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VIGÍLIA PASCAL – ANO B (Pe. Lucas, scj)

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Caros irmãos, celebramos, já na Vigília Pascal, a ressurreição de nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo (cf. Mc 16,1-7) e, assim, nosso coração irrompe em uma grande alegria. Mas qual é o motivo para nos alegrarmos tanto? Não parece que, apesar da beleza da liturgia celebrada com piedade, parece que tudo continua igual… Dizemos que Cristo ressuscitou, cantamos o “Aleluia”, mas, infelizmente, parece que o pecado e a morte não foram derrotados… Pelo contrário, muitas vezes parecem, dentro e fora de nós, mais fortes do que nunca…

Mas, aproximando-nos do Evangelho desta noite santa, entenderemos o que celebramos c3adcone-ressurreic3a7c3a3o-do-senhore, assim, o motivo de nossa alegria: “Ele ressuscitou. Não está aqui” (Mc 16,6). O corpo de Jesus não conheceu a corrupção, como disse Bento XVI, porque Ele “não estava só (…). Encontrava-Se, por assim dizer, num abraço com Aquele que é a própria vida (…). Ele era um só com a vida indestrutível”. Assim, Jesus Ressuscitado pertence a uma vida inteiramente nova e eterna. E Ele nos deu essa vida no Batismo, conforme o Apóstolo: “pelo batismo nós fomos sepultados com ele na morte para que, como Cristo foi ressuscitado dentre os mortos pela glória do Pai, assim também nós vivamos uma vida nova” (Rm 6,4).

Irmãos, como não nos enchermos de esperança e assim nos alegrarmos porque nela fomos salvos? Sim, nossa alegria vem da esperança! Visto que “É importante saber: eu posso sempre continuar a esperar, ainda que pela minha vida ou pelo momento histórico que estou a viver aparentemente não tenha mais qualquer motivo para esperar. Só a grande esperança-certeza de que, não obstante todos os fracassos, a minha vida pessoal e a história no seu conjunto estão conservadas no poder indestrutível do Amor e, graças a isso e por isso, possuem sentido e importância, só uma tal esperança pode, naquele caso, dar ainda a coragem de agir e de continuar” (Bento XVI, Spe Salvi 35).

Que a Virgem Mãe de Deus, esperança nossa, nos ajude a vivermos na alegria que vem da fé, da esperança e da caridade!

CELEBRAÇÃO DA PAIXÃO DO SENHOR – ANO B (Pe. Lucas, scj)

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Caros irmãos, na sexta-feira santa não temos a Santa Missa, mas a celebração solene da Paixão de Nosso Senhor. Trata-se de um dia de jejum, abstinência e oração em que reservamos o melhor de nossas forças para a contemplação de Jesus Crucificado por amor de nós (cf. Jo 18,1-19,42). Peçamos a Deus a graça de corresponder generosamente a Seu Amor.

Como disse o Papa Emérito Bento XVI: “a ‘Via Crucis’ não é uma coisa que pertence ao passado (…). Na ‘Via Crucis’ não há a possibilidade de ser neutral. Pilatos, icone_crucificado.jpgintelectualmente cético, procurou ser neutral, ficar de fora; mas precisamente assim, tomou uma posição contra a justiça, devido ao conformismo da sua carreira. Devemos procurar nosso lugar”. Por isso, esta sexta não é um feriado qualquer, mas um dia importante de recolhimento e oração: precisamos encontrar e ocupar nosso lugar.

Neste sentido, somos convidados a seguir o caminho da Misericórdia. O Amor do Senhor crucificado é, antes de mais, um amor misericordioso: Ele se compadece de nós e nos cura de nossos pecados. Mas não só para encontrar o perdão – embora isso seja imprescindível e insubstituível – o contato com este Amor deve nos tornar misericordiosos. Assim, poderemos, pela força de Deus que atua em nós, transformarmos nossas relações para vivermos na justiça que vem de Cristo e sermos suas testemunhas para que mais e mais irmãos se aproximem da fonte de toda Graça.

Que a Virgem das Dores interceda por nós, a fim de que sejamos constrangidos e contagiados pela Misericórdia que brota do lado aberto de nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo.

Gospel Reading and Meditation by Fr Daniel Ribeiro, scj

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Holy Thursday

Verse Before the Gospel Jn 13:34

I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another as I have loved you.

Gospel Reading:
John 13:1-15
“Jesus’ supreme humility and unfailing love”

1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 And during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. 5 Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.

6 He came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part in me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “You are not all clean.”

12 When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

Prayer:

“Lord Jesus, your love conquers all and never fails. Help me to love others freely, with heart-felt compassion, kindness and goodness. Where there is injury, may I sow peace rather than strife.”

A Daily Quote for Lent:

Christ chose to be a servant who offered himself for us, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

“Even though the man Christ Jesus, in the form of God together with the Father with whom He is one God, accepts our sacrifice, nonetheless He has chosen in the form of a servant to be the sacrifice rather than accept it. Therefore, He is the priest Himself Who presents the offering, and He Himself is what is offered.” (excerpt from City of God, 10,20)

MISSA DA CEIA DO SENHOR – ANO B (Pe. Lucas, scj)

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Caros irmãos, o tríduo pascal tem início com a Missa In Coena Domini que, no Brasil, conhecemos popularmente como a celebração do Lava Pés. Nesta liturgia, contemplamos a instituição da Santíssima Eucaristia, do sacerdócio ministerial e do novo mandamento do amor. Realidades intimamente unidas e articuladas entre si e que nos conduzem neste momento de reflexão.

“Tendo amados os seus que estavam no mundo, amou-os até o fim” (Jo 13,1). O amor de nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo por nós, sua profundidade sem limites, nos é provada pelo download (1)mistério da Cruz, antecipado e perpetuado na Eucaristia (cf. IGMR 2). E, para que tivéssemos acesso permanente a este mistério, o Senhor transmitiu tal poder a homens escolhidos (os Apóstolos). Assim, pela tradição formada na graça da ordenação, cremos que no pão e no vinho eucaristizados, ainda hoje, como dizia São Justino, já no século II, estão presentes, real e substancialmente, o Corpo e o Sangue, a Alma e a Divindade de nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo.

Ora, este memorial permanente de Sua presença nos alimenta para que, dia a dia sejamos capazes de fazer o que Ele fez (cf. Jo 13,15): amar até o fim. Em outras palavras, como nos ensinou Bento XVI: “Eis que, qualquer obra de bondade pelo outro especialmente por quem sofre e por quantos são pouco estimados é um serviço de lava-pés (…). Mas existe ainda uma dimensão mais profunda. O Senhor limpa-nos da nossa indignidade com a força purificadora da sua bondade. Lavar os pés uns aos outros significa sobretudo perdoar-nos incansavelmente uns aos outros, recomeçar sempre de novo juntos, mesmo que possa parecer inútil. Significa purificar-nos uns aos outros suportando-nos mutuamente e aceitando ser suportados pelos outros; purificar-nos uns aos outros doando-nos reciprocamente a força santificadora da Palavra de Deus e introduzindo-nos no Sacramento do amor divino”.

Peçamos a intercessão da Virgem das Dores para perseverarmos no partir do Pão e no amor aos irmãos!

Gospel Reading and Meditation by Fr Daniel Ribeiro, scj

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Wednesday of Holy Week

Verse Before the Gospel

Hail to you, our King; you alone are compassionate with our errors.

Gospel Reading:
Matthew 26:14-25
“The tragedy of the betrayal”

14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests  15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. 17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain one, and say to him, `The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve disciples; 21 and as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me, will betray me. 24 The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man  if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Is it I, Master?” He said to him, “You have said so.”

 (Prayer of Thomas a Kempis)

“God our Father, we are exceedingly frail and indisposed to every virtuous and gallant undertaking. Strengthen our weakness, we beseech you, that we may do valiantly in this spiritual war; help us against our own negligence and cowardice, and defend us from the treachery of our unfaithful hearts; for Jesus Christ’s sake.”

A Daily Quote for Lent:

God’s help for a complete conversion, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

“When we transform our old life and give our spirit a new image, we find it hard and tiring to turn back from the darkness of earthly passions to the serene calm of the divine light. We thus ask God to help us that a complete conversion may be brought about in us.” (excerpt from Confessions 10,4)

Gospel Reading and Meditation by Fr Daniel Ribeiro, scj

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Tuesday of Holy Week

Verse Before the Gospel
Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father;you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.

Gospel Reading:
John 13:21-33,36-38
Betrayal and faltering loyalty to Jesus.

21 When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus; 24 so Simon Peter beckoned to him and said, “Tell us who it is of whom he speaks.” 25 So lying thus, close to the breast of Jesus, he said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast”; or, that he should give something to the poor.30 So, after receiving the morsel, he immediately went out; and it was night.

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of man glorified, and in him God is glorified; 32 if God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, `Where I am going you cannot come.’ 36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times.

Prayer of Thomas Aquinas

“Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart which no unworthy thought can drag downwards; an unconquered heart which no tribulation can wear out; an upright heart which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon me also, O Lord my God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.”

 

A Daily Quote for Lent:
Fight sin and put up with trials, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

“Your first task is to be dissatisfied with yourself, fight sin, and transform yourself into something better. Your second task is to put up with the trials and temptations of this world that will be brought on by the change in your life and to persevere to the very end in the midst of these things.” (excerpt from Commentary on Psalm 59,5)

Gospel Reading and Meditation by Fr Daniel Ribeiro, scj

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Monday of Holy Week.

Verse Before the Gospel
Hail to you, our King; you alone are compassionate with our faults.

Scripture: John 13: 16-20
“The one who receives me”

16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; I do not know who he is. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen; it is that the scripture may be fulfilled, `He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me. ‘ 19 I tell you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me. “

Prayer of Saint Augustine.
“Eternal God, who are the light of the minds that know you, the joy of the hearts that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you; grant us so to know you, that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom, in Jesus our Lord.”

Daily Quote from the early church fathers:

The Master wants his servants to reach their potential, by Origen, 185-254 A.D.

“The Savior, who is Lord, does something that surpasses all other lords, who have no desire to see their servants rise up to their level. He is such a Son of the Father’s goodness and love that, although he was Lord, he produced servants who could become like him, their Lord, not having the spirit of bondage, which comes from fear, but the spirit of adoption in which they too cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ So then, before becoming like their teacher and lord, they need to have their feet washed because they are still deficient disciples who possess the spirit of bondage to fear. But when they attain the stature of master and lord… then they will be able to imitate their master and wash the disciple’s feet as the teacher. (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 32.120–22)

DOMINGO DE RAMOS E DA PAIXÃO DO SENHOR – ANO B (Pe. Lucas, scj).

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Caros irmãos, com a liturgia do Domingo de Ramos e da Paixão do Senhor abrimos a celebração da Semana Santa. E, nela, temos como que a síntese de tudo o que vamos celebrar nesses dias: a manifestação do Amor de Deus em Jesus Cristo crucificado ao qual somos chamados a respondermos positivamente (cf. Mc 11,1-10). Peçamos ao Senhor que ilumine nossa oração.

O evangelho da Missa (cf. Mc 14,1-15,47) traz o relato da Paixão de nosso Senhor segundo downloadSão Marcos. E, na cruz de nosso Senhor encontramos a manifestação definitiva do amor de Deus por nós, segundo o Apóstolo: “Deus demonstra seu amor para conosco pelo fato de Cristo ter morrido por nós quando éramos ainda pecadores” (Rm 5,8). Porém, este amor permanece infrutífero se não recebe nosso assentimento. Assim, o Amor se torna um convite ao qual ninguém pode ficar indiferente. Qual será a nossa resposta? Dependendo dessa resposta, nos colocamos num determinado grupo.

Lembremo-nos o que Bento XVI demonstrou, escrevendo como teólogo: “a multidão que, na periferia da cidade, presta homenagem a Jesus não é a mesma que, depois, há de pedir sua crucifixão” [1]. Vemos, então, dois grupos distintos: aqueles que acolhem o Senhor e o aclamam “Bendito aquele que vem em nome do Senhor” e aqueles que mais tarde gritariam: “crucifica-o”. A opção é nossa. Se respondemos positivamente ao convite do Senhor, nos unindo a Ele em Sua Paixão a cada cruz do dia a dia, pela graça de Deus, participaremos também de sua ressurreição e glorificação.

Peçamos, então, a intercessão da Virgem das Dores para que a celebração desta semana santa reavive em nós o dom do Espírito Santo a fim de vivermos integralmente a nossa fé católica.

 

 

 

[1] BENTO XVI, Jesus de Nazaré: da entrada em Jerusalém até a ressurreição, p. 18. Principia Editora.

Gospel Reading and Meditation by Fr Daniel Ribeiro, scj

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Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Verse Before the Gospel Ezek 18:31

 Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Gospel Reading:
John 11: 45-56 
They took counsel how to put him to death.

45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him; 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.” 48 If we let him go on thus, every one will believe in him, and the Romans will eat and destroy both our holy place and our nation. ” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; 50 you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish. ” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but to gather into the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they took counsel how to put him to death.

54 Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews, but went from there to the country near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim; and there I stayed with the disciples. 55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. “What do you think?” “They will not eat the feast?”

Prayer:

“Lord Jesus, may our disciples be ready to lay down our lives in conformity to your will, to willingly suffer and die for you, that we may also share in your victory and glory.”

The Daily Quote for Lent:

The crucifixion is always lived , by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 AD

“The Crucifixion is something that must continue throughout our life, not for forty days only, although Moses, Elijah, and Christ fasted forty days. We are meant to learn from them not to cling to this present or imitate what it says, but to nail our unregenerate selves to the cross. ” (excerpt from Sermon 205.1)

Gospel Reading and Meditation by Fr Daniel Ribeiro, scj

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Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Verse Before the Gospel See Jn 6:63c, 68c

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.

Gospel Reading:
John 10:31-42
“I am the Son of God”

31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, `I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, `You are blaspheming,’ because I said, `I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in  the Father.” 39 Again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. 40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John at first baptized, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him; and they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.

Prayer:
“Write upon my heart, O Lord, the lessons of your holy word, and grant that I may be a doer of your word, and not a forgetful hearer only.”

A Daily Quote for Lent:

The sacrifice of Christ, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

“Even though the man Christ Jesus, in the form of God together with the Father with whom He is one God, accepts our sacrifice, nonetheless He has chosen in the form of a servant to be the sacrifice rather than to accept it. Therefore, He is the priest Himself Who presents the offering, and He Himself is what is offered.” (excerpt from City of God, 10,20)

 

 

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