Readings
Reading I: Isaiah 66:10-14 |
Preaching TipAvoid this Deepity: "God is good all the time"
A “spiritual deepity” is a phrase that sounds profound and full of truth, but actually lacks nuance and depth and is often untrue.
Today, a deepity that we can examine is “God is good all the time”.
The phrase "God is good all the time" is generally a declaration of faith. It is a reminder of God's constant goodness, regardless of circumstances.
On one level, it is true. We can and should say “God is good”. But without nuance, this phrase can be problematic for a few reasons:
Over-simplification of Suffering:
Some people in the pews may feel that the statement oversimplifies complex human suffering and pain. During times of profound hardship, hearing this statement from their pastor might sound dismissive of the genuine emotional struggles they are facing.
The Problem of Evil:
The phrase raises questions related to the problem of evil. If God is always good, why do bad things happen? This can be a challenging and sensitive issue for many.
Cultural and Contextual Sensitivity:
In certain contexts, especially after tragic events, the phrase might seem out of touch or insensitive to those who are grieving or suffering.
Conclusion
The problem with “spiritual deepities” pronounced from the pulpits can be overcome if we only use them thoughtfully and empathetically. This means making sure to nuance them correctly, pausing to consider all the implications of them, and ensuring that God’s message is shared in a way that is uplifting and supportive.
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Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
LOS FRUTOS DE LAS MISIONES
Si durante la Semana Santa ha llamado a la puerta de tu casa una familia misionera para invitarte a renovar tu fe en Cristo resucitado, podrás entender mejor el contenido de este Evangelio, en el que Cristo envía a sus discípulos de dos en dos con la misión de anunciar al mundo entero que el Reino de Dios está cerca.
1. No son pocos los cristianos que aceptan el mensaje de Jesús, sin embargo no todos sienten la necesidad de llevarlo a los demás. Se han acostumbrado a pensar que ésta es una tarea que corresponde a los sacerdotes o a las religiosas como especialistas de la evangelización. El concilio Vaticano segundo nos ha recordado que "a los laicos les corresponde una tarea misionera en este mundo secularizado, en los lugares de trabajo, en medio de las calles, en las grandes ciudades".
2. Entre los primeros cristianos era muy viva la conciencia misionera, y San Pedro recuerda que es numeroso el grupo de generosos colaboradores que hay en Roma y son hombres, mujeres, familias enteras. Gracias a ellos el cristianismo se difundió, de persona a persona, velozmente, por los caminos del imperio romano. Sentían como urgente e imperiosa la exigencia de compartir con otros su propia fe.
3. El misionero que lleva el mensaje de Jesús transmite la paz. La paz cristiana es la felicidad que brota del encuentro con Dios. Es ésta la primera actitud que debe adoptar el seguidor de Jesús en cualquier lugar donde se encuentre: dar la paz. En nuestro lenguaje de todos los días "paz" se traduce como ausencia de conflictos, pero en el Evangelio significa la plenitud de los bienes que el Mesías trajo a la humanidad.
El Papa Juan XXIII decía que "un mundo pacífico es aquel en el que no sólo hay orden y unidad, sino sobre todo donde hay justicia y caridad". En la práctica la paz es el arte de estar de acuerdo. Sólo es posible conquistarla con la capacidad de perdonar, la disponibilidad al sacrificio, la entrega generosa, la comprensión de los demás, la apertura a todas las sensibilidades. ¿Está en paz nuestra alma?
Decía Gandhi que "la violencia es el arma de los débiles y la no violencia el arma de los fuertes". En realidad el arma de los fuertes es el amor. Es el poder que cohesiona porque primero elimina todas las injusticias. A todos nos impresiona cuando vemos a una persona que es capaz de mantener la paz y la serenidad en situaciones en las que de costumbre se piensa encontrar sólo angustia y temor. ¿Cómo calmar el ansia, la inquietud, el nerviosismo, la turbación, el miedo? Jesús nos dice: "¡que no tiemble vuestro corazón!" El remedio es la confianza en Dios.
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
THE FRUITS OF MISSIONS
If during Holy Week a missionary family has knocked on your door to invite you to renew your faith in the risen Christ, you will be able to better understand the content of this Gospel, in which Christ sends his disciples two by two with the mission to announce to the whole world that the Kingdom of God is near.
1. There are not a few Christians who accept the message of Jesus, however not all feel the need to carry it to others. They have become accustomed to thinking that this is a task that belongs to priests or religious as specialists in evangelization. The Second Vatican Council has reminded us that "the laity have a missionary task in this secularized world, in workplaces, in the middle of the streets, in the great cities."
2. Among the first Christians, missionary consciousness was very alive, and Saint Peter recalls that there is a numerous group of generous collaborators in Rome, and they are men, women, entire families. Thanks to them Christianity spread, from person to person, rapidly, along the roads of the Roman empire. They felt as urgent and imperative the need to share their own faith with others.
3. The missionary who carries the message of Jesus transmits peace. Christian peace is the happiness that springs from the encounter with God. This is the first attitude that the follower of Jesus must adopt in any place where he finds himself: to give peace. In our everyday language "peace" translates as absence of conflicts, but in the Gospel it means the fullness of the goods that the Messiah brought to humanity.
Pope John XXIII said that "a peaceful world is one in which there is not only order and unity, but above all where there is justice and charity." In practice, peace is the art of being in agreement. It is only possible to conquer it with the capacity to forgive, the willingness to sacrifice, generous surrender, understanding of others, openness to all sensibilities. Is our soul at peace?
Gandhi said that "violence is the weapon of the weak and non-violence the weapon of the strong." In reality the weapon of the strong is love. It is the power that cohesion because it first eliminates all injustices. We are all impressed when we see a person who is capable of maintaining peace and serenity in situations where one usually thinks to find only anguish and fear. How to calm anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, turmoil, fear? Jesus tells us: "Let not your heart tremble!" The remedy is trust in God.