REFLECTION 

BUILDING GOOD BRIDGES

Michael Wolfe

This past Sunday, Pope Francis wrapped up his visit to the United States.  The whirlwind tour was full of many firsts: not only was it the first time that he had ever visited the country, but during his days in Washington DC, he addressed Congress during a joint session, the first pope ever to do so.  Recognizing the significance of Pope Francis’ visit to the Unites States as a whole, and especially the historical event of his address to Congress, I’d like to share with you some of what I consider the salient points of that address in relation to our readings from Mass this past Sunday[1] (which was the last day Pope Francis’ celebrated Mass in the U.S.).  I do so in large part because Francis himself made it very clear that he was not only addressing the legislators present, but the entire people of the United States.  And of course, his content is applicable to all people of faith.

GRADUATION: CELEBRATING THE DIGNITY OF THE CHILDREN OF THE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM IN SABANA YEGUA (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC) 

During the Summer, 45 children graduated from the preschool programs in La Sagrada Familia Parish. We celebrated a formal graduation ceremony (even though the children are very young) to recognize the participation of these kids in the program and their educational advances during the last year, and also to bid them farewell, since in September they will move on to primary school. Our children’s preschool program is conducted at three sites throughout the parish (in the towns of Sabana Yegua, El Ganadero and Los Negros) and it provides initial education for 180 children, from two to five years of age. The little ones go daily to the centers, where they receive education, a nutritional balanced diet (breakfast and lunch) and medical monitoring. Importantly, the preschool program also requires the active participation of their parents. This involvement of the parents includes not just getting the children to and from the school, but also attending meetings and talks about subjects like health and nutrition.

The children in this program of preschool childcare come from families of scarce means who live in marginal towns and settlements within the parish. The poverty and need in which these families find themselves seems at times to strip away their dignity. To conduct a well-organized, formal graduation was a way to restore a bit this dignity, at times lost due to their adversities. The parents came to the graduation dressed elegantly and participated with pride in the different activities, while the children were showing off proudly all of their advances. We hope that these children grow with confidence and the dignity necessary to be good men and women in our society.

REFLECTION

WHO DO YOU SAY JESUS IS?
(From the Gospel of the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time)
José Nieto

Can you imagine Jesus asking this question to you in front of everybody else at church on a Sunday mass? What would you say? Most probably we would give an answer like Peter’s - "Jesus you are the Christ! Jesus, you are the messiah, the King!"

And there is no reason why Peter or anyone of us would not answer in this way, unless Peter’s concept of messiah would be the wrong one. Could we also be wrong about what kind of messiah Jesus is?

Indeed, Peter is mistaken about Jesus’ messianic identity. It is true, of course, that Jesus is the messiah, the Christ. But when Jesus explained the suffering and the road to the cross he would have to undergo, Peter’s idea of a triumphant messiah becomes an obstacle for Peter’s understanding. For him, the idea of suffering and dying does not belong to the idealized messiah that he confessed just few verses before.

Like Peter, we can also be caught up with the wrong idea of Christ. Sometimes we can even accommodate Jesus’ role to our convenience, thinking according to our logic but not as God would. A clear example is when we think of Jesus as a judge and not as a merciful Lord. It may happen that our logic would demand to think of Jesus as a punishing judge for those who do not follow the law. This would be the way of human logic. But in God’s mind, human judgment falls short compared to his infinite mercy and love. Sometimes our way of thinking demands a logical consequence for a cause. But in God’s eyes, we are always seen as his most precious creation, those who were made in his own image. When thinking about Jesus, and who he is, we should always be aware that his love will always overcome any of our human expectations.

So, before we get the wrong idea of Christ, we should ask ourselves - Am I thinking like God does or as humans do, when answering the question, who do you say that Jesus is?

GRADUATION OF STUDENTS IN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Jansel Corcino, of Sabana Yeguar, is proud of having graduated from the Computer Science Degree at the University UTESUR of Azua (Dominican Republic). Another student from Sabana Yegua, Hugo Alquejay, also graduated, in his case from as an Agricultural Engineer. We rejoice in the fact that he completed his studies with Honors.  Both Jansel and Hugo are examples of the more than 70 young people who have received scholarships from La Sagrada Familia parish. The success of this program gives us great satisfaction, since we know that to invest in education is the best we can do to offer a future filled with hope to the young people in our region.