The Easy Way or Jesus’ Way?

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 31, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Jer 20:7-9, Psalm 63, Rom 12:1-2, Mt 16:21-27
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

As we are all aware, modern technology – media, smartphones, computers, microwaves – is designed to make our lives simpler and to do things quickly. We used to use a pen and paper to send greeting cards on birthdays. Now you can easily send to birthday wishes to Facebook or Instagram. Every time a Facebook friend celebrates a birthday, I get a text message. In my smartphone, all I have to do is text the number “1”. I don’t know where my answer goes, but it goes somewhere! If the person acknowledges my greeting, I know they got it. That’s how instant it is. (more…)

A Personal Relationship with Jesus

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 24, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Is 22:19-23; Psalm 138; Rom 11:33-36; Mt 16:13-20
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Last week at the end of Mass, I had the honor of giving you the good news that Father Sal has been released from the Diocese of Sorsogon in the Philippines and is now a priest of our own diocese. In the process, perhaps I even taught you a new word… “incardination.”

This week, our second reading may also have taught you new word. “How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!” (more…)

True Faith Brings Happiness

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 17, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Is 56:1, 6-7; Psalm 67; Rom 11:13-15, 29-32; Mt 15:21-28
by Most Reverend Arturo Bastes, Bishop of Sorsogon, Philippines

The beautiful gospel has plenty of implications. First, this is the only recorded time that Jesus was in a non-Jewish territory. But most of all, it prophesied a very important doctrine that the gospel would be preached to all the nations, as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah in the first reading and fulfilled in the second reading during the time of St. Paul, when the gospel was preached to the Gentiles because the Jews rejected Jesus Christ, our Lord. However, St. Paul still had the hope that all the Jews would be converted to Christ someday, because they were the first chosen people of God. (more…)

Be Not Afraid

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 10, 2014 – Year A
Readings: 1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a; Psalm 85; Rom 9:1-5; Mt 14:22-33
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A few years ago, the comedian Jerry Seinfeld said, “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Now this means, to the average person, if you have to go to a funeral, you are better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” (more…)

Sharing Our Blessings

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 3, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Is 55:1-3; Psalm 145; Rom 8:35, 37-39; Mt 14:13-21
by Rev. Mr. Ray Roderique, Permanent Deacon

The central theme of today’s readings is the provident care of a loving and merciful God who generously shares His riches with us, giving us His Son Jesus as our spiritual food, preparing us for the Heavenly banquet, and challenging us to share our blessings with others. (more…)

Recognizing the Pearls among Us

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 27, 2014 – Year A
Readings: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12; Psalm 119; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

The first thing that struck me when I read the Scriptures for today was all of the “choices.” Life is full of choices. We are presented with them constantly. Some are easy and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Others are much more important and, at the time, we may not even realize the impact that they will have in our life. (more…)

The God of Second Chances

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 20, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Wis 12:13, 16-19; Psalm 86; Rom 8:26-27; Mt 13:24-43
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

About 6 and a half years ago, there was a young man in Maryland who was trying to get in touch with a young lady that he met a few days before. He thought he got her on Facebook and began chatting with her. It turned out she was a different person. Of course, she wasn’t too happy with this at the beginning, but she gave him a chance to explain himself and the way he describes it, it fit the description of Psalm 86. She was “slow to anger, abounding in love and truth, and forgiving.” Because of that, they were able to start a conversation. They introduced themselves and realized they had a lot of things in common. They connected instantly. They chatted on Facebook from 6:00 in the evening until 4:00 in the morning. That’s 10 hours – and they had just met online for the first time! (more…)

The New Evangelization Needs YOU!

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 13, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Is 55:10-11; Psalm 65; Rom 8:18-23; Mt 13:1-23
by Rev. Mr. Ray Roderique, Permanent Deacon

Today’s gospel is all about the sowing of seeds. We wonder what kind of ground we are. Are we the path, are we the rocky ground, or are we the good soil? The question is put before us, the word is preached. We hear the word, but do we put it into action? That’s what the message is today, to all of us. I think most of us are like the rocky ground. We hear the word and it brings joy to our hearts but then we leave here and forget all about it until next week. And that’s about as far as we go. But that’s not what Jesus wants from us. He wants each and every one of us to be fertile ground, who hears the word, takes it to heart and uses it on a daily basis, week after week. How do we do all these things? Well, there are a number of ways. (more…)

Different Voices, One Mission

Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul, Apostles
June 29, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Acts 12:1-11, Psalm 34, 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18, Mt 16:13-19
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, two of the Church’s greatest saints. We commemorate their lives for the same reason that we commemorate all of the lives of the saints, to remind us of our ultimate call. Our calling is to join them, to become saints ourselves. (more…)

Sharing the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Pentecost Sunday
June 8, 2014 – Year A
Readings:  Acts 2:1-11, Psalm 104, 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13, Jn 20:19-23
by Rev. Mr. Ray Roderique, Permanent Deacon

Today we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. Most of us marvel at what happened to the disciples of Christ on that glorious day. We often think of this as a one-time event, but the truth is it is an on-going event. We need to observe Pentecost every day. (more…)