You may write me down in history
It is only in silence and through silence that we can interiorize what is beyond our comprehension and apprehend the power of a design larger than ourselves: it is the medium of transcendence.
Power, used well, should be empowering, contagious, and creative. It should be collaborative, enabling, and protective. It should be self-critical, curious, and brave. It should know its own limits and be prepared to risk its own reputation. This kind of power asks questions to which it does not know the answers and listens because in listening is learning, and in learning is life.
You are Safe in Love:
The Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time2026
June 21, 2026
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Jeremiah 20:10-13; Psalm 69; Romans 5:12-15; Matthew 10:26-33
The prophet Jeremiah writes about a hostile environment that makes it challenging to practice one’s faith and to speak rightly. We hear this reading during Holy Week to emphasize the difficulty of the Suffering Servant. We know from experience that the human heart can be terrorizing, and we suffer at the expense of verbal bullies who impose their thoughts upon others. It takes courage, fortitude, and safety to speak from one’s faith. Most times, we keep our thoughts inside until we feel safe.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells his Disciples that they do not have to be silenced by the fear that others impose upon them. Those who are bullies do not see that they take away the freedom of others. They do not even perceive that they are bullies. Those who speak authoritatively and excessively do not realize that they silence others. Those who are aggressive think they are acting rightly for others. Someone recently told me in absolute terms that he disagreed with someone who spoke in absolute terms. Why can we not see that what we find critical in others represents what we do ourselves. The fault we see if others is the fault we need to own.
Jesus continues to offer hope though. He says, ‘be patient.’ The bully will find herself isolated and lonely, perhaps misunderstood. She will continue to blame others because life did not go as she planned. The know-it-all will have an epiphany. The aggressive person will have a day of reckoning when he recognizes his vulnerability. Jesus reminds us that whatever harm a person intends or is unaware of doing will cause us harm, but it will not erode our soul or our conscience. No one can touch that. It is off limits to the bully, and we are reminded that control is an illusion. When someone thinks they can control the behavior or thoughts of another person, they are living an illusion that will crumble. Those are focused on their own ego needs says, “My will be done,” and so they focus on getting attention, admiration, comfort, security, pleasure, and one’s very self. For an evolving Christian, we pray, “Not my will be done, but God’s will be done.”
Jesus tells us that as we are his friends, we enter into the Cosmic Christ, a human-divine being that is higher and greater that ourselves. We are elevated. Consciousness of God is the deepest part of us, and that cannot be harmed. There is a fire within our souls that keeps us moving towards God, and it moves us to increased transcendence. The very center of God is love and the center of our soul is love. This is foundational and the heart can only move towards a more understanding, magnanimous love. Jesus rightly reminds us that we have no worries. Though we may be near people who are trying to fill their ego needs, your Christian heart is evolving towards the freedom of a larger life in Christ.
Our faith is an energy that allows us to create and bring love to loveless places. Our faith is a fire that transforms the souls of others who seek the divine. Faith allows us to look at suffering and endure it. We can look at a world that may be unresponsive to human suffering and we have the courage and fire to amorize the world, that is, to fill the world with love, to transform the world with love. This is a love that has no fear. This is a love that holds you preciously in admiration. Please accept this love. We need this love to permeate the world.
Scripture for Daily Mass
Monday: (2 Kings 17) In the ninth year of Hoshea, king of Israel the king of Assyria took Samaria, and deported the children of Israel to Assyria.
Tuesday: (2 Kings 19) Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you by saying that Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria. You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all other countries: they doomed them!
Wednesday: (Jeremiah 1) See, I place my words in your mouth! This day I set you
over nations and over kingdoms, to root up and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.
Thursday: (2 Kings 24) At that time the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
himself arrived at the city while his servants were besieging it.
Friday (2 Kings 25) In the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and his whole army advanced against Jerusalem, encamped around it, and built siege walls on every side.
Saturday (Lamentations 2) The Lord has consumed without pity all the dwellings of Jacob; He has torn down in his anger the fortresses of daughter Judah; He has brought to the ground in dishonor her king and her princes. On the ground in silence sit the old men of daughter Zion.
Gospel:
Monday: (Matthew 7) Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
Tuesday: (Matthew 7) Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.“ Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets.
Wednesday (Luke 1) In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child.
Thursday (Matthew 7) Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Friday (Matthew 8) “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately.
Saturday (Matthew 8) When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”
Saints of the Week
June 21: Aloysius Gonzaga, S.J., priest (1568-1591), gave up a great inheritance to join the Jesuits in 1585 in his dreams of going to the missions. However, when a plague hit Rome, Gonzaga served the sick and dying in hospitals where he contracted the plague and died within three months. He is a patron saint of youth.
June 22: Paulinus of Nola, bishop (353-431) was a prominent lawyer who married a Spaniard and was baptized. Their infant son died while in Spain. He became a priest and was sent to Nola, near Naples, where he lived a semi-monastic life and helped the poor and pilgrims.
June 22: John Fisher, bishop and martyr (1469-1535) taught theology at Cambridge University and became the University Chancellor and bishop of Rochester. Fisher defended the queen against Henry VIII who wanted the marriage annulled. Fisher refused to sign the Act of Succession. When the Pope made Fisher a cardinal, the angry king beheaded him.
June 22: Thomas More, martyr (1478-1535) was a gifted lawyer, Member of Parliament, scholar, and public official. He was reluctant to serve Cardinal Woolsey at court and he resigned after he opposed the king’s Act of Succession, which would allow him to divorce his wife. He was imprisoned and eventually beheaded.
June 24: Nativity of John the Baptist (first century) was celebrated on June 24th to remind us that he was six months older than Jesus, according to Luke. This day also serves to remind us that, as Christ is the light of the world, John must decrease just as the daylight diminishes. John’s birth is told by Luke. He was the son of the mature Elizabeth and the dumbstruck Zechariah. When John was named, Zechariah’s tongue was loosened and he sang the great Benedictus.
June 27: Cyril of Alexandria, bishop and doctor (376-444), presided over the Council of Ephesus that fought Nestorian the heresy. Cyril claimed, contrary to Nestorius, that since the divine and human in Jesus were so closely united that it was appropriate to refer to Mary was the mother of God. Because he condemned Nestorius, the church went through a schism that lasted until Cyril's death. Cyril's power, wealth, and theological expertise influenced many as he defended the church against opposing philosophies.
This Week in Jesuit History
June 27, 1978. Bernard Lisson, a mechanic, and Gregor Richert, a parish priest, were shot to death at St Rupert's Mission, Sinoia, Zimbabwe.
Estás a salvo en el amor:
Duodécimo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario de 2026
21 de junio de 2026
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Jeremías 20:10-13; Salmo 69; Romanos 5:12-15; Mateo 10:26-33
El profeta Jeremías escribe sobre un ambiente hostil que dificulta practicar la fe y hablar con rectitud. Escuchamos esta lectura durante la Semana Santa para enfatizar la dificultad del Siervo Sufriente. Sabemos por experiencia que el corazón humano puede ser aterrador, y sufrimos a causa de quienes nos acosan verbalmente e imponen sus ideas a los demás. Se requiere valentía, fortaleza y seguridad para hablar desde la fe. La mayoría de las veces, guardamos nuestros pensamientos para nosotros mismos hasta sentirnos seguros.
En el Evangelio de Mateo, Jesús les dice a sus discípulos que no tienen por qué dejarse silenciar por el miedo que otros les imponen. Quienes acosan no se dan cuenta de que les quitan la libertad a los demás. Ni siquiera se dan cuenta de que lo hacen. Quienes hablan con autoridad y de forma excesiva no se dan cuenta de que silencian a los demás. Quienes son agresivos creen que actúan correctamente en beneficio de los demás. Alguien me dijo recientemente, con total contundencia, que no estaba de acuerdo con alguien que también hablaba con total contundencia. ¿Por qué no podemos ver que lo que criticamos en los demás representa lo que hacemos nosotros mismos? El defecto que vemos en los demás es el defecto que debemos asumir.
Jesús sigue ofreciendo esperanza. Dice: «Ten paciencia». La persona que acosa se encontrará aislada y sola, tal vez incomprendida. Seguirá culpando a los demás porque la vida no salió como ella esperaba. El sabelotodo tendrá una revelación. La persona agresiva tendrá su día de rendición de cuentas cuando reconozca su vulnerabilidad. Jesús nos recuerda que cualquier daño que una persona pretenda o desconscientemente cause nos perjudicará, pero no erosionará nuestra alma ni nuestra conciencia. Nadie puede tocar eso. Es intocable para el acosador, y se nos recuerda que el control es una ilusión. Cuando alguien cree que puede controlar el comportamiento o los pensamientos de otra persona, vive en una ilusión que se desmoronará. Quienes se centran en las necesidades de su ego dicen: «Hágase mi voluntad», y así se enfocan en obtener atención, admiración, consuelo, seguridad, placer y su propio bienestar. Para un cristiano en crecimiento, oramos: «No se haga mi voluntad, sino la de Dios».
Jesús nos dice que, al ser sus amigos, entramos en el Cristo Cósmico, un ser humano-divino superior a nosotros mismos. Somos elevados. La conciencia de Dios es lo más profundo de nuestro ser, y eso es invulnerable. Hay un fuego en nuestras almas que nos impulsa hacia Dios y nos lleva a una mayor trascendencia. El centro mismo de Dios es el amor, y el centro de nuestra alma es el amor. Esto es fundamental, y el corazón solo puede avanzar hacia un amor más comprensivo y magnánimo. Jesús nos recuerda, con razón, que no tenemos de qué preocuparnos. Aunque estemos cerca de personas que intentan satisfacer las necesidades de su ego, nuestro corazón cristiano evoluciona hacia la libertad de una vida plena en Cristo.
Nuestra fe es una energía que nos permite crear y llevar amor a lugares desprovistos de él. Nuestra fe es un fuego que transforma las almas de quienes buscan lo divino. La fe nos permite contemplar el sufrimiento y soportarlo. Podemos mirar un mundo que quizás sea indiferente al sufrimiento humano y tener el valor y la pasión para amorizarlo, es decir, para llenarlo de amor, para transformarlo con amor. Este es un amor sin miedo. Este es un amor que te admira profundamente. Por favor, acepta este amor. Necesitamos que este amor impregne el mundo.
Lecturas bíblicas para la Misa diaria
Lunes: (2 Reyes 17) En el noveno año de Oseas, rey de Israel, el rey de Asiria tomó Samaria y deportó a los hijos de Israel a Asiria.
Martes: (2 Reyes 19) No dejes que tu Dios, en quien confías, te engañe diciéndote que Jerusalén no será entregada al rey de Asiria. Ya has oído lo que los reyes de Asiria han hecho con todos los demás países: ¡los han condenado!
Miércoles: (Jeremías 1 ) ¡Mira, yo pongo mis palabras en tu boca! Hoy te pongo
sobre naciones y sobre reinos, para arrancar y derribar, para destruir y demoler, para edificar y plantar.
Jueves: (2 Reyes 24) En aquel tiempo, los oficiales de Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia,
atacaron Jerusalén, y la ciudad quedó sitiada. El propio Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia,
llegó a la ciudad mientras sus siervos la sitiaban.
Viernes (2 Reyes 25) En el décimo mes del noveno año del reinado de Sedequías, el décimo día del mes, Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, y todo su ejército avanzaron contra Jerusalén, acamparon a su alrededor y construyeron murallas de asedio por todos lados.
Sábado (Lamentaciones 2) El Señor, sin piedad, ha consumido todas las moradas de Jacob; en su ira ha derribado las fortalezas de su hija Judá; ha humillado a su rey y a sus príncipes. En el suelo, en silencio, yacen los ancianos de su hija Sión.
Evangelio:
Lunes: (Mateo 7) No juzguen, para que no sean juzgados. Porque con el juicio con que juzguen, serán juzgados, y con la medida con que midan, se les medirá. ¿Por qué te fijas en la paja en el ojo de tu hermano, y no te das cuenta de la viga en el tuyo?
Martes: (Mateo 7) No den lo santo a los perros, ni echen sus perlas delante de los cerdos, no sea que las pisoteen y se vuelvan contra ustedes y los despedacen . Hagan con los demás lo que quieran que les hagan a ustedes. Esta es la Ley y los Profetas.
Miércoles (Lucas 1) En tiempos de Herodes, rey de Judea, había un sacerdote llamado Zacarías, de la división sacerdotal de Abías. Su esposa era descendiente de Aarón
y se llamaba Isabel. Ambos eran justos ante Dios y cumplían irreprochablemente todos los mandamientos y preceptos del Señor. Pero no tenían hijos.
Jueves (Mateo 7) No todo el que me dice: «Señor, Señor», entrará en el Reino de los cielos, sino el que hace la voluntad de mi Padre que está en los cielos.
Muchos me dirán en aquel día: «Señor, Señor, ¿no profetizamos en tu nombre?
Viernes (Mateo 8): «Señor, si quieres, puedes limpiarme». Él extendió la mano, lo tocó y le dijo: «Lo haré. Queda limpio». Su lepra desapareció al instante.
Sábado (Mateo 8) Cuando Jesús entró en Cafarnaúm, un centurión se le acercó y le rogó, diciendo: «Señor, mi siervo está postrado en casa, paralítico, sufriendo terriblemente». Él le dijo: «Iré y lo curaré».
Santos de la semana
21 de junio: Luis Gonzaga, S.J., sacerdote (1568-1591), renunció a una gran herencia para unirse a los jesuitas en 1585, con el sueño de ir a las misiones. Sin embargo, cuando una plaga azotó Roma, Gonzaga atendió a los enfermos y moribundos en los hospitales, donde contrajo la enfermedad y falleció a los tres meses. Es considerado santo patrón de la juventud.
22 de junio: Paulino de Nola, obispo (353-431), fue un destacado jurista que se casó con una española y fue bautizado. Su hijo pequeño falleció en España. Se ordenó sacerdote y fue enviado a Nola, cerca de Nápoles, donde vivió una vida semimonástica y ayudó a los pobres y peregrinos.
22 de junio: John Fisher, obispo y mártir (1469-1535) , enseñó teología en la Universidad de Cambridge y llegó a ser rector de la universidad y obispo de Rochester. Fisher defendió a la reina contra Enrique VIII, quien quería anular el matrimonio. Fisher se negó a firmar el Acta de Sucesión. Cuando el Papa lo nombró cardenal, el rey, enfurecido, lo decapitó.
22 de junio: Thomas More, mártir (1478-1535), fue un brillante abogado, miembro del Parlamento, erudito y funcionario público. Se mostró reacio a servir al cardenal Woolsey en la corte y renunció tras oponerse al Acta de Sucesión del rey, que le habría permitido divorciarse de su esposa. Fue encarcelado y finalmente decapitado.
24 de junio: La Natividad de Juan el Bautista (siglo I) se celebraba el 24 de junio para recordarnos que, según Lucas, era seis meses mayor que Jesús. Este día también nos recuerda que, así como Cristo es la luz del mundo, Juan debe menguar al igual que la luz del día disminuye. Lucas narra el nacimiento de Juan. Era hijo de la madura Isabel y del mudo Zacarías. Cuando le pusieron nombre a Juan, Zacarías se desató y cantó el gran Benedictus.
27 de junio: Cirilo de Alejandría, obispo y doctor de la Iglesia (376-444), presidió el Concilio de Éfeso, que combatió la herejía nestoriana. Cirilo afirmó, en contra de Nestorio, que dado que lo divino y lo humano en Jesús estaban tan íntimamente unidos, era apropiado referirse a María como la madre de Dios. Debido a su condena de Nestorio, la Iglesia sufrió un cisma que duró hasta la muerte de Cirilo. Su poder, riqueza y pericia teológica influyeron en muchos, ya que defendió a la Iglesia contra filosofías opuestas.
Esta semana en la historia jesuita
27 de junio de 1978. Bernard Lisson, un mecánico, y Gregor Richert, un párroco, fueron asesinados a tiros en la Misión de San Ruperto, en Sinoia , Zimbabue.
When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out. “Say awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into this world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
It is such a privilege to have people who continue each day to bless us with their love and prayer. These inner friends of the heart confer on us inestimable gifts. In these times of greed and externality, there is such unusual beauty in having friends who practice profound faithfulness to us, praying for us each day without our ever knowing or remembering it. There are often lonesome frontiers we could never endure or cross without the inner sheltering of these friends. It is hard to live a true life that endeavors to be faithful to its own calling and not become haunted by the ghosts of negativity, therefore, it is not a luxury to have such friends; it is necessary.
I remember years ago in Korea in the Peace Corps, how I felt the first time I partook of the daily culture of "just sitting" together with friends in informal tearooms in Seoul, without saying a word; at first I felt quite nervous and bored, but when I was able to relax my mind and just be, it was a refreshing communion... each moment's meeting of a person or even a flower is precious and fleeting, it is to be savored completely, perhaps best in silence.
Let’s work for the Common Good:
The Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time 2026
June 14, 2026
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Exodus 19:2-6; Psalm 100; Romans 5:6-11; Matthew 9:36-10:8
The reason for calling these first twelve men as his disciples was this line: his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned. Jesus responded compassionately to the emotional and spiritual needs of the people. In the first reading, God’s heart is likewise moved by the plight of the Israelites and takes them under his care. We get a glimpse of God’s emotions and God’s desire to care for us as a parent does a child. Because of this care, the Israelites and the Disciples are called to greater matters. They are called to care for humanity.
Pope Leo introduced his first encyclical called “Magnificent Humanity” so that he could call us to greater behavior. We are called to care for others, which is the reason he relies upon Catholic Social Teaching with four points. (1.) The letter calls us to build a civilization of humanity built upon the common good by having a foundational relationship with God. (2.) Building the common good means accepting the limits and weakness of humanity without considering them an error to be corrected. True fulfillment is not achieved by eliminating weakness but through harmonious growth. (3.) Building a world where everyone can flourish requires shared responsibility and courage. Tensions and differences are welcome because they can become the creative forces when guided by shared responsibility. (4.) Building the common good requires respectful language. We are to avoid humiliating or antagonistic words. Instead, we need to choose clarity that sheds light on our issues, and we need frank discussions that unlock new possibilities.
The Pope’s letter says that we need to set standards for discernment, especially upon these issues – the dignity of the human person, the universal destination of goods like food and basic necessities, including health care, the preferential option for the poor, care for our common home, and peace between neighbors. The Pope writes, “True progress always stems from a heart open to others, an intelligence that is willing to listen, and to a will that seeks what unites rather than what separates.”
Back to Scripture, we see that God raised the Israelites to a new relationship and that Jesus raised twelve men to a ministerial responsibility. We must discern how the Spirit, through Pope Leo’s words, are raising us up to a new form of discipleship. We are invited to become builders of communion. We are to be servants with God’s project for the world instead of those who lord it over others. We are asked to adopt the heart of a shepherd and a loving parent to help others to join forces to build up the common good, so that humanity, in the face of today’s challenges, will never lose its beauty, and that the world once again will recognize the human heart as the place where God desires to dwell. Are you ready to respond, “yes?”
Scripture for Daily Mass
Monday: (1 Kings 21) Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to be my vegetable garden, since it is close by, next to my house. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or, if you prefer, I will give you its value in money.” Naboth answered him, “The LORD forbid that I should give you my ancestral heritage.”
Tuesday: (1 Kings 21) After the death of Naboth the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite: "Start down to meet Ahab, king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He will be in the vineyard of Naboth, of which he has come to take possession. This is what you shall tell him, 'The LORD says: After murdering, do you also take possession?
Wednesday: (2 Kings 2) When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here; the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.” “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you,” Elisha replied.
Thursday: (Sirach 48) Like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah whose words were as a flaming furnace. Their staff of bread he shattered, in his zeal he reduced them to straits;
By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavens and three times brought down fire.
Friday (2 Kings 11) When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead,
she began to kill off the whole royal family. But Jehosheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash, his son, and spirited him away, along with his nurse.
Saturday (2 Chronicles 24) After the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash, and the king then listened to them. They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols.
Gospel:
Monday: (Matthew 5) You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.
Tuesday: (Matthew 5) You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
Wednesday (Matthew 6) Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others.
Thursday (Matthew 6) In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Friday (Matthew 6) Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
Saturday (Matthew 6) Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky.
Saints of the Week
June 19: Romuald, abbot (950-1027), was born into a family of dukes from Ravenna and became known for founding the Camaldolese Benedictine order that combined the solitary life of hermits into a monastic community life. He founded other hermitages and monasteries throughout Italy.
This Week in Jesuit History
