4th Sunday of Lent
March 26, 2017 – Year A
Readings: 1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a / Psalm 23 / Eph 5:8-14 / Jn 9:1-41
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor
Last December 25th, 2016 – just three months ago – a man in Roanoke was celebrating his 95th birthday. He wished to celebrate it by taking a bouquet of flowers to the grave of his wife at a Roanoke cemetery. Since someone had told him that plastic flowers are much better because they are not only cheaper, but last much longer than real ones, that is what he bought. But on his way to the cemetery, a speeding vehicle smashed the right side of his car. Though he had only minor injuries, his car was totally damaged. When the cops arrived at the scene of the accident, he was still picking up what was left of those flowers that had been scattered all over the road. (more…)
KEEP READINGSecond Sunday of Lent
March 12, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Gn 12:1-4A / Ps 33 / 2 Tm 1:8B-10 / Mt 17:1-9
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon
Last weekend my wife and I were in Munich, Germany. We went there because my wife was invited to give a recital at the Gasteig. It’s a big concert hall with multiple venues, similar to the Kennedy Center or Carnegie Hall. It’s very active: They do a thousand events there a year. (more…)
KEEP READINGFirst Sunday of Lent
March 5, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Gn 2:7-9, 3:1-7 / Ps 51 / Rom 5:12-19 / Mt 4:1-11
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor
For those who are hooked on fishing, Smith Mountain Lake is one of the best places to be. Within its 20,600-acre reservoir is an abundance of popular game fish.
To go fishing you need at least a fishing rod, a reel, and a line with a hook at the end of it. But you need one more thing that is really important, because the fish will not bite an empty hook. (more…)
KEEP READINGAsh Wednesday
March 1, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Jl 2:12-18 / Ps 51 / 2 Cor 5:20-6:2 / Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor
Today we begin our journey with the rest of the members of God’s family, who are all trying to be closer to God during this season of Lent. (more…)
KEEP READINGFifth Sunday of Lent
March 13, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Is 43:16-21 / Ps 126 / Phil 3:8-14 / Jn 8:1-11
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon
Do you ever get distracted by a detail in a story? That always happens to me. Someone will be telling me a story, and they will throw in one detail; sometimes it’s barely related to the story, and my mind starts going over and over it. I will have to consciously make an effort to keep listening; otherwise, they will get to the end of the story, and the only thing that I remember is the random detail that they put in. (more…)
KEEP READINGFourth Sunday of Lent
March 6, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Jos 5:9A, 10-12 / Ps 34 / 2 Cor 5:17-21 / Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor
When Pope Francis announced the Extraordinary Year of Mercy at St. Peter’s Basilica, he said, “Let us not forget that God forgives, and God forgives always.” Today’s gospel is a manifestation of this truth. Today, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, the vestments of the deacons and priests, as well as the linens, are colored rose, because this is Laetare Sunday, or “Rejoice” Sunday. (more…)
KEEP READING3rd Sunday of Lent
February 28, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15 / Psalm 103 / 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 / Lk 13:1-9
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon
On this third Sunday of Lent, I have a confession to make. I really, really like the PBS series “Downton Abbey.” So now, guys, before you start cutting up my man card, hear me out. It’s British, which just automatically raises its cool factor. Think “The Beatles.” But as a preacher, I also like the way the series handles moral dilemmas. They don’t present them in a shallow, superficial way. They dig deep into them and explore all sides of various issues, and they do this masterfully. (more…)
KEEP READINGSecond Sunday of Lent
February 21, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Gn 15:5-12, 17-18 / Ps 27 / Phil 3:17-4:1 / Lk 9:28B-36
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor
From time to time, you see sales representatives in a store who ask to spray perfume on you. They hope that you will like the scent and purchase some of the perfume. It is also not uncommon in movie theaters, on TV and on the internet, that you are shown trailers of coming movies. The theater owners and movie producers hope that giving you a foretaste of coming feature films will convince you to come back and see the entire movie. (more…)
KEEP READINGFirst Sunday of Lent
February 14, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Dt 26:4-10 / Ps 91 / Rom 10:8-13 / Lk 4:1-13
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor
During the season of Lent we remind ourselves that our prayers are most effective when they are accompanied by sacrifice. At fourteen degrees outside, it’s surely a sacrifice to be here this morning. If somebody tells you that he or she is tempted to walk to church this morning instead of driving, you will find difficulty in believing it. But if you say that you are tempted to sleep in instead of coming to Mass, everybody will easily believe you.
This is what temptation is all about: taking life the easy way. (more…)
KEEP READINGAsh Wednesday
February 10, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Jl 2:12-18 / Ps 51 / 2 Cor 5:20-6:2 / Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor
In the middle of winter, we may find it a little challenging to picture in our minds the season of Spring, with its colorful flowers and green leaves. But we all know that in a few weeks, these seemingly dead trees around us will come to life again. It will help us and make us feel better, if we remind ourselves and each other, time and again, that this particular season will pass and give way eventually to much warmer weather. (more…)
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