Homilía: Marzo 24, 2022, Jueves de la III semana de Cuaresma.

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 “El que no está conmigo, está contra mí; y el que no recoge conmigo, desparrama”.”.

El mensaje de Jesús es muy claro. No podemos seguir a Jesús parcialmente. Si no lo estamos siguiendo de todo corazón, no somos sus seguidores.

Hoy es el vigésimo día de Cuaresma, sin contar los domingos. Estamos a la mitad. ¿Recuerdas lo que decidiste hacer especial para estos 40 días de Cuaresma? ¿Lo estás cumpliendo?

Mientras nos esforzamos por fortalecernos espiritualmente, los demonios se esfuerzan más para mantenernos deprimidos. Me pregunto quién está a la cabeza en esta mitad de camino.

En mis años de infancia, solo los niños ricos de mi pueblo podían tener bicicletas. Cuando estaba en quinto grado, mi hermano mayor y yo decidimos recolectar flores silvestres de nuez moscada del bosque cercano para venderlas y poder comprar una bicicleta.

Nos despertábamos muy temprano en la mañana y corríamos al bosque para buscar y recolectar tantas como fuera posible. Muchos niños de otros pueblos estaban haciendo lo mismo para que el que llegara primero se llevara la mayor parte de las flores.

Caminábamos muchas  millas dentro del bosque, pasando de un árbol a otro. Sin embargo, no recuerdo haber sido tan trabajador en mis estudios.

Las guardábamos hasta que el precio de mercado era alto y entonces las vendíamos. Aún así las flores que recolectamos  no fueron suficientes para cubrir el costo de una bicicleta. ¿Entonces, qué hicimos? Inteligentemente añadimos algunas piedras a los manojos de flores de nuez moscada para hacerlos más pesado. Por fin, ganamos suficiente dinero y compramos la bicicleta de nuestros sueños.

El deseo de poseer una bicicleta no estaba mal. Trabajar duro para recolectar flores de nuez moscada para vender no estuvo mal. Pero agregar piedras para subir el peso obviamente era hacer trampa, y estaba mal. Sin embargo, nos sentimos justificados porque el propósito no era malo y el engaño no perjudicó a nadie. Ganamos más dinero y ellos menos, eso no está tan mal, ¿verdad?

Incorrecto. Hasta el día de hoy, siento vergüenza cuando recuerdo el incidente. Por ese incidente, los demonios anotaron una victoria mientras que yo le fallé al Señor. No elegí el camino de Jesús, no estaba con Él. Mis pensamientos y mis obras estaban contra Él.

A medida que crecí, viajé más lejos y entendí más el mundo, me di cuenta de que la realidad de la vida no es tan simple como mi esquema de nuez moscada. El bien y el mal pueden ser muy confusos. Es más fácil para Jesús expulsar el demonio en el mudo, que expulsar la terquedad en el orgulloso.

Pero Jesús lo dejó claro, solo hay dos opciones: elegirlo a Él o no. No hay término medio, no hay posición neutral. Si no elegimos y seguimos a Jesús de todo corazón, estamos eligiendo estar en contra de Él.

En la primera lectura, el Señor ordenó: “Escuchen mi voz, y yo seré su Dios y ustedes serán mi pueblo; caminen siempre por el camino que yo les mostraré, para que les vaya bien”.

Todavía nos queda la mitad del camino hasta la Pascua, tenemos que ganar a los demonios. Oremos más fuerte para que la gracia de Dios nos lleve adelante en nuestro crecimiento espiritual. Terminemos esta Cuaresma con una celebración de la victoria en la Pascua, con Jesús. Amén. 

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