Nobody loves you like Me - Martin Valverde

 How long have I waited for this moment

How much I've waited for you to be here

How long have I waited for you to talk to me

How much have I waited for you to come to me

I know well what you have experienced

I know well why you have cried

I know well why you have suffered

Well, I have not left your side

Well, no one loves you like me

Well, no one loves you like me

Look at the cross, that is my greatest proof

Nobody loves you like me

Well, no one loves you like me

Well, no one loves you like me

Look at the cross, it was for you, it was because I love you

Nobody loves you like me

I know well what you are telling me

Although sometimes you don't talk to me

I know well what you feel in you

Even if you never share it

I have walked by your side

I have always gone with you

I have still sometimes carried you

I have been your best friend

Well, no one loves you like me

Well, no one loves you like me

Look at the cross, that is my greatest proof

Nobody loves you like me

Well, no one loves you like me

Well, no one loves you like me

Look at the cross, it was for you, it was because I love you

Nobody loves you like me

Like me

Like me

Like me

Note: This is a translation of a beautiful song in Spanish where Jesus tells you that He loves you.

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.

Talk to God

"Acquire the habit of speaking to God as if you were alone with Him.  Familiarly and with confidence and love, as to the dearest and most loving of friends."

- St. Alphonso Liguori

Return to your first love!

 

One of the passages of the Bible that has caught my attention the most while reading it is found in the Book of Revelation. It's the message to the Angel of Ephesus. In it, he's asked to return to his first love, to remember where he has fallen. My life has been full of spiritual ups and downs, and it seems that when I read it, I was a little angry with God. However, through this reading, He reminded me of my first love, Jesus. I remembered my history within the Church, within its doctrine, and little by little I returned to that first love. Although I will never again have the innocence of childhood, a prayer in one of the prefaces of the Mass says that God returns it to whomever He desires. Hopefully, if we stray from that first love, we will return with renewed innocence and not forget why we learned to love God and His Church. Innocence because Jesus already said that we must be like children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Revelation 2:1-7

1

1 2 "To the angel of the church 3 in Ephesus, write this: " 'The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this:

2

"I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors. 4

3

Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary.

4

Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.

5

Realize how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

6

But you have this in your favor: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, 5 which I also hate.

7

" '"Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the victor 6 I will give the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the garden of God."'

St. Mary of Magdala

 “The story of Mary of Magdala reminds us all of a fundamental truth. A disciple of Christ is one who, in the experience of human weakness, has had the humility to ask for His help, has been healed by Him, and has set out following closely after Him, becoming a witness of the power of His merciful love that is stronger than sin and death.”

– Pope Benedict XVI

The Story of Paisia

 

Extracted from the stories of the desert fathers :

This story was also told about Father John: A young girl named Paisia was orphaned by both her father and mother. She then considered converting her house into an inn for the guests of her parents in Scetis. For a considerable time she stayed there, offering hospitality and serving the priests. But in time, when she had consumed her wealth, she began to suffer hardship. Then, stray men attached themselves to her and diverted her from her good purpose, so much so that she began to behave badly, even to the point of prostitution.  The priests heard about this and were very sad. They called Father John the Dwarf and said to him: "We have heard that this sister is behaving badly, the same one who, when she could, showed us her love. We too would like to show her our love now by helping her. Take the trouble to go to her and, according to the wisdom that God has given you, take charge of her." Father John then went to her and said to the old doorkeeper: "Announce your mistress for me." But the doorkeeper tried to dismiss him with these words: "First you devoured her riches, and now she is in misery." Father John said to her: "Tell her precisely that I can be very useful to her." The servants, laughing, said to him: "What do you have to give him, for her to want to see you?" And he replied: "How will you know what I am going to give her?" The old woman went up to her and told her the story. The young woman said: "These monks always pass by the shore of the Red Sea and find pearls." She dressed herself and said: "Yes, send him to me." When she had gone up, she, warning him, placed herself on the couch. Father John went and sat down beside her and, looking into her face, said: "What reason do you have to complain about Jesus, that you have come to this point?" Hearing these words, she was completely frozen. Father John, bowing his head, began to cry profusely. She asked him: "Why are you crying, Father?" After a small gesture, he drew back again, weeping, and said to her: "I see Satan playing on your face, and should I not weep?" The woman then asked: "Father, is there penitence?" He said to her: "Yes." And she: "Take me wherever you want." He said to her: "Let's go." And she got up to follow him. Father John noticed with amazement that she gave no orders or said anything about her house. When they arrived in the desert it was late; he made a small pillow of sand, made the sign of the cross on it, and said to her: "Sleep here." He went a little way, recited his prayers, and lay down. Awakening around midnight, he saw something like a path of light descending from heaven to her, and saw the angels of God carrying her soul on high. Getting up, he approached her and touched her with his foot; and he saw that she was dead. Then he fell face down on the ground, praying to God. And he heard that the Lord had accepted one hour of her repentance more than many of those who are not animated by such fervor.