Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion / Domingo de Ramos de la Pasión del Señor

What more can be said about today’s Gospel? We hear the proclamation of this Gospel in several voices, to help us enter into these final days of Jesus’ earthly life. The scheming of the chief priests and scribes before the Passover, the woman with the alabaster jar of oil prefiguring the anointing of his body for burial, Judas’ plan to betray him, the Last Supper and Jesus’ knowledge that he would soon be betrayed, the institution of the Eucharist so that he could remain with us until the end of time, Jesus’ prediction that the apostles would be scattered and their faith shattered. And then, all the events of Jesus’ profound Passion and Death.

We see his generous Heart, his agonizing Heart, the Heart that moans silently for someone to keep vigil with him for even an hour, the Heart that does not hesitate or draw back from the terrible execution for love of the Father and of us. Throughout all this long suffering, we see Jesus remaining steadfast before the will of the Father and concerned with consoling and strengthening those around him.

We also hear Jesus cry out the first words of Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” While we hear in that cry of his Heart the depths to which he was allowed to sink – to the sense of being forsaken by the Father, to the brink of despair – the psalm is really a painful prayer of hope. Jesus has certainly not given up on his relationship with the Father. He has not let go. Psalm 22 (which those at the foot of the Cross would have known well) begins with an accurate description of the scene on Calvary, from the vicious attack of Jesus’ enemies, to the details of the suffering he endured, to the dividing of his clothes. But the psalm then reaches out to God to come and deliver, to save him from this torture, and then moves on to praise the Lord. In his utter agony, Jesus enters into our own suffering and reminds us to cling to hope and to continue to offer praise.

While part of Psalm 22 was heard today as the Responsorial Psalm, we might pause to pray the whole psalm some time during this Holy Week; it is a profound meditation on the words of Jesus’ own agonizing Heart from the Cross. It gives us a glimpse of how low he descended into our own suffering, to redeem every last bit of physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual pain for us.

In His Cross, because of the Resurrection, we are all freed to bear our own crosses with love and hope.

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¿Qué más se puede decir sobre el evangelio de hoy? Escuchamos el anuncio de este Evangelio en varias voces, para ayudarnos a entrar en estos últimos días de la vida terrena de Jesús. Las intrigas de los sumos sacerdotes y los escribas antes de la Pascua, la mujer con el frasco de perfume con nardo que prefiguraba la unción de su cuerpo para el entierro, el plan de Judas para traicionarlo, la Última Cena y el conocimiento de Jesús de que pronto sería traicionado, la institución de la Eucaristía para que pudiera permanecer con nosotros hasta el fin de los tiempos, la predicción de Jesús de que los apóstoles serían dispersados y su fe destrozada. Y luego, todos los acontecimientos de la profunda Pasión y Muerte de Jesús.

Vemos su Corazón generoso, su Corazón agonizante, el Corazón que gime en silencio para que alguien vigile con Él aunque sea una hora, el Corazón que no duda ni retrocede ante la terrible ejecución por amor al Padre y a nosotros. A lo largo de todo este largo sufrimiento, vemos a Jesús permanecer firme ante la voluntad del Padre y preocupado por consolar y fortalecer a quienes lo rodean.

También escuchamos a Jesús gritar las primeras palabras del Salmo 22: “Dios mío, Dios mío, ¿por qué me has abandonado?” Si bien escuchamos en ese grito de su Corazón las profundidades en las que se dejó caer–hasta sentirse abandonado por el Padre, al borde de la desesperación–el salmo es en realidad una dolorosa oración de esperanza. Ciertamente Jesús no ha renunciado a su relación con el Padre. No lo ha soltado. El Salmo 22 (que aquellos que estaban al pie de la Cruz habrían conocido bien) comienza con una descripción precisa de la escena en el Calvario, desde el feroz ataque de los enemigos de Jesús, hasta los detalles del sufrimiento que soportó, hasta la división de su ropa. Pero el salmo luego se acerca a Dios para que venga y lo libere, para salvarlo de esta tortura, y luego pasa a alabar al Señor. En el momento de su inmensa agonía, Jesús entra en nuestro propio sufrimiento y nos recuerda que debemos aferrarnos a la esperanza y continuar ofreciendo alabanzas.

Si bien escuchamos una parte del Salmo 22 hoy durante el Salmo Responsorial, podríamos hacer una pausa para rezar el salmo completo en algún momento durante esta Semana Santa; es una profunda meditación sobre las palabras del propio Corazón agonizante de Jesús desde la Cruz. Nos da una idea de cuán bajo descendió en nuestro propio sufrimiento, para redimir hasta el último fragmento de dolor físico, emocional, psicológico y espiritual por nosotros.

En Su Cruz, gracias a la Resurrección, todos somos libres de llevar nuestras propias cruces con amor y esperanza.

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Matías Medina, cathopic.com/photo/63-jesus-crucified

He Understands Us Well / Dios Nos Entiende Bien

Jesus came to save. From what? From sin, yes. From death, yes. But he goes to the very root cause of those things in every word and action of his life – and the root is hypocrisy and egoism, which is pride. In order to restore and defend man’s authentic relationship with God, Jesus must cleanse us from everything that gets in the way of that relationship, particularly whatever detracts from authentic faith and sincere worship. He came to save us from ourselves and our own contradictions.

The Temple officials directed their fellow Jews in the proper rituals, but had allowed the provision for that worship to gradually become adulterated with unholy practices. So when Jesus sees how the Temple has become a place of buying and selling, greed and worldly ambition (the businesses that provided proper sacrifices and the currency exchange making a lot of money for themselves), he cannot bear the hypocrisy that is detracting from true worship and sacrifice.

In his righteous anger, Jesus demonstrates uncharacteristic outrage. The very few times in the Gospel that we see Christ angry, it is to condemn hypocrisy. Hypocrites are holding themselves outside of the Kingdom, even as they claim to be at the pinnacle of it. We are all prone to this, due to the effects of Original Sin; by thinking of ourselves as exemplary citizens of God’s Kingdom, we are subtly seeking to be rulers of our own kingdom.

We are created to be Temples of the Lord’s Presence, but too often we allow lesser things to gradually occupy us and obscure the One Thing That Matters. Even if we are doing all the proper things on the outside, our hearts can become distracted and filled with lesser things.

Jesus understands us well. He knows the needs and desires and contradictions of our hearts and the many ways we fall as we try to walk in His ways. While our failures may surprise us, they do not surprise him. While we may forget we need to be saved and cannot save ourselves, he is ever our strong Savior, redeeming and refreshing and reminding us that we need to get up and look anew in the right direction.

And he delights to come to our aid! Lent is a time when we repent and ask the Lord to dust us off and clean our glasses so that we can see aright who we are and who He calls us to be, and adjust our course. We do not need to be perfect before we place all our confidence in Him – it is in placing all our confidence in Him that we grow in the way of perfection. He allows us to see our need so that we can entrust ourselves completely to His Heart, aching and beating and burning and pouring Itself out completely for love of us. This Lent, we can open ourselves anew to His Presence within us and entrust all our needs to Him.

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Jesús vino a salvarnos. ¿De qué? Del pecado, sí. De la muerte, sí. Pero va a la mera raíz de esas cosas en cada palabra y acción de su vida – y la raíz es la hipocresía y el egoísmo, que es el orgullo. Para restaurar y defender la auténtica relación del hombre con Dios, Jesús debe limpiarnos de todo lo que se interpone en esa relación, particularmente de lo que resta valor a la fe auténtica y al culto sincero. Vino a salvarnos de nosotros mismos y de nuestras propias contradicciones.

Los funcionarios del templo dirigieron a sus compañeros judíos en los rituales apropiados, pero habían permitido que la disposición para ese culto se fuera adulterando gradualmente con prácticas impías. Por eso, cuando Jesús ve cómo el Templo se ha convertido en un lugar de compra y venta, de avaricia y ambición mundana (los negocios que proporcionaban sacrificios adecuados y el cambio de moneda les hacía ganar mucho dinero para sí mismos), no puede soportar la hipocresía que le resta valor al verdadero culto y sacrificio.

En su justa ira, Jesús demuestra una indignación inusual. Las poquísimas veces en el Evangelio que vemos a Cristo enojado es para condenar la hipocresía. Los hipócritas se mantienen fuera del Reino, incluso cuando afirman estar en la cima del mismo. Todos somos propensos a esto, debido a los efectos del Pecado Original; al considerarnos ciudadanos ejemplares del Reino de Dios, sutilmente buscamos ser gobernantes de nuestro propio reino.

Fuimos creados para ser Templos de la Presencia del Señor, pero con demasiada frecuencia permitimos que cosas menores nos ocupen gradualmente y oscurezcan lo Único que Importa. Incluso si estamos haciendo todas las cosas correctas en el exterior, nuestros corazones pueden distraerse y llenarse de cosas menores.

Jesús nos comprende bien. Conoce las necesidades, los deseos y las contradicciones de nuestro corazón y las muchas maneras en que caemos al tratar de caminar en Sus caminos. Si bien nuestros fracasos pueden sorprendernos, no lo sorprenden a Él. Si bien a veces nos olvidamos que necesitamos ser salvados y que no podemos salvarnos a nosotros mismos, Él es siempre nuestro Salvador fuerte, redimiendo, refrescando y recordándonos que debemos levantarnos y mirar de nuevo en la dirección correcta.

¡Y le encanta venir a nuestro auxilio! La Cuaresma es una temporada en la que nos arrepentimos y le pedimos al Señor que nos quite el polvo y limpie nuestros vasos para que podamos ver correctamente quiénes somos y quién nos llama a ser, y ajustar nuestro rumbo. No tenemos que ser perfectos antes de poner toda la confianza en Él; es al poner toda la confianza en Él que crecemos en el camino de la perfección. Él nos permite ver nuestra necesidad para que podamos confiarnos completamente a Su Corazón, que duele, late, arde y se derrama completamente por amor a nosotros. Esta Cuaresma podemos abrirnos de nuevo a Su Presencia dentro de nosotros y confiarle todas nuestras necesidades.

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Martha Martinez, https://cathopic.com/photo/2106-lamb-of-god

What God Really Wants / Lo Que Dios Realmente Quiere

Jesus often calls his listeners to surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, the ones who kept the Law perfectly and put themselves in high places of judgment over others. We are mostly familiar with Jesus’ warnings against the false holiness of those who elevate themselves and insulate themselves from the demands of true charity, hiding behind the Law.

But today we hear him quoting the Law and then saying that it does not go far enough. In a whole series of teachings, Jesus says, “You have heard it said to your ancestors…. But I say to you….” He interprets the Law in a deeper way, putting himself above it. This is serious business. The Jews identify themselves above all as God’s Chosen People, and the Law of Moses (God’s own message to Israel) is their ID card! Jesus claims to bring this Law to fulfillment, asserts himself as higher than the Law, and begins to explain the deeper meaning of the Law. The only way to interpret this is that Jesus is claiming to have God’s own authority.

How does Jesus’ interpretation of the Law differ? He is explaining the Law – which could easily be viewed from a superficial and external perspective – from the true desire of God’s own Heart for ours. Our external behavior should not simply obey the “letter of the law,” but should follow God’s will for us out of love. In other words, our external behavior should mirror our interior thoughts and desires, which should be aligned with God’s thoughts and desires.

“You shall not kill” does not only rule out murder, but encompasses our entire being and the deepest recesses of our heart. So claiming, “Well, I haven’t killed anyone,” isn’t enough to satisfy God’s deeper desire for us. We are not obeying God’s deeper commandment if we are seething with anger or calling someone names or (probably most serious of all) refusing to forgive them. We are called to conform our thoughts and sentiments to those of God Himself, and love those who act against us or hurt us in some way.

This is what Jesus means when he refers to surpassing the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, those who patted themselves on the back for their external adherence to the Law. True obedience, the adherence that pleases the Heart of the Father, comes from our loving trust in His Providence and does not stop with exterior conformity only. God cares about what happens in our mind and heart. We are called to more than the letter of the Law; we are called to be His true children, who obey fully out of love.

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Jesús llama a menudo a sus oyentes a superar la justicia de los escribas y fariseos, los que guardaban perfectamente la Ley y se colocaban en lugares elevados de juicio sobre los demás. Conocemos sobre todo las advertencias de Jesús contra la falsa santidad de quienes se elevan y se aíslan de las exigencias de la verdadera caridad, escudándose detrás de la Ley.

Pero hoy lo escuchamos citar la Ley y luego decir que no va lo suficientemente lejos. En toda una serie de enseñanzas, Jesús dice: “Han oido que se dijo a los antiguos…. Pero yo les digo…” Interpreta la Ley de manera más profunda, poniéndose por encima de ella. Éste es un asunto serio. ¡Los judíos se identifican sobre todo como el Pueblo Elegido de Dios, y la Ley de Moisés (el propio mensaje de Dios a Israel) es su tarjeta de identificación! Jesús pretende cumplir esta Ley, se afirma como superior a la Ley y comienza a explicar el significado más profundo de la Ley. La única manera de interpretar esto es que Jesús afirma tener la propia autoridad de Dios.

¿Cómo es diferente la interpretación de Jesús de la Ley? Está explicando la Ley –que fácilmente podría verse desde una perspectiva superficial y externa– desde el verdadero deseo del propio Corazón de Dios por los nuestros. Nuestro comportamiento externo no debe simplemente obedecer la “letra de la ley”, sino que debe seguir la voluntad de Dios para nosotros por amor. En otras palabras, nuestro comportamiento externo debe reflejar nuestros pensamientos y deseos interiores, los cuales deben estar alineados con los pensamientos y deseos de Dios.

“No matarás” no sólo excluye el asesinato, sino que abarca todo nuestro ser y lo más profundo de nuestro corazón. Entonces, afirmar: “Bueno, no he matado a nadie” no es suficiente para satisfacer el deseo más profundo de Dios por nosotros. No estamos obedeciendo el mandamiento más profundo de Dios si estamos furiosos o insultamos a alguien o (probablemente lo más grave de todo) nos negamos a perdonarlo. Estamos llamados a conformar nuestros pensamientos y sentimientos a los de Dios mismo y a amar a quienes actúan contra nosotros o nos lastiman de alguna manera.

Esto es lo que Jesús quiere decir cuando se refiere a superar la justicia de los escribas y fariseos, aquellos que se felicitaban por su adhesión externa a la Ley. La verdadera obediencia, la adhesión que agrada al Corazón del Padre, proviene de nuestra confianza amorosa en su Providencia y no se limita únicamente a la conformidad exterior. A Dios le importa lo que sucede en nuestra mente y corazón. Estamos llamados a algo más que la letra de la Ley; estamos llamados a ser sus verdaderos hijos, que obedecen plenamente por amor.

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Marta Lozano, cathopic.com/photo/32679-fathers-embrace

Keys That Bind and Loose / Llaves que Atan y Desatan

In today’s Gospel, we encounter a pivotal moment in the life of Jesus and the foundation of His Church: the profound truth that because of Peter’s clear confession of faith, he becomes the rock upon which Christ builds His Church, bestowing upon Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus first asks His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” This question invites us to consider the perceptions and opinions of the world around us, and the disciples’ responses reflect that diversity. But Jesus desires a deeper understanding from His disciples, one grounded in faith rather than the opinions of the crowds, so he asks, “But who do YOU say that I am?”

Peter, speaking on behalf of the disciples, declares, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This confession encapsulates the essence of Christian faith—a recognition of Jesus as the Messiah and the divine Son of God. In response to Peter’s proclamation, Jesus affirms that it was not flesh and blood (or the opinions of the crowds) that revealed this truth to Peter but His Father in heaven, and he then confers upon him a unique authority: “You are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my Church.” The name “Peter” itself means “rock,” and in this moment, Jesus establishes Peter as the foundational stone upon which the Church is built.

The granting of the keys to the kingdom symbolizes the authority given to Peter to bind and loose, which refer to the kind of authority familiar to the Apostles. “Binding” refers to the power held by the King’s Master of the Palace in ancient Israel; “loosing” refers to the power of the Jewish synagogue leader to expel and reinstate members from the community, to preserve the synagogue’s religious and moral integrity. By giving this same authority to Peter, Jesus clearly signifies his role as the earthly leader of the Church, with the intent to maintain the Church’s unity of faith, worship, and governance. It is a share in the very authority of Christ, so that we can have confidence in the Church even when things are hard for us to understand. This authority, of course, is meant to be put in service to God’s people, to guide and shepherd the Church, ensuring it remains faithful to Christ, its Foundation and Bridegroom.

In contemplating this passage, we are called to examine our own faith. Are we willing to declare our faith boldly, as Peter did? Do we recognize the Church as a communion of believers, guided by the successors of Peter, the popes, who continue to serve as the earthly shepherds of Christ’s flock?

Faith in Christ is the bedrock of the Church, and through our confession of faith, we are connected to the authority and mission Christ entrusted to Peter and his successors. May we, like Peter, declare our faith in Jesus and participate wholeheartedly in building His Church upon the solid foundation of faith.

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En el Evangelio de hoy, encontramos un momento crucial en la vida de Jesús y la fundación de Su Iglesia: la profunda verdad de que debido a la clara confesión de fe de Pedro, él se convierte en la roca sobre la cual Cristo construye Su Iglesia, otorgándole a Pedro las llaves del reino de los cielos.

Jesús primero pregunta a sus discípulos: “¿Quién dice la gente que es el Hijo del hombre?” Esta pregunta nos invita a considerar las percepciones y opiniones del mundo que nos rodea, y las respuestas de los discípulos reflejan esa diversidad. Pero Jesús desea una comprensión más profunda de sus discípulos, una comprensión basada en la fe y no en las opiniones de las multitudes, por lo que pregunta: “Y ustedes, ¿quién dicen que soy yo?”

Pedro, hablando en nombre de los discípulos, declara: “Tú eres el Mesías, el Hijo de Dios vivo”. Esta confesión resume la esencia de la fe cristiana: el reconocimiento de Jesús como el Mesías y el divino Hijo de Dios. En respuesta a la proclamación de Pedro, Jesús afirma que no fue ningún hombre (ni las opiniones de las multitudes) quien reveló esta verdad a Pedro sino su Padre en el cielo, y luego le confiere una autoridad única: “Tú eres Pedro, y sobre esta piedra edificaré mi Iglesia.” El nombre “Pedro” en sí mismo significa “piedra”, y en ese momento, Jesús establece a Pedro como la piedra angular sobre la cual se construye la Iglesia.

La concesión de las llaves del reino simboliza la autoridad dada a Pedro para atar y desatar, que se refiere al tipo de autoridad familiar a los Apóstoles. “Atat” se refiere al poder que ostentaba el Maestro de Palacio del Rey en el antiguo Israel; “desatar” se refiere al poder del líder de la sinagoga judía de expulsar y reintegrar a los miembros de la comunidad, para preservar la integridad religiosa y moral de la sinagoga. Al darle esta misma autoridad a Pedro, Jesús claramente indica su papel como líder terrenal de la Iglesia, con la intención de mantener la unidad de fe, adoración y gobierno de la Iglesia. Es una participación en la autoridad misma de Cristo, para que podamos tener confianza en la Iglesia incluso cuando las cosas nos resultan difíciles de entender. Esta autoridad, por supuesto, debe ponerse al servicio del pueblo de Dios, para guiar y pastorear a la Iglesia, asegurando que permanezca fiel a Cristo, su Fundamento y Esposo.

Al contemplar este pasaje, estamos llamados a examinar nuestra propia fe. ¿Estamos dispuestos a profesar la fe con valentía, como lo hizo Pedro? ¿Reconocemos a la Iglesia como una comunión de creyentes, guiada por los sucesores de Pedro, los papas, que continúan sirviendo como pastores terrenales del rebaño de Cristo?

La fe en Cristo es la base de la Iglesia y, a través de la profesión de fe, estamos conectados con la autoridad y la misión que Cristo confió a Pedro y sus sucesores. Que nosotros, como Pedro, declaremos la fe en Jesús y participemos de todo corazón en la edificación de Su Iglesia sobre el fundamento sólido de la fe.

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Cristian Gutiérrez, cathopic.com/photo/6181-saint-peter-statue

A Silent Proclamation on our Foreheads / Una Proclamación Silenciosa en la Frente

Today’s Gospel sets the tone for the whole season of Lent, a season marked deeply by self-examination and repentance, reflection and reparation, all of which are encapsulated in the reminder to FAST, PRAY, and GIVE ALMS.

Jesus addresses very directly the issue of “praying for praise” that was often seen in the religious people of his day. He warns against practicing acts of righteousness for public recognition or to show others how righteous we are. Instead, Jesus emphasizes the truth that authentic spirituality is a matter of the heart, which is almost never measured accurately by the judgment of others. He goes a step further, saying that we should even hide our piety from ourselves: “Do not let your left hand know what your right is doing.” Far from telling us to be oblivious, this is a call to be very intentional about surrendering to the Lord even the self-satisfaction our devotions and offerings might give us. We should not fast, pray, or give alms so that we feel like good people, but because we know that everything comes from and belongs to our good God.

Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Lenten season, calls us to this very heart-centered spirituality. As we receive ashes on our foreheads, we are reminded of our mortality and the need for sincere repentance. In response to this, we are called by a genuine desire to draw closer to God and serve our fellow human beings, to a deeper level of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It is a time to strip away any veneer of religious pretense and focus on the transformation of our souls in Christ. Ashes are a symbol of our mortality and renewal, and our Lenten practices should serve to purify our hearts, making us more receptive to God’s grace and love, and more willing to serve others.

Fasting during Lent helps us detach from worldly comforts and desires, allowing us to hunger for a deeper relationship with God. Almsgiving reminds us of our responsibility to care for those in need, fostering a spirit of generosity and compassion. And through prayer, we communicate with God, seeking forgiveness, grace, and a deeper love.

Is wearing our ashes to work going against what Jesus tells us about closing the door and praying in secret? Not at all. On the contrary, in a world that barely acknowledges our position in the universe (which is infinitesimally small), it is a necessary symbol of humility, a public acknowledgment that we are dependent, flawed, and in need of God’s mercy. In many ways, it is a silent proclamation of the Gospel, so let’s not put our light under a basket!

Rather, may these ashes serve as a visible sign of our commitment to live out the teachings of Jesus in a genuine and heartfelt way throughout this Lenten journey, as we draw closer to God and prepare our hearts to celebrate the joy of Easter, the ultimate triumph of love over death and sin.

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El Evangelio de hoy marca el tono para todo la temporada de Cuaresma, una temporada marcada profundamente por el autoexamen y el arrepentimiento, la reflexión y la reparación, todo lo cual se resume en el recordatorio de AYUNAR, ORAR y DAR LIMOSNA.

Jesús aborda muy directamente el tema de “orar buscando alabanza” que a menudo se veía en la gente religiosa de su época. Advierte contra la práctica de actos de rectitud para obtener reconocimiento público o para mostrar a otros lo justos que somos. En cambio, Jesús enfatiza la verdad de que la auténtica espiritualidad es una cuestión del corazón, que casi nunca se mide con precisión por el juicio de los demás. Va un paso más allá y dice que incluso debemos ocultarnos a nosotros mismos la piedad: “Que no sepa tu mano izquierda lo que hace la derecha”. Lejos de decirnos que nos olvidemos, este es un llamado a ser muy intencionales en entregar al Señor incluso la autosatisfacción que nuestras devociones y ofrendas puedan brindarnos. No debemos ayunar, orar o dar limosna para sentirnos buenas personas, sino porque sabemos que todo proviene y pertenece a nuestro buen Dios.

El Miércoles de Ceniza, que marca el comienzo de la Cuaresma, nos llama a esta espiritualidad centrada en el corazón. Cuando recibimos cenizas en la frente, nos recuerda de la mortalidad y la necesidad de un arrepentimiento sincero. En respuesta a esto, somos llamados por un deseo genuino de acercarnos a Dios y servir a nuestros semejantes, a un nivel más profundo de oración, ayuno y limosna. Es un momento de despojarnos de cualquier barniz de pretensión religiosa y centrarnos en la transformación de nuestras almas en Cristo. Las cenizas son un símbolo de nuestra mortalidad y renovación, y las prácticas de Cuaresma deben servir para purificar nuestros corazones, haciéndonos más receptivos a la gracia y el amor de Dios y más dispuestos a servir a los demás.

El ayuno durante la Cuaresma nos ayuda a desapegarnos de las comodidades y deseos mundanos, permitiéndonos tener hambre de una relación más profunda con Dios. La limosna nos recuerda de nuestra responsabilidad de cuidar a los necesitados, fomentando un espíritu de generosidad y compasión. Y a través de la oración nos comunicamos con Dios, buscando el perdón, la gracia y un amor más profundo.

¿Dejar las cenizas en la frente cuando vayamos a trabajar va en contra de lo que Jesús nos dice acerca de cerrar la puerta y orar en secreto? Para nada. Por el contrario, en un mundo que apenas reconoce nuestra posición en el universo (que es infinitamente pequeña), es un símbolo necesario de humildad, un reconocimiento público de que somos dependientes, imperfectos y necesitados de la misericordia de Dios. En muchos sentidos, es una proclamación silenciosa del Evangelio, ¡así que no pongamos nuestra luz debajo de una canasta!

Más bien, que estas cenizas sirvan como un signo visible de nuestro compromiso de vivir las enseñanzas de Jesús de una forma genuina y sincera a lo largo de este camino de Cuaresma, mientras nos acercamos más a Dios y preparamos nuestros corazones para celebrar la alegría de la Pascua, el máximo triunfo del amor sobre la muerte y el pecado.

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Ranyel Paula, cathopic.com/photo/11702-ashes-on-the-forehead

The Utterly Unique Bridegroom / El Novio Absolutamente Único

Jesus is utterly new. He teaches something utterly new. He is not to be sewn into an old cloak or poured into an old wineskin. Rather, he completes the old cloak in a surprising way! He requires our hearts to be like fresh wineskins to receive anew the wine of his love!

The Old Testament prophets often presented the relationship between God and Israel as a marriage (and Israel as an unfaithful spouse, but one that our faithful God would not divorce). So when Jesus calls himself the Bridegroom, he is drawing from this imagery and placing himself clearly in the role understood as referring to God.

You can understand why the Scribes and Pharisees were puzzled and upset by his claims to be more than just another rabbi, or even just another prophet. They understand that there is an unbridgeable gap between God and humanity. No human can claim to be God. And we can’t deal directly with God; we need mediators. In the Old Covenant, the mediators were those designated through anointing as priest or prophet or king.

But Jesus is proclaiming something utterly new. He calls himself the Bridegroom of God’s people. Emmanuel, God with us. But we still can’t deal directly with God. Christ came to be the bridge between humanity and Divinity. Just as God worked with the Old Testament people through priests and prophets and kings, now in the New Testament, we have only ONE mediator: Jesus Christ, who is Priest and Prophet and Eternal King. He is utterly unique.

He brings to humanity a completely new way of being in relationship with God. That new way is himself. He, himself, IS THE WAY (as he said: “I am the Way…”). In HIM all things were made. In HIM all things hold together. Through HIM all things are reconciled.

Let us proclaim with our whole being the Great Amen in response to the words we hear at each Mass: “Through Him and with Him and in Him, O God, Almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is Yours, forever and ever.” Amen!

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Jesús es completamente nuevo. Enseña algo completamente nuevo. No se le debe coser en un manto viejo ni echarlo en un odre viejo. Más bien, ¡completa el manto viejo de una manera sorprendente! Requiere que nuestros corazones sean como odres nuevos para recibir nuevamente el vino de su amor.

Los profetas del Antiguo Testamento a menudo presentaban la relación entre Dios e Israel como un matrimonio (e Israel como un cónyuge infiel, pero del que nuestro Dios fiel no se divorciaría). Entonces, cuando Jesús se llama a sí mismo el Esposo, se basa en esta imagen y se coloca claramente en el papel entendido como referente a Dios.

Se puede entender por qué los escribas y fariseos estaban desconcertados y molestos por sus afirmaciones de ser algo más que otro rabino, o incluso otro profeta. Entienden que existe una brecha insalvable entre Dios y la humanidad. Ningún ser humano puede pretender ser Dios. Y no podemos tratar directamente con Dios. Necesitamos mediadores. En la Antigua Alianza, los mediadores eran designados mediante unción como sacerdote, profeta o rey.

Pero Jesús está proclamando algo completamente nuevo. Se llama a sí mismo el Novio del pueblo de Dios. Emanuel, Dios con nosotros. Pero todavía no podemos tratar directamente con Dios. Cristo vino a ser el puente entre la humanidad y la Divinidad. Así como Dios trabajó con el pueblo del Antiguo Testamento a través de sacerdotes, profetas y reyes, ahora en el Nuevo Testamento tenemos un solo mediador: Jesucristo, quien es Sacerdote, Profeta y Rey Eterno. Él es absolutamente único.

Trae a la humanidad una forma completamente nueva de estar en relación con Dios. Ese nuevo camino es él mismo. ÉL ES EL CAMINO (como dijo: “Yo soy el Camino…”). En ÉL todas las cosas fueron hechas. En ÉL todas las cosas se mantienen juntas. Por medio de ÉL todas las cosas son reconciliadas.

Proclamemos con todo nuestro ser el Gran Amén en respuesta a las palabras que escuchamos en cada Misa: “Por Cristo, con Él y en Él, a ti, Dios Padre omnipotente, en la unidad del Espíritu Santo, todo honor y toda gloria por los siglos de los siglos”. ¡Amén!

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Cristian Gutiérrez, LCcathopic.com/photo/34124-fresco-duomo-or-cathedral-of-messina-sicily

Behold the Lamb / Éste es el Cordero de Dios

St. John the Baptist is the model of simple evangelization: he understands what God is currently doing and asking of His People, and he testifies to what he has experienced to point to God.

John uses an image that was very familiar to the Jews of that time, and helps them see that that image is now finding its full meaning in Jesus: the Lamb of God.

We might easily forget that God required the Jews to sacrifice a lamb TWICE A DAY to expiate the sins of the people. This sacrificial lamb was a symbol of the price to be paid for sin. John is pointing out that Jesus will pay the price for our sin.

The primary holy day of the Jews was Passover, in which each family sacrificed and ate a lamb to recall their liberation from slavery in Egypt, and how those who marked their doors with the blood of this lamb were spared from the death inflicted on the firstborn of all the Egyptians and their animals. This Passover lamb signified God’s merciful and saving love. John is pointing out that Jesus is God’s merciful and saving love in the flesh.

Finally, the Messiah was foretold by the Prophets to be a lamb who went silently to the slaughter, to take the sins of the people on himself and wash them away. John is pointing out that Jesus is the Messiah who will take away the sins of the world. And this is what we proclaim at every Mass, right before we receive him in Holy Communion: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!”

As we continue to rejoice in the coming of our Savior in the flesh, let us repeat the Responsorial Psalm for this week throughout our day: “All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.”

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San Juan Bautista es el modelo de evangelización sencilla: comprende lo que Dios hace y pide actualmente a su pueblo, y da testimonio de lo vivido para señalar a Dios.

Juan utiliza una imagen que era muy familiar para los judíos de esa época y les ayuda a ver que esa imagen ahora encuentra su pleno significado en Jesús: el Cordero de Dios.

Podríamos olvidar fácilmente que Dios exigía que los judíos sacrificaran un cordero DOS VECES AL DÍA para expiar los pecados del pueblo. Este cordero sacrificial era un símbolo del precio a pagar por el pecado. Juan está señalando que Jesús pagará el precio por nuestro pecado.

El día santo principal para los judíos era la Pascua, en la que cada familia sacrificaba y comía un cordero para recordar su liberación de la esclavitud en Egipto, y cómo los que marcaban sus puertas con la sangre del cordero se salvaban de la muerte infligida al primogénito de todos los egipcios y sus animales. Este cordero pascual significaba el amor misericordioso y salvador de Dios. Juan está señalando que Jesús es el amor misericordioso y salvador de Dios encarnado.

Finalmente, los profetas predijeron que el Mesías sería un cordero que iría silenciosamente al matadero, para tomar sobre sí los pecados del pueblo y eliminarlos. Juan está señalando que Jesús es el Mesías que quitará los pecados del mundo. Y esto es lo que proclamamos en cada Misa, justo antes de recibirlo en la Sagrada Comunión: “Éste es el Cordero de Dios, el que quita el pecado del mundo.”

Mientras continuamos regocijándonos en la venida de nuestro Salvador en la carne, repitamos el Salmo Responsorial de esta semana a lo largo de nuestro día: “Los confines de la tierra han contemplado la victoria de nuestro Dios”.

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Hugo Gonzalez, cathopic.com/photo/33959-lamb-of-god

Blessings on the Blessed / Bendiciones para los Bendecidos

Zechariah had been unable to speak for nine months, because he doubted the angel who announced the upcoming birth of his son. Now, on the eighth day after his birth, Elizabeth and Zechariah are called to obey the direction that came from Heaven by giving this son a name that will cause a stir. In order to be faithful to God’s will, they must go against the convention that first-born boys receive a name that links them to their fathers and their grandfathers.

People will talk. People DID talk. But Zechariah speaks in obedience to God’s will, and “immediately his mouth was opened” and he could speak. And the first words he speaks are a blessing, a canticle of praise to God that is prayed in the Liturgy of the Hours every single day.

Zechariah obeys, blesses the Lord, and he and his family are in turn blessed. His obedience blesses his family, his neighbors (who are awestruck and see that “the hand of the Lord” is with this child), and his only son, who will receive his mission of preaching and baptizing to prepare the way of the Messiah.

The Holy Family has likewise been blessed by a calling. In their humble obedience from within unique and sometimes difficult circumstances, they draw down God’s blessings of protection and providence. They bear the obedience to worldly authority regarding the census, the inability to find suitable lodging, and the discomfort of traveling during the final days of pregnancy with the spirit of trust in the Father’s Plan. He has given them everything, and He will take care of everything.

Like Zechariah and the Holy Family, we are first blessed by the Lord with a calling, and then our obedience to that call draws down His blessing upon us! All that we have, we have received. All that we receive has been given to us. Even our ability to receive is a gift!

This Christmas, let us all offer the same spirit of humble obedience and loving trust, as we receive the Great Gift that is given to us: our King and Savior, lying in a manger near his Mother.

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Zacarías no pudo hablar por nueve meses, porque dudó el ángel que le anunció el próximo nacimiento de su hijo. Ahora, al octavo día después de su nacimiento, Isabel y Zacarías están llamados a obedecer las indicaciones que vinieron del Cielo al darle a este hijo un nombre que causará confusión. Para ser fieles a la voluntad de Dios, tenían que ir en contra de la tradición de que los niños primogénitos reciben un nombre que los une a sus padres y abuelos.

La gente iba a hablar en contra. Y la gente hablaba. Pero Zacarías habla en obediencia a la voluntad de Dios, e “se le soltó la lengua [y] recobró el habla.” Y las primeras palabras que pronuncia son una bendición, un cántico de alabanza a Dios que se reza en la Liturgia de las Horas todos los días.

Zacarías obedece, bendice al Señor, y él y su familia son a su vez bendecidos. Su obediencia bendice a su familia, a sus vecinos (que se asombran al ver que “la mano de Dios” está con este niño), y a su único hijo, que recibirá su misión de predicar y bautizar para preparar el camino del Mesías.

La Sagrada Familia también ha sido bendecida por una vocación. En su humilde obediencia desde dentro de circunstancias únicas y a veces difíciles, atraen las bendiciones de protección y providencia de Dios. Sobrellevan la obediencia a la autoridad mundana en cuanto al censo, la imposibilidad de encontrar alojamiento adecuado y la incomodidad de viajar durante los últimos días del embarazo con el espíritu de confianza en el Plan del Padre. Él les ha dado todo, y Él se encargará de todo.

Al igual que Zacarías y la Sagrada Familia, primero somos bendecidos por el Señor con un llamado, ¡y luego nuestra obediencia a ese llamado atrae Su bendición sobre nosotros! Todo lo que tenemos, lo hemos recibido. Todo lo que recibimos se nos ha sido dado. ¡Incluso nuestra capacidad de recibir es un regalo!

En esta Navidad, que todos ofrezcamos con el mismo espíritu de humilde obediencia y amorosa confianza, al recibir el Gran Don que se nos entrega: nuestro Rey y Salvador, recostado en un pesebre junto a su Madre.

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Nicolás Beltrán López, cathopic.com/photo/27749-nativity-scene-in-bethlehem

Prepare the Way of the Lord / Preparar el Camino del Señor

Jesus and his disciples are “coming down from the mountain” after a momentous, never-before-seen, never-to-be-repeated event, the Transfiguration of Jesus, which reveals his Divinity, and in which he is seen conversing with the two greatest figures of the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah. With this bright vision vividly in their minds, they ask about whether Elijah must come before the Messiah. Jesus says he has already come, but was not recognized.

So how did the disciples understand that Jesus’ comments about Elijah referred to John the Baptist?

Part of the association is the mission both prophets had: to prepare the way of the Lord. Elijah was the holiest of prophets to the Chosen People in the Old Testament, and it was prophesied that he would appear before the coming of the Lord (Malachi 4:5). John is a kind of “new Elijah” who is preparing for the immediate appearance of the Lord in the New Testament, and his father said he would be called “the prophet of the Most High…to go before the Lord to prepare his way” (Luke 1:76-79). Jesus says clearly in another place, “(John) is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send my messenger before you…(to) prepare the way before you” (Luke 7:24-27).

How did John the Baptist help prepare the way? By preaching the nearness of the Kingdom of God, the dawning of new Light on earth, and a message of repentance to get ready for the coming of a Savior who would wipe away sins. The Lord comes without our effort, but John insists that we must work to repent in order to be worthy of His coming!

With Advent nearing its end and the wonderful celebration of the Coming of Christ upon us, have we found time to be still and prepare our own hearts for this coming? When John baptized Jesus, the Father said, “This is my beloved Son…listen to him.” While Elijah was with Jesus during the Transfiguration, the Father repeated these same words, “This is my beloved…listen to him.” Today, let’s pray for the openness to be still and listen to what Jesus is asking each of us to do to be ready for his gentle coming at Christmas.

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Jesús y sus discípulos bajan del monte tras un acontecimiento trascendental, inédito e irrepetible, la Transfiguración de Jesús, que revela su Divinidad, y en la que se le ve a Jesús conversando con dos grandes figuras del Antiguo Testamento, Moisés y Elías. Con esta brillante visión vívidamente en sus mentes, preguntan si Elías debe presentarse ante el Mesías. Jesús dice que ya vino, pero no lo reconocieron.

Entonces, ¿cómo entendieron los discípulos que los comentarios de Jesús sobre Elías se referían a Juan el Bautista?

Parte de la asociación es la misión que tuvieron ambos profetas: preparar el camino del Señor. Elías fue el más santo de los profetas del Pueblo Elegido en el Antiguo Testamento, y fue profetizado que aparecería antes de la venida del Señor (Malaquías 4,5). Juan es una especie de “nuevo Elías” que se está preparando para la aparición inmediata del Señor en el Nuevo Testamento, y su padre dijo que sería llamado “el profeta del Altísimo… para ir delante del Señor a preparar su camino” (Lucas 1,76-79). Jesús dice claramente en otro lugar, “de él (Juan) está escrito: He aquí, envío mi mensajero delante de ustedes…(para) preparar el camino delante de ustedes” (Lucas 7,24-27).

¿Cómo ayudó Juan el Bautista a preparar el camino? Predicando la cercanía del Reino de Dios, el amanecer de una nueva Luz en la tierra y un mensaje de arrepentimiento para prepararse para la venida de un Salvador que borrará los pecados. ¡El Señor viene sin nuestro esfuerzo, pero Juan insiste en que debemos esforzarnos por arrepentirnos para ser dignos de Su venida!

Ahora que el Adviento llega a su fin y la maravillosa celebración de la venida de Cristo ya se acerca, ¿hemos encontrado tiempo para estar quietos y preparar nuestros propios corazones para esta venida? Cuando Juan bautizó a Jesús, Dios Padre dijo: “Este es mi Hijo amado… escúchenlo”. Mientras Elías estaba con Jesús durante la Transfiguración, Dios Padre repitió estas mismas palabras: “Este es mi amado… escúchenlo”. Oremos hoy para la apertura de estar quietos y escuchar lo que Jesús nos pide hacer a cada uno para estar listos para su dulce venida en Navidad.

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Dodo71, pixabay.com/photos/stained-glass-colorful-baptism-4052419/

What a Mother We Have! / ¡Qué Madre tan Increíble Tenemos!

The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a familiar one: on the rough tilma of a peasant is an image of a mixed-race woman (a mestiza) who is pregnant, standing on the moon (the Aztec symbol for Mexico). But the depth and beauty of this apparition is sometimes lost behind the colorful (and miraculous) image. (And if you have not seen the recent scientific research on the Tilma, please do an online search and learn how incredible it is!)

When the Aztecs founded what is now Mexico City, they were able to achieve much, with their knowledge of math and science and philosophy and art. But their belief in many gods required human sacrifice, and the Aztec priests kept the people in fearful submission; tens of thousands of human victims were offered to their god. The Conquistadors and the Franciscan missionaries (who had cultural and language barriers) had tried to convert them from this kind of terror, but made little progress. The bishop there at the time said that if God did not intervene, the land would be lost to Christ forever.

Then came Mary, as Mother and comforter, promising to St. Juan Diego that she would show her love, compassion, and protection to the people. “I will hear their complaints and I will comfort their affliction and their sufferings.” To prove to the bishop that the command to build a church was really from Heaven, the Virgin imprinted an image of herself on the garment of the peasant Juan Diego.

Soon, conversions began to happen at an astounding rate, with Indians coming from “far away lands asking for sacraments”! Just eight years after this apparition, 9 million people in Mexico had converted to Catholicism.

As we look at this image, let us each receive Our Lady’s words, as our Mother’s words to us:

“Listen and let it penetrate your heart…do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain.  Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else you need?” (translation of Our Lady’s words to her servant Juan Diego.)

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La imagen de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe es familiar: en la tosca tilma de un campesino hay una imagen de una mujer mestiza embarazada que está parada en la luna (el símbolo azteca de México). Pero la profundidad y la belleza de esta aparición a veces se pierden detrás de la imagen colorida y milagrosa. (Y si no ha visto la investigación científica reciente sobre la Tilma, ¡haga una búsqueda en línea y descubra lo increíble que es!)

Cuando los aztecas fundaron lo que ahora es la Ciudad de México, pudieron lograr mucho con su conocimiento de las matemáticas, la ciencia, la filosofía y el arte, pero su creencia en muchos dioses requería sacrificios humanos, y los sacerdotes aztecas mantuvieron al pueblo en una terrible sumisión. Decenas de miles de víctimas humanas fueron ofrecidas a su dios. Los conquistadores y los misioneros franciscanos (que tenían barreras culturales y de idioma) intentaron convertirlos de este tipo de terror, pero lograron muy poco. El obispo allí en ese momento dijo que si Dios no intervenía, la tierra se perdería de Cristo para siempre.

Luego vino María, como Madre y consoladora, prometiendo a San Juan Diego que mostraría su amor, compasión y protección al pueblo. “Escucharé sus quejas y consolaré su aflicción y sus sufrimientos”. Para demostrarle al obispo que la orden de construir una iglesia era realmente del Cielo, la Virgen imprimió una imagen de sí misma en la vestidura del campesino Juan Diego.

Pronto, las conversiones comenzaron a ocurrir a un ritmo asombroso, con indios que venían de “tierras lejanas pidiendo sacramentos”. Tan solo ocho años después de la aparición, 9 millones de personas en México se habían convertido al catolicismo.

Mientras miramos esta imagen, cada uno de nosotros reciba las palabras de Nuestra Señora, como las palabras de nuestra Madre para nosotros:

“Oye y ten entendido hijo mío el más pequeño, que es nada lo que te asusta y aflige; no se turbe tu corazón; no temas esa enfermedad, ni otra alguna enfermedad y angustia. ¿No estoy yo aquí?, ¿No soy tu Madre?, ¿No estás bajo mi sombra?, ¿No soy yo tu salud?, ¿No estás por ventura en mi regazo?, ¿Qué más has menester?” (las palabras de Nuestra Señora a su siervo Juan Diego).

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Luis Gerardo, https://cathopic.com/photo/11178-madre-mia-solo-tu

The Radical Call of Christ / El Llamado Radical de Cristo

“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me” (Jn 10:27).

The Gospel Antiphon summarizes what is happening in today’s Gospel. Jesus is preaching and teaching in the Temple, at his Father’s house, and the people who are hungry for truth, open to love, and willing to believe are listening to the voice of the Shepherd. But he sees that there are those who do not respect the house of his Father, do not respect the Father he loves and whose mission he came to accomplish, so his heart is moved to “clean house.”

While many people are “hanging on his words,” there are those who cannot open their hearts to this because they fear that the personal risk is too great. (The Word of God is never a threat to what is true, but it can seem to threaten our own small ideas!) The chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people have come to value their own status quo, their own position and authority and judgment, and they cannot listen to the words of this itinerant teacher, especially as he repeatedly points out where they are wrong! He invites them to see the truth and calls them in love to change the way they see. But they want to get him out of their way so they can continue just the way they are. They literally want him dead. And they would kill him off right away, but they cannot find a way to do it without jeopardizing their position with the people, which they need to remain just the way they are.

The humble people have nothing to lose, so they are eager to hear the Word of God, this radical call  of Love, because it is clearly spoken in love and holds promise and life and assurance and healing. Jesus’ words are the balm for their hearts and light for their souls they have been longing for.

The chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people are in a lose-lose situation. If they let Jesus continue to preach, he will continue to point out their flaws and draw people away from esteeming them. Worse yet, people might think they believe Jesus is really the Messiah, because they are letting him proceed. But at this point, if they kill him, the people will turn on them and will no longer bow to their authority. Still, they cannot open themselves to the truth he speaks.

What about us? Do we hear some parts of the Gospel as good news and dismiss other parts because they challenge our own small ideas, our status quo? God gives us that freedom. But let’s pray today for the grace to be fully open to the radical call of Christ, particularly as it comes to us through the divine love letter of Scripture.

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“Mis ovejas escuchan mi voz, dice el Señor; yo las conozco y ellas me siguen.” (Jn 10,27).

La Aclamación antes del Evangelio resume lo que está sucediendo en el Evangelio de hoy. Jesús está predicando y enseñando en el Templo, en la casa de su Padre, y el pueblo hambriento de verdad, abierto al amor y dispuesto a creer está escuchando la voz del Pastor. Pero ve que hay personas que no respetan la casa de su Padre, no respetan al Padre que ama y cuya misión vino a cumplir, por lo que su corazón se mueve a “limpiar la casa”.

Mientras que mucha gente “estaba pendiente de sus palabras”, había los que no podían abrir su corazón a esto porque temían que el riesgo personal sea demasiado grande. (¡La Palabra de Dios nunca es una amenaza a lo que es verdadero, pero puede parecer una amenaza para nuestras pequeñas ideas!) Los sumos sacerdotes, los escribas y los jefes del pueblo han llegado a valorar su propio status quo, su propia posición y autoridad y juicio, y no pueden escuchar las palabras de este maestro itinerante, ¡especialmente cuando señala repetidamente dónde están equivocados! Los invita a ver la verdad y los llama con amor a cambiar su forma de ver. Pero quieren quitárselo de en medio para poder seguir tal como son. Literalmente lo quieren muerto. Y lo matarían de inmediato, pero no pueden encontrar la manera de hacerlo sin poner en peligro su posición con la gente, que necesitan seguir siendo como son.

Las personas humildes no tienen nada que perder, por eso están ansiosas por escuchar la Palabra de Dios, esta llamada radical de Amor, porque está claramente dicha con amor e incluye promesa y vida y seguridad y sanación. Las palabras de Jesús son el bálsamo para sus corazones y la luz para sus almas que han estado anhelando.

Los sumos sacerdotes, los escribas y los jefes del pueblo están en una situación en la que todos pierden. Si dejan que Jesús siga predicando, seguirá señalando sus defectos y alejando a la gente de su estima. Peor aún, la gente podría pensar que creen que Jesús es realmente el Mesías, porque lo están dejando proceder. Pero en este momento, si lo matan, la gente se volverá contra ellos y ya no se doblegará a su autoridad. Aún así, no pueden abrirse a la verdad que habla.

¿Y nosotros? ¿Escuchamos algunas partes del Evangelio como buenas noticias y descartamos otras partes porque retan nuestras pequeñas ideas, nuestro status quo? Dios nos da esa libertad. Pero oremos hoy por la gracia de estar completamente abiertos al llamado radical de Cristo, particularmente como nos llega a través de la carta del amor divino en las Sagradas Escrituras.

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Timothy Eberly, unsplash.com/photos/U4UwzRSns6M

Whoever Does the Will of My Father / El que Hace la Voluntad de Mi Padre

Today we celebrate the Memorial of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple as a child. This celebration was first documented in Jerusalem in the 500s (there was a church built in honor of this mystery), and then in the Byzantine Church in the 11th century; it was not added to the Roman Calendar until a few hundred years later. It remains on the calendar today as a commemoration of the faith of her parents (St. Joachim and St. Anne) as well as the purity of Mary from her birth.

While there is nothing about this event in the Gospel and no historical proof, the Tradition holds that Joachim and Anne offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was just three years old to fulfill a promise they had made when Anne was still childless. This was not unheard of: many devout Jews offered their children to God through the priests of the Temple (like the prophet Samuel being offered by his mother, Hannah), to live there and to be brought up attending the priests in their sacred work.

The theological truth to ponder is that from the beginning of her life, Mary was dedicated to God in the Temple of the Old Covenant. Later, she herself would become the Temple of the New Covenant, a real temple of God, when the Word became Flesh within her.

Why is this something we should ponder and celebrate? Because it points to Christ. Whatever the Church states about Mary it states in reference to Christ, because of her role in the context of the Redemption. God was preparing to come to dwell among his people, and he “stirs forth from his holy dwelling” (Zec 2:17), he does great things for Mary (Lk 1:46-55) to prepare the way. Her absolute purity was necessary for the role God had called her to fulfill. The Mother of the Word of God must be free from any shadow of sin from the first moment of her existence. She must be “full of grace” in order to be able to receive the mission brought to her from God through Gabriel. She must be completely submissive to God’s will to walk the obscure way marked out for her, all the way to the Cross and beyond.

We honor Mary’s holiness because it comes from God. We honor her faith and hope because they are directed solely to God. We honor her motherhood because it belongs to Christ, and he shared it with us. Her life was dedicated to God; she was truly and always “the handmaid of the Lord.” And in today’s Gospel, Jesus honors his mother’s fidelity and humility when he says, “Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother”, because Mary always did the will of the heavenly Father.

And she helps us, because we too are temples of God, called to share in God’s saving work by doing always the will of the heavenly Father.  

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Hoy celebramos el Memorial de la Presentación de la Santísima Virgen María en el Templo cuando era niña. Esta celebración fue documentada por primera vez en Jerusalén en los años 500 (hubo una iglesia construida en honor a este misterio), y luego en la Iglesia Bizantina en el siglo XI. No se agregó al calendario romano hasta cientos de años después. Permanece hoy en el calendario como conmemoración de la fe de sus padres (San Joaquín y Santa Ana) así como de la pureza de María desde su nacimiento.

Si bien no hay nada sobre este evento en el Evangelio ni prueba histórica, la Tradición sostiene que Joaquín y Ana ofrecieron a María a Dios en el Templo cuando tenía solo tres años para cumplir una promesa que habían hecho cuando Ana aún no tenía hijos. No era nada fuera de lo normal. Muchos judíos devotos ofrecían a Dios sus hijos a través de los sacerdotes del Templo (como el profeta Samuel que fue ofrecido por su madre, Ana), para vivir allí y criarse asistiendo a los sacerdotes en su obra sagrada.

La verdad teológica a reflexionar es que desde el comienzo de su vida, María estuvo dedicada a Dios en el Templo de la Antigua Alianza. Más tarde, ella misma se convertiría en Templo de la Nueva Alianza, verdadero templo de Dios, cuando el Verbo se hizo Carne dentro de ella.

¿Por qué es algo que debemos reflexionar y celebrar? Porque señala a Cristo. Todo lo que la Iglesia dice sobre María lo dice en referencia a Cristo, por su papel en el contexto de la Redención. Dios se preparaba para venir a habitar entre su pueblo, y “saliendo de su santa morada” (Zac 2,17), hace grandes cosas por María (Lc 1,46-55) para preparar el camino. Su pureza absoluta era necesaria para el papel que Dios la había llamado a cumplir. La Madre del Verbo de Dios debe estar libre de toda sombra de pecado desde el primer momento de su existencia. Ella debe ser “llena de gracia” para poder recibir la misión que Dios le ha traído a través de Gabriel. Ella debe ser completamente sumisa a la voluntad de Dios para caminar por el oscuro camino que le ha sido marcado, hasta la Cruz y más allá.

Honramos la santidad de María porque viene de Dios. Honramos su fe y esperanza porque están dirigidas únicamente a Dios. Honramos su maternidad porque pertenece a Cristo, y él la compartió con nosotros. Su vida estuvo dedicada a Dios; ella fue verdadera y siempre “la sierva del Señor”. Y en el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús honra la fidelidad y la humildad de su madre cuando dice: “todo el que cumple la voluntad de mi Padre, que está en los cielos, ése es mi hermano, mi hermana y mi madre”, porque María siempre hizo la voluntad del Padre celestial.

Y ella nos ayuda, porque nosotros también somos templos de Dios, llamados a participar de la obra salvífica de Dios, haciendo siempre la voluntad del Padre celestial.

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Dodo71, pixabay.com/photos/stained-glass-window-church-parents-6466542/