Your Holy Family

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
December 26, 2021 — Year C
Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 / Ps 128 / Col 3:12-21 / Lk 2:41-52
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

On the first Sunday after Christmas, the Church always celebrates the Feast of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. They are the number one model of a family that follows God’s will.  That’s why this Sunday’s reading features three essential elements of a Christian or sacred family. (more…)

Choose to Love

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 31, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Dt 6:2-6 / Ps 18 / Heb 7:23-28 / Mk 12:28b-34
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

There is a story told of a man who was liberated from a concentration camp in WWII. He was called “Wild Bill Cody.” They called him that because the man had an unpronounceable seven-syllable Polish name and a handlebar moustache like the ones on Old West heroes.

While the rest of the Jewish prisoners were emaciated and haggard, Wild Bill was in excellent condition. Because of his amazingly good health, the Americans assumed that he had been in prison a very short time.  When his papers came through, however, they showed that Wild Bill had lived on a starvation diet and slept in airless, disease-ridden barracks for six years – just like the rest of the prisoners.  But Wild Bill had done it without physical or mental deterioration. (more…)

What God Has Joined Together

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 3, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Gn 2:18-24 / Ps 128 / Heb 2:9-11 / Mk 10:2-16
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Someone once said that, when a person gets into deep trouble, he or she is surrounded by close friends and family.  And he continued by saying, “If you don’t believe this, just take a look at your wedding pictures.”

Brothers and sisters, from time to time, we tell jokes about married couples, but that is not at all to belittle the sanctity and permanence of marriage.  In today’s gospel, Jesus is very clear and emphatic: “Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”  Marriage is forever and for always. (more…)

The Beauty of Confessing

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 26, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Nm 11:25-29 / Ps 19 / Jas 5:1-6 / Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
by Rev. Mr. Mark De La Hunt, Permanent Deacon

My hope in today’s homily is that all of us might leave today with one temptation and sin in mind that we are going to root out of our life with an intentional plan of attack that includes changes in our behavior and Jesus’ grace in the Sacrament of Confession. (more…)

Forgiven and Forgotten

Fifth Sunday of Lent
March 21, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Jer 31:31-34 / Ps 51 / Heb 5:7-9 / Jn 12:20-33
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

All of us who have attended funerals in the past where there is a eulogy know that the friends and members of the bereaved family will always say all of the good things that the deceased has done. If ever the person being eulogized has done something wrong, all those things are forgiven and forgotten. But of course it is unfortunate that most people only do this to the dead and very seldom to the living. The great news for all of us is that we have a God who forgives and forgets. (more…)

Forgive and Be Forgiven

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 13, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Sir 27:30-28:7 / Ps 103 / Rom 14:7-9 / Mt 18:21-35
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

All of us know that learning never stops. We go to school and learn the basics, but we have to constantly keep up. My kids can’t imagine a world without the internet. It shows how the world has progressed in availability.

But just learning isn’t enough. Memorizing information can only get you so far. You have to process that information and actually learn the concepts. This can also happen with our faith. When we are young children, we learn Bible stories and our prayers. Hopefully, we don’t stop there. We don’t just repeat what we have learned but digest the information and internalize it and learn the lessons it is meant to teach. (more…)

Be God’s Loving Children

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 23, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Lv 19:1-2, 17-18 / Ps 103 / 1 Cor 3:16-23 / Mt 5:38-48
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Mark Twain, the famous American writer during the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, once said: “If you look out on a cold winter’s night, with the snow and sleet coming in, and you see under the lamppost a little puppy, and the puppy is shivering because it is open to the elements. If you go down and you pick the little freezing puppy up and bring him upstairs, and you wash him with warm water, and you put him near the fire, and you feed him the best that you have to offer. That dog will never, never bite you.” And then he goes on, “That’s the main difference between dogs and human beings.” (more…)

Trying to See God

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 3, 2019—Year C
Readings: Wis 11:22-12:2 / Ps 145 / 2 Thes 1:11-2:2 / Lk 19:1-10
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

There are some questions there’s only one answer to….

… Like, when your wife asks, “How does my hair look?” There’s only one answer to that.

… When your kid comes up and says, “I drew this picture for you, Daddy. Will you put it up in your office?” There’s only one answer to that question. (more…)

Prayer of the Humble

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 27, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Sir 35:12-14, 16-18 / Ps 34 / 2 Tm 4:6-8, 16-18 / Lk 18:9-14
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A story is told about Frederick the Great, who was the king of Prussia from 1740 to 1786. One day he visited one of the prisons in his kingdom. As he went around, speaking to the prisoners, each of them claimed to be innocent. One told him that he was a victim of misunderstanding; another prisoner said that he was a victim of prejudice; and still another claimed that he was suffering as the result of injustice.

Finally, the king stopped at the cell of an inmate who remained silent. Frederick remarked, “I suppose you are innocent, too.” (more…)

Lost and Forgiven

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 15, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Ex 32:7-11, 13-14 / Ps 51 / 1 Tm 1:12-17 / Lk 15:1-32
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A story is told about a teenager who, after Sunday morning Mass, went to his pastor for advice. He said, “Father, I left home and did something that will make my dad furious when he finds out. What should I do?” The pastor replied, “Son, I have known your dad for many years. He is a good and holy man. Go home, tell him your sins, ask for forgiveness, and he will surely forgive you and treat you like the Prodigal Son in the Gospel.”

Sometime later the boy reported to his pastor. “Well, I told Dad about what I did.” The priest was so happy to hear the good news, and asked, “Well, did he kill the fatted calf for you?” The boy answered, “No, but he almost killed the Prodigal Son!” (more…)