Allocution by S.E.R. Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García

Thank you to everyone who makes this radio broadcast possible, today, Sunday, August 23, Sunday the 21st of Ordinary Liturgical Time.

Today this gospel according to Saint Matthew, chapter 16, verses 13 to 20, is read in all the Catholic churches of the world.

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The Cuban National Ecclesial Meeting, held in 1986, has left us a message for the followers of Christ.

Christ is everything to us, he is “the way, the truth and the life”; the light; head; The angular stone; the foundation; the good shepherd; the door; the last and definitive word to men; the sole mediator; the sole cause of our salvation; our peace.

Perfect in his humanity, perfect in his humanity, perfect in his divinity, “Christ is true God and true man, who came that we might have abundant life.” Before him every knee bows, everything is recapitulated in Christ, everything is ordered to Christ, everything finds its ultimate meaning in him. In Christ man finds his complete dignity: we know what we are, what we have, what we can, what we are worth, when we accept Christ. A man can be lost on any path: no one has ever been lost on the path of Christ. Christ liberates, heals, forgives, sanctifies, vivifies, reconciles, gathers, saves. All of God’s action is expressed in Christ. In Christ” is a very original and very rich word that Saint Paul never tires of repeating. No one has been able to absolutize himself as he absolutized himself: “He who is not with me is against me.” He modified morality, he identified himself with the Father; He forgave sins; he spoke with authority; He said that in Him the Scripture was fulfilled. He was the man for others, but with three preferred human categories: the poor, the sick and the sinners. He who found Christ, found the treasure for which it is worth “selling everything” because “everything is loss in comparison of the sublime knowledge of Christ, my Lord.”

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Simon Peter said of Christ: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

The Carmelites and the contemplative Dominicans, the Adorers, the Sisters Martha and Mary, tell us that Jesus is the great prayer. That’s why they pray at all hours.

The Daughters of Charity, the Sisters of the Helpless Elderly, the Sanchinas, the Servants of Mary, the Carmelite Missionaries, the Sisters of Saint Anne, tell us that Christ is the poor, the sick, the elderly and that is why they serve Him in these people.

The Teresians, the Salesians, the Company of Mary, the Sisters of the Love of God, the Carmelites of Saint Joseph, tell us that Christ is the Master, seated on the Mount of the Beatitudes. That is why they teach the truth of God, the Church and the human person.

The Dominican Missionaries, the Missionary Sisters of the Heart of Jesus, the MIC, the Crusades, the Servants of the Holy Spirit, the Missionaries of Charity say that Christ is the way, and that is why they walk announcing the gospel.

All the nuns tell us that Christ is total love and that is why they give all the beats of their hearts to the one who gave them the greatest sample of love that they have received. If anyone wants to know what true love is, talk to the nuns.

Married couples tell us that Christ is family and that is why they live and transmit love in the style of the Holy Family.

Christian workers tell us that Christ is a carpenter and works with love. That is why they work to make happy those who serve like Christ and Saint Joseph.

And you, who do you say Christ is? Send your brief comment to the Archbishopric.

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A group of workers had a meeting and had promised their wives that they would return home early. Jorgitín was at this meeting. However, the meeting ended a little late and everyone ran home. Suddenly, and without meaning to, one of them tripped over a cart of mangoes in the street and the mangoes were scattered everywhere. Without stopping or turning around, the one who knocked down the mangoes and the others continued running in search of transportation. All except Jorgitín, who felt compassion for the girl who was selling the mangoes and began to pick them up and place them in the cart. His surprise was enormous when he realized that the owner of the forklift was visually impaired.

Without stopping, many passed by while Jorgitín helped the visually impaired.

When they finished collecting the mangoes, some of them damaged and damaged, Jorgitín took money out of his wallet and gave it to the girl as a reward for the damaged mangoes. Are you OK? Crying, she nodded her head. He added: We hope we haven’t ruined your day.

As Jorgitín walked away, the girl asked him: “Are you Jesus Christ?”

All night Jorgitín stayed listening to the question: Are you Jesus Christ?

Jorgitín spent the entire night listening to the question, and when he fell asleep he dreamed that Saint Paul said to him: “I live, but not I, it is Christ who lives in me.” And all night Carmen, the forklift driver, slept peacefully and dreamed that Jesus Christ helped her pick the mangoes. And do those around you confuse you with Jesus Christ?

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Next Sunday, August 30, the Novena to the Virgin of Charity begins.

The Pope, in the Angelus prayer on August 15, the day of the Assumption into heaven of the Virgin Mary, tells us:

What does our Mother advise us? In the Gospel the first thing he says is “my soul magnifies the Lord.” We, accustomed to hearing these words, may no longer pay attention to their meaning. Engrandecer literally means “to make great”, to magnify. Mary “magnifies the Lord”: not the problems, which were not lacking at that moment, but the Lord. How many times, however, do we allow ourselves to be overcome by difficulties and absorbed by fears! Not the Virgin, because she places God as the first greatness of life. From here arises the Magnificat, from here joy is born: not from the absence of problems, which sooner or later arrive, but joy is born from the presence of God who helps us, who is close to us. Because God is great. And above all, God looks at the little ones. We are his weakness of love: God looks at and loves the little ones.

Mary, in fact, recognizes herself as small and exalts the “wonders” (v. 49) that the Lord has done in her. Which is it? Above all the unexpected gift of life. Mary is a virgin and becomes pregnant; and also Isabel, who was old, is expecting a son. The Lord does wonders with the little ones, with those who do not believe themselves to be great but rather give great space to God in life. He extends mercy to those who trust in Him and lifts up the humble. Mary praises God for this.

And we – we can ask ourselves – do we remember to praise God? Do we thank Him for the wonders He does for us? For every day he gives us, because he loves us and always forgives us, for his tenderness? And for having given us his Mother, for the brothers and sisters that he puts on our path, because he has opened Heaven for us? Do we thank God, do we praise God for these things? If we forget the good, the heart shrinks. But if, like Mary, we remember the wonders that the Lord performs, if at least once a day we magnify him, then we take a great step forward. Once a day we can say: “I praise the Lord”, “Blessed be the Lord”: it is a small prayer of praise. This is praising God. The heart, with this small prayer, will expand, the joy will increase. Let us ask the Virgin, gate of Heaven, for the grace to begin each day by looking up at heaven, at God, to say: “Thank you!”, as children say to their parents.

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On the 30th, together with the family, you can read the gospel of Saint Luke, chapter 1, verses 26 to 38. We can provide you with a guide to the Novena to celebrate it with your family. Call 7862-4000, preferably in the morning, and tell us your address or the nearest church where you can pick up the Novena guide.

Hail Mary, full of grace,

the Lord is with you,

You are blessed between all womans,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God,

Pray for us sinners, and for all those who live in my house,

now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,

the Lord is with you,

You are blessed between all womans,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God,

Pray for all Cubans,

and help us get rid of the coronavirus, from all evils, from cyclones and hurricanes,

now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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We join Christ spiritually:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, intoxicate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, comfort me.
Oh, good Jesus! Hear me.
Inside your wounds, hide me.
Don’t let me separate from You.
From the enemy, defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me.
And command me to come to You.
So that with your saints I may praise you.
Forever and ever. Amen.

We bow our heads to receive the blessing. At the end of each invocation we pray: Amen.

May the God of all comfort arrange your days in peace and strengthen your hearts in family love: Amen.

May God free you from the coronavirus, from all evils, from cyclones and hurricanes and grant you the family blessing: Amen.

So that, enriched by Faith, Hope and Charity, good works may abound in the house and one day everyone may be together in the House of heaven: Amen.

And the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit descend upon you, upon your families and remain forever. Amen.

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