Category: Parish News & Events

Today’s First Reading speaks of the importance that Paul places on evangelization, which leads to the question, what is Evangelization and does every Catholic have to participate? 

Jesus’ commission in Matthew 28:19, “to go and make disciples of all nations,” is not just one aspect of the Church, but her deepest identity and mission, for the Church exists to evangelize and is born from the missionary activity of Jesus himself. Jesus, as the first and quintessential evangelist, models the mission of the Church and then commissions the apostles to go and preach the Gospel to the whole world. Evangelization, therefore, is not possible without preaching Christ. The Church’s mission consists in bringing all people into relationship with the one who can save them and make them partakers in the divine life, thus fulfilling the very meaning of existence. As part of the Church, that is yours and my mission as well. 

Now, we know that the Church has endured through many different cultures, trials, persecutions, changes, and peoples, and that she understands a need for increased zeal, fresh perspectives, and a new evangelization, which does not just confine itself to a specific period but instead focuses on the action of the Holy Spirit. In our day and age, testimony is often a more effective way to spread the Gospel than by starting with difficult teachings or hard to understand doctrine. Someone can argue with the proofs of Aquinas, but they can’t argue with the personal experiences you have had with God. Don’t be afraid to share your story and, from there, lead people into the deeper truths of the faith. 

I hear people all the time say things like, “I couldn’t possibly evangelize, I don’t have a Theology degree.” But the Church has given a very easy framework to get you started. In its directory for Catechesis it lays out three basic stages of evangelization, namely, missionary action (our call as an initial witness to the Gospel), catechetical-intiatory action (help for those who feel a growing desire for the Lord), and pastoral action (helping the baptized with continual conversion). All of us know someone in one of these stages. It is our duty as Christians to meet them in their current situation with the love and truth of Christ. Paul makes that very clear in the First Reading today when he say’s that he is a slave to all in order to save as many as possible. 

Taking this process seriously and seeking to reach the heart of the individual  is paramount in imitating the Good Shepherd. The Church’s ultimate identity of evangelist stems from the very example of Christ, and it is for this reason that the call may not lay stagnant, but must be taken up as a new evangelization with an ever increasing zeal for intimacy and the salvation of souls. Let’s take up the call today and make disciples of all nations. 

From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!

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La Primera Lectura de hoy habla de la importancia que Pablo le da a la evangelización, lo que lleva a la pregunta, ¿qué es la evangelización y todo católico debe participar ?

La comisión de Jesús en Mateo 28:19, “id y haced discípulos a todas las naciones”, no es sólo un aspecto de la Iglesia, sino su identidad y misión más profundas, ya que la Iglesia existe para evangelizar y nace de la actividad misionera de Jesús mismo. Jesús, como el primer evangelista y por excelencia, modela la misión de la Iglesia y luego comisiona a los apóstoles para que vayan y prediquen el Evangelio a todo el mundo. La evangelización, por tanto, no es posible sin la predicación de Cristo. La misión de la Iglesia consiste en poner en relación a todos los hombres con Aquel que puede salvarlos y hacerlos partícipes de la vida divina, cumpliendo así el sentido mismo de la existencia. Como parte de la Iglesia, esa es tu misión y también la mía.

Ahora bien, sabemos que la Iglesia ha soportado muchas culturas, pruebas, persecuciones, cambios y pueblos diferentes, y que comprende la necesidad de un mayor celo, nuevas perspectivas y una nueva evangelización, que no se limita a una época específica sino que se centra en la acción del Espíritu Santo. En nuestra época, el testimonio es a menudo una forma más eficaz de difundir el Evangelio que comenzar con enseñanzas difíciles o doctrinas difíciles de entender. Alguien puede discutir con las pruebas de Tomás de Aquino, pero no puede discutir con las experiencias personales que has tenido con Dios. No tengas miedo de compartir tu historia y, a partir de ahí, guiar a las personas hacia las verdades más profundas de la fe.

Escucho a la gente todo el tiempo decir cosas como: “No podría evangelizar, no tengo un título en Teología”. Pero la Iglesia ha dado un marco muy fácil para empezar. En su directorio para la catequesis establece tres etapas básicas de la evangelización, a saber, la acción misionera (nuestra llamada como primer testimonio del Evangelio), la acción catequístico-iniciatoria (ayudar a los que sienten un deseo creciente por el Señor) y la acción pastoral (ayudar a los bautizados a la conversión continua). Todos conocemos a alguien en alguna de estas etapas. Es nuestro deber como cristianos encontrarlos en su situación actual con el amor y la verdad de Cristo. Pablo lo deja muy claro en la Primera Lectura de hoy cuando dice que es esclavo de todos para salvar a tantos como sea posible.

Tomar en serio este proceso y buscar llegar al corazón de la persona es primordial para imitar al Buen Pastor. La identidad última de evangelista de la Iglesia brota del mismo ejemplo de Cristo, y por eso la llamada no puede quedarse estancada, sino que debe ser asumida como una nueva evangelización con un celo cada vez mayor por la intimidad y la salvación de las almas. Aceptemos el llamado hoy y hagamos discípulos de todas las naciones.

De parte de todos nosotros aquí en Diocesan, ¡Dios los bendiga!

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Today’s reading is one that lectors fear. How do you make such a long list sound interesting? And how do you pronounce all those names? Why don’t we just skip it (as some parishes inevitably will)? What does it have to do with Mary anyway?

All excellent questions with equally interesting answers. I can’t tell you how to make the list sound interesting, unfortunately, though I’m sure there are some incredible orators out there who will do their very best. 

The questions “Why don’t we just skip it?” and “What does it have to do with Mary?” require lengthier answers. Matthew is speaking to a Jewish audience who knows their history well. The very identity of the Jewish people at this time was rooted within their connection to ancestors like David, Jacob, and Abraham. But Matthew is doing more than simply highlighting key figures in Jesus’ lineage. He is showing how God has been walking alongside His people, preparing them for the coming Messiah. Significantly, God hasn’t just been walking alongside the righteous and upright. This list is full of the good and bad alike. There are criminals, thieves, kings and peasants. There are even some women who, at first glance, might not be the first people you’d think of when it comes to role models. 

Matthew’s goal in listing out Jesus’ ancestry is to show his audience how clearly and specifically God has been walking with His chosen people from the beginning of creation. Jesus isn’t a surprise. He has been part of God’s bigger plan for salvation and here are all the specific ways God has kept His promises to all manner of people. To us today, Jesus’ lineage offers a large number of Old Testament references that we can learn more about and can serve as a launching off point into the stories we may not be familiar with. 

What does this lineage have to do with Mary? Everything! Mary, a little no one, becomes the greatest instrument of God’s plans for the salvation of the world because she understood that her God, our God, is trustworthy. He keeps His promises to His people. God does not abandon His people, even when they do go astray as many of the people on this list did. 

The message of the lineage of Jesus remains the same for us today:

• God’s plans are bigger than we can see in the moment
• God is always planning for our benefit
• God keeps His promises in His own good timing

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“Raising his eyes towards his disciples, Jesus said..”

Imagine what it would be like for Jesus Christ to look at you, to look deep into your soul, and share a message that cuts to your very core. As the Lord was coming down from the mountain, He looked in His disciples’ eyes to tell them words of truth and life. These words only made sense in light of the love that Jesus had for each person. His teachings lead us to lasting joy and the path to heaven. 

The Kingdom of God is set up much differently than the world. Wealth, beauty, power, and influence do not “buy” you a ticket to heaven. Instead, the Lord offers a challenging rebuttal to the world’s way of functioning. The road map to heaven guides us through the path of humility and self-sacrificing love, the narrow gate. When we allow Jesus to transform our hearts, we will grow in our ability to be charitable, humble, and detached from materialism. This poverty of spirit will enable us to be faithful to God, no matter what. Jesus tells us who is blessed, and it is not those that society holds in great esteem; it is those who are persecuted for their faith, the poor, forgotten, and even broken-hearted. They are blessed because “the Lord is near to those who turn to Him”. 

At times, the teachings of Jesus can make us uncomfortable and uneasy, but the truth is this is the path to true happiness, peace, and joy. How often do we slip into worldly thinking, and place ourselves at the center of the universe, place our needs above others, and forget to keep our eyes locked on Christ? Jesus tells us that He is the way, the truth, the life, and in this passage, we come to see that we will be called “Blessed” when we do the will of God. 

So the next time you need to stand with Jesus, make sure to recall this passage and allow your witness to be one rooted in humility and love. Let us remember that Jesus is offering each of us the graces we need to walk the difficult path of following His teachings. 

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“…mirando Jesús a sus discípulos, les dijo…”

Imagina cómo sería que Jesucristo te mirara en lo profundo de tu alma y compartiera un mensaje que llega hasta lo más profundo de ti. Mientras el Señor bajaba del monte, miró a los ojos de sus discípulos para decirles palabras de verdad y de vida. Estas palabras sólo tenían sentido a la luz del amor que Jesús tenía por cada persona. Sus enseñanzas nos llevan a la alegría duradera y al camino al cielo.

El Reino de Dios se establece de manera muy diferente al mundo. La riqueza, la belleza, el poder y la influencia no te “compran” un boleto al cielo. En cambio, el Señor ofrece una refutación desafiante a la forma de funcionar del mundo. El mapa del camino al cielo nos guía por el camino de la humildad y el amor abnegado, la puerta estrecha. Cuando permitimos que Jesús transforme nuestros corazones, creceremos en nuestra capacidad de ser caritativos, humildes y desprendidos del materialismo. Esta pobreza de espíritu nos permitirá ser fieles a Dios, pase lo que pase. Jesús nos dice quiénes son los bienaventurados, y no son los que la sociedad tiene en gran estima; son los perseguidos por su fe, los pobres, los olvidados y hasta los quebrantados de corazón. Son bienaventurados porque “el Señor está cerca de los que se vuelven a Él”.

A veces, las enseñanzas de Jesús pueden hacernos sentir incómodos, pero la verdad es que este es el camino hacia la verdadera felicidad, paz y alegría. ¿Con qué frecuencia nos deslizamos hacia el pensamiento mundano y nos colocamos en el centro del universo, colocamos nuestras necesidades por encima de los demás y olvidamos mantener nuestros ojos fijos en Cristo? Jesús nos dice que Él es el camino, la verdad, la vida, y en este pasaje, llegamos a ver que seremos llamados “Bienaventurados” cuando hagamos la voluntad de Dios.

Entonces, la próxima vez que necesite estar con Jesús, asegúrese de recordar este pasaje y permita que su testimonio esté arraigado en la humildad y el amor. Recordemos que Jesús nos está ofreciendo a cada uno de nosotros las gracias que necesitamos para transitar el difícil camino de seguir sus enseñanzas.

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