The Bread of Life

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 1, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Ex 16:2-4, 12-15 / Ps 78 / Eph 4:17, 20-24 / Jn 6:24-35
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

In last Sunday’s gospel, we read about the way Jesus fed a very large crowd of people with very limited resources—only five loaves and two fish.  Everyone had their needs met.  After that, Jesus and His disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee.

Today’s gospel tells us what happened afterwards.  The people follow Jesus across the lake.  When they meet Him, their reaction is, “Let us make Jesus our political leader, so we can eat well every day and have a supplier of our needs.”  However, Jesus tells them frankly that they did not follow Him because they believed He was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, and intended to grow spiritually.  Instead, they followed Him because they merely wanted more food to eat. (more…)

Miracles Then and Now

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 25, 2021 — Year B
Readings: 2 Kgs 4:42-44 / Ps 145 / Eph 4:1-6 / Jn 6:1-15
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

A well-known pastor and faith healer traveled around the country, going to various places, and doing revivals.  He came to town and he set up shop in a local church, and people came from all over the countryside, because they had heard of him.  He started his service, and people lined up to experience the healing that this man purportedly offered. (more…)

What, How, and Why to Preach

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 11, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Am 7:12-15 / Ps 85 / Eph 1:3-14 / Mk 6:7-13
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

There is a story about St. Peter, who, one day was very busy at the gate of Heaven due to the numerous newest arrivals, most of whom were farmers and poor people.  As he was about to admit them, he saw a politician in the group.  He motioned for the man to step forward, then escorted him inside.  As the man entered, a marching band came to meet him, and a red carpet was spread out. (more…)

Jesus is Our Lifeline

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
June 6, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Ex 24:3-8 / Ps 116 / Heb 9:11-15 / Mk 14:12-16, 22-26
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Yesterday, one of the headlines was about Cathy Boone, a 49-year-old homeless woman in Oregon. She died last January with nothing. She was homeless, no family, no friends. But they discovered after her death that she actually had inherited close to $900,000 from her mother. The state had tried to get in touch with her. Somehow she was estranged from the family when her mother died, and she just lost it. Her life had been spiraling downward. So she died penniless and homeless, and yet she had actually inherited almost a million dollars. (more…)

Follow in Hope

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
May 16, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Acts 1:1-11 / Ps 47 / Eph 1:17-23 / Mk 16:15-20
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

About five hundred years before our Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there was a philosopher in ancient Greece by the name of Heraclitus, who said that the only permanence in life is change. Heraclitus was stating the obvious. Every single moment there is a change in the world within us and around us, whether we are aware of this or not. We are no longer the same persons compared to yesterday. We change physically, mentally, and even spiritually. (more…)

Open Your Eyes and See

Third Sunday of Easter
April 18, 2021 — 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

On the day that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to two of His followers walking on the road to Emmaus. These two men, as Saint Luke the Evangelist related to us in today’s gospel, recounted what had taken place on the way and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

What was their story? Just like all of the disciples, they were so sad while they were walking on the road, because their friend, their teacher, and their Lord was crucified and died. The risen Jesus walked along with them, but they failed to recognize Him. (more…)

Divine Mercy — We Believe

Sunday of Divine Mercy
April 11, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Acts 4:32-35 / Ps 118 / 1 Jn 5:1-6 / Jn 20:19-31
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A number of years ago early in my priesthood, when I was an assistant pastor in a big church in Manilla, I was having a pastoral conversation with my pastor, Monsignor Jose, and we heard a commotion and shouting on the second floor of the church’s pastoral center. The building was adjacent to the rectory where we lived.

I ran to see what was going on, and Monsignor followed me, just walking slowly. When I got there, I saw a middle-aged woman shrieking and screaming with her mouth foaming, and being pinned down on the floor by seven men and women, but she seemed to be a lot stronger than all of them. I was reminded of one of the scenes in the movie, The Exorcist, when I saw her. (more…)

Open to Grace, Now

The Resurrection of the Lord
April 4, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Acts 10:34a, 37-43 / Ps 118 / Col 3:1-4 / Jn 20:1-9
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Today we celebrate the glorious resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ! The tomb is empty! Jesus has destroyed death, and He has gone to Galilee. That’s the story we hear in the gospels.

Last night, at the Easter Vigil, we had nine readings. Father Sal explained to us that the first seven are actually a love story – the love story between God and His people. (more…)

Jump Into the Unknown, Trust in God

Second Sunday of Lent
February 28, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 / Ps 116 / Rom 8:31b-34 / Mk 9:2-10
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

One of Chevrolet’s cars is named after the second fastest land animal in the world, the impala, which can run up to fifty-six miles per hour. It can also jump to a height of over ten feet and across a distance of thirty feet. And yet, an interesting fact about this magnificent animal is that it can be kept in a zoo with only a three-foot wall. How can this happen?

The reason is that these animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will land. As we know, many people also play it safe, like the impalas. (more…)

The Miracle of Grace

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 14, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Lv 13:1-2, 44-46 / Ps 32 / 1 Cor 10:31-11:1 / Mk 1:40-45
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Today, we have another of Jesus’ early miracles—the healing of the leper. The idea of miracles can be a contentious topic. A lot of people have a hard time believing in miracles. It’s not just something that is going on in our day and time. Famously, Thomas Jefferson had a problem with it, so much so, that he took a razor blade and cut out from the Gospels any hints of Jesus’s divinity or anything to do with miracles. (more…)