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17 October de 2002 at 18:16:51 
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Bishop Echevarría: "The stage of personal conversion"
Homily, the prelate of Opus Dei in the last Mass of thanksgiving for the canonization of Josemaria Escriva. The ceremony took place at the Roman basilica of St. Eugene afternoon of October 10.
October 10, 2002
Bishop Echevarría during the homily.
Basilica of San Eugenio, Rome, 10-X-2002
They are about to conclude the memorable days of the canonization of Saint Josemaria Escriva. Within moments, his mortal remains will be transferred revered back to the church Prelatic Santa Maria de la Paz, after they have been exposed to the veneration of the faithful for eight days in the basilica of San Eugenio. Then start the diaspora already started for many, immediately after the canonization, "and we all return to our usual chores: to ordinary life, which is the arena of our struggle to achieve holiness.
Let us ask: What purpose can we draw from these days spent in Rome, where we have experienced the wonder of the universality of the Church, and this small portion of the Church that is Opus Dei? How has my life to discourse, from now on? What can I say, on behalf of St. Josemaria to those who have not been able to attend the canonization, although these have been well spiritually during these days?
If I were the speaker, remind them that we gave consideration to our beloved Don Alvaro ten years ago, in one of the last Mass of thanksgiving for the beatification of Father. He commented then, and I make mine your words, beginning "a new stage in the life of Opus Dei life (...), in each of its members. A stage of a deeper love for God, a more constant apostolic commitment, a more generous service to the Church and all humanity. One stage, ultimately, more full fidelity to the spirit of holiness in the midst of the world that our founder has bequeathed to us "(Homily at the Mass of thanksgiving for the beatification of Josemaria Escriva, 21-V-1992). In other words, look for daily personal conversion.
I would paraphrase briefly these three points. I ask the Lord to burn deep in our hearts and help us implement them.
Deeper love for God. For several months, in preparation for this event, we have strived to become every day. How many times have we begged this grace through the intercession of Saint Josemaria Escriva! We realize that the way of holiness is studded with successive removals. The conversion, in fact, is not only to embrace the true faith, or refuse to accommodate sin to grace. Certainly, usually move in the friendship of God is a prerequisite for access to his privacy. But that just is not enough: we need to grow, as did our Father in intimacy, gradually identifying with Christ, until such time that each one of us to exclaim with Saint Paul: Live autem, iam non ego, vivit vero Christus in me (Gal 2, 20), not I, but Christ lives in me, because I try to follow faithfully at all times, the tracks that the Lord has left behind on earth. "Do not be satisfied with what ever you are, you remember the words of St. Augustine," if you want to get what you are not already. Because where you consider yourself satisfied, you stood there. If I say, "Enough!" Perished. Always growing, always progressing, always moving "(Sermon 169, 1  .
In the pilgrimage towards Heaven, it is imperative that effort forward every day, working with the Holy Spirit in the work of sanctification. This is achieved based on a conversion, and another, and another small point perhaps, but specific and sustained, which are like steps in his constant soul closer to God.
It is therefore appropriate that, as a result of these days, profoundly renewed the effort to implement the teachings of the Lord who was "making him see Opus Dei as the herald and teacher of the universal call to holiness and apostolate in the circumstances of ordinary life. Let us ask God the Father, through the intercession of this holy priest, as the Church invites us to do in the collection of the Mass, so that by faithfully everyday work in the Spirit of Christ, let us set your Son (Mass of St. Josemaria Collect). We pray, Lord, for all Christians to deepen the sense of divine filiation, the momentum and effectiveness with which he tried to Saint Josemaría, in faithful response to the impulses of the Paraclete.
Although each of us is a worthless man, our hope is certain: God the Father is determined to take us to the perfection of love in Christ by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, "those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Why not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of children by adoption, in which we cry 'Abba, Father. " For the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him, to be also glorified with Him "(Rom 8, 14-17).
The purpose of loving God more, to fully identify yourself with Jesus Christ, to reciprocate the action of the Holy Spirit, be translated into a more constant apostolic commitment, as it suggests the liturgy invites us to pray that, in union with the Blessed Virgin Mary, serve with ardent love for the work of Redemption (Mass of St. Josemaria Escriva, Collect).
You are about to start back to your countries, to your homes, your jobs. Do it determined to be the instruments that the Lord would use to spread his word and his grace on earth. Take a look around you, the professional circle, social or family where you move, and discover so many people, sons and daughters of God, do not sufficiently appreciate the exalted dignity that raised the baptism or great vocation to which God calls them to participate in his own life. Perhaps no one has spoken of God, or do not convincingly communicated the news that are designed to Happiness with a capital of that eternal happiness that is sought all human creatures, and things of this world can not give.
We must awaken from their slumber, opening their eyes with the eloquence of our life and enthusiasm of our words, and so lead them to Jesus. We have the powerful aid of the Virgin and St. Joseph, the Guardian Angels, St. Josemaria and all the saints of God. We are not better than them, but the Lord in his infinite love has sought us and invites us to go through the roads and crossroads of the world to meet our fellow men and women around us.
Repeat once more the miracle that tells the page of today's Gospel where the apostles, faithful to Christ's command, gathered a large quantity of fish: so many that the nets broke (Luke 5, 6). In the words of the founder of Opus Dei, we too, "recalling the misery we are made, taking into account many failures by our pride, to the majesty of that God, Christ fisherman, we confess the same as Peter Lord I am a poor sinner (cf. Lk 5, . And then, you and me now, as before to Simon Peter, Jesus Christ repeated which suggested to us long ago: from henceforth thou shalt catch men (Luke 5, 10), by divine mandate, with divine mission, effectively divine "(Notes taken from a meditation, 3-XI-1955).
Our commitment to be holy and do apostolate has a single purpose: the glory of God, salvation of souls: a more generous to the Church and all humanity, as Don Alvaro expressed ten years ago. But do not forget to serve those who will not know ahead if we do not make this daily effort to care for those living with us. During his earthly existence, St. Josemaria Escriva had no other aim than to serve God, the Church, the Pope and all souls. He followed the example of the Master, who has come to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many (Mt 20, 2 . He wanted this holy priest at souls, because they exercised at a charity fine with those around him.
Being a servant of all, our Father rejoiced especially in the affiliate service to the Church and the Pope. "Always remember," he wrote that after God and our Mother the Virgin Mary, in the hierarchy of love and authority, is the Pope. So many times I say thank God for the love you put the pope in my heart "(Letter 9 Jan 1932, n. 20).
Let us imitate this love and reverence to the Pope. His dignity of Vicar of Christ, dolce Cristo in terra, title is more than enough for us to feel connected to the Roman Pontiff wholeheartedly, as a result of a true and proper filial duty. But it would seem logical that we wish to express our gratitude to John Paul II, having been the instrument of God for the canonization of our founder, and we deliver for his person and his intentions intense prayer, generous mortification, a professional task performed with human and supernatural perfection.
Keep in mind the Pope tell you by our Father, "especially" when the hard work might make you remember that you are serving, because serving for Love is a delightful thing, peace fills the soul, though not without setbacks "(Letter 31-V-1943, n. 11). Following these recommendations, we will cross safely and with joy the way of our calling (Mass of St. Josemaria, Prayer after Communion).
We entrust these intentions to the Blessed Virgin, Mother of the Church. She, with the help of her spouse St. Joseph, who both revere, the Holy Guardian Angels, All Saints and, especially, of St. Josemaria Escriva, submit their wishes to the Blessed Trinity, the host graciously confirm and grant us the grace to fulfill them faithfully. So be it.
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Published
17 October de 2002 at 18:19:43
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www.opusdei.orgArtículo impreso de: http://www.opusdei.org/art.php?w=16&p=4764
A challenge for the XXI Century Homily of Msgr. Echevarría Mass in thanksgiving for the canonization of Josemaria Escriva. "If the twentieth century," said he has witnessed the rediscovery of the universal call to holiness, the century which we are now characterized by a more effective and widespread implementation of this teaching ".07 October 2002
Rome, St. Peter's Square, October 7, 2002 Laudate Dominum omnes gentes (Psalm 116 [117] 1), praise the Lord all nations. The invitation of the Responsorial Psalm, which has sounded a few moments ago, is a good summary of the feelings that are overflowing from our hearts today: Deo omnis gloria! To God all the glory. We worship the thrice holy God and give thanks for the gift that has enriched the Church and the world: the canonization of Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, priest, founder of Opus Dei, conducted yesterday by our beloved Pope John Paul II. Our gratitude also goes to the Holy Father, who has fulfilled the plans of the Trinity, as we prepare to raise our prayers to Heaven, we trust the Lord for his person and his intentions. We know that this prayer pleases to Saint Josemaría, who loved with all his soul to the Vicar of Christ on earth, to the point of never separating this love for the Pope's professed Jesus Christ and his Blessed Mother. Indeed, from the moment that the Lord broke into his soul with the first intimations of Opus Dei, which has still not met, began to pray and work to realize the outcry that flowed from his heart: Omnes cum Petro ad Jesum per Mariam!, all with Peter to Jesus through Mary. All participants in this Holy Mass, and the countless people spiritually united with us in the world, we gladly acknowledge debt to this new saint that God has granted to the Church. Many of us have obtained through his intercession graces and favors of all kinds. Not just us strive to follow his footsteps of fidelity to the Lord in the land, trying to reproduce in our souls the spirit that he embodied. In all, St. Josemaria has shown us, by example and his teachings-a clear way of traveling the road of the Christian vocation, which aims to holiness. Therefore, the canonization of the founder of Opus Dei has the character of a party: the party of this great family of God, which is the Church. For all this we thank the Lord in this Eucharistic celebration. Have not elapsed forty years since Vatican II proclaimed the universal call to holiness and apostolate but much remains to be done, until that truth can be said to illuminate and guide the footsteps of men and women on earth . He explicitly pointed out the Pope, in his Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte, he proposed this doctrine as "the foundation of the pastoral planning that concerns us at the start of the new millennium" (NMI 31). Everyone in the Church, every shepherd and faithful, are called to commit themselves personally to the daily struggle for personal holiness and to participate in person-in fulfilling the mission Christ has entrusted to us. If the twentieth century has witnessed the "rediscovery" of this universal call, which was contained in the gospel from the beginning, and that Saint Josemaria Escriva was a herald of the divine vocation received staff-the century which we are now characterized by a more effective and widespread implementation of such teaching. Here is one of the great challenges that the Holy Spirit has placed men and women of our time. St. Josemaria Escriva sought to arouse the zeal for holiness in all men. The fact that his canonization took place at the dawn of a new century is particularly significant. His message resonates with particular force at the present time: "We have come to say, with the humility of one who knows little sinner-homo peccator his (Luke 5,  , we say with Peter, but with the faith of one who is guided by the hand of God, that holiness is not reserved for a privileged we all called the Lord, all waiting for Love: from everyone, wherever they are, for all, whatever their status, profession or job. Because that ordinary life, ordinary, no appearance, can be a path to holiness is not necessary to abandon one's place in the world to seek God, if God does not give a religious vocation, and that all paths of the earth can be the occasion for an encounter with Christ "(Letter 24, 1930, n. 2). At any time-like advised the new saint since the 30s - one must look for Christ, find and love. Only if we strive every day to take these three steps, arrive at full identification with Christ to be alter Christus, ipse Christus. " It may seem clear-I repeat his words with you that you are in the first stage. Seek him hungry (...). If you act with determination, I can guarantee that you have already found, and have begun to treat him and love him , to hold your conversation in heaven (cf. Phil 3, 20) "(Friends of God, n. 300). We meet Jesus in prayer, the Eucharist and other sacraments of the Church, but also in the faithful fulfillment of family duties, social and professional to each one. This is indeed an arduous goal, only at the end of our earthly pilgrimage we fully achieved. "But do not lose sight of the saints are not born : is forged in the interplay of divine grace and human correspondence. So St. Josemaria urged one of their homilies, and he added: "Therefore I tell you, if you want to behave as a consistent Christian (...) , has put great care to the smallest detail, for holiness which our Lord demands of you is enough love of God fulfilling work, the obligations of each day, which almost always made up of little things "(Ibid., n. 7). Sanctifying work. Sanctify yourself in your work. Sanctify others to work. In this sentence graph summarizing the founder of Opus Dei at the heart of the message God had entrusted to him, to remind Christians. The effort to reach sanctity is inextricably linked to the sanctification of one's own work, made with human perfection and purity of intention, with a spirit of service and the sanctification of others. You can not ignore the brothers, their material needs and spiritual, if it wants to follow the Lord. "Our vocation as children of God in the midst of the world, requires us not only to seek our personal holiness but to go along the paths of the earth, to turn them into roads that through obstacles, lead souls to the Lord, that we take part as ordinary citizens in all temporal activities, to be leaven (cf. Mt 13, 33) which must cause the whole mass "(Christ is Passing By, n. 120). Divine Providence has ordained that the earthly life of Saint Josemaria Escriva take place in the twentieth century, time has seen enormous developments in science and technology, not always, unfortunately, have served of man. Indeed, it is clear that, with admirable achievements of the human spirit, at this time our abundant rivers of bitter waters, trying in vain to quench the thirst for happiness in their hearts. But it is also true, as he wrote mons. Alvaro del Portillo, with the message of the new Ghost, "all professions, all environments, all social situations honest (...) have been moved by the angels of God as the waters of the pool Forensic Evidence recalled in the Gospel (cf. Jn 5, 2 and later) and have acquired the medicinal "(Pastoral Letter, 30-IX-1975, n. 20). In recalling the first successor of our Father, Don Alvaro del Portillo, are very close to his spiritual presence at the moment. With him we can say, full of gratitude to God, who through the teaching and spirit of the founder of Opus Dei, "even the driest and most unlikely stones have gushed torrents of Medicine . Human work well done has become a salve to discover God in all circumstances of life, in all things. And this has occurred precisely in our time, when materialism insists on turning work into a mud that blinds men, and prevents them from looking to God "(ibid.). I salute those who have come to Rome from English-speaking countries to attend the canonization of Saint Josemaria Escriva. Upon returning to your home, bring with you and treat to implement the teachings of the new saint. Ask Saint Josemaria to teach you to convert the prose of daily-the most common situations-heroic poem in verse: into desires and deeds of holiness and apostolate. To those who come from countries French language, I remember the importance of collaboration in the apostolic mission of the Church, it is the duty of every Christian, trying to impregnate with the Gospel spirit of arts and letters, science and technology. Seek the intercession of Saint Josemaria to implement that ideal which God engraved in his soul: to put Christ in our work, whatever it is-at the summit of all human activities. Today the Church venerates the Virgin Mary with the invocation of Our Lady of the Rosary. It gives me joy to think that the canonization of our founder has taken place on the eve of a feast of Santa Maria, this coincidence is one more sign of her loving motherly care. In her maternal mediation, came, full of confidence, as we renew our gratitude to God for this canonization. Deo omnis gloria!, repeat once more, as we ask that it be circulated among the Christians, every day stronger, the desire for personal holiness and apostolate in the circumstances of ordinary life. So be it.
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Published
17 October de 2002 at 18:34:56 
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| the homilies are very good they are I recommend reading all of this forum, whether or not former Opus Dei |
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| Ulises |
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18 October de 2002 at 10:15:24
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| I am struck by how many things that contradict the official propaganda of Opus and many testimonies of those who have left that organization and try to rebuild their lives without any connection with it. |
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