Allocution January 28, 2024

(Singing)

Today, January 28, the fourth Sunday of ordinary liturgical time, we hear in all Catholic churches the gospel according to Saint Mark, chapter 1, verses 1 to 28.

(Gospel)

In the meeting room to read the Word of God and pray, called the synagogue, everyone praises Jesus because he teaches with authority.

Not only what he does with words but also with the actions of closeness and love. The Lord Jesus is no stranger to the cries of that man who possessed an unclean spirit. For all those who were in the synagogue, the sick man was dominated in body and spirit by the demon.

He who teaches shines for his life, for living what he teaches and the devil recognizes this light and qualifies Jesus as Holy of God and also the one who teaches authentically.

And the Holy One of God expels the demon from that poor man who regains peace, and is healed in his mind and soul. Happy him, happy the family, happy the people.

To teach with authority as a first condition we need fidelity to what we teach. Children know if their parents live what they demand of them and if these parents are authentic, the children will easily listen and take the indicated path.

The one who teaches must walk with the disciple and support him in the difficulties that may arise. At the ordination of the deacons the bishop tells them:

“Receive the gospel of Christ, of which you have been made a messenger; Turn what you read and what you have done into living faith, teach it and fulfill what you have taught.”

There is always an opportunity to teach fraternal teaching and correction by example, it is up to us, disciples of Jesus, to do so.

(Song)

Pope Francis tells us how one is called to be a disciple of Jesus and teach:

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today’s Gospel recounts the vocation of the first disciples. Calling others to join his mission is one of the first things that Jesus accomplishes at the beginning of his public life: he approaches some young fishermen and invites them to follow him: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” And this tells us a very important thing: the Lord loves to involve us in his work of salvation, he wants us to be active with him, he wants us to be responsible and protagonists. A Christian who is not active, who is not responsible in the work of announcing the Lord, and who is not a protagonist of his faith, is not a Christian or, as my grandmother used to say, he is a “rosewater” Christian, superficial. .

By Himself, God would not have to do it, but He does it, even though it means taking on so many of our limitations: we are all limited, truly sinners, and He bears our sins. Let us look, for example, at how much patience he had with the disciples: they often did not understand his words, sometimes they did not get along with each other, for a long time they failed to accept essential aspects of his preaching, for example, the service. However, Jesus chose them and continued to believe in them. This is important, the Lord chose us to be Christians. And we are sinners, we commit one after another, but the Lord continues to believe in us. This is wonderful.

In fact, bringing God’s salvation to everyone has been Jesus’ greatest happiness, his mission, the meaning of his existence or, as He says, his food. And in every word and action with which we join Him, in the beautiful adventure of giving love, light and joy multiply: not only around us, but also in us. Announcing the Gospel, then, is not wasted time: it is being happier helping others; It is freeing yourself from yourself by helping others to be free; It is to become better by helping others to be better!

(Song)

 

Teaching involves difficulties, sometimes receiving ingratitude, but it is always worth teaching and showing the path to happiness for everyone.

A rider saw a poisonous scorpion enter the throat of a man who was sleeping lying on the road.

The rider got off his horse and with the whip woke up the sleeping man while forcing him to eat some excrement that was on the ground. Meanwhile, the man screamed in pain and disgust:

Why are you doing this to me? What have I done to you?

The rider continued to whip him and force him to eat the excrement. Moments later, that man vomited, throwing out the contents of his stomach, including the scorpion. Understanding what had happened, he thanked the rider for having saved his life, and after kissing his hand he insisted on giving him a humble ring as a token of gratitude. When he said goodbye he asked:

-But why didn’t you just wake me up? Why did you have to use the whip?

“We had to act quickly,” replied the rider. If I had just woken you up, you wouldn’t have believed me, you would have been paralyzed with fear or you would have run away. Furthermore, there was no way you would have taken the excrement, and the pain of the whipping caused you to convulse, preventing the scorpion from stinging you.

With that, he galloped off toward his destination.

Not far from there, two men from a neighboring village had witnessed the episode. When they returned to their countrymen, they narrated the following:

-Friends, we have witnessed some very sad events that reveal the evil of some men.

A poor farmer was sleeping peacefully on the side of a road, when a proud horseman realized that he was blocking his way. He got off his horse and began to whip him with the whip for such a minor offense. Not content with that, he forced her to eat excrement until she vomited, demanded that he kiss her hand and also stole a ring from her. But don’t worry, around a bend we waited for the arrogant rider and gave him a good beating for his deplorable action.

That’s how it happens. When teaching, many people do not understand us, but the joy and happiness of having guided another person towards goodness makes us happy despite the criticism.

(Song)

Thoughts of José Martí:

-Those who were not loyal to the mother cannot seem loyal to the son.

-Lives together – soul alone: ​​this is love.

-Love that flees from the watchful eyes of the home is criminal and impure love.

Love is that two spirits know each other, caress each other, confuse each other, help each other rise from the earth, rise from it in a single and unique being: – it is born in two with the joy of looking at each other: – it breathes with the need to see each other. :- concludes with the impossibility of disuniting. It is not a torrent, it is a stream; It is not a bonfire, it is a flame; It is not impetus, it is peace.

–Lost love is a harbinger of hellish sufferings.

–All happiness in life, my sister Amelia, lies in not confusing the longing for love that is felt at your age with that sovereign, deep and dominating love that does not blossom in the soul except after long examination, slow knowledge, and faithful and prolonged company of the creature in whom love must be placed.

–Love is an upside-down rose, because it has thorns inside.

–For love it is seen. With love you see. Love is who sees. Spirit without love, cannot see.

–Loving is nothing more than the way to grow.

-He who loves is gold. He who loves little, with work, reluctantly, against his own will, or does not love, and is not gold.

–If sterile love affairs agitate you, let them die without pain, for a man loses all the time he wastes on it for true life.

(Song)

 

Our father…

God save you, Mary…

And the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descend upon you, upon your families, upon those who have made this broadcast possible and remain forever. Amen.

(Song)