Prayer: John Chrysostom

Rejoice, mother and heaven, maiden and cloud, virgin and throne, the boast and foundation of our Church. Plead earnestly for us that through you we may obtain mercy of the day of judgment and attain the good things reserved for those who love God, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, and honor now and forever and all eternity.

Poem: "Dear March" by Emily Dickinson

Dear March, come in!
How glad I am!
I looked for you before,
Put down your hat – You must have walked –
How out of breath you are!
Dear March, how are you?
And the rest?
Did you leave Nature well?
Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,
I have so much to tell!

I got your letter and the bird’s;
The maples never knew
That you were coming till I called;
I declare, how red their faces grew!
But, March, forgive me – And all those hills
You left for me to hue;
There was no purple suitable,
You took it all with you!

Who knocks? That April!
Lock the door!
I will not be pursued!
He stayed away a year, to call
When I am occupied.
But trifles look so trivial
As soon as you have come,
That blame is just as dear as praise
And praise as mere as blame.

Spirituality: "Silence as an Alternative Consciousness" by Richard Rohr

For me, the two correctives of all spirituality are silence and service. If either of those is missing, it is not true, healthy spirituality. Without silence, we do not really experience our experiences. We may serve others and have many experiences, but without silence, nothing has the power to change us, to awaken us, to give us that joy that the world cannot give, as Jesus says (John 16:22). And without clear acts of free service (needing no payback of any sort, even “heaven”), a person’s spiritual authenticity can and should be called into question. Divine Love always needs to and must overflow!

To live in this primordial, foundational being itself, which I am calling silence, creates a kind of sympathetic resonance with what is right in front of us. Without it, we just react instead of respond. Without some degree of silence, we are never living, never tasting, as there is not much capacity to enjoy, appreciate, or taste the moment as it purely is. The opposite of contemplation is not action, it is reaction. We must wait for pure action, which always proceeds from a contemplative silence in which we are able to listen anew to truth and to what is really happening. Such spiritual silence demands a deep presence to oneself in the moment, which will probably have the same practical effect as presence to God.

You do not hear silence (precisely!), but it is that by which you do hear. You cannot capture silence. It captures you. Silence is a kind of thinking that is not thinking. It’s a kind of thinking which mostly sees (contemplata). Silence, then, is an alternative consciousness. It is a form of intelligence, a form of knowing beyond bodily reacting or emotion. It is a form of knowing beyond mental analysis, which is what we usually call thinking. All of the great world religions at the higher levels (mystical) discovered that our tyrannical mode of everyday thinking (which is largely compulsive, brain-driven, and based on early patterning and conditioning) has to be relativized and limited, or it takes over, to the loss of our primal being and identity in God and in ourselves. I used to think that mysticism was the eventual fruit of years of contemplation; now I think it all begins with one clear moment of mystic consciousness, which then becomes the constant “spring inside us, welling up unto eternal life” (John 4:14).

Adapted from Letting Go: A Spirituality of Subtraction

The Second Sunday of Lent

Ignatian Spirituality: Set the World Ablaze

predmore.blogspot.com

The Second Sunday of Lent

March 1, 2015

Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18; Psalm 116; Romans 8:31-34; Mark 9:2-10

Scripture presents us with momentous turning points this week. Abraham, though he has been faithful to God in the past, responds to God by being willing to sacrifice his son Isaac, who God acknowledges, as “your only one, the one whom you love, your beloved.” Abraham, because of his prior trust in God, is willing once again to follow the Lord’s commandments, even though it would sadden him greatly. In the Gospel, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain to be transfigured in their presence into a dazzling white not seen like anything on earth. Jesus is the one declared beloved by the voice from the cloud, the one whom God loves in a special way. It is Jesus, not Isaac, who is destined to be sacrificed.

These are crucial turning points in the story of these men. Abraham long practiced fidelity to God and he survived the crucial test of giving up his only son. His other son, Ishmael, was born to a servant woman, and not born of the free marriage to Sarah. Abraham’s “yes” validated God’s trust in him, which bestowed the fatherly blessing upon his descendants. While the fate of Jesus was becoming clearer, he took his inner circle of friends up the holy mountain where he Moses and Elijah appeared alongside him. God revealed Jesus to be more special than the lawgiver and the prophets. Jesus is identified the one whose faithfulness will lead to salvation. He tells his friends that he will rise from the dead.

Abraham’s turning point allowed the blessing of God to transfer from himself to his son and his descendants. In other words, his fidelity was no longer a personal response, but one that affected everyone who followed. Through Isaac and Israel, God’s promises continued. After the Transfiguration of Jesus, his mission changed drastically. His eyes looked firmly forward to Jerusalem, the destination of his journey where the great prophet would be rejected, reviled, and killed. His mission became clear. He was truly God’s beloved, the one who would be sacrificed as the extreme test of fidelity.

In the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, a retreatant’s turning point follows a period of fidelity where Jesus personally asks for this faithfulness to increase. After being with Jesus, watching him, listening to him, learning from him, Jesus, as the eternal king, asks a person, “Will you come with me and imitate me as I make my way to the cross? Just be with me, and feel with me, as I endure the final events of my day.” Typically, a retreatant resists because of the pain he or she will experience, but the only possible answer is “yes.” This is the turning point, when the heart, the mind, and the will are united by the imagination and one’s whole being says “yes” to Jesus. This is the magis, the more. Our lives are no longer are own because we live for a higher purpose.

Do you have a moment in your personal history that you consider a turning point in faith? We assent to God in small ways that strengthen our commitment, but is there a time when you felt your resolve to God become unmistakable so that a new path opened up for you? It involves giving a more thoughtful, deeper response to Christ that comes from knowing that he is your beloved as well. Your love for him reflects his affectionate care for you based on a whole lifetime of memories. It is a time when silence takes root together because you have stood by each other. Nothing more needs to be proven; you are in this together.

Lent is a time to tell ourselves again our stories of faith and to see how the friendship with Christ has developed. Let Christ remind you of those times that are significant to him. Let him choose you once again and call you his Beloved, the one whom he loves. We need these times of loving remembrance because this is the time of our magis, the more, because the Cross looms ahead, however we go into it knowing that our friendship has endured all trials and tribulations. His death lives on in us. We can go forth – onward and upward – secure in our faith, transfigured because Christ’s love forever changes us.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading:

Monday: (Daniel 9) We have rebelled against you God and sinned, but you have remained faithful to us in the covenant. You, O Lord, have justice on your side.

Tuesday: (Isaiah 1) Wash yourselves clean and make justice your aim. Obey the commandments and take care of your neighbor.

Wednesday: (Jeremiah 18) The people of Judah contrived against Jeremiah to destroy him by his own words.

Thursday: (Jeremiah 17) Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings. More tortuous than all else is the human heart. The Lord alone probes the mind and tests the heart.  

Friday: (Genesis 37) Israel loved Joseph best of all, which created resentment among his brothers, who later sold him into slavery for twenty pieces of silver.

Saturday: (Micah 7) God removes guilt and pardons sins and does not persist in anger.

Gospel: 

Monday: (Luke 6) Jesus said, “Be merciful,” and “Stop judging because you will be judged by the way you judge.”

Tuesday: (Matthew 23) The scribes and Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Be wary of someone’s teaching if they have no integrity between their words and actions.

Wednesday: (Matthew 20) As Jesus went up to Jerusalem, he told his disciples, “Behold. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests, condemned to death, handed over to Gentiles, an crucified, and will be raised on the third day.”

Thursday: (Luke 16) A rich man dressed in purple garments died shortly after Lazarus, a beggar. In heaven, Lazarus was rewarded and the rich man was tormented in hell. He appealed to God to spare his family, but was told that they would not listen to Moses or to anyone who was raised from the dead.

Friday: (Matthew 21) Jesus told the parable of a vineyard owner, who entrusted the land to servants, but these men seized the land and possessed it. They killed the servants and the heir. When the owner returned, he cast the wretched men into a tormented death.

Saturday: (Luke 15) Jesus is accused of welcoming sinners and eats with them. He then tells the story of the prodigal one who was well received by his father upon his return. The one who was lost has been found.

Saints of the Week

March 1: Katherine Drexel (1858-1955), was from a wealthy Philadelphian banking family and she and her two sisters inherited a great sum of money when her parents died. She joined the Sisters of Mercy and wanted to found her own order called the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament to work among the African and Native Americans. Her inheritance funded schools and missions throughout the South and on reservations. A heart attack in 1935 sent her into retirement.

March 7: Perpetua and Felicity (d. 203), were two catechumens arrest and killed during a persecution in North Africa. Perpetua was a young noblewoman who was killed alongside her husband, their young son, and their pregnant slave, Felicity. They were baptized while under arrest and would not renounce their faith. Felicity was excused from death because it was unlawful to kill a pregnant woman, but she gave birth prematurely three days before the planned execution. They were flogged, taunted by wild beasts, and then beheaded. They appear in the First Eucharistic Prayer.

This Week in Jesuit History

·      Mar 1, 1549. At Gandia, the opening of a college of the Society founded by St Francis Borgia.

·      Mar 2, 1606. The martyrdom in the Tower of London of St Nicholas Owen, a brother nicknamed "Little John." For 26 years he constructed hiding places for priests in homes throughout England. Despite severe torture he never revealed the location of these safe places.

·      Mar 3, 1595. Clement VIII raised Fr. Robert Bellarmine to the Cardinalate, saying that the Church had not his equal in learning.

·      Mar 4, 1873. At Rome, the government officials presented themselves at the Professed House of the Gesu for the purpose of appropriating the greater part of the building.

·      Mar 5, 1887. At Rome, the obsequies of Fr. Beckx who died on the previous day. He was 91 years of age and had governed the Society as General for 34 years. He is buried at San Lorenzo in Campo Verano.

·      Mar 6, 1643. Arnauld, the Jansenist, published his famous tract against Frequent Communion. Fifteen French bishops gave it their approval, whereas the Jesuit fathers at once exposed the dangers in it.

·      Mar 7, 1581. The Fifth General Congregation of the Society bound the professors of the Society to adhere to the doctrine of St Thomas Aquinas.

El Segundo Domingo de Cuaresma

El Segundo Domingo de Cuaresma

01 de marzo 2015

Génesis 22: 1-2, 9-13, 15-18; Salmo 116; Romanos 8: 31-34; Marcos 9: 2-10

Vemos puntos de inflexión trascendentales en la escritura esta semana. Abraham responde a Dios por estar dispuesto a sacrificar a su hijo Isaac, que Dios dice que es "el único, el único a quien amas, tu amado." Abraham está dispuesto a seguir la ley del Señor, aunque le entristece mucho. En el Evangelio, Jesús se transfiguró delante de sus amigos y se declara "amado" por la voz de la nube, el que Dios ama de una manera especial. Es Jesús, no Isaac, que ha de ser sacrificado.

Estos son momentos decisivos para estos hombres. Abraham sobrevivió a la prueba crucial de renunciar a su único hijo. Abraham el "sí" valida la confianza de Dios en él, que otorga la bendición paternal sobre sus hijos. Jesús tomó a sus amigos cercanos a la montaña donde él Moisés y Elías aparecen junto a él. Jesús es más especial que el legislador y los profetas. Jesús es el que nos conducirá a la salvación.

Punto de inflexión de Abraham ya no era una respuesta personal, pero uno que afectó a todo el que le siguió. Después de la Transfiguración, Jesús miró firmemente a Jerusalén, el destino donde será rechazado y asesinado. Él será sacrificado como la prueba extrema de la fidelidad.

En los Ejercicios Espirituales de San Ignacio de Loyola, un punto de inflexión en la oración se produce después de un tiempo de estar con Jesús, mirándolo, escuchándolo, aprendiendo de él, Jesús, como rey eterno. Él pregunta: "¿Quieres venir conmigo a medida que avanzo en la cruz? Estar conmigo, siento conmigo, como yo soporto mis eventos finales. "Nos resistimos porque experimentamos dolor, pero nuestra única respuesta es" sí ". Este es el punto de inflexión, cuando nuestro corazón, mente, y están unidos por nuestra imaginación y toda nuestra alma dice "sí" a Jesús. Este es el magis, el más. Nuestras vidas ya no son son propios porque vivimos para un propósito superior.

¿Cuál es su punto de inflexión personal en la fe? Decimos sí a Dios en cosas pequeñas, pero ¿hay un momento en que un nuevo camino abierto para ti? Le damos una respuesta más reflexiva, más profundo a Cristo porque sabemos que es nuestro querido y somos suyos. Su amor refleja su afectuoso cuidado basado de una vida de recuerdos. En silencio, mantenemos uno al otro. Nada necesita ser probada; estamos en esto juntos.

La Cuaresma es un tiempo para decirnos a nosotros mismos de nuevo nuestras historias de fe y de ver cómo ha cambiado nuestra amistad con Cristo. Que Cristo te recuerda aquellos tiempos importantes para él. Él escogerá de nuevo y llamar a su Amado, al que él ama. Necesitamos estos momentos de recuerdo amoroso porque esto es de nuestra magis, más, porque la Cruz es que tenemos ante nosotros. Sabemos que nuestra amistad soportó muchas pruebas. Su muerte sigue vivo en nosotros. Podemos ir hacia adelante - adelante y hacia arriba - Seguro en nuestra fe, transfigurado, porque el amor de Cristo nos cambia para siempre.

Temas para las misas de esta semana

Primera Lectura:
Lunes: (Daniel 9) nos hemos rebelado contra ti Dios y pecaron, sino que se han mantenido fieles a nosotros en el pacto. Tú, oh Señor, tiene la justicia de su lado.
Martes: (Isaías 1) Lavar límpiense y hacer justicia a su objetivo. Obedecer los mandamientos y cuidar de tu prójimo.
Miércoles: (Jeremías 18) El pueblo de Judá ideó contra Jeremías para destruirlo por sus propias palabras.
Jueves: (Jeremías 17) Maldito el varón que confía en los seres humanos. Más tortuoso que todo lo demás es el corazón humano. Sólo el Señor sondea la mente y prueba el corazón.
Viernes: (Génesis 37) Israel amaba a José lo mejor de todo, que creó resentimiento entre sus hermanos, que más tarde lo vendieron como esclavo por veinte piezas de plata.
Sábado: (Miqueas 7) Dios quita de culpa y perdona los pecados y no persiste en la ira.

Evangelio:
Lunes: (Lucas 6) Jesús dijo: "Sed misericordiosos," y "Stop a juzgar porque seréis juzgados por la forma de juzgar."
Martes: (Mateo 23) Los escribas y fariseos han ocupado su asiento en la silla de Moisés. Tenga cuidado con las enseñanzas de alguien si no tienen integridad entre sus palabras y acciones.
Miércoles: (Mateo 20) Cuando Jesús subió a Jerusalén, dijo a sus discípulos: "He aquí. El Hijo del Hombre será entregado a los principales sacerdotes, condenados a muerte, entregado a los gentiles, un crucificado, y se resucitó al tercer día. "
Jueves: (Lucas 16) Un hombre rico se vestía de púrpura murió poco después de Lázaro, un mendigo. En el cielo, Lázaro fue recompensado y el hombre rico fue atormentado en el infierno. Hizo un llamamiento a Dios para salvar a su familia, pero le dijeron que no iban a escuchar a Moisés ni a nadie que resucitó de entre los muertos.
Viernes: (Mateo 21) Jesús contó la parábola del dueño de una viña, que confió la tierra a los funcionarios, pero estos hombres se apoderó de la tierra y la poseía. Ellos mataron a los criados y el heredero. Cuando el dueño regresó, echó los hombres miserables en una muerte atormentada.
Sábado: (Lucas 15) Jesús es acusado de dar la bienvenida a los pecadores y come con ellos. Luego cuenta la historia de un pródigo que fue bien recibido por su padre a su regreso. El que se había perdido ha sido encontrado.

Santos de la Semana

01 de Marzo: Katherine Drexel (1858-1955), fue de una familia de banqueros de Filadelfia rico y ella y sus dos hermanas heredan una gran suma de dinero cuando sus padres murieron. Se unió a las Hermanas de la Misericordia y quería fundar su propia orden llamado las Hermanas del Santísimo Sacramento para trabajar entre los africanos y los nativos americanos. Sus herencias financiado escuelas y misiones en todo el Sur y en reservas. Un ataque al corazón en 1935 le envió a la jubilación.

07 de Marzo: Perpetua y Felicidad (. 203 d), fueron dos catecúmenos arrestan y asesinados durante una persecución en el norte de África. Perpetua era un joven noble que fue asesinado junto a su marido, su hijo pequeño, y su esclavo embarazada, Felicity. Fueron bautizados durante su detención y no renunciar a su fe. Felicity fue excusado de la muerte porque era ilegal matar a una mujer embarazada, pero ella dio a luz prematuramente tres días antes de la ejecución prevista. Ellos fueron azotados, burlado por las fieras, y luego decapitado. Aparecen en la Primera Plegaria Eucarística.

Esta semana en la historia de los Jesuitas

• 01 de Marzo de 1549. En Gandia, la apertura de un colegio de la Compañía fundada por San Francisco de Borja.
• 02 de Marzo de 1606. El martirio en la Torre de Londres de San Nicolás Owen, un hermano apodado "Little John". Durante 26 años, construyó escondites para los sacerdotes en los hogares de toda Inglaterra. A pesar de graves torturas nunca reveló la ubicación de estos lugares seguros.
• 03 de Marzo de 1595. Clemente VIII elevó P. Roberto Belarmino al cardenalato, diciendo que la Iglesia no tuvo su igual en el aprendizaje.
• 04 de Marzo de 1873. En Roma, los funcionarios del gobierno se presentaron en la Casa Profesa de la Gesu con el fin de apropiarse de la mayor parte del edificio.
• 05 de Marzo de 1887. En Roma, las exequias del P. Beckx que murió el día anterior. Él tenía 91 años de edad y había gobernado la sociedad en general por 34 años. Fue enterrado en San Lorenzo en Campo Verano.
• 06 de Marzo de 1643. Arnauld, el jansenista, publicó su famoso tratado contra la Comunión frecuente. Quince obispos franceses que dieron su aprobación, mientras que los padres jesuitas a la vez expuestos los peligros en el mismo.
• 07 de Marzo de 1581. La quinta Congregación General de la Compañía vinculada a los profesores de la Sociedad a que se adhieran a la doctrina de Santo Tomás de Aquino.

The Immediate Experience of God from "Ignatius Speaks to a Jesuit Today" by Karl Rahner, SJ:

As you know, I wanted - as I used to say then - to "help souls": in other words, to say something to people about God and God's grace, and about Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen one, that would open up and redeem their freedom into God's. I wanted to say this just as it had always been said in the Church, and yet I thought - and this opinion was true - that I could say what was old in a new way. Why? I was convinced that I had encountered God, at first incipiently during my sickness at Loyola and then decisively during my time as a hermit at Manresa; and I wanted to communicate such experience to others as best one could.

When I make this sort of claim to have experienced God immediately, this assertion does not need to be linked to a theological disquisition on the essence of this kind of immediate experience of God. Nor do I want to talk about all the phenomena that accompany such experiences - phenomena that of course have their own histories and their own distinctive God and human experience characteristics. I'm not talking about pictorial visions, symbols, words heard; I'm not talking about the gift of tears and the like.

I'm just saying that I experienced God, the nameless and un-searchable one, silent yet near, in the Trinity that is His turning to me. I have also experienced God - and indeed principally - beyond all pictorial imagining. God, who, when He comes to us out of His own self in grace, just cannot be mistaken for anything else. Such a conviction perhaps sounds innocuous in your pious trade, working as it does with the most elevated words available. 

But fundamentally it is outrageous: outrageous for me from where I am, in the past-all-graspness of God that is experienced here in a quite different way again; outrageous for the godlessness of your own time, a godlessness that is actually in the end only doing away with the idols - idols that the previous age, with an innocence that was at the same time appalling, equated with the ineffable God. Why shouldn't I say that this godlessness extends right into the Church? After all, the Church throughout its history, in union with the crucified one, is meant to be what happens when the gods are abolished.

The Cross Opens the Way to Life from "Journeying with the Lord: Reflections for Everyday" by Cardinal Carlos Maria Martini, SJ:

The cross is ever before us. It wants to speak to us, if only we contemplate it with love, drawn by the power of the Spirit who is the gift of Christ crucified. If we look upon it with awe and affection, the cross becomes an enticing, warm and all-consuming fire: it gives us a challenge.

It asks us many things. The cross asks us, our communities, our societies and our cultures to confirm that there do exist paths from the cross to resolve human problems.

Our experience reveals that pain, suffering and death fill our history.

Jesus did not invent the cross. He, like every man, found it on his journey. The newness of his message was to plant a seed of love into our bearing of the cross. The element of love turned the Way of the Cross into a way that leads to life. The cross itself became a message of love; a means of our transformation. Our cross is also the cross of Jesus!

This cross first embraces each of us, and entrusts us with a duty in our personal life, in our families, among our friends and acquaintances - in sum, with whoever else's cross we encounter. I think of the many broken families, the many illnesses which have not been accepted, of hardened hearts which have become embittered, resentful and brooding. How many crosses have been borne up and down in the elevators of our buildings. How many cross-bearers walk up and down our streets, populate our cities!

From his cross, Jesus invites each of us today to put all these crosses, and not just our own, into relationship with our own. Jesus invites us to do as he did - plant the seed of love and hope in the soil of each of the crosses we encounter.

Prayer: Ignatius of Loyola

To make a good choice on any matter whatever, we must first meditate with a pure and upright intention on the end of our creation, which is the glory of God and our salvation. Therefore, our choice ought never to fall on anything that does not lead us to this end; for it is evident that the means ought always to be subordinate to the end, and not the end to the means.

Spirituality: "What does the Cross teach us?" by Pope Francis during his address to the youth in Rio, July 2013

According to ancient Roman tradition, while fleeing the city during the persecutions of Nero, Saint Peter saw Jesus who was travelling in the opposite direction, that is, toward the city, and asked him in amazement: “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus’ response was: “I am going to Rome to be crucified again.” At that moment, Peter understood that he had to follow the Lord with courage, to the very end. But he also realized that he would never be alone on the journey; Jesus, who had loved him even unto death, would always be with him. Jesus, with his Cross, walks with us and takes upon himself our fears, our problems, and our sufferings, even those which are deepest and most painful.

With the Cross, Jesus unites himself to the silence of the victims of violence, those who can no longer cry out, especially the innocent and the defenseless; with the Cross, he is united to families in trouble, and those who mourn … We pray for them. On the Cross, Jesus is united with every person who suffers from hunger in a world which, on the other hand, permits itself the luxury of throwing away tons of food every day; on the Cross, Jesus is united to the many mothers and fathers who suffer as they see their children become victims of drug-induced euphoria; on the Cross, Jesus is united with those who are persecuted for their religion, for their beliefs or simply for the color of their skin; on the Cross, Jesus is united with so many young people who have lost faith in political institutions m because they see in them only selfishness and corruption; he unites himself with those young people who have lost faith in the Church, or even in God because of the counter-witness of Christians and ministers of the Gospel. How our inconsistencies make Jesus suffer!

The Cross of Christ bears the suffering and the sin of mankind, including our own. Jesus accepts all this with open arms, bearing on his shoulders our crosses and saying to us: “Have courage! You do not carry your cross alone! I carry it with you. I have overcome death and I have come to give you hope, to give you life” (cf. John 3:16).

Prayer: Ambrose of Milan

O Lord, have mercy on all. Take away from me my sins, and mercifully set me ablaze with the fire of your Holy Spirit. Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a human heart, a heart to love and adore you, a heart to delight in you, to follow and enjoy you, for Christ’s sake.

Prayer: John of Damascus

O sovereign Lord Jesus Christ our God, who alone has authority to forgive sins, overlook in your goodness and love all my offenses whether committed with knowledge or in ignorance, and make me worthy to receive your divine, glorious, spotless, and life-giving mysteries, not for punishment, nor for an increase of sins, but for purification and sanctification and as a pledge of the life and kingdom to come, as a protection and help, and for the destruction of enemies, and for the blotting out of my many transgressions. For you are a God of mercy and compassion and love, and to you we send up the glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever.

Prayer: Marguerite Bourgeoys

I believe that my faults are greater and do me more ham than anyone else. We must bear with the faults of others so that they may bear with us and God may not condemn us.

The First Sunday of Lent

Ignatian Spirituality: Set the World Ablaze

predmore.blogspot.com

The First Sunday of Lent

February 22, 2015

Genesis 9:8-15; Psalm 25; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15

When Noah and his family stood on solid ground after the great flood, God established a covenant with all creatures declaring that God would never again devastate the earth. The bow set in the sky was a sign of God’s enduring fidelity and it is a sign that continues to be seen in our Eucharistic prayers. In the second reading, Peter tells us that the waters of Noah prefigured baptism, which now saves us. He writes, “It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience.” The Gospel reminds us that the Spirit drove Jesus into the desert for forty days for testing by Satan. As we stand on the edge of Lent, we go forth into our spiritual wilderness recognizing that we have God’s backing from start, that our consciences are clear because of our baptism, and that we are already in the time of fulfillment.

            We do nothing in Lent on our own, but let us not take God’s support for granted. We cannot go through life passively relying upon the fact that God supports us; we have to be more deliberate in forecasting our day with God and actively invite God into the mundane parts. God is alive and active and desires greater mutuality in our relationship, which is the reason God gives us the rainbow sign – to remind us that God is part of our lives. It is a symbol for us that we remember God as much as a sign that God remembers us.

            Often our prayer looks backward when we tell God what we have experienced and we ask for consolation, comfort, or encouragement for the events that occurred. Sometimes we give thanks for blessings we received. We may ask for a particular grace, but then we do not know where else to go so we end the prayer.

            Prayer begins with the Noah experience by letting God simply gaze upon us as part of the covenant and marvel at who we are. Once we are assured that we are seen, we ask that God see, know, and feel what we are feeling. With that solidarity assured, it is easy for us to explore our feelings in greater detail so we are able to respond to God’s questions, “What do you want?” and “What do you need?” Once that conversation comes to fruition and we feel heard, seen, and known, we thank God for the time together.

            At this point the prayer becomes mutual. Once we know we have been treated with respect, we become concerned for “the other,” that is, God. We say, “Let me gaze upon you, O God. What are you going through today? What is on your mind?” As we give God a chance to answer, we thank each other for sharing who we are with one another, and then we plan for the next day.

            We are able to say to God, “These are events coming up in my life tomorrow. Some worry me; others bring me hope for happiness. Will you be there with me as I go through these events? I’ll be looking for some aspect of your presence at these times.” What else is God going to say, but “yes?” God is probably pleased that you thought about the role God plays in your life and is delighted you considered enough to ask.

God is not an extension of you, but an independent being who can say things different from what you might expect to hear. Give God the chance to speak and be a part of your life. God certainly might challenge you, but mostly God works through gentle invitations that respect our freedom. God does not use force or bully anyone. God does not use violence. Nor should we. God respects our free will so we can choose with an informed conscience and a responsive heart.

Try something different this year for Lent. Instead of deciding what you will give up as a sacrifice or what you will add as a personal devotion, allow God to enter into your life so that your friendship has greater mutuality and that together you plan how you will spend each day. Learn daily from God. Choose your Lenten devotion together each day. You will become familiar with God’s unique way of relating to you and you will find that you just want to be in God’s presence. That is also what God wants and you will see many signs and symbolic rainbows to let you know God is happy with that. The Spirit pushed Jesus into the wilderness. Let the Spirit nudge you the same way so that you come to know maturing, mutual relationship God wants with you. Together, you are formidable. The Kingdom of God is here; let us enjoy God’s presence among us.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading:

Monday: (Leviticus 19) The Lord gives Moses ten commandments that he inscribes on stone tablets.

Tuesday: (Isaiah 55) God’s word will issue forth from his mouth and shall not return until it has fulfilled his will.

Wednesday: (Jonah 3) Jonah set out to Nineveh asking them to proclaim a fast and then repent. The king does repent and the Lord dropped his threat because they turned from evil.

Thursday: (Esther 3) Queen Esther appeals to God for help in converting the king’s heart for hatred of the enemy  that threatens them.

Friday: (Ezekiel 18) If the wicked turns from sinfulness and keeps the Lord’s statutes, he will surely live. Likewise, if a virtuous man becomes wicked, he shall die.

Saturday: (Deuteronomy 26) Moses tells the people to observe the Lord’s statutes and decrees with their whole heart and soul. The Lord will stand by you.

Gospel: 

Monday: (Matthew 25) Jesus tells his disciples about the last judgment when the goats and sheep will be separated. The measuring stick is the mercy shown to the most vulnerable.

Tuesday: (Matthew 6) The disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. He tells them not to pray like the pagans, who seek honor and glory, and then gives them the Lord’s prayer.

Wednesday: (Luke 11) Jesus chastises the crowd that seeks a sign, but none will be given to them. Because of Jonah’s preaching, the king and people repented.

Thursday: (Matthew 7) Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened. The Father is generous, especially to those who love him.

Friday: (Matthew 5) Your righteousness must surpass the levels of the scribes and Pharisees in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Show righteousness by quickly settling disputes.

Saturday: (Matthew 5) Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Heavenly Father. Be perfect as the Father is perfect.

Saints of the Week

February 22: The Chair of Peter is celebrated on this day. Previously, both Peter and Paul were remembered until their feast was transferred to June 29^th. As the custom was ingrained in practice, Christians continued to honor the contributions Peter made to the church as the first of the apostles in continuous succession.

February 23: Polycarp, bishop and martyr (69-155), was made bishop of Smyrna and was the leader of the second generation Christians. He was a disciple of the apostle John and a friend of Ignatius of Antioch. He wrote catechesis and rites for initiation into the Christian community. He was martyred in 155 and is a Father of the early church.

This Week in Jesuit History

·      Feb 22, 1599. By order of Pope Clement VIII, the superiors general of the Jesuits and the Dominicans, assisted by others, met to settle, if possible, the controversies about grace. Nothing came of the meeting, since the Dominicans insisted on the condemnation of the writings of Fr. Molina.

·      Feb 23, 1551. The Roman College, the major school of the Society later to become the Gregorian University, began its first scholastic year with 15 teachers and 60 students.

·      Feb 24, 1637. The death of Francis Pavone. Inflamed by his words and holy example, sixty members of a class of philosophy that he taught and the entire class of poetry embraced the religious state.

·      Feb 25, 1558. St Aloysius Gonzaga received tonsure at the Lateran basilica. Within the next month he would receive the minor orders.

·      Feb 26, 1611. The death of Antonio Possevino, sent by Pope Gregory XIII on many important embassies to Sweden, Russia, Poland, and Germany. In addition to founding colleges and seminaries in Cracow, Olmutz, Prague, Braunsberg, and Vilna, he found time to write 24 books.

·      Feb 27, 1767. Charles III banished the Society from Spain and seized its property.

·      Feb 28, 1957. The Jesuit Volunteer Corps began.

El primer domingo de Cuaresma

Espiritualidad ignaciana: incendiar el mundo
predmore.blogspot.com

El primer domingo de Cuaresma
22 de febrero 2015
Génesis 9: 8-15; Salmo 25; 1 Pedro 3: 18-22; Marcos 1: 12-15

Cuando Noé se mantuvo en tierra firme después de la gran inundación, Dios estableció un pacto con todas las criaturas diciendo que Dios no volverá a devastar la tierra. La proa establecido en el cielo era un signo de fidelidad permanente de Dios y es una señal de que sigue siendo visto en nuestras oraciones eucarísticas. El Evangelio nos recuerda que el Espíritu llevó a Jesús al desierto por cuarenta días para la prueba por Satanás. Ahora que nos encontramos en el borde de la Cuaresma, vamos adelante a nuestro desierto espiritual sabiendo que Dios nos apoya y que ya estamos en el tiempo del cumplimiento.

No hacemos nada por nuestra cuenta, pero no tomamos el apoyo de Dios por sentado. Tenemos que prever con Dios e invitar activamente a Dios en las partes más mundanos de nuestro día. Dios es viva y eficaz, y quiere que la reciprocidad en nuestra amistad, que es la razón por la que Dios nos da el arco iris - para recordarnos que Dios es parte de nuestras vidas. Es un símbolo para nosotros que recordemos a Dios tanto como una señal de que Dios se acuerda de nosotros.

Nos mira hacia atrás en la oración cuando le decimos a Dios lo que hemos vivido. Pedimos consuelo, consuelo o aliento. A veces damos gracias por las bendiciones que hemos recibido.

La oración comienza por dejar a Dios la mirada sobre nosotros y maravillarse con lo que somos. Una vez que sabemos se nos ve, le pedimos que Dios ve, sabe y siente lo que estamos sintiendo. Es entonces fácil para nosotros para explorar nuestros sentimientos con mayor detalle lo que son capaces de responder a las preguntas de Dios, "¿Qué quieres?" Y "¿Qué necesitas?" Una vez que la conversación se desarrolla y nos sentimos escuchado, visto y conocido, damos gracias a Dios por el tiempo juntos.

En este punto, la oración es mutuo. Una vez que recibimos el respeto, estamos preocupados por "el otro", es decir, Dios. Nosotros decimos: "Oh Dios, ¿qué vas a través de la actualidad? Lo que está en tu mente? "Le damos a Dios la oportunidad de responder, agradecemos mutuamente para compartir lo que somos uno con el otro, y luego tenemos previsto para el día siguiente.

Nosotros le decimos a Dios: "Estos son los eventos que vienen en mi vida mañana. Algunos me preocupe; otros traen me espero para la felicidad. Va a estar allí conmigo cuando voy a través de estos eventos? Voy a buscar que en estos tiempos. "Dios va a decir, pero" sí. "Dios está encantado que él considera suficiente para preguntar.

Dios es diferente de usted, y puede decir cosas diferentes a lo que cabría esperar para oír. Dale a Dios la oportunidad de hacerlo. Ciertamente Dios podría desafiarle, pero sobre todo que Dios trabaja a través de invitaciones suaves que respetan nuestra libertad. Dios no fuerza o intimidar a nadie. Dios no usa la violencia. Tampoco debemos hacerlo nosotros. Dios respeta nuestro libre albedrío para que podamos elegir con un corazón sensible.

Pruebe algo diferente este año para la Cuaresma. En lugar de decidir lo que va a dar como un sacrificio o lo que va a añadir una devoción personal, permitir que Dios entre en tu vida para que juntos a planificar cómo va a gastar cada día. Aprenda todos los días de Dios. Elija su devoción cuaresmal juntos cada día. Usted sabrá manera única de Dios de hablar con usted y usted sólo quiere estar con Dios. Eso es lo que Dios quiere y verá muchas señales y arco iris para hacerle saber que Dios es feliz. El Espíritu empujó a Jesús al desierto. Deje que el codazo Espíritu para llegar a conocer la maduración, la relación mutua que Dios quiere con usted. Juntos, usted es formidable. El Reino de Dios está aquí; vamos a disfrutar cada día de Dios.

Temas para las misas de esta semana

Primera Lectura:
Lunes: (Levítico 19) El Señor da a Moisés los diez mandamientos que él inscribe en tablas de piedra.
Martes: (Isaías 55) Palabra de Dios emitirá sale de su boca y no volverá hasta que haya cumplido su voluntad.
Miércoles: (Jonás 3) Jonás se levantó a Nínive pidiéndoles que proclamar un ayuno y luego arrepentirse. El rey se arrepiente y el Señor dejó caer su amenaza porque se convirtieron de mal.
Jueves: (Ester 3) la reina Ester suplica a Dios en busca de ayuda en la conversión del corazón del rey por el odio al enemigo que amenaza.
Viernes: (Ezequiel 18) Si el impío se aparta de la pecaminosidad y mantiene estatutos del Señor, seguramente vivirán. Del mismo modo, si un hombre virtuoso se convierte en malvado, morirá.
Sábado: (Deuteronomio 26) Moisés le dice al pueblo de observar los estatutos y decretos del Señor con todo el corazón y el alma. El Señor estará junto a usted.

Evangelio:

Lunes: (Mateo 25) Jesús dice a sus discípulos acerca del juicio final cuando se separan las cabras y ovejas. La vara de medir es la misericordia mostrada a los más vulnerables.
Martes: (Mateo 6) Los discípulos piden a Jesús que les enseñara a orar. Él les dice que no a orar como los paganos, que buscan el honor y la gloria, y luego les da la oración del Señor.
Miércoles: (Lucas 11) Jesús reprende a la gente que busca una señal, pero no le será dada a ellos. Debido a la predicación de Jonás, el rey y el pueblo se arrepintió.
Jueves: (Mateo 7) Pide y se te dará a usted; busquen, y encontrarán; llamad, y se os abrirá. El Padre es generosa, especialmente a los que le aman.
Viernes: (Mateo 5) Su justicia debe superar los niveles de los escribas y fariseos para poder entrar en el Reino de los Cielos. Mostrar la justicia por la solución de conflictos de forma rápida.
Sábado: (Mateo 5) Amad a vuestros enemigos y orad por los que os persiguen, para que seáis hijos de vuestro Padre Celestial. Sed perfectos como el Padre es perfecto.

Santos de la Semana

22 de febrero: La Cátedra de San Pedro se celebra en este día. Anteriormente, tanto Pedro como Pablo fueron recordados hasta que su fiesta se trasladó a 29 de junio. A medida que la costumbre fue arraigado en la práctica, los cristianos continuaron en honor a las contribuciones Pedro hizo a la iglesia como el primero de los apóstoles en sucesión continua.

23 de febrero: Policarpo, obispo y mártir (69-155), fue nombrado obispo de Esmirna y fue el líder de los cristianos de segunda generación. Fue discípulo del apóstol Juan y un amigo de Ignacio de Antioquía. Escribió catequesis y ritos para la iniciación en la comunidad cristiana. Fue martirizado en 155 y es un Padre de la Iglesia primitiva.

Esta semana en la historia de los jesuitas

• 22 de febrero de 1599. Por orden del Papa Clemente VIII, los superiores generales de los jesuitas y los dominicos, asistido por otros, se reunieron para resolver, si es posible, las controversias acerca de la gracia. Nada salió de la reunión, ya que los dominicanos insistieron en la condena de los escritos del P. Molina.
• 23 de febrero de 1551. El Colegio Romano, la principal escuela de la Sociedad de la tarde se convertiría en la Universidad Gregoriana, comenzó su primer año escolar con 15 profesores y 60 estudiantes.
• 24 de febrero de 1637. La muerte de Francisco Pavone. Inflamado por sus palabras y su ejemplo santo, sesenta miembros de una clase de filosofía que enseña y toda la clase de poesía abrazaron el estado religioso.
• 25 de febrero de 1558. San Luis Gonzaga tonsura recibida en la basílica de Letrán. En el próximo mes que recibiría las órdenes menores.
• 26 de febrero de 1611. La muerte de Antonio Possevino, enviado por el Papa Gregorio XIII en muchas embajadas importantes a Suecia, Rusia, Polonia y Alemania. Además de fundar colegios y seminarios en Cracovia, Olmutz, Praga, Braunsberg y Vilna, encontró tiempo para escribir 24 libros.
• 27 de febrero de 1767. Carlos III expulsó la Sociedad de España y se apoderó de su propiedad.
• 28 de febrero de 1957. El jesuita Cuerpo de Voluntarios comenzó.