Dear Fellow Disciples, peace.
The evangelist uses the voice of a man with an unclean spirit to identify who Jesus is most accurately, The Holy One of God! This expression synthesizes the identity of the Master in the most peculiar way. Holiness was a mark of Jesus' ministry and proximity with God, the Holy par excellence. Jesus is Holy because He is God with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Also because in His life and heart there was no space for selfishness, nor did it influence His actions.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, peace.
Jesus' mission begins when John the Baptist is arrested. His ministry wasn't parallel nor in competition with John's. Neither was Jesus' ministry the continuation of John's ministry. It was something totally different. The messianic vision of Jesus left aside the preaching of the Baptist and followed its own pattern.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, peace.
We are starting again at ordinary time and right away, we are in front of an invitation from Jesus, "Come and See". The disciples of John went and saw where Jesus lived and what kind of rabbi he was. They stayed with Him. What did they see? Or what did they want to see? Was it just curiosity on their part? For the master Jesus was a pilgrim, with no housing nor means.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, peace.
One of the most important characteristics of the Holy Family of Nazareth was God's faithfulness present in their midst. It was through God's faithfulness that Jesus, Mary and Joseph faced and conquered all adversities and did not give up. The Holy Family is an inspirational model for all the families of Jesus' disciples, our families.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, MERRY CHRISTMAS! Today in the city of David, the savior is born!
The first ones to welcome Him were the shepherds in the periphery of Bethlehem. They were discriminated against and unwelcomed by everyone because their flock represented a threat to the farmers.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, Ave!
The Angel's greeting calls attention to a fundamental aspect of the person of Mary in the economy of salvation. Kecharitomene, full of God's grace. To be blessed, kecharitomene, has great importance if and because it is connected with her mission, given by God. The Father counted on her to be the mother of the Holy One, His Son. For that reason, He has prepared her since the day of her conception.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, Rejoice in the Lord!
The identity of John the Baptist was not understood right away by the disciples of Jesus. They started to see that his preaching, along with the austerity of his life, had several similarities with the prophet Elijah.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, let us say "Maranatha"!
The "way" is a constant theme in the Bible. The historical tradition was the way leading out of the land of oppression - Egypt - to the land of brotherhood, through which milk and honey flow, the Promised Land. The sapiential (wisdom) tradition speaks of the way of life, referring to the choice of good and truth, instead of the way of death, impiety, and perversion.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, HAPPY NEW LITURGICAL YEAR!
The metaphor of the master and the servants marks the spirit of Advent. In fact, this liturgical season focuses on the waiting of the Lord.
On one hand, the Lord has already come historically in the event of the incarnation of the word in Jesus of Nazareth. On the other He comes constantly and makes himself present in the life of each disciple of the Kingdom, calling him to solidarity and brotherly love.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, peace.
The scene of the Final Judgement calls the attention of the disciples to their responsibility to live everyday life with their feet very grounded on earth but with their hearts and eyes fixed on heaven. Our historical gestures have an effect on our eternity.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, peace.
The parable of the talents serves as a key to interpreting the whole existence of the disciple of God's Kingdom. God gives gifts and talents according to the capacity of each person. Some receive more, some less. However, everyone has the responsibility to multiply their gifts and talents. Every moment in life is an opportunity and a possibility to practice charity. In fact, charity is the only way to allow these gifts and talents God has sown in the heart of the disciple to grow.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples, peace.
The parable of the ten virgins is a metaphor for the two kinds of disciples. The provident disciple prepares well for his/her encounter with the Lord, even though the day and the time of such an encounter are unknown. The disciples persevere in faithfulness to the Lord and solidarity with the needy. He is always ready to serve. He stays on this path even when it is difficult and long.
READ MOREDear Fellow Disciples peace.
Jesus severely critiques the attitude of the Pharisees. Their hypocrisy and arrogance got on His last nerve because they preached one thing and lived something else. Their lifestyle exposed their inability to accept and practice the scriptures and, much less, God's will. For them the saying was very real and valid, "Do what I say, not what I do" or "They love to talk but do not walk the walk".
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