REFLECTION

The baptism of Jesus: the Decision 

Esteve Redolad

The baptism of Jesus is probably one of the most important events in his life. Its feast, a week after Epiphany, merely tiptoes through Christmas celebrations as perhaps one of the most depreciated and less valued celebrations of the liturgical calendar.

It could be seen as just a minor episode, when in fact it was perhaps the fundamental event of his inner life, the moment in which he assumes his mission and begins his public ministry, most probably still without knowing the full scope and significance of his decision. Sometimes popular culture makes us believe that very early in His life, almost at birth, Jesus would be endowed with the capacity to be all knowing as to the events that would unfold during his time on earth. Thus, we assume that he knew in advance that he was going to be baptized by John at the River Jordan, and that he knew his mission and identity. If that is the presumption, then the baptism episode loses its significance.    

REFLECTION

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY: THE SHOCK WAVE OF THE GOOD NEWS REACHING US

Ricardo Martín

Still in the Season of Christmas, we celebrate today the Feast of the Epiphany. Epiphany, in our faith context, means the manifestation of Christ to all the Nations.

In the readings of these last days we have been hearing all these stories about the birth of Jesus from the two gospels that have them, Luke and Matthew. One of the beautiful things of all these texts in Christmas is to see how the Good News of the birth of Christ has this expansive effect: first, only Mary knows about it; then Joseph; then Elizabeth and Zachariah; then the shepherds (representing the downcast of Israel); and today it reaches all the Nations. Using 21st century language, Jesus goes viral at the Epiphany.

This manifestation of Christ is still happening to us, and it is a matter for us to hear it, and be transformed as the Magi were transformed. When the gospel begins, the Magi are looking for Jesus in Jerusalem, in the center of power of the time, and they thought Herod would be of help. But at the end of the gospel, transformed by the encounter with Christ, they realize that they have to avoid Jerusalem and Herod, to return as different people, carrying with them the good news of Jesus.

We can look at the attitude of the Magi in today’s gospel and learn from them how to let Jesus transform our lives:

(1) The Magi were people on a journey, who were searching. The opposite of that is our tendency to settle, in life and in faith, and to stop searching. We tend to become people with all the answers instead of people of questions.

(2) In their search, they read a sign–a star. We believe God continues sending us many signs on how to find Jesus. People and events that happen in our lives are messages from God, but we often do not pay attention, in the midst of our busy lives. We have lost the sensitivity to discern signs.

(3) Once they encounter Jesus, the Magi gave him everything. They gifted themselves to the Child: Gold, representing their material wealth; Frankincense, representing their faith, as incense has in many cultures been a sign of our relationship with the Divine; and by gifting him with myrrh, they have given him also their suffering and their eventual death, as myrrh was used in antiquity as an ointment with medicinal effects, also used to prepare a body for the funeral rituals. The opposite happens when Jesus does not change anything in our lives, as we live faith on the surface. We compartmentalize lives and we do not live all dimensions of our lives following the values of Jesus.

(4) And they were “overjoyed” upon encountering Jesus—and we continue preaching that joy is a choice we make. We all have problems and depressions, and excuses not to be joyful. Does the encounter with Jesus fill us with joy?

The Epiphany is an explosion of joy and meaning, and its shock wave is reaching us today. We learn from the Magi how to set ourselves to continue the journey that takes us to the Child and beyond–in constant journey of transformation.

Are we still searching? Are we making the choice of Joy? Are we giving everything to God or in what areas I am still holding back?

REFLECTION

TO BE THANKFUL!

Thanking is what the old person does for the years of life that God has given him; giving thanks for who he has loved and how much he has suffered. 

Thanking is what the poor person does when he understands that his life depends on God and God´s providence.  Thanking is what the young person does, conscious of his possibilities and his future: for all there is to do, to love, and to enjoy. Thanking is what the rich person does for his goods and his prosperity. We all have reasons to give thanks: to God, to family and to friends who are always there, to acquaintances and strangers who enter, pass through, and leave our lives every day. Let us end the year closing our eyes in a moment of gratitude and say a profound “Thank you!”

Surgery for a Dominican Child in Barcelona

Little José Mario Ramírez from Sabana Yegua (Dominican Republic) was born with a problem with his legs, amyoplasia congenita, which is a severe deformity resulting from restricted fetal movement in the womb.  He has never been able to walk.  He is now seven years old and in spite of the fact that he is able to move around aided by his hands and feet, his situation is still very sad.  A little more than a year ago, through a volunteer from Barcelona who visited the Dominican Republic, we contacted the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, a wonderful teaching pediatric hospital in Barcelona, owned by the Hospital Order of the Brothers of St. John of God. Their CUIDAM program (http://www.cuidam.org/en/about_us/) is dedicated to making it easier for children with serious problems, from all over the world, to be brought to the hospital in Barcelona for world class treatment.

We were fortunate and blessed that just a few months ago a doctor from that hospital traveled to the Dominican Republic to conduct an orthopedic surgery workshop and was able to evaluate José Mario, who was then designated for a future intervention.  Finally, the child and his mother traveled to Barcelona in October 2014.  He was evaluated by doctors who are presently correcting the position of his foot with casts for seven weeks.  When this process is finished, they will operate on his foot and hips.  We hope and pray that when all of his treatment finishes, he will be able to walk.  

We thank everyone who has been part of this accomplishment; our collaborators at the hospital and CUIDAM as well as all the friends and volunteers who are accompanying and helping this child and his mother during his stay in Spain. We are also thankful to all who have prayed for the success of this endeavor. One of the joys of our work is that, although we are small in number and scattered geographically, through our network of caring and generous friends and volunteers, with their relationships and resources, we are able to achieve miraculous stories like this one with José Mario.

REFLECTION

Christmas: The Feast of God's Empathy

Ricardo Martín 

At Christmas God becomes human. God deeply wishes to embrace the human experience and becomes one like us. In modern terms, Christmas could be called the celebration of God’s empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand reality the way another person experiences it. To exercise the gift of empathy means to be able to walk in the other person’s shoes and understand and share that person’s view, and feelings, without judging. Empathy requires our own ability to be open to our own emotions. I believe it is a wonderful way to reflect about Christmas: God deeply desires to share the great human adventure with us. God becomes human in radical openness to us and to our emotions, struggles and joys. God shows absolute empathy towards us.

Any liturgical celebration comes with a call, a mission attached to it. We contemplate and celebrate mystery of the Nativity, at the same time that we embrace the call to empathy. If God has become human as an act of absolute empathy towards us, we are also called to become more human. We become more human as long as we are able to show empathy to others. We are called to understand, rather than to judge; we are called to share in joys and anxieties, rather than undermine other’s experiences; we are called to listen and communicate, the way God listens and communicates with us.

Christmas shows us the passion with which God exercises empathy towards us. At the Christmas Midnight Mass we will read Paul’s letter to Titus, where it says that God seeks a people passionate for doing what is right. We are invited to be people of empathy with the same passion God shows empathy in the mystery of the Nativity—which is the same passion with which Jesus—the God made human—will live the rest of his life.

From this blog we want to wish a Blessed Christmas to all the benefactors and friends of the Community of Saint Paul. May it be an opportunity for all of us to become more human, sharing in God’s empathy towards us.    

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

BISHOP DON HYING VISITS LA SAGRADA FAMILIA PARISH IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

During the first week of December, Auxiliary Bishop Donald Hying of Milwaukee was able to visit La Sagrada Familia in the Dominican Republic for a few days. Bishop Hying served as a priest in the parish from 1994 to 1997, and had not yet been back to visit since his episcopal ordination. He was delighted to return to his old parish, to see many friends and to visit the Community of Saint Paul and the new ministries and programs that now take place there. It was a very joyful visit.

Just ten days before traveling to the Dominican Republic, Bishop Hying learned that the Holy Father has appointed him as the new Bishop of Gary, Indiana. From here we would like to extend our congratulations and assurance of prayers as he moves into this new ministry in the Church.