Third Sunday of Lent

Bienvenidos mi gente! Well, the past week was a busy week for me.  I did return to Language School last week.  I attended classes Tuesday-Friday, and again today, from 11:30-2:30pm.  I was glad to be back in class and glad to get out of the house!  I feel like I am speaking better because of my time at the school, and for that I am grateful.  The Brothers in the Sector began the first of ten sessions in educational leadership this past weekend.  We had class on Friday eve from 5-8pm and then again on Saturday from 9am-2pm.  Needless to say....I was exhausted after each of the sessions.  Listening to academic material for that amount of time in a different language is quite difficult.  I survived, but definitely needed to rest after each of the sessions.  Our teacher is a long time university educator who has extensive experience working with religious communities.  I really enjoyed the classes, and I was glad that I taught similar material when I was in Hawaii because I was able to understand most of the words because of the context of the conversation.  The Brothers did really well too!  I just hope we can maintain the momentum....

So, Saturday was a long day and I needed to prepare my homily for the next morning.  Work, work, work....that's all I did this weekend.  I was able to finish the homily and practice a few times Saturday evening, as well as practice the Gospel and the other presidential prayers for the Third Sunday of Lent.  I woke up early on Sunday morning to practice yet another two times, in order to be ready for the 8:30am Mass.  True to form, there were close to 250 people at Mass.  The people are very kind and forgiving of my Spanish, and they all join in the "Amens!"  After Mass I did my laundry and went for an hour walk for some exercise.  After our afternoon meal, I actually did take a little siesta and then starting preparing for Monday morning Mass in the community.  I usually preside on M-W-F when I am in town.  The practice is good for me, but it is work!  Sunday evening I just watched a few shows on Netflix and relaxed.  It was a busy week and a busy weekend, the time really went quickly. 

Tomorrow I head to St. Louis for our Provincial Chapter.  The Chapter goes from Thursday until Monday, and then I will remain in St. Louis until Thursday to attend Council meetings....yes the S.M. in my initials (Society of Mary) really stand for Still Meeting! I look forward to both of these meetings as I will be able to see the people in the parish in St. Louis, as well as, see some of my friends in community who will be traveling to St. Louis to attend these meetings.  I will be in St. Louis for almost ten days!  While this is good for me, it is also bad for me, as it will be ten days of me not hearing or speaking Spanish...oh well, such is my life right now. 

I hope all of you are having a great Lent!  I am actually enjoying this Lent because I am actually remaining faithful to my Lenten promises....so I am not beating myself up for cheating!  When I return, we will have another weekend session with our professor and then I will be getting ready to travel to another part of Mexico to give a parish mission with the rest of the community.  I have many concerns around this next trip, but I will keep you abreast of all the happenings as we get closer.  Until then, have a great week and enjoy my reflections for the Third Sunday of Lent (they are not from the cycle A readings).

Third Sunday of Lent

Morning Church!  As I have said since the beginning of Lent, the season of Lent is a time for us to consider making changes.  On Ash Wednesday we heard from Saint Paul that, “now is the moment, now is the time.”  Today our readings invite us to consider making changes in our lives.  Maybe we keep hearing about change because change is difficult, Amen? We are all sinners in need of God, and we know that God wants us to change, Amen? But we all know, that change takes times.  Psychologists tell us that it takes at least twenty one to thirty days to change a bad habit.  If you gained fifteen kilos over the past year, it is going to take more than three weeks to lose all that weight.  It is the same for the changes we need to make in our own lives with regards to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  It takes time to incorporate changes in our lives.  The readings today both challenge us and provide hope for us who are trying to change.  Turn to the person next to you and say, “I am happy that I have more time to change” Remember, God expects progress, not perfection.  So, have you progressed in your spiritual life during these past three weeks of Lent?

The first reading today reminds us all that God seeks our friendship and wants us to be free.  Moses encounters the miracle of the burning bush and in that moment begins a close relationship with the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  God tells Moses the name he should tell the people, God is-I AM.  God is the God of always.  God always was, and God always will be.  God always was in relationship with humanity and God always will be in relationship with humanity.  Think about a person who has been your friend for a very long time, the things you shared with the person, the joys and challenges of life.  God said to Moses, I am that person and much more than that person, because I have been here with you for all eternity, and I will be with you for all eternity.  That is some promise, Amen?  God knew that a change was needed for the people of Israel and so God reminded Moses that he would be with him to help free the Israelites from their bondage and slavery.  I AM, will also be with us to free us from our bondage in our lives.  God wants us to be free.  God wants us to know love.  God wants us to have hope.  When we change from sinful ways, then we are free, then we can love authentically, then we can have hope.  Yes, it is time for a change, and the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of Moses, our God-I AM will help us makes a change.  The road to freedom is a process.  The Israelites traveled for forty years to come to freedom.  Jesus remained forty days in the desert to embrace his mission.  The Church gives us forty days to journey on the road to freedom.  We do not journey alone, we journey with God.  The God whose name is I AM.  I AM with you…. I AM for you…I AM.

In the Gospel reading today, Jesus once again tells a parable in order to make a point about the Kingdom of God and the importance of understanding that change, that conversion is a slow process.  Change, conversion takes time.  Once again, Jesus uses imagery from agriculture to illustrate his point.  The people of the time understood images from agriculture as metaphors for life.  The purpose of the fig tree was to produce figs, a fruit that can be eaten and enjoyed by many.  The fig tree provided food and sustenance for many people.  Sometimes, a tree does not produce during a particular season.  Many gardeners understand that there is a cycle in nature, and cutting down a tree in a given season may be pre-mature.  There could be various reasons why the tree did not produce the proper fruit.  More attention needs to be given to the tree in order to help it produce the fruit.  This attention and care takes patience and perspective.  Sometimes we can be quick to come to a decision or judgment about certain areas of our life.  The parable today invites us to slow down our decision making.  If something is not working, don’t just give up.  Give it more time, more care, and more attention.  Again, this is a metaphor for our lives and a metaphor for Lent.  Sometimes we need more time to grow into our changes, but as the parable states, we also need to give those areas more attention.  The gardener does not say to the owner of the orchard, just leave the tree alone.  No, the gardener states that he will, “cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it.”  So, we too must do something to cultivate the changes we need to make.  We cannot shorten the process, but we have to do something in our lives to bear fruit.  So, sisters and brothers in the Lord, we are the fig tree…our purpose is to bear fruit.  If we are not producing fruit, we need to do something to help us bear fruit.  Lent is the good soil and the fertilizer that helps us to grow.  God is a God of second chances….Lent is our time of second chances to become what we were meant to become- a people of faith who bear fruit in our lives.  Turn to the person next to you and say, “I am ready to bear fruit”

So, once again, we are invited to change.  Change is a process.  Change takes time.  We do not want to prematurely shorten the process.  We can learn many things by remaining true to the process of growth, but we must make sure we are attending to the things that will make us bear fruit. And those things that will help us bear fruit are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  What are those things? PRAYER, FASTING, AND ALMSGIVING. Are these three pillars of Lent active in your life right now?  Are they active in your family?  Do you speak about these important areas of the Christian life with your children, your husband, your wife, your friends?  Has the memory of wearing ashes on your forehead faded, or are you daily paying attention to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving?  Let us invite the God of our ancestors, the God who is known by the name: I AM to journey with us on our road to freedom and fruitfulness, Amen?  Because, now is the moment, now is the time, Amen?

Buenos días iglesia! Como ya he dicho desde el comienzo de la Cuaresma, el tiempo de Cuaresma es un tiempo para que consideremos hacer cambios. El miércoles de ceniza que escuchamos de San Pablo que, "ahora es el momento, ahora es el tiempo." Hoy las lecturas nos invitan a considerar la posibilidad de cambios en nuestras vidas. Tal vez seguimos escuchando sobre el cambio porque el cambio es difícil, Amén? Todos somos pecadores necesitados de Dios, y sabemos que Dios nos quiere cambiar, Amén? Pero todos sabemos, que el cambio lleva tiempo. Los psicólogos nos dicen que se necesitan al menos el veinte uno a treinta días para cambiar un mal hábito. Si usted ganó quince kilos en el último año, que va a tomar más de tres semanas para perder todo ese peso. Es lo mismo para los cambios que necesitamos hacer en nuestra propia vida con respecto a la oración, el ayuno y la limosna. Se necesita tiempo para incorporar los cambios en nuestras vidas. Las lecturas de hoy tanto nos desafían y proporcionar esperanza para nosotros que estamos tratando de cambiar. Gire a la persona a tu lado y decir: "Estoy feliz de que tengo más tiempo para cambiar" Recuerda, Dios espera que el progreso, no la perfección. Por lo tanto, tiene que avanzó en su vida espiritual durante estas últimas tres semanas de la Cuaresma?

La primera lectura de hoy nos recuerda todo lo que Dios busca nuestra amistad y quiere que seamos libres. Moisés se encuentra el milagro de la zarza ardiente y en ese momento comienza una estrecha relación con el Dios de Abraham, el Dios de Isaac y el Dios de Jacob. Dios le dice a Moisés el nombre que debe decirle a la gente, Dios es-YO SOY. Dios es el Dios de siempre. Dios siempre fue, y Dios siempre será. Dios siempre estaba en relación con la humanidad y Dios estará siempre en relación con la humanidad. Piense en una persona que ha sido su amigo desde hace mucho tiempo, las cosas que has compartido con la persona, las alegrías y los desafíos de la vida. Dios le dijo a Moisés: Yo soy esa persona y mucho más de esa persona, porque he estado aquí contigo por toda la eternidad, y voy a estar contigo por toda la eternidad. Esa es una promesa, Amén? Dios sabía que era necesario un cambio para el pueblo de Israel y por lo que Dios le recordó a Moisés que iba a estar con él para ayudar a liberar a los israelitas de la esclavitud. YO SOY, también estará con nosotros para librarnos de nuestra esclavitud en nuestras vidas. Dios quiere que seamos libres. Dios quiere que sepamos amor. Dios quiere que tengamos esperanza. Cuando cambiamos de malos caminos, entonces somos libres, entonces podemos amar de manera auténtica, entonces podemos tener esperanza. Sí, es hora de un cambio, y el Dios de Abraham, Dios de Isaac, Dios de Jacob, el Dios de Moisés, nuestro Dios, YO SOY nos ayudará hace un cambio. El camino hacia la libertad es un proceso. Los israelitas viajaron durante cuarenta años para llegar a la libertad. Jesús permaneció cuarenta días en el desierto para abrazar a su misión. La Iglesia nos da cuarenta días de viaje por el camino a la libertad. Nosotros no viajamos solo, que viajamos con Dios. El nombre de Dios, cuya es YO SOY. YO SOY con usted…. YO SOY para usted... YO SOY.

En la actualidad la lectura del Evangelio, Jesús una vez más cuenta una parábola con el fin de hacer un punto sobre el Reino de Dios y la importancia de la comprensión de que el cambio, que la conversión, es un proceso lento. Cambio, la conversión, requiere tiempo. Una vez más, Jesús usa la imagen de la agricultura para ilustrar su punto. La gente de la época entendió imágenes procedentes de la agricultura como metáforas de la vida. El propósito de la higuera era producir higos, una fruta que puede ser comido y disfrutado por muchos. La higuera proporcionó alimentos y sustento para muchas personas. A veces, un árbol no produce durante una temporada en particular. Muchos jardineros entienden que hay un ciclo en la naturaleza, y la tala de un árbol en una temporada determinada puede ser pre-madura. Podría haber varias razones por las que el árbol no produce el fruto adecuado. Más atención debe prestarse al árbol con el fin de ayudar a que producen la fruta. Esta atención y cuidado requiere paciencia y perspectiva. A veces podemos ser rápido para llegar a una decisión o juicio acerca de ciertas áreas de nuestra vida. La parábola de hoy nos invita a ir despacio en la toma de decisiones. Si algo no está funcionando, no se dan por vencidos. Darle más tiempo, más cuidado y más atención. De nuevo, esto es una metáfora de nuestra vida y una metáfora de la Cuaresma. A veces necesitamos más tiempo para crecer en nuestros cambios, pero a medida que los estados parábola, también tenemos que dar a esas áreas más atención. El jardinero no dice que el dueño de la finca, deje el árbol solo. No, el jardinero dice que va a "cultivar la tierra alrededor de ella y la abone." Por lo tanto, nosotros también tenemos que hacer algo para cultivar los cambios que necesitamos hacer. No podemos acortar el proceso, pero tenemos que hacer algo en nuestras vidas a dar sus frutos. Por lo tanto, hermanos y hermanas en el Señor, que somos la higuera... nuestro propósito es dar fruto. Si no estamos produciendo frutos, tenemos que hacer algo para ayudarnos a dar sus frutos. La Cuaresma es el buen suelo y el fertilizante que nos ayuda a crecer. Dios es un Dios de segundas oportunidades... .Cuaresma es nuestro tiempo de las segundas oportunidades para convertirse en lo que estamos destinados a ser- un pueblo de fe que da fruto en nuestras vidas. Gire a la persona a tu lado y decir: "Estoy dispuesto a dar sus frutos.”

Así, una vez más, se nos invita a cambiar. El cambio es un proceso. El cambio toma tiempo. No queremos acortar prematuramente el proceso. Podemos aprender muchas cosas si permanecen fieles al proceso de crecimiento, pero debemos asegurarnos de que estamos asistiendo a las cosas que nos harán dar sus frutos. Y esas cosas que nos ayudarán a dar frutos son la oración, el ayuno y la limosna. ¿Cuáles son esas cosas? Oración, el ayuno y la limosna. Son estos tres pilares de la Cuaresma activo en su vida en este momento? ¿Son activos en su familia? ¿Usted habla acerca de estas áreas importantes de la vida cristiana con sus hijos, su marido, su esposa, sus amigos? la memoria de prendas de cenizas en la frente se ha desvanecido, o estás diaria prestar atención a la oración, el ayuno y la limosna? Invitemos el Dios de nuestros antepasados, el Dios que se conoce con el nombre: YO SOY a caminar con nosotros en nuestro camino hacia la libertad y la fecundidad, Amén? Porque, ahora es el momento, ahora es el tiempo, Amén?

Back to School

Greetings good people, and Happy Lent!  Last week I was in San Antonio for Provincial Council meetings.  It was good to be in a different place and to see other Marianists that I normally do not see too much.  We met on the campus of our university in San Antonio, St. Mary's.  Over the many years of going to San Antonio for LIFE Camp I had the pleasure of staying on the campus and seeing the campus evolve into a world-class campus.  Our meetings went well, and our agenda kept getting longer and longer.  Thankfully, we did finish!  I remained in San Antonio an additional two days and caught up with some friends in the area. 

I returned to Mexico feeling rejuvenated from my trip, but came to realize that I am still not feeling comfortable with speaking in Spanish.  I also realized that I was "wasting" a lot of time on the computer and watching too many shows on Netflix, all of which was not helping me with Spanish acquisition.  I want to be better.  I want to be able to speak and understand when people come and talk to me, especially when they come to me for Confession.  I had two chance encounters this week that allowed me to re-think my matriculation at the Language School.  This week I met two Mexicans who were studying English.  Both of these people have been studying for 6 months and 1 year respectively.  Their English was quiet good.  In some ways I was jealous.  So, I thought to myself, do I just remain jealous and lick my wounds, or do I do something about it? In total, I only attended the Language School for about 9 weeks.  So, I need to give myself a break, but I also need to do something about it.  So, today, I went back on the bus and enrolled in the school.  I know there will be sacrifices of time with traveling back and forth to the school, but being in school will also expose me to others, and assist me in learning some of the grammar that I need to transition to the next level of competence.  The school is flexible enough that even though I have some trips scheduled in the next few months, we can work around my absences from the school.  In addition, the Sector of Mexico begins an educational formation program this weekend, and so being back in school will help me with the course too!

To be completely honest, I was feeling a bit lonely this past week.  I hardly venture out of the community to meet other people.  I think going to school will bring additional stimulus into my life, stimulus that is not the narrow world of my religious community-and I don't mean this as a criticism of the members of the community.  I liken it to a "stay at home mom" who is around the same kids each day and welcomes the opportunity to have some "adult" conversation.  I need to get outside of the small world of Amanacer and interact with others.  Now I know that probably in 2 weeks I will be complaining about the bus ride, but that's me!  I do know that this is important for me right now, not only for advancing in Spanish, but also for my mental health.  Being away from the community for 4-5 hours a day I think will be good for everyone!!!! As they say, "absence makes the heart grow fonder." 

So, I guess in some way, I could add this to my Lenten promises because while I will be gaining something from this experience, it also entails a sacrifice on my part.  So, when I start complaining-remind me that it's Lent and that I am supposed to suffer!!!!  Thanking all of you for your friendship, support and fidelity to reading my adventures. 

Here is my homily from this past Sunday.  It really worked!  Everytime I said mountain (montana) the whole Church yelled out, "Te Da"  They think I'm crazy here!!!

Second Sunday of Lent:  The Transfiguration

Evening Church! So how is your Lent going?  Are you staying faithful to your Lenten promises?  Do you need some help staying faithful?  If you are like me, you need some help, Amen?

Well today the Word of God invites us to look deeper at the concept of promise and of change.  How many people here have ever not kept your promise?  There should be more hands in the air! A promise can be difficult to keep, Amen?  Sometimes life changes and commitments change and so our promises change.  But today, we hear in the Book of Genesis how God makes a promise with Abraham.  And God always keeps his promise.  Over and over again, God makes a promise with people such as Abraham, Moses, David, and Solomon.  And time and time again, God reminds the people of Israel of that promise when God says, “I will be your God, and you will be my people.”  God was, and is, always faithful to that promise, and yet the people of Israel continue to forget the promise.  God makes more than a promise with Abraham, God makes a covenant. God does not make a contract with the people.  God makes a covenant.  A covenant cannot be broken.  It is not a contract.  It does not depend on how one feels on a particular day.  A covenant is eternal.  God made a covenant with us.  God will never break that covenant, and yet there are times when we forget this covenant relationship with God.  We treat the covenant like it was a promise. We treat the covenant like it was a contract.    God promises Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars….and they were.  God promises us that we are his forever…and we are! God loves us enough to make a covenant with us.  If God can be faithful to us, can we be faithful to God?  Can we be faithful to our Lenten promises? 

Saint Paul reminds the Philippians to imitate the good behavior that he taught them.  Sometimes it is easy to see other people and want to be like them, maybe even act like them.  Be careful who influences you.  What kind of behavior do you want to be known for doing in this world?  In your daily life do you imitate people of virtue or people of vice? Do you recognize the value of sacrifice and selflessness? Do you care more about others than you care for yourself? Do you make family important? Is faith important in your daily life?  Does your faith influence your decisions? Or, do you imitate others who only care about themselves?  Those who only care about what they can get out of life?  Does work and other people become more important than family? Do you really work on your faith or do you go through the motions? If you were to recall your day and look at all your decisions, would you be able to state that what you did that day were the actions of a person of faith? Saint Paul makes it very clear to the Philippians and very clear to us.  If you are going to imitate anyone, imitate a person of faith in your life and then we will be transformed in Christ Jesus.

Finally, the Gospel story is a story that is familiar to all of us.  It is the scene of the Transfiguration.  This scene is found in the Gospel of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, so it must be important, Amen?  Well this story is very important for all of us.  It is a story of change and coming to recognize a person for who he really is in life.  Now, sometimes we miss the importance of certain symbols in Scripture because we hear the words with modern day ears.  So, the first important thing to remember is that this scene takes place on a mountain.  A mountain in Scripture signifies that something very important is about to happen.  So when we hear that anything happens on a mountain, we should think to ourselves, “Te Da” so that we get ready for something really important to happen in the story.  Remember, the burning bush happened on a mountain.  God appeared in the whisper of the wind in a cave on a mountain.  Moses received the Ten Commandments on a mountain.  Mount Zion was important in the history of Israel.  So, our scene today takes place where?  Yes, a mountain…”Te Da” So we know that something important is about to happen.  Jesus takes Peter, James and John with him up the mountain to pray.  And just like at the end of Jesus’ life, they fall asleep at a critical point in the story.  Jesus’ face changed in appearance and his clothes became dazzling white.  Moses and Elijah appeared with him.  Finally the disciples wake up to what is happening and they are confused.  Peter wanted to stay in that special place forever.  God tells them to listen to his Son. 

So, there are many things that are happening in this story.  When Jesus is at prayer, he changes, he is transformed, and he is transfigured.  He becomes more authentically who he is.  That is a great lesson for each of us.  When we pray, we can be transformed, we can appear different because we have had a connection with God.  Are you different after you pray?  Can other people notice the difference?  Peter recognizes how special this time was and says, ‘Master it is good that we are here.”  I often feel that way after a significant moment in my life.  Often times after a retreat or other spiritual event, I want to just remain in that moment.  Many times when I worked in high school and took the students on retreat, after they had such a life changing experience, they often want to remain with everyone who was on the retreat.  We do not always get so many powerful moments in our life, so sometimes we want to hang on to them for as long as we can.  For Peter, James, and John, the hard part was not being on the mountain, the hard part was leaving the mountain and going back to their ordinary lives.  That was the same for many of my students.  The real work of discipleship begins when we leave the mountain, Amen? Lent can also be a mountain top experience for us, where we get to see changes in ourselves, and perhaps changes in the way we view Jesus.  The work of Lent is to prepare us for going back down the mountain into our ordinary lives.  And like Peter, James, and John, God says, “Listen to him”.  Listen to Jesus.  Listen to what he wants you to do with your life.  Listen to how he wants you to change.  It is easy to change on the mountain, it is more difficult to sustain that change when we leave the mountain.  Lent is our time of renewing the changes we want to make.

So, today is about promise and change.  It is about covenant and transfiguration.  The Church invites us to experience all of this in our lives.  And who knows, maybe at the end of this Lenten season, your face may become white and your clothes may become dazzling white.  When we have an experience of Jesus, we cannot help but be changed, Amen?

Buenas tardes iglesia! Entonces, ¿cómo se va a su Cuaresma? ¿Se queda fiel a sus promesas de Cuaresma? ¿Necesita un poco de ayuda permanecer fiel? Si usted es como yo, que necesita un poco de ayuda, Amén?

Pues bien, hoy la Palabra de Dios nos invita a mirar más profundamente en el concepto de promesa y de cambio. ¿Cuántas personas aquí nunca no se han mantenido su promesa? Debería haber más manos en el aire! Una promesa puede ser difícil de mantener, Amén? A veces la vida cambia y compromisos cambian y así nuestras promesas cambian. Pero hoy en día, oímos en el Libro de Génesis cómo Dios hace una promesa con Abraham. Y Dios siempre cumple sus promesas. Una y otra vez, Dios hace una promesa con la gente como Abraham, Moisés, David y Salomón. Y una y otra vez, Dios le recuerda al pueblo de Israel de esa promesa cuando Dios dice: "Yo seré su Dios, y ustedes serán mi pueblo." Dios era, y es, siempre fiel a su promesa, y sin embargo la gente de Israel continuará a olvidar la promesa. Dios hace más de una promesa con Abraham, Dios hace un pacto. Dios no hace un contrato con el pueblo. Dios hace un pacto. Un pacto no puede ser roto. No es un contrato. No depende de cómo uno se siente en un día en particular. Un pacto es eterno. Dios hizo un pacto con nosotros. Dios nunca se romperá ese pacto, y sin embargo, hay momentos en que nos olvidamos de esta relación de pacto con Dios. Tratamos a la alianza como si fuera una promesa. Tratamos a la alianza como si fuera un contrato. Dios promete a Abraham que sus descendientes serán tan numerosos como las estrellas... y que eran. Dios nos promete que somos su siempre ... y estamos! Dios nos ama lo suficiente como para hacer un pacto con nosotros. Si Dios puede ser fiel a nosotros, podemos ser fieles a Dios? ¿Podemos ser fieles a nuestras promesas de Cuaresma?

San Pablo recuerda a los filipenses a imitar el buen comportamiento que él les enseñó. A veces es fácil ver a otras personas y quieren ser como ellos, tal vez incluso actuar como ellos. Tenga cuidado de que te influye. ¿Qué tipo de comportamiento es lo que quiere ser conocido por hacer en este mundo? En su vida diaria es lo que imite la gente de la virtud o el vicio de la gente? ¿Se reconoce el valor del sacrificio y desinterés? Qué te importa más en los demás que usted se preocupa por sí mismo? Cómo se hace importante familia? Es importante en su vida diaria fe? Cómo influye la fe en sus decisiones? O, ¿estás de imitar a los demás que sólo se preocupan de sí mismos? Los que sólo se preocupan por lo que pueden obtener de la vida? No funcionan y otras personas a ser más importante que la familia? Es lo que realmente trabaja en su fe o vas a través de los movimientos? Si se va a recordar su día y mirar todas sus decisiones, ¿estaría en condiciones de afirmar que lo que hizo ese día fueron las acciones de una persona de fe? San Pablo lo hace muy claro a los Filipenses y muy claro para nosotros. Si usted va a imitar a nadie, imitar a una persona de la fe en su vida y luego seremos transformados en Cristo Jesús.

Por último, la historia del Evangelio es una historia que es familiar para todos nosotros. Es la escena de la transfiguración. Esta escena se encuentra en el Evangelio de Mateo, Marcos y Lucas, por lo que debe ser importante, Amén? Bueno esta historia es muy importante para todos nosotros. Es una historia de cambio y que viene a reconocer a una persona por quien realmente es en la vida. Ahora, a veces perdemos la importancia de ciertos símbolos en las Escrituras, porque oímos las palabras con las orejas de hoy en día. Por lo tanto, la primera cosa importante para recordar es que esta escena tiene lugar en una montaña. Una montaña en la Escritura significa que algo muy importante está a punto de suceder. Por eso, cuando se nos dice que cualquier cosa sucede en una montaña, debemos pensar a nosotros mismos, "Te Da" para que nos preparamos para algo realmente importante para suceder en la historia. Recuerde, la zarza ardiente ocurrió en una montaña. Dios se le apareció en el susurro del viento en una cueva en una montaña. Moisés recibió los Diez Mandamientos en una montaña. El monte de Sion fue importante en la historia de Israel. Por lo tanto, nuestra escena de hoy tiene lugar dónde? Sí, una montaña ... "Te Da" por lo que sabemos que algo importante está a punto de suceder. Jesús toma a Pedro, Santiago y Juan con él a la montaña para orar. Y al igual que en el final de la vida de Jesús, se duermen en un punto crítico en la historia. El rostro de Jesús cambió de aspecto y sus vestiduras se hicieron blancas y relampagueantes. Moisés y Elías aparecieron con él. Finalmente los discípulos despiertan a lo que está sucediendo y están confundidos. Pedro quería quedarse en ese lugar especial para siempre. Dios les dice a escuchar a su Hijo.

Por lo tanto, hay muchas cosas que están sucediendo en esta historia. Cuando Jesús está en oración, se cambia, se transforma, y ​​se transfiguró. Se vuelve más auténticamente quién es. Esa es una gran lección para cada uno de nosotros. Cuando oramos, podemos ser transformados, podemos tener un aspecto diferente porque hemos tenido una conexión con Dios. ¿Eres diferente después rezas? Pueden otras personas notar la diferencia? Pedro reconoce lo especial que fue esta vez y dice: "Señor, es bueno que estamos aquí." A menudo me siento de esa manera después de un momento significativo en mi vida. Muchas veces después de un retiro u otro acontecimiento espiritual, que quieren seguir siendo justo en ese momento. Muchas veces, cuando trabajé en la escuela secundaria y tomó a los estudiantes en retiro, después de haber tenido una experiencia que cambia la vida, a menudo quieren quedarse con todos los que estaban en retiro. No siempre conseguimos tantos momentos de gran alcance en nuestra vida, así que a veces queremos aferrarse a ellos durante tanto tiempo como podamos. Para Pedro, Santiago y Juan, la parte más difícil fue no en la montaña, la parte difícil salía de la montaña y volver a su vida ordinaria. Ese fue el mismo para muchos de mis estudiantes. El verdadero trabajo de discipulado comienza cuando dejamos la montaña, Amén? Cuaresma también puede ser una experiencia cima de la montaña para nosotros, donde podemos ver los cambios en nosotros mismos, y tal vez cambios en la manera de ver a Jesús. El trabajo de la Cuaresma es para prepararnos para volver a bajar la montaña en nuestras vidas ordinarias. Y al igual que Pedro, Santiago y Juan, Dios dice: "Escúchenlo". Escuchar a Jesús. Escuchar lo que usted quiere hacer con su vida. Escuchar cómo quiere que cambie. Es fácil de cambiar en la montaña, es más difícil de sostener que el cambio cuando salimos de la montaña. La Cuaresma es el tiempo de la renovación de los cambios que queremos hacer.

Por lo tanto, hoy es acerca de la promesa y el cambio. Se trata de pacto y la transfiguración. La Iglesia nos invita a experimentar todo esto en nuestras vidas. Y quién sabe, tal vez al final de este tiempo de Cuaresma, la cara puede convertirse en blanco y su ropa puede llegar a ser deslumbrante blanco. Cuando tenemos una experiencia de Jesús, que no puede dejar de ser cambiado, Amén?

Mexican Road Trip

Well folks, I just returned from our road trip down to Uxpanapa for the Mass of Thanksgiving for Br. Juan Manuel Alzamar, the trip was long and arduous and not without its problems and typical misunderstandings and disagreements among the passengers!

Br. Nereo, Br. Fermin and I left Queretaro,  Thursday at around noon.  Our first destination was Puebla to pick up Br. Chuy for the ride to Uxpanapa.  Our plan was to drive to Puebla and spend the night and leave the next morning for the trip.  In Mexico, it is difficult to get a direct answer to a question.  When I asked how long the trip would take, I received four different answers from four different brothers, and each answer was said with a great deal of certainty.  The trip to Puebla was pretty uneventful, a four hour drive, but we hit a lot of traffic as we entered the city of Puebla...there is always construction happening.  For many of the drivers, they do not let the idea of a "shoulder" of the road get in the way of them using it for transportation...yes, it was a mess and scary at times. 

We arrived in Puebla and were greeted warmly by the Brothers there.  So, when we were thinking about what time to leave, the Mexican Brothers agreed upon 4am....4Am!!!!!!!! So, of course, I asked if that was 4am American time or 4am Mexican time, and they assured me that we would depart on time.  So, whenever I have to wake up earlier than I usually wake up (5:30am) I usually do not sleep very well the night before.  Well, true to form, I kept looking at my watch thinking I was going to oversleep.  I did get some sleep. but I rose from my bed at 3:30am to take a shower to get ready for the 12 hour road trip ahead of us.  All of us were on time and we left shortly after 4am...so far so good!  We traveled for about 4 hours in the dark.  Both Nereo and Chuy were asleep in the back and I sat in the front so I felt like I needed to be awake for the driver.  We came to an area that was dense with fog.  We had to go up the mountain and down the mountain in dense fog with many trucks along the path.  Hail Mary, full of grace..... I was so tense by the time we finished the descent down the mountain, I was ready for a shot of tequila at 7am!  We continued traveling for about an hour and then stopped at a roadside "restaurant" where we filled up on eggs, coffee, and of course, tortillas!  The owners of the restaurant had a small roadside shrine with the images of Jesus and Mary surrounded by flowers.  So, after our breakfast, I did a blessing of the shrine for the owners.  They were very happy to receive the blessing.  I told them that their place was holy not only because of the images of Jesus and Mary, but because they treated each guest as if they were welcoming Jesus and Mary to their table....they smiled and thanked me.  Off we went to continue our long trip.  For some reason, Br. Fermin decided not to take the Autopista ( main highway) but decided upon taking the older highway----big mistake.  We traveled on a 1 lane highway for close to 8 hours and added about 2 hours to our travel time.  While we were making our way through the mountainous terrain, the car was giving us problems too.  Great, I am going to be stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere....I'm sure my AAA card did not work in Mexico!  Once again....Hail, Mary, full of grace...I think I prayed enough during our trip that I do not have to pray at all during Lent this year!  So, the trip was long, the car was giving us trouble, and now it started to rain and the windshield wipers probably should have been changed two years ago.  We finally arrived at a town close to where we were headed...the Brothers thought we should stop and eat and then continue for a short distance (2 more hours) to our destination.  The meal was filling and the beer tasted great.  As we made our last push for our destination, we encountered roads that were drastically in need of repair.  Two hours of bouncing through potholes and swerving to avoid major puddles definitely gave me a headache.  Well, not to worry, we were going to stay at a hotel for two nights, so all shall be well...Well, it wasn't! We arrived at the 5 star hotel in town and were shown to our rooms.  My room smelled like smoke, the pillows, the sheets, everything.  At first, I thought I was just imagining it, so I left the room and entered again....I could feel my hair starting to take in the smell of stale smoke.  I thought I would tuff it out, but then went downstairs to see if I could change rooms, only to find the reception desk closed...so I had to stay in the stale smoke room for the night.  I took a sleeping pill so that I could sleep and placed my shirt over the pillow so that I would not directly smell the smoke.  I did sleep, but I also did wake up several times smelling smoke.  It was a rough night after a rough day.

In the morning, Nereo, Chuy and I  went to breakfast down the block and had a great breakfast.  We walked a bit in the town to see a property that the Marianists own and are trying to sell in the near future.  The rains started again, and I was the only one to bring my umbrella.  A bit wet, we returned to the hotel and changed our clothes for the Mass.  As an aside, the Brothers kept telling me that it was going to be very hot down south....I would be sweating through my clothes.  So, I brought short sleeves and only a heavy flannel shirt in case of colder weather.  Well, because of the past 3 days of rain in the area (which does not happen in February) the temperatures were pretty cold.  So, we began the day, tired, wet, and cold.  Oh....and after breakfast the electricity went out in the area for the next 8 hours.  So, after breakfast and our trip to the Marianist property, we went to the home of Br. Juan and were met by two of Juan's nephews who were cooking the 4 cows that they were preparing for the "Parish Feast" of Br. Juan professing his perpetual vows.  The men were outside and the women were inside preparing tortillas and other items for the feast.  We went to the area where we were going to have the Mass.  It was outside but a huge aluminum canopy covered the area.  The family had to bring in chairs and tables and all the food.  All of this was happening as Mass was going on...a liturgist would have had a heart attack...I just had to smile to myself.  Before the Mass, some members of the town gathered for Adoration.  One of the ladies of the Church asked me if I would do the final benediction and lead the community in the Divine Praises....now I don't even know them in English, so I had to get a copy of them in Spanish and then quickly review them.  It all went well.  There must have been about 450 people at the Mass and a few more joined us after for the dinner.  It seemed that the rains kept some people away!  I concelebrated with the local parish priest who presided and preached.  I was a bit disappointed because he barely mentioned anything about Br. Juan, the Marianists, the importance of perpetual profession, Fr, Chaminade, etc....for all intensive purposes it could have been a normal Saturday morning Mass.  Some of the other Brothers mentioned the same thing, so I was glad that it wasn't only my reading of the events.  We will have to ensure this does not happen again in the future. 

Well, after the Mass, the "Church" was reorganized into a banquet hall.  Many volunteers assisted putting up the tables and chairs and in passing out the food and drink and making sure everyone had enough to eat.  The band played many forms of Spanish music and I danced in my seat because no one went out to the "dance floor" and danced....another disappointment!  The reception had to end early because it was starting to get dark and the generator was starting to run low.  We returned to the hotel to rest a bit (oh, and I did change my room) before going to the home of one of the Brothers for tamales and beer.  Br. Regulo asked how the five star hotel was?  I said it was five stars minus four stars....everyone laughed.

The next morning we were invited to the "president" of the municipalities' house for breakfast.  I was looking forward to a great egg breakfast...it was nowhere to be found.  In this area they eat a breakfast similar to what we would eat for dinner-chicken, pork, meat, rice, beans, spaghetti.  It goes back to the days where for many who worked all day in the field, they needed to eat a breakfast that would provide energy and strength to last for the long day.  Well, the Brothers do not work in the fields, but they certainly ate as if they did!  I could not eat all of that in the morning, so I took just a little bit and just said that I wasn't very hungry.    The trip back, we picked up three other passengers in the van.  So, we left Uxpanapa at 10:30am and arrived in Puebla at 10:00pm at night.  It was a long trip, with a few stops a long the way for drinking, draining, and eating.  Once we made it back to Puebla, we took out the tequila and had a drink to get us ready for our sleep and for the next day.

We left Puebla at 7am on Monday.  We hit some traffic on the way out...at the same place we hi the traffic on the way into the city.  The trip took about 4.5 hours because we finally stopped for breakfast and enjoyed some food and much needed coffee.  It was good to spend time with the Brothers and to talk about many things during our trip.  There were many times when I thought to myself, "What are you doing?"  But, all in all, I am glad I went. 

So, now we gear up for Ash Wednesday this week.  I will probably have two of the five services scheduled for the day, and yes, the people will be coming out of the woodwork to get their ashes!  During Holy Week, some of us will take another road trip to provide a parish mission for a poor parish several hundred miles away.  Yes, I am having lot's of interesting experiences here!

Wishing all of you a holy and meaningful season of Lent!

Perpetual Vows

We had a very busy and productive weekend here in Mexico.  I arrived back in Mexico on Tuesday night and began to prepare for the weekend of the many meetings, guests, and activities that we would experience in preparation and execution of the Perpetual Vows of Br. Juan Manuel Alzamar.

I had a Sector Council meeting on Thursday morning from 10-1 where we discussed some of the ongoing issues in the Sector.  It was a productive meeting and I am hoping that some of the procedures that encouraged us to follow for meetings will help us be more efficient and communicative in the future.  Later that afternoon I had another meeting from 4-6:30pm with the committee that is working on the educational project.  Again, a great meeting with great people who really believe in this project.  We are encountering some financial obstacles with the government so we are looking at some alternative options for the foreseeable future.  The Provincial, Fr. Marty, arrived on Thursday afternoon to receive the Perpetual Vows on Saturday.

Friday was a day of meetings with me, Marty, and some of the Mexican brothers.  I actually had to translate! I think I did okay, but there were times when I had to ask other questions and clarify because I did not directly know some of the words the Brothers were saying.  So, yes, I was very tired after all of that!  We held the rehearsal for the Perpetual Vows on Friday eve and I had a role in the ceremony.  I read the parts in Spanish that normally the Provincial reads.  It was an honor to be able to do that at this ceremony.  We also had a little celebration Friday evening for Br. Juan and many people were in attendance- nothing like cerveza y tequila para hacer una buena fiesta!

Starting on Thursday many guests starting arriving.  We had a full house from Thursday-Sunday.  A few other Brothers came from the US and the Brothers from Puebla came as well.  Family members of Br. Juan's took a 15 hour road trip from the south to be in attendance.  I am thinking that all together we may have been 20-25 people in the house....and while I love a party, I am very happy that they have all left!

Saturday morning we had another meeting of all the Brothers in the Sector of Mexico to discuss a few topics and make some decisions about some future events.  The Perpetual Vows were held at the parish at noon and there were approximately 250 people in attendance.  The Mass was very beautiful.  Br. Juan processed in with his family, followed by the Brothers and the celebrants for the Mass.  Br. Juan sat on one side with family, and the Brothers sat on the other side.  Before Br. Juan professed his perpetual vows he lie prostrate before the altar while we sang the Litany of the Saints.  Then, he went to his mother and father and received their blessing and then he approached the altar and professed his Perpetual Vows and received his gold ring- a sign of our perpetual commitment in the Society of Mary (Compania de Maria).  Directly after, Juan proceded in front of the altar to receive the blessing from his Brothers.  All of us gathered around him and extended our hands in blessing while Fr. Raymundo prayed the blessing.  After the blessing, all of us, one by one, welcomed him into the community with a hug and a word of hope.  After this ritual, Br. Juan symbolically left behind his family, and sat in the midst of the Brothers.  All involved were moved by the ceremony.  For me, whenever I attend a Final Vow ceremony, I think of my own commitment and my own journey and pray that I will continue to be faithful to my community.

After the Mass, we were outside under a tent and were treated to a Mexican fiesta....everyone from the Church came to the fiesta.  Teenagers from the youth group served everyone and we were also treated to live entertainment with a mariachi band, and later, we were treated to parishioners who danced specific folk dances from the region where Br. Juan was from.  I finally left the party around 4:15pm because I still needed to prepare my homily for Mass the next day. 

Saturday evening, we once again gathered to share in a meal and share in some good times with one another.  Sunday morning I was the presider for the 8:30am Mass and Fr. Quentin and Fr. Marty concelebrated.  Many of the Brothers were at the Mass, in addition to many of the other guests.  All in all it was a great weekend.  A weekend of laughter, sharing, community, language, prayer, food, drink, and Brotherhood.  I felt blessed to be part of all of this.  At the end of the week, several of us will travel south to attend a Mass of Thanksgiving at the parish where Br. Juan grew up.  You can say that it will be a "Mexican road trip"! I will let you know how it all goes....

Br. Juan with mom and dad

The Brothers with Br. Juan

The Cake (It was delicious and worth every calorie)

The Mariachi Band

Homily Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Morning Church! Does anyone here want to be loved? If so, turn to the person next to you and say, I want to be loved...Does anyone here want to be known? If so, turn to the person next to you and say, I want people to know me.  To be loved, and to be known are two fundamental human needs that we all share.  Have there been times in your life when you did not feel loved?  Say, amen if you know that feeling…Amen.  Have there been times when you did not feel known, or felt misunderstood?  Say, amen if you know that feeling….Amen.  Yes, we are all in good company here in this Church and the Word of God gives us some answers today to these questions.  Do you want to know the answers?  Then pay attention! And stop sleeping!

When there are times in my life when I do not feel loved or known, I think of the words from the prophet Jeremiah. God says to Jerimiah, before you were formed in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.  From the very first moment of my life, God knew me, loved me, and had a plan for me.  Those words are very consoling, Amen?  God spoke those words to Jeremiah, but God speaks them to each one of us.  All of us are special in God’s eyes.  God knows your name.  God cares about you.  God has a plan for you.  In times of doubt and confusion, those words are hopeful, Amen?  I know these words intellectually and personally too.  Last year I had an experience where I felt unloved and misunderstood by several people who were close to me.  It was very difficult to endure.  The words of the prophet helped me to understand that I am never unloved, I am never unknown, and I am never without a purpose, because God always loves me.  God always knows my name and understands me.  God always has a purpose for me.  So repeat after me, God loves me…. God knows me….God has a purpose for me.  That is a truth that we can live by, Amen?

The Word of God is important in our lives because it gives us a way to follow the Lord.  One interesting fact about the Word of God, is that besides the mention of the name of God or Jesus, the word love is mentioned the most times in both the Old and New Testaments.  Love is mentioned more than faith, pray, and sin….so, if we were to say what is important to do as a follower of Jesus it would be first and foremost to love.  Today in our second reading from Saint Paul to the Corinthians we hear the very familiar words of what love is, and what love is not.  Paul reminds us that love is the greatest thing that will last and the most important thing for those who are believers.  Love has a way of softening our hard edges and ideas.  Love and mercy go hand in hand, Amen?  So, if you want to be loved, then you must love.  If you want to experience a loving relationship with friends, family, wife, or husband, then you must become love.  Let’s try something.  I will replace the word love with my name in this reading, and you do the same.  If I want to be loved, I have to be love.  John is patient and kind, he is not jealous, he is not inflated or pompous, he is not rude, he does not seek his own interests, he is not quick tempered.  He does not brood over injuries, he does not rejoice over wrongdoings but rejoices with the truth.  He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and he endures all things.  So now love is not an intellectual exercise, but a reality check for my life.  When you replaced love with your name, could you say that all those statements were true for you?  If I am honest, I have to say that I have some things to work on in my own life.  If you want to be loved, then love.  If you want to be loved, then be love.  I think we all have some homework to do, Amen?

Finally the Gospel lets me know that Jesus too felt unknown and misunderstood in his life.  Directly after Jesus proclaimed the prophecy from Isaiah, the people identified with him and they liked him.  They thought he was going to be a Messiah we released them from Roman rule.  But Jesus had something else in mind.  He was a Messiah who would care for the poor, seek out the lost and forsaken, speak to the Gentiles, associate with sinners, honor women, and point out the hypocrisy of religion.  Who was he to do this?  Wasn’t he the son of the carpenter? Just who did Jesus think he was?   Yes, Jesus was misunderstood and mislabeled.  I am sure Jesus felt very badly about this.  One minute, the people are excited about his message, and then in the next minute they want to kill him.  I am sure that Jesus remembered the words of the prophet Jeremiah in that moment, before you were formed in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.  In order for Jesus to continue in his ministry and mission, he needed to remember that he was loved, known, and had a purpose. 

So, do you want to be loved? Then love.  Do you want to be known? Then go out of your way to know others.  When you love others and know who you are, then you will know your purpose in life.  It worked for Jeremiah.  It worked for Jesus.  It can work for you and it can for me.   Amen?

Buenos días Iglesia! ¿Alguien aquí quiere ser amado? Si es así, gire a la persona a tu lado y decir, yo quiero ser amado ... ¿Alguien aquí quiere ser conocido? Si es así, gire a la persona a tu lado y decir: Quiero ser conocida.  Para ser amado, y ser conocidos son dos necesidades humanas fundamentales que todos compartimos. ¿Se momentos de su vida fue cuando no sientes amado? Decir Amén si sabes este sentimiento... Amén. ¿Ha habido momentos en que no te sientes conocido, o se sintieron mal entendido? Decir Amén si sabes este sentimiento ... .Amen. Sí, todos estamos en buena compañía aquí en esta Iglesia y la Palabra de Dios nos da algunas respuestas a estas preguntas hoy. ¿Quieres saber las respuestas? Entonces presta atención! Y dejar de dormir!

Cuando hay momentos en mi vida en que no me siento amado o conocido pienso en las palabras del profeta Jeremías. Dios dice a Jeremías, antes de que te formase en el vientre te conocí, y antes que nacieras, te consagré profeta de las naciones te señalada. Desde el primer momento de mi vida, Dios me conocía, me amó, y tenía un plan para mí. Esas palabras son muy consoladora, Amén? Dios habló estas palabras a Jeremías, pero Dios les habla a cada uno de nosotros. Todos somos especiales a los ojos de Dios. Dios sabe su nombre. Dios se preocupa por ti. Dios tiene un plan para ti. En momentos de duda y confusión, esas palabras tienen la esperanza, Amén? Sé que estas palabras intelectual y personalmente también. El año pasado tuve una experiencia donde no me sentí amado y entendido mal por varias personas que estaban cerca de mí. Fue muy difícil de soportar. Las palabras del profeta me ayudaron a entender que yo nunca estoy sin amor, yo nunca soy desconocido, y yo nunca estoy sin un propósito, porque Dios me ama siempre. Dios siempre sabe mi nombre y me entiende. Dios siempre tiene un propósito para mí. Así que repite después de mí, Dios me ama .... Dios me conoce ... Dios tiene un propósito para mí. Esa es una verdad que podemos vivir , Amén?

La Palabra de Dios es importante en nuestras vidas porque nos da una manera de seguir al Señor. Un hecho interesante acerca de la Palabra de Dios, es que además de la mención del nombre de Dios o Jesús, la palabra amor se menciona más veces en el Antiguo y Nuevo Testamento, casi cinco ciento cincuenta veces El amor se menciona más de fe, orar, y el pecado ... ., entonces, si tuviéramos que decir lo que es importante hacer como un seguidor de Jesús sería, ante todo, a amar. Hoy en nuestra segunda lectura de San Pablo a los Corintios que escuchamos las palabras muy familiares de lo que es el amor, y lo que el amor no es. Pablo nos recuerda que el amor es la cosa más grande que va a durar y lo más importante para aquellos que son creyentes. El amor tiene una manera de suavizar nuestras bordes duros e ideas. El amor y la misericordia van de la mano, Amén? Así que, si quieres ser amado, luego tienes que amor. Si quieres experimentar una relación amorosa con amigos, familia, esposa, o esposo, entonces debe convertirse en amor. Vamos a intentar algo. Voy a sustituir la palabra amor con mi nombre en esta lectura, y hacer lo mismo. Si quiero ser amado, tengo que ser el amor. Juan es comprensivo, Juan es  benigno, Él no tiene envidia, no presumido ni se envanece, Juan no es grosero o egoísta, no se irrita ni guarda rencor, Juan no se alegra con la injusticia, sino goza con la verdad,  Juan disculpa sin límites, confía sin límites, espera sin límites, y soporta sin límites. Así que ahora el amor no es un ejercicio intelectual, sino una revisión de la realidad de mi vida. Cuando se ha sustituido el amor con tu nombre, ¿podría decir que todas esas declaraciones eran verdad para ti? Si soy sincero, tengo que decir que tengo algunas cosas para trabajar en mi propia vida. Si quieres ser amado, entonces amor. Yo creo que todos tenemos un poco de tarea que hacer, Amén?

Finalmente el Evangelio me hace saber que Jesús se sentía demasiado desconocido e incomprendido en su vida. Directamente después de que Jesús proclamó la profecía de Isaías, el pueblo identificado con él y le gustaba. Ellos pensaban que iba a ser un Mesías que los liberó de la dominación romana. Pero Jesús tenía otra cosa en mente. Él era un Mesías que cuidar de los pobres, buscar a los perdidos y abandonados, hablar a los gentiles, asociado con los pecadores, honrar a las mujeres, y señalar la hipocresía de la religión. ¿Quién era él para hacer esto? ¿No era el hijo del carpintero? Así que dijo Jesús que era? Sí, Jesús fue mal entendido y mal etiquetados. Estoy seguro de que Jesús se sentía muy mal por esto. En un momento, la gente es muy entusiasmado con su mensaje, y luego en el siguiente minuto que quieren matarlo. Estoy seguro de que Jesús recordó las palabras del profeta Jeremías en ese momento, antes de que te formase en el vientre te conocí, y antes que nacieras, te consagré profeta de las naciones te señalada. Para que Jesús continúe en su ministerio y misión, que tenía que recordar que él fue amado, conocido, y tenía un propósito.

Así que, ¿quieres ser amado? Entonces amor. ¿Quieres ser conocido? A continuación, salir de su manera de conocer a los demás. Cuando amas a los demás y sabes quién eres, entonces usted sabrás que tu propósito en la vida. Funcionó para Jeremías. Funcionó para Jesús. Puede ser exitoso para ti y para mí, Amen?