Rejoice in God’s Presence and Promise

Third Sunday of Advent
December 15, 2024 — Year C
Readings: Zep 3:14-18a / Is 12 / Phil 4:4-7 / Lk 3:10-18 
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today, on the Third Sunday of Advent, we celebrate Gaudete Sunday, a day of joy and rejoicing as Christmas draws near.  The rose-colored candle of the Advent wreath, known as the Shepherd’s Candle, reminds us of the joy proclaimed to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth: “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”  This joy is not merely a fleeting emotion, but a deep and abiding sense of hope rooted in Christ.  Let us explore the joy found in today’s readings and what these readings mean for us in our world today.

The prophet Zephaniah, in our first reading, exhorts the people of Israel to rejoice: “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!  Sing joyfully, O Israel!”  This is a remarkable declaration, as it follows chapters warning of judgment and exile.  Yet, Zephaniah concludes his prophecy with a vision of restoration.  God promises to be in the midst of His people to renew them in His love and to banish fear and despair.  This reminds us that joy is not the absence of struggle, but the presence of God.  In the hardships of life, whether personal trials or global crises, we can find joy in the assurance that God is with us, rejoicing over us with gladness.  Mother Teresa said, “Joy is an act of love by which you can catch souls.”  When we live in the joy of God’s presence, we share His love with others.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians continues this theme of joy: “Rejoice in the Lord always.  I shall say it again:  rejoice!”  Writing from prison, Paul’s exhortation carries profound weight.  His joy is not tied to external circumstances, but to his relationship with Christ.  He reminds us that the Lord is near and encourages us to bring our needs to God in prayer, trusting that His peace will guard our hearts and minds.  In our current world, filled with anxiety and uncertainty, Paul’s message is particularly relevant.  How often do we let fear and worry rob us of joy?  Yet, as Paul assures us, when we entrust our burdens to God, His peace, which surpasses all understanding, will fill our hearts.  Joy rooted in faith becomes a powerful testimony to others, drawing them toward the hope we have in Christ.

In today’s gospel, John the Baptist calls the people to repentance, emphasizing the tangible expressions of faith:  sharing with those in need, practicing integrity, and avoiding exploitation.  When asked what we should do, John provides practical guidance for living a life aligned with God’s will.  His message is both a challenge and a promise, as he points to the coming Messiah who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.

There was a little boy, praying and shouting to God in a synagogue, that he might be given ten silver coins because his mother was sick.  It also happened that a tax collector, who was also praying, heard the prayer of the little boy.  The problem was, he had only seven silver coins, not enough to meet the needs of this child.  Regardless, he gave these to the boy by putting them near the altar.  When the boy saw the coins, he said to the Lord, “Thank you Lord for giving me the coins, but next time, don’t show the tax collector.  I’m sure he got the other three coins.”

St. John shows us that we should be honest in our way of life, that we should not try to take advantage of others.  He tells us that even if we see that someone is trying to take advantage of us, even when by doing good, we will be thought of as fools, we should still share.  We should not be discouraged; we should always be willing to continue to help others.

John’s call to action reminds us that true joy comes, not from self-centered pursuits, but from living in love and service to others.  In a world often characterized by greed and division, this gospel invites us to embody the spirit of generosity and justice.  As Mother Teresa beautifully put it, “A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love.”  When we love as Christ loves, our joy becomes a light for those in darkness. As we reflect on the theme of joy this Gaudete Sunday, we are reminded that true joy is not found in our circumstances, but in our trust in and surrender to God.

There is a story of the life of Blessed Chiara Badano, a young Italian girl who offers a profound witness to this truth.  Born in 1971, Chiara grew up as an ordinary teenager who loved her family, friends, and sports.  Her life took a dramatic turn, however, when she was diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 17.  While many would understandably despair, Chiara’s faith allowed her to transform her suffering into a profound encounter with Christ.  Even as her body weakened and her pain became unbearable, Chiara radiated an inner joy that inspired everyone around her.  She embraced her illness as a way to unite her suffering with Jesus, often saying, “If this is what you want, Jesus, so do I.”  Chiara never lost her smile and insisted that her room be filled with light and love, as she wanted to bring hope to her visitors.  She believed that her suffering was a way to serve others spiritually and her faith only grew stronger.  Chiara’s life was a living testimony to what St. Paul teaches, “Rejoice in the Lord always.”  Her joy, rooted in her relationship with Christ, reminds us that true joy is found, not in avoiding hardship, but in allowing God’s love to transform it.

As Catholics preparing to celebrate Christmas, this gospel challenges us to examine how we are living our faith in practical ways.  John’s instructions: to give generously, act justly, and avoid greed, reflect the heart of the Christmas message, God’s love made manifest in the gift of His Son.  During this Advent season, we are reminded that Christ’s coming calls us to transformation.  Just as the shepherds shared the good news with others after encountering Jesus, we, too, are called to be a witness to His love through our actions.  Moreover, the image of Jesus baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire speaks to the renewal and purification that Christ’s coming brings.  Christmas is not merely a commemoration of a past event, but an invitation to allow Christ to transform our lives today.  The joy of the season lies in aligning our hearts with His, living out the values of compassion, justice, and generosity.

The common message in today’s readings is the call to rejoice because of God’s presence and promise.  This joy is deeply connected to trust in God, prayer, and acts of love.  It is a joy that sustains us through trials and empowers us to be agents of hope and transformation in the world.  In our contemporary world, marked by conflict, economic disparity, and environmental crises, today’s message is a beacon of hope.  Our Church invites us today to trust in God’s plan for restoration.  Like the Philippians, we are called to bring our worries to God and embrace His peace.  Like the crowds in the gospel, we are challenged to live out our faith in practical ways, sharing joy through acts of love and justice.  As we light the pink candle of the Advent wreath, let is remind us of the joy that Christ’s coming brings to our hearts and to the world.  May we, like the shepherds, share this joy with others, proclaiming the good news of God’s love through our words and actions.  Let us rejoice always, for the Lord is near.

Right on Time

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 23, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Jb 38:1, 8-11 / Ps 107 / 2 Cor 5:14-17 / Mk 4:35-41
by Rev. Louis Benoit, Guest Celebrant

Today’s gospel has a few meanings.  One meaning is that Jesus is the fulfillment of God in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, especially in the book of Psalms, like the psalm we just heard, we hear how God is over all creation and over the storms and the winds, with God having domination over all those things.  So, we see Jesus fulfilling these Old Testament aspects of God, being creator and domineering over all.

Also, at the beginning of Mark’s gospel, we are told who Jesus is.  However, for Jesus’ followers, that gradually unfolds as the gospel goes on.  As they see Jesus doing various things, it deepens their faith in who Jesus is.

And so, we have, at the last line of today’s gospel, “Who then is this, whom even the wind and sea obey?”  It’s the deeper knowledge of who Jesus is, as they come to a deeper faith in Him.  For the apostles, it’s a deepening of faith.  And it’s a faith that needs to be deepened.  He asked them, “Why are you terrified?  Do you not yet have faith?”  And that’s not just an admonition, but it’s calling them into deeper faith in who Jesus is, and of course, they are questioning it.

Who then is this, whom even the winds and sea obey?  Now, for us, it’s a very good gospel.  How many times in your life have you felt you were in your own little boat on rough seas and by yourself, and you don’t know where to turn?  I think anyone who has logged in some adult years can identify times when that has happened.  And yet, do you doubt that Jesus is in the boat with you?  I think we do doubt when we are being tossed about by the waves of life, and wondering where God is, but Jesus is with you.

You know, the apostles weren’t too keen on that, but although He was asleep on a cushion, He was with them, and that’s for us to see that Jesus is with us.  And we have things that keep us from that.  We have a peculiar situation in our country that militates against that, that we so over-emphasize independence.  We tend to ignore our dependence on God and others.  And we are very dependent on people.  This over-emphasis on independence is not a good thing, because we are extremely dependent.

You’re dependent on dozens of people every day.  We can’t live alone; it’s impossible.  And so, we have to get that sense of dependence, and many times in a sense of dependence, we find the presence of Jesus in other people around us.  If we get too much into our own independence, we don’t see it.  But Jesus is with us, and many times it’s with the people who are surrounding us.  We’re not as independent as we think.

Years ago, I was chaplain of a Youth Development Center.  It’s kind of a reform school for young men, and many of them were extremely belligerent and believed that they didn’t need anybody and could get by on their own.   So, I played a little game with them.  I said, “Well, if you are so independent, what would you do if you were out in the woods alone?  How would you survive?”  A response might be, “Well, I’d get an axe and I’d chop down some trees.”  I would respond, “Wait, wait, where did you get that axe?  Didn’t somebody provide that for you?”  And as I played that game and kept pushing it, and they realized that if they were totally independent, they’d be standing naked in the woods.

We’re terribly dependent, and we really need Jesus, and we really need each other, and sometimes “each other” is the presence of Jesus.  That’s the way it is, and we have to realize our dependence on Jesus, and that Jesus is with us to calm the storms of life.

The other aspect of this, a totally different aspect but a very important one, is that it’s God’s creation, not ours.  We have a terrible time with this.  But God is the one who is running the show, not us.  And we have to learn to be able to discern God’s action in our lives and what that action is calling us to.

I know that almost any of you my age or even a bit younger can recall times in your life when things happened that you hadn’t planned, but it worked out for the best.  You know, God was working, and it was God’s plan, not yours.  And so, it’s for us to see that no, we’re not running the show, and when we try to run the show, we can end up feeling very alone, swamped by the waves of life.  We are trying to run everything ourselves, and we do the best we can with life, but always with an openness to God’s presence, God’s plan, and God’s direction.  It’s God’s, not ours.

I love an old spiritual that the gospel choir at St. Gerard’s used to sing.  The chorus of the song says, “He ain’t always there when you want Him, but He’s always right on time.”  That’s a bit humorous, but it’s quite profound.  You know, He ain’t always there when you want Him, but He’s always right on time.

Finding Our Way Back

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 9, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Gn 3:9-15 / Ps 130 / 2 Cor 4:13-5:1 / Mk 3:20-35
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Reflecting on our readings today, we recognize a profound journey that mirrors our own spiritual lives.  We start with the awareness of our brokenness and sin, much like Adam and Eve hiding from God.  Yet, even in our deepest despair, we cry out for God’s mercy, trusting in His unfailing love.

In our first reading, we encounter the aftermath of the fall.  Adam and Eve have eaten from the forbidden tree, and God is seeking them out.  Adam admits his fear and shame, having realized his nakedness.  God then pronounces judgement upon the serpent, promising enmity between the serpent and the woman’s offspring, hinting at the future defeat of evil.

The first reading introduces the theme of human frailty and the resulting consequences of sin.  Adam and Eve’s disobedience leads to a rupture in the relationship with God, marked by fear and shame.  Yet, amid the judgement, there is a promise of redemption.  The offspring of the woman will crush the serpent’s head.

St. Paul, in our second reading, reflects on the trials and tribulations faced by the apostles, yet emphasizes the spirit of faith that sustains them.  Despite the suffering and decay of their outer bodies, they are renewed inwardly.  All this speaks of the eternal glory that far outweighs their temporary struggles, focusing on the unseen, eternal life promised by God.  It also connects to today’s theme by highlighting the transient nature of suffering and the promise of eternal reward.  Paul’s message emphasizes that, although we experience hardship and our bodies waste away, our spirits are being renewed daily.  This reflects the ongoing journey from sin and suffering towards redemption and glory.

Today, we witness a powerful narrative that brings to light themes of misunderstanding, accusations, and ultimately the redefinition of what it means to be part of the family of God.  Jesus finds Himself surrounded by crowds so large that He and His disciples cannot even eat.  Amidst this, His family comes to take charge of Him, convinced that He is out of His mind.  The scribes from Jerusalem, witnessing His miraculous works, accuse Him of being possessed by Beelzebul, and driving out demons by the power of the prince of demons.

Jesus’ response is both profound and instructive.  He challenges the logic of the scribes by pointing out the absurdity of Satan casting out Satan.  He uses parables to illustrate that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.  Furthermore, He emphasizes that those who do the will of God are His true family.

Let me share a story about a man named Thomas.  Thomas was known throughout the village for his hardened heart and bitter disposition.  Life had not been kind to him, and he had grown cynical and distrustful of others.  He felt abandoned by God and believed that his life was beyond redemption.

One day, an elderly priest named Father Michael visited Thomas, asking for help repairing the church.  Reluctantly, Thomas agreed.  Over the next few weeks, as Thomas worked at the church, Father Michael shared stories of faith and redemption, particularly the story of Peter, who found forgiveness after denying Jesus three times but was forgiven and went on to lead the early Church.  Peter’s story, Father Michael said, is a testament to God’s boundless mercy and the power of redemption.

These stories stirred something in Thomas, and he began to see a glimmer of hope.  One stormy night, the church’s roof was damaged, and Father Michael called on Thomas for help.  Despite the treacherous weather, Thomas rushed to the church.  While repairing the roof, Thomas slipped and injured his leg.  Father Michael tended to him and prayed for his recovery.  As Thomas lay there, he felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over him.  For the first time in years, he prayed.  He asked God for forgiveness and thanked Him for sending Father Michael into his life.  From then on, Thomas’s life changed.  He attended Mass, helped others, and became an integral part of the community, and treated them as his family.

Years later, as Thomas stood in the church he’d helped restore, he reflected on his journey.  He realized that God had never abandoned him.  Rather, He had been gently guiding him back to the path of redemption.

Just as in the readings, Thomas’s life parallels our own spiritual journey.  We may feel broken and beyond hope, much like Adam and Eve after the fall, or the psalmist crying out from the depths.  However, through faith and the loving actions of others, much like Father Michael’s gentle guidance, we can find our way back to God.

Thomas’s transformation echoes Paul’s message in 2 Corinthians about inner renewal despite outward suffering and exemplifies the redefinition of family and community through faith, as Jesus teaches in Mark’s gospel.  This story reminds us that no matter how lost we feel, God’s mercy is always within reach, leading us to redemption and new life.  Paul’s words also remind us that our sufferings are temporary and serve greater purpose in God’s eternal plan.  They encourage us to look beyond our present struggles to the unseen glory that awaits us, renewing our spirits daily through faith.

Finally, Jesus’ teaching in Mark challenges us to redefine our understanding of family and belonging.  It invites us to find our true kinship in those who do the will of God, creating a community bound, not by blood, but by shared faith and obedience to God’s will.  The gospel presents Jesus’ redefining family ties, just as Genesis shows the destruction of the original family due to sin.  Jesus reestablishes a new family bond based on a spiritual kinship with those who do the will of God.  This redefinition aligns with the promise of redemption, highlighting the true faith and obedience to God.  We become part of God’s family.  Our Church offers a powerful message of hope and redemption.  Jesus calls us to acknowledge our sins, seek God’s mercy, endure our trials with faith, and embrace our true identity as members of God’s family.  In this journey, we find assurance in God’s promise that, though we may face suffering and misunderstanding, His eternal glory and redemption await us.

So, brothers and sisters, as we continue our Mass today, let us strengthen our faith as we endure life’s trials, renewing us inwardly day by day.  Let us pray for our Lord to help us see our struggles in light of the eternal glory He has prepared for us.  And may we live as true members of God’s family, doing His will and reflecting His love.

He Lays Down His Life

Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 21, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Acts 4:8-12 / Ps 118 / 1 Jn 3:1-2 / Jn 10:11-18
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Perhaps you are already very familiar with Psalm 23, the most popular psalm, on the Good Shepherd. Jesus, in our gospel today, tells us that He came precisely so that we may live with that life, peace, and happiness described in Psalm 23. Part of it I will read to you:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures He gives me repose.
Beside restful waters He leads me.
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths for His name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil.
For You are at my side with Your rod and Your staff that give me courage.”

As we ponder upon our readings this Sunday, our hearts are drawn to the profound imagery of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. In this beautiful passage from the Gospel of St. John, we are reminded of the tender care and unwavering love that Jesus, our Shepherd, extends to each of us.

As we reflect on this imagery, we are invited to contemplate our relationship with Jesus. Just as a shepherd knows his sheep by name and lays down his life for them, Jesus knows each of us intimately, and selflessly offers Himself for our salvation. It’s a comforting thought, knowing that amidst life’s uncertainties and challenges, we have a shepherd who guides, protects, and sustains us.

This middle Sunday of Easter season is traditionally celebrated as Good Shepherd Sunday. We lift up the particular image of Jesus and the way of thinking about God’s care for us. We hear the deeply comforting words of Psalm 23. We are reminded that Jesus not only protects us in our darkest hour, but that He freely laid down His life for us. What greater love can be imagined?

This image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is one that is well-known, and so it should be. When we think of Him in this image, it brings to our mind all kinds of images which recall the ways in which Our Lord cares for us. As stated in Psalm 23, God Himself is depicted in lovely ways as the shepherd of His people.

Perhaps most significantly are the promises that God makes through His prophets that, since no one else is worthy or able to assume the responsibility, He will Himself come and be His people’s shepherd. In His care, people will be safe, and they will be content.

With this in mind, we hear Jesus’ claim, and we cannot help but be struck by the significance of it. His claim is that He is God, come to His people as promised, to be their shepherd. He is the fulfiller of the long hopes of God’s people.

Why did Jesus use this image of the Good Shepherd? In Palestine, the shepherd brought the sheep into the sheepfold every night. It was a circular stone wall with an opening or door where the sheep entered. Once the sheep were inside for the night, the shepherd slept in that opening or door all night. The sheep could not get out without stepping over the shepherd’s body, which meant they would not get out at all during the night.

Jesus is the gate, and anyone who enters through Him will be safe and will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture. Others steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

The Church calls us to reflect on our role as sheep in Jesus’ flock. Do we listen attentively to His voice, trusting in His guidance, even when the path ahead seems unclear? Do we allow ourselves to be led to the green pastures of spiritual nourishment and the still waters of His peace? Or do we wander off, entangled in the destructions and temptations of the world?

Moreover, the image of Jesus as Good Shepherd challenges us to consider our own role as shepherds to others. How do we extend Christ’s love and compassion to those around us, especially to those who are lost, vulnerable, or in need of care? Are we willing to emulate Jesus’ sacrificial love, laying down our lives for the sake of others?

This Sunday is also known as Vocation Sunday, and vocations to the priesthood and the religious life are highlighted. There is something that we are asking of the Lord. There is something that we want of the Lord. We are asking the Lord to send more men and women to serve in His vineyard and especially more men to serve as shepherds as priests and deacons in the Church. Yet the fact is that many are called, but few have responded.

So let us ask the Lord to open the hearts of those He has called, so that they will follow the Good Shepherd in laying down their lives to serve God and His people. On our part, let us pray, and let us also encourage those who are discerning the call of the Lord, that may the Eternal Shepherd send us good shepherds who will serve with love and lead the people of God to green pastures and peaceful waters as well as through the valleys of darkness and distress.

In the vales of the world, often fraught with division and uncertainty, the image of the Good Shepherd offers us hope and reassurance. It reminds us that we are never alone, that we are cherished and protected by a Shepherd who will never abandon us. As we journey through life, let us strive to follow the voice of our Shepherd, trusting His guidance, and seeking to share His love with all whom we encounter.

May Jesus Christ be praised.

The Two Orders

The Resurrection of the Lord
April 9, 2023 – Year A
Readings: Acts 10:34a, 37-43 / Ps 118 / Col 3:1-4 / Jn 20:1-9
by Rev. Jay Biber, Guest Celebrant

Today’s gospel has a great theme, in this season that introduces death to life, light to darkness, good and evil.  It goes back to the two great dimensions of what God gives us, and I think I’d like to leave you with the same homework assignment that I left with the folks at the Easter Vigil last night.

These two dimensions of God that we focus on, that come front and center when we celebrate the sacrament of Baptism, are the dimension of God as creator and God as redeemer.  We call these the Two Orders – the order of creation and the order of redemption.

At the Vigil Mass, we begin a long series of readings beginning with the creation account from the very first pages of the Book of Genesis.   God creates the world, the sky on Day One, the seas and the waters on Day Two, the earth on Day Three, and on Days Four, Five, and Six what fills the sky, the birds and the flying things, what fills the waters, the fish and the sea monsters, and what fills the earth – all that creeps and crawls and all the animals, and at the crown of creation, the human person.  That is the six days of creation.

And of course, the seventh day is what we do today. That’s why the commitment is so important to us, because it keeps a rhythm of time that we have a foreshadowing of the eternal Sabbath, remembering that in a sense every Sunday is Easter.  We have a foreshadowing of the eternal Sabbath with God – the day without work, they day you pray and play, the day to renew relationships, the day for a foretaste of Heaven.

So God has ordered that for us when we speak of the order of creation.  Everyone does not realize that there is an order, a nature of things.  We can explore and learn; it’s not like we are cast adrift and have to find our own meaning for everything.  There’s a meaning already there.

I learned it as a kid growing up in post-war America.  Like many kids, we were not that far removed from the immigrant experience, as all my grandparents were immigrants.  You get roughed up a little bit as an immigrant.  I remember those stories, especially when you add Catholic into that.  But I also remember very early on being given that sense of where I fit in, because the first question in the Catechism class every year was, “Who made you?”  And the answer that you had memorized and had drilled into your head was “God made me.”  Well, that’s not a bad start.

Think of how many people today haven’t been baptized, haven’t been given that greatest gift, “God made me,” that I’m not a meaningless cipher.  I’m not just happening to be there and not knowing if there’s any reason for this. We say that you can tell your friends, “I don’t always act like it and I don’t always think right and part of me rebels against God, and part of me wants God, but He created me in His image and likeness.”

That’s true of all my brothers and sisters, and that’s true of the people I like and the people I don’t like.  He created us in His image and likeness, so that the closest you’ll come to God today is the next human being you’ll look at.

And so, there’s an order of creation.  That’s what allowed the Church to be the first ones in the West to explore science, because of the belief that God has created an ordered universe and invites us to study that.  Therefore, all that does is reveal more of Him.  Many of the great Church leaders going back into history have been great scientists – the founder of genetics, the founder of the Big Bang Theory (a priest from Belgium.)  There’s an order to things, and the human person has a place.  Now, how marvelous is that?

There are so many who have no idea where they fit in, thinking they are on this big map, but there’s no X saying, “You are here.”  If you come across folks in those moments, you can begin to say, “You know, I may have something for you.”  We believe that we are created for a purpose.  It takes a lifetime to find it out and not everything goes right, but there’s a deep joy.  That’s the order of creation.

Then of course, we have the order of redemption.  Because what you know about yourself, and what you know about every other person who was ever conceived, is that somehow there’s a flaw in there.  There’s something that’s begging to be redressed or redeemed, to be purchased back by God.  There’s a distance that’s crept in between us and God; we are not living in the human nature for which we were originally designed.  We are living in the human condition, after that separation from God came in which we all inherit.  We know that about ourselves.

One thing I like about that is that when I know I’m not perfect, I don’t have to kill myself.  It’s true of all of us; we all suffer.  But we finally discover a beautiful thing, that God did not wait for me to be perfect to love me.

That’s something you may be able to pass onto someone who may be suffering.  Put it in your own words; illustrate it with your own story.  Get familiar with using these words because this is exactly what happened after the Resurrection.  They were pretty clueless; they didn’t understand, but they began to put those words together and gradually took those words to the ends of the earth.

Now, as we are often surrounded by folks who haven’t been baptized, we have an opportunity to speak of the order of redemption.  The older folks will remember saving your Green Stamps, putting them in the book, and then redeeming them for a spoon or a Corning Ware dish.  This is more sophisticated, but redeem still means “bought back.”

If you’re wondering about your self-esteem, or if you’re wondering if you have any worth or not, or if you’re worth working on, you can say, “I have been redeemed by the precious blood of the Savior.”  We are not designed in the blueprint to be able to make it on our own.  I like to think He’s designed us with limits so we will need others, and that we will need Him, because that’s the way we’re meant to be.

So this season, I think we have a good story to tell, with all our imperfections and all the ways we miss a mark here and there, to say you know, that order of creation, to meet my maker, to thank Him for the order with which He made things, to thank Him for making me and the order of redemption, to thank Him for putting me back on the right track and offering through the Church the whole toolbox of what it takes to bring me to His feet, to bring me before His face.

I’d like to think that once we begin again as they did in that early century, once we begin to speak those words confidently and humbly again, the first century happens again and then people will say, “You know, I want some of what you have.  I like the way you live. Let me explore this life of which you speak.”

His Coming in Gentleness

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
December 25, 2022 — Year A
Readings: Is 52:5-10 / Ps 98 / Heb 1:1-6 / Jn 1:1-18
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

There was an inquisitive 4-year-old who happened to be rooted strongly to the “why” and “tell me” stage of life. The little boy was helping to sort out ornaments and said, “Daddy, what does ‘ignore’ mean?” The father explained, “Ignore means not to pay attention to people when they talk to you.”

Immediately, the little boy looked up at his father and said, “I don’t think we should ignore Jesus.” Puzzled, the father knelt closer to his animated son and replied, “I don’t think we should ignore Jesus either, son. I think we should give Him our full attention. So why do you say that we ignore Him?” “But daddy, that’s what the Christmas carol says: O come let us ignore Him.”

Kids sure say the darnedest things sometimes. But you know, brothers and sisters, often we actually get so caught up in the frenzy of preparations — parties, shopping, and decorating — that we appear to ignore the true meaning of Christmas and fail to prepare a place in our hearts to come and adore Him.

Let us adore the baby Jesus in the manger. A baby easily wins the heart and love of anyone with human feelings, but how much more does this baby win our heart and love? Imagine Jesus, the son of God and our savior, born in a stable and placed in a manger instead of a crib. When God comes, He usually comes in humility, silently and peacefully, without causing a great disturbance.

God’s humble coming in Jesus would not surprise us if we knew God better, but of course we will never know God sufficiently to understand. So, no matter how much we try to understand God becoming human in Jesus, we will not be able to comprehend. It will remain a mystery. The best reaction is that of the shepherds, simply to praise God.

So let us praise God now in our own words. As we look at the baby Jesus, we think of the mystery of God’s love for us, and ask ourselves: Why did God, who is almighty and all powerful, become small and powerless as a baby? Quite simply out of love for us. God became human so that we might become more like God. If Jesus had not come as a human like us, we might have had difficulty in believing God really loved us, but now we know for sure.

John the Evangelist says this is the revelation of God’s love for us: that God sent His only son into the world that we might have life through Him. This Christmas, brothers and sisters, let us thank God for revealing His love for us in Jesus, that He who is so big and powerful became so small and weak for us, that He became one of us to help us be more like Him, to have life through Him.

So, as we see baby Jesus in the manger, we reflect on God’s way being a way of gentleness and tenderness. God’s way is not one of violence, but gentleness. There’s a lot of goodness and love in the world but God is always tender and loving. As we look at baby Jesus in the manger, we see that He is the answer to today’s problems.

Instead of violence, in baby Jesus in the manger we see gentleness. Instead of hatred, in baby Jesus in the manger we see tenderness. Instead of selfishness, in baby Jesus in the manger we see love for us. So let us ask baby Jesus to help us to be gentle, tender, and loving with those around us, as He was in the manger.

Jesus in the manger gave us hope. In the darkness of our world His light has shone. His coming in gentleness encourages us to hold out the hand of reconciliation, to help one another, to work for peace. And we remember the message of the angels: Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth, peace!

Come, Holy Spirit

Pentecost Sunday
June 5, 2022 — Year C
Readings: Acts 2:1-11 / Ps 104 / Rom 8:8-17 / Jn 20:19-23
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

There is a story about a young boy who went to the store on his bicycle to buy something, but there was no place to park his bicycle.  He decided to go to a nearby church and make a request to the parish priest and, of course, the priest granted his request without any hesitation.

The boy asked, “Father, is it safe here?”  He needed to ask, because he was concerned that someone might steal his bicycle.  The priest replied, “Of course.  The Holy Spirit will keep watch over your bike.   But first, let us go inside the church and pray.”  They knelt down, made the sign of the cross, and the boy said, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son.  Amen.”  The priest interrupted him, “My son, you forgot the last part ‘and of the Holy Spirit.’”  The boy said, “We should not disturb the Holy Spirit, Father.  He is watching over my bike.”

The Holy Spirit does not keep watch solely over bicycles.  Rather, He keeps watch over everything and everyone, especially over the disciples, including ourselves, whom Jesus leaves behind as He returns to the Father.  At the Last Supper Jesus tells them that He will send a gift from the Father, the greatest of all gifts, and that is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Scriptures tell us that fifty days after the Exodus, Moses received the ten commandments from Yahweh at Mount Sinai.  Yahweh presented them to His people, and the people pledged faithfulness to all that Yahweh expected of them.

We Christians celebrate Pentecost fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus.  It is the feast day of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Church, for Jesus sent His spirit over the disciples to empower them to live by His word.  That is why we are celebrating the Solemnity of the Pentecost today, the giving and coming of the Holy Spirit as a gift from the risen Lord.  Pentecost, in Greek, means the fiftieth day, that is, the fiftieth day after Easter, or the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Actually, the Holy Spirit had already been given to the disciples when Jesus appeared to them after the Resurrection.  He breathed the Holy Spirit on them by saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  Do not be afraid.”  But still, they remained sad, and afraid that what happened to Jesus Christ might also happen to them.  It was only after fifty days that the apostles finally realized that the Holy Spirit had descended upon them and they became courageous.

We, too, receive the Holy Spirit during our Baptism and Confirmation.  But why doesn’t it change our lives as it changed those of the apostles?  Why do we behave, in many ways, like those that are unbaptized, or pagans, as if we never received the Holy Spirit?  I guess the answer is because the Holy Spirit inspires us to do good things, but in the long run it is up to us to accept, ignore, or reject His promptings.

So now the question is, who is the Holy Spirit?  We know that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Blessed Trinity.  He’s the love of the Father and the Son, present within God the Father and God the Son throughout all eternity.  When we want to describe Him, however, we have difficulties, for we cannot see Him.

The original word in Greek, can express the idea of breath, wind, or spirit.  Before the world was created, a strong wind blew over the water.  There was no life yet on earth.  Nevertheless, the earth was covered by God’s presence.  Even though we do not see the Holy Spirit, we are all aware that He is at work in our lives.  We cannot see the wind, and we do not know where it comes from or where it is going, but we see its effects.  The leaves on the trees rustle in the breeze.  Trees are toppled by its fury.  The wind gives speed to a sailboat and produces sound when blown into a musical instrument.

Our Church reminds us today that Pentecost represents God’s gracious, enabling presence at work among His people. This presence enables them to live their lives according to His teachings.  It is also a day to celebrate hope:  a hope that suggests that a knowledge of God, through the Holy Spirit, is working among His people.

The event also celebrates a newness, a renewal of purpose through the Holy Spirit and a mission and calling as God’s people.  Most of all, the day is a celebration of God’s ongoing work in the world which emphasizes the gifts of the Holy Spirit and provides a tremendous opportunity for churches to use this sacred sign to call for a renewal through the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

In closing, please join me in praying this prayer to the Holy Spirit:

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
Send forth your spirit and they shall be created
and You shall renew the face of the earth.  Amen.

Baptism: The Bridge

The Baptism of the Lord
January 9, 2022 – Year C
Readings: Is 42:1-4, 6-7 / Ps 29 / Acts 10:34-38 / Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
by Deacon Barry Welch, Guest Homilist

Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.  It’s a big day.  Sometimes that feast seems to get lost, as we’re coming out of the huge feast of Christmas, but it really is a very, very big day.  Secular (or non-religious) historians say that this is one of two events that happened with certainty with respect to Jesus.  One of those events is the crucifixion of Jesus; historians are pretty certain that that took place.  The other is the Baptism of the Lord.   Secular historians use this event as the basis for their study of the life of Jesus.  So it’s a pretty significant event.  Hallelujah! (more…)

Ask For Your Miracle

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 24, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Jer 31:7-9 / Ps 126 / Heb 5:1-6 / Mk 10:46-52
by Rev. Mr. Mark De La Hunt, Permanent Deacon

Jesus performed miracles two thousand years ago and is still doing so today. Today, may we leave this church with a renewed faith in Jesus’ power to heal us and to truly help us when we are in need, and to heal and help others through our prayer.

In today’s gospel, the setting is important. Jesus is walking from Jericho to Jerusalem. Said another way, Jesus is walking from the site of the opening of the Promised Land through Joshua’s obedience to God, to the site of the opening of the gates to our final Promised Land through Jesus’ obedience to His Father. (more…)

The Real Presence

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 8, 2021 — Year B
Readings: 1 Kgs 19:4-8 / Ps 34 / Eph 4:30 – 5:2 / Jn 6:41-51
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

There is a story I heard when I was in the Philippines:  A young boy from a very remote province went to a city to look for a job. One day he posted a picture on Facebook. He was leaning on a very expensive car, a Lamborghini. His mother saw the picture and posted a comment, “Oh, son, I’m glad that you were finally able to get a job, and that you got such an expensive car.”  But the son sent a private message to his mom, “Mom, I have to lean on the car or else I’ll pass out, because I have not eaten in days.” (more…)