March 27

Pack mules for the team!

San Antonio

                On the way to San Antonio Antonio, Maribel and I got off in Flores with Padre to celebrate Mass, from there we were to walk four hours to San Antonio. Padre sends us off with a 12 year old guide, Orlen. Orlen speaks and sings with a high cracked voice like John Irving’s Owen Meany. He’s affectionate and loyal like no other. So he says passing by his house, “let me go ask my mom if I can go walking for eight to ten hours with you.”

                “Um… of course” Orlen’s mom is lying in bed sick but absolutely ecstatic at having her son guide us. The mother and I were both concerned about the distance. So I gave her the rosary I’ve been using for six months from Bethlehem, she was giving her son. Then Maribel wanted to give her a Baleada (tasty bean taco) and Orlen’s sister then handed us a bag of bananas! Ok, great, let’s go.

Orlen was a great help and knew many short cuts

               Later, blessing our lunch at the house of another guide Norma, we were sitting in a circle in the living room. With our heads bowed their beautiful tabby cat Mariposa (Butterfly) looks over my knee at my plate. The mother glides out of the kitchen with a stick and whacks Mariposa across the back. In the middle of praying for the food I burst out in a nervous laugh. Mariposa comes from behind me and looks over my other knee. Norman’s mom shifts her stance, spins for force and whacks poor Mariposa again. There was no finishing that prayer…

                We passed a woman standing in her yard watching the sun set. She turned her head, her eyes lit up and she called us over. There was a lot she was going through and wanted to pray with us. Our mission was and is for her. This would happen at almost every visit. People were standing outside or going out to meet us. Few were shy about it, “bring me the Word of God.” We introduced ourselves, chatted, read the day’s Gospel, they then shared what was on their heart, we reflected on the Gospel and sat for a while. Then we prayed for their intentions.

Michelle on our team broke her ankle, but look how happy she was to be on a mission trip! We missed you Michelle!

                The soul of this mission was talking about Jesus. Everything else came from that. He asks us to be Christians in public, otherwise it doesn’t help anyone.

                ³² “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; ³³ but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. (Mt 10:32,33)

                Following Him becomes doing good works not because I believe in my work or have judged it to be right, but “For His Sake”

                ¹⁶ “See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; ¹⁸ and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles…. ²¹ Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;²² and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved…. ²⁴ “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; ²⁵ it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! ²⁷ What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. (Mt 10:16-18, 21-2, 24-5, 27)

Then Jesus becomes even bolder, placing Himself at the core of man’s affection and freedom. He even compares Himself to our family.

⁴⁶ While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”^[c] 48 But to the one who had told him this, Jesus^[d] replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mt 12:46-50)

That still doesn’t describe Jesus well enough for us, so He says no relationship will satisfy us until He is in it.

³⁴ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
³⁵ For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
³⁶ and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
³⁷ Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me…³⁹ Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. (Mt 10:34-7, 39)

This is the breaking point. He placed Himself at the center of our freedom. Now the Jews either accepted Him and loved Him, or else they rejected and hated Him. After Jesus declared to be our soul’s desire we either love Him or we hate Him, there is no neutrality.

Easter happens every year. This is a blessing because man is called by God to a supernatural destiny, a life with God. Man needs a re-birth first. So this Holy Week, let’s ask Jesus Christ to show us the good that we could be doing; because God is in the good works. The sinful acts are an illusion, don’t be fooled. God is in the good works and Jesus clearly said we need God to be full. 

Barcie update: She hid her kittens last weekend and we all thought they died... but she was just being a good mom!