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The Community at Prayer
Through the years I have had the opportunity of studying the Jewish scriptures.
Besides their own internal problems, they had been invaded by the Assyrians, the
Persians, the Greeks and finally, the Romans. Jesus was born of Jewish parents
in an occupied country. Ordinary life was a nightmare for most of the people.
Jesus brought h It is truly exciting to integrate the results of the resurrection with our everyday life. This is a good and loving God who cares about everyone and assures us that it is his will that everyone enjoy happiness here and in the hereafter. We read in the Psalm: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He guides me in right paths The last verse of the gospel for today sums up what Jesus wished to accomplish by his life, death and resurrection, "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." He has given us the ideas but it is up to us to implement them as a society and certainly not by violence, war, greed, etc. but by becoming a loving and caring society. As I read Fr. Paul’s reflection and recall hearing the stories of how our Fathers in NM recovered from the Great Depression by leading their families through great sufferings, I was reminded of a Thomas Merton quote that so much tells us why our Fathers during this time of trial and testing were able to get us through. They definitely didn’t make the mistake he alludes but did what it took to provide for their families. Here it is:
The truth that many people never understand, until it is too late, is that the more you try to avoid suffering the more you suffer because smaller and more insignificant things begin to torture you in proportion to your fear of being hurt. — Thomas Merton
Blessings, Plas Jaramillo
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to the news on the domestic channels because
so little hope is offered to us for better things to come. All of this brings
back memories of the Great Depression. I was only 5 or 6 years old at the time
and I would listen to my Dad and my oldest brother talk about the plight of the
majority of people plunged into dire poverty. I remember my Dad saying, "If only
there were jobs available, then people would regain their dignity and you would
see people smile again." I find it strange that so many have so little
appreciation for what came about from the New Deal. I remember hearing about the WPA and the CCC camps and slowly a wonderful thing happened: all of a sudden
there were jobs for all. They didn't pay much but having a job changed the lives
of many and bettered the course of our country. Slowly families started buying
the basics of life. It was like a new beginning. Maybe Wall Street didn't hit
2,000 but the majority of people didn't have any investments then, they were
just happy enough to have a job. A week ago Sunday the Journal carried
the story about all that the New Deal accomplished in New Mexico and how much
remains throughout the state in libraries and national parks.
ope of better things to come but then it seemed that he had lost
it all when he was unjustly tortured and put to death. The good news, however,
is that he rose from the dead. He kept his promises and in the first reading
today from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter continues the story where Jesus
left off. He says, "For the promise is made to you and your children and
to all those far off whomever the Lord our God will call." And we well know that
he calls us all. No one is excluded; God's love is unconditional and every human
being is included in the promises. 
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD