Holyrood Church 715 West 179 Street, Upper West side Manhattan, USA, 212-923-3770

The Red Corner of Fr. Luis

Faith in the midst of the storm

 

Good morning, happy Tuesday, and many blessings.

 

One of the best-known stories in the Gospels is that of Jesus’ calming the storm on the lake. This is the Gospel for today: Matthew 8:23-27. This little passage is rather straightforward in its structure. There are three parts, based on the three things that were said. The first part is the storm on the sea and the disciple’s words to Jesus. The second section is Jesus’ rebuke of the disciples and then the calming of the storm. The third is the disciples’ amazement and their words about Jesus.

 

We are church

 

 

Good morning, happy Monday, and many blessings.

 

The scripture for today is Matthew ‪16:13-19‬. This is the first time the word church is used in the bible: Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

 

There has been all kinds of debate and confusion about this passage. And as is typical when we can’t agree, there are usually lines drawn and things end in division.

 

Breaking the silence

 

 

Good morning, happy Friday, and many blessings.

 

A solid construction

 

 

Good morning, happy Thursday, and many blessings.

 

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 7:21-29) presents the last part of the Sermon on the Mount: (a) it is not sufficient to talk and sing, it is necessary to live and to practice (Mt ‪7:21-23‬); (b) the community constructed on the foundation of the new law of the discourse on the mount will remain standing at the moment of the storm (Mt 7:24-27); (c) the words of Jesus are a severe judgment on the contemporary religious leaders, the scribes (Mt 7:28-29).

 

Identify your call

 

 

Good morning, happy Wednesday, and blessings.

 

In today’s gospel (Luke 1:57, 66.80) we remember the life of John the Baptist. In this story John the Baptist is born and they are going to name him after his dad, but his mum says “no – his name is John”. They don’t believe her and so his dad writes on a tablet that his name is John and they believed him. Nevertheless, like you and me, John the Baptist was born with a purpose.

 

The rule of solidarity love

 

 

Good morning, happy Tuesday, and many blessings.

 

How do we make judgments?

 

 

Good morning, happy Monday, and many blessings.

 

Let me start by asking you this question – How many people have you judged this week? Two? Three? Five to ten? Too many to count? – None? (You are a saint!) Judging others is something that happens everyday. I try not to judge but sometimes I just can’t help it.

 

Jesus invites us to identify and stay in His home.

 

 

Good morning, happy Saturday, and many blessings.

 

Today’s gospel (Luke 2:41-51) is a story about growing up but it is not Jesus’ growing up. It is about Mary and Joseph growing up. It is about you and me growing up. Growing up is not about how old we are. It is really about moving into deeper and more authentic relationships with God, our world, each other, and ourselves.

 

Free and happy in the midst of tiredness.

 

 

Good morning, happy Friday, and many blessings.

 

Today’s gospel, Matthew 11:25-30, is an exclusive invitation to rest and discipleship: Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

 

The our Father is a pattern, not a litany

 

 

Good morning, happy Thursday, and many blessings.

 

In our Gospel today – Matthew 6:7-15- Jesus teaches us that it is not the amount of words, nor the time we spend, but faith that is important as we pray to God. There are two versions of the Our Father: Luke (Lk 11:1-4) and Matthew (Mt 6:7-13). In Luke, the Our Father is shorter. Regardless of which version is used, at least we must be clear that the words "Our Father (or perhaps our Mother)" indicate the relationship that must exist between the person who prays and the one who hears the prayer.

 

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Ministry at the time of Coronavirus (Covid 19): Prevent, cure and accompany

Now we have to shape what some have started calling; The Church at Home. Although I keep asking myself; What do those who do not have a home do? For this reason, at the same time, I am declaring today in our Holyrood Church a Lenten day of prayer, fasting and reading the Bible in the Time of the Coronavirus.

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