Reflection on Father Moreno’s Homily: February 27, 2011

When Father Moreno was eight (8) years old he was the richest man in town. He had a cigar box that held his greatest treasure. He mentioned that back then cigar boxes were used to carry crayons, pencils and rulers to school; they were today’s backpacks.

His cigar box had a dollar he stole from his sister, they always gave her money since she was the only girl, and no he is still not resentful after all these years.

He had a mummified frog that he found in the river that he used to torment his sister with. It was great fun!

He also had a candle that he stole from church, someone’s prayers.

And yes he confessed the dollar he stole from his sister, how he tormented his sister with the mummified frog and the candle he stole from church. In those days people went to Confession every Saturday to confess their sins.


He would go to church and sit there where it was quiet and cool inside. He remembers the Sister in charge of the CCD classes being all upset because someone would steal church candles. Father Moreno said not to steal church candles especially here since there are so many and most church’s now don’t have any candles.

When he went back home to celebrate the funeral Mass for his mother, he remembered that he had hidden his cigar box in his grandfather’s Army box, his grandfather had been a World War I veteran. He dug up his cigar box and found a paper with a mark on it where the candle had melted.

He recalled that at eight (8) years old God had entered his life in a way that God became the light of his life.

We are challenged to recall and recollect how God works in our life, to see the moments when God was present in our life. When God has touched us, has kissed us, has healed us. When we seek first the Kingdom of God we cooperate with grace. God challenges us to refocus constantly our relationship with Him. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal those moments to us when God has loved us, when God has truly touched us.

Father revealed that in his life it has been those moments of sadness, fear, depression and loneliness that he has been most vulnerable to God’s Presence.

We are here not only to fulfill our obligation to come to Mass so we won’t go to hell; but we are here because of the Holy Spirit and the Lord will never abandon us.

Pope John Paul II called us to transform ourselves and our culture into a culture of life and dignity. God is with us. We must seek the Kingdom of God, the Reign of God in our lives. In our sinfulness we come to the Lord in humility to focus on the important things in life to be servants of God. We must claim God’s Love in our life and continually change and evolve. We must desire and will the good for our enemies, those who persecute us, those who abandon us, those who belittle us, those who make our lives miserable.

Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us prioritize and refocus on our main treasure; what is most important and who is most important. What is in our treasure box? We need a heart of charity. In our darkness, secret and polluted life we are all searching for the Love of God, the Meaning of Life. When we worry and are anxious we need to let go and trust. We are not to be bitter, angry and frustrated. Keep on doing what we are doing, the work God has us doing becomes secondary, what becomes primary is that we must be willing and ready to let go and let Your Will Be Done and we will be truly free.

We will be the richest person in Del Rio because we are the Servants of Christ and are loved by Jesus Christ.

Lord into Your Hands I Commend My Spirit.