Lucille Galleli

Happy Easter!! 

He is Risen!

Elke sends you the Easter music with a special gift! Rejoice and be glad!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkzaCrU7PUC9hXGC8reMahuE8mk1zZFdR

This is the musical “Easter Egg” from the choir to the Parish.

Various choir members recorded their instrument or voice separately at home and Santiago mixed it all together into one song.

I attach our confinement version of “On Eagle’s Wings”.

From Elke: There are 2 songs relating directly or indirectly to the story of Thomas.

Without Seeing You

And the Song of Praise “If I could Touch You” (just imagine Marlon singing)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkzaCrU7PUC_1myab3JP1gEDZBg_ecxro

A Sunday reflection by Fr. Ron.

Wow! In Spain, we have been in confinement for over a month. During this time, we have experienced a variety of emotions and have evolved over this strange and challenging time. 

At first, it was novel and weird. We did not know how long it would last. So, we took advantage of the free time. We cleaned the house, went through papers, and finished up long neglected tasks. We thought it would last only two weeks and we may have even tried to maintain as much as possible our previous habits. We turned to our devices and shared funny videos. We wanted the time to pass by quickly. We began to discover the amazing new heroes and heroines of the health care industry. We applauded them with appreciation.

Then after a while, we began to have days when we felt bored, nervous or stressed. The news kept getting worse: more deaths, more infections, hospitals now overrun, and we began to hear about people that we knew who were infected and suffering. We began to have real worries about unemployment and the future economy. We were outraged by the few cases of those who selfishly and blatantly disobeyed confinement. Even worse, families began to experience serious conflicts because of the pressure cooker environment of being cooped up. Domestic violence reared its ugly head.

Then there were more videos about God, more about prayer, more about finding meaning in all of this. We also began to accept the new normal with less resistance and more resignation.

No matter what, though it all, we have been, and still are being changed, by this experience. 

Human beings are resilient. We are survivors and we are fighters. Some are better than others at stepping up, but we know that together, we will overcome this new situation. The beautiful part of our story so far is that our world decided to protect the weakest members of our society. We all know that the elderly and those with preexisting health conditions are the most vulnerable to the COVID19 virus. The world could have just carried on without any confinement and even though many would have died, most would have survived and the economy would have not been as seriously damaged. The world chose compassion (for the most part).

This Sunday in the gospel we look at the apostle Thomas. We revisit his title as “Doubting Thomas,” which is unfortunate and misleading because at the end he was the only apostle who clearly confessed Jesus as “my Lord and my God.” He was actually the one who best discovered the truth of Jesus Christ in the midst of much pain, confusion and uncertainty.

This world will never be heaven. The proof of God’s love cannot be found in a life free of suffering and pain. Instead, our Christian faith asks us to contemplate the Cross. It is only in our acceptance of the cross, that we can find the truth. Yes, the cross is a paradox. It boldly proclaims that God loves us in spite of the pain and suffering. God suffers along with us. God is not a means to an end but the Beginning and the End of everything, everywhere. This life is a journey, maybe even a test, and the ultimate goal is love and life eternal.

I have no idea how things will be next month or the month after that. The world will surely be very different. We pray that it will be better and we count on the goodwill of so many to make that so. For this Sunday, we can look at the model of the apostle Thomas and learn from him. Sure, there are moments of doubt, sure there will be moments of confusion and pain. But when we search the depths of our soul, we, as believers, choose hope over despair, light over darkness, and faith over disbelief. In spite of it all, we still cry out: You are my Lord and my God! 

Hello again. I wanted to send you some more things to help you during this difficult time.

1) Elke sends us the Sunday playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkzaCrU7PUC_Ev1vJ0FtiX8asqeIUnmXd

Thanks Elke!

2) Also, one of our parishioners in an epidemiologist, her name is Ilona and she has created a website in English that we may wish look at as it has some links to useful sites and trustworthy information, as well as some articles she is writing on different issues.

What is an Infodemic?

Isn’t that great? We have some real talent at OLM. Thank you Ilona!

3) Thanks again for your donations. We don’t know how the future you will be, but almost surely we will be broadcasting the Mass in the near future because of social distancing issues. One of our parishioners asked me to continue to put in the bank details because she keeps forgetting (both she and her husband are working and felt bad that she has not made the time to do a transfer). So, I reprint them here. We need to guarantee the future of OLM.

Account holder name: PARROQUIA HABLA ING. N. S. MERCED MADRID
Bank Details: IBAN: ES07.0186.5001.64.0511473809
Bank Name: Banco Mediolanum
BIC (or SWIFT): BFIVESBB

Finally, I send you my simple reflection for tomorrow’s Mass.

Be blessed and strong,
Fr. Ron

Forty Days and Forty Nights

A reflection by Fr. Ron

We all know the stories in the Bible about Noah’s ark and how it rained for forty days and forty nights, how Moses stayed up on Mt. Sinai for forty days while receiving God’s law, and how Jesus fasted in the desert for forty days. We also know that Lent lasts forty days. There are many other examples of the significance of the number “40.”

The Bible scholars may not agree on all the details but most would say that when we see the number “40” used in the Bible to describe a period of time, we are being told that something extraordinary and definitive is happening during the time.

We have been in confinement for more than forty days and forty nights! First, I would like to say congratulations to all of you! You deserve a round of applause! It has been a time of much confusion and uncertainty, the experts are still investigating the Coronavirus, and no one knows what the future will hold. What is certain is that things will NOT be the same, at least for quite some time.

Did you make any goals for yourself? I have. For example, I have five brothers and two sisters, and one of my goals was to catch up with each and every one of them. Some of us have drifted apart. Well, I have almost achieved this goal. My relationships with six of my siblings have become closer and stronger. Still, one brother still has not picked up the phone and I am not even sure why. I know he is fine physically but he has been struggling personally for years. Even so, I believe my effort is worthwhile.

At the same time, I have also reconnected with many friends from my past. Some of whom I have not spoken to in over twenty years because of the hectic life I have been living. We have shared very long and delightful conversations and plenty of good laughs while reminiscing about the past. There are even plans for reuniting in the future, assuming we will be able to safely travel again one day!

Two of Jesus’ disciples were traveling to a village called Emmaus. They were disillusioned and completely shattered after the crucifixion of the man they knew as friend, teacher, spiritual guide, and leader. They had left everything, absolutely everything, behind in Jerusalem: the apostles, their hopes, and their dreams for the future. Then, unexpectedly, they were reunited with Jesus once again and they were ecstatic! They thought that all was lost, but now they had a reason to hope again. And even though Jesus vanished before their eyes, and left them once again, they still returned to Jerusalem to share the good news. He was alive and everything was going to be well.

How are your forty days plus going? Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Are you setting positive goals? Sure, it is important to eat well, do exercise, and take advantage of the free time, but how are we doing with our relationships?

In the end, is that not all that matters? As the old saying goes: No man is an island. Are we patching up old fights and feuds? Are we bettering our relationships with family, friends, God, and even the world? Have we reached out to our neighbor in need? Have we reached outwards or retreated inwards during this time.

I was shocked to receive a phone call from a priest who I did not get along with very well. He did not care for my pastoral style and for many years he made sure to let me know it! However, a few days ago, he called to ask for my forgiveness! I was shocked because I know that he is a very proud man and that it was not easy for him to do. Even though I had many memories of hurtful past criticisms, my immediate response was simply to return the favor and ask him to forgive me as well. It was like a reflex and I even surprised myself! Immediately, I noted his sense of relief, and at that moment, it was a great mutual experience of letting go and letting God. I felt that I was freed of some painful past memories and that the Holy Spirit was definitely at work!

We still don’t know how long these “forty days” will last. Nonetheless, big things are happening all over the world. Big things can also happen in our lives if we focus on our relationships. Which ones are the most important? Well, the ones that the Holy Spirit is whispering in your ear. God is still at work in the world no matter what the prophets of doom say.

Will I ever be able to speak with that one brother of mine who doesn’t seem to want to talk with me? I don’t know. I hope so. But no matter what, I know that I will have tried. You see, life is not always easy, relationships are complicated, and the world is confusing but the most important thing is that He is alive and all shall be well. If you don’t feel it now, just keep believing and give it a little more time.

Still reading?

Good News From Around The World

Open all the churches now!!……Or wait until May 11?

Finally, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. The government is now allowing us to slowly leave our mandatory confinement. You have been very patient and strong doing your best to follow the guidelines, for the safety of your families and others. Congratulations! It has not been easy.

There have been however, a few, but loud, voices of protest, directly or indirectly criticizing the Catholic Church for respecting the government’s guidelines. I have seen some videos sent to me in WhatsApp’s groups calling for us to open up the churches NOW! As any sincere and dedicated priest, I found the videos quite painful. If they spoke God’s will, it would infer that our bishops and we priests have not been truly faithful to our vocation, or even worse, we have been cowardly Christians. During these moments of doubt, I turn to prayer and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Any of you who know me, know that I am not afraid to do what needs to be done. I decided that it was time to consult with my brother priests and begin planning the future with them. Were we going to slow? Were we being too cautious? Were we being too silent? Fr. Javier, Fr. Sebastian, and I concelebrated Mass together in the small chapel. We were all careful in the confinement to social distance and only went out to the supermarket for food. 

We also decided to have lunch together. It was very nice. We discussed future plans. It was very providential that we saw each other because Fr. Sebastian said he noticed a food allergy and had a rash. Fr. Javier even accompanied him to the pharmacy to get some medication. We then bid farewell and said that we would meet again soon to start planning the concrete steps for opening the church.

Five days later, Fr. Sebastian called me to inform me that he was admitted to the hospital because his rash turned out to be the Coronavirus. This was alarming for all of us because Fr. Javier lives with his 88 year old mother. We had been in somewhat close contact for around four hours. As of this writing, Fr. Sebastian is still in hospital and is improving. Both Fr. Javier and I have not developed symptoms.

Well, I certainly got the answer to my prayers. This virus is a formidable foe and we CANNOT let down our guard. Those naïve voices who clamor for us to not respect the government’s guidelines may be sincere but are very dangerous. There is a very good reason the bishops have taken their stance. They care about our safety, they care about our lives.

I personally do not want to be responsible for anyone being infected. The people on the videos say that they will be volunteers and disinfect the churches but if they miss a spot, and someone gets infected, ultimately it would be MY FAULT because I opened up the church before the allotted time. Considering the many pious elderly of San Dámaso, I am sure that many would take the risk if they saw the church doors opened before the permitted time.

The fifth commandment is clear: THOU SHALL NOT KILL.

Because I love my neighbor as myself, I will not take that risk. Too many have died already and even one more death is one too many. I therefore plead with those people who so quickly judge the bishops to be prudent (as Pope Francis has implored), and I ask them to open their faithful hearts and place more trust in the Holy Spirit.

Maybe the most important line in this Sunday’s readings comes from St. Peter in the second reading where he writes: “Beloved: If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.” 

You see, our suffering now is saving the lives of others. Patience is a virtue.

Open up the churches now? No way! On May 11, we hope to open up the church again. As your pastor, I promise you that I am going to be extremely careful and that we will strictly follow the guidelines that have come down from the bishops. This time my ear will be deafer to any complaints that I am being too cautious because I have decided to listen instead to the voice of God. We pray for Fr. Sebastian’s rapid recovery, and know that Fr. Javier and I may maintain a larger physical distance from you, but you will be close in our hearts.

Be strong and patient. See you soon, by the grace of God.

A Mother’s Love

There are times when only a Mother’s love
Can understand our tears,
Can soothe our disappoints
And calm all of our fears.
There are times when only a Mother’s love
Can share the joy we feel
When something we’ve dreamed about
Quite suddenly is real.
There are times when only a Mother’s faith
Can help us on life’s way
And inspire in us the confidence
We need from day to day.
For a Mother’s heart and a Mother’s faith
And a Mother’s steadfast love
Were fashioned by the Angels
And sent from God above.

by Carter Williams

2) Here is the playlist from Elke (thanks again Elke!!)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkzaCrU7PUC_NeFax4xlyS8fTj_jumjTQ

Heaven on Earth

A Sunday reflection by Fr. Ron

Sometimes we act as though we can have heaven on earth. Then life hits us over the head and reminds that such a thing will never happen. I remember back in February, when I was celebrating a Mass in the Spanish parish, I told the people that the most devastating effect of the Coronavirus would be that it would separate us from each other. By its very nature, this virus divides community. We all know how detrimental that is, because as every true Christian knows, to be, is to be in community.

Today we see how true that is, at least in terms of physical separation. This separation from our family, our friends, and from our church has been very painful. Given that we are spiritual beings and possess the gift of a God-given soul, we are compelled to reach out to one another and still create community, albeit in new and creative ways.

What is heaven? It can be defined in many ways but none would be adequate enough to describe the glory it promises us who live in faith and hope. There is, however, one attribute that must be true. In heaven, there will no longer be separation among us. We will be one, together in Him who saved us by His sacrificial love. 

Let us not forget the first part of John’s Gospel: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Through Him all things were made and one day we will return to where we first came from. Finally, there will nothing left to separate us! No color of skin, no separation of classes, no rich or poor, no difference of language or culture, no fame or fortune, no fear, no misunderstanding, no hate, no distance or division whatsoever. We will all be ONE, in HIM. Finally, no separation!

This is not my opinion, it is the gospel message for this Sunday: Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.

On May 9^th, I celebrated 33 years of my priestly service. I have seen the power of community over and over again. True community breaks down the gaps that separate us. I have seen how those who have much, reach out and help those who have little. I have seen how the power of forgiveness can reunite souls. I have seen how faith can open our hearts to those who are “different” and inspire is to move from selfishness to generosity. I have witnessed these things in you and in many other faithful disciples. I have seen Christ in community and I know it is but only a taste of what is yet to come. 

If I could ask for one gift from my parishioners on the occasion of my priestly anniversary it would be that we will not return to our future “new normal” carrying the baggage of our old ways. That we would strive to be more inclusive than exclusive, that we would build up more than tear down, that we would seek out the positive and not give into negativity, that we would say less “me” and more “us”, and that we would strive to be one Christian family, a community of faith and love.

Heaven on earth? Sorry, that will never happen. The latest lesson has been this virus. However, we should never forget our part in building of the Kingdom of God on earth. How? Only one way: by being TOGETHER, in community. 

God bless you and keep you safe and strong, Fr. Ron