Care for God’s Temple

Third Sunday of Lent
March 7, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Ex 20:1-17 / Ps 19 / 1 Cor 1:22-25 / Jn 2:13-25
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A story is told about two altar servers who, one Sunday morning, while waiting for the Mass to begin, noticed that the priest was wearing a vestment in a color that was out of the ordinary. One of them said, “It is quite unusual that Father is wearing a pink robe today.” The other corrected him, saying, “It’s rose, not pink.” “How do you know?” the first asked. He answered, “Because Jesus ROSE from the dead; he didn’t PINK from it.” (more…)

Walking and Talking With Jesus

Third Sunday of Easter
April 26, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Acts 2:14, 22-33 / Ps 16 / 1 Pt 1:17-21 / Lk 24:13-35
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Today, the beginning of the third week of the season of Easter, is also Sunday of the Word of God. Our Holy Mother Church wants to remind us how important Sacred Scripture is in our lives as Christians. We all know that words have power. They can create, encourage, strengthen, enlighten, and can even help us to recover from a serious illness. (more…)

Indescribable Joy

Sunday of Divine Mercy
April 19, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Acts 2:42-47 / Ps 118 / 1 Pt 1:3-9 / Jn 20:19-31
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Karen Mannering of Kent was six months pregnant with her fourth child when she tested positive for Covid-19. Describing her experience while she was isolated in her hospital room for a week, she said, “It was a lonely, dark time. No one was allowed to come and see me. I was scared that I was going to die, and I was fighting for every single breath. I was fighting for my and my baby’s life.” (more…)

Think: Everlasting Life

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
April 12, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Acts 10:34A, 37-43 / Ps 118 / Col 3:1-4 / Jn 20:1-9
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Every time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, we always proclaim the mystery of our faith. As we know, our life in this world is in itself already a mystery. Nobody in this world can understand himself or herself completely. For example, even the best medical scientists don’t fully understand the full nature of coronavirus, and that is why they are still not able to find a way to cure those who are afflicted by it.

But the good news is that, even without the aid of a vaccine, which is still nonexistent as we speak, there are now more than four hundred thousand people all over the world who have recovered from COVID-19. (more…)

First Communion

Third Sunday of Easter
May 5, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Acts 5:27-32, 40B-41 / Ps 30 / Rev 5:11-14 / Jn 21:1-19
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

How many of you can remember your First Communion? Now I want you to think about how you felt the first time you received. Now think how you felt the last time you received. It was probably a little more exciting the first time.

Today, at the next Mass, a group of children will receive the Holy Eucharist for the first time. So I started thinking that I get a much better view of this event than you because I get to stand up here, and I get to see their nerves, but I also see their excitement. So I wonder, how can we maintain that excitement? I thought that maybe we need to review it just a little bit. (more…)

Rebuild

Easter Sunday
April 21, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Acts 10:34A, 37-43 / Ps 118 / 1 Cor 5:6B-8 / Jn 20:1-9
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

In 2011 I was blessed to be able to go to Europe on a trip with my family. As part of that trip, we got to spend a few days in Paris and visit the Cathedral of Our Lady, Notre Dame de Paris. Earlier this week when I got the message from my wife that Notre Dame was on fire, I thought, “What?” I pulled open a news app and I saw the images of this wonderful eight-hundred-year old cathedral in flames. I just couldn’t believe it. Then as I watched the video of the spire collapsing and falling through the roof, my heart just ached that this beautiful memorial to the glory of God was gone. (more…)

A Mother’s Love

The Ascension of the Lord
May 13, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Acts 1:1-11 / Ps 47 / Eph 1:17-23 / Mk 16:15-20
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Good morning, and Happy Easter, because it’s still Easter. Easter is just too big to be one day; it’s a whole season in the Church calendar. Today, as we approach the end of that season, we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, when He was taken up into heaven.

If you’ve been paying attention during all these weeks of Easter, you know that Jesus, after He was raised from the dead, was somehow different.  (more…)

The Eucharist Comes Alive

Third Sunday of Easter
April 15, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 / Ps 4 / 1 Jn 2:1-5A / Lk 24:35-48
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

According to a 2013 Huffington Post/YouGov survey, about 45% of Americans believe in ghosts, and a majority of them are probably Christians. In the gospels, there are two instances where the disciples thought that Jesus was a ghost.

In chapter 14 of the gospel of Matthew, when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought He was a ghost. But Jesus spoke to them and said “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” (more…)

Justice and Mercy

Second Sunday of Easter (Sunday of Divine Mercy)
April 8, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Acts 4:32-35 / Ps 118 / 1 Jn 5:1-6 / Jn 20:19-31
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Happy Easter! Amen, Alleluia! If you are thinking, “This isn’t Easter,” you’d be wrong. Easter is too big to be celebrated in one day, so we celebrate and celebrate and celebrate. These eight days from last Sunday are the Octave of Easter, this being the last day, but it doesn’t end there. We actually celebrate the Easter season for fifty days. It is the summit of our faith, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Easter is why we are Christian, so we celebrate it appropriately. (more…)

I Have Seen the Lord!

Easter Sunday
April 1, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Acts 10:34A, 37-43 / Ps 118 / Col 3:1-4 / Jn 20:1-9
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

It has been said that the greatest honor that others can give you is to imitate what you are doing and choose to believe what you believe.  Last night during the Easter Vigil, our family here at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church received the honor of welcoming five new members into our church as they received the Sacrament of Initiation.  It was a glorious night, even attended by Christians from other traditions.  All the angels and saints were certainly rejoicing, but Satan was not. (more…)