Author: ANTONINO

Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

A Jewish Rabi has shared that he learned what real love is from two drunkards talking in one of his friend’s bar. One day the Rabi entered the bar to visit his friend. While waiting, he overheard a conversation between two men who were drinking whisky at the next table. – «Joel, we are really good friends and I am proud of that». After saying this, the man took the glass to his lips and half of the whisky was gone. – «You are right David. We have been friends all our lives and we will be forever! ». And he did the same: Joel lifted the glass to his lips and half of the whisky was gone. Then there were a few moments of silence. Joel sat staring at the liquid inside the glass. And then he took one more drink. – «I really love you» he said to his friend. – «I love you too. Never doubt of my love for you. We have been friends since our childhood and we will always be».

The whisky kept being poured into the glasses and kept disappearing. Then they put their arms around each other’s shoulders, kept drinking and declaring their love for each other, even though the words were becoming more and more difficult to pronounce, and more and more difficult to be understood. It was obvious that the whisky was goooood.

All of a sudden, Joel took his arm from David’s shoulders and asked him: – «David. Tell me one thing. What is my biggest source of suffering»? – «What a stupid question. Of course I don’t know! How can I know your biggest source of suffering»? – And Joel’s reaction was: «How can you say that you love me if you don’t know my biggest source of suffering? How can you say that you love me if you don’t know my biggest pain? »

The level of a society, a church, a group, a spouse, a neighbor, a friend and so on, must be evaluated by how much we know of, and act towards the suffering of any human being. It doesn’t matter the cause of the suffering. It doesn’t matter if it is, or was, his/her fault. Suffering is suffering, and one of my most important jobs is to alleviate the suffering of the world. «If you knew the pain of your worst enemy, you would become his best friend». Christmas is God touching and healing the wounds of every human being. It was for that purpose that God created me.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Fr. Bernardino Andrade

Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered her a Twinkie. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. Once again she smiled at him. The boy was delighted!

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was, and he got up to leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, “What did you do today that made you so happy?” He replied, “I had lunch with God.” But, before his mother could respond, he added, “You know what? She’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face; and he asked, “Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?” She replied, “I ate Twinkies in the park with God.” But, before her son responded, she added, “You know, he’s much younger than I expected!”

It is so easy and so rewarding to have lunch with God.

Life is about looking around with the eyes of our hearts to meet and have lunch with God.

God loves you and so do I,

 

Isaiah 35:1-6,10; Psalm 145; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11

To encourage and console all whose confidence in God falters, Isaiah continues his triumphal vision of the peace that will come from God, when those ransomed by the Lord will go to Zion, singing God’s praises. It was written in Babylon shortly after 540 BC, when the Persian king Cyrus had unexpectedly authorised Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. Isaiah’s portrayal of the people’s expectant joy was later seen by Christians as describing their expectation of the peace Jesus Christ will bring to all people.

The letter attributed to James, probably the brother of the Lord, the leader of the Jerusalem Church, was written late in the first century. It is full of pastoral advice and warnings against riches and presumption. Religion is not a private matter – the Christian community is in a covenant relationship with God, and our faith in God must be visible in love of our neighbour. So we must persevere patiently in practising our faith, not swearing but letting our “yes” mean “yes”, leaving justice to God.

In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus fulfills Isaiah’s vision – he is already enabling the blind to see, the lame to walk – his kingdom is already coming into being. But this deputation from John the Baptist in prison introduces two chapters describing growing opposition to Jesus by the Jewish leaders.

Psalm Response: Come, Lord, and save us.

Isaiah 35:1-6,10; Psalm 145; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – An “Idiot” Old Man Reciting His Rosary
– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

A train was racing for Paris.

In one of its compartments two men sat opposite each other. The first was a young medical research student who was bored by the long journey. The other was an old man reciting his rosary with closed eyes.
The young researcher began to ridicule the old man for his superstitious beliefs. He then went on to tell of the wonders of medical science. The old man just nodded, smiled and continued his prayer in spite of the humiliating comments of his fellow passenger.

When they reached the Paris station, the old man enquired where the youngster was going. The young man proudly announced that he was going to attend a lecture by the world famous scientist, Louis Pasteur. The old man took out a visiting card from his pocket, gave it to the young man and bid him farewell.

The card read:

« Dr. Louis Pasteur
Academy of Science
Paris »

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

– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

In his book, “Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace”, Kent Nerburn writes about his experience driving a cab for living. He remembers one night in particular when he received a call at 2:30 AM to go to a small brick fourplex. Thinking he was going to pick up some late night partiers or someone who had just had a fight with his or her spouse, he was surprised when a small woman in her eighties answered the door.

She wore a print dress and an old fashioned pillbox hat. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment was empty, except for a few pieces of furniture covered with sheets and a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. The driver picked up her bag and helped her to the cab. She gave him the address and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”. “It’s not the shortest way”, he answered. “Oh, I don’t mind”, she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice. I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”

The driver reached over and shut off the meter. “What route would you like me to go?”

For the next two hours, they drove through the city. She pointed out the building where she worked as an elevator operator, the house where she and her late husband lived as newlyweds, the furniture store that was once a ball room where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask to slow down in front of a particular building or corner; there she’d just sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the dawn broke over the horizon, she said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.” They drove to the small house that served as the hospice. Two attendants came and helped her out of the cab and took her bag.

She asked the driver how much she owed for the fare. “Nothing “, he said. “But you have to make a living,” she insisted. “There are more passengers,” he replied.

Almost without thinking, he bent over and gave her a hug. She held him tightly. “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,” she said. “Thank you”.
Then, in the dim morning light, he watched as she walked into the hospice.

***
Kent Nerburn remembers: “We are so conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware. When that woman hugged me and said that I brought her a moment of joy, it was possible to believe that I had been placed on earth for the sole purpose of providing her with that last ride. I do not think that I have done anything in my life more important”.