Author: ANTONINO

Scripture Readings 18th August 2019, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

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Jer 38:4-6,8-10 Ps 39(40):2-4,18 Heb 12:1-4 Lk 12:49-53

Writing during the turbulence just before the exile, Jeremiah was caught between the king, Zedekiah, and jealous nobles, who falsely imprisoned him. In 586 BC Judea again revolted against Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Jeremiah told the king he should surrender because Judea would be defeated anyway, as God’s punishment for their infidelity, and resistance would lead to Jerusalem’s destruction. But the nobles said Jeremiah’s advice was undermining morale and threw him into a cistern. Jerusalem did not surrender, and was destroyed, and most survivors were deported to Babylon.

Jeremiah might have used this Psalm to give thanks after being rescued from the well. And to ask God for help in the troubles to come.

Last week we heard part of the discussion in Hebrews about the meaning of faith, “the conviction of things not seen”, giving the example of Abraham. After further examples, Hebrews says yet all these “did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better”. With so many witnesses confident of this unknown reward, we must persevere in our faith, enduring, like Jesus.

The themes of turbulence and suffering continue in today’s reading from Luke’s gospel, which follows the insistence last week that unfaithful servants will be punished. Jesus’ message brings division between believers and non-believers, whose evil deeds are thrown into relief by the gospel.

Psalm Response: Lord, come to my aid!

(Jer 38:4-6,8-10 Ps 39(40):2-4,18 Heb 12:1-4 Lk 12:49-53)

Scripture Readings 11th August 2019, 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

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Wis 18:6-9 Ps 32(33):1-22 Heb 11:1-2,8-19 Lk 12:32-48

The Wisdom of Solomon was the last book of the Old Testament to be written. It was written in Greek, not Hebrew, so not in the Septuagint nor therefore in the Protestant Bible. The final chapters meditate on the Exodus, contrasting the woes visited on the Egyptians at the first Passover with the gifts given by God to the Israelites.

The Psalm celebrates God’s faithfulness, power and wisdom, justifying our confidence in him.

The 2nd readings in August from Hebrews describe faith, which gives assurance to our hopes. Abraham is the prime example of a man of faith: he obeyed God’s command to go to a new land; he believed God’s promise that he and Sarah would have a child in their old age; and he passed the supreme test of faith when God asked him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. God’s last minute reprieve for Isaac is seen as a return from the dead.

In Luke’s Gospel, following the parable we heard last week about the rich man building a bigger barn, Jesus assures us that we will be given all the resources we need to meet the Lord’s demands. He then urges us to have faith and to be prepared.

Psalm Response: Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

(Wis 18:6-9 Ps 32(33):1-22 Heb 11:1-2,8-19 Lk 12:32-48)

Scripture Readings 4th August 2019, 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

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Qoheleth the Preacher struggles with the contradictions of life and the vanity of created things which give no lasting satisfaction. Good people suffer, sinners enjoy life and prosper. With no idea of life after death, the Preacher’s only solution is to trust that God will make it right eventually.

The Psalm contrasts the shortness of our lives with God’s eternity, seeing suffering and death as punishment for sin. But also prays that God will grant some happiness before death.

This final extract from Colossians hints at Paul’s very detailed moral teaching. The Christian’s life is now “hidden with Christ”, but when Christ is revealed “you too will be revealed in all your glory”. Paul then spells out how we should live our lives focussed on Christ. So that we will grow in knowledge and maturity towards the images of our creator that God intended us to be. We must put away sins of both sex and speech, which damage individuals and the Christian community.

Luke’s Gospel answers the Preacher’s problem in the first reading: good actions in this life are rewarded after death, and evil will be punished. The rich man’s approach was sensible in capitalist terms, and not immoral. But Luke insists that we must help the poor while we can!

Psalm Response: O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

(Eccles 1:2,2:21-23, Ps 89(90):3-17, Col 3:1-5,9-11, Lk 12:13-21)

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

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The Power of a touch

touch
I have never had a «good» reputation of being a strict follower of strict rules.

In my former Parish in California I always started my Sunday Masses with a little procession from the front door to the altar. The altar servers, the readers and Ministers of Communion were always very neat and very serious about their role. I cannot say the same thing about their Pastor who was supposed to give them a «good example» of a «sacred» behaviour. Sometimes I would tell somebody to sing louder, sometimes I would tell a lady to give a hug, in my name to her husband, when she got home after Mass or just tell him that was missing him, sometimes I would steal a baby from their parent’s arms and then they had no choice but go to the altar if they wanted their baby back. Well sometimes it was funny… especially when the baby would make everybody smile, before jumping to his father’s arms.

One of my «bad» habits was to gently touch people on their shoulders.

My Parish was very «white». If my Parishioners were not white they were Indians from Mexico or Central America, and a good number of Filipinos, but not Afro-Americans.

One Sunday I was following the entrance procession when I saw a very dark Afro-American man. Very well-dressed and polite. And as usual when I passed by him, I gently touched him on his shoulder.

The Mass ended and he got lost among the Sunday crowd. On the following Thursday, this same man appeared at the Rectory’s door. I gave him a hug as usual, invited him to come in and sit down. And then, during this informal conversation he told me that the reason why he was visiting me was because he wanted to be baptized. I expressed my joy with another hug. I called the lady in charge of the adults Baptism preparation and he joined the group of adult people who were in their journey to receive the Sacrament of Baptism.

Some people kept telling me that during their meetings, the man mentioned different times that the moment he decided to be baptized was the moment «when Fr. Bernardino touched me».

One day I was talking with him and I dared to ask him: «George, some people have told me that the moment you decided to receive the Baptism and become a Catholic was the day I touched you. Is there anything, any story that I said that moved you to make that decision?»

«Yes. You said some things that touched me, but the real moment I decided to receive the Baptism was one Sunday, when I was in church, and you were walking to start Mass and you touched me. I was new in the city, I didn’t know anybody and you didn’t know me and you touched me. You recognized that I was there. You didn’t ignore me. You made me feel at home». Then I thought: «Who would ever guess that under that neat suit there was a «baby» in need to be touched»?

On that day I confirmed, even more, what I already knew. The Church has more than seven Sacraments. The Church has eight Sacraments. The eighth Sacrament is the Sacrament of Hospitality. But one day I said this to a colleague from Brazil and his answer was. «No. Hospitality is not the eighth Sacrament. Hospitality is the only Sacrament. Without Hospitality the other Sacraments are good for nothing».

Today’s first reading (Gen. 18, 1-10) talks about the way Abraham welcomed three strangers. The Gospel (Lk. 10, 38-42) talks about the way Mary and Martha welcomed Jesus.

Many people will find Jesus and a meaning for their lives not through the Bible…. they don’t know, and don’t read the Bible. And not through Catholic activities, because most of those activities don’t attract them. They will find Jesus and his Church if we welcome them and love them. This is the Sacrament of Hospitality.

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

Scripture Readings 28th July 2019, 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

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After promising Abraham a son next year, God hesitates before revealing his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham urges God to be just to the threatened towns, where his nephew Lot lives. Later Lot defends his angelic guests from the depraved demands of the men of Sodom, and escapes before Sodom is destroyed.

The psalm expresses heartfelt thanks to the Lord for his justice and love, confident in his continual help.

Paul urges the Colossians, whom he has never visited, to be confident in their understanding of “God’s mystery”, Christ. As Gentiles they were seen as sinners, outside the Jewish Law. But now the Law is overridden, so, “buried in Christ”, they should follow only Christ. For Paul, the list of our debts, owed to God for failing to carry out our duties under the covenant, is graphically nailed to the Cross and so destroyed.

Luke’s version of the Our Father is shorter and more abrupt than Matthew’s. Both versions look to the end days, especially “Do not put us to the test”. “Daily bread” may refer to the Eucharist. Or it may mean “tomorrow’s bread” – the heavenly banquet, like the double portion of manna collected in the desert before the Sabbath. God promises to respond to all our requests, as he did to Abraham.

Psalm Response: On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.

(Gen 18:20-32, Ps 137(138):1-8, Col 2:12-14, Lk 11:1-13)

Scripture Readings 21st July 2019, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

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(Gen 18:1-10; Ps 14(15):2-5; Col 1:24-28; Lk 10:38-42)

Abraham, settled by the oaks of Mamre, near Hebron, south of Jerusalem, gives proper hospitality to his three special visitors. He addresses only one of them as Lord, who promises a son to the couple in their old age. God’s covenant promise to Abraham of countless descendants can now begin to come true.

The psalm lists the social virtues necessary to be at one with the Lord, especially justice and charity.

Paul had explained to the Colossians that with Christ’s death God’s covenant plan is now back on track. Paul sees his afflictions as helping spread the knowledge of redemption and contributing towards the debt Christ has already paid on our behalf.

The Jews believed that God would reveal his secret plans for creation: Paul says these have now been revealed – the mystery is Jesus the Christ, the man who is the revelation of God, now raised to the new life also promised to us.

In Luke’s description of Jesus’ visit to Martha and Mary, their brother Lazarus is not mentioned. Like Sarah, Martha is busy preparing the meal. With so much to do she is naturally – but not obsessively – distracted, and asks for Mary’s help. But Jesus reminds her that listening to the words of their prophetic guest is more important than domestic perfection.

Psalm Response: The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

(Gen 18:1-10; Ps 14(15):2-5; Col 1:24-28; Lk 10:38-42)

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

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MY CAT’S SPIRITUALITY

I don’t believe that my cat has learned anything from me even if I have tried. However, I must confess that I have learned a lot from him…

It was one Friday afternoon. A child knocks on my door to tell me that my cat had an ugly wound in his head. When I saw it I was shocked. The wound was big, infected and horrible.

I called the veterinarian. A nice doctor was ready to see my cat right away. The gentle vet cleaned my cat’s head but left an open and even uglier wound. Then, she gave me some medicine to give him orally and told me to clean his wound daily and never let any dry skin cover it.

It seemed that the kind doctor was ready to let me go but I refused to believe that she was going to send me away without any ointment or even a bandage to cover that horrible wound. That’s when I interrupted her, “Doctor… are you not going to give me some medicine to put on that wound or at least a medicated bandage? That looks horrible.” She said, “No. You will not put anything on that wound not even a band-aid. Keep it uncovered, clean and give the cat the medicine I gave you. Healing comes from inside.”

In a few days the wound was completely healed. The doctor was right. Healing came from inside. No ointments. No band-aids.

One of the most beautiful and touching experiences of my life as Pastor in the USA was to baptize and welcome adults into the Catholic Church. The preparation would take two years. Scrutinies during Lent used to be one of the highest moments of their journey. The key words for the Scrutinies ceremony were: “to uncover” and “to heal”. The candidates are invited to uncover what is bad and sinful in them in order to get the healing they needed.

All of us are wounded and hurt. You and I deserve to be healed. The temptation is to cover with band-aids but my cat’s vet was right. Healing comes from inside.

God loves you and so do I,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

Scripture Readings 14th July 2019, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

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Deut 30:10-14; Ps 68(69):14-37; Col 1:15-20; Lk 10:25-37

The book of Deuteronomy, the “second law”, evolved over many centuries. It restates the Jewish Law and the covenant God made with Abraham. Our reading starts with an imperative, but this follows “if”: “you will prosper if” you choose to follow God’s law. And God’s Law is not difficult to find: it is written “in their hearts”. Put the covenant into practice, and so choose life, not death.

The psalm implores God to save him from unmerited suffering. The reference in an omitted verse to “vinegar to drink” and the expectation that “God will save Zion” led Christians to think of Messiah – Christ.

In this beautiful hymn from Colossians Paul spells out the awesome reality of Christ: “Christ Jesus is the image of the unseen God”. We know God through Jesus. Jesus is fully human in the way God intended all humanity to be, and so He shows us the way to God. But reconciliation comes with a proviso: “that you continue in the faith”.

Jesus has rejoiced and given thanks with the 70 disciples for their successful mission. He then responds to a sincere questioner by updating the Jewish Law to what was originally intended. Everyone is our neighbour. The priest and the Levite were more concerned with ritual purity than with love.

Psalm Response: Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive.

(Deut 30:10-14; Ps 68(69):14-37; Col 1:15-20; Lk 10:25-37)

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

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« I CONFESS TO YOU… MY SON »
parents

Every day of the year is very special. Every day is a special gift from God to be lived and to be enjoyed. But there are days that are more special than others. One of those days, for me, is the 4th of July. It was on the 4th of July 1965 that I said my First Mass in my home Parish, in Ponta do Sol, Madeira Island. I had been ordained in the Diocese of Quelimane, Mozambique, on the 12th of June and then travelled to Madeira Island to celebrate my first Mass in my home Parish where I had been baptized, made my First Communion and where my family and I have our deepest roots.

It was a celebration that mobilized the entire Parish. It is a day full of memories. I don’t know how good or bad my memory is, but I believe that if I wanted to recount every minute… from my arrival to my home in Ponta do Sol until my first Mass, and then until saying goodbye again, I would be able to remember every event of those glorious moments. Some of them were expected, and some were surprises.

However, there was a moment that, under no circumstances, I could expect or could even imagine. I still don’t know if it was seen or observed by anyone else. It was very private even if I didn’t try to hide it from anybody else. It was so natural like if it was something that was done every day. Nobody said «close the door» or be quiet because something very private is happening. But I have to confess that I was not prepared for it. And I was a little nervous.

We were almost ready to leave to Church when my mother called me to her bedroom and in a very natural way said: «Bernardino, please hear my Confession». She said that as if it was something that she had been doing regularly. It was like a normal parishioner asking her pastor to hear her confession before Mass, like it has happened to me maybe thousands of times since then. But she was the first one.

And here we are. I was seated on her bed and she was kneeling before me. Mother and Son. Two sinners celebrating the merciful forgiveness of a merciful God.

«Bless me Father for I have sinned»! I don’t know if she said: «Bless me Father» or bless me «My Son for I have sinned». What I know is that the Sacrament of Confession, or better Reconciliation, started making more sense to me. Since then she did that very often when I came on vacation and my father followed in her footsteps even after she had died.

I was the youngest of eleven brothers and sisters. Also some of them did the same. What a mystery to be a priest. What a privilege to have a father and a mother like them. They never went to school. They didn’t know how to write their names. They never read the Bible because they didn’t know how to read but without any doubt they are the greatest saints of my life. They didn’t leave me properties or money but they left me their faith in God and their human, their family and their spiritual values.

Love and Peace,

Scripture Readings 7th July 2019, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

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Is 66:10-14; Ps 65(66):1-20; Gal 6:14-18; Lk 10:1-12,17-20

Third Isaiah wrote this beautiful imagery of a compassionate God to encourage the Jews returning from exile in Babylon to rebuild the Temple. The Lord sends his peace to Jerusalem through which he will give peace and nourishment to those who recognise the new creation coming with Jesus’ resurrection.

The psalm praises God’s power as revealed throughout history but especially during the Exodus.

This fond farewell concludes our readings from Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Human distinctions and marks on our flesh like circumcision no longer signify. We have become a new Spirit-filled creation, the “Israel of God” – God’s chosen family to carry God’s message to the world. The new Mass translation, “and with your spirit”, picks up Paul’s final phrase. God’s grace is to be deep and personal, affecting our whole lives.

In the reading from Luke’s gospel last week, Jesus “set himself to travel to Jerusalem”. For the rest of Ordinary Time, the “ordinally numbered weeks”, all our gospel readings are from his journey, as Jesus consciously focussed on his coming suffering in Jerusalem. Today we hear of Jesus sending 70 disciples on mission ahead of him, like the 70 elders chosen by Moses to lead the Exodus. But Jesus’ disciples are offering Israel a last chance to change her mind about Jesus.

Psalm response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.

Chris