La gracia de Dios todopoderoso y el amor de su hijo Jesu Cristo estén con vosotros. Amen.  

Si tuvieras la oportunidad de estar bajo la presencia De Dios, que harías

 para estar con el? Te pondrías ropa bonita? Te peinarías ? Tomarías una ducha?

Quien de ustedes buscaría un lugar donde encontrarlo? Quien iría a una iglesia, a una mezquita, o a una sinagoga para estar cerca de los imágenes religiosas? Quien viajaría al la costa para entrar al mar, subiría a un monte para ver el paisaje, se montaría a un avión para estar en los nubles con los ángeles?

En verdad, por tantas ganas que tenemos de estar en la presencia del autor del universo, sentir su paz, carińo, y gozo, ni sabemos como empezar!

A menudo, buscamos intermediarios…..personas que pensamos han llegado a Dios y ya tienen la capacidad de rezar, orar, rogar por nosotros. Le pedimos a nuestra tia que nos haga el rosario, a la abuela que prenda la vela el domingo, al sacerdote que nos recuerde en sus oraciones. Nosotros incluso ponemos a Los Santos a trabajar para que rueguen por nosotros ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte!

Hay otros que tratan de limpiar sus vidas suficientemente bien en la esperanza de que a Dios le gusta entrar en una casa limpia! Estas personas hacen todo bien, tratan a los demás con respeto, recuerdan a los nińos y las viudas, trabajan juiciosamente, y siempre entran a la misa a tiempo todos los domingos. Y de esta manera, piensan que la mejor forma de estar con dios es atraerlo.

Por cierto, hay muchos beneficios en tener intermediarios: acercarse a personas espirituales y sentir sus pasiones y devociones ante un Poder mayor que ellos mismos; saber que hay personas que comprenden tus penas, y que sueñan con tu bienestar. Y, mas importante, cuando ya tu no puedes mas …… por rabia o tristeza, depresión o angustia …. Cuando tu no puedes mas, ellos sì pueden. 

También hay beneficios en una vida bien limpia. A quièn no le gustan vecinos respetuosos? Que limpian sus terrazas y caminan detrás a sus perros con bolsitas listos en cualquier momento para limpiar donde los perros hacen sus popos? Que tratan a los seres humanos como personas, no como objetos sexuales? Que le dan a la gente comida y plata cuando sabe que estas personas no tienen con que pagar? Lo mejor de una vida limpia es que atrae al mismo tipo de personas que juntos - y con el tiempo- construyen una comunidad pacìfica y rica.

Pero puedes atraer a Dios así? Dios esta tan lejos y sus gustos son tan exquisitos que solo permite reunirse con personas virtuosas? Las historias de Jesus dicen que a el le gustaba reunirse con los impìos mucho mas que con los religiosos. Y ahora que?

Y lo de los intermediarios: Dios ha ubicado su presencia tan lejos de nosotros que hace falta un guía para encontrarlo? El nombre de Jesus en Isaias se llama “Emmanuel.” Es decir, Dios esta

 con nosotros. Y ahora que? 

Respira!

Inhala. Despacito (despaciesito). Deja que el aire entre por tu nariz y salga por tu boca. Ya otra vez, más despacio que antes. Y una vez mas. Ya, porfa, sigue así mientras yo te cuento una historia hermosa e importante sobre como estar bajo la presencia De Dios. “ Genesis 2:7 - El SEÑOR Dios formó al hombre tomando polvo de la tierra, sopló en su nariz aliento de vida y el hombre se convirtió en un ser viviente.”

Imaginate! 

Nuestra primera experiencia de estar bajo la presencia de Dios fue cuando Dios se entregó para darnos vida! No hicimos nada! No éramos nada. Hasta que Dios sopló en nosotros, no éramos más que polvo. Pero cuando Dios sopló en este polvo, nos dimos cuenta de la presencia vivificante de Dios porque estábamos hechos de él!

Respira. Respira y reflexiona. No necesitamos intermediarios porque no hay que llegar donde Dios. Dios ha llegado a nosotros y ha creado a los que lo buscan. Tampoco necesitamos limpiar nuestra vida para atraer a Dios. Porque Dios, como aliento de vida, siempre esta con nosotros. No hay que atraer lo que esta siempre contigo!

Entonces, por qué lo intentamos? Por qué nos aferramos a esta noción de que nuestras vidas están separadas de la de Dios y luego pasamos nuestras vidas en una búsqueda infructuosa e inútil de la presencia de Dios? ¿Por qué no podemos ser simplemente criaturas hechas de polvo y del aliento de Dios, caminando y disfrutando de la vida en el eterno resplandor del gran don del amor de Dios por nosotros?

Permanezca atento hast a la próxima semana!

The grace of almighty God and the love of his son Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 

Have you ever pondered what you would do if given the opportunity to stand in the presence of God? Would you dress in your finest attire, meticulously groom yourself, and ensure you're immaculately clean? Would you seek out sacred spaces like churches, mosques, or synagogues, or journey to natural wonders like the sea or mountains, hoping to feel closer to the divine? Despite our earnest desire to experience the peace, love, and joy of the universe's creator, many of us find ourselves unsure where to even begin.

Often, we seek intermediaries—individuals we believe to be closer to God—to pray on our behalf. We ask relatives to recite prayers, request clergy members to intercede for us, and even invoke the aid of saints. Some strive to lead virtuous lives, hoping that their actions will draw God nearer. And while there are benefits to seeking spiritual guidance and living uprightly, the question remains: can we truly attract God through such means?

Consider the story of Genesis 2:7, where God breathed life into humanity, forming us from dust. This act signifies that God's presence is inherent within us from the very beginning. We don't need intermediaries because God is already with us, intimately intertwined with our existence.



So why do we persist in seeking God outside ourselves? Why do we believe our lives must be purified to attract divine presence when God's breath animates us every moment? Perhaps it's time to embrace the truth that we are creatures formed of both dust and divinity, walking in the eternal radiance of God's love.



As you breathe deeply, reflect on this truth. There's no need to strive for God's presence—it's already within you, a gift bestowed upon you since the dawn of creation. So let go of the futile search and bask in the eternal glow of God's love.

Amen

“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 18:7)

Have you ever run into someone in an elevator or an airport or some other random place, and you have a vague recollection that they are familiar. Maybe it is the way they smile, or scowl, or maybe it is just a gut instinct that you’ve seen that face before. I’m not talking about experiences with someone who is a doppelganger of a loved one or friend, sharing some uncanny genetic similarities that baffle you and make you text your college roommate, Are you in Minneapolis? Or maybe they make you wonder why your long ago passed aunt Martha is now on the golf course, or your sister (as her younger self) is walking towards you. But it is like you’ve seen a childhood classmate, now all grown up, or a college professor with far less hair than before. You feel as if you have known this person, before. Yet, because you are not completely certain, you don’t want to embarrass them and blurt out, “Do I know you?” 

Technology now is big on facial recognition, the “who we are on the outside”. To set it up on your new phone, you press a button and shift your face to multiple angles, while assuming the technology is memorizing your features. Maybe it is not just counting the wrinkles or moles on you face. Maybe it isn’t registering how silly you smile or frown. But once it has all its information, it tells you that it is all set. With a confirmation bell tone, you assume you will now always be recognized by your personal phone. Maybe not by that childhood friend, or past colleague, but surely by this complex artificial intelligence. 

Yet, the AI doesn’t always work. Is it because the technology is flawed or does your face actually change that drastically? Maybe you are less recognizable, just a vague similarity of before, and the computer mechanisms just don’t believe it is really you. You are locked out of your device and must remember the correct code password in order to prove you have the right to be let in.

Sometimes, when I open my iPhone or my ipad the recognition fails and I can’t figure out why; is it my lack of makeup, circles under my eyes, mussed up hair, or stressed expression? And, I admit, it bothers me. When my personal phone — that is designed to recognize my face—doesn’t know who I am, it is a bit disturbing. Why? Because it generally feels good (most of the time) to be recognized, to be remembered, to be identified as who you are. 

The Bible says that the disciples didn’t recognize the risen Christ in their early meetings. Their sight was clouded by unbelief. Yet, Christ always knew who he was speaking to, and the hearts of those he ministered too, even before they met. Isn’t it comforting to know that God will recognize us whether we gain or lose ten pounds, show the exterior wear of age, or change the color of our hair—whether we are unrecognizable to long lost friends or our own newly updated phone. Isn’t it good news that God does not need, or care about, facial recognition or how we look on the outside. We will always be recognized by our hearts. 

Yes, God knows us inside and out, and although this might seem scary at times (because there may be things we would like to hide from God), we really can’t. We cannot dye our hearts a different color so God will not recognize us because we are ashamed of something we’ve done. We cannot put on different clothes for our hearts, to disguise us when we’ve sinned. God will always recognize us, our intentions—whether they are good or they are not. God will notice when our hearts change. God does not have flawed recognition. And, good news on top of good news is that even when our hearts seem to change, or we sin, or we are ashamed and want to hide, God still loves us. God will still greet us with enthusiasm, even when we have feel we have changed beyond recognition, or we have wandered away too far, for too long. And, even better news on top of a double dose of good news: not only does God always recognize us, and forgives and loves us when we stray…but we will never be locked out of God’s glory because we cannot remember the password. No password needed with Jesus.

Alleluia.