Seeds of the Spirit

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 14, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Ez 17:22-24 / Psalm 92 / 2 Cor 5:6-10 / Mk 4:26-34
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

One Sunday after the service, a preacher was standing outside and greeting the people as they left the church. One lady came up to the preacher and said, “I really enjoyed your homily today.” And the preacher said, “Well ma’am, I can’t take credit for it. It must be the Holy Spirit.” The lady looked at him and said, “I’m sorry, but it wasn’t that good.” (more…)

Food for Our Journey

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ
June 7, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Ex 24:3-8 / Psalm 116 / Heb 9:11-15 / Mk 14:12-16, 22-26
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Someone has said, “Eat right, exercise, …and die anyway.” As God’s children, we don’t subscribe to this idea. In the spiritual sense, we believe that, if we eat the food that Jesus gave us, and do the spiritual exercises he prescribed, we will live with God for all eternity. (more…)

Breastplate

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
May 31, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Dt 4:32-34, 39-40 / Psalm 33 / Rom 8:14-17 / Mt 28:16-20
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

In the past few years, the news in the papers, television, radio and all media outlets has almost always included something about war or other forms of armed conflict. However, there is a war that each and every one of us is fighting every single day. This is our spiritual battle, the war against the forces of evil, the conflict within us to say ‘yes’ to God and ‘no’ to sin. (more…)

The Gift of Wisdom

Pentecost Sunday
May 24, 2015 – Year B
Readings:  Acts 2:1-11 / Psalm 104 / 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 / Jn 20:19-23
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

According to Beliefnet.com, one of the three most popular prayers in the world, which is being prayed by thousands, and even millions, of people every day is the Serenity Prayer. Part of it says, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” We all know that trying to change our DNA, or our genes, or our family, is an exercise in futility. But there are still a lot of things in the world and in ourselves that we can change. (more…)

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…)

Wireless Connection

Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 3, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Acts 9:26-31 / 1 Jn 3:18-24 / Jn 15:1-8
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

As we all know, we are living in a wireless world. Everything seems to be wireless. This microphone on the lectern is not wireless, but even if I step away from that microphone, you can still hear me, because I am using a wireless microphone on my neck. Even the microphone that Phil [choir member] is using is wireless, so he can go around the church and you can still hear him. (more…)

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 26, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Acts 4:8-12 / 1 Jn 3:1-2 / Jn 10:11-18
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Today, as you can probably guess from the readings and from the prayers, is Good Shepherd Sunday.  I got an early start on preparing for the homily today. Normally, I wait until a couple days beforehand, but I actually read the readings several weeks ago and started studying them and started doing my exegesis on them: reading all the notes in the Bible and so forth.   Nothing was coming to me. (more…)

The Lord’s Invitation

3rd Sunday of Easter
April 19, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 / Psalm 4 / 1 Jn 2:1-5a / Lk 24:35-48
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A story is told about two boys who entered a dentist’s office. And one of them said “I want a tooth taken out, and I don’t want any gas, and I don’t want it deadened. We are in a hurry.” And the dentist said, “You are a brave young man. Which tooth is it?” At that instant the boy turned to his smaller friend and said, “Show him your tooth, Johnny.” (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…)

We Are a Resurrection People

Easter Sunday
April 5, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; Col 3:1-4; Jn 20:1-9
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

On Easter Sunday last year, in this same pulpit, in this same church of the Holy Name of Mary, Deacon Ray gave a homily about the Joy of the Resurrection. For those of you who were not here last year, I highly encourage you to read his inspiring homily at our Holy Name of Mary website. Preaching about Christ’s Resurrection he said “Death being conquered frees us to live and love with the knowledge that whatever happens, life and love extend beyond the grave.” (more…)