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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