Today´s Liturgy f the Word is a great reminder that the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. This Body heals and strengthens us when we are in the pain of sin. Just as the entire body hurts when one part is injured, stub your toe and you can feel the pain all the way up to your head, so also the entire body mobilizes itself to heal the injured part. We lie down when we have physical pain so all our body’s energy can be directed to healing. At this time of year, many people will be joining pilgrimages to support life. Yes, the horrible Supreme Court decision to allow abortion in our country has been overturned by federal law, but there are many states and many people who are demanding the restoration of abortion. We continue to pray for an end to abortion. We also need to remember that there are people who come to Church who are reminded that they themselves were involved with an abortion. Some of them think that it is too late for them to be forgiven, or that the sin was too much to forgive. They think that they do not belong in Church. They think that other parishioners really would not want them there if they knew what they did. They are wrong. God wants them in Church. We need them in Church! God wants them because he wants them to receive healing from the community. We need them because we need people who will proclaim to the world that there is only one choice a Christian can make and that is the choice of life. We need them because they are hurting, and we, the Body of Christ, cannot bear to see any of our members in pain.
Some people come to Church battling sin and frequently losing that battle. They might have gotten through a week or two, but then they succumb again. Once in Church they see so many around them living a moral life that they feel that they don’t belong there. But they are wrong. They need to be there because they need to be in the presence of compassion and love, compassion and love emanating from Christ and reflected by the Catholic community. We need them there because we need to provide the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. They need to hear from us that it is not too late for them. They need to hear us recognize our own sins and proclaim that the Mercy of God is far more powerful than any of our sins. it is not too late for any of us. So, today’s Gospel sums up all of Jesus’ teaching. His message was simple: repent and believe in the Gospel, the Good News. The Good News is that if we are willing to fight against sin and turn to the Lord, happiness and peace will be ours. No one, no situation in life, nothing can destroy the joy that we have in being united to the Lord. The Good News is the wonder of God’s merciful love! • AE
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St. Dominic Catholic Church • Weekend Schedule
Saturday, January 20, 2024
10.00 a.m. Workshop for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion – Fr. Agustin
1.00 p.m. Funeral Mass for + Carlos Huerta – Fr. Agustin
3.00 p.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation – Fr. Jaime.
5.00 p.m. Holy Mass (English) – Fr. Jaime.
Sunday, January 21, 2024
7.30 a.m. Holy Mass (English) – Fr. Jaime P.
10.00 a.m. Holy Mass (English) – Fr. Jaime P.
12.30 p.m. Holy Mass (English) – Fr. Agustin E.
3.00 p.m. Santa Misa – Fr. Agustin E.
III Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario (Ciclo B)
Duccio di Buonisegna, La llamada de los apóstoles Pedro y Andrés (1308), tempera sobre madera, National Galllery (Washington)
Arrepiéntanse y crean en el Evangelio, dice el Señor en el evangelio de este domingo ¿Qué pueden decirnos estas palabras hoy en día? Oír una llamada a la conversión no es humanamente atractivo. Cuando oímos la palabra conversión pensamos rápidamente en algo costoso y hasta desagradable; una ruptura que nos llevaría a una vida medio aburrida, llena sacrificios y renuncia. ¿Es realmente así?
Un detalle pequeño pero muy interesante es que el verbo griego que en castellano se traduce por «convertirse» significa en realidad ponerse a pensar, revisar el enfoque la propia vida, reajustar la perspectiva. Quizá Jesús nos estaría invitando a revisar nuestra vida, a reajustar cosas en nuestra manera de pensar y de actuar que no son del todo cristianas. Si esto es así, lo primero que hay que revisar es aquello que estorba en nuestra vida. Convertirse es librarnos de miedos, egoísmos, tensiones y esclavitudes que nos impiden crecer de manera sana y armoniosa. La conversión que no produce paz y alegría no es auténtica. No nos está acercando a Dios. Y de ahí, debemos pasar a revisar nuestras raíces y ver de qué sitios abrevamos. Tanto las raíces como los sitios de los que uno bebe son lo que van conformando nuestra vida espiritual. Como tanto le gusta decir al Santo Padre Francisco: Porque después de todo he comprendido / Que lo que el árbol tiene de florido / Vive de lo que tiene sepultado[1].
Las grandes decisiones no sirven de nada si no están de acuerdo con nuestras raíces y si no hemos bebido de la fuente de Agua viva que es Jesús que, además, no pide una fe sublime ni una vida perfecta; sólo que vivamos confiando en la grandeza de su amor. Convertirse por tanto no es un empeño titánico, al más puro estilo pelagiano, en empeñarse en ser santo, sino aprender a vivir con humildad delante de Dios, dando el mejor esfuerzo.
La vida cristiana no es nunca ni plenitud ni éxito total. Hemos de aceptar lo inacabado, lo que nos humilla, lo que no acertamos a corregir. Lo importante es mantener el deseo, no ceder al desaliento. En otras palabras: convertirse no es vivir sin pecado, sino aprender a vivir del perdón, sin orgullo ni tristeza, sin alimentar la insatisfacción por lo que deberíamos ser y no somos. Ya lo había dicho Dios a través de su profeta: «Por la conversión y la calma seréis liberados»[2].esto es a lo que nos invita hoy el Señor • AE
[1] Soneto Si para recobrar lo recobrado, de Luis Bermúdez. [2] Is 30, 15
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LA MEDITACION DE LA ESPOSA 