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…)

We Walk by Faith

Second Sunday of Easter/Divine Mercy Sunday
April 12, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Acts 4:32-35 / 1 Jn 5:1-6 / Jn 20:19-31
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Talking about accident forgiveness, one of the lines in the most recent TV commercial of Liberty Mutual Insurance, is “Insurance Companies: News Flash. Nobody’s perfect.” We all know that this is not news. It is a reality which is as old as humanity.

A few years ago, I saw a bumper sticker on a car which said: “I am not perfect, just forgiven.” (more…)

God Forgives and Forgets

Fifth Sunday of Lent
March 22, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Jer 31: 31-34, Psalm 51, Heb 5:7-9, Jn 12:20-33
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Ron Davis, in his book, A Forgiving God in an Unforgiving World, told a story which I love to read over and over again, and which I also like to tell over and over again. So if you’ve heard the story from me a second or third time, it is intentional. (more…)

Coming Home

First Sunday of Lent
February 22, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Gn 9:8-15; Psalm 25; 1 Pt 3:18-22; Mk 1:12-15
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

I would like to thank all of you for praying for me while I traveled back from the Philippines. It’s quite a change from 90-degree temperature all the time to 8 degrees with snow. 99 percent of my relatives & friends in my hometown have never seen, much less touched, snow. So when they heard there was a snowstorm here, they asked me to try to explain snowflakes and snow formation. I tried, but (more…)

The Healing Touch of Jesus

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 15, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Lv 13:1-2, 44-46; Psalm 32; 1 Cor 10:31-11:1; Mk 1:40-45
by Rev. Louis Benoit

In today’s gospel, Jesus heals a leper. This is a little bit different from other healings that Jesus does. A leper was an unclean person and he was isolated from the rest of society. He had none of the support of society. He had to live apart. The only people he was living with were other lepers. The only thing to look forward to was death – a pretty miserable existence. (more…)

Pray Together to Stay Together

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph
December 28, 2014 – Year B
Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14; Psalm 128; Col 3:12-21; Lk 2:22-40
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Yesterday, I noticed that the three kings of our nativity set are moving. For those of you sitting near the altar, you can see the three kings are a little closer than they were at Christmas. One is hiding behind the flowers. Next Sunday, they will be right here next to the Holy Family. (more…)

Never Tire of Asking Forgiveness

Second Sunday of Advent
December 7, 2014 – Year B
Readings: Is 40:1-5, 9-11; Psalm 85; 2 Pt 3:8-14; Mk 1:1-8
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

At his very first Angelus message after being elected Pope, Pope Francis said, “The Lord Jesus never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for forgiveness.” He quoted this passage from chapter 8 of the gospel of John, where Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, do not sin anymore.” (more…)

Be Fully Alive

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 19, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Isaiah 45:1,4-6; Psalm 96; 1 Thes 1:1-5b; Mt 22:15-21
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Saint Iranaeus once said that the glory of God is a human being fully alive. We are fully alive because we are all here worshiping God together as members of God’s family. (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…)

He Who Believes in Me Will Live

5th Sunday of Lent, Year A
April 6, 2014
Readings: Ez 37:12-14, Psalm 130, Rom 8:8-11, Jn 11:1-45
by Rev. Mr. Sal Clarizio, Permanent Deacon

In the gospel reading of today from St. John we hear the story of the raising of Lazarus from death. This miracle is the seventh and greatest of the ‘signs’ that Jesus works in St. John’s gospel. (more…)