Author: Daniel Pizarro

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What should I call the Virgin Mary?

The Virgin of the Pillar, the Virgin of the Snow, the Virgin of the Rosary, the Virgin of Mount Carmel, the Virgin of Candelaria, the Virgin of El Pino, the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Virgin of Coromoto, the Virgin of Lourdes, the Virgin of Fatima, how many virgins are there? Virgin Mary there is only one, the mother of God, all those named are the different dedications that are given to the only Virgin Mary, spiritual mother of humanity.

The Virgin Mary has few words recorded in the gospels, but within the few that she has, she has left us profound teachings, after asking the angel sent by God how the miracle of the conception of the Son of God could occur, the following thing she tells us shows her faith, humility and total surrender to the Lord: “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:34-38), Mary begins from that moment his ministry of helping those in need, promptly going to the care of his cousin Elizabeth, who in her old age was pregnant by the work of the Lord, it is once in Elizabeth where we heard for the first time the recognition of her great role, “blessed are thou among all women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb” (Luke 1:41-42).

It is also where her cousin Elizabeth gives us a beautiful teaching of faith in God through the Magnificat or Canticle of Mary (Luke 1:46-55) this is a powerful prayer, it shows the great faith and hope of the Virgin Mary, the Magnificat speaks to us even today, to those parents without resources, to those who do not have food on the table, to the elderly who are abandoned, to the dispossessed. All of them are present in the hope that the Virgin Mary proclaims.

Mary, being our heavenly mother, like every mother, cares for each and every one of us as a mother cares for all her children, even the most disobedient; That is why, through his multiple appearances, he has helped us to deepen our faith, almost as if repeating the words he pronounced at the wedding in Cana “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:4-5).

Let us recognize the Virgin Mary as the mother of God and as our heavenly mother every time we pray the Hail Mary, and let us obey her as children so that we can hear the call of Jesus Christ, and do what He tells us.

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What do we really celebrate at Christmas?

Nativity scenes, decorated trees, lights, garlands, gifts, special dinners; All this makes Christmas present to us, a time in which joy abounds, but within that joy, what is it that we really celebrate at Christmas? Do we celebrate the secular vision of a good-natured and generous bishop riding around in a reindeer-drawn sleigh? Do we celebrate in advance the gifts brought by the wise men from the east or also known as the Three Kings? Or is it that we celebrate the first coming of the world’s redeemer and prepare for his second coming?

The first coming of Jesus Christ into the world is that coming prophesied from the beginning of time (Genesis 3:15) to save humanity from sin, because God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him would not die, but have eternal life (John 3:16). Our Lord Jesus had to come to this world as a man, because, just as Adam’s  trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act of Jesus Christ resulted in justification and life for all people (Romans 5:18-19).

Jesus in his ministry lets us glimpse through many of his parables that we must be prepared for his second coming. Advent season gives us an example of how we can prepare ourselves. During advent we prepare the nativity scene, cleaning the dust accumulated in each figurine from being stored for almost a year, we make a space in our home to assemble it and make it look beautiful, and then we keep the manger empty to place the baby Jesus in it in the last hours on Christmas Eve, so we must also prepare ourselves to receive Jesus, cleansing our souls of those sins that we may have committed, making space for mercy in our hearts, and just as the manger receives Jesus, let us also receive his body that it is the bread of eternal life (John 6:35) every time we come to Mass.

Let us celebrate Christmas always, with the perfect banquet, the banquet that Jesus Christ himself has prepared for us, the banquet that gives us eternal life consecrated on the altar, so that the grace, love and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ may always be with us.

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What is the Incarnation?

During the last week of Advent, the Church guides us to meditate on the mystery of the Incarnation, but what is the Incarnation itself? As the apostle Saint John says in the preface of his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…” (John 1:1,14) The incarnation means that the second Person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of God became flesh, in other words, he assumed a nature additional to the divine, a human nature.

But this miracle would not be possible without the acceptance of Mary, the human vehicle through which Jesus Christ became incarnate and dwelt among us, the one through whom we were created (John 1:3) wanted to be part of human nature and was the Holy Spirit was incarnate of a virgin as Isaiah had prophesied (Isaiah 7:14), Jesus Christ is born, God and man at the same time. Faced with the angel Gabriel’s announcement that she would be the mother of the promised Messiah, Mary humbly accepts by saying: “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:34-38)

The incarnation is also necessary for the redemption of sins, it was necessary for Jesus Christ to take human form, since it was necessary for him to be born under the law (Galatians 4:4-5), to fulfill the law in our favor (Matthew 5:17). It was also necessary that our Savior shed his blood for the forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22), since without a body of flesh and blood there can be no blood sacrifice. Without the Incarnation, our Lord Jesus Christ could not really die, and the cross would have no meaning.

Let us participate in the great banquet that our Lord Jesus Christ has prepared for us, since it is through his sacrifice of his flesh and blood that we were redeemed from sin, flesh and blood that are present in the consecrated bread and wine.

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Is it all penance during the Advent season?

During the liturgical season of Advent, as Catholics we prepare our hearts for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, doing penance for our sins and being austere to avoid falling into temptation that will take us away from that eternal dwelling that the Lord has reserved for us in heaven. (John 14:2), but neither should we fall into a gloomy mentality, because the Lord will come victorious and full of glory to reign over Heaven and Earth (CCC 1043), and His kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:32-33).

That is why our Holy mother Church teaches us that we must also rejoice during this time of preparation, through “Gaudete” Sunday, the third Sunday during Advent, this is a Sunday of rejoicing, because the Lord is at hand. Let us be filled with joy because we will overcome sin and eternal death through Jesus Christ, King of the universe and redeemer of the world.

Let us joyfully participate in the banquet with which Jesus Christ offers us eternal life (John 6:58). Let us do good works for the benefit of our brothers in Christ, and thus bear good fruit in the eyes of God (Matthew 7:15-20). Let us keep the Bible as a source of continuous reference and let us participate in the joy of the gospel (Evangelii Gaudium 5).

Let us rejoice in the Lord always. Let our gentleness be evident to all. Let us not be anxious about anything, but in every situation  by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:4-6).

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How should I prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ?

Advent is a time of preparation, to make us remember that we must be prepared for the moment that our Lord Jesus Christ returns to reign again victor over sin and death, He himself told us to be prepared, because we do not know what day is He coming, since He will come when we least expect it (Matthew 24:42-44).

What should we do then to be ready? Jesus Christ himself through all his ministry has taught us what to do, but He especially left us a guide in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6 and 7), the works of mercy (Matthew 25:35-40), and the sacraments (CCC 1210).

A very important part of our preparation involves receiving the sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ, to be completely part of His Church through the sacraments of initiation, namely; baptism, which frees us from all sins (CCC 1263); confirmation, which roots us more deeply as children of God and increases in us the gifts of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1303) and communion, through which we will have eternal life and are one with Christ (John 6:54-56). Blessing our unions through the sacrament of marriage, because the sanctification of our spouse is our mission (CCC 1661), and thus we love our spouse as Christ loves his Church (Ephesians 5:25). Cleanse our soul from sins committed by going to the sacrament of reconciliation, since, through repentance, confession and penance, we are reconciled again with God and His Church (CCC 1468).

Let us listen to the call made to us by John the Baptist, let us repent and confess our sins, receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit brought to us by Jesus Christ, let us practice the works of mercy, let us feed on the scriptures and on the Body and Blood of our Lord, in order to achieve eternal life.

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What is Advent?

The word Advent comes from the Latin “adventus”, word that means “coming”, it is during the advent season that we prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, both to commemorate his first coming into this world and for his second coming in all his Glory (CCC 524).

Advent begins a new liturgical year, that is, a new year for the Catholic Church, since with the birth of Jesus Christ the beginning of our faith was founded. During Advent we focus on the light of Christ in opposition to the darkness, since our Lord came into the world to throw away the darkness of sin to redeem us, and he will come again as the light of the world (Isaiah 2:4-5, Revelations 22 :5).

The season of Advent is divided into two parts, from the first Sunday of Advent to the Saturday prior to the fourth Sunday of Advent, we have a marked eschatological character, facing the second coming of the Lord at the end of times. And from the fourth Sunday of Advent to December 24, the Church intensifies the preparation of our hearts, directing them to meditate on the mystery of the Incarnation.

The liturgical color of the Advent season that is used in the liturgy is purple. This color is a symbol of austerity and evokes a sense of penance. It is used because it helps the faithful to be aware of the need for conversion, to “be prepared”, that we must prepare our hearts for the imminent arrival of the Lord. But not everything is austerity and penance during the Advent season, on the third Sunday, we celebrate “Gaudete” Sunday or Sunday of rejoicing, because both comings of Jesus Christ, the first in which he redeemed us from sin and the second when he will come to reign and His Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, are cause for rejoicing for all of us who believe in Him, the liturgical color for this Sunday is the color rose.

Let’s use these weeks to prepare our hearts before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, may our preparation be austere but let us not lose sight of the joy that Jesus Christ arrival into the world means.

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Why do we say that Jesus Christ is King of the Universe?

Our Lord Jesus Christ is not only the Eternal Redeemer of humanity (Romans 3:21-24), who for our salvation came down from heaven and by the and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,  but is also the King of Creation, by the very fact that through Him that all creation was made (John 1:1-5), how can he not then be king of his own creation?

The coming of Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah; is announced to humanity since the beginning of time (Genesis 3:15), His arrival and kingship prophesied in several passages of the old testament, both in the first days of the formation of the kingdom of Israel (Psalm 22:27-29), during the exile of God’s chosen people in Babylon (Daniel 7:13-14) as king of an eternal kingdom. The prophet Isaiah not only prophesied the virginal birth of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 7:14) but also his royal lineage (Isaiah 9:6).

The royal lineage of Jesus was also recognized during his stay among us, from his birth announced by the angels (Luke 2:11), by his own disciples (John 12:14-15 ref Zechariah 9:9), by the Jewish people themselves (John 12:12-13), by those who were in a position of power (John 18:37), by the powerless (Luke 18:35-38), as well as by those sentenced to death (Luke 23:40-42).

Jesus Christ the King is present at the beginning of the Church (1 Timothy 6:13-15) and is also present at the end of time (Revelations 17:14), as King and triumphant winner.

Let us pray with faith and conviction “My Lord and my God” when the priest repeats the words of our Lord in the consecration of the bread and wine, acknowledging in Jesus Christ the King of Kings, our Lord and our God.

Long Live Christ the King! Long Live Christ the King! Long Live Christ the King!

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Why is the Pope the highest authority in the Church?

Jesus Christ consecrated his apostles to the priesthood (John 13:15-16) and gave them a mission (Matthew 28:19-20), but he entrusted Simon with a very special task, he made him the foundation on which his Church would be founded (Matthew 16:15-18), so much so that he even changed Simon’s name to Cephas, an Aramaic word that means “stone” (and “petra” in Latin), and that is why we now know the apostle Simon as Saint Peter.

Not only would Jesus Christ would found his Church upon Peter’s faith, but he would also give him authority over it (Matthew 16:19). Peter and his successors, therefore, are the base or foundation of the Church and in turn its highest authority on Earth. It is the Pope, in whom remains the function that the Lord uniquely entrusted to Peter, head of the College of Bishops, Vicar of Christ and Pastor of the universal Church on Earth (Code of Canon Law 331).

Some will say how this authority was given to Peter, who denied the Lord three times during His Passion (Matthew 26:69-75). Let us remember that Jesus Christ not only forgave Peter but also reaffirmed him in the mission that he had entrusted to him (John 21:15-17). But this is not the only reason to put him as an authority over his Church, but Peter is a man of humble origins and a sinner like us, he is someone with whom we can identify more directly. Peter is a person who was completely transformed and changed by his encounter with Jesus, he is an example of how we can achieve holiness even from our origins as sinners.

Let each one of us follow in the footsteps of our Lord, let us recognize the authority of the successor of Peter entrusted by Jesus Christ himself, let us pray an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be for the intentions of the Holy Father and may he continue to shepherd the Church.

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What do I have to do to follow the footsteps of Jesus?

Just as Jesus Christ has called us to holiness (Matthew 5:48), our Lord has also called us to follow him (John 14:6-7). How can I be a disciple of the Lord? By following the vocation to which God is calling you, the vocation is not only those of priestly order or religious life, a person may also have the vocation to marriage (Matthew 19:5-6) or celibacy (Matthew 19:12). Vocation is a call that God himself makes us to serve him in the best way for the work of salvation (Matthew 11:28-30), just as he did with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-2) and Samuel (1 Samuel 3:7-10).

What must I do then to be able to hear the call of the Lord? There is no better way to be attentive to the call of our Lord than prayer. In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit. Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with him. This communion of life is always possible because, through Baptism, we have already been united with Christ (CCC 2565).

Let us be open to the call that God makes us and let us respond with faith to this call, not all we will have the same vocation, since different gifts have been distributed to each one of us until all of us attain to the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God (Ephesians 4:2-14).

Let us discern with faith our vocation, whether to Holy Orders, holy matrimony or the celibate life, so that, as a holy people, we work for the edification of the body of Christ that is the Church. Let us not be sponge Christians who only receive the word without acting, let us rather be like a honeycomb, Christians overflowing with the sweetness of the gospel through our example of life in the vocation of service that God has called us to.

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Who are the saints?

The Church recognizes as saints those souls who left this world and find themselves in the glory of the presence of God (CCC 954), the souls of those who, amid worldly suffering, were able to reach perfect union with Christ, according to the state and condition of each one. Those who, being men like us, were transformed more perfectly into the image of Christ (LG 50). They are the witnesses who have preceded us in the Kingdom, they participate in the living tradition of prayer, through the model of their life, through the transmission of their writings and for his current prayer. They contemplate God, praise him and do not stop caring for those who have stayed on earth. Entering “into the joy” of the Lord, they have been “charged with much more.” Their intercession is their highest service to God’s plan. we can and we must beg them to intercede for us and for the whole world (CCC 2683).

Due to the fact that they are already glorified, these souls are more intimately united with Christ, they consolidate more firmly to the whole Church in holiness. They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus. By their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped (CCC 956).

Jesus Christ made a call to holiness to all his disciples (Matthew 5:48), “Be holy as your Heavenly Father is holy.” That call is open to all of us, because God has placed us in the world to know him, serve him and love him, and thus go to heaven. Having a clean heart makes us participate in the divine nature and eternal life. With it, man enters into the glory of Christ and into the joy of the Trinitarian life (CCC 1721).

The Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount and the apostolic catechesis describe for us the paths that lead to the Kingdom of Heaven. Sustained by the grace of the Holy Spirit, we tread them, step by step, by everyday acts. By the working of the Word of Christ, we slowly bear fruit in the Church to the glory of God (CCC 1724).

Let us then purify ourselves with the grace of the Holy Spirit through the Sacraments that Christ Jesus gave us, so that we can follow the map towards holiness that He Himself left us in the beatitudes and we can enjoy, like the saints, being in the presence of God at the end of times.