Thank you Fr. E.C. for the time you spent here at Blessed Sacrament Church.

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Blessed Sacrament Church
Hollywood, California

Es más difícil de lo que pensaba….
El primer billionario John D Rockefeller dejo una fortuna
Le preguntaron a uno de sus ayudantes más cercanos: ¿Cuánto dejo?
Él respondió ..El lo dejo todo…No se llevo nada.

The first billionaire Mr John D Rockefeller left a fortune…
One of his closest aides was asked : How much did he leave?? He said: He left every thing…Took nothing.

El se llevo nada
Yo me voy a llevar mucho al dejarlos a uds.
Llegue aquí hace 6 anos este mes y el Padre Miguel me presento, en aquel entonces yo mire una iglesia espaciosa, con un techo alto y un piso de mármol.
Hoy miro las caras de las personas a quien he llegado a amar. Me siento abrumado con su afecto… Uds. son trozos de mi alma.

Rockefeller did not take anything with him.
But I am going to take a lot with me as I take leave of you.
I came here 6 years ago to the month and Fr Mike introduced me and at that time all that I saw was this spacious church, high ceiling and marbled floor..
Today I see faces of people I have come to know and love.
I have been overwhelmed by your affection.

Muchos de Uds me han preguntado como ha sido para mí estar aquí.
Ha sido maravilloso
Yo mire de primera mano que la vida como un seguidor de Cristo en Hollywood no es nada diferente que la vida de un seguidor de Cristo en India o Katmandú.
Todos tenemos las mismas luchas: la fe, la familia, el trabajo, la falta de trabajo, los hijos, la educación, las viviendas..la enfermedad, la muerte… y los mismos cuestiones de fe.

Many have asked me how it had been for me.
It had been wonderful.
I saw first hand that life in Hollywood, as a follower of Christ is not any different from a follower of Christ in Patna, India. All have the same struggles: of faith, of family, of job, joblessness, children, education, housing…pain, death.. And how to make sense of our faith in these and other circumstances.

En esta ultima semana oficie tres funerales.. Y esta mañana una boda y esta tarde un funeral.
Y como sacerdote, me he hado cuenta que me he convertido en parte de la celebración de una boda y del dolor de la partida en los funerales.

In this past week alone I did 3 funerals… and this morning a wedding and this afternoon a funeral. And as a priest I have come to realize that I become part of the celebration of the wedding and the pain of parting at funerals.

Tambien he sido tremendamente conmovido por el espíritu del voluntariado en este país. NO solamente en la iglesia donde más de 200 personas ofrecen su tiempo y energía para hacer de esta iglesia lo que es, pero tambien lo he visto en los servicios sociales, en los museos de la ciudad, y en los comedores de beneficencia.
Creo que esto es únicamente Americano. Nunca había visto esto a este nivel antes en mi vida…La mayoría de la gente pregunta. Y que yo que voy a sacar de todo esto… Pero uds. me han mostrado lo contrario.

The spirit of voluntarism in this great country has also tremendously moved me. Not only in this church where more than 200 people regularly volunteer their time and energy to make this church what we are.
But also I have seen that in the social services, in the museums..
In soup kitchens..
That is very uniquely American I think. I haven’t seen that before in my life… Most people ask: What’s in it for me.. You have taught me otherwise.

Cuando llegue en el 2001, el promedio industrial Dow Jones estaba en como 7 Mil puntos. Recientemente, excedido a los 14 Mil puntos, cual quiere decir que la abundancia del país, fue duplicada de acuerdo a estos términos.
Y miro el numero de personas sin hogar que vienen a nuestro centro de servicios sociales y a nuestra Sociedad de San Vincente De Paul que tambien ha duplicado.
Este falta de conexión me causa dolor. ..de nuevo, existe una disparidad entre la riqueza y todo lo que los ricos y los pobres y esto siempre me ha intrigado.

When I came in 2001 the Dow Jones Industrial average stood at about 7000 points; Recently it crossed 14000 points… which means the wealth of the country, measured in those terms has doubled. And I also see that the number of homeless people that come to our social service center and the Vincent d paul society has also doubled. This disconnect pains me…And again, there is this great disparity always intrigued me.

Tuve la satisfacción más grande de parte de dos grupos de personas. Los de Rica, quienes son los adultos que quieren convertirse en católicos. Su sincera y sentida búsqueda ha fortalecido mi fe. Muchos de ellos siguen siendo amigos muy, muy cercanos.
Y los niños y los maestros de la escuela y CCD han sido mi alegría durante la semana. Al principio, uno de los maestros me pidió que fuera a hablarle a los niños sobre el Hinduismo, budismo y otras religiones orientales. Lo hice y uno de los alumnos me pregunto: Padre, de cual religión eres tu?
Y a través de los últimos seis anos he enseñado una clase todos los dias. Desde los de segundo grado quienes se preparan para su primera comunión hasta los del octavo grado. Tenemos una escuela maravillosa, y un programa de CCD por voluntarios y grandes maestros y he tenido el privilegio de ser parte de esa familia tambien.

I had great satisfaction from working with 2 groups of people. The RCIA, in adult catechism. Their sincere and heartfelt search has made my faith stronger. Many of them continue to be my very very close friends.
And the School and CCD kids and teachers have been my joy during the week. In the beginning one of the teachers invited me to speak to the kids about Hinduism, Buddhism and other Eastern Religions. I must have done quite a good job because one of the kids put up his hand and asked me Father What Religion Are YOU??
And over the past 6 years I have taught a class on religion to every grade in the school. What a wonderful school and CCD program and I have been privileged to be part of them too.

Cuando llegue aquí no hablaba ninguna palabra de Español. La Sra. Galarza, una maestra de Español en Inmaculada Corazón Y una estudiante de la Universidad Centro Americana en Sal Salvador me enseño y más que enseñarme me adopto como su hermano.. Debo agregar, que ella era sumamente estricta…si no hacia la tarea, me deba una advertencia severa. Y otras tambien, como Carmenita, Mercedes y Nora han sido mis maestras constantes.

When I CAME here I spoke no word of Spanish and Mrs. Gloria Galleria, a Spanish Teacher at Immaculate Heart, and a student herself from the Central American University in San Salvador taught me and more than teaching adopted me as her brother. By the way, she was a hard taskmistress… No home work, I got a stern warning..
And others too, like Carmenita, Mercedes and Nora have been my constant teachers.

Y cargo conmigo tambien las penas que algunos de uds han compartido conmigo, de sueños rotos, de luchas diarias de todo tipo, su trabajo fuerte para que sus hijos y familias tengan una vida mejor que las penas que Uds. han tenido que pasar.

I carry with me the pains some of you have shared with me; of broken dreams, of daily struggles of every kind, your hard work so that your children and families can have a better life than the pains you have had to experience.

Y por supuesto nada de esto hubiese sido posible sin el gran amor confianza y apoyo de mi buen amigo Miguel Mandala,. Nos hemos conocido por 20 anos,… y en los ultimos 6 anos nos hemos hecho amigos más cercanos. Gracias Miguel…

None of these would have been possible with out the great support and love of my good friend Mike Mandala. We have known each other for 20 years and in the past 6 years we have become closer friends. Thank you Mike.

Mas que nada, me llevo una torrente de amor con la cual me han bañado. Me voy a la India el próximo viernes. Visitare a mi mama y a mi famila y después me mudare a Nepal.
El país Nepal puede ser un lugar lejano, pero ahora tendrán a un amigo allá. No les digo Adiós, sino hasta pronto

I carry with me also the great outpouring of love you have showered me with… and demonstrated it with calls, cards, dinners and sighs too deep for words.
I go next Friday to India; will visit my Mom and family and then move to Nepal.
Nepal may be far; but you have a friend now there.
So I wont say Good-bye but See you soon in Katmandu.

11 Domingo 2007 El Día del Padre

Feliz día del Padre!

Las lecturas son sobre el tema del perdón
A veces es más difícil perdonar a nuestros queridos que a los extranos
Guardamos resentimientos y rencores hacia nuestros parientes por años sin termino.
Escuchamos que Jesus perdono y tenemos que perdonar. Pero ¿por qué?
La historia de Jeffrey Dahmer: Él fue asesinado en la cárcel de Milwaukee a escobazos
Jeffrey había asesinado a 17 jóvenes sin ningun remordimiento y habia cannibalizado a algunos de ellos
Al escuchar que Jeffrey había muerto en la cárcel los familiares de las victimas se enojaron, no por que él había muerto si no porque había muerto sin sufrir aun más.
Ellos no lo perdonaron.
Un Chaplin de la cárcel nos da otra cara de la vida de Jeffrey. Él había crecido sin ninguna familia y después de un tiempo en la cárcel se había arrepentido de sus crímenes y habia sido bautizado en la cárcel. Pasaba su tiempo leyendo la Biblia y ayudando a otros prisioneros.
La pregunta es: ¿Él merecia el perdón? Algunos familiares de las victimas dicen No, nunca.
Porque Perdón? Porque hay que perdonar?
La primera razón es para que pare el ciclo de la pena y la culpa, para romper la cadena de falta de gracia y más pena.
El resentimiento nos deja atrás en el pasado y nunca nos da la libertad de avanzar
Hay una historia de Adán y Eva. Los dos vivieron hasta sus 900 años de edad.
Cada día al amanecer en el desierto y en la pobreza, Adán decía: Es tu culpa: Tu me diste del fruto prohibido?
Y Eva respondía: Es tu culpa: Tu comiste.
El autor colombiano Gabriel García Marques en su novela: El amor en el tiempo de Colera cuenta una historia del fracaso de un matrimonio. Fracaso por la falta de un jabón. A La esposa un día se le olvido comprar y re llenar el jabón en el baño. El esposo le dijo el día siguiente: Hace una semana que me baño sin jabón….es tu culpa. La esposa respondió con enojo: Tu mientes:
De hecho la esposa había olvidado comprar el jabón, pero las palabras del esposo la hirieron gravemente y luego los dos comieron la cena en silencio, y durmieron en cuartos diferentes. Y asi vivieron por el resto sus vidas. Por un pedazo de jabón se deslizo y se resbalo el matrimonio y fracaso la relacion matrimonial.
Ninguno de los dos tenia la magnanimidad de decir: Es locura, o lo siento y perdóname.
El perdón no juzga sobre la culpa ni la razon. El perdón no procede de la evaluación de la culpa y la justicia. Yo no te juzgo a ti merecedor del perdón después de haber medido toda la situación
Es un don no algo merecido. Es una oportunidad de re empezar de nuevo la vida
Los seres humanos son diferentes que los animales en que tenemos la capacidad de arrepentirnos y perdonar.
En verdad, esto no es natural, esto es sobre natural.
El perdón sobre sale la ley natural que guía a los animales.
Y, ¿qué pasara, que será la consecuencia de no perdonar?
Al no perdonar, el odio nos esclavisa en la prisión del pasado, y en cárcel del resentimiento. Un rabí judío antes de inmigrar a los E U dijo: Antes de llegar a los E U yo tuve que perdonar a Hitler, quien mata millones de judíos. Yo no quería traer dentro mi este odio.. Yo queria empezar de nuevo.
Otra razón para perdonar es que esto nos ayuda a nosotros, mas que a los demás.
El primero y talvez el único que sana a través del perdón es la persona quien perdona.
Los hermanos de José, el hijo de Jacob, le tiraron en el pozo y lo vendieron por 20 monedas. Pero José les perdono a sus hermanos y nombro su hijo Manase, es decir, El que Perdona.
El perdón nos librara del sentimiento de la culpa.
Henry Alexander un miembro de Klan, KKK, un día saco a un hombre negro de su carro y le empujo a su muerte de un puente alto. 20 anos después cuando lo arrestaron, el jurado del 12 blancos le dejaron en libertad. Pero antes de morir confeso a su esposa que había matado a esa persona. La viuda escribió una carta a otra viuda pidiendo perdón en el nombre de su esposo. Las dos abrazaron y rompieron circulo del odio y la cadena del mal.
Perdonar no es igual que olvidar. Después de la resurrección Jesus pregunto a Pedro tres veces: Tu me amas! Para recordarle que había negado tres veces. Recordar no para castigarlo, sino para perdonarlo.
Últimamente, hay una sola respuesta de esta pregunta: ¿Por qué tenemos que perdonar? Tenemos que perdonar porque no hay otra opción. Si no quiere perdonar, tenemos que dejar ser cristianos. Si no perdonamos, no tenemos el derecho de llamar a Dios como Padre
Ni al rezar el padre nuestro
Ni a recibir la comunión
Los que no perdonan no son Cristianos, los discípulos de Cristo quien perdono a sus perseguidores con esta oración: Padre, perdónales porque no saben lo que hacen.
Somos hijos / hijas de este padre que perdona siempre;
Somos hermanas/os de este Cristo quien no solo perdono sino rezo por los malhechores.
No perdonamos porque los demás son buenos, o habrían arrepentido , sino porque nosotros estamos perdonados por el Padre que esta bueno.
Celebremos esta misa con espíritus humildes y corazones contritos y ofensas perdonados y perdonando a los demas.
Así sea amen.

(indebted to Philip Yancey: What’s so amazing about Grace? Chapter on “Why Forgive?”)

RCIA Bible Fundamentalism
(From Raymond E Brown Reading the Gospels with the Church Pages77 ff)
Is every word in the Bible from God?
Bible is the Word of God. This means it has both the Divine element (of God) and Human element (Word.)
A literalist interpretation destroys the very nature of the Bible as a human expression of divine revelation.
In other words, Bible is inspired by God but written down by human beings of limited knowledge and wisdom.

Some Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t waste time arguing over individual biblical texts with fundamentalists. The question is much larger-an overview of God, of religion, of Christianity and of the nature of Bible.
Don’t attack fundamentalists as if they were fools. They are trying to preserve their faith in God in the only way they know. If a fundamentalist is convinced by your argument that he is in error, s/he will not become a moderate but an atheist!
Don’t be sure that fossils prove evolution! For a fundamentalist, God created the world with fossils in it!
Don’t use bible texts as pietistic homily jumping off points.
DO…read Bible in an intelligent way. A scholarly approach to the Bible is both intellectually stimulating and spiritually nourishing.

Ten Challenges and responses:

· Why don’t Catholics see the Scriptures as containing the fullness of God’s revelation instead of always running to the teaching authority of the Catholic Church for God’s truth? The Roman Catholic Church considers itself a biblical Church in the sense that it acknowledges and proclaims the Bible to God’s word. In the teachings of Moses, the prophets, and in the teachings of Jesus and the proclamation of the apostles, to which the scriptures bear witness, the Catholic Church acknowledges a unique self-revelation by God to human beings. Church teaches that there is sufficiency in the revelation witnessed by the Bible in the sense that neither a new revealer nor new special revelations are necessary for men and women to find the will of God and the grace of salvation. So the C C does not teach new revelation but tries to proclaim the biblical revelation in light of new problems and questions in each generation. In this the CC depends on the abiding guidance of the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus.
· By the way what do you understand by Roman Catholic Church?
The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVl. It traces its origins to the original Christian Community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the 12 Apostles, in particular St. Peter. The Catholic Church is the largest Christian Church and the largest organized body of any world religion with 1098366000 members divided into 2782 dioceses worldwide at the end of 2006. It is called Roman Catholic Church to indicate communion with the See of Rome.

· The Bible teaches that we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ, our sole mediator with God. Why do Catholics contradict this by teaching that people can be saved through good works or by praying to the saints?

The church teaches that redemption is through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Human beings do not earn salvation through good works. The saints pray for us and with us. This may be useful or salutary but not necessary. Christ is necessary. Only through His name are we saved.

· Aren’t we saved through the personal relationship to Jesus Christ? Then why the Church?
Yes, we are saved through Christ and must respond in a personal way to JC. However, Jesus Christ emphasized the community of those in need, hungry, lost and fearful. Personal relation to J C, requires connectedness with those whom he considers his members-the church.
· What is the significance of Holy Mass as a sacrifice if Christ sacrificed himself once for all?
Jesus also said: “Do this in memory of me.” And the church following this command to remember breaks bread, which is His body, and shares the cup, a communion in his Blood.
This is not a NEW sacrifice, nor is it a separate sacrifice from the one on the Cross.
· Why sacraments? Why not go to Jesus directly?
The church does not give grace-only God does, through JC. And the way God works is through human intermediaries and signs.
· Is Pope the head of the Church? Or is it Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and the pope does not have any authority independent of Jesus Christ. The pope in union with the faithful and other leaders supply the guidance to the whole church, keeping it in truth of the Gospel.
· What is the place of Mary in the CC?
Mary is specially honored as the mother of God incarnate. Also as the first to accept the identity of Jesus Christ as Son of God and hear the word of God, treasure it and to say to God: Let it be done to me according to your word, and the one to remain faithful until the end, even to the foot of the cross.
She is not a God(dess), but a human in need of redemption. God redeemed her and kept her from all sins from the first moment of her life. The doctrines of Immaculate Conception and Assumption, although not found in the New Testament, are however consonant with the view of Mary as pure and redeemed.
· 9 Who can interpret and how to interpret the Bible?
The Roman Catholic Church has rarely, if ever, defined what a text of the Bible meant to the person who wrote it. The Church encourages interpreters of Bible to discover with all the means available to them what individual passages meant when they were written and encourages all of its members to read the Bible for spiritual nourishment.
Church Interpretation for Catholics primarily deals not with what the Biblical text meant when it was written, but with what it means for the life of the Christian community in subsequent eras. On essential issues the Spirit who inspired the Scriptures will not allow the whole community of believers to be misled about faith and about moral behavior.
Individuals reading from the Bible may come to radical conclusions. This has indeed happened in the course of history. Some have even denied that Christ was divine, or human, or both; others the Resurrection, Creation by God, the 10 Commandments. The Catholic Church takes its guidance on interpreting such biblical matters not only from the Holy Spirit but also from the long tradition of Christian teaching.
· Are there any errors in the Bible?
The Catholic Church believes and teaches that the Bible communicates without error that truth which God intended for the sake of our salvation.
The church also resists modern attempts to make the Bible answer questions and problems that the biblical authors never thought of. The Church also resists the attempt to apply without qualification biblical texts to problems not envisioned by it.
The church resists the use of biblical interpretation to support scientific or historical statements that lay beyond the competency of the biblical authors in their times.

First Sunday of Lent 2007
The Temptations of Jesus (Lk 4_)

The First Reading from Deuteronomy encapsulates in a few sentences the God experience of Israel- A God who hears the cry of the oppressed and leads them out to freedom.
This God continues to walk with the people leading them to new lands and newer experiences. Jesus is not a break with the God of Abraham and Moses. Jesus, too, leads to God. Jesus is the Way.
And the way to God is through the desert. And temptations. Even for Jesus.
Adam and Eve wanted to be like God, as if they had created themselves, and so presumed they could do as they pleased.
And thus be happy.
And look at the human history since then:
Many fold increase in wealth over the centuries for many, for sure;
and unmitigated poverty for most, unfortuntely;
wars in every age and place,
rise and fall of empires,
subjugation to slavery and constant battles for freedoms,
and amazing graces in spite of everything.
The temptations to take the easy way out of the human condition of being a creature, to use any method, even the devil, to dominate other peoples and cultures especially if they serve our bloated needs and wants, are constants in all of human history.
So is the faith of those who refuse to bow down to the powers of darkness.
And so, what do Jesus’ temptations have got to do with any of these or with us?
First of all that God was not absent in the desert or in the temptations. It was the Spirit that led Jesus to the desert.
Second of all, there is a self assurance in Jesus that is the hallmark of the one whose self worth comes not from the abundance of goods, power or popularity, but from God who says: “You are my beloved, on you my favor rests.” Nothing else is of any significance.
And ultimately what the tempter wants is allegiance. “Give up your allegiance to God and give it to me!”
And the final victory is in putting our complete trust in, and our allegiance to, the One who is our Creator, as Jesus did.
After all, “our hearts are created for God, and they are restless until they rest in God.”

Love your enemies!

David spared Saul when Saul was searching to kill him.
And David takes the moral high ground.
We don’t associate this leap into loving ones enemies with the Old Testament way.
However a careful reading will tell us that there is a growing perception there that God is more interested in mercy and love and compassion.
Even today some one forgiving another, especially the enemy, stands out as heroic rather than the norm.
When Pope John Paul the second forgave his would be assassin the world thought it was heroic. But the Pope himself said
“I am only following what my master said to do and as a Christian I am duty bound to do this.”
Duty bound ? Why ?
Let us begin at the beginning.
Remember your baptism?
I justl baptized 3 children this afternoon
They were anointed with the chrism, oil of baptism.
Christ word means the anointed, and so
Christ is the anointed one.
And so at baptism we all become the anointed, or Christs…little christs. And so when we accept baptism we are agreeing to be like the Christ. Jesus the Christ.
And so what he taught, what he did is our norm, not a heroic choice for some, but a norm for all, as individuals, as communities and as nations.
And this probably is one of Jesus’ most difficult teachings. Many through the centuries have decided that these non violent standards are unrealistic, impractical and therefore not binding.
In our own times some people have tried this and practiced this , not only in their personal lives but in the political and social arenas as well.

Gandhi comes to mind.
After the massacre of about 2000 unarmed Indians in the state of Punjab by the British army, the country was ready to kill every English man and some politicians thought it was time for some violent revolution to gain national independence.
Gandhi stepped in and said: Freedom gained by force and violence is not real freedom nor is it according to God’s will…and so he began his education of the people and himself in the method and meaning of NON Violence as a political tool. It is worth studying.
And of course we have Martin Luther King Jr in our own country.
His Nobel price acceptance speech in December 10 of 1964 bears witness to his abiding faith in Non Violence as the only Christian way to freedom and equality.
His own close followers demurred at it.
(See his speech..)
Even as we are here in this church, we know it seems beyond hope: The headlines this very morning says: 2 Car bombs kill 56, injure 127, 8 US troops die in afganistan.
So is it practical in the economic arena, social sphere, or political world, this teaching of Jesus?
How about Israel-palestinian conflct
How about this so called war on terror?
Is there a Christian response?
Does Jesus want us be door mats so that all and any terrorist can walk over us?
Is there a way of challenging the aggressor without taking revenge?
It wont sell too many tickets in the box office.
Jesus did challenge the hypocrites and those in power to be just and merciful and compassionate. He stood up to the soldier who slapped him.
Are standing up for justice and forgiveness contradictory terms?
I don’t think so.

Someone told me today that she wished this country had chosen another response, a more Christ like response to the attack of September of 2001
May be it is impossible… not workable.

However, I would like to end with a story that happened last month..
The story began in 1996 in a small town of central part of India: A nun from Kerala Rani Maria, nun of the Fransciscan Clarist congregation was traveling by bus
Was dragged out in broad day light
Her right hand was chopped off
Assailant stabbed her 50 times
And told every one
She deserved it, because she was converting gullible poor villagers into Christianity by enticing them with money.
Actually she was working with the villagers , in micro credit, and in Organizing…
So money lenders and land owners , who are also powerful politicians, were very upset about the organizing , about losing these captive clients.
Hence the Accusation…She was doing it all to increase the number of Christians… not because she cared for the poor.
The name of the murderer was Samand Singh
After an year he was arrested and tried and convicted for murder and given 99 years in jail
However the parents of the Nun, wrote to the governor the state a clemency petition asking that he be pardoned and released. The reason: Our daughter had dedicated her life to a person who said: Forgive your enemies, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who persecute you … And our daughter would have wanted that and we want that too/
After 9 years in prison he was released August of 2006.
In December 2006 Saamand singh made a pilgrimage…to the home of the old and ailing parents of Sr Rani Maria
Fell at their feet and asked to be forgiven.
They embraced
And the other sister, also a nun, hugged him and accepted him as a brother.
He went back to his village and now there are many more Christians in that village and the work of the nuns and church is so much more easy and productive on behalf of the poor.
Forgiveness still works.
And it can work in our lives too
Let the power of God which comes to us through these Sacraments of the Body and Blood of Jesus work its power in us

3 Sunday
Year C
January 21, 2007 11:00am Blessed Sacrament (Hollywood) by Fr Michael Caruso,S.J. LMU

1. Most people seem to grow up and leave home, moving to another part of the city, another state, or even another country. Yet there are always pulls and strings that may bring us back to where we grew up. And yet, when we return to our homes, it is always a very different experience…different in how we remember it, or the picture in our mind.

2. Today, Jesus goes back to his home town where he grew up and entered the synagogue; this synagogue was a place where the Jews of Nazareth gathered each week to read, proclaim, and study the scriptures…it was a school, a religious school. It was an extension of the home, a place where the lessons were brought home to the house of Mary and Joseph. There was a link between these places, the home and synagogue.

3. If you have ever had the chance to go back to your school, it is an amazing experience. Last fall, I went to the 50th anniversary of the founding of the high school I attended. A few teachers that I had were there. When did they grow old? I thought they were immortal! I thought of the four years of my life I spent at that school and all the sacrifices that had been made. The rooms always look smaller than you remember. The people who are no longer there still are present in your mind.

4. Catholic schools have a special mission to advance the lessons taught at church and at home. The evidence and research on Catholic schools continually highlights that students attain excellent achievement. But ultimately what distinguishes these schools is the great commitment of the believing community; the parish family.

5. In the United States, Catholic schools have always been an outreach to immigrants. Initially, this outreach was to the immigrants from Europe, but in our day and age, we need to remember our history and reach out to new immigrants from central and south America, from Asia. Many people come to this country from places where Catholic schools are associated with the wealthy and privileged; but that is not the reality of the United States. The archdiocese of Los Angeles is committed to find a place for every student who wants a Catholic school education.

6. This doesn’t mean that sending a child to a Catholic school will come without some sacrifice. Our parishes are obligated to pay a living wage to our dedicated teachers. Look at your own school. Any teacher here could substantially increase his or her salary by going to the public system. However, they are here because of a tremendous dedication and a sense of dedication: to bring glad tidings, to proclaim liberty, to open eyes, and to teach the fundamental lessons of our faith.

7. Each generation faces it educational challenges. In the early 1800s there were enormous waves of anti-Catholicism, which fueled the movement to build Catholic schools. But later, this anti-Catholicism would get enshrined into the laws of almost every state with the Blaine amendments, which do not permit any public funds to go to Catholic schools. This did not deter our ancestors. They made sacrifices to build parishes and schools. Many young men and women stepped forward to staff these institutions as sisters, brothers, and priests. With the diministhment of this workforce, lay men and women have taken up the work.

8. Today, it is the challenge of resolve; to help families see that our schools are the best place for an education. That the link between the Catholic school and the home is of supreme importance. At the baptismal liturgy, the priest or deacon says to the parents that they will be the first and best teachers of their child in the faith. An awesome responsibility. But we too have an obligation to help these parents.

So today, as Jesus visits his old home and school; I invite you to revisit your own school experience with a sense of gratitude to those who made that possible. But also consider how you might continue to help this great apostolate of the church today.

FORGIVENESS:

Read: Stories Jesus told to explain why he did what he did:
Luke Ch 15: 1-24: Lost sheep, lost coin and lost sons.
Mathew: Ch 18: 21-35…How often must I forgive?
Luke: 7: 36-50 Jesus welcomes a sinner.
John 20: 22-23: Receive the Holy Spirit, Forgive Sins.
CCC: 978-987, 1856 on Forgiveness of Sins.

Your personal reflections on the stories:
In the story of the Prodigal son, which character reminds you most of yourself?
Did the Younger son get off too easily?
Were you there, ever?
How are sin and forgiveness related?
Which is easier? To forgive others, or to forgive oneself?
What does it feel like being forgiven?
Example of Peter in the Gospel passion narratives…
Example of Judas: Did he forgive himself?
More questions:
Is God a forgiving God in the Hebrew Bible? ( OT)
What does it mean to be forgiven or to forgive?
Forgive and remember, or forgive and forget?
Are there any conditions for receiving forgiveness?
In the creed we profess: “We believe in the forgiveness of sins”.
…”There is no one, however wicked and guilty, who may not confidently hope for forgiveness, provided his/her repentance is honest. …Christ who died for all desires that in his Church the gates of forgiveness should always be open to anyone who turns away from sin..” (Roman Catechism).
St Ambrose of 3rd Century says:
The Lord wills that his disciples possess a tremendous power: that his servants accomplish in his name all that he did when he was on earth…

RCIA Calendar 2006- 2007
Tuesdays: 7 P M to 9 PM. 2006
09/19 Introduction
09/ 26 Conversion: Call of God ^ Response
10/03 Word of God
10/10 Church as community
10/17 Prayer
10/24 Faith
10/31 All Saints/All Souls
11/07 Liturgy
11/14 Tour of the Church
11/21 Sacraments/overview
11/28 Sacraments
12/05 Sacraments/Rite of Acceptance
12/12 Advent..Meaning of
12/19 Creed
12/26 No Session

2007

Jan 2 Morality
01/09 Morality
01/16 Sin
01/23 Forgiveness
01/30 Reconciliation
02/06 Sacrament of Baptism.
02/13 Sacrament of Baptism
02/20 Ash Wednesday
02/27 Sacrament of Initiation
03/06 Sacrament of Marriage
03/13 First Scrutiny/Marriage

03/20 2nd Scrutiny/Eucharist
03/27 3rd Scrutiny/Reconciliation sacramnt
04/03 Sacrament of Holy Orders
04/5-8 Easter Triduum
04/05 Holy Thursday: Washing of feet etc.
04/06 Good Friday: Veneration of +
04/07 AM Rehearsal
04/07 PM Easter Vigil: Celebration of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation
04/17 Faith Sharing
04/24 Faith Sharing
05/01 Faith Sharing
05/08 Faith Sharing
05/15 Faith Sharing
05/22 Faith Sharing

End with Pentecost Mass on Sunday.

Sundays : 9 AM/or 11 AM Mass : 200609/24 25 th Sunday10/01 26th Sunday10/08 27th Sunday
10/15 28th Sunday
10/22 29h ( Carnival)
10/29 30st Sunday
11/05 31st Sunday
11/12 32ndd Sunday
11/19 33rd Sunday of the Year

11/26 Christ The King Sunday
12/3 Advent 1st Sunday:Rite of Acceptance
12/10 2nd Sunday of Advent
12/17 3rd Sunday of Advent/ RETREAT
12/24 4th Sunday of Advent
12/25 Christmas

2007
01/07 Epiphany Sunday
01/14 Baptism of Jesus Christ
01/21 2nd Sunday of Year
01/28 3rd Sumday of Year

02/04 4th Sunday of year
02/11 5.t Sunday of the year
02/18 6h Sunday of the year21 Feb ASH WEDNEDAY
02/25 First Sunday of Lent

Mar 4 Second Sunday of Lent

03/11 Third Sunday of Lent
First Scrutiny
03/18 Fourth Sunday of Lent Second Scrutiny
03/25 Fifth Sunday of Lent Third Scrutiny RETREAT DAY AWAY
04/01 Palm Sunday
04/08 EASTER SUNDAY
04/15 First Sunday of Easter

04/22 2nd Sunday of Easter
04/29 3rd Sunday of Easter
05/06 4th Sunday of Easter
05/13 5th Sunday of Easter
05/20 6th Sunday of Easter
05/27 PENTECOST SUNDAY

Esquipulas significa la tierra de las flores en el idioma Indígena. Yo no he visto pero creo que la tierra de las Esquipulas es tierra hermosa y llena de flores.
¿Que dice los chapines y chapinas aquí presentes? Y que significa la fiesta del Cristo crucificado, o cristo Negro, asociado con ese lugar tan hermoso.
Sabemos, que
Desde los tiempos en que los Europeos colonizaron el mundo y desde del comercio de los esclavos el color negro había sido desvalorizado.

El mundo no había escuchado todavía lo que Martín Luther King Jr, (Lo Recordamos hoy a El) quien dijo:

Yo sueno con un tiempo cuando mis hijos un dia viviran en la nación donde ellos seran juzgados o valorados no por el color de su piel sino por su carácter…
Martín Luther King sabia y vivia una vida desvalorizada.

A tal grado que según el diccionario Oxford la palabra Negro/a significa Pesimista (lo ve tan negro) y el Negrero es el comerciante y negociante de los esclavos.

Porque llamamos a Jesus, un ciudadano de Palestino, el hijo de Maria, el Hijo de Dios, como Cristo Negro?
Por la madera que se volvió de color negro? O
Por algo mas?

Algunas frases de San Pablo nos ayudan a entender a Cristo y a esta fiesta.
Leemos en la carta a los filipenses

“Aunque compartía la naturaleza divina igual a Dios por propio derecho, sin embargo, El se redujo a nada, tomando la condición de Esclavo…se rebajo a si mismo…”, o en otra traducción, “ Cristo siendo de condición divina se despojo de si mismo tomando condición de esclavo…

El no era ningún colonizador, sino alguien colonizado por los Romanos
El no era ningun negrero, sino de hecho un Esclavo.

Donde vamos a encontrarlo a El?

Vamos a leer del evangelio de San Juan quien dice:

“Durante la cena, sabiendo que el Padre le había puesto todo en sus manos y que había salido de Dios, y a Dios volvía, se levanta de la mesa, se quita sus vestidos y tomando una toalla, se la ciño.. Luego echa agua en un platón y se puso a lavar los pies de los discípulos y secárselos….Lo encontramos a pie de sus discípulos.

El de hecho se hizo un esclavo.

No solo por el color de su piel en esquipulas, sino de hecho por su obra.

Era una obra de teatro?
Creo que No, hizo esto porque,
“Nosotros los humanos estábamos lejos de Dios por nuestros pecados
y en Cristo crucificado ahora hemos llegado a estar cerca de Dios por la sangre de Cristo y por su cruz mojada y banada con su sangre, y por su obediencia total.

Además, Cristo levantado en la cruz hizo un solo pueblo de los muchos pueblos derribando el muro divisorio entre los humanos. El había dicho: Yo cuando haya sido levantado de la tierra atraere todo.

Es por Cristo que ahora tenemos libre acceso al Padre en un mismo Espíritu de Dios.
Así pues, no somos extranjeros ni forasteros sino ciudadanos del reino de Dios y familiares de Dios.

No importa de donde vengamos, de Estados Unidos, de Guatemala, de El Salvador, de México…o aun de la India.

Entramos a la iglesia con muchas banderas; Pero ahora
Tenemos una sola bandera y se llama la cruz.
Tenemos un solo Maestro y Señor o Dueño, se llama El Cristo,

Tenemos una sola familia en este mundo y un solo padre que esta en el cielo como nos enseño su hijo amado, Cristo Jesus.

Tenemos una fuerte piedra angular de nuestra fe. Se llama Cristo Jesus.
Cristo Negro significa entonces que hemos sido revestidos de la vestidura de Cristo y hemos sido nuevamente re valorizados..

Otra vez En las palabras de San Pablo:
Ahora no hay griego o judío, barbero o civilizado, esclavo o libre sino que todos somos uno e igual en Cristo.

En las palabras de juicio final El es el juez que juzgara no por nuestro color, sino por nuestras obras.
Y en las palabras de Juan Bautista Él es el cordero de Dios que quita nuestros pecados.
Y en las palabras de Dios Padre: Él es mi hijo amado… En él me complazco… Escúchenlo…y síganlo.
Por eso estamos aquí con los chapines y las chapinas.
Esto es lo que celebramos esta noche con danzas y cantos.
Esta Es buena nueva.
Alegrémonos… y celebremos.

Así Sea Amen.

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