PAN DE LA SEMANA

5 th Sunday Year A February 9, 2014 NOT ON HUMAN WISDOM, BUT ON THE POWER OF GOD Today is some kind of a repeat of Candlemas. All three readings speak of light, as against gloom; wisdom from above as distinct from earthly human power; and about shining brightly for the world to see. It is about having the courage to be seen and recognized as such, by a world that, even up until our times, has been “walking in darkness.” But the Gospel passage adds another metaphor for discipleship – that of being salt for the earth. The readings, therefore, talk about being visible, and being flavorful; being seen and being tasty; being real and being effective. You’ve seen the likes so often in life … fixtures that add beauty and form, but serve no real usable purpose; museum pieces that are good to look at, but which offer no real practical use to no one; artifacts that give a clue to something in the past, but which does not make life any bett...

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A) February 6, 2011 Readings: Is 58:7-10 / 1 Cor 2:1-5 / Mt 5:13-16 I dabble at cooking. Our kitchen is well stocked with all sorts of spices I am familiar with and know how to use. Sometimes I plan to cook something exotic, something spicy, and something that will give me the excuse to finally use that unopened bottle of whatever that has been sitting in the cupboard for months. But most often, for lack of time, I end up skipping all the fancy spices. But at all times, I reach out for the salt shaker. I can do without most of the multi-colored spices that fill our kitchen cupboard when I cook. But I cannot do without salt. Without it, the flavor does not matter. Without salt, the daintiest of flavors simply don't stand out. And food, no matter how much it has been slathered or sprinkled with herbs and spices, simply remains insipid and unappetizing. My eyesight is not as good as it was before. There are certain things I simply cannot d...