This past weekend was cold in western Honduras. It got down
into the low forties at least two nights.
It was especially cold on Friday when I went with Padre German
Navarro to two villages where he was going to celebrate Mass.
Agua Zarca church in the mist |
We went to El Zapote de Santa Rosa and from there walked or
rode a horse to the nearby village of Agua Zarca. I rode a horse going up and Padre
rode coming down.
A little mud |
The path was pure mud and I slip/slided down, without falling
in the mud.
We had Mass in the small church in Agua Zarca and Padre
introduced himself to the people as he has been doing for the past weeks, often
presiding at three Masses a day.
Mass in Agua Zarca |
After Mass in Agua Zarca we hiked back to El Zapote for an
afternoon Mass. On the way there Padre German asked if I would do the
reflection on the Gospel. I was moved to be asked.
After Mass we went back to Dulce Nombre where I picked up my
truck and headed back to Santa Rosa. I may have to move out to the parish (or
get a truck with better lights) if I continue to be out in the countryside
until dusk.
Saturday, I led a retreat in El Zapote for the pastoral
workers in Zone 3. Mist, rain – heavy at times, wind, and cold accompanied our
time in the church. But 37 had come out, some walking in the rain and cold to have
an opportunity to deepen their faith.
I led the sessions which ended with a celebration of the
Word with Communion, led by the Communion ministers. Marco Tulio from El Zapote
gave a good reflection on the Prodigal Son parable, noting something I had
never noticed: the father addresses both his sons as “my son.” Relationship is
central for our life with God, and God is the one who reaches out to us.
Sunday I went out to San Agustín with Padre German. There have
been some problems there and Padre sat down and talked with them. Next week we’ll
be back and he asked me to do a presentation to the base community members of
base communities and their spirituality.
Formation of pastoral workers and deepening of spirituality are
very important for Padre German. I’m looking forward to working more on this
with him, as we plan on how to improve the work in formation that Padre Efraín
began.
This week I’ll spend a few days in Caritas and then spend
the weekend in the Dulce Nombre parish.
God is good.
Sunset driving back to Santa Rosa, March 3 |
This photo does not give a good idea of what the sunset was like driving back to Santa Rosa with corn and beans for the bishop, a gift from Yaruconte, one of the rural villages of the Dulce Nombre parish. Both the beauty of creation and the generosity of the poor continue to give me hope and reveal signs of God's presence.
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