Monday, June 25, 2018

Blog: Jesus Heals July 1, 2018

The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B



Reading I:  Wisdom I: 1:13-15;
                       2:23-24
Psalm:  30

Reading II:  2 Cor. 8: 7, 9,
                       13-15

Gospel:  Mark 5:21-43


In the Gospels, we hear a lot about the way Jesus healed people. Yes, He healed them or their loved ones physically,  However, it is good to consider that He also healed their spirits. In today’s Gospel, we hear about Jairus, a synagogue official, pleading with Jesus to heal his daughter who he believes is near death. He trusts that if Jesus were to just lay his hands on her she would get well and live. Jesus responds to him by healing and raising her up.

There must have been a strong bond between the father and daughter or Jairus would not have been so desperately pleading for Jesus to heal her. After all, Jairus was a man of importance. Here he is pleading with Jesus, a carpenter’s son, to heal his daughter and showing trust that Jesus could cure his daughter just by placing his hands on her.

Jesus not only heals the daughter, but he is also healing the spirit of her father at the same time. Parents who have bonded with their children suffer greatly when the child experiences pain or great trouble. How relieved, how joyful, how grateful Jairus and his wife must have felt. Yes, Jesus knew how much the child was loved, and in his compassion, He chose to heal the spirits of the parents by bringing healing to their daughter.

In another story of healing, the woman with the hemorrhage also suffered physically, and in her spirit. In those days, people did not understand the functions of the body as we do today. She was probably considered “unclean” and was shunned. We don’t know if she had been married or not. If the woman had not been married before her affliction, it is unlikely that anyone would want to marry her. She would be dependent on male family or relatives for support. On the other hand, if she was married and then became afflicted, her husband could well have
divorced her. That would have left her without support. How much anxiety
and embarrassment that would have caused her!

Sometimes the emotional suffering which accompanies illness can be almost worse than the illness itself. It can involve loneliness, anxiety, depression, and despair. Jesus looked not just on the physical hardships of people, but also the emotional toll it took on them. Let’s imitate the sensitivity of Jesus by being aware not only of the physical, but also the emotional pain, of our brothers and sisters.

 Reflection Question:   How can I  become more aware of the deep emotional pain of others in physical pain or difficult situations?




Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...
Jesús Sana

En los Evangelios, escuchamos mucho sobre la forma en que Jesús sanó a las personas. Sí, Él los sanó a ellos o a sus seres queridos físicamente. Sin embargo, es bueno considerar que Él también sanó sus espíritus. En el Evangelio de hoy, escuchamos acerca de Jairo, un funcionario de la sinagoga, suplicándole a Jesús que cure a su hija, que cree que está cerca de la muerte. Él confía en que si Jesús pusiera sus manos sobre ella, ella se recuperaría y viviría. Jesús responde a él sanando y levantándola.

Debe haber habido un fuerte vínculo entre el padre y la hija o Jairo no habría estado suplicando desesperadamente a Jesús para que la sanara. Después de todo, Jairo era un hombre importante. Aquí está suplicando a Jesús, el hijo de un carpintero, que cure a su hija y muestre confianza en que Jesús podría curar a su hija con solo ponerle las manos encima.

Jesús no solo sana a la hija, sino que también está sanando el espíritu de su padre al mismo tiempo. Los padres que se han vinculado con sus hijos sufren mucho cuando el niño experimenta dolor o grandes problemas. Qué aliviado, qué contento, cuán agradecido se sintieron Jairo y su esposa. Sí, Jesús sabía
cuánto se amaba al niño, y en su compasión, eligió sanar los espíritus
de los padres trayendo sanidad a su hija.

En otra historia de curación, la mujer con la hemorragia también sufrió físicamente y en su espíritu. En aquellos días, las personas no entendían las funciones del cuerpo como lo hacemos hoy. Ella probablemente fue considerada “inmunda” y fue rechazada. No sabemos si ella estuvo casada o no. Si la mujer no se había casado antes de su aflicción, es poco probable que alguien quiera casarse con ella. Ella dependería de su familia o parientes masculinos para recibir apoyo. Por otro lado, si ella estaba casada y luego se afligía, su esposo bien podría haberse divorciado de ella. Eso la habría dejado sin apoyo. ¡Cuánta ansiedad y vergüenza le
habría causado!

A veces, el sufrimiento emocional que acompaña a la enfermedad puede ser casi peor que la enfermedad misma. Puede involucrar soledad, ansiedad, depresión y desesperación. Jesús miró no solo las dificultades físicas de las personas, sino también el costo emocional que les costó. Imitamos la sensibilidad de Jesús al estar conscientes no solo del dolor físico sino también emocional de nuestros hermanos y hermanas.

 Pregunta de reflexión:    ¿Cómo puedo ser más consciente del profundo dolor emocional de los demás en el dolor físico o en situaciones difíciles?

Monday, June 18, 2018

The Feast of St. John the Baptist - June 24, 2018

The Feast of St. John the Baptist - Year B



Reading I:  Isaiah 49:1-6

Psalm:  139

Reading II:  Acts 13:22-26

Gospel:  Luke 1:57-66, 80

In today’s Gospel, we again see God showing his power by enabling an elderly Elizabeth to conceive and bear a child who was to have a special role in his plan. John’s father, Zechariah, also elderly, had a vision in which the angel
Gabriel told him that God had a special calling for the child, and that he was to call him “John.” However, Zachariah had questioned how they could have a son at their ages. The angel Gabriel told him because he had doubted, he would be
struck dumb.

At the birth of the son, the relatives and neighbors expected that he would be named after his father.  However, Zachariah wrote “His name is John.” He thereby acknowledged his belief in the words of the angel and he could once more speak. His words of praise to the Lord are found in the Bible and are prayed every day by priests, consecrated men and women, and some devout lay people when they pray the Divine Office on behalf of all peoples. The Office, also called The Prayer of Christians, is prayed periodically during the day and night on behalf of people all over the world.  It might be good to take time to reflect on that beautiful prayer, referred to as:

“The Benedictus”

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
He has come to His people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through His holy prophets, He promised of old
that He would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember His holy covenant.
This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship Him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way,
to give His people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.

Amen.

John’s special calling was to prepare the way of the Lord by calling people to repentance.  He was selfless in his efforts pointing to the Lord and away from himself. John is a model for all Christians. He knew who he was, but he knew he was not worthy even to tie the sandals of Jesus, our Savior.  Like Jesus and Mary, his life had blessings, purpose, and great suffering. Even today, we hear John’s endearing words before we receive Holy Communion: “Behold the Lamb of God!” How blessed we are to have such a self-sacrificing Lord! How blessed we are to have such a self-effacing model in St. John the Baptist!

We too have unique callings and a prayer from Cardinal Newman can be very helpful along the way:

The Mission of My Life

God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments. Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.

 Reflection Question:  What are some of the gifts that the Lord has given
you to share? 
Remember ordinary gifts are very important, as well as the
special ones.



Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

La Fiesta de San Juan el Bautista


En el Evangelio de hoy, nuevamente vemos a Dios mostrando su poder al permitir que una anciana Elizabeth conciba y tenga un hijo que iba a tener un papel especial en su plan. El padre de Juan, Zacarías, también anciano, tuvo una visión en la cual el ángel Gabriel le dijo que Dios tenía un llamado especial para el niño, y que lo llamaría “Juan”. Sin embargo, Zacarías había cuestionado cómo podrían tener un hijo a su edad. El ángel Gabriel le dijo porque había dudado, se quedaría mudo.

En el nacimiento del hijo, los familiares y vecinos esperaban que fuera nombrado después de su padre. Sin embargo, Zachariah escribió: “Su nombre es Juan.” De ese modo, reconoció su creencia en las palabras del ángel y pudo hablar una vez más. Sus palabras de alabanza al Señor se encuentran en la Biblia y son oradas todos los días por sacerdotes, hombres y mujeres consagrados y algunos laicos devotos cuando rezan la Oficina Adivinar en nombre de todos los pueblos. La oficina,  también llamado La Oración de los Cristianos, se reza periódicamente durante el día y la noche en nombre de personas de todo el mundo.

Sería bueno tomarse un tiempo para reflexionar sobre esa hermosa oración, a la que se hace referencia como:

"El Benedictus"

Bendito sea el Señor, Dios de Israel.
Él ha venido a su pueblo y los ha liberado.
Él ha levantado para nosotros un gran salvador,
nacido de la casa de su siervo David.
A través de Sus santos profetas, Él prometió de la antigüedad
que Él nos salvaría de nuestros enemigos,
de las manos de todos los que nos odian.
Él prometió mostrar misericordia a nuestros padres
y recordar su santo pacto.
Este fue el juramento que le hizo a nuestro padre Abraham:
para liberarnos de las manos de nuestros enemigos,
libre para adorarlo sin miedo,
santo y justo a su vista todos los días de nuestra vida.
Tú, hijo mío, serás llamado el profeta del Altísimo;
porque irás delante del Señor para preparar su camino,
para darle a su pueblo el conocimiento de la salvación
por el perdón de sus pecados
En la tierna compasión de nuestro Dios
el amanecer de lo alto se abrirá sobre nosotros,
para brillar sobre aquellos que habitan en la oscuridad y la sombra de la muerte,
y para guiar nuestros pies en el camino de la paz.
Gloria al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo,
como lo fue al principio, es ahora, y lo será para siempre.

Amén.

El llamado especial de Juan fue preparar el camino del Señor llamando a las personas al arrepentimiento. Fue desinteresado en sus esfuerzos al señalar al Señor y lejos de sí mismo. Juan es un modelo para todos los cristianos. Sabía quién era, pero sabía que ni siquiera era digno de atar las sandalias de Jesús, nuestro Salvador. Al igual que Jesús y María, su vida tuvo bendiciones, propósito y gran sufrimiento. Incluso hoy, escuchamos las entrañables palabras de Juan antes de recibir la Sagrada Comunión: “¡He aquí el Cordero de Dios!” ¡Cuán afortunados somos de tener un Señor tan sacrificado! ¡Cuán afortunados somos de tener un modelo tan modesto en San Juan Bautista!

Nosotros también tenemos llamamientos únicos y una oración de Cardenal Newman puede ser muy útil en el camino:

La Misión de mi Vida

Dios me ha creado para hacerle un servicio definido. Me ha dedicado un trabajo que no ha comprometido con otro. Tengo mi misión Puede que nunca lo sepa en esta vida, pero me lo contarán en la próxima. Soy un eslabón en una cadena, un vínculo de conexión entre personas. Él no me ha creado en vano. Haré el bien; Haré su trabajo. Seré un ángel de paz, un predicador de la verdad en mi propio lugar, sin pretenderlo si lo hago, sino que guardo sus mandamientos. Por lo tanto, confiaré en Él, lo que sea, donde sea que esté, nunca podré tirarme. Si estoy en la enfermedad, mi enfermedad puede servirle, en la perplejidad, mi perplejidad puede servirle. Si estoy triste, mi dolor puede servirlo. Él no hace nada en vano. Él sabe de lo que se trata. Él puede llevarse a mis amigos. Él puede tirarme entre extraños. Él puede hacerme sentir desolado, hacer que mi espíritu se hunda, esconder mi futuro de mí. Aún así, Él sabe de qué se trata.


 Pregunta de reflexión:  
 ¿Cuáles son algunos de los regalos que el Señor te ha dado para compartir? Recuerde que los regalos ordinarios son muy importantes, así como los especiales.                                        

Friday, June 15, 2018

June 17, 2018 The Mustard Seed

The Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time  - Year B


Reading I:  Ezekiel 17:22-24
  
Psalm:  92  

Reading II:  2 Cor. 5:6-10
 

Gospel:  Mark 4:26-34


The Lord often would refer to aspects of nature in his teaching and preaching. Yes, 
Mother Nature, created by God, provides us with lessons every day if we take the time to reflect. Before we had the Bible, people had some understanding of the Creator from their experiences in their earthly home. God chose to reveal more about Himself when He sent His Son to help us to understand our God on an even deeper level.

The parable of the mustard seed can remind us that if we nurture the gift of faith we received from the Lord, great things can happen. The mustard seed is very small, but it can grow into a large tree and attract the birds of the air to nestle in its branches.

When cared for, a tree can provide beauty, stability, shade, comfort, and
sometimes fruit for us. I have been struck by the beauty of the trees as they blossom in the springtime. Because of the large amounts of rain and good soil here in Pennsylvania, many trees grow to be magnificent and tall. 
However, if there is not enough water and nutrients available for the trees, they can die, be dwarfed, or bear no fruit.

Just so, our faith and relationship with the Lord must be nourished in order to grow. How does that happen? Just as human relationships are unique according to the personalities of the individuals, so we relate to the Lord in unique ways. While we share some experiences such as the Mass, the Sacraments, devotions like the rosary and novenas, we also have other ways of nurturing our relationships.

According to our personalities, we may grow in many different ways and through varied experiences. It may be reflecting on nature, listening to spiritual talks, reading the Bible, reading spiritual books, belonging to a Bible study or Faith-sharing group, meditation, contemplation, sacred music, sacred poetry, sacred art, spiritual direction, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, visiting the Lord in church or chapel, making a prayer corner in own home, making retreats, accepting trials, or extending ourselves to carrying on the mission of Jesus.

The following is a quotation from St. Teresa of Avila:
Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours,
        No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
      Yours are the eyes with which He looks
Compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,
  Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
 Yours are the eyes, you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

How important our relationships must be for the Lord to provide so many
wonderful, varied opportunities to deepen our love and devotion to Him!!!       


 Reflection Question:  Ask the Lord how He would like you to nurture your relationship with Him.

                           

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...
La semilla de mostaza


El Señor a menudo se referirá a aspectos de la naturaleza en su enseñanza y predicación. Sí, la Madre Naturaleza, creada por Dios, nos proporciona lecciones todos los días si nos tomamos el tiempo para reflexionar. Antes de que tuviéramos la Biblia, las personas tenían cierta comprensión del Creador a partir de sus experiencias en su hogar terrenal. Dios eligió revelar más acerca de sí mismo cuando envió a su Hijo para ayudarnos a comprender a nuestro Dios en un nivel aún más profundo.
La parábola de la semilla de mostaza puede recordarnos que si alimentamos el don de la fe que recibimos del Señor, pueden suceder cosas grandiosas. La semilla de mostaza es muy pequeña, pero puede convertirse en un árbol grande y atraer a las aves del aire para que se acurruquen en sus ramas.

Cuando se lo cuida, un árbol puede brindar belleza, estabilidad, sombra, comodidad y, a veces, fruta para nosotros. Me ha impresionado la belleza de los árboles cuando florecen en primavera. Debido a la gran cantidad de lluvia y buen suelo aquí en Pensilvania, muchos árboles son magníficos y altos. Sin embargo, si no hay suficiente agua y nutrientes disponibles para los árboles, pueden morir, empequeñecerse o no dar fruto.
Solo así, nuestra fe y nuestra relación con el Señor deben nutrirse para crecer. ¿Cómo sucede eso? Así como las relaciones humanas son únicas según las personalidades de los individuos, así nos relacionamos con el Señor de maneras únicas. Mientras compartimos algunas experiencias como la Misa, los sacramentos, devociones como el rosario y las novenas, también tenemos otras formas de nutrir nuestras relaciones.

De acuerdo con nuestras personalidades, podemos crecer de diferentes maneras y a través de experiencias variadas. Puede ser reflexionar sobre la naturaleza, escuchar charlas espirituales, leer la Biblia, leer libros espirituales, pertenecer a un estudio bíblico o grupo de fe compartida, meditación, contemplación, música sacra, poesía sagrada, arte sacro, dirección espiritual, adoración del Santísimo Sacramento, visitando al Señor en la iglesia o capillahaciendo un rincón de oración en su propio hogar, haciendo retiros, aceptando pruebas, o extendiéndonos para llevar a cabo la misión de Jesús.

La siguiente es una cita de Santa Teresa de Ávila:

Cristo no tiene cuerpo

Cristo no tiene otro cuerpo que el tuyo,
Sin manos, sin pies en la tierra, excepto los tuyos,
Los tuyos son los ojos con los que se ve Compasión en este mundo.
Tuyos son los pies con los que camina para hacer el bien, Las suyas son las manos con las que bendice a todo el mundo.
Las suyas son las manos, los suyos son los pies, Los tuyos son los ojos, tú eres su cuerpo. Cristo no tiene otro cuerpo que el tuyo.
Sin manos, sin pies en la tierra, excepto los tuyos, Los tuyos son los ojos con los que se ve compasión en este mundo.
Cristo no tiene cuerpo ahora en la tierra, sino el tuyo.

Cuán importantes deben ser nuestras relaciones para que el Señor
provea tantas oportunidades maravillosas y variadas para
profundizar nuestro amor y devoción a Él !!!


 Pregunta de reflexión:   ¿Cómo puedo tener la fuerza para decir "Sí" al Señor en circunstancias difíciles?



Comments:

                          Pat
A friend of mine who lives in France recently sent me seeds to grow French beans. I planted them last week, rather late season, and I check them each morning looking for signs of growth. I marvel at the miracle of it all – small seed, moist soil, sunshine, germination and finally sprouts shoot up through the dirt. Seeds contain everything a plant needs to start a new life. Spiritual facilitator, Cynthia Bourgeault, writes, “If this seed does fall into the ground, it enters a sacred transformative process…a sprout is the actualization of the possibility latent in the seed – and a whole new field of possibility.”
So what is so significant about the mustard seed? Well, the Israelites were expecting a Messiah who would return the reign of Israel back to the “good old days” of King David. They were expecting a great kingdom, represented by the mighty cedar tree of Lebanon. However, Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God is much more representative of a mustard seed; a tiny seed that will become a great shelter for the birds of the air. “Not by power but by faith,” as Guerric De Bona, OSB writes, does God’s kingdom flourish. He continues, “Not by strength of what we do, but through the grace given to believe,” do we prosper. DeBona paraphrases St. Paul’s quote, “we walk by faith not by sight,” with “we walk by faith not by might.”
I grew up worshipping in churches that were filled to capacity on Sundays. In Philadelphia “Parish Pride” was part of many conversations. We would always ask someone “what parish are you from?” The worship community took pride in financing the church, Catholic schools, Seminary, Rome – you name it, we supported it. We Catholics liked having our forests of mighty cedars. Father DeBona continues his article with the reminder that the days of “relying on the institutions for the substantial, visible manifestation of the Kingdom of God” was not sustainable. Our parish churches and schools are closing, the number of men entering Seminary has significantly decreased. We are realizing today that “it is faith in the risen Lord that enables us to see the Kingdom before us.”
Jesus tells us that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we can move a mountain. If that is all the faith we need to manifest the Kingdom of God, then it must not be about size; it is about focus. Our faith must be in Jesus. We need to change from being a fan to a committed follower of Christ. PW Emerson writes, “The analogy of the mustard seed is appropriate because on a mustard seed plant, the root grows three times faster than the stalk. Our faith must be rooted in God for it to be any good!” Pastor Rick Warren offers a clever equation: “Little faith + Big God = Huge results!
The Spring Season is a wonderful time to tend to the soil of our heart and soul. I find myself asking what seeds do I need to plant to achieve the transformation I’d like to experience? What possibilities are sprouting up before me that I may be failing to recognize because I am too busy to notice? What is God seeding in me to call forth my latent potential to cultivate new life in His Kingdom?
I’m hoping my beans will grow in spite of their late planting. Fortunately, there are no seasonal concerns when nurturing seeds of faith. We can start right where we are and the Lord will be delighted that we are choosing to cultivate our faith garden. By watering our mustard seed faith with prayer and fertilizing it with spiritual practices, we will develop sturdy roots that will strengthen our relationship with God and influence our response to the needs of our broken world. Perhaps this is how our personal “sacred transformative process” unfolds.
“We do not have to do this to make God love us. That is already taken care of. We do it to love God back and to love what God loves and how God loves!” (Richard Rohr)
Let’s sow seeds of blessings this week, Pat C., ASBS
https://img1.blogblog.com/img/blank.gif
Sr. Therese M. Warner
Parables are fascinating and deeply penetrating messages from Jesus, aren't they? Your reflections about the mustard seed, etc., are very appropriate, Sister. Also, the quotation from St. Teresa of Avila is certainly inspiring. Thank you.

The following excerpts are from a homily by
Rev. Fr. Canice Chukwuemeka, C.S. Sp.

"On this eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, we are reminded that the Church of Christ is like a tree planted in the world. From the smallest of seeds it becomes the noblest of trees and a physical evidence of God's kingdom which fills the earth. We are therefore encouraged to seek this kingdom with faith."

"This is the kingdom where God wishes us to be. The visible sign of this kingdom is the Church to which all people come to seek refuge."
"In the Gospel, Christ uses parables to describe and invite us to the kingdom of God. The kingdom He invites us to is a simple and peaceful one which grows gradually and steadily. It is open to all who seek it with a sincere heart. God owns, controls and sustains everything within it. The focus of this parable is not on the work of the farmer who planted the seeds, but on the work of the seed which obtains its growth from a mysterious source and grows so slowly that one can hardly notice it. In this kingdom, God is present and doing his thing in a manner that we can hardly explain. The only thing we need to do is simply to sow a seed of faith in Christ Jesus, and God himself will be in charge of the rest.“

Monday, June 4, 2018

Mary's "Yes!" - June 10, 2018


Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time  
Year B

Reading I:  Genesis 3:9-15

Psalm: 130

Reading II:  2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

Gospel:  Mark 3:20-35


Sometimes people are puzzled when they hear Jesus’ response after He is told that His mother and brothers are outside. They had come since they were very concerned about Jesus because of the way that He was being treated. They had come to offer support.

Nonetheless, instead of going out to greet them, Jesus turns to his listeners in the synagogue and says, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” Looking around at those in the circle He says, “Here are my mother and brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Is Jesus being disrespectful to his mother? Looking at the whole of Scriptures, we know that Jesus loved and appreciated his mother. Then, what is this about?
He is reminding people that those who do the will of His Father are the ones closest to Him.

Mary certainly gives us many examples of one who chose to do the will of God, no matter the cost to herself. First, she accepted the call to be the Mother of Jesus in a situation which caused pain and misunderstanding to her, Joseph, and probably her parents. Then, she endured the pain and anxiety of difficult travel on a donkey when she was about to give birth. She probably felt bad about the trouble this caused to Joseph, too. Nevertheless, seeing this as God’s Will, she again said, “Yes.”  Both she and Joseph experienced rejection as there was no Inn in which she could give birth. Only a cave which housed animals was to be the birthing place of the Son of God. How she must have wondered about this turn of events! Nevertheless, fiat (which is Latin for...be it done according to your word) was the attitude of her heart. This was just the beginning!

Then there was the need to flee to Egypt to avoid Jesus’ being put to death with the other baby boys.  There was the anxiety when at the age of twelve, Jesus seemed lost in the Temple. She had to accept the fact that He would need to be “about his Father’s business.”  Later, she had to let Him go into His public ministry with the disciples. How she must have worried about Him when she heard of the conflicts He dealt with, in spite of the fact that He was “going about doing good.” How was she to interpret what seemed like Jesus’ ignorance of her concern and efforts to support him? She probably didn’t understand it, yet again, she was willing to accept and do the Father’s Will.

In truth, Jesus was honoring His mother as she is one who gave herself totally to living her “Yes” to the Father’s Will. Jesus knew that she would be faithful ’til
the end
, even to witnessing her precious Son being crucified. If we want to be close to the Lord, we must also learn to say “Yes” and remain faithful under
all circumstances.

 Reflection Question:   How can I have the strength to say “Yes” to the Lord under difficult circumstances?


Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...
Maria "¡Sí!"

A veces las personas se quedan perplejas cuando oyen la respuesta de Jesús después de que le dicen que su madre y sus hermanos están afuera. Vinieron porque estaban muy preocupados por Jesús debido a la forma en que lo estaban tratando. Vinieron para ofrecer apoyo.

No obstante, en lugar de salir a saludarlos, Jesús se dirige a sus oyentes en la sinagoga y dice: “¿Quiénes son mi madre y mis hermanos?” Mirando a los que están en el círculo, Él dice: “Aquí están mi madre y mis hermanos. Porque quien hace la voluntad de Dios es mi hermano, mi hermana y mi madre”.

¿Jesús está siendo irrespetuoso con su madre? Al observar todas las Escrituras, sabemos que Jesús amó y apreció a su madre. Entonces, ¿de qué
se trata esto? Él le recuerda a la gente que aquellos que hacen la voluntad
de su Padre son los más cercanos a él.


María ciertamente nos da muchos ejemplos de alguien que eligió hacer la voluntad de Dios, sin importar el costo para ella. Primero, aceptó el llamado a ser la Madre de Jesús en una situación que le causó dolor y malentendidos a ella, a José y probablemente a sus padres. Luego, soportó el dolor y la ansiedad de viajar con dificultad en un burro cuando estaba a punto de dar a luz. Probablemente ella también se sintió mal por el problema que esto le causó a José. Sin embargo, viendo esto como la Voluntad de Dios, ella nuevamente dijo: “Sí”. Tanto ella como José experimentaron el rechazo ya que no había posada en la que pudiera dar a luz. Solo una cueva que albergaba animales sería el lugar de nacimiento del Hijo de Dios. ¡Cómo se debe haber preguntado sobre este giro de los acontecimientos! Sin embargo, fíat (que es latino para ... hágalo de acuerdo a su palabra) era la actitud de su corazón. ¡Esto fue solo el comienzo!

Luego hubo la necesidad de huir a Egipto para evitar que Jesús fuera ejecutado junto con los otros bebés varones. Hubo ansiedad cuando a la edad de doce años, Jesús parecía perdido en el Templo. Ella tuvo que aceptar el hecho de que Él necesitaría estar “a cargo de los asuntos de su Padre”. Más tarde, ella tuvo
que dejarlo ir a su ministerio público con los discípulos. Cómo debe haberse preocupado por él cuando se enteró de los conflictos que abordó, a pesar del hecho de que estaba “haciendo el bien”. ¿Cómo iba a interpretar lo que parecía ser la ignorancia de Jesús sobre su preocupación y los esfuerzos para apoyarla? ¿él? Probablemente no lo entendió, una vez más, estaba dispuesta a aceptar y hacer lo La voluntad del padre.

En verdad, Jesús estaba honrando a su madre, ya que ella es una que se entregó totalmente a vivir su “Sí” a la Voluntad del Padre. Jesús sabía que ella estaría fieles hasta el final, incluso a presenciar a su precioso Hijo siendo crucificado.
Si queremos estar cerca del Señor, también debemos aprender a decir “Sí” y permanecer fieles en todas las circunstancias.

 Pregunta de reflexión:   ¿Cómo puedo tener la fuerza para decir "Sí" al Señor en circunstancias difíciles?