13th Sunday: Wis 1:13-15, 2:23-24. 2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15. Mk 5:21-43. The Gospel this weekend is this: Mk 5:21-43 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. 22 One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her * that she may get well and live." 24 He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. 25 There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. +27 She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. 28 She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." 29 Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her afflictio. 30 Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" 31 But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'" 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." 35 While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher +any longer?" 36 Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." 37 He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." 40 And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. 41 He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" 42 The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. (At that) they were utterly astounded. 43 He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat. The first reading is this: Wis 1:13-15, 2:23-24. God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. 14 For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, And there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the nether world on earth, 15 For justice is undying… 2:23 For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. 24 But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it. The second reading is this: 2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15. Now as you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also… 9 * For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich… 13 not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality 14 your surplus at the present time should supply their needs, so that their surplus may also supply your needs, that there may be equality. 15 As it is written: "Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less." MEDITATION: This Sunday deals with that big challenge which we all have to face: physical death! The call to help people and to share wealth with others (2ndreading) is included as a good way to prepare for that challenge. Of course it's relevant to me that the woman afflicted with haemorrhages had spent much money in vain on doctors! Christ cures much better. This crazy Irish doctor (me) became a priest! Some people may think that the reality of illness and death, which awaits us all, contradicts our faith in a loving God, but I think it's actually a clever twist on our path of life which gets us to ‘wake up’ and put effort into obeying Christ. The Trinity want to train us. A good sports trainer gets his lads to run and train hard in order to become good players. If they are eventually victorious, then they are grateful for the way the trainer had pushed them on and on. Christ is offering an eternal victory to us! I liked the way some good rugby trainers in my school used to run and train along with us, rather than shout instructions from the side-line. The Son of God himself became flesh And blood like us precisely so that we wouldn't feel alone as we put effort into our 'training'. He voluntarily 'carries the load' along with us. In fact He carries a much bigger load. The way He carried the cross up the 'vía dolorosa' to Calvary represents the way God is continually putting effort into our victory. Some may complain that if there is an almighty Trinity, then it's them that have imposed problems on us such as illness and death, but the fact that we are all limited by illness and death, doesn't mean that they must be bad! I see them as challenges that inspire us to make effort and thereby they rescue us from the proud, lazy mistake of thinking that we don't need to take Christ seriously. If a solution is offered to us, as is offered by Christ, then it's well worth while for us to put effort into obeying Him. It means facing up to challenges and resisting temptations, but it's for our own good. All of us have to resist some kind of temptations, and I suppose that that's why we say that the devil is an active individual that inflights death on us (First reading). But rather than some kind of active supernatural creature out there, I suppose talking of the 'devil' is a symbolic way of talking of the tendency inside all of us to avoid the call of Christ when it requires effort. So the Trinity are trying to cure death rather than having allowed some devil to cause it. But will we allow them to cure us? Jesus undertook death for us in order to overcome death. He opened the gateway to eternal life. We thank him for that ('eucharist'), and not just by appearing at mass on Sunday, but by loving with generosity throughout the week. I suppose that's why the second reading is there today. Paul is asking the wealthy Corinthians to help the poor. Jesus doesn't prevent our physical deaths, but he opens the door to Eternal Life, so let’s put effort into going through that door! ……………Dara. En Español: 13º Domingo: Sabiduría 1:13-15, 2:23-24. 2ºCor 8:7, 9, 13-15. Mc 5:21-43. Este domingo habla del desafío grande que nos espera a todos: ¡la muerte física! La llamada a ayudar a la gente y a compartir con otros (2º lectura) es incluida como forma buena de prepararse para este desafío. ¡Claro es pertinente a mí que la mujer afligida con hemorragias había gastado mucho dinero en vano en doctores! Cristo cura mucho mejor. ¡Este doctor irlandés loco (yo) llegó a ser un sacerdote! Algunas personas pueden pensar que la realidad de enfermedad y muerte que nos espera a todos contradice nuestra fe en un Dios amoroso, pero yo creo que realmente es una torcedura diestra en nuestro camino de vida que nos hace poner el esfuerzo en obedecer a Cristo. La Trinidad quiere entrenarnos. Un entrenador bueno de los deportes les hace a sus muchachos correr y entrenar difícilmente para llegar a ser jugadores buenos. Si son finalmente victoriosos, entonces agradecen que el entrenador los había empujado a entrenar. ¡Cristo está ofreciendo una victoria eterna a nosotros! Me gustaba como algunos entrenadores buenos del rugby en mi escuela corrían y entrenaban junto con nosotros, en lugar de simplemente gritar instrucciones desde los lados. El mismo Hijo de Dios se encarnó y vivió en nuestra tierra precisamente para que no nos sintiéramos solos cuando nos toca esforzarnos en nuestro ‘entrenamiento’. Él voluntariamente 'lleva la carga' junto con nosotros. De hecho, Él lleva una carga mucho más grande. Él llevó la cruz por ‘la via dolorosa’ al Calvario y eso representa como Dios está poniendo el esfuerzo continuamente en nuestra victoria. Algunos pueden quejarse de que si hay un Trinidad omnipotente, entonces son Ellos que han impuesto los problemas como la enfermedad y la muerte, pero el hecho de que estamos todos limitados por enfermedades y la muerte, no significa que ellos son una pena. Los veo como desafíos que nos inspiran a poner esfuerzo y entonces nos rescatan del error orgulloso de pensar que no necesitamos tomar a Cristo en serio. Si una solución nos está ofrecida, como ofrece Cristo, entonces merece bien la pena poner el esfuerzo en obedecerle. Significa aguantar desafíos y resistir tentaciones, pero es para nuestro propio bien. Todos tenemos que resistir algún tipo de tentación, y la primera lectura dice que el diablo es un individuo activo que nos impone la muerte. Pero, no creo que está hablando de alguna criatura activa sobrenatural, sino creo que hablar del 'diablo' es una forma simbólica de hablar de la tendencia que tenemos todos por dentro de perezosamente evitar la llamada de Cristo. La Trinidad está intentando curar la muerte y no es que dejan a algún diablo causarla. ¿Pero les permitiremos curarnos a nosotros? Jesús emprendió la muerte para nosotros para superar la muerte. Él abrió la entrada a la vida eterna. Le agradecemos eso ('la eucaristía'), pero no solamente apareciendo a la misa el domingo, sino amando generosamente a lo largo de la semana. Supongo que es por eso que la segunda lectura está allí hoy. Pablo está pidiéndoles a los corintios adinerados que ayuden a los pobres. Jesús no previene nuestras muertes físicas, sino abre la puerta a la Vida Eterna, ¡entonces pongamos esfuerzo para entrar por esa puerta! ………………Dara. Sunday June 21: Job 3:1, 8-11. 2 Cor 5:14-17. Mk 4:35-41. The Gospel this weekend is this: Mk 4:35-41. On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, "Let us cross to the other side." 36 Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. 38 Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" 39 He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!" The wind ceased and there was great calm. 40 Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?" 41 They were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?" The first reading is this: Job 3:1, 8-11. 1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day… 8 Let them curse it who curse the sea, the appointed disturbers of Leviathan! 9 May the stars of its twilight be darkened; may it look for daylight, but have none, nor gaze on the eyes of the dawn, 10 Because it kept not shut the doors of the womb to shield my eyes from trouble! 11 Why did I not perish at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? The second reading is this: 2 Cor 5:14-17. For the love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. 15 He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 Consequently, * from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer. 17 So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. MEDITATION: This Sunday Jesus calms the storm on the sea and criticises the apostles for their lack of faith. Getting tossed around in a little boat in a wavy storm doesn't sound like a very pleasant trip, yet Jesus was having a snooze on a cushion in the stern! Of course Jesus had a strong faith, since he is God himself! I think it's calling us all to allow God make our faith firm, so that problems or disappointments don't knock us down. The first reading of Job mentions directly 'the appointed disturbers of Leviathan' (a mythological dragon), but the whole book of Job is relevant because he's a guy who had to go through illness and bad luck. At first he complained about what God had done, but forty chapters later, he gets sense and appreciates that it's not for us to complain to God, since God knows much more than we do. Things then turn out well for Job. Multiple sclerosis is a little example. In the same year that mine was diagnosed (1998), about sixteen people in Leinster (my province) were diagnosed, and of those, six poor souls actually committed suicide. The gift of faith is a really important gift. But as 'storms' come my way in life I won't say “O.K. Lord, I've decided that I'm going to have firm faith in you”, rather I'll humbly ask “Please, Lord, increase my faith in you”! Faith is a gift but also it's up to us to seek it and when we hear his word, to open up to it. It's not always an easy thing to accept at first. It challenges us and gets us to question ourselves, but that's for our good. It's like the way a sports trainer has to push his lads to train well. Our advanced modern world of riches, honours and pleasures will send plenty of temptations, and, in a way, that's like wind and waves on the sea! So let's train well! Also, sometimes living in the world is like waiting for a train in a station. There are many simple things to keep us occupied and entertained like books to read and coffee to drink, and some will enjoy just sitting down and having a rest. But when the right train arrives, one stands up and gets on! The call of Christ is like that. One may have been quite comfortable sitting down, but one doesn't stay there. I think that the incarnation of Christ is like that arrival, so let's get on! Jesus was the Son of God whereas we're just flesh and blood, but he became flesh and blood like us (incarnate) and doesn't ask us to simply praise and applaud him, but to follow him. That is to say to free ourselves of the traps of mundane riches, honours and pleasures. The call is often far from the mundane ambitions that the world has tried to instil in us, so the second reading has Paul asking the Corinthians to open up to a new way of life. The way of Jesus is certainly 'new', but do we really open up to it? Some may fear that being in the Church brings nothing but rules and regulations, but being in the Church involves being in Christ, and it's actually a question of opening up to a real freedom. 'Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."' (Jn 8:31-32). When the caterpillar becomes a butterfly it undergoes what's called metamorphosis - 'change of body' - it leaves it's 'old self' behind. That reflects nicely the call of God to us all. We can 'sprout wings and fly'! The call isn't to mechanically repeat things of the past, rather the life of Jesus, St Paul and the many others in the Bible, are there to instruct and inspire us so that we thereafter allow God to write His Word anew in our own lives. As St Paul put it: we become 'living letters'! 'Poverty, chastity and obedience' are called the 'evangelical councils' for people like me with a vocation. But in a way they're really for everyone. They are a challenge and also a gift. More than a set of 'instructions to follow', I think this is all a question of being in love with Love! People in love gladly do 'crazy' things - and such craziness turns out to be sensible! There are times for making long-term decisions and commitments and faithfulness is great, but we also have to be open to whatever novelties God may want. The one permanent thing is His love and our confident 'trusting' in Him is the thing that need never change! Nearly all Saints had 'storms'… at some stage… but we presume that they ended up in paradise! Christ calls all of us, in some way, to 'cross to the other side'. My religious vocation is one little example among many. Even the wind and sea obey Him this Sunday, and I hope that I am obeying too! The M.S. is just another ‘breeze’ blowing. ...........Dara. En Español: Domingo 12º: Job 3:1, 8-11. 2ºCor 5:14-17. Mc 4:35-41. Este domingo Jesús calma la tormenta en el mar y critica a los apóstoles por su falta de fe. ¡Estar dando vueltas en un pequeño barco en una tormenta ondulada no parece un viaje muy agradable, sin embargo Jesús estaba descansándose sobre un cojín en la parte atrás! ¡No es sorprendente que Jesús tenía una fe fuerte, ya que él era Dios mismo! Creo que nos está llamando a permitirle a Dios afirmar nuestra propia fe, para que problemas o desilusiones no nos derriben. La primera lectura de Job menciona 'los fastidios de Leviatán' (un dragón mitológico), pero el libro entero de Job es pertinente porque él es un tipo que tenía que pasar por enfermedad y mala suerte. Al principio se quejó de lo que Dios le había hecho, pero cuarenta capítulos después, llega a la conclusión que no es para nosotros quejarnos a Dios, ya que Dios sabe mucho más que nosotros. Las cosas después resultan bien para Job. La esclerosis múltiple es un pequeño ejemplo. En el mismo año que la mía fue diagnosticada (1998), se diagnosticó a aproximadamente dieciséis personas en Leinster (mi provincia), y de aquéllos, seis pobrecillos se suicidaron. El regalo de la fe es un regalo muy importante. Pero cuando me pasan ‘tormentas’ en la vida, no voy a decir al Señor "O.K., he decidido que voy a tener la fe firme en ti", más bien voy a pedirle humildemente "Por favor, Señor, aumente mi fe en ti"! La Fe es un regalo pero también depende de nosotros buscarlo y abrirnos a su Palabra cuando la leemos. No es siempre fácil aceptarla al principio. Nos desafía y nos hace cuestionarnos a nosotros mismos, pero eso es para nuestro bien. Es como un entrenador de deportes tiene que empujar a sus muchachos para entrenar bien (“A por ellos!”). ¡Nuestro mundo moderno avanzado, de riquezas, honores y placeres nos presenta tentaciones suficientes, y en cierto modo, eso es como el viento y las olas en el mar! ¡Entonces que entrenemos bien! También, a veces viviendo en el mundo es como esperar por un tren en una estación. Hay muchas cosas simples para mantenernos ocupados y entretenidos, como los libros para leer y el café para beber, y a algunos les gustaría simplemente sentarse y descansar. ¡Pero cuando el tren correcto llega, uno se pone de pie y se monta! La llamada de Cristo es así. Uno puede haber estado sentándose bastante cómodo, pero uno no se queda allí. Creo que la encarnación de Cristo es como esa llegada, ¡entonces montémonos! Jesús era el Hijo de Dios pero nosotros somos sólo carne y sangres, pero él se hizo carne y sangre como nosotros (encarnado) y no nos pide simplemente alabarle y aplaudirle, sino nos llama a seguirle. Es decir a librarse de las trampas de riquezas, honores y placeres mundanas. La llamada muchas veces nos pide alejarnos de las ambiciones mundanas que el mundo ha intentado instilar en nosotros, entonces en la segunda lectura Pablo les pide a los corintios que se abrieran a un nuevo estilo de vida. El estilo de Jesús es ciertamente 'nuevo', pero ¿realmente nos abrimos a él? Algunos pueden temer que estar en la iglesia no nos trae más que reglas y regulaciones, pero estar en la iglesia involucra estar en Cristo, y esto realmente nos lleva a una libertad real. 'Jesús dijo entonces a esos judíos que creyeron en él, "Si permanecéis en mi palabra, seréis de verdad mis discípulos, y sabréis la verdad, y la verdad os hará libres".' (Jn 8:31-32). Cuando el gusano cambia en mariposa, pasa por lo que se llama la metamorfosis - 'el cambio de cuerpo' - 'el ego viejo' sale. Eso refleja bien la llamada de Dios a nosotros todos. ¡Podemos hacer brotar 'las alas y volar'! No estamos llamados a mecánicamente repetir cosas del pasado, más bien las vidas de Jesús, de San Pablo y de los muchos otros en la Biblia, nos instruyen y nos inspiraran a dejarle a Dios escribir su Palabra nuevamente en nuestras propias vidas. ¡Como dice San Pablo: ‘Hemos llegados a ser cartas vivas’! La pobreza, castidad y obediencia son para las personas como mí con una vocación. Pero en cierto modo, son para todos. Son un desafío y también un regalo. Más que ‘instrucciones para obedecer’, creo que se trata de estar enamorado con el Amor! ¡Las personas enamoradas alegremente hacen cosas locas - y tal locura a veces resulta ser muy sensata! A veces hace falta hacer decisiones a largo plazo y con compromisos que son grandes, pero también tenemos que estar abiertos a cualquier novedad que Dios quiere. ¡Lo que sabemos que es permanente es su amor, y nunca habrá falta dejar esta confianza. ¡Casi todos los Santos tenían ‘tormentas’, en alguna fase, pero ellos terminaron en el paraíso! Cristo nos llama a todos, de alguna manera, a 'cruzar al otro lado’. ¡Aún el viento y el mar le obedecen este domingo, y espero que yo también le esté obedeciendo! ........... Dara. June 7 will be Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Cristi): Ex 24:3-8. Heb 9:11-15. Mk 14:12-16, 22-26. The Gospel this weekend is this: Mk 14:12-16, 22-26. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" 13 He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. 14 Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' 15 Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there." 16 The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover… 22 * While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." 23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. 25 Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." 26 Then, after singing a hymn, * they went out to the Mount of Olives. The first reading is this: Ex 24:3-8. 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." 4 Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and, rising early the next day, he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then, having sent certain young men of the Israelites to offer holocausts and sacrifice young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD, 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar. 7 Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, "All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do." 8 Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his." The second reading is this: Heb 9:11-15. When Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, * passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, 12 he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit * offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. 15 For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. MEDITATION: This weekend we celebrate the way in which Christ communicates to us how much he loves us: giving his body and blood on the cross. This is the best of kisses. A kiss between humans may be superficial (a rubbing of the labial epithelium!), or it may be communicating a deep love of heart. The body and blood of Christ are certainly deep and he can heat-up our cold hearts. Human kisses may be superficial or even false. Indeed, it was with a kiss that Judas identified Jesus for his arrest in Gethsemane (Mt 26:49). Jesus was crucified and when they flung in a spear to ensure he was dead, what came out was blood and water (Jn 19:34). The priest puts water in the wine after the Offertory of mass says a little prayer thanking God for mixing our simple humanity with his wonderful divinity (water with wine). It is the mixture that gets consecrated. The symbolism comes from much earlier. The last supper was the traditional Passover dinner. It is in memory of the 'exodus' (escape) when the Jews fled from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12 +). They went from slavery to freedom. They had to get out fast and therefore their bread was Unleavened (the hosts at mass are made of Unleavened Bread). It symbolizes the fact that we’re all ‘on a journey’ and are not going to be a long time in this physical world. The second reading of the letter to the Hebrews describes the sacrifice of Jesus in terms known to the Jews. Talk about the blood of animals may sound ugly to us, but it was a well-known symbol of the first Covenant made by God with Moses (Ex 24). The transition from slavery to freedom was marked with the sacrifice of a lamb without blemish and that is why we speak of the ‘Paschal Lamb’. At the last supper with friends, Jesus passed the bread and wine saying "This is my body and my blood". It all symbolizes God's immense love. Jesus got sacrificed and "This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". So let’s return the kiss - let's repeat a genuine 'Thanksgiving' today's from the heart (Eucharist). Jesus asks the lads in the Gospel today to prepare a room (Mc 14:14). Is Christ perhaps asking that our personal lives today be lives through which God can communicate his love for the world? Note that Moses was asked to write the words of God and read them out loud, so it’s also relevant that the readings are an important part of our celebration of the body and blood of Christ. If we take his body and blood at mass not only in our mouths, but also ‘in our hearts’, then maybe we will make it into the party. I reckon that Christ’s eternal party will be good! ………….Dara. En ESPAÑOL: Junio 7º será Solemnidad del Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo (Fiesta de Corpus Cristi): Ex 24:3-8. Heb 9:11-15. Mc 14:12-16, 22-26. Este domingo celebramos la forma en que Cristo nos comunica cuánto nos ama: dando su Cuerpo y Sangre en la cruz. Es el mejor de los besos. Un beso entre humanos puede ser superficial (un roce del epitelio labial), o puede estar comunicando un amor profundo de corazón. El Cuerpo y la Sangre de Cristo son ciertamente profundos. Y puede calentar nuestros corazones fríos. Los besos humanos pueden ser superficiales o aún falsos. De hecho, fue con un beso que Judas identificó a Jesús para su entrega en Getsemani (Mt 26:49). Jesús se dejó crucificar y cuando se le clavó una lanza para asegurar que estaba muerto, salió sangre y agua (Jn 19:34). El sacerdote pone agua en el vino después del ofertorio de la misa y dice una pequeña oración dando gracias a Dios por mezclar nuestra humanidad sencilla con su divinidad maravillosa (agua con vino). Es la mezcla que acaba consagrada. El simbolismo viene de mucho antes. La Última Cena era la cena tradicional de la Pascua Judía. Es en memoria del ‘éxodo’ cuando escaparon los judíos de su esclavitud en Egipto (Éxodo 12+). Pasaron de la esclavitud a la libertad. Tuvieron que salir rápidos y por eso su pan estaba sin levadura (las ostias de la Eucaristía están hechos de pan ácimo). Simboliza cómo estamos todos de viaje y no vamos a estar mucho tiempo en este mundo físico. La segunda lectura es de la carta a los Hebreos y describe el sacrificio de Jesús en términos conocidos por los Judíos. Hablar de la sangre de toro etc. nos puede sonar feo a nosotros, pero era símbolo bien conocido de la primera Alianza que hizo Dios con Moisés (Ex 24). El paso de la esclavitud a la libertad era marcado con el sacrificio de un cordero sin mancha y es por eso que hablamos de ‘El Cordero Pascual’. En la última cena con sus amigos, Jesús les pasó el pan y el vino diciendo “Este es mi cuerpo y mi sangre”. Todo simboliza el amor inmenso de Dios. Jesús no sacrificó a un cordero, sino a si mismo. “Este es el Cordero de Dios que quita el pecado del mundo”. Entonces devolvamos el beso – hagamos de la misa de hoy una genuina ‘acción de gracias’ (Eucaristía) desde el corazón. Jesús pide en el Evangelio hoy que se prepare una sala (Mc 14:14). ¿Está Cristo quizá pidiendo que nuestras vidas personales hoy sean vidas a través de las cuales Dios puede comunicar su amor por el mundo? Nota también que se pidió a Moisés escribir las palabras de Dios y leerlas para el pueblo, entonces es relevante que las lecturas forman una parte muy importante de nuestra celebración de Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo. Si tomamos su cuerpo y sangre en la misa no solamente en nuestras bocas, sino en nuestros corazones, entonces puede ser que formaremos una parte de la fiesta. ¡La fiesta eterna de Cristo será buena! .......Dara. |
Reflections of faithRead and be inspired by the reflections and experiences of faith, based on the Word of God. Archives
August 2016
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