Rediscovering the Scars of Jesus and Their Impact on the Church
In the midst of these realities, the Risen Christ appears again and says, “Peace be with you.” It is Jesus who steps into our complex lives, shows us his scars of compassion and mercy, and says, “My son, my daughter, have peace. I am at work.” It is Jesus who shows the scars of his love for creation by drawing near, allowing us to touch him, revealing his wounds so that we might understand that he has overcome them. And because he has, we can too.
Discipleship that Transforms Lives
Standing in the midst of a broken world, Jesus announces the arrival of God’s Kingdom. He does not remain apart on an inaccessible mountaintop; He places Himself at the level of those who suffer and shows them that renewal has already begun. His presence on the plain reminds us that God is not distant from human pain but present, transforming it from within.
Rediscovering the Path of Forgiveness and Reconciliation
We are called to march on behalf of the immigrants who today must hide from modern-day Pharisees promoting abusive policies. You and I are called to reflect divine mercy by recognizing that we are all equal and of immense value before God. We are called to proclaim true freedom—not an exclusive or selective freedom. Because freedom for a few is not freedom; it is oppression and complicity.
Good Friday, Liberation, and the Weird Celebration of Death
Through His life, Jesus exemplifies the constant, continuous struggle for a better world. He stands against culture, power, colonialism, monarchies, and anyone who seeks to dictate norms on human sexuality, oppressive religious norms, or unjust economic rules. Jesus fights, constantly and relentlessly, for a world in which all people can experiment the endless blessings of the Divine together. A world where economic status, gender identity, or sexual orientation doesn’t determine a person’s worth. A world where the diversity of colors serves as the foundation for building a society where love and dignity are the central pieces of life.
A Peace Rooted in Justice: Seeds of Hope.
What is our challenge in these times of crisis, intolerance, injustice, and discrimination based on class, race, and gender? To become seeds of the highest hope. To scatter them generously amid the thorns of evil, hatred, and violence
Scattered Seeds
When I have read this parable in the past, I have often looked at the text from the perspective of the sower, as the parable is often referred to as the “parable of the sower,”and I have listened to a lot of sermons that were focused on where we sow seeds and how the faith of others gets nurtured from that sowing. But this parable doesn’t seem all that interested in human efforts or interventions that may or may not contribute to the flourishing of plants that grow in this particular garden.
Listen.
If a rainforest gets cut down, the way it starts is that there might be a stick or a little rise, and a bird lands, and it poops something out. Then, that seed takes over and starts to become the facilitator of this succession in a sort of circular way. And it’s also happening over there in the field, and it’s happening over there in the field, and in between, there are empty spaces.