To Christ, Through Mary

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
January 1, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Nm 6:22-27 / Ps 67 / Gal 4:4-7 / Lk 2:16-21
by Deacon Cassidy Stinson, Guest Homilist

I remember very clearly the first time I ever stayed up to celebrate New Year’s Eve as a child. It was the night before the start of the year 2000, the turn of the millennium, and I guess my parents decided that it was such a special occasion that they were willing to risk the chance of my getting crazy from lack of sleep to be able to see the event.

It was all very much like we did last night: celebrating at my grandparents’ house not far from here; fizzy cider for the kids, other beverages for the adults; and most of all, seeing the live countdown of the ball dropping in Times Square. (more…)

God Never Gives Up

The Nativity of the Lord – Christmas
December 25, 2018 – Year C
Readings: Is 9:1-6 / Lk 2:11, Ps 96 / Ti 2:11-14 / Lk 2:1-14
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

On December 6, a young mother from Orlando was taking her eleven-month old daughter to one of the children’s hospitals in Philadelphia. As was standard practice, the airlines allow families with babies to board first, that is unless you are in first class. First class always boards before business or economy class.

The mother was at the back of the plane trying to arrange her carry-on bags, along with the oxygen her daughter had to have at all times. She wasn’t even finished arranging her things, when the stewardess told her that there was a man in first class who wanted to give her his seat. He would then take her seat. The stewardess told her that there was more room for her things in first class. The mother was more than happy; she was in tears. (more…)

Discerning Your Role

Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 23, 2018 – Year C
Readings: Mi 5:1-4A / Ps 80 / Heb 10:5-10 / Lk 1:39-45
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

If you go to daily Mass, and you were at daily Mass on Friday, you should be experiencing a little deja vu. The gospel today is exactly the same as the gospel we had on Friday, and Bishop Barron had a wonderful reflection on it. No, I’m not just going to read you his reflection, but it got me thinking, and sent me down a different path than I was planning to go. I will share with you a little bit of his reflection.

Bishop Barron writes, “I’ve always been fascinated by Mary’s haste in this story of the Visitation. Why does she go with such speed and purpose? Because she found her mission; her role in the Theo-drama.” (more…)

Let Your Kindness Be Known To All

Third Sunday of Advent
December 16, 2018 – Year C
Readings: Zep 3:14-18A / Is 12 / Phil 4:4-7 / Lk 3:10-18
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant

I made a trip to New York to go out to Long Island City, which I hadn’t been to in thirteen months, for the annual Mass for deceased members of the New York Pentecostal Association. I don’t have GPS; GPS is up here (pointing at his head), and at my age, memory is not what it used to be. Oh yes, I remember that on the George Washington Bridge, I need to take the FDR. Now I’ve got to get over to that lane, and I see it. Oh, good, good, good. I take the exit; it’s the next exit. I took the wrong one. Take the wrong exit off George Washington Bridge in New York: L-O-S-T. Completely. (more…)

A Mother is Always There for Her Children

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8, 2018 – Year C
Readings: Gn 3:9-15, 20 / Ps 98 / Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 / Lk 1:26-38
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

For today’s feast, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the gospel is about the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel appeared to the Blessed Mother with the greeting, “Hail, Full of grace, the Lord is with you,” announcing to her that she would be the mother of God. That’s the beginning of the Immaculate Conception of Jesus, when He was conceived in the womb of the Blessed Mother. We celebrate that feast on March 25th. From March 25th to December 25th is exactly 9 months.

But the Immaculate Conception of Jesus is not the feast that we celebrate today. What we celebrate today is the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mother, when she was conceived in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. (more…)

Be Vigilant

First Sunday of Advent
December 2, 2018 – Year C
Readings: Jer 33:14-16 / Ps 25 / 1 Thes 3:12 – 4:2 / Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

We must have heard of, or even participated in, the celebration called “Christmas in July.” But in our Church, we celebrate the new year in December (or sometimes in November.) Today, the first Sunday of Advent, we begin a new year in our liturgical calendar. As the first candle in our Advent wreath is lit, we are reminded of the glad tidings of the new beginning in our lives as sons and daughters of God. In most Sundays in the next twelve months, the Gospel of Luke will be our guide on how to get to know the Lord Jesus better, so we can love Him more. Luke the Evangelist will show us the way to live a true Christian life. (more…)

King of Kings

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
November 25, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Dn 7:13-14 / Ps 93 / Rv 1:5-8 / Jn 18:33B-37
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

This is the last Sunday of the liturgical calendar. This is so even though the Gregorian calendar uses a different date for the New Year. For the Church, the new year begins with the first Sunday of Advent, which is next week. That is why it is a tradition in the Church to give thanks the week before, for all the blessings God has given us throughout the past year. This is like the tradition within families to give thanks at Thanksgiving, mentioning all the blessings they have received since the last Thanksgiving.

Today is the Feast of Christ the King and it is also our tradition, as members of God’s family, to give thanks to our Lord, our Savior and our King for all the blessings He has given us as we prepare to meet the coming year. (more…)

Thanksgiving For All Eternity

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 18, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Dn 12:1-3 / Ps 16 / Heb 10:11-14, 18 / Mk 13:24-32
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

According to the Desert Sun, a part of the USA Today network, a record 30.6 million people are flying for Thanksgiving this year. That’s almost four times the total population of Virginia. It tells us that, no matter how busy we are or how far we are from each other geographically, we still find time to have a family reunion on Thanksgiving Day or other times of the year. Now I, for one, always look forward to getting together with my relatives and talking about the good old days. Family reunions for most of us are happy occasions. (more…)

Scoring for God’s Team

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 11, 2018 – Year B
Readings: 1 Kgs 17:10-16 / Ps 146 / Heb 9:24-28 / Mk 12:38-44
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant

A couple of months after I was ordained, I was sent to New Zealand, down to the South Island and Christchurch, over to a wee town on the west coast called Hokitika. When I got there, the west coast of New Zealand had no soccer. So I introduced soccer to the west coast, and the team (I was the coach and the captain of the team) was called the Corinthians. I don’t recall why. There was always a little titter on a Sunday morning, when the lector would get up and say, “A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.” (more…)

Purging the Stain of Sin

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 4, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Dt 6:2-6 / Ps 18 / Heb 7:23-28 / Mk 12:28B-34
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant

This month of November is dedicated to the souls in Purgatory, and the Church sets aside the entire month for us to pray for the dead. So the question is, “What actually is Purgatory?” Because it exists in eternity, and the only experience we have is that of time, our knowledge is scanty. We don’t know an awful lot about the mystery of the next life, because we go by time – present, past, future. (more…)