Stay Awake. Advent (2016-11-27)

27 November 2016

1^st Sunday of Advent  

● Isaiah 2:1-5 ● Psalm 122 ● Romans 13:11-14 ● Matthew 24:37-44 ●

[__01]  Stay awake.  I say “stay awake” not  only as a reminder to you at this the listeners to this 1^st Sunday of Advent Gospel and homily at ____ Mass on November ____. I say “stay awake” not only out of politeness or etiquette.

          “Stay awake” is a reminder, a Post-It note, a scheduled alert to me as well. Stay awake.

[__02] Isn’t it particularly difficult, at times, to be stationary, to sit still, while also remaining awake, alert?

          It’s particularly difficult when we are in school, in college, or if were to attend some educational or instructional seminar.  In the classroom, to stay awake is difficult though we are straining with all our effort to pay attention. I have hit the SNOOZE bar in class, perhaps we all have, especially in a nice comfortable seat it in the back of the room.

          Yes, the teacher can see us back there too.

         

[__03]  Vigilance and alertness were difficult for the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemani.

          Jesus asks his disciples to watch and pray. Then, they fall asleep and Jesus says,  “could you  not stay awake with me for one hour?”  (__ref_)

[__04]   This alertness and wakefulness are important themes of our Advent journey, our four Sundays  and weeks of Advent, as we prepare for Christmas.

[__05] Years ago, I recall a camping trip of several days in the mountains.   Due to very heavy rain weather and slow travel and mud, we were walking on our final day in pitch darkness to our final campsite. 

          Vigilance and watchfulness were necessary to avoid danger, slips, falls.  We had a local guide who helped us. He made torches for us out of tree branches and bamboo. 

          These torches were very effective. And, I recall the effort he made to create them for us.

          At one point, near the end, I had to catch myself on a slippery surface. The guide asked if I was OK.  Very abruptly, impolitely, and without any gratitude, I told him I was “fine.”

          In fact, we needed his help every step, to see what we could not see.

[__06] What does it mean to “watch  and pray”?

          Advent reminds us to await the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the Second Coming which we cannot see.

          Nevertheless, we know that he came once into the world. We know that he is present to us through the Gospel, through our prayer, through Holy Communion, and the sacraments.

          We are asked to be vigilant for his arrival, especially when it is hard to see, when we are in the dark, or in distress.

[__07]     St. Paul reminds us that we cannot see is eternal. What we can see is passing away, is transitory.

          We are presented with the difficult to see, the hard to see everyday.  In this darkness, our Lord is present and coming to us. Are we alert?

         

[__08]  Yes, it is a challenge to be stationary, sit still, and remain awake.

          Isn’t this alertness and stillness especially difficult when we are experiencing a crisis or a difficulty.

          We may want to react, change things, or fix things.

          But, there may be nothing to change. Rather, there may be something unseen to discover.

[__09]  [↓ HEALTH & COMPASSION]  This stillness is an important value to consider for example ….  if we were to care for a loved one in declining health (his or her beauty may now be unseen or obscured by illness). Jesus is arriving, am I awake?

[CORRECTION, ADVICE, RXN OF OTHER]  This stillness is an important value to consider for example if we were to offer someone a necessary correction advice which is difficult to communicate.  The goodness of what we do might be unseen, unrecognized.  Jesus is arriving, am I awake?

[RECEIVING ADVICE, DOCILITY, BEING TEACHABLE]  This stillness is an important value to consider for example if someone were to correct you or correct me or offer advice when we believe that we are in the right. Can I see the truth, welcome truth? Can I recognize what is unseen? Do remain “teachable” even in the midst of an examination? Or, do I assume that I have all the answers? Jesus is arriving, am I awake?

[__10]  [ (V), ADVENT FAITH, BELIEVE IN THE UNSEEN …. STAY AWAKE ]     This is our Advent faith, to believe in the unseen, to express faith that Christ has come and that he will come again.

We are called not only to believe that he will come, but also with our ACTIONS, our ENTHUSIASM, and our JOY, to recognize his arrival.

He may surprise us. As says to all of us, that we must be prepared, we must stay awake. (cf. Matthew 24:37-44)   [__fin__]

Velen. (Adviento) )2016-11-27

27 noviembre 2016  _  1º  domingo de Adviento

● Isaías 2:1-5 ● Salmo 121 (122) ● Romanos 13:11-14 ● Mateo 24:37-44 ●

[__01]   Velen. Yo quisiera que ustedes se despiereten.

           Yo digo "permanezcan despiertos" no sólo como un recordatorio para ustedes en esto los oyentes a este 1º  Domingo del Evangelio de Adviento y homilía en ____ Misa el Noviembre ____. Yo digo "permanecer despierto" no sólo por cortesía o etiqueta.

"Velen "   es un recordatorio, una nota de Post-It, una alerta programada para mí también. "Permanezcan despiertos".

[__02]  ¿No es particularmente difícil, a veces, estar inmóvil, permanecer quieto, al mismo tiempo que permanecer despierto, alerta?

Es particularmente difícil cuando estamos en la escuela, en la universidad, o si asistimos a algún seminario educativo o de instrucción. En el aula, para mantenerse despierto es difícil, aunque estamos esforzándonos con todo nuestro esfuerzo para prestar atención. He golpeado el bar SNOOZE en clase, tal vez todos tenemos, sobre todo en un asiento cómodo agradable en la parte posterior de la habitación.

Sí, el maestro nos puede ver allí también.

[__03] La vigilancia y el estado de alerta eran difíciles para los discípulos en el Jardín de Getsemaní.

Jesús pide a sus discípulos que observen y oren. Entonces, se quedan dormidos y Jesús dice, "Ni siquiera habeís sido (haben sido)  capaces de velar una hora conmigo?" (Mateo 26:40)

[__04]  Este estado de alerta y vigilia son temas importantes de nuestro viaje de Adviento, nuestros cuatro domingos y semanas de Adviento, mientras nos preparamos para la Navidad.

[__05]   Hace años, recuerdo un viaje de campamento de varios días en las montañas. Debido a las lluvias muy fuertes y los viajes lentos y barro, estábamos caminando en nuestro último día en la oscuridad a nuestro campamento final.

Vigilancia y vigilancia eran necesarias para evitar el peligro, resbalones, caídas. Teníamos un guía local que nos ayudó. Hizo antorchas para nosotros de ramas de árbol y bambú.

Estas antorchas fueron muy eficaces. Y, recuerdo el esfuerzo que él hizo para crearlos para nosotros.

En un momento, cerca del final, tuve que atraparme en una superficie resbaladiza. La guía me preguntó si estaba bien. De manera abrupta, impolida y sin gratitud, le dije que estaba bien.

De hecho, necesitábamos su ayuda a cada paso, para ver lo que no podíamos ver.

[__06]    ¿Qué significa "vigilar y orar"?

El Adviento nos recuerda esperar la Segunda Venida de Jesucristo, la Segunda Venida que no podemos ver.

Sin embargo, sabemos que vino una vez al mundo. Sabemos que él nos está presente a través del Evangelio, a través de nuestra oración, de la Santa Comunión y de los sacramentos.

Se nos pide que vigilemos su llegada, especialmente cuando es difícil de ver, cuando estamos en la oscuridad, o en la angustia.

[__07]   San Pablo nos recuerda que no podemos ver es eterna. Lo que podemos ver es pasar, es transitorio.

          Nos presentan con lo difícil de ver, lo difícil de ver todos los días. En esta oscuridad, nuestro Señor está presente y viene a nosotros. ¿Estamos alerta?

[__08]   Sí, es un reto estar parado, sentarse quieto y permanecer despierto.

¿No es esta vigilancia y quietud especialmente difícil cuando estamos experimentando una crisis o una dificultad.

Podemos querer reaccionar, cambiar cosas o arreglar cosas.

Pero, puede que no haya nada que cambiar. Más bien, puede haber algo invisible que descubrir.

[__09]      [↓ SALUD Y COMPASIÓN] Esta quietud es un valor importante a considerar, por ejemplo .... Si tuviéramos que cuidar a un ser querido en estado de salud en declive (su belleza puede ahora no ser vista o oscurecida por la enfermedad). Jesús está llegando, ¿estoy despierto?

          Esta quietud es un valor importante a considerar, por ejemplo, si ofreciéramos a alguien un consejo de corrección necesario que es difícil de comunicar. La bondad de lo que hacemos puede ser invisible, no reconocido. Jesús está llegando, ¿estoy despierto?

         

          Esta tranquilidad es un valor importante a considerar, por ejemplo, si alguien te corrige o me corrige o te ofrece consejos cuando creemos que estamos en lo correcto. ¿Puedo ver la verdad, bienvenida la verdad? ¿Puedo reconocer lo que no se ve? ¿Sigue siendo "enseñable" incluso en medio de un examen? ¿O asumo que tengo todas las respuestas? Jesús está llegando, ¿estoy despierto?

[__10]    Esta es nuestra fe del Adviento, creer en lo invisible, expresar la fe de que Cristo ha venido y que vendrá otra vez.

Estamos llamados no sólo a creer que él vendrá, sino también con nuestras ACCIONES, nuestro ENTUSIASMO, y nuestra ALEGRÍA, para reconocer su llegada.

Puede que nos sorprenda. Como dice a todos nosotros, que debemos estar preparados, debemos permanecer despiertos. (Mateo 24: 37-44)

[__11]   [__12]  [__fin___]

Mutual Friends. Thanksgiving Day (2016-11-24)

HML –    2016 Nov. 24  _ Thursday,   USA Thanksgiving

• Eclesiástico (Sirácide) 50:22-24  • Salmo 113  • 1 Corintios 1:3-9 • Lucas 17:11-19 •  

[__01__]   Mutual friends. Don’t we have mutual friends?

Meeting someone, bumping into someone whom we know – or think that we know – we might ask, have we met before? Do we know someone in common?

Do you and I have a mutual friend?

[__02__]   Such a mutual friendship – or the connections we make through friends – can help us to make alliances, can even help us to get ahead in financial ways, in monetary ways.

Mutual firriendship is also about survival.

Many of us are familiar with the traditions of the first Thanksgiving in what we now know as New England and the United States.

Mutual friendship helped these new European settlers to plant, to harvest, to eat, to live, to survive.

The alliance of the visitor and the indigenous enabled survival.

[__03__]    Our Thanksgiving feast begins -- and continues – in friendship.  It is a time to welcome, to reunite, for young people to return home from college.

          One my of own favorite activities as a younger person was NOT ONLY to spend time with my own family at Thanksgiving but to go to my friend´s house in the neighborhood, to check out his relatives, his scene. What are they having for dessert?

          Thanksgiving begins in friendship and begins with a free choice.

[__04__]   Don´t we have a mutual friend?

This is also a Biblical message, a Gospel message of the good news of Jesus Christ.

The message is that God has visited his people, that he has called them.

Moses, for example , is called by God personally.  He is, shall we say not only chosen but also ¨elected¨ for his role.

[__05__]    Pope Benedict XVI observes in his encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (God is Love), that   ¨ God chooses Israel out of all the nations of the world.  However, God chooses Israel not simply to exalt one country over all the others, but he does so precisely with a view to healing the whole human race. ¨ (Deus Caritas Est, n. 9)

In other words, God makes friends with Israel and through Israel makes mutual friends with other nations.

In a similar way,  Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem, preaching in Galilee forms a group of disciples through whom more followers are gathered. Mutual friendships are made.

God chooses you, chooses me to be in friendship with Him and to be in friendship with others.

We are told this in the commandment to love God and love our neighbor.

We are mutual friends – we are his bridge to bring healing and to bring the Gospel to others.

Thus, through you and through me, the Holy Spirit will reach out to ..

·        A neighbor on Valley Way or Eagle Rock Avenue or in Whole Foods or Shop Rite

·        A classmate at Redwood, Edison, West Orange High School.

·        A parishioner here…or a parishioner at St. Joe´s or the Lake or St. John´s in Orange or someplace else .

·        A person without the practice of the faith in our own family or at our own table, today.

[__06__]        This is the message of the Gospel today. 

          What are the final words of Jesus to the 1 Samaritan leper who has returned ?

          He says, ¨Rise and go your way, your faith has made you well.¨  (Luke 17:19)

         

[__07__]        In other words, Jesus tells this Samaritan man, a person recently cured and healed of leprosy, to go his own way, to go back to his neighbors, to his classmates, to his parishioners, to speak to people with faith and without the practice of the faith.

          Jesus wants the Samaritan to tell them that God will help them, guide them.

          But, first Jesus would suggest that this man make some friends, be a friend. Encourage others to see that we are all mutual friends in and through Christ.

[__08__]       Benedict XVI encourages us to consider that this is possible when we draw closer to God in our own friendship and prayer.

          When I love my neighbor, it does not necessarily mean that I know everything about him or her, it does not mean that I like everything about him or her.

          However, if I can see the person from the perspective of Jesus who died for my neighbor, then I can see that we are, shall we say, mutual friends.

          Jesus, any friend of yours is a friend of mine.   His friend is my friend. Mutual friends.    (Deus Caritas Est, n. 18)

[__09__]       Yes, your parents, my parents were correct. We cannot choose our family, but we can choose our friends.

          We can choose our friendships and alliances.

          Wee can also choose our friendships – and choose to build up or tear down friendships – within our own family.

          However, our first and most important friendship is with our Savior and Lord who loves us, seeks us out, calls us when we are lost.

          He died for us and rose from the dead for us.

          He is our model for making friends and for keeping them, reminding us that …

          Yes, we can choose friends, and we do so because he has first chosen us. We can love God and love our neighbor because he first loved us, and invites us to consider in the person with whom we struggle to know, struggle to forgive, that we might ask, ¨don´t I know from somewhere?¨  … ¨do we have a mutual friend?¨

[__10__]     [__fin__]  

Right Now. Christ the King. (2016-11-20)

2016 Nov. 20  _ 34^th Sunday (year C),  Christ the King

• Samuel 5:1-3  • Salmo 121  • Colosenses 1:12-20 • Lucas 23:35-43 •  

 [__01__]   Jesus reminds us to consider the present moment. Right now. Today

These are our Savior’s words to the person, the convicted criminal , crucified with him on Calvary: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

“Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

[__02__]       Well known words, these are, that we keep as part of our tradition and profession of faith in the resurrection of the body and the forgiveness of sins.

“Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

[__03__]       However,  if you or I were to receive some bonus or reward or compensation,  do we focus immediately with gratitude on the present moment.  Yes, sometimes, we do.  On the other hand, we are also inclined to consider not only today’s immediate lump-sum distribution but rather, in terms of –

► what history of achievement or work effort has led to this reward?  What have I been earning? What did I do, in order to deserve this? In other words, we think about the past rather than today.

► on other hand, we also consider – with this reward or compensation, we start to calculate, how long this is to going to last?  In other words, we think about the future.

Jesus invites the criminal at Calvary  - and you and me - to consider the gift of TODAY.

“Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

[__04__]       In the Gospel scene at Calvary, we read about two criminals crucified – sentenced to death – with Jesus.

          Both of them have a history of crimes and misdemeanors,  a past, a record with the police, the authorities.

          One of the two readily an easily accepted responsibility for his actions saying to Jesus and to the other crucified man: “We have been condemned justly, for the sentence we have received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23:41)

[Repeat / paraphrase the above]

[__05__]        So, based on his history, this man to whom we refer as the “good thief” of the Gospel believes that, due to his history, he deserves punishment and penalty both now in the future.

          Nevertheless, TODAY, in the Gospel, he makes one final plea,

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

          Then, Jesus replies,  “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

[__06__]       Jesus is focused on today, right now.

          This is a call and appeal to us for charity and love:

► how can I love today the people in my life?

►how can I forgive today the person by whom I have been injured or hurt?

►how can I extend myself generously to someone in need?

[__07__]       St. Paul in 1^st Corinthians, chapter 13, in his famous section about LOVE and CHARITY, reminds us that the call to LOVE is for the present moment.

          Paul writes that not only is love        “patient and kind and not jealous”           but also that    “love does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.”  (1 Corinthians 13:4,6)

[__08__]       Sometimes, the truth of today may be difficult to face. We may prefer to hide.  Jesus is instructing us to face and admit our faults, because there is freedom and the paradise of mercy awaiting. Today.

          In matters serious or small, we may prefer to hide or just to get what we deserve. Jesus is promising us more than we deserve.

[__09__]       I recall this small matter in which I preferred to hide rather than reveal. 

          One day years ago, I received a phone call from my father about a receipt – a document – for a car repair.  Very naively, I had left the receipt at his house. Now, I was being asked – interrogated – about the repair on my car.

         I was particularly proud of this car. I do not even own this car anymore or drive it. I’m still proud of it.  I was particularly proud of this car not because it was a very nice car, but because it was my not very nice car, and the first car I had ever owned.

When I bought the car, in the past, at the dealership, the price seemed very reasonable. I put the full amount on my credit card and drove away.

          In the present, this used Nissan needed some major repairs. Thus, the phone call.

          “Did you really have to buy a new power steering system for the car? And, what about these disc brakes, ”

          I suppose every family has its competitiveness and rivalries which are intertwined with love for the other. In a competitive sense, I felt a bit diminished, a bit of a “loser” recalling all the money I had spent on this car with 103,000 miles.

          Pride made me hide.

          Though I had spent my own money, I did not want to have this conversation. I did not want to admit this. I was not rejoicing in the truth and said, “Dad, can we talk about this later?”

          And, very graciously, my father ceased and desisted. I think he kind of understood.

          Twenty years or so later, we have never – somehow – gotten around to discussing it.

          Of course, this is a small matter.

          But, what about very very important things?

         

          Today – the truth of today – is sometimes scary,  frightening, humbling … or a little humiliating.

         

          It may invite us to change, to conversion of heart, to change our ways. Jesus may disrupt our lives.

          

[__10__]    [__07__]      In any act of confession or contrition, we are called not simply to consider what the circumstances were in the past or whether we were angry or sad or tired or double-crossed.

Confession is not about the past but the present.

Maybe, we would do things differently today.

That’s conversion of the heart.

So, in confession of our faults, it’s certainly acceptable – and healthy – for us to say, Father, forgive me, I did not know what I was doing.

This is also the Good News of Jesus at Calvary,  “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

And, you or I can do the same and ask God to forgive us because … I did not know what I was doing.

However, I know now.

That’s  what the thief on the cross professes, “I know now what I was doing” and…

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

When we confess our sins and faults, we profess our faith in God’s love and mercy, our faith that he welcomes us home, our faith that he died for our sins on Calvary and rose from the dead.

He will even forgive us at the last possible moment.  That moment is now.  Reading the Gospel, we know this now.

Today.

[__08__]       [__09__]      [__10__]    [__11__]     [__fin__]