Thursday, March 23, 2017

“Who sinned?” / “¿Quién pecó?”

A Revised Common Lectionary resource for March 27

First published on 3/21/17 by the Presbyterians Today magazine blog: One Church, Many Voices

by Magdalena I. García


A mural in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood reminds us of our calling to break the chains than enslave people. / Un mural en el barrio de Humboldt Park, en Chicago, nos recuerda nuestro llamado a romper las cadenas que esclavizan a la gente.

His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ – John 9:2

Read the full lectionary passages here

“Who sinned?”,
we ask as we stare at the riffraff in line
crowding the market with their usual drill,
presenting the infamous, monthly LINK card
to pay for their extensive grocery bill.

“Who sinned?”,
we inquire staring at their shopping cart,
inventorying items they should leave behind
instead of indulging themselves at the expense
of taxpayers and those who contribute in kind.

“Who sinned?”,
we wonder as we study their appearance,
eyeing their jewelry, their walk, their body art,
noticing their skin color, their foreign accent,
and even the model of their shoes and their car.

“Who sinned?”,
we raise the same absurd, malicious question
pretending to be ignorant of the circumstances,
blaming the victims to appease our conscience,
arguing they’ve been given too many chances.

“Who sinned?”,
we demand to know as we distance ourselves
from those perceived as lazy and lacking ambition,
all the while forgetting that poverty is not a sin,
but a consequence of social ills and unequal distribution.

“Who sinned?”,
we echo the disciples, and Jesus rebukes us
for shaming the poor and turning our backs,
inviting us instead to examine our own sight
because wealth blinds us to the compassion we lack.

“Who sinned?”,
we say over and over, like an endless refrain,
avoiding the answer, trying in vain to forget
that God calls us to build a world without hunger,
by sharing resources until everyone’s needs are met.

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“¿Quién pecó?”


Un recurso para la liturgia dominical del 26 de marzo

Publicado originalmente el 3/21/17 en el blog de la revista Presbyterians Today: One Church, Many Voices

por Magdalena I. García


Sus discípulos le preguntaron: “Rabí, ¿quién pecó, para que éste haya nacido ciego? ¿Él, o sus padres?’ – Juan 9:2

Lea el pasaje aquí: Juan 9:1-41

“¿Quién pecó?”,
preguntamos con la mirada clavada en la chusma
que se amontona en la cola del supermercado
y saca la infame tarjeta mensual de LINK
para pagar la cuenta de sus mandados.

“¿Quién pecó?”,
inquirimos observando el carro de compras,
haciendo inventario de lo que deben eliminar
en vez de consentirse tanto a expensas
de los contribuyentes obligados a abonar.

“¿Quién pecó?”,
pensamos al estudiar su apariencia,
ojeando su joyería, sus tatuajes, su caminar,
fijándonos en el color de su piel, en su acento
e incluso en los zapatos y el auto que van a manejar.

“¿Quién pecó?”,
levantamos la misma absurda y maliciosa pregunta
pretendiendo desconocer las circunstancias,
culpando a las víctimas para acallar nuestra conciencia,
exponiendo que ya basta de tanta benevolencia.

“¿Quién pecó?”,
demandamos saber mientras nos distanciamos
de la gente supuestamente vaga y falta de ambición,
olvidando mientras tanto que la pobreza no es pecado,
sino consecuencia de males sociales y la desigual repartición.

“¿Quién pecó?”,
hacemos eco de los discípulos y Jesús nos reprende
por avergonzar a los pobres y darles la espalda,
y nos invita por el contrario a examinar nuestra vista
porque la riqueza nos ciega a la compasión que nos falta.

“¿Quién pecó?”,
repetimos vez tras vez, como un estribillo incesante,
evitando la respuesta e intentando en vano olvidar
que Dios nos llama a construir un mundo sin hambre,
compartiendo recursos hasta que todos se puedan saciar.


© Magdalena I. García




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