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The ancient Hebrews did not have a word that means “very.” To describe something or someone as “very beautiful” they would use the word twice, “It is beautiful, beautiful.” And to describe something or someone as “the most beautiful” they repeated the word three times: “She is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.” This is the reason Isaiah hears the angels saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.” The Lord is the most holy, sacred, pure, and perfect.

It can feel overwhelming to be in the presence of the holy Lord. Isaiah exclaimed, “Woe is me, I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.” Peter says, “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinner!” This Wednesday we begin another season of Lent, because we are sinners and God is holy. Yet, the Lord purifies Isaiah with the ember from the altar. And Jesus reassures Peter, “Do not fear.” St. Paul says: “I am unworthy to be called an apostle. However, by the grace of God I am what I am”.

God is not very concerned about where we have been. God is more concerned about where we are going. Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. Jesus says to you, “Be not afraid.” No matter where you’ve been, no matter what you’ve done, God can do great things with Jesus Christ in you.

Los antiguos hebreos no tenían una palabra que significa “muy”. Para describir algo o alguien como “muy hermoso” usarían la palabra dos veces, “Es hermoso, hermoso”. Y para describir algo o alguien como “la más hermosa”, repitieron la palabra tres veces: “Es hermosa, hermosa, hermosa.” Esta es la razón Isaías oye a los ángeles diciendo: “Santo, santo, santo es el Señor”. El Señor es el más santo, puro sagrado y perfecto.

Esto puede ser abrumador para estar en la presencia del Señor santo. Isaías exclamó: “¡Ay de mí, estoy perdido, porque soy un hombre de labios impuros”! Pedro dice: “Apártate de mí, Señor, porque soy un pecador!” Somos pecadores y Dios es santo. Este miércoles comenzar otro tiempo de Cuaresma, porque somos pecadores y Dios es santo. Sin embargo, el Señor purifica Isaías con la brasa del altar. Y Jesús tranquiliza a Pedro: “No temas”. San   Pablo dice: “Soy indigno de llamarme apostól. Sin embargo, por la gracia de Dios, soy lo que soy”.

Dios no está muy preocupado acerca de dónde hemos estado. Dios está más preocupado por dónde vamos. Cada santo tiene un pasado y todo pecador tiene un futuro. Jesús te dice: “No temas.” No importa dónde has estado, no importa lo que has hecho, Dios puede hacer grandes cosas con Jesús Cristo en ti.

This entry was posted on March 3, 2013 at 7:17 pm and is filed under Courage, Homily, Isaiah, Spanish Homilies, St. Peter, Sunday Homilies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.