HOLY WEEK

 Holy Week starting in Palm Sunday to Resurrection

 Follow along with the steps of Jesus Christ during Holy Week

Final del formulario

 Day 1: Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday

On the Sunday before his death, Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life for our sins. Nearing the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples ahead, telling them to look for a donkey and its unbroken colt. The disciples were instructed to untie the animals and bring them to him.

Then Jesus sat on the young donkey and slowly, humbly, made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling the ancient prophecy in Zechariah 9:9:

"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

The crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air and shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

On Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about two miles east of Jerusalem. This is where Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and probably hosted Him and His disciples during their final days in Jerusalem.

Jesus' triumphal entry is recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19.

Day 2: On Monday, Jesus Clears the Temple

 The following morning, Jesus returned with his disciples to Jerusalem. Along the way, he cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit. Some scholars believe this cursing of the fig tree represented God's judgment on the spiritually dead religious leaders of Israel. Others believe the symbolism extended to all believers, demonstrating that genuine faith is more than just outward religiosity; true, living faith must bear spiritual fruit in a person's life.

When Jesus arrived at the Temple, he found the courts full of corrupt money changers. He began overturning their tables and clearing the Temple, saying, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves" (Luke 19:46).

On Monday evening Jesus stayed in Bethany again, probably in the home of his friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. 

Monday's events are recorded in Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-17.

Day 3: On Tuesday, Jesus Goes to the Mount of Olives

 On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. They passed the withered fig tree on their way, and Jesus spoke to his companions about the importance of faith.

Back at the Temple, religious leaders were upset at Jesus for establishing himself as a spiritual authority. They organized an ambush with the intent to place him under arrest. But Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them, saying: 

"Blind guides!...For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness...Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?" (Matthew 23:24-33)

Later that afternoon, Jesus left the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which sits due east of the Temple and overlooks Jerusalem. Here Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse, an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. He speaks, as usual, in parables, using symbolic language about the end times events, including His Second Coming and the final judgment.

Scripture indicates that this Tuesday was also the day Judas Iscariot negotiated with the Sanhedrin, the rabbinical court of ancient Israel, to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16).

After a tiring day of confrontation and warnings about the future, once again, Jesus and the disciples returned to Bethany to stay the night.

The tumultuous events of Tuesday and the Olivet Discourse are recorded in Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and John 12:20–38.

Day 4: Holy Wednesday

 The Bible doesn't say what the Lord did on the Wednesday of Passion Week. Scholars speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of Passover.

Just a short time previously, Jesus had revealed to the disciples, and the world, that he had power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave. After seeing this incredible miracle, many people in Bethany believed that Jesus was the Son of God and put their faith in him. Also in Bethany just a few nights earlier, Lazarus' sister Mary had lovingly anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume.

Day 5: Passover and Last Supper on Maundy Thursday

 Holy Week takes a somber turn on Thursday.

From Bethany, Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to make the preparations for the Passover Feast. That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as they prepared to share in the Passover. By performing this humble act of service, Jesus demonstrated by example how believers should love one another. Today, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of their ​Maundy Thursday services.

Then, Jesus shared the feast of Passover with his disciples, saying:

"I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16, NLT)

As the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfill the meaning of Passover by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from sin and death. During this Last Supper, Jesus established the Lord's Supper, or Communion, instructing his followers to continually remember his sacrifice by sharing in the elements of bread and wine (Luke 22:19-20).

Later, Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony to God the Father. Luke's Gospel says that "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44, ESV).

Late that evening in Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. He was taken to the home of Caiaphas, the High Priest, where the whole council had gathered to begin making their case against Jesus.

Meanwhile, in the early morning hours, as Jesus' trial was getting underway, Peter denied knowing his Master three times before the rooster crowed.

Thursday's events are recorded in Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38.

Day 6: Trial, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial on Good Friday

 Good Friday is the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death.

According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning.

Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment known at the time.

Before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced him with a crown of thorns. Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross.

Jesus spoke seven final statements from the cross. His first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34, NIV). His last words were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46, NIV)

Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last breath and died.

By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.

Friday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, and John 18:28-19:37.

Day 7: Saturday in the Tomb

 Jesus' body lay in its tomb, where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the day on Saturday, which was the Sabbath. When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus:

"He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth." (John 19: 39-40, NLT)

Nicodemus, like Joseph of Arimathea, was a member of the Sanhedrin, the court that had condemned Jesus Christ to death. For a time, both men had lived as secret followers of Jesus, afraid to make a public profession of faith because of their prominent positions in the Jewish community.

Similarly, both were deeply affected by Christ's death. They boldly came out of hiding, risking their reputations and their lives because they had come to realize that Jesus was, indeed, the long-awaited Messiah. Together they cared for Jesus' body and prepared it for burial.

While his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal salvation:

"For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (1 Peter 1:18-19, NLT)

Saturday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, and John 19:40.

Day 8: Resurrection Sunday

 On Resurrection Sunday, or Easter, we reach the culmination of Holy Week. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event of the Christian faith. The very foundation of all Christian doctrine hinges on the truth of this account.

Early Sunday morning, several women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Salome, and Mary the mother of James) went to the tomb and discovered that the large stone covering the entrance had been rolled away. An angel announced:

"Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen." (Matthew 28:5-6, NLT)

On the day of his resurrection, Jesus Christ made at least five appearances. Mark's Gospel says the first person to see him was Mary Magdalene. Jesus also appeared to Peter, to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and later that day to all of the disciples except Thomas, while they were gathered in a house for prayer.

The eyewitness accounts in the Gospels provide what Christians believe to be undeniable evidence that the resurrection of Jesus Christ did indeed happen. and John 20:1-23.Two millennia after his death, followers of Christ still flock to Jerusalem to see the empty tomb.

Sunday's events are recorded in Matthew 28:1-13, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-49,

PANDEMICS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

PANDEMICS AND THE CATHOLIC  CHURCH.

 There is no institution in the world so unworthy of anxiety as the Catholic Church. The Church has survived every kind of disaster, upheaval, and war, and continues to perform its work all the same. While many churches have closed their doors, Masses are still said by the priests, communion is distributed, and the Sacraments are performed without as much ceremony. But the Church abides. 

The Church has a long history of surviving. Disease, war, dictatorship, even heresy within its own ranks. This is attributed to the promise of Christ in Matthew, 16:18, that hell will not prevail against the Church. 

In our modern era of vaccines, sanitation, and medicine, few people appreciate the serious threat posed by disease. Until quite recently, pandemics were an artifact of earlier times, a thing our ancestors struggled with, but we no more. Even recent declarations of pandemics seem academic and unreal. Until now, pandemic disease has inconvenienced very few of us. 

But disease is a major force in shaping human history. And despite our modern ways, a well-adapted disease with just the right properties of contagiousness and virulence, can rip and burn through our population despite our best precautions. That's what we are seeing now with COVID-19. It should be a lesson in humility for us. 

The Church's history fighting disease dates back at least to the late 6th century. In the year 590, a plague swept through Rome, and Pope St. Gregory the Great and others processed through the streets in prayer, carrying an image of Mary. According to legend, St. Michael the Archangel appeared at the top of the ancient building that is now the Castel San't Angelo. The plague was dispelled and in thanksgiving, the Pope had a statue of St. Michael made and placed atop the castle. 

Later, during the Medieval period, the Church established the first hospitals. The existence of places to care for the sick dates back to ancient times, but the first dedicated, permanent hospitals were established by St. Benedict of Nursia around 529 AD. In the year 1099, the Knights Hospitaller established a hospital for pilgrims to the Holy Land. Today that order remains involved in care for the sick and is known as the Knights of Malta. The creation of hospitals as places where the sick could receive dedicated care was a compassionate revolution. However, as well-intentioned as hospitals were, the people of the time lacked all knowledge of germs. Patients often shared oversize beds, which could result in the easy transmission of disease. 

During the Black Plague, the Church found itself on the front lines of the pandemic. The plague swept through Europe between 1347-1354 AD and killed up to half the continent's population, although the impacts varied by location. Some places saw few deaths while others were entirely wiped out. 

The clergy's record during the plague was mixed. Most clergy helped tend to the sick and dying, and as a result many became ill and died themselves. Coughing patients could kill their caregivers in as little as 24 hours when the bacteria settled in the lungs. A few clergy abandoned their flocks and fled urban areas for rural places where they believed they would be safer. This wasn't always the case, since the disease was broadcast by fleas carried by rodents. 

Meanwhile, the Pope Clement VI believed the disease to be carried by a manifestation of Satan in the form of black cats. He ordered the destruction of all black cats. However, zealous Christians set about killing all the cats they could find. The problem was that cats ate rodents, the chief vectors for the plague. 

Some people attempted to appease what they saw as God's wrath with public penance. Groups of people called Flagellants would walk in processions through towns, whipping themselves bloody. The Church found the practice offensive and declared the Flagellants heretics. 

In more recent times, the Church developed hospitals and many religious have served in them, right up to the present day. In 1918, churches were closed in response to the Spanish Flu pandemic. That outbreak would kill some 50 million people around the world, many millions more more than the preceding four years of combat in WWI combined. 

Despite the danger, uncounted numbers of religious went to work around the clock to tend to the ill in Catholic hospitals, monasteries, and makeshift centers. Eventually, the disease burned itself out, but not before taking a toll on the Church's clergy and religious. 

Today, the Church is responding to the COVID-19. Its hospitals are working. Churches are closed in some places, yet priests, deacons and ministers are out distributing Communion and Sacraments. 

The ultimate impact of COVID-19 remains to be seen. But one thing is known. The Catholic Church will continue to serve the world until the end of days, no matter what comes. (from Los Angeles times).

LOS VALORES HUMANOS Y EL MAL.

LOS VALORES HUMANOS Y EL MAL.

Si se tratara de definir los valores, podemos decir que son características de las que  gozan las personas de buena voluntad y que enriquecen su vida, que el vivirlos le hace mejor, como persona, y como ser que pertenece a la raza humana. Por lo que es justo hablar de valores sociales, cuando se dan en un grupo humano, pero tenemos que medir dichos valores de acuerdo a criterios que provienen de las costumbres, la cultura, la religión, daré un ejemplo. En algunos lugares el robar una gallina para alimentar a hijos con hambre merece, en justicia, perdón; y el mismo, acto en otra cultura realiza la justicia, cortándole la mano al infractor. Vaya diferencia. La principal característica de los valores nuestros está en que se fundamentan en el amor a Dios y al prójimo, y que buscan la armonía en la vida entre nosotros y nos preparan para la trascendente. El vivir los valores tradicionales humanos, significa una vida social mejor, mas rica en sus relaciones con Dios y entre los seres humanos, y entre las naciones.  

 LOS VALORES.

Cuando hablamos de valores humanos, debemos considerar que estos no son algo como asuntos que se encuentren en departamentos estancos, sino que forman un sistema en el que están concatenados unos a otros, como ejemplo tomemos: la justicia, el amor, la humildad, el respeto, la alegría, la felicidad, la prudencia,  la caridad, los principios de solidaridad y subsidiaridad, la paciencia, la templanza, la diligencia, etc. estos se dan en todas las personas de buena voluntad además de muchos otros que se irán mencionando, no es necesario dar explicaciones de como se relacionan entre si, y para evitar múltiples repeticiones, eso de momento los dejamos de lado. Como se observa no son ajenos unos a otros, sino que se da cierta conexión entre ellos, son parte de nuestra personalidad individual, así vemos en las otras personas que algunos destacan mas que otros, a ejemplo se pueden mencionar algunos de estos, como son tantos no se consideren estas menciones sino parciales: amar, poseer, valorar,  vivir, difundir, enseñar, practicar y para entenderlos mejor, se pueden calificar. Se trata de  vivirlos todos, por lo que no debemos  excluir algunos y solo practicar otros, los valores como las virtudes, y por ello se les califica como un todo, como un sistema, se deben de considerar en su conjunto. La persona que vive los valores, los incluye a todos, a eso le llamamos vivir  adecuadamente, practicar obras buenas, tantas como podamos. 

Se pueden hacer diversas clasificaciones, doy como ejemplo las siguientes, siempre en menciones parciales y como se observará muchos  valores pueden estar en varias de las clasificaciones, pero solo he procurado mencionarlos en una sola para evitar múltiples repeticiones. Pues  se sobrentiende su relación .

Nos podemos plantear en primer término lo que se debe de entender por valor, en este caso “valores humanos”: Son cualidades,  virtudes, características,  de signo positivo que se dan en la conformación de la personalidad de cada uno de nosotros. Son aquello que deseamos que estén comprendidos en nuestro comportamiento, que se apliquen en los casos en que son requeridos, siendo estos casos, en ocasiones, de una constancia existencial sorprendente, como el de la educación, las buenas maneras, etc., para las personas de buena voluntad,  los valores son algo en lo que creemos, sabemos que son buenos intrínsecamente, procuramos esmerarnos en su cumplimiento, sabemos que nos hacen mas personas, mas humanos. Nos interesa formarnos en ellos, en su práctica, en su cumplimiento y muy importante es el introducir a los menores en su enseñanza, recordando que es con el ejemplo con lo que mas y mejor enseñamos a las nuevas generaciones.

Se observará que no hemos hecho una clasificación de “valores morales”, pues estos se diseminan en todas las mencionadas aquí. Hay también quien da mucha importancia a una orden de prioridades, en materia de valores, lo que no está mal, ni mucho menos, pero yo pienso que, en todo caso, priorizarlos es necesario en los casos de dificultad de su realización personal, o en caso de darles, por nuestro tipo de existencia,  una necesidad especial. Pero la realidad es que en tanto sistema, debemos tratar de vivirlos todos, siempre y en todas nuestras acciones. Otro aspecto es el de que para mejor entender los valores, repito, algunos hay que calificarlos, así se distinguen y se entienden claramente. Conviene tomar en cuenta, que las personas que intentamos en nuestras vidas la praxis de los valores, no es que nos distingamos por ser mejores que los otros, sino porque somos, en todo caso, mas responsables, mas humanos, lo que no es poco. A continuación se dan solo a forma de ejemplo, unas clasificaciones a priori:

VALORES RELIGIOSOS: amor a Dios y a sus criaturas, deseo de salvación, caridad a Él y sus criaturas, piedad, devoción, oración en sus diversas formas, como meditación, rezo, hablar con Dios, adoración, mortificación (que es oración de los sentidos), apostolado, perdonar, agradecer, tener misericordia, intolerancia, arrepentimiento, castidad y pureza, intransigencia,

VALORES FAMILIARES: amor conyugal, amor a los hijos, educación de la prole, ejemplo de vida, responsabilidad, orden, higiene, cooperación, amor fraternal, intimidad, sentimiento, enamorarse, preocuparse, armonía, abnegación, generosidad,

VALORES SOCIALES: buen trato a los demás, ser ciudadano ejemplar, amistad, buenos modales, amabilidad, sonreír, respeto, subsidiar, ser solidario, estudio, motivación, perfeccionarse, cumplir, comprensión, concordia, tolerancia, paz, cortesía, convivencia, coexistencia, colaboración, subsidiaridad y solidaridad,  

VALORES ETICOS;  honradez, veracidad, diligencia, justicia, empatía, discernimiento, logros, convencer, valorar, equidad, autodominio,

VALORES PERSONALES: sosiego, serenidad, compañerismo, calma, esfuerzo, humildad, experiencia, humanismo, cercanía, descubrir, sencillez, altruismo, inteligencia, cultura, confianza, superación,  

VALORES EN LA ENFERMEDAD, peligro, urgencia, valentía, disciplina, priorizar, actuar, ayudar, sumisión, cooperación, bondad, conmoverse, reaccionar, darse, ser comprensivo, considerar, vencer, ingeniarse,

VALORES SOBRENATURALES, si abrimos esta clasificación con los valores religiosos,  la cerramos con los valores que están sobre todos los humanos, naturales, son  sobrenaturales:  La santificación de la vida ordinaria, la filiación divina, el acercarse a los Sacramentos, el tratar de ser perfectos, la imitación de Jesucristo, el ser y mantenerse templos del Espíritu Santo, ser santos como Dios es Santo.

Como se comprende estas listas pueden irse aumentando, pero para el caso creo que bastan, al dar la idea que se pretende.

EL MAL.

Armonizar a un Dios bueno con el mal es algo que no es de fácil explicación y es de mucho mas difícil entendimiento, ¿cómo comprender a Dios como providente, ejemplo de todas las virtudes, las  mas sublimes, la belleza, la bondad, la inteligencia, la sabiduría, etc.  todas en grado inconmensurable, creador de todas las maravillas, que conocemos y las que sabemos que existen aunque no las conozcamos, y que ¡dentro de toda esa maravilla, exista mal?.  

Continuamos con las enseñanzas de los grandes pensadores, teólogos , filósofos de la cristiandad, que nos dan explicaciones. Y recurrimos a explicaciones científicas que son conocidas en forma generalizada. Lo primero que conviene dilucidar es que hay mal físico y mal moral.  Como ejemplos de males físicos tenemos: temblor, o terremoto, maremoto o tsunami, como se le quiera llamar son movimientos telúricos, que son necesarios para que este planeta sea habitable, las exhalaciones volcánicas, las erupciones no pueden dejar de darse, los movimientos de las placas tectónicas, la estructura de nuestro cosmos las hace naturalmente necesarias, y cuestiones parecidas se dan en los movimientos de aguas que conocemos como inundaciones de varios tipos, o cambios de las temperaturas tanto de intensos fríos como de calores muy difíciles de soportar, y todo ello se convierte en mal para ciertas  comunidades humanas. Pero en esto lo que tenemos que observar, antes que nada, es que se trata de mal que existe en el bien.

 El odio, la inmoralidad, el desprecio, la soberbia, la avaricia, la pereza, son males que podemos catalogar como espirituales. Otro aspecto es que un mal físico pude ser mal moral y viceversa. Ej. El crimen.

Por otro lado se nos enseña que el mal no es una esencia o substancia sino mas bien es una ausencia, o carencia, como se comenta mas adelante. El mal no tiene causalidad propia, menciono algunos:

 MALES MORALES: frustración, desesperación, deshonestidad, desagradecimiento, Intransigencia, irresponsabilidad, arrogancia, odio, desigualdad, pereza, guerra, traición, corrupción, deshumanización,

MALES FÍSICOS y psicológicos: enfermedades,  depresión,  locura,

Ahora vamos a tratar de dilucidar algo en esa dicotomía que se da entre el bien y el mal. Permítanme recordarles que este es un problema de hace muchos siglos, que se ha tratado por las mentes mas preclaras de la humanidad, y no se tiene una solución perfecta que deje a todos contentos. Para empezar me gustaría recordarles esta frase inmortal de platón: “Debemos buscar para nuestros males otra causa que no sea Dios”.

El mal nos ha acompañado históricamente a los hombres siempre, desde nuestros primeros padres y su descendencia inmediata, como es bien sabido. ¿Existe el mal?, si es innegable, pero tiene ciertos aspectos no muy frecuentemente comentados como el de la carencia, que enseña Santo Tomás, doy unos ejemplos:

La enfermedad es carencia de salud.

La pobreza es carencia de recursos.

La estulticia es carencia de razonamiento adecuado.

La fealdad es carencia de belleza.

El frio es carencia de calor. Y viceversa.

La ignorancia es carencia de cultura.

Vulgaridad, ausencia de educación.

Mentira o equivocación carencia de la verdad.

Odio, físico y espiritual, como falta de amor o misericordia.

Infidelidad, que es la falta de fe.

El Pecado, (considerado el único mal absoluto) desobediencia a la divina voluntad.

Esto ya descalifica a algunos supuestos males que en realidad no lo son, lo parecen, pero no son males en sí, sino que son situaciones causadas por agentes externos, su carencia o su exceso, pensemos en una inundación, es causada por un desorden en ocasiones muy lejano al lugar que la sufre. O en un movimiento telúrico que afecta las viviendas de una población, es algo grave, mas no es un mal del sitio, es ajeno.

Todos somos sujetos del mal, los hay graves, leves, duraderos, cortos, fatales, sutiles, intensos, ahora mismo nuestro planeta está empezando a sufrir una pandemia llamada Coronavirus, hay males que se sabe que vienen, otros nos sobresaltan,  entre las naciones las guerras tienen una frecuencia que nadie quisiera. Un hombre le puede causar un mal a otro o a muchos, lo mismo podemos decir de las naciones, hay males que provocamos y males que padecemos, lo que éticamente, puede ser calificado como problema, y por supuesto digno de solución.

Para San Agustín la cuestión del mal fue muy importante, y tuvo arrepentimiento profundo de cosas que realizó, con conciencia de que eran malas, tomemos una frase suya de sus Confesiones. “Busqué entonces qué era la maldad, y no hallé que fuese sustancia alguna, sino desorden de la voluntad”,  para él, radica el mal en la voluntad del hombre, en su indolencia.

La Iglesia nos menciona y con toda razón dos desencadenantes del mal, el primero es Lucifer, el ángel caído, y el otro es el pecado de Adán y Eva.. Cada quien deberá de llegar a sus propias conclusiones sobre estos hechos.

El mal moral es aquel que podemos realizar en contra de nosotros mismos o de los demás, consiste en dolor y/o  sufrimiento, se generan en el hecho de nuestra libertad, la cual llega a grados de corrupción física o moral graves. Se define por su intencionalidad,  perversidad, y puede ser casual, inconsciente. Pero radica siempre  en el libre albedrío. Puede ser mal físico o moral y generar: sufrimiento, dolor, tristeza.

Dios es causa de todo pero debemos de tomar en consideración, precisamente que hay causas directas, el hombre las asume, y hay causas remotas, Dios es causa remota, en el caso de lo que el hombre causa directamente, en buen o mal uso de su libertad.

 Podemos observar en la naturaleza la regeneración, fuera del caso de las causas humanas, la naturaleza tiende a regenerarse sola, ejemplo de los incendios naturales, las floras y faunas afectadas tienden solas a regenerarse, y alcanzan su equilibrio natural.

Dios es causa directa del ser humano, pero es el hombre la causa directa de sus actos, de sus defectos, aquí podemos contrastar el verdadero bien, los valores humanos, con nuestros males, los que Dios permite,  porque no nos quita la libertad, se nos dice, en especial a través de su Hijo, Jesucristo, Segunda Persona de Santísima Trinidad Dios hecho hombre, en su maravillosa Doctrina, llena de enseñanzas, cual es su voluntad en cuanto al libre actuar del ser humano, el que encuentra su plena realización precisamente en el cumplimiento de su Divina Voluntad, además dándonos la oportunidad de ser perdonados en los incumplimientos de ello. El tener valores se finca precisamente en el cumplimiento de dicha Voluntad Divina, y en tanto seres llenos de imperfecciones, su amor nos proporciona los dones de Fe y razón. Bien visto esto nos lleva a un agradecimiento tal que nada respetamos mas en este mundo que esas enseñanzas reveladas que el Magisterio de la Iglesia administra, enseña, y cuida, auxiliado por el Espíritu Santo, para la perfecta interpretación de todo lo revelado.

Las revoluciones culturales van y vienen, reinan y caen, pero las enseñanzas reveladas son perenes, y leen los signos de los tiempos, para darles la interpretación que corresponde, sin apartarse un ápice de la Doctrina Cristina, y así será hasta el fin de los tiempos.

Jorge Casas y Sánchez.

VIRTUE OF CHARITY. In our human communication.

VIRTUE OF CHARITY, IN OUR LANGUAGE.

Lets start defining concepts Charity is not just giving a few  coins to the poor beggers, or when we     go to Mass, or filantrophy, both being very good humanitarian acts, that speak very well of whom do it. But they are acts of charity.

Charity is the overnatural love of God , and from it, the love of all human creatures. This is what distinguishes us catholics and what allow us to achive more perfection.

Charity is operative it is a deep act, not vane love, it is oriented to God. as the mother lives for its baby due to her love, similary we have to love God, as simple creatures love to our Creator,   and we will observe that out acts are motivated. Living the virtue of Charity intensifies our filiaton to God, intensifies our life  and behavior as what we are, sons of God.

This implys our way of speaking, we should do an introspection excercise  and ask ouselves: am I murmuring, or criticizing?, am I spreading rumors?, if so we migth be doing wrong and agaist charity, we should stay in our way of speaking as diciples of Christ, that tells us: “if you stay in my Word, you are in truth, my diciples and you will know the truth, and this verity will make you free. Our dialogue with God should be permanent, and this carries us to be prudent in our speaking, with and of the others. With God we do not need words, and with the others there are silences that express a lot.

When we talk, we not only transmit a message, in certain way we give ourselves. Our speaking talks of us, this is why we should do it  in a charitable way. Our talking must be always sincere, never untruth. Lying is the language of the hypocrites, is it not truth, that we want to be always authentic?, the falsehood undermines our social relations, it is attentive against the right of the others to know the actual, the truth. Who lies loves himself disorderly seeks to fool others and imply them in the false. Enough with what has been said, to be able to understand the enslaving connotation, for those who think that it is just to speak bad of whom deserves it. Pope Francicus tells us; “go, and pray for him (her)”.

Lets ask ourselves; am I motive of división in my environment, do I make comentaries or spread rumors? If so it drives to nothing good, and it migth  hurt someone inocent. Somebody said that the lies that we say are not just words that the wind will blow away, that they are something thay corrodes our inside.

Jesus Christ  prises Nicodemus when he said that in him there is not duplicity. And He teaches us, “your way of speaking must be yes, yes; no,no. What exede this comes from the evil one”. 

In the new Catechism of the Catholic Church the 2464 parograph says:

2464 The eighth commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others. This moral prescription flows from the vocation of the holy people to bear witness to their God who is the truth and wills the truth. Offenses against the truth express by word or deed a refusal to commit oneself to moral uprightness: they are fundamental infidelities to God and, in this sense, they undermine the foundations of the covenant. 

And parograph 2465 I. Living in the Truth 2465 The Old Testament attests that God is the source of all truth. His Word is truth. His Law is truth. His "faithfulness endures to all generations."254 Since God is "true," the members of his people are called to live in the truth.   

This takes us again to consider  that what is proper of the good catholic person is to deep in the truth in all its aspects concerned . For us the truth must be tireless search, all our life. Definitely we exercise the virtue of Charity if we do not talk about any thing of wich we are not sure that it is true. The good Christian does not have superior advantages, over the others, but higher responsabilities.                                     

We do not know how much bad can be done to any one by murmuring, even when it seems to be of minimum importance, its reach can be inimaginable, We cannot express properly with insults, the good use of language is appropiate, and it can be as hard as needeed. For example masked expressions like “interruption of pregnancy”,  can be expressed as criminal action, this is hard language, but truth in its real dimensión, and it is said with apropiate words.

It is convinient that that we consider that it is not enough, that an ítem is true, so as to be spread without consideration, we must live the fraternal love whe comunicating  things that are serious, we should try to convince with our arguments, properly presented, remembering that it is necessary to rectify when we have said somethingbthat needs to be clarified, due to not having been absolutly close to the truth or reality, shape or background.

Even information that is true must be spread with prudence and discretion, this will be more effective  that doing it as spread of rumor, specially in this times in wich the envoriment if full of rumors. Our supernatural sense in this field, will produce better results.

The truth that make us free does not simply consists  in the possession or transmisión of statements and news, about the actual things, it must bring us peace, not just respond to violence with violence, since there will be moments in wich we must look for ways to figth lies, and then the reconciliation language will have to be used , not giving any space to the untruth.

Jorge Casas y Sánchez.

jorgecasasysanchez@gmail.com

DUE TO ITS GREAT IMPORTANCE I HAVE CONSIDERED  APROPIATE TO PUBLISH THE PART OF THIS ENCICLICAL RELATED TO PARENTHOOD. IT IS KNOWN AS “RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD”.

ENCYCLICAL LETTER
HUMANAE VITAE
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF
PAUL VI

The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships.

Responsible Parenthood
10. Married love, therefore, requires of husband and wife the full awareness of their obligations in the matter of responsible parenthood, which today, rightly enough, is much insisted upon, but which at the same time should be rightly understood. Thus, we do well to consider responsible parenthood in the light of its varied legitimate and interrelated aspects.
With regard to the biological processes, responsible parenthood  means an awareness of, and respect for, their proper functions. In the procreative faculty the human mind discerns biological laws that apply to the human person. (9)
With regard to man's innate drives and emotions, responsible parenthood means that man's reason and will must exert control over them.
With regard to physical, economic, psychological and social conditions, responsible parenthood is exercised by those who prudently and generously decide to have more children, and by those who, for serious reasons and with due respect to moral precepts, decide not to have additional children for either a certain or an indefinite period of time.
Responsible parenthood, as we use the term here, has one further essential aspect of paramount importance. It concerns the objective moral order which was established by God, and of which a right conscience is the true interpreter. In a word, the exercise of responsible parenthood requires that husband and wife, keeping a right order of priorities, recognize their own duties toward God, themselves, their families and human society.
From this it follows that they are not free to act as they choose in the service of transmitting life, as if it were wholly up to them to decide what is the right course to follow. On the contrary, they are bound to ensure that what they do corresponds to the will of God the Creator. The very nature of marriage and its use makes His will clear, while the constant teaching of the Church spells it out. (10)
Observing the Natural Law
11. The sexual activity, in which husband and wife are intimately and chastely united with one another, through which human life is transmitted, is, as the recent Council recalled, "noble and worthy.'' (11) It does not, moreover, cease to be legitimate even when, for reasons independent of their will, it is foreseen to be infertile. For its natural adaptation to the expression and strengthening of the union of husband and wife is not thereby suppressed. The fact is, as experience shows, that new life is not the result of each and every act of sexual intercourse. God has wisely ordered laws of nature and the incidence of fertility in such a way that successive births are already naturally spaced through the inherent operation of these laws. The Church, nevertheless, in urging men to the observance of the precepts of the natural law, which it interprets by its constant doctrine, teaches that each and every marital act must of necessity retain its intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life. (12)
Union and Procreation
12. This particular doctrine, often expounded by the magisterium of the Church, is based on the inseparable connection, established by God, which man on his own initiative may not break, between the unitive significance and the procreative significance which are both inherent to the marriage act.
The reason is that the fundamental nature of the marriage act, while uniting husband and wife in the closest intimacy, also renders them capable of generating new life—and this as a result of laws written into the actual nature of man and of woman. And if each of these essential qualities, the unitive and the procreative, is preserved, the use of marriage fully retains its sense of true mutual love and its ordination to the supreme responsibility of parenthood to which man is called. We believe that our contemporaries are particularly capable of seeing that this teaching is in harmony with human reason.

Faithfulness to God's Design
13. Men rightly observe that a conjugal act imposed on one's partner without regard to his or her condition or personal and reasonable wishes in the matter, is no true act of love, and therefore offends the moral order in its particular application to the intimate relationship of husband and wife. If they further reflect, they must also recognize that an act of mutual love which impairs the capacity to transmit life which God the Creator, through specific laws, has built into it, frustrates His design which constitutes the norm of marriage, and contradicts the will of the Author of life. Hence to use this divine gift while depriving it, even if only partially, of its meaning and purpose, is equally repugnant to the nature of man and of woman, and is consequently in opposition to the plan of God and His holy will. But to experience the gift of married love while respecting the laws of conception is to acknowledge that one is not the master of the sources of life but rather the minister of the design established by the Creator. Just as man does not have unlimited dominion over his body in general, so also, and with more particular reason, he has no such dominion over his specifically sexual faculties, for these are concerned by their very nature with the generation of life, of which God is the source. "Human life is sacred—all men must recognize that fact," Our predecessor Pope John XXIII recalled. "From its very inception it reveals the creating hand of God." (13)
Unlawful Birth Control Methods
14. Therefore We base Our words on the first principles of a human and Christian doctrine of marriage when We are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children. (14) Equally to be condemned, as the magisterium of the Church has affirmed on many occasions, is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or temporary. (15)
Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means. (16)
Neither is it valid to argue, as a justification for sexual intercourse which is deliberately contraceptive, that a lesser evil is to be preferred to a greater one, or that such intercourse would merge with procreative acts of past and future to form a single entity, and so be qualified by exactly the same moral goodness as these. Though it is true that sometimes it is lawful to tolerate a lesser moral evil in order to avoid a greater evil or in order to promote a greater good," it is never lawful, even for the gravest reasons, to do evil that good may come of it (18)—in other words, to intend directly something which of its very nature contradicts the moral order, and which must therefore be judged unworthy of man, even though the intention is to protect or promote the welfare of an individual, of a family or of society in general. Consequently, it is a serious error to think that a whole married life of otherwise normal relations can justify sexual intercourse which is deliberately contraceptive and so intrinsically wrong.
Lawful Therapeutic Means
15. On the other hand, the Church does not consider at all illicit the use of those therapeutic means necessary to cure bodily diseases, even if a foreseeable impediment to procreation should result there from—provided such impediment is not directly intended for any motive whatsoever. (19)
Recourse to Infertile Periods
16. Now as We noted earlier (no. 3), some people today raise the objection against this particular doctrine of the Church concerning the moral laws governing marriage, that human intelligence has both the right and responsibility to control those forces of irrational nature which come within its ambit and to direct them toward ends beneficial to man. Others ask on the same point whether it is not reasonable in so many cases to use artificial birth control if by so doing the harmony and peace of a family are better served and more suitable conditions are provided for the education of children already born. To this question We must give a clear reply. The Church is the first to praise and commend the application of human intelligence to an activity in which a rational creature such as man is so closely associated with his Creator. But she affirms that this must be done within the limits of the order of reality established by God.
If therefore there are well-grounded reasons for spacing births, arising from the physical or psychological condition of husband or wife, or from external circumstances, the Church teaches that married people may then take advantage of the natural cycles immanent in the reproductive system and engage in marital intercourse only during those times that are infertile, thus controlling birth in a way which does not in the least offend the moral principles which We have just explained. (20)
Neither the Church nor her doctrine is inconsistent when she considers it lawful for married people to take advantage of the infertile period but condemns as always unlawful the use of means which directly prevent conception, even when the reasons given for the later practice may appear to be upright and serious. In reality, these two cases are completely different. In the former the married couple rightly use a faculty provided them by nature. In the later they obstruct the natural development of the generative process. It cannot be denied that in each case the married couple, for acceptable reasons, are both perfectly clear in their intention to avoid children and wish to make sure that none will result. But it is equally true that it is exclusively in the former case that husband and wife are ready to abstain from intercourse during the fertile period as often as for reasonable motives the birth of another child is not desirable. And when the infertile period recurs, they use their married intimacy to express their mutual love and safeguard their fidelity toward one another. In doing this they certainly give proof of a true and authentic love.

CARDINAL VIRTUES. (2020)

CARDINAL VIRTUES:  Prudence, Justice, Fortress, Temperance.


At the begining of   every year, and now of the  2020, we all have desires, purpuses, and I would like to share my own; hoping they can help someone.

It is a small list, and I will try my best to be succesfull about them, my first purpuse is in living better the Cardinal Virtues, since they help  us to be a better person. In second place let me mention that I  want to put more order in my personal life, using the best way  my time, and in a better organiced way, and third and more  important,  to be nearer to Jesus Christ and the Holy Virgin. As you see it consists in only three matters, but let me tell you, that I am not trusting in my own forces, I as every one, need the help of God all Migthty, since alone we cannot succed in any thing, but with Thy Help, we can obtain our goals. So in my intent to be closer to  God, and my prayers will include asking for his help to achive my goals.

Looking a Little about the Cardinal Virtues, seems to be indicated, due to the carácter of the other two wishes that are so personal.

It is said by specialists that all virtues are a system in wich all  human virtues are involved, and that  they are all related, in one or other manner, also they teach us that these four virtues are called Cardinal because from them derive all other human virtues. It is also thaugth and it  is a great truth, that in order to be able to live the theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, we have to perform well on the human virtues.

PRUDENCE is always mentioned in the first place and a definition of it could be: Prudence is the virtue that prepaers our spiritual soul to choose in all circumstances our true good, and to elect the means to realice it.

Prudence is the virtue that allows  our spirit to discern in any situation our own true good and to elect the means to obtain it.

So any action that is judged to be adecuate to obtain the good and  the mandate to reach it, is a prudent way.

Prudence is related to inteligence, it is radical to practical reason. It is orientd to praxis. In it we find four acts advice (concilium), practical judgement (iudicium),  precept (praeceptum), and imperium (imperium).

The first step of our prudence is to have the humility to admit that we cannot reach every thing and in all circumstances, so it is advisable to find counsil from some one that is realy prepared to give it. That will give us the opportunity to act prudently. But we do not have to reach only the prudent way to do something, we have to do it, prudence is a virtue of action, of doing what we must, once we are sure that we are in the possition to do it, and in the best way to act.

Prudence must be performed not only in the person´s life, it also is needed inorganizations. In them the colegiate decision are better that personal, due to the examination of more points  of vieu, and more persons involved in the responsablity.

Some times prudence is associate to being bold, this may seem to be a contrary possition, but it is not, audacity is adviseble in taking prudent decisions, measuring the responsabilities involved.

JUSTICE has been defined with very few words, for centuries is is said to be: to give each its own.  Of course this can be explained in more ample manner. We could say that justice is: to always respect what belongs to others wether it is  material or spiritual. ( just as an example)

Here a question araises: what belongs to God?  and the answer is simple: all, every thing. But in spite of this, the justice to wich we refer is betwen equals and the diference between Creator and creature is such, that there cannot be what we consider justice among us. So justice has its praxis between creature to creature.

St. Joan says to us (1 Jn 4,8) God is love, this is what gives us the clue to  live the just way with God, and this is in our own nature, the one that has been given to us mankind, to be created in image and similarity to God, so the capacity to respond with love to our Creator, is the one to love thy.

In relation to the justice between human creatures  we have to consider the rigths of the others and the first one is the rigth to live,  others are : freedom, property, fame, payment of our debts, specially salaries that must be proper, respect of dignity, etc. but we cannot forget that there is a legislative way of life that we admit in order to guarranty justice, and a person can even be subject to loose its liberty, and become a prisioner due to unlawfull commitment of acts.

Some actions are injust in relation to others, but are examined when we speak of the virtue of charity, which is a Teological Virtue.

Since we love God and Thy loves all its creatures, of our love of God must araise our love for all Thy creatures, specially the human kind. We must consider wrong not to love all humans.

FORTRESS is to have the courage to overcome the dificulties and our limitations. A phrase from Seneca says: “Per aspra ad astra”. Its meaning: trough dificulties to the stars. So we could define fortress as the virtue of efffort to obtain what is of value.

 It is necessary to make efforts, we have to smooth what is rough, to solve problem after problema, that is what life consits of. Our sigth should alwais be in higher objectives,  nothing is difficult for those who really want. It is part of human nature to be weak in some manners, that is the reason why fortress is highly valued  due to the capacity of sacrifice  in order to come out victorious in the pursue of good things.

The Holy Scriptures teach us that  our fortress comes from God, we alone are not able of obtain  difficult things by ouselves,  but with the example of Jesus Christ and his help we will get the necessary grace to perform adequately. Other facet of this virtue is the act of  resisting the adverse, the unpleasant, the tough, and be able to solve them adecuately. Patience in a very close virtue associated to fortress, as well as persevence. We must think of this association.

TEMPERANCE, this virtue consists in the armonic way that makes possible to the person  choosing well,  what ever is of goodness. It is of great importance that in this life we enjoy goods, in liberty, but not leting them to make us their  slaves. Pope Franciscus says that temperance is “the sense of measure”.

Temperance  allows us not to loose the compass pointing, that always is directed to God. The general objective is to obtain our salvation and be happy in so, if vice and avarice for money, power or fame hoards the life of persons, then the objective is lost. We must preserve the purpose for wich we live,  is to love and serve God over all things.

This virtue helps us to mantein the “equilibriun” in serving others and be happy about it. Who is far away from God is so with himself and only will find himself after finding God, here we should remember St. Agustin´s famos sentence: “ You made us, God for you, and our heart is not still, until it rests in you”.

Jorge Casas y Sánchez.