Thirst for Living Water

Third Sunday of Lent
March 4, 2018 – Year A Readings
Readings: Ez 17:3-7 / Ps 95 / Rom 5:1-2, 5-8 / Jn 4:5-42
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of the season of Lent, which is also the first scrutiny for our four catechumens here at Holy Name, who will be receiving the sacrament of Baptism at the Easter Vigil. We also have catechumens in our sister parish, and this is the first time that both parishes will be welcoming new members to the Church. For those of you using your own missal, we use the readings for Year A when we have scrutinies for the catechumens. (more…)

Glimpse of God’s Glory

Second Sunday of Lent
February 25, 2018 – 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

Last week we were once again blessed to have Father Paul with us. He celebrated the 10:45 Mass. He got here about 1:30 am Sunday morning after driving almost 12 hours from St. Augustine, Florida. He was smiling as he told me that he had gotten lost, taking the wrong exit and ending up in North Carolina. Michelle Rex and her son Timothy came to his rescue. (more…)

Learn Compunction

Ash Wednesday
February 14, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Jl 2:12-18 / Ps 51 / 2 Cor 5:20 – 6:2 / Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Happy Ash Wednesday . . . or is it Happy Valentine’s Day . . . or is it Happy St. Cyril and St. Methodius Day? I don’t know. Do you know? Have you ever wondered how we know what feast is on what day? How do we know whether it’s a feast, whether it takes precedence over something else? (more…)

Let Us Be One

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 11, 2018 – 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

The gospel today picks up where we left off last week. We have Jesus performing another miracle of healing. Now, at first glance, you could say, “Oh, this is Jesus, the healer. He’s doing another miracle.” There’ve been many attempts in the past hundred or so years to explain the miracles away. You see that happening all the way back to the time of the founding of our country. (more…)

Power, Authority, and Faith

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 28, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Dt 18:15-20 / Ps 95 / 1 Cor 7:32-35 / Mk 1:21-28
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Since the first of January, a group of fifteen men here at Holy Name, including me and Deacon Eddie, embarked on a spiritual journey called Exodus 90. There are also nineteen women in our parish who are doing Nineveh 90. These two groups are doing the same type of spiritual exercises.

Here are a few of the things we do for ninety days that might be of interest to some of you. In addition to weekly prayer meetings, we also do daily meditation, spending at least an hour a day on personal prayer, and fast twice a week. (more…)

God’s Call

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 21, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Jon 3:1-5, 10 / Ps 25 / 1 Cor 7:29-31 / Mk 1:14-20
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A little child who is lost in a big crowd experiences fear and helplessness – more than we could ever imagine. But the voice of his father, mother, grandfather or grandmother will not only bring him relief, but he will respond with joy to that call. Sometime in the past we all must have experienced being called in some way or another. (more…)

Words and Silence

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
January 14, 2018 – Year B
Readings: 1 Sm 3:3B-10, 19 / Ps 40 / 1 Cor 6:13C-15A, 17-20 / Jn 1:35-42
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

I’d like to start today by sharing a quote that I found, which captures the heart of today’s readings:

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively, with words of encouragement, or destructively, using words of despair. Words have energy and power, with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble.” (more…)

A Guiding Light

The Epiphany of the Lord
January 7, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Is 60:1-6 / Ps 72 / Eph 3:2-3A, 5-6 / Mt 2:1-12
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Each of us must have experienced, at some time in the past, a total power outage during the night. If there is total darkness, you instantly notice even one candle or a small flashlight or a battery operated bulb. As emergency lights, these make a big difference. But as we know, physical darkness doesn’t last very long. It usually takes only a few minutes before the power comes back on.

There is, however, another form of darkness in our lives that has the tendency to linger: the spiritual darkness caused by living a life which is completely separate from the Author of life. (more…)

A Place of Refuge

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
December 31, 2017 – Year B
Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 / Ps 128 / Col 3:12-21 / Lk 2:22-40
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Last week I visited a family who, fourteen years ago, had a foster daughter who lived with them for a year. A few days before this past Christmas, this same girl, who is now in her twenties with two young children, called them up and said that she had no place to live. She is homeless and is having a hard time finding a shelter. Since she has no friends or relatives who would be willing to take her into their homes, she thought she would take the chance of asking them if they would have a temporary space for her. This kind couple simply told her, “You always have a place in our home.” She is indeed blessed to have a place of refuge during the cold season of winter. (more…)

Promise and Fulfillment

Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 24, 2017 – Year B
Readings: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16 / Ps 89 / Rom 16:25-27 / Lk 1:26-38
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Thirty-two years ago, when I was preparing for my ordination to the priesthood, my bishop in the Philippines assigned me to a church with a very wise pastor who was asked to mentor newly ordained priests. His name was Father Douglas. He was named by his parents after General Douglas MacArthur who, even today, remains quite popular in the Philippines. When MacArthur left the country during the Japanese occupation of World War II, he promised to return. He did indeed return, and liberated the more than seven thousand islands of the Philippines from the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army. That was certainly a promise well kept. (more…)