Author: ANTONINO

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

It happened 35 years ago, during the month of August. Actually it was August 15. I remember not because I have a good memory, but because it was the day when the church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. Another thing I remember very well was that it was during the peak of the Summer’s heat.

I was standing at the altar celebrating the Eucharist. In my home Parish it is the Feast of «Nossa Senhora do Monte» (Our Lady of the Mountain). I was facing the people. The Church was packed. Many people were standing. Among the standing people there was Gina holding her four-year-old daughter, Irene, in her arms. I assumed that no matter the child’s weight, she was not a light weight for Gina.

At a certain point of the Mass I saw Gina lifting her daughter to the level of her face, and she deposited a very gentle kiss on her sleeping daughter’s forehead. Very naturally. Very normally. Very gently. Then she kept looking at the altar.

I confess that this was a little epiphany for me.
In that moment I thought: «That sleeping child will never know that her mother kissed her today. She will never know how much her mother would always find ways to express her love for her, even when she is asleep».

Yes. It was an epiphany for me. Besides the Bible, mothers have always been for me the best teachers about God’s love and my relationship with God. I fell into contemplation and started thinking and I still think that Irene was asleep and she would never know that her mother kissed her in that moment. It was a gentle and secret kiss.

I believe that the majority of expressions of love that mothers have for their children go unnoticed. During that day I fell into deep contemplation thinking of how many times God kisses me during the day and during the night without being noticed by me. Then I discovered that God is a permanent surprise. He always holds me in His arms and always kisses me, performing so many miracles in my life even when I don’t notice it. God is a permanent surprise. The only thing I ask God in this moment is that He will help me to be open to his gentle and secret kisses. To his gentle and secret surprises.

Love and Peace
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

PS. The mother kissing her daughter, in this picture, is Irene, the one who was kissed by her mother 35 years ago. Now she is 39.  She is my cousin. Irene is doing to her one-and-a-half month old daughter what her mother did to her 35 years ago. In my story I said that Irene would never know that she was kissed by her mother on that very hot day when both of them were perspiring in Church. Now she knows because I told her many years ago. The baby is called Lara Virginia, after her grandmother who died recently.

1.
Jesus is a fascinating man. Jesus is a very kind and a very attractive man. He attracted multitudes. Healed the sick, played with children, left 99 good sheep and looked for the stupid, for the least, the last, the lost, the run-away. And when He found His lost sheep, bleeding, dirty, and smelling like urine and feces, approached her, very gently, with no questions asked, took her in His arms and brought her home.

Sometimes the Sunday Mass can be very beautiful, very alive, and very inspirational and very attractive. Sometimes it can be boring, uncomfortable, challenging and disturbing. The truth is that the Eucharist is never meant to be a Sunday spiritual entertainment.

In today’s Gospel (21st Sunday of the year, Cycle B, John 6: 60-69), Jesus gives to people a completely different image of what His followers thought He was. That sweet and attractive Jesus all of a sudden becomes very disturbing. He talked about eating His flesh. And the biggest challenge was that eating His flesh had disturbing and subversive consequences. What happened then? «Many of His disciples left Him and stopped going with Him. Then Jesus said to the twelve:

What about you? Do you want to go away too? » (John 6: 60-69)

2.
A Disturbing Jesus in a disturbing world

According to the Assistant Director General of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, about one-half billion of the over four billion people who live on earth are at the brink of starvation daily.

Some 200 million children become mentally handicapped or blind due to a lack of nutritious food, and another 10 million succumb to other hunger-related illness. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately one-third of the world’s population is underfed and one-third is hungry. Four million people die each year of starvation and 70% of children under six are undernourished. Equally alarming are the statistics which estimate that approximately three billion members of the human family suffer from chronic spiritual hunger and/or malnutrition.

These hunger pangs must also be recognized, as this hunger can be just as lethal as its physical counterpart. In recognition of this fact, the Church puts the gathered assembly in touch each week with the food that will satisfy its hungers. Each week the community is fed with the Bread of Life, in both word and sacrament; nourished by this essential food, every believer receives the strength needed for continuing to live a committed life. (Celebration)

This is highly disturbing: There is a lady who attends Mass in one of the churches where I help, when she hears me talking about the poor and the suffering she very openly leaves the church during my sermon to return when I finish. It is really an act of protest against bringing to church themes that are «not proper». Nothing new. His disciples did the same. I am afraid that many Christians don’t agree about the «proper themes for a proper church».

Love and Peace
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

One of the most fascinating things about a human being is the capacity to feed and to be food. One of the most known chapters of the Gospel is John 6. Jesus talks about feeding, and he fed large crowds by multiplying bread. Then He talks, for a long time, about himself becoming and being bread. Bread of Life. He talks about Himself about becoming, and being, food.
Every time we attend our Sunday Mass we learn and are inspired to be like Jesus. That means to feed, and to be food.

IDOLIZING WITHOUT TRUSTING

American actor, Tony Randall, famous for his role as Felix in «The Odd Couple», once had an experience that surely was the inspiration for a current credit card commercial.

Randal was in a jewellery store in New York City. The store’s owner recognized him and was very excited. He declared that Randall was his all-time favourite actor. What a treat it would be for his wife, the man said, if she could talk to the Tony Randall. Randall graciously agreed. So, the man called his wife and Randall had a short, pleasant conversation with her as she gushed on and on about how wonderful he was. Finally, Randall came to the point of his visit to the jewellery store. There was a gold necklace in the window that had caught his eye. He would like to buy it. Would the store accept a personal cheque? The store owner hesitated, then asked, «Do you have any identification?»

Recognition only goes so far. The store owner only goes so far. The store owner was ready to idolize Tony Randall. He wasn’t ready to trust him.

It is possible for people to attend Mass today and worship Jesus, but still not trust Him with their lives?

Jesus is not in search of admirers. Jesus is in search of followers.

According to statistics from Oxfam, 2.500 people will die of hunger during the typical one-hour Church service. Two thirds of them will be children.

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

There are perhaps dozens of categories of freedom. Religious freedom is taken from those who have it, without giving it to dozens of countries that have never had it. Not a few, today, repeat the buzzword that one’s freedom ends where another’s freedom begins, as if it were all clear.

Many flee from thinking of their inner freedom, the freedom of their own neurons, the freedom of their passions, affections and hearts. And even more flee from linking it to responsibility. It is repeated that thinking is free; and can be; do not forget, however, the unique thought, politically correct, that so many want to impose on us.

Most people like to multiply theories of freedom from social constraints. They forget the constraints of fashion and the biological ones that nobody chooses; and the limiting conditions of freedom that each add up in the illusion of, but nevertheless do not reduce his freedom.

The “catechism” of the French Revolution leads many to think that everything is said with a few words on freedom. Many people are convinced that if they do what they like, they are already free. Despite Nelson Mandela’s centenary with 27 years in prison, many do not wonder how he, while incarcerated, remained liberated in his thinking and being.

There is a certain dread about speaking on debauchery as if there were only freedom with kindness, and people do not abuse it when they relate to others. Nor do many people like to speak of those who lose inner and outer freedom in each repetition of their substance-dependent behaviors and obsessive thoughts and behavioral compulsions. Few like to think that there are many people, perhaps more and more, who behave with reduced freedom in one, two, three and more behaviors.

Are the millions of Anonymous who face, with the Twelve-Step method of Minnesota, some of their behaviors without freedom and without truth, mistaken? At least these put side by side freedom and truth as the opposite to the lie of their life; they put side by side freedom, beauty and kindness of living.

It seems that it is not politically correct and well accepted to say that lie is glued to the lack of freedom, even when it is stated otherwise. Before Pilate, who seemed to want to know the truth about Jesus, he soon became disinterested in hearing Jesus saying that he came to bear witness to the truth (Jn 18: 38-39). Freedom and lying, together, can only be an illusion; the opposite of goodness and beauty of life. Freedom and lies end in corruption and slavery for the liar and others.

This apparent freedom, cooked with lies, cannot lead to the much-vaunted fraternity of the 1789 revolution, nor to the equal dignity of all people.

Equality, proclaimed without the dignity, respected, of all people, is a colossal sociopolitical lie. And why is the statement of the One who fully knows what it means to be free, so forgotten, “you shall know the truth, and it shall make you free”

Fr. Aires Gameiro, OH

– Brought to you by Fr. Aires Gameiro (aires.gameiro@isjd.pt)

In all periods of time there is a lot of talk on the poor… on trying to solve the problem of poverty. It always remains unsolved. In all talks, culprits are found. On the other hand, some give food, clothing, and shelter to many poor people. There are a large number of theories on how to end poverty. Even some very rich people are doing much to end, not poverty, but the poor victims of poverty, disease and misery. Many are inventing techniques so that there may be no poor, sick and weak people; ranging from abandonment, to technologies of not letting them be born, and to discarding the disabled.

For 2000 years the words of Jesus have been remembered and misunderstood: “You will always have the poor among you” (Jn 12: 8) and forgotten the parable: there was a rich man and a poor man, Lazarus, with wounds at his door, to whom not even crumbs the rich man gave (Luke 16: 19-31).

It is little remembered that Jesus receives what is done to the poor. They “are” Him. Many reject the poor because they reject Jesus. They do not want to accept a weak and poor Saviour Messiah, nor those who believe in him and are by his side; they only accept powerful and rich saviours who crush the poor. This is what led Jesus to the cross. They admired and preferred Barabbas, the robber, to a “meek and humble of heart” Messiah.

They do not accept the poor, so they do not accept a poor and weak Jesus; they do not accept Jesus, so they do not accept poor people. Christ, Son of God, and the poor, are inseparable. One accepts each other or rejects each other.

Darwinism, Nietzsche (ism), Marxism, Leninism, Nazism, Stalinism, Maoism and other ideologies are implacable examples of rejection of weak, poor and miserable people. Nazism seems to be the first anti-Christian ideology that made laws to favour animals more than poor and weak people.

On the contrary, thousands of merciful men help their poor brethren because they accept Jesus Christ and see them as images of Jesus. The rejection of the poor and the sick makes it difficult to accept Jesus Christ and His true word. Big titles world events that are contradictory can be better understood in the light of what is done or not done to the poor / weak and to Jesus Christ. To respect the dignity and life of the poor; to give them food, clothing, home, school, health care even if they are incurable patients, is wisdom of the heart, which improves givers and receivers’ quality of life. Without this wisdom, humans despise diamonds because they are dirty.

Are not abortion, euthanasia, putting animals before children, the poor and refugees comparable to throwing away the baby with dirty water? Are they not similar practices to Darwinism and Nazism? The poor, and Jesus Christ, are always together in the heart of merciful people.

Aires Gameiro, OH

COME TO WORSHIP – GO TO SERVE!

It was my first and only visit to Pennsylvania (USA) to visit my friends Michael and Olivia, and their children, who had moved from California. Michael was a Seventh Day Adventist and Olivia a devout Portuguese Catholic. They had two children, and I used to visit them like if we belonged to the same family. In spite of being Adventist, Michael never missed the Sunday Catholic Mass to accompany his children and his wife in their faith journey.

One day, he received orders from his work to move to Pennsylvania. Later on, I was surprised when I was invited to be Michael’s grandfather. Michael was going to be baptized in the Catholic Church! Of course when I visited this family in California, I always tried to behave like a Catholic, including prayer before meals. Also, I never pushed but I really, once in a while, invited him to become a Catholic and walk closer to his family in their faith journey.

During my visit to Pennsylvania, they took me around and of course I forgot many of the things I have seen. But there was one thing that I will never forget. This church was open and we decided to visit the church. I don’t remember the size or the structure of the church. But one thing I do remember: at the front door of the church there was a gigantic door mat. In the direction to the altar we could read these three words: COME TO WORSHIP. Then, on the same door mat, when leaving the church we could read, in big letters, these three words: GO TO SERVE. Then I thought to myself: this door mat and these words should be mandatory in every church of the world.

Today’s Gospel (Mark 6:7) starts like this «Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs…». We don’t come to church mainly to be protected. We come to church mainly to be sent. The world is waiting for us. Go to serve.
* * * * * *

An important part of Evangelism is the simple act of inviting a friend or a family member to join us in worship. Let us try. You will be surprised to see how many people are going to feel happy to say one day: «I was very lucky to find a friend like him or like her». And this person can be you or me.

TURN YOUR SCARS INTO STARS

When, last Sunday, I met Dr. Luisa, MD, for the first time, I immediately realized that I was standing before a golden vase.

Very gently she approached me with such a beautiful smile, to inform me that she was going to spend part of the Mass looking at her telephone. The reason was that she was deaf and she was going to use the telephone to accompany the celebration of the Eucharist, especially the readings.

I didn’t resist the temptation to ask her if she wouldn’t mind to give her testimony to our congregation; if she wouldn’t mind to tell her story. Dr. Luisa immediately said yes. Before the Mass ended, I invited her to come to the pulpit and tell her story. It was a very moving story.

Her grandfather had been a physician. Her father had been a physician. She never doubted that her way of staying in this world would be to become a physician too.

Dr. Luisa is a Medical Doctor and spends the best of her time and the best of her skills in helping deaf people like herself.

That reminds me of a 13-year-old girl in California, daughter of a Protestant Minister, Dr. Robert Schuller, who lost one of her legs in a motorcycle accident. After a long and painful recovery journey, she told her story by writing a book called “TURN YOUR SCARS INTO STARS”. This is what Dr. Luisa did. She turned her scar into a brilliant STAR.

Since I am saying Mass in this Chapel I have seen people many times applauding other people and other stories. Last Sunday July 8th was the first time that I saw people standing for a long applause to Dr. Luisa who for a few times repeated that she lived to help people. Thank you Dr. Luisa for turning your scar into a beautiful and brilliant STAR.

Thank you Dr. Rui and Dr. Cristina Silva for being the guiding star that guided Dr. Luisa to our Mass. Thank you Dr. Rui, my personal friend, for being the Guardian Angel (as she called you) of Dr. Luisa in her professional life as a Medical Doctor.

Love & Peace, Fr. Bernardino Andrade