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Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter

Reading 1 Acts 5:17-26

The high priest rose up and all his companions,
that is, the party of the Sadducees,
and, filled with jealousy,
laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail.
But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,
led them out, and said,
“Go and take your place in the temple area,
and tell the people everything about this life.”
When they heard this,
they went to the temple early in the morning and taught.
When the high priest and his companions arrived,
they convened the Sanhedrin,
the full senate of the children of Israel,
and sent to the jail to have them brought in.
But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison,
so they came back and reported,
“We found the jail securely locked
and the guards stationed outside the doors,
but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report,
they were at a loss about them,
as to what this would come to.
Then someone came in and reported to them,
“The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area
and are teaching the people.”
Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them,
but without force,
because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R.(7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R.The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia John 3:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 3:16-21

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Pius V, Pope, religious

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church / Una sola Iglesia santa, católica y apostólica

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I love how today’s Gospel pairs with our feast day celebrating Pope St. Pius V. Both pronounce the overwhelming goodness of our God. God not only gifts humanity with life, which in and of itself is mind boggling, but he gives us the gift of Himself in the person of Jesus that we might live a fully abundant life with Him now and forever. Jesus tells us that His very life is a great testimony of God’s love for all of the world.

God doesn’t shout down from Heaven to tell us He loves us. God comes down from Heaven to prove it, and God doesn’t have to prove anything to us. Out of love He chose to come so we would be assured of His unfailing love. But wait, there’s more and this is where Pope St. Pius V’s feast day comes in.

Not only does God give us the gifts of life and Jesus, he also gives us the Church which Pope St. Pius V educated and reformed so brilliantly.

God loved the world so much that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life (see Jn 3:16). Friends, this is not a one and done ordeal stuck back in 33 AD. Nobody is left out of God’s plan. This reality, accessible to all people across all time, is made possible through the Church. It allows everyone to witness the single-handedly most significant act of love: the Son’s gift of self to the Father for our redemption.

Jesus gave us the sacraments, the Eucharist par excellence, and by them we are enveloped in God’s great mystery of love. We don’t merely witness it. Through the sacraments, we can stand at the foot of the cross with the Blessed Mother, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Clopas, and John to receive an outpouring of graces while the Son is lifted up to the Father; tongues of fire can fall upon our heads in the upper room alongside Mary and the disciples; we can be present at the breaking of the bread in Emmaus; we can stand among the cloud of witnesses in Heaven.

Men and women like Pope St. Pius V, who work tirelessly to defend and spread this Gospel message, keep the faith alive. To them we owe gratitude and reverence. To them we give our allegiance as co-workers in the vineyard. We should not abandon them in their efforts but join them instead. We beg for their intercession so we will have the faith and love to endure all trials for the sake of the kingdom. Pope St. Pius V, intercede for us, that we may receive and pour out love like you. Amen.

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Me encanta cómo el Evangelio de hoy se combina con la fiesta que celebramos del Papa San Pío V. Ambos pronuncian la inmensa bondad de nuestro Dios. Dios no solo nos da la vida a la humanidad, lo cual en sí mismo es alucinante, sino que nos da el don de Sí mismo en la persona de Jesús para que podamos vivir una vida plena y abundante con Él ahora y para siempre. Jesús nos dice que Su propia vida es un gran testimonio del amor de Dios por todo el mundo.

Dios no grita desde el Cielo para decirnos que nos ama. Dios desciende del Cielo para demostrarlo, y Dios no tiene que demostrarnos nada. Por amor, eligió venir para que tuviéramos la seguridad de Su amor infalible. Pero espere, hay más, y aquí es donde entra en juego la fiesta del Papa San Pío V.

Dios no solo nos da los dones de la vida y de Jesús, sino que también nos da la Iglesia que el Papa San Pío V educó y reformó de manera tan brillante.

Dios amó tanto al mundo que dio a su Hijo único, para que todo aquel que crea en Él no perezca, sino que tenga vida eterna (ver Jn 3,16). Amigos, esta no es una prueba unicamente del año 33 d. C. Nadie queda fuera del plan de Dios. Esta realidad, accesible a todas las personas de todos los tiempos, es posible gracias a la Iglesia. Permite a todos ser testigos del acto de amor más significativo: la entrega del Hijo al Padre para nuestra redención.

Jesús nos dio los sacramentos, la Eucaristía por excelencia, y por ellos estamos envueltos en el gran misterio del amor de Dios. No nos limitamos a ser testigos de Él. A través de los sacramentos, podemos estar al pie de la cruz con la Santísima Madre, María Magdalena, María de Cleofás y Juan para recibir un derramamiento de gracias mientras el Hijo es elevado al Padre; lenguas de fuego pueden caer sobre nuestras cabezas en el Cenáculo junto a María y los discípulos; podemos estar presentes en la fracción del pan en Emaús; podemos estar entre la multitud de testigos en el Cielo.

Hombres y mujeres como el Papa San Pío V, que trabajan incansablemente para defender y difundir este mensaje del Evangelio, mantienen viva la fe. A ellos les debemos gratitud y reverencia. A ellos les damos nuestra lealtad como colaboradores en la viña. No debemos abandonarlos en sus esfuerzos, sino unirnos a ellos. Rogamos por su intercesión para que tengamos la fe y el amor necesarios para soportar todas las pruebas por el bien del reino. Papa San Pío V, intercede por nosotros, para que podamos recibir y derramar el amor como tú. Amén.

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Former NPS Park Ranger, Catholic educator, and Youth Minister, Melissa Lucca now spends her days evangelizing family and neighbors as a stay-at-home mom. She holds an MA in Theology from the Augustine Institute and pursues personal study in her spare time. Melissa loves Ignatian Spirituality, Mother Mary, and rock climbing. If you don’t hear her and her kiddo laughing at home, then they are probably out on an adventure!

Feature Image Credit: Letian Zhang, unsplash.com/photos/an-aerial-view-of-the-city-of-rome-IClruOLmecI

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

The post One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church / Una sola Iglesia santa, católica y apostólica appeared first on Diocesan.

Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Readings for the Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 Acts 4:32-37

The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the Apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.

Thus Joseph, also named by the Apostles Barnabas
(which is translated “son of encouragement”),
a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,
sold a piece of property that he owned,
then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5

R. (1a) The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia John 3:14-15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man must be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 3:7b-15

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered and said to him,
‘How can this happen?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen,
but you people do not accept our testimony.
If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

– – –

Knowing Christ, Our Peace / Conociéndo a Cristo, Nuestro Paz

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In the Bible I keep on my desk at work, today’s Gospel passage has the heading “The Lament of Jerusalem.” That makes sense. Throughout the whole passage, Jesus is certainly lamenting over the city of Jerusalem. It even says that He weeps over it before speaking about what will happen if Jerusalem does not begin to know “what makes for peace,” and it’s not pretty.

It makes me wonder what Jesus would say and do if He walked past one of our cities today and saw the state of our culture. Talk about a lament. If we use this past Sunday’s Gospel as a measuring stick, we have nation turning against nation, people turning against one another, wars and so much more. It begs the question – do we ourselves know what makes for peace? Does our society know what makes for peace? Survey says … not really.

There is such a desire for peace in the world today. That’s why many people will jokingly say that they want “world peace” for Christmas or their birthdays – because they see war, strife, discord and more in the world today. All of that adds up to a lack of peace. And often, they make this response jokingly, knowing full well that they will never actually get world peace as a gift.

Would we be desiring peace if we had peace already? Perhaps, because we know exactly what we’re asking for we would surely want more of it. But I have to believe that the reason so many people want peace in the world is because they don’t see peace or are experiencing a lack of peace for themselves.

The reason Jerusalem did not know peace and soon would be in ruins was because it did not know Jesus or accept Him as the Messiah. Jesus is the one who brings peace. Especially in recent years, our society has rejected Jesus and everything to do with Christianity.

So what can we do to bring Jesus Christ to the world, to bring peace into the world? We must take our mission of evangelization seriously – to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Mt. 28:19-20) We must share the message of Jesus with the world so that the world comes to know Him and love Him and can experience the peace He offers.

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En la Biblia que tengo en mi escritorio en el trabajo, el pasaje del Evangelio de hoy tiene el título “El Lamento de Jerusalén”. Eso tiene sentido. A lo largo de todo el pasaje, Jesús ciertamente se lamenta por la ciudad de Jerusalén. Incluso dice que Él llora por eso antes de hablar de lo que sucederá si Jerusalén no comienza a saber “lo que hace a la paz”, y no es bonito.

Me hace preguntarme qué diría y haría Jesús si pasara por una de nuestras ciudades hoy y viera el estado de nuestra cultura. Habla de un lamento. Si usamos el Evangelio del domingo pasado como vara de medir, tenemos nación volviéndose contra nación, gente volviéndose unos contra otros, guerras y mucho más. Plantea la pregunta: ¿sabemos nosotros mismos lo que contribuye a la paz? ¿Sabe nuestra sociedad lo que contribuye a la paz? La verdad que no.

Hay mucho deseo de paz en el mundo de hoy. Es por eso que muchas personas dicen en broma que quieren “la paz mundial” para Navidad o sus cumpleaños, porque ven guerra, lucha, discordia y más en el mundo de hoy. Todo eso se suma a la falta de paz, y a menudo, dan esta respuesta en broma, sabiendo muy bien que en realidad nunca obtendrán la paz mundial como regalo.

¿Estaríamos deseando la paz si ya tuviéramos la paz? Tal vez, porque sabemos exactamente lo que estamos pidiendo, seguramente querríamos más. Pero tengo que creer que la razón por la que tantas personas quieren la paz en el mundo es porque no ven la paz o están experimentando una falta de paz para ellos mismos.

La razón por la que Jerusalén no conoció la paz y pronto estaría en ruinas fue porque no conoció a Jesús ni lo aceptó como el Mesías. Jesús es el que trae la paz. Especialmente en los últimos años, nuestra sociedad ha rechazado a Jesús y todo lo que tiene que ver con el cristianismo.

Entonces, ¿qué podemos hacer para traer a Jesucristo al mundo, para traer paz al mundo? Debemos tomar en serio nuestra misión de evangelizar: “Id, pues, y haced discípulos a todas las naciones, bautizándolos en el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espíritu Santo, enseñándoles a guardar todo lo que te he ordenado.” (Mt 28,19-20) Debemos compartir el mensaje de Jesús con el mundo para que el mundo llegue a conocerlo y amarlo y pueda experimentar la paz que Él ofrece.

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Erin is a Cleveland native and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is passionate about the Lord Jesus, all things college sports and telling stories and she is blessed enough to get paid for all three of her passions as a full-time youth minister and a freelance sports writer.

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St. Hugh of Lincoln: Saint of the Day for Thursday, November 17, 2022

Hugh of Lincoln was the son of William, Lord of Avalon. He was born at Avalon Castle in Burgundy and was raised and educated at a convent at Villard-Benoit after his mother died when he was eight. He was professed at fifteen, ordained a deacon at nineteen, and was made prior of a monastery at Saint-Maxim. While visiting the Grande Chartreuse with his prior in 1160. It was then he decided to become a Carthusian there and was ordained. After ten years, he was named procurator and in 1175 became …

Prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua, Performer of Miracles: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, November 17, 2022

Dear Saint Anthony,

Your prayers obtained miracles during your lifetime. You still seem to move at ease in the realm of minor and major miracles.

Saint Anthony, Performer of Miracles, please obtain for me the blessings God holds in reserve for those who serve Him. Pray that I may be worthy of the promises my Lord Jesus attaches to confident prayer.

[mention your special intentions]

Franciscan Mission Associates

All We Need, And More / Todo lo Que Necesitamos y Hasta Más

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Does your parish church have stained glass windows? From the outside, the windows look dark and dull, but when you are inside the Church, they are richly and brilliantly illuminated.

That is another kind of parable for the lesson of Jesus in today’s Gospel. We see Jesus Himself as the “nobleman” who went to obtain a kingship, giving ten of his servants a gold coin worth 100 days’ wages before he left, giving them specific instructions to “engage in trade” with them. After he became king, he returned to check the “return on investment,” as it were.

These coins can be seen as the talents and graces we are freely given. The Lord gives us everything and invites us to freely put our gifts and our lives in his service and the service of others. He asks us to use what we have (without comparing it to what others have!) to engage fully in life, to help others, and to glorify God. To those who do this generously, Jesus promises a generous reward!

But if we refuse to use what we have been given, it will be as if we have chosen to remain outside the church building in the cold, seeing it as a stone mountain into which we dare not enter. From outside, we cannot see the light streaming in through the colored windows or enter into the hymns of praise rising up from the People of God or partake of the rich banquet of the Body and Blood of Christ. We, therefore, keep ourselves separated from communion with God and His family!

Many things can keep us from fully engaging our gifts: fear, selfishness, ingratitude. We may not really know what we have or what we can do; we may be using our energies to satisfy our own wants and forgetting to look at ways to serve others; we may be blinded by a conviction that we really don’t have enough to give; we may be afraid of the risks of taking our spiritual responsibility seriously; we may be focused on counting the costs. All of these attitudes and more can impel us to “wrap our coin in a handkerchief” rather than “engage in trade”!

Where do we begin to shift engagement? We can begin by making sure that our relationship with God truly has first place in our lives. Then we can take a look at the duties and responsibilities before us, in our family and at work, and assess whether we are doing all we can for the people around us. Next, we can look at our parish, to see where we might be of service to further the mission of the Church!

We need not fear that we will run out of anything. If we are doing what God calls us to do, we are given more! When we engage our gifts and talents in His service, we will always have all we need.

¿Tu iglesia parroquial tiene vitrales? Desde el exterior, las ventanas se ven oscuras y aburridas, pero cuando estás dentro de la Iglesia, están ricamente y brillantemente iluminadas.

Ese es otro tipo de parábola para la lección de Jesús en el Evangelio de hoy. Vemos a Jesús mismo como el “hombre noble” que fue a obtener un reinado, dando a diez de sus sirvientes una moneda de oro por valor de 100 días de salario antes de irse, dándoles instrucciones específicas para “comerciar” con ellos. Después de convertirse en rey, regresó para verificar el “retorno de la inversión”, por así decirlo.

Estas monedas pueden verse como los talentos y las gracias que se nos dan gratuitamente. El Señor nos da todo y nos invita a poner libremente nuestros dones y nuestra vida a su servicio y al servicio de los demás. Nos pide que usemos lo que tenemos (¡sin compararlo con lo que tienen los demás!) para participar plenamente en la vida, para ayudar a los demás y para glorificar a Dios. ¡A los que hacen esto generosamente, Jesús les promete una generosa recompensa!

Pero si nos negamos a usar lo que se nos ha dado, será como si hubiésemos optado por permanecer fuera del edificio de la iglesia en el frío, viéndolo como una montaña de piedra en la que no nos atrevemos a entrar. Desde fuera no podemos ver la luz que se cuela por los vitrales, ni entrar en los himnos de alabanza que se elevan del Pueblo de Dios, ni participar del rico banquete del Cuerpo y la Sangre de Cristo. ¡Nosotros, por lo tanto, nos mantenemos separados de la comunión con Dios y su familia!

Muchas cosas pueden impedirnos utilizar plenamente nuestros dones: el miedo, el egoísmo, la ingratitud. Puede que no sepamos realmente lo que tenemos o lo que podemos hacer; podemos estar usando nuestras energías para satisfacer nuestros propios deseos y olvidando de buscar formas de servir a los demás; podemos estar cegados por la convicción de que realmente no tenemos suficiente para dar; podemos tener miedo de los riesgos de tomar en serio nuestra responsabilidad espiritual; podemos estar enfocados en lo que nos cuesta. ¡Todas estas actitudes y más pueden impulsarnos a “envolver nuestra moneda en un pañuelo” en lugar de “comerciar”!

¿Dónde empezamos a cambiar el compromiso? Podemos comenzar asegurándonos de que nuestra relación con Dios realmente tenga el primer lugar en nuestras vidas. Entonces podemos echar un vistazo a los deberes y responsabilidades que tenemos ante nosotros, en nuestra familia y en el trabajo, y evaluar si estamos haciendo todo lo posible por las personas que nos rodean. ¡Luego, podemos mirar a nuestra parroquia, para ver dónde podemos ser de servicio para promover la misión de la Iglesia!

No debemos temer que nos quedemos sin nada. Si estamos haciendo lo que Dios nos llama a hacer, ¡se nos da más! Cuando dedicamos nuestros dones y talentos a Su servicio, siempre tendremos todo lo que necesitamos.

Featured Image Credit: Bjorn Pierre, unsplash.com/photos/-clf0K7plGM

This reflection was reposted from Diocesan Archives. Author: Kathryn Mulderink, MA

St. Margaret of Scotland: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, November 16, 2022

St. Margaret of Scotland, or Margaret of Wessex, was an English princess born in Hungary to Princess Agatha of Hungary and English Prince Edward the Exile around 1045. Her siblings, Cristina and Edgar the Atheling were also born in Hungary around this time.

Margaret and her family returned to England when she was 10-years-old and her father was called back as a potential successor to the throne. However, Edward died immediately after the family arrived, but Margaret and Edgar continued to …

Prayer for Life: Prayer of the Day for Wednesday, November 16, 2022

O God, our Creator, all life is in your hands from conception until death. Help us to cherish our children and to reverence the awesome privilege of our share in creation. May all people live and die in dignity and love. Bless all those who defend the rights of the unborn, the handicapped and the aged. Enlighten and be merciful toward those who fail to love, and give them peace. Let freedom be tempered by responsibility, integrity and morality.

Holiness / La Santidad

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Sometimes, Jesus changed his plans. But it seems the only reason he ever changed his plans was out of love.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus intends to pass through Jericho, but his loving desire to save Zacchaeus changes his plans. Zacchaeus is not a pious saint; he is a wealthy man, a chief tax collector, a sinner in the eyes of others. He is, in many ways, lost. But Jesus came “to seek and save what was lost,” and so he is eager to reward the effort of this poor sinner by telling him to “come down quickly” and inviting himself into his home.

Zacchaeus may not have understood his own motivation for climbing that tree to get a glimpse of Jesus. Maybe it seemed initially like superficial curiosity, maybe he had climbed trees before, being “short in stature.” But he follows that good impulse and Jesus meets him right there, and draws him more deeply into his gaze, into his heart. And Zacchaeus responds by receiving the grace that is being offered, repenting of his greed, repaying any extortion fourfold, and giving away half of his possessions to the poor.

Sometimes we become stuck by believing that we will never make real progress in spiritual things because of our own inadequacy, because we are “short in stature” spiritually. And it is true that, by ourselves and our own resources, we can do nothing. But we are not on our own! The Lord is just as eager to draw us into his gaze and into his heart as he was to draw Zacchaeus to repentance. The Lord always meets us more than halfway and brings us to the next level. If we take a step toward him, he takes two steps toward us. If we put forth an effort to know him, he looks at us and receives us. If we acknowledge our own weakness, he becomes our strength. If we hold up our brokenness, he heals us. Whatever we open to him, he fills abundantly!

So let us all resolve to never give into the temptation to be discouraged or to believe that we cannot become holy, or that holiness is not for us. Instead, let us put all our hope in the Lord, who lovingly came “to seek and save what was lost” and whose Divine Creativity never fails to find ways to draw us to himself.

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A veces, Jesús cambiaba sus planes. Pero parece que la única razón por la que cambió sus planes fue por amor.

En el evangelio de hoy, Jesús se propone pasar por Jericó, pero su deseo amoroso de salvar a Zaqueo cambia sus planes. Zaqueo no es un santo piadoso; es un hombre rico, un jefe de los recaudadores de impuestos, un pecador a los ojos de los demás. Está, en muchos sentidos, perdido. Pero “el Hijo del hombre ha venido a buscar y a salvar lo que se había perdido”, por lo que está deseoso de recompensar el esfuerzo de este pobre pecador diciéndole “bájate pronto” e invitándose a sí mismo a su casa.

Es posible que Zaqueo no haya entendido su propia motivación para trepar a ese árbol para ver a Jesús. Tal vez inicialmente parecía una curiosidad superficial, tal vez había trepado a los árboles antes, siendo “de baja estatura”. Pero sigue ese buen impulso y Jesús lo encuentra allí mismo, y lo atrae más profundamente a su mirada, a su corazón. Y Zaqueo responde recibiendo la gracia que se le ofrece, arrepintiéndose de su avaricia, pagando cuatro veces cualquier extorsión y entregando la mitad de sus bienes a los pobres.

A veces nos atascamos al creer que nunca lograremos un progreso real en las cosas espirituales debido a nuestra propia insuficiencia, porque espiritualmente somos “de baja estatura”. Y es verdad que, por nosotros mismos y con nuestros propios recursos, no podemos hacer nada. ¡Pero no estamos solos! El Señor está tan deseoso de atraernos a su mirada y a su corazón como lo estaba de atraer a Zaqueo al arrepentimiento. El Señor siempre nos encuentra a más de la mitad del camino y nos lleva al siguiente nivel. Si damos un paso hacia él, él da dos pasos hacia nosotros. Si nos esforzamos por conocerlo, él nos mira y nos recibe. Si reconocemos nuestra propia debilidad, él se convierte en nuestra fuerza. Si levantamos nuestro quebrantamiento, él nos sana. Todo lo que le abrimos, ¡Él lo llena abundantemente!

Así que tomemos la determinación de nunca ceder a la tentación de desanimarnos o de creer que no podemos llegar a ser santos, o que la santidad no es para nosotros. En cambio, pongamos toda nuestra esperanza en el Señor, que amorosamente vino a “buscar y a salvar lo que se había perdido” y cuya Divina Creatividad siempre encuentra formas de atraernos hacia él.

Comunicarse con la autora

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Rita Laura, cathopic.com/photo/15994-via-crucis-al-atardecer