Thursday, December 8, 2011

Immaculate Conception Homily in Spanish

(Este homilie fue por un clase di predicación en el seminario--lo siento por la grammatica)  For my English friends, this is a different homily than my English one, so if you read Spanish, enjoy!


En la lectura de Genesis, leemos que Adan “le puso por nombre Eva a su mujer, porque ella era la madre de todos los vivientes”.  Pero, sabemos que el pecado de Adan y Eva nos condena a la muerte.  El “fruto”, la consequencia, de sus desobediencias fue la muerte para todos!  Por eso, vivimos con miedo perpetuo de la muerte, de Dios, y de los demas. 

Peró, alegrate!  Hoy celebramos la fiesta que inicia nuestra salvación!  La santisima Virgen Maria fue concebida sin pecado para prepararla para ser Madre de nuestro salvador, Jesucristo.  Maria, como Eva, fue una mujer libre de pecado.  Dios, en una accion unica, creo a Maria sin el pecado de Adan y Eva.  Pues, cuando era mujer, Maria, libremente, dijo a Gabriel “He aquí la sierva del Señor; hágase en mi conforme a tu palabra.”  En ese momento, Maria, como una Eva nueva, aplastó la cabeza de la serpiente en comunión con la gracia de su hijo Jesus. 

En contraste con Eva, Maria no buscó su proprio voluntad.  Por lo tanto, el fruto de su “si” fue nuestra salvación, el nacimiento de nuesto Salvador, Jesucristo que fue crucificado y resucitado por nosotros.  Maria recibió el fruto de la salvación de Cristo en el momento de su concepción, peró Dios nos invita a recibir este mismo fruto.  Es por eso que tenemos los sacramentos.  Nuesto bautismo nos libera de todos los pecados, y la reconciliación nos lava de nuevo cuando pecamos contra Dios.

Aún más increíble es el hecho de que Jesús nos da su Cuerpo y Sangre - el verdadero fruto de la vida eterna!  Ven, confiesa tus pecados a Dios y recibe su misericordia en este altar!  El verdadero árbol de la vida, la cruz, ha dado su fruto en la Eucaristía - Ven y conoce el amor que Dios tiene para ti.

Que la Virgen María, la Inmaculada Concepcion y nuestra madre, ruegue por nosotros, para que podamos amar a Jesús mas que cualquier otra cosa y que podamos vivir con Él para siempre.  Amen


Immaculate Conception Practice Homily

(I gave this homily in class, based on the readings for today's feast--I hope you enjoy it!)

"Death through Eve, Life through Mary"

Today the whole Church celebrates the mystery of Mary, the mother of God, who was born without the effects of original sin by a unique act of grace by God.  This dogma was declared infallibly in 1854 by Pope Pius IX, but had been believed since the earliest days of the Church.  Many people ask why we as Catholics believe this teaching and the answer is simple:  God always finishes the stories he begins.

In our first reading from Genesis, we hear about how Eve listens to the serpent and brings death to herself, Adam, and all of humanity descended from them.  However, unlike us when we sin, Eve had complete freedom because she was created without sin by God.  In the state of original innocence, her will and her emotions were in harmony--which makes her act of disobedience all the worse because she could control her emotions if she chose.  In case you're wondering, Adam isn't off the hook either because he too was created without sin and freely chose to sin...in some sense we could say that his sin is worse because he heard the command about the tree directly from God, while it is assumed Eve heard it from Adam secondhand.  Yet, this story is not without hope in the end-- we hear that one day the head of the deceitful serpent will be crushed.

All of the "Characters" in our story have been exposed (Adam, Eve, and the Serpent) and now we must see the drama unfold.  If you are impatient like me, you turn to the end of the story, the book of Revelation, and see Christ, the "new Adam" triumph over the dragon and marry his spotless bride, the Church-the new Jerusalem, who has been purified by His blood.  And yet, this heavenly Jerusalem is also described as "the Woman...crowned with twelve stars" (Rev 12) who gives birth to the Savior.  Mary is seen as an image of the immaculate Church we are called to be in heaven.  How is this possible?

"Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you!"  The angel Gabriel calls Mary by the name 'full of grace'--a name which says she is already full of grace before she says "yes" to giving birth to Jesus.  What a mystery!  As the dogma of the Immaculate conception says, this is possible because Mary is chosen before the foundation of the world to be the Mother of God--and like a "new Eve", she is created without original sin so that she is completely free to choose.  All of creation waits, knowing that like Eve, she can say "no" to God's love.

With her "yes", her "fiat" to God's will, all creation rejoices!  The disobedient sin of Eve has been countered by the obedience of the new Eve--Mary.  Her Divine Son, Jesus, the New Adam, will soon deal the final blow to that ancient serpent on the cross, so that we might live free from the curse of death and sin.

Rejoice brothers and sisters, for because of Mary, we have assurance that the end of our own story will be full of glory!  "O Mary, conceived without original sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!"





Sunday, October 16, 2011

I'm Baaack :)

Dear Friends and Family,
    After a considerable period of "radio silence", I am happy to offer you another "Marky update" as some are wont to call it...but first, a picture of me juggling in the private papal gardens at Castel Gandalfo, a feat which may make me the first seminarian/juggler in history to do so!
    Life has been busy, crazy, wonderful, at times frustrating, at all times very blessed!  Since leaving a wonderful pastoral year in Astoria, OR, I took some much needed rest at home before embarking on 7 weeks of intensive Italian school in Middlebury, Vermont.  It was a wonderful experience; I met some new friends and learned a great deal more Italian than I thought possible in a short time.  I then had a week at home before flying here to Rome, where another 2 weeks of Italian study awaited me!  Afterwards, I had a week of Counseling workshops, a week-long silent retreat, a week of homily workshops, and then I helped sing in the choir for the ordination mass of 35 deacons in St. Peter's Basilica--It was truly breathtaking!
    I finally started classes this week, and am beginning the Licentiate/Masters program in Spirituality at the Angelicum.  The professors are awesome and the Lord has blessed me so much to be able to spend the last two years of seminary formation studying the great spiritual masters of our Catholic tradition!  This year I get to take, among other things, classes on St. Catherine of Sienna, St. John of the Cross, early Dominican spirituality, and a seminar on the Agony of Jesus in the Garden...needless to say, it's going to be epic!
   Speaking of epic-ness, here's a few cool photos of stuff we got to do thus far:
First, a tour of the Swiss Guard Barracks



Then, Silent retreat at the beach

St. Paul's Basilica outside the walls
And tons more stuff that I didn't take pictures of cause I'm lazy :)
I will continue to post about God's blessings during the year, and I hope that you are edified by my reflections.  Know that I am praying for all of you and carry you with me whenever I'm on pilgrimage.  May the God of all grace give each of us the strength to live out our vocations in joy!

Peace and Blessings,
Mark 

Friday, October 14, 2011

Blog Reboot

Dear Friends and Family,
   You may have noticed that the Blog looks different...I am no longer in Belgium, so I thought it would be appropriate to update things to reflect where I am now, namely, the Eternal City of Rome.  I will try to update more often, and it is a goal to give a more extended reflection at least monthly this year.  Please continue to pray for me on the road to Deaconate, coming to you sometime in 2012, Lord willing!