Friends and companions:
In the previous letter, we criticized Trump for using force without resorting to the channels of international law. We were not legitimizing the government of Nicolás Maduro. Great powers, of all political colors, have often acted in the interest of economic interests without regard for human rights, but in the past, public opinion was respected and methods were disguised. What is serious about the recent conflicts is how they ignore international laws, as if they did not exist. We criticized the imposition of the law of the strongest, the law of the Wild West. That law is the opposite of the Gospel of Jesus, which championed service, the defense of the weakest, and the inclusion of the marginalized.
We have received three letters expressing dismay at the thought that we were defending what has been done in Venezuela in recent years, when that was not the message. We regret the misunderstanding and wanted to clarify it. Our support for the Venezuelan people and our best wishes for reconciliation, harmony, and prosperity for this new chapter in their history.
Gospel and comments on the Gospel
John 1, 29-34. Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
**Miguel Ángel Munárriz: The Lamb of God Who Takes Away the Sin**. We crave what doesn’t really deserve it: we are fascinated by what harms us.
**José Luis Sicre: The Testimony of John the Baptist**. In the vision offered by the fourth gospel, the life of John the Baptist only makes sense in service to Jesus, making him known to others.
Enrique Martínez Lozano: Self-knowledge: seeing and giving testimony. Self-knowledge constitutes the foundation of every spiritual path. Whoever knows himself, knows the universe and the gods.
Fray Marcos: Jesus freed us from all oppression. Not allowing oneself to be oppressed or oppressing anyone.
Fidel Aizpurúa Donazar: It existed before me. Jesus has been the great protector, the one who is baptized to support us in our weakness.
José Antonio Pagola: Loving life. People don’t want to hear about spirituality because they don’t know what that word entails; they ignore that it means more than religiosity, and that it doesn’t identify with what is traditionally understood as piety.
Marifé Ramos: John the Baptist contemplated, heard, and gave testimony. What do we hear and contemplate? What testimony do we give? Today’s gospel must be deconstructed to understand its message, because it offers us keys from about 1,900 years ago.
Featured articles for the week
José Antonio Encabo Yagüe: New Year… New Life? The challenge the Gospel invites us to always is novelty, seeking peace and running after it. Build it!
Jesús Lozano Pino: The trap of the “good” and the “bad”. From heaven to hell: the price of political pride. When a ruler decides that dissent is treason and that Human Rights are an obstacle to their plans, the result is always the same: disaster.
**Gabriel Mª Otalora: An exciting experience of forgiveness**. These days I have learned about the news surrounding the execution of a death row inmate. The experience of forgiveness that I hold has led me back to the Good News of Jesus when he insisted so much on the importance of this transformative attitude.
**Juan José Tamayo: Byung Chul Han: God is not dead**. The South Korean philosopher and theologian establishes with Simone Weil and her work a deep and illuminating dialogue of the darkness of the present.
Luigi Sandri: Pope Leo XIV facing two taboo problems: Abuse and mandatory celibacy of the clergy. The newly elected Archbishop of New York assures that he will do everything possible to guarantee compensation to the victims of clerical pedophilia.
**José Carlos Enríquez Díaz: Josemari Lorenzo Amelibia: the priest who did not renounce God nor love.** His story reminds us that being Church is, above all, being coherent, human, and brave, and that, on many occasions, the true builders of the Christian community are not in the top, but in the concrete life of each believer.
**Marco Enrique Salas Laure: Paul Soukup, S.J.: “The online world does not respect diocesan boundaries or ecclesial structures.”** Interview with the professor at Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, California) who was in charge of coordinating the subgroup of expert-theologians.
Mariano Delgado: The freedom of theology in the Church: the legacy of German theologian Peter Hünermann (1929-2025). He has been as a theologian a great “pontiff” in the genuine sense of the word, someone who has built bridges.
**News of scope**. Cardinal Fernández calls for a return to the kerygma at the consistory: the heart first, the rules later.
**For more participatory and current Eucharists**
Isaiah 49, 3-6. You are my servant (Israel), in whom I will glory.
1 Corinthians 1, 1-3. Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.
Florentino Ulibarri: Beginning of an evangelical time. Upon hearing again that voice that announces your presence, I stop in my paths, and remain attentive in case you arrive… and want to make me part of your Nazarene company.
Vicky Irigaray: 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. Let us not forget that our only reason for being as a Christian community is to bear witness to Jesus and to make the mystery of his saving and liberating love present today.
Anaphora: Ecumenism. We confess that you are the only God, whom all religions of the universe bless. Therefore, joining with all believers in the world, we direct this prayer to you, holy Father.
Monjas Benedictinas de Montserrat. Domingo 2º del Tiempo Ordinario.
Multimedia material
What’s the use of winning the world if you lose your life? By Anthony de Mello. Remember the kind of feeling you experience when someone praises you, when you see yourself approved, accepted, applauded… And compare it with the feeling that arises within you when you contemplate the sunrise or sunset, or nature in general, or when you read a book or watch a movie that you really like…
**New Women**. By Cristóbal Fones SJ. Faced with war, injustices, and inequality, give us a large heart to love and strong to fight, building a new humanity, without brakes or chains, fighting in hope, walkers thirsty for truth and demanding freedom.
**Salomé Arricibita: I Will Follow You**. Despite my fears, I will follow you, Lord of my life, wherever you go…
**Alma pequeña**. By Flor de Lava and Marta Gómez. Beautiful song that inspires us to reach as high as we can, that we must never lose our strength to fight and achieve our goals, and to give voice to those who do not have it.
**Equipo Quiero Ver: Lo esencial, es invisible**. Sometimes what changes your life is not an idea… but someone. Someone who looks at you differently, who places you inside, who makes you question things you thought forgotten. This video is about that: about learning to recognize what is important, even when it goes unnoticed. Because sometimes the essential is not imposed: it is recognized.
**Sin banderas**. By Naurea Soma. A song to remember that we are more alike when we stop separating and start listening again. Without flags, without fear, hand in hand as we walk, we lower the noise, we start to listen and let ourselves be embraced.
At the EFFA School, we provide the link to the study material where you can find all the talks and bibliography available, for those who were unable to see them or want to review them. The link to access the latest videos uploaded may also be useful.
And, as I promised, the letters will end with these three links: the letter of the week, the letter of last week and letters from other weeks. When someone loses -or doesn’t receive- the email with the news, they can use an old letter to access the new one.
A hug,
Inma Calvo
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English version translated with AI