This sermon was requested some time ago and finally did conclude it. thank you
Sermon for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Today’s Gospel remarks the deaf and dumb man, after being healed by a miracle he spoke right, that this might also be said of each one of us. That we also might speak right, in such a manner as redounds to the honor of God and to our own and our neighbor’s good. But who can recount all the sins that are committed by the tongue. How great will be the number of people lost by the sins of the tongue.
There is a book dated from 1617 the volume entitled “The Horseman’s book: The Art of Riding. This is about treating the use of bridles, whips, guides, and so on. Such a title is of a nature to give rise to sad thoughts. We have learned how to make bits, bridles, halters and pincers, and how to adapt them to a horse’s head or mouth; we have learned the art of directing these animals at will by means of a small bit. But we possess a tongue so ill-tempered that no bridle can curb it: this raging beast resists bits, halters and pincers alike, knocking down every obstacle in its path. It wants to be as free as a horse in the wild. Let us see what Saint James has to say on the subject: “we put bits into horse’s mouths that they may obey us, and we control their whole body also. But no man can tame the tongue. St. John Chrysostom says : “There is no member of the body by which the devil can deceive us so frequently and so easily by an unbridled tongue and an unguarded mouth”. Ecclss.28, 22: “Many have fallen away by the edge of the sword; but no so many have perished by their own tongue”.
We have all like the deaf and the dumb man strive to speak right. Saint Basil wanders why do we have only one tongue? Thereby God teaches us how sparingly we should use the tongue. We must speak no more than what is necessary for by seeing, hearing, and touching, one cannot sin so easily as by speaking something scandalous and indecent”.
As St. James points out: “indeed a little member, and boasted great things. The tongue is placed among our members, which defiles the whole body.
“By your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned”. Saint James says: “If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect man”. How much careful we should be regarding the use of the tongue!!
There are many species of this kind of sin that is to say, many types of ways in which we can commit this sin.
-Vain words.
-Uncharitable words.
- Immodest words.
Vain words useless words: as we read in St. Matthew 12, 36: “every idle word that men shall speak they shall render an account for it on the day of judgment.”
We sin on this topic when we are destitute of a good intention we have pleasure in hearing ourselves talk. We should think about spending more time praying or occupying ourselves in something better rather than uttering vain words, idle talking. There are those who experience pleasure in hearing themselves talk the vice called loquaciousness.
Another one is boasting whereby a man enjoys talking about his personal affairs, own cleverness and knowledge, money, possessions, projects etc… As the book of proverbs points out: “let another praise you and not your own mouth”.
Spirit of mockery: it causes laughter at the expense of our neighbor, not laughing with him but laughing at him. Does not have respect for the person, as Christians to have the seriousness of a man and not to be a child. Oftentimes young people commit this sin.
Probably the one fault that causes to be the most grievous and malicious is that against our neighbor that sins against charity. Calumny is a sin against charity-justice and truth-since it ruins the good name and the reputation of another what is said or imputed is not true.
Whispering and tale bearing-cause another to fight, plant a seed of discord, telling a person what evil things someone else has done.
Insults: taunting others which are to their shame. Thus it is an insult to cast up to another his low extraction, illegitimate birth, bodily defects or deformities, corporal or spiritual defects, insulting people usually end up in quarrels. Giving nicknames can also be offensive or pejorative also pocking on others people’s defects as well.
The tongue being below the eyes is a lesson to all of us. 1-not to speak about anything that we have not seen ourselves, not to believe every rumor you hear but suspend your judgment until you have found out the truth. Speak of the fault of others only when you can prevent evil or do some good.
Must love God above all things this is the greatest commandment. Talk to people with a supernatural intention do we talk about God? There are some good tools to prevent us from falling into this vices the first one is that we speak about something when is truth, good and necessary. Let us keep in mind what Saint Frances of Sales used to say: “I wish I could have two buttons on both lips, which I should be obliged to unfasten when I had an occasion to speak, for I should then gain more time to reflect, and to consider my speech”. Consider Saint James chapter 3: “the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. Does not a single word cause oftentimes bitter feelings, Does not a single word rob a man of his honor and good name? Let us have the love of God in our words: “The Savior in the way to Emmaus inflamed the hearts of the disciples by his discourses. “were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke in the way, and opened to us the scriptures? From our hearts to our words we should show the love of God and our neighbor. Let us be swift to hear but slow to speak and ask Our Lord that our discourses should be warmed by the love of God and our neighbor.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Sermon for the Fourteenth after Pentecost
Noten que aquí hago referencia a la Encíclica del Santo Padre Benedicto Caritas in Veritate.
Sermon for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
On this Sunday, The Church emphasizes the need to grow in the love of God and our neighbor. Our faith is founded upon the two-fold precept of love of God and our neighbor. It is fitting therefore to consider what is the virtue of charity truly is and its importance.
First of all, the Holy Father Benedict XVI has emphasized the importance of this virtue by writing two encyc licals on the matter, God is love, charity from the Latin “Deus caritas est “and “Caritas in veritate”, charity in truth. Both papal writings emphasize the need for charity to our neighbor and society.
Saint Paul and the whole message of the Gospel is that of the new commandment: “By this shall men know that you are my disciples If you have love for one another”. That is the doctrine of Saint Paul: “For all the law is fulfilled in one sentence: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself”. Kindness of heart, generosity, self-forgetfulness, done to be like Jesus is the beginning and the end of our holy faith.
But the fruit of the Spirit is charity’ mark these words dear faithful, because here are described the effects of our holy faith as far as the practical effects are concerned. We need to see the example of Jesus during His public ministry, the example of the Blessed mother and the Saints; Jesus Christ bore witness by His earthly life and especially by his death and resurrection. From the example of the scriptures: “The charity of God appeared towards us, because God hath sent His only begotten Son into the world that we may live by Him”.
The Holy Father reminds us in his letter that charity is first and most of all founded upon God, Caritas says the Pope, “it is a force that has its origin in God, Eternal Love and Absolute Truth”. And also from his previous encyclical when he mentioned that: “everything has its origin in God’s love, everything is shaped by it everything is directed towards it”.
Under this perspective of charity we change our view of things; the new papal writing addresses the need for a vision of man in a Christian perspective to see the other not with our own eyes but with the eyes of Jesus. Real progress in society may shine forth only if it is guided under a spirit of truth and charity. Without God man neither knows which way to go, nor even understands who he is. True development of a nation can take place when governments see that the primary capital to be safeguarded and valued is man, the human person in his or her integrity.
Another consideration that springs forth from charity is the concept of the common good, which teaches us that besides the good of the individual, there is a good that is linked to living in society: the common good. It is the good of all of us, made up of individuals, families and intermediate groups who together constitute society. To desire the common good and strive towards it is a requirement of justice and charity. The more we strive, Benedict continues, to secure a common good corresponding to the real needs of our neighbors, the more effectively we love them. Every Christian is called to practice this charity, in a manner corresponding to his vocation. Material growth, or a process of development to technology alone are views opposed to the understanding that a person has to be seen in its integrity and has been raised to a spiritual creature with values and holiness with a dignity as a creature of God.
The fully meaning of development that the Church proposes is that in which the family has its primary place as the foundation of Society, fraternal Charity obliges us a precept of love to be concerned with the unborn, the most innocent creatures who are in danger of loosing their lives or any other form in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized.
Openness to life is at the center of true development only when man sees the dignity of a person as someone to be loved for the sake of God a spiritual view that is not superficial, rather it sees man as God’s creature someone who has been endowed with an immortal soul and who has always loved.
This love of neighbor is thus shown possible in the way proclaimed in the Scriptures by Jesus. It consists in the very fact that, in God and with God, I love even the person whom I do not like or even know. This can only take place on the basis of an encounter with god, an encounter which has become a communion of will, even affecting my feelings. Then I can learn to look on this other person not simply with my eyes and my feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ. In other words, supernatural charity is loving the image of God that we see in our neighbor. St. Thomas Aquinas points out that we don not love our enemy insofar as he is an enemy, for that is contrary to the nature of reason and regardless of how evil our enemy is, he has been created in the image and likeness of God and we therefore are bound to wish the salvation of his soul. While on earth, we ought to love our enemies in this life because they have the possibility of being saved. Finally, true charity, as the name of Benedict’s work indicates is truth and not opposed to it. To use Saint Paul, epistle, “Charity rejoices in the truth”. (I Corinthians 13,6), we are mistaken If we believe that we are being charitable to others by compromising the truth, and we must remember that our Christian duty requires “to love the sinner and hate the sin, which on occasion requires to correct our neighbor”. To defend the truth, to articulate it with humility and conviction, and to bear witness to it in life are therefore exacting and indispensable forms of charity.
In the words of Saint Paul to the Romans: “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor”. Let us be open to God in our lives aware of our calling to walk in the truth and enkindle the darkness of indifference, materialism and selfishness with the Light of Christ.
Sermon for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
On this Sunday, The Church emphasizes the need to grow in the love of God and our neighbor. Our faith is founded upon the two-fold precept of love of God and our neighbor. It is fitting therefore to consider what is the virtue of charity truly is and its importance.
First of all, the Holy Father Benedict XVI has emphasized the importance of this virtue by writing two encyc licals on the matter, God is love, charity from the Latin “Deus caritas est “and “Caritas in veritate”, charity in truth. Both papal writings emphasize the need for charity to our neighbor and society.
Saint Paul and the whole message of the Gospel is that of the new commandment: “By this shall men know that you are my disciples If you have love for one another”. That is the doctrine of Saint Paul: “For all the law is fulfilled in one sentence: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself”. Kindness of heart, generosity, self-forgetfulness, done to be like Jesus is the beginning and the end of our holy faith.
But the fruit of the Spirit is charity’ mark these words dear faithful, because here are described the effects of our holy faith as far as the practical effects are concerned. We need to see the example of Jesus during His public ministry, the example of the Blessed mother and the Saints; Jesus Christ bore witness by His earthly life and especially by his death and resurrection. From the example of the scriptures: “The charity of God appeared towards us, because God hath sent His only begotten Son into the world that we may live by Him”.
The Holy Father reminds us in his letter that charity is first and most of all founded upon God, Caritas says the Pope, “it is a force that has its origin in God, Eternal Love and Absolute Truth”. And also from his previous encyclical when he mentioned that: “everything has its origin in God’s love, everything is shaped by it everything is directed towards it”.
Under this perspective of charity we change our view of things; the new papal writing addresses the need for a vision of man in a Christian perspective to see the other not with our own eyes but with the eyes of Jesus. Real progress in society may shine forth only if it is guided under a spirit of truth and charity. Without God man neither knows which way to go, nor even understands who he is. True development of a nation can take place when governments see that the primary capital to be safeguarded and valued is man, the human person in his or her integrity.
Another consideration that springs forth from charity is the concept of the common good, which teaches us that besides the good of the individual, there is a good that is linked to living in society: the common good. It is the good of all of us, made up of individuals, families and intermediate groups who together constitute society. To desire the common good and strive towards it is a requirement of justice and charity. The more we strive, Benedict continues, to secure a common good corresponding to the real needs of our neighbors, the more effectively we love them. Every Christian is called to practice this charity, in a manner corresponding to his vocation. Material growth, or a process of development to technology alone are views opposed to the understanding that a person has to be seen in its integrity and has been raised to a spiritual creature with values and holiness with a dignity as a creature of God.
The fully meaning of development that the Church proposes is that in which the family has its primary place as the foundation of Society, fraternal Charity obliges us a precept of love to be concerned with the unborn, the most innocent creatures who are in danger of loosing their lives or any other form in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized.
Openness to life is at the center of true development only when man sees the dignity of a person as someone to be loved for the sake of God a spiritual view that is not superficial, rather it sees man as God’s creature someone who has been endowed with an immortal soul and who has always loved.
This love of neighbor is thus shown possible in the way proclaimed in the Scriptures by Jesus. It consists in the very fact that, in God and with God, I love even the person whom I do not like or even know. This can only take place on the basis of an encounter with god, an encounter which has become a communion of will, even affecting my feelings. Then I can learn to look on this other person not simply with my eyes and my feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ. In other words, supernatural charity is loving the image of God that we see in our neighbor. St. Thomas Aquinas points out that we don not love our enemy insofar as he is an enemy, for that is contrary to the nature of reason and regardless of how evil our enemy is, he has been created in the image and likeness of God and we therefore are bound to wish the salvation of his soul. While on earth, we ought to love our enemies in this life because they have the possibility of being saved. Finally, true charity, as the name of Benedict’s work indicates is truth and not opposed to it. To use Saint Paul, epistle, “Charity rejoices in the truth”. (I Corinthians 13,6), we are mistaken If we believe that we are being charitable to others by compromising the truth, and we must remember that our Christian duty requires “to love the sinner and hate the sin, which on occasion requires to correct our neighbor”. To defend the truth, to articulate it with humility and conviction, and to bear witness to it in life are therefore exacting and indispensable forms of charity.
In the words of Saint Paul to the Romans: “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor”. Let us be open to God in our lives aware of our calling to walk in the truth and enkindle the darkness of indifference, materialism and selfishness with the Light of Christ.
Sermones
perdon por el gran retraso les debo los sermones pasados. my apologies for the delay I Bring here all the sermons from the lasts Sundays after Pentecost.
Sermon on Humility 16th Sunday after Pentecost
“God rejects the proud and exalts the Humble”. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen…
Dear faithful in Christ, Humility is shown in this particular Gospel passage, this virtue is difficult to attain easy to say and we see in the liturgy the texts of Saint Paul and Gospels of these Sundays after Pentecost the need of Charity that union with God and the fulfillment of the commandment which is the love of our neighbor for the sake of God. We see the importance in the spiritual life of the virtue of humility which is necessary for salvation, our calling to sanctity is our mission here on earth, that is to say to follow the commandments of God and therefore to be with Him, to follow Jesus we need to be humble in imitation of Him the one who invites us to take the last place in the wedding If we want to enter into his kingdom. We need to open the door to the Wedding feast by humbling ourselves, not by a particular amount of vocal prayers, attachment to a particular rite of Mass, books that we read etc… but rather what Saint Ambrose has to say on this subject: commenting on this Gospel reading “ But above all, it is to the constant attitude and exercise of humility that we must especially direct his attention who would secure a prominent place in the divine feast of the nuptials”. All saints are ambitious for future glory but they are aware that in order to win it they must go low down, during the present life, into their own nothingness .
The first place is not to be sought in the first seats of an earthly wedding ; rather the virtue of humility should be on the first place. Saint Thomas Aquinas says: “ Humility holds the first place inasmuch as it expels pride which God resists”. Hence Saint Gregory asserts that “he who gathers virtues without humility is like the man who carries dust against the wind”. His virtues shall be scattered. This sublime virtue is but little known so many times spoken a lot too but not practiced by us. Pride on the contrary which was the cause of ruin to Adam and his posterity is known by us all and unfortunately is a main obstacle in our lives as Christians. Who came to give us example, the Son of God, who emptied himself taking the form of a servant. Despised, says Isaiah and the most abject of men. Where was he born? In a stable and laid in a manger; in Nazareth, poor , unknown and employed in the humble occupation of assisting a poor artisan. Look at Him at His passion, scourged as a slave, insulted, mocked all the way to Calvary, crowned with thorns as a mock king and at the end suffering the ignominious death of the cross.
We ought to know that the position reserved for us in the kingdom of heaven depends not, in the least, either upon our own thoughts about ourselves or upon the judgment passed on us by other people; it depends solely on the will of God, who exalts the Humble and then he will say to us : “ Friend go up higher”. From the book of Ecclesiasticus: “The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shall find grace before God; for great is the power of God alone, and He is honored by the Humble”. Let us a claim and follow in all things the last place, not with falsity not wanting to make progress in our studies or professional endeavors however to do that solely thinking on the glory of God and not to glory ourselves but in Him whom we have received all that we have. The surest test of our Humility before God is the practical charity for our neighbor, which, in the several circumstances of everyday life, induces us, without affectation, to give him the precedence over ourselves. We should not be disappointed If we are far way behind on this aspect of the spiritual life, since God hears in a special way those who are humble as we read in the psalm :” A contrite and humble heart God shall not despise” (Psalm 50). God makes the waters of his graces abound and manifest in humble souls; If we listen to the words uttered by Our Lady: “Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid…He that is mighty hath done great things to me.” The Lord looking upon my humility and my sense of nothingness, hath bestowed great favor upon me.
The divine invitation is made to all; the nuptials are in Heaven in the Gospel wedding Christ is the Bridegroom and the church is the bride. Let us ask this virtue to Him and recognize as Saint Paul did: “I am what I am By the grace of God”.
Sermon on Humility 16th Sunday after Pentecost
“God rejects the proud and exalts the Humble”. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen…
Dear faithful in Christ, Humility is shown in this particular Gospel passage, this virtue is difficult to attain easy to say and we see in the liturgy the texts of Saint Paul and Gospels of these Sundays after Pentecost the need of Charity that union with God and the fulfillment of the commandment which is the love of our neighbor for the sake of God. We see the importance in the spiritual life of the virtue of humility which is necessary for salvation, our calling to sanctity is our mission here on earth, that is to say to follow the commandments of God and therefore to be with Him, to follow Jesus we need to be humble in imitation of Him the one who invites us to take the last place in the wedding If we want to enter into his kingdom. We need to open the door to the Wedding feast by humbling ourselves, not by a particular amount of vocal prayers, attachment to a particular rite of Mass, books that we read etc… but rather what Saint Ambrose has to say on this subject: commenting on this Gospel reading “ But above all, it is to the constant attitude and exercise of humility that we must especially direct his attention who would secure a prominent place in the divine feast of the nuptials”. All saints are ambitious for future glory but they are aware that in order to win it they must go low down, during the present life, into their own nothingness .
The first place is not to be sought in the first seats of an earthly wedding ; rather the virtue of humility should be on the first place. Saint Thomas Aquinas says: “ Humility holds the first place inasmuch as it expels pride which God resists”. Hence Saint Gregory asserts that “he who gathers virtues without humility is like the man who carries dust against the wind”. His virtues shall be scattered. This sublime virtue is but little known so many times spoken a lot too but not practiced by us. Pride on the contrary which was the cause of ruin to Adam and his posterity is known by us all and unfortunately is a main obstacle in our lives as Christians. Who came to give us example, the Son of God, who emptied himself taking the form of a servant. Despised, says Isaiah and the most abject of men. Where was he born? In a stable and laid in a manger; in Nazareth, poor , unknown and employed in the humble occupation of assisting a poor artisan. Look at Him at His passion, scourged as a slave, insulted, mocked all the way to Calvary, crowned with thorns as a mock king and at the end suffering the ignominious death of the cross.
We ought to know that the position reserved for us in the kingdom of heaven depends not, in the least, either upon our own thoughts about ourselves or upon the judgment passed on us by other people; it depends solely on the will of God, who exalts the Humble and then he will say to us : “ Friend go up higher”. From the book of Ecclesiasticus: “The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shall find grace before God; for great is the power of God alone, and He is honored by the Humble”. Let us a claim and follow in all things the last place, not with falsity not wanting to make progress in our studies or professional endeavors however to do that solely thinking on the glory of God and not to glory ourselves but in Him whom we have received all that we have. The surest test of our Humility before God is the practical charity for our neighbor, which, in the several circumstances of everyday life, induces us, without affectation, to give him the precedence over ourselves. We should not be disappointed If we are far way behind on this aspect of the spiritual life, since God hears in a special way those who are humble as we read in the psalm :” A contrite and humble heart God shall not despise” (Psalm 50). God makes the waters of his graces abound and manifest in humble souls; If we listen to the words uttered by Our Lady: “Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid…He that is mighty hath done great things to me.” The Lord looking upon my humility and my sense of nothingness, hath bestowed great favor upon me.
The divine invitation is made to all; the nuptials are in Heaven in the Gospel wedding Christ is the Bridegroom and the church is the bride. Let us ask this virtue to Him and recognize as Saint Paul did: “I am what I am By the grace of God”.
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