Posts by Fr. Marcelo Javier Navarro Muñoz, IVE
EASTER HEARTS…
The Emmaus Disciples, Abraham Bloemaert, 1622[1] In today’s gospel (John 12) Jesus tells us: “I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness”. One of the main effects of Easter is joy, and joy can be translated into light. Light expels darkness, the darkness of sin…
Read MoreThe “blocks” of Christ’s Passion
Anthony van Dyck, (1617)[1] Lent has introduced us little by little to the sufferings of Christ, but today, Palm Sunday, the liturgy slaps us on the face with the sorrows of our Lord during Holy Week, as we read the entire Passion of Matthew, chapters 26 and 27. It is a ‘concentrated shot’ of the…
Read MoreIs the Liturgical Year a Display of Christ’s Light…?
Sermon on the Mount (Christian Baer, 1909)1 A lamp to my feet is your word, a light to my path. (Ps 119: 105) We are still at the very beginning of the liturgical cycle. The transition from Christmas up to this coming fourth week in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, has been smooth. We almost feel…
Read MoreChristmas, Time of Hope and Renewal
At his first Christmas Mass Pope Leo XIV combined his own message with that of Pope Benedict XVI’s from 2012 to remind Catholics all over the world of the splendor of Christmas: “Behold the star that astonishes the world, a spark newly lit and blazing with life: “To you is born this day in the…
Read MoreBe vigilant at all times and pray
The Last Judgment, 1534-41, Michelangelo[1] The Mass readings of this last week of the liturgical year might be frightening: see for instance the passages from the Book of Daniel or the words of our Lord himself. He has assured us, however, that we should not be afraid. The context of these readings is rather one of…
Read MoreFeast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels
At an Episcopal Ordination at St Peter’s Basilica on September 29, 2007, Pope Benedict delivered a beautiful homily/catechesis on the three Archangels who are mentioned by name in Scripture: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. He said “that in the ancient Church—already in the Book of Revelation—Bishops were described as “angels” of their Church, thereby expressing a…
Read MoreMemorial of the Passion of St John the Baptist
This is the will of God, your holiness:that you refrain from immorality,that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himselfin holiness and honor, not in lustful passionas do the Gentiles who do not know God;not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister in this matter,for the Lord is an…
Read MoreThe Better Part
Jesus entered a villagewhere a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.She had a sister named Marywho sat beside the Lord, at his feet, listening to him speak.Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,“Lord, do you not carethat my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?Tell her to help…
Read MoreChrist Left Leaving Us His Eucharistic Presence
The town of Orvieto and the Corpus Domini[1] [1] These pictures were taken on June 22, 2025. The Duomo of Orvieto is simply monumental. A majestic presence that imposes itself calmy to the visitors with its mosaics on the façade gleaming at sunset. It was built as a home to commemorate the miracle of Bolsena…
Read MoreDid Christ Leave Us…?
Did Christ leave us? The answer is obvious. Christ departed from his disciples, but did not leave them orphans or alone. Christ ascended into Heaven to prepare the sending of the Holy Spirit. We can say that after his Ascension and until the end of times, the manner of Christ’s presence is different. The Apostles…
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