Faith: God Is With Us

Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 22, 2019 – Year A
Readings: Is 7:10-14 / Ps 24 / Rom 1:1-7 / Mt 1:18-24
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A couple of weeks ago when I was in the Philippines preparing to fly back here to the US, the Philippine weather bureau had announced that a super typhoon was about to hit our island. This caused the airlines to cancel all of the flights. This super typhoon was probably the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane.

The most popular shelter there during the storms has always been the Catholic churches, because they are the biggest and the strongest buildings in the islands. Most of all, people feel safe there because, as we all believe, the Lord Jesus is present there in the church: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Blessed Sacrament. (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…)

Perseverance

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 20, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Ex 17:8-13 / Ps 121 / 2 Tm 3:14-4:2 / Lk 18:1-8
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

History tells us that many famous people were slow starters, but they persevered. They didn’t give up. Winston Churchill, for instance, seemed so dull as a youth that his father thought he might not be capable of earning a living in England. G. K. Chesterton, one of my favorite writers, could not read until he was eight, and one of his teachers told him, “If we could open your head, we should not find any brain but a lump of white fat.” Albert Einstein performed so badly in all his high school courses, except mathematics, that a teacher asked him to drop out. Paul McCartney of the Beatles, as a young student applied to join the choir of Liverpool Cathedral, but he was turned down. He was told that he wasn’t a good singer and was not qualified. And Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, was rejected by the glee club in his school. The teacher told him that his voice would ruin the sound of their choir. (more…)

Gratitude

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 13, 2019 – Year C
Readings: 2 Kgs 5:14-17 / Ps 98 / 2 Tm 2:8-13 / Lk 17:11-19
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Last Sunday, a few minutes before I celebrated the 8:00 Mass here, I greeted a parishioner from our sister parish on the lake on his way in. Knowing that he had to drive almost an hour to get here, I said “I am so happy to see you!” He replied, “At my age, Father, being seen is always better than being viewed. Thanks be to God.”

Just the mere fact that we can see each other is reason enough to express our gratitude to our Creator and our God. But we all know that the “attitude of gratitude” is not a common trait even among Christians. This has been the case since the time of Christ. (more…)

The Power of Patience

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 6, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4 / Ps 95 / 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14 / Lk 17:5-10
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

There have been times in all of our lives when we have been in a very difficult situation, faced with a seemingly insurmountable problem. We offer prayers to the Lord God, but He seems not to be paying attention. All three of the readings today remind us to hold onto our faith if this happens, because God is always listening and He will answer our prayers in good time. (more…)

What Have You Failed To Do?

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 29, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Am 6:1A, 4-7 / Ps 146 / 1 Tm 6:11-16 / Lk 16:19-31
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A story is told about David Rockefeller of Chase Manhattan Bank traveling through South America. A group of bank officials of the government of Uruguay invited him for lunch, hoping for a sizable loan. The affair was held at a club that was famous locally for its magnificent appetizer buffet. Rockefeller passed through the buffet line first, and thinking that this was the entire meal, served himself generously. When seated, he noticed that others had taken skimpier portions. He said to the President of Banco Central, “I have so much and you have so little.” The host responded, “I am glad you mentioned that, Mr. Rockefeller, because that is exactly what we want to talk to you about.” (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…)

Life, Progress, and Discipline

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 25, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Is 66:18-21 / Ps 117 / Heb 12:5-7, 11-13 / Lk 13:22-30
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A few days ago, during my flight to Minneapolis, I noticed that more and more people, especially the young ones, are using digital boarding passes. This means they use their cell phones to be able to board the plane. This is on top of using it to buy stuff, instead of using actual credit cards. Quite a few states now, for the past few years, have been testing digital driver’s licenses. (Virginia is a little bit behind in the digital race.) In just a few years, maybe even months, all you will probably need is your cell phone, to travel and drive anywhere and buy anything, for as long as you don’t run out of battery. Because if your battery is dead, you are dead. (more…)

Make a Difference

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 4, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Ecc 1:2; 2:21-23 / Ps 90 / Col 3:1-5, 9-11 / Lk 12:13-21
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A story is told about a professor in a prestigious university who, when he was about to receive tenure, suddenly left his position and took a job teaching in a poverty-stricken neighborhood. One day, one of his former colleagues sees him shopping in a small grocery store. The colleague approaches him and asks him what he’s doing with his life. He responds that he’s teaching in an inner city high school, and that he is happy and finding fulfillment in helping the poor school students.

The colleague asks the question he really wants to know: “So, what do you make?”

He answers, “I make a difference.” (more…)

Jesus’ Gift of Peace

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 7, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Is 66:10-14C / Ps 66 / Gal 6:14-18 / Lk 10:1-12, 17-20
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Many of us are old enough to know that whatever you give you will receive. In most cases the result is immediate. For example, if you give someone a kind word, you will immediately feel good.

However, there are times when the opposite is true. In today’s gospel, we have heard that the Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two of his followers to go and proclaim the good news of God’s salvation. Before He sent them out, part of His instructions was for them to give a blessing of peace. He told them, “Into whatever house you enter, first say ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him. If not, it will return to you.” (more…)