Sunday, February 28, 2021
Prayer: Gregory Palamas
Saturday, February 27, 2021
Poem: Rainer Maria Rilke from "Gravity's Law"
takes hold of the smallest thing
and pulls it toward the heart of the world.
Each thing-
each stone, blossom, child -
is held in place.
Only we, in our arrogance,
push out beyond what we each belong to
If we surrendered to earth's intelligence
we could rise up rooted, like trees.
Instead we entangle ourselves
in knots of our own making
and struggle, lonely and confused.
So like children, we begin again
to learn from the things,
because they are in God's heart;
they have never left him.
This is what the things can teach us:
to fall,
patiently to trust our heaviness.
Even a bird has to do that
before he can fly.
Friday, February 26, 2021
Poem: " Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
Poem: Rashani from "The Unbroken"
a shatteredness
out of which blooms the unshatterable.
There is a sorrow
beyond all grief which leads to joy
and a fragility
out of whose depths emerges strength.
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Prayer: Vaclav Havel, Summer Meditations
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
A Transfigured Home. The Second Sunday of Lent 2021
A Transfigured Home.
The Second Sunday of Lent 2021
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February 28, 2021
Genesis 22:9-18; Psalm 116; Romans 8:31-34; Mark 9:2-10
Abraham showed obedience to God when we was ready to offer the offspring of his flesh and blood to God, but God changed around the human sacrifice that was common in the ancient world. Instead of Abraham preparing the sacrifice, God provided if for Abraham. God was pleased with the Abraham’s obedience of faith. In the Gospel, God is likewise pleased with the obedience of faith of Jesus. From the beginning of his ministry up to the Transfiguration, Jesus was obedient to God and was duly recognized for his life’s work. Though he appears with Moses, as the Law, and Elijah, as the prophetic tradition, Jesus is the only one whose fidelity was on the mark. He is singled out as God’s Beloved One and the journey to the Cross can now begin.
We struggle with what it means to do God’s will, because as people of goodwill, we want to please God. We don’t always know what that means or how we are to do it. This passage, like many other Gospel passages, instructs us to squarely look to the person of Jesus for the answers. His personal responses to us supersede anything found in our teachings and the voices of others in our tradition, and it surely will be based on how much we have the capacity to love; He has the answers for us as the Beloved of God. With that said, we focus upon our personal relationship with the Risen Jesus as our touchstone.
During Lent, we are asked to learn from Jesus, to watch how he makes decisions, to see how he interactions with those who suffer – and with those who have influence over the fate of others. We check in to see what he values and we ask how deeply we share those values. We note how we was obedient to God so we can be likewise. As the weeks progress, we notice how Jerusalem and the Cross loom on the horizon, and there is a quickening of and a deepening of our friendship with Christ. Will we remain with him as he goes through his Passion? What will I do in response to his suffering? What is Jesus asking me to do? We get to know Jesus as a friend, what he feels, how he thinks, how he loves, what he dreams about.
Jesus has a dream; it is God’s dream. Jesus calls every person to enter into that dream with him. When we bring our life dreams into the dream of Jesus, we find out how we are to use all the talents and drives and passions that are God’s gifts to us. We allow God to transform our drives and passions in ways that we could never have dreamed.
It is often helpful for us to assess our relationship with Jesus by imagining a person meeting Jesus after his death. The man says to Jesus, “I wish I had known you better in life,” to which Jesus responds, “I wish I had known you better.” Our friendship with Jesus in eternal life will be much richer if we get to know him in this life, so the friendship continues into the next. We want to be able to hear these words, “Welcome, my friend, welcome home. Tell me what you just experienced. Let’s catch up. I’m glad we are together again because I missed you so much.”
Scripture for Daily Mass
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.
This Week in Jesuit History
- Feb 28, 1957. The Jesuit Volunteer Corps began.
- 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.
Un hogar transformado. El Segundo Domingo de Cuaresma 2021
Un hogar transformado.
El Segundo Domingo de Cuaresma 2021
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2 8 de febrero de 2021
Génesis 22 : 9 -1 8 ; Salmo 116 ; Romanos 8: 31-34 ; San Marcos 9 : 2 - 1 0
Abraham mostró obediencia a Dios cuando estábamos listos para ofrecer la descendencia de su carne y sangre a Dios, pero Dios cambió en torno al sacrificio humano que era común en el mundo antiguo . En lugar de que Abraham preparara el sacrificio, Dios lo proveyó para Abraham. Dios estaba complacido con la obediencia de fe de Abraham. En el Evangelio, a Dios también le agrada la obediencia de fe de Jesús. Desde el comienzo de su ministerio hasta la Transfiguración, Jesús fue obediente a Dios y fue debidamente reconocido por la obra de su vida. Aunque aparece con Moisés, como la Ley, y Elías, como la tradición profética, Jesús es el único cuya fidelidad fue acertada. Se le señala como el Amado de Dios y ahora puede comenzar el viaje a la Cruz.
Luchamos con lo que significa hacer la voluntad de Dios, porque como personas de buena voluntad, queremos agradar a Dios. No siempre sabemos qué significa eso o cómo vamos a hacerlo. Este pasaje, como muchos otros pasajes del Evangelio, nos instruye a mirar directamente a la persona de Jesús en busca de respuestas. Sus respuestas personales a nosotros reemplazan cualquier cosa que se encuentre en nuestras enseñanzas y las voces de otros en nuestra tradición , y seguramente se basará en cuánto tenemos la capacidad de amar ; Él tiene las respuestas para nosotros como Amado de Dios. Dicho esto, nos enfocamos en nuestra relación personal con Jesús Resucitado como nuestra piedra de toque.
Durante la Cuaresma, se nos pide que aprendamos de Jesús, que observemos cómo toma decisiones, que veamos cómo interactúa con los que sufren y con los que tienen influencia sobre el destino de los demás. Revisamos para ver qué valora y le preguntamos qué tan profundamente compartimos esos valores. Notamos cómo fuimos obedientes a Dios para que podamos serlo de la misma manera. A medida que avanzan las semanas, notamos cómo Jerusalén y la Cruz se vislumbran en el horizonte, y hay una aceleración y una profundización de nuestra amistad con Cristo. ¿Permaneceremos con él mientras atraviesa su Pasión? ¿Qué haré en respuesta a su sufrimiento? ¿Qué me pide Jesús que haga? Conocemos a Jesús como un amigo , lo que siente, cómo piensa, cómo ama, con qué sueña.
Jesús tiene un sueño; es el sueño de Dios. Jesús llama a cada persona a entrar en ese sueño con él. Cuando traemos nuestros sueños de vida al sueño de Jesús, descubrimos cómo debemos usar todos los talentos, impulsos y pasiones que son los dones de Dios para nosotros. Permitimos que Dios transforme nuestros impulsos y pasiones en formas que nunca hubiéramos soñado.
A menudo es útil para nosotros evaluar nuestra relación con Jesús imaginando a una persona que se encuentra con Jesús después de su muerte. El hombre le dice a Jesús: "Ojalá te hubiera conocido mejor en la vida", a lo que Jesús responde: "Ojalá te hubiera conocido mejor". Nuestra amistad con Jesús en la vida eterna será mucho más rica si lo conocemos en esta vida , por lo que la amistad continúa en la siguiente . Queremos ser capaces de oír estas palabras, “Bienvenido, mi amigo, wel volver a casa. Dime lo que acabas de experimentar d . Vamos a ponernos al día. Me alegro de que estemos juntos de nuevo porque te extrañé mucho ".
Escritura para la misa diaria
Primera lectura:
Lunes: (Daniel 9) Nos hemos rebelado contra ti Dios y hemos pecado, pero has permanecido fiel a nosotros en el pacto. Tú, Señor, tienes la justicia de tu lado.
Martes: (Isaías 1) Lávense limpios y hagan de la justicia su objetivo. Obedece los mandamientos y cuida a tu prójimo.
Miércoles: (Jeremías 18) El pueblo de Judá se las arregló contra Jeremías para destruirlo con sus propias palabras.
Jueves: (Jeremías 17) Maldito el que confía en los seres humanos. Más tortuoso que todo lo demás es el corazón humano. El Señor es el único que prueba la mente y prueba el corazón.
Viernes: (Génesis 37) Israel amaba a José más que nadie, lo que generó resentimiento entre sus hermanos, quienes luego lo vendieron como esclavo por veinte piezas de plata.
Sábado: (Miqueas 7) Dios quita la culpa y perdona los pecados y no persiste en la ira.
Evangelio:
Lunes: (Lucas 6) Jesús dijo, "Ten misericordia" y "Deja de juzgar porque serás juzgado por tu forma de juzgar".
Martes: (Mateo 23) Los escribas y fariseos se han sentado en la silla de Moisés. Tenga cuidado con la enseñanza de alguien si no tiene integridad entre sus palabras y sus acciones.
Miércoles: (Mateo 20) Cuando Jesús subía a Jerusalén, les dijo a sus discípulos: “He aquí. El Hijo del Hombre será entregado a los principales sacerdotes, condenado a muerte, entregado a los gentiles, crucificado, y resucitará al tercer día ”.
Jueves: (Lucas 16) Un hombre rico vestido de púrpura murió poco después de Lázaro, un mendigo. En el cielo, Lázaro fue recompensado y el rico fue atormentado en el infierno. Apeló a Dios para que perdonara a su familia, pero le dijeron que no escucharían a Moisés ni a nadie que fuera levantado de entre los muertos.
Viernes: (Mateo 21) Jesús contó la parábola de un dueño de viñedo, que confió la tierra a los sirvientes, pero estos hombres se apoderaron de la tierra y la poseyeron. Mataron a los sirvientes y al heredero. Cuando el dueño regresó, arrojó a los desgraciados a una muerte atormentada.
Sábado: (Lucas 15) Jesús es acusado de acoger a los pecadores y come con ellos. Luego cuenta la historia del hijo pródigo que fue bien recibido por su padre a su regreso. El que estaba perdido ha sido encontrado .
Santos de la semana
1 de marzo: Katherine Drexel (1858-1955), era de una rica familia de banqueros de Filadelfia y ella y sus dos hermanas heredaron una gran suma de dinero cuando sus padres murieron. Se unió a las Hermanas de la Misericordia y quería fundar su propia orden llamada las Hermanas del Santísimo Sacramento para trabajar entre los afroamericanos y los nativos americanos. Su herencia financió escuelas y misiones en todo el sur y en reservas. Un infarto en 1935 la envió al retiro.
Esta semana en la historia de los jesuitas
· 28 de febrero de 1957. Se inició el Cuerpo de Voluntarios Jesuitas.
· 1 de marzo de 1549. En Gandia , inauguración de un colegio de la Compañía fundado por San Francisco de Borja.
· 2 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 sacerdotes en hogares de toda Inglaterra. A pesar de la severa tortura, nunca reveló la ubicación de estos lugares seguros.
· 3 de marzo de 1595. Clemente VIII levantó al P. Robert Belarmino al cardenalato, diciendo que la Iglesia no tenía su igual en aprendizaje.
· 4 de marzo de 1873. En Roma, los funcionarios del gobierno se presentaron en la Casa Profesa del Gesu con el propósito de apropiarse de la mayor parte del edificio.
· 5 de marzo de 1887. En Roma, las exequias del P. Beckx que murió el día anterior. Tenía 91 años y había gobernado la Sociedad como General durante 34 años. Está enterrado en San Lorenzo en Campo Verano.
· 6 de marzo de 1643. Arnauld , el jansenista, publicó su famoso tratado contra la Comunión frecuente. Quince obispos franceses lo aprobaron, mientras que los padres jesuitas expusieron de inmediato los peligros que encierra.
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Online Morning of Prayer and Poetry for Lent
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Poem: Rainer Maria Rilke from "The Man Watching"
If only we would let ourselves be dominated
as things do by some immense storm,
we would become strong too, and not need names.
When we win it's with small things,
and the triumph itself makes us small.
What is extraordinary and eternal
does not want to be bent by us...
This is how one grows: by being defeated, decisively,
by constantly greater beings.
Monday, February 22, 2021
Prayer: Pope Pius XII
Almighty and eternal God, may your grace enkindle in all of us a love for the many unfortunate people whom poverty and misery reduce to a condition of life unworthy of human beings. Arouse in the hearts of those who call you Father a hunger and thirst for social justice and for worldwide charity in deeds and in truth. Grant, O Lord, peace in our days, peace to our souls, peace to families, peace to our country, and peace among nations.
Sunday, February 21, 2021
Song: Ubi Caritas
I sing tenor on this Ubi Caritas Youtube video for the start of Lent. Many thanks to Lynn Burns for producing and editing the soundtrack.
Poem: “The Walk,” Ann Weems
Saturday, February 20, 2021
Poem: "Love and a Question," by Robert Frost
Love and a Question
BY ROBERT FROST
A Stranger came to the door at eve,
And he spoke the bridegroom fair.
He bore a green-white stick in his hand,
And, for all burden, care.
He asked with the eyes more than the lips
For a shelter for the night,
And he turned and looked at the road afar
Without a window light.
The bridegroom came forth into the porch
With, ‘Let us look at the sky,
And question what of the night to be,
Stranger, you and I.’
The woodbine leaves littered the yard,
The woodbine berries were blue,
Autumn, yes, winter was in the wind;
‘Stranger, I wish I knew.’
Within, the bride in the dusk alone
Bent over the open fire,
Her face rose-red with the glowing coal
And the thought of the heart’s desire.
The bridegroom looked at the weary road,
Yet saw but her within,
And wished her heart in a case of gold
And pinned with a silver pin.
The bridegroom thought it little to give
A dole of bread, a purse,
A heartfelt prayer for the poor of God,
Or for the rich a curse;
But whether or not a man was asked
To mar the love of two
By harboring woe in the bridal house,
The bridegroom wished he knew.
Friday, February 19, 2021
Poem: "Love and Friendship" by Emily Bronte
Friendship like the holly-tree—
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?
The wild rose-briar is sweet in spring,
Its summer blossoms scent the air;
Yet wait till winter comes again
And who will call the wild-briar fair?
Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now
And deck thee with the holly’s sheen,
That when December blights thy brow
He still may leave thy garland green.
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Prayer: A Sioux Prayer
Grandfather, Great Spirit, you have been always and before you nothing has been; there is no one to pray to but you. The stars in the heavens are yours, and yours are the grasses of the earth. You are older than all need, older than all pain and prayer. Fill us with the light. Give us the strength to understand and the eyes to see. Teach us to walk the soft earth as relatives to all that live. Help us, for without you we are nothing.
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
God’s Ridiculous Love. The First Sunday of Lent 2021
God’s Ridiculous Love.
The First Sunday of Lent 2021
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February 21, 2021
Genesis 9:8-15; Psalm 25; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15
The Evangelist Mark has the shortest description of the time in the desert and the temptation scene is almost an afterthought. Though he was in danger from Satan and wild beasts, the angels watched over him. After a while when he returned to society, John the Baptist was arrested and silenced. John’s message was, “Repent, and prepare your soul, the time is coming;” the message was Jesus was, “Repent, the time is now.” Though it was sad that John was removed from his preaching, Jesus could not preach an alternative message until John was gone. The message of fulfillment was breaking in throughout the region of Galilee.
Saint Peter said that our baptism and repentance was so that we could have a clear conscience before God because Jesus has saved us and intercedes for us. Saint Ignatius says something similar in The Spiritual Exercises when he asks us to learn from Jesus as he ministers to those we love. This season of Lent is the time when we collectively put ourselves in right relationship with God once again so that we can enjoy God’s friendship. It is a time to observe Jesus so that we can see how he asks God for help in both big and small moments. We then can rely upon God and the heavenly powers the same way Jesus did.
Many people will undoubtedly focus upon amending their sins, but we can only do this through the guidance of Jesus. We never do it alone. Never. People who ask God to show them their sins discover, to their great delight, that along with the shame and tears they have experienced for the ways that they lived, they are freed from a tremendous burden. With a great sigh of relief they realize God still loves them in their sinfulness and wants their friendship. God takes us back into intimate friendship, where we are free to offend again, and God is going to continue to take us back, and even more than that, God is going to entrust us with responsibility for others’ well-being in spite of our weak characters. This is a kind of forgiveness that leads us to want to be the person God believes we can be.
Lent is not about looking at our sins. Lent is about watching Jesus interact with God during his earthly life. Lent is about looking at God’s ridiculous love. It is a love we do not deserve, but that tells us something about God’s great love that stuns us with disbelief. This season, let us observe God’s actions so we may come to realize this great love is for us. It is not the awareness of sins that changes hearts, it is the awareness of God’s mercy that is continually offered. This love makes us a better person. This love reconciles and integrates and calls goodness to itself. This love leads us to do the unthinkable. This love makes no sense at all, but it is ours if we decide to accept it.
Scripture for Daily Mass
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 21: Peter Damian, bishop and Doctor (1007-1072), was orphaned and raised by his brother, Damian, a priest in Ravenna. He began as a hermit monk and was then made abbot and cardinal. He became a reformer in the church often speaking out against clerical laxness.
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 29th. 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 21, 1595. At Tyburn, the martyrdom of Robert Southwell after he had suffered brutal tortures in Topcliffe's house and in prison. He embraced the jailer who brought him word that he was to be executed. As he breathed his last, Lord Mountjoy, who presided over the execution, exclaimed: "May my soul be one day with that of this man."
- 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.