Poem: “Spring” by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Nothing is so beautiful as spring – 

When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;

Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush

Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring

The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;

The glossy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush

The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush

With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

What is all this juice and all this joy?

A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning

In Eden garden. – Have, get, before it cloy,

Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and soon with sinning.

Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,

Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.

The Decision: Who Is He?: Palm Sunday 2026

                                                The Decision: Who Is He?:

Palm Sunday 2026 

March 29, 2026

www.johnpredmoresj.com | predmore.blogspot.com

predmoresj@yahoo.com | 617.510.9673

Ezekiel 37:12-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45

 

Jesus intended his arrival into Jerusalem to be unusual and provocative. His ministerial work was always on the margins of Israel where he met many non-Jews and had much dialogue with the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees. Many were convinced of his identity as One who was sent by God, but the real test was always going to be the Temple Authorities and the leaders of Jerusalem. Jesus was headed to the center of belief and he was calling the leaders to decide an important issue. What was the question: Who is Jesus?

 

Jesus preached an alternative viewpoint to those in the Temple. Whereas the High Priests and religious establishment insisted that the center of worship needed to be done in the Temple, Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven is among us. This new idea of the Kingdom occurred wherever believers gathered, it happened in the presence of Jesus’s preaching and healings, it happened wherever people sought the mercy of God. The Kingdom of Heaven was a direct threat to the Temple-centered belief, and Jesus knew that these perspectives would clash. A question that we still deal with today is: Does authority come from God or from religiously trained people who are speaking on behalf of God. Today, do we follow the Spirit or do we tightly adhere to what our Tradition has taught us?

 

Jesus set up this clash around the Passover feast where all the Jews would gather for their sacred meal. He knew that all of Israel, but just the religious leaders, but also the regular citizens, would have to choose – to believe in God as shown through Jesus or adhere the customs and practices that have served people well for centuries? This was a clash. This was Israel’s decision day. The evangelist tells us: The whole city was shaken.

 

Jesus confounds the citizens when he rides into the city riding a donkey instead of a war horse. He does mean for battle, but he presents himself as a king who is meek, not as a military leader of power. This confuses the people who expect a political liberator. We still struggle with this. We want a God who fixes problems quickly, acts decisively, speak authoritatively, and has great power. What we get is Jesus who comes in humility, vulnerability, and peace. Could the people accept this image of Jesus or do they want him to be different. The question that he raised remains? Who is Jesus? Do I accept his portrayal of God’s project in the world today? The conflict remains.

 

Scripture for Daily Mass

Monday of Holy Week: We hear from Isaiah 42 in the First Oracle of the Servant of the Lord in which God’s servant will suffer silently but will bring justice to the world. In the Gospel, Lazarus’ sister, Mary, anoints Jesus’ feet with costly oil in preparation for his funeral.

Tuesday of Holy Week: In the Second Oracle of the Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 49), he cries out that I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth. In deep hurt, distress and grief, Jesus tells his closest friends at supper that one of them will betray him and another will deny him three times before the cock crows.

(Spy) Wednesday of Holy Week: In the Third Oracle of the Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 50), the suffering servant does not turn away from the ridicule and torture of his persecutors and tormentors. The time has come. Matthew’s account shows Judas eating during the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread with Jesus and their good friends after he had already arranged to hand him over to the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver. The Son of Man will be handed over by Judas, one of the Twelve, who sets the terms of Jesus’ arrest.

Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday: Only an evening Mass can be said today and we let our bells ring freely during the Gloria that has been absent all Lent. In Exodus, we hear the laws and customs about eating the Passover meal prior to God’s deliverance of the people through Moses from the Egyptians. Paul tells us of the custom by early Christians that as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. In John’s Gospel, Jesus loves us to the end giving us a mandate to wash one another’s feet.

Good Friday: No Mass is celebrated today though there may be a service of veneration of the cross and a Stations of the Cross service. In Isaiah, we hear the Fourth Oracle of the Servant of the Lord who was wounded for our sins. In Hebrews, we are told that Jesus learned obedience through his faith and thus became the source of salvation for all. The Passion of our Lord is proclaimed from John’s Gospel.

Holy Saturday and the Easter Vigil: No Mass, baptisms, or confirmations can be celebrated before the Vigil to honor the Lord who has been buried in the tomb. The Old Testament readings point to God’s vision of the world and the deliverance of the people from sin and death. All of Scripture points to the coming of the Righteous One who will bring about salvation for all. The Old Testament is relished during the Vigil of the Word as God’s story of salvation is told to us again. The New Testament epistle from Romans tells us that Christ, who was raised from the dead, dies no more. Matthew's Gospel finds Mary Magdalene and the other Mary at dawn arriving at the tomb only to find it empty. After a great earthquake that made the guards tremble, and angel appears telling the women, "Do not be afraid." The angel instructs them to go to the Twelve to tell them, "Jesus has been raised from the dead, and is going before you to Galilee." 

 

Saints of the Week

 

No saints are remembered on the calendar during this solemn week of our Lord's Passion.

 

This Week in Jesuit History

 

• March 29, 1523: Ignatius' first visit to Rome on his way from Manresa to Palestine. 
• March 30, 1545: At Meliapore, Francis Xavier came on pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle. 
• March 31, 1548: Fr. Anthony Corduba, rector of the College of Salamanca, begged Ignatius to admit him into the Society so as to escape the cardinalate which Charles V intended to procure for him. 
• April 1, 1941. The death of Hippolyte Delehaye in Brussels. He was an eminent hagiographer and in charge of the Bollandists from 1912 to 1941. 
• April 2, 1767. Charles III ordered the arrest of all the Jesuits in Spain and the confiscation of all their property. 
• April 3, 1583. The death of Jeronimo Nadal, one of the original companions of Ignatius who later entrusted him with publishing and distributing the Jesuit Constitutions to the various regions of the early Society. 
• April 4, 1534. Peter Faber (Pierre Favre) ordained a deacon in Paris.

La decisión: ¿Quién es él?: Domingo de Ramos de 2026

                                                La decisión: ¿Quién es él?:

Domingo de Ramos de 2026

29 de marzo de 2026

www.johnpredmoresj.com | predmore.blogspot.com

predmoresj@yahoo.com | 617.510.9673

Ezequiel 37:12-14; Salmo 130; Romanos 8:8-11; Juan 11:1-45

 

Jesús pretendía que su llegada a Jerusalén fuera inusual y provocadora. Su ministerio siempre se desarrolló en los márgenes de Israel, donde conoció a muchos no judíos y mantuvo un diálogo constante con fariseos, escribas y saduceos. Muchos estaban convencidos de su identidad como enviado de Dios, pero la verdadera prueba siempre serían las autoridades del Templo y los líderes de Jerusalén. Jesús se dirigía al centro de la fe y llamaba a los líderes a decidir sobre un asunto crucial. La pregunta era: ¿Quién es Jesús?

 

Jesús predicó una perspectiva alternativa a la de quienes se encontraban en el Templo. Mientras que los sumos sacerdotes y la jerarquía religiosa insistían en que el culto debía realizarse en el Templo, Jesús proclamó que el Reino de los Cielos estaba entre nosotros. Esta nueva idea del Reino se manifestaba dondequiera que se reunieran los creyentes, se hacía presente en la predicación y las sanaciones de Jesús, y allí donde la gente buscaba la misericordia de Dios. El Reino de los Cielos representaba una amenaza directa para la creencia centrada en el Templo, y Jesús sabía que estas perspectivas chocarían. Una pregunta que aún nos planteamos hoy es: ¿La autoridad proviene de Dios o de personas con formación religiosa que hablan en nombre de Dios? Hoy, ¿seguimos al Espíritu o nos aferramos estrictamente a lo que nuestra Tradición nos ha enseñado?

 

Jesús preparó este enfrentamiento en torno a la fiesta de la Pascua, donde todos los judíos se reunirían para su comida sagrada. Sabía que todo Israel, no solo los líderes religiosos, sino también los ciudadanos comunes, tendrían que elegir: ¿creer en Dios a través de Jesús o aferrarse a las costumbres y prácticas que les habían servido bien durante siglos? Este fue un momento crucial. Este fue el día decisivo para Israel. El evangelista nos dice: «Toda la ciudad tembló».

 

Jesús desconcierta a los ciudadanos cuando entra en la ciudad montado en un burro en lugar de un caballo de guerra. Si bien su intención es la batalla, se presenta como un rey manso, no como un líder militar poderoso. Esto confunde a quienes esperan un libertador político. Aún lidiamos con esta dificultad. Queremos un Dios que resuelva los problemas rápidamente, actúe con decisión, hable con autoridad y tenga gran poder. Lo que recibimos es a Jesús, quien viene con humildad, vulnerabilidad y paz. ¿Podría la gente aceptar esta imagen de Jesús o lo desearían diferente? La pregunta que él mismo planteó sigue vigente: ¿Quién es Jesús? ¿Acepto su descripción del proyecto de Dios en el mundo actual? El conflicto persiste.

 

Lecturas bíblicas para la Misa diaria

Lunes de Semana Santa : Escuchamos de Isaías 42 en el Primer Oráculo del Siervo del Señor en el que el siervo de Dios sufrirá en silencio pero traerá justicia al mundo. En el Evangelio, María, la hermana de Lázaro, unge los pies de Jesús con costoso aceite en preparación para su funeral. 

Martes de Semana Santa : En el Segundo Oráculo del Siervo del Señor (Isaías 49), clama que te haré luz para las naciones, para que mi salvación alcance los confines de la tierra. Con profundo dolor, angustia y aflicción, Jesús les dice a sus amigos más cercanos en la cena que uno de ellos lo traicionará y otro lo negará tres veces antes de que cante el gallo. 

(Espía) Miércoles de Semana Santa : En el Tercer Oráculo del Siervo del Señor (Isaías 50), el siervo sufriente no se aparta del ridículo y la tortura de sus perseguidores y verdugos. Ha llegado el momento. El relato de Mateo muestra a Judas comiendo con Jesús y sus amigos durante el primer día de la Fiesta de los Panes sin Levadura, después de haber acordado entregarlo a los sumos sacerdotes a cambio de treinta monedas de plata. El Hijo del Hombre será entregado por Judas, uno de los Doce, quien establece las condiciones para el arresto de Jesús.

Misa de la Cena del Señor el Jueves Santo : Hoy solo se puede celebrar la Misa vespertina y dejamos que nuestras campanas suenen libremente durante el Gloria que ha estado ausente durante toda la Cuaresma. En el Éxodo, escuchamos las leyes y costumbres sobre la comida de la Pascua antes de la liberación del pueblo por Dios a través de Moisés de los egipcios. Pablo nos habla de la costumbre de los primeros cristianos de que cada vez que comemos este pan y bebemos esta copa, proclamamos la muerte del Señor hasta que él venga. En el Evangelio de Juan, Jesús nos ama hasta el final dándonos el mandato de lavarnos los pies unos a otros. 

Viernes Santo : Hoy no se celebra la Misa, aunque puede haber un servicio de veneración de la cruz y un servicio del Vía Crucis. En Isaías, escuchamos el Cuarto Oráculo del Siervo del Señor que fue herido por nuestros pecados. En Hebreos, se nos dice que Jesús aprendió la obediencia a través de su fe y así se convirtió en la fuente de salvación para todos. La Pasión de nuestro Señor se proclama desde el Evangelio de Juan. 

Sábado Santo y Vigilia Pascual : No se pueden celebrar misas, bautizos ni confirmaciones antes de la Vigilia para honrar al Señor que ha sido sepultado en el sepulcro. Las lecturas del Antiguo Testamento apuntan a la visión de Dios del mundo y a la liberación del pueblo del pecado y la muerte. Toda la Escritura apunta a la venida del Justo que traerá la salvación a todos. El Antiguo Testamento se disfruta durante la Vigilia de la Palabra, pues la historia de la salvación de Dios se nos narra nuevamente. La epístola a los Romanos del Nuevo Testamento nos dice que Cristo, que resucitó de entre los muertos, ya no muere. El Evangelio de Mateo encuentra a María Magdalena y a la otra María llegando al amanecer al sepulcro, solo para encontrarlo vacío. Después de un gran terremoto que hizo temblar a los guardias, un ángel se aparece diciéndoles a las mujeres: «No tengan miedo». El ángel les indica que vayan a los Doce para decirles: «Jesús ha resucitado de entre los muertos y va delante de ustedes a Galilea».

 

Santos de la semana

 

Durante esta solemne semana de la Pasión de nuestro Señor, no se recuerda a ningún santo en el calendario.

 

Esta semana en la historia jesuita

 

• 29 de marzo de 1523: Primera visita de Ignacio a Roma en su viaje de Manresa a Palestina.
• 30 de marzo de 1545: En Meliapore , Francisco Javier llegó en peregrinación a la tumba de Santo Tomás Apóstol.
• 31 de marzo de 1548: El padre Anthony Corduba, rector del Colegio de Salamanca, suplicó a Ignacio que lo admitiera en la Compañía de Jesús para escapar del cardenalato que Carlos V pretendía conseguirle.
• 1 de abril de 1941. Fallece Hippolyte Delehaye en Bruselas. Fue un eminente hagiógrafo y estuvo al frente de los bolandistas desde 1912 hasta 1941.
• 2 de abril de 1767. Carlos III ordenó el arresto de todos los jesuitas en España y la confiscación de todos sus bienes.
• 3 de abril de 1583. Fallece Jerónimo Nadal, uno de los compañeros originales de Ignacio, a quien posteriormente se le encomendó la publicación y distribución de las Constituciones Jesuitas en las diversas regiones de la incipiente Compañía.
• 4 de abril de 1534. Peter Faber ( Pierre Favre) fue ordenado diácono en París.

Photo: Say a Prayer

 

Photo: A Mosaic on a Building

 

Poem: "To Satch" by Samuel Washington Allen

Sometimes I feel like I will never stop

Just go on forever
Till one fine mornin
I'm gonna reach up and grab me a handfulla stars
Swing out my long lean leg
And whip three hot strikes burnin down the heavens
And look over a God and say
How about that!!!!

For the beginning of the baseball season

Photo: Parish Retreat

 

Poem: “A Light Exists in Spring” by Emily Dickinson

 A Light exists in Spring

Not present on the Year

At any other period –             

When March is scarcely here

 

A Color stands abroad

On Solitary Fields

That Science cannot overtake

But Human Nature feels.

 

It waits upon the Lawn,

It shows the furthest Tree

Upon the furthest Slope you know

It almost speaks to you.

 

Then as Horizons step

Or Noons report away

Without the Formula of sound

It passes and we stay – 

 

A quality of loss

Affecting our content

As Trade had suddenly encroached

Upon a Sacrament

Photo: Saint Cecilia

 

Poem: Before the fruit is ripened by the sun, by Thomas Troeger

 Before the fruit is ripened by the sun,

Before the petals or the leaves uncoil,
Before the first fine silken root is spun,
A seed is dropped and buried in the soil.

Before the Easter alleluias ring,
Before the massive rock is rolled aside,
Before the fear of death has lost its sting,
A just and loving man is crucified.

Before we gain the grace that comes through loss,
Before we live by more than bread and breath,
Before we lift in joy an empty cross,
We face with Christ the seed’s renewing death.

Poem: “The First Spring Day” by Christina Rossetti

 I wonder if the sap is stirring yet,

If wintry birds are dreaming of a mate,

If frozen snowdrops feel as yet the sun

And crocus fires are kindling one by one:

Sing, robin, sing:

I still am sore in doubt concerning Spring.

 

I wonder if the springtide of this year

Will bring another Spring both lost and dear;

If heart and spirit will find out their Spring

Or if the world alone will bud and sing:

Sing, hope, to me;

Sweet notes, my hope, soft notes of memory.

 

The sap will surely quicken soon or late,

The tardiest bird will twitter to a mate;

So Spring must dawn again with warmth and bloom,

Or in this world, or in this world to come:

Sing, voice of Spring.

Till I too blossom and rejoice and sing.

Phogo: St. Cecilia

 

Poem: “Spring Equinox” By: R. S. Thomas

Do not say, referring to the sun

“It’s journey northward has begun,”

As though it were a bird, annually migrating,

That now returns to build in rich trees

Its nest of golden grass. Do not belie

Its lusty health with words such as imply

A pallid invalid recuperating.

The age demands the facts, therefore be brief – 

Others will sense the simile – and say:

“We are turning towards the sun’s indifferent ray.” 

Photo: Two Figures

 

Joseph, the Husband of Mary

This passage from Luke’s Gospel tells us certain aspects of his character. He was a law-abiding believer who wanted to bring up his family in the faith. In his fatherhood, he shows that parenting is not about control but being faithfully present. Like any parent, Joseph does not understand his son, and yet, he remains committed to his wellbeing. He does not scold or yell at Jesus for taking off and visiting the Temple; he does not demand an explanation but seeks to understand. Through trying to understand, he is trying to love Jesus more like the way God treats us – slow to anger, abounding in kindness, and rich in mercy.

Did Joseph feel anxious about losing Jesus. You bet. He felt the heartache of his child not being safe by his side. He models what love does: He goes back to Jerusalem, searches for his son, and does not rest until he finds him. It teaches us that when we seem to lose touch with Jesus through doubt, distraction, or suffering, we have to keep searching.

Joseph, like any concerned parent, realizes that Jesus is his son, but not his possession. Jesus, like you, are independent of your parents. In this case, Joseph had to let Jesus belong first to his Abba Father, before belonging to Joseph. It must have hurt Joseph to hear that he is no longer the primary figure in the consciousness of Jesus, yet it is not a rejection of Joseph, but a reordering of who he is to Jesus. Joseph knows something fundamental: control is an illusion. Many of us fight for control. We never quite get it because it doesn’t exist. Joseph has to hold onto Jesus in reverence.

The closing words of this passage is quite important. Jesus had to return to Nazareth with Joseph and Mary to learn obedience. His parents were his first and primary teachers and what happened in the home in daily, ordinary life was crucial for the education of Jesus. Sometimes, daily life can be monotonous and boring, but this is the stuff that matters. Holiness is done daily within the home and at school, and his quiet unremarkable part of the day is essential. The guidance of Joseph and Mary was needed in order to Jesus to learn what it meant to be faithful to his Abba, Father. It is the ordinariness of life that is quite extraordinary. Jesus was formed by the example of Joseph, the one who was patient, consistent, and faithful. The reason we are saved by Jesus is because he was obedient to God, even to the point of death. He learned that obedience at home in unremarkable ways. We have to understand that our daily showing up and doing our best is seldom flashy, bold, or exciting, but it is the time that Christ is being formed in us. Joseph never speaks in the Gospel, but his life is essential to God’s plan. So is yours.

What does this all mean for us? It means that we have to know that Jesus loves us in the ordinariness of daily life. It means that your teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, and the sisters are doing all they can to show you the faithful, silent witness of Joseph so that you can know Jesus in your life. It means that holiness is ordinary and seemingly unremarkable because we cannot see it in order to name it. It means that God is never going to stop trying to find you. God will not stop looking. Sometimes we might feel like a part of us is unlovable. God is going to keep looking for you to tell you that you are lovable, that God wants to bring you into friendship, that God wants you to see yourself the way God sees you. Think of this school as the Temple to where Jesus was drawn. He learned about God from the elders, but mostly from his classmates and family. This is an exciting journey, one in which this whole school and the sisters stand before you like Joseph urging the very best for you and calling you forth as the saints that you are.

Into New Life: The Fifth Sunday in Lent 2026

                                                           Into New Life:

The Fifth Sunday in Lent 2026 

March 22, 2026

www.johnpredmoresj.com | predmore.blogspot.com

predmoresj@yahoo.com | 617.510.9673

Ezekiel 37:12-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45

 

The story of Lazarus is compelling because it is one of the final scenes before Holy Week and it gives us hope in the Resurrection. It teaches us how to live now especially when we are faced with the death of a loved one. Two of the most emotional lines are found in the Gospel: “Jesus wept,” and “See how much he loved him.” It tells us something about the heart of God who finds sorrow in our misfortune.

 

The Ezekiel passage shows us the God opens the graves of the Israelites and calls them to rise from them. Jesus acts in the place of God when he opens the tomb of his friend, Lazarus, who can now rise to new life. Jesus changes around the Jewish belief about a future resurrection when he says, “I am the resurrection and the life.” He makes sure that Martha knows that the resurrection is not only a future belief or an event that happens to Jesus after the Crucifixion. He tells her that resurrection is about a relationship with Christ now. He tells her that eternal life begins when we believe, not only when we die. 

 

What does this mean for us. Belief in Jesus means that we can live differently now because Christ has own back. We can leave fears behind because fear is not faith, and faith calls us to leave our tombs and experience the fullness of life. Martha asks Jesus, “Why didn’t you come sooner?” and he tells us what matters is not time, but belief. The only time that matters is now, and belief in Jeus will take care of take care of all manner of things.

 

While Jesus raises Lazarus to life, and by implication, Jesus raised people to new life, he asks the community to help remove the bandages. He says, “Untie him.” There are so many layers of relationships that bind and limit people, and Jesus wants the community to set Lazarus free, to see us free of the restrictions that community places upon us. To do this, we must forgive. We encourage others and speak life-giving and life-sustaining words. We heal fractured relationships and we reconcile our suffering. What does Jesus do: He infuses his love into death. He weeps for Lazarus and loves him back to life. Jesus does the same for us. Therefore, it is important for us to put love into places where lost has been lost or where love is absent. It is the power of this love that heals, and it is given to us because we have eternal life. 

The question for us is, “Who needs my love to be freed from the shackles of life? How can my love give someone new life?” We, as community, help others live freely. What fear do I carry with me that prevents me from living to my full potential? Whose love do I need to liberate me from what holds me back? Jesus wants to give us newness of life, a renewed sense of energy and engagement, a meaningful purpose. We belong to him because his love has the power over death. His love knows no boundaries. His love is what transforms our world into a liberating breath of life. Hear Jesus speaks the words, “Untie Lazarus. Untie your loved one. Untie you.” Then our work begins. We then let each other go free. 

 

Scripture for Daily Mass

Monday: (Daniel 13) Daniel’s sharp advocacy skills spare the life of Susannah who has been unjustly accused of immoral sexual relationships.

 

Tuesday: (Numbers 21) As the wandering Israelites passed through the desert near the Red Sea, many are bitten by seraph serpents, but Moses erected a bronze serpent that he lifted up for those bitten to gaze upon the image and be cured. 

 

Wednesday: (Isaiah 7) Annunciation: Ahaz is tempted by the Lord to ask for a sign but he will not. The Lord gives it anyways: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son named Emmanuel.

 

Thursday: (Genesis 17) The Lord said to Abraham: You are to become the father of a host of nations. You will become fertile; kings will stem from you.   

 

Friday: (Jeremiah 20) Terror on every side. Let us denounce him. The Lord is with me like a mighty champion.

 

Saturday: (Ezekiel 37) My dwelling shall be with my people. I will be their God and they shall be my people.   

 

Gospel: 

Monday: (John 8) A woman caught in adultery is brought to Jesus for a verdict, but he does not answer as he calls upon those who are without sin to cast the first stone. 

 

Tuesday: (John 8) Jesus tells the Pharisees that they will lift up the Son of Man and will then realized that I AM. 

 

Wednesday: (Luke 1) Gabriel was sent to Mary of Nazareth to inform her that she has been chosen by the Lord to bear a son who will be called holy, the Son of God.

 

Thursday: (John 8) Whoever keeps my words will never see death. Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.

 

Friday: (John 10) The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus, but he wanted to know for which of the works he was condemned. He went back across the Jordan and remained there.

 

Saturday: (John 11) Many came to believe in Jesus. Caiaphas asked, “do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people?”

 

Saints of the Week

 

March 23: Toribio of Mogrovejo, bishop (1538-1606) was a Spanish law professor in Salamanca who became the president of the Inquisition in Granada. As a layman, he was made the Archbishop of Lima, Peru and became quickly disturbed at the treatment of the native populations by the European conquerors. He condemned abuses and founded schools to educate the oppressed natives. He built hospitals and churches and opened the first seminary in Latin America.

 

March 25: The Annunciation of the Lord celebrates the announcement that God chose to unite divinity with humanity at the conception of Jesus. God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary to inform her of God’s intentions to have her conceive the future Messiah. The boy’s name was to be Jesus – meaning “God saves.” This date falls nine months before Christmas Day. 

 

This Week in Jesuit History

 

• March 22, 1585: In Rome, Fr. General received the three Japanese ambassadors with great solemnity in the Society's Church of the Gesu. 
• March 23, 1772: At Rome, Cardinal Marefoschi held a visitation of the Irish College and accused the Jesuits of mismanagement. He removed them from directing that establishment. 
• March 24, 1578: At Lisbon Rudolf Acquaviva and 13 companions embarked for India. Among the companions were Matthew Ricci and Michael Ruggieri. 
• March 25, 1563: The first Sodality of Our Lady, Prima Primaria, was begun in the Roman College by a young Belgian Jesuit named John Leunis (Leonius). 
• March 26, 1553: Ignatius of Loyola's letter on obedience was sent to the Jesuits of Portugal. 
• March 27, 1587: At Messina died Fr. Thomas Evans, an Englishman at 29. He had suffered imprisonment for his defense of the Catholic faith in England. 
• March 28, 1606: At the Guildhall, London, the trial of Fr. Henry Garnet, falsely accused of complicity in the Gunpowder Plot.

Hacia una nueva vida: El quinto domingo de Cuaresma de 2026

                                                     Hacia una nueva vida:

El quinto domingo de Cuaresma de 2026

22 de marzo de 2026

www.johnpredmoresj.com | predmore.blogspot.com

predmoresj@yahoo.com | 617.510.9673

Ezequiel 37:12-14; Salmo 130; Romanos 8:8-11; Juan 11:1-45

 

La historia de Lázaro es conmovedora porque es una de las escenas finales antes de la Semana Santa y nos da esperanza en la Resurrección. Nos enseña cómo vivir el presente, especialmente cuando nos enfrentamos a la muerte de un ser querido. Dos de las frases más emotivas se encuentran en el Evangelio: «Jesús lloró» y «Mirad cuánto lo amaba». Nos revelan algo sobre el corazón de Dios, que encuentra dolor en nuestra desgracia.

 

El pasaje de Ezequiel nos muestra cómo Dios abre las tumbas de los israelitas y los llama a resucitar. Jesús actúa en lugar de Dios cuando abre la tumba de su amigo Lázaro, quien ahora puede resucitar a una nueva vida. Jesús transforma la creencia judía sobre la resurrección futura al afirmar: «Yo soy la resurrección y la vida». Se asegura de que Marta comprenda que la resurrección no es solo una creencia futura ni un acontecimiento que le sucede a Jesús después de la crucifixión. Le explica que la resurrección se trata de una relación con Cristo en el presente. Le dice que la vida eterna comienza cuando creemos, no solo cuando morimos.

 

¿Qué significa esto para nosotros? Creer en Jesús significa que podemos vivir de manera diferente ahora porque Cristo nos respalda. Podemos dejar atrás los miedos porque el miedo no es fe, y la fe nos llama a salir de nuestras tumbas y experimentar la plenitud de la vida. Marta le pregunta a Jesús: "¿Por qué no viniste antes?", y él nos dice que lo que importa no es el tiempo, sino la fe. El único momento que importa es ahora, y la fe en Jesús se encargará de todo.

 

Mientras Jesús resucita a Lázaro, y por extensión, a otras personas, les pide a la comunidad que ayuden a quitarle las vendas. Dice: «Desátenlo». Hay tantas capas de relaciones que atan y limitan a las personas, y Jesús quiere que la comunidad libere a Lázaro, que nos libere de las restricciones que la comunidad nos impone. Para ello, debemos perdonar. Animamos a los demás y pronunciamos palabras que dan vida y la sostienen. Sanamos las relaciones fracturadas y nos reconciliamos con nuestro sufrimiento. ¿Qué hace Jesús? Infunde su amor en la muerte. Llora por Lázaro y lo ama hasta devolverle la vida. Jesús hace lo mismo por nosotros. Por lo tanto, es importante que llevemos amor a donde se ha perdido o donde el amor está ausente. Es el poder de este amor el que sana, y se nos da porque tenemos vida eterna.

La pregunta para nosotros es: "¿Quién necesita mi amor para liberarse de las ataduras de la vida? ¿Cómo puede mi amor dar nueva vida a alguien?". Nosotros, como comunidad, ayudamos a otros a vivir libremente. ¿Qué miedo cargo conmigo que me impide vivir plenamente? ¿De quién necesito el amor para liberarme de lo que me frena? Jesús quiere darnos una nueva vida, una renovada energía y compromiso, un propósito significativo. Le pertenecemos porque su amor tiene poder sobre la muerte. Su amor no conoce límites. Su amor es lo que transforma nuestro mundo en un soplo de vida liberador. Escucha a Jesús decir: "Desata a Lázaro. Desata a tu ser querido. Desátate a ti mismo". Entonces comienza nuestra labor. Entonces nos liberamos mutuamente.

 

Lecturas bíblicas para la Misa diaria

Lunes: (Daniel 13) La aguda habilidad de Daniel para defender a Susana le salva la vida, ya que ella había sido acusada injustamente de mantener relaciones sexuales inmorales.

 

Martes: (Números 21) Mientras los israelitas errantes pasaban por el desierto cerca del Mar Rojo, muchos fueron mordidos por serpientes serafines, pero Moisés erigió una serpiente de bronce que levantó para que los mordidos contemplaran la imagen y fueran curados.

 

Miércoles: (Isaías 7) Anunciación: Acaz es tentado por el Señor para que pida una señal, pero se niega. El Señor se la da de todos modos: la virgen concebirá y dará a luz un hijo llamado Emmanuel.

 

Jueves: (Génesis 17) El Señor le dijo a Abraham: Serás padre de muchas naciones. Serás fértil; de ti saldrán reyes.

 

Viernes: (Jeremías 20) Terror por todas partes. Denunciémoslo. El Señor está conmigo como un poderoso guerrero.

 

Sábado: (Ezequiel 37) Mi morada estará con mi pueblo. Yo seré su Dios y ellos serán mi pueblo.

 

Evangelio:

Lunes: (Juan 8) Una mujer sorprendida en adulterio es llevada ante Jesús para que la juzgue, pero él no responde, sino que llama a quienes estén libres de pecado para que arrojen la primera piedra.

 

Martes: (Juan 8) Jesús les dice a los fariseos que levantarán al Hijo del Hombre y entonces se darán cuenta de que YO SOY.

 

Miércoles: (Lucas 1) Gabriel fue enviado a María de Nazaret para informarle que el Señor la había elegido para dar a luz un hijo que sería llamado santo, el Hijo de Dios.

 

Jueves: (Juan 8) Quien guarda mis palabras no verá la muerte jamás. Abraham se regocijó al ver mi día; lo vio y se alegró.

 

Viernes: (Juan 10) Los judíos tomaron piedras para apedrear a Jesús, pero él quería saber por cuál de las obras había sido condenado. Volvió a cruzar el Jordán y se quedó allí.

 

Sábado: (Juan 11) Muchos llegaron a creer en Jesús. Caifás preguntó: «¿Acaso crees que es mejor para ti que muera un solo hombre en lugar de todo el pueblo?»

 

Santos de la semana

 

23 de marzo: Toribio de Mogrovejo, obispo (1538-1606), fue profesor de derecho español en Salamanca y posteriormente presidente de la Inquisición en Granada. Siendo laico, fue nombrado arzobispo de Lima, Perú, y pronto se indignó ante el trato que los conquistadores europeos daban a las poblaciones indígenas. Condenó los abusos y fundó escuelas para educar a los indígenas oprimidos. Construyó hospitales e iglesias y abrió el primer seminario de Latinoamérica.

 

25 de marzo: La Anunciación del Señor celebra el anuncio de que Dios eligió unir la divinidad con la humanidad en la concepción de Jesús. Dios envió al ángel Gabriel a María para anunciarle su intención de que concibiera al futuro Mesías. El niño se llamaría Jesús, que significa «Dios salva». Esta fecha cae nueve meses antes de Navidad.

 

Esta semana en la historia jesuita

 

• 22 de marzo de 1585: En Roma, el Padre General recibió con gran solemnidad a los tres embajadores japoneses en la Iglesia del Gesù de la Compañía de Jesús.
• 23 de marzo de 1772: En Roma, el cardenal Marefoschi visitó el Colegio Irlandés y acusó a los jesuitas de mala gestión. Los destituyó de la dirección de dicha institución.
• 24 de marzo de 1578: En Lisboa, Rudolf Acquaviva y 13 compañeros embarcaron rumbo a la India. Entre los compañeros se encontraban Matthew Ricci y Michael Ruggieri.
• 25 de marzo de 1563: La primera Congregación de Nuestra Señora, Prima Primaria, fue fundada en el Colegio Romano por un joven jesuita belga llamado Juan Leunis (Leonius).
• 26 de marzo de 1553: La carta de Ignacio de Loyola sobre la obediencia fue enviada a los jesuitas de Portugal.
• 27 de marzo de 1587: En Messina falleció el padre Thomas Evans, un inglés de 29 años. Había sido encarcelado por su defensa de la fe católica en Inglaterra.
• 28 de marzo de 1606: En el Guildhall de Londres, tuvo lugar el juicio del padre Henry Garnet, acusado falsamente de complicidad en la Conspiración de la Pólvora.