda a iluminar y desenmascarar a la tentación, es decir, poner luz donde hay tinieblas y poca claridad.

El evangelio lo pone claro: “Dios no mandó su Hijo al mundo para juzgar al mundo, sino para que el mundo se salve por él”… El Hijo vino para amarnos, para darnos la posibilidad de un amor que nos dignifica y fortalece para alcanzar en esta vida a ser aquello que captamos como lo más grande para nuestras vidas y también para alcanzar una vida eterna en el gozo del amor divino. Esta es la única misión de Cristo, Él vino para nuestro bien, para nuestra felicidad aquí en esta tierra y la eterna. El es el camino para la verdadero sentido de vivir, el único que posibilita la plenitud del corazón del hombre.

Pero, fijaos como continúa el Evangelio: “la luz vino al mundo, y los hombres prefirieron la tiniebla a la luz”. Es tremendo! es verdad! pues sabiendo donde está la Luz y cual es el camino, muchas veces preferimos permanecer en la tiniebla. ¿Cuál es la tentación aquí? Es permanecer en la arrogancia de creer que sabemos más que Dios. Preferimos la tiniebla a la luz, y somos nosotros quienes decidimos lo que está bien según nuestros criterios.

Una persona me decía una vez que sabia que estaba haciendo daño a su cónyuge, pero que no aceptaba que la otra persona tuviera la razón… la persona estaba convencida de que ceder era de débiles y personalidad frágil. Ahí la tentación, la mentira, la tiniebla que crea la soberbia… “prefería la tiniebla a la luz”.

Pidámosle al Señor el poder descubrir donde hay tinieblas y oscuridad en mi vida para no sólo arrojar luz, sino tener la fuerza de “caminar hacia” y “vivir en” la Luz.

4 mar 2012

Cuaresma II, REFLEXION Evangelio Semanal

“Que bien se está aquí”... Cuidado! el diablo también se disfraza con apariencia de bien. (P. Luis J. Tamayo)

Estamos en el segundo domingo de Cuaresma. Recordamos que este es un tiempo especial que nos regala la Iglesia para retomar lo esencial de nuestra relación con Jesús. La renuncia, sacrificio y ayuno no tiene otro sentido más que el dejar atrás las adherencias que se nos han pegado a lo largo del camino y soltar las cargas que acumulamos para llevar la mochila ligera. Es dejar lo que no es por lo que verdaderamente es… para ello la importancia del discernimiento. La necesidad de discernir es para reconocer el mal donde está y tener un espíritu fuerte para rechazarlo.

Para esta Cuaresma propongo 5 reflexiones sobre las tentaciones y la necesidad de discernirlas. La tentación es condición normal de la vida humana y cristiana. La tentación en sí misma no implica un mal; es sólo la invitación a una forma de mal. Jesús también conoció la tentación.

Si el domingo pasado descubríamos que Jesús fue llevado al desierto por el Espíritu Santo y allí fue tentado, entendíamos que si Jesús fue tentado, nosotros también. Y si el Espíritu acompañó a Jesús, a nosotros también; recordad lo que decíamos: Dios aprieta pero no ahoga o la cita de San Pablo: Fiel es Dios que no permitirá que seamos tentados más allá de nuestras fuerzas. Más aún, nos dará modo para resistir con éxito.” (1ª. Cor. 10: 13).

El Evangelio de hoy, a la luz del tema de las tentaciones y su discernimiento nos ayuda a descubrir una regla de discernimiento de san Ignacio que dice: “es propio del mal espíritu tomar la apariencia de un ángel de luz. Comienza por sugerir pensamientos que corresponden a un alma devota termina sugiriendo los suyos”.

El tema de hoy es ser tentado bajo apariencia de bien. San Ignacio habla de que hay dos tipos de tentaciones en la vida espiritual: los que son tentados de pecado en pecado, y no crecen. Y los que inician un camino de crecimiento y son tentados bajo apariencia de bien. Esto es lo que le pasó a Pedro.

Marcos 9, 2-10: En aquel tiempo, Jesús se llevó a Pedro, a Santiago y a Juan, subió con ellos solos a una montaña alta, y se transfiguró delante de ellos. Sus vestidos se volvieron de un blanco deslumbrador (…) Entonces Pedro tomó la palabra y le dijo a Jesús: «Maestro, ¡qué bien se está aquí! Vamos a hacer tres tiendas, una para ti, otra para Moisés y otra para Elías.» Estaban asustados, y no sabía lo que decía (…) De pronto, al mirar alrededor, no vieron a nadie más que a Jesús, solo con ellos. Luego bajaron de la montaña (…)

Pedro vivía cerca de Jesús, una vida devota, como muchos de nosotros con nuestros rezos y nuestras prácticas religiosas. La tentación de Pedro es que se vio tan bien en la compañía de Jesús que en sus devociones en la altura de la montaña que no quería bajar de la montaña, es decir a un mayor compromiso cristiano en la vida real… Al final ¿qué puede pasar? Caer, sin querer, en la mediocridad de vida. San Ignacio dice: Es una característica del espíritu malo tomar de apariencia de un ángel de luz(…) Después tratará poco a poco de llevar al alma según sus secretos engaños y malos designios…

¡Qué bien se está aquí! La tentación bajo apariencia de bien en muchos de nuestros casos es también la invitación, bajo apariencia de bien, a una vida cristiana mediocre. La mediocridad, la tibieza, el estancamiento, es una forma de tentación muy sutil, no se perciben de una manera explícita. A primera vista no aparece como tentación, incluso parece una situación buena. Lo que se hace o deja de hacer, o el modo de hacerlo parece normal, pero al final no hay ni progreso ni fervor… se acaba en una mediocridad. Y uno llega a creer que es un buen cristiano, pero al final todo son excusas y razones para no comprometerse más. La persona tiene su esquema de cómo seguir a Jesús y no se deja interpelar por el Espíritu. Las homilías le entran por un oído y salen por el otro, no hay interés por leer cosas espirituales, no le parece necesario, acaba por creer que la misa dominical semanal es suficiente sin un mayor compromiso. El libro del Apocalipsis (3,19) es muy explícito: "No eres ni frío ni caliente, ojala fueras lo uno o lo otro. Desgraciadamente eres tibio, ni frío ni caliente", es decir, no hay compromiso alguno. Por ello la Iglesia nos recuerda por las “obras de misericordia” que la vida cristiana es un compromiso con el hermano que no podemos eludir. Quedarse en la cima de la montaña puede ser una tentación sutil de caer en lo mediocre… el reto está en bajar al compromiso y las obras con los que nos rodean.

Puede ser interesante recordar que las principales obras de misericordia son catorce; siete espirituales y siete corporales:

Las espirituales son éstas:

La primera, enseñar al que no sabe.

2, dar buen consejo al que lo necesita.

3, corregir al que yerra.

4, perdonar las injurias.

5, consolar al triste.

6, sufrir con paciencia los defectos del prójimo

7, rogar a Dios por los vivos y difuntos.

Las corporales son éstas:

La primera, visitar y cuidar a los enfermos.

2, dar de comer al hambriento.

3, dar de beber al sediento.

4, dar posada al peregrino.

5, vestir al desnudo.

6, redimir al cautivo; y

7, enterrar a los muertos.

2nd Sunday of Lent, Year B

Shine, Jesus, Shine (Fr. James McTavish)

Gen 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 Ps 116:10+15, 16-17, 18-19 Rom 8:31b-34 Mark 9:2-10

The Transfiguration, recounted by St Mark in today’s Gospel, served to strengthen the weak hearts and drooping knees of Peter, James and John. They were led to a high mountain and before them Jesus was transfigured. His clothes became dazzling white and in the middle of this spectacular scene Moses and Elijah appear and begin conversing with Jesus. What about? Mark does not tell us but Luke is more revealing! They “spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem” foretelling his suffering, death and glorious resurrection. The Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) all concur that Christ is the glory of the Father and in him is the fullness of the revelation, both the Old Testament and the New. The placing of the Transfiguration in Mark’s gospel is immediately after the announcement of Jesus’ Passion and Death. The disciples could not understand the announcement of his suffering or even accept it. They were afraid. As Pope St Leo the Great declared, “The great reason for the transfiguration was to remove the scandal of the cross from the hearts of his disciples and to prevent the humiliation of his voluntary suffering from disturbing the faith of those who had witnessed the surpassing glory that lay concealed.”

And how we long for the same experience of transfiguration, especially in the moments of suffering, in moments of darkness. We easily conclude that those disciples were really lucky to see what they saw and to hear what they heard. And what about us, poverini, the poor ones? But Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and so are his disciples! Like them we lose trust very easily, when the road gets bumpy, when it starts to become cloudy in our following. The Father gives us the same advice as he gave the fearful disciples on the cloudy mountain-top, “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to Him.” Listen to him even if he is talking about his suffering and death. Trust him! Listen to him when you are lost, when in the darkness of temptation, when fearful of your weakness, when your vision is clouded and you have lost sight of the way. And lo and behold, listening to Jesus in his Word you are enlightened! Transfigured! If we want to be transfigured we must listen. The key to the transfiguration is listening. Only the one who listens will be transformed from a caterpillar to a butterfly this Lent. Listening helps us grow in a trusting relationship in this God who loves us and who supports us.

I remember a meeting of our community before the World Youth Day in Cologne in 2005 when I was in charge of accommodating 200 people in tents. The weather was terrible, cold, windy and worst of all with torrential downpours. What encouraged me was the help of my dad with his 30 years experience in the military and also the faith of the overall organizer, a German sister in my community. Whenever I shared to her about the worsening situation she would always respond, “If God is for us who can be against us?” And sure enough all the guests survived the unforgettable camping experience! How important it is to really trust in God. On the dollar bill it states “In God we trust.” But do we really? Our experience is often like that of the disciples whose faith was shaken in the announcement of the Lord’s Passion. They could not understand and were afraid. It is as if God’s tender care for us is conditional and so when things are going well “He loves me.” But when suffering comes, when we don’t control everything, when we don’t understand and have to wait, we conclude “He loves me not.” But is God’s love for us really inconsistent? Or are we the ones who are just a little bit fickle at times?

God’s love for us is steady, total and constant. He does not even spare his own Son. In the first reading today we see the trust of Abraham who was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac. But in the moment of the test God provides a ram for the sacrifice, prefiguring the offering of God’s son, the Lamb of God. This is why St Paul exclaims so boldly, If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?” (Romans 8:31-34) With God on your side that is already a majority. God is for you. Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us.” As we read in the Jerome biblical commentary on this verse “God the judge has already announced sentence in our favour; hence there is no reason to expect anything different from him thereafter.” And as St John Chrysostom noted If He gave His own Son, and not merely gave Him, but gave Him to death, why doubt any more about the rest, since you have the Master?” We should not doubt God’s love for us, this Father who to ransom a slave gave away His Son.

Let us listen to the beloved Son this Lent, to trust him even when he talks of his Passion and death. With his disciples when they heard the voice of the Father they fell down afraid. Jesus touched them and said “Rise!” Jesus will not be slow to respond. His touch transfigures moments of fear and darkness. He will not let us down. With his grace we too can become agents of change, able to transfigure the world around us. Let us journey this Lent with added confidence. Let us wait patiently for the transfiguration in moments of suffering. Surely this is the best training for the Easter experience where we shall share in the suffering and death of Jesus, by hoping and fixing our gaze on the eternal Transfiguration of his Resurrection. Amen.