Author: ANTONINO

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

I knew that Alfred had something against me. He stopped talking to me and greeting me. And the irony of our culture is that when we most need to talk to clarify misunderstandings what happens is that some people stop talking with one another.

This friend of mine was still very sad when he told me that his father and his uncle (his father’s brother) didn’t talk with one another for twenty-three years until his uncle died. And then he added: «What a waste!… How many birthdays, Christmas parties and many many other parties and events happened during those twenty-three years from which they had excluded themselves, along with their children and grandchildren!… «Do you know that Helen doesn’t talk with her mother-in-law»? When I hear this, I know that there is something wrong between them. Something that needed to be clarified with a simple conversation but pride deprives them from such a joyful experience. There is a Portuguese Association to help the homeless with the name of «Conversa Amiga» that means «Friendly Talk». The slogan is «Quando conversamos somos mais humanos» that means «When we talk we are more human».

I knew that Alfred had something against me. When I told him: «Alfred I sense that there is something wrong between us but I don’t know what. Can we talk?». I felt very sad when he just told me: «Leave me in peace». And I left him in «peace». But was he really in «peace»? I wasn’t. I was, and I am, hurting.

During the many apparitions of Jesus after His Resurrection when He appeared to his friends, even when the doors were closed, instead of our «good morning, or good afternoon or hello» He always greeted them with the word «Peace». But did the word «Peace» in the mouth of Jesus have the same meaning of the word «Peace» in the mouth of my friend Alfred when he said «Leave me in peace»? Of course not.

The word Peace translated to Aramaic in the language of Jesus is «Shallom». And this word Shalom leaves no room for confusions. Shalom means «I desire for you prosperity in your life, good health, harmony, good relationships with your family, friends and neighbours. I want for you all success, including financial success. I want for you everything that is good. I desire for you the best you can have and need».

That’s the reason why during this pandemic, when during Mass I invite people to greet one another with the sign of Shalom (because nobody should touch each another) I can see them with joined hands like in a contemplative prayer, bowing their heads, in the direction of one another and always with a smile and telling one another «SHALOM».

What a wonderful moment. What a profound preparation to receive or make the Sacred Communion. I have to confess that this moment always touches me deeply and makes me a better person.

For all my friends and all my enemies here is my SHALOM!

Fr. Bernardino Andrade
18/04/2021

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

Even if I believe in plans, I have to confess that my life and the life of many people, like me, is made more by events than by plans. Things happen. And very often they change our plans and our lives forever. There is a saying that goes like this: «If you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans».

Last Sunday was Easter Sunday. As usual I had the privilege of celebrating the Eucharist in English with the beautiful community of Penha de França. Because it was Easter Sunday, I thought that it would be a good idea to say the Our Father in the languages of the forty-seven people who were attending Mass. We had the Our Father prayed in nine languages: English, Polish, Indian, Spanish, Chinese, Greek, Ukrainian, Irish and Portuguese.

It was so beautiful to experience the vast diversity of languages praying to the same Father, being so different, and so united, in the same Eucharist. It was really a preview of what heaven will be like. We looked so different, but we were so united. This is what we dream for tomorrow’s world.

Then at the end of Mass, I thought that it would be a good idea to count how many nationalities were in this little chapel. The result was very surprising. Who would ever guess that in those forty-seven people in this small chapel, singing the same hymns, praying the same prayers, speaking different languages with so many different accents, being nourished by the same Word of God and the same Eucharist, wearing different masks sanitized by the same alcohol gel, observing social distance because of the corona virus… that we would have sixteen nationalities? Cultural diversity is not a problem. Cultural diversity is a Blessing.

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

11/04/2021

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Are you curious to know which nationalities were represented at Mass last Sunday ?
From the quick “survey” done of everyone present, we discovered that these were the 16 nationalities represented:

British (9), Irish (5), Indian (1), Colombian (1),
Venezuelan (1), Swiss (1), . Polish (5), Ukrainian (1),
Namibian (1), Zimbabwean (1), Singaporean (1),
Greek (1), South African (8), Dutch (1),
English (1)….. and….. Portuguese (9)

When I was a missionary in that immense Africa and working in the city it was not uncommon that the missionaries working in the interior would invite me to travel to their missions and give some small retreats in Portuguese. Most of the times I would fly in small planes of four, six or the maximum of eight passengers.

One of those events happened before Holy Week. I flew in a very small plane from the city of Quelimane to a village called Milange, next door to Malawi.

The weather was beautiful. I was seated on the front seat, side by side with the pilot. I could see every switch he touched and could ask any questions. We were flying in between mountains. We could enjoy the view of the wild animals, the tea and palm tree plantations that were making those valleys so green and so breathtaking. We could even see people working in their fields.

This was my trip from the city to the village close to Malawi. I did my job and one week later I had to return.

The weather was gloomy, the rain was abundant, and the clouds were dark and frightening. This time I was seated in one of the back seats, far away from the pilot. When the airplane flew through those dark clouds it would dance up and down like a dry leaf on a windy day. Nobody screamed, nobody talked to anyone else. All of us were glued to our seats, grabbing the arms as if they were our only salvation. I knew that we were flying in between mountains and I was «sure» that the pilot could not see them. My thought was «if we fall among these mountains none of us will have a funeral». Nobody will be able to find us and the wild animals will take care of our bodies. It was a really terrifying return flight.

But I had a spiritual experience that has been part of me for the rest of my life. When I saw those dark clouds I always thought: «I am sure that beyond that cloud there will be sun. But after that dark cloud there was no sun. After each dark cloud there was another cloud. Then I would think again: «after that dark cloud there will be sun». But there was no sun. And from a dark cloud to the next dark cloud I always kept my hope alive, looking through the window of the pilot. And we never were able to catch a bit of sun. But at the end of the trip something much better was waiting for us. That thing was a safe landing.

Today is Easter Sunday. Good Friday was not a pleasant day for Jesus. Actually it was a very dark cloud after so many dark clouds that He had to go through. But at the end, Jesus had a safe landing. It was Easter Sunday. He left the tomb. Jesus resurrected. Jesus is alive again.

Albert L. Roper was a prominent Virginia attorney. He once began a thorough legal investigation into the evidence of the Resurrection of Christ, asking himself the question: «Can any intelligent person accept the Resurrection story?» After examining the evidence at length, he came away asking a different question: «Can any intelligent person deny the weight of this evidence?».

Good Friday and Easter Sunday tell me, and all of us, that it doesn’t matter how many dark clouds we have to go through, we can be sure that walking with Jesus we will have a safe landing.

Today on this Easter Sunday we can decide to get closer to Him and walk closer to Him. He is going to be our pilot, and I am sure we will have a safe landing.
Love and Peace,

Fr. Bernardino Andrade
Easter Sunday, 2021-04-04

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

The light turns green, but the man doesn’t notice that the light has changed. The woman behind him begins pounding on her steering wheel and yelling at the man to move! The man doesn’t move! The woman is going ballistic, ranting and raving at the man, pounding on her steering wheel. When the light turns yellow, the woman begins blowing her car’s horn and screaming curses at the man. Finally, the man looks up, sees the yellow light, and accelerates through the intersection just as the light turns red. While she is still ranting, she hears a tap on her window and looks up into the barrel of a gun held by a very serious policeman.

The policeman tells her to pull her car to the side, shut off the engine, come out and stand facing the car, while keeping both hands on the car roof. She is quickly cuffed, and hustled into the patrol car. The woman was too bewildered to ask any questions, and she is driven to the police station, where she is fingerprinted, photographed, searched, booked, and locked up in a cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approaches the cell, and opens the door.

The policeman hands her the bag containing her things, and says: «I’m sorry for this mistake, but you see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, and cursing at the car in front of you. I noticed the «Choose Christ» license plate holder, and «Follow me to Sunday school», bumper sticker, and Palm Sunday palm leaves inside the back windshield. So naturally I assumed you had stolen the car because such a nice Christian, who courageously displays Christian symbols in her car, would never act as you did».

(Father Tony Kadavil)
2.

The Bible is a parable of our lives. When we read the Bible and if we don’t see ourselves in it, we are missing a lot. It is another book or a library of 73 books. When we read the Bible we need to see ourselves in that Book. During the readings of our Sunday Mass we need to see ourselves in those readings. It is a love story between God and us. The readings during Mass are a mirror where we must see ourselves and confront our lives.

During the reading of the Passion I am going to try to see me with a different name, but it is me:

1) I am PETER who denied Jesus
2) I am JUDAS who betrayed Jesus
3) I am HEROD who ridiculed Jesus
4) I am PILATE who acted against my conscience as I condemned Jesus to death on the cross.
5) I am a member of the LEADERS of the people who preserved my position by getting rid of Jesus.
6) I am JESUS who is faithful to His project of showing to the world how good, merciful and forgiving the Father is, who always has a lap for each one of His children. I am Jesus who breaks the law to touch the untouchable, to love the unlovable and to be a «feet washer». But… am I?

Love & Peace

Fr. Bernardino Andrade

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

One of the best definitions that I have ever heard about what the Bible is, came from Sandy (not her true name). Sandy is a woman without any academic studies who told me one day: «The Bible is a parable of our lives». Then she explained that when she opens the Bible it is like seeing herself in a mirror. She sees what is happening, or should happen in her life.

Today, the second Sunday of Lent, the Church offers us the reading of the Gospel of Mark (Mk: 9, 2-10) about the Transfiguration. «Jesus took, with him Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. «There in their presence He was transfigured». Mark explains, but even after his explanation, I don’t think that any of us can grasp even a little bit of what that mountain top experience was.

It is not difficult to express ideas but it is very difficult to explain experiences. Very often when couples bring their babies for Baptism, holding them in their arms, and «squeezing» them against their chest or their cheeks I ask them: «What do you feel when you are holding your baby like that?» the answer is: «hum… hum… hum… Father I can’t explain» and… that’s the end, and usually ends with a gentle kiss. What we know is that Peter, James and John were so intimately absorbed in that profound and touching experience that made Peter say: «Rabi, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah». And then Mark adds: «he did not know what to say… and there came a voice from the cloud: «This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to Him». But, later, Mark adds the hard part. «They came down from the mountain». The experience had ended.

But one thing we know. We know that Jesus came down with them.

I really wanted to see their faces when they were contemplating the transfiguration of Jesus and also when they were coming down from the mountain to the valley. Were they happy? Were they talking with one another and with Jesus? Were they somber and depressed? I don’t know. What I know is that they wanted that experience to last forever. But there is also a very important thing that I know: Jesus was coming down with them. And I know that the Jesus of the mountain was the same Jesus of the valley.

Yes! I agree with Sandy. The Bible is a parable of our lives. We all have mountain-top experiences, but on the other hand we all have valley experiences. We have all had moments that we didn’t want to end. What we wanted was to build tents and stay there forever. But life doesn’t work like that. Life works with mountains and valleys. However, we must remember that the Jesus of the mountain is the Jesus of the valley.

Especially during this Lenten season, I would like to invite couples, families and groups to sit down and make a list of those moments we have had in our lives that we didn’t want to end. We also can do that at the personal level. Maybe we can write a list of the main ones. And then, when life goes wrong and we are facing troubles and dark moments in our relationships, we can talk about that with one another and thank God for those moments. I don’t have any doubts that if we try to focus on our mountain top experiences, also at a personal level, we are going to improve our mental health, especially depressions, and our relationships will be greatly improved.

Love & Peace
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
28/02/2021