Weekly Newsletters
We know that when God pleased the people of Israel and He gave them a prophet, they distanced themselves from Him. However, since God so loves His people, He finally sends us His Son, God from God, Light from Light, so that our relationship can be re-established, but, we are so contaminated or influenced by “unclean spirits” that God’s actions seems strange and His presence becomes “something overwhelming”. We need to recognize and reaffirm that “the Lord is our God and we are His people, the flock that He shepherds.” We need to “listen to His voice today,” not to harden our heart and test Him like our fathers of the old covenant did, who tested and tempted him, although they had been witnesses of His great works. In summary, we need a celibate heart, free of all other temptation to love, that is not centered in God, so that His presence does not overwhelm us; on the contrary, let us “acclaim the rock of our salvation,” let us come into “His presence with thanksgiving.” Jesus, who is God, became man, so that the man can be in the live and real presence of God.
The great technological advancements allow us to have advance warning of catastrophes or natural movements that can affect the human being. For example, the study of time and its different circumstances can give us information, with a minimum margin of error, of when we are going to have a certain kind of weather, whether it is cold, warm, snow, rain, hurricane, etc. When reading the first reading from the book of Jonah, we see how the Lord warns the people of Nineveh about the destruction that approaches the city because of their lifestyle. Jonah has the difficult mission of warning the people in advance about “the catastrophe” that will soon approach them if they do not have a change of heart and return to the Lord. In today’s gospel, Jesus also appears with a connotation of advance warning, inviting people to “repent and believe in the gospel.” In the time of Jonah, God worked through the human being. In the New Testament it is Jesus who warns us about the destiny of our lives because of sin; however, he also invites others to join in His mission.
“We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage,” with these words, the magi from the East let Herod and the people of Israel know that a “king was born.” Such news greatly troubled the monarch, who for a moment, jumped, not of joy but of concern for the nature of what he was hearing. Often we usually hear or say, “A star is born,” as a way of acknowledging that we are in the presence of someone prodigious or whose presence has overwhelmed our senses. The signs that identify such person are so special that we believe something grandiose is about to happen, due to the prodigies that arise from the existence of that person
n the famous and constantly used Wikipedia, the free web encyclopedia, the Family is defined as, “the natural and fundamental element of a society which right is protected by the state and society in general.” After such a general definition, the same Wikipedia gives us various types of family: The Nuclear Family, formed by a mother, a father and a child or children. The Extended Family, defined as the blood members, closes relatives and all those who love, support and share our understanding of our family concept. The Mono-parental Family, in which one or various children live with a single parent. The Homo-Parental Family, where one or several children live with a couple of the same sex. And finally, The Communal Family, composed by families who come together as the result of the union of two parents who have been through a divorce or with the passing of one of the parents.
“For behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a Savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. [Luke 2:10-11].” With this great proclamation and good news, the angels inform the world of the great reality of God’s holy Son’s presence among us. Heaven and earth are united in a singular joy, symbolizing the totality of God’s creation. Celestials powers announce to the world, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favors rests.” This gift or blessing of peace will be the same gift that Jesus will give his disciples, later, when he says, “my peace I give you, my peace I leave you.”
In the first reading for this fourth Sunday of the Holy Advent, we read how David is grateful for his new palace and the gift of peace that God has bestowed upon him; however, the “ark of God” remained dwelling in a tent. He who consecrated him as King, gave him prosperity and allowed him to enjoy peace was now far away from all the achievements granted.
“Rejoice always,” are the words of Paul to the Thessalonians’ community. Rejoice is the word and gift for this third glorious Sunday of Advent. Why should we rejoice? In the first reading, Isaiah gives us a very good reason to rejoice: the presence of the Spirit of the Lord and the anointing for a mission. Last week, we heard in the words of John the Baptist that “the Messiah will baptize us with the Holy Spirit.” Being baptized is to be fully immerged.
As we receive and live out with joy our Advent, we accept the invitation to walk in the straight path, without obstacle, towards God.
Advent is a time of renewal. If we acknowledge before God that we have not fulfilled His commandments and that our heart has hardened to the point of losing our fear of Him, we will become aware of our misery, and therefore implore Him to return
again so we may be renewed.
