Spirituality: Tenderness in Politics, Fratelli Tutti, par. 194

Politics too must make room for a tender love of others. “What is tenderness? It is love that draws near and becomes real. A movement that starts from our heart and reaches the eyes, the ears and the hands… Tenderness is the path of choice for the strongest, most courageous men and women”. Amid the daily concerns of political life, “the smallest, the weakest, the poorest should touch our hearts: indeed, they have a ‘right’ to appeal to our heart and soul. They are our brothers and sisters, and as such we must love and care for them”.

Spirituality: The voices be heard, Fratelli Tutti, par. 191

At a time when various forms of fundamentalist intolerance are damaging relationships between individuals, groups and peoples, let us be committed to living and teaching the value of respect for others, a love capable of welcoming differences, and the priority of the dignity of every human being over his or her ideas, opinions, practices and even sins. Even as forms of fanaticism, closedmindedness and social and cultural fragmentation proliferate in present-day society, a good politician will take the first step and insist that different voices be heard.

Spirituality: A love that integrates and unites, Fratelli Tutti, par. 190

Political charity is also expressed in a spirit of openness to everyone. Government leaders should be the first to make the sacrifices that foster encounter and to seek convergence on at least some issues. They should be ready to listen to other points of view and to make room for everyone. Through sacrifice and patience, they can help to create a beautiful polyhedral reality in which everyone has a place. Here, economic negotiations do not work. Something else is required: an exchange of gifts for the common good. It may seem naïve and utopian, yet we cannot renounce this lofty aim.

Spirituality: Sacrifices born of Love, Fratelli Tutti, par. 187

This charity, which is the spiritual heart of politics, is always a preferential love shown to those in greatest need; it undergirds everything we do on their behalf.[183] Only a gaze transformed by charity can enable the dignity of others to be recognized and, as a consequence, the poor to be acknowledged and valued in their dignity, respected in their identity and culture, and thus truly integrated into society. That gaze is at the heart of the authentic spirit of politics. It sees paths open up that are different from those of a soulless pragmatism. It makes us realize that “the scandal of poverty cannot be addressed by promoting strategies of containment that only tranquilize the poor and render them tame and inoffensive. How sad it is when we find, behind allegedly altruistic works, the other being reduced to passivity”.[184] What are needed are new pathways of self-expression and participation in society. Education serves these by making it possible for each human being to shape his or her own future. Here too we see the importance of the principle of subsidiarity, which is inseparable from the principle of solidarity.

Spirituality: The Exercise of Political Love, Fratelli Tutti, par. 186

There is a kind of love that is “elicited”: its acts proceed directly from the virtue of charity and are directed to individuals and peoples. There is also a “commanded” love, expressed in those acts of charity that spur people to create more sound institutions, more just regulations, more supportive structures. It follows that “it is an equally indispensable act of love to strive to organize and structure society so that one’s neighbour will not find himself in poverty”. It is an act of charity to assist someone suffering, but it is also an act of charity, even if we do not know that person, to work to change the social conditions that caused his or her suffering. If someone helps an elderly person cross a river, that is a fine act of charity. The politician, on the other hand, builds a bridge, and that too is an act of charity. While one person can help another by providing something to eat, the politician creates a job for that other person, and thus practices a lofty form of charity that ennobles his or her political activity.

Spirituality: Fratelli Tutti, The Politics we need, par. 177

Instead, “what is needed is a politics which is far-sighted and capable of a new, integral and interdisciplinary approach to handling the different aspects of the crisis”.[160] In other words, a “healthy politics… capable of reforming and coordinating institutions, promoting best practices and overcoming undue pressure and bureaucratic inertia”.[161] We cannot expect economics to do this, nor can we allow economics to take over the real power of the state.

A Leader of Rest The Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2021

                                                           A Leader of Rest

The Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2021

July 18, 2021

www.johnpredmoresj.com | predmore.blogspot.com

predmoresj@yahoo.com | 617.510.9673

Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalm 123; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6

 

Jeremiah reminds us that not all our leaders and shepherds have our best interests at heart. While people give leaders mandates to make good decisions for the community, we know that power pulls them away from their intended purposes. It is understandable that power carries them into unintended areas, but in the church world, it can lead to attitudes of entitlement, clericalism, and superiority. Jesus makes it clear that this is not the style of leadership of one of his disciples.

 

In the Gospel, Jesus offers people rest from their labors, so they can practice self-care and receive gratitude from Jesus and his friends. I need rest. I think we all need rest, especially after the tumultuous past year we experienced, but it is a quality rest that we need – rest from unexpected bad news, rest from constant updating of news, rest from incessant barrages of people expressing their opinions, rest from unending work that has crept into one’s personal time, and rest from expectations to return a text message at any hour of the day. We need rest from always being “on,” and even our Sabbath day has lost our time to rest with our loved ones.

 

If you are like me, you fear taking much time off because when you return, you have piles of work to plow through that you become more tired than you were before your time away. Sometimes the rhythm and routine of everyday life is more manageable than taking time off. However, we need our precious time off, and we have to build it into our day no matter what. We have to remember that the one who calls us into this downtime wants to spend time with us, and we cannot grow in friendship with Jesus unless we waste time with him. We just need to be around him and in his presence. He is the only one who can restore us.

 

Jesus himself needed rest he could not get. Each time he tried to get away, the crowds kept coming, and he took pity on them. He wants us to come to him, with or without our worries just so he can relax with us, hang out, and just get the rest we both need. He isn’t asking us to do anything or say anything, just to come and sit for a while. Our spending time together is prayer itself, and that is enough for us and for him.

 

Jesus gives us a model for leadership as one who wants to spend time with us. We know our earthly leaders are like Jesus when they take the time to be with us – with no expectations – just to be with us and get to know us. We will know that they understand and live out the mission of Jesus, and we will get our deserved rest. 

 

Scripture for Daily Mass

 

Monday: (Exodus 14) When it was reported to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants changed their minds about them. They exclaimed, “What have we done! Why, we have released Israel from our service!”

Tuesday: (Exodus 14) Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD swept the sea with a strong east wind throughout the night and so turned it into dry land.

 

Wednesday: (Exodus 16) Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The children of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!

 

Thursday: (Song of Songs 3) The Bride says: On my bed at night I sought him
whom my heart loves–I sought him but I did not find him. I will rise then and go about the city; in the streets and crossings I will seek Him whom my heart loves.

 

Friday (Exodus 20) I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me. You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth

 

Saturday (Exodus 24) When Moses came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice, “We will do everything that the LORD has told us.”

 

Gospel: 

Monday: (Matthew 12) Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah.

 

Tuesday: (Matthew 12) While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.”

 

Wednesday (Matthew 13) A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.

 

Thursday (John 20) On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.

 

Friday (Matthew 13) Hear the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom without understanding it, and the Evil One comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. 

 

Saturday (Matthew 13) The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.

 

 

Saints of the Week

 

July 20: Apollinaris, bishop and martyr (1st century) was chosen directly by Peter to take care of souls in Ravenna. He lived through the two emperors whose administrations exiled and tortured him, though he was faithful to his evangelizing work to his death.

 

July 21: Lawrence of Brindisi, priest and doctor (1559-1619) was a Capuchin Franciscan who was proficient in many languages and well-versed in the Bible. He was selected by the pope to work for the conversion of the Jews and to fight the spread of Protestantism. He held many positions in the top administration of the Franciscans.

 

July 22: Mary Magdalene, apostle (1st century), became the "apostle to the apostles" as the first witness of the resurrection. Scriptures point to her great love of Jesus and she stood by him at the cross and brought spices to anoint his body after death. We know little about Mary though tradition conflates her with other biblical woman. Luke portrays her as a woman exorcised of seven demons. 

 

July 23: Bridget of Sweden, religious (1303-1373), founded the Bridgettine Order for men and women in 1370, though today only the women’s portion has survived. She desired to live in a lifestyle defined by prayer and penance. Her husband of 28 years died after producing eight children with Bridget. She then moved to Rome to begin the new order.

July 24: Sharbel Makhuf, priest (1828-1898), joined a monastery in the Maronite tradition and lived as a hermit for 23 years after living fifteen years in the community. He became known for his wisdom and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

 

This Week in Jesuit History

 

• July 19, 1767. At Naples, Prime Minister Tannic, deprived the Jesuits of the spiritual care of the prisoners, a ministry that they had nobly discharged for 158 years. 
• July 20, 1944. An abortive plot against Adolf Hitler by Claus von Stauffenberg and his allies resulted in the arrest of Fr. Alfred Delp. 
• July 21, 1773. In the Quirinal Palace, Rome, Clement XIV signed the Brief for the suppression of the Society. 
• July 22, 1679. The martyrdom at Cardiff, Wales, of St Phillip Evans. 
• July 23, 1553. At Palermo, the parish priests expressed to Fr. Paul Achilles, rector of the college, indignation that more than 400 persons had received Holy Communion in the Society's church, rather than in their parish churches. 
• July 24, 1805. In Maryland, Fr. Robert Molyneux was appointed the first superior by Father General Gruber.

Spirituality: Oscar Wide, De Profundis

 Everything to be true must become a religion, and agnosticism should have its ritual no less than faith. It has sewn its martyrs, it should reap its saints, and praise God daily for having hidden God's self from humanity.

Un líder del descanso El sexto domingo de la adolescencia del tiempo ordinario 2021

                                                 Un líder del descanso

El sexto domingo de la adolescencia del tiempo ordinario 2021

Julio 18 , 2021

www.johnpredmoresj.com | predmore.blogspot.com

predmoresj@yahoo.com | 617.510.9673

Ezequiel 2: 2-5 ; Salmo 12 3 ; 2 Corintios 12 : 7 -1 0 ; San Marcos 6 : 1 - 6

 

Jeremías nos recuerda que no todos nuestros líderes y pastores se preocupan por nuestros mejores intereses. Si bien las personas dan mandatos a los líderes para que tomen buenas decisiones para la comunidad, sabemos que el poder los aleja de sus propósitos previstos. Es comprensible que el poder los lleve a áreas no deseadas, pero en el mundo de la iglesia, puede conducir a actitudes de derecho, clericalismo y superioridad. Jesús deja en claro que este no es el estilo de liderazgo de uno de sus discípulos.

 

En el Evangelio, Jesús ofrece a las personas descanso de sus labores, para que puedan practicar el autocuidado y recibir la gratitud de Jesús y sus amigos. Necesito descansar. Creo que todos necesitamos descansar, especialmente después del tumultuoso año pasado que vivimos, pero es un descanso de calidad lo que necesitamos: descanso de malas noticias inesperadas , descanso de la actualización constante de noticias, descanso de las incesantes avalanchas de personas que expresan sus opiniones, descanso. del trabajo interminable que se ha infiltrado en el tiempo personal de uno, y descansar de las expectativas de devolver un mensaje de texto a cualquier hora del día. Necesitamos descansar de estar siempre “encendidos”, e incluso nuestro día de reposo ha perdido nuestro tiempo para descansar con nuestros seres queridos.

 

Si eres como yo, temes tomarte mucho tiempo libre porque cuando regresas, tienes montones de trabajo que hacer y te cansas más de lo que estabas antes de tu tiempo fuera. A veces, el ritmo y la rutina de la vida cotidiana es más manejable que tomarse un tiempo libre. Sin embargo, necesitamos nuestro precioso tiempo libre y tenemos que incorporarlo en nuestro día sin importar qué. Tenemos que recordar que el que nos llama a este tiempo de inactividad quiere pasar tiempo con nosotros, y no podemos crecer en amistad con Jesús a menos que perdamos tiempo con él. Solo necesitamos estar cerca de él y en su presencia. Él es el único que puede restaurarnos.

 

Jesús mismo necesitaba un descanso que no podía conseguir. Cada vez que intentaba escapar, la multitud seguía llegando y se apiadó de ellos. Quiere que vayamos a él, con o sin nuestras preocupaciones, solo para que pueda relajarse con nosotros, pasar el rato y simplemente descansar lo que ambos necesitamos. No nos pide que hagamos ni digamos nada, solo que nos sentemos un rato. Nuestro tiempo juntos es la oración misma, y ​​eso es suficiente para nosotros y para él.

 

Jesús nos da un modelo de liderazgo como alguien que quiere pasar tiempo con nosotros. W e conocen nuestros líderes terrenales son como Jesús cuando se toman el tiempo para estar con nosotros - sin expectativas - sólo para estar con nosotros y nos conozcan. Sabremos que ellos comprenden y viven la misión de Jesús, y tendremos nuestro merecido descanso.

 

Escritura para la misa diaria

 

Lunes: ( Éxodo 14 ) Cuando se informó al rey de Egipto que el pueblo había huido, Faraón y sus siervos cambiaron de opinión acerca de ellos. Ellos exclamaron: “¡Qué hemos hecho! ¡Hemos liberado a Israel de nuestro servicio! "

 

Martes: ( Éxodo 14 ) Moisés extendió su mano sobre el mar, y el SEÑOR barrió el mar con un fuerte viento del este durante toda la noche y así lo convirtió en tierra seca.

 

Miércoles: ( Éxodo 16 ) Aquí en el desierto toda la asamblea de los hijos de Israel se quejó contra Moisés y Aarón. Los hijos de Israel les dijeron: “¡Ojalá hubiéramos muerto de la mano del SEÑOR en la tierra de Egipto, mientras nos sentábamos junto a nuestras ollas y comíamos hasta saciarnos de pan!

 

Jueves: ( Cantar de los Cantares 3 ) La Novia dice: En mi cama por la noche busqué al amado de mi corazón, lo busqué pero no lo encontré. Me levantaré entonces y rodearé la ciudad; en las calles y cruces buscaré al amado de mi corazón.

 

Viernes ( Éxodo 20 ) Yo, el SEÑOR, soy tu Dios, que te saqué de la tierra de Egipto, ese lugar de servidumbre. No tendrás otros dioses además de mí. No esculpiréis ídolos en forma de nada en el cielo arriba ni en la tierra abajo ni en las aguas debajo de la tierra.    

 

Sábado ( Éxodo 24 ) Cuando Moisés vino al pueblo y relató todas las palabras y ordenanzas del SEÑOR, todos respondieron a una sola voz: "Haremos todo lo que el SEÑOR nos ha dicho".

 

Evangelio: 

Lunes: ( Mateo 12 ) Así como Jonás estuvo en el vientre de la ballena tres días y tres noches, así estará el Hijo del Hombre en el corazón de la tierra tres días y tres noches. En el juicio, los hombres de Nínive se levantarán con esta generación y la condenarán, porque se arrepintieron en la predicación de Jonás . 

 

Martes: ( Ma TTHEW 12 ) Mientras Jesús estaba hablando a la multitud, su madre y sus hermanos se presentaron fuera, que desea hablar con él. Alguien le dijo: "Tu madre y tus hermanos están afuera, pidiendo hablar contigo".

 

Miércoles (Mateo 13 ) Un sembrador salió a sembrar. Y mientras él sembraba, parte de la semilla cayó en el camino, y vinieron pájaros y se la comieron. Algunos cayeron en terreno rocoso, donde había poca tierra.

 

Jueves ( Juan 20 ) El primer día de la semana, María Magdalena llegó temprano al sepulcro por la mañana, cuando aún estaba oscuro, y vio quitada la piedra del sepulcro.

 

Viernes ( Mateo 1 3 ) Oye la parábola del sembrador. La semilla sembrada en el camino es el que oye la palabra del Reino sin entenderla, y viene el Maligno y roba lo que fue sembrado en su corazón.

 

S ÁBADO ( Mateo 1 3 ) El Reino de los cielos se parece a un hombre que sembró buena semilla en su campo. Mientras todos dormían, su enemigo vino y sembró mala hierba por todo el trigo, y luego se fue.

 

 

Santos de la semana

 

Julio y 20 : Apolinar, obispo y mártir (siglo 1) fue elegido directamente por Peter cuidar de las almas en Rávena. Vivió los dos emperadores cuyas administraciones lo exiliaron y torturaron, aunque fue fiel a su obra evangelizadora hasta la muerte.

 

21 de julio : Lawrence de Brindisi, sacerdote y médico (1559-1619) era un franciscano capuchino que dominaba muchos idiomas y conocía bien la Biblia. Fue seleccionado por el Papa para trabajar por la conversión de los judíos y luchar contra la propagación del protestantismo. Ocupó muchos puestos en la alta administración de los franciscanos.

 

22 de julio : María Magdalena, apóstol (siglo I), se convierte en "apóstol de los apóstoles" como primer testigo de la resurrección. Las Escrituras apuntan a su gran amor por Jesús y ella estuvo junto a él en la cruz y trajo especias para ungir su cuerpo después de la muerte. Sabemos poco sobre María, aunque la tradición la confunde con otra mujer bíblica. Luke la retrata como una mujer exorcizada de siete demonios.

 

23 de julio: Brígida de Suecia, religiosa (1303-1373), fundó la Orden Bridgettine para hombres y mujeres en 1370, aunque hoy solo ha sobrevivido la porción de mujeres. Ella deseaba vivir en un estilo de vida definido por la oración y la penitencia. Su esposo de 28 años murió después de tener ocho hijos con Bridget. Luego se mudó a Roma para comenzar el nuevo orden.
 

24 de julio: Sharbel Makhuf , sacerdote (1828-1898), se unió a un monasterio de tradición maronita y vivió como ermitaño durante 23 años después de vivir quince años en la comunidad. Se hizo conocido por su sabiduría y devoción al Santísimo Sacramento.

 

Esta semana en la historia de los jesuitas

 

·                19 de julio de 1767. En Nápoles, el primer ministro Tannic, privó a los jesuitas del cuidado espiritual de los prisioneros, ministerio que habían desempeñado noblemente durante 158 años.

·                20 de julio de 1944. Un complot fallido contra Adolf Hitler por Claus von Stauffenberg y sus aliados resultó en el arresto del P. Alfred Delp .

·                21 de julio de 1773. En el Palacio del Quirinal, Roma, Clemente XIV firmó el Breve para la supresión de la Sociedad.

·                22 de julio de 1679. El martirio en Cardiff, Gales, de St Phillip Evans.

·                23 de julio de 1553. En Palermo, los párrocos expresaron al P. Paul Achilles, rector del colegio, indigna de que más de 400 personas hayan recibido la Sagrada Comunión en la iglesia de la Sociedad, en lugar de en sus iglesias parroquiales.

·                24 de julio de 1805. En Maryland, el p. Robert Molyneux fue nombrado primer superior por el padre general Gruber.

Spirituality: Naomi Shihab Nye, from Kindness, in "Words Under the Words."

Before you know what kindness really is

you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth...

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing...