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Everything, Everywhere / Todo, en Todas Partes

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Today’s Gospel is one that personally changed my outlook on life to such a great extent that I’m excited to share this revelation through Christ, with you. From this story, I recognized my own humanity through Christ’s humanity. 

First, I love that Luke included the fact that it wasn’t just Jesus that did all the “heavy” spiritual lifting by himself while everyone stood by silently. No, instead, “they interceded with him” (Lk 4:38). I love that Luke shares this because so many times, I know that I’ve found myself handing it all over to the Lord and saying, “Okay, God, you got this?” when in reality, I should be actively interceding and praying too! 

It is through these intercessions and Jesus’ healing power that Simon’s mother-in-law was healed. 

This next section is what really hit me a few years ago. The Gospel is from Luke 4, but can also be found in Mark 1:29-39, which includes more context. From these two passages we find out that by the end of the day everyone is clamoring at Jesus so that he can cure them. In fact, it is not until daybreak that Jesus leaves and goes to a deserted place, specifically to pray. Even then, the crowds come looking for him.

“Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’ He told them, ‘Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.’” (Mk 1:36-37)

You see… even Jesus knew he had limited time and energy. 

That’s right, the Son of God, he who came to conquer death and sin for all of humanity… He knew he could not do it all. Or, even more moving, he knew he could do it all and yet he did not because he knew his Father had even greater plans for him. 

Remember also that Jesus makes this decision after being alone with the Lord in prayer. So we know that it is through prayer, discernment, and communion with the Lord that our true priorities and goals can become transparent to us. 

So why do we try to do everything? To be everywhere? Why do we not find time to be alone with the Lord?

I challenge you today to stop, right now, and pray. Reflect. Refocus and ask yourself-better yet, ask your God-what are the most important things God wants me to do right now? As a priest once reminded me, “Surely we will find peace… joy… satisfaction if we are doing God’s will.”

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El Evangelio de hoy es uno que personalmente cambió mi perspectiva de la vida de tal forma que estoy emocionada de poder compartir esta revelación a través de Cristo, contigo. De este pasaje, reconocí mi propia humanidad a través de la humanidad de Cristo.

Primero, me encanta que Lucas incluyera el hecho de que no fue sólo Jesús quien hizo todo el trabajo espiritual “pesado” por sí mismo mientras todos permanecían en silencio, sino “le pidieron a Jesús que hiciera algo por ella” (Lc 4,38). Me encanta que Lucas comparte esto porque muchas veces, yo me he encontrado entregándolo todo al Señor y diciendo: “Allí lo tienes, Dios, ¿verdad?” cuando en realidad, ¡debería estar intercediendo y orando activamente también!

Es a través de estas intercesiones y del poder sanador de Jesús que la suegra de Simón fue sanada.

La siguiente sección es lo que realmente me impactó hace unos años. El Evangelio es de Lucas 4, pero también se puede encontrar en Marcos 1:29-39, que incluye más contexto. De estos dos pasajes encontramos que al final del día todos claman a Jesús para que los cure. De hecho, no es hasta el amanecer que Jesús sale y se va a un lugar desierto, específicamente para orar. Pero de todos modos las multitudes vienen a buscarlo.

“Simón y los que estaban con él lo persiguieron y al encontrarlo dijeron: ‘Todos los buscan’. Él les dijo: ‘Pasemos a los pueblos cercanos para que yo también predique allí. Para esto he venido.’” (Mc 1:36-37)

Allí vemos que incluso Jesús sabía que tenía tiempo y energía limitados.

Así es, el Hijo de Dios, el que vino a vencer la muerte y el pecado de toda la humanidad sabía que no podía con todo. O, aún más conmovedor, sabía que podía hacerlo todo y, sin embargo, no lo hizo porque sabía que su Padre tenía planes aún más grandes para él.

Recuerda también que Jesús toma esta decisión después de estar a solas con el Señor en la oración. Entonces sabemos que es a través de la oración, el discernimiento y la comunión con el Señor que nuestras verdaderas prioridades y metas pueden volverse transparentes para nosotros.

Entonces, ¿por qué tratamos de hacer todo? ¿Estar en todas partes? ¿Por qué no encontramos tiempo para estar a solas con el Señor?

Les invito hoy a que se detengan, ahora mismo, para rezar y reflexionar. Vuelva a enfocarte y pregúntate, o mejor aún, pregúntale a Dios, ¿cuáles son las cosas más importantes que Dios quiere que hagas en este momento? Como me recordó un sacerdote una vez: “Seguramente encontraremos la paz, la alegría y la satisfacción si estamos haciendo la voluntad de Dios”.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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The Lamb of God / El Cordero de Dios

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Today’s First Reading always strikes me as both terrifying and odd. Why would God make Abraham almost kill his own son? It always frustrated me, because even for the Old Testament God, it feels too scary.  Why would God test this God-fearing, faithful man by literally making murder his own son?! I must be missing something because even if we are to follow the Lord above all else, surely there must be a deeper meaning and lesson here… right?

So today I read the passage slowly. I let myself feel the emotions that I believe Abraham would’ve gone through – the shock, the sorrow, the internal pleading with God, the heartbreaking devotion to the Lord, then finally the relief. I allowed these feelings to really settle in. Then I realized that these emotions were so close to the emotions I felt when I meditated on the Passion of Jesus Christ:

The shock from everyone around him that the actual Son of God was sentenced to death. 

The sorrow during the journey up the hill as a “large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him,” much like Abraham must have felt about Isaac (Luke 23:27).

The internal pleading with God even as Jesus says, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

The heartbreaking devotion to the Lord seen even by Mother Mary (“standing by the cross of Jesus [was] his mother”) as her son is crucified before her (John 19:25).

But…Jesus does not receive relief. God the Father does not save Him from this sacrifice.

“Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit’; and when he had said this he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46).

Unlike in today’s First Reading, there is no ram to slaughter. Instead, Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb of God. He is the sacrifice for us. 

Normally when I read the First Reading, I go through a roller coaster of emotions even though I know the outcome. Isaac is going to be okay. Today, those emotions became even more real because they showed me the depth of the emotions of Christ’s Passion. The sacrifice of God’s only Son became real all over again and I think sometimes I forget Jesus was human. I forget that at the time, they didn’t know He was going to die and hoped he wouldn’t. They didn’t know He was going to rise from the dead. So even today, as we know how the story ends, the sacrifice should not mean any less. 

I ask that you take at least a full sixty seconds of silence to think about this sacrifice of life that was made out of pure love for you, despite all your sins and shortcomings, so that you could live in the fullness of faith after your life on earth. 

Jesus, the Lamb, died that you might live. 

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La primera lectura de hoy siempre me parece aterradora y extraña. ¿Por qué Dios haría que Abraham casi matara a su propio hijo? Siempre me frustro, porque incluso para el Dios del Antiguo Testamento, se siente demasiado aterrador. ¡¿Por qué Dios probaría a este hombre fiel y temeroso de Dios literalmente haciendo asesinar a su propio hijo?! Debo estar faltando algún detalle porque incluso si vamos a seguir al Señor por encima de todo, seguramente debe haber un significado más profundo y una lección aquí… ¿verdad?

Así que hoy leí el pasaje lentamente. Me permití sentir las emociones por las que creo que habría pasado Abraham: la conmoción, la tristeza, la súplica interna a Dios, la devoción desgarradora al Señor y, finalmente, el alivio. Permití que estos sentimientos realmente se asentaran. Me di cuenta que estas emociones eran tan cercanas a las emociones que sentí cuando meditaba en la Pasión de Jesucristo:

La conmoción de todos a su alrededor de que el verdadero Hijo de Dios fuera sentenciado a la muerte.

El dolor durante el camino al monte cuando “una gran multitud de gente seguía a Jesús, y muchas mujeres hacían duelo y lamentación por él”, muy parecido a lo que Abraham debe haber sentido por Isaac (Lucas 23,27).

La súplica interna a Dios incluso cuando Jesús dice: “Padre, si quieres, aparta de mí esta copa; pero no se haga mi voluntad sino la tuya” (Lucas 22,42).

La desgarradora devoción al Señor vista incluso por su Madre María (“de pie junto a la cruz de Jesús [era] su madre”) cuando su hijo es crucificado ante ella (Juan 19,25).

Pero…Jesús no recibe alivio. Dios Padre no lo salva de este sacrificio.

“Jesús clamó a gran voz: ‘Padre, en tus manos encomiendo mi espíritu’; y cuando hubo dicho esto, expiró” (Lucas 23,46).

A diferencia de la Primera Lectura de hoy, no hay carnero para sacrificar. En cambio, Jesús es el Cordero de Dios sacrificado. Él se sacrificó por nosotros.

Normalmente, cuando leo la Primera Lectura, paso por un sube y baja de emociones aunque sé el resultado. Isaac va a estar bien. Hoy, esas emociones se hicieron aún más reales porque me mostraron la profundidad de las emociones de la Pasión de Cristo. El sacrificio del Hijo único de Dios volvió a ser real y creo que a veces me olvido que Jesús era humano. Me olvidé que en ese momento, ellos no sabían que iba a morir y esperaban que no lo hiciera. Ellos no sabían que iba a resucitar de entre los muertos. Así que aún hoy, sabiendo cómo termina la historia, el sacrificio no debería significar menos.

Te pido que tomes por lo menos sesenta segundos completos de silencio para pensar en este sacrificio hecho por puro amor a ti, a pesar de todos tus pecados y defectos, para que puedas vivir en la plenitud de la fe después de tu vida terrenal. Jesús, el Cordero, murió para que pudieras vivir.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Tomar por Hecho al Señor / Taking the Lord for Granted

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It’s so easy to take for granted what and who we have in our lives. 

In today’s First Reading, we read of Tobit, a generous man who sticks to the Law of the Lord, even burying the poor regardless of being mocked. 

And yet, when his wife is given a “bonus” of a goat from her boss, he thinks that she has stolen it and gets angry, demanding she return it. Tobit’s wife’s response is almost chilling:

Where are your charitable deeds now?
Where are your righteous acts?

It reminds Tobit that even in all his generosity and actively following the Lord’s commandments he does not bring the same generosity and truth-seeking into his own home and relationship with his wife. Even all his acts of good deeds with the poor, stop when he reaches the entry of his own home. 

Unfortunately, I can relate to Tobit. I spend so much of my time at work being pleasant and fun to be around but when I get home, everything annoys me and even though my boyfriend is kind enough to take me out to eat for dinner, I huff when he asks “What do you want to eat?” Or when a friend calls me to hang out, I reply with a halfhearted “yeah, sure.”

Here is the person that knows me and loves me and has always been there for me, and yet I take them for granted. How often do I do the same with the Lord? 

I wonder how much of my time is spent praising the Lord and then also resenting the Lord’s will not being aligned with my own. How often do I ask things of the Lord, which are granted in miraculous ways, but not even miracles are enough for me to praise him all the days of my life?! 

It’s almost easier to be continuously kind to strangers than to those who know us the most. It is easy to see the big miracles but ignore the little miracles of life and love that the Lord affords us each and every day. 

So today I challenge you to open your eyes to these miracles and to praise Him for all the little things. Make an effort to bring His light and His love into your home to those who know you the best. 

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Es muy fácil tomar por hecho qué y quién tenemos en nuestras vidas.

En la Primera Lectura de hoy, leemos acerca de Tobías, un hombre generoso que se apega a la Ley del Señor, incluso enterrando a los pobres sin importarle las burlas.

Y, sin embargo, cuando su esposa recibe un “bono” de una cabra de su jefe, él piensa que se la ha robado y se enfada y le exige que se la devuelva. La respuesta de la esposa de Tobit es casi escalofriante:

¿Ahora dónde están tus obras de caridad?

¿Dónde están tus actos justos?

Le recuerda a Tobías que incluso con toda su generosidad y siguiendo activamente los mandamientos del Señor, él no trae la misma generosidad y búsqueda de la verdad a su propio hogar y a la relación con su esposa. Incluso todos sus actos de buenas obras con los pobres, se detienen cuando llega a la entrada de su propia casa.

Desafortunadamente, puedo relacionarme con Tobit. Paso gran parte de mi tiempo en el trabajo siendo agradable y divertida, pero cuando llego a casa, todo me molesta y, aunque mi novio tiene la amabilidad de invitarme a cenar, resoplo cuando me pregunta “¿Qué quieres comer?” O cuando un amigo me llama para pasar el rato, respondo con poco entusiasmo “sí, claro”.

Aquí está la persona que me conoce y me ama y siempre ha estado ahí para mí y, sin embargo, la tomo por hecho. ¿Con qué frecuencia hago lo mismo con el Señor?

Me pregunto cuánto de mi tiempo lo dedico a alabar al Señor y luego también a resentir que la voluntad del Señor no esté alineada con la mía. ¡¿Cuántas veces pido cosas al Señor, que se me conceden de manera milagrosa, pero ni siquiera los milagros me bastan para alabarle todos los días de mi vida?!

Es casi más fácil ser continuamente amable con los extraños que con los que más nos conocen. Es fácil ver los grandes milagros pero ignorar los pequeños milagros de vida y amor que el Señor nos regala cada día.

Así que hoy te desafío a que abras los ojos a estos milagros y lo alabes por todas las pequeñas cosas. Haz un esfuerzo para traer Su luz y Su amor a tu hogar a aquellos que te conocen mejor.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Speak Truth in Love / Hablar la Verdad con Amor

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Today is my boyfriend’s birthday, so while reading today’s readings I was immediately reminded of our promise to one another: To always speak the truth. 

While he and I discern marriage, we’ve realized just how important it is to have difficult conversations. We’ve recognized the value of speaking truth, the core of love, to one another even if it is hard to hear. Maybe it’s an insensitive joke or maybe it’s the frustration and anxieties of learning who we are. No matter what the situation, we have always chosen to focus on communication and communicating truth, even when it is hard to be honest not only with one another, but with ourselves. It might lead to tears, to awkward silences, and frustrated sighs, but at the end, we know that sharing our truths makes us better as individuals and stronger as a couple. 

I bring this up because in today’s First Reading, Paul and Barnabus speak out the truth that the Jews clearly did not want to hear. They boldly resound the Word of God, the Truth, that there is now also salvation for the Gentiles, not only the Jews. They even go so far as to explain that this is due to the Jews’ own actions, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46). 

Imagine being Paul and Barnabus at this moment. 

Imagine the fear. 

Now imagine the love that they borrow from the Lord before opening their mouths. 

I say “love” because as the apostle St. John tells us in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” As humans, we fear the truth because it is difficult to share. There are stigmas, perceptions, and judgements we fear that keep us from sharing the truth.

Maybe you don’t wear your cross necklace because you don’t want people to consider you a “Jesus freak” in these times of hostility towards Christians. Maybe you laugh along and call your Sunday Mass obligation boring because your friends said it first. Maybe you are avoiding a conversation with someone because you are afraid to tell them you don’t agree with their actions.

Maybe you are avoiding the Lord because your own actions are not in line with Him. 

No matter the reason, no matter the situation, we must borrow the love from the Lord so we are not afraid of the Truth because we know that through Him, we are always offered forgiveness and salvation, should we just turn to Him. 

Stop to take a moment to consider your fears and hushed truths. 

Now, in striving for perfect love, lean on the Lord and speak the truth without fear. 

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Hoy es el cumpleaños de mi novio, así que mientras leía las lecturas de hoy me acordé de inmediato de nuestra promesa mutua: decir siempre la verdad.

Mientras él y yo discernimos el matrimonio, nos hemos dado cuenta de lo importante que es tener conversaciones difíciles. Hemos reconocido el valor de decir la verdad, el núcleo del amor, el uno al otro, incluso si es difícil de escuchar. Tal vez sea una broma insensible o tal vez sea la frustración y la ansiedad de llegar a conocer quiénes somos. No importa cuál sea la situación, siempre hemos optado por centrarnos en la comunicación y comunicar la verdad, incluso cuando es difícil ser honestos, no solo con los demás, sino con nosotros mismos. Puede provocar lágrimas, silencios incómodos y suspiros de frustración, pero al final sabemos que compartir nuestras verdades nos hace mejores como personas y más fuertes como pareja.

Menciono esto porque en la Primera Lectura de hoy, Pablo y Bernabé dicen la verdad que los judíos claramente no querían escuchar. Resuenan con audacia la Palabra de Dios, la Verdad, que ahora también hay salvación para los gentiles, no sólo para los judíos. Incluso llegan a explicar que esto se debe a las propias acciones de los judíos, diciendo: “La palabra de Dios debía ser predicada primero a ustedes; pero como la rechazan y no se juzgan dignos de la vida eterna, nos dirigiremos a los paganos.” (Hechos 13:46).

Imagina si fueras Pablo o Bernabé en este momento.

Imagina el miedo.

Ahora imagina el amor que piden que el Señor les dé antes de abrir la boca.

Digo “amor” porque como nos dice el apóstol San Juan en 1 Juan 4:18, “En el amor no hay temor, sino que el amor perfecto echa fuera el temor”. Como seres humanos, tememos la verdad porque es difícil de compartir. Hay estigmas, percepciones y juicios que tememos que nos impiden compartir la verdad.

Tal vez no utilices tu collar con cruz porque no quieres que la gente te considere un “fanático de Jesús” en estos tiempos de hostilidad hacia los cristianos. Tal vez te ríes y dices que tu obligación de ir a la misa dominical es aburrida porque tus amigos lo dijeron primero. Tal vez estás evitando una conversación con alguien porque tienes miedo de decirle que no estás de acuerdo con sus acciones.

Tal vez estás evitando al Señor porque tus propias acciones no están en línea con Él.

No importa la razón, no importa la situación, debemos pedir que el Señor nos regale su amor para no tener miedo de la Verdad porque sabemos que a través de Él, siempre se nos ofrece el perdón y la salvación, si se lo pedimos.

Detente y toma un momento para considerar tus miedos y verdades silenciosas.

Ahora, en la lucha por el amor perfecto, apóyate en el Señor y habla la verdad sin miedo.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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In God We Trust / Confiar en Dios

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This Lent, I am focusing on praying the Angelus at the traditional times, followed by the Litany of Trust. That means I get up a little before 6:00 am and pray while in bed (usually with my eyes closed and then lay there a bit longer). It means that my alarm goes off at 11:58 am and I stop whatever I’m doing that is (probably) stressing me out to pray. It means that at 6:00 pm, you will find me sitting in traffic, praying for people to use their turn signals (or thanking God for those who do).

I joke about what I’m praying for, but in all seriousness, it’s during these times that I look to Mary in her fiat, her ultimate gift of self to the Lord and pray to have that same faith. I look to Jesus and pray that I can give my life to the Lord, without everything that holds me back. Although, as a fair warning, God has a sense of humor sometimes. 

When I graduated college, I worked at my home parish. From there, I realized that I wanted to work at a Catholic communications company so I could use my gifts for the Lord. But after driving in a blizzard in Colorado, I always told myself, “Lord, I will move anywhere to do your work, but I’m never moving somewhere with snow.” Fast forward 9 months and I moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to work at… yup, a Catholic communications company. Still, I told myself that even though I lived in a place where it snowed for half the year, I would never live somewhere with snow AND steep hills. 

After working there for 4 years, I had the opportunity to work with a Catholic Charismatic Renewal service organization that was based out of Virginia. The weather looked pretty mild and the rolling hills looked lovely. Then, around the same time I was offered a full-time job, they let me know they were planning to move the headquarters to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. You know, the city with LITERALLY the steepest officially recorded public street in the Continental United States. 

Still, I trusted in the Lord and moved to Pittsburgh, where I’ve been incredibly blessed.
Hills and all. 

He has always given me peace even when I closed my eyes and jumped headfirst with all the alarms ringing. So when this particular alarm goes off at 6:00 am, noon, and 6:00 pm, it reminds me to make time for the Lord and not in a, “I’m free at 5:34 pm today” kind of way, but in a, “Lord, I am never too busy for you,” kind of way.

So here I am Lord. Never too busy for you. 

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Esta Cuaresma, me estoy enfocando en rezar el Ángelus en los momentos tradicionales, y luego la Letanía de Confianza. Esto significa que me levanto un poco antes de las 6:00 am y rezo mientras estoy en la cama (generalmente con los ojos cerrados y luego me acuesto un ratito más). Significa que mi alarma suena a las 11:58am y dejo de hacer lo que me esté estresando en ese momento para rezar. Significa que a las 6:00pm, me encontrarás sentada en el tráfico, rezando para que la gente utilice sus señales de giro (o agradeciendo a Dios por los que lo hacen).

Estoy bromeando, pero con toda seriedad, es durante estos tiempos que miro a María en su fiat, su último regalo de sí mismo al Señor y rezo para tener esa misma fe. Miro a Jesús y rezo  para poder dar mi vida al Señor, sin todo lo que me detiene. Aunque, como justa advertencia, Dios tiene sentido del humor a veces.

Cuando me gradué de la universidad, trabajé en mi parroquia natal. A partir de ahí, me di cuenta de que quería trabajar en una empresa de comunicaciones católica para poder usar mis dones para el Señor. Pero después de manejar en medio de una tormenta de nieve en Colorado, siempre me decía a mí mismo: “Señor, me mudaré a cualquier lugar para hacer tu trabajo, pero nunca me mudaré a un lugar con nieve”. Avance rápido 9 meses y me mudé a Grand Rapids, Michigan, para trabajar en… sí, una empresa católica de comunicaciones. Aún así, me dije a mí mismo que aunque vivía en un lugar donde nevaba la mitad del año, nunca viviría en un lugar con nieve y colinas empinadas.

Después de trabajar allí durante 4 años, tuve la oportunidad de trabajar con una organización de servicio de Renovación Carismática Católica con sede en Virginia. El clima se veía bastante templado y las colinas onduladas se veían hermosas. Luego, casi al mismo tiempo que me ofrecieron un trabajo de tiempo completo, me informaron que planeaban trasladar la sede a Pittsburgh, Pensilvania. Ya sabes, la ciudad registrada oficialmente con LITERALMENTE las calles públicas más empinadas en los Estados Unidos continentales.

Aún así, confié en el Señor y me mudé a Pittsburgh, donde he sido increíblemente bendecida.

Con colinas y todo.

Siempre me ha dado paz incluso cuando cerraba los ojos y saltaba de cabeza con todas las alarmas sonando. Entonces, cuando esta alarma en particular suena a las 6:00am, al mediodía y a las 6:00pm, me recuerda de apartar un momento para el Señor como diciéndole, “Señor, nunca estoy demasiada ocupada para ti”. 

Así que aquí estoy Señor. Nunca demasiada ocupada para ti.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Follow the Lord / Seguir al Señor

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In writing these blog posts, it can be so easy for me to fall into the trap discussed in today’s Gospel. While I am a member of the laity, these blog posts make me someone preaching the Word to others, even as I mess up. I write about how to better follow the Lord, yet I see myself stumble and fall. I’m sure any of you who know me in real life know that I am most certainly not perfect. Yet, it is in my faults that I find the most precious grace of the Lord and where my faith pushes me with persistence to aspire to grow in my relationship with Christ Jesus. 

This grace of knowing I follow the Lord, not people of the Lord, is what makes me unafraid to discuss my faith with my friends. When they attack the fallenness of the Church instead of the Lord, I can see the pain that has been caused in their hearts by imperfect (as we all are) Christians. I have so many friends that have turned away from their faith not because of any issue with God, Himself, but because they have been wounded by the words and actions of those they looked up to in the Church or in their lives. Sometimes it was a parent using Scripture out of context or a prideful friend shaming their non-Christian friend. Sadly, these human actions and reactions, while inexcusable, turn people away from the Lord. 

However, I have also seen many people healed of their spiritual wounds. I have talked to a woman who forgave the man who killed her husband… and is now best friends with his wife and has been working in prison ministry for over 20+ years. I have seen years of anger replaced by the Father’s love and radically change a person and those around them. I have seen the least likely person to be a Catholic… become one of the most faithful Catholics I know. I have seen couples that, by walking closer in faith with Christ, wildly strengthen their marriage for years to come. 

It is through Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice that I am saved. It is by God’s unending mercy that I am offered salvation. It is through the Holy Spirit’s guidance that I am called to have a deeper relationship with My Lord and My God. 

So when you go out after reading today’s Gospel, remember to follow the Lord, not just the people. 

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Al escribir estas publicaciones de blog, puede ser muy fácil para mí caer en la trampa discutida en el Evangelio de hoy. Si bien soy una laica, estas publicaciones de blog me convierten en alguien que predica la Palabra a los demás, incluso cuando me equivoco. Escribo sobre cómo seguir mejor al Señor, pero me veo tropezar y caer. Estoy segura de que cualquiera de ustedes que me conoce en la vida real sabe que ciertamente no soy perfecta. Sin embargo, es en mis faltas donde encuentro la gracia más preciosa del Señor y donde mi fe me empuja con persistencia a aspirar a crecer en mi relación con Cristo Jesús.

Esta gracia de saber que sigo al Señor, no al pueblo del Señor, es lo que me hace no tener miedo de hablar de mi fe con mis amigos. Cuando atacan a la Iglesia decaída en lugar del Señor, puedo ver el dolor que han causado en sus corazones los cristianos imperfectos (como todos somos). Tengo tantos amigos que se han apartado de su fe no por ningún problema con Dios mismo, sino porque han sido heridos por las palabras y acciones de aquellos a quienes admiraban en la Iglesia o en sus vidas. A veces era uno de sus padres que usaba las Escrituras fuera de contexto o un amigo orgulloso que avergonzaba a su amigo no cristiano. Lamentablemente, estas acciones y reacciones humanas, aunque inexcusables, alejan a la gente del Señor.

Sin embargo, también he visto a muchas personas sanadas de sus heridas espirituales. He hablado con una mujer que perdonó al hombre que mató a su esposo… y ahora es la mejor amiga de su esposa y ha estado trabajando en el ministerio de prisiones por más de 20 años. He visto años de ira reemplazada por el amor del Padre y cambiar radicalmente a una persona y a quienes la rodean. He visto a la persona con menos probabilidades de ser católico… convertirse en uno de los católicos más fieles que conozco. He visto parejas que, al caminar más cerca en la fe con Cristo, fortalecen enormemente su matrimonio en los años venideros.

Es a través del último sacrificio de Jesús que soy salvo. Es por la misericordia infinita de Dios que se me ofrece la salvación. Es a través de la guía del Espíritu Santo que estoy llamada a tener una relación más profunda con Mi Señor y Mi Dios.

Así que cuando salgas afuera después de leer el Evangelio de hoy, recuerda seguir al Señor, no solo a la gente.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Creation / La Creación

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Sometimes I get so excited about the readings. It’s silly because I’ve heard most, if not all, of them before, but there’s something about how the readings are always exactly what you need, when you need it. Today’s reading is no different. 

There is one thing that stuck out to me the most from today’s First Reading:

  1. God created.

Again, I feel so silly stating the obvious as a giant epiphany, but it really was an epiphany for me today! 

Nearly every Christian knows the biblical story of creation. God said “Let there be light” and BOOM, there was light. It just gets even better from there. He creates day and night. He creates water and the sky. He creates soil and plants. He creates the sun and the moon. He creates the stars and the seasons. Again, that’s just the beginning! As if it wasn’t enough that He created all this beauty, he goes on to create animals and man (us!). 

I’ve traveled a good amount and I am always in awe of how much beauty there is in the natural world. Have you ever been on a mountaintop and been above the clouds? Have you ever seen a life-filled canyon that seems to go on for miles? Have you ever seen the northern lights? The northern lights literally move me to tears, and I’ve only seen them in videos! 

There is so much beauty in this world that God created for us and sometimes I forget about it. I don’t take walks as often as I should. I don’t spend much time getting lost in the beauty of watching a plant grow a new leaf and sprout up. I don’t revel in the fact that the sun came up today with beautiful colors and then went down with a whole different view of splendor. 

Today, let’s just thank the Lord for all He has created for us. Let’s give Him gratitude for giving us another day and a ground to walk on. Let’s praise Him for giving us animals to watch and pets to love. Let’s look at our favorite humans, or even ourselves in the mirror, and be amazed by the creation of man. We breathe without thinking. Our hearts know just what to do and when they don’t… we have other humans to thank for the gift of technologies that allow us to spend more time on this beautiful earth. And when it’s our time to go to our heavenly home… Thank the Lord for all He gave us on earth… because it’s only the beginning. 

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A veces me emociono mucho con las lecturas. Es un poco chistoso porque he escuchado la mayoría, si no todos, de ellos antes, pero hay algo acerca de cómo las lecturas siempre son exactamente lo que necesito, cuando lo necesito. La lectura de hoy no es nada diferente.

Hay una cosa que me llamó más la atención de la primera lectura de hoy: Dios creó.

Nuevamente, me siento un poco chistosa al decir lo obvio como una gran epifanía, ¡pero realmente fue una epifanía para mí hoy!

Casi todos los cristianos conocen la historia bíblica de la creación. Dios dijo “Que exista la luz” y BOOM, hubo luz. Y de ahí se pone aún mejor. Crea el día y la noche. Crea el agua y el cielo. Crea la tierra y las plantas. Crea el sol y la luna. Crea las estrellas y las estaciones. Nuevamente, ¡eso es solo el comienzo! Como si no fuera suficiente que creyera toda esta belleza, continúa creando a los animales y el hombre (¡nosotros!).

He viajado mucho y siempre me asombra la cantidad de belleza que hay en el mundo natural. ¿Alguna vez has estado en la cima de una montaña y has estado por encima de las nubes? ¿Alguna vez has visto un cañón lleno de vida que parece extenderse por millas? ¿Alguna vez has visto la aurora boreal? Las auroras boreales literalmente me conmueven hasta las lágrimas, ¡y solo las he visto en videos!

Hay tanta belleza en este mundo que Dios creó para nosotros y a veces me olvido de eso. No salgo a caminar tan a menudo como debería. No paso mucho tiempo perdiéndome en la belleza de ver a una planta desarrollar una nueva hoja y brotar. No me deleito en el hecho de que el sol salió hoy con hermosos colores y luego se puso con una vista completamente diferente de esplendor.

Hoy, demos gracias al Señor por todo lo que ha creado para nosotros. Démosle gracias por darnos otro día y un terreno para caminar. Alabemos a Dios por darnos animales para cuidar y mascotas para amar. Miremos a nuestros seres queridos favoritos, o incluso a nosotros mismos en el espejo para sorprendernos con la creación del hombre. Respiramos sin pensar. Nuestros corazones saben exactamente qué hacer y cuándo no… gracias a Dios tenemos a otros seres humanos que nos han regalado las tecnologías que nos permiten pasar más tiempo en esta hermosa tierra. Y cuando sea nuestro tiempo de ir a nuestro hogar celestial… Gracias al Señor por todo lo que nos dio en la tierra… porque es solo el comienzo.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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The Son of Adam, the Son of God / El Hijo de Adán, el Hijo de Dios

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There are multiple Gospel options for today. The first is that of John the Baptist proclaiming the coming of Jesus, of someone “mightier than I.” The second is the lineage of Jesus, which is one that I personally love. Well, now I love it. 

As a child, sitting in Mass, I definitely didn’t want a list of names read in a droning voice because as a child, I didn’t get it. I wasn’t yet old enough to understand the amazing gravity of what was being read to me. I was hearing a list of just how human Jesus was. Yes, He is divine in a way that we, as humans, can’t even comprehend, but He is also 100% human. He was born from a woman, into a family, and grew up as a human, among humans. He was the son of a carpenter and lived as a common man. All so we could be saved. 

My friend recently reframed it in a totally new light. Imagine having a child that you are so close with and love so much. Now imagine telling them, “Alright, my darling, I’m going to turn you into an ant. So you’ll be birthed… as an ant. To an ant. In an ant colony. Also, you’ll be a worker ant and you’re not invincible, so just know that you, too, will die.”  

Jesus had these amazing gifts of His Father, of unlimited love and strength and power, and yet he became human! He became human. 

So when it says, “The son of Adam, the son of God” it reminds me that you and I truly are the children of God, just as Jesus was. Not in the exact same way, of course, but as a powerful reminder that Jesus was just as human as we are. He had strong emotions, he had high stress, he had friends and people who hated him. In his daily life, he struggled just as we do. 

The difference is that in all he did, he turned to his Father. Throughout the Bible, we hear so often that when Jesus is stressed out, when he is overwhelmed by the crowds, and even when everything seems to be going great… He pulls away from people, from his friends, from the crowds… and retreats into the solitude and silence of prayer with his Father. 

So, today, think of your favorite quiet place to be alone and try to find some time to do the same. Take some time to leave the busyness, the chaos, the overwhelming loudness of the world and spend time in the quiet with the Lord. Just sit with the Lord in all your humanity and rely on Him for all your needs, as human as they are.

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Hay múltiples opciones del Evangelio para hoy. La primera es la de Juan Bautista anunciando la venida de Jesús, de alguien “más poderoso que yo”. El segundo es el linaje de Jesús, que a mí me encanta. Bueno, me encanta ahora.

Cuando era niña, sentada en Misa, definitivamente no quería que se leyera una lista de nombres con voz monótona porque cuando era niña, no lo entendía. Todavía no tenía la edad suficiente para comprender la asombrosa gravedad de lo que me estaban leyendo. Estaba escuchando una lista de cuán humano era Jesús. Sí, Él es divino de una manera que nosotros, como humanos, ni siquiera podemos comprender, pero también es 100% humano. Nació de una mujer, en una familia, y creció como humano, entre humanos. Era hijo de un carpintero y vivía como un hombre común. Todo para que pudiéramos ser salvos.

Mi amigo lo reformuló recientemente de una forma totalmente nueva. Imagina tener un hijo con el que eres tan cercano y amas tanto. Ahora imagina decirles: “Está bien, cariño, te voy a convertir en una hormiga. Entonces nacerás como hormiga de una hormiga, en una colonia de hormigas. Además, serás una hormiga obrera y no eres invencible, así que debes saber que tú también morirás”.

Jesús tenía estos maravillosos dones de Su Padre, de amor, fuerza y ​​poder ilimitados, ¡y sin embargo se hizo humano! Se hizo humano.

Entonces, cuando dice: “El hijo de Adán, el hijo de Dios”, me recuerda que tú y yo verdaderamente somos hijos de Dios, tal como lo fue Jesús. No exactamente de la misma manera, por supuesto, sino como un poderoso recordatorio de que Jesús era tan humano como nosotros. Tenía emociones fuertes, tenía mucho estrés, tenía amigos y gente que lo odiaba. En su vida diaria, luchó al igual que nosotros.

La diferencia es que en todo lo que hizo, se volvió hacia su Padre. A lo largo de la Biblia, escuchamos tan a menudo que cuando Jesús está estresado, cuando está abrumado por la multitud, e incluso cuando todo parece ir bien, se aleja de la gente, de sus amigos, de la multitud y se retira a solas en silencio para orar con su Padre.

Entonces, hoy, piensa en tu lugar tranquilo favorito donde te gusta estar solo y trata de encontrar un poco de tiempo para hacer lo mismo. Tómate un tiempo para dejar el ajetreo, el caos, el ruido abrumador del mundo y pasar tiempo en silencio con el Señor. Simplemente siéntate con el Señor en toda su humanidad y confía en Él para todas tus necesidades humanas.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Shepherds / Los Pastores

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As the eldest child, I was born into a leadership role and have continued to have more leadership roles as I’ve grown older. In leadership roles, it’s easy to get an inflated ego. People are asking you questions, asking for advice, and needing your presence and validation. But someone once told me that a great leader is not someone who makes themselves look more successful; A great leader is someone that makes others feel more successful. Moreover, a great leader is someone that makes the “lowest” or “outcast” feel included and successful. 

In the First Reading, we are immediately thrown into a passage in which the leaders have not been good leaders so they are being punished. Not only have they led their people astray but they have also left them to their own devices. No right, no wrong, no direction. This passage also reminds us that the LORD is our shepherd. In one fell swoop, we learn about the consequences of not being a good leader, but also get a quick reminder that it is not man that we should expect to lead us, but the Lord. 

Of course, this brought the parable of the lost sheep back to the forefront of my mind. In Luke 15, Jesus uses this example to share that even if 99 of the sheep are safe and herded, we should go looking for the one sheep that is lost. Then, once the lost sheep is found, there is rejoicing. That is being a good leader and a good, fellow Christian. 

I think both of today’s readings tie into that parable since they serve as reminders to us to not only bring that one lost person back to the faith and be Christ’s love to them, but also that we should not be prideful and think, “Well, it’s not my fault they got lost. Maybe if they were like me and went to Church and prayed, then they wouldn’t be lost.” But this is not being humble. That is selfishness, pride, and jealousy. 

Upon further reflection, I’m left looking at where I have failed to be a humble servant of the Lord and humble leader to His people. Have I left my parents and those older than me to their own devices because “they don’t need to be reminded to go to Mass since they’re older and wiser”? Have I avoided Christian conversation with certain people because my pride tells me that I will look ignorant of the Bible? Have I let others fall because I thought they deserved it? What other ways have I not acted out of love, because it was what felt easier? 

Ask yourself; What kind of shepherd am I? 

Heavenly Father, we humbly come to you and ask for your assistance.
Help us to avoid selfishness, pride, and jealousy
so we can minister to your flock, our fellow brothers and sisters.
Give us strength to put our egos aside,
so we may do what is right, not what is easy.
Be with us in each step so that we are not afraid
to leave the 99 and find the 1,
so we may rejoice with you once found.
Amen. 

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Como hija mayor, nací con un rol de liderazgo y he seguido teniendo más roles de liderazgo a medida que crecía. Con roles de liderazgo, es fácil tener un ego inflado. Las personas te hacen preguntas, te piden consejos y necesitan tu presencia y validación. Pero alguien me dijo una vez que un gran líder no es alguien que se hace ver más exitoso; Un gran líder es alguien que hace que los demás se sientan más exitosos. Además, un gran líder es alguien que hace que los “menospreciados” o los “marginados” se sientan incluidos y exitosos.

En la Primera Lectura, somos arrojados inmediatamente a un pasaje en el que los líderes no han sido buenos líderes, por lo que están siendo castigados. No solo han descarriado a su pueblo, sino que también los han dejado a su suerte. No hay bien, no hay mal, no hay dirección. Este pasaje también nos recuerda que el Señor es nuestro pastor. De un solo golpe, aprendemos acerca de las consecuencias de no ser un buen líder, pero también recibimos un rápido recordatorio de que no es el hombre quien debemos esperar que nos guíe, sino el Señor.

Por supuesto, esto trajo al frente de mi mente la parábola de la oveja perdida. En Lucas 15, Jesús usa este ejemplo para compartir que incluso si 99 de las ovejas están a salvo y pastoreadas, debemos ir a buscar la oveja que se perdió. Entonces, una vez que se encuentra la oveja perdida, hay regocijo. Eso es ser un buen líder y un buen compañero cristiano.

Creo que las dos lecturas de hoy se relacionan con esa parábola, ya que nos sirven como recordatorios no solo para traer de vuelta a la fe a esa persona perdida y ser el amor de Cristo para ellos, sino también que no debemos ser orgullosos y pensar: “Bueno, no es mi culpa que se hayan perdido. Tal vez si fueran como yo y fueran a la iglesia y oraran, entonces no se perderían”. Pero esto no es ser humilde. Eso es egoísmo, orgullo y celos.

Después de reflexionar más, me quedo viendo dónde he fallado en ser un humilde siervo del Señor y un humilde líder para Su pueblo. ¿He dejado a mis padres y a los que son mayores que yo solos porque “no necesitan que les recuerden ir a misa porque son mayores y más sabios”? ¿He evitado la conversación cristiana con ciertas personas porque mi orgullo me dice que pareceré ignorante de la Biblia? ¿He dejado caer a otros porque pensé que se lo merecían? ¿De cuales otras formas no he actuado por amor, porque era lo que me parecía más fácil?

Pregúntese; ¿Qué tipo de pastor soy?

Padre Celestial, humildemente venimos a ti y te pedimos tu ayuda.
Ayúdanos a evitar el egoísmo, el orgullo y los celos
para que podamos ser ministros a tu rebaño, nuestros hermanos y hermanas.
Danos fuerza para dejar de lado nuestros egos,
para que podamos hacer lo correcto, no lo fácil.
Acompáñanos en cada paso para que no tengamos miedo
para dejar al 99 para encontrar el 1,
para que podamos regocijarnos contigo una vez que te encontremos.
Amén.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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What Makes You Think That You’re So Special?

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I have the good fortune to work in an office that is on the same grounds as a Catholic retreat center. Because of this, I often come into contact with a lot of great Christ-centered wisdom. This past week, a woman was staying in one of the rooms below my office and I talked to her when I walked into work, on my lunch breaks, and then when I left work. Over these short, passing conversations, I felt the Lord calling me to take the time to talk with her, to truly give her my time, so one day before leaving work, I knocked on her door to chat. 

This woman shared with me that nearly six years ago, she was given another shot at life. She suffered an embolism that should have killed her, or left her with only 6 months to live, but instead, the doctors working her case considered her a miracle. 

She knew it was a miracle. She knew it was a miracle because as soon as she was given her diagnosis, she prayed and immediately felt peace. Enough peace to make jokes with the nurses as she was life-flighted from one hospital to another. She knew it was God and it changed everything. 

Still…she told me that there was someone in her life, someone she considered a good  friend, that told her, “What makes you think you’re so special that God would want to save YOUR life?” At first, it hurt her to think that her friend didn’t think that she was special. Then it hurt her heart even more when she realized that her friend didn’t know that she was also so special that God wanted to save her life, too. 

This woman’s realization is something I have not been able to stop thinking about. How many times have I failed to realize that I am so special that God wants to save my life. In fact, He sent His only Son to be arrested, ridiculed, crucified, stabbed, and ultimately face death… all to save me. All to save you. 

As we prepare for the Easter Triduum, let us stop and marvel at the fact that our God, our Father, loves us so dearly and wants to save us so badly, that Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice… and then CONQUERED THE GRAVE for our sins! He wants to wash away the shame, the fear, the sadness, and all we have to do is say “yes.”

So forget “What makes you think you’re so special that God would want to save your life?” because the better question is “What makes you think that an all-loving, all-powerful God wouldn’t want to save your life?” God is calling us. By name. So why don’t we listen this time?

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Be Better

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We are in the middle of Holy Week, people! Less than a week until Easter! Less than a week until we commemorate the greatest gift of all! Is your soul refreshed? Are your hopes and desires getting you a step closer to heaven? Can you feel the deep waves of forgiveness pulling you into God’s great ocean of peace?  

If your answer is without a doubt yes, then please, do tell me your secrets. I feel like I have done my best to be prepared for the memorial of Jesus’ resurrection, but I wouldn’t say that I’m 100 percent heaven-ready. Luckily, God understands that we are not perfect by default and has given us the Bible as a tool to use.

As I read over today’s first reading, it sounds like just the kind of quick guide that I need. I have a tongue, so I should speak to the weary. I have ears, so I should listen to the true word of Christ. My body, though beaten by people that make fun of me and scoff at my beliefs, has the Lord God at my side to hold me up. Going into the responsorial Psalm, we ask, “Lord, in your great love, answer me,” as we admit to being weak, picked on, an outcast, insulted. We praise him because we are thankful, but our thanks must go further than just words. It should be evident in our actions.

As Catholics, we must understand that we will always have more to strive for. Our God challenges us in everyday situations to step up and live out our faith, whether it is with the people around us or in our own hearts. Instead of seeing our faith as a burden or as an annoyance (because sometimes we do), we should instead see it as an opportunity to become a better person. Instead of trying to please our critics, society, or our parents, we should try to become someone our heavenly Father would be proud of.

So if your Lent didn’t go as planned, know that it’s okay because it is a journey. As you attend each Mass this Holy Week, ask God for what you need. Ask Him to bless your body with the skills and strengths you need. He wants you to succeed and is willing to give you the tools because He wants nothing more than to be in communion with Him in heaven. It is a simple matter of who you want to be and if you are willing to work on it. Do you want to be better? Will you allow your Lenten sacrifice to carry on after Sunday and continue to bring you closer to God? Or will you allow Jesus’ Lenten sacrifice be for nothing?

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Mercy, Thank God

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How great is our God that he is so merciful! In today’s Responsorial Psalm, we repeat, “Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.” I know that I am, personally, so blessed with a wonderful life in which I can see God’s little miracles that shaped my life and got me to where I am today. Still, I know that I am no angel. I am not perfect nor anywhere near it. I know that I am not excused from confession. But I also know that my God offers me mercy, even when I feel that I do not deserve it. Looking at the Bible, we know that many a murder, an adulterer, a thief, have become followers of Christ after encountering a miracle and witnessing the Living God. 

Now, God’s mercy is not a cop out. It is not for us to see and say, “Well, I’ll repent on my deathbed and I’ll be golden.” Number one, we never know when we may die. Number two, that is not living the life that the Lord calls us to! No, instead we are called to genuinely ask for forgiveness, both from God and those whom we have wronged.  And THEN we are called to offer forgiveness for those who have wronged us. Many times, that’s the hardest part. 

Too often, too many of us do not show each other mercy or are not shown mercy. We see someone mess up and rather than being compassionate and having mercy, we see punishment as a source of power and can abuse it. I think of how many times I wish I had been shown mercy for things that were out of my control… and then I wonder how many times I should have shown mercy for things that were out of other people’s control. 

Dear Father, 

We thank you for all the mercy that you have shown us.

We know that while all may not be “perfect” in the earthly sense,

You are always right beside us, offering salvation.

You are always offering forgiveness, in the face of every sin.

You call out to us in the darkness, when we are most lost,

sharing the light of Your love and endless mercy. 

Today, we humbly place ourselves before You in supplication,

asking for the gift of mercy, as a trait.

Let us hold a mirror to our own faults 

and recognize how Your mercy is truly a beautiful gift.

Let us learn by example and offer compassion even when we cannot relate.

Let us be Christ to others and offer forgiveness even when it is hard for us.

Let us lead others to You by being Christ to others. 

Amen. 

Contact the author

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

Feature Image Credit: Anne Nygard, https://unsplash.com/photos/0uRJY0sStM0