1. From My Heart to Your Heart by Father Bernadino

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

My friend was a builder. It was during the month of November, on a rainy day, when he invited me to see a piece of land where he was planning to build a beautiful house.

The only thing I could see under my feet was mud, some rocks where I could put my feet and small puddles of water. Everything was the best definition of a mess. It was really messy and muddy. But my friend didn’t care about the mess. He didn’t even apologize for taking me to “nowhere” just to make my shoes dirty and show me an invisible plan.

But John was seeing things with different eyes. He had a dream. And he took me to that place to show me his invisible dream. In his dream, he could see perfectly where the kitchen was going to be, where the living room was going to be, where the bedrooms were going to be. That beautiful house was already built in his dream, and he knew all the details of what was going to become a beautiful piece of heart. It was with a smile that on a muddy piece of land he told me about his dream. He had no doubts that a beautiful and imponent house would be in that same place very soon.

This story of my friend reminds me of the Gospel of John, chapter 17. In this messy world, talking with His Father, Jesus talks about his most important dream that is: “…that they may be one as we are one… that they become completely ONE” (Jo. 17: 22-23). This was the biggest dream of Jesus, that “WE WILL BE ONE”.

The tragedy is that we, human beings, have the power to sabotage that dream of Jesus.

The Body of Jesus is hurting with many divisions. On the other hand, many people are making small efforts to heal those wounds and those divisions

Today we have the privilege of welcoming in our Catholic Community of Penha de França, Father Michael Jarman, the Chaplain of the Anglican Church in Funchal, to share with us the Word of God. We thank him and congratulate him for this little effort to heal the wounds of the Body of Jesus by bringing Catholics and Anglicans closer to each other and closer to God.

Thank you, Father Michael.

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

Now a few words from Fr. Michael …

Hope

Christians approach the season of Christmas with a sense of hope. In Scripture, according to the Hebrew And Greek words translated by the word ‘hope’ and according to the biblical usage, hope is an indication of certainty. ‘Hope’ in Scripture means a strong and confident expectation. Though archaic today in modern terms, hope is akin to trust and a confident expectation.

As a Christian Priest, I have a hope not just at Christmas but throughout the whole year that we can be more united in our beliefs and worship, because in unity there is strength and endurance. In the world inwhich we live, where there is so much need, poverty and secularism, it is our duty as Christians to be strong, to speak out against injustices of all kind and to follow as closely as possible the teachings of our Lord.

In addition, whether you believe in a God or no God at all, it is natural to have a sense of hope for family and friends as the old year ends and a new one begins, a hope of wellbeing for those we love.

Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.

And for those who are not Christians and perhaps don’t believe in any God whatsoever there must be a feeling of hope, if for nothing else then for the planet, as it faces the effects of global warming and how that will affect our children, our grand-children and generations to come.

Hope can be a powerful force. There’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.

My other hope as a Priest is that more people who don’t believe in God will come to know and love Him. As Christians we can facilitate this by showing the love of Christ in our everyday lives. We can’t convert people to Christianity, the Holy Spirit does that, but we can facilitate it by our own example.

It is my hope, wherever you are, whatever you do, that you will, by God’s grace, remain safe and happy now and for the coming year.

Father Michael Jarman
Holy Trinity Anglican Church
Funchal

1.- NO SOUP, NO DESSERT
I was enjoying a delicious meal with a family. All of a sudden I heard the mother telling her little son: «No soup, no dessert». What does it mean? I discovered that the mother valued soup over dessert. She was putting healthy nourishment above pleasure. Actually, what she was trying to do was to motivate her little boy to eat good, healthy food. That healthy food, very well planned by her, was served in a delicious vegetable soup. That was necessary and mandatory for a healthy meal. Dessert wouldn’t be necessary nor mandatory. Dessert would be more like a reward for the boy’s effort that he would have to make to take good care of his health by eating a dish of healthy soup.

2.- NO ADVENT, NO CHRISTMAS
Today, December 1st, 2019, is the first Sunday of Advent. It is the beginning of the season of preparation for Christmas. Meditating about Advent, I was thinking, for my own purpose, that «No Advent, no Christmas». If I don’t try to understand Advent I will not be able to understand Christmas. Without Advent, Christmas will not be more than a Winter pagan festival with a crib.
In the first reading, Isaiah tells us about his dream: «Many peoples will hammer their swords into ploughshares, their spears into sickles. Nation will not lift sword against nation, there will be no more training for war». It is obvious that this can be a tremendous challenge for each one of us. Paul, in the second reading, shakes all of us to wake up now. Our salvation is nearer… In the Gospel, Jesus repeats the same invitation by saying «Stay awake, because you don’t know the day when your master is coming».

3.- WAS BUDDHA A GOD?
A man came to Buddha and asked him: «Tell me Buddha, are you a God?» «No. I am not». «Are you an angel»? «No. I am not.» «Are you a prophet?» «No, not a prophet either.» «What are you then?» Whereupon Buddha answered: «I am awake».

4.- ADVENT, TIME OF RENEWAL
After a meeting, I went with other people to a coffee shop for a cup of coffee. After ordering the coffee, I thought that it would be a good idea to have some kind of pastry. Then I asked if someone else would like to have a pastry too. Fatima answered that she only eats sweets on Sundays. My answer was that it would be a good idea for me too, for health reasons, and to do a little penance. Fatima’s answer was: «Well we are going to start Advent. It is a good time to start”. I said thank you and decided to make my Lent during Advent too. That would be part of my Advent penance. Would you like to join me?

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

«OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE WAS CATHOLIC»

The Mexican People have a deep devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe who appeared in the Tepeyac Hill of Mexico City, on December 12, 1531. For them, the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, is more important than Christmas. I confess that I have celebrated with them, many times, this feast in California and I really miss it a lot.

One day, Fr. Lionel, a Portuguese colleague of mine, gave a sermon about the Virgin Mary and tried to explain that Mary was a very devout, normal Jewish girl who was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. At a certain point of his sermon, he said that Mary was not Catholic. Of course. She was a devout Jew. When he ended the Mass, a Mexican lady was waiting for him. She approached him and looking very sad and disappointed told my friend. «Father, I didn´t like your sermon».

The priest, who was a very open and kind person, asked her why. She knew that Our Lady had also appeared in Fatima, Portugal. And she knew that my friend Fr. Lionel was also Portuguese. And then she answered: «You said that our Lady was not Catholic. If Our Lady of Fatima was not Catholic, that I don’t know. But Our Lady of Guadalupe has been Catholic during all her life».

NO CATHOLICS IN HEAVEN

I heard a story told by a Protestant minister, a very good friend of mine, that a non-Catholic man died and went to heaven. God welcomed him with love and kindness and expressed his joy for seeing him in Heaven. One of the first questions this man asked God was if there was any Catholic person in Heaven and God answered «No. There are no Catholics in Heaven». He immediately reacted: «Of course. I knew. Catholics changed things in the Bible and were so far away from its teachings».

Then another question: «What about Anglicans»? «No. No Anglicans in Heaven». And the man understood that Anglicans also were not good enough to go to Heaven. «And what about Lutherans and Baptists and Orthodoxies». And God’s answer was always «No. Those denominations are not in heaven». Finally the most important question. «And… what about my Church denomination?» The answer was also «no». This pious man got completely lost. «But God if the members of my denomination who practiced every word in the Bible, if we are not in Heaven, then please tell me: Who is in Heaven». God’s answer was: «My Son. In Heaven I only have sons and daughters. I only created sons and daughters. You, people, are the ones who made that mess. Not me».

CHRIST THE KING

Today, the last Sunday of the Liturgical year, the Church celebrates the Feast of Christ the King. When we talk about kings and Queens we always associate with crowns on their heads and somebody on the top of the pyramid. My interpretation of Christ the King is of a «FEET WASHER». Jesus didn’t come to establish the Catholic Church or any Church. Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of the Father where every human being would be, and feel, that he/she is a son/daughter of God. All human beings are brothers and sisters and all people are owners of the world. The world, food, medicine, and peace, love, kindness will belong to all human beings.

by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

Bad Teams With Excellent Players

It was Monday morning and I was listening to the radio. The theme was about football. For sure this is not my main field of interest. I like cooperation. I dislike competition even if it is football. But the radio was on and I was doing something else. All of sudden I heard a statement that made me think and brought me many memories. Some very good, and some not that good. What I heard was:

«This team has very good players but this team is a very bad team».

Even if it sounds like a contradiction I understood immediately and perfectly. I have been many times part of that «bad team» with «good players». To be a good team doesn’t mean necessarily to have good players. To be a good team means that the players play TOGETHER.

TOO MANY COFFEE POTS

In many parishes of America, where I worked for 32 years, there is a very good tradition. When people meet, before the meetings, there is always somebody in charge of making coffee and when the members of the group start arriving they are welcomed with a hot cup of coffee. It is a good ice-breaker to help people to socialize and be «warm» before starting the meeting.

Some parishes have many groups and associations. But one of the things that I don’t like and makes me sad is when each group has its own coffee pot. Maybe this is not general but some even write their names and don’t appreciate when other groups «invade their property» and use a coffee pot that is theirs. One day I heard a priest saying that we can evaluate the life of a Parish on how many coffee pots exist.

WHO WOULD GET THE CREDIT

Actually, in reality, this is a parable of what, very often, happens in our lives and in the lives of our churches and in our society. More important than serving is who will get the credit. That’s why I can be a good player but I also want the credit. I also want the reward to add to the other rewards that are already on my shelves to show others how good I am.

ANGLICANS AND CATHOLICS «PLAYING» TOGETHER

One of the most meaningful things about Ecumenism is when we invite the non-Catholics attending our Mass at Penha de França, to join the priest around the altar and say the Our Father or the Lord’s Prayer together. Now with the arrival of Father Michael Jarman to serve the Anglican Community of Madeira, we are planning different ways to unite our churches with more gatherings to pray together, to spread the good news together and to serve the poor together.

The first step is to exchange pulpits. Fr. Michael already gave me the date when he is coming to our Chapel and preach at the English Mass, and also invited me to visit his Church and preach to his congregation. Another extremely good thing is that on November 21st, the members of the People Helping People Association are going to start meeting in the facilities of the Anglican Church. They will be part of us and we will be part of them. Until now we have been meeting at Moynihan’s Irish Pub, kindly offered by the owners, Tadhg and Sinead Moynihan.

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

Rememberance Sunday

A couple from the UK who attended Mass here at the Chapel two weeks ago during their holiday in Madeira, told me about a special day that is celebrated in the UK every year in November. I asked Yvonne to write me something about this special day called “Rememberance Sunday”. Yvonne told me that Remembrance Day/Sunday is a big event in the UK and people hold the tradition, and what it stands for, very dear to their hearts. At 11am, during this mass, there will be 2 minutes of silence, just as there is in the UK today.
Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
PS. I asked Yvonne to write something about this day for the newsletter. Here is what she sent me:

Remembrance Sunday (10.11.19)

Remembrance Sunday – a day for private and public recollection.
The origins of Remembrance Sunday celebrations lie deep within the First World War.

The history of Remembrance Sunday.

The end of the First World War came with Armistice Day, which is now honoured with our Remembrance Day celebrations. Arms were laid down at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year, an arbitrary moment chosen to end the four years of turmoil that had spread across Europe, but a moment that has become embedded in everyone’s consciousness since then. Remembrance Day is now an instantly recognisable date. Remembrance Sunday ever since has commemorated and celebrated the contribution to the war effort and victory made by British and Commonwealth troops, not only in the First World War but in the many conflicts, small and large since. The Queen and royal family, politicians, the man and woman in the street all take part in marking Remembrance Sunday.

When and where Remembrance Sunday is celebrated.

Across Britain, Remembrance Day falls on the second Sunday in November, the nearest Sunday to November 11th. From the main ceremonies at London’s Whitehall Cenotaph to small village greens across the United Kingdom, parades and church services take place to mark Remembrance Sunday. Nations of the Commonwealth, from Australia to the other side of the globe, also hold their own Remembrance Day celebrations honouring their dead from the conflicts of the World Wars.

How Remembrance Sunday is celebrated.

Wearing a red poppy is the most immediately recognisable mark of Remembrance Day. Parades and processions, ending with wreaths of poppies being laid at Cenotaphs and memorials across the length and breadth of the land are used to mark Remembrance Day. Starting at 11 a.m. on Remembrance Day a two minute silence is held, creating an unforgettable impression when the thousands of people in London to the few score in a small village all fall silent. This silence reminds us of when the guns across Europe fell silent. Veteran soldiers down to young children all take part in, or watch, the parades and processions, the military march pasts and the bands that mark this very special day, Remembrance Day.

‘Let Us Remember Them’

The First World War was meant to be, “the war to end all wars” – it never did. As all nationalities come together here in beautiful Madeira, during our two minutes silence, let us remember all who have lost their lives and those who suffer, in war and conflict, across the world.

by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

My sister Matilde left home when she was fourteen years old. We were eleven brothers and sisters, and with my father and mother we were a family of 13. Living poorly in a poor neighbourhood we didn’t even know that we were poor. All the neighbours had the same life-style: no running water, no electricity, no streets. I consider my family a happy family. We had something that unfortunately has now been lost: All the neighbours helped each other. If one had no salt or sugar or a tool to do a certain job, a child would be sent to the neighbour’s house and would borrow what was necessary. Even a loaf of bread or a match, or a piece of live coal that was needed to start the necessary fire to cook.

I had two aunts working in the city, in a house of a rich family. They thought that taking my sister to the city to work with them would be helping the family. It would be one less mouth in the house to be fed. This was an event in her life that Matilde never understood. But we loved her so much and we felt as if she had been promoted to a better life. She was always very well-dressed; she would wear shoes every day, and she was very well fed. Besides this, she was extremely beautiful.

It seems that Madeira Island is small, but my sister would visit us only once a year… for Christmas. When she visited us it was a celebration in the family. We loved her very much and she loved her family. Matilde grew up and got married with a boy who lived even farther away from us. After three girls were born, all her family emigrated to Brazil where she dedicated her life to her family and to the poor, where she performed «little miracles» working with the priests of her parish and deeply involved in a national program of the Brazilian Bishops to work with very destitute children.

The first time I visited Brazil it was in 1983. Close to her house there was what they call «Favelas» or shanty towns. When I visited those shanty towns with my sister and the parish priests, I didn’t see «poverty». I only saw «misery». Pope Francis calls «misery» «poverty without hope». That’s what I saw. The last time that I visited Brazil, that «shanty town» had been transformed into a little town with beautiful little houses, with running water, with electricity, with a church and a school.

Matilde had a Bible group that used to meet every Wednesday. It was from that Bible group that this movement was born, and one day I was so proud to see Matilde leading a group of women to the city hall with big posters where three things were written to present to the authorities: «WATER» – «ELECTRICITY» -«SAFETY WITHOUT VIOLENCE».

It was Easter Sunday. I had a fax machine and she already had a fax machine too. Matilde sent me a fax wishing me Happy Easter and asked me to «forgive» her. I sent her a message back thanking her for her Easter greetings but at the end I added: «Matilde, I can love you, I can help you and support you but there is one thing that I cannot do. I cannot forgive you». Matilde got very confused with my fax, and started talking with her children «why can’t your uncle forgive me? What did I do?». Finally she wrote back to me, sounding a little sad and asked me: «What did I do that you cannot forgive?» And my answer was: «Matilde, if you want me to forgive you, you have to offend me first. And what happens is that you’ve never offended me». Forgiveness would be easier to understand if we realized that unless someone offends us, we cannot know what it is to forgive them. It doesn’t make any sense when we say that «I cannot forgive him / her because he offended me». Love is for everyone. Forgiveness is only for those who offend us.”

Love and Peace, FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

I COULDN’T FORGIVE MY SISTER
My sister Matilde left home when she was fourteen years old. We were eleven brothers and sisters, and with my father and mother we were a family of 13. Living poorly in a poor neighbourhood we didn’t even know that we were poor. All the neighbours had the same life-style: no running water, no electricity, no streets. I consider my family a happy family. We had something that unfortunately has now been lost: All the neighbours helped each other. If one had no salt or sugar or a tool to do a certain job, a child would be sent to the neighbour’s house and would borrow what was necessary. Even a loaf of bread or a match, or a piece of live coal that was needed to start the necessary fire to cook.
I had two aunts working in the city, in a house of a rich family. They thought that taking my sister to the city to work with them would be helping the family. It would be one less mouth in the house to be fed. This was an event in her life that Matilde never understood. But we loved her so much and we felt as if she had been promoted to a better life. She was always very well-dressed; she would wear shoes every day, and she was very well fed. Besides this, she was extremely beautiful. It seems that Madeira Island is small, but my sister would visit us only once a year… for Christmas. When she visited us it was a celebration in the family. We loved her very much and she loved her family. Matilde grew up and got married with a boy who lived even farther away from us. After three girls were born, all her family emigrated to Brazil where she dedicated her life to her family and to the poor, where she performed «little miracles» working with the priests of her parish and deeply involved in a national program of the Brazilian Bishops to work with very destitute children. The first time I visited Brazil it was in 1983. Close to her house there was what they call «Favelas» or shanty towns. When I visited those shanty towns with my sister and the parish priests, I didn’t see «poverty». I only saw «misery». Pope Francis calls «misery» «poverty without hope». That’s what I saw. The last time that I visited Brazil, that «shanty town» had been transformed into a little town with beautiful little houses, with running water, with electricity, with a church and a school. Matilde had a Bible group that used to meet every Wednesday. It was from that Bible group that this movement was born, and one day I was so proud to see Matilde leading a group of women to the city hall with big posters where three things were written to present to the authorities: «WATER» – «ELECTRICITY» -«SAFETY WITHOUT VIOLENCE».
It was Easter Sunday. I had a fax machine and she already had a fax machine too. Matilde sent me a fax wishing me Happy Easter and asked me to «forgive» her. I sent her a message back thanking her for her Easter greetings but at the end I added: «Matilde, I can love you, I can help you and support you but there is one thing that I cannot do. I cannot forgive you». Matilde got very confused with my fax, and started talking with her children «why can’t your uncle forgive me? What did I do?».

Finally she wrote back to me, sounding a little sad and asked me: «What did I do that you cannot forgive?» And my answer was: «Matilde, if you want me to forgive you, you have to offend me first. And what happens is that you’ve never offended me». Forgiveness would be easier to understand if we realized that unless someone offends us, we cannot know what it is to forgive them. It doesn’t make any sense when we say that «I cannot forgive him / her because he offended me». Love is for everyone. Forgiveness is only for those who offend us.”

Love and Peace,

Filomena, (her true name) was a young widow with three little young girls. With no studies, she has been one of the best lay leaders when I worked with the Portuguese Immigrant Community in California. We had the same vision especially about involving many people to help and mobilize many people. My vision was that I would prefer one thing badly done by ten people than well done by one person only. When we had any big event she would form three groups under the title of «Before», «During» and «After». The group «Before» was in charge of preparing the event. It could take hours, days or even months. The group «During» was in charge of working during the event. The group «After» was in charge of cleaning the mess and organizing everything that had been used, and leaving the place in good condition.

I admired her leadership skills, but what I most admired was her faith and her dependency on God. That was one of the things that most inspired me.

One of many little experiences that touched my faith was when she shared with us the way she dealt with the nightmares of her oldest daughter, Fernanda.

It was not uncommon that Fernanda, all of a sudden, during the night, would start calling her when everybody was asleep. «Mom», she would say, «I can’t sleep. I am afraid. I am seeing things on the wall». Mom would answer: «That is nothing. Try to sleep. I need to work tomorrow and you need to go to school. There is nothing bad in your room. Please sleep». But nothing would convince her daughter to stop disturbing all the family. Until one day Filomena found a trick that would solve any problem with any of her nightmares.

When Fernanda started being nervous because she was «seeing things», Filomena would simply say: «My daughter… please sleep because your mom is awake». It was like magic. Fernanda would start sleeping immediately and it didn’t take any time she was already snoring. She knew her mother was awake. She felt protected. She had nothing to fear.

It reminds me of the Portuguese hymn that we sing once in a while at our English Mass that goes like this: «I found God by surprise». In the Bible, God says for 365 times the words: «Do not be afraid because I am with you». It is like saying: «My son, relax… rejoice… rest… because I am awake. I am with you. I am protecting you. Remember that you are my son».

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

Father Mata was my Spiritual Director during my time in the Seminary. He was a man of short sermons, short sentences, deep spirituality and crucifying love for the poor. He was a living Saint. I always wanted to be like him but I have been far away from my desire. Maybe because I resisted in paying the price that he paid.

«There is no gain without pain».

One of his short sentences that left prints in my heart was

«Gratitude and humility are two irresistible virtues».

I would add that «Ingratitude and pride are two of the most hurting and disturbing shortcomings in any relationship».

Today’s Gospel (28th Sunday of the Year C) tells the story of ten lepers healed by Jesus. Nine of them kept on going. Only one of them came back and told Jesus “thank you”. Jesus felt hurt and had the courage to open his heart and ask

«Were not all of ten made clean? The other nine where are they?»

Ingratitude hurts.

2.

A little boy fell off a pier into deep ocean water. An older sailor, heedless of the great danger to himself, dove into the stormy water, struggled with the boy, and finally, exhausted, brought him to safety. Two days later, the boy’s mother came with him to the same pier, seeking the sailor who had rescued her son. Finding him, she asked: «You dove into the ocean to bring my boy out?» «I did,» he replied. The mother angrily demanded: «Then where’s his hat?».

3.

An old woman was in an extended-care hospital. She had some kind of wasting disease, her different powers fading away over the space of months. A young student happened to meet her on a coincidental visit. The student kept going back, drawn by the strange force of the woman’s joy. Though she could no longer move her arms and legs, she would say: «I’m just so happy and grateful to God that I can move my neck». When she could no longer move her neck, she would say: «I am so glad and thankful I can hear and see». When the young student finally asked the old woman what would happen if she lost her senses of hearing and sight, the gentle lady said:

«I’ll just be so grateful that you come to visit».

Love and Peace, Fr. Bernardino Andrade

When I was a seminarian, I remember one day, I started reflecting about my future job as a priest. And my reflection was based on this question: «What kind of job or ministry that other priests do, will I be able to do or not?». Finally I concluded that I would be able to try any job that other priests were doing, except for two: «teacher» and «journalist». Those two jobs were out of the question. I was sure that no Bishop would give me that kind of work. I didn’t like them and I knew that I would never be able to do a good job as a teacher or as a journalist. Well… years later, even before I was ordained as a priest, my first two jobs that I was supposed to do simultaneously, was a professor of religion and a journalist. Now I understand better the saying I heard later in life: «If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans».

One day I was in front of a class of little girls «teaching» religion in a public school in Mozambique. The theme was about our purpose in life. The question was «what do you live for». I even told them that if they went to the streets and stopped cars, or entered coffee shops or stopped people in the streets and asked this question, it would be interesting to find out how many people would be confused about that question.

I didn’t suggest that they do it. It was only an example. What happened was that they went to the streets, and to public places, with a pencil and paper in their hands and started questioning people.

«I am sorry for stopping you. We need your help. We are doing a school work. Would you please tell us what do you live for?».

Most of the answers were really funny. Nobody was impolite or rude to them. Many answered:

«I live for nothing». – «Thank you. Can we have your name?» «Wait… wait…»

The majority of the people started reflecting and giving more serious answers. This was in a small city where everybody knew everybody. When, in the following class, they told me about this experience I was glad that they had not asked me. I thought, and I think, that I know my purpose in life but if I was surprised with a question like that I was not sure if I knew how to formulate my answer.

It was Isabel, a 12-year-old girl, who taught me when she gave me her answer:

«My purpose in life is to continue the work of God».

In this field, Isabel was my best teacher in Theology. Since then, I was able to formulate my answer in a second. And learning how to formulate my answer helped me a lot on how to live accordingly.

«I live to continue the work of God».

What I find amazing is to discover that God needs us to build this world at all levels. Our purpose is to continue what He started and is still doing. Unfortunately we have two choices. One is to work with God and daily help Him to build a better world, or we also have the power to sabotage and destroy His dream and His work and slowly kill and destroy His project.

We have a choice. Planting a tree or taking care of a little garden, we are helping God to fulfill His dream and His project. A simple plastic bag thrown into the ocean is sabotaging His project. Freeing the poor from their poverty and alleviating the suffering of the world is an essential part of this project that involves every human being. And this is part of our spirituality

Love and Peace
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

by Father Bernadino

He was a scientist and was writing a book. Every afternoon he would go to the beach, not to swim, but to take advantage of the sound of the waves, the scenery… of the many kilometers of yellow sand, the presence of children splashing in the water and the gentle flying of elegant seagulls.

There was a small distance between the water and a small forest where there were trees that would protect the scientist from the sun. He would bring a small folding chair and for a while that space was his small office.

None of these apparent distractions were able to distract him from his job that, for him, was also a hobby. None of these activities were able to distract him, except for one. Every afternoon he could see a man «dancing» by himself on the sand. This man would bend down, would stand up, would open his arms and would repeat almost the same movements for a long time.

This «show» was happening every afternoon. It was something that started distracting him and then started intriguing him. He even thought if it could be a kind of religious ritual of some kind of religion.

Finally the scientist decided to unveil the mystery. He left his papers on his chair and full of curiosity approached the «dancing man» and asked for the meaning of that ritual.

The «dancing man» stopped for a while and gladly explained to his visitor:

«It is because in this water there are many starfish. When the tides rise up, the starfish are thrown onto the sand of the beach. The problem is that when the tides go down most of them stay on the dry sand and die. I come every afternoon looking for starfish that have stayed on the sand, and to save them, I pick them up one by one, and throw them back in the water. I know that those starfish are safe and alive».

The scientist, expressing some kind of disbelief told him: «But, my friend, there are hundreds of kilometers of sand on this beach, what difference does that make?».

The «dancing man» bent down, picked up another starfish that was close to his feet and said: «Does it make any difference to this one?»

The following afternoon the scientist stopped writing his book in the afternoons and joined the «dancing man», saving starfish.

* * * * * * * *
If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one. (Mother Teresa)
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Small things done by small people in small places change the world (Mother Teresa)
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What I do for others is just a small drop of water in the ocean. But without that drop of water
the ocean is smaller. (Mother Teresa)