The Two Donkeys - Don Bruno Ferrero

 

 They arrived at the cave of Bethlehem with difficulty, even two donkeys.

They were tired and annoyed. 

Their back was torn by the heavy bags that the miller, their master, carried daily and by the blows of the cane that he did not spare. 

They had heard the shepherds speak of the King of Kings who came from Heaven, and they too had gone. They followed that star and, before the cave, they stayed to contemplate the Child. 

They adored him, prayed like everyone else, and placed at his feet as a gift the only thing they had: their lives. And their pain, their sorrows... 

As they left, the ruthless miller was waiting for them, and the two donkeys set off with their heads down, the heavy staff on their backs. "It's no use," said one, "I begged the Messiah to take the burden away from me, and he didn't." 

"I, on the other hand," replied the other, who was trotting with some vigor, "asked him to give me the strength to carry him!"

And if someone tells you, "Life is hard," ask them, "Compared to what?"

- Don Bruno Ferrero - 

Third Sunday of Advent

 Yesterday was the Third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday, which means joy or gladness for the imminent return of Christ. On this day, priests wear pink, which represent this joy in Jesus. The priest tells us that we must distance ourselves from everything that takes away this joy in Jesus, such as worldly pleasures that are only fleeting, money, sex, fame, drugs, and anything else that robs us of this joy. Instead, let us rejoice in Christ!

First Sunday of Advent

 

Today we begin the Advent season. The deacon explained that Advent comes from the Latin word "aventus," which means coming. This means that Advent prepares us for the coming of Jesus this Christmas. The deacon told us that when we await the visit of a relative we haven't seen in a long time, we are very happy, but we also prepare the house so that when they arrive, they will find it clean and tidy. Likewise, we must prepare our souls and our hearts for the coming of Jesus. We should go to confession and avoid occasions of sin, and read the scriptures. I realized something: the Gospel of Saint Luke has 24 chapters. If we start reading one chapter a day, beginning on December 1st, we will arrive at Christmas knowing whom we are celebrating. I also read something on Facebook today that might be helpful for this Advent season; it's a quote from Saint Augustine: "Live your life in such a way that you are not afraid to die." In other words, if we live like this, we will be prepared to receive Jesus this Christmas and also for the Second Coming of Christ.

Jesus Christ - King of the Universe

 This Sunday the priest told us something that made me think: he said that our faith in Jesus Christ is not personal, meaning that we must share our faith with others and always put it first, as the first commandment says: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. He gave us the example of Saint Thomas More, the patron saint of politicians. Saint Thomas More held a high position in the English court during the reign of Henry VIII, but when the king proclaimed himself head of the Anglican Church and separated from the Catholic Church, Saint Thomas More resigned. That same year he was imprisoned, and the following year he was beheaded. The priest told us that for Saint Thomas More, his faith was not personal. He also reminded us of Saint José Sánchez del Río, who was shot while shouting "Long live Christ the King!" during the Cristero War in Mexico; for him, too, his faith was not a personal matter. We must always proclaim that Christ is the king of our lives and bring this faith to others, that the kingdom of Jesus is not of this world, and in his kingdom he has already prepared a place for us where there will be no more tears, where he reigns forever and ever.

Open Your Eyes

 

Last Sunday (November 25, 2019) I went to Mass, despite having a cold or the flu. I still can't decide what I'm sick with. It happened that while the priest was giving the homily, my eyes closed, and almost immediately I heard him say, "I assure you that today you will be with me in paradise." I opened my eyes surprised, but interested in what the priest would say, and he said, "Those are the words we all long to hear." I confess that, as far as I'm concerned, he's right. Who wouldn't want to die in the hope of eternal life? If only we truly knew what we lose each time we sin, each time we deny the Lord, each time we choose evil for good. We need to be humble like the good thief and recognize Jesus as the only king of our lives, the only true God. The priest said that the good thief at the foot of the cross asked for nothing more than to be remembered by Jesus when he came to his kingdom, but not before acknowledging himself as a sinner. It takes humility to recognize that we are not perfect and that Jesus is the only one who can lead us to that heavenly dwelling. I think we must be prepared at all times for the end. Acknowledge our sins, confess them, and declare at all times that Jesus reigns in our lives. Declare this by saying "no" when someone offers us drugs or any other easy escape from reality. Say "no" when we ourselves seek other false "gods" like money or sex, easy ways to get ahead or to create a false sense of self-worth. Recognize and share the gospel with our fellow human beings as the only truth. Always say "yes" to God, a God who, as the Father reminded us, is a king with a crown of thorns and a cross as his throne. He didn't say the latter, but that's how it seems to me. Our King Jesus Christ is the only one who can lead us to the Father. Let us acknowledge him as king of our little universe, and may we hear in that hour when our eyes close in this life and open in eternal life that we will be with him in paradise. Because there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 who don't need to repent. Let's make it a celebration in heaven! Long live Christ the King!

The End of Times

 Man has always been fascinated by the end of the world. This Sunday the priest told us something that, I must confess, I had to read the Gospel twice to verify. First, he warned us that false prophets will come, claiming to be Jesus, but we must not believe them. And second, which is what I had to reread in the Gospel, that there will be natural disasters and political conflicts, but as Jesus said, this is not the end. He also told us that no one knows the day or the hour, and this is in the Bible as well. Regarding the destruction of the temple and the persecution of the apostles, he said that this had also been said to all the martyrs who have died for Christ's sake. And also to all Christians who are persecuted for their faith in these times. And as Jesus said, the temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, and only what we now know as the Wailing Wall remained

So, we shouldn't assume we live in the end times, but we should be prepared for our own judgment at the end of our days, because that will surely come. Let's try to live the Beatitudes, go to confession as often as we can and receive the sacraments, read the scriptures, pray, be merciful, and thus we will always be prepared for the end of our lives and even for the end of the world.

The Power of Prayer

 Today (Sunday), the priest began his homily with a story. He told us that a man wrote a letter, I think to a priest, but it could have been to a newspaper. In it, he explained that he would no longer attend Mass because he had been going to Mass for 20 years and couldn't remember a single homily. He felt he was wasting his time. This started a discussion, and many people wrote letters for or against his position. Until one letter put an end to the discussion. In it, a man explained that he had been married for 20 years and that his wife had prepared thousands of meals for him, but he couldn't remember a single day's menu. However, he was certain that the food had nourished him and his body. The priest continued by telling us that every prayer has an answer, although it's often not the answer we expect. Furthermore, prayer brings us closer to God, which is why it's important to pray. And as Jesus told us: just as the unjust judge granted justice to the widow because of her persistence, even more so God, who is a good and loving Father, will hear our prayers. The Father also told us that impossible things become possible through prayer. And I remembered the ceasefire in the Holy Land. Something that seemed endless, and now the end of the war is a reality. Thank you to those who worked for peace, but also to the thousands of human beings who prayed for peace. Blessed be God.

Be humble and enter through the narrow door

 This Sunday, Jesus asks us to strive to enter through the narrow door into the Kingdom of Heaven.  For he says that there is another wider door through which many enter and are lost, which is the door of the world.  The deacon tells us that Jesus himself is that narrow door, for he has already told us that he is the way, the truth and the life.  So if we want to enter through the narrow door we must be like Jesus, make ourselves small, humble as Jesus, who is worthy to become man to give us salvation through his sacrifice on the cross, so, humble we can enter through that narrow door.  And in what does this humility consist?  I think of it in obeying the Father and imitating Jesus, becoming a servant of all.  Let us not fall into the false humility, which I read recently does not come from God but from the evil one who wants to turn us away from God by wanting us to think that there is no forgiveness for our sins.  Instead the humility that comes from God, it shows us the sins committed without forgetting that God is merciful and that we all need his mercy, that is, we all need his forgiveness that Jesus brings to us in the sacrament of reconciliation.  And not only his forgiveness, but we have to recognize that we need God in every aspect of our lives.  As the deacon told us, Jesus is the way of goodness, of love, of the sacraments of the church.  Hope and at the end of our days Jesus recognize us and do not close the door, so we strive to be humble and imitate Jesus, as Saint Francis of Assisi would say, in being a living Gospel.  

The fool rich

 

Today, the Gospel tells us about Jesus' encounter with two men who ask him to divide their inheritance. Jesus refuses, even though it was customary at that time to seek advice from a rabbi on property matters. Jesus takes the opportunity to tell them the parable of the rich fool. This man had a huge harvest. He told himself he would build a barn, store everything, and then devote himself to drinking and enjoying life. However, God said, "You fool, you don't know that this very night you will die." The Father tells us that having riches isn't bad, and that we've all been like the rich fool by worrying about tomorrow's future. And it's not bad to plan for the future, but that shouldn't be our goal. In other words, we should use that treasure to build a bridge from earth to Heaven, as the Father tells us. I read in a story I've published previously about a rich man who went to heaven and there was a market with very low prices. But when he tried to buy with his money, the angel replied, "That money has no value here." Here, only the money that was donated on earth has value. That is, our money should also be used for the good of others. The Father reminded us of the man who found a treasure and, very happy, sold everything he had to buy the land where the treasure was located. The Father tells us that our supreme treasure is God Himself. In other words, the most important thing in our lives should be our relationship with God.

Saints Peter and Paul

 This Sunday, Mass was celebrated for Saints Peter and Paul. The priest told us that despite being very different, Jesus chose them to be the first missionaries of the Church. Saint Peter was a fisherman, and despite having been with Jesus proclaiming the Kingdom of God, Peter denied Jesus three times. However, it was Peter who, moved by God the Father, recognized that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. It was he to whom Jesus said he would build his Church. It was Peter who led the early Church and evangelized the first communities. Paul was a scholar, an expert in the Holy Scriptures, and an avid persecutor of Christians. However, Jesus chose him to be the evangelizer of the pagans, of the first Christian communities. Paul, before being called Paul, was called Saul. But on a journey, he fell—I don't quite remember the animal that was carrying him—a bright light blinded him, and he heard, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" He asked who was speaking and heard, "It is Jesus whom you are persecuting." From then on, Paul converted to Christianity and began preaching the gospel, now with his sight restored. Both died preaching the truth. Saint Peter died crucified upside down, and Saint Paul was beheaded. The priest tells us that they show us how we are all called to be missionaries, no matter where we come from or where we are. They say that God doesn't choose the prepared, he prepares those he chooses, no matter how you feel at the moment. He has a mission for you. I was listening to a priest the other day advising a man to join the night worshippers. The Lord listened to his advice, and his life changed; it made sense. Take heart; there are countless groups in the church you can participate in. You'll see how God strengthens you and you'll be happier. I've been in several groups, the choir, and I currently proclaim the Word of God at Mass (I read the readings). And God has offered me His friendship and sustains me when I think I can't go on. He has always been with you. Encourage yourself to be a missionary of God's love; you will see that you will not regret it. As Saint Paul said, "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel."

Pentecost Sunday

 Today we celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, in our parish. By God's mercy, I was assigned to read the first reading in Spanish. Another lector read the psalm in Spanish, and a third lector read the second reading in the Che dialect of Guatemala. The Gospel was proclaimed by the Father in Spanish. The priest explained to us the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first is the gift of the fear of God, which is not like worldly fear, but rather the fear of offending God, holding Him in respect and reverence. The gift of knowledge, which allows us to know and desire the things of God rather than those of the world. The gift of fortitude, which gives us the strength not to sin against God. The gift of wisdom, which allows us to judge divine plans accurately. The gift of understanding, which helps us understand the things of God. The gift of counsel, which helps us discern the paths of life. The gift of piety, which helps us savor the things of God. The Father tells us that to know if we have the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we will know by their fruits: love, joy, gentleness, peace, patience, temperance, kindness, and gentleness. After Mass, we headed to the parish hall, decorated with flags from different countries. There were also tables with food from different countries. There were performances by matachines, flamenco dancers, Aztec dancers, and singers.

When I arrived a woman was singing a song of Pentecost. I took food I think from Honduras and I found a chair and sat down. After the singer there were the "matachines" that is dancers who dance for the Virgin of Guadalupe. I was emotional and cried a little, I was moved because they were wearing the clothes that the matachines of my small town wore, and they made music with their clothes. After them they danced Flamenco, a dance from Spain. I liked the movement of their hands and feet. After the Aztec dance. The dancers were dressed like the natives of pre-Columbian Mexico with feathers on their heads. I didn't see them much because I had to go home. 

The Ascension

 This Sunday we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord.  It is actually celebrated on Thursday, but so that more people celebrate it, it is moved to Sunday.  The priest tells us that Ascension can be seen as an end, but it is not.  For Jesus promises us that he will send the Holy Spirit who will make us stronger and will make us understand what we did not understand before, well he told the apostles, but we can say that he was telling them to us too, He added that they will be his witnesses in all the land.  And it is what the priest told us that we all have a mission.  Where you are you can be a witness of hope, you can give encouragement, you can listen, you can talk about your experience in mass, you can preach by example, you can talk about your relationship with Jesus, you can invite someone to mass, you can pray for someone, You can pray for someone who needs it.  God calls us to be missionaries.  Take heart, we are all part of God’s great plan of salvation.