¡El gran tesoro de la Eucaristía!




Jeronimo Jacinto Espinoza, La  Misa de San Gregorio,  
óleo sobre tela, Museo del Prado (Madrid)
...
Jesús amoroso, el más fino amante
quiero en todo instante, sólo en ti pensar.
Tú eres mi tesoro, Tú eres mi alegría,
Tú eres vida mía, yo te quiero amar.

Oh Corazón dulce, de amor abrasado,
quiero yo a tu lado por siempre vivir.
y en tu llaga santa viviendo escondido,
de amores herido en ella morir •

Holy Thursday – Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper of 2019.



Taller de Rublev, Jesús lava los pies a sus discípulos (1425-1427), 
tempera sobre Madera, Catedral de la Trinidad (Moscú)
...
This evening we gather together to celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, a celebration alike in many ways to any celebration of the Mass yet different. Why is this night different from all other nights? Why is our music becoming more solemn and simple as the Mass progresses? Why is the presider going to wash the feet of twelve men and women? Why will there be no blessing and dismissal at the end of Mass? Why will we leave this church in procession with the Blessed Sacrament? Why will we sit in adoration keeping silent vigil? Why is this night different than any other? The simple answer is that this night begins the annual commemoration of Christ’s paschal mystery – his life, death, and resurrection. While the celebration of the Mass is always a celebration of that salvific truth, this yearly ritual draws us even more deeply into a mystical encounter with that truth. Tonight we stand on the threshold of the Easter Triduum, three days in which through word and gesture we will be not only participants in the sacred actions here in this church but also participants as well in the past salvific events which occurred more than two thousand years ago in Jerusalem. These days are mystical moments of memory and reality. Our celebrations tonight and tomorrow and Saturday are not intended to be three distinct moments of sacred action, three separate “silos” as you will, standing side-by-side in a field of time, but are, to our benefit and joy, three sacred moments of night, day, and vigil united in celebration and in meaning. One cannot understand the words we have heard tonight – “This is my body that is for you…. This cup is the new covenant in my blood…. Do this in remembrance of me…. As I have done for you so you should do” – unless one stands at the foot of the Cross on Good Friday and in front of the empty tomb at the Easter Vigil.  Good Friday points back to Holy Thursday and forward to Easter Saturday and the victory of the empty tomb that we will celebrate on Saturday evening is a victory over the events that we commemorate tonight and will recall tomorrow. Why is this night different from all other nights? Because on this night we begin our yearly celebration of the Easter mystery, celebrated across three days as one great liturgy of salvation. That is why there is no blessing or dismissal this evening or tomorrow at the end of each ritual; it is only at the end of the Easter Vigil that we receive the blessing and are told to go forth, thus ending this three-day commemoration. Why is this night different from all other nights? Because tonight we stand on the edge of a great and mystical river of word and ritual and sacred memory and are invited to step off and fall into the currents of prayer, reflection, memory and worship, allowing those currents to take us deeply into a real encounter with Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, forming us more deeply into His image and likeness: “Jesus Christ yesterday and today, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. All time belongs to him and all the ages. To him be glory and power through every age and forever” • AE

Fr. Agustín´s Schedule for the Easter Triduum of the Year of the Lord of 2019



F. Zurbarán, Agnus Dei, óleo sobre lienzo, 
Museo del Prado (Madrid)
...

The summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum—from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ's Paschal Mystery. The single celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season, and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil.

The liturgical services that take place during the Triduum are:

Mass of the Lord's Supper
Thursday April 18, 2019, 7.00 p.m. 
[@ Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church]

Good Friday of the Lord's Passion
Friday April 19, 2019, 12.15 p.m. 
[@ Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church]


Good Friday of the Lord's Passion
Friday April 19, 2019, 7.00 p.m. 
[Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church]

Easter Vigil
Saturday, April 20, 2019, 8.30 p.m. 
[@ Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church]


El lomo del borriquillo (Domingo de Ramos de la Pasión del Señor, 2019)



El lomo del borriquillo
es el trono del Mesías,
los mantos de los discípulos
y las ramas extendidas
son tapizado de amor
para dar la bienvenida.
Acoge a tu Rey, Sión,
que llega tu bella dicha.

No gritéis las mudas piedras,
oíd, que los niños gritan;
un coro de primavera,
alza canciones y vivas;
son por Jesús bondadoso,
sanador de toda herida,
aquel que del Padre llega
con la Palabra divina.

Avanza, oh Paz del Oriente,
y entra en la Ciudad querida,
Jerusalén te recibe,
el Templo espera tu cita,
el pueblo de los patriarcas
ve las promesas cumplidas,
¡que entre el Hijo de David,
Dios le dé soberanía!.

Salve, Jesús Nazareno,
montado en humilde silla;
oh Rey de los corazones,
que miras y pacificas,
hoy es día de homenaje,
la Iglesia en amor respira:
¡Salve, enviado del Padre,
salve Jesús, paz y vida!

¡Honor a la cruz gloriosa
de verdes palmas vestida;
a Jesús, Hijo de Dios,
clavado con cinco heridas;
gloria al Cordero inmolado,
en la hora vespertina,
al que en la cruz da el Espíritu
y en el huerto resucita! Amén •


P. Rufino María Grández, ofmcap, 
Himnos para Pasión y Semana Santa
Domingo de Ramos, 
Cuautitlán Izcalli, 13 abril 2003






Domingo de Ramos de la Pasión del Señor (2019. Ciclo C)


Pedro de Campaña, El Descendimiento (Sevilla, hacia 1570), 
óleo sobre madera de roble, Museo Nacional del Prado (Madrid).
... 
La cruz del Señor está presente con toda su crudeza en la celebración del Domingo de Ramos. El relato de la Pasión es sobrecogedor -y profundamente reparador- si lo escuchamos con un corazón dispuesto y sencillo. La Cruz es signo de contradicción, de duda, de fracaso. Aparentemente es el hundimiento de Jesús en el reino de la muerte. Pero para el  creyente, aquella muerte es la señal luminosa de vida, de entrega, de victoria. ¡Aquí tenemos el  verdadero rostro de Dios! Desde la cruz de Cristo, Dios es compañero del hombre hasta la  muerte. No es ya un Dios impasible, que contempla de lejos nuestras tragedias y que nada  quiere hacer para aliviar nuestros sufrimientos. Por la Cruz de Cristo, se nos revela que  Dios está siempre a nuestro lado, que calla y acepta sufrir hasta el final toda amargura, que vence la violencia con el amor y el perdón, que vence la misma muerte. Cuando busquemos hallar el verdadero rostro de Dios, debemos mirar al Hijo clavado en la cruz quizá así podamos comprender un poco mejor (¡menos superficialmente!) hasta qué punto nos ama Dios. Hoy celebramos que Jesús haya tenido la valentía de entrar en Jerusalén, sabiendo la muerte que allí le esperaba.  Hoy celebramos que hemos sido salvados por sus heridas y por su muerte.  Hoy celebramos que por la cruz, Jesús restituye al amor su fuerza creadora. Hoy celebramos que con la Pasión del Señor se derrama la plenitud de la  misericordia. Hay un hombre que ha sido siempre y totalmente fiel. Incluso en el momento del  abandono supremo de la muerte. Hoy celebramos que no hay pecado capaz de excluir de este amor[1]. Cristo pagó por nosotros: él es el Redentor del hombre! ¡Sólo en Él se encuentra el modelo y el camino de la fidelidad a Dios! Dejemos que este domingo de Ramos la Pasión del Señor empape nuestros corazones a veces tan secos, tan llenos de aridez, y que ahí, en sus llagas santas, encontremos ese consuelo que a veces nuestra alma busca con tanta ansiedad. Ahí, en el costado abierto del salvador, está el buen refugio y la paz, ¡Señor, dentro de tus llagas escóndenos! [2] • AE




[1] Cfr. Joan E. Vives, Misa Dominical 1981, n. 8.
[2] Oración Alma de Cristo, tradicionalmente atribuida a San Ignacio de Loyola. 

Fr. Agustin´s Schedule for April 13-14, 2019: Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion



Saturday April 13, 2019.
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

Sacrament of Confession.
  
4.00 p.m. @ St. Peter Prince of the Apostles
Catholic Church.
  
Vigil Mass

5.30 p.m. @ St. Peter Prince of the Apostles
Catholic Church (with pblessing of the branches 
outside the church) 

Sunday April 14, 2019.
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

9.00 a.m. @ St. Peter Prince of the Apostles
Catholic Church (with blessing of the branches 
outside the church) 

11.00 p.m. @ St. Peter Prince of the Apostles
Catholic Church (with Blessing of the branches 
outside the church) 

5.30 p.m. @ St. Peter Prince of the Apostles
Catholic Church
(with blessing of the branches 
outside the church) 


Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion (2019)



Who would have thought that the crowd, which welcomed Jesus with such enthusiasm during his entry into Jerusalem, would turn against him so quickly within days and demand his crucifixion? Their welcome and shouts for Jesus were superficial. Their support for him was only skinning deep. It was easy to be part of a crowd that welcomed Jesus and it was easy to be part of a crowd that condemned him to death. It is easy to be part of the crowd that receives First Holy Communion. It is easy to be part of the crowd that receives Confirmation. It is easy to be part of the crowd that puts on an impressive display for a funeral or wedding or a baptism. It is easy to be part of the crowd. But in the account of the Passion the crowd was not there for Jesus when he needed them most. The crowd did not go to the cross. The crowd abandoned Jesus. Only a few women and John went to the cross. So much for the crowd! During the Last Supper in Luke’s account that we heard today Peter said he would be willing to go to prison with Jesus, even to death with him[1]. Yet a few hours later that same evening he denied Jesus[2]. How quickly he changed! We are the same: we make fine promises to Jesus here and the crunch for us comes when temptation comes our way. How do react? When we are hurt by things in our own life and hurt by what we see happening in the world around us, and we need answers and healing and reassurance let us turn to meditating on the Passion of Jesus and find the answer there, “through his wounds we are healed.”[3] In fact, in Luke’s account of the Passion which we heard today there were two occurrences of healing that are recorded only by Luke: Jesus healed the ear of the high priest’s servant which was wounded during the fray in Gethsemane[4], and secondly the enmity between Herod and Pilate was healed[5]. During the week ahead let us stop for a moment and let us meditate on the Passion of the Lord, it could become a source of healing! Also, let us attend the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday and Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. The crowd that welcomed Jesus with palms turned against him just as quickly and abandoned Jesus. Peter too turned from Jesus to save himself. We have precious time ahead; a wonderful opportunity: time to celebrate in a liturgical way the miseries of the Lord's Passion • AE


[1] Luke 22:33.
[2] Id, 22:56-62.
[3] Isa 53:5.
[4] Luke 22:51.
[5] Id 23:12.

No tires la primera piedra (V Domingo de Cuaresma. Ciclo C)



Si de tu padre siempre encontraste la mano,
si a tu madre nunca buscaste en vano;
si nunca padeciste hambre,
ni la miseria fue tu compañera..
No tires la primera piedra.

Si nunca sufriste la injusticia
de insultos, condenas y malicias;
si nunca fuiste humillado,
ni en soledad mil veces has llorado...
No tires la primera piedra.

Si nunca has conocida la locura,
ni estuviste sediento de ternura,
ni buscado en el fondo de un vaso
la forma de olvidarte de un fracaso...
No tires la primera piedra.

Si nunca has contenido un sollozo
tumbado en el rincón de un calabozo;
si nunca te tuviste que bajar
sin tan siquiera tener derecho a hablar...
No tires la primera piedra •

El Señor que nos primerea siempre (V Domingo de Cuaresma. Ciclo C).



Los puntos sobre las íes. El comportamiento del Señor delante de aquella mujer no fue -no es- una invitación a relativizar o rebajar la importancia del pecado: “Cuando todos se fueron, Jesús se incorporó y le pregunta a esta mujer: "¿Dónde están tus acusadores?, ¿ninguno te ha condenado?" Ella contestó: "Ninguno, Señor". Jesús dijo: "Tampoco yo te condeno. Anda y en adelante no peques más". Jesús reconoce que esa mujer ha obrado mal; pero él prefiere la misericordia al rigor de la Ley. El la declara culpable, pero la perdona. El condena el pecado de esta mujer, pero la invita amorosamente a que su futuro sea mejor. Sólo el que se sitúa bajo este nuevo principio de la misericordia, sólo el que es misericordioso con los demás será medido después con esta misma vara y alcanzará él también misericordia[1]. Por eso Jesús anuncia el Evangelio, la buena noticia, el Evangelio de la reconciliación para todos ¡el perdón de Dios! De este evangelio solamente se excluyen aquéllos que se resisten a superar la justicia de unas leyes que ellos en el fondo nunca han sabido cumplir. Sólo los que se tienen por justos y desprecian a los demás, quedan excluidos de la Buena Noticia. El cristiano es aquél que se olvida de lo que queda atrás y se lanza continuamente a lo que está por delante. El cristiano no es aquél que lleva una contabilidad de sus buenas obras y de sus méritos para pasar después factura a Dios, sino aquél que, dejando su intento de una autojustificación por sus obras y poniendo toda su confianza en Dios que justifica al impío, está siempre mirando hacia el Señor que ha de volver. El Santo Padre nos lo recordó con palabras sabias en su última exhortación apostólica: « En el fondo, la falta de un reconocimiento sincero, dolorido y orante de nuestros límites es lo que impide a la gracia actuar mejor en nosotros, ya que no le deja espacio para provocar ese bien posible que se integra en un camino sincero y real de crecimiento. La gracia, precisamente porque supone nuestra naturaleza, no nos hace superhombres de golpe. Pretenderlo sería confiar demasiado en nosotros mismos. En este caso, detrás de la ortodoxia, nuestras actitudes pueden no corresponder a lo que afirmamos sobre la necesidad de la gracia, y en los hechos terminamos confiando poco en ella. Porque si no advertimos nuestra realidad concreta y limitada, tampoco podremos ver los pasos reales y posibles que el Señor nos pide en cada momento, después de habernos capacitado y cautivado con su don. La gracia actúa históricamente y, de ordinario, nos toma y transforma de una forma progresiva. Por ello, si rechazamos esta manera histórica y progresiva, de hecho podemos llegar a negarla y bloquearla, aunque la exaltemos con nuestras palabras»[2]. No lo olvidemos: « Solamente a partir del don de Dios, libremente acogido y humildemente recibido, podemos cooperar con nuestros esfuerzos para dejarnos transformar más y más. Lo primero es pertenecer a Dios. Se trata de ofrecernos a él que nos primerea, de entregarle nuestras capacidades, nuestro empeño, nuestra lucha contra el mal y nuestra creatividad, para que su don gratuito crezca y se desarrolle en nosotros»[3] • AE


[1] Cfr. Lc 6, 36-38.
[3] Idem, n. 56.

Fr. Agustin´s Schedule for April 6-7, 2019 (Fifth Sunday of Lent)



Saturday April 6, 2019.
Fifth Sunday of Lent.
 
Sacrament of Confession.

4.00 p.m. @ St. Peter Prince of the Apostles
Catholic Church.

Vigil Mass

5.30 p.m. @ St. Peter Prince of the Apostles
Catholic Church.

Sunday April 7, 2019.
Fifth Sunday of Lent.
 
10.30 a.m. @ Our Lady of Grace 
Catholic Church.

12.00 p.m. @ Our Lady of Grace
Catholic Church.
(Third Scrunity for the RCIA program)

4.00 p.m. Sacrament of Confession. 
5.30 p.m. @ Trinity University 



Tenderness and respect (Fifth Sunday of Lent. Cycle C)



Everyone knows the fate of that woman caught in adultery: she will be stoned to death, as prescribed by the law[1]. No one speaks about the adulterous man involved. As always happens in a machista society, the woman gets condemned and the man gets excused. The challenge to Jesus is confrontational: Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say? Jesus does not suffer lightly such social hypocrisy that is fed by arrogance. Such sentence to death does not come from God. With admirable simplicity and audacity, Jesus brings all at once truth, justice and compassion in the judgment of the adulterous woman “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” The accusers go away in shame. They know that they are the ones most responsible for the adulteries committed in that society. Then, Jesus addresses the woman who has just escaped execution and tells her, with great tenderness and respect, “Neither do I condemn you”. He, then, encourages her to turn her being forgiven into a starting point for a new life: “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore”. That is how Jesus is. Finally, there is someone in the world who has not allowed any oppressive law or power to condition him, someone free and magnanimous who never hated or condemned, never returned evil for evil. There is more truth and justice in his defense and forgiveness of this adulterous woman than in our resentful demands and condemnations. We Christians have not yet been capable of drawing out all the implications that Jesus’ liberating action, in the face of the oppression endured by women, encloses. Coming from a Church led and inspired mostly by men, we do not get it right with regard to being cognizant of all the injustices that women keep suffering in all areas of life. What is certain is that twenty centuries later, in countries of Christian roots supposedly, we continue to live in a society where women are frequently not able to move freely without fear of men. Rape, physical abuse, humiliation are not imaginary. On the contrary, they are one of the most deeply rooted acts of violence and the one that brings about more suffering. Should the suffering of women not echo more vividly and more concretely in our communities? Above all, do we not need to be closer to every oppressed woman in order to denounce abuses, provide intelligent defense and effective protection? Let us think about it. Our Holy Father invites us to do so: «We may think that we give glory to God only by our worship and prayer, or simply by following certain ethical norms. It is true that the primacy belongs to our relationship with God, but we cannot forget that the ultimate criterion on which our lives will be judged is what we have done for others. Prayer is most precious, for it nourishes a daily commitment to love. Our worship becomes pleasing to God when we devote ourselves to living generously, and allow God’s gift, granted in prayer, to be shown in our concern for our brothers and sisters»[2] Holy Father goes further: « Those who really wish to give glory to God by their lives, who truly long to grow in holiness, are called to be single-minded and tenacious in their practice of the works of mercy. Saint Teresa of Calcutta clearly realized this: “Yes, I have many human faults and failures… But God bends down and uses us, you and me, to be his love and his compassion in the world; he bears our sins, our troubles and our faults. He depends on us to love the world and to show how much he loves it. If we are too concerned with ourselves, we will have no time left for others»[3] • AE




[1] JN 8:1-11.
[2] Evangelii Gaudium, n. 104.
[3] Idem, n. 107.

Picture: Pope Francis gives Sister Maria Concetta Esu an award for her tireless work as a missionary midwife in Africa over the past 60 years.