EVANGELIO DEL DÍA

martes, 14 de diciembre de 2010

«Dichoso el que no se sienta defraudado por mí»

EVANGELIO DEL DÍA: 15/12/2010
¿ Señor, a quién iremos?. Tú tienes palabras de vida eterna. Jn 6, 68


Miércoles de la III Semana de Adviento


Libro de Isaías 45,6-8.18.21-25.
Para que se conozca, desde el Oriente y el Occidente, que no hay nada fuera de mí. Yo soy el Señor, y no hay otro.
Yo formo la luz y creo las tinieblas, hago la felicidad y creo la desgracia: yo, el Señor, soy el que hago todo esto.
Destilen, cielos, desde lo alto, y que las nubes derramen la justicia! ¡Que se abra la tierra y produzca la salvación, y que también haga germinar la justicia! Yo, el Señor, he creado todo esto.
Porque así habla el Señor, el que creó el cielo y es Dios, el que modeló la tierra, la hizo y la afianzó, y no la creó vacía, sino que la formó para que fuera habitada: Yo soy el Señor, y no hay otro.
¡Declaren, expongan sus pruebas! ¡Sí, deliberen todos juntos! ¿Quién predijo esto antiguamente y lo anunció en los tiempos pasados? ¿No fui yo, el Señor? No hay otro Dios fuera de mí; un Dios justo y salvador, no lo hay, excepto yo.
Vuélvanse a mí, y serán salvados, todos los confines de la tierra, porque yo soy Dios, y no hay otro.
Lo he jurado por mí mismo, de mi boca ha salido la justicia, una palabra irrevocable: Ante mí se doblará toda rodilla, toda lengua jurará por mí,
diciendo: Sólo en el Señor están los actos de justicia y el poder. Hasta él llegarán avergonzados todos los que se enfurecieron contra él.
En el Señor hallará la justicia y se gloriará toda la descendencia de Israel.

Salmo 85(84),9-10.11-12.13-14.
Voy a proclamar lo que dice el Señor: el Señor promete la paz, la paz para su pueblo y sus amigos, y para los que se convierten de corazón.
Su salvación está muy cerca de sus fieles, y la Gloria habitará en nuestra tierra.
El Amor y la Verdad se encontrarán, la Justicia y la Paz se abrazarán;
la Verdad brotará de la tierra y la Justicia mirará desde el cielo.
El mismo Señor nos dará sus bienes y nuestra tierra producirá sus frutos.
La Justicia irá delante de él, y la Paz, sobre la huella de sus pasos.

Evangelio según San Lucas 7,18-23.
Juan fue informado de todo esto por sus discípulos y, llamando a dos de ellos,
los envió a decir al Señor: "¿Eres tú el que ha de venir o debemos esperar a otro?".
Cuando se presentaron ante él, le dijeron: "Juan el Bautista nos envía a preguntarte: '¿Eres tú el que ha de venir o debemos esperar a otro?'".
En esa ocasión, Jesús curó mucha gente de sus enfermedades, de sus dolencias y de los malos espíritus, y devolvió la vista a muchos ciegos.
Entonces respondió a los enviados: "Vayan a contar a Juan lo que han visto y oído: los ciegos ven, los paralíticos caminan, los leprosos son purificados y los sordos oyen, los muertos resucitan, la Buena Noticia es anunciada a los pobres.
¡Y feliz aquel para quien yo no sea motivo de tropiezo!". 
Lc 7,18-23
Leer el comentario del Evangelio por 
San Hilario (315-367), obispo de Poitiers y doctor de la Iglesia
Comentario al evangelio de san Mateo, 11,3
«Dichoso el que no se sienta defraudado por mí»
     Juan, al enviar a sus discípulos a Jesús se preocupó de la ignorancia de éstos, no de la suya propia, porque él mismo había proclamado que alguno vendría para la remisión de los pecados. Pero para hacerles saber que no había proclamado a ningún otro que Jesús, envió a sus discípulos a que vieran sus obras a fin de que ellas dieran autoridad a su anuncio y que no esperaran a ningún otro Cristo fuera de aquél que sus mismas obras había dado testimonio de él.

     Y puesto que el Señor se había revelado enteramente a través de sus acciones milagrosas, dando la vista a los ciegos, el andar a los cojos, la curación a los leprosos, el oído a los sordos, la vida a los muertos, la instrucción a los pobres, dijo: «Dichoso el que no se sienta defraudado por mí». ¿Acaso Cristo había ya hecho algún acto que pudiera escandalizar a Juan? Bien seguro que no. En efecto, se mantenía en su propia línea de enseñanza y de acción. Pero es preciso estudiar el alcance y el carácter específico de lo que dice el Señor: que la Buena Nueva es recibida por los pobres. Se trata de los que habrán perdido su vida, que habrán tomado su cruz y le habrán seguido (Lc 14,27), que llegarán a ser humildes de corazón y para los cuales está preparado el Reino de los cielos (Mt 11,29; 25,34). Y porque el conjunto de sus sufrimientos iba a converger en los del Señor y su cruz iba a ser un escándalo para un gran número de ellos, declaró dichoso a aquellos cuya fe no sucumbiría a ninguna tentación a causa de su cruz, su muerte, su sepultura


miércoles 15 Diciembre 2010

San Valeriano




Durante la persecución de los vándalos en África del norte, habiéndose negado a entregar los vasos sagrados de la iglesia, que le pedía el rey Genserico, fue obligado a salir de la ciudad, cuando tenía 90 años, con prohibición rigurosa de que nadie lo recibiera en su casa ni le diese de comer.
Después de permanecer largo tiempo sin socorro alguno y al aire libre, terminó su santa vida bendiciendo a todos en nombre de Dios, el año 457.




Oremoshttp://es.catholic.net/catholic_db/imagenes_db/santoral/valeriano.jpg

Tú, Señor, que concediste a San Valeriano el don de imitar con fidelidad a Cristo pobre y humilde, concédenos también a nosotros por intercesión de este santo, la gracia de que, viviendo fielmente nuestra vocación, tendamos hacia la perfección que nos propones en la persona de tu Hijo. Que vive y reina contigo.

"Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."

DAILY GOSPEL: 15/12/2010
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68


Wednesday of the Third week of Advent


Book of Isaiah 45:6-8.18.21-25.
So that toward the rising and the setting of the sun men may know that there is none besides me. I am the LORD, there is no other;
I form the light, and create the darkness, I make well-being and create woe; I, the LORD, do all these things.
Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above, like gentle rain let the skies drop it down. Let the earth open and salvation bud forth; let justice also spring up! I, the LORD, have created this.
For thus says the LORD, The creator of the heavens, who is God, The designer and maker of the earth who established it, Not creating it to be a waste, but designing it to be lived in: I am the LORD, and there is no other.
Come here and declare in counsel together: Who announced this from the beginning and foretold it from of old? Was it not I, the LORD, besides whom there is no other God? There is no just and saving God but me.
Turn to me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other!
By myself I swear, uttering my just decree and my unalterable word: To me every knee shall bend; by me every tongue shall swear,
Saying, "Only in the LORD are just deeds and power. Before him in shame shall come all who vent their anger against him.
In the LORD shall be the vindication and the glory of all the descendants of Israel."

Psalms 85(84):9-10.11-12.13-14.
I will listen for the word of God; surely the LORD will proclaim peace To his people, to the faithful, to those who trust in him.
Near indeed is salvation for the loyal; prosperity will fill our land.
Love and truth will meet; justice and peace will kiss.
Truth will spring from the earth; justice will look down from heaven.
The LORD will surely grant abundance; our land will yield its increase.
Prosperity will march before the Lord, and good fortune will follow behind.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 7:18-23.
At that time, John summoned two of his disciples
and sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"
When the men came to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?'"
At that time he cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind.
And he said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."
 Lc 7,18-23
Commentary of the day 
Saint Hilary (c.315-367), Bishop of Poitiers, Doctor of the Church
Commentary on Saint Matthew's gospel, 11, 3 (cf. SC 254, p. 255 rev.)
"Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."
When he sent his disciples to Jesus, John was concerned about their ignorance, not his own. For he himself had announced that one would be coming for the forgiveness of sins. But that they might know he had not preached anything else, he sent his disciples to witness his works so that they might give authority to his proclamation and no other Christ might be expected than he to whom his works bore testimony.

And as the Lord revealed himself wholly through his miraculous deeds, giving sight to the blind, enabling the lame to walk, healing lepers, giving hearing to the death, speech to the dumb, life to the dead, teaching the poor, he said: «Happy are those who are not scandalized on my account». Now had there already been on Christ's part any action that might have caused scandal to John? By no means. For he remained effectively within his own sphere of teaching and action. But we need to look at the implications and specific character of what the Lord says: that the Good News is welcomed by those who are poor. It concerns those who are to lose their lives, take up their cross and follow him (Lk 14,27), who will become lowly of heart and for whom the Kingdom of heaven has been prepared (Mt 11,29; 25,34). And because all these forms of suffering would meet in the Lord and his cross would be a scandal to many, he declared happy those whose faith would not undergo temptation on account of his cross, death and burial.


Wednesday, 15 December 2010

St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli (1587-1651)



SAINT VIRGINIA CENTURIONE BRACELLI
(1587-1651)
        Widower, Virginia Centurione Bracelli was born on April 2, 1587, in Genoa, from the family of Giorgio Centurione, duke of the Republic in the year 1621-1622, and Lelia Spinola. Both of them were of the ancient noble origin. She was baptized two days after her birth, received her first religious and literary formation from her mother and private tutor. 
        She soon felt the need for a cloistered life but she had to succumb to her father's strong will and marry Gaspare Grimaldi Bracelli on December 10, 1602. Gaspare's family was both illustrious and wealthy, but he was wholly taken up with gambling and dissolute life. She gave birth to two daughters: Lelia and Isabella.
        The conjugal life of Virginia did not last long. As a matter of fact, Gaspare Bracelli, in spite of the matrimony and the fatherhood, he did not abandon his pleasures, which brought him to shorten his life. Virginia, however, with her great patience, prayer and affection, tried to convince her husband to a modest life. Unfortunately, Gaspare get ill died on June 13, 1607, in Alessandria, thus, enabling him to reach a state of grace and peace with God, relieved and assisted by his faithful wife. 
        At the age of twenty, she became widow, pronounced her perpetual vow of chastity, refusing the occasion of the second marriage proposed by her father. She lived in her mother-in-law's house, taking care of the education and the administration of the goods of her children and dedicating herself through prayer and act of charity. 
        In 1610, she clearly felt the special vocation "to serve God through the poor". Although she was strictly controlled by her father and never disregarded the care for the family, Virginia began to devote herself to the needy. She personally helped the poor by sharing half of her wealth or by means of charitable institution. 
        Virginia conveniently settled the marriage life of her daughters and totally offered herself to the needs of the abandoned children, the aged, the sick and to elevate the life of the marginalized people.
        In autumn of 1624-1625, the war between the Liguorian Republic and the Duke of Savoy, supported by France, increasing the unemployment and starvation, led Virginia to accomodate the first 15 abandoned youngs, and then, with the expansion of the refugees in town, enabled her to provide all their needs, specially the poor women.  
        On August of 1625, with the death of her mother-in-law, she started not only to received the youngs but instead led herself to town, mostly in the disreputable quarters, in search for the needy and in danger of depravity.
        To help the increasing poverty, Virginia founded the "Cento Signore della Misericordia Protettrici dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo", with the collaboration of the resident organization of "Otto Signore della Misericordia". She had the specific task of controlling the needs of the poor, particularly the bashful people by means of visiting the house.
        To intensify the initiative of accomodating the youngs, precisely at the time of plague and of famine in 1629-1630, Virginia was obliged to rent the empty convent of Monte Calvario, where she transferred on the 13th of April 1631, together with her beneficiaries placed under the protection of Our Lady of Refuge. Three years after, the Institution expanded into three houses accomodating 300 patients. Hence, she thought the opportunity to ask the official acknowledgement from the Senate of the Republic, which was conceded on December 13, 1635. 
        The beneficiaries of Our Lady of Refuge became for Virginia her excellent "daughters", with whom she shared the food and clothing. She taught them catechism and train them to work so that they could earned their own sustenance.
        Virginia renounced to purchase the Monte Calvario's convent because it was very expensive, for this reason, she bought two villas next to Carignano's Hill that , with the construction of the new annex of the Church dedicated to Our Lady of Refuge, became the Mother House of the Institution.
        The spirit, which inspired the Institution founded by Virginia, was generally presented in the Rule compiled in 1644-1650. It is confirmed that all the domiciles should form a single Institution of Our Lady of Refuge, under the supervision and administration of the Protectors (noble lay appointed by the Senate of the Republic); there is also the confirmation of the separation between the "daughters" wearing the religious habit, and the "daughters", who were not wearing habit, but altogether must live - with or without vows - like the most observant monks in obedience and poverty, working and praying. Moreover, they must be ready to give a hand in the public hospital, considering it as a vow.
        Meanwhile, the Institution is divided into two Religious Congregation: the "Sisters of Our Lady of Refuge in Mount Calvary" (Suore di Nostra Signora del Rifugio di Monte Calvario) and the "Daughters of Our Lady on Mount Calvary" (Figlie di Nostra Signora al Monte Calvario). 
        After the nomination of the Protectors (July 3, 1641), who were considered to be the real superiors of the Institute, Virginia disengaged herself from the government house. She was subdued to their needs and behaved according to their consent even in the acceptance of some needy youngs. She lived as the last "daughter" devoted to the household chores, went out in the morning and in the evening to beg for the sustenance of the living. She was a mother to everyone, specially for the sick, giving them most of her availability.
        In the past years, Virginia organized a group of social action tight to cure the roots of evil and to prevent ruins: the sick and the disabled were hospitalized in the Institute; the powerful men were sent to work; the women must trained themselves to embroidery frame and seamless stockings, and the children were obliged to go to school.
        With the increase of the activities and of the efforts, the collaborators of Virginia declined, particularly the women of the middle and upper class, who had feared to compromise their reputation in dealing with the corrupt people with a guide such as noble and a saint. 
        Abandoned by the Auxiliaries and by the Protectors of the Institute, for which the government deprived of its power, Virginia, while her physical health was weakening, took the position and became responsible for the sisters in Carignano's House. Thus, regaining force in solitude.
        On March 25, 1637, she desired that the Republic would choose the Blessed Virgin as their Protectress. She pleaded to the Archbishop of the town, the institution of the "forty hours devotion", which should start in Genoa at the end of 1642, and the preaching of the common missions (1643). She intervened to settle the common and bloody rivalries, which rose up, for petty reasons, between the noble families and the knights. In 1647, she achieved the reconciliation between the Archbishop See and the Government of the Republic, caused of their conflict in relation to the prestiges' matter.
        Without losing sight to the most desolated, she offered her free time to everybody, independently from the social class, who turned towards her for helped.
        Gratified by the Lord with exultations, visions, interior locutions and other mystical gifts, she died on December 15, 1651 at the age of 64.
        She was beatified on 22 September 1985 and canonized on 18  May 2003 by Pope John Paul II.