Friday, February 14, 2025

Happy Saint Valentine's Day!!


 According to tradition, Saint Valentine risked his life to marry couples in a Christian way during times of persecution. He finally gave his life in martyrdom, which is the highest manifestation of love. The love of this holy priest for Jesus Christ and for defending the Sacrament of Marriage inspires us to elevate human love to the heights of divine love for which we were created. Christians should take advantage of this feast to recover the Christian sense of love and marriage in the light of Christ.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

I AM GOD’S WHEAT: MARTYRDOM AS A TRANSFIGURATION IN CHRIST


At the dawn of Christianity, when the blood of the just stained the arenas of the circus in crimson, voices arose—not pleading for mercy, but for consummation. They were the martyrs, witnesses in the highest sense of the word, whose souls, enkindled with divine love, longed for their passage as the deer thirsts for the living waters. Among them shines with singular splendor St. Ignatius of Antioch, who, foreseeing the nearness of his sacrifice, uttered words that echo in eternity:

“I am God’s wheat, and I must be ground by the teeth of wild beasts to become the pure bread of Christ.”

What is this cry if not the supreme expression of faith reaching its peak? It is not lamentation, nor resignation, nor mere natural courage; it is the voice of a soul that has grasped the deepest mystery of Christianity: to die in Christ is to be reborn in glory, to be ground is to be transformed, to disappear in oblation is to find the fullness of being.

Martyrdom is the highest configuration with the Redeemer; it is the ultimate and perfect expression of love. The world sees it as a defeat, but the Church sings it as a triumph; the persecutors believe they are destroying, but they are merely purifying; death seems to devour the just, but in reality, it exalts them.

1. God’s Wheat: Martyrdom as an Eucharistic Sacrifice

St. Ignatius does not merely accept martyrdom; he desires it, embraces it, and prays for it—not as one who despairs of life, but as one who has understood that the true meaning of existence is not in preserving it but in offering it. His metaphor of wheat holds sublime symbolism: the martyr is not a condemned man but bread in preparation; he is not a helpless victim but a voluntary holocaust.

Sacred Scripture gives us the key to understanding this mystery:

“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24)

The Church has always understood that in the offering of the martyr, the sacrifice of Christ is prolonged. The Eucharist is the center of Christianity because it is the living memorial of the Sacrifice of Calvary; but martyrdom is its realization in the flesh of the saints. This is why the early Church celebrated Mass upon the tombs of the martyrs: in them, what was mystically accomplished on the altar became visibly manifest.

St. Ignatius grasped this with all the lucidity of a soul inflamed by God: his death was not annihilation, but transfiguration. Just as wheat is ground to become bread, so he would be ground to become a perfect offering. He does not cling to life because his heart beats with the certainty that by dying with Christ can one reign with Him.

2. Martyrdom: Total Union with Christ

The world does not understand martyrdom. To the earthly mind, death is always an evil, a failure, an irreparable loss. But Christ has completely overturned this vision:

“Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25)

St. Ignatius is a soul wholly possessed by this truth. He does not fear the beasts, does not resist torture, does not seek escape. On the contrary, his only concern is that the faithful in Rome, moved by human compassion, might intercede to save him. That is why he writes to them with fervor:

“Let me be an imitator of the Passion of my God.” (Letter to the Romans, 6)

Here lies the heart of Christian martyrdom: it is not merely a heroic death, but a full identification with Christ crucified. St. Thomas Aquinas explains that martyrdom is the highest form of charity because in it, man offers his life out of love for God (Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 124, a. 3).

Indeed, the martyr does not merely imitate Christ; in him, the mystery of the Cross is fulfilled. As St. Paul teaches:

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)

This is why St. Ignatius does not fear, does not lament, does not waver. His flesh will be torn apart, but his soul will unite irrevocably with the Beloved.

3. Martyrdom as a Seed for the Church

Rome believed it was eradicating Christians by handing them over to the sword and the flames, but in reality, it was multiplying them. In martyrdom, the mystery of Christianity was revealed with power: death does not conquer, the Cross does not destroy, and blood does not extinguish faith—it enkindles it further.

The blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christians.

St. Ignatius was not defeated in the Roman circus; he was crowned in eternity. He was not devoured by beasts; he was absorbed into glory. His martyrdom was not the end of his mission but its highest fulfillment.

The beasts have perished, the emperors have fallen, the colosseums are ruins, but the faith he confessed with his blood remains alive. His cry continues to resonate in the Church:

“I am God’s wheat, and I must be ground by the teeth of wild beasts to become the pure bread of Christ.”

May his testimony enkindle in us the ardor of the martyrs. May his example inspire us to live our faith with radical commitment. May his voice remind us that only in Christ is true life found.

OMO

Bibliography

St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Romans.

St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 124, a. 3.

The Holy Scriptures (Vulgate version and traditional translations).

Sunday, February 9, 2025

THE DULL SADNESS OF THE MODERN AGE


I. THE STRANGE SERIOUSNESS OF A WORLD THAT THINKS ITSELF CLEVER

One of the most baffling mysteries of modern society is its inability to laugh with genuine joy. It’s not that people don’t make jokes—they do, constantly—but rarely with true delight. Instead, modern humor is bitter, calculated, and, above all, sad.

There was a time when men laughed because life was a gift and the world a stage full of surprises. Today, the modern man laughs with a bitter smirk, as if trying to prove that he is too intelligent to take anything seriously. He has turned humor into a tool of sarcasm and disdain, a shield against the terrifying possibility of happiness. Because, in the modern mind, to be happy is to be naive, and to not take oneself too seriously is a sign of low intelligence.

This obsessive seriousness is the clearest sign of a world that has lost its grasp on reality. Because only those who possess the truth can laugh at everything without fear.

II. THE SADNESS OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN NOTHING

The problem with the modern world is not just that it lacks humor, but that its own philosophy makes it incapable of finding any.

To laugh, one must at least momentarily accept that the world is something good. And that is precisely what the modern man cannot do. If life has no purpose and the universe is a meaningless accident, then any expression of joy is, at best, a foolish distraction and, at worst, an offense against reason. The modern world is incapable of spontaneous joy because it has convinced itself that nothing is worth celebrating.

When men of old drank wine, they sang and toasted with joy because the wine was a gift. The modern man drinks to forget. Before, festivities were a reflection of gratitude; today, entertainment is merely a way to anesthetize oneself. The difference is simple: the man who believes in God drinks with joy; the man who does not drinks in despair.

III. HUMOR: A MATTER OF MENTAL HEALTH

In a sane world, laughter is a sign of sanity. Not because everything is funny, but because everything is meaningful. True humor arises from the ability to see life from the right perspective, to understand that the world is at once serious and ridiculous, profound and lighthearted, divine and human.

The saint and the wise man can laugh because they know man is small and yet, miraculously, loved by God. The madman and the proud man, on the other hand, never truly laugh, because they believe the universe revolves around their own gravity.

This is why the modern man—who thinks history begins with him and that the fate of the cosmos depends on his social media debates—is incapable of lighthearted laughter. He has made seriousness into a religion and has banished joy to the margins of childhood and ignorance.

But joy is not a sign of foolishness; it is a sign of sanity.

IV. ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE THE TRUTH CAN LAUGH

Laughter is not just a trait of human nature; it is proof that there is something in the universe worth celebrating. It is the spark that confirms that reality is neither a trap nor a nightmare, but a story with a purpose.

This is why saints have always been the most joyful. Because their joy does not depend on circumstances but on the certainty that truth exists and that God is good.

The modern world mocks faith, but it is incapable of laughing with the freedom of a believer. Because the one who possesses the truth can afford the luxury of laughing even at himself, but the one who has made relativism his only truth must cling desperately to his own importance.

When a Christian laughs, he does so with the confidence of a child playing in his father’s house. When the modern man tries to laugh, he does so like someone whistling in the dark to hide his fear.

V. THE SECRET OF JOY

The secret of joy is simple: not thinking oneself the center of the universe.

The man who sees the world as a gift is happy because he understands that his role in this story is that of a character, not a frustrated author trying to rewrite the plot. He does not need to pretend that everything is under his control, because he knows the script has already been written by someone infinitely wiser.

Christianity has always been the religion of joy because it is the only one that has a real reason for it. It not only offers an explanation for existence but a reason to celebrate it. It not only answers suffering but redeems it. It not only understands death but conquers it.

This is why the Christian can laugh freely, while the modern world, with all its science, progress, and technology, remains as dull as ever.

Because nothing is more boring than living in a world without meaning.

VI. THE WORLD HAS BECOME SERIOUS BECAUSE IT HAS LOST GOD

The problem with the modern world is not just that it has stopped believing in God but that it has taken itself too seriously. And a world that takes itself too seriously is a world doomed to sadness.

Before, men could laugh at their own flaws because they knew they were not the center of existence. Today, the slightest joke is taken as an offense because every man has turned his opinion into a personal dogma and his ego into a religion.

The world has banished laughter because it has lost humility. It has exiled joy because it no longer knows how to be grateful. And it has murdered humor because it has forgotten that reality is far greater than our intellectual pretensions.

But laughter will not disappear. Because truth, in the end, always triumphs.

And when the world, tired of its own dullness, rediscovers the greatness of simplicity, the wonder of the ordinary, and the immense joy of being a creature in the house of its Creator…

Then, it will laugh again.

OMO


Saturday, February 1, 2025

The Father’s Blessing


It was a warm night at the grandparents’ house, filled with the scent of freshly baked bread and the soft creaking of the wooden floor. Sofía, a ten-year-old girl with dark hair and bright eyes, was sitting on the couch with her grandfather, Don Joaquín, a man with a white beard and a gentle voice who loved telling stories under the glow of the lamp.

“Grandpa, will you tell me a story before bed?” Sofía asked, settling into his lap.

Her grandfather smiled and stroked her hair.

“Of course, little one. But first, tell me—did you ask your father for his blessing?”

Sofía lowered her gaze and fidgeted with her feet.

“Hmm… no. Sometimes I forget, Grandpa. Mom says that God watches over me anyway…”

Her grandfather frowned with tenderness and, with a sigh, took her hand.

“Let me tell you a story, but listen carefully because it’s about something very important.”

Sofía nodded curiously.

The Secret of the Blessing

A long time ago, in the land of Canaan, there was an old man named Isaac. He had two sons, Esau and Jacob. One day, when Isaac was very old, he wanted to give his blessing before he died. Now, a father’s blessing is not just nice words, Sofía; it’s as if God Himself speaks through him. The Bible says that Isaac laid his hands on Jacob and said:

“May God give you the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth—an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you, and peoples bow down to you…” (Genesis 27:28-29).

“Did it work, Grandpa?” Sofía asked, her eyes wide.

Her grandfather nodded.

“Of course, my child. That blessing stayed with Jacob all his life, and his descendants became God’s chosen people. But this isn’t just an old story. In our faith, when a father blesses his child, it is God Himself who extends His hand. Saint Thomas Aquinas said that earthly fatherhood is a reflection of God’s Fatherhood (Summa Theologiae II-II, q.102, a.1).”

Sofía frowned.

“So… it’s like God is speaking through Dad?”

Her grandfather smiled and tapped the tip of her nose.

“Exactly. It’s a great mystery, but that’s how God designed it. Do you remember what the Bible says? ‘Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land the Lord your God is giving you’ (Exodus 20:12). It’s not just a suggestion—it’s a promise.”

“And what if I don’t do it?”

Her grandfather sighed.

“The Bible also says that ‘a father’s blessing strengthens the houses of his children, but a mother’s curse uproots their foundations’ (Sirach 3:8-11). When a child despises their father’s blessing, it’s as if they are closing the door to a gift from Heaven.”

Sofía looked down at her hands, deep in thought.

“But Grandpa, sometimes I feel shy asking Dad for his blessing… what if he doesn’t care?”

Her grandfather shook his head.

“Don’t believe that, my child. A father’s heart fills with love when his child asks for his blessing. Do you remember when Jesus was a child and lived with the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph? The Bible says that ‘He was obedient to them’ (Luke 2:51), meaning He honored and obeyed His parents. And if the Son of God Himself did this, how much more should we?”

Sofía remained silent, pondering.

“So… if Dad blesses me, will God protect me more?”

Her grandfather nodded with a big smile.

“Of course. Listen to what Saint John Chrysostom said: ‘Children who despise their parents’ blessing are like those who reject God’s blessing’ (Homily on Ephesians 20). When your father places his hand on your head and says, ‘God bless you, my child,’ it’s as if God Himself is embracing you and covering you with His mantle.”

Sofía felt a lump in her throat. She thought about all the nights she had gone to bed without asking for her father’s blessing.

“Grandpa… I think I’m going to ask Dad for his blessing.”

The old man kissed her forehead.

“That’s what I wanted to hear, little one. Go with confidence, because when you receive his blessing, you also receive God’s.”

Sofía ran down the hallway and found her father reading in the living room. She stopped in front of him, nervous.

“Dad… can you bless me?”

The man looked up, surprised, and then smiled. He stood up, placed his hand on his daughter’s head, and with a firm voice, said:

—May the Lord bless you and keep you.

—May the Lord protect you and defend you.

—May He show His beautiful face to you and have mercy on you.

—May the Lord bless you and give you peace.

Sofía felt a warmth in her chest, as if an invisible light surrounded her. She closed her eyes and, for the first time, understood the power of those words.

From that night on, she never went to sleep without her father’s blessing.

And God was with her every day of her life.