Allocution, August 29, XXII Sunday in Ordinary Time

By: Archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García

Thanks to all who make this radio broadcast possible, today, August 29, XXII Sunday in ordinary time, the eve of the beginning of the novena to Our Lady of Charity. We listen to the Gospel of Mark chapter 7, verses 1 to 32.

(GOSPEL)

The Lord Jesus asks us to fully live our image and likeness of God, who is love. Our condition as children of God received in baptism. The anointing of the Holy Spirit that strengthens us to persevere today and tomorrow in the way of Christ. The promises of courtship and marriage. The Ten Commandments written in the Bible and taught by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is not easy, but it is possible. And we are accompanied by the testimony of many elderly people who have not stopped participating in Mass and praying before the Tabernacle. It is testimony of virgin males and females, virgin boyfriends; the testimony of long-term married couples and the testimony of married couples with three, four or more children. The testimony of honorable grandparents who are true to their word. The testimony of catechists, missionaries, visitors of the sick and many laity who continue to sow the Word of God without tiring and always teach in one way or another. It does not also accompany the prayer of the saints and their example encourages us to live and teach the Gospel, the catechism and the councils of the Church.

We reviewed the Ten Commandments of the Law of God and we asked ourselves if, once these Commandments were fulfilled, it would take the thousands of laws that exist in the world to ultimately lead us to comply with what God has asked of us. Let’s imagine our family, Church, town and world if the Ten Commandments are fulfilled. If so, why more laws?

Chapters 22, 23 and 24 of the book of Exodus invite everyone to read and meditate, but especially historians of the laws to have a great illumination of what is the path of happiness. The Lord wants us to live what is essential. By living it, we comply with the hygienic, epidemiological and family traditions that, really, are wonderful.

(SINGING)

The Virgin fully lived what God asked of her. Before the words of the angel, that she asked him from God to be the Mother of her Son made her man, she replied: “Here is the handmaid of the Lord.” Faced with the doubt of Saint Joseph, when she saw her pregnant, she fell silent and remained silent, and left the difficulty of Joseph to God. God responded by clarifying the situation. At the news of her cousin Isabel of her, already older, she was pregnant, she hurriedly forgot herself to help her cousin Isabel of her. Faced with the need to go to Bethlehem, she accompanies José, despite the inconveniences of the trip and accepts as a house the cave converted into a palace for José’s love. Faced with the danger that Herod would kill the child, she runs, protected by Saint Joseph, to save her blessed fruit. Faced with the difficulties of deprivation, of the house of Nazareth, she works, fights, sings … and turns everything into peace and joy. Before the horrible cross where her son died, she is there, and Christ makes her the Mother of all men. Faced with the loneliness of Holy Saturday, she waits confidently for the promises of her Son. And she enjoys the expected joy of the Resurrection. Before the apostles, fearful to announce the Gospel to all peoples, she accompanies them and she asks for the Holy Spirit for them. Before the pain of her children, before the fidelity of her children, she prays from Heaven, and she encourages us to live what Jesus tells us.

(SINGING)

Tomorrow begins the novena to our Lady of Charity. We read the Gospel of Luke chapter 1, verses 20 to 38, and we ask ourselves: What is the mission of the Virgin and that of her blessed fruit? What is your mission as a mom, dad, grandfather, grandmother, son or grandson? We pray Ten Hail Mary and where it says Pray for us, then we add the names of those who live in the house. And we place those names under the image of the Virgin that we have. If you are interested in receiving the novena, tell us how we send it to you (email, WhatsApp, telephone or personally). I remind you of the archbishopric’s phone number 78624000.

(SINGING)

On Wednesday the Pope spoke to us:

“In the Bible there are different examples in which hypocrisy is fought. A nice testimony to combat hypocrisy is from old Eliazar, who was asked to eat meat sacrificed to pagan deities to save his life. Pretend he ate it, but didn’t eat it. Or pretend that he ate the pork, but his friends had prepared another for him. But that man with fear of God replied: ‘Because at our age it is not worth pretending; lest many young people believe that Eliazar, in his nineties, has gone over to pagan customs. They too, because of my pretense and because of my attachment to this brief rest of life, deviate because of me and I attract stain and disgrace to my old age. ” Honestly, it doesn’t get in the way of hypocrisy. What a beautiful page to reflect on to get away from hypocrisy! The Gospels also narrate different situations in which Jesus strongly rebukes those who appear righteous on the outside. But inside they are full of falsehood and iniquity. If you have a little time, today take chapter 23 of the Gospel of Saint Matthew and see how many times Jesus says: ‘Hypocrites, hypocrites, hypocrites! And reveals what hypocrisy is.

“The hypocrite is a person who pretends, flatters, and deceives, because he lives with a mask on his face. And he doesn’t have the courage to face the truth. Because of this, he is not capable of truly loving. A hypocrite does not know how to love. He limits himself to living on selfishness and does not have the strength to show his heart with transparency. There are many situations in which hypocrisy can be verified. He often hides in the workplace, where he tries to appear to be friends with colleagues, while the competition comes to hit them on the back. In politics it is not unusual to find hypocrites living a split between the public and the private. Particularly detestable is the hypocrisy in the Church, and sadly there is hypocrisy in the Church, and there are many Christians and many hypocritical ministers. We should never forget the words of the Lord: let it be your language, yes, yes; nerd. That what happens from here comes from the evil one.

Brothers and sisters: let’s think today about what Paul condemns and what Jesus condemns: hypocrisy. And let’s not be afraid to be sincere, to tell the truth, to listen to the truth, to settle for the truth. So we can love. A hypocrite does not know how to love. To act in a way other than the truth means to endanger the unity of the Church. For which the Lord himself has prayed ”.

(SINGING)

We pray for our deceased:

We say the name of our deceased. In a particular way, we pray for Sister Cordelia, Missionary of Charity. She was one of the first nuns sent by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. We pray for her with all the Catholics on the island. We pray for all of our deceased.

Let’s pray:

My deceased relatives and friends, Sister María Gema, Passionist:

Sister Cordelia, the angels take you to paradise … Upon your arrival, the martyrs welcome you … Enjoy forever in the homeland of heaven, Jerusalem, the holy and eternal city … Amen.

May the poor receive you on holidays… And together with Lazarus, poor on earth, may you sit at the Father’s table, in the abundance of heavenly goods… Amen.

May the peaceful, the simple, the suffering of the kingdom heirs receive you, and those who were merciful, pure and clean in soul and body… Amen.

May they welcome you with joy and celebration how many fought tenacious, brave… for justice and peace in the world. Those persecuted by Christ and the Church… Amen.

Sweet may the Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of all welcome you. Come Jesus, kind Savior, show your radiant face of glory… Amen.

(SINGING)

We bow our heads to receive the blessing.

May the God who in his loving Providence wanted to save mankind through the blessed fruit of the womb of the Virgin Mary, fill you with his blessings… Amen.

Always be with you the protection of the Virgin for whom you have received the author of life … Amen

And to all of you gathered to celebrate with devotion this novena to the Virgin Mary of Charity, the Lord grant you the joy of the spirit and the goods of his kingdom… Amen.

And the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit descend on you and on those who live in your house… Amen.

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