Author: ANTONINO

From My Heart to Your Heart – No Rice, Please

Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

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My life and my ministry as a priest can be and has been, sometimes, very tiring but it is never boring. Even when I used to say seven and eight Masses in a weekend I never felt that it was a repetition. I never felt bored. It was always unique. It was always a surprise.
I have been performing Weddings for over fifty years and I feel that every Wedding I perform is like the first in my life. Actually it is the first with that particular couple, family and friends. Last month I had a Wedding that impressed me in a very special way.
David is from Iceland and a member of the Lutheran Church. He is fluent in English but not in Portuguese. That´s the reason why the Ceremony was bilingual.
Linda is a very proud Portuguese girl, a member of the Catholic Church, born and raised in Venezuela. Very deep in her heart, and in her purse, she carries two passports with two Nationalities.
We had a few meetings to prepare the ceremony. David and Linda were more concerned about their married life than about their marriage day. We talked about marriage, about married life, about the church, about prayer and about the world with its deep problems. We talked about the homeless, about the project «People Helping People», about the suffering, about the poor, about the refugees. We talked about the tremendous crisis that is affecting Venezuela. Linda is very conscious of all the troubles that are affecting her people in Venezuela and among them the supermarkets with empty shelves. People there have a card that assigns them the day of the week when they can go to the supermarket to buy their groceries, and where they can find almost nothing to buy. We talked about this man who spent four hours in line to pay for two kilos of rice.
Then we went back to the ceremony. Beautiful readings were chosen, the vows, the music and we also talked about the rice that is becoming a tradition to throw to the newly weds. Together we realized that throwing rice is transforming food into garbage. How can we do that in a Wedding when there is so much hunger in Venezuela and in the world? Together we realized that transforming food into garbage was an insult to the people in Venezuela and an insult to all the poor of the world and an insult to God. Somebody told Linda: «But it is your Wedding. To make the Wedding of Cana a special Wedding, Jesus transformed water into wine». «You are right», Linda answered, «but He did not insult the poor by transforming food into garbage».
Then Linda and David decided to prepare a big basket of groceries that was carried to the altar at the moment of the Offertory. Then all the people who had rice to be thrown to them brought their bags of rice and respectfully deposited them inside the basket. After the wedding, with the help of a volunteer, I carried the basket and on behalf of Linda and David I delivered it to a family of six people who saw in this action one more sign of hope. The poor and the hungry had been invited to their Wedding. Linda mentioned a very powerful word from the Gospel. «We need to be YEAST of the Kingdom of God» (Mat. 13:33).
Linda and David understood what a Sacrament is about.
By the way, I forgot to say that Linda and David were not victims of rice thrown against their faces but they were «buried» under beautiful and aromatic flowers.

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

Scripture Readings 12th June 2016, 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Scripture Readings

The verses before and after this extract from 2 Samuel help us to understand the enormity of David’s sin. To get Bathsheba for his wife, David had Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah the Hittite, killed by sending him into the fiercest fighting and then withdrawing the other troops from around him. When Nathan told a parable to show David how grievously he had sinned, David admits his sin, and Nathan tells him God forgives him.
The psalm praises this readiness of God to forgive our sins, with all fault and guilt taken away as if the sin had never been. So that we become “at one” with God, “justified”, with all our obligations to God fulfilled. We cannot do this alone – only God justifies.
But Paul tells the Galatians that they are not justified by the works of the Law, ie the rituals of the Law given to Moses. It is the faith of Jesus Christ in His Father, and our faith in Jesus Christ, that justifies or saves us.
In today’s reading from Luke’s Gospel the unnamed woman’s sins are forgiven, as shown by her loving actions, which are more important than the Pharisee’s concern over outward appearances.

Psalm Response: Forgive, Lord, the guilt of my sin.

(2 Samuel 12:7-13; Psalm 31(32); Gal 2:16-21; Luke 7:36-8:3)

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – How Poor We Are?

Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
Father Bernadino
One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son:  
– “How was the trip?”    
– “It was great, Dad.”      
– “Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked.      
– “Oh Yeah, ” said the son.      
– “So what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.      
– “We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.”      
“We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.”      
“Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.”      
“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.”
“We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.”      
“We buy our food, but they grow theirs.”      
“We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

With this the boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added,      
– “Thanks, dad, for showing me how poor we are.” (Anonymous)

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

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Scripture Readings 5th June 2016, 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Scripture Readings

The Books of Kings give the histories of Judah and the northern kingdom Israel between David’s death and the exile of Judah to Babylon in 586 BC. Israel’s kings frequently worshipped false gods, and so God punished them. King Ahab married Jezebel and worshipped Baal. After God sent a drought, he accepted Elijah’s sacrifice. Elijah then killed all Ahab’s priests, and then retreated into the desert for safety. The widow of Zarephath shared her last food with him. She was rewarded: her food stores were continually replenished, and today we hear how her son was brought back to life through Elijah’s prayer to God.
This links to Luke’s Gospel in which Jesus, after healing the centurion’s slave, brings back to life the son of the widow of Nain. Then John the Baptist asks Jesus “Are you he who is to come?”
For the next six weeks our second readings are from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, where visitors from Jerusalem had insisted they must become Jews before becoming Christians. Paul expresses astonishment that they have deserted his teachings, and insists his authority is what he heard directly from Jesus himself on the way to Damascus, when Jesus commissioned him to take the gospel to the Gentiles. And Peter and James had not contradicted Paul.

Psalm Response: I will Praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

(1 Kings 17:17-24; Psalm 29(30);Gal 1:11-19; Luke 7:11-17)

From My Heart to Your Heart – May I love you please

BernadinoBrought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

I met Jose a few years ago during a Spanish Cursillo (a spiritual retreat experience). He had come to California from Nicaragua, was a University professor and a politician. He had enjoyed a «good» life until he was forced to flee the country for serious reasons. Visiting his family in California, Jose was invited to take part in a three day Cursillo. Jose «had no choice» because his brother-in-law was going to be the Coordinator of the retreat. The only reason he said «yes» was because he felt embarrassed to decline his brother-in-law’s invitation. Jose had no faith at all. His last time in church and his last Communion had taken place 40 years before.
The first day of the Cursillo was a struggling and painful journey. Then he felt something different. He discovered a «different God».  He discovered that «his» God whom he had left behind was not the God of Jesus. On the second day of the Cursillo Jose was uncontrollably in love with «his new God», the God of the Bible, the God of Jesus, the God of the Lost Sheep and of the Prodigal Son. Jose was fascinated by the person of Jesus. I heard his first Confession in 40 years and gave him absolution in the name of God. He felt loved and forgiven and I had the privilege of giving him his First Holy Communion after forty years of absence.
During one of the breaks he confided to me that the «hardest thing for him to understand was that during these 40 years, God performed so many miracles in his life, and he didn’t even believe in Him».
I put my hand on his shoulder, looked in his eyes, and also confided to him:
– Jose… a mother never asks permission from her baby to love him… to help him…to feed him.
God will never ask your permission to love you and to help you. God will never ask «May I love you, please? ». That’s free. The blessing and the tragedy is that we have the power to say “yes” or “no”. The religion of Jesus is a religion of the YES.

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino

A “Cursillo” is a spiritual retreat experience. It was born in Spain, and that’s why even in the English-speaking countries they are still faithful to the name “Cursillo”. We also have it here in Madeira. In June there is one for men and in August there is one for ladies. It starts on a Wednesday night and ends on a Saturday night. In Madeira, the place where the Cursillo takes place is in Terreiro da Luta (Monte). It is excellent and it is in almost every country of the world

Scripture Readings 29th May 2016, Corpus Christi, Year C

Scripture Readings

In Eucharistic Prayer I, the Roman canon, just after the Consecration we hear: “the bread and wine offered by your priest Melchizedek”. Melchizedek, the Canaanite priest-king of Salem, later named Jerusalem, offered food and drink to Abram and his 318 retainers as they returned from a victory, and blessed Abram in the name of the one God they both believed in. Abram accepted Melchizedek’s blessing and gave him a tithe. Their shared meal confirmed them both as God’s people.
When David captured Jerusalem he took over this priest-kingship, hence today’s psalm praising David, appointed by God as a “priest for ever of the order of Melchizedek”. The author of Hebrews saw Melchizedek’s priesthood as superior to the Levitical priesthood and saw Jesus, descendent of David, with his gift of bread and wine to his disciples, as succeeding to this ancient priesthood.
Paul had told the Corinthians to stop misbehaving during the Eucharist. He then gave this earliest description we have of its institution during the last meal Christ shared with his disciples before Calvary.
Melchizedek’s offering of food to Abram is echoed in the feeding of the 5,000 in the Gospel, anticipating Christ giving himself to us as heavenly food in the Eucharist.

Psalm Response: You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

(Genesis 14:18-20 Psalm 109(110):1-4 1 Cor 11:23-26 Luke 9:11-17)

Fruits of the Spirit

FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – A way of Life

Father Bernadino
Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

I strongly believe that life is about relationships. Faith is about relationships. Politics are about relationships. We all belong to God and we belong to one another. Very often I am invited to bless houses and business places. Some time ago I was invited to bless a Bank. Every time this happens I always read a special passage of the Bible. It is Galatians 5: 22-23. I consider it a mini-course on human relationships. It applies to all situations where people are involved. They are, what St. Paul calls, the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.      
Here they are: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GENEROSITY, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against such things (Gal. 5: 22-23).    

I would like to invite you, when you meet or pray as a couple, as a family or as a group to say one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and complete a sentence. No discussion. Just sharing. In discussion you give your opinion that can be right or wrong. In sharing there are no right or wrong answers. It would be like this:

1 – LOVE IS ______________________________________________________
2 – JOY IS _______________________________________________________
3 – PEACE IS _____________________________________________________
4 – PATIENCE IS __________________________________________________
5 – KINDNESS IS __________________________________________________
6 – GENEROSITY IS ________________________________________________
7 – FAITHFULNESS IS ______________________________________________
8 – GENTLENESS IS ________________________________________________
9 – SELF-CONTROL IS ______________________________________________

Please try. God loves you and so do I.

Fr. Bernardino Andrade

Scripture Readings 22nd May 2016, Trinity, Year C

Scripture Readings 22nd May 2016, Trinity, Year C

Scripture Readings

Written after the return from the exile in Babylon, the Wisdom books contain the practical knowledge of both the Israelites and the peoples around them, accumulated over two thousand years. Wisdom is the art of living a life at peace with God and with other people. It was developed by reflecting on the great questions: life, death, suffering, love, evil, relationships. It was seen to be a universal guide for living, and so given by God. So Wisdom came to be seen as a person – the caring, feminine side of God, existing from all eternity. In today’s reading from Proverbs Wisdom speaks of sharing God’s delight in His work at the beginning of creation. The Psalm expresses our amazement at the place God has given to mankind in his wonderful creation.

In his letter to the Romans Paul insists that being justified, or made “at peace” with God, means that our previous alienation from God is overcome. God’s love “poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit” has brought us into an intimate relationship with God, but we confidently hope in a more glorious intimacy in the future.

No wonder Jesus says in the Gospel “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now”. The Spirit gives us understanding.

Psalm Response: How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

(Proverbs 8: 22-31 Psalm 8:4-9 Romans 5: 1-5 John 16: 12-15)

Scripture Readings 15th May 2016, Pentecost, Year C

Scripture Readings

Newsletter – 16/05/2016 Pentecost

The Jewish feast of Pentecost, 50 days after Passover, was less well known than the other two pilgrimage feasts. Nomadic Hebrews sacrificed lambs in the spring to ensure adequate water through the dry season. After they settled into agriculture the barley harvest was celebrated a few days later. These two feasts became linked and associated with Passover. Tabernacles occurs in autumn when everyone slept in tents on the hillsides to protect and harvest the grapes. It was associated with temporary shelters used while wandering in the wilderness. Pentecost was associated with God giving the Covenant on Sinai. So the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles at Pentecost fits neatly with this Covenant feast: the birth of the Church. Acts lists the regions where the Church was to grow.

Paul urges the Romans to live by the Spirit who, with Christ, has made his home in us. We are now Sons of God. If we are led by the Spirit within us to follow God’s laws, we will have confidence that the Father will “give life to our mortal bodies”, just as Jesus was raised.

In John’s Gospel Jesus repeats his promise that his Father would send another Advocate, through whom he and the Father would be with his church for all time.

Psalm Response: Send forth your Spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.

(Acts 2: 1-11; Psalm 103(104); Romans 8: 8-17; John 14: 15-16, 23-26)

Scripture Readings 8th May 2016, Ascension, Year C

Scripture Readings

Twice today we hear about the ascension of Jesus into heaven, where the letter to the Hebrews tells us that as “the supreme high priest” he gives us “the right to enter the sanctuary” where “he appears before God on our behalf”, after shedding his own blood in a sacrifice that need never be repeated.

Luke’s Gospel opens in the Temple in Jerusalem with the angel appearing to Zechariah. On Easter Sunday, after Jesus walked with two disciples to Emmaus and then appeared to the Eleven, he ascended to heaven. The gospel ends with the disciples joyfully praising God in the Temple, in Jerusalem. Acts starts in Jerusalem with Jesus’ ascension after appearances over 40 days but finishes in Rome. Jesus’ earthly ministry was “to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. His ministry started and finished in Israel. But gradually the Apostles, guided by the Holy Spirit, came to realise that they were to preach “repentance for the forgiveness of sins” “to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem”. Acts tells us how Jesus Christ continues his presence through the Church, spreading the gospel worldwide. Christianity could not be contained within Judaism, it had to break away from the Temple, with its daily sacrifices. “No one puts new wine into old wineskins”.

Psalm Response: God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast

(Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 46(47); Heb 9:24-28, 10: 19-23; Luke 24:46-53)