Chosen for the Cross

Saturday, 9 August 2014 + Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

El gran mártir de Auschwitz que recordamos hoy, Santa Teresa Benedicta de la Cruz, dijo una vez: "Uno no puede desear la libertad de la Cruz cuando uno es elegido especialmente para la Cruz." La extraordinaria vida de esta mujer toma del Evangelio nos enteramos, porque es en la vida de Edith Stein que vemos cómo incluso cuando uno posee el don de la fe del tamaño de una semilla de mostaza, nada será imposible para nosotros.

Mis amigos, este don de la fe debe constantemente nos preparan para la Cruz. Que han sido elegidos para seguir a Cristo a través de nuestro bautismo, debemos ser conscientes de que, también, hemos sido elegidos para la Cruz. Sin embargo, como el gran mártir, somos capaces de vivir el misterio de la Cruz Cuando entreguemos nuestras vidas al increíble regalo de la fe que el Señor desea otorgar a nosotros. El servicio que nos involucramos en esta semana nos lleva no sólo a la Cruz, pero también nos permite profundizar ese don de la fe que tanto deseamos; la gente que servimos esta semana nos ayude en nuestro camino a la Cruz, y su ayuda es un acto de su fe se profundizó por nuestra presencia.

Confiando en que Dios profundizan nuestra fe que nos lleva a la Cruz, rezamos en las palabras de Teresa Benedicta: Oh mi Dios, llena mi alma con gozo Santo, valor y fuerza para servirle a usted. Enciende tu amor en mí y luego caminar conmigo a lo largo del siguiente tramo de la carretera delante de mí. Yo no lo veo muy lejos, pero cuando he llegado donde el horizonte ahora cierra sus puertas una nueva perspectiva se abrirá ante mí, y que lo conoceré con paz. Amén.

        The great martyr of Auschwitz who we remember today, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, once said: “One cannot desire freedom from the Cross when one is especially chosen for the Cross.” The extraordinary life of this woman takes hold of the Gospel we just heard, for it is in the life of Edith Stein that we see how even when one possesses the gift of faith the size of a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible for us.

        My friends, this gift of faith must constantly prepare us for the Cross. We, who have been chosen to follow Christ through our baptism, must be aware that we, too, have been chosen for the Cross. Yet, like the great martyr, we are able to live the Mystery of the Cross when we submit our lives to the awesome gift of faith which the Lord desires to bestow upon us. The service we engage in this week leads us not only to the Cross, but also allows us to deepen that gift of faith which we so desire; the people that we serve this week help us on our way to the Cross, and their help is an act of their faith being deepened by our presence.

        Trusting that God will deepen our faith as He leads us to the Cross, we pray in the words of Teresa Benedicta: O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve You. Enkindle Your love in me then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived where the horizon now closes down a new prospect will open before me, and I shall meet it with peace. Amen.

---------------------

Enjoy the journey . . .  

Proclaiming Christ

Friday, 8 August 2014 + Saint Dominic

Henri Nouwen, el gran autor espiritual católico y sacerdote del siglo vigésimo, una vez dijo: "Mi más profunda vocación es ser testigo de las visiones de Dios he podido atrapar". Mis hermanos (y hermanas), cuando perdemos nuestras vidas por el Evangelio, nos abrimos a la plétora de atisbos de la presencia de Dios en nuestro medio. Santo Domingo, que hoy honramos, lo hizo de manera específica como fundó la Orden de Predicadores – hombres y mujeres, que vinieron a predicar el evangelio a través de sus palabras, aunque no exclusivamente eventualmente. Por medio de su predicación, Domingo dio su vida por causa del Evangelio; por medio de su predicación, este Santo se abrió para atrapar los vislumbres de Dios obrando en las vidas de aquellos a quienes él difundir el Evangelio.

Y así debe ser para nosotros. Cada uno de nosotros aquí hoy debe estar dispuesto a dar nuestras vidas no sólo por el evangelio o nuestra relación con Jesucristo, sino por la oportunidad de abrir nuestros corazones a las profundidades de nuestra vocación y para ver nuestro Señor en los caminos de la vida tranquilos y normales. Somos testigo de esas visiones de Dios en nuestras vidas, para que, a su vez, nos podemos dar nuestras vidas para que aquellos que servimos pueden ver que Cristo proclamó en nosotros.

        Henri Nouwen, the great Catholic spiritual author and priest of the Twentieth Century, once said, “My deepest vocation is to be a witness to the glimpses of God I have been allowed to catch.” My brothers and sisters, when we lose our lives for the sake of the Gospel, we open ourselves up to the plethora of glimpses of the presence of God in our midst. Saint Dominic, who we honor today, did this in a specific fashion as he established the Order of Preachers – men, and eventually women, who came to preach the Gospel through their words, though not exclusively. Through his preaching, Dominic laid down his life for the sake of the Gospel; through his preaching, this saint opened himself up to catch the glimpses of God working in the lives of those to whom he spread the Gospel.

        And so it must be for us. Each of us here today must be willing to lay down our lives not just for the sake of the Gospel or our relationship with Jesus Christ, but for the opportunity to open our hearts to the very depths of our vocation, and to see our Lord in the quiet and ordinary ways of life. We are to witness those glimpses of God in our lives, so that, in turn, we may lay down our lives so that those we serve may see Christ proclaimed in us.

-----------------------

Enjoy the journey . . .  

"Who Is Jesus?"

Thursday, 7 August 2014

En nuestro evangelio de hoy, Jesús propone la pregunta a sus discípulos: "¿Vosotros quién decís que soy?" Tendría sin duda que hoy tenemos que se han reunido en este sagrado espacio mostraría la respuesta de Pedro de "Tú eres el Cristo, el hijo del Dios viviente". Sin embargo es importante que se han reunido aquí hoy, si somos de Pittsburgh o Patzún, podemos responder a la pregunta planteada por Jesús reconociendo el hijo del Dios viviente en los rostros de la gente que servimos.

Sin embargo, también se oyen el redargüir de Pedro por Jesús cuando el pescador era incapaz de comprender los planes de Dios. Esto somos nosotros, también. A veces como podemos ver el despliegue de los planes de Dios en aquellos a quienes servimos, nos convertimos en frustrado y confundido. Siempre que no podemos comprender el plan eterno del Padre. Pedro no podía, porque estaba pensando con la mente de un ser humano. Es en estos momentos cuando pensamos con nuestra limitada mente humana y no confiar en la mente y voluntad de Dios, que prohibimos la gracia de Dios para hacer lo que debe hacerse.

Si realmente creemos que Jesús no es sólo el Hijo del Dios viviente, pero también está presente en las vidas y los rostros de aquellos a quienes servimos, entonces debemos permitir que la voluntad y el plan de Dios para revelar como él quiere. A veces será frustrante, confusos e incomprensible para nosotros. Pero si verdaderamente creemos en que decimos que Jesús es, no tendremos nada que temer.

        In our Gospel today, Jesus proposes the question to His disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” I would have no doubt that we who have gathered in this sacred space today would echo Peter’s reply of “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Yet it is important that we who have gathered here today, whether we are from Pittsburgh or Patzún, can answer the question posed by Jesus by recognizing the Son of the living God in the faces of the people that we serve.

        However, we also hear the rebuking of Peter by Jesus when the fisherman was unable to comprehend the plans of God. This is us, as well. Sometimes as we see the unfolding of the plans of God in those whom we serve, we become frustrated and confused. We cannot always comprehend the eternal plan of the Father. Peter couldn’t, because he was thinking with the mind of a human being. It is in these moments when we think with our limited human minds, and not trusting in the mind and will of God, that we prohibit the grace of God to do what needs to be done.

        If we truly believe that Jesus is not only the Son of the living God, but also present in the lives and faces of those whom we serve, then we must allow the will and plan of God to unfold as He wants. It will be frustrating, confusing, and incomprehensible for us at times. But if we truly believe in who we say Jesus is, we will have nothing to fear.

--------------

Enjoy the journey . . .

Reflecting Mary's Joy

Homily for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
15 August 2014

        Joy.

        Mary’s life is an exceptional example of a life full of joy.

        Today we celebrate Mary’s entrance into the fullness of joy that she modeled for us in her life here on Earth. We also celebrate the fact that God gives us Mary as the example of what we are to become.

        But we can only do that by joy.

        Each day we are called to echo Mary’s song of praise – the Magnificat. Each day we are called to exhibit the joy of encountering Jesus Christ. Each day we are to imitate Mary through living in intimate ecstasy with our God, a relationship that we celebrate here with reckless abandon.

        Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium, reminds us that:

Mary was able to turn a stable into a home for Jesus, with poor swaddling clothes and an abundance of love. She is the handmaid of the Father who sings his praises. She is the friend who is ever concerned that wine not be lacking in our lives. She is the woman whose heart was pierced by a sword and who understands all our pain. As mother of all, she is a sign of hope for peoples suffering the birth pangs of justice. She is the missionary who draws near to us and accompanies us throughout life, opening our hearts to faith by her maternal love. (EG 286)

        It is because of her intimacy with our God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – that Mary is able to be joyful in the fulfilling of her vocation, even when that vocation may seem overwhelming and impossible to bear. It is here, then, where we, too, enter into that intimacy with our God so that we may be able to joyfully fulfill the vocation which God has given to us, no matter how overwhelming or impossible it may seem at times.

        It is here that we joyfully turn our hearts into a home for Jesus. It is here where we, the sons and daughters of the Father, joyfully sing His praises. It is here where we learn that joyful concern so that nothing is lacking in the lives of our family and friends. It is here that we acknowledge our pain and learn to bear it with joy. It is here that we pray that all our brothers and sisters know of the joy of God’s justice. It is here that we joyfully open our hearts to faith, accompanying others to know Jesus through our missionary activities.

        My brothers and sisters, if we hope to be one day where Mary is now, then we need to learn how to live our lives with joy. As we continue to echo Mary’s song of praise, we continue to wait with joyful hope for the day we share the life that Mary and all the angels and saints share in. And so we pray:

Mary, Virgin and Mother,
you who, moved by the Holy Spirit,
welcomed the word of life
in the depths of your humble faith:
as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One,
help us to say our own “yes”
to the urgent call, as pressing as ever,
to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

Filled with Christ’s presence,
you brought joy to John the Baptist,
making him exult in the womb of his mother.
Brimming over with joy,
you sang of the great things done by God.
Standing at the foot of the cross
with unyielding faith,
you received the joyful comfort of the resurrection,
and joined the disciples in awaiting the Spirit
so that the evangelizing Church might be born.

Obtain for us now a new ardor born of the resurrection,
that we may bring to all the Gospel of life
which triumphs over death.
Give us a holy courage to seek new paths,
that the gift of unfading beauty
may reach every man and woman. 

Virgin of listening and contemplation,
Mother of love, Bride of the eternal wedding feast,
pray for the Church, whose pure icon you are,
that she may never be closed in on herself
or lose her passion for establishing God’s kingdom.

Star of the new evangelization,
help us to bear radiant witness to communion,
service, ardent and generous faith,
justice and love of the poor,
that the joy of the Gospel
may reach to the ends of the earth,
illuminating even the fringes of our world.

Mother of the living Gospel,
wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones,
pray for us.

Amen. Alleluia!

--------------------------

Enjoy the journey . . .

Mission Countdown

Well, it's coming.

I have the opportunity to visit the great people of Guatemala in under a week, and I'm very much forward looking to go once again.

I enjoy the missions I have to Guatemala (this being my third). I enjoy the opportunity to grow as a person. However, this mission work is not about flying into a foreign country, being nice to a group of people for a time, and then leaving feeling good about yourself for doing something nice.

It's about the encounter with Jesus Christ.

As my missionary friend, Ryan, continuously reminds me in his bloggings and e-mails, the work of the missionary is about introducing and re-introducing Jesus Christ to those with whom you are working. It is about the spread of the Gospel - the "Good News" - and allowing the message of God's love to become active and alive in the midst of the people. It's about the joy that comes from loving people made in that Divine Image of Love, Himself. 

Looking back at some of the photos from my last visit, I'm excited to see the sisters again, to celebrate Mass for them (I do enjoy celebrating Mass in Spanish...), and to see the children at the school and orphanage once more. Hopefully whatever we do there (Mother hasn't quite told us yet . . .), we will be able to do for the good of the community - and that we won't mess anything up too bad!

In the end, I guess I look forward to these mission trips because I need to encounter Christ, as well. Not that I don't have those encounters in my prayer, the celebration of the Mass and the Sacraments, or in the interaction I have with people here in Pittsburgh - but it's good to get out of the ordinary, stretch your understanding on how God works, and witness it and be a witness to it in a place that's not your backyard. 

This is what I'm looking forward to:

 

Enjoy the journey . . .