* The term Pentecost carries a wealth of Scriptural images:
* In early Judaism, this was the feast of the final celebration of the gathering of the grain harvest which began at Passover
* Later Judaism transformed it into a feast of salvation history celebrating the giving of the LAW at Mount Sinai and the establishment of Israel as God’s People
* These two associations were carried over to the Christian celebration as the grain harvest and the LAW are replaced by the gift of the Spirit and the creation of the New People of God.

* It is also interesting to note that there is no unanimity in the New Testament about a single outpouring of the Holy Spirit:
* The 20th chapter of the Gospel of John which we read, places the gift of the Spirit on Easter Sunday evening,
* The 2nd chapter of the Acts of the Apostles (today’s first reading), puts it on Pentecost.
* Originally, perhaps, the gift of the Spirit was associated with each of the post Resurrection appearances of Jesus.
* At the heart of the issue is not a chorological moment, but rather that the Spirit of God animated an otherwise insecure and frightened group of individuals,
And sent them to preach “to the ends of the earth” that “Jesus Is Lord”

* The Readings today tell us a lot about who we are a Christians
* In the 2nd Chapter of Acts,
* People from all over the known world at the time - Parthians, Medes, Elamites, etc. all heard the Apostles, all of whom were Galilean, speaking in their own tongues proclaiming the “Mighty Acts of God”
* Diverse people being brought together by God’s work in Jesus;
* A reversal of the dispersion and division that was created at the construction of the Tower of Babel
* In 1 Corinthians, Paul emphasizes this point of unity in Jesus.
* He say that by means of our one Baptism we are all parts of One Body with Jesus as our Head
* He adds that the Spirit has each given us spiritual gifts for the service of others
* In John’s Gospel
* The Resurrected Jesus,
* Gives the Holy Spirit to his disciples and,
* Sends them on Mission to All People
* As Christians therefore:
* We are a diverse people (Blessed Sacrament portrays this in spades.)
* We are united by our one Baptism (Many Made One around the Table of the Lord).
* We have been given the Gift of the Holy Spirit and sent on Mission – to Hollywood and to the world.

* We are sent on Mission
* Mission is not about “WATCHING” it is about “PARTICIPATING”
* A mother does not just watch her children grow.
* Rather she gets involved with the physical and spiritual growth of her children.
* The husband might say – let the kid learn for himself or herself (I agree)
* The mother says, but these are my kids – I have to guide them and nurture them (I agree)
* Today’s celebration of Pentecost underscores God’s parental care for us,
* But especially God’s maternal care in which God’s Spirit is given to each of us to lead us, and nurture us, and assure us that we are loved.

* We all have our gifts to share
* We each are valuable in God’s sight.
* Let us give thanks for the Spirit of God that challenges us and moves us forward
* Let us respond generously and enthusiastically in order to build up the Body of Christ at Blessed Sacrament and in our world.
* Many Made One Around the Table of the Lord

* Amen

* The Feast of the Ascension
* Traditionally celebrated on the Thursday, 40 days after Easter
* Now more often celebrated on Sunday
* Better, it puts the celebration is the context of the whole Paschal mystery - Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, and the Sending of the Holy Spirit

* The Scope of the Readings today is broad
* First reading is from the very beginning of the Acts of the Apostles
* The Gospel reading is from the very end of Mathew’s Gospel
* There is a sense that everything is held in between these bookends.

* In today First reading we sense the lingering confusion of the Apostles:
* Jesus has spent three years with his disciples.
* He had even risen from the dead to prove his message.
* Yet, they ask – “Lord, at this time are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel”
* They still did not get it!
* Jesus was not going to build a political power base
* For his part, Jesus – maybe somewhat frustrated – says nevertheless, the Holy Spirit will empower you to be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.
* Jesus is then lifted up and passes out of sight.
* The Disciples stay there until two men in white garments ask them why they are looking up into the sky.
* Now every mother knows that if she looks skyward for only a few seconds, she could lose her young children.
* She has to look around and be aware in order to protect her young.
* The two men in white tell the disciples not to look up, because they will miss the action – they will miss Jesus.
* They must look around them and see each other if they are going to find Jesus.

* Sometimes we “look up into the sky” or day dream about past days in our Catholic Church.
* We wonder what happened to the Church of our youth – which was very supportive, but which we can tend to idealize.
* Think about the Catholic Church is the 1950s:
* The Mass was in Latin
* The priest had his back to the people
* No Eucharist Ministers – Men or Women
* No altar girls
* Nuns taught in the school
* Some would see these as better times.
* I see them as different times:
* No cell phone, no computers, few automobiles, and few televisions
* The nuns did a good job, but they were paid slave wages
* At Blessed Sacrament as late as 1970 – there were 10 priests
* The Priests where in charge of the few ministries that existed
* Parishioners had little say in the direction of the parish

* The Church of Today has changed – from my way of thinking – for the better.
* LOOK AROUND AS THE ANGLES TOLD THE DISCIPLES
* We have a community rich in diversity
* The school is run by qualified lay teachers who are paid a living wage (even though it is still not a high wage).
* The priests work in collaboration with lay men and women who are dedicated and generous.
* We recognize that the Holy Spirit is a gift to all of us.
* We are a church respecting our past but moving toward the future.

* Once we recognize that Jesus is not up in the sky, but rather in the people and situations around us,
* We can move to the concluding chapter of our story
* In today’s Gospel, Matt 28, Jesus says “Go make disciples of all nations…”
* Once we recognize that Jesus is in the brother and sister that we see right next to us, who perhaps has a different skin color, speaks a different language, has different talents, and different interests,
* Then we can go out and spread the Good News:
* There are not second class citizens of this world
* There are only people loved by God
* There is no room for injustice in this world
* There is only the challenge to ensure Justice for all

* I think that when the Apostles finally recognized that they could not control Jesus;
* That Jesus was not going to set up the Kingdom that THEY wanted;
* When they finally admitted their fear and their confusion;
* When they finally opened their hearts to God and really looked at each other;
* Then the Holy Spirit could come down on them and send them out to change the world.

* Maybe it is the same with us:
* Maybe when we can admit that we do not have all the answers;
* When we can admit our own biases and prejudices;
* When we can open our hearts to the Loving and Faithful God;
* Then the Spirit of God that we first received at Baptism;
* Can fill us and lead us so that we can become the Apostles of today who, by the way we live our lives, can change the world.

* Amen

* Jews and Samaritans had common ethnic roots, but they feuded with one another over matters both religious and legal.
* They also argued over the proper place for worship.
* The Jews claimed it was in Jerusalem; the Samaritans said it was on their Mt. Gerizim.
* The arguments were not just verbal; at times they boiled over into physical attacks and skirmishes.

* The book is called “The Acts of the Apostles,” but a more accurate name would be “The Acts of the Spirit.”
* As we read Acts through this Easter season, right up to Pentecost, it is clear that the Spirit is the main “character” in the book.
* Jesus instructed the disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and that then they would be Jesus’ witnesses.
* In today’s reading the Spirit of God is taking Philip were he and the Apostles never thought they would go – to Samaritan heretics
* Peter and John then go from Jerusalem to formalize the connection that the Spirit had inspired.
* (cf. Jude Siciliano)
* The Holy Spirit leads them and us beyond our self-circumscribed boundaries.

* On Friday, Blessed Sacrament hosted a meeting of Religious Leaders whose faith communities work with L. A. Voice – Community Organizing Network
* 2 Baptist Pastors
* 2 Episcopalian Priests (one a woman)
* 2 Jewish Rabbis
* 3 Catholic Priests
* One of the Baptist Pastors, Dr. George Cummings, led the conversation encouraging us to continue God’s work by bringing the broken pieces of creation together through the living of our faith and by our efforts to work for justice for all.
* It was powerful message that all of us could understand.
* The Spirit of God was working to shatter the barriers that divide our fractured religious world.

* The Gospel passage from John 14 that we read also talks about the Spirit
* It is kind of Jesus’ Last Will and Testament,
* Jesus wants to leave his disciples something of great value – not trinkets that will rust, or get lost,
* Rather, he wants to leave his disciples “The Pearl of Great Price” that will last forever.
* Jesus wants to leave something that will remind his disciples of him,
* To help them grow together,
* To get them through difficult times
* He promises to send them Another Advocate as their inheritance.
* The Advocate will remind us that Jesus demonstrated his love in hundreds of ways:
* Forgiving prostitutes and sinners
* Washing the feet of his disciples
* Offering his life on the cross
* The Advocate will urge us all not to give up in the face of difficulties: a bad marriage, trouble with the children, even the sexual abuse scandals in our Church.
* The Advocate will remind us that Jesus’ commandment is about taking care of one another, about working for a just world, about seeking peace between individuals and between nations, about thinking beyond ourselves.

* The Advocate that Jesus left – the Holy Spirit -
* Challenges us to go beyond our limited point of view
* As Philip did by going to the Samaritans
* As L. A. Voice is doing by bringing people of different denominational backgrounds together for the sake of the common good

* Jesus said, “Keep My Commandments” – “Love one another, as I have loved you.”
* Let us try to live our lives as Jesus commands, and trust the Spirit of Truth, God’s spirit, our Advocate, to lead us through the dark times in our personal lives as well as the dark times that we experience as a community and a world, and to bring us all to the light of a new day.

* Amen

* El Papa, Benedicto XVI
* Esta visitando los Estados Unidos por la primera vez en su oficio del Santo Papa.
* Como Americanos – nosotros no lo conocemos bien.
* ¿Qué mensaje tiene para la Iglesia de las Américas?
* Hay muchas preguntas semejantes de que todavía no tenemos respuestas.

* Pero, las lecturas de hoy nos aseguran que siempre ha sido así en la comunidad de la Iglesia.
* Siempre había preguntas sin respuestas claras.
* Sin embargo, sabemos que el Espíritu de Dios todavía guía, no solo al Santo Papa, sino también a todos los bautizados.
* Lo más importante para nosotros es tener confianza que Dios nos ama.

* En la primera lectura tomada de los Hechos de los Apóstoles vemos que había un problema que subió a flote en la comunidad:
* Los cristianos de la comunidad de Jerusalén pertenecían todos a la raza judía, sin embargo, eran diferentes en lengua y cultura.
* Unos eran judíos palestinos que hablaban el hebreo y otros eran judíos provenientes de la diáspora que hablaban griego.
* Es igual con nuestra iglesia del Santísimos Sacramento
* Todos somos Católicos, pero provenimos de distintas razas con idiomas distintos.
* De todos modos, los que hablaban griego se quejaban de que sus viudas no fueron atendidas bien; y así surgió una cierta discriminación social y cultural en la naciente comunidad Cristiana.
* Los Apóstoles sugieren que entre el grupo de cristianos de lengua griega se escojan siete hombres de buena reputación y que están llenos del Espíritu Santo y de su sabiduría para que sea atendida la comunidad entera.

* Frente la primera lectura y los acontecimientos de la naciente comunidad cristiana, nos ayuda a reflexionar acerca de cómo adaptarse a los tiempos;
* De que hoy como ayer en la comunidad hay diversidad de carismas, ministerios, y servicios y que todos ellos contribuyen al bien de la comunidad y a la propagación del Reino de Dios.
* O sea, que el Espíritu de Dios habita entre nosotros, tanto con el Santo Papa como con todos y cada uno de nosotros.

* En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús afirma:
* “Yo soy el camino, la verdad y la vida.”
* Su mensaje nos dice que el camino es la práctica del amor a Dios y a los hermanos y hermanas.

Confirmado ayer – Cincuenta y ocho (58) Jóvenes
* Quieren seguir a Cristo
* Tienen confianza que el Espíritu de Dios los va a guiar

* 9:00 & 1:00 – Dos Confirmados dan testimonio en cada Misa

* Pidamos por nuestro Nuevo Papa, y por los que fueron Confirmados, y por todos nosotros también
* Que sigamos buscando al Espíritu de Dios en la realidad actual de hoy, y
* Que colaboremos con el Espíritu de Dios en el desarrollo del Reino de Dios, un reino de fe y justicia que acoge a todos.

* Así sea. Amen

* Frankly being compared to bleating sheep has never really appealed to me.
* Sheep, by and large may be cute, but they not very smart.
* In addition, it is hard for us city types to relate to the pastoral scene of a sheepfold.
* However, let’s try to open up the Sunday readings a bit in order to see how God is calling us today in 2008.
* These scriptures treat of Baptism and what it means to be incorporated into the fold of Jesus.

* In the First reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter makes a direct appeal to those Jews who are longing for the Messiah.
* He opens with a statement more than an accusation.
* Jesus, whom they had crucified, God had raised to be “Lord and Christ”.
* Not in anger, but with desire, the Jews who had been listening ask Peter what they should do.
* This sets up the basic proclamation of early apostolic preaching:
* All who desire salvation must repent and be baptized and thus receive the Holy Spirit.

The Second Reading continues the encouragement to the Early Converts:
* The author is paraphrasing verses of the Suffering Servant Song from Chapter fifty-three of Isaiah.
* For those who do good, Baptism is not an escape from pain and suffering, but rather an immersion into the mission of Christ.

* With this background, let us reflect on the Good Shepherd image of today’s Gospel from the 10th Chapter of John.
* Jesus is the Good Shepherd and by our Baptism, we are called to share in his pastoral ministry.
* These readings remind us that here at Blessed Sacrament the ministry of Jesus is not reserved for the priests or for the lay staff members.
* Through our Baptism, all of us share in the ministry of Jesus.
* We all follow the same Shepherd together.

* It might be helpful to know a little about shepherding customs in time of Jesus:
* Several shepherds would gather their flocks in the same fenced-enclosure.
* The sheepfold might be constructed in a pasture using brush and sticks, or it might adjoin a wall of a house.
* Owners of small flocks of sheep would have combined them in the secure enclosure at night.
* Someone would then guard the flocks.
* The “gate” would have been a simple entrance, but the shepherd might even stretch out across the opening and literally be the “gate.”

* But today’s narrative suggests that the shepherds arrive early and are admitted by the gatekeeper.
* They call out to their sheep and the members of the flock recognize the voice of their own shepherd.
* The shepherd then walks in front of the flock and they follow.

* The evangelist is emphasizing the close relationship Jesus, the shepherd, has with his community,
* And he also stresses that the community must be aware of false leaders.
* They claim allegiance and lead people astray.
(cf. Jude Siciliano)

* The risen Jesus is the true shepherd, the one who enters through the gate.
* True Christians follow the true shepherd: they recognize his voice and they obey his commands.
* They hear his message about loving enemies, about seeking first the kingdom of God, about forgiving seventy times a day.
* They hear him talk of concern for the poor, of selling all that one has, of being perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect.
* They listen to him say that they should not worry about tomorrow, that they should turn the other cheek.
* They hear and obey, following their shepherd through the gate.

* There are false shepherds as well who speak other words:
* Of defending one’s rights above all no matter who else is hurt,
* Of accumulating wealth at any price,
* Of achieving social prominence by any means possible.
* (cf. Gerald Darring, liturgy.slu.edu)
* False prophets that call out for war to settle ancient and modern differences,
* Voices of excess which tempt people to follow unhealthy life patterns,
* Voices of indulgence that lure us to drain our natural resources for temporary satisfaction, but will leave future generations in want and stress,
* Voices of discouragement that causes us to give up on efforts that help others
* We may no longer be a rural people, but who has not heard the voice of “false shepherds” who have attempted to lead us down villainous paths?

* The Good Shepherd is not just a leader of an ambiguous flock:
* We are not just part of a crowd.
* He calls his own by name and leads us
* We are known “by name.”
* The Good Shepherd calls us that we, “might have life and have it more abundantly.

* As we continue with our Liturgy today.
* Let us pray for the Pope and the Bishops of the world that they open their hearts to the Spirit of God so they can shepherd the Catholic Church in the Twenty-first century
* Let us pray for Politicians and World Leaders that they follow wise counsel and work for the good of all.
* Let us also pray for ourselves that we can learn to share in the ministry of Jesus in the Church and in the World today.

* Thank you
* Amen

* The Gospel reading today presents a setting similar to that which we experience in our own lives of faith:
* Life is a wonderful gift of God for which we are all grateful.
* We all have hopes and dreams for ourselves and our families.
* However, sometimes the burdens of life can become so heavy that we get discouraged and depressed and want to give up.
*
* We were taught as children to face challenges in our life by determination:
* “Keep your nose to the grindstone”—a dictum drummed into our heads.
* The implication being, that diligence and hard work can surmount difficulties
* We do have within ourselves the necessary resources to overcome most of what life throws in our way.
* But not every obstacle can be hurdled simply by hard work and determination.
* “I’ve come to the end of my rope,” sometimes is the dictum that makes the most sense.

* In Luke’s account today, the two disciples are leaving Jerusalem.
* They had been caught up in the experience of following Jesus, and they were devastated by his crucifixion.
* Their dreams of a new life for themselves, their families, their religion and their very nation also died with the crucifixion of Jesus.
* You can hear their shattered lives in what they tell the Stranger who joins them on their journey, “We had hoped….”

* We too hear people start sentences that way -
* “We had hoped that our kids would continue their college studies, but….”
* “We had hoped that going to marriage counseling would save the marriage, but….”
* “We had hoped that the experimental drug would help conquer the cancer, but….
* “No need to continue, we can all fill in the blanks—
(cf. Jude Siciliano)
* “We had hoped….,” but it does not seem to be working out the way we planned

* The Stranger the disciples find walking with them seems to understand much about their situation.
* He makes the connection between their situation and their Scriptures,
* But they are not able to make the connection between what he says and who he is.
* It is only in welcoming him into their house and sharing a meal with him that they realize who it is they are facing:
* It is Jesus, the risen Lord.
* They are so moved by the encounter that they turn around and head back to Jerusalem, to join up with the other disciples but also to face risk and uncertainty.
* (cf. Gerald Darring, liturgy. SLU.edu)

* We need our hopes nourished as well.
* Sometimes we need encouragement, clear thinking and the support of a believing and hoping community.
* We need the Word of God and the Eucharist.

* This is why Jesus opens the scriptures for the dispirited disciples on their journey and why he gathers them to pause with him and to break bread
* Like them, we constantly need our eyes opened to see Jesus alive and with us—in the Word and the Sacrament.
* But remember, the disciples did not just continue on their journey with their hopes renewed,
* Rather after their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus,
* They returned to the community to discover that the Risen Christ had appeared among them too.
* That is where we also discover him—-risen and in the midst of the community.

* The Emmaus Story is our story.
* It is what we celebrate at Mass
* We read and hear the Scriptures broken open
* We share the Eucharist together
* We carry the message away with us to share it with others
* It is how we as Christians want to live out our lives.

* Jesus opened the Scriptures to them.
* “Were not our hearts burning within us as he spoke to us along the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
* Do we let the Scriptures touch our hearts?
* Maybe by reflecting on them before Mass begins

* They recognized him in the breaking of the bread
* We Break the Bread:
* In Eucharist – One community in the Body and Blood of the Lord
* In Social Services to minister – We break bread for others and recognize the presence of Jesus.
* In our School and CCD program -
We break bread for our children and open the Scriptures so that they can recognize Jesus in their midst.
* Sometimes we don’t break the bread, rather sometimes we feel as if it is we who have been broken.
* Then we offer the pieces of our broken lives to the Lord so that God can put us back together.
* Here we recognize that Jesus is the bread broken for us.

* Let us continue with our Liturgy:
* Finding Jesus in the Word of Scripture
* Recognizing Jesus in the Breaking of the Bread
* Ready to bring the Good News to a world in desperate need of it

* Amen

Después de cuarenta días en el desierto,
* Después de acompañar a Jesús en su Pasión y Muerte en la Cruz,
* Hoy la Iglesia nos invita a abrir nuestro corazón y recibir con gran alegría la resurrección de Nuestro Salvador.

* Después de la crucifixión de Jesús, al tercer día, María Magdalena fue a la tumba donde lo habían enterrado.
* María Magdalena lleva en su corazón una tristeza profunda.
* Había muerto el Señor.
* Pero cuando llega a la tumba y la encuentra vacía, esa tristeza se convierte en desesperación: “Se han llevado del sepulcro al Señor y no sabemos dónde lo habrán puesto,” dijo ella.

* La historia provocó dudas en los apóstoles que estaban escondidos con puertas cerradas en una casa.
* Estos hombres tenían grandes esperanzas de Jesús antes de la crucifixión.
* Ya solamente quieren quedarse en la desilusión.

* Pedro por quien rezó el Señor la última vez que cenaron juntos, el que negó a Jesús tres veces, y Juan fueron a ver.
* En estos momentos, todo había cambiado.
* Todavía existía la pena que habían experimentado en el sufrimiento y la muerte de Jesús, y en el pecado de Pedro por su negación, pero todo había cambiado en la luz de la Resurrección.
* En esa luz volvieron a tener esperanza en algo mejor.

* El viernes pasado me encontraba con un feligrés que me saludó con “Padre, Feliz Viernes Santo.”
* Me pareció un poco raro este saludo.
* ¿Cómo puede ser feliz el día en que celebramos la muerte de Cristo?
* Al reflexionar, me daba cuenta de que este feligrés tenía toda razón.
* Pues nosotros no estamos viviendo una fantasía, una obra de teatro.
* Al contrario, sabemos que Cristo sufrió y murió, pero como Cristianos creemos que Jesús también ha resucitado de verdad.
* La Resurrección da significado al Viernes Santo

* Nosotros todavía tenemos problemas en nuestras vidas – nuestro Viernes Santo.
* Tenemos nuestras dudas personales, nuestras debilidades.
* Tenemos problemas en nuestras familias - tensiones entre parejas, tensiones entre padres e hijos.
* También hay problemas en nuestro mundo - violencia, guerras, terremotos, discriminación.
* Problemas que a veces nos hacen desesperar.

* Pero con María Magdalena, Pedro y Juan, en la luz de la Resurrección, podemos ver que hay algo mejor.
* Jesús se resucitó, y nosotros podemos seguir adelante.
* Los problemas todavía existen, pero con la Resurrección de Jesús, tenemos la certeza de que en verdad podemos superar todo.

* La Resurrección es la lente por medio de que vemos el mundo.
* Todavía existe la muerte en nuestras vidas, pero con la Resurrección sabemos que hay un poder más grande que la muerte.
* Sabemos que Dios, verdaderamente, nos ama y nos acompaña en la vida.

* Al seguir con la Misa nos acordamos que hoy en ocho vamos a recibir a diez personas en nuestra comunidad Católica.
* Los vamos a recibir no como a personas perfectas entrando en una comunidad perfecta,
* Sino, los vamos a recibir en nuestra comunidad peregrina.
* Les damos la bienvenida, les prometemos nuestras oraciones, y les ofrecemos la esperanza que nos ganó Jesús con su Resurrección.
* Como seguidores de Cristo, profesamos que Jesús de veras ha vencido el pecado y la muerte,
* Y nos ofrece esperanza para el futuro.

* Felices Pascuas.

* Introduction:
* Tonight is the beginning of the Sacred Triduum
* The celebration of the Pascal Mystery - Central to our faith
* Tonight we emphasize two special focal points of our faith
* The Institution of the Eucharist
* The Command to Love and to be of Service to one another

* Introducción
* Esta noche empezamos el Sagrado Triduo
* La celebración del Misterio Pascual – la realidad central de nuestra fe.
* Esta noche resaltamos dos puntos claves:
* La institución de la Eucaristía
* El Mandato de amar y servir a los demás

* Tonight as with every Mass, we celebrate the Great Memorial Meal of Thanksgiving
* We remember the central events in the History of Salvation.
* We remember God’s great acts in the Passover and Exodus events
* In that context, we remember God’s ultimate act of Salvation in the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus

* Esta noche tal como con cada misa, celebramos la Gran Cena Memorial de Acción de Gracias.
* Recordamos los eventos centrales en la historia de Salvación
* Recordamos los hechos de Dios en el Antiguo Testamento como el Éxodo del pueblo escogido.
* En este contexto, recordamos el acto máximo del amor de Dios por nosotros en la vida, muerte y resurrección de Jesús.

* For us, as for the Jews, this memorial is not just a “remembering,” as we would do in looking at the photographs of last summer’s vacation;
* But rather, this memorial is a Making Present the Mystery of Salvation of which we are a part today.
* It is a looking back to the events of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
* It is a looking forward to Jesus coming again in the fullness of time: Maranatha - Come, Lord Jesus
* It is a Question for us now: How do we let Jesus shape our lives?

* Tanto por los Judíos como por Nosotros los Cristianos, este memorial no es solamente de “recordar,” como lo hacemos al revisar fotos de las vacaciones del verano pasado;
* Sino, este Memorial es de hacer presente el Misterio de Salvación en la que participamos nosotros hoy en día
* Es un vistazo a los eventos del pasado – la muerte y resurrección de Jesús
* Es una mirada al futuro cuando venga Jesús al final de los tiempos – Ven Señor Jesús
* Es una Pregunta para nosotros ahora - ¿Cómo hemos dejado que Jesús nos impacte la vida nuestra?

* Tonight we also celebrate Christ’s commandment to Love one another and to be of service to one another - The Mandatum: “Love others as I have loved you.”
* The Gospel reading gives us insight into this commandment:
* In the washing of the feet of the disciples, Jesus performs an act that could NOT EVEN BE REQUIRED of a Jewish slave;
* It is an allusion to the humiliating death of crucifixion that Jesus would endure;
* It is a profound example of what it is to fulfill the commandment to love one another

* Esta noche también celebramos el mandamiento que Cristo nos dio de amar y servir a los demás – “Amen a los demás como yo he amado a ustedes.”
* El Evangelio de hoy nos da una orientación a este mandamiento
* Al lavar los pies de los discípulos, Jesús hace algo que ni los esclavos de los Judíos no tenían que hacer.
* Al fin y al cabo este gesto se refiere a la humillación de la crucifixión que aguantaría Jesús.
* Es un ejemplo profundo del mandamiento de amar unos a otros.

* Two of the disciples present that night were Simon Peter and Judas Iscariot
* Two very different people:
* Judas, on the one hand, was a leader, a money man, a person wise in the ways of the world;
* Peter, on the other hand, was a follower, quick to speak, who often “put his foot in his mouth.”

* Dos de los discípulos presentes esa noche eran Simón Pedro y Judas Iscariote
* Eran dos personas muy distintas
* Judas, por un lado, era un líder, tesorero, una persona lista en los asuntos del mundo
* Pedro, por otro lado, era un seguidor, rápido a hablar, quien muy a menudo metió la pata.

* The washing their feet must have profoundly struck Peter and Judas both:
* Peter and Judas responded very differently:
* Peter, after hesitating, finally allows the door of his heart to be opened just a bit -
* He begins to understand what Jesus has been saying, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
* Judas, on the other hand,
* Is repulsed and shocked by the depth of this gesture
* Instead of opening the door to his heart, he opens the door to the upper room and goes out, on his way to betray Jesus.

* El lavado de los pies les impactó a ambos Pedro y Judas:
* Pedro y Judas respondieron cada uno a su manera
* Pedro, después de sus inquietudes, por fin dejó abrir la puerta de su corazón un poquito.
* Empezó a entender lo que Jesús decía con “Amen a los demás como yo los he amado.”
* Judas, por otro lado,
* Esta asustado y avergonzado por la humildad de este gesto de Jesús.
* En lugar de abrir la puerta de su corazón, abrió la puerta de la sala y salió a las tinieblas a vender a Jesús

* During this Sacred Triduum
* The same invitation that was given to Peter and to Judas is given to us:
* Do we walk out the door of this church as hard hearted as when we came in?
* Or can we open our hearts to God’s love and thereby learn how to love and serve one another in this world today?

* Durante estos días del Sagrado Triduo
* Se nos da la misma invitación que se les fue ofrecida a Pedro y a Judas:
* ¿Al salir por la puerta de la iglesia después de la misa, seguimos con corazones tan cerrados como estaban cuando entramos?
* ¿O, podemos abrirle el corazón a Dios para que entre su amor, y así aprendamos amar y servir unos a otros en este mundo de hoy.

* As we continue with this Great Memorial of Thanksgiving, Al seguir con este Gran Memorial de Acción de Gracias
* Let us pray for ourselves/ Pidamos por nosotros mismos
* Let us pray for each other/ Pidamos por los demás
* Let us pray for our world/ Pidamos por nuestro mundo
* That the love of God made manifest in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus can truly change our lives/Que el amor de Dios que se manifestó en la vida, muerte, y resurrección de Cristo nos cambie verdaderamente nuestras vidas.

* Así sea, Amen

* Estos tres últimos domingos de la cuaresma,
* Han sido destinados desde la antigüedad a terminar la preparación bautismal de los catecúmenos que se disponen a recibir el bautismo en la Misa de La Vigilia Pascual el Sábado Santo.
* El domingo después de esas fiestas, vamos a recibir también candidatos adultos en la Iglesia Católica que fueron bautizados en otras religiones, pero ya quieren ser Católicos con nosotros.
* Es verdad que este tiempo ha sido destinados para ellos que van a llegar a ser Católicos, pero también este tiempo ha sido destinado para los de mas de nosotros para nuestra renovación espiritual

* En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús esta en camino a Jerusalén –
* Esta jornada significaba para Jesús la muerte, con todas sus humillaciones y dolores.
* La muerte será la máxima expresión amorosa de Jesús a su Padre, y
* La máxima expresión de entrega amorosa de Jesús a sus hermanos y hermanas, O Sea, a Nosotros

* Hoy vemos a Jesús desde la perspectiva pascual: Jesús, ya cercano a la muerte pero comunicando la vida.
* En la historia, su amigo Lázaro había muerto.
* Jesús como Hombre, experimentaba un profundo dolor,
* Lloró como nosotros lloramos en la muerte de nuestros seres queridos.
* Me impacta mucho que el Hijo de Dios, se identifica tanto con nosotros que Jesús experimenta nuestra tristeza.
* Me impresiona también que Nuestro Dios esta dispuesto a sacarnos de la muerte que encontramos en la vida diaria y a darnos la vida renovada.

* En este tiempo de la Cuaresma,
* Pensamos en la muerte y la resurrección de Jesús
* Pero también podemos pensar en la muerte y la resurrección diaria
* Cada uno de nosotros guarda heridas y enojos, que nos causan morir una parte de nuestra alma.
* Enojo de ser despreciado por nuestros compañeros
* Enojo de ser objeto de discriminación
* Enojo de haber sido víctima de un abuso

* También, cada uno de nosotros, ha lastimado a otras personas a lo largo de nuestra vida
* Por decir mentiras
* Por robar
* Por abusar a miembros de nuestra familia - verbalmente o físicamente.
* Por el abuso del alcohol

* Estas heridas y enojos que llevamos, nos afectan a nosotros y a los demás
* Son un tipo de muerte en nuestra vida.
* En estas circunstancias, Jesús llora con nosotros, como lloró en el sepulcro de Lázaro.
* Tal como Jesús dio nueva vida a su amigo, Lázaro, Él también puede dar nueva vida a nosotros, si dejamos hacérselo.

* Al seguir con la misa:
* Pidamos, en este tiempo de la cuaresma, que podamos reconocer que El Señor nos invita poner por un lado la muerte que hemos experimentado en nuestras vidas.
* Pidamos que Él nos renueve nuestros corazones y nuestras vidas.

* Así sea. Amen

* Introduction:
* 4th Sunday of our Lenten Retreat,
* Our Journey to Jerusalem with Jesus,
* As he faces his cross and his ultimate victory over sin and death
* Today’s Gospel is taken from the 9th Chapter of John
* The tension is starting to mount between Jesus and the leaders of the Synagogue.
* Jesus cures a blind man on the Sabbath,
* The well educated Pharisees say that Jesus cannot be of God because he does not follow the letter of the Law.
* The illiterate Blind Man, on the other hand, recognizes Jesus as a Prophet.

* All three readings challenge us to see beyond external appearances to see the works of God.

* In the First Reading the Prophet Samuel has been told by God that he will find the next King of the Chosen People among the Sons of Jesse
* He thinks has found his man when he encounters Eliab - tall, well-built, regal in appearance,
* But no!
* God has chosen a boy, so insignificant that Jesse does not even call him in to be interviewed for the job.
* God judges by reading the hearts of people, not by external appearances.
* David grew to become the model King of Israel

* In the Second reading, Paul writes to the Ephesians:
* “Live as Children of the Light”
* “Christ will give you light”
* Do we see by the light of Christ?

* However, it is probably the Gospel story that most hits home today:
* The blind man has been blind from birth,
* He has never seen
* He is in total need
* The Apostles, like the Pharisees, think that this man suffers because of some sin of his own or of his parents.
* Obviously not, says Jesus
* The once Blind Man gets his sight and is thoroughly changed in the process
* Not even his neighbors recognize him because he has changed so much.
* He is a new person.
* He even challenges the authorities whom everyone feared
* He comes to realize that God has touched his life
* While the blind come to see,
* The religious leaders prove to be blind to the presence of God working in their midst.
* They were blind to the light of Christ that was shining in their world.
* St. John in writing this Gospel story is not telling us that one man was born blind and Jesus cured him;
* But that we humans have our blind spots, and we all need healing.

* Jimmy Picco of Christ the King Parish in San Diego
* Died in August of 1997 at 70 some years of age
* He spent most of his adult life as a parishioner of CTK
* Earlier he had been the church organist
* Later in life he became a lector.
* He always read the 2nd reading at the Saturday evening Mass
* Jimmy most impressed me because he knew everyone in the church and everyone knew him.
* Whenever people would register in the parish, we would always give the names to Jimmy, and he would call them to welcome them to the community.
* If someone was ill, Jimmy would call them to wish them well.
* If someone in the parish passed away, often people would inform Jimmy before they informed the priests.
* Jimmy would make sure the word got out.
* Christ the King is a very diverse parish: African-American, Anglo, and Mexican:
* Jimmy learned enough Spanish to communicate good will.
* He contacted everyone
* Jimmy’s funeral was a tribute to him - the church was full:
* People of every race were there
* Three former pastors and I concelebrated
* Women and Men
* Young and Old
* We were all there to pay tribute to this man who saw so clearly the goodness in people.
* Jimmy was special, you see, Jimmy was Blind from Birth
* He leaned to play the organ by listening to music
* He read the Scripture at Mass, using Braille
* Although Jimmy in all his life never saw the faces of people, he read the hearts of everyone:
* No matter the race
* No matter the color of skin
* No matter the language
* Jimmy Picco was Blind, but Jimmy Picco saw people more clearly than any of us, because he saw them in the light of Christ.

* Through baptism we are all invited to see people and the world in the light of Christ,
* Sometimes we fall short
* As we continue with our Lenten Liturgy today,
* And as we prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation tomorrow night at 7:00 PM
* Let us reflect on those times we have been blind to the workings of God in our lives,
* Let us give thanks for people like Jimmy Picco who let the light of Christ shine through them.

* Amen