2014 Commentaries

 

Sunday December 28, 2014
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Gospel Lk 2: 22-40

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses. They took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted —and you yourself a sword will pierce— so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.  When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;  and the favor of God was upon him.

Ebanjelioa Lukas 2: 22-40

22 Moisesen legean agindutako garbikuntza egiteko unea iritsi zitzaienean, gurasoek Jesus Jerusalemera eraman zuten Jaunari aurkezteko. 23 Izan ere, honela agintzen du Jaunaren legeak: Lehen-seme guztiak Jaunari sagaratuko zaizkio24 Jaunaren legean ezarritako oparia ere eskaini zuten: bi usapal edo bi usakume. 25 Bazen Jerusalemen Simeon izeneko bat, gizon zintzo eta jainkozalea, Jainkoak Israel noiz kontsolatuko zain zegoena. Espiritu Santua berekin zuen26 eta aditzera emana zion ez zela hilko Jaunak bidalitako Mesias ikusi gabe. 27 Espirituak eraginik, tenplura joan zen eta, Jesusen gurasoak legeak agintzen zuena betetzeko asmoz tenpluan sartzerakoan, 28 haurra besoetan hartu eta Jainkoa goretsi zuen, esanez: 29 «Orain bai, Jauna, zeuk hitzeman bezala, utz diezaiokezu zeure morroi honi bakean hiltzen!30 Ikusi dute nire begiok zure Salbatzailea,31 herri guztien aurrean zuk aurkeztua: 32 nazioak argitzeko argi eta zure herri Israelen ospe».33 Aita-amak harriturik zeuden Simeonek haurraz esaten zuenarengatik. 34 Simeonek bedeinkatu egin zituen eta haurraren ama Mariari esan zion: «Begira, ume hau israeldar batzuentzat erorbide eta besteentzat altxabide izateko ezarria dago; eztabaida sortuko duen seinalea izango da, 35 horrela guztien asmo ezkutuak agerian geldi daitezen. Eta zuri ere saminezko ezpatak zulatuko dizu bihotza».36 Bazen profetesa bat ere, Ana, Fanuelen alaba, Aserren leinukoa. Urteetan oso aurreratua zen: gaztetan ezkondu eta zazpi urtez senarrarekin bizi ondoren, 37 alargun gelditu zen, eta bazituen laurogeita lau urte. Ez zen tenplutik ateratzen, eta gau eta egun Jainkoa zerbitzatzen zuen bertan, barau eta otoitz. 38 Une hartan aurkezturik, Jainkoari eskerrak ematen hasi zen, eta haurrari buruz hitz egiten Jerusalemen askapena espero zuten guztiei. 39 Jaunaren legeak agintzen zuen guztia bete ondoren, Jesusen gurasoak Galileara itzuli ziren, Nazaret beren herrira. 40 Haurra haziz eta sendotuz zihoan; jakinduriaz betea zegoen eta Jainkoaren onginahia berekin zuen.

There is but One God, Father of All


December 25, 2014 Mass During The Day
The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Gospel Jn 1: 1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

Ebanjelioa Joan 1: 1-18

Hasieran bazen Hitza. Hitza Jainkoarekin zegoen eta Hitza Jainko zen. 2 Hasieran

Jainkoarekin zegoen Hitza. 3 Gauza guztiak beronen bidez egin ziren, eta egindakotik ezer ez da berau gabe egin. 4 Hitzarengan zegoen bizia, eta bizia gizakien argia zen; 5 argi horrek ilunpetan egiten du argi, baina ilunpeek ez zuten onartu. 6 Agertu zen gizon bat Jainkoak bidalia; Joan zuen izena. Testigu izatera etorri zen, argiaz testigantza egitera, beraren mezuaren bidez sinets zezaten.8 Ez zen hura argia, argiaren testigantza egin behar zuena baizik. 9 Hitza zen egiazko argia, mundura etorriz gizaki guztiak argitzen dituena. 10 Munduan zegoen eta, mundua haren bidez egina izan arren, mundukoek ez zuten onartu. 11 Bere etxera etorri zen, baina beretarrek ez zuten onartu.

12 Onartu zuten guztiei, ordea, berarengan sinesten dutenei, alegia, Jainkoaren seme-alaba izateko ahalmena eman zien. 13 Hauek ez dira giza odolekoak, ezta gizakiaren borondatez sortuak ere, Jainkoarengandik jaioak baizik. 14 Eta Hitza gizon egin zen

eta gure artean jarri bizitzen. Ikusi dugu haren Jainko-aintza, Aitarengandik maitasun eta egiaz vetea datorren Seme bakarrari dagokion aintza.

15 Joanek beronetaz egin zuen testigantza, oihu eginez: «Honetaz ari nintzen ni, “Nire ondoren datorrena nire gainetik dago, ni baino lehenagokoa baitzen” esan nuenean». 16 Izan ere, guztiok hartu dugu haren betearen betetik,

eta maitasuna maitasunaren gain hartu ere. 17 Legea Moisesen bidez eman zen; maitasuna eta egia, berriz, Jesus Mesiasen bidez. 18 Jainkoa ez du inork inoiz ikusi; Aitaren baitan dagoen eta Jainko den Seme bakarrak eman digu haren berri.

 

In the suffering human face, we see God

The Fourth Gospel begins with a special prologue. It is a kind of hymn, which from the earliest centuries helped Christians decisively to deepen the mystery enshrined in Jesus. If we listen to it with simple faith, even today it can help us to believe in Jesus in a deeper way. Let’s stop at some central claims.

The Word of God became flesh.” God does not remain silent. God has not been mute, locked forever in his own Mystery. God wanted to communicate with us. God wanted to talk to us, to tell us how much He loves us, and to explain what His project was concerning us. Jesus is simply that very project of God made flesh, visible and palpable.

God did not communicate with us through concepts and sublime doctrines, which only learned people, can understand. His Word is became concrete in the intimate and tender life of Jesus, so that all people, even the simplest one, could understand. Only those who are moved and empowered by the kindness, love and truth that lies in God can understand this project.

This Word of God “made his dwelling among us.” Gone are the distances. God became “flesh.” God dwells among us. To meet him, we do not have to go out of the world but to synchronize with Jesus. To know God we do not have to study theology, but to tune with Jesus, “sym-pathize” with him, to “com-municate” with him.

No one has ever seen God.” The prophets, priests, scribes and the kind talked a lot about God, but none of them had seen HIS face. The same is true today among us: in the Church we talk much of God, but nobody have seen. Only Jesus, “the Son of God, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made him known to us.”

We must not forget this. Only Jesus has told us what God is like. Only Jesus is the source and the way to get us closer to the mystery of God.

There are so many unhuman and diminishing ideas of God we have learn that we need to get rid of unlearn to let us be once again be attracted and seduced by God who appears to us in Jesus.

Everything changes when one finally grasps that Jesus is the human face of God. In Jesus, everything becomes simpler and clearer. In Jesus, we know how God sees us when we suffer, how He searches for us when we get lost in our live, how He understands and forgives even when we deny Him. In Jesus, the “grace and truth” of God is revealed to us.

Jesusengan ikusten dugu Jainkoa. Jesusen hitzak, Jesusen joerak, eta Jesusen bizimoduan ikusten dugu Jainkoa

 

Sunday December 21, 2014 Fourth Sunday of Advent (B)

Gospel Lk 1: 26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Ebanjelioa Luka 1: 26-38

26 Handik sei hilabetera, Jainkoak Gabriel aingerua bidali zuen Nazaret zeritzan Galileako herri batera, 27 birjina batengana; birjinak Maria zuen izena, eta Jose zeritzan Daviden jatorriko gizon batekin ezkontzeko hitzemana zegoen. 28 Aingeruak, Mariarenean sarturik, esan zion: –Agur, Jainkoaren gogoko hori! Jauna zurekin. 29 Hitz hauek entzutean, ikaratu egin zen Maria eta agur horrek zer esan nahi ote zuen galdetzen zion bere buruari. 30 Aingeruak esan zion: –Ez beldurtu, Maria! Jainkoak gogoko zaitu. 31 Hara, haurdun gertatuko zara, semea izango duzu eta Jesus ipiniko diozu izena. 32 Handia izango da, Goi-goikoaren Seme deituko diote, eta bere aita Daviden tronua emango dio Jainko Jaunak. 33 Israel herriko errege izango da betiko, eta beraren erregetzak ez du azkenik izango. 34 Mariak esan zion aingeruari: –Baina nola gerta daiteke hori, ez bainaiz gizon batekin bizi? 35 Aingeruak erantzun zion: –Espiritu Santua etorriko da zuregana eta Goi goikoaren indarrak hodeiak bezala estaliko zaitu; horregatik, zuregandik jaioko dena santua izango da eta Jainkoaren Seme deituko diote. 36 Begira, Elisabet zure lehengusina ere haurdun gertatu da bere zaharrean eta sei hilabeteko dago agorra omen zena; 37 Jainkoarentzat ez baita ezer ezinezkorik.38 Orduan, esan zuen Mariak: –Hona hemen Jaunaren mirabea. Gerta bekit zuk esan bezala. Eta aingeruak utzi egin zuen.

Amazing News

Lucas narrates the announcement of the birth of Jesus in close parallel with that of John the Baptist. The contrasts between the two stories are so amazing that they allows us to glimpse with new light, the mystery of God incarnate in Jesus.

On the one hand, the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist takes place in “Jerusalem,” capital of Israel, the political and religious center of the Jewish people. On the other hand, the birth of Jesus takes place in an unknown small village on the hills of Galilee. An irrelevant village, called “Nazareth,” in the political and religious periphery of the Jewish nation, from where “nobody expects anything good can come out.” Years later, people from these irrelevant and humble villages welcomed the Good News of Jesus, announcing the goodness of God, whereas people of Jerusalem rejected it. Usually, the small and insignificant people are the ones who best understand and embrace God incarnate in Jesus.

The announcement of the birth of John the Baptist takes place in the sacred space of the “Temple,” whereas that of Jesus happens in a poor house of a “village.” Jesus wants to be present there where the simple and poor people live, work, enjoy and suffer. Jesus shares his life with them by relieving their suffering and offering the forgiveness of the Father. God became flesh, not to stay in temples, but to “make his dwelling among men” and share our lives.

The announcement of the birth of the Baptist was heard by a venerable “male,” the priest Zechariah, during a solemn ritual celebration. That of Jesus is made to Mary, a “young” girl of about twelve years old. The story does not specify where she was or what she was doing. Who may be interested in the work of a woman anyway? However, Jesus, the Son of God incarnate, will look at women differently, will defend their dignity and will welcome them among his disciples.

Finally, while the Baptist will be born of Zechariah and Elizabeth, an aged and sterile couple, blessed by God, the birth of Jesus takes place in a radically and absolutely new way: the Messiah will be born of Mary, a young virgin. The Spirit of God will be at the origin of his appearance in the world. Therefore, this Jesus “will be called Son of God.” The Savior of the world is not to be born from the love of a husband and wife who love each other. Jesus was to be born as the first fruit of God’s Love for humankind. Thus, Jesus is not a gift Mary and Joseph make us. Jesus is a gift God make us.

I wish you all a holy and blessed Christmas!

Jesus, Jainkoikoak egiten digun opari bat da. Opari hau ez digu Olentzero begigorrik emartzen. Jainkoak berak ematen digu esku zabalez.

Gabon Zoriontsu bat opa dizuet guzioi!

Sunday December 14, 2014 Third Sunday of Advent (B) Gospel Jn 1: 6-8; 19-28 A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’” as Isaiah the prophet said.” Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.Ebanjelioa Joan 1: 6-8; 19-28 6 Agertu zen gizon bat Jainkoak bidalia; Joan zuen izena. 7 Testigu izatera etorri zen, argiaz testigantza egitera, beraren mezuaren bidez sinets zezaten. 8 Ez zen hura argia, argiaren testigantza egin behar zuena baizik. 19 Judu-agintariek apaiz- eta lebitar-talde bat bidali zioten Joani Jerusalemdik nor zen galdetzera20 Hark argi eta garbi aitortu zuen: –Ni ez naiz Mesias. 21 –Orduan, zer? Elias zara? –galdetu zioten. Joanek erantzun: –Ez. –Etortzekoa den profeta zara? Hark erantzun: –Ez.  22 Berriro galdetu zioten: –Nor zaitugu, bada? Bidali gaituztenei erantzunen bat eraman behar diegu. Zer diozu zeure buruaz?23 Joanek, Isaias profetaren hitzak aipatuz, esan zuen: –Ni, «Prestatu bidea Jaunari» basamortuan oihuka ari denaren ahotsa naiz.  24 Talde hartako batzuk fariseuak ziren. 25 Hauek galdetu zioten:   –Beraz, Mesias ez bazara, ez Elias, ezta etortzekoa den profeta ere, nola ari zara bataiatzen? 26 Joanek erantzun zien: –Nik urez bataiatzen dut; zeuen artean baduzue, ordea, ezagutzen ez duzuen bat, 27 nire ondoren datorrena, eta ni ez naiz inor hari oinetako lokarriak askatzeko ere. 28 Hau dena Betanian gertatu zen, Jordan ibaiaren beste aldean, han ari baitzen Joan bataiatzen.Vocabulary/Hiztegia: Agertu, appear Testigu, witness Argia, light Nor zen galdetzera, Who (he) was to ask Argi eta garbi aitortu, clear and clean confess; to respond right to the point Etortzekoa den profeta, to come is prophet; the prophet who is to come Berriro, again Bataiatu, to baptizeOinetako lokarriak askatu, shoelaces untie   Jesus, the Great UnknownJohn is the one who paved the way before Jesus. This was the idea the first Christian generations had of John the Baptist. John tells us “there is one among you whom you do not recognize.” John’s words pose disturbing questions for us who claim today to follow on the footsteps of Jesus: Do we really know Jesus? Are we one mind and one heart with Jesus? Are we ready to follow Jesus closely? It is obvious we always speak about Jesus. Theoretically, there is nothing more important in the church than Jesus: He is the center, la raison d’être, of the whole life of the Christian life. However often we seem to move on around with our own ideas and preparing our strategic pastoral projects, activities and collections. We often seem to give more importance to church structures, doctrine, moral issues and cannon law. We trash Jesus and his message into the back seat by spiritualizing it. It is we ourselves the ones who hid Jesus because we like to show our protagonism: “we are in command.” I am afraid I must recognize that the greatest misfortune of so many men and women who confess to be “Christian” is that their heart is empty: Jesus does not inhabit in them. They do not know Jesus. They do not vibrate with Jesus and his great dream of establishing the Kingdom of God among us. Jesus has lost HIS attraction and seduction power in them. Jesus has been reduced to an inert and lifeless mental idea. Jesus does not talk to them any longer and does not invigorate them. Such a Christian community desperately needs real “witnesses” of Jesus, bold believers who dare to live more like Jesus, valiant Christians who, with their lifestyle, enable to prepare new roads and paths for other people to believe and follow Christ. We need witnesses who speak of God like Jesus did, who are capable of transmitting God’s message of compassion as Jesus did, capable to inspire people and transform them into disciples of Jesus. What for good are our catechesis and preaching if we are not able to seduce people to follow into the footsteps of Jesus? What for good are our Eucharistic celebrations if we do not really communicate with Jesus, his way of thinking, his lifestyle, and his readiness to die on the Cross-for others? In the Church no one is “the light” (only Jesus is), however we can irradiate it through our personal lives. No one is “the Word of God” (only Jesus is) however, everyone can become a loudspeaker of God’s message.Jesus da Jainko errukiaren lekuko. Gu ere, gure ekintz eta hitzekin errukiaren lekuko izatera deituak gara.

  Sunday December 7, 2014 Second Sunday of Advent (B) Gospel Mk 1: 1-8 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Ebanjelioa Markos 1: 1-8 1 Hona hemen nola hasi zen Mesias eta Jainkoaren Seme den Jesusen berri ona. 2 Isaias profetak idatzia zuen: Begira, neure mezularia bidaltzen dut zure aurretik zuri bidea moldatzera3 Ahots bat oihuka ari dabasamortuan: Prestatu bidea Jaunari, zuzendu bidexkak hariHonela, bada, agertu zen Joan Bataiatzailea basamortuan. Bihozberritzeko eta bataiatzeko hots egiten zuen, bekatuen barkamenerako. Judea herrialde osoa eta jerusalemdar guztiak harengana zihoazen eta, beren bekatuak aitortzen zituztela, Joanek bataiatu egiten zituen Jordan ibaian. 6 Joanek gamelu-ilezko jantzia zuen soineko eta larruzko uhala gerriko;matxinsaltoak eta basaeztia jaten zituen. 7 Honela hots egiten zuen: «Nire ondoren dator ni baino ahaltsuago dena, eta ni ez naiz inor makurtu eta haren oinetakoen lokarriak askatzeko ere. 8 Nik urez bataiatu zaituztet; hark, ordea, Espiritu Santuaz bataiatuko zaituzte».   Vocabulary-Hitzegia Mezularia, messenger Bidea moldatzera, the way to prepare Ahots, voice Basamortuan, desert (in the)Bihozberritzeko, heart to renew (convert) bekatuak aitortzen, sins to confess Uhala, belt Matxinsaltoak, locusts Basaeztia, wild honeyoinetakoen lokarriak, shoes thongs   Convert to encounter with Jesus“Beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.” This is the solemn and joyful beginning of Mark’s Gospel. Then, abruptly and without any warning, he starts talking about the urgent need of conversion of all the people preparing to welcome their Messiah and Lord. In the desert a different prophet appears. He comes to “prepare the way of the Lord.” This is precisely his great service to Jesus. His prophetic call is directed not only to the individual consciences. John looks beyond the individual moral conversion. It is about “preparing the way of the Lord,” a specific and well-defined path, the path that Jesus will continue building and by so doing, he is to radically move away from the conventional expectations of many. Many expected a liturgical reformer or a political leader. The reaction of the people is moving. According to Mark, many decide to leave Judea and Jerusalem and enter back into the “desert” to hear the voice of the One calling them to become a new converted people. The desert reminded them of their former allegiance to God, as their Friend and Ally. The desert was always the best place to hear the call to conversion. It was in the desert where God would seduce His bride, the people of Israel. It was in the desert where the people became aware of the situation in which they lived: a life in sin, selfishness and lack of solidarity. It was in the desert where people experienced the need to change themselves and to transform the society; it was in the desert where people recognized their sins without bursting blame on each other; it was in the dryness of the desert where people really felt the need of God’s salvation. According to Mark, the people “confessed their sins” and John “baptized them”. The conversion that requires our way of living our Christianity cannot be improvised. It requires a long time of meditation and inner work. We need a long period to make Jesus to be the center of our lives. We need to be aware of the radical personal transformation Jesus demands from each one of us. Then, we will be able to transform also our society: to make of it to become the Kingdom of God. Our biggest temptation, as it was in the times of Jesus, may be to refuse to enter into the “desert” and to circumvent the need for conversion. We resist listening to any voice, which invite us to change, or to renounce our big Ego, and to live in solidarity with the needy. To avoid being challenged by Jesus’ radical call, we allow ourselves to be distracted by anything. We lack the courage to embrace Jesus and let ourselves be transformed by Him. The image of the Jewish people “confessing their sins” is admirable. Maybe, we Christians today need to make a collective examination of conscience, at all levels, (social, political, financial-economic, ecclesiastical) to recognize our past and present mistakes and sins. Without this recognition (personal and communitarian) of sin, it does not seem possible to “prepare the way of the Lord.” Jaunaren etorrerako bide berriak urratu eta prestatu behar ditugu. Irten gaitezen gure ahuleriatik eta utz dezaiogun Jesusi gure bihotzak aldatzen.

Sunday November 30, 2014 First Sunday of Advent (B) Gospel Mk 13: 33-37 Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”Ebanjelioa Marko 13: 33-37 33 «Kontuz, bada! Egon erne! Ez baitakizue ordua noiz den. 34 Gizon bat urrutira doanean bezala da: morroien gain uzten du bere etxea, bakoitzari bere lana emanez, eta zain egoteko agintzen dio atezainari. 35 «Egon zain, beraz, ez baitakizue etxeko jauna noiz etorriko den: arratsean, gauerdian, oilarrak jotzean ala goizean. 36 Ez zaitzatela ustekabean etorri eta lotan aurki. 37 Zuei esaten dizuedan hau, denentzat esaten dut: Egon zain!»   Dare to Dream The first Christian generations lived obsessed by the imminent coming of Jesus. The Risen Lord could not be far from them. They were so caught up by the fresh memories of Jesus that the community only wished to be with him as soon as possible. As the time passed by and the Lord´s coming delayed, the communities were disheartened and canonical order replaced lively improvisation. With time, the small communities slowly felt into indifference and amnesia. They were worried about one thing: “What if the coming of Christ would find us asleep”. Being “awake” became the catch phrase. The Gospels repeat it constantly with different wording: “Keep watch” “Be ready” “Stay awake.” In addition, it could added “dare to dream.” Mark tells us that Jesus´ command is not just for the disciples who are listening to him. “What I´m saying to you I say to all: Stay awake”. It´s not a new calling. It´s a commandment for all his followers for all times. Indeed, for all peoples at all times. Twenty centuries of Christianity have passed. What has become of Jesus´ commandment? How are we living it today? Are we staying awake? Are we keeping our faith alive or has it not burnt out through indifference and mediocrity? As we look at the world around us: violence, war, forced immigration, political dishonesty, economic and financial chaos… haven’t we stop dreaming that with Jesus we can built up the Kingdom of God? We are tired and sleepy. Also the Church needs a new heart. We all need to shake ourselves out of apathy and self-deception. We need to awaken and revive that small faith and trust in Jesus who comes to, together with us, build that dream of the creation of a new earth and new heaven. We need to fall in love again with Jesus and let him transform us by giving us a new heart. We need to realize that if we slumber we will lose the power of seduction and attraction. Therefore, we will become a Community of Jesus without future, one that goes on burning out and growing old because of lack of faith. We need to wake up and intensify our relationship with Jesus. Only Jesus can free our Christianity from its paralysis, its inertia, the weight of the past, and lack of creativity. Let us dare to dream the big dream of Jesus. Erne egon gaitezen, Jesusekin batean izaki berri bat izanez, mundu eta zeru berri bat eraiki ahal dezagun.

Sunday November 23, 2014 The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (A) Gospel Mt 25: 31-46 Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Ebanjelioa Mateo 25: 31-46 31 «Gizonaren Semea, aingeru guztiak lagun dituela, aintzaz beterik etortzean, bere errege-aulkian eseriko da. 32 Herriak oro haren aurrean bilduko dituzte. Hark batzuk besteengandik bereizi egingo ditu, artzainakardiak akerretatik bereizten dituen bezala, 33 eta ardiak bere eskuinean eta akerrak ezkerrean ezarriko ditu. 34 Orduan, erregeak eskuinekoei esango die: “Zatozte, nire Aitaren bedeinkatuok; hartzazue munduaren sortzetik zuentzat prestatua dagoen erreinua. 35 Gose bainintzen eta jaten eman zenidaten; egarri, eta edaten eman; arrotz, eta etxean hartu ninduzuen; 36 biluzik nengoen, eta jantzi egin ninduzuen; gaixo, eta bisitatu; kartzelan, eta ikustera etorri”.37 Orduan, zintzoek esango diote: “Jauna, baina noiz aurkitu zintugun goseak eta jaten eman genizun, edo egarriak eta edaten eman? 38 Noiz aurkitu zintugun arrotz eta etxean hartu, edo larrugorri aurkitu eta jantzi? 39 Noiz aurkitu zintugun gaixo edo kartzelan eta ikustera joan?” 40 Eta erregeak erantzungo die: “Benetan diotsuet: Nire seniderik txikien hauetako edozeini egin zeniotena, neuri egin zenidaten”. 41 «Gero, ezkerrekoei esango die: “Alde niregandik urruti, madarikatuok, deabruarentzat eta haren lagunentzat prestatua dagoen betiko sutara.42 Gose bainintzen eta ez zenidaten jaten eman; egarri, eta edaten eman ez; 43 arrotz, eta ez ninduzuen etxean hartu; biluzik, eta ez ninduzuen jantzi; gaixo eta kartzelan, eta ez zineten ikustera etorri”. 44 Orduan, haiek ere esango diote: “Jauna, baina noiz aurkitu zintugun gose edo egarri, arrotz edo larrugorri, gaixo edo kartzelan, eta guk lagundu ez?” 45 Hark erantzungo die: “Benetan diotsuet: Txikien hauetako edozeini egin ez zeniotena, neuri ez zenidaten egin”. 46 Eta hauek betiko zigorretara joango dira; zintzoak, berriz, betiko bizitzara».   Vocabulary-Hiztegia: Oro, all; Herriak oro, all peoplesBereizi, separate, distinguish, differentiate Ardiak, sheep Akerrak, goatsZatozte, Come (to me) Gose, hungry Egarri, thirsty Arrotz, foreignerBiluzik, naked Gaixo, sick Kartzelan, prison, in prison Alde, Get away!  Compassion: It is Now or Never The Gospel sources are unambiguous. Jesus lived totally committed to those he saw helpless. He was incapable to pass by them without touching their lives. No suffering was alien to him. He identified himself with the little ones and tried to do for them what he could. For him compassion came first. Showing compassion was the only way we can show our similarity with God: “Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.” No wonder, then, that Jesus, when speaking of the Last Judgment, will make compassion and our ability to identify ourselves with him, to be the final and most decisive criteria to judge our lives. No wonder to witness Jesus fully identified with all the poor and wretched in human history. According to Matthew’s account, there stand before the Son of Man, i.e., before Jesus the compassionate, “all nations.” There are no differences made between “chosen people” and “pagan people.” Nothing is said about different religions and cults. It speaks rather of something very human and that everyone understands: What have we done for all those who have lived in suffering? It is not the intention of the evangelist to describe the details of a trial. What stands out is a double dialogue that sheds a great light upon our present life, and challenges us to opens our eyes to see that, ultimately, there are only two ways to react in front of suffering: either we show compassion and help them or we shirk our duty and abandon them. The one sitting on the throne is a judge who is totally identified with all the poor and needy “‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Those who have helped the needy are the ones who approached Jesus. Thus, they deserve to be with him in the kingdom, “‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.” Then he addressed those who lived without compassion: “‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.” Those who turned away from the suffering people have turned away also from Jesus. It makes sense that he now tells them, “‘Depart from me…” Go your way … It is now when we are deciding our future and eternal life. Do not expect any trial. It is now and here that we are getting closer or moving away from the suffering. It is now and here that we are getting closer or moving away from Christ. It is here and now that are deciding. Orain eta hemen erabakitzen da gure betiko bizitza: errukia agertuz edo besteak, ttikiak eta pobreak ahaztuz. Ez dago beste epairik.

Sunday November 16, 2014 Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)Gospel Mt 25: 14-30 Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’” Ebanjelioa Mateo 25: 14-30 14 «Jainkoaren erregetzarekin, atzerrira irten behar zuen gizonarekin bezala gertatzen da. Bere morroiei dei egin eta ondasunak utzi zizkien: 15 bati bost talentu, beste bati bi eta besteari bat, bakoitzari bere trebetasunaren arabera. Gero, alde egin zuen. 16 Bost talentu hartu zituenak inbertitu egin zituen berehala eta beste bost irabazi. 17 Orobat bi talentu hartu zituenak: inbertitu eta beste bi irabazi zituen. 18 Bat bakarra hartu zuenak, aldiz, lurrean zuloa egin eta bertan gorde zuen nagusiaren dirua.19 «Handik denbora askora, etorri zen nagusia eta morroiei kontuak hartzen hasi zitzaien. 20 Aurreratu zen bost talentu hartu zituena eta beste bost aurkeztu zizkion, esanez: “Jauna, bost talentu utzi zenizkidan; hona beste bost nik irabaziak”. 21 Nagusiak esan zion: “Ederki, morroi on eta leiala! Gauza gutxian leial izan zara, askoren buru ipiniko zaitut; sartu zeure jaunaren festa ospatzera”. 22 Aurreratu zen, gero, bi talentuduna eta esan zion: “Jauna, bi talentu utzi zenizkidan; hona beste bi nik irabaziak”. 23 Nagusiak esan zion: “Ederki, morroi on eta leiala! Gauza gutxian leial izan zara, askoren buru ipiniko zaitut; sartu zeure jaunaren festa ospatzera”. 24 Aurreratu zen talentu bakarra hartu zuena eta esan zion: “Banekien gizon zorrotza zarena, erein ez duzun tokian hartzen eta zabaldu ez duzun tokian biltzen duzuna; 25 beldur nintzen, eta zure talentua lurrean ezkutatu nuen. Hona zeure dirua!” 26 Nagusiak erantzun zion: “Ai morroi gaizto eta alferra! Bazenekien erein ez dudan tokian hartzen dudana eta zabaldu ez dudan tokian biltzen. 27 Beraz, bankuan jarri behar zenuen nire dirua, itzultzean bere korrituekin jaso nezan. 28 Ken iezaiozue, bada, talentua eta eman hamar dituenari. 29 Izan ere, fruitua dakarrenari eman egingo zaio, eta gainezka izango du; fruiturik ez dakarrenari, ordea, daukan apurra ere kendu egingo zaio. 30 Eta ezertarako gauza ez den morroi hau jaurti kanpora, ilunpetara. Negarra eta hortz-karraska izango dira han”. Dare to bid for Jesus and the Gospel Despite its apparent innocence, the parable of the talents contains an explosive message. Surprisingly, the “third servant” is condemned without having committed any wrongdoing. His only mistake is to “do nothing;” he does not risk his talent, it does not bear fruit, it remains intact in a safe place. The message of Jesus is clear. “No” to conservatism and “yes” to creativity. “No” to a sterile life, and “yes” to an active response to God. “No” to the obsession of searching for security, and “yes” to making risky efforts to transform the world. “No” to a faith buried under conformism and apathy and “yes” to a committed life-style, which dares to open new paths to the work of God’s kingdom. The great sin of the followers of Jesus can be than of not taking risks to always follow Jesus in a creative manner. It is interesting to observe the type of language we Christians have used or heard frequently over the years in order to see in what aspects we have often focused our attention: preserve the deposit of faith; preserving the tradition; preserve decency; preserve the grace; preserve the vocation… This temptation of conservatism is stronger in times of religious crisis. It is easy then to invoke the need to control orthodoxy, reinforce discipline and norms; ensure at least the present membership of the Church … Everything can be explained, but is not all these often a way to betray the freshness and demands of the gospel and freeze the creativity of the Spirit? For religious leaders and the responsibles of the Christian communities it may, of course, be more comfortable just to “repeat” monotonically the inherited ways and arguments of the past, and to ignore the questions, contradictions and approaches, with which modern people challenge us. What good is all of these if we are not capable of transmitting Gospel’s light and hope to the suffering and problems that trouble men and women of our days? The attitudes we need to cherish today inside the Church are not called “prudence”, “fidelity to the past”, “resignation” … They must rather carry other names such as “creative search”, “bold”, “capacity to take risks”, “attentive listening to the Spirit” that makes everything new. The worst thing may be, just as it happened to the third servant in the parable, that we also end up believing (when we don’t live the way we think, we end up thinking the way we live) that we are responding faithfully to God with our conservative approach, when, in fact, we disappoint Him in HIS expectations about us. The primary task of the church today cannot be preserving the past, but to communicate boldly the Good News of Jesus amidst unprecedented sociocultural changes of our society. Ez izan beldurrik: zuek zabal ezazue Berri Ona, egoki dakizutenean eta ez egoki dakizutenean. Ez izan alferrak!

Sunday November 9, 2014 Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome Gospel Jn 2: 13-22 Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken. Ebanjelioa Joan 2: 13-22 13 Hurbil zen juduen Pazko-jaia, eta Jerusalemera joan zen Jesus.14 Tenpluan merkatariak aurkitu zituen idiardi eta usoak saltzen, etadiru-trukatzaileak ere bai, han eserita. 15 Jesusek, lokarriz zartailu bat eginez, tenplutik kanpora bota zituen denak, baita ardiak eta idiak ere; eta trukatzaileen diruak sakabanatu eta mahaiak irauli egin zituen. 16 Uso-saltzaileei esan zien: «Kendu hemendik hau dena. Ez egin nire Aitaren etxea merkatu-etxe». 17 Ikasleei, Liburu Santuak dioena etorri zitzaiengogora: Zure tenpluaren maiteminak erreko nau18 Orduan, galdetu zioten judu-agintariek: –Zer seinale ematen diguzu hori egiteko aginpideaduzula frogatzeko19 Jesusek erantzun zien: –Desegizue tenplu hau eta hiru egunetan berreraikiko dut. 20 Juduek ihardetsi zioten: –Berrogeita sei urte behar izan dira tenplu hau eraikitzeko, eta zuk hiru egunetan berreraikiko duzula? 21 Hura, ordea, bere gorputzaren tenpluaz ari zen.22 Horregatik, hildakoen artetik piztu zenean, esandako hori gogoratu zitzaien haren ikasleei, eta sinetsi egin zuten Liburu Santuko eta Jesusek esandako hitza.Vocabulary-Hiztegia: Hurbil, near, nearing Merkatariak, businesspeopleIdi, oxen Ardi, sheep Usoak, doves Saltzen, selling; saldu-sell; A-tzen, Verb-doing something diru-trukatzaileak, money changers Lokarriz, cords, something-z, doing something out of Zartailu, whip Sakabanatu, drive awayMahaiak, tables Irauli, overturning Gogora, mind (come up to the mind), remember Maiteminak, love, a passionate love Aginpidea, authorityFrogatzeko, prove Desegizue, undo or destroy Berreraikiko, rebuild (berriro eraiki, again build) Ihardetsi, argue, speak against with strong wording   Religion as Opium of People The four gospels pick up the episode of the intervention of Jesus in the temple of Jerusalem. It is John who describes Jesus’ action more graphically: with a whip, Jesus drives away from the sacred precincts the animals being sold for slaughter, overturns the tables of the moneychangers and spills the currencies on the floor. From HIS lips comes out a scream, “Do not turn the house of my Father into a market.” This was the gesture, which triggered his arrest and rapid execution. Attacking the temple was equal to attacking the heart of the Jewish people: the center of their religious, social and economic life. The temple was untouchable. There in lived the God of Israel. Jesus, however, feels as an outsider in this place: this temple is not the house of his Father, but a market. In this action, some scholars have seen Jesus’ effort to “purify” a religion considered too “primitive” by replacing it with a more dignified worship with less bloody rites. However, Jesus’ prophetic gesture has a more radical meaning: God cannot be the excuse to maintain a religion in which everyone seeks his/her own interest. Jesus could not recognize in this temple the “family of God,” which he has started to form with his first disciples in order to establish the Kingdom of God. In the temple, which Jesus turned upside-down, no one seemed to remember the poor and malnourished peasants which the political and religious leadership of the time threw into the dusty roads of the villages of Galilee. These poor peasants were not welcome in that temple. Jesus saw that the Father of the poor could not reign from this temple. With his prophetic gesture, Jesus is denouncing the root causes of the religious, political and economic system that forgets the poor, the preferred children of God. This Jesus’ prophetic action has to be a warning for us, his followers, and invite us to ask what kind of religion we are building in our temples. The religion and the temple of the followers of Jesus must always be at the service of the Kingdom of God and HIS righteousness. We must not forget that Christianity is a prophetic religion born of the Spirit of Jesus in order to open new roads to making possible the presence of the kingdom of God by building a more humane and fraternal world, the salvation of God. If not, Marx’s famous expression “religion is the opium of the masses” will turn to be true. Jesusek eraiki nahi duen eliza, ez da etxe bat, baizik elkarte bat, non, justizia, bakea, maitasuna eta anaitasuna Jainkoaren agerpena den.

Sunday November 2, 2014 The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)  Gospel Jn 6: 37-40 Jesus said to the crowds: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” Ebanjelioa Joan 6: 37-40 Aldi hartan honela mintzatu zitzaien Jesus: 37 Aitak niri ematen dizkidan guztiak niregana hurbilduko dira eta niregana hurbiltzen denik ez dut inola ere kanpora botako, 38 ez bainaiz zerutik jaitsi neure nahia egitera, bidali nauenaren nahia egitera baizik. 39 Eta hauxe da bidali nauenaren nahia: berak eman dizkidan guztietatik, ez dezadala bat ere gal, baizik eta piztuditzadala azken egunean. 40 Hauxe da nire Aitak nahi duena: Semea ikus eta harengan sinets dezanak betiko bizia izan dezala; eta neuk piztuko dut azken egunean.   Vocabulary-Hiztegia: Hurbil, get close; come nearKanpora bota, throw away Nahia, will Gal, get lost Piztu, resurrect Sinets, believe   Into Your Hands, Lord! People today do not know what to do with death. Sometimes the only thing we can think of is just to ignore it and not to talk about it. We try to forget this sad event, meet the necessary religious or civil proceedings and return as soon as possible to the normality of our daily lives. However, eventually, death will visit our homes snatching away our loved ones. How do we react when death takes forever away from us our mother, or father, husband or wife, daughter or son? What to do with the deep sorrow and emptiness created in our lives with the departure of our friends and loved ones? Death is a door through which each one of us will have to walk alone. Once the door is crossed, dead hides away from us forever the reality of the one who has passed away. We do not know what has become of that person. That person, so near and dear to us, is lost now in the unfathomable mystery of God. How do you relate? How to relate to our ancestors? This is the core question, which all religions and cultures in the world try to answer. For us who follow Jesus, death is not an event, which we witness passively. With full faith in the Risen Christ, and moved by this thrust, we accompany HIM with love and prayer in this mysterious way towards the final encounter with God. When Christians celebrate the liturgy for the dead, there is no distress, revolt or despair. The heart of the liturgy is just a prayer of trust: “Into your hands, Father of goodness, we entrust the life of our loved one.” What sense does it make in each one of us today those funerals where people of different sensitivities are confronted with the mystery of death? What can we, believers, less believers or unbelievers, do together? Throughout these years, we may have changed much inside: We have become more critical or “scientific,” but also more fragile and vulnerable; we may be more skeptical, but also more insecure. We do not find it easy to believe, but it is hard also not to believe. We live full of doubts and uncertainties, and it seem harder to find a hope on which to anchor our lives. As a father or mother, confronted with the untimely death of their child, we can always express to the loved one who has died: “I love you, you are in my heart, you will remain forever in my memory, but I do not know how to meet you or what to do for you. My faith is weak and I do not know how to pray. I entrust you to God’s love, and I leave you into HIS hands. God’s love is for you today safer than anything I can offer you. Enjoy the fullness of your new life. God loves you in a way I have never been able to love. One day we shall meet again.” Heriotzaren atetik sarturik Jainkoaren gozotasuna tastatzen dugu.

Sunday October 26, 2014 Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Gospel Mt 22: 34-40 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Ebanjelioa Mateo 22: 34-40 34 Jesusek saduzearrak hitzik gabe utzi zituela jakitean, fariseuak elkarrekin bildu ziren, 35 eta beraietako lege-gizon batek galdetu zion Jesusiazpikeriaz36 –Maisu, zein da legeko agindurik nagusiena37 Jesusek erantzun: –Maita ezazu Jauna, zeure Jainkoa, bihotz-bihotzez, gogo osoz eta adimen guztiz. 38 Hori da agindurik nagusiena eta lehena. 39 Eta bigarrena, ez garrantzi gutxiagokoa, hauxe da: Maitatu lagun hurkoa zeure burua bezala. 40 Bi agindu hauetan oinarritzen dira Liburu Santu guztiak.   Vocabulary-Hiztegia: Lege-gizon, man of the law, lawyer Azpikeriaz, with second intentions; to temptAgindurik, commandment Nagusiena, the most, the utmost Garrantzi, importance   Only Love is Worth Believing   Christian religion is, for not few, a religious system very difficult to understand and, above all, it sounds like a set of laws too complicated to live out and to bring people any closer God. Don’t do we Christians need to focus our attention and concern more on caring above all, about that, which is the essence of the Christian experience? The Gospels have collected Jesus’ response to a sector of Pharisees who asked him about the greatest commandment of the Law. Therefore, Jesus answers them by summarizing that, which He believed is the most basic and the essence of the Jewish Law. First comes the command to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind;” the second commandment is “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus’ statement is crystal clear. Love is everything. Love is the decisive factor in life. Love is the source and foundation of everything. Our first call is to live before God and before our brothers and sisters, indeed with all the creation, in an attitude of love. We are not to get lost in accidental and secondary things, forgetting that which the essential is. Love is the source from which everything else emanates. Without love, everything is perverted. In speaking of the love of God, Jesus is not thinking about the feelings or emotions that can spring forth from our hearts; nor is HE inviting us to multiply our prayers and devotions. To love the Lord our God with all our heart is to recognize God as the ultimate source of our existence; it is to let the awakening in us of a full commitment to do HIS will, and to respond with unconditional love to HIS universal Father-like love to all. That is why Jesus adds a second commandment. We cannot love God and turn our backs on our brothers and sisters and the whole creation. A religion, which preaches God’s love and forgets the suffering of the brothers and sisters, is a big lie. The only truly human attitude towards anyone we find in our way is to love and seek his or her well-being, as we would like it for ourselves. All of this language may seem too old, too worn out and ineffective. However, even today, the first problem in the world is lack of love, which slowly is dehumanizing, one after another, many human efforts and struggles to build a more human society. Yet we may be able to find heroic acts of love on people who never heard of Jesus as when at the Japanese nuclear plant in Fukushima some retired technicians, knowing they were going to meet certain death, asked the younger technicians to abandon the pant to try to cool it off. Those people were not “officially” Christians; many may not even have known anything about Jesus. Yet, they accepted death simply to save the lives of their younger colleagues still rearing young children. This is a moving deed indeed, and we can say that one can still have hope in human beings. God is Love. Jainkoa maitasuna da. Maitatu lagun hurkoa zeure burua bezala. 40 Bi agindu hauetan oinarritzen dira Liburu Santu guztiak

Sunday October 19, 2014 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Gospel Mt 22: 15-21 The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Ebanjelioa Mateo 22: 15-21 15 Fariseuek elkar hartu zuten, Jesusi galdera bat eginez tranpa jartzeko16 Beraz, ikasle batzuk bidali zizkioten, Herodesen alderdikoekin, galdetzera: –Maisu, badakigu egiazale zarena eta Jainkoaren bidea behar bezala irakasten duzuna; inoren zeresanak ez dizu axolarik, ez baitiozu begiratzen gizakiaren itxurari17 Emaguzu, bada, zeure iritzia: zilegi al da Zesarri zerga ordaintzea, bai ala ez? 18 Haien maltzurkeria igarriz, Jesusek esan zien: –Zergatik zatozkidate zirika, itxurazaleok? 19 Ea, erakutsi zerga-txanpona. Haiek denario bat aurkeztu zioten. 20 Jesusek galdetu zien: –Norenak dira irudi eta izen hauek? 21 Erantzun zioten: –Zesarrenak. Jesusek, orduan: –Eman, bada, Zesarrena Zesarri eta Jainkoarena Jainkoari.   Vocabulary-Hiztegia: Elkar hartu, together to take; to plot Tranpa jartzeko, trap to put; to test; to catch him (in his words)Irakasten, teaching Inoren zeresanak, someone’s opinions (zer-esanak, what saying) Axolarik, concern Itxurari, appearances Iritzia, opinion Zerga, tax Maltzurkeria igarriz, malice, bad intention; igarriz=realizing Zirika, testing… challenging.   The Poor Belong to God Behind Jesus, the Pharisees agreed among them to prepare a critical trap to see how they could make HIM fall. They themselves do not dare to come to meet Jesus personally. They decided instead to send some of their followers backed and accompanied by some supporters of king Herod Antipas. Provably there were among these, also some powerful people, tax collectors, supporting the Roman rulers. The question is a tricky one and well thought out. “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” A negative answer immediately meant a rebellion against Rome. A positive answer would put into question Jesus’ love and commitment for the poor peasants of his time already overburdened by taxes. Jesus’ smart answer has been faithfully transmitted to us through centuries: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Few words attributed to Jesus have been so often quoted all along history and perhaps so distorted and manipulated by providing a meaning so far away from the intention of the Prophet, the defender of the poor. Jesus was not thinking about God and the Caesar of Rome as two separate and independent powers, each demanding in “their” field total submission from their subjects. As any other faithful Jew, Jesus knows that to God “belongs the earth and all that it contains, the world and all its inhabitants” (Psalm 24). What can be of the Caesar that does not belong to God? The subjects the emperor considers “his” are they not also the daughters and sons of God? Jesus does not stop to consider the different political positions of the time, which confronted the Herodians, Sadducees and Pharisees over paying suzerain tribute to Rome and the meaning of it: if they carry in their pockets, the “tax coin” let them fulfill their obligations! Nevertheless, Jesus shows that he does not live at the service of the Roman Empire, but rather He lives making inroads into the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Consequently, Jesus answers a question no one asked him: “Give to God what is God’s.” That is, do not give any Caesar what is God’s alone: the very life of HIS children. Jesus has announced it repeatedly in front of his followers, the poor belong to God, they are the little ones, HIS favorite people, and the kingdom of God belongs to them. No one has the right of taking advantage of them or abuse them. Jesus, like then, today too, denounces from the top of his voice that no other power is sacrificing the lives, the dignity and the happiness of millions of people as the present faceless and cruel dictatorship of the economic power, which is leading to more suffering, more hunger and more destruction. That is why Pope Francis has repeated several times that money has become the god, which symbolizes this new dictatorship, to which so many pay their taxes. We cannot remain living our Christian faith in passive and indifferent silence as we witness the growth of such a dictatorship. Eman, bada, Zesarrena Zesarri eta Jainkoarena Jainkoari

Sunday October 12, 2014 Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)Gospel Mt 22: 1-14 Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. The king said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.” Ebanjelioa Mateo 22: 1-14 1 Jesus berriro parabola bidez hitz egiten hasi zitzaien: 2 «Jainkoaren erregetzarekin, bere semearen ezteiak ospatzen zituen erregearekin bezala gertatzen da. 3 Bidali zituen morroiak gonbidatuei dei egitera. Baina haiek ez zuten etorri nahi izan. 4 Berriro beste morroi batzuk bidali zituen,mandatu honekin: “Esaiezue gonbidatuei: Hara, gertu daukat bazkaria; hilak ditut zezenak eta zekor gizenduak, dena dago prest. Zatozte ezteietara”. 5 Baina gonbidatuek ez zuten jaramonik egin: bata beresorora joan zen, bestea bere negozioetara, eta gainerakoek, morroiei heldurik, irainez bete eta hil egin zituzten. 7 Sumindu egin zen erregea eta, soldaduak bidaliz, hil egin zituen giza hiltzaile haiek eta su emanherriari. 8 Gero, bere morroiei esan zien: “Ezteiak prest daude, baina gonbidatuak ez ziren gai9 Zoazte, bada, bidegurutzeetara eta deitu ezteietara aurkitu ahala guztiak”. 10 Atera ziren morroiak bideetara eta aurkituriko guztiak bildu zituzten, on nahiz gaizto. Eztei-gela bazkaltiarrez bete zen. 11 Erregeak, bazkaltiarrak ikustera sartu zenean, eztei-jantzirik gabe zegoen bat ikusi zuen, 12 eta esan zion: “Adiskidea, nola sartu zara hemen eztei-jantzirik gabe?” Hark hitzik ez. 13 Erregeak mahai-zerbitzariei esan zien, orduan: “Lot ezazue hanka eta esku, eta bota kanpora, ilunpetara. Negarra eta hortz-karraska izango da han”. 14 Zeren gehiago baitira deituak aukeratuak baino».   Vocabulary-Hiztegia Ezteiak, wedding Morroiak, servants Gonbidatuei, invited, guests; gonbidatu (invited)-ei (to the) dei egitera, to call mandatu, errand, order zezenak, bulls zekor gizenduak, calves fattened dago prest, is ready Ez zuten jaramonik egin, they couldn’t care less Sorora, field; soroa, field, -ra to the irainez (bete), anger (full of)sumindu, to be in fire of anger su eman, fire to give, to burn gai, worthbidegurutzetara, cross-roads; bide=road; gurutze=cross; -tara= to the eztei-jantzirik gabe, wedding garment without adiskidea, friend lot, tie up   All are invited Jesus knew very well how the peasants of Galilee enjoyed being at weddings that were celebrated in the villages. Surely, Jesus himself took part in more than one. What could be a more joyful experience for those poor peasants than to be invited to a wedding and being able to sit together with their neighbors and friends to share a wedding banquet? This vivid memory as a child helped Jesus at some point in time to share HIS unique experience of God in a new and surprising way. According to Jesus, God is preparing a final banquet for all his children because HE wants to see them all sitting next to HIM, forever enjoying fully a blissful life. It may be say that Jesus understood his entire life as a great invitation to a final party on behalf of God. Therefore, Jesus does not impose anything by force, and does not pressure anyone. Jesus simply proclaims the Good News of God, inspires confidence in the Father, and turns hope in the hearts of all who listen to HIM. All are invited! What has happened to this God’s invitation? Who announces it? Who cares? How often do we speak in our churches about this final banquet? Satisfied with our well-being and comfort, deaf to everything else, that does not comply with our immediate interests and needs; we live often as if we no longer need God. Have we not grown accustomed to live without any reference to that ultimate hope of sitting at the table of the Lord? Jesus was a realistic person. He knew that God’s invitation could be rejected. In today’s parable about the “wedding guests” Jesus describes different reactions from the guests. Some reject the invitation flatly and fully conscious: “they just did not want to go.” Others respond with absolute indifference: “They did not listen.” They were more concern with their real estate and businesses. Some even handled violently with the messengers and even killed them. Nevertheless, according to the parable, God is not discouraged. Above all, there will be a final party. It is God’s desire is that the banquet hall is full with guests. That is why it is necessary to go to the “crossroads” searching for many people wandering around, living without hope and future. The Church must continue proclaiming with faith and joy God’s invitation proclaimed in the Gospel of Jesus. Beware, however, that we enter the banquet hall wearing garments of power, superiority and self-complacency! Pope Francis is concerned about a preaching obsessed “with the transmission of a multitude of disjointed doctrines that we try to impose by force of sheer insistence.” The greatest danger is—according to Pope Francis—that the message “will not be the Gospel proper, but some doctrinal or moral accents that come from certain ideological options. Then the message will risk losing its freshness and cease to be Good News for all.”Guziok gonbidatuak gaude Jaunaren Erreinuko ezteietan parte hartzera. Ez gaitezela ausarta han sartzen indarkeria, harrokeria eta gehienkeriaren jantziekin.

Sunday October 5, 2014 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Gospel Mt 21: 33-43 Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered him, “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.” Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” Ebanjelioa Mateo 21: 33-43 33 «Entzun beste parabola hau: Behin batean, nagusi batek mahastia landatu zuen eta harresiz inguratu; lurrean dolarea egin eta mahastizainaren dorrea eraiki zuen. Gero, nekazari batzuei errentan utzirik, urrutira joan zen. 34 Mahatsa biltzeko garaia iritsi zenean, bere morroiak bidali zizkien nekazariei, fruitutik zegokion partea jasotzera. 35Baina nekazariek morroiak hartu eta bata jo, bestea hil eta bestea harrikatu egin zituzten. 36 Berriro beste morroi batzuk bidali zizkien, aurrekoan baino gehiago, eta haiei ere beste hainbeste egin zieten. 37 Azkenik, bere semea bidali zien, honela pentsatuz: “Neure semeari bederen izango diote begirune.” 38 Nekazariek, ordea, semea ikustean, esan zuten beren artean: “Oinordekoa duk! Hil dezagun eta egin gaitezen mahastiaren jabe.” 39 Hartu, mahastitik kanpora bota eta hil egin zuten».40 Jesusek galdetu zien: –Zer egingo ote die nekazari horiei mahasti-jabeak itzultzean? 41 Erantzun zioten: –Gupidarik gabe hilko ditu eta bere garaian fruitua emango dioten beste nekazari batzuen esku utziko du mahastia. 42 Jesusek esan zien: –Ez al duzue irakurri Liburu Santuak dioena: Etxegileek baztertutako harria giltzarri gertatu da. Jaunak egin du hori, gure begien harrigarri? 43 «Horregatik diotsuet: Jainkoaren erreinua zuei kendu eta fruitua aterako dion herri bati emango zaio.   Vocabulary-Hiztegia Mahastia, vineyard Landatu zuen, planted Harresiz inguratu, stone wall, surrounded by stoned wall Dolarea, (wine) press (apple) press dorrea eraiki zuen, tower built up mahatsa, grape beste hainbeste egin zieten, the same did them with them begirune, respect oinordekoa, heir gupidarik Gabe, compassion without harria giltzarri gertatu da, Stone; key-stone; has become   Crisis of Religion The parable of the “murderous tenants” is a story in which Jesus explains with allegorical traces the history of God with his chosen people. It is a sad story. From the beginning, God had taken care of his people with affection. It was his “favorite vineyard.” Hoping to make of them a model people, example of justice and fidelity. This people was to become the “great light” to all peoples. However, this “spoiled” people went from, rejecting one after the other the prophets God sent them to collect the fruits of a righteous life, to killing them all. Finally, in an incredible act of love, God sent his own Son. But the leaders of that people killed him as well. What can God do with such a people, who so open and blatantly disappoints HIS expectations? The religious leaders, who are listening attentively to the story, respond spontaneously in the same terms of the parable: the lord of the vineyard cannot do nothing but to kill those tenants and hand his vineyard over to others. Then Jesus quickly draws a conclusion they would have never expected: “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce fruit.” Many commentators and preachers have often interpreted this parable of Jesus as the reaffirmation that the Christian Church is the “new Israel” (especially after the Jewish people, once the temple of Jerusalem was destructed in the year seventies after Jesus, had spread out worldwide). However, the parable refers also about us. An honest reading of the text compels us to ask ourselves serious questions: are we producing in our time, the “fruits” God expects from his people: such as justice for the excluded, solidarity, compassion toward the suffering, and forgiveness? God does not have to bless a sterile Christianity from which does not receive the expected fruits. God need not to identify with our mediocrity, our inconsistencies, deviations and lack of loyalty. If we do not respond to HIS expectations, then God will continue to open new paths for HIS plan of salvation with other people who will produce fruits of righteousness. We speak of “religious crisis”, “de-Christianization”; “abandonment of religious practice” … Is it not maybe because God is already preparing the way that makes possible the birth of a new church, more faithful to the project of the kingdom of God? This crisis we are going through, is it not necessary so that a new, less powerful but more evangelical, less numerous but more committed to making this world more human, church may arise? May be there are arising new generations of people, in places we would had never imagined, that are more faithful to God. Let us open our eyes! «Horregatik diotsuet: Jainkoaren erreinua zuei kendu eta fruitua aterako dion herri bati emango zaio.

Sunday September 28, 2014 Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)Gospel Mt 21: 28-32 Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir, ‘but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.” Ebanjelioa Mateo 21: 8-32 28 Jesusek esan zien: «Ea zer iruditzen zaizuen. Gizon batek bi seme zituen. Batarengana joan eta esan zion: “Seme, hoa gaur mahastira lanera”. 29 Hark erantzun zion: “Ez dut nahi”; baina handik berehala damutu eta joan egin zen. 30 Bestearengana ere joan zen aita eta gauza bera esan zion. Eta hark erantzun: “Banoa, jauna”; baina ez zen joan.31 Zuen ustez, bietatik zeinek egin zuen aitaren nahia?» «Lehenengoak», erantzun zioten. Jesusek esan zien: «Benetan diotsuet: Zergalariak eta emagalduak zuek baino lehenago sartuko dira Jainkoaren erreinuan. 32 Izan ere, etorri zitzaizuen Joan Bataiatzailea Jainkoaren nahiari dagokion jokabidea azalduz, eta ez zenioten sinetsi; zergalariek eta emagalduek, ordea, sinetsi zioten. Eta zuek, hori ikusita ere, ez zarete aldatu: oraindik ez diozue sinetsi. Vocabulary-Hiztegia Ea, let’s see, tell me, Seme, son; seme-a Hoa, go; imperative mode Nahi, will, want Berehala, immediately Banoa, I go; ba-noa, bai-noa; I yes goNahia, will of Zergalariak, tax collector; zerga, tax; -laria, the one doing something Emagalduak, prostitute etorri zitzaizuen, came to you; etorri, come; zizaizuen (past tense: he to you did) come ordea, instead aldatu, change Actions Speak louder than words The story Jesus tells his listeners is so easy to understand that his enemies fall into the trap. A father and two sons. Who does the will of his father? Is the typical complainer and surly son who ends up doing what the father asks, or is the friendly, smiling, and well-mannered son that does not do what the father wants? The answer is easy: the first one. The important thing is not to say nice words; to protest much does not matter either. The important thing is to do what the Father wants. “Actions speak louder, than words.” However, Jesus extracts from this simple story an amazing teaching. It is better to live badly, if in the end you do what God wants, rather than to live an apparently pious life-style and refuse to do the will of God in the end. Using the hurtful words of the gospel: “it is better to be a prostitute or a thief, if in the end one converts to God, than to belong to any religious organization or institution and to be unable to convert to Jesus. What is conversion, then? We get yet a new surprise. It is not to accepting Jesus and his message, but rather, John the Baptist, who showed the path of justice, fidelity to God, as a first step toward accepting the Gospel. We cannot go to God if we do not go to our brothers and sisters in need first. In today’s story, Jesus indirectly answered the question, which his enemies refused to respond in the temple “where did John’s baptism come from: from God or from men?” John’s baptism was from God and his preaching showed the right way to God. Prostitutes and tax collectors, represented by this bigmouth but obedient son, believed him. Religious authorities, represented by the kind, polite, politically correct but false son, did not believe him. It is interesting to observe that this interpretation of the parable seems to turn against John and to Jesus. Because those who give testimony in their favor are people unworthy of credit, prostitutes and oppressors; whereas those who refuse and reject them are the “reputable” religious leaders and priests. Given a choice, no pious person would ever accept the testimony in favor of Jesus given by a few druggies or a few prostitutes against what an Episcopal Conference might say!!!!!!!!!! In addition, the pious Jewish of the time of Jesus (as many pious Christians of our time) were convinced that they did not need to convert. And if they had any need for change, the way should not be shown to them in such “strange and questionable” ways like of John the Baptist, Martin Luther King, Oscar Romero, or Pope Francis. Jesus’ words acquire again full meaning: “the tax collectors and prostitutes will take the lead in the way to the kingdom of God.” To enter that kingdom, we have to open to a new way of life, even if it means drastic and painful cutting with our past. Benetan diotsuetZergalariak eta emagalduak zuek baino lehenago sartuko dira Jainkoaren erreinuan. Ekintzek hitzak baino hots haundiagoa dute. Berri Ona zabaldu, behar bada hitzak erabiliz!

Sunday September 21, 2014 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)Gospel Mt 20:1-16ª  Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, the landowner found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”  Ebanjelioa Mateo 20: 1-16ª  1 «Izan ere, Jainkoaren erregetzarekin mahasti-nagusiarekin bezala gertatzen da. Goizean goiz bere mahastirako langile bila atera zen. 2 Eguneko lanaren ordainetan zilarrezko txanponbana ematekotratua egin ondoren, mahastira bidali zituen langileak. 3 «Goizeko bederatziak aldera berriro atera zen eta, beste batzuk plazan lanaren zain ikusirik, 4 esan zien: “Zoazte zuek ere nire mahastira, eta ordainduko dizuet bidezko dena”. 5 Eta haiek ere joan egin ziren. «Atera zen berriro hamabiak aldera eta hirurak aldera, eta gauza bera egin zuen. 6 «Arratsaldeko bostak aldera ere atera zen eta, bertan batzuk geldi aurkiturik, esan zien: “Zertan zaudete hemen egun osoan lanik egin gabe?” 7 Erantzun zioten: “Ez gaitu inork lanerako hartu”. Hark, orduan: “Zoazte zuek ere nire mahastira”. «Iluntzean, nagusiak mahastiko arduradunari esan zion: “Deitu langileei, eta emaiozu bakoitzari bere soldata, azkenekotik hasi eta lehenengora”.«Etorri ziren, bada, arratsaldeko bostetakoak, eta zilarrezko txanpon bana jaso zuten. 10 Lehenengo ordukoek, txanda iritsi zitzaienean, besteek baino gehiago jasoko zutela uste zuten; baina haiek ere zilarrezko txanpon bana jaso zuten. 11 «Orduan, nagusiagatik gaizki-esaka hasi ziren; eta esan zioten berari: 12 “Azkeneko hauek ez dute ordubete besterik lan egin etaguri adina ordaindu diezu, egun osoko nekea eta beroa jasanditugunoi adina!” 13 Baina nagusiak erantzun zion haietako bati: “Adiskide, ez dizut bidegabekeriarik egiten; ez al dugu tratua zilarrezko txanpon batean egin? 14 Tori dagokizuna eta zoaz; zuri adina eman nahi diot azkeneko honi ere. 15 Ezin ote dut neure diruaz nahi dudana egin? Ala ni ona naizelako ezinikusia didazu?”16 «Horrela, azkenekoak lehenengo izango dira eta lehenengoak azkeneko».  Vocabulary-Hiztegia Mahasti-nagusiarekin, mahasti: vineyard; nagusia-rekin, owner-with Goizean goiz, early in the morning Langile, laborer zilarrezko txanpon, silver coin tratua egin, agreement make zoazte, go; you (all) go bidezko dena, just is; what is just geldi, inactive iluntzean, in the evening, late evening arduradunari, arduraduna-ri; responsable-to; to the boss soldata, salary uste, believe, expect, hope gaizki-esaka, bad-speaking, murmuring guri adina, us as much; as much as us jasan, endure adiskide, friend bidegabekeriarik, bedegabekeria-rik; injustice tori eta zoaz, take and go ezinikusia, hateGod’s goodness surpasses our expectations Throughout his prophetic life, Jesus insisted repeatedly in transmitting to all His very experience of God as “an unfathomable mystery of goodness” that breaks all our expectations. His message is so revolutionary that, even after twenty centuries, there are still Christians who dare not to take it seriously. In order to transmit to all his very experience of God who is all-Good, Jesus compares God’s way of behaving with the surprising behavior of the lord of a vineyard. Up to five times he goes in person to hire laborers for his vineyard. He does not seem too concerned about their job’s performance. What he wants is that no laborer stay another day without work. For this reason, at the end of the day, he does not pay them according to the work done by each group of laborers. He is well aware that the performed job has been very uneven, and yet he decides to give them all “a denary:” he simply wants to give each of them what a peasant family in Galilee needed a day to live. When one of the first group protested because, having worked the whole day, and yet treated as same as the group of the last hour, the lord of the vineyard responds with these wonderful words: “Are you envious because I am generous? Are you going to stop me, with your petty calculations, of being good to those who need their bread for dinner today? What is Jesus suggesting? Does God not act with the criteria of justice and equality that we handle? Is it not may be true that God, rather than measuring the merits of people as we would, looks rather to always answer, from HIS unfathomable goodness, to our radical need of salvation? I must confess that it produces me a great sadness when I meet good people, wonderful people, who imagine that God spends HIS time to carefully jolt down the sins and merits of us human beings, in order to one day pay us back according to or merits or demerits. Is it possible to imagine a more inhuman being dedicated to do this from all eternity? Believing in a God, as an unconditional Friend, may be the most liberating experience one can imagine, the most vigorous strength to live out our lives and to die. In contrast, for a person who lives a life under the eye of a revengeful and vigilante and threatening God can become the most dangerous and destructive neurosis. We have to learn not to make God fit into our narrow and petty ideas. We must not undermine GOD’s unfathomable goodness, which we can see, and experience in the human features of Jesus. All we need is to trust in this God of Jesus. Jainkoa maitasun hutsa da. Jainkoaren pentsaera eta gure pentsaera erabat ezberdinak dira. Jainkoaren bideak ez dira gure bideak.

Sunday September 14, 2014 Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Gospel Jn 3: 13-17

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

“No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Ebanjelioa Joan 3: 13-17

Jesusek esan zion Nikodemori:

«Ez da inor zerura igo, zerutik jaitsi zena baizik, Gizonaren Semea. 14 Eta Moisesek basamortuan brontzezko sugea hagan jaso zuen bezala, halaxe izan behar du jasoa Gizonaren Semeak, 15 harengan sinesten duten guztiek betiko bizia izan dezaten. 16 «Izan ere, Jainkoak hain maite izan zuen mundua, non bere Seme bakarra eman baitzion, harengan sinesten duenik inor gal ez dadin, baizik betiko bizia izan dezan.  17 Zeren Jainkoak ez baitzuen Semea mundura bidali mundua kondenatzeko, haren bitartez salbatzeko baizik.

Vocabulary: Ez……..baizik, not to………….but to….Basamortuan, desert (basamortua); -n (in the desert) Sugea, snake Hagan jaso, to lift up something on high Hain maite…..non, so loved……. that Dutenik…..inor, of those who have……no oneZeren, since, because

The Cross, the source of abundant Life

The feast we Christians celebrate today is incomprehensible and even absurd for those who do not know the meaning of the Christian faith in the One who was crucified. What sense does it make to celebrate a feast called “Exaltation of the Cross” in a society that passionately seeks “comfort” and maximum comfort and well-being?

Many may wonder how it is possible to go on exalting the cross. Has not been superseded forever that morbid way to look at and live exalting the suffering and the human pain? Are we to continue feeding a type of Christianity centered in the agony of Calvary and the wounds of the Crucified?

These are certainly very reasonable questions that need a clarifying response. When Christians look at the crucified one, we do not extol the pain, torture and death, but proclaim the love, closeness and solidarity of God who wanted to share our life and even our death to the end.

It is not the suffering that saves but the love of God who sympathizes with the painful history of humankind. It is not the blood that actually cleans our sins but rather the unfathomable love of God that welcomes us as HIS children. Crucifixion is the event in which HIS love is best revealed to us.

To discover the grandeur of the Cross is not to attribute “I don’t know” what kind of mysterious power or virtue to suffering, but to confess the saving power of God’s love who, embodied in Jesus, comes to reconcile the world to himself.

In those outstretched arms that cannot any longer hug children and in those hands that cannot any longer cares the lepers and bless the sick, we Christians “contemplate” God with his open arms welcoming, embracing and sustaining our poor lives, broken by so much suffering.

In this face of Jesus darkened by death; in those eyes that cannot any longer look tenderly at the prostitutes; in this mouth that cannot any longer shout HIS outrage in favor of the victims of so many acts of abuse and injustice; in those lips that cannot any longer pronounce words of forgiveness; God is revealing his unfathomable love to Humanity.

To be faithful to the Crucified is not to go about trying to find more crosses and sufferings, but rather to live like Jesus with an attitude of commitment to others and solidarity, ready to accept even crucifixion if necessary, and the sufferings that may come to us because of our faithfulness to Jesus. This fidelity to the crucified needs to be lived with hope. Because after a “crucified,” life lived in the same spirit of love with which Jesus lived, only the resurrection can await.

Gurutzea biziaren iturria da.

Sunday September 7, 2014 Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Gospel Mt 18: 15-20

Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Ebanjelioa Mateo 18: 15-20

15 «Zure senide batek bekatu egiten badu, zoaz berarengana etazentzarazi bakarrean. Jaramon egiten badizu, irabazia duzu senidea.16 Jaramonik egiten ez badizu, berriz, hartu zeurekin lagun bat edo bi, auzi oro bi edo hiru lekukoren aitorpenaz erabaki dadin. 17 Haiei ere jaramonik egiten ez badie, esaiozu elkarteari, eta elkarteari ere jaramonik egin nahi ez badio, izan bedi zuretzat jentil edo zergalari baten pareko.18 «Benetan diotsuet: Zuek mundu honetan lotua, zeruan ere lotua geldituko da, eta zuek mundu honetan askatua, zeruan ere askatua geldituko da. 19 «Beste hau ere esaten dizuet: Zuetako bik mundu honetan Jainkoari zerbait eskatzeko elkar hartzen badute, eman egingo die zeruko nire Aitak. 20 Izan ere, nire izenean bizpahiru lagun nonbait biltzen badira, han nago ni beraien artean».

Vocabulary Senide, brother or sister Zentzarazi, zentz (zentzu) arazi: to bring someone into reason Jaramon, to acceptLekukoren aitorpenaz, lekuko, witness; aitorpena, testimonyElkarteari, congregation, to the group (church) lotua-askatua, bound-unbound elkar hartzen, together take (come together)bizpahiru lagun, bi edo hiru Friends (two or three people). Lagun: friend. Also a person (generic term)

“He is among You:” don’t you see?

Although the words of Jesus, collected by Matthew, are of great importance for the life of Christian communities, they rarely attract the attention of commentators and preachers. This is the promise of Jesus: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them.”

Jesus does not have in mind massive celebrations such as at St. Peter’s Square in Rome around the Holy Father or at a cathedral around a Bishop. Even though there may only be two or three, Jesus is there among them. It is not necessary that the hierarchy be present; there need not be a big crowd.

The important condition is that they may “be together,” and not scattered or confronting each other: that they may not live disqualifying or humiliating each other. The crucial condition is that they are together “in HIS name:” that they listen to HIS call; that they may live totally identified with HIS great project and dream about the kingdom of God; that they let Jesus be the center of the life of the small community.

It is this living and real presence of Jesus among us that has to encourage, guide and support the small communities of HIS followers. Jesus must encourage and inspire the prayer, the liturgical celebrations, and all the projects and activities of the community. Jesus’ presence is the “secret” to a success of a lively and contagious Christian community.

We Christians today can (and never for that matter) meet in our groups and communities in any way at all: by just following a habit or an inertia or maybe to fulfill certain religious obligations. We may be a big crowd or perhaps just a few people. However, it is important that we gather in HIS name, attracted by HIS person, by His Words and Actions of trying to make of this world a more humane world to live.

We must revive in us the awareness that we are communities of Jesus: we gather to hear the Gospel, to keep alive his memory, to let ourselves be transformed by HIS Spirit, in short, to welcome in us HIS joy and peace, and to proclaim the Good News.

The future of the Christian faith will depend largely on what we do in our particular Christian communities in the coming decades. It is not enough what Pope Francis can do in the Vatican or the Bishop in the diocese. Nor can we place all our hope in the handful priests who may be ordained in the next few years. Our only hope is Jesus Christ.

We must center our Christian communities in the person of Jesus as the only force capable of regenerating our worn and fatigued faith. Jesus is the only one capable of attracting today’s men and women. Only Jesus is capable of generating a renewed and committed faith in these times of disbelief. The renewal of the central authorities of the Church may be an urgent task; the decrees on Church reform necessary. Nevertheless, nothing is as decisive and necessary as to radically return to the centrality of Jesus Christ.

Jesusen izenean bildurik: Haren berri on bizi eta zabal dezagun.

Sunday August 31, 2014 Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Gospel Mt 16: 21-27 Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct.” Ebanjelioa Mateo 16: 21-27 21 Une hartatik hasi zen Jesus bere ikasleei azaltzen, berak Jerusalemera igo eta zahar, apaizburu eta lege-maisuen aldetik asko sufritu behar zuela; hil egingo zutela eta hiru egunen buruan piztu egingo zela. 22 Pedro, Jesus aparte harturik, gogor egiten hasi zitzaion: –Ez dezala Jainkoak nahi, Jauna! Ez zaizu horrelakorik gertatuko. 23 Baina Jesusek, itzulirik, esan zion Pedrori: –Alde nire ondotik, Satanas! Oztopo haiz niretzat, hire asmoak ez baitituk Jainkoarenak, gizakiarenak baizik. 24 Orduan, esan zien Jesusek bere ikasleei: «Nire ondoren etorri nahi duenak uko egin biezaio bere buruari, bere gurutzea hartu eta jarrai biezat. 25 Izan ere, bere bizia gorde nahi duenak galdu egingo du; bere bizia niregatik galtzen duenak, ordea, eskuratu egingo du. 26 Zertarako du gizakiak mundu guztia irabaztea, bere bizia galtzen badu? Eta zer eman dezake gizakiak berriro bizia bereganatzeko? 27 Izan ere, Gizonaren Semea bere Aitaren aintzaz beterik etorriko da aingeruekin; eta, orduan, bakoitzari bere jokabidearen arabera ordainduko dio. Vocabulary: Hasi, to begin Piztu, resurrect Gogor, strong, strongly Gertatuko, happen Oztopo, obstacle Asmoak, thoughts Uko, deny; self-deny Jarrai, follow Bizia, life Arabera, according to Not being afraid of being a loser The following saying is recorded in the Gospels and repeated up to six times: “whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Jesus is not talking about a religious theme. He is challenging his disciples about the true value of life. The saying is expressed in a paradoxical and provocative way. There are two very different ways to orient one’s life: one that leads to salvation, the other to self-destruction. Jesus invites everyone to follow the path that seems harder and less attractive, because that is precisely the way, which leads human beings to the ultimate salvation. The first way is to cling to life living only for oneself: to make of “self” the last reason and the ultimate goal of human existence. This way of life, the one that looks always for self-gain or advantage, leads inexorably the human being to destruction. The second way is to know how to lose, living like Jesus, open to the Father’s ultimate goal: namely, the humanization of the world by giving up one’s own safety or gain, and seeking not only one’s own good but also the good of others. This generous way of living leads human beings to salvation. Jesus is speaking from his faith in a Savior God, but his words are a serious warning to all. What future awaits a divided and fragmented humanity, where economic powers seek their own benefit; countries, their own welfare; and individuals, their self-interest? The logic that right now leads the destiny of the world is irrational. The peoples and individuals have slowly and inexorably fallen under the bondage of the logic to “have always more.” All what we possess seems to be too little to make us feel satisfied. To live comfortably, it seems we always need to produce more, to consume more, more material comfort and more power over others. We seek insatiably more welfare and warfare, but, because of this, are we not always dehumanizing? We want more “progress,” but what kind of progress is this, which leads us to abandon millions of human beings into misery, hunger and malnutrition? How long do we think we can enjoy our welfare, if we close our borders to the hungry? If the inhabitants of the so-called “privileged” or “developed” or “advanced” or “civilized” countries only and desperately seek to “save” our living standard, will never take steps towards global solidarity unless we are prepared of giving up a bit and piece of our economic hegemony. But make no mistake. If we are not ready to “lose” or give up our privileged living standards, the world will increasingly become more unsafe and unhospitable for everyone, including us. Weapons will not protect us. To save human life in the world, we must learn to lose. Galtzen dakienak irabazten du. Zertarako du gizakiak mundu guztia irabaztea, bere bizia galtzen badu? Eta zer eman dezake gizakiak berriro bizia bereganatzeko?

Sunday August 24, 2014 Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Gospel Mt 16: 13-20 Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. Ebanjelioa Mateo 16: 13-20 13 Feliperen Zesarearairitsi zenean, galdera hau egin zien Jesusek bere ikasleei: –Gizonaren Semeanor dela dio jendeak? 14 Haiek erantzun: –Batzuek Joan Bataiatzailea dela; beste batzuek Elias; besteek Jeremias edo profetaren bat. 15 Jesusek galdetu zien: –Eta zuek, nor naizela diozue? 16 Simon Pedrok erantzun: –Zu Mesias zara, Jainko biziaren Semea. 17 Orduan, Jesusek esan zion: –Zorionekoazu, Simon, Jonasen semea, hori ez baitizu hezur-mamizko inork agertu, zeruko nire Aitak baizik. 18 Eta nik hau diotsut: Pedro zara zu, eta harkaitz horren gainean eraikiko dut nik neure eliza; eta herioaren indarrakere ez du menderatuko. 19 Jainkoaren erreinuko giltzak emango dizkizut; zuk mundu honetan lotua zeruan ere loturik geldituko da, eta zuk mundu honetan askatua zeruan ere askaturik geldituko da. 20 Orduan, bera Mesias zela inori ez esateko agindu zien Jesusek ikasleei. Vocabulary Galdera egin, question, to do. To ask a question. Batzuek, some… beste batzuek, other some… besteek, others Zuek, nor naizela diozue, You, Who Am I, say… Do you say I am? Zorionekoazu, Blessed you hezur-mamizko, bone-flesh of (someone of bone and flesh=human being) harkaitz, rock herioaren indarrak, death, the powers of… giltzak, the keys lotua askatua, lotu, bind; lotua, bound; askatu, free, lose; askatua, loosed agindu, command, order What do YOU say? Jesus directs us Christians of today the same question he once posed to his disciples: “But who do you say that I am?” He does not ask it us so that we may make a theological pronouncement over HIS mysterious identity; HE rather asks to challenge us to review our relationship with HIM. Looking at how we live our relationship to Jesus as a Christian Community, how could we respond to this question? Do we know Jesus better every day? Or maybe we have “locked HIM up in our old boring patterns.” As Christian communities is Jesus at the center of our lives and activities, or we rather are stuck in routine and mediocrity. Do we love Jesus passionately? or maybe HE has become for us a boring character whom we follow by mouth HIM while in our hearts doubt, indifference and forgetfulness grow constantly. Those who approach our communities searching for something, can they feel the strength and attractiveness Jesus inspires in us? Do we really feel ourselves as disciples of Jesus? Are we learning to live HIS lifestyle amidst today’s society? or we rather let ourselves easily immersed into the more appetizing advertising interests. Do we transform our communities into schools to learn to live like Jesus? Are we learning to look at life the way Jesus looked at it? In our communities, do we look to the excluded and those in need with compassion and responsibility? or we are rather proud and lock ourselves in the beauty of our liturgical celebrations, totally indifferent to the suffering of the destitute and forgotten ones, who were in fact the favorite people of Jesus? Are we cooperating with Jesus helping him in the building of HIS great humanizing project of the Father (the construction of the Kingdom of God)? or are we still thinking that the most important task of Christianity is to be concerned exclusively with our personal salvation? Are we convinced that the best way to follow Jesus is to live out our call each day to make life a more human and happier one for all? Do we live the Christian Sunday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus? or maybe we prefer to organize our weekends totally empty of Christian feelings? Have we learned to find Jesus in the silence of the hearts? or maybe we feel that our faith fades away drowned in the mid of the noises and emptiness inside of us? Do we believe in the risen Jesus who walks with us full of life? Do we live in our Christians communities welcoming that peace which HE left as legacy to his followers? Do we believe that Jesus loves us with a love that will never end? Do we believe in HIS renewing power? Do we witness the mystery of hope that we bear within us? Who is Jesus for me? Jesus nor da neretzat?

Sunday August 17, 2014 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Gospel Mathew 15: 21-28 At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. Jesus’ disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour. Ebanjelioa Mateo 15: 21-28 21 Handik irtenik, Tiro eta Sidon aldera aldendu zen Jesus. 22 Hartan, inguru haietan bizi zen emakume kanaandar bat deiadarka hasi zitzaion: –Erruki zakizkit, Jauna, Daviden Semea! Oinaze gorritan dauka deabruak nire alaba. 23 Baina Jesusek ez zion hitzik erantzun. Bere ikasleek, ondoraturik, eskatu zioten: –Kasu egiozu, deiadarka baitatorkigu atzetik. 24 Jesusek, ordea: –Israel herriko ardi galduengana bakarrik bidali nau Jainkoak. 25 Baina emakumea, hurbildurik, ahuspez jarri zitzaion, esanez: –Lagun nazazu, Jauna. 26 Jesusek, orduan: –Ez dago ongi seme-alabei ogia kendu eta txakurrei botatzea. 27 Emakumeak erantzun zion: –Bai, Jauna, halaxe da; baina txakurrek ere jan ohi dituzte nagusien mahaitik erortzen diren ogi-apurrak. 28 Orduan, Jesusek esan zion: –Emakumea, handia da zure fedea! Gerta bekizu nahi duzuna! Eta une hartatik sendatua gelditu zitzaion alaba. Vocabulary Hartan, then, all of a sudden, deiadarka hasi, shouting begin, begin to shout. Oinaze gorritan, suffering terrible. Gorri means red, but also naked (Haitz gorri, Rock red or naked), but it also means terrible (pain) deiadarka baitatorkigu atzetik, shouting bait(d)atorkigu, since she’s coming, atzetik, from the back, is following us. Hurbildurik, getting closer Ahuspez, bow down, Lagun nazazu, help me; lagun means also friend. txakurrei botatzea, txakur-ei, to the dogs; bota-tzea, to throw. jan ohi dituzte, eat; ohi, use to, they handia da zure fedea, Great is your faith! JESUS ​​Belongs to ALL. A pagan woman takes the initiative to go to Jesus although she does not belong to the Jewish people. She is a distraught mother who suffers living with a daughter “tormented by a demon.” She dares to go out to meet Jesus shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David.” Jesus’ first reaction is unexpected. He did not even stop to listen to her. The hour has not yet arrived to bring the Good News of God to the pagans. As the woman insists, Jesus justifies his apparent attitude of disdain: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” This was a typical tribal attitude on the part of Jesus. The women, however, does not back down. She will overcome all difficulties and resistance. In a bold gesture she stops her walk, bows before Jesus and kneels down with a humble but steadfast heart, and directs to Jesus a single cry, “Lord, help me.” Jesus’ response is unusual. Although at that time the Jews called flatly “dogs” to the pagans, his words do not cease to be offensive to our ears: “It is not right to throw to the dogs the children’s bread.” Nevertheless, twisting in a very intelligent way the image used by Jesus, the women, kneeling down as she was, dares not only to correct but to give a magisterial lesson to Jesus, “You’re right, Lord, even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Jesus feels overwhelmed by the wisdom of this woman who becomes the catechist of Jesus. She has opened the eyes of Jesus to help HIM to come out from his tribal views into the universal call of the Father. Your faith is admirable, exclaims Jesus, full of emotion. Surely, in the Father’s table there is enough food to feed all the children of Israel as well as the Gentile dogs. Jesus seems to think only of the “lost sheep” of Israel, but she made Jesus to realize that she also is a “lost sheep”. The Messenger of God cannot be just only for the Jews. He must be a messenger for all. Jesus surrenders himself to the faith of the woman. His answer reveals at the same time his humility and greatness, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” This woman helps Jesus discover that God’s mercy does not exclude anyone. The Good Father is above ethnic and religious barriers we humans constantly are building. Jesus recognizes the woman as a believer even though she practices a pagan religion. Moreover, Jesus discover what a “great faith” is hidden in her, not like the small faith of his disciples to whom Jesus on several occasions describe as “men of little faith.” Any human being can approach Jesus with confidence. Jesus can recognize their faith even though they may live outside the Church. In Jesus, everyone will always find a Friend and a Master of life. We Christians must rejoice that Jesus continues to attract so many people today who live outside of the Church. Jesus is greater than all our institutions. Jesus continues to do much good, even to those who have moved away from our Christian communities. Jesus denona eta denentzako da. Ebanjelioko andre ausarta honek Jesusi begiak ireki arazi zizkion: Jesus ez da batzuentzat (kristauak) bakarrik. Jesus denontzat da.

Sunday August 10, 2014 Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)Gospel Mt 14: 22-33.  After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.  “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.” Ebanjelioa Mateo 14: 22-33.   22 Berehala, Jesusek ikasleak txalupan sarrarazi eta bere aurretik beste aldera joateko agindu zien, berak jendeari agur egin bitartean. 23 Jendeari agur egin ondoren, mendira igo zen, bakardadean otoitz egitera. Ilundu zuenean, han zegoen bakarrik.24 Txalupa, ordurako, lehorretik urruti zihoan, uhinek astindua,haizea kontra baitzuen. 25 Goiz aldera, ikasleengana joan zen Jesus, ur gainean oinez. 26 Aintziran ibiltzen ikusi zutenean, ikasleak izutuegin ziren, mamuren bat zelakoan; eta beldurraren beldurrez oihuka hasi ziren. 27 Baina Jesusek berehala hitz egin zien eta esan: –Lasai! Neu naiz. Ez beldurtu! 28 Orduan, Pedrok esan zion: –Jauna, benetan zeu bazara, agindu iezadazu ur gainean zuregana joateko.29 Jesusek erantzun: –Zatoz.  Pedro ontzitik jaitsi eta Jesusengana abiatu zen ur gainean oinez30 Baina, haizearen indarra nabaritzean, beldurra sartu zitzaion, eta, hondoratzen hasi zelarik, deiadar egin zuen: –Jauna, salba nazazu.  31 Jesusek eskua eman eta heldu egin zion, esanez: –Sinesmen gutxiko hori! Zergatik izan duzu zalantza? 32 Txalupara igo zirenean, haizea baretu egin zen. 33 Eta ontzian zeudenak Jesusen aurrean ahuspez jarri ziren, esanez: –Egiaz Jainkoaren Semea zara zu! VocabularyTxalupa, boat Otoitz, pray uhinek astindua, waves, tossed about haizea, wind Goiz aldera, mornig about Aintziran, lake; aintzira-n in the lake Izutu, panic Mamuren, mamu-a; mamu-ren: a ghost; a sort of ghost Beldurraren beldurrez, sheer fear Lasai!, calm! Ur gainean oinez, water on walkingAMID CRISIS.  It is not difficult to see in the boat of the disciples of Jesus, tossed about by the waves and overwhelmed by the strong headwind, the image of today’s Church; threatened from outside by all the adverse forces and from within tempted by fear and little faith. How to read this Gospel story amid the crisis the Church today seems to navigate? According to the evangelist, “Jesus approaches the boat, walking on the water.” The disciples are not able to recognize him in the middle of the storm and the darkness of night. To them Jesus looks like a “ghost.” Fear has them terrified. The only real thing they experience is that mighty storm. This is our first problem: We are experiencing the crisis of the Church by spreading discouragement, fear and lack of faith among each other. It seems that we are incapable to see Jesus in person approaching us, precisely in the midst of this formidable crisis. As a result, we feel more lonely and helpless than ever. Jesus has three words: “Courage. It’s I. Fear not.” Only Jesus can talk to them this way. But their ears only hear the roaring of the waves and the wind. This is our biggest mistake. If we do not hear Jesus’ invitation to put our unconditional trust in him, to whom shall we go? Peter, this man of action, feels an inner impulse and sustained by Jesus’ call, jumps out of the boat and “goes to Jesus walking on the water.” So, must we learn today to walk toward Jesus in the midst of crisis: with full trust, not in power, or prestige, or glory of past times, but in the genuine desire to meet Jesus in the middle of the darkness and the uncertainty, even the hostility of the present times. It is not easy, however. We too can falter and sink like Peter. Nevertheless, like him, we too can experience how Jesus reaches out his hand to us and saves us as he says, “You man of little faith, why do you doubt?” Why so much doubt? Why are we not learning anything new from these times of crisis? Why do we continue to seek false security in order to “survive” within the comfort zone of our communities, without learning to walk with renewed faith in Jesus to meet him in the very heart of this secularized society today? This crisis is not the end of the Christian faith. It is rather a purification opportunity, which we need to free ourselves from worldly interests, misleading triumphalism and solemn formalism, which, over the centuries, have distanced us from Jesus. Jesus is well alive and acting in the midst of this crisis. He is leading us toward a more Gospel centered Church. Let us rekindle our faith in Jesus. Let us not be afraid. Eraso eta larrialdian Jesusek bere eskua ematen digu, iroso irten gaitezen. Gaur eguneko eraso eta larri erdian hain zuzenere, Jesus dago gure bila eta gure zain.

Sunday August 3, 2014 Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)GOSPEL MT 14: 13-21.  When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over—twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.Ebanjelioa, Mateo 14: 13-21.  Joanen heriotzaren13 berri jakitean, Jesus bazter batera joan zen bakarrik txalupaz. Baina jendea ohartu egin zen eta, herrietatik irtenik, oinez jarraitu zioten. 14 Txalupatik jaitsi zenean, jendetza handia ikusi zuen Jesusek eta, errukiturik, gaixoak sendatu zizkien. 15 Ilunabarrean, ikasleek hurbildu eta esan zioten:–Toki hau oso urruti dago eta orduak aurrera doaz. Bidal ezazu, bada, jendea, auzoetara joan eta jatekoa erosdezan. 16 Baina Jesusek erantzun zien: –Ez dute zertan joanik; eman zeuek jaten. 17 Haiek, orduan: –Ez daukagu hemen bost ogi eta bi arrain besterik. 18 Eta Jesusek: –Ekarri hona. 19 Jendeari zelaian esertzeko agindu ondoren, hartu zituen bost ogiak eta bi arrainak eta, begiak zerura jasorik, bedeinkazioa esan, ogiak zatitu eta ikasleei eman zizkien, eta ikasleek jendeari. 20 Asetzeraino jan zuten denek, eta gelditutako hondarrez hamabi saski bete zituzten. 21 Bost mila gizon inguru izan ziren jan zutenak, emakumeak eta haurrak aparte. Vocabulary berri news bazter korner, isolated place bakarrik alone txalupaz txaluka-z, boat-by way of,ohartu aware, notice oinez oin-ez, foot-on jarraitu follow zioten him.Errukiturik with compassion (moved by) Gaixoak sick (the) Auzoetara, neighbour-to jatekoa foods eros buy eman zeuek jaten, give you toe at Ez daukagu hemen no have here ogi bread arrain fish zelaian ground onesertzeko to sit agindu order Asetzeraino asetze-raino, satisfy-toHondarrez hondar-ez, leftovers of hamabi twelve saski basket Their Suffering Moves Jesus to Compassion Jesus is busy in healing those sick and malnourished people brought to him from everywhere. He does it, according to the evangelist, because the suffering of the people moves him to compassion. Meanwhile his disciples see that it is getting very late. Their dialogue with Jesus allows us to penetrate the inner meaning of the episode erroneously called “the multiplication of the loaves.” The disciples offer Jesus a realistic and reasonable proposal: “Send the crowd to go to the villages and let them buy their own food.” They have already received from Jesus the attention they needed. Now let everyone go back to their villages to buy something to eat according to their resources and capabilities. Jesus’ reaction is surprising: “No need for them to go. You give them to eat.” Hunger is too serious a problem to remain aloof from each other and to let each one solve it on his/her own way. Now it is no time to part ways, but to unite more than ever to share what there is, without excluding anyone. The disciples seem to insist in the fact that they only have five loaves and two fish. It does not matter, orders Jesus. That little is enough when shared generously. Jesus commands that all sit on the grass to celebrate a great meal. Suddenly everything changes. Those who a moment earlier were about to go their own way in order to satisfy their hunger in their own villages, now sit together around Jesus to share what little they have. That is how Jesus wants to see the human community. What did happen with the loaves and fishes in the hands of Jesus? Jesus does not “multiply” them. Jesus first blesses God and gives HIM thanks: those foods come from God: and they belong to all. Then Jesus brakes them and gives them to the disciples. Moreover, these, in turn, distributed it to the people. Thus, the loaves and fishes passed on from people to people. This is the way they all were able to satisfy their hunger. Pope Francis has raised his voice time and again to remind us of “the suffering of thousands of men, women and children—left totally abandoned to their fates or persecuted by governments, or left at the mercy of the enslaving powers of the usurers and mafias—who must beg in order to survive. Still many more suffer deportation many of whom die on the way of immigration to the ‘promised lands.’” The pope has spoken about the scandal of placing human dignity under the god “money.” Instead of joining forces to eradicate at its roots the hunger in the world, we often lock up ourselves in our “selfish comfort” lifting increasingly degrading and murderous walls. In the name of which God do we dismiss the immigrants who come to our shores and lands? Where are the followers of Jesus? When do we hear in our Eucharist celebration Jesus’ cry. “You give them to eat”? Act moved by compassion! Besteen ezinak darama Jesus errukia agertzera. Daukagun gutxia ere, besteekin partitzen badakigu, horrek eramango gaitu gizarte oparo eta ederrago batera.

Sunday July 27, 2014 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Gospel Mt 13: 44-52.  Jesus said to his disciples:“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,which a person finds and hides again,and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price,he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace,where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.“Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied,“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” Ebamjelioa, Mateo 13: 44-52.  44 «Jainkoaren erregetzarekin, landan ezkutatua dagoenaltxorrarekin bezala gertatzen da. Norbaitek aurkitzen duelarik, berriro ezkutatu egiten du, eta pozaren pozez joan, dituen guztiaksaldu eta landa hura erosten du45 «Era berean, Jainkoaren erregetzarekin, harribitxi bila dabilen tratulariarekin bezala gertatzen da. 46 Balio handiko bat aurkitzen duenean, joan, bere gauza guztiak saldu eta erosi egiten du.   47 «Jainkoaren erregetzarekin, uretara botatzen den eta mota guztietako arrainak biltzen dituen sarearekin bezala gertatzen da. 48 Betea denean, bazterrera ateratzen dute; gero, eseri eta onak saskira biltzen dituzte eta txarrak kanpora botatzen. 49 Berdin izango da munduaren azkenean: aingeruek etorri eta gaiztoak zintzoen artetik bereiziko dituzte, 50 eta su-labera botako. Negarra eta hortz-karraska izango da han».   51 –Ulertu al duzue hau guztia? –galdetu zien Jesusek ikasleei. –Bai –erantzun zioten.   52 Hark esan zien: –Beraz, Jainkoaren erregetzaren jakinduriaz jantzia dagoen lege-maisua, bere altxorretik zahar eta berriak ateratzen dituen etxeko jaunaren antzekoa da.Vocabulary Landan, landa-n, field in the Ezkutatua, hiddenAltxorrarekin, treasure gertatzen da, happens saldu eta erosten du, sell and buys harribitxi, harri bitxi, stones precious bila, looking fortratulariarekin, tratularia-rekin, businessperson-with mota, sort, tyoeguztietako, all arrainak, fish sarearekin, sarea-rekin, net-with munduaren azkenean, world of the, end (mundua-ren, world of the; azkene-an, end-at)bereiziko, bereizi-ko; differentiate, separate-will su-labera, fire-oven, furnacelegemaisua, lawyer; lege=law; maisua=teacher Life is about Taking Options The gospel includes two brief parables of Jesus with the same message. In both stories, the protagonist discovers a tremendously valuable treasure or a pearl of incalculable value. Moreover, both react the same way: with joy and determination, both sell what they have, and become in possession of the treasure or the pearl. According to Jesus, this is the logical reaction of the ones who have discovered the kingdom of God. Apparently, Jesus fears that people follow him by various interests, without discovering the most attractive and important reason: that exciting project of the Father, which consists of leading the whole humanity towards a more just, fraternal and joyful world and directing it towards the ultimate salvation in God. What can we say today after twenty centuries of Christianity? Why so many good Christians live locked in their religious practice with the feeling of not having been able to discover any “treasure”? Where is the ultimate reason for this lack of enthusiasm and joy in many areas of our Church, unable to attract so many men and women toward the core of the Gospel and who have decided to move away from it, but without daring to abandon completely God or Jesus? After the Council, Pope Paul VI made ​​this shocking statement: “Only the kingdom of God is absolute. Everything else is relative.” Years later, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed this, by saying, “The Church is not its own end, because it is oriented to the kingdom of God of which is the seed, sign and instrument”. Pope Francisco is repeating to us again: “The project of Jesus is to establish the kingdom of God.” If this is the faith of the Church, why are there so many Christians who have never even heard of that project which Jesus called “the kingdom of God”? Why is it that so many Christians do not know that the deep conviction which so passionately animated the entire life of Jesus, the raison d´être, and final goal of all his words and actions was to announce and promote this humanizing project of the Father: to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness? The Church, and each one of us, cannot be renewed from the root if She/we do not discover the “treasure” of the kingdom of God. It is not the same to call Christians to cooperate with God in HIS great project to build a more human world, or to live distracted and self-complacent in doctrines, practices and customs, which make us forget the very heart of the Gospel. Pope Francis is telling us “the kingdom of God urges and challenges us.” This cry comes to us from the very heart of the Gospel of Jesus. We have to listen. Surely, the most important decision we must take today, both in the Church at large, and in our Christian communities in particular, is to recover, with joy and enthusiasm, the project the kingdom of God which so fascinated Jesus. Zure altxorra non, zure bihotza han! Jaunaren Erreinuaren serbitzuan jartzea eskatzen digu Jesusek. Zer da Jaunaren Erreinua? Mundu hau, Jainkoak nahi luken eran antolatu eta kudeatu daitekela sinestea da: gure gizartea giza-gisagoagotzea hain zuzen. Hauxe zan Jesusen berebetiko ametsa.

Sunday July 20, 2014 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Gospel Mt 13: 24-42 Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:“The kingdom of heaven may be likenedto a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy cameand sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said,‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’His slaves said to him,‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weedsyou might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest;then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” He proposed another parable to them. “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seedthat a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds,yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush,and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’” He spoke to them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeastthat a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flouruntil the whole batch was leavened.” All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables,to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:I will open my mouth in parables,I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundationof the world.Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one,and the enemy who sows them is the devil.The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels,and they will collect out of his kingdomall who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace,where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.” Ebanjelioa: Mateo 13, 24-4324 Beste parabola bat proposatu zien Jesusek: «Jainkoaren erregetzarekin, gizon batek soroan hazi ona erein zuenean bezala gertatzen da. 25 Etxeko denak lo zeudela, etsaiak soroan sartu etagari artean olo gaiztoa erein zuen eta alde egin. 26 Garia hazi eta burutu zenean, olo gaiztoa ere agertu zen. 27 Joan ziren, orduan,morroiak etxeko nagusiari esatera: “Jauna, ez al zenuen hazi ona erein soroan? Nondik du, bada, olo gaiztoa?” 28 Hark erantzun zien: “Etsaiaren lana da hori”. Eta morroiek: “Joango al gara olo gaiztoa biltzera?” 29 Baina nagusiak: “Ez, ez dadila gerta olo gaiztoa biltzean garia ere ateratzea. 30 Utzi biak batera hazten uztaroa iritsibitartean; orduan, igitariei esango diet: Bildu lehenik olo gaiztoa, lotu eta erre; garia, berriz, jaso nire mandiora”». 31 Jesusek beste parabola hau kontatu zien: «Jainkoaren erregetza gizon batek soroan ereiten duen mostaza-haziaren antzekoa da. 32 Hazi guztietan txikiena da; baina, hazten denean, beste barazki guztiak baino handiago bihurtzen da eta zuhaitz egiten, txoriek etorri eta adarretan habiak egiteko moduko zuhaitza». 33 Beste parabola bat ere esan zien: «Jainkoaren erregetza legamiaren antzekoa da: emakume batek anega bat irinetan nahasten du, eta oraldi guztia harrotzen da». 34 Irakaspen hauek guztiak parabola bidez eman zizkion Jesusek jendeari, eta ez zien ezer irakasten parabolaz izan ezik. 35 Honela bete zen Jainkoak profetaren bidez esana: Parabola bidez mintzatuko naiz, munduaren hasieratik gordea zegoena azalduko. 36 Jesus jendetza agurtu eta etxeratu egin zen. Hurbildu zitzaizkion, orduan, ikasleak eta eskatu zioten: «Argi iezaguzu soroko olo gaiztoaren parabola». 37 Jesusek esan zien: «Hazi ona ereiten duena Gizonaren Semea da; 38 soroa, mundua; hazi ona Jainkoaren erreinuko seme-alabak dira; olo gaiztoa, berriz, gaiztoarenak; 39 olo gaiztoa ereiten duen etsaia deabrua da; uzta, munduaren azkena; eta uzta-biltzaileak, aingeruak. 40 Olo gaiztoa bildu eta sutan erretzen den bezala, hala gertatuko da munduaren azkenean ere:41 Gizonaren Semeak bere aingeruak bidaliko ditu, eta haren erreinutik bereiziko dituzte gaizkileak eta besterentzat gaizpide gertatzen direnak, 42 eta su-labera botako. Negarra eta hortz-karraska izango da han. 43 Orduan, zintzoek eguzkiak bezala distira egingo dute beren Aitaren erreinuan. Ulertzeko gauza denak uler beza! Vocabulary soroan hazi ona erein fiel seed good sow etsaiak enemy (etsaia-k=enemy the) gari wheatolo gaiztoa common wild oat, weeds morroiak – nagusiari servant   —  master hazten uztaroa iritsi  let grow, harvest, arrive igitariei sickle, sickelers, harvesters erre burn mandiora grainery mostaza-haziaren antzekoa mustard-seed like barazki plant, vegetable bihurtzen to become zuhaitz tree habiak nest legamiaren yeast anega measure irinetan wheat flour oraldi guztia harrotzen whole batch leavened Hurbildu to approach, get closer Ikasleak disciples Deabrua devil su-labera fire-over, furnace Small is Beautiful Triumphalism, greed, the thirst for power and the desire to overpower their opponents has done, over the centuries, and even today, much damage to Christianity. These are the real weeds. There are still many Christians among us who long for the return to grow the weeds of a powerful church capable to fill temples, as if they were soccer stadiums, and to conquer the streets and impose their religion on the entire society. This is why we have to re-read the two little parables in today’s Gospel. In them, Jesus makes it clear that the task of his followers is not to build a powerful religion, but to place ourselves at the service of the humanizing project of the Father (the Kingdom of God), by planting small “seeds” of Gospel and introducing them into our society as small “leaven” of human life. The first parable speaks of a mustard seed planted in the garden. What is so special about this seed? That is the smallest of all, but when it grows, it becomes bigger than any vegetables’ shrub. The project of the Father has very humble beginnings, but his transforming power we cannot even imagine now. The activity of Jesus in Galilee planting gestures of kindness and righteousness was nothing grandiose and spectacular: not in Rome nor in the Temple of Jerusalem people were aware of what was happening. The work that we, his followers, do today is totally insignificant: the big centers of power ignore us completely. Even we Christians may have arrived to think that it is useless to work for a better world: we humans turn repeatedly to make the same mistakes and horrors of the past. We seem not to be able to comprehend the slow growth the kingdom of God is constantly making. The second parable tells of a woman feeding a little yeast in a large dough. No one knows how but the yeast keeps working quietly until the dough is completely fermented. The same happens with the humanizing plan of God. Once this Word of God enters the world, it quietly ends up transforming completely human history. God does not act imposing Himself from outside. God humanizes the world by attracting the minds of His children toward a more decent, just and fraternal lifestyle. We must always trust Jesus. The kingdom of God is always humble and small in its beginnings. God is already at work promoting solidarity between us, the desire for truth and justice, the longing for a happier world. We must cooperate with God by following on the footsteps of Jesus. A less powerful Church, more devoid of privileges, poorer and closer to the poor, will always be more free to plant the seeds of the Gospel, and consequently more humble to live among simple people. Only then the church will become like leaven of a more dignified and fraternal lifestyle. Xumea eta ttipia ederra eta oparoa da! Jaunaren Erregetza, xume eta ttipiengan kokatzen da. Bihotz harroaren barruan ez dago Jainkoarentzat lekurik: harrokeriz betea bait dago. Ixiltasunean, arruntasunean, apaltasunean eta xumetasunean agertzen da Jaunaren indarra eta bizia.

Sunday July 13, 2014 Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Gospel MT 13:1-23. On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore.  And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.  Whoever has ears ought to hear.” The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted, and I heal them. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. “Hear then the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” Ebanjelioa MaTeo 13:1-23 1 Egun batez, Jesus etxetik atera eta aintzira-ertzean eseri zen. Eta hainbeste jende bildu baitzitzaion ondora, txalupa batera igo eta eseri egin zen. Jende-taldea, berriz, hondartzan zegoen. 3 Eta luze hitz egin zien parabola bidez. Honela mintzatu zitzaien: «Atera zen behin ereilea hazia ereitera4 Ereitean, zenbait ale bide-bazterrean erori zen, eta txoriek etorri eta jan egin zuten. Beste zenbait harri artean erori zen, lur handirik ez zen tokian; eta, axaleko lurra izanik, berehala erne zen; 6 baina eguzkiak jo orduko, erre egin zen eta,sustrairik ez zuelako, ihartu7 Beste zenbait ale sasi artean erori zen, eta sasiek, haztean, ito egin zuten hazia. 8 Gainerakoak lur onean erori ziren, eta fruitua eman zuten: bateko ehun edo hirurogei edo hogeita hamar. 9 Ulertzeko gauza denak uler beza». 10 Ondoratu zitzaizkion ikasleak Jesusi eta galdegin zioten: –Zergatik hitz egiten diezu parabola bidez? 11 Jesusek erantzun zien:–Zuei eman zaizue Jainkoaren erregetzaren misterioak ezagutzea; horiei, ordea, ez. 12Izan ere, duenari eman egingo zaio, eta gainezka izango du; ez duenari, ordea, daukan apurra ere kendu egingo zaio. 13 Hona zergatik hitz egiten diedan parabola bidez: begiratu bai, baina ikusten ez dutelako; entzun bai, baina ez aditzen, ez ulertzen ez dutelako. 14«Horrela, Isaias profetak esana betetzen da horiengan: «Entzungo duzue, bai, baina ulertu ez; ikusiko duzue, bai, baina ohartu ez. 15 Izan ere, herri honek gogortu egin ditu buru-bihotzak, gortu belarriak, itsutu begiak. Ez bezate beren begiez ikus, ez belarriez entzun, ezta buruaz ulertu ere, horrela niregana bihur ez daitezen eta salba ez ditzadan. 16«Zorionekoak, ordea, zuen begiak, ikusten dutelako, eta zuen belarriak, entzuten dutelako! 17 Benetan diotsuet: Profeta eta gizon santu askok ikusi nahi izan zuten zuek ikusten duzuena, baina ez zuten ikusi, eta entzun nahi zuek entzuten duzuena, baina ez zuten entzun. 18 «Entzun ezazue, beraz, ereilearen parabolaren esanahia.19 Erregetzaren mezua entzun bai, baina ulertzen ez duenari, gaiztoaetortzen zaio eta bihotzean erein zaiona kendu egiten dio. Hori da, mezua “bide-bazterrak” hazia bezala hartzen duena. 20 “Harri-arteak” bezala hartzen duena hauxe da: mezua entzutean, berehala pozik onartzen duena; 21 baina sustrairik gabea eta iraupen gutxikoaizanik, mezua dela-eta estuasun edo erasoaldiren bat sortu orduko, erori egiten da . 22 “Sasi-arteak” bezala hartzen duena hauxe da: mezua entzun bai, baina bizitza honetako ardurak eta diru-goseak mezua ito egiten diotena, fruiturik gabe utziz. 23 “Lur onak” bezala hartzen duena hauxe da: mezua entzun eta ulertzen duena; honek fruitua ematen du: bateko ehun edo hirurogei edo hogeita hamar». Vocabulary: aintzira-ertzean, lakeshore  hondartzan, beach; hondar, sand mintzatu, hitzegin, express (onself), speak ereilea hazia ereitera, sower, seed, to sowzenbait (some) ale (seed, grane) bide (road)-bazterrean (side) erori(fall)harri artean, stones in between axaleko, superficial erne, germinatesustrairik (roots) ihartu, wither sasi artean, bushes in between ito, chokeUlertzeko gauza denak, uler beza, able to understand Apurra, littleEsanahia, meaning Gaiztoa, the evil iraupen gutxikoa, endurance littleestuasun edo erasoaldiren hardship or persecution ardurak eta diru-goseak mezua, worries and greed (money-hunger) message On the footsteps of the Sower. At the end of the story about the parable of the sower, Jesus makes this call: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” It is demanded from us to pay close attention to the parable. What should we think about it? About the sower? About the seed? About the various types of fields on which the seed felt? Traditionally, we Christians have set almost exclusively attention on the land on which the seed falls, in order to discern what our attitude is when we listen to the Gospel. However, it is important to pay attention to the sower and the way he sows. That is precisely the first thing the story tells us: “A sower went out to sow.” It does so with a surprising confidence. He sows abundantly. The seed falls and falls everywhere, even there where it seems difficult that the seed can germinate. So did the peasants of Galilee, who sowed even in the roadsides and rocky terrain. For the people of the time it was not difficult to identify the sower. That’s the way also that Jesus sows. People saw Jesus every morning going out to announce the Good News. People saw Jesus sowing the Word among simple people who welcomed it, as well as among the scribes and Pharisees who rejected it. Jesus never got discouraged. He knows that his sowing will not be a fruitless work. Overwhelmed, as we are, by a strong religious crisis, we may think that the Gospel has lost its original strength and that the message of Jesus no longer has the claw to attract the attention of the men and women of today. I believe that it certainly is not the time to “harvest” striking successes, but to learn to continue sowing without being discouraged, with more humility and facing the truth and our present reality without triumphalism. For it is not the Gospel that has lost its humanizing power and potentiality, but we ourselves who are announcing it with a weak and wavering faith. It is not Jesus the one who has lost the power to seduce people. It is rather us the ones who make Him a tasteless food with our inconsistencies and contradictions. Pope Francis has said that when a Christian does not live a strong attachment to Jesus, “soon loses enthusiasm and no longer is sure about what he/she must transmits, and lacks the strength and passion for Jesus. And a person who is not convinced, excited, confident, and in love with what he/she says, does not convince anyone.” Pope Francis also has said that a church centered in itself is self-complacent and becomes ugly to look at. To evangelize is not about spreading a doctrine, but to make visible in the midst of society and in the hearts of people the saving and the humanizing power of Jesus. This cannot be accomplished in anyway. The most decisive factor is not the number of preachers, catechists and teachers of religion we may be able to have, but the witness of men and women in love with Jesus who can irradiate Gospel values to all Christians.Ereilearen oinurrats gainean. Ereilea den Jesusi begirada eman behar diogu. Jesusek uste osoz, fede osoz, hazia ereiten du. Hazi hau gizarte berri baten hasera izan daiteke: gizarte gizakiago batenarena alegia. Elizaren erdigunea, ez da eliza bera, ez eta eliztarrok: Elizaren bihotza Jesus da, eta bere Berri Ona.

Sunday July 6, 2014 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) Gospel MT 11:25-30 | Mateoren Ebanjeliotik 11, 25-28 «Zatozte niregana» 25 Behin batean, Jesus honela mintzatu zen: «Goresten zaitut, Aita, zeru-lurren Jauna, gauza hauek jakintsu eta ikasiei ezkutatu dizkiezulako eta jende xumeari agertu. 26 Bai, Aita, goretsia zu, horixe izan baituzu gogoko.27 «Nire Aitak nire esku utzi du dena. Eta inork ez du Semea ezagutzen, Aitak baizik; ezta Aita ere inork ezagutzen, Semeak baizik eta Semeak agertu nahi dionak. 28 «Zatozte niregana, nekatu eta zamatu guztiok, eta neuk emango dizuet atseden.  29 Hartzazue nire uztarria eta ikasi niregandik, gozoa eta bihotz-apala bainaiz ni, eta aurkituko duzue bizitzarako atsedena;  30 eramanerraza baita nire uztarria eta arina nire zama».Jesusen Hiru Deiak: «Zatozte niregana, nekatu eta zamatu guztiok, eta neuk emango dizuet atseden» «Hartzazue nire uztarria eramanerraza baita eta arina nire zama» «Ikasi niregandik, gozoa eta bihotz-apala bainaiz ni, eta aurkituko duzue bizitzarako atsedena» At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.  Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest . Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” The Three Calls of Jesus The Gospel of Matthew has collected three calls from Jesus we, his followers, have to listen carefully. As we put into practice these three calls, they possess the force to transform this climate of discouragement, tiredness and boredom that sometimes permeate many in our Christian communities. “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened. I will give you rest.” This is the first call. It is addressed to all those who live their religion as a burden. No few Christians live burdened by their conscience, in a permanent state of guilt. They are not great sinners though. They simply “were trained” to constantly bear in mind their sin and they have not yet experienced the joy of God’s constant forgiveness. If they were to meet or experience Jesus, they would be relieved. There are also Christians tired of living their religion as a worn tradition. As empty practices. If they were to meet or experience Jesus, they would learn to live at peace with God. They would be able to discover an inner joy which today they do not know or cannot experience. Then they would follow Jesus, not by compulsion but by attraction and conviction. “Take my yoke upon you for it is easy, and my burden light.” This is the second call. Jesus does not overwhelm anyone. Instead, He releases what it is the best in us as he proposes us to live our lives in the most humane, dignified and healthy manner. It is not easy to find a more exciting and passionate lifestyle than walking on the footsteps of Jesus! Jesus frees us from fear, guilt, and pressures, he does not increase them; Jesus increases our freedom, not our dependency; He awakens in us trust, never sadness; He draws us to love, not to a fearful observance of laws and precepts. He invites us to live doing always good. “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart and you shall find rest.” This is the third call. We must learn from Jesus to live like him. Jesus does not make our lives more difficult. On the contrary, He makes it more simple and more clear, more humble and healthier. He offers rest. He never proposes his followers something he has not lived and experienced before. He invites us to follow the same road he has traveled. That is why Jesus can understand our difficulties and our struggles, he can forgive our mistakes and blunders, by always encouraging us to get up and start anew. Jesus is the Good News.