Homilía: 3 Julio, 2022, XIV Domingo Ordinario

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 “Pónganse en camino; yo los envío como corderos en medio de lobos. No lleven ni dinero, ni morral, ni sandalias”.
Jesús está enviando a sus discípulos a proclamar la buena nueva de la salvación a todos. Sin embargo, su instrucción suena como si los estuviera enviando a morir, a una misión peligrosa. En lugar de avisarles que traigan todas las necesidades y recursos para ser autosuficientes e independientes, les está diciendo que sean indefensos y vulnerables.
¿Pueden manejar?
Jesús es el cordero de Dios. Su misión es dar Su vida por Sus ovejas. Él es totalmente dependiente sólo de Dios. Él no necesita nada más de este mundo para cumplir Su misión. Y ahora Él está enseñando a Sus discípulos a hacer lo mismo. Él nos está diciendo que hagamos lo mismo.
¿Podemos manejarlo?
Parece difícil, ¿no?
Tengo un muy buen amigo, Doctor Samuel Thomas. El es un ministro pentecostal también presidente de una organización internacional llamada Hope Givers que da esperanza de un futuro mejor a los niños huérfanos, abandonados y desfavorecidos. 
En la India, fundada por su padre y ahora bajo su liderazgo, han establecido setenta mil iglesias. A pesar de haber recibido múltiples amenazas de muerte y riesgos de asesinato, e incluso encarcelamientos, nada lo detiene.
Una vez le pregunté: Sam, ¿cuál es el secreto de tu éxito? Sin pensarlo dos veces, respondió que su primera prioridad, segunda prioridad y tercera prioridad son proclamar la buena nueva, proclamar la buena nueva y proclamar la buena nueva. El resultado es su ministerio creciente. Quiere ser mártir por el evangelio. Aunque no siempre estoy de acuerdo con su interpretación de las Escrituras, admiro su espíritu.
¿Qué pasa con nosotros? ¿Podemos proclamar el evangelio sin miedo, con un espíritu imparable? ¿Podemos salir al mundo llevando nada más que la palabra de Dios?
En realidad, no necesitas salir de tu casa para predicar el evangelio. Santa Teresa de Lisieux es la patrona de las misiones. Vivió solo 24 años y ni siquiera ha salido de su convento. Sin embargo, es santa y doctora de la Iglesia, por su fe sencilla y firme, por su vida sencilla y auténtica.
Para convertirse en un misionero del evangelio, no necesita salir al mundo. Predique y viva el evangelio en su familia, sea un buen modelo a seguir para sus hijos, sea un buen testimonio para sus vecinos. 
Tu vocación es convertir a tu familia en iglesia, tu campo misionero es tu casa, tu barrio, tu alrededor, tu lugar de trabajo, tu escuela.
¿Se siente inadecuado, incompetente, no calificado?
Jesús envió a pescadores y publicanos, no a predicadores profesionales. Jesús dice: “No lleven ni dinero, ni morral, ni sandalias” Verdaderamente, no necesitamos nada extra para predicar el evangelio. No necesitamos un título en Teología o Sagrada Escritura. Solo necesitamos a Jesús: su espíritu, su gracia, su amor. Esto viene de nuestro bautismo, los sacramentos y una relación personal con Jesús.
Si todos nosotros leemos la palabra de Dios diariamente, recibimos los sacramentos regularmente y nos conectamos con Jesús en oración, habrá grandes cambios en nuestra parroquia, en este país, en el mundo. Habrá grandes cambios en nuestra vida.
Primero, proclama el evangelio a ti mismo. Entonces sabrás cómo proclamarlo a los demás.


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Homily: September 15, 2025, Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows (Entrustment)

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“When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond gently.” In today’s first reading, St. Paul tells us about the hardships and patient endurance that marked his ministry. Before his conversion, Paul had what the world might consider a better and more comfortable life. He was well educated, a zealous Pharisee, respected among his own people, and a man with authority. But after encountering Jesus, everything changed. He gave up his former way of life to follow Christ. And what did he receive in return? Persecution, rejection, suffering, imprisonment, and many hardships.  Today the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Teresa of Calcutta. In some ways, her story reminds us of St. Paul. She came to India as a young religious sister with the Loreto Sisters. She became a teacher and eventually the headmistress of a school. She loved her religious life and her work. But then something changed. While traveling by train from Calcutta to Darjeeling, she experi...
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 “There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.” Once I walked into our youth Bible study, and they were discussing the Book of Enoch, an ancient Jewish apocalyptic text traditionally connected to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. They asked me questions about it. I had read it myself when I was their age, mostly out of curiosity, but honestly, I do not remember much of its content. There are also several other apocryphal writings, like the Gospel of James, the Gospel of Thomas, and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene. But the Church never considered them inspired Scripture, because many of them were written decades after the death of the last Apostle, St. John. Public Revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle. Sometimes I also wish the Bible had more details about Jesus’ infancy and His hidden life. But St. John reminds us today that the world its...
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