The Answer to Our Hunger

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
June 22, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Gn 14:18-20 / Ps 110 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / Lk 9:11b-17
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi, the Church invites us to pause and contemplate the wondrous gift of the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life.  In a world where many are starving, not just for food, but for love, truth, peace, and hope, the Eucharist remains God’s answer, a feast that feeds both body and soul.  Let us reflect on the readings that unveil the deep meaning of this feast.

In our first reading, we encounter Melchizedek, the mysterious priest-king of Salem, who offers bread and wine and blesses Abram.  This is more than an ancient gesture of hospitality; it prefigures the eternal High Priest, who will offer Himself under the signs of bread and wine.  Melchizedek’s act is the first priestly act in scripture involving bread and wine, and the Church sees in it a clear foreshadowing of the Eucharist.  This ancient encounter reminds us that the Eucharist is not a new invention.  It is rooted in salvation history and is the fulfillment of God’s plan from the beginning.

St. Paul, in the second reading, hands down what he himself received: the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper.  “This is my Body, this is my Blood, do this in memory of Me.”  The Eucharist is not a symbol or a reminder; it is a real participation in the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection.  Every time we gather to celebrate the Mass, we proclaim the Lord’s death and resurrection until He comes again.  This reminds us that the Eucharist is not just a devotion. It is an encounter with the living Christ, a memorial that makes present the sacrifice of Calvary, transcending time and space.

In our gospel reading today, Jesus is preaching to the crowd and healing them.  When they are hungry, He multiplies five loaves and two fish to feed over five thousand.  He takes, blesses, breaks, and gives; the same actions you will see at the Last Supper.  This miracle is not just a gesture of compassion, but a sign pointing to the Eucharist where He feeds the world with his own Body and Blood.

St. Josemaria Escriva once wrote, “When you approach the Tabernacle, remember that He has been waiting for you for twenty centuries.”  This quote powerfully reminds us that Jesus, the Bread of Life, is not a distant figure from the past, but truly present, patiently awaiting us in every Tabernacle, ready to nourish and renew us.

All three readings today speak of a priestly offering of bread and wine, of divine blessing and abundance.  From Melchizedek’s offering to Paul’s account of the Last Supper, to Jesus feeding the multitudes, the message is clear:  God provides.  He gives not only what sustains our bodies, but what feeds our soul, His very self.  The Eucharist is the fulfillment of God’s eternal desire to be with His people in the most intimate and life-giving way.

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi was established to draw our attention more deeply to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.  It is a feast of love and remembrance, not just of what Christ has done, but what He continues to do.  In our present times, a lot of people often overlook the sacred.  Where noise and destruction abound, this feast reminds us to adore, to give thanks, and to recognize the divine in the ordinary, in the humble Host.  The Feast of Corpus Christi exists to awaken in us a deeper reverence, love, and gratitude for this supreme gift.  It is a feast of remembrance and renewal.  It is also a public testimony.  That is why in many places, Eucharistic processions take place on this day, proclaiming to the world that Christ is present in our midst, not metaphorically, but truly.

We are reminded today that the Eucharist is God’s answer to our hunger for Him.  It invites us to center our lives on the Mass.  The Eucharist must not be just a Sunday obligation, but the heart of our Christian life.  We must also spend time in Eucharistic Adoration.  Like Mary of Bethany, we are called to sit at the feet of Jesus, to rest in His presence and to let Him transform our hearts.

The Eucharist is not just something we receive; it is a call to become Christ for others.  We are to be broken and shared, in service, in mercy, in love.  Let us also renew our reverence.  In a culture that is casual about sacred things, we are called to approach the Eucharist with awe.  Let us prepare our hearts to go to Confession regularly and to receive Him worthily.  Let us remember to be a witness to the Real Presence.  Our belief in the Eucharist must shape how we act, speak, and love, not just in church, but in the world.

In today’s world we are surrounded by hunger, not only physical hunger, but hunger for meaning, connection, truth, and beauty.  The Eucharist is our answer to this hunger.  It reminds us that we are never alone, never abandoned.  Christ is truly present and walks with us.  In the midst of individualism, the Eucharist reminds us of community.  In a world of division, it calls us to unity.  In a culture of superficiality, it draws us into the sacred.  In a time of busy-ness, it offers us rest in His presence.

Let us then return to the Eucharist with new eyes and open hearts.  Let us not take this miracle for granted.  Let us spend time in Eucharistic Adoration.  Let us participate in Sunday Mass with reverence and joy.  And let us become in our lives what we celebrate at the altar—Christ’s hands and feet in the world.  Today’s Solemnity is more than a celebration. It is an invitation to believe more deeply, to love more fervently, and to live more generously.  Jesus feeds us so that we can feed others.  He gives Himself so that we can give ourselves in return.  May our lives be a reflection of the Eucharist—taken, blessed, broken, and given for the life of the world.

God’s Being is Relationship

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
June 15, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Prv 8:22-31 / Ps 8 / Rom 5:1-5 / Jn 16:12-15
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the central mystery of our Faith, and the heart of who God is:  one God in three divine persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Though the Trinity is a mystery, beyond full human comprehension, it is not a puzzle to be solved, but a truth to be lived and loved.  The Trinity is not a distant theological concept.  It is the life of God, shared with us, and the pattern for how we are to live in this world.

In our first reading, from Proverbs, we encounter Divine Wisdom, present before the beginning of the earth.  The Church has long recognized in this passage a reflection of the second person in the Trinity:  the eternal Son, the Word of God.  “Then was I beside Him as His craftsman,” we hear, “and I was His delight day by day.”  Wisdom is not just knowledge.  It is relational delight, creative joy, and eternal communion.  God’s very being is the relationship.

In Romans, Chapter 5, St. Paul invites us into that relationship: “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  This peace is not the absence of conflict but the process of God’s life in us, poured out through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  The Trinity is not only revealed to us; it is shared with us.  In Baptism, we are drawn into the life of the Father, Son, and Spirit.  We become living temples of the Trinity.

In the gospel of John, Jesus prepares His disciples for the coming of the Spirit—the Spirit of truth—who will glorify Christ and declare what belongs to the Father.  This mutual giving and receiving, this perfect communion between the persons is the very light of God.

Notice that the Spirit doesn’t speak apart from the Son.  The Son reveals the Father, and the Father sends the Spirit.  This is the unity of truth and love we are called to mirror in the Church and in the world.  God is not solitary.  God is a communion of persons.  This has profound implications.  We are made not for isolation but for relationships—with God, with each other, and with the truth.

And yet we live in a time marked by division, relativism, and attacks on the most vulnerable among us, especially the unborn.  Today, the unity of the Trinity challenges us to bear witness to the truth with love, especially in the public square.  We, as believers of the risen Christ, must engage our consciences and communities in defending life and dignity in our Commonwealth of Virginia.

There is currently a great attempt underway—a two-year process—to add an extreme abortion amendment to Virginia’s constitution.  This amendment would not only permit abortion at nearly all stages but could possibly eliminate basic protections for unborn children.  The Virginia Catholic Conference has prepared vote reports for every parish showing how our elected representatives voted on this and other key issues.  We are called as Catholics, not just to worship the Trinity on Sunday, but to live the truth of the Trinity in our public witness.  That includes being informed, engaged, and faithful to the gospel of life.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, §234, says,

The mystery of the most holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life.  It is the source of all other mysteries and the light that enlightens them.

This mystery teaches us that God is love, and that all Christian life is a sharing in the life of the Trinity.  If we have received this gift, we must also share it, with courage, with compassion, and with clarity.

The Church teaches in the encyclical letters, Evangelium Vitae by Pope John Paul II and Caritas in Veritate by Pope Benedict XVI, that love must be truthful, and truth must be loving.  In a world that tells us to keep our faith private and accept moral confusion as tolerance, the Trinity calls us to a higher standard:  to unity in truth, charity in action, and clarity in conscience.

How can we respond to this higher calling?  Consider the following:

1. Pray and draw near to the Trinity. Make time daily for prayer, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Let God draw you deeper into His divine life.
2. Read and reflect on the vote report when it becomes available. Share it respectfully with your family, friends, and neighbors.  Voting is a moral act.
3. Speak the truth with charity. Defend the unborn and the vulnerable with both conviction and compassion.
4. Live unity in diversity. Just as the Trinity is unity in three persons, we must learn to work together as a Church.  There are different vocations, different gifts, but one mission.
5. Let your love be sacrificial.  Love as the Trinity loves, not in self-interest, but in self-gift.  That means being generous with our time, treasure, and truth.

The mystery we celebrate today is not distant.  It is intimate.  The Trinity is our origin, our destiny, and our guide.  As Pope Benedict XVI once said, “The Christian God is not a solitary being, close in upon Himself.  He is life, love, gift, and communion.”

Let us be living icons of the Trinity in today’s world.  People of truth, communion, defenders of life, and agents of peace.  Let us walk boldly and humbly, not to impose, but to propose the Gospel in the spirit of love and truth.  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

The Breath of Our Christian Life

Pentecost Sunday
June 8, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Acts 2:1-11 / Ps 104 / 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 / Jn 20:19-23
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today we celebrate Pentecost Sunday, the glorious culmination of the Easter season and the birth of the Church.  It is a feast of power, promise, and purpose, a day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and forever changed the course of salvation history.  It is not only an historical event to be remembered, but a living reality to be embraced.  Pentecost reveals to us the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in each one of us.

In the first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, we witness the dramatic coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples.  As they were gathered together in one place, a sound like a mighty wind filled the house and tongues of fire came to rest on each one of them.  They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, astonishing the people of many nations who had gathered in Jerusalem.  This moment fulfilled Jesus’ promise to send the Advocate and it signified that the Gospel was meant for all people, Jews and Gentiles, near and far.  The Spirit who descended is the same Spirit who continues to inspire and empower the Church to proclaim the Good News without fear.

The second reading, from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, emphasizes the unity and diversity within the Church.  Paul reminds us that, though we have different spiritual gifts, it is the same Spirit who gives them.  Just as a body is one, though it has many parts, so too is the Body of Christ.  We were all baptized into one Spirit, forming one body.  This image of unity and diversity is crucial in a world that so often divides and isolates.  The Spirit is not a source of confusion, but of communion.  Our varied gifts are not for our own benefit, but for the good of all.

In our gospel reading, John takes us back to the evening of Easter Sunday.  The disciples, afraid and uncertain, are behind locked doors.  Jesus appears in their midst and says, “Peace be with you.”  Then He breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”  This gesture of breathing recalls the moment of creation when God breathed life into Adam.  Now, Jesus breathes new spiritual life into His apostles, commissioning them to continue His mission.  He entrusts to them the ministry of reconciliation: “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them.”  The Spirit is given, not for comfort alone, but for mission—mission rooted in mercy and peace.

These readings are intimately connected by the movement and action of the Holy Spirit.  In Acts, the Spirit empowers.  In Corinthians, the Spirit unites.  In the gospel of John, the Spirit recreates.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that Pentecost is the full revelation of the Holy Trinity.  (CCC 731-732) It is the moment when the Church is made visible, Catholic, and missionary.  It marks the beginning of the Church’s outward journey to bring Christ to the world.  The Church is Catholic because Christ is present in her.  Where there is Christ Jesus, there is the Catholic Church.  In her subsists the fullness of Christ’s body, united with its head.  This implies that she receives from Him the fullness of the means of salvation, correct and complete confession of faith, full sacramental life, and an ordained ministry in apostolic succession.  The Church to us, in this fundamental sense, is Catholic on the day of Pentecost and will always be so until the day of Parousia.

In the New Testament, Parousia means the Second Coming of Christ.  The way in which our Lord spoke of this Second Coming is connected to His other sayings referring to the establishment of the Kingdom of God here below and the destruction of Jerusalem which took place in 70 A.D.

In summary, the celebration of Pentecost represents 1) the day in which the Church received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit;  2) the founding of the one holy, Catholic, and apostolic church that has the fullness of the means of  salvation;  3) the beginning of the age when Jesus communicates His work of salvation through the liturgy of the Church;  4) the beginning of the dispensation of the Church’s sacraments;  5) the ordained ministry and apostolic succession;  6) the arrival of the invisible kingdom on earth in Jerusalem, a kingdom already inherited though not yet consummated.

St. Augustine beautifully reflected on this mystery when he said, “You breathe in the Spirit when you are silent, you speak with the Spirit when you preach, and you live by the Spirit when you love.”  His words remind us that the Holy Spirit is not simply a momentary experience, but the very breath of our Christian life.  In silence, we listen.  In speech, we proclaim.  And in love, we truly live.

How should we respond to this great gift of the Spirit?  First, we must open our hearts through prayer.  The apostles were gathered in prayer when the Spirit came, and so must we be.  The Holy Spirit does not force His way into our lives.  He waits to be invited.  Second, we must recognize and use our spiritual gifts.  Every baptized Christian has been given gifts by the Spirit, gifts meant to serve, build up, and bring life to others.  Third, we must strive for unity.  In a time when division, polarization, and isolation abound, we must be agents of reconciliation and communion.  The Spirit bridges differences and builds harmony.  Fourth, we must be on a mission.  Pentecost is not the end of the story.  It is the beginning.  The Spirit sends us forth to bring the peace and joy of Christ to the world around us.

In today’s world, marked by war, injustice, fear, and loneliness, we need the Spirit’s gifts more than ever.  We need wisdom to discern what is good and true.  We need courage to stand for justice.  We need understanding to listen deeply to others.  We need patience and gentleness to be peacemakers.  The Spirit is not far from us.  He is here within us, beside us, and working through us.  We must only say, “Come, Holy Spirit.”

Pentecost is not only a celebration of what God did once.  It is a proclamation of what God is still doing.  The Spirit continues to breathe into our lives, to rekindle the fire of faith and to send us out into the world.  Let us open our hearts to receive Him.  Let us speak His word with boldness, live His peace with joy, and love one another with a love that reflects the very heart of God.

Come, Holy Spirit.  Fill the hearts of Your faithful.  Kindle in them the fire of Your love and You shall renew the face of the earth.    

Not With Judgment But With Mercy

Second Sunday of Easter
Sunday of Divine Mercy
April 27, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Acts 5:12-16 / Ps 118 / Rv 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19 / Jn 20:19-31
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today, on this Second Sunday of Easter, we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, a feast instituted by St. John Paul II in the year 2000, inspired by the revelations of Jesus to St. Faustina Kualska. At the heart of this Sunday is the message that God’s mercy is greater than any sin. And that we, as followers of Christ, are called not only to receive that mercy, but to live it, breathe it, and bring it into a wounded world.

The gospel today brings us back into the upper room, where the risen Christ appears to His fearful disciples, showing them His wounds and breathing His peace upon them. His first words are “Peace be with you,” and then He commissions them: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

But then the focus turns to Thomas, who wasn’t there when Jesus first appeared. Thomas doubts, and yet Jesus does not rebuke him. He invites him: “Put your finger here… Do not be unbelieving but believe.” Jesus meets Thomas in his doubt, not with judgment but with mercy.

Our Church reminds that Christ’s resurrection is the crowning truth of our faith, and that, through it, we are not only reconciled with God, but also commissioned to be instruments of reconciliation and peace. The Church teaches that mercy is the very foundation of Christian life, not as a vague sentiment but as a mission. To forgive as we have been forgiven, and to heal as we have been healed. This is not just an idea; it is a mandate.  And we have seen this more clearly in our time through Pope Francis.

In the early days of his pontificate, Pope Francis was asked in an interview, “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” His response was both humble and powerful: “I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon.” That simple phrase captures the essence of Divine Mercy. Pope Francis never spoke of mercy as an obstruction. He lived it deeply and personally.

God’s mercy is our liberation and our happiness. We live for mercy, and we cannot afford to be without mercy. It is the air we breathe. We are too poor to set any conditions. We need to forgive, because we need to be forgiven. If there is a message that has most characterized Pope Francis’s pontificate and is destined to remain, it is that of mercy.

When Pope Francis was archbishop of Buenos Aires, he used to sneak out at night to visit the slums, dressed in plain clothes, to meet the poor, the addicts, the forgotten. One night he came across a man who had lived on the streets for years. The man recognized him and said, “Father Bergoglio, you came back.” The then-cardinal sat with him in silence for over an hour. When asked later why he did that, he said, “Because sometimes mercy is not in the words. It is in the staying.”

He taught us that mercy is presence. Mercy is listening. Mercy is not earned; it is offered freely, as Jesus offered it to Thomas.

As Pope Francis said that the Church is a field hospital after battle. “Heal the wounds, heal the wounds… and you have to start from the ground up.” Brothers and sisters, like Thomas we all have wounds. We all doubt. But Jesus meets us with tenderness, not condemnation. He invites us to touch His wounds and find our healing there.  Go to confession, not out of fear, but out of trust that mercy is real.

We live in a world marked by division, hatred, and loneliness. Our culture often says, cancel the sinner. But Jesus says, touch my wound.

Pope Francis reminds us that the Church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners. Let us be people who forgive, who reconcile, who reach out. So many around us are like Thomas, wounded, doubting, waiting for someone to show up. We can be that someone in our homes, parishes, workplaces. Let us be that presence of peace and mercy.

In this digital, polarized, and fast-moving world, mercy can feel countercultural. Yet, it is the very thing our world longs for. In a time when wars rage, when refugees wander, when the poor are forgotten, and when many feel unseen, the message of Divine Mercy and the example of Pope Francis call us to step into the wounds of the world, not with judgment but with love.

Let us visit the sick, feed the hungry, call the lonely, forgive the unforgivable. Let us slow down, listen more, and judge less. Let us also remember that showing mercy begins at home, with our families, our parishes, and even ourselves.

As we reflect on Divine Mercy, let us offer our prayers on this homily as a tribute to Pope Francis, a man whose life has become a parable of mercy. He has taught us not only with encyclicals and exhortations, but with gestures: washing the feet of prisoners; embracing the disfigured; calling the young people to dream; and challenging all of us to build a Church that goes to the peripheries.

In a homily he gave during one of his morning Masses in April 2014, Pope Francis said, “How many of us perhaps deserve a condemnation? And it could be just. But He forgives. How? With mercy that does not erase the sin.  It is only the forgiveness of God that erases it, while mercy goes beyond that. It is like the sky. We look at the sky. So many stars. But when the sun comes in the morning with so much light, the stars are no longer seen.  So it is with God’s mercy. A great light of love, of tenderness, because God forgives not with a decree but with a caress.

May Pope Francis’s example stir within us the courage to love boldly, forgive radically, and serve joyfully. Dear brothers and sisters, let us not be unbelieving but believe. Let us not keep mercy to ourselves, but go forth, as the Father has sent Jesus, so He now sends us. And as Pope Francis once said, “Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life. All of our pastoral activity should be caught up in the tenderness He makes present to believers. Nothing in her preaching and in her witness to the world can be lacking in mercy.” May we become what we receive, instruments of mercy in a world so desperately in need.

Obedient, Redemptive Love

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
April 13, 2025—Year C
Readings:  Lk 19:28-40 / Is 50:4-7 / Ps 22 / Phil 2:6-11 / Lk 22:14–23:56
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today we stand at the threshold of the most sacred week of the liturgical year.  Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, begins with joyful acclamations as Jesus enters Jerusalem, and quickly moves into the depth of suffering and sorrow, as we read in the Passion narrative.  The liturgy swings between triumph and tragedy, praise and persecution.  We have palm branches, but we also listen in silence to the Passion.  This contrast is intentional.  It reflects the reality of our Christian journey, a path of glory that comes through the cross.  

Palm Sunday marks the solemn beginning of Holy Week, the most sacred time in the liturgical calendar.  It is a day of paradoxes.  We begin with the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, palms waving and voices raised in joyful acclamation, only to journey with Him into betrayal, suffering, and death.  The liturgy captures the shift, moving from celebration to silence, from “Hosanna!” to “Crucify Him!”  This liturgical tension invites us to enter not just into an event of the past, but into a mystery that speaks powerfully to our present lives.  

The processional gospel of Luke recounts Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, riding a colt, a sign of humility and peace, rather than military power.  The crowds shout, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”  Yet we know that these same voices will later cry out for His crucifixion.  This moment fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 portraying Jesus as the Messianic King who comes, not to conquer by violence, but to save through self-sacrificing love.

The Church teaches that this act reveals a fundamental truth about God’s kingdom.  It is rooted in humility and peace, not power or domination.  Jesus is the king who reigns not from a throne of gold, but from the wood of the cross.  

In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah introduces us to the suffering servant, a figure who listens obediently to God, offers no resistance to abuse, and endures disgrace with unwavering trust.  “I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.”  The Church sees in this passage a foreshadowing of Christ who fulfills this prophecy in His Passion.  As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Jesus identifies Himself with the Suffering Servant.  He makes Himself an offering for sin, taking upon Himself the suffering due to us.  This invites us to see suffering, not as defeat, but as a pathway of redemptive love when united with God’s will.”

Our second reading presents the kenosis of Christ.  In Christian theology, kenosis, from the Greek word meaning emptying, refers to the self-emptying of Jesus, particularly His voluntary limitation of His divine powers and the assumption of human form as described in Philippians 2:7-8.  Saint Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, presents what is considered one of the earliest Christian hymns.  It celebrates the humility of Christ, who though He was in the form of God, emptied Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.  This self-emptying, or kenosis, leads to His exaltation:  “At the name of Jesus every knee should bend and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Here we find the heart of Christian discipleship.  The path to glory runs through humility.  It is by laying down our lives, our pride, our need for control, that we share in Christ’s victory.  Christ’s Passion is not merely a tragedy, but a triumph of love over sin and death.

Luke’s account of the Passion offers a deeply human and merciful portrait of Jesus.  We witness His anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, His betrayal, and Peter’s denial.  He is unjustly condemned, mocked, scourged, and crucified and yet His compassion never fades.  On the cross He prays, “Father forgive them.”  To the repentant thief He promises, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”  Even in death, Jesus remains the face of divine mercy.

Our gospel today invites us to recognize the countless ways Christ continues to suffer today, in the poor, the sick, the lonely, the persecuted.  His suffering is not abstract.  It is personal and He invites us to accompany Him, not as spectators but as disciples willing to carry the cross.

Pope Francis in his Palm Sunday homily of 2020 said, “Let us look to the cross and say, with You, Jesus, I will journey from death to life.  Let us take the path of love.  Only love can save the world.”  This beautifully captures the essence of Palm Sunday.  To walk with Jesus through Holy Week is to embrace the mystery of a love that saves through self-giving.  We are not merely recalling past events.  We are being drawn into them.  

What connects all of these reading is the theme of obedient, redemptive love.  The Suffering Servant of Isaiah, the humility of Christ in Philippians, and the merciful king in Luke, all reveal that God’s glory is manifested not in domination, but in service and sacrificial love.  

Palm Sunday is not just a day of remembrance.  It is a day of transformation.  It challenges us to ask, “Who is this Jesus I follow?  Am I willing to walk with Him, not only in moments of celebration, but also in the shadow of the cross?”  The Church encourages us this week to make a spiritual pilgrimage.  Through the liturgy, we do not simply observe Jesus’ Passion.  We enter into it.  We are called to be present in His suffering, to unite our own sufferings with His and to prepare our hearts for the glory of the resurrection.  

In a world marked by war, division, pride, and consumerism, the Passion offers a radical counter-narrative.  Jesus shows us that true strength lies in humility and that salvation comes through love, not through force.  He teaches us to choose humility over self-promotion, to forgive those who hurt us as He forgave, to stand with the suffering, just as Simon, the Cyrenian, helped carry the cross, and love even when it costs us something.  

Sometimes we may feel that we run out of hope, but then there is Jesus.  Many today carry heavy crosses:  the burden of illness, grief, anxiety, and injustice that weigh heavily on their hearts.  Palm Sunday invites us, not to look away from this suffering but to enter into it with Christ, walking alongside Him and one another with presence, prayer, and compassion.  In moments when we run out of strength and hope, we discover that we are not alone, for then there is Jesus who meets us in our pain and carries us through it.  As we carry palms into our homes today, let them be signs of our willingness to follow Christ, not only in moments of glory, but also in the path of the cross.  Discipleship means standing by Jesus, not just in triumph, but in suffering.  

Holy Week has begun.  Let us walk it with reverence, with love, with a heart open to the grace of the Passion.  In doing so, we will discover the truth at the heart of our faith:  that the way of the cross is the way to life.   

Forgiven, Healed, and Restored

Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 30, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Josh 5:9a, 10-12 / Ps 34 / 2 Cor 5:17-21 / Lk:1-3, 11-32
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

The fourth Sunday of Lent, often called Laetare Sunday, is a day of joyful anticipation as we draw closer to Easter.  The readings today reveal God’s boundless mercy, and His call for us to be reconciled with Him.  Each passage invites us to reflect on God’s transformative love that restores us to grace and calls us home.

In our first reading today, the Israelites have just crossed the Jordan River into the promised land.  The Lord declares to Joshua, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.”  This moment marks a turning point.  The people who had wandered in the desert for forty years now experience the fulfillment of God’s promise.  They celebrate the Passover, no longer dependent on manna, but now eating from the produce of the land.  This highlights God’s faithfulness in bringing His people from slavery to freedom, from exile to home.  Just as God provided for the Israelites, He continually offers us the nourishment we need, both physically and spiritually.

Saint Paul speaks of a powerful transformation.  Whoever is in Christ is a new creation.  The old things have passed away.  Behold, new things have come.  Paul emphasizes that through Christ’s death and resurrection, we have been reconciled with God.  He describes this reconciliation as a gift entrusted to us.  We are now called to be ambassadors for Christ, sharing His message of mercy with the world.  This reminds us that Lent is a time for renewal; no matter how far we have strayed, God offers us a fresh beginning, inviting us to be instruments of peace and reconciliation.

The familiar parable of the prodigal son is a powerful illustration of God’s mercy.  The younger son squanders his inheritance, but eventually returns home, prepared to beg for forgiveness.  Yet, before he can finish his confession, his father runs to embrace him, clothing him in a robe and celebrating his return with a feast.  The elder son struggles to understand such mercy, questioning why his loyalty was not similarly rewarded.

The parable of the prodigal son highlights the stark differences, yet profound similarities between the younger and older sons, reflecting our own lives.  The younger son’s realization and decision to return home underscore the importance of acknowledging one’s mistake and seeking reconciliation.

The father’s response illustrates unconditional love and the joy of recovery, emphasizing that redemption is always possible.  This reveals the heart of God, a father who seeks us out, welcomes us home, and rejoices in our repentance.  The father’s actions reflect what Pope Francis has called the joy of the Gospel.  “God never tires of forgiving us.  We are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy.”  The father in the parable runs to his son, emphasizing the need for healing, a reality many of us face.

While the younger son experiences regret after leaving, the older son who stays home in obedience grapples with resentment and the desire for recognition.  Both sons demonstrate the need for acceptance and healing, highlighting that, regardless of our choices, we all long for connection and understanding.  The parable also challenges us to examine our hearts.  Are we like the younger son, needing to return to God?  Or are we like the elder son, struggling to embrace God’s mercy for others?

Being embraced by the Father is pivotal in understanding Christianity, which hinges on the question of whether one allows God to love them as they are.  Despite God’s invitation to join in His celebration, the refusal to grant permission to be loved can create barriers to acceptance.  Ultimately, the final step toward receiving this love lies in personal consent.

All three readings center on themes of renewal, reconciliation, and God’s abundant mercy.  In Joshua, God restores His people to the promised land.  In Corinthians, Paul proclaims that God makes us new through Christ.  In the gospel, Jesus reveals God as a father who welcomes sinners home.  Together, these readings remind us that no sin is greater than God’s mercy, and no distance is too far for God to reach.

Brothers and sisters, our Church reminds us that God’s mercy is central to His identity.  God reveals His fatherly omnipotence by His infinite mercy, for He displays His power at its heights by freely forgiving sins.  The parable of the prodigal son reflects this truth.  God’s greatest strength is His ability to forgive, heal, and restore.

As we continue our Lenten journey, let us examine our own need for mercy.  In our fast-paced world, pride and self-reliance can blind us to our need for God’s forgiveness.  Lent offers us a chance to reflect deeply and seek the sacrament of reconciliation.

Let us also embrace those who have wandered.  Like the merciful Father, we are called to welcome back those who have strayed from the Church.  A kind word, a listening ear, or an invitation to Mass can be a powerful gesture of reconciliation.  As Christians, we are called to be ambassadors of mercy, especially in today’s world where judgement and division are common.  We are called to practice forgiveness, whether in our families, workplaces, or communities.  Showing compassion to those who hurt us reflects God’s mercy in action.

Our readings this Sunday remind us that our God is a God of second chances, whether we are the younger son in need of forgiveness, or the elder son called to embrace mercy.  God invites us all to the feast.  May we accept this invitation, trusting in His love that never fails.

Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you.  May these words be the beginning of our journey back to the Father’s embrace.

Satisfying Our Spiritual Thirst

Third Sunday of Lent
March 23, 2025 — Year C  (Year A readings)
Readings: Ex 17:3-7 / Ps 95 / Rom 5:1-2, 5-8 / Jn 4:5-42
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

As we continue our journey through Lent, today’s readings invite us to reflect on our spiritual thirst, a longing only God can truly satisfy.  Through the image of water, scripture reveals how God reaches out to us in our need and invites us into a deeper relationship with Him.

In our first reading, the Israelites are grumbling against Moses as they suffer from thirst in the desert.  Their desperation leads to doubt, frustration, and even accusations against Moses and God.  Despite their lack of faith, God responds with mercy by instructing Moses to strike the rock, bringing forth water to quench their thirst. This reminds us that God is always faithful, even when we struggle with doubts and fears. The rock in this passage is a powerful symbol of Christ, who provides the living water that satisfies our deepest needs.

Saint Paul speaks of the peace we receive through faith in Jesus Christ in his letter to the Romans.  He emphasizes that hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.  This pouring out of God’s love echoes the image of water flowing from the rock in Exodus.  Paul also reminds us that God’s love is not based on our worthiness.  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  This profound truth reveals the depth of God’s mercy.  He meets us in our brokenness and thirst, offering us the grace we cannot earn.

In our gospel reading, we see a remarkable encounter:  Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well.  She comes seeking physical water, but Jesus leads her to recognize her deepest thirst, a thirst for truth, healing, and salvation.  Jesus reveals Himself as the source of living water, offering her a new life in God’s grace.

There is a story of four high school students who decided to cut classes one morning and didn’t go to school until noon.  They said to the teacher, “Our car had a flat tire. That is why we were very late.”  They were so relieved when they saw the teacher smiling and heard her say, “OK, I understand, boys.  You missed a test, but you can make up for it right now.”  Thereupon, she had them seated in the four corners of the room which were away from one another.  “Now you will answer just one question,” the teacher said. “Which tire was flat?”  The boys were perspiring and gave different answers.  They had lied about having a flat tire.

Today’s gospel passage talks about Jesus’ conversing with a Samaritan woman who had many excuses at the start of her encounter with Jesus.  In their dialogue, the woman’s response is half-truth and evasive.  Jesus is asking her to fetch her husband.  The woman says that she has no husband, instead of telling Jesus the truth, that she has had six husbands. But as the gospel goes on, we see that the Samaritan woman’s transformation is really striking.  Once an outcast burdened by her past, she becomes a joyful witness who leads others to Christ. Her story shows us that no one is beyond God’s mercy, and He seeks us out even when we feel unworthy or distant from Him.

Saint Augustine reflects beautifully on this encounter saying, “You’ve made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until we rest in You.”  Like the Samaritan woman, our restless hearts will only be satisfied when we drink deeply from the living water that Jesus offers.  At the beginning, the woman was arrogant and even proud, but one by one Jesus broke down her defenses.

Jesus told the woman, “You are right, because you have had five husbands, and the man with whom you are living is not your husband.”  In other words, her life is a mess.  But Jesus does not condemn her, and neither does He excuse her and allow her to continue what she is now.  At the end of their conversation, she was changed.  Why?  Why would she be changed?  Because she opened her heart.  She did not hold on to pride, rationalizations, and traditions that kept her from realizing and accepting the truth.  In other words, she let go, she surrendered, and just allowed Jesus to take over her life.

Our Church emphasizes that the living water Jesus offers symbolizes the gift of the Holy Spirit.  This living water becomes a source of grace, cleansing, and renewal in the Sacraments, particularly Baptism and the Eucharist. The Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus is a powerful reminder that God invites everyone, regardless of their past, into His mercy and love.  The life which the Holy Spirit produces in us makes us a new creation in Jesus Christ. The point Jesus makes is that we all have a thirst similar to our bodily thirst for water, and that spiritual thirst, the Old Testament says, is our thirst for God.  For example, in the book of Psalms, the psalmist says, “As a deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I thirst for You, the living God.”

All three readings highlight our spiritual thirst and God’s response to that need. In Exodus, the Israelites’ physical thirst symbolizes our deeper longing for God’s presence. Paul reminds us that God pours His love into our hearts, and Jesus fulfills the promise by offering Himself as the living water that quenches our spiritual thirst.  The common thread is God’s mercy.  He meets us in our struggles, doubts, and sins to offer us new life.

We are challenged today to be like the Samaritan woman. We all have a thirst for love, meaning, and purpose.  Lent is a time to ask: What am I truly seeking?  Am I trying to satisfy my spiritual thirst with temporary things?

Let us encounter Jesus in prayer and the Sacraments.  The living water Jesus offers flows through His Church.  We can spend time in prayer, visit the Blessed Sacrament, and seek the grace of Confession to experience His mercy.  As followers of Christ, we are witnesses of hope.  The Samaritan woman didn’t keep her encounter with Jesus to herself.  In a world filled with spiritual drought, we are called to share the living water of Christ with those who are struggling. Jesus meets us where we are in our doubts, our struggles, and our thirst.  Just as He reached out to the Samaritan woman, He offers us living water that satisfies our deepest longing.  As we continue our Lenten journey, may we turn to Him with open hearts, trusting that His mercy will renew and sustain us.

Let the Light Shine Through

Second Sunday of Lent
March 16, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Gn 15:5-12, 17-18 / Ps 27 / Phil 3:17-4:1 / Lk 9:28b-36
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

On this second Sunday of Lent, the Church invites us to journey to the mountaintop with Jesus, Peter, James, and John.  The Transfiguration reveals something profound, not only about Jesus, but also about us.  It speaks to our identity as beloved children of God, and how that identity must shape our mission in this world.

In our first reading, God makes a covenant with Abraham, promising him countless descendants, despite Abraham’s doubts.  How can this be?  God reaffirms His faithfulness by sealing the covenant with a symbolic gesture:  a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, passing through the divided sacrifices.  This powerful moment shows that God’s promises are not based on our merit, but on His unwavering love and faithfulness.

St. Paul, in our second reading, urges the Philippians to remain firm in their faith.  He contrasts those who live for earthly desires with those who place their hope in the Lord.  Paul reminds us that our true citizenship is in heaven, calling us to live with our eyes fixed on Christ.  This is a call to identity, not defined by worldly success, but by our relationship with God.

Our gospel today comes after the passage where Jesus had told His disciples that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and on the third day be raised.  (Luke 9:22) This was not good news for the disciples.  They expected Jesus, as the Messiah, to confront and topple the Roman army of occupation and restore the kingdom to Israel.  Many of them would have begun to have second thoughts.  Is Jesus really the expected Messiah?  Is He really the anointed of God who is to come?  Should we go along with Him to the showdown in Jerusalem, or should we back off before it’s too late?

One fine morning a few days after, Jesus invites the leaders of the group of apostles, Peter, James, and John, to go with Him for a prayer session on the mountain.  The mountain is a place of encounter with God.  Moses encountered God on the mountain and so did Elijah.

On the mountain, Jesus goes into prayer, and the eyes of the apostles—their spiritual eyes—were opened, and they caught a glimpse of the true reality of Jesus that their physical eyes never saw.  The Transfiguration is a pivotal moment.  Jesus, radiant in divine glory, stands with Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets.  The Father’s voice declares, “This is my chosen Son.  Listen to Him.”

This event marks a turning point in Jesus’ mission, as He sets His face toward Jerusalem and His coming Passion.  But notice what happens before this:  Jesus reveals His identity first, before He moves toward suffering and sacrifice.  The Father affirms Him as His beloved Son.  This moment highlights that Jesus’ identity comes before His mission.  His worth is not defined by what He will do, but by who He is:  the beloved Son of God.

The readings invite us to reflect on God’s faithfulness and our true identity.  Like Abraham, we are called to trust in God’s promises.  Like Paul, we are reminded that our true home is in heaven.  And like the disciples on the mountain top, we are invited to listen to Jesus, the one who reveals our true identity as beloved children of God.

Saint Mother Teresa once said, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”  This wisdom echoes the message of the Transfiguration:  that our identity as beloved sons and daughters of God must shape everything we do.  Our mission, whether family, work, or ministry, flows from this identity.

Today we are challenged to embrace our identities.  In a world that often defines us by our achievements, we must remember that our worth comes from being a beloved child of God.  Spend time in prayer, reflecting on this truth, so that we can fully embrace our identities as Christians.

There is a story of a young mother with her little 4-year-old son who went into the church.  She was saying her prayers while he was running around, investigating everything inside.  He pointed to a statue and wanted to know who that was.  His mother told him it was the Lord Jesus.  To another such question, the mother said it was the Holy God’s mother, Mama Mary.  Finally, he made his way into the sanctuary, where the light was streaming through the stained-glass windows.  He held out both arms as he moved backward and forward.  Fascinated by the colors as they were reflected on his hands and clothes, he looked up at the windows and asked his mother who they were.  She said they were the saints.

The following day in preschool, the teacher was telling them about the saints.  He got all excited as he interrupted her to tell her that he knew who they were.  When asked who they were, his answer was very simple and given with great confidence.  “They are the ones who let the light shine through.”

Today’s gospel gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ glory.  But it also shows the possibility of every Christian who is called to reflect the face of Christ to others.  Let us remember that, as Christians, we are called to seek transformation.  The disciples encountered Jesus’ glory through prayer.  In this Lenten season, deepen your prayer life to allow God to transform your heart.  Let us live our mission with confidence.  Knowing who we are in God’s eyes gives us the strength to face challenges, whether as parent, student, or professional.  Let your identity as a beloved child of God guide your actions.

As we continue our Lenten journey, may the Transfiguration remind us that our world is not tied to what we do, but to who we are:  beloved children of the Father.  Just as Jesus was strengthened by His identity before facing the cross, may we, too, embrace our identity in Christ, allowing it to shape our mission in the world.

Conquering Temptation

Fifth Sunday of Lent
March 9, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Deut 26:4-10 / Ps 91 / Rom 10:8-13 / Lk 4:1-13
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

As we begin the sacred season of Lent, the Church invites us to reflect on Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, where He faced temptation.  Lent is a time of spiritual renewal, a journey through the desert of our lives, where we are called to turn away from sin and prepare our hearts for Easter.  Today’s readings guide us in understanding the significance of faith, obedience, and trust in God as we confront our own struggles.  

In the first reading, Moses instructs the Israelites to bring their first fruits as an offering to the Lord, remembering how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt.  This emphasizes gratitude and trust in God’s providence.  The Israelites acknowledge that their freedom and blessings are not of their own making but are gifts from God.  This act of remembering and thanksgiving strengthens their relationship with Him.  Similarly, we are called to recognize God’s work in our lives, responding with faith and devotion.  

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, reminds us that salvation is near:  “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.”  He teaches that confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection lead to salvation.  This passage highlights that salvation is available to all who call upon the Lord with faith.  Paul emphasizes that righteousness does not come through human effort alone but through belief in Christ.  Our Lenten journey should be one of deepening this faith and surrendering to God’s grace.

There is a story of an exasperated motorist who parked his car in a no-parking zone.  He attached the following message to the windshield:  “I have circled this block twenty times.  I have an appointment to keep.  ‘Forgive us our trespasses.’”  When the owner of this car returned, he found this reply attached to his own note:  “I have circled this block for twenty years.  If I don’t give you a ticket I will lose my job.  ‘Lead us not into temptation.’”

Today’s gospel passage from St. Luke tells us that Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit into the desert, is tempted by the devil.  Our first parents were tempted but they failed.  The Israelites were tested in the desert, and they also failed.  Jesus is tempted, and He wins.  The temptation of Jesus is always read on the first Sunday of Lent.  One of the reasons this passage is read every first Sunday of Lent is because Jesus’ forty days in the desert is paralleled with the forty days of Lent.  The gospel recounts Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.  After fasting for forty days, He is confronted by the devil, who tempts Him with physical comfort, which is turning stones to bread; worldly power, which is authority over kingdoms; and testing God, which is jumping from the temple.  Jesus resists each temptation by relying on the word of God, demonstrating His unwavering obedience to the Father.  His victory over temptation is not just for Himself, but for all humanity.  

Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness serves as a profound revelation of His role as the Messiah, countering worldly expectations of power. Through entering our weaknesses and being tested yet sinless, He vanquished temptation for humanity.  The Church commemorates this mystery annually during Lent, inviting believers to confront their own wilderness experiences with trust in God’s presence and help.  

All three readings highlight faithfulness to God.  In Deuteronomy, the Israelites remember God’s past faithfulness and respond with gratitude.  In Romans, Paul affirms that salvation comes through faith in Christ.  The gospel reveals Jesus as the model of perfect obedience, resisting temptation and remaining faithful to God’s will.  These readings remind us that, like Jesus, we must trust in God’s word and resist the temptations that lead us away from Him.  

The Church teaches that temptation itself is not sin, but a test of our faith and reliance on God.  Christ’s victory over temptation shows us that we are not alone in our struggles.  Through prayer, fasting, and reliance on scripture, we can overcome the temptations that challenge our faith.  Christ’s victory over temptation is achieved through His loving obedience to the Father.  Understanding and following the Father’s will is very essential for our lives.  Neglecting it leads to spiritual loss, while fulfilling it leads to sanctity.  

Emphasizing obedience as the core of our faith, we are called to align our actions with divine guidance.  We face many temptations on a daily basis:  materialism, power, selfishness, and destruction of our spiritual lives.  The season of Lent calls us to turn from these temptations and turn to God.  We can do this through:  first, prayer, deepening our relationship with God and seeking His guidance during moments of temptation; second, by fasting, detaching from worldly distractions to focus on what truly matters; third, through almsgiving, serving others as an expression of our faith and gratitude.

To fully enter into the spirit of Lent, let us reflect:  Do we prioritize our relationship with God?  Are we using the season to grow in faith or are we distracted by the world?  How can we be more generous with our time and resources?  By embracing these Lenten practices, we follow Christ’s example and draw closer to God.  When we face our own wilderness experiences, we must remember that Jesus has already won the victory for us.  With faith and obedience, we too can overcome temptation and grow in holiness.  

As we journey through Lent, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, who conquered temptation for our sake.  Let us embrace this season as an opportunity to renew our faith, trust in God, and commit ourselves to His will.  May our Lenten journey lead us to Easter with our hearts transformed and strengthened in Christ.  

The Call to Love and Mercy

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 23, 2025 — Year C
Readings: 1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 / Ps 103 / 1 Cor 15:45-49 / Lk 6:27-38
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today’s readings present us with a powerful and challenging message about mercy, love, and the nature of our identity in Christ.  They teach us that to be truly Christian is to reflect the mercy of God in our relationships with others.  In a world often filled with division, resentment, and revenge, the Word of God calls us to a higher standard—to love our enemies, to be merciful, and to live as children of heaven, bearing the image of Christ.

In our first reading, we see a dramatic moment in the life of David.  Saul, who had been relentlessly pursuing David to kill him, is placed in a vulnerable position.  David finds him sleeping, and he has the opportunity to take his life.  Yet David refrains, saying, “Do not lay your hand on the Lord’s anointed.”  Instead of seeking revenge, David chooses mercy, acknowledging that it is God who will judge this person justly.  This passage reminds us that true strength is found not in retaliation, but in trusting in God’s mercy and responding with mercy.

St. Paul, in the second reading, contrasts Adam, the first man, with Christ, the new Adam.  He reminds us that we are not just earthly beings but are also called to bear the image of the heavenly man, Jesus Christ.  Just as Christ’s life was marked by self-giving love, so too must our lives reflect this image.  Paul’s teaching encourages us to live not according to the nature of the world but to embrace the new life we have received in Christ.

Today’s gospel continues the great sermon of Jesus from where we left off last Sunday.  After speaking about the persecution and violence that will be visited on the disciples, as was done to the prophets of old, Jesus now speaks to the disciples about how they are to respond to the hostility.  He begins, “But I say to you that listen….” (Luke 6:27) Then what follows is not a general code of conduct for all, but a standard of behavior for those who follow Jesus and listen to his teachings.  If Christianity is a superior religion, the way to show it is not by endless arguments and debates about the true religion, but by the superior moral conduct of Christians.

Jesus gives us some of his most radical teachings:  Love your enemies.  Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.  This is not the way the world usually operates, where retaliation and self-interest often dominate.  Jesus calls us to a higher way of life, a life of love, forgiveness, and generosity.  He tells us to be merciful just as our Father is merciful.  Mercy is at the heart of the Gospel, and as followers of Christ, we are called to imitate the boundless mercy of God.

In this passage, we also find the Golden Rule:  do to others as you would have them do to you.  This principle encapsulates the essence of Christian love: not just avoiding harm but actively seeking the good of others.  It is a call to treat every person with dignity, kindness, and respect, regardless of how they treat us.

All three readings today emphasize the Christian call to transcend the ways of the world.  David models mercy rather than revenge.  St. Paul reminds us that our true identity is in Christ, not in the fallen nature of Adam.  Jesus challenges us to love as God loves, without limits, without expecting anything in return.  This call to love and mercy connects us to last Sunday’s readings which spoke about trusting in God rather than in worldly power, and prepares us for next Sunday’s gospel, where Jesus continues to teach about living a life that is radically different from the world’s expectations.

There is a story of a certain monk who was praying under a tree beside a river.  As he prayed, the tide was coming and the river was rising.  Then he noticed a scorpion at the foot of the tree, struggling for dear life.  As the surging waves tried to drown it, the monk stretched out his hand to pull the scorpion to safety, but each time his hand came near, the scorpion tried to sting him.  A passerby saw what was going on and said to the monk, “What are you doing?  Don’t you know that it is the nature of the scorpion to sting?”  “Yes,” replied the monk, “And it is my nature to help.  Must I change my nature because the scorpion refuses to change his?”  Today, the gospel urges Christians to remain true to their nature—to love, even when the people around them remain adamant in their nature to hate.

The Church teaches that Christ’s command to love our enemies is rooted in God’s very nature.  It is impossible to keep the Lord’s commandments by imitating the divine model from outside.  There has to be a vital participation, coming from the depths of the heart in the holiness and the mercy and the love of our God.  This means that our ability to love and forgive others comes not from our own strength, but from God’s grace working within us.

Pope Francis, reflecting on today’s gospel, once said, “Loving our enemies is not easy.  It is not an instinctive act.  Grace makes us capable of looking at others with the eyes of Christ.”  His words remind us that to love as Jesus teaches requires openness to God’s grace and a willingness to let our hearts be transformed.

In today’s world, where conflict and division are rampant, Jesus’ words challenge us profoundly.  How often do we hold onto grudges?  How often do we refuse to forgive?  This gospel calls us to break the cycle of hatred and revenge.  We can practice this in our families by being patient with those who hurt us, in our workplaces by showing kindness even when it is not deserved, and in our communities by promoting peace rather than conflict.

As Christians, we are called to go further than the minimum or the average response.  Let us not repay bad for bad.  The word love used by our Lord in this teaching is not the same as the word for family love or love of friends or love of a spouse, but it is the love that wishes the best and only the good for another, irrespective of their actions.  When we choose mercy over vengeance, love over hatred, and generosity over selfishness, we truly reflect the image of Christ in the world.

Let us pray for the grace to live out this radical call to love, knowing that in doing so, we bear the likeness of our heavenly Father.  As we reflect on today’s readings, let us ask:  How I can love more like Christ?  How can I be an instrument of His mercy?  If there is, in our lives, a scorpion of hate that delights in stinging us, let us be like the monk and remain faithful to our commitment to love.  Let us remind ourselves that we are channels of God’s love.  Let us open ourselves more and more to God’s life-giving love.  Let us resolve to love even when we feel unloved, sidetracked, or let down.  Let us decide to forgive from our hearts.  May the Lord give us the grace to love as He loves, so that we may truly be His disciples and witnesses in the world.