A merciful encounter with Jesus

 Homily: 2^nd Sunday of Easter (Sunday of Divine Mercy) – Cycle C

         Friends, today we have gathered to celebrate the conclusion of the great Octave of Easter.  Throughout these eight days, we have been celebrating the fulfillment of our salvation in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  At the same time, we have been rejoicing in the renewal that the Lord has worked in us through our Lenten disciplines and the renewal of our baptismal promises on Easter Sunday.  Today, as we draw this Octave celebration to a close, we are invited to celebrate the mercy of God—that is, the Divine Mercy—that has made all of this possible.  In doing so, the liturgy reminds us of one of the most important characteristics of the Divine Mercy: that is, that it involves a loving encounter with Christ.

         Today, in our Gospel reading, we meet once again this great story of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples on the day of resurrection.  In John’s Gospel, the detail that “Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came” is included.  We heard again the familiar story that, when the others told Thomas that they had seen the Risen Lord, Thomas refused to believe that Jesus had risen and declared that, unless he see Jesus for himself, he would not believe.  We, of course, have hindsight and so can be quick to deride Thomas for his lack of initial belief.  However, if we look at this from the perspective of the theme of encounter with Christ, we can see how even this was part of God’s plan to reveal himself and to strengthen the faith of his believers.

         In fact, throughout John’s Gospel, the theme of a merciful encounter with Christ is prominent.  Jesus’ encounters with the Samaritan woman at the well, the blind man in Jerusalem, and with Martha and Mary after the death of their brother Lazarus were all opportunities for Jesus to reveal himself more completely and to strengthen the faith of his believers.  Let’s take a brief look at them again so that they might help us to understand more deeply Thomas’ encounter with Christ. ///

         The Samaritan woman, who was avoiding the townspeople because of the shame she felt for her multiple failed marriages, unexpectedly encountered Christ, who revealed himself to her.  She, in turn, converted and became a great witness to the people of her town: the very people she had been trying to avoid!  The woman’s shame for her multiple failed marriages, as painful as it was to her, became the means by which she had a merciful encounter with Christ and thus became a witness to him, inspiring faith in the hundreds of townspeople who came to Jesus because of her.

         The man born blind suffered many years in his blindness and was reduced to begging for sustenance.  When he is encountered by Jesus, Jesus heals him and quickly the man becomes a witness to Jesus before the Pharisees.  When, in another encounter, Jesus later reveals himself fully to him, he bows in adoration of him.  In the Gospel, we do not hear more about what happened to this man, but surely he continued to tell others his story: “I was blind and now I see.  Jesus the Nazorean encountered me and healed me.  He is the Christ, the one sent by God.”

         Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, sent word to Jesus that their brother, Jesus’ friend, was deathly ill so that he might come and heal him.  Jesus delayed, however, and Lazarus died.  When he arrived, both Martha and Mary said, “Lord, if you had been here, our brother would not have died.”  In this encounter, Jesus assured them that, if they had faith, they would see their brother rise.  They believe, and Jesus reveals himself more profoundly when he shows himself not only to have power to prevent death, but also to reverse death completely.  This encounter with Christ and his power, the Scriptures tell us, led many of the Jews to believe in him.  Again, the Scriptures do not tell us this, but certainly these persons witnessed to what they had seen and heard before many others.

         And so we come to Thomas and his initial incredulity in the resurrection.  Jesus, in his perfect knowledge, knew that Thomas would not be with the other disciples when he appeared to them that day, and that Thomas would be incredulous when they told him.  Nonetheless, he allowed it.  And why?  So that, through his merciful encounter with Thomas eight days later, he might reveal himself more fully and strengthen the faith of all believers. ///

         As with the other encounters, Jesus uses this encounter to reveal his unfathomable Divine Mercy.  In this case, his merciful condescension to Thomas in his doubts becomes a rallying point of faith for all who encounter questions within themselves.  “Put your finger here and see my hands,” Jesus says to Thomas, “and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”  Thomas, as we know, expresses his belief.  Then Jesus says something even more merciful: “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

         Thomas, of course, would go on to be a great Apostle, sharing this story of his encounter with Christ and his mercy everywhere he went.  Moreover, the disciples of the early Church would find great strength from the testimony of these words of Jesus: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”  All of this showing the same thing that we saw in the three other encounters from John’s Gospel: that an encounter with Christ leads to testimony, and testimony leads to faith. ///

         Friends, these are exactly the kinds of encounters with the Divine Mercy that await us in the sacrament of reconciliation.  Whether you are shameful because of your sins, lost and unable to see clearly so as to find your way, hurt and reluctant to believe, or full of doubt because you have not yet seen, the sacrament of Reconciliation is the place where you can encounter Jesus, the fount of Divine Mercy, to free you from your shame, to open your eyes to see, to be healed and so believe, and to remove all doubt.  Fr. Bennett is in the confessional right now and so if you are feeling moved to seek an encounter with Jesus in the sacrament—to confess what is on your heart—please feel free to go now to the confessional or throughout the rest of the Mass.  Jesus awaits to encounter you. ///

         In spring of 2003, I was in a bad place, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  I was dissatisfied with my job, I just had an ugly breakup with my girlfriend of nearly three years, and I was feeling quite lost in regards to faith.  I took a chance to attend a parish mission and there had a personal encounter with Jesus, really present in the Blessed Sacrament.  The next night I made a confession for the first time in over twelve years.  That merciful encounter with Jesus in his sacramental presence and in the sacrament, changed the course of my life forever as I immediately started to pray about what God wanted me to do with my life.  That led me here, to the priesthood, and now here, to this parish church on this Sunday, to preach the good news of God’s Divine Mercy to you.  Brothers and sisters, the same merciful encounter is available to each of you when you go to the sacrament and make yourself available to be encountered by him. ///

         Whether you do so today or sometime in the future, let us all give thanks in this Mass for the fact that this encounter is even possible.  And as we go forth from here, let us be ready to share the good news of Divine Mercy with all those around us.

Given at Sacred Heart Parish: Remington, IN – April 27^th, 2025

We are witnesses

Homily: Easter Sunday – Cycle A

          We are witnesses…  In its most basic definition, a witness is someone who sees an event take place.  Typically, we associate a witness with legal proceedings.  Because of this, we all generally recognize that being a witness carries with it responsibilities, specifically the responsibility to recount what it is we have seen or experienced.  Here in the United States, one can only be demanded to “give witness” in a court of law.  Otherwise, we have the “right to remain silent.”  For Christians, however, this right doesn’t necessarily exist.  Certainly, our freedom to remain silent can never be taken from us.  Nevertheless, as Christians we believe that an encounter with the risen Christ demands a kerygmatic response.  It is in fact a response commissioned by Christ when he told his disciples, “You are witnesses….”

          Now I know many of you are probably looking at me and saying, “I was with you right up until that “K”-word.  Right, kerygmatic.  First let me tell you that it is not important that you know how to say this word and it is even less important that you know how to spell it.  Now let me tell you what it means.  It’s a Greek word that means a convincing proclamation of what one has seen and heard.  For Christians, kerygma is a proclamation that the crucified and risen Jesus is God’s final and definitive act of salvation.  Imagine for a moment that someone would stand up in this assembly and say: “Brothers and Sisters, you remember this man, Jesus of Nazareth, the prophet mighty in word and deed, who worked many signs and wonders in our midst and whom we lauded as our king as he entered this city; this man whom we then watched as he was condemned wrongfully and led off to be crucified.  I stand before you today and tell you that he has been raised to life and that I have seen him.  And not only me, but these others, too.  We have seen him face to face.  We have heard him talk and have seen his hands and his feet, which still bear the marks of his crucifixion.  We have even eaten with him and so are assured that it is no ghost that we have seen, but a living man.  Truly, I tell you, this Jesus, who was crucified, has been raised to life.”  You can imagine that this kind of a witness would be pretty powerful.  This is exactly the witness that Peter gives in our first reading today. ///

          Over these last few days, we have witnessed many things.  First, on Thursday night, we witnessed the Last Supper in which Jesus, knowing that he was about to die, instituted the Eucharist by giving to his twelve closest disciples his body to eat and blood to drink in the form of bread and wine.  At the same time, we witnessed how he instituted the priesthood that same night in order to ensure that this Eucharist would continue after he was gone.  And we witnessed how Jesus bent low to wash his disciples’ feet, giving them an example of how it is that they were to serve one another.  Finally, we witnessed how he went out to the garden to pray and was arrested after he was betrayed by Judas, one of his twelve closest disciples.

          Then, on Friday, we witnessed how Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate and was condemned unjustly.  Perhaps we even felt the sting of guilt as we joined in with the crowds who shouted “Crucify him!  Crucify him!” and who demanded the release of Barabbas the murderer instead of Jesus.  We witnessed how he carried his own cross and was crucified on Calvary.  Perhaps the sorrow for our sins moved us to venerate the cross that day: the cross on which Jesus suffered for our sins, but through which he set us free.  At the end, we watched as his dead body was taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb before nightfall that night.

          On Saturday, we witnessed that strange, eerie silence that always comes with Holy Saturday.  “There is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness” an ancient Christian homilist wrote.  He continues, “The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep.”  We witnessed the closed tomb of our Lord and (hopefully) witnessed the Sabbath rest.  We sat and waited, not knowing if what Jesus had said about the resurrection was true and, if so, how and when it would come about.  We witnessed night fall and felt the anxiety of not knowing what the future would hold and the sadness in our hearts for having lost, it seemed, all for which we had hoped.

          Now this morning we come here and we are witnesses to the incredible, bewildering news that has come to us from the women who went to the tomb: “They have taken the Lord from the tomb!” and we are witnesses of what Peter would tell us after he ran to the tomb and found it empty.  “Could it be that our Lord has risen?”  Yes, Peter, he is risen and of this we are witnesses. ///

          My brothers and sisters, we are witnesses.  We have encountered the risen Christ.  In fact, we encounter him every Sunday, here at this altar. Peter and the other disciples knew that once they had encountered the risen Christ, they could not remain in the Upper Room, but had to go forth from there to proclaim what they had seen and heard.  And so it is with us.  As much as we can no longer claim ignorance of our sins, having seen the suffering that they caused our Lord, no longer can we stand idle, either. ////

          Ite. Missa est.  Those old enough will recall that these are the words of dismissal from the Mass as it was celebrated in Latin.  Ironically, even though the revised English translation of the mass was intended to emulate more closely the Latin, the dismissal seems to have escaped that treatment somehow.  Literally translated, the Latin phrase means, “Go.  It is the dismissal.”  However, the word “dismissal,” in the sense that it is used in Latin, means something more than “you are free to go” like it does in English.  It means, rather, “you are sent forth” and it is understood that this “sending forth” involves some sort of mission.  Missa.  Dismissal.  Mission.  Those words all sound related, don’t they?

          Every Sunday, and in a particularly powerful way on Easter Sunday, we participate anew in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ; we encounter again the risen Lord in Word and Sacrament.  My brothers and sisters, we are witnesses.  Therefore, the dismissal at Mass is never the end of our Christian obligation for the week (or for the year, perhaps?), but rather it is just the beginning.  The privilege of being a witness—and it is a privilege—brings with it the responsibility to proclaim what we have seen and heard in every place where we live.  Just listen to our late Holy Father, Saint Pope John Paul II, who said at the beginning of his pontificate, “Do not be afraid to go out into the streets and the public places—like the first apostles!—to preach Christ and the good news of salvation in the squares of cities.”  If we are to be authentic witnesses then we must take seriously this “sending forth” that we receive today and every Sunday.  In doing so, we will truly be the “pilgrims of hope” that this jubilee year of hope is meant to inspire in all of us. ///

          Since we are learning Greek and Latin vocabulary today, why don’t we try one more?  Does anyone know what the Greek word for “witness” is?  It’s martyr.

          Brothers and sisters, may our kerygma, our witness, to the risen Christ whom we encounter here at this Mass earn for each one of us so noble a title.

Given at St. Joan of Arc Parish: Kokomo, IN – April 20^th, 2025

Confianza ante la prueba

 Homilía: Domingo de Ramos de la Pasión del Señor – Ciclo C

          Hermanos, una vez más, al celebrar este Domingo de Ramos de la Pasión del Señor, nos enfrentamos al confuso conflicto que fue central en el sufrimiento y la muerte de nuestro Señor: que, en Jerusalén, en aquella fatídica fiesta de la Pascua, había tanto quienes habían llegado a creer que Jesús era el Mesías tan esperado como quienes no creían, sino que pensaban que era un charlatán que debía ser silenciado. Este año, recordamos el relato de San Lucas sobre la Pasión de Jesús, que destaca de forma exhaustiva el rechazo de los líderes religiosos a Jesús. Reflexionemos brevemente sobre ello para invitarnos a una reflexión más profunda en esta Semana Santa.

          Como sabemos por las Escrituras, los sumos sacerdotes y los escribas eran hombres eruditos: habían estudiado y conocían la Ley de Moisés y los escritos de los profetas. Por lo tanto, tenían todo lo necesario para discernir quién era Jesús escuchando sus enseñanzas y observando las señales que realizaba, comparándolas con todas las enseñanzas y profecías referentes al Mesías. En otras palabras, si realmente hubieran esperado ver la venida del Mesías, habrían podido discernir que Jesús era él; ya que ellos, más que los demás, habían estudiado todo lo escrito sobre él y su venida.

          Sin embargo, en lugar de apertura, permitieron que su ansiedad por asegurar la estricta observancia de los preceptos de la Ley y la amenaza de opresión de sus ocupantes romanos les cerraran la mente y el corazón. Si bien no lo dice el Evangelio, me pregunto en qué medida su actitud hacia Jesús se asemejaba a la del faraón en el libro del Éxodo: allí se dice que, con cada señal que Moisés realizaba, «Dios hacía al faraón obstinado y no dejaba ir al pueblo». Dios hizo esto para ser verdaderamente glorificado en la Pascua. ¿Hizo Dios a los sumos sacerdotes y a los escribas «obstinados» para que su plan de redención de la humanidad se cumpliera en Jesús? No lo sé. Sin embargo, Pilato intentó liberar a Jesús tres veces, pero se negaron a aceptar su juicio. Más bien, presionaron obstinadamente a Pilato para que lo condenara a muerte por crucifixión.

          Sabemos que esto condujo a otra gloria pascual, pero ¿tenía que ser así? Nuestra fe nos dice que sí, porque así sucedió y así fue verdaderamente como Dios lo quiso. Pero quizás debamos preguntarnos: "¿Cuán abiertos estamos a ver el plan de Dios obrando en nosotros cuando nos agobia la ansiedad?". O, en otras palabras, "¿Podemos confiar en que Dios obra para nuestro bien en medio de las tragedias de nuestra vida?" No tienes que responder hoy. Más bien, esta semana nos invita a reflexionar sobre esta pregunta una vez más, a la luz de nuestra reflexión sobre la Pasión de Jesús, y a renovar nuestra confianza: una confianza que se confirma en la gloria de la resurrección de Cristo. ///

          Y así, mientras damos gracias al Padre en esta Eucaristía, abramos nuestro corazón para unirnos al de Jesús en la confianza, para que podamos experimentar el fruto de su Pasión: que es la gloria de su Resurrección.

Dado en la parroquia de San Jose: Rochester, IN – 13 de abril, 2025

Trust in the face of trial

 Homily: Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion – Cycle C

          Friends, once again, as we celebrate this Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, we are confronted with the confusing conflict that was central to our Lord’s suffering and death: that, in Jerusalem on that fateful Passover feast, there were both those who had come to believe that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah and those who did not believe, but rather thought he was a charlatan who needed to be silenced.  This year, we recall Saint Luke’s account of Jesus’ Passion, which highlights in a comprehensive way the religious leaders’ rejection of Jesus.  Let us reflect briefly on it as a way to invite ourselves into deeper reflection this Holy Week.

          As we know from the scriptures, the chief priests and the scribes were learned men: they had studied and knew the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets.  Thus, they had everything that they needed to discern who Jesus was by listening to his teaching and by observing the signs he was performing, and then comparing it to all of the teachings and prophecies referring to the Messiah.  In other words, had they been truly hoping to see the coming of the Messiah, they could have discerned that Jesus was he; since they, more than the others, had studied all that had been written about him and his coming.

          Instead of openness, however, they let their anxiety over ensuring strict observance of the precepts of the Law, and over the threat of oppression from their Roman occupiers, close their minds and hearts.  Now, it doesn’t say so in the Gospel, but I wonder how much of their attitude toward Jesus was like what happened with Pharaoh in the Book of Exodus: there it says that, with each sign that Moses performed, “God made Pharaoh obstinate and he would not let the people go”.  God did this so that he could truly be glorified in the Passover.  Did God make the chief priests and the scribes “obstinate” so that his plan to redeem the human race could be fulfilled in Jesus?  I can’t say.  Nevertheless, three times Pilate tried to release Jesus, but they refused to accept his judgment.  Rather, they obstinately pressed Pilate to condemn him to death by crucifixion.

          We know that this led to another Passover glory, but did it have to be so?  Our faith tells us, “yes”, because that is the way it did happen and so it was truly the way God willed it.  But perhaps we have to ask ourselves: “How open are we to seeing God’s plan working in us when we are burdened with anxiety?”  Or, in other words, “Can we trust that God is working for our good in the midst of the tragedies of our lives?”  You don’t have to answer today.  Rather, this week invites us to consider this question once again, in the light of our reflection on the Passion of Jesus, and to renew our trust: a trust that is confirmed for us in the glory of Christ’s resurrection.

          And so, as we give thanks to the Father in this Eucharist, let us open our hearts to be united to Jesus’ in trust, so that we might experience the fruit of his Passion: which is the glory of his Resurrection.

Given in Spanish at St. Joseph Parish: Rochester, IN – April 13^th, 2025

Our merciful Judge

 Homily: 5^th Sunday in Lent – Cycle C

         Friends, during the first three weeks of Lent, we have been reminded of our need to examine ourselves, to acknowledge the sin we have committed and the good we have failed to do, and to repent.  Last week, as we celebrated Laetare Sunday, we turned to focus on our merciful God.  As we recounted the parable of the prodigal son, we heard of the merciful God who never stops loving us, even if we turn our backs on Him.  This week we take a step further in our journey towards Easter and we are called to recognize in Jesus our merciful Judge.  To see this fully, however, we have to understand something of the evil one who is working against us.

         Satan is identified by many things throughout the Scriptures—the father of lies, for example.  Today we are invited to recognize him as “the accuser”: the one who constantly accuses us of wrongdoing before God so as to have us condemned.  He is the accuser because, having definitively turned his back on God, he has no chance for reconciliation.  Therefore, he is wrathfully jealous of us who, though we have sinned against God, nonetheless can still be reconciled to Him.  In his anger and jealousy, he strives both to turn us definitively from God and, when he can’t accomplish that, to accuse us constantly before God so as to provoke God’s wrath against us.

         Here’s the thing, though: Satan knows how God works.  He knows that God is a merciful Judge who will receive lovingly any of His children who turn back to Him and seek His mercy.  Thus, Satan knows that his accusations won’t be able to provoke God’s wrath.  Yet, he does it anyway.  Why?  Because he knows us, as well.  He knows how prone that we are to defeat ourselves with guilt and shame and so he accuses us so as to tempt us to hide ourselves from God for fear that He would see our shamefulness and condemn us for having offended Him.  Because of pride, we often give in to this temptation and hide ourselves from God.  Our Scriptures today remind us, however, that this temptation is filled with lies.

         In the first reading, Isaiah the prophet declares this on behalf of God: “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!”  The Israelites had sinned against God and so were exiled from their native land.  After this time of penance and purification, God did not want them dwelling on their past failures, accusing themselves over and over again.  Rather, as He prepared them to return to their homeland, He urged them to leave off the past and to embrace the new life that He was giving them.  In other words, He did not return to accuse them of their past sins; but rather, after they had shown themselves repentant, He sought to restore them fully to life in the land that He promised to their forefathers.

         In the Gospel reading, we see this dynamic even more clearly.  In it, the scribes and the Pharisees are acting as “satans”, bringing forward a woman caught committing adultery and accusing her before Jesus.  They are ready to kill her by stoning, but first wish to use this opportunity to test Jesus and His teaching.  Jesus stands in the midst of this as the merciful Judge.  He makes no accusations.  Rather, He invites the scribes and the Pharisees to look beyond the moment and to consider how they, too, might be judged one day.  Then, when the accusers turn away, Jesus turns to the woman and says, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  After the woman acknowledges that none of her accusers remain, Jesus, the truly sinless one who had every right to accuse and condemn her, says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more”.

         It is true that this woman (and the man with whom she committed adultery) deserved punishment for her sin.  All the more powerful, therefore, that Jesus did not condemn her, but rather forgave her.  In that moment, Jesus saw a woman full of shame for her sin and intent on repentance.  He did not return to her past to accuse her, but rather stayed with her in the present and encouraged her to go forward into the future without sin.  In doing so, Jesus reveals to us a great truth: God is only concerned with our past in as much as we have acknowledged our sin and have repented.  Once we have done that, He is only concerned with where we are now, in the present, and to where we are going: “Neither do I condemn you,” Jesus said to the woman, “Go, and from now on do not sin any more”.

         Friends, this teaching encapsulates the work that we are called to do during Lent: to acknowledge our sins and turn away from them, leaving them in the past so that, making ourselves a pure offering to God in union with His Son at Easter, we may continue to walk forward towards the eternal life to which he has called us.  In our pride, we are often tempted to continue to condemn ourselves—and Satan, the accuser, is always happy to help us do that—but we must resist that temptation.  God does not wish to accuse us, but rather to forgive us, so as to save us from the harsh judgment that would come should we cling foolishly to our sins.  This season of Lent is our reminder and encouragement to present ourselves humbly before God.

         Saint Paul is an example for us.  In the second reading, Saint Paul speaks of how he turned away from his past sinfulness and is now intent on pursuing the eternal life promised to him through Jesus and His resurrection.  Having received forgiveness for his past sins, Saint Paul no longer dwells on them.  Listen again to what he said: “Brothers and sisters, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus”.  Friends, this is the work of Lent: to forget what lies behind and look forward to the life of the resurrection to which God has called us through Jesus Christ.

         Therefore, in these last two weeks of Lent, let us take courage to come before Jesus in humility, acknowledging our sins, trusting that we will find in Him not an accuser, but rather a merciful Judge.  This will make us ready to leave our sins in the past and to press forward to the life of the resurrection; ready also to make of ourselves a pleasing offering to God, in union with the eternal offering of Jesus, His Son.  It is this very same offering that we encounter here at this altar.

         May our offering of thanks today, and the grace poured out to us from this altar, strengthen us to complete this good work.

Given in Spanish at St. Patrick Parish: Kokomo, IN – April 6^th, 2025

Nuestra Juez misericordioso

 Homilía: 5º Domingo en la Cuaresma – Ciclo C

         Hermanos, durante las primeras tres semanas de Cuaresma, se nos ha recordado la necesidad de examinarnos a nosotros mismos, reconocer el pecado que hemos cometido y el bien que hemos dejado de hacer, y arrepentirnos. La semana pasada, mientras celebramos el domingo de Laetare, nos enfocamos en nuestro Dios misericordioso. Mientras contábamos la parábola del hijo pródigo, escuchamos del Dios misericordioso que nunca deja de amarnos, aunque le demos la espalda. Esta semana damos un paso más en nuestro camino hacia la Pascua y estamos llamados a reconocer en Jesús a nuestro Juez misericordioso. Sin embargo, para ver esto completamente, tenemos que entender algo del maligno que está obrando contra nosotros.

         Satanás es identificado por muchas cosas a lo largo de las Escrituras—por ejemplo, el padre de la mentira. Hoy estamos invitados a reconocerlo como “el acusador”: el que constantemente nos acusa de hacer el mal ante Dios para hacernos condenar. Es el acusador porque, habiendo dado definitivamente la espalda a Dios, no tiene posibilidad de reconciliación. Por lo tanto, está furiosamente celoso de nosotros que, aunque hemos pecado contra Dios, aún podemos reconciliarnos con Él. En su ira y sus celos, se esfuerza tanto en apartarnos definitivamente de Dios como, cuando no puede lograrlo, acusarnos constantemente ante Dios para provocar la ira de Dios contra nosotros.

         Sin embargo, aquí está la cosa: Satanás sabe cómo funciona Dios. Sabe que Dios es un Juez misericordioso que recibirá amorosamente a cualquiera de Sus hijos que se vuelva a Él y busque Su misericordia. Así, Satanás sabe que sus acusaciones no podrán provocar la ira de Dios. Sin embargo, lo hace de todos modos. ¿Por qué? Porque él también nos conoce a nosotros. Él sabe cuán propensos somos a vencernos con la culpa y la vergüenza y por eso nos acusa para tentarnos a escondernos de Dios por temor a que Él vea nuestra vergüenza y nos condene por haberlo ofendido. Por orgullo, muchas veces cedemos a esta tentación y nos escondemos de Dios. Nuestras Escrituras de hoy nos recuerdan, sin embargo, que esta tentación está llena de mentiras.

         En la primera lectura, el profeta Isaías declara esto en nombre de Dios: “No recuerden lo pasado ni piensen en lo antiguo; yo voy a realizar algo nuevo”. Los israelitas habían pecado contra Dios y por eso fueron exiliados de su tierra natal. Después de este tiempo de penitencia y purificación, Dios no ha querido que se detengan en sus fracasos pasados, acusándose una y otra vez. Más bien, mientras los preparaba para regresar a su patria, los instó a dejar el pasado y abrazar la nueva vida que les estaba dando. En otras palabras, Él no volvió para acusarlos de sus pecados pasados; sino que, después de que se habían mostrado arrepentidos, procuró restaurarlos plenamente a la vida en la tierra que prometió a sus antepasados.

         En la lectura del Evangelio, vemos esta dinámica aún más claramente. En ella, los escribas y los fariseos actúan como “satanáses”, presentando a una mujer sorprendida en adulterio y acusándola ante Jesús. Están listos para matarla por apedrear, pero primero desean aprovechar esta oportunidad para probar a Jesús y sus enseñanzas. Jesús está en medio de esto como el Juez misericordioso. No hace acusaciones. Más bien, invita a los escribas y fariseos a mirar más allá del momento y considerar cómo ellos también podrían ser juzgados algún día. Entonces, cuando los acusadores se alejan, Jesús se vuelve hacia la mujer y dice: “Mujer, ¿dónde están los que te acusaban? ¿Nadie te ha condenado?” Después de que la mujer reconoce que no queda ninguno de sus acusadores, Jesús, el único verdaderamente sin pecado, que tenía todo el derecho de acusarla y condenarla, dice: “Tampoco yo te condeno. Vete y ya no vuelvas a pecar”.

         Es cierto que esta mujer (y el hombre con quien cometió adulterio) merecían el castigo por su pecado. Tanto más poderoso, por lo tanto, que Jesús no la condenó, sino que la perdonó. En ese momento, Jesús vio a una mujer llena de vergüenza por su pecado y decidida a arrepentirse. No volvió a su pasado para acusarla, sino que se quedó con ella en el presente y la animó a avanzar hacia el futuro sin pecado. Al hacerlo, Jesús nos revela una gran verdad: Dios solo se preocupa por nuestro pasado en la medida en que hayamos reconocido nuestro pecado y nos hayamos arrepentido. Una vez hecho esto, a Él sólo le importa dónde estamos ahora, en el presente, y hacia dónde vamos: “Tampoco yo te condeno”, le dijo Jesús a la mujer, “Vete y ya no vuelvas a pecar”.

         Hermanos, esta enseñanza resume el trabajo que estamos llamados a hacer durante la Cuaresma: reconocer nuestros pecados y alejarnos de ellos, dejándolos en el pasado para que, haciéndonos una ofrenda pura a Dios en unión con su Hijo en Pascua, podamos sigamos caminando hacia la vida eterna a la que él nos ha llamado. En nuestro orgullo, frecuentemente somos tentados a seguir condenándonos a nosotros mismos—y Satanás, el acusador, siempre está feliz de ayudarnos a hacerlo—pero debemos resistir esa tentación. Dios no quiere acusarnos, sino perdonarnos, para salvarnos del duro juicio que vendría si nos aferráramos tontamente a nuestros pecados. Este tiempo de Cuaresma es nuestro recordatorio y aliento para presentarnos humildemente ante Dios.

         San Pablo es un ejemplo para nosotros. En la segunda lectura, San Pablo habla de cómo se alejó de su pasado pecaminoso y ahora tiene la intención de buscar la vida eterna que le prometió a través de Jesús y Su resurrección. Habiendo recibido el perdón de sus pecados pasados, San Pablo ya no se detiene en ellos. Vuelva a escuchar lo que dijo: “No, hermanos, considero que todavía no lo he logrado [la vida de la resurrección]. Pero eso sí, olvido lo que dejó atrás, y me lanzo hacia adelante, en busca de la meta y del trofeo al que Dios, por medio de Cristo Jesús, nos llama desde el cielo”. Hermanos, esta es la obra de la Cuaresma: olvidar lo que queda atrás y mirar hacia la vida de resurrección a la que Dios nos ha llamado por medio de Jesucristo.

         Por eso, en estas dos últimas semanas de Cuaresma, animémonos a acercarnos a Jesús con humildad, reconociendo nuestros pecados, confiando en que encontraremos en Él no un acusador, sino un Juez misericordioso. Esto nos preparará para dejar nuestros pecados en el pasado y avanzar hacia la vida de la resurrección; dispuestos también a hacer de nosotros mismos una ofrenda agradable a Dios, en unión con la ofrenda eterna de Jesús, su Hijo. Es esta misma ofrenda la que encontramos aquí en este altar.

         Que nuestra ofrenda de acción de gracias de hoy, y la gracia derramada sobre nosotros desde este altar, nos fortalezcan para completar esta buena obra.

Dado en la parroquia de San Patricio: Kokomo, IN – 6 de abril, 2025