Allocution by S.E.R. Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García
We listen to the text of the gospel according to Saint Matthew, chapter 14, verses 22 to 33, which is read today, Sunday, August 9, in all the Catholic churches of the world.
…
For the Israelites, raging waters often symbolized the power of evil and death.
The boat symbolizes the church sailing against the opposite wind.
The Church teaches love, the contrary wind selfishness.
The Church teaches forgiveness, the contrary wind revenge.
The Church teaches natural, faithful and fruitful marriage, the contrary wind infidelity, divorce, homosexual practice.
Since the beginning of Christianity, the Church sails against a contrary wind but continues sailing, shaken by the cruelty of evil, but continues sailing. The Lord Jesus walks on the water next to the Church boat. The Church, at times, sees the waves more and feels the contrary wind more, but when it sees the Lord in the midst of the storm, it continues sailing in peace and tranquility. The fact that Jesus walks on the water means that he conquers evil and is a manifestation that with Him good conquers evil, forgiveness over revenge, generosity over selfishness, truth over lies. That is why Jesus accepts Peter’s request to walk on water. Peter, the Church, we, can overcome evil with full faith in the Lord; conqueror of sin and death.
(Song)
A priest who previously graduated in medicine was sent as a missionary to a town in Africa. It happened that he celebrated Holy Mass with the due pause.
However, some of the Catholic doctors at the hospital thought that the father was celebrating Mass very slowly and they approached him to say: “But, Father, can’t you go faster?”
The young priest was surprised that they were in such a hurry for Mass. One day he decided to teach them a lesson. And he showed up at the infirmary when those doctors were patiently operating on a sick person. He told them seriously: “Excuse me, but I think you are going a little slowly… Could you not shorten this operation? The doctors were surprised: “Shorten it? How do you ask that of us?” The priest insisted to them: “Yes, make it shorter and you will finish sooner”…
The Catholic doctors were upset and responded: “But, Father, our duty is to dedicate as much time to this as is necessary!” The young priest concluded: “I understand… And you want me, who has the pleasure of celebrating the Holy Mass well, to not do my duty and celebrate it in a hurry!”
It happens like the one from whom Saint Josemaría comes to us: “The Mass is long, you say. And I add: because your love is short.”
In fact, the celebration of the Holy Mass is so important that the time we dedicate to it should seem little.
Filled with the Mass, filled with the Word of God and the Eucharist, we walk on water and conquer all evils.
(Song)
Our family’s boat sails, shaken by waves against relatives and with a wind contrary to love.
For those who love, the mother-in-law is a mother, for those who do not love, she is a trash old woman.
For those who love, the daughter-in-law is a daughter, for those who love evil, she is a stuck louse.
For those who love, there is no ear for gossip.
For those who love, lies, the tongue multiplies gossip.
For those who love, sacrifice is a celebration.
For those who love comfort, let the fools be sacrificed.
Lord Jesus Christ, continue walking alongside spouses: Nothing and no one
will separate.
Lord Jesus Christ, walk alongside your children. Alcohol, drugs, AIDS do not
will damage.
Lord Jesus Christ, walk alongside the elderly. It will be a party to be with them.
(Song)
On a hot day in August, in the Zapata swamp, a boy decided to go swimming in the lagoon behind his house. He ran out the back door, jumped into the water and was swimming happily.
His mother was watching him through the window from home, and saw with horror what was happening. An alligator was coming towards him at full speed. The mother immediately ran towards her son screaming as loud as she could.
Hearing her, the boy became alarmed and began to swim towards his mother. But it was too late. From the shore the mother grabbed the child by his arms and wrapped her arms around his back at the same moment that the alligator grabbed the child’s legs. The mother pulled with determination, with all the strength of her heart. The alligator was stronger, but the mother was much more passionate and her love did not abandon her.
A neighbor who heard the screams rushed to the scene and with a tree branch opened the alligator’s mouth and managed to make the child escape from the alligator’s mouth. The boy survived and, although his legs suffered a lot, he was able to walk.
When the boy left the hospital, some curious people asked the boy if he wanted to show them the scars on his legs. The boy lifted his sweater and showed some scars and said: “The scars you should see are these.” They are the marks of my mother’s nails that pressed me so hard that they left an indelible mark forever on my back. “I have them because mom didn’t let me go and saved my life.”
A mother’s love is stronger than an alligator, stronger than evil, stronger than illness, stronger than anything that can harm her child. Mom continues walking on water and defeating evil.
(Song)
In the hands of the Virgin Mary we put all the members of the family who have difficulties, so that the Virgin carries them, presents them to God for their peace, their healing, their tranquility and they and we can overcome the difficulties together.
God save you, Mary…
At some point this week, at Sunday lunch, or after watching the news or the soap opera, as a family we talk about the difficulties we have overcome together, about the joy we have had in overcoming many difficulties.
We talk about how these difficulties made us grow in love and together with the apostles of the boat we say: “Lord Jesus Christ, truly you are the son of God, why do we doubt?
And the blessing of God the Almighty Father who formed us to be a true family, the blessing of Jesus Christ who has called us to be part of the Church, the blessing of the Holy Spirit who can achieve the unsuspected in our lives, descend upon each one of us. you and remain forever. Amen.
(Song)