In John 15:5, Jesus says, “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit”
I have had apples on my mind. The last few weeks scripture and life has made me think a lot about fruit…abundance and blessing that comes from fruit but also the rottenness that can slip into our fruit and the fruitfulness we are called to live. First, a few years ago I read an article about the renascence of the apple industry. If I remember correctly, the article was focused on how the local farmer markets were feeding a boom in the varieties of apples. How unlike the large super markets with just a few varieties of apples, many of the small and local varieties were making a comeback because of the “farmer market.” So, this week I searched the internet with a simple question, How many varieties of apples are in the world. The answer: more than 7,500 varieties. What a great blessing. And then I thought about how there were even within the varieties many more than this because of the natural variances like; where were they grow, how much rain and when it came, the sun, the wind, the chill of night and heat of day, the altitude and soil, all producing a difference. Then the man made: the pruning, the irrigation, the fertilizer and the other ways trees are cared for, including the genetic selection and engineering, producing again variation in variations. I think you get the point. Each tree, each apple from the tree produces a fruit that will taste different…but it is still an apple. Can the tree produce bad fruit. Yes. Lack of care, natural environmental problems and disease or other issues can cause a tree to produce bad tasting and rotten or inedible fruit. And if the conditions persist, it may mean the destruction of tree…but not always. This is where God’s grace is important. We as the tree called to produce good and abundant fruit can at times fall short. We can allow the contagion of sin to begin to poison the fruit of life we are called to be to others and if we persist in the sin we will die. But in God’s grace we can be healed and nurtured back to be once more the fruitful tree of abundance where the blessing we share give life to others as we grow as one family together. What is important to remember is while we are all called to produce abundant of good fruit, each of us, whether apples or pears, oranges or kiwis, the varieties of gifts is more than is imaginable in the blessing of God’s abundance and mercy. God Bless Fr. Mark.
“You nursed me with the spiritual milk of your divine utterances. You kept me alive with the solid food of the body of Jesus Christ, you’re only-begotten son and our God, and you let me drink from the chalice of his life-giving blood, poured out to save the whole world.” (St. John Damascene)
I read the above quote a few days ago in my morning office as I sat before the Blessed Sacrament in prayer. And the phrase “I get to be” came in to my heart.
What do I mean in uttering this phrase? Let’s begin with a little banner I have hanging on my office door. It is a banner I got when I visited Fr. Paul Mensah in Ghana Africa several years ago. It simply says, “The Secret of my Joy is Jesus”. It is a joy that fills and empties you at the same time. You find this joy when you get to be. It has been a little mantra I often use at night before bed and when I wake in the morning. I get to be a priest of Jesus Christ. It is a gentle reminder that on the worst of days and the best of days nothing can rob me of this joy. I get to be… Once in conversation with a husband and father we talked about getting to be and how that should bring joy…he “get’s to be” the husband to his wife, the father to his children. On the best of days and on the worst of days he receives the joy of this blessing. He get’s to be…
This does not mean that the problems, sins and confusion will not be present but we are called, as St. John Damascene reminds us, to become a living prayer in our sacramental life. We get to be with Jesus. We get to love and be loved. We get to be… Each person is invited into this being where we discover a peacefulness, a contentedness, and yes, a joyfulness because we have encountered Jesus the source of life. Where ultimately it is that I simply get to be, a life, a gift from our God and Creator. God bless
if you have a chance, please donate to Awaso Hope Foundation in memory of Fr. Paul Mensah for the education of children in his home village of Awaso Ghana Africahttp://awasohope..org
Comenzamos nuestro viaje de Adviento 2025 preparando nuestros corazones, mentes y almas para recibir a Jesús en el Sacramento y en espíritu a través de nuestras oraciones. Únase a nosotros en San Lorenzo Mártir para esta gran aventura.
Viaje de Adviento #12 El nacimiento del Niño Jesús Cómo explota mi corazón de asombro. Todos tenemos momentos, especialmente los padres en el nacimiento de un hijo, en los que nuestro corazón explota de asombro, alegría y bendición. Todo cambia y aunque pensemos que estamos preparados, esta nueva realidad nos muestra lo mucho que nunca estamos preparados del todo y lo mucho que dependemos de la confianza en Dios para seguir adelante. Oremos.
Viaje de Adviento #11 Mientras continuamos nuestro viaje de Adviento, miramos a nuestro alrededor para descubrir a Dios. Esto me recuerda dos canciones muy populares. La primera es “Stand By Me” de Ben E. King. La segunda es “You Got a Friend” cantada por James Taylor. Ambas canciones hablan de confiar en otro para que nos apoye y nos acompañe. Este es nuestro reflejo a los ojos de Dios, quien nos envió a nuestro Emmanuel “Dios con nosotros” que desea caminar con nosotros, apoyarnos y dar un paso más… Él nos salva del pecado y de la muerte. Caminar y crecer en la fe con amigos, familiares y todos. Una referencia más a una canción… es el club de fútbol Liverpool… “You Never Walk Alone” cantada por Jerry and the Pacemakers. Mientras meditamos hoy sobre la Sagrada Escritura… y cantamos junto con ellos una de estas grandes canciones.
Viaje de Adviento #10 Cuando digo el nombre de Jesús, también digo mi nombre. Digo el nombre de mi cónyuge, mis padres, hermanos y cada persona que conozco. El nombre de Jesús nos recuerda que estamos llamados a ser una bendición. ¿Utilizo el nombre de los demás para mostrar esa misma bendición? Viendo la bendición y el don de la persona cuyo nombre digo, de la misma manera nos convertimos en la bendición que pronunciamos. Nombramos a Jesús como nuestro Salvador y Redentor y nos nombramos a nosotros mismos como sus hermanas y hermanos.
Viaje de Adviento #9 En este segundo domingo de Adviento se nos recuerda que el Espíritu Santo de Dios nos llena y nos llama, como a Juan el Bautista, a invocar la presencia del Reino y el arrepentimiento de nuestros pecados. El pequeño libro azul nos recuerda que debemos reflexionar y trabajar por la pureza de vida, por estar sin pecado, en nuestro camino de discipulado. “Y ésta es mi oración por ustedes: Que su amor siga creciendo más y más y se traduzca en un mayor conocimiento y sensibilidad espiritual” (Fil 1:9).
Viaje de Adviento #7 Como nos recuerda el librito azul, somos parte del plan de Dios, desde el momento de la concepción en el vientre de nuestra madre hasta el día de nuestra muerte. Somos una bendición de Dios. El camino que recorremos al decir sí y escuchar la Palabra de Dios nos lleva por un camino de esperanza y amor. Nuestra invitación es a ser como San José y participar en el plan de salvación siguiendo la voluntad de Dios y su plan para nosotros cada día.
San José es un hombre extraordinario, llamado por Dios a hacer cosas extraordinarias. Su testimonio silencioso de amor a la esposa y a la familia nos inspira a elegir la vida y la unidad del matrimonio en nuestras propias vidas. Como protector de la familia, nos muestra que en la oración, el ayuno y la entrega de nuestras vidas a Dios podemos dar testimonio con nuestra presencia del amor que crea y unifica a las familias y las comunidades. San José… ruega por nosotros.
¿Cómo podemos permitir que el Espíritu Santo llene nuestras vidas? Al igual que la Oración de Jesús, a menudo una frase sencilla como “Jesús, ten piedad de mí, pobre pecador” para invocar al Espíritu Santo puede ser tan fácil como: “Ven Espíritu Santo” cuando nos sentamos en silencio en oración meditativa. Al reflexionar sobre la lectura de hoy en el Pequeño Libro Azul, cuando comiences a sentirte distraído, invoca al Espíritu Santo para que calme tu corazón y tu mente.
Escuchamos las historias de nuestra familia y comunidad sobre quiénes somos. A veces, cuando nos hacemos una prueba de ADN, descubrimos algo diferente. Lo mismo puede decirse de nuestra fe: a veces descubrimos tradiciones y entendimientos nuevos y bendecidos sobre quiénes somos llamados por Dios a ser sus hijos e hijas. Los animo a que sigan orando en familia para compartir su historia de fe. Dios los bendiga
El primer martes de Adviento (3/12/24) estamos invitados una vez más a reflexionar sobre la genealogía de Jesús y cómo la participación de Nuestra Santísima Madre en este camino es un regalo especial. Feliz Memoria de San Francisco Javier SJ.
La primera semana, el primer lunes de Adviento. Es importante recordar la historia de nuestra fe y quiénes nos ayudan a crecer en ella. En estas reflexiones podemos empezar a ver el rostro y la presencia de Jesús en aquellos que nos han desafiado en nuestra fe. Pueden estar viviendo con nosotros ahora mismo o ser antepasados que nos han dado el don y la bendición de la fe. Tómese un tiempo para abrir nuestros corazones al llamado a ser más como Jesús al vivir nuestra fe hoy y todos los días.
En este primer día de Adviento, se nos invita a prepararnos y esperar la venida de Jesús. Es sólo el comienzo, pero debe llevarnos al lugar al que estamos llamados a estar: en la presencia de Dios. 12-1-2024
We begin our Advent Journey 2025 by preparing our hearts, minds and souls to receive Jesus in Sacrament and in spirit through our prayers. Join us at St. Lawrence the Martyr for this great adventure.
Advent Journey #12 The birth of the Child Jesus
How my heart explodes in wonder. We each have moments, especially parents at the birth of a child, were our hearts explode in wonder, joy and blessing. Everything changes and even though we may think we are prepared this new reality shows us how much we are never prepared fully and completley and how mch we rely on trust in God to move forward. Let us pray.
Advent Journey #11 As we continue our Advent Journey, we look around to discover God. This reminds me of two very popular songs. The first is “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King. The second is “You Got a Friend” sung by James Taylor. Both songs speak of relying on another to support and be with. This is our reflection in the eyes of God who sent us our Emmanuel “God with us” who desires to walk with us, support us and going one step further…He saves us from sin and death. Walking with and growing in faith with friends, family and everyone. One more song reference…it is the Liverpool football club…”You Never Walk Alone” sung by Jerry and the Pacemakers. As we meditate today on the Sacred Scripture….and sing along withe one of these great songs.
Advent Journey #10 When I speak the name of Jesus I also speak my name. I speak the name of my spouse, my parents, siblings and each person I meet. Jesus’ name reminds us we are called to be a blessing. Do I use the name of others to show forth that same blessing? Seeing the blessing and gift of the person whose name I speak and in a like manner we become the blessing we speak. Name Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer and we name ourselves as his sisters and brothers.
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Advent Journey #9 On this Second Sunday in Advent we are reminded that God’s Holy Spirit fills us and calls us to, like John the Baptist, call out the Kingdom present and the repentance of our sins. The little blue book reminds us that we need to ponder and work toward the purity of life, to be sinless, in our road of discipleship. “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,” (Phil 1:9)
Advent Journey #8 As we are reminded in the little blue book, we are part of God’s plan, from the moment of conception in our mother’s womb until the day of our death. We are a blessing from God. The road we travel in saying yes, and listening to the Word of god leads us on a journey of hope and love. Our invitation is to be like St. Joseph and particpate in the plan of salvation by following God’s will and his plan for us each day.
St. Joseph is a remarkable man who is called to do remarkable things by God. His silent testimony to love of wife and family inspires us to choose life and the unity of marriage in our own lives. As protector of the family, he shows us in prayer, fasting and giving of our lives to God we are able to witness with our presence the love which creates and unifies families and communities. St. Joseph…pray for us.
How do allow the Holy Spirit to fill our lives? Much like the Jesus Prayer, often a simple phrase like “Jesus, Have mercy on me a poor sinner” calling upon the Holy Spirit can be as easy as: “Come Holy Spirit” when we sit silently in meditative prayer. As you reflect on todays’s reading in the Little Blue Book, when you begin to feel distracted, call on the Holy Spirit to quiet your heart and mind.
We listen to the stories of who we are from our family and community. Sometimes when we take a DNA test we discover something different. The same can be said of our faith, sometimes we discover new and blessed traditions and understandings about who God call us to be as his sons and daughters. I would encourage you to continue to pray as family in sharing your faith story. God Bless
The first Tuesday in Advent (12/3/24) we are invited once more to reflect on the genealogy of Jesus and how Our Blessed Mother’s participation in this journey is a special gift. Happy Memorial of St. Francis Xavier SJ.
The First Week, the first Monday of Advent. Recalling the history of our faith, and who help us to grow in faith is important. In these reflections we can begin to see the face and presence of Jesus in those who have challenged us in our faith. They may be living with us right now or ancestors who have given us the gift and blessing of faith. Take time to open our hearts to the call to be more like Jesus in living out our faith today and every day.
On this first day of Advent, we are challenged to prepare and to await the coming of Jesus. It is just the beginning, but it should lead us to the place we are called to be: in the presence of God.
I love Icons—they are truly beautiful and their gaze is penetrating to the soul of the person. As I pray with them their eyes gaze upon me and I am invited to gaze back. It is a moment of seeing and being seen. We begin to see God clearly because the gaze draws forth the small, the laugh and the hope of love. It is the gaze of a spousal love, a parental love that goes beyond any description. What God does not want is for us to look at him as some curiosity, something to be dissected. He does not wish us to put him on a shelf like a beautiful knick-knack or hang it upon a wall like a wondrous oil painting. God does not want us to view him through the lens of a camera/cell phone where we can add all sorts of filters and other “add-ons” that obscure and remake the beauty into something we control and construct. Our Father simply wants us to gaze upon his beauty as he gazes upon our beauty made in His image. Our Father gazes upon our beauty not as static but as an ever transforming in our conversion towards the holy in becoming the saints we are made to be. He gazes upon us through the gift of free will where his invitation is always to return his gaze from the cross. The gaze is an encounter to be seen and to see like two lovers joining together in life. The gaze that transforms and sees beyond the hurt and enters into healing and renewal of live. The gaze reminds us of how God is not a check list of prayer to be done but he is “Our Father” who loves us before we were formed in our mother’s wombs. The penetrating gaze of God is not accusatory, rather it is an invitation to encounter his mercy and love and in this becoming an Icon of beauty.
The 10th Word: A Word of Surprise: What is Love—Adventures in Grace
The million dollar question; What is love? Our Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The answer is so simple that we forget it because we like looking for it in the complicated. The Most Holy Trinity is love. We discover the answer in the love of family, community. We discover the answer in prayer and the sacramental life. We discover the answer in the service and sacrifice in caring for the other. It is the search of being faithful to the struggle in the continued search for holiness in our lives and for others. It is the constant refrain of dying to self. Think of a story of love. Where the husband cared for his ailing wife. Where a mother watched over her children playing in the park. Where two friends sat at a table in a coffee shop talking. It is a little boy tossing a ball up in the air and catching it again and again. It is the tired father gathering his children in his arms to read a story of love. It is the silent child contemplating a bug.
Almighty God, author of my life, help me learn to read what you have written on my heart Give me discerning eyes and an untiring spirit to look within me in order to understand how to reach outside of me. give me the generosity to help others to read you, to sound you out one letter, one word of radical giving at a time —Author Unknown
I don’t remember learning to read, it happened gradually as it does for most children. I do remember when I began to move from word to story. It all began with a little boy named Mark, who played in a park with a dog that would bark. At that moment I discovered how my imagination allowed me to become that little boy playing with his dog and how the adventure could move beyond the page of the book into the greater idea of meaning in a letter, a word, phrase and story. I could read. God reads us and in turn we are invited to read God who is the living Word, as the prayer above suggests…one letter, one syllable, word and sentence at a time. It is discerning the pattern, the phonic sound, the syntax. True discerning of Gods will, my journey to do his will is always that, sometimes simply, sometimes complex, in walking with others becoming the center of the story in Jesus and then going out to toil in learning to read once with others which in grace and blessing brings the other back to the center with Jesus…again and again, over and over with some stories becoming fruitful while others a jumble of letters and phrases, unintelligible in the beginning but in reality a story to be shared and given in God. God who in the Spirit will help us to rewrite and unscramble the fear and failure into the beauty of a living word. The fusion of God’s grace and blessing and our acceptance the becomes a reality, a story of life and love amidst the hurt and sin that surround us. In discerning the spiritual blessings and the decision we make we begin to decipher anew how our stories become deeper and more full of life where the next chapter gathers the past into a foundation of a future of blessing. The temptation is to fear the fusion of the Spirits fire and all make the story about me and only me, my hero story where we never write the next chapter but begin to fearfully repeat with unimaginative variation the small story again and again. Never looking outward to hear other stories or find the other in our story that is worthy of growing…to never seek the second chapter, the continued journey, the quest for the greater but remain stuck in the repeating script of mediocrity. God sending us out is the invitation to be life—go be life giving—to be a child who enters into the imagination of God.
The Seventh Word: Balanced—to absorb and be absorbed
In seeking freedom we are often searching for a balance in life but find ourselves trapped into an illusion, the deception of the evil of the sin of isolation instead of the union we desire. We close our spiritual eyes, the eyes of our heart, and allow our physical desires tome from satisfied into the excess of indulgence the feeds the gluttony of our desires. Our heart breaks and instead of turning around, we say: Let’s try that again. The deception is that fantasy while the truth means confronting the messiness of the story that takes time, effort, pain and sorrow as St. Catherine of Sienna reminds us, “He who grows in love, grows in grief” The fantasy we fall for is the false spirit who blinds us with a vision of glory. With a spotlight shining towards a great and glorious accomplishment somewhere in the future where we are tempted to run as fast as we can, forgetting everyone and everything to grab on to the fantasy, the vision of glory. The false spirit keeps the temptation alive by allowing us small victories that quickly turn to dust in relationship, conquests and flattery of how great we are. The Holy Spirit, the truth of God, invites not with a shining trinket but with the voice of trust to take on small step where the lamp of God guides our footsteps, our ministry, our life to walk with the other in the shared ministry of trust. He says, Follow me, and we respond in the confidence of hope that foundation that we are building is true in the creating the true future…not of our making…of God’s holy will. We seek God not a goal. The false spirit of fantasy temps us to move beyond the path with others and find the shortcut of unfreedom, where holiness becomes an exercise of my will and ego against the love of God and the community. The true Holy Spirit invite each of us into a the cross, the holy work the conversion from death to life. Choosing life is accepting the journey…on slow step at a time…the unwinding of the story of God’s plan, It is the life of absorbing the grace. The stretching and expanding grace of love where we are called to be absorbed into something even greater: becoming…just becoming like God.
The Eighth Word: Respond—slow down—prayer—invitation
In the beginning God spoke a word of creation, and it was good. In the beginning God speaks a word of creation to each of us, a daughter and son, in which we are asked to respond. He speaks: “follow me” and continues with the invitation “remain in me”. The in-between of the then follows with at the experience of so many things including the miracles, blessings, loves, joys and peace (to name a few) were we discover the truth of grace—mercy—reconciliation in the middle muddling of life. It is in the slow-down and the prayer we soon discover the moment to be with in the groundwork of relationship. A relationship joining the first and last words to constantly beating and growing in our heart. Life begins with a daily, hourly and each minute response and choice to love and be love, to seek and be sought, to be embraced and to embrace by the beloved and those others in our lives. I like the responding to the call: it is full of excitement, possibility and movement. I like the invitation to remain because there is a the promise of peaceful and restful of holding and being held in a soft and warm embrace. The middle, the work of discipleship is hard—unrelenting, it is full of failures and hurts where I cannot always grasps the smallness of the necessary miracles or the grandness of the joy of companionship because I am in the middle where distraction and the next thing always seem to be vying for attention. The middle of prayer, of slowing down of remembering “in the beginning” become the initial love and the promised love of eternal gift. The middle becomes the soil fertilized and tilled producing he fruit of abundance. It is the surprise of seeing the first sprout, it is the hard work of the harvest…it becomes the banquet where we are once more asked to respond and invited to remain in love.
God takes the initiative to call me and my response is often; What? Really? Are you sure? In truth He calls each of us by name, He chooses us….what is our response. We know how He tirelessly calls us by name, he never stops and invites us again and again to say, in love, one simple word “Yes”. I can often fear this call. I can often doubt I am worthy of this call. I often run from this call. I often refuse to be embraced by this call. Yet, the insistence of the call continues, the whisper, the breeze, the gentle movement of the heart continually seeks to enter the spaces where the the noise, the storms, the hardness of the world can never fill, can never satisfy, can never bring true peace. The temptation of loosing oneself in the world is to become the object, something that becomes limited, easily used up, tossed away for the next thing. To loose oneself in Christ is to become the son/daughter, to become someone to be discovered and rediscovered in the infinite love of beauty. We hear the whisper of “in the beginning God made” as the renewed invitation where he chooses me (each person) to enter into a relationship where the embrace of God brings us home. It is the moment where we allow ourselves to be embraced, I allow myself to be embraced and held, to be healed by the good where I am discovered and rediscovered anew.
The Fourth Word: At the mercy of….the road of blindness (MK 10:46-52)
I imagine being at the mercy of God and being called in my blindness. I have stumbled about and went by the most difficult road; a path of despair, of fear and of hurt and injury. The path of anger where it becomes normal to confront those who seem to make the journey so much for difficult. It is here that I hear his voice, faint but strong. A voice that begins to lead me, and if I choose to follow, to discover a road, a way of care and blessing, of hope and trust, and I realize, that I am already there, in His mercy. As as I move to Him, I hear the laugh of welcome in his voice, the calm certainty of the joy of the final steps of the journey, the feeling you have of taking those final few steps to the pinnacle, where the tiredness, hurt and soreness of the journey slip away into beauty. It is a journey taken many times because of the stubbornness I have in holding on in the pride of my sins, where in blindness I shout “I can do this myself.” Where I ignore and forget the gentle call of the whisper of love. The journey is, God’s call. I am called as I am to be renewed in the “I AM” of God’s blessings: healed and called, renewed and called, loved and called—where the shortness of the journey is the reality, I am already there because he has never left me. It is the moment where the tears of joy are renewed in the familial love of the Father. Jesus sees, calls and loves.
The Fifth Word: Adventures in Grace…at the foot of the Cross
Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is—Christ —for Christ plays in ten thousand places. Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his To the Father through the creatures of men’s faces. Gerard Manly Hopkins, S. J. from “As Kingfishers Catch Fire”
God’s grace is practical as love is practical. It is not practical as the the world would say practical—but practical as a life of relationship, friendship would say it—it is practical like putting on a well worn and comfortable sweatshirt on a chilly day, it is practical like smiling at a child, it is practical hearing the song bird in the morning or the simple tune of praise in the church. I get to choose what is best, because God chooses what is best for me. It is the free will of practical love, of practical grace. The adventure comes from he acceptance of a super abundance—not from scarcity or stinginess—it is the monsoon flowing from the side of Christ on the Cross. We are reminded once again how God sees as we read the verse from the Hopkins’ poem above. It is how Our Lady of Guadalupe saw when she looked upon San Juan Diego. It is how St. Clare saw when she study herself and the world in the mirror of the eyes of love. It is the practical of seeing the other as a friend. Practical can often stop us from singing, dancing, loving and playing—God’s practical relishes all of these gifts because the give life—the most practical and wondrous thing ever. Playing with God isn’t silliness, it is liveliness—it is being, just being, being enfolded in friendship and truth—the liberating of the soul unlocking the chains “for Christ plays in ten thousand places” It is very practical.
The first word— Do not come ready for a fight; come ready to surrender.
We often come to God ready for a fight rather than to surrender to His Divine Will. We are challenged to turn the table…enter into state of conversion…and “follow Him” who invites us into love. We are reminded in our surrender that; we are blessed in the gifts of life and love given to us. Accepting these gifts is to surrender to the who I am and let go of the who the world tells me I am. We are reminded of the blessings we are to God and to others. We are told by so many saints in history that God has no other hands, feet, mouth or presence than our hands, feet, words and presence in this world. Jesus sends his disciples (us) out to be a blessing. If I can recognize my surrender, my conversion and my blessing then I am able to freely share…my life with God and others. We are reminded that we are beloved children of God. A beloved son or a beloved daughter born in baptism and called to the obedience of love. We are loved. Just because we are, we are loved by Our Father. I need not be other than who I am and to be in Him…with Him in doing His will. We come to surrender— in the sunrise and the sunset we become the blessed in these ever changing mosaics of love for us…for me it is in the still water reflecting the light and in the rain drops that become the prism of the splendor of the rainbow of promise in the deep dark pool of water drawing us to look into a mystery, into a greater We come to surrender
The second word—It is about Invitation to see beyond ourselves
The invitation to confession and repentance (metanoia) “Gaze upon the mirror each day, O Queen and Spouse of Jesus Christ, and continually study your face within.” St. Clare of Assisi
They say that in the recent study of the Tilma of Guadalupe in the eyes of Our Lady is the image of St. Juan Diego along with two other figures. I can imagine how Juan Diego gazing at the Blessed Virgin was lost in the eyes of love. The mirror of love our eyes become. “Gaze upon the mirror…continually study your face within” We know this feeling as the saying goes on earth of how we are lost in the eyes of our lover. How those in love gaze and see the very best of who they are in the eyes of their beloved. Lost and found at the say time…it is an invitation to see beyond ourselves. When we are able to gaze into the eyes of Jesus, Jesus on the Cross and enter into the eyes of love and forgiveness, we can begin to see beyond our selves as our reflection is that of the purity of love…seeing ourselves as God sees us. The conversion, metanoia, is to begin to be able to see the reflection of the beauty of Christ in each person, where in our eyes they become worthy and loved in the real image of Jesus Christ. It is about invitation and seeing beyond ourselves. It is not a command….it is an invitation to follow Him….to see with the eyes of life Do I see the flowers that radiate the colors and movement of joy? Do I see the tree that becomes the home of a bird, a squirrel, an insect…of life? Do I see the sky, still and full, quiet and unmoving? Do I see the dirt full of potential, of life, of death? Do I allow myself to be seen? Do I see God?
“Words are powerful; never think they’re not. The gap between any word and what it describes is slider beyond measure—or it should be….Lies attack our perception of the world.” (p. 103-104)
God is so good. When we read the quote above we can remember the Word of God is in our hearts and should be on our tongue. Each word we speak should be one of bringing ourselves in closer union with God and with each other. The power of each word is the power to heal and bring peace. This is a truth even in the correction of neighbor or the calling out the hurt of society. The Word of God is a Word of Love and as we hear in the Letter to the Hebrews it is “sharper than any two-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12) Truth is both liberating and painful. It is both joyous and troubling of heart when we stand against the lies of the world. “Read will go on to say that the false “isms” of the world often look very similar to God’s call to follow him,, but they lie and bend and twist and distort little by little the true path and entrap the follower not in Love but in isolation and fear. It is the 1% rule on the journey of life…if we begin our journey towards truth and life (God) and we take the 1% deviation, then by the end of the journey we may not be feet from our destination but hundreds of miles…but this is the gift of the “two-edged sword” of love and mercy…the correction of forgiveness, conversion, and truth turns us back to the true destination of our life. God. In this we must be firm in our faith and in living and speaking our faith. as our Lord Jesus reminds us, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20)
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Prov 18:21)
quotes from “Annunciation: A Call to Faith in a Broken World”, by Sally Read
Reflexiones de Cuaresma utilizando el Librito Negro. Gracias por leer y orar con nosotros durante la Cuaresma. Por favor, perdona mis faltas de lenguaje.
Reflexión Cuaresmal 30-03-23 Esperando el sábado. Esperar es difícil: orar, reunirse en compañerismo y recordar son los regalos de la espera.
Reflexión Cuaresmal 29-03-24 Viernes Santo Silencio y Oración. Tómate un tiempo hoy para reflexionar sobre la narrativa de la pasión.
Reflexión Cuaresmal 28-03-24 “Fue a persentarse a Pilato para pedirle el cuerpo de Jesús”. La ayuda de otro es una gran bendición. ¿A quién está invitando Dios a tender la mano y ayudar hoy?
Reflexión Cuaresmal 27-03-24 ¿Qué hacemos ahora? ¿Cuál es el desafío de Dios para nosotros? Vivir en comunidad es difícil, pero es en comunidad donde crecemos en compasión, amor y misericordia. Abraza la cruz de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.
Reflexión Cuaresmal 26-03-24 “expiró.” (Lc 24,46) El silencio llenó la tierra. Estamos llamados a vivir para los demás, no para nosotros mismos.
Reflexión Cuaresmal 25-03-24 “De cierto os digo, hoy estaréis conmigo en el Paraíso.” (Lc 23,43) Buscar el perdón y la misericordia y el amor de Dios ofrecidos gratuitamente.
