I want to be like you... Jesus (January 24, 2012)

 

The day before yesterday I had insomnia, I couldn't sleep, so I decided to look in my room and found a diary in which I have among other things the following poem as a prayer that I wrote a few years ago, it caused me tenderness thinking about everything I went through in my life to get to that poem, how God became an important part of my life, how everything leads to Him, as in every up and down of every day, every smile, makes me truly feel like a beloved child of God. It seems to me that it should be called "I want to be like You, Jesus."

Here is the poem:

Like ca alm sea

I want my soul like this

Like a tender breeze

So my smile

Give life to my life Lord,

Give life to my life Lord,

And my life you already know who it is

It is you...Jesus.

A Tangerine (May 25, 2020)

 There is a tangerine in the yard of my house, which gave its first fruits last year. My father planted it two years ago, and when it gave these fruits my father was already in the presence of the Lord. Naive as I am, I thought it was a miracle to bear fruit. I spent most of the year, inside the house, without going out to the garden, until one day my sister shouted that the tree had "oranges", but they are tangerines. This year I spend more time in the garden. And I began to water the tangerine with the hope of tasting its fruits again, not as often as I should. Until one day I discovered small green spheres, almost imperceptible. And then, as the days go by, the tangerine gives me life lessons. One day I looked at it and noticed that some fruits had fallen from the branches. The tree is at the height of my vision, one meter and a few centimeters. Then I watered a little more than usual. Some days passed. The spheroids grew, some fell, and sprouted new fruits. And then I asked how often you should water. Someone told me that at least three times a week. I do this only on weekends. I will have to work harder. And then I remembered how, while I was suffering my father’s death, my sister told me: I’ll go out and water the plants. Therefore, it was thanks to her dedication that I could taste the tangerines of that tree that my father planted. And I thought that this is like our soul, it will have to be watered and fertilized, so that the flowers become fruits.  And continue watering so that the fruits grow and ripen before they fall for lack of irrigation. And I recalled the parable of the vineyard. It is Jesus who does not tire of taking care of his vineyard, as a song says that He asks us for fruits of love. We must let Him work in our garden, so that the fruits do not fall before time. That our faith may bear fruit, by example, by counsel, by charity. Fruits of faith, hope and love.  I remember now how Eduardo Verastegui called 50,000 people to pray the rosary together through his channel of you tube and his page on Facebook. Goal that has been overcome by the goodness of God. Now he asks and hopes to reach the goal of a million souls praying in unison by his Facebook and you tube the 31st of May, to close the month of the rosary at one o'clock in the afternoon time of Mexico. Now I remember why I started watering the tangerine: one day I found it blooming. May our lives flourish and bear much fruit. And with the grace of God on this 31st of May may we fill the sky with millions of roses for each Ave Marias para la Virgencita. You are invited.

My Crucified Jesus

 A few minutes ago (2/14/2020) I found a question on Facebook that might put us at odds with non-Catholic Christians. The question kept coming up: "Why does the Catholic Church display a cross with Christ crucified?" I read several comments attacking our faith. Actually, I spent several years asking myself the same question. Seeing Jesus crucified made me cry; it reminded me of how much He suffered for me. I felt guilty about His crucifixion, and it forced me to remember my sins. I couldn't get used to seeing Him; it was too much for me. I didn't understand such love, that love that is capable of giving one's life for the beloved. Yes, that beloved by Jesus is you, is me, all human beings. I felt so unworthy of His divine love and His sacrifice on the cross. But little by little, although it still hurts to see Jesus crucified, I understood that this crucifix represents the greatest sacrifice anyone will ever make for me. It is a demonstration of love. Now, seeing it reminds me that someone, precisely the Son of God, wanted to come into the world to suffer on a cross so that I could be saved, so that I could have the opportunity to repent of my sins and begin a new life. A new life, a life in Jesus Christ . It shows me the love of God the Father as well. It's as if, seeing the crucifix, Jesus speaks to me and says, "I love you! Don't you understand? I gave my life for you so that you may be happy. Don't enslave yourself to sin. Don't be discouraged. What wouldn't I do for you, if I was capable of dying crucified for you!" It also gives me the opportunity to be renewed, to "see" Him, to return to His flock. Yes, my Jesus died for me on a cross, and then on the third day He rose again and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. And yet, the crown He chose to wear was a crown of thorns. This is my testimony. I don't have the answer to the Facebook question, but I know that because of that cross, today I can have hope not only in this life but also in the one that comes after death. If Jesus suffered for me, I too can suffer and offer it to God the Father. Yes, I too have a cross to bear, and I hope that, like Jesus rose again, and I too may achieve it through the merits of His glorious resurrection at the end of time. I leave you with a biblical quote where Saint Paul speaks about Jesus crucified.

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 

23  But we preach Christ crucified. This is a stumbling block  to Jews and foolish to Gentiles,  24  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power and wisdom of God.

Chronicle of a wound

They say time heals all wounds. And I'm finding that out firsthand, thanks to the little cut I got on my finger. Although I confess I'm a bit disappointed by how long it's taking to heal. But it's already in the maturation stage, so very soon my finger will be completely healed. I also confess that my brother and a coworker have suggested I leave the wound uncovered so it heals faster, but I'm a little afraid it might get infected. And I was thinking that sometimes we're like that with wounds of the soul. There are times when our hearts carry very heavy burdens, like sin, and we think that if we let them out, they'll hurt us even more. However, we must have faith in God's mercy, go to confession, and unburden ourselves there. Because Jesus, through the priest, will give us the necessary advice to heal our wounds more quickly. And then there's the saving grace He grants us through Jesus Christ in the absolution of our sins. So I promise I won't wear the band-aid again starting tomorrow. Not today, though, because I cook with oil and it might get on the wound. And remember, time heals all wounds, but we have to have faith and hold on to God.

Sailboat

 

Every year, around New Year's Eve or in the first few days of the year, I write a poem on my Catholic blog about what I would like for this new year. Years ago I wrote this in Spanish (I'm writing from memory, it might not be accurate):

 "How I wish that this year that begins would be filled with God's love, and be like the blue, serene sea, be like the river that begins in nothing and ends as the sea. How I wish, if I cannot be the sea, at least to be a sailboat."

The Raising of the Christ Child

 We just "raised" the Baby Jesus. That is, we prayed the rosary while my sister lifted him from his little bed, dressed him in a beautiful little outfit and hat, and sat him in his little chair. We usually raise him on March 19th, Saint Joseph's Day, because that was my dad's custom, but we chose today because it's Three Kings' Day, the Epiphany of the Lord. At the end, we gave the Baby Jesus a kiss and I sang "The Kings Come from the East." Here's my Baby Jesus now raised in his Nativity scene.

I Still Remember - God's Letter to You

 I still remember the day I formed you.

With great care, attention, and meticulousness, I chose every aptitude, every gift, every characteristic, every fiber of your being, until I obtained exactly the combination I desired.

 Even the smallest specifications were perfectly synchronized to accomplish My will and My purpose in your existence and in the lives of all those you would touch during your journey through life.

I remember the moment I breathed life into you. I felt such immense love that I couldn't contain it! I knew how much happiness you would bring, not only to Me, but also to all those you would encounter on life's path.

I love you from eternity to eternity, and I am delighted in you.

Sincerely,

God