1Adv15c: A world has to end

Readings

A new adventure begins. A new liturgical year. I like going through liturgical cycles because not matter what happens to me I am always faced with the truth that comes from the life of Jesus. Every year I see Jesus in a different way, and every year I try to follow Him in ways that are always new. What a great invention these liturgical cycles!

This year, Luke is the one who will guide my steps. As I read these words, I meditate on the world that that is to come. For a new world to come, an old one needs to end. I long for the Kingdom to be established, where the values of the King become the values of the citizens of the Kingdom.

My attention, however, is taken by the big "signs" that are given to us. The Sun, the Moon and the Stars get all my attention. No matter how important they are, they are falling. They have to go. I am reminded of the roles that these celestial bodies played in the mind and cultures of the people who first listened to the Gospel. They were divinities, they had values, and many were guided by them as they chose a path to trod. I can't help thinking about my life: what gives meaning? where do I get my own values? what guides my path? When I have to make a decision, what are the values I choose to follow?

I cannot welcome "the One who is to come" if I do not let my old world die. The more I remove the values of the world from my heart and from my vision, the more I will let the Son of Man to come in. Jesus does not share values with the world. I have to choose which one I am going to follow.

As I pray: "O come, o come, Emmanuel," I ask Jesus to be "God-with-us," then I cannot let Him share my loyalty with any other things.

I am ready to start this new adventure, this new liturgical year, with great joy! I know that my world is ready to end so that His may begin. And His … will last forever.

Jewels on the King's Crown.

I am still thinking about the feast of Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe.

And I am still thinking about the conversation between Pilate and Jesus. I can't stop thinking about the big challenge it brings me.

How do I know that Jesus is the King? Is it because someone else told me? or is it because I experience Him as King? Honestly, it's not easy to give an answer. My belief began by believing someone else. But that belief now has become my own. When I live consciously the values of the King then I experience His rule. Considering that He establishes His Kingdom in love it is only in and through Love that I experience God alive in my heart.

And, when I look around, I see that His kingdom is everywhere and so many people are working so hard to live the values of the King. I have been so inspired by some of these people. I do not know if they are Christians or not. And it does not matter to me a bit. I consider these people as true Jewels on the King's crown.

The first one is Antoine Leiris, the husband of one of the victims in Parish. His facebook entry and interview made me cry. I didn't cry only because of the pain he and his son are feeling but because of the great courage this mas has to believe that hate is not an answer.

The other Jewel is Adel Termos, of Beirut who tackled down a second suicide bomber. He was taking a walk with his young daughter when he spotted the terrorist. In a split second he decided! And his sacrifice saved countless lives.  He leaves behind his wife, Bassima, 6-year-old daughter, Malak, and 2-year-old son, Akram.

These are signs that behind so much darkness some people still let their light shine. 

Christ the King of the Universe

Readings

Here I am, seated in my chair after a very long Sunday. My heart is filled with great joy for the big holiday celebrated today - Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe. I also just came from an ecumenical "Thanksgiving" Prayer service. Once again, I feel that I am totally immersed in the Kingdom and everything gives me an opportunity to worship the King. But, why, then, my heart still seems to skip a bit. Something doesn't sit well with me.

It could be that it is because I am still carrying with me the events of these past weeks - evil, once again, made itself known and visible. I am obviously shaken by the idea of their threats. But I am quite certain that what makes my heart sink has been seeing the reaction of so many "big shot" Christian leaders, preachers, etc.  writing all sorts of things about ISIS and, especially, about the Syrian refugees: should we allow them to take refuge on our soil, or not? Becuase some of them are terrorist, should we punish them all? Not easy to find answers; especially those that make... Christian sense.

I read comments that people wrote about the Gospel and its demands to respond to the refugees crisis. One said that he can take the Gospel as long as his constitutional rights are not given up. What does that even mean?  I was particularly hurt when I read one article in particular, that used the parable of the Good Samaritan as a test case. And this is a Catholic author! (I even got a copy of this article in an email!) He claims that the parable justifies our action of not taking refugees into our homes but ... it's ok for us to help them... in some other ways.

He said that since the Samaritan didn't take the victim to his home but put him into a hotel then we don't have to open our homes to the refugees, but have to offer some aid. My goodness! How can anyone twist the words of Jesus to reach such a conclusion? The author forgot that it is a parable, and the point of the story is not where the Samaritan placed the victim but that he, who was supposed to be the "bad" guy, actually behave more like God. Also, the author forgot that in the parable the Samaritan was traveling. He could not bring the victim home; yet, it's remarkable that he took care of him by placing him in an inn and pay for him (without using humanitarian aids!).  Jesus did not use the parable to teach us we need to put people who need help in a hotel. He taught us to be like God who cares for all people, and not to judge people according to where they come from. A lesson quite different from the one this author wants us to learn. The author forgot to place the parable within the larger context of the Gospel where Jesus ends up saying some strange things like: "Love your enemies," and "whatever you have done to the least of my brothers you have done it to me"

He also mentions the Maccabean revolt to justify physical violence. Unfortunately, the revolt has nothing to do with terrorism or refugees. The crisis started when the Jews began to deny who they were (they tried to cover the sign of their circumcision) and started to take on the values of the Greek.

Why does this upset me? Firstly, I really don't like it when the Gospel is used in this way. The Gospel is what I use to define my lifestyle. But I got upset because, as I was meditating on the relationship between Jesus and His Kingdom's citizens, I realized that we are betraying our call - we must value what the King values, we must do what the King does. And since this King told us that He came to serve and not to be served, it makes me wonder what are we waiting for? Why have we forgotten this?

What does the image of Jesus as King tell us today? We live in a country where our leaders are voted in, and should we not like them anymore, we can vote them out. When I see this complete reluctance of being like the King, I feel as though we are voting Him out and placing ourselves, or some of our ideas, on the throne.

When I think about the King and the Kingdom, I realize that a new type of Christianity has arisen. A type of Christianity that places Christ and His Gospel under the political agenda one can hold. Jesus, God and the Church must fulfill my expectations regardless of what the Gospel says and what the Church teaches. Should there be a conflict, it is because "they" are the opposite of me... and if things don't change, I can even change church (or at the least parish) until I find the one that agrees with my opinions. The Gospel's voice of radical discipleship is once again choked and the true power of the Living King is hidden behind the promise of salvation that doesn't require the Cross, but only the right political candidate.

I cannot buy into this type of Christianity, no matter how popular it may be; I must let the Gospel form and inform my mind and my conscience so that I can follow Christ and allow the Father to accomplish what He desires to do in Christ.

The Lord is King; He is robed in majesty. I pray that I will be more and more like the King, that I may make mine His values, rejoice in what makes Him rejoice and stay away from what He detests. 
Robe me in your majesty, Lord, then; that I may pray "let your Kingdom come," and truly mean it!

Our Lady of the Rosary: an experience

October 7, 2015               Today's readings 

Today we celebrate the feast of our Lady of the Rosary. It's an opportunity for me to reflect on the beginning of my christian life, the life I began to live when I made my choice of God. After realizing that only the Gospel could help me live my life as truly myself, I began to ponder and wonder how I could deepen my own prayer life. For some "coincidences" I was introduced to the Rosary. I found it fascinating. I enjoyed the feeling of the beads passing through my fingers, and I certainly found it quite useful to memorize the "Mysteries," as they were like the major plot of the life of Jesus. I became so fond of the Rosary that, although I started by saying only one decade a day, I reached the highest peak when I said the "whole" thing.

It certainly helped the fact that my high school was in Pompei (Italy). Every day I passed by the wonderful Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary. Once, I learned that if I took the train prior to the one I was used to take, I could partecipate to the Rosary and the Daily Mass. Awesome... another big step ahead.

I still remember when I shared these "accomplishments" to someone who, although impressed, asked me: "That's wonderful but how do you live the Rosary; do you just say the Mysteries or do you contemplate THE Mystery?" Live it? What could that even mean? Wasn't the rosary something you just... say? And, mind you, I would say even quite devoutly. And what was "THE" Mystery?

Apparently all these accomplishments weren't enough. Saying the Rosary was not enough. I was missing something! Later I understood that to be really devoted to Mary did not mean simply and solely to say prayers to her. It meant to become "another Mary;" to become the one who, like her, said Yes to God's Love and, by trusting in His will, allowed Jesus to be born in one self. My goodness! That was something a bit too much. I could not possibly take on all that. I understood that "THE" Mystery was that wonderful life that God, in His Grace, was sharing with me in Christ.

I understood that to be a true disciple of Jesus, I had to be like Mary - focused entirely on God and His "Mystery." With much difficulties, after a long hiatus, I took back my beads and I started again. But this time, I wasn't only saying the Rosary, I wanted to live those Mysteries with Mary, as together we journeyed towards the Cross.

Slowly (read: very slowly) each Mystery of the Rosary took its own life in me. It began to shed light on the Gospel, and each word of the Gospel enkindled my prayer. The Mystery of God living in us became always more real to me.

Today I recommit myself to "take Mary into my house" and, with her humility and availably, I start again saying Yes to the Mystery of God's Love that in Christ reaches out to all people. I want to say Yes to God's Will so that each prayer I utter with Mary at my side, is another way for me to move closer to God.

bread & fish: towards a life of Multiplication

July 29, 2015 - St Martha - Daily readings 

The life that Jesus wants us to have continues to challenge me. 

The idea that we can only allow God to multiply our breads and fish by realizing that we live in function of the other. 

Weed: a plant that grows where it is not supposed to grow. We need to remove it. 

Holiness: to be “separated,” to make sure that what belongs outside stays outside. 

Holiness is contagious (just as sinfulness is). The more we are with the Holy One the more we are transformed, like Moses did.  

We must make sure, however, that we remain “balanced.” It’s not just saying “Lord, Lord…” but doing the will of God. St Martha may help us to find the courage to focus on the “only one thing,” that is… to become more and more like Jesus - a man of prayer and of action. All lived in one life.