Jesus told the story today of two men. Both came to the Temple to see God. The arrogant man was convinced that it was wonderful that God and others could see him. This story leads us to consider two facets: seeing and being seen as it relates to our presence in Church. There is the aspect of other people seeing us here and our seeing who else is here, and there is the aspect of seeing God and being seen by God. If we come to Church because we want others to see us, then we are using God to advance our stature in the community. A second negative aspect that can result from seeing others is our making a judgment on others. We might see someone and in the recesses of our minds think, “What is he doing here? What is she doing here? Probably he or she is trying to make up for being so mean, for being unfaithful, for being dishonest. Well, the nerve of him or her for coming to Church.” We all know that it is wrong for us to judge others. It is doubly wrong to judge others for coming to Church. Many times, most of the time, when we judge others, we are simply transferring the negative feeling we have about ourselves onto others. Transference is an ugly thing. We have to fight off negative thoughts about others in the same way that we fight off any bad thought. I find the best way to do that is to say to myself, “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me a sinner.” Then the occasion of sin become an occasion for prayer. We beat the devil at his own game. The only person that we should come to Church to see and be seen by is God. Maybe there are times, perhaps many times, that we come before Him feeling like that man in the back of the Temple area, with a deep recognition of our sins. We want to fall on our knees, like Peter, saying “Leave me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” We need to be realistic and come before the Lord with a keen awareness of our sinfulness. This is the reason why our Masses begin with a penitential rite. We begin Mass with a reminder of our sinfulness. We express this in a beautiful way: “Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy,” and then we continue Mass entering into a deeper relationship with Him, the Holy One. So, my brother, my sister, it is a good thing to see and be seen. It is a good thing to see God, but it is much better to be seen by the One who loves us • AE

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Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

St Dominic Catholic Church (San Antonio, TX)

Fr. Agustin is out of town; the parish continues with its usual weekend schedule.

Saturday 22, 2022
4.00 p.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confessional)
5.00 p.m. (English Mass @ Main Church)

Sunday October 23, 2022
7.30 a.m. Holy Mass (English Mass @ Main Church)
10.00 a.m. Holy Mass (English Mass @ Main Church)
12.00 p.m. Holy Mass (English Mass @ Main Church)
3.00 p.m. Santa Misa En Español (Iglesia principal)

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XXX Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario (Ciclo C)

Esta es sin duda una de las parábolas más desconcertantes de Jesús. Un piadoso fariseo y un publicano, es decir, un recaudador de impuestos deshonesto, suben al templo a orar. ¿Cómo reaccionará Dios ante dos personas de vida moral y religiosa tan diferente y opuesta? El fariseo ora de pie, segur, sin temor alguno. Su conciencia no le acusa de nada. No es hipócrita. Además, lo que dice es verdad: cumple fielmente la ley e incluso la sobrepasa. No se atribuye a sí mismo mérito alguno, sino que todo lo agradece: «Oh Dios, te doy gracias». Si este hombre no es santo, ¿quién va a ser? Seguro que puede contar con la bendición de Dios. El otro, el publicano se queda en un rincón. No se siente cómodo en aquel lugar santo. No es su sitio. Ni siquiera se atreve a levantar los ojos del suelo. Se golpea el pecho y reconoce su pecado. No promete nada. No puede dejar su trabajo ni devolver lo que ha robado. No puede cambiar de vida. Sólo le queda abandonarse a la misericordia de Dios: «Oh Dios, ten compasión de mí que soy pecador». Nadie querría estar en su lugar. Dios no puede aprobar su conducta. De pronto, Jesús concluye su parábola con una afirmación desconcertante: «Pues bien, yo les aseguro que éste bajó a su casa justificado y aquél no». A los oyentes se les rompen todos sus esquemas. ¿Cómo puede hablar de un Dios que no reconoce al piadoso y, por el contrario, concede su gracia al pecador? ¿No está Jesús jugando con fuego? ¿Será verdad que, al final, lo decisivo no es la vida religiosa de uno, sino la misericordia insondable de Dios? Si es verdad lo que dice Jesús, ante Dios no hay seguridad para nadie, por muy santo que se crea. Todos tenemos que apelar a su misericordia. Cuando uno se siente bien consigo mismo, apela a su propia vida y no siente necesidad de más. Cuando uno se ve acusado por su conciencia y sin capacidad para cambiar, sólo siente necesidad de acogerse a la misericordia de Dios y sólo a la misericordia. Sí: hay algo fascinante en Jesús. Es tan desconcertante su fe en la misericordia de Dios que no es fácil creer en él. Los que mejor lo entendemos somos aquellos que a ratos no tenemos fuerzas para salir de un estilo de vida lejano al evangelio • AE

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