Awaken the Christ sleeping within

By e June 19, 2021 Homilies, Jesus Stuff No Comments

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B. Lectionary 95
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062021.cfm

With help from the Lord, and from Saint Augustine, I want to speak to you about today’s reading from the holy gospel, and to urge you in the name of God not to let your faith lie dormant in your hearts when you are buffeted by the winds and waves of this world. It is not I who speak to you. I merely listen with you to the words of a great saint who departed from this world almost sixteen hundred years ago.

The Lord Christ’s power is by no means dead, nor is it asleep.

Do we think the Almighty was overcome by sleep in the boat against his will? If we do, then Christ is asleep in our hearts. If he were indeed keeping watch within us, then our faith would be vigilant. The Apostle, remember, speaks of Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith.

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la Trinidad – poder

By e May 30, 2021 Homilies, Jesus Stuff No Comments

Creo que cualquiera que lucha con los conceptos de “qué es Dios” y “quién es Dios” se aleja cojeando de la experiencia. Dios es uno y, sin embargo, Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo. Muchas personas más inteligentes y santas que yo no han podido explicar a Dios y se han confundido. Sus intentos de simplificar o resumir las cosas hasta lo esencial se desvían inevitablemente al error. Claramente, no puedo esperar decir nada que aclare sin correr el riesgo de engañar a alguien por lo que digo o por cómo lo digo. Claramente no puedo explorar el misterio de la trinidad.

Y, sin embargo, tenemos la intención de explorar este misterio. ¿Cómo podemos amar a alguien que no conocemos? ¿Cómo podemos amar a alguien y no buscar conocerlo mejor? ¿Cómo puedo sostener, proclamar y fomentar un amor profundo por Dios si Dios es un extraño para mí? Claramente no puedo dejar de aprovechar cada oportunidad para llegar a conocer, amar y compartir a Dios.

Entonces, como el siciliano en “La princesa prometida”, claramente incapaz de continuar, debo intentar distraerte y luego hacer trampa.

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The Trinity – Power

By e May 30, 2021 Homilies, Jesus Stuff No Comments

I think that anyone who wrestles with the concepts of “what is God” and “who is God” limps away from the experience. God is one, and yet Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. People smarter and holier than I have failed to explain God, and have themselves been confused. Their attempts to simplify or to distill things down to the essentials inevitably wander into error. I can clearly not hope to say anything clarifying without being at risk of misleading someone by what I say, or by how I say it. I can clearly not explore the mystery of the trinity.

And yet, we are intended to explore this mystery. How can we love someone we do not know? How can we love someone and not seek to know them better? How can I hold, proclaim, and encourage a deep love for God if God is a stranger to me? I can clearly not neglect seizing every opportunity to come to know and love and share God.

So, like the Sicilian in “The Princess Bride” – left clearly unable to proceed, I must attempt to distract you, then cheat.

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Amemos de verdad

By e May 1, 2021 Homilies, Jesus Stuff No Comments

V Domingo de Pascua
https://bible.usccb.org/es/bible/lecturas/050221.cfm

“Hijos míos: No amemos solamente de palabra, amemos de verdad y con las obras. … debemos creer en la persona de Jesucristo … y nos amemos los unos a los otros”.

Juan continúa diciendo en el próximo capítulo que “Dios es amor; y el que permanece en amor, permanece en Dios, y Dios en él”. Luego, dice “Nosotros le amamos a él, porque él nos amó primero”.

Amamos porque Dios nos amó primero. No amamos ni mostramos amor PARA QUE…. Nos amamos PORQUE. Amamos porque Dios lo ordenó, pero en realidad, es porque Dios nos ama.

Si vamos a amar, necesitamos dos cosas: necesitamos al Espíritu Santo que nos da poder para amar, y necesitamos creer. Necesitamos fe en que Dios nos ama. 

¿Cómo se ve cuando amamos? Démosle la vuelta. Veámoslo desde el otro lado. ¿Cómo sabemos que alguien nos ama de verdad?

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Loving Deeply

By e May 1, 2021 Homilies, Jesus Stuff No Comments

5th Sunday of Easter (B)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050221.cfm

“Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth… we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us.”

John goes on to say in the next chapter that “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” Then, he says “we love because he first loved us.”

We love because God first loved us.

We do not love or show love SO THAT…. We love BECAUSE. We love because God commanded it, but really, it is because God loves us.

If we are going to love, we need two things – we need the Holy Spirit who empowers us to love, and we need to believe. We need faith that God loves us. 

What does it look like when we love? Let’s flip it over. Let’s look at it from the other side. How do we know that someone loves us?

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