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Message from Pastor

Dear brothers and sisters,

There is a generation of children with whom I was fortunate enough to share some very important years of my life, during which I had no other worries than taking care of them. I think there is nothing more beautiful than watching people grow, and that's why it was a gift to join two of them this week to share Pope Francis's reflection on love lived in the family. A true life project, concrete and simple, that I wanted to give them in the context of their upcoming marriage.

Love is not a grand idea, nor a pretty word to write poetry about. As we are reminded this Sunday, Jesus set himself as a model for us and commanded us on the eve of his death that love be the indicator and visible proof that we are truly his disciples.

Love is made concrete in the attitudes we have every day and begins to be lived out in our own families, in our circles of friends, in our daily relationships. It will be evident that we are his disciples if we reveal in our actions that patience and compassion that heal envy. If we don't consider ourselves great because we know more than others, but rather understand that what makes us great is the love that understands, cares for, and protects the weakest.

Living the love that Jesus proposes to us must make us increasingly kinder, more detached from ourselves, more open to authentic forgiveness. We must not end a day without making peace; we must not allow guilt and resentment to accumulate; we must not keep track of wrongdoing and know how to keep silent about the evil we may see in others without falling into gossip or easy criticism. A love that trusts, hopes, and remains steadfast despite difficulties. A love that is lived despite everything.

In a society where Christianity is increasingly less visible in its external forms, today's Gospel reminds us that to the extent that we take the commandment of love seriously, it will be clear that we are disciples of Jesus. This is the challenge for Christians today, this is our challenge: to live the joy of love in the details of every day; We know we are loved by God and accompanied by His strength to put into practice this demanding ideal, which requires a life built on solid foundations.

The joy of love is not something abstract; it begins by being lived in everyday relationships and in one's own family, like the one my two former students will form in the coming days.

Happy Sunday!

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Read full Message from Rev. Alejandro Marca Mansilla