The Future of the Church

There is a lot of talk on what kindof Pope the Catholic Church needs. The discourse usually emphasizes somethingthe Church is lacking or doing wrong. When being critical in what the Churchneeds, the difference of opinions is vast. Some say the Church needs a call tomodernization in that a lot of the issues the Church holds as theologicalshould pertain to pastoral discourse, some advocate for transparency andaccountability criticizing the Church’s attitude to recent scandals, some claimthe Church needs to be a living sign of hope as the biggest growing religion isno-religious affiliation in the world, others claim the Church needsunification advocating strongly to build bridges among the very own CatholicFamily, and yet others claim the Church no longer has identity and say in theworld and needs to strongly proclaim its identity in a world that refuses toaccept the gospel message. In fact, the Church is always in need, in need forall of these things and more. We can say the Church is always seeking to berevitalized and modernized by the applicability of the Gospel in the modernworld. The Church has always faced challenges that do not portray the gospelmessage, the Church has always been divided since the time of Peter and Paul asthey discussed whether the gospel should remain in Israel or be proclaim to thegentiles as well, and since the beginning of the Church, the gospel has alwaysbeen countercultural and faced opposition wherever it is proclaimed. Yes, theChurch needs many things, but the Church has always been in need. What makes usthink that the Pope or leader of the pilgrimage Church here on earth will solvethese problems?

Church is you and me. Church is thePope and the College of Cardinals, all the bishops, priests, religious and laypeople who together have choose to live their life a certain way. If the Churchis in need is because it has always been in need and always will be in need.But this is not the job of the Vicar of Christ here on earth only—but ofeveryone who composes and feels part of the family. While it is true thatleadership is where we look to find common ground to encompass the mission thatwas entrusted to us here on earth, we also recognize that it plays a role, asignificant role, but it is not solemnly depended on it. As a Church, let usfind what we lack from each other. Let us become what we lack in our search andprayer.

I do not find myself scandalizedbut what the Church needs to do or should be doing. I also do not over concernmyself with who would be the man elected to take on the Chair of Peter. Leastof all, I do not think that next Pope would change all these. The future of theChurch is always directed by the Holy Spirit and through its guidance we findourselves as cooperators of the mission of Jesus Christ. The future of theChurch then, is up to you and me and our responsiveness to this call andmission.

On Lent

Reflection On Lent:

​If you ask yourself whether you are having a ‘successful’ lent you might be closer than you think in understanding what lent is all about. This is not meant to be confusing, but often time lent is constructed around the idea of giving up something. Yes, this is a big part of what lent is all about, mainly to be reminded of the suffering of Christ. But in the effort to enter in a sacrifice we loose focus on what it means to suffer, hence the original question of whether one is being successful or not in lent. What makes suffering so difficult is uncertainty. When we give up something for lent we know that we might come back to whatever we give up at the end of lent. The experience of suffering then is one that is almost an illusion to the one who fasts this way. For we still have a sense of certainty that the period of our ‘offering’ will come to an end. But, suffering in fact is so hard to deal with because it reminds us of our uncertainty as human beings. When one suffers, one really suffers because one does not know. And so, one does not enter into suffering, but rather suffering finds us.
​Are you asking yourself whether all your efforts to enter into suffering are worthless? Of course they are not; God is pleased and content to see the very intention of trying to please him in any way. You may also ask how does one enter into Lent with uncertainty? But uncertainty is part of who we are—one only needs to be reminded of it. Lent is this period to be reminded of the things that truly make us suffer. To call upon the times when we found it hard to have hope in a better future, not knowing when would that period of our life would come to an end. To help others who find themselves in this period of uncertainty, suffering by not knowing how or when it will end.
​I, too have chosen to give up certain things for lent. They give meaning to the Lenten Season by having my will self-disciplined, but I think that they have little to do with suffering, because at the end, I know I can have them in the future. Instead, Lent is a time to call upon the things we do not have control over. In our life one does not need to look hard to see that there are plenty of these. Lent is the period to call upon these things and surrender them to God. Lent is meant to remind us that suffering finds everyone around us the same, and that we are called to respond to this periods of dryness and uncertainty with love and compassion. And so, being successful at Lent has little to do with what you give up and whether you are faithful to that offering, and everything with acknowledging our dependence in God in everything that we do.

"Putting the Shoes of a Seminarian"

This fall semester has come and gone faster than what I expected. It seemed it was yesterday that I arrived at Chicago in sunny and warm weather. Now, leaves are falling from trees and cold and windy days are among us. Having left family, friends and memories I was ready to take upon new adventures of a new city, among new people, making new memories, and so I put on the shoes of a seminarian. At first, as it is in any change in life, there is much to adapt to: weather, community, prayer life, school, classes, and so discomfort is very much present. Just like putting on those brand new shoes and walking with them for the first time. There is rubbing here and there, weariness as your feet adapt, and even irritation at times if this persists for quite long. But we all come across this period and brand new shoes become comfortable and enjoyable after some time. And so in trying my new shoes, all the sudden, strangers became friends, awkward silences were replaced with laughter, unknown streets turned into common routes that led me what is now, home, and joy and comfort settled. But the joy is far much more than just adapting or assimilating to a new pair of shoes, or a new situation and place--instead, trying the shoes of a seminarian is being reminded that the joy truly lies on the pavement and not the shoes.

New situations, unexpected situations, for bad or for good come upon everyone, whether they strike us at home, or in foreign lands, with new people or family. New shoes are a part of life but what matters is how we walk with them. In a sense, this is putting the shoes of a seminarian, knowing that despite of new situations, our joy for life and our deepest desire to share Christ's love is known. This semester walking on seminarian shoes has taught me not to pay attention to the discomfort that may appear as shoes come and go, but rather pay attention to the road I walk on, the pavement that leads the way. And so I end up with a cliche, "It is not what we do, but who we are," what we do, will always be dictated by the type of shoes life throws at us, but how we decide to walk on them, that alone, is up to us.

Mendigando Amor

Es muy humano el sentirse querido, apreciado, estimado y por supuesto amado. Todos buscamos cariño y atención y mucho más de las personas que amamos. Es parte de nuestra naturaleza humana el dar y recibir afecto y cuando esto no sucede es que nos deprimimos y le damos una visión muy negativa y oscura al mundo. Pero de vez cuando nos acostumbramos a buscar este afecto a toda costa y sin medida. Nos resulta fácil acostumbrarnos a mendigar amor, a buscarlo para cubrir heridas o escapar de vacios. Incluso muchas veces usamos a la gente que queremos para deshacernos de esos vacios que resultan incómodos y fastidiosos. Cuantas veces no buscamos conversaciones ajenas y sin sentido para evitar lo que realmente nos perturba y preocupa. Buscamos conocer gente nueva para tratar de escapar  la monotonía de nuestras vidas y de las personas que nos rodean. O tal vez nos ha pasado que buscamos refugiarnos en el trabajo, o la diversión como tanto sucede para tratar de llenar esos vacios que solo se pueden llenar con amor. Y es que todo esto es producto de un mundo que nos ensena a vivir sin amor. Es que todos lo buscamos y todos lo necesitamos pero muchos de nosotros lo buscamos en lugares equivocados y acuesta de cualquier cosa. Tal vez lo disfrazamos de aspirina o de fin de semana con los amigos. Otros lo envolvemos en papel de regalo y lo facturamos a la tarjeta de crédito. Muchos nos empeñamos en querer ganárnoslo con plausos. Pero la verdad es que todo el mundo lo busca pero pocos lo saben encontrar. Es que no es raro vivir en un mundo donde se tenga que mendigar amor. El mundo nunca creyó en El y nunca lo hará. Si vemos a alguien haciendo una obra de caridad es- porque algo quiere, si vemos parejas que se quieren- a ver cuanto les dura,  ponemos nuestra confianza en facturas y firmas y si acaso aun existen poetas son causa de burla y se mueren de hambre. Es que no es raro que andemos mendigando amor- El mundo te ensena que necesitas hacer dinero y mientras mas rápido mejor, el mundo te ensena que si no te destacas en la sociedad no eres nadie, el mundo te ensena que presumas lo que no tienes y escondas tus pobrezas. El mundo ensena la división entre clases sociales y la felicidad en centros comerciales. El mundo te ensena a mendigar amor en centros nocturnos y con casa, carro y posición social. Te ensenza a mendigar amor en el reloj que cargamos, en la cartera que deseamos. Que nos queda que mendigarlo en un televisor, o buscarlo en películas por que en la vida real el mundo nos dice que ya no existe, o refugiarnos en redes sociales, o mendigarlo con la gente que no conoces, que nos queda mas que mendigarlo en todas partes. Es que este amor murió en una cruz hace dos mil anos pero aun existe- ha resucitado. Deja de mendigarlo en centros comerciales y bajo el tag de oferta, deja de mendigarlo en la televisión, el cine y las películas, deja de mendigarlo en un viernes con tus amigos, deja de mendigarlo incluso en la gente que quieres, deja de mendigarlo en grandes ideas y grandes causas, deja de mendigar amor y se Tu el amor que el mundo necesita. Se Tu el abrazo de consuelo, la palabra de animo. Se Tu la prueba de confianza, y el consejo bueno, se Tu la mano de caridad y la voz que clama justicia. Se Tu el perdón y la reconciliación entre los seres humanos, se Tu la prueba de igualdad entre todos en tu tratar a todos, Se Tu la imagen de sencillez y humildad rechazando un mundo que pone la felicidad en lo material, Se Tu aquel Amor que murió por Ti en la cruz- tal vez asi en el mundo no haya que mendigar amor en tantos lugares equivocados.

Spiritual Life?

Spiritual life?

When speaking about nourishing or taking into consideration your spiritual life, must people immediately associate terms like church, services, scripture, praying and others. However, what does it really mean to say things like spiritual or spirit? Jesus reminds us that God is spirit- as He proclaimed it to the Samaritan woman at the well, and in the poem of Creation in Genesis, we sense God as creator in Spirit, as His Spirit moved among the waters. The bible is full of this word spirit in both the old and new testament. But when we try to make sense of these things in our daily life is that we often times miss our mark. By spirit, we understand immaterial substance- and it is our fully human nature to be both spiritual and material! We are not just composed of bones, and muscles that interact by nerve impulses but we also have personalities, emotions, thoughts, ideas, dreams and talents that make us spiritual beings. In fact, we are fully human when we realize that our humanity is composed of things that are immaterial, to echo the voice of Socrates, “…the unexamined life is not worth living,”as we know goes way back. Our humanity is so unique precisely when both are sync into one, when our actions are done with our full consciousness and will. When instead of going “through” the actions- our whole being is immersed in the things we do. So the whole perception of spirituality shifts when we widen our view of what does it mean to be more spiritual or completely human. Listening to a conversation not merely hearing it, or maybe trying to understand other people’s actions and points of views instead of quickly being rushed to explain yours, perhaps contemplating the beauty of nature, or immersing yourself in your talents so that you get to know yourself deeply, all these could be perfect examples of nourishing and cultivating a more spiritual life. But before we dispose of religion as we know it we ought to contemplate the fact that religion gives us all these basis and expects us to do the homework. Scripture, services, church, are tools if you will, on how to live your life more fully, it leads you to get to know that God-Spirit and have a personal relationship with Him, to experience Him in everything you do.  In the Old Testament, Moses asks God to reveal his name so that he can give testimony to the Jewish people, and God answered, “I AM”; for He is existence and is to be experienced in everything, always pushing us to live our life more fully, always challenging us to sync our spirit and body, always asking us to embrace life, always telling us to be fully present, always reminding us to seek inside, telling us to cultivate compassion, care, kindness, solidarity- pushing us to love and embrace love.

The Tree of Life Review

This movie attempts not to answer but to address the big questions in life and does so in a very artistic way. What is the purpose of our existence?, what is life really about? Although the movie does not follow a linear story, one gets the sense that it is being told not merely just a story but the overall view of a person's life, its purpose, its meaning and the reason behind it all. One cannot help but project the same questions upon oneself, the people we encounter, the events that marked our life, the most important and influential people and of course the big questions about faith and finding meaning. Terrence Malick, the producer of The Tree of Life, is not interested in telling you much about the characters in the movie, or giving you a very defined plot at all- but instead exposes a canvas of art, where the title could be summed up to "life." As the story unfolds, one starts putting pieces together, but the great mystery remains in that for each one of the viewers these big questions of life are addressed and approach differently. One gets the sense that is really experiencing not just a story told  but truly the essence of what it is to be human, with all of our imperfections, questions, experiences, etc. We do not just follow a plot in the main character's life, but we seem to project his emotions, thoughts and questions upon our life. This movie breaks into well defined patterns of movie making, and I believe this is what makes the film exceptional. We do not experience a plot or a message being told or understood but rather we are exposed to "life" as it is, with more questions rather than answers, with all its beauty and roughness, with all its broken sequences, with only certain details we know of people or characters, and one by oneself- tries to put all pieces together. If you are looking for more than cars blowing, guns blazing, and robots transforming- hollywood offers you much more than that in these must see film.