FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER – C- 2022 

      The liturgy offers for our meditation Jesus as the Good Shepherd     

      The Universal Church dedicates this Sunday to pray especially for vocations to the religious life, diaconate, and priesthood.

      Today the church invites us to be wise sheep, clairvoyant and bold with the urgency to walk together in the following of our only Shepherd.

      The synodal vocation is the most fundamental one of the people of God.

      In the beginnings of the church they called us the group of the “way”, thus, the missionary vocation, to journey following the only Shepherd, is fundamental in the Church.    

 

FIRST READING – ACTS   13:14; 43-52

Ø  Paul and Barnabas who had been sent by the Church of Antioch continue their mission to preach Jesus risen from the dead in  the cities they visit (Hechos 13,4)  

Ø  Each Saturday they go to the Synagogue in town and announce the good news to the people. By that time, the groups of Jesus’ followers were still united to the Jewish practices.   

Ø  Many Jews accept Jesus and become followers of this new Way, but there are also others who oppose them and do not want to listen to them.    

Ø  The disciples tell them (Hechos 1,8) :

o   That they had to announce Jesus first to them the Jewish people, the chosen people of God.    

o   And afterwards to all the other peoples (see Psalm 87) 

Ø  But since they do not consider themselves worthy of it, they will, from now on, preach to the gentiles.    

o   The Jews become indignant, but the gentiles are joyful on hearing that. 

o   The Jews begin a persecution against the apostles who shake the dust from their feet, as Jesus had told them, when he sent them to announce the good news (Mt 10:14)

o   The Jews, as they had done with Jesus, convince others to go against the apostles.   

o   And the reading today ends with the same sentence as last week’s reading: They are full of joy to be persecuted because they follow Jesus and preach about Him.  

 

RESPONSORIAL PSALM  100

WE ARE HIS PEOPLE, THE SHEEP OF HIS FLOCK  

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all you lands    

Worship the Lord with cries of gladness    

Come before him with joyful song.   

WE ARE HIS PEOPLE, THE SHEEP OF HIS FLOCK  

 

Know that the Lord is God   

Our maker to whom we belong    

We are his people, the sheep of his flock     

WE ARE HIS PEOPLE, THE SHEEP OF HIS FLOCK  

 

 Good indeed is the Lord!  

His love endures forever     

And his faithfulness lasts through every age

WE ARE HIS PEOPLE, THE SHEEP OF HIS FLOCK   

«  This psalm is an invitation to rejoice and to enter into the presence of God.  

«  Why?  Because the Lord our God, is our maker, we belong to him, his love and his faithfulness endures forever.  

SECOND READING   Rev   7:9; 14b-17   

ü  We continue to read the book of Revelation, which is a book to give comfort and hope to a people suffering persecution.  This book speaks to us about Jesus risen and glorified at the right hand of the Father. Christ, who is now Lord of Lords and King of Kings. 

ü  This   Christ is Jesus of Nazareth  whom the gospels describe living among us a life vulnerable, simple, humble, without any human power in this world because his power is superior but is found in the smallness, humility and love.

ü  The vision today is awesome; there is a great crowd of people from all nations, colors, languages, races who are before the throne (God the Father) and the Lamb (the Risen Jesus.)   

ü  They all wear white tunics, white is the symbol of everything related to the life of God, the grace of God.    

ü  They have palms in their hands; palms are the symbol of martyrdom, of having given the life for the love of God and for the love and sake of their brothers and sisters, their fellow human beings.   

ü  An elder explains to John what he sees through the open door through which he can contemplate the heavens (Rev 4:1.)  The elder explains to him that these people he sees are those who have survived the great tribulation and washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb    

o   What tribulation is this? Persecution, torture, humiliation, and death for the sake of Jesus. 

o   Their robes had been washed in the blood of the Lamb. This is an estrange image, to make something white with blood. But this is the blood of Jesus who purifies us and cleanses us from all our impurities.  

o   As Scriptures says, “Though your sins be like scarlet, they will become white as snow (Is 1:18.)

ü  In the next paragraph there are many images of the consolation and tender love of our Father God (the One seated on the throne)  

o   He will shelter them   

o   They will not hunger or thirst anymore.  

o   Nor will the sun or any heat strike them    

ü  Because the Lamb who is in the center of the throne     

o   He will shepherd them

o   He will lead them to springs of living water   

o   And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.   

ü  I invite all of us that during this week before the celebration of Good Shepherd’s Sunday we dedicate sometime, if possible, every day to recall all the different ways in which the Good Shepherd has consoled, sheltered, and led us to the waters of gladness.   

GOSPEL  Jn 10:27-30

      This is a short reading but with a powerful message.  

      On reading it we realize that there are two sections: one is about the sheep the other about the Shepherd.    

      We are going to concentrate our attention and meditation on the verbs:   

      THE SHEEP

o   The sheep listen to    

§  To listen   is not the same thing as hearing       

§  Israel’s profession of faith begins with the word “Shema = Listen” Israel. (Dt 6:4)  

§  To listen is to follow what the voice says to us, it is to obey. 

o   They know the Shepherd   

§  To know   does not mean an intellectual knowledge of something that we get through books or any other kind of information.     

§  To know is a living experience is to know a person from the experience of friendship and love.   

§  This verb is used in Scripture to describe the intimate love between a man and a woman.   

§  This means that the sheep know the Shepherd from self-experience. As we read in the book of Job “By hearsay I have heard of You, but now my eye has seen you.” (Jb 42:6)   

o   They follow the shepherd     

§  The meaning of this word is not only to walk behind a person   

§  It means to try to be like that person, whom we follow. It is not only to imitate, but also to assimilate his own way of life and of being, and to make it our own according to our identity or personality.    

o   They will not perish, they will not be snatched  from the hands of the shepherd    

§  Because the Shepherd gives them his own life, life eternal  

§  And no one can take them from the shepherd’s hands, because they belong to the Father and the Father has given them to Jesus.   

      THE SHEPHERD    

o   If the sheep listens it is because the shepherd speaks to them.   

o   He knows   his sheep.

o   He gives them eternal life, thus they will never perish.  

o   If no one can take them out from the shepherd’s hands, it is because the shepherd protects them     

o   The Father is he who has given Him the sheep.   

      The last sentence is a wonderful revelation of the relationship between Jesus and the Father, which we have already heard in the reading from the book of Revelation   

THE FATHER AND I ARE ONE

Let Jesus reveal to us the deep and consoling meaning of this sentence. 

                   CLARETIAN CORNER

   TERESITA ALBARRACÍN (Maria Carmen)

(we continue with the life of our young sister)

Between September 21 and 28, 1941, Fr. Juan José Bona and Angel María Fandos, Claretian Missionaries, preached a popular Mission in which Ma. Carmen participated. The profound impact of this mission on Teresita may be related to the death of her father that affected her so much, as we saw last week. Here we have something similar to what we read in the life of Ma. Antonia Paris, our Foundress, who said that she was converted during a Franciscan Friars mission. Teresita “is converted” during this mission of the Claretian Missionaries.    

The death of her father and the preaching during the mission moved Ma Carmen to consider the future of her life. The author of the document presented to the Holy See tells us that Ma. Carmen discovered her vocation to holiness, and given the absolute character of her dedication, she considered embracing religious life. This is not to say that Ma. Carmen did not enjoy the normal joys of life. His brother Eduardo tells us that his sister also liked boys and that she fell in love with one of them.

When she  made the decision to enter religious life she first thought of the Carmelites because of her admiration for St. Therese of Lissieux, but then she changed her mind and chose the Claretian Missionary Sisters, whose official name is Religious of Mary Immaculate Claretian Missionary Sisters.

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Congregatio de Causis Sanctorum, Mariae Teresiae, Positio super virtutibus.

BUSTICA, Karem. Marcher ensemble en el cuaderno Prions en Église p.68.

FRAILE YÉCORA, Pedro I. Shema, Lee-escucha-ama, San Pablo 2011. .  

RAVASI, Gianfranco, Según Las Escrituras, Año C, 2006

SCHÖKEL, Luis Alonso, comentario a la Biblia de Nuestro Pueblo, 2010

THE CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE, second edition, New American Bible.

 

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER  –  C – 2022

Ø  The Lords offers to Peter the opportunity to reverse his  three denials. ¿Do you lo e me?

Ø  The Lord asks us a question and gives us a mandate: Do you love me?   Shepherd, take care of, love… your sisters and brothers.

THE BOOK OF ACTS

·         The book of the Acts of the Apostles is the second volume of Luke’s work.  Luc’s work has two books, one the Gospel that narrates Jesus life and ministry and the second speaks of the Church. 

·         Luke wants us to understand that the salvation promised to Israel in the Old Testament has been fulfilled by Jesus and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit it has spread to the gentiles also.

·         Those who brought the good news of salvation to the gentiles were the apostles, the 12, that Jesus prepared during his ministry among us. 

·         Jesus sents them after his resurrection telling them “go into the whole world…” This same mission is entrusted to each one of us through our baptism.     

FIRST READING  – Acts  5:27-32. 40-41b.

Ø  The apostles are happy because they have been worthy to suffer humiliation for the sake of the “Name”, that is for Jesus, whom they acknowledge as God.  

Ø  The religious leaders had forbidden them to speak about Jesus, but as the leaders tell them, they have filled Jerusalem with the message about Jesus.   

Ø  The Apostles cannot be silent, they have to proclaim what they have seen and heard.

Ø   We have also seen, with our inner eyes and ears. Does it happen to us as to them that we cannot be silent? That we need to proclaim with joy, enthusiasm and strength what has happened to us.  Or do we keep it for ourselves?   

Ø  They consider themselves witnesses to the wonders God has made in Jesus. They know that the Holy Spirit is also witness to these things.   

Ø  Let us be courageous and daring witnesses for the world to believe and convert to our Lord. May all of us be able to be converted from our sins, and may us live the strength of our baptism in a renewed world.  

RESPONSORIAL PSALM  Sal 30

I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.

I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
 Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
 but with the dawn, rejoicing.
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me 

Ø  This psalm invites us to sing, praise, give thanks to the Lord  

Ø  Because he has changed “my mourning into dancing.” 

Ø  Because the Lord has saved me.    

SECOND READING  Rev. 5:11-14

Ø  The author of the Book of Revelation or Apocalypse, as it is also called, describes a majestic and magnificent scene of the heavenly liturgy.  

Ø  All creatures, he describes them as angels, living beings, old people…  

Ø  All sing aloud and repeat, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive glory and praise… “

Ø  The creatures on the earth, sea and abyss… the whole universe join their voices to this song.

Ø  What a beautiful picture, and what a wonderful invitation to us, to praise our God!  It is an invitation not so much to sing with our voices but with our whole life, with our deeds. It is an invitation to become a living praise of his glory for the world to believe.   

GOSPEL: Jn 21:1-19

This Gospel has several scenes.  

v  Peter is with some of his friends and decides to go back to his “normal” life, the life he had before encountering Jesus. He says, “I go fishing,” They answer “we too.”  

o   They catch nothing during the whole night. We can see in these words “they caught nothing…” something more than not catching fish; their lives cannot be the same anymore. 

o   The one who has encountered Jesus cannot continue to be the same, because this encounter with the Lord has changed him/her.   

o   If she or he wants to continue with the “normal” life, his or her life will be bare, will not give any fruit, will not catch any fish…  

v  When they come back, Jesus has prepared breakfast for them. They are not too sure that it is Jesus, but they do not ask, as always.  John is the one who knows that it is the Lord.

o   After breakfast Jesus has some questions for Peter  

o   Do you love me more than these? To these questions on his love for the Lord, Peter answers quickly the same to the first two questions, “yes, you know that I love you,” but the third time he hesitates recalling  his experience during the Lord’s Passion “Lord you know everything, you know that I love you.”   

v  Yes, the Lord knows that we love him, in spite of our weaknesses, and thus weak, poor, doubting about what we are able to do, he sends us to shepherd, care for, love with tenderness and compassion.   

v  He says with power and tenderness “Follow me” His word makes our following possible.  

v  I have read in a commentary some questions that might be helpful for our prayer   where do I find in my life the disciple that Jesus loved?

Who helps me to see that “it is the Lord!”  

CLARETIAN CORNER

From today on I will share with you about the life and spiritual journey of one of our sisters, who died very young before her 19^th birthday. Those who knew her saw always in her something special, her beatification cause has already been introduced. 

  

MARIA DEL CARMEN ALBARRACÍN (called TERESITA ALBARRACÍN OF JAMES THE …. Sin her novitiate) She was born on May 1st, 1927, in Puerto Mazarrón of the Province of Murcia in Spain.   Her father was a hardworking and enterprising man, planning and executing various engineering projects related to mines,  honest, compassionate, always ready to help whoever needed something, great admirer of Jesus but not of the ministers of the church. He died shortly after the end of the Spanish civil war. Her mother, a woman of a great piety which she tried to instill in all her children, was also very compassionate and ready to help everyone in need.   She was number 6 among her nine children of her parents.    The childhood of Maria del Carmen, like that of all the children of her age in Spain were affected by the terrible experience of the war, she was 9 years old when the civil war began.  The death of her father before she was forteen years old deeply affected her and all that knew her then coincide in saying that the death of her father was the cause of a profound encounter with the Lord.   . (Positio super virtutibus pp. 51-58)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Congregatio de Causis Sanctorum, Mariae Teresiae, Positio super virtutibus.

Conferencia de Obispos de España, Sagrada Biblia, versión oficial 2012

 

 

 

 

 

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER –   2022

«  The Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus   during 8 days  as if it were Easter Sunday itself.

«  And each Sunday of the Easter Season is called FIRST SUNDAY OF EASTER, SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER, THIRD…

¡ALLELUIA,  JESUS, THE LORD IS RISEN!!!! 

FIRST READING . Acts of the Apostles 5, 12-16    

As we have said last week, during the liturgical season of Easter the first Reading is taken from the book of the Acts. 

Today’s reading describes what the apostles were doing and how the people looked at them:   

Ø  They did wonderful things and they healed the people. This is what all of us seek, we are vulnerable, limited, and we do not like to suffer.  

Ø  The reading says that they were all together under one of the porticoes of the Temple

Ø  That nobody wanted to join them, probably the author means while they were at the temple. 

Ø  Because a little bit, further it says that everyday more followers were joining them.  

Ø  People put their sick on the street wishing that, at least, the shadow of Peter may cover them and so be healed.  

Ø  What a wonderful description of Peter, like his Master and Lord, his shadow does well to people.  

Ø  As it happened when Jesus lived among us, people brought from everywhere their sick ones to be cured, now they do the same with the vicar of Christ, Peter to whom Jesus has given the keys of the Church.  

RESPONSORIAL PSALM   Ps. 118 2-4; 13-15; 22-24

«  We continue the Reading of Psalm 118. 

«  It is a thanksgiving hymn to the God of Israel, we sing it in the liturgy to give thanks and praise to Jesus, victor over death and hell.   

R. Alleluia.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
 R. Alleluia.
I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
 R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia.

 SECOND READING  Rv  l,9-11a. 12-13. 17-19

ü  The book of the Apocalypse is called also Book of Revelation. Revelation of the glorified  Christ, Lord and King of Kings    

ü  The Gospels are books that tell us about Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ and Messiah, during the days of his earthly life among us.  

ü  The book of Revelation tells us about the risen Lord Jesus, the glorified Christ, who is God, the Second Person of the Trinity.  

ü  This book does not speak of the future as the seers do, but using symbols and images the author wants to help us understand the meaning of today’s  history. 

ü  Thus, it is called Revelation, which means to lift up the curtain.  Through the different chapters, our brother John inspired by God removes little by little the curtain so that we may be able to see what is behind it. Thus, we may be able to understand the meaning of history.   

ü  I read once an author who said that this book was written to give hope to the people who suffer.  

ü  That one of its messages, probably the most important one, is that we find God in the events of history, not beyond them. Let us think for a moment on this sentence and it will probably help us to deepen our faith, as Jesus asked Thomas to do “doubt no more, believe”.

 

LET US SEE THE MESSAGE FROM THIS SUNDAY’S READING

      The author introduces himself as John, our brother, who shares with us the events of life and the persecution because of his fidelity to Jesus.  

       Because he has chosen to be faithful, he is exiled in the isle of Patmos.  

       There he has a revelation of the heavenly Christ. Jesus, risen and glorified, introduces himself and speaks to him to give a message for him and for all his brothers.   

       This happens on a Sunday, the day of the Lord, from the Latin  dominus = Lord. It is the first time that this Word is used in the New Testament.   

       Jesus presents himself as a “son of man” name that Jesus used many times during his earthly life among us. This Word comes from the book of Daniel, where the son of man is someone with authority. 

      This son of man dresses priestly vestments, and is among seven golden chandeliers, symbol of the Church.   

      John is terrified on seeing this majestic being, but Jesus touches him and says, “do not be afraid.” 

      And continues saying :  

o   I am the First and the Last   

o   The Living one, I was dead, but now I live forever.  

o   He has the keys of death and life. Paul will tell us that the Father has given him a name above every other name, thus at the name of Jesus every knee shall bend on earth and under the earth and in the netherworld.

o   Christ orders John to write what he sees now and will see in the future. 

  GOSPEL OF JOHN 20:19-31

      On this second Sunday of Easter, the liturgy puts before the eyes of our faith the manifestation of the Risen Lord to the eleven.   

      Jesus comes in their midst suddenly; all can see him.   

o   He says his usual greeting “Shalom=Peace” The Risen Christ is our peace, his presence fills us with an overwhelming joy and we experience a deep peace that nobody can take from us.  

o   Jesus tells them that they have to continue the work he began with the Incarnation; they are called to be his visible presence in the world.  

§  What is that work, that mission? With the strength of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus they will receive the strength and also the mission to forgive, to bind and unbind with the same authority of Jesus, who will accept what they bind or unbind here on earth.  

o   One of them, Thomas, is not with the others. He left the community, why? Probably because he is disappointed and sad.  He has left the community when he needed it most, when he needed to share with his friends their sadness, their fear, their disappointment.        

      Jesus comes back 8 days later; he does not want to leave one of his intimate friends without seeing him. 

o   Jesus, who continues to love without limits, is going to give to Thomas a wonderful gift which will be a gift for us also.   

o   Thomas, look at me, I am Jesus, the one you love, with whom you were ready to go to Jerusalem to die. 

o   Do not allow the temptation of sadness   overcome you, do not go away from the community of your friends, who suffer like you.   

o   Touch my hands; enter my wounded side that will always be open for you. 

o   You know, that now by the power of the resurrection, we are brothers, not only friends, or disciple and teacher.  

o   “My Lord and my God.” I love you my Lord, forgive my unbelief, my lack of trust.

§  HAPPY THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE WITHOUT SEEING.  Thank you, Lord, for your words, because we belong to the group of those who struggle day by day   

·         To believe without seeing.   

·         To seek you in the midst of our darkness.  

·         To allow your love to find us, your love who always forgets and forgives our lack of trust.   

·         WE BELIEVE LORD, BUT HELP OUR UNBELIEF, INCREASE OUR FAITH.  

	CLARETIAN CORNER

 

One day, our Lord showed me the beauty of his most Holy Law. He showed me a beautiful scene of a vast and beautiful meadow full of the most beautiful flowers of all kind; they had the most varied and exquisite fragrance. I saw that they all had stain, some more than the others. Some had only a little stain but it disfigured the beauty that exquisite scenery. Our Lord told me: “do you see my daughter the beauty of the flowers are breaking of my holy law. I had nobody to observe it, because there is no one who keeps the precept of charity. Venerable María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 27.

 

I couldn't stand for anyone to make fun of them [older people], as young boys often wont to do.  

Moreover I remember that when I was seated in church and an old man would come in, I would stand up gladly and give him a seat. I would always greet old people on the street, and if I had the pleasure of talking with one of them, I enjoyed it immensely. God grant that I have known how to use the advice of these elderly gentlemen to advantage.

My God, how good you are! How rich in mercy you have been to me! If you had given others the graces you have given me, they would have cooperated with them so much more. Mercy, Lord: I'll begin to be good from now on, with the help of your grace.  Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 20-21.