Our Lady of Sorrows
    info@oladyofsorrows.org
    956-686-0251
    • Home
    • News
      • Weekly Bulletin
    • Homilies
      • Msgr. Gustavo Barrera
      • Dcn. Ray Thomas
      • Dcn. Johnny Gonzalez
      • Dcn. Crawford Higgins
    • About Us
      • Office Directory
      • Worship & Liturgy Schedule
      • Our Pastor
      • Photo Gallery
    • Donate
    • Sacraments
      • Baptism
      • Matrimony
      • CCD
      • RCIA
    • Ministries & Organizations
      • Adoration
      • Altar & Rosary Society
      • Altar Servers
      • Asamblea de Oracion de Matrimonios (AOM)
      • Catholic Daughters of the Americas
      • Homebound Ministry
      • JCDA
      • Choir
      • Knights of Columbus
      • Legion of Mary
      • Readers of the Word (Lectors)
      • Serra Club
      • Star of Hope
    • Faith & Spirituality Groups
      • Bereavement Support
      • Centering Prayer Group
    • Become a Parishioner
    • Funeral Information
    • Quinceañera Information
    • OLS YouTube Channel
    • School
    • Diocese of Brownsville
    • Contact Us

    4 ADVENT, CYCLE C

    12/27/2018

     
    Luke 1:39-45
    ​
    “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.”  Many people remember that they are Catholic around this time of the year—a  time when hearts become a little softer. 
     
    Christmas draws out the best in humanity.  We wonder—how can Almighty God, who doesn’t need any of us, made us in His image?  Why, in spite of the fact that we are sinners, does God continue to love us?  The answer comes when we learn to love ourselves; when we learn to love each other—then the Sacrament of forgiveness starts to make sense.  Sin can only be committed in the context of a relationship.  We cannot sin against an object.  If we break a chair—the chair is not hurt.  The person to whom the chair belonged is the one who might be hurt.  We can sin against God, against the community, but the most dangerous sins are those against our family.  We can choose our friends, we can choose our enemies, but God is the One who picks our family.   The majority of confessions have to do with trouble in the family.  Not surprising, because the family is God’s first idea.  Therefore, the family is the number one target of evil.  But we can’t blame the devil for all our inadequacies.  Especially when we hold on to grudges.  Resentments do not allow us to forgive.  To say, “I can’t forgive” is a fallacy.  All of us have the power to forgive, unless we don’t want to.  Granted some things are easier to let go, others take longer.  Time is the best healer.  Money, land, arguments are some of the most popular reasons why families stop talking to each other.  The results are sleepless nights, tranquilizers, counseling.   We are hurting where we are the most vulnerable—our family. 
     
    Problems will not just go away unless someone takes the first step.  Saying, “I’m sorry, please forgive me.”—can be liberating.  Even when we know that we were not to blame, we can ask for forgiveness.  Many wait too long.  Countless people stand over graves with regrets of what they should have, could have, might have said, but never did.  As long as we draw breath in our body, we have the capacity to talk with one another.  What is sometimes missing is the desire—the will.  The greatest obstacle is pride.  Usually, when there is a break up in the family, pride is the reason.
     
    Keep in mind that all sins fall under the umbrella of the sin of pride.  Forgiveness helps us to fight against pride.  Reconciliation is the most commonly used title for the Sacrament.  With God we will never have any problems.  With people—that’s another story.  Yet, how can we pray the “Our Father” when we say, “Forgives us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  To ask forgiveness of the person or persons whom we have offended is a necessary step in reconciliation.  In many cases families have forgotten what the fight was about or who started it.  Imagine grandparents not seeing their grandchildren because of an old argument.  Give you a hint; in an argument with the family, nobody wins.  We are shadow boxing.  Celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation frees us of our sins and lifts a burden from our soul.  But nothing can replace the freedom that comes from being forgiven by the people we have hurt.  The most ancient symbol of forgiveness is the embrace.  Jesus told a story, in the context of family to show the importance of letting go.  The forgiving father welcomed his Prodigal son with an embrace, a kiss, and the best party the family had ever seen.  The older son did not want to forgive.  He did not join the party because he could not bring himself to forgive his father or his brother.  Did the older brother ever come into the party?  Was he able to put his pride aside and join the celebration?  The answer is in our own life.  That’s why the story is left opened.
     
    God is the Father who is always ready to forgive.  We are the two brothers, who have problems with each other.  The party is here, for us.  The decision to celebrate is up to us.      

    Comments are closed.
      Picture
      Msgr. Gustavo Barrera,
      ​celebrated his first Holy Mass as pastor on September 15, 2007, the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows. With his enthusiasm and spiritual guidance, OLS continues to serve our Catholic family in a way that challenges us to grow as an evangelizing community.

      Archives

      February 2023
      January 2023
      December 2022
      November 2022
      October 2022
      September 2022
      August 2022
      July 2022
      June 2022
      May 2022
      April 2022
      March 2022
      February 2022
      January 2022
      November 2020
      October 2020
      September 2020
      August 2020
      July 2020
      June 2020
      May 2020
      April 2020
      March 2020
      February 2020
      January 2020
      December 2019
      November 2019
      October 2019
      September 2019
      July 2019
      June 2019
      May 2019
      April 2019
      March 2019
      February 2019
      January 2019
      December 2018
      November 2018
      October 2018
      September 2018
      August 2018
      July 2018
      June 2018
      May 2018
      April 2018
      March 2018
      February 2018
      January 2018
      December 2017
      November 2017
      October 2017
      September 2017
      August 2017
      June 2017
      May 2017
      April 2017
      March 2017
      February 2017
      January 2017
      December 2016
      November 2016
      October 2016
      September 2016
      August 2016
      July 2016
      June 2016
      May 2016
      April 2016
      March 2016
      February 2016
      January 2016
      December 2015
      November 2015
      October 2015
      September 2015
      August 2015
      July 2015
      June 2015
      May 2015
      April 2015
      March 2015

      Msgr. Gustavo Barrera, Pastor.

      Categories

      All

      RSS Feed

    About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Office Directory
    • Stewardship
    • Pastor
    • Our History
    Sacraments
    • Baptism
    • First Reconciliation
    • First Communion
    • Confirmation
    • Marriage
    • Anointing of the Sick
    Parish Life
    1. Become a Parishioner
    2. Bulletin & Newsletters
    3. Planning Center Log-in​
    Worship and Liturgy
    • Daily Readings
    • Liturgy of Hours
    • Mass & Reconciliation
    • Eucharistic Adoration
    Faith Formation
    • CCD
    • RCIA​
    Links & Resources
    • CDOB
    • USCCB
    • Vatican: Holy See
    • American Catholic
    More
    • Homilies
    • Online Giving
    • OLS School
    • OLS on YouTube
    Our Lady of Sorrows Parish
    1108 W Hackberry Ave.
    McAllen, Texas 78501-4370
    Telephone
    : (956) 686-0251
    Picture
    Picture

    Website Development by The Parish Solutions Company
    Our Lady of Sorrow Image Copyright Cromo NB permission to use by CNB Basevi.
    Back to top