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About Southern cross. (Savannah, Ga.) 1963-2021 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 2017)
Southern Cross, Page 3 COMENTARIO EN ESPANOL Thursday, September 14, 2017 Change in the blink of an eye L ife changes in the blink of an eye. All it takes is a phone call, a meeting or a seemingly unimportant choice. The change may be positive, but when this is the case, we accept the change joyfully and move on happily, grateful for the unexpect ed blessing. When the change is an unwelcomed one, then the world seems to come to a grinding halt. The future darkens and it appears as if nothing will be the same. Jesus said to his disciples, “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: If the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” This Gospel passage is primarily a call to vigilance in regard to death, but it may be applied to all unexpected and unplanned moments of life. Anything may happen at any given moment, and we must be spir itually prepared. Otherwise, the soul withers away with the weight of the world. During these past few weeks many stories have emerged from Texas as Hurricane Harvey pounded the coast pouring several feet of water over millions of people. Life has significantly changed for many, and unfortunately for some, earthly life has ended. I heard an interview of a man who escaped from his van as the rest of his family drowned as their vehicle quickly sunk into the raging water. Many years ago as I browsed the clearance rack of a bookstore in Pittsburgh, a woman standing next to me received a call on her cell phone. She answered with a cheerful “hello.” I quickly heard her tone of voice darken into distraught horror, and watched as her body appeared to melt at my side. Her life was chang ing: As I stood there at her side, she was receiving terrible news. As soon as the call ended, she called out to a man a few aisles away. ,1 overheard their frantic conversation: Her sister had just died in a car accident. When these moments arrive in life, Jesus calls us to “stay awake” by remaining faithful in the midst of adversity. Staying awake requires trusting that Jesus walks with you in the midst of the crosses of life. When darkness quickly descends upon a soul, it is imperative to allow the light of Christ to shine bright ly. The mystery of the cross is that in the midst of great trouble and adversity, by carrying the cross, we find redemption. Life changes at an unexpected hour. Whatever the change brings, Jesus is present, and throughout the struggle he always looks upon those suffering as he did the hungry crowds by the Sea of Galilee, with pity and compassion. By standing in solidarity with the many whose lives have been changed forever in Texas, may Christ grant us the grace to remain vigilant and be prepared for those difficult changes which happen when least expected. Father Pablo Migone is chancellor of the Diocese of Savannah and resides in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, Savannah. Cambio en un abrir y cerrar de ojos L a vida cambia en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Basta una llamada telefonica, una reunion o una opcion aparentemente sin mucha importancia. El cambio puede ser positivo, pero cuando este es el caso, uno acepta el cambio con alegria y contimia viviendo agradecido por la bendicion inesperada. Cuando el cambio es desagradable, nuestro mundo se viene abajo. El futuro se oscurece y parece como si nada sera igual. Jesus dijo a sus discipulos, “esten despiertos, porque no saben en que dia vendra su Senor. Fijense en esto: si un dueno de casa supiera a que hora de la noche lo va a asaltar un ladron, seguramente permaneceria despierto para impedir el asalto a su casa. Por eso, esten tambien ustedes preparados, porque el Hijo del Hombre vendra a la hora que menos esperan.” Este pasaje del evangelio es esencialmente una llamada a la vigilancia en cuanto a la muerte, pero puede ser aplicado a todos los momentos inesperados de la vida. Cualquier cosa puede suceder en un momento dado y debemos estar preparados espiritualmente. De lo contrario, el alma parece ahogarse con el peso del mundo. Estas ultimas semanas han surgido muchas historias de Texas despues del devastador huracan Harvey que golpeo la costa del Golfo de Mexico afectando a millones de personas. La vida ha cambiado significativamente para muchos y lamentablemente para algunos, su vida terrestre ha terminado. Escuche en el radio una entrevista a un hombre que escapo de su camioneta por la ventana, pero fue testigo de como su familia murio ahogada al hundirse la camioneta en las rugientes aguas. Hace algunos varios anos mientras ojeaba unos libros en liquidacion en una libreria, una mujer parada a mi lado recibio una llamada a su telefono celular. La escuche responder con un alegre saludo. Rapidamente oi como su tono de voz se transformo, sus pocas palabras expresadas con una angustia aterrorizante. A la vez observe como su cuerpo parecia derretirse a mi lado. Su vida estaba cambiando para siempre al recibir una noticia terrible, y yo ahi estaba parado a su lado. Tan pronto termino la llamada, la mujer llamo a un senor que estaba cerca. Escuche su conversacion breve y agitada: su hermana habia muerto en un accidente de carro. Cuando estos momentos Began en la vida, Jesus nos llama a “permanecer despiertos,” lo cual hacemos perseverando en medio de la adversidad. Mantenerse despierto requiere confiar que Jesus camina con nosotros en medio de las cruces de la vida. Cuando la oscuridad desciende rapidamente sobre un alma, es imprescindible permitir que la luz de Cristo brille. El misterio de la cruz es que en medio de los grandes problemas y la adversidad, es al cargar la cruz que encontramos la redencion. La vida cambia inesperadamente. Cualquiera que sea el cambio, Jesus permanece con nosotros, y a lo largo de la lucha siempre nos considera como considero a las multitudes hambrientas a orillas del Mar de Galilea, con piedad y compasion. Mostrando solidaridad con las personas cuyas vidas han cambiado para siempre en Texas, pidamos a Jesucristo que nos conceda la gracia de permanecer vigilantes y estar preparados para esos cambios dificiles que Began cuando menos esperamos. Padre Pablo Migone, es Canciller DE LA DlOCESIS DE SAVANNAH Y RESIDE EN LA CATEDRAL DE SaN JUAN BAUTISTA, Savannah. 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