May 3, 2020 The Fourth Week of Easter

May- Month to Remember Mothers

Reading I: Acts 2:14a,36-41

Psalm 23
Reading II: 1 Peter 2:20b-25
Gospel: John 10:1-10

In today's Gospel and in Psalm 23, Jesus refers to himself as the “Good Shepherd.” This beloved Psalm brings comfort to people both during the ups and downs of life and when facing their death. I can remember when I was in the fifth grade, I had a devout public school teacher who at the beginning of the day would have us salute the flag and then recite together Psalm 23. What a wonderful start for our day!

Throughout my life the image of the Good Shepherd has had a special place in my heart. During my pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I had the blessing of participating at Mass in a small church dedicated to the Good Shepherd located in a field where sheep grazed. The Franciscan priest leading the pilgrimage preached a beautiful sermon on the Good Shepherd.

Later, while ministering on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, I had the opportunity to observe shepherdess's tending their sheep on the grounds of the Desert House of Prayer. What a delight that was! 

Also, while on the Reservation, I was the contact for the Associates of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. One of the Associates happened to be a shepherdess herself. I recall her concern for the sheep, especially as she became older and less able. She searched diligently among her younger relatives to find just the right caring person to put in charge of the sheep when she would no longer be able to care for them.

In the May 2020 issue of Living with Christ, there is an excellent article by Pope Francis entitled: "Attending to God's Word."  Pope Francis provides a practical method for praying the Scriptures:
After calling upon the Holy Spirit for assistance, aware that you are in the presence of God, ask the Lord:
        1. What does this text say to me ?
        2. What is it about my life that you want to change by this text?
        3. What troubles me about this text? Or perhaps: What do I find Pleasant 
            in this text? What is it that moves me? What attracts me? Why?

When we make an effort to listen to the Lord, temptations usually arise. One of them is simply to feel troubled or burdened, and to turn away. Another common temptation is to think about what the text means for other people, and so avoid applying it to our own life. It can also happen that we look for excuses to water down the clear meaning of the text. Or we can wonder if God is demanding too much of us, asking for a decision which we are not yet prepared to make.

This leads many people to stop taking pleasure in encounter with God's word; but this would mean forgetting that no one is more patient than God our Father, that no one is more understanding and willing to wait. God always invites us to take a step forward, but does not demand a full response if we are not yet ready. God simply asks that we sincerely look at our life and present ourselves honestly before God, and that we be willing to continue to grow, asking from God what we ourselves cannot as yet achieve.

This reflection is adapted from Pope Francis' The Joy of the Gospel.

You might like to apply Pope Francs' method of praying the Scriptures to Psalm 23 or another passage.

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Jesus has given us many precious gifts, including sharing his Father when he taught us the "Our Father Prayer," his sending us the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, and placing us under the protection of his own mother Mary.

Through the centuries, our Blessed Mother has appeared at difficult times to be a comfort to those who are suffering. During an especially painful time in 1531, our Blessed Mother appeared to Juan Diego, an Aztec convert to Christianity, on Tepeyac Hill now in a suburb of Mexico City. She asked that a shrine in her honor be built there.

However, when Juan Diego brought her message to the bishop, he doubted the reality of the apparition. Therefore, he demanded a sign before he would build a church there. When Mother Mary appeared again, Juan Diego was all upset because he could not convince the Bishop of the reality of his vision. Gently, she spoke these endearing words: "Hear me and understand well, my little son, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed .... Am I not here who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection?" [Juan Diego was a grown man, the diminutive 'my little son' was an expression of affection].

Our Lady then instructed Juan Diego to pick some roses on the top of the Hill and bring them as a sign to the bishop. [It was December when that type of rose would not normally bloom.]  Juan Diego carried them to the Bishop in his tilma, [poncho].  When he opened the tilma, the roses fell to the ground. Printed on the tilma was a picture of Our Lady as she had appeared to Juan Diego. 

The bishop fell to his knees and ordered the construction of the Shrine which is visited daily even now and contains the tilma with the imprint of the picture of Our Blessed Mother.  

Our Lady of Guadalupe is credited with the ending of a deadly epidemic of hemorrhagic fever which ravaged Mexico City from 1736-37. Pope John Paul II canonized Juan Diego and declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the patroness of the Americas. 

Might she not help us in the deadly pandemic which we are experiencing now? Let us pray to her who is our Mother too.

                       

*******************************************

Blessings on Mother's Day and Thank You, Mothers, Grandmothers, adoptive mothers, And all who serve others in a motherly way! 

May those who have passed on enjoy the peace and joy of their heavenly rewards!

Comments

Pat Chiaffa, ASBS
As I entered the kitchen, I heard what sounded like the juggling of the storm door lock on my back door. Terror struck me immediately as I realized I had not shut and locked the back door for the night. Cautiously descending the steps leading down to the basement in the darkness, I caught sight of the would-be invader. The intensity of my scream startled him just enough for him to lose his grip on the handle. In that split second I was able to put the security latch on the storm door and shut and lock the inside door. Trembling as I dialed 911 on my cell phone, I ran to the front door to make sure it too was locked. My heart raced and I felt as though I couldn’t breathe. It was at that point that I awakened from my nightmare in a panicked state. My heart was pounding. I did not think that I’d regain my breath nor slow down my heart rate. “Lord help me,” I prayed. Then I remembered Psalm 23 and started meditating on its calming words, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” I visualized the verdant pastures and the restful waters. Falling into the arms of the Shepherd, my breathing and heart rate slowly normalized. My mantra for the following day was, “only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life.” Your blog, and Psalm 23, were the last words I read before I went to bed. Both turned out to be a life line.

My unsettling dream, I believe, was symbolic of a recurring trust issue. Ego versus soul, or as you put it in your blog, I encountered head-on the temptation that arises when we endeavor to listen to the wisdom of Spirit. I am extremely guilty of making excuses to water down the clear meaning of Scripture texts. I have done it far too long and too often. Like a sheep wandering from the fold in search of greener pastures, my first instinct when I realized I was in dangerous territory was to call out to the One who eagerly awaits my return. I can’t ignore the blaring message that I am being called to surrender to the Shepherd. I overcame the thief; the conflict was life-threatening. Jesus, who is the gate, assures that the robber will not pass through. I know Jesus’ promise is trust worthy for He willingly died for His flock so they can settle in eternal pastures. Lord, free me from the unfounded fears and inaction that currently prevent me from entering through your gate.

As we enter the month of May, I ask the Blessed Mother to intercede for me to overcome my resistance to total surrender to her Son that I may become a faithful, dedicated disciple in imitation of her life and contribution to the Christian community. Mary’s powerful intercession before God is widely recognized and deeply sought. Prelates from the United States and Canada will be reconsecrating their countries to the Blessed Virgin Mary on May 1 under the title of Mary, Mother of the Church. Prayers to Mary are fervently offered daily by the faithful for an end to the corona virus pandemic and for the well-being of all those impacted by the virus. May these prayers strengthen our faith in God’s plan, support us throughout these days of physical distancing and teach us the unique lessons we are meant to realize through this global crisis.

Lastly, as we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, let us express our gratitude to / for all those special people in our life who nurtured us and contributed to our physical, emotional and spiritual growth.


Stephanie Morris, ASBS, Ph.D Historian, Certified Archivist, Emerita The readings focus on shepherds leading their flocks. We refer to priests as “shepherds” of their “flocks” – the parishioners. Our Lord is our “Good Shepherd;” we are His “flock.” Shepherds were the first to reverence the Infant Jesus and His Mother on that first Christmas. Shepherds were not the “elite” in Jesus’ time. They worked every day, even on the Sabbath, to protect their flocks. St. Katharine quotes St. Matthew’s Gospel where he describes people as being “like sheep without a shepherd” (9:36). The Lord said that laborers were scarce. Young St. Katharine wrote an essay, “Wanted Gardeners,” in which she described a desolate garden. The flowers “ran wild and uncared for …. Where are the laborers?” She could have asked, where are the shepherds? How can we be shepherds? Few of us are called to a religious vocation in which we can act as Shepherds of God’s People but there are other ways. Like the shepherds at Jesus’ birth, we can reverence
Jesus and His Mother by prayer. We can pray for more vocations to the priesthood. We can honor Mary, His Mother, in a special way this May. We are beset with the dangers of a pandemic; we can pray to the Good Shepherd to protect us from these dangers if possible. We can rely on His strength and patience in suffering to help us through the darkest days.

August 5, 2018 The Hungers of Humanity

The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

Reading I:
Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15

Psalm:  78

Reading II:
Ephesians 4:17, 20-24

Gospel:  John 6:24-35


From the time of our birth, we human beings experience a driving hunger for many things: food,  water, comfort, pleasure, security, companionship, belonging, independence, control, understanding, meaning, purpose, power, etc.  Some of these enable us to survive and live positive and meaningful lives. On the other hand, one or more of these drives can become so strong and dominate so that their purpose from God is distorted and can become destructive to ourselves and/or others.

In today’s readings the emphasis is on the importance of focusing not on the earthly bread or desires we have, but rather on striving for what is eternal. After all, our lives are so short compared to eternity.

The poet Henry Van Dyke wrote:

                            Remember —
                            that what you possess in the world
                            will be found at the day of your death
                            to belong to another,
                            but what you are will be yours, forever.

In Luke 12:21, Jesus encourages us to become rich in the things of God. In Mark 8:36, we hear Jesus saying: “What good is it if a man gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”

When I taught middle school, sometimes a child would indicate that he or she would consider heaven as being “boring.” I would bring the class back to the time they were babies and would delight and grasp a rattle when someone would play with them. Then, I would ask: When you were five years old, would a rattle make you happy? They would acknowledge that something else would make them happy at that age, maybe a doll or a truck. At ten, a bike or a basketball might make them happy. As a teenager, a car or a beautiful gown for a prom might cause delight. Finally, they realized that what makes for happiness changes as we change.

Then, I would explain to them that Jesus told us that we cannot even imagine what God has prepared for those who love Him. He also told us that whatever we do to the least of our brothers and sisters we do to him. Thus, those who follow the law of love will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Realizing how easy it is for us humans to become obsessed with the hungers for wordly things, our Good Shepherd gives us helps along the way: In Matthew 4:4b we hear: “One does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the Mouth of God.” Jesus, by His example and His teaching, shows the importance of being steeped in Holy Scripture. He quoted it Himself. It is an ever available means of wisdom and strength on our journey.

Finally, Jesus  reminds us of the very special gift of Himself which is ours when he proclaims in John 6:35:  “I am the Bread of Life; whoever comes to me will not hunger, and whoever believes in me will not thirst.” Our wise and loving Shepherd leads and cares for us on our way. How blessed are we to have such a “Good Shepherd.” Praise the Lord!

  Reflection Question:    What is the best way for me, in my circumstances, to keep my focus on the things of God?

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

Bread for the Journey

Desde el momento de nuestro nacimiento, los seres humanos experimentamos un hambre de muchas cosas: comida, agua, comodidad, placer, seguridad, compañía, pertenencia, independencia, control, comprensión, significado, propósito, poder, etc. Algunos de estos permiten nosotros para sobrevivir y vivir vidas positivas y significativas. Por otro lado, uno o más de estos impulsos pueden llegar a ser tan fuertes y dominantes para que su propósito de Dios se distorsione y pueda volverse destructivo para nosotros mismos y para otros.

En las lecturas de hoy el énfasis está en la importancia de enfocarse no en el pan terrenal o los deseos que tenemos, sino más bien en luchar por lo que es eterno. Después de todo, nuestras vidas son tan cortas en comparación con la eternidad.

El poeta Enrique Van Dyke escribió:

                               Recuerda -
                            que lo que posees en el mundo
                            se encontrará el día de tu muerte
                            pertenecer a otro,
                            pero lo que eres será tuyo, para siempre.

En Lucas 12:21, Jesús nos anima a ser ricos en las cosas de Dios. En Marcos 8:36, escuchamos a Jesús decir: “¿De qué sirve que un hombre gane todo el mundo y pierda su alma?”

Cuando enseñaba en la escuela media, a veces un niño indicaba que consideraría el cielo como “aburrido”. Traía la clase al tiempo en que eran bebés y disfrutaba y captaba un sonajero cuando alguien jugaba con ellos. Entonces, preguntaría: ¿Cuando tenías cinco años, un ruido te haría feliz? Reconocerían que otra cosa los haría felices a esa edad, tal vez una muñeca o un camión. A las diez, una bicicleta o una pelota de baloncesto podría hacerlos felices. Cuando era adolescente, un automóvil o un hermoso vestido para una fiesta de graduación podían causarle placer. Finalmente, se dieron cuenta de que lo que hace que la felicidad cambie a medida que cambiamos.

Luego, les explicaría que Jesús nos dijo que ni siquiera podemos imaginar lo que Dios ha preparado para quienes lo aman. También nos dijo que hagamos lo que le hagamos al más pequeño de nuestros hermanos y hermanas que le hacemos a él. Por lo tanto, aquellos que siguen la ley del amor entrarán en el Reino de los Cielos.

Al darse cuenta de lo fácil que es para nosotros los humanos obsesionarnos con las ansias de cosas mundanas, nuestro Buen Pastor nos ayuda a lo largo del camino: En Mateo 4: 4b escuchamos: “Uno no vive solo de pan, sino de cada palabra que sale de la boca de Dios.” Jesús, con su ejemplo y su enseñanza, muestra la importancia de estar inmerso en las Sagradas Escrituras. Él lo citó a sí mismo. Es un medio siempre disponible de sabiduría y fortaleza en nuestro viaje.

Finalmente, Jesús nos recuerda el regalo muy especial de Sí mismo que es nuestro cuando proclama en Juan 6:35:  “Yo soy el pan de la vida; el que viene a mí no tendrá hambre, y el que cree en mí no tendrá sed.” Nuestro sabio y amoroso Pastor nos guía y se preocupa por nosotros en nuestro camino. Cuán bendecidos somos de tener un “Buen Pastor”. ¡Alabado sea el Señor!

  Pregunta de reflexión:    ¿Cuál es la mejor manera para mí, en mis circunstancias, de mantener mi enfoque en las cosas de Dios?

Our Compassionate Shepherd - July 22, 2018

The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

Reading I:  Jeremiah 23: 1-6

Psalm:  23

Reading I:  Ephesians 2: 13-18

Gospel:  Mark 6: 30-34


In today’s Gospel, we observe our compassionate Shepherd, Jesus, caring both for his apostles who had just returned from preaching the Good News and the people who were following them. Realizing the how exhausted and hungry the apostles were, Jesus invited them to “come apart and rest a while.” 

They attempted to remove themselves from the crowds by going off in a boat. However, the crowds managed to find out where they were going and traveled on foot to join them. Jesus’ concern also extended to these people who were longing for the Good News being given to them. Jesus saw them in need of hope and care so as tired as He was, He Himself, began to teach them.

Jesus was truly a compassionate shepherd. While some of us have a sense of what was involved in shepherding here in the United States in modern times, it is not exactly the way shepherding was done in Jesus’ time and place.

The late Archbishop Joseph Cassidy of Tuam, Ireland, in his book, These Might Help points out some special aspects of shepherding from the time of Jesus. First, the shepherd did not just check on the sheep morning and evening, leaving them in the care of dogs or llamas. They stayed with them all day, and then, at night, brought them into a sheepfold to protect them from animals who might attack and kill them. Often the shepherd would sleep at the door of the enclosure to make sure no predator would sneak into the sheepfold.

Another unique factor is that instead of driving the sheep ahead of them, the shepherd would lead them. He would go ahead of them to check for safety, etc. The cane-like stick he carried would be used to test the ground ahead to make sure it was stable so that the sheep would not fall down a mountain or into a crevice. The hook at the end was to rescue the sheep if they were falling or stuck. In other words, it was for their safety, a sign that they were being cared for by the shepherd. Today, our bishops carry a similar item called a “crosier,” symbolizing their roles as shepherds of the people in their dioceses.

Finally, the shepherds gave each sheep a name and knew each one as an individual with unique personalities and needs. So, our Good Shepherd relates to each one of us as unique individual creations of a loving God.

 This Week’s Reflection:  

How blessed we are that Jesus has an intimate knowledge of each one of us!
How blessed we are that we have a God who understands us completely!
How blessed we are to have a God of compassion, feeling deeply with us!
  
What an awesome God have we !!!  How greatly blessed are we!!!
Praise the Lord!  Praise his Holy Name! 

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

Our Compassionate Shepherd

En el Evangelio de hoy, observamos a nuestro compasivo Pastor, Jesús,
que se preocupa por sus apóstoles que acaban de regresar de predicar las Buenas Nuevas y las personas que los seguían. Al darse cuenta de cuán agotados y hambrientos estaban los apóstoles, Jesús los invitó a “apartarse y descansar
un rato”.

Intentaron alejarse de la multitud yendo en un bote. Sin embargo, las
multitudes lograron averiguar a dónde iban y viajaron a pie para unirse a ellos.
La preocupación de Jesús también se extendió a estas personas que anhelaban
que se les diera la Buena Noticia. Jesús los vio necesitado de esperanza y cuidado, tan cansado como Él, Él mismo, comenzó a enseñarles. Jesús fue verdaderamente un pastor compasivo. Mientras que algunos de nosotros tenemos un sentido de lo que estaba involucrado en el pastoreo aquí en los Estados Unidos en los tiempos modernos, no es exactamente la forma en que se hizo el pastoreo en el tiempo y el lugar de Jesús.

El difunto arzobispo Joseph Cassidy de Tuam, Ireland, en su libro, These Might Help, señala algunos aspectos especiales del pastoreo desde el tiempo de Jesús. Primero, el pastor no se limitó a controlar a las ovejas por la mañana y por la noche, dejándolas al cuidado de perros o llamas. Se quedaron con ellos todo el día, y luego, por la noche, los llevaron a un redil para protegerlos de los animales que podrían atacarlos y matarlos. A menudo, el pastor dormía en la puerta del recinto para asegurarse de que ningún depredador se colaría en el redil.

Otro factor único es que en vez de conducir a las ovejas delante de ellas, el pastor las guiaba. Él iría delante de ellos para verificar la seguridad, etc. El bastón como bastón que llevaba se usaría para probar el terreno que se encuentra delante para asegurarse de que era estable, de modo que las ovejas no cayeran por una montaña o en una grieta. El gancho al final era rescatar a las ovejas si se caían o se atascaban. En otras palabras, era por su seguridad, una señal de que estaban siendo cuidados por el pastor. Hoy, nuestros obispos llevan un artículo similar llamado “báculo”, que simboliza sus roles como pastores de las personas en sus diócesis.

Finalmente, los pastores le dieron un nombre a cada oveja y conocieron a cada una como un individuo con personalidades y necesidades únicas. Entonces, nuestro Buen Pastor se relaciona con cada uno de nosotros como creaciones individuales únicas de un Dios amoroso.

 Reflexión de esta semana:

  

¡Cuán bendecidos somos porque Jesús tiene un conocimiento
íntimo de cada uno de nosotros!

¡Qué bendecidos somos porque tenemos un
Dios que nos comprende por completo!

¡Cuán afortunados somos de tener un Dios de compasión,
sintiéndonos profundamente con nosotros!

¡Qué Dios tan maravilloso tenemos nosotros!
¡Cuán bendecidos somos!

                                       

¡Alabado sea el Señor! ¡Alabado sea su Santo Nombre!

I Am the Good Shepherd - April 22, 2018

The Fourth Sunday of Easter  -  Year B

Reading I:   Acts 4:8-12

Psalm:  118

Reading II:  1 John 3:1-2

Gospel:  John 10: 11-18


Our beautiful image of Jesus as our Shepherd has many aspects for reflection. We relish the very close relationship
between the sheep and the shepherd.
The sheep depend on their shepherd
for their food, their comfort and
their safety.

Unlike many other animals, the sheep are not likely to be able to survive on their own. Therefore, the shepherd leads the sheep to green pastures for grazing and calm waters to quench their thirst. Since sheep are not flexible enough to rid themselves of insects which attack their heads, the shepherd covers the heads of the sheep with oil to protect them.

When the sheep are being led along the sides of mountains, there is the danger that they will fall over the edge. The shepherd goes ahead of them tapping the grounds  to make sure they are secure before allowing the sheep to walk over them. In spite of this, sometimes a wandering sheep will get caught in bushes or go too close to the edge and fall over. The staff that the shepherd carries has a hook on the end which the shepherd can use to rescue a sheep that is in trouble. With all the care required, the sheep are closely connected to the shepherd.

Finally, the sheep are the prey of many animals, so the shepherd carries a rod (club) to ward off their attackers. In the evening, they are corralled and the shepherd watches over them, sometimes laying across the door of the corral to prevent anyone's stealing or harming the sheep. The shepherd who owns the sheep is willing to give up his life to save them.

Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd. We belong to Him and because of His close relationship with us, He willingly gave up His life for us.

 In his book, Who Is Christ?, Anthony Padovano wrote:

We are saved not by the physical death of Jesus, but by the absoluteness of a love which did not count death too high a price.

 Reflection Question:   When Peter declared his love for Jesus, Jesus asked him to feed His lambs and sheep. Is there a lamb or sheep that you think the Lord is asking you to care for in a special way?

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

Soy el Buen Pastor

Nuestra bella imagen de Jesús como nuestro Pastor tiene muchos aspectos para la reflexión. Disfrutamos de la relación muy estrecha entre las ovejas y el pastor. Las ovejas dependen de su pastor para su alimento, su comodidad y su seguridad.

A diferencia de muchos otros animales, es poco probable que las ovejas puedan sobrevivir por sí mismas. Por lo tanto, el pastor lleva a las ovejas a pastos verdes para pastoreo y aguas tranquilas para saciar su sed. Como las ovejas no son lo suficientemente flexibles como para librarse de los insectos que atacan sus cabezas, el pastor cubre las cabezas de las ovejas con aceite para protegerlas.

Cuando las ovejas son conducidas a lo largo de los lados de las montañas, existe el peligro de que caigan por el borde. El pastor va delante de ellos tocando los terrenos para asegurarse de que están seguros antes de permitir que las ovejas pasen por encima de ellos. A pesar de esto, a veces una oveja vagabunda queda atrapada en los arbustos o se acerca demasiado al borde y se cae. El bastón que lleva el pastor tiene un gancho en el extremo que el pastor puede usar para rescatar a una oveja que está en problemas. Con todo el cuidado requerido, las ovejas están estrechamente conectadas con el pastor.

Finalmente, las ovejas son presa de muchos animales, por lo que el pastor lleva una vara (bastón) para protegerse de sus atacantes. Por la noche, están acorralados y el pastor los vigila, a veces cruzando la puerta del corral para evitar que alguien robe o dañe a las ovejas. El pastor que posee la oveja está dispuesto a renunciar a su vida para salvarlos.

Jesús se describe a sí mismo como el Buen Pastor.  Le pertenecemos a Él y debido a su estrecha relación con nosotros, voluntariamente entregó su vida por nosotros.

En su libro,  ¿Quién es Cristo?, Anthonio Padovano escribió:

Somos salvados no por la muerte física de Jesús, pero por lo absoluto muerte demasiado alto precio de un amor que no cuenta.

 Pregunta de reflexión:    Cuando Pedro declaró su amor por Jesús, Jesús le pidió que le diera de comer a sus corderos y ovejas. ¿Hay un cordero u oveja que piensas que el Señor te está pidiendo que cuides de una manera especial?

April 9, 2017 - The Passion of Jesus

 Passion Sunday - Year A


Reading I:  Is. 50:4-7

Psalm:  22

Reading II:  Phil. 2:6-11

Gospel:  Mt. 27:11-54

I am inspired by this artist’s portrayal of Jesus. I see the Lord looking upward to His Father for strength to persevere in His sufferings and offering them for our salvation. It is a reminder to me to ask the Father’s help when I am struggling with my crosses, as well as to offer them up for my salvation and that of my brothers and sisters.

The picture is not necessarily an accurate picture of the real event. Perhaps, Jesus was too weak to even hold his head up. However, it does depict the inner state of His soul. He relied on His Father for help, even when He felt abandoned. It also highlights Jesus’ perseverance and willingness to offer Himself for our salvation and obey the will of God, His Father.

I can still remember being surprised when I was first told that Jesus would be willing to go through the whole Passion even if I were the only one needing to be saved. Then I recalled Jesus’ saying, “I am the Good Shepherd.”

In the Gospel of Luke 15:3-7, we hear His Parable of the Lost Sheep.  The shepherd is willing to leave the 99 to search for the lost one. That tells me that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, so loves each one of us individually, that he is willing to sacrifice Himself for every last one of us. How totally awesome is our God?!!!

It might be good for us to reflect this week on the greatness of God’s love for each one of us, especially in His Passion. When he was being taunted and told to come down from the cross, He chose to remain, even though he could have easily saved himself all that suffering.

God’s love is beyond our comprehension, and our ability to adequately return that love is weak in comparison. This is due to our humanity. Even St. Katharine Drexel often asked the Lord to help her “to love Him as He deserved to be loved.”  Perhaps, that could be our prayer too, especially at Holy Communion time.

The Lord so humbles Himself as to give Himself to us under the form of Bread to be eaten by us. I just love the beautiful hymn “Panis Angelicus” in which the songwriter expresses his wonder for God’s Love.

Bread of Angels, 
made the bread of men; 
The Bread of heaven
puts an end to all symbols:
A thing wonderful!
The Lord becomes our food:
poor, a servant, and humble.
We beseech Thee, 
Godhead One in Three
That Thou wilt visit us,
as we worship Thee,
lead us through Thy ways, 
We who wish to reach the light
in which Thou dwellest.
Amen.

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

La pasión de Jesús

Estoy inspirado por el retrato de este artista de Jesús. Veo al Señor mirando hacia su Padre para tener fuerza para perseverar en Sus sufrimientos y ofrecerlos para nuestra salvación. Es un recordatorio para mí pedir la ayuda del Padre cuando estoy luchando con mis cruces, así como ofrecerlas para mi salvación y la de mis hermanos y hermanas.

La imagen no es necesariamente una imagen precisa del evento real. Tal vez, Jesús estaba demasiado débil para incluso mantener la cabeza erguida. Sin embargo, representa el estado interior de su alma. Confió en su Padre para pedir ayuda, incluso cuando se sentía abandonado. También destaca la perseverancia y la voluntad de Jesús de ofrecerse a sí mismo por nuestra salvación y obedecer la voluntad de Dios, Su Padre.

Todavía recuerdo haberme sorprendido cuando me dijeron por primera vez que Jesús estaría dispuesto a pasar por toda la Pasión incluso si yo fuera el único que necesitaba ser salvo. Entonces me acordé de Jesús diciendo: “Yo soy el Buen Pastor.”

En el Evangelio de Lucas 15: 3-7, escuchamos su parábola de la oveja perdida. El pastor está dispuesto a abandonar el 99 para buscar al perdido. Eso me dice que Jesús, el Buen Pastor, ama tanto a cada uno de nosotros individualmente, que está dispuesto a sacrificarse por cada uno de nosotros. ¿Cómo totalmente impresionante es nuestro Dios?!

Podría ser bueno para nosotros reflexionar esta semana sobre la grandeza del amor de Dios para cada uno de nosotros, especialmente en Su Pasión. Cuando se le insultaba y le decían que bajara de la cruz, Él escogió permanecer, a pesar de que podría haber salvado fácilmente todo ese sufrimiento.

El amor de Dios está más allá de nuestra comprensión, y nuestra capacidad de devolver adecuadamente ese amor es débil en comparación. Esto se debe a nuestra humanidad. Incluso St. Katharine Drexel a menudo le pedía al Señor que la ayudara a “amarlo como él merecía ser amado.” Tal vez, esa también podría ser nuestra oración, especialmente en el tiempo de la Santa Comunión.

El Señor se humilla tanto como para darse a nosotros bajo la forma de pan para ser comido por nosotros. Me encanta el hermoso himno “Panis Angelicus” en el que el compositor expresa su maravilla por el amor de Dios.

Pan de los Ángeles,

Hizo el pan de los hombres;

El pan del cielo

Pone fin a todos los símbolos:

Una cosa maravillosa!

El Señor se convierte en nuestro alimento:

Pobre, siervo y humilde.

Te rogamos,

Dios Uno en Tres

Que nos visiten,

Como Te adoramos,

Guíanos por tus caminos,

Nosotros que deseamos alcanzar la luz

En la que habitas.

Amén.

August 21, 2016 - God Is Love

The Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

Reading I:  Isaiah 66:18-21
Response:  Psalm 117:12
Reading II:  Hebrews 12: 5-7, 11-13
Gospel:  Luke 13: 22-30    

While Jesus was teaching, someone asked him “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”  His answer was, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate.’ [This refers to a narrow passageway in the mountains range through which the shepherds must drive their sheep. These ways can be dangerous and some sheep do not make it through.] Then, Jesus tells a parable which may surprise us!!!

The parable in today’s Gospel seems like a contradiction to the one on the 17th Sunday in which a man wanting to borrow bread is knocking on the door of his friend at midnight. Because of the man’s persistence, the friend senses that this is probably an emergency. Also, because of his friendship he is willing to possibly awaken the whole family in order to respond to the man’s needs. [It could well be that they lived in a one-room home and slept on sheepskins like our Southwestern Navajos did. Even today, some live in the octagon-shaped hogans with only a fireplace in the center.]

On the other hand, in today’s parable — a story to teach a lesson,  Jesus says that the one knocking on the door will call out, ‘Lord open the door for us.’  Since there has been no prior relationship, the master of the house will say in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ The response will be, ‘We ate and drank in your company, and you taught on our streets.’ The master will repeat ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me you evildoers!’ Jesus compares this with the situation when we knock on the door to heaven. If we have not developed a friendship with the Lord and lived a life of love for his children, we will not experience heaven. There will be ‘wailing and grinding of teeth’ when we see others in the Kingdom of God and we ourselves are outside.

This brings up a question about God’s goodness...How can a merciful and loving God send someone to hell for all eternity? 

Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, addresses the question in the following way:
God, Jesus tells us, doesn’t judge anyone. We judge ourselves. God doesn’t create hell and God doesn’t send anyone to hell. But that does not mean that hell doesn’t exist and that it isn’t a possibility for us. Here, in essence, is how Jesus explains this:

God sends his life [love] into the world and we can choose that life or reject it.  We judge
ourselves in making that choice. If we choose life, we are ultimately choosing heaven. If we reject life we live outside of life and that is ultimately hell. But we make that choice, God doesn’t send us anywhere. Moreover, hell is not a positive punishment created by God to make us suffer. Hell is the absence of something, namely, living inside of the life [love] that’s offered to us.

Fr. Rolheiser goes on to say, “Hell is real, but it isn’t a positive punishment created by God to deal out justice or vengeance....Hell is the absence of life, of love, of forgiveness, of community.  We can end up there, outside of love and community, but that’s a choice we make if we, culpably, reject these as they are offered to us during our lifetime.”

The reason I have chosen the above picture to represent the entrance into heaven is based on the fact that people who have had an near-death experience often refer to being drawn by a beautiful white light.  Each of us tend to visualize Jesus according to our own race and nationality, so it is not possible to illustrate a universal Christ.

The human Jesus must have resembled the people of  his native land. In 1982, when I made a retreat in the Holy Land, I took pictures of  some children playing. I figured that, that was how the boy Jesus must have looked. Also, we were shown the type adobe homes in which the people lived. We even saw the caves which were used to shelter the animals.  It was likely that Jesus was born in such a cave.

I had never been in the Southwest before I went to teach at St. Catherine Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1984. To my surprise I noted that the climate and land were similar to the Holy Land. The Native people had the tan skin and dark hair that I had seen there also. When I visited the Pueblo villages, I saw homes similar to the one’s in the Israel.

Later, when teaching at St. Michael Indian School and Dine College on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, I was thrilled to see real shepherds. One of our Associates in Ganado was still caring for her sheep with great affection even into her old age. I was always attracted to the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. However, my experiences in the Southwest greatly strengthened my love for Jesus, our Loving Shepherd.

Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth and the life.”  Let us follow his way of love, and then we will not need to be concerned about eternity.

August 14, 2016 - I Am the Good Shepherd

   The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C  

  Reading 1: Jeremiah 38: 4-6, 8-10

Response: Psalm 40

Reading 2: Hebrews 12:1-4
Gospel: Luke 12: 49-53

Painting by Del Parson

In today’s readings, we have two images presented: the image of a blazing fire and that of baptism. However, the well-loved picture of the Good Shepherd serves to illustrate both.


The fire Jesus wants to spread over the earth is the light of true knowledge of God.  Before the time of Jesus, people could deduce from nature the existence of an all-powerful creator. 

However, it took Jesus' coming in a human form to reveal that our God is a loving and forgiving God. Jesus said: He who sees me sees the Father. Jesus wants that understanding shared with all people. 

Fire also creates warmth which we associate with love. Jesus also wants us to share love with all people. That can be challenging at times, especially if one has been hurt by the person. However, “love” means wanting the good for others and helping them to attain it when we can. It doesn't mean that we have to “like” the person. “Love is a choice.”


The baptism which Jesus referred to was his death and resurrection. As the time to sacrifice His life for the salvation of souls was coming closer, He said: “...how great is my anguish until it is accomplished.” I hear both His desire to bring about salvation and also His human dread of the suffering He will experience. How heartbreaking it must have been to realize that not all will choose to benefit from His great sacrifice!


As we contemplate the image of the Good Shepherd, we see his love and protection of the sheep. He carries a club to ward off dangerous animals who might try to harm or kill the sheep. The shepherd also carries a staff whose hook enables him to rescue a sheep who has fallen into a crevice, a hole, a stream or has become stuck in mud or bushes. Day and night, the Shepherd watches over the sheep as they search for water and grasses over treacherous mountains and through dangerous valleys. 


In the picture above, the way this shepherd is carrying the stray, wounded sheep on his shoulders reminds us of Jesus’ carrying the cross for our salvation. He looks weary and is in pain, but he chooses to sacrifice his own comfort for the sake of the sheep.


The sheep and lambs themselves are wonderful animals. During their lifetimes, they provide wool to warm and protect against the elements. When food is needed, they allow themselves to be slaughtered so that others can live. It is so appropriate for us to also refer to Jesus as the “Lamb of God”.


The next time we hear the priest at Mass pray: “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,” let us respond with ever grateful hearts: “Have mercy on us” and “Grant us peace”.


Good Shepherd, may we listen to your voice and follow you wherever you lead, knowing that you remain with and watch over us always. Amen.