Perfect Gift

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 30, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Dt 4:1-2, 6-8 / Psalm 15 / Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 / Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Yesterday in his homily at our sister parish in Moneta, Resurrection Catholic Church, Deacon Chris Barrett focused on his theological reflections related to the shooting that occurred at Bridgewater Plaza last Wednesday, taking the lives of Alison Parker and Adam Ward, and wounding the lone survivor, Vicki Gardner. Vicki is out of danger now. She is a parishioner at Resurrection, and we were able to talk to her yesterday. (more…)

The Whole Banquet

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August, 9, 2015 – Year B
Readings: 1 Kgs 19:4-8 / Psalm 34 / Eph 4:30-5:2 / Jn 6:41-51
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

I want you to think for a minute and see if you can remember where you were and what you were doing on March 13, 2013. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. I was at work, sitting at my computer, working on a design for a new machine, when all of a sudden something caught my attention on my Twitter feed. White smoke had been seen over the Vatican, indicating that we had a new Pope. (more…)

Believing INTO Jesus

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 2, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Ex 16:2-4, 12-15 / Ex 16:2-4, 12-15 / Jn 6:24-35
by Rev. Richard Mooney, Guest Celebrant

My name is Father Richard Mooney. I am a priest of the Diocese of Richmond, ordained thirty-six years. My present work is to be the volunteer Catholic chaplain to four state prisons that are scattered in that enormous stretch of territory south of Petersburg and north of the North Carolina line. I don’t have a commitment to a parish on Sundays, which leaves me free to come and be with you today and to spend a little time with you with Chapter Six of the Gospel of John today, the Bread of Life chapter.

If you’ve never actually read the whole chapter from beginning to end, do that, because it’s really a challenging piece of work and full of teachings. (more…)

Rewards of Giving

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 26, 2015 – Year B
Readings:  2 Kgs 4:42-44 / Psalm 145 / Eph 4:1-6 / Jn 6:1-15
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Just over 6 years ago, a girl about 8 years old regularly attended Mass with her grandparents in my former parish of St. Luke’s in Virginia Beach. None of us in the parish bothered to ask why she was living with her grandparents instead her own parents. We were just happy to have her there because we enjoyed her company. She had a way of making everyone around her feel special and important just by being herself. (more…)

Rest a While

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 19, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Jer 23:1-6 / Psalm 23 / Eph 2:13-18 / Mk 6:30-34
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Just like the millennials and digital natives among us, who are also called the Y and Z generations, I believe most of us love using social media and all the other products technology can offer. We can read the Bible and other spiritual books on our smart phones. If we need information about anything, anybody, or any event, we can Google it. For almost any skill we need to learn, “there’s an app for that.” (more…)

Are You a Prophet?

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 12, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Am 7:12-15 / Psalm 85 / Eph 1:3-14 / Mk 6:7-13
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Once upon a time, there was a doctor. One day, a patient walked into his office and said, “Doctor, I think I’m dying,” and the doctor said, “Well, what seems to be the problem?” The patient said, “I get this terrible pain whenever I touch my head.” The doctor said, “OK, what else?” He said, “I get that same terrible pain whenever I touch my chest.” (more…)

Seeds of the Spirit

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 14, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Ez 17:22-24 / Psalm 92 / 2 Cor 5:6-10 / Mk 4:26-34
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

One Sunday after the service, a preacher was standing outside and greeting the people as they left the church. One lady came up to the preacher and said, “I really enjoyed your homily today.” And the preacher said, “Well ma’am, I can’t take credit for it. It must be the Holy Spirit.” The lady looked at him and said, “I’m sorry, but it wasn’t that good.” (more…)

The Gift of Wisdom

Pentecost Sunday
May 24, 2015 – Year B
Readings:  Acts 2:1-11 / Psalm 104 / 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 / Jn 20:19-23
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

According to Beliefnet.com, one of the three most popular prayers in the world, which is being prayed by thousands, and even millions, of people every day is the Serenity Prayer. Part of it says, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” We all know that trying to change our DNA, or our genes, or our family, is an exercise in futility. But there are still a lot of things in the world and in ourselves that we can change. (more…)

A Mother’s Love

Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 10, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 / 1 Jn 4:7-10 / Jn 15:9-17
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

As you all know, today in the United States is Mother’s Day. It’s a special day when we’re supposed to thank and celebrate our mothers. But I’ve heard people make the accusation that Mother’s Day is really just a Hallmark holiday and was created by greeting card companies to sell more products.

I’ve also heard it said that, really, shouldn’t we thank and be grateful to our mothers every day? Yes, this is true. We should. But it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of that, even if it’s just once a week. I mean, a month. I mean, a year. You should do it every day. (more…)

Wireless Connection

Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 3, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Acts 9:26-31 / 1 Jn 3:18-24 / Jn 15:1-8
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

As we all know, we are living in a wireless world. Everything seems to be wireless. This microphone on the lectern is not wireless, but even if I step away from that microphone, you can still hear me, because I am using a wireless microphone on my neck. Even the microphone that Phil [choir member] is using is wireless, so he can go around the church and you can still hear him. (more…)