Love Changes Everything

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
December 25, 2021 — Year C
Readings: Is 52:7-10 / Ps 98 / Heb 1:1-6 / Jn 1:1-18
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

I’ve always had a special feeling for Christmas, because Christmas is one of the best memories I have of my childhood.  I remember that in the Philippines, every Christmas after we attended Midnight Mass, my parents and siblings gathered together to watch the fireworks.  After that, we prayed together and had our meal.

This is what Christmas is:  It is fathers, mothers, children.  It is learning how to love.  It is learning how to care.  It is learning how to be the people that we really want to be and know we can be, if we have enough faith in ourselves and in the people around us. (more…)

Our Guiding Star

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8, 2021 — Year C
Readings: Gn 3:9-15, 20 / Ps 98 / Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 / Lk 1:26-38
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

St. Thomas Aquinas once said, “As sailors are guided by a star to the port, so are Christians guided to heaven by Mary.”

It is a nice coincidence, as we prepare to commemorate the birth of Jesus with the Advent season, that we also have this season to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the womb of her holy mother, Saint Anne, the wife of Joachim.  The feast we celebrate today, the Immaculate Conception, is that of Mary being conceived by her mother, Saint Anne, not Jesus conceived by Mary. (more…)

Good and Generous

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 7, 2021 — Year B
Readings: 1 Kgs 17:10-16 / Ps 146 / Heb 9:24-28 / Mk 12:38-44
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Two widows are featured in this Sunday’s readings.  The first one is from our first reading, when the prophet Elijah asked for water and bread from a widow that he saw picking up sticks.  At that time there was a great famine in that area, and only one meal was left for the widow and her son.  But even in that situation, the widow did not refuse to help the starving prophet.  She believed the prophet’s word that God would provide for them during this time of famine, and yet, her jar did not run out of flour and her bottle did not run out of oil until the drought was over, as Elijah had said.  So, the widow in our first reading experienced that God would never neglect a person who does good. (more…)

Choose to Love

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 31, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Dt 6:2-6 / Ps 18 / Heb 7:23-28 / Mk 12:28b-34
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

There is a story told of a man who was liberated from a concentration camp in WWII. He was called “Wild Bill Cody.” They called him that because the man had an unpronounceable seven-syllable Polish name and a handlebar moustache like the ones on Old West heroes.

While the rest of the Jewish prisoners were emaciated and haggard, Wild Bill was in excellent condition. Because of his amazingly good health, the Americans assumed that he had been in prison a very short time.  When his papers came through, however, they showed that Wild Bill had lived on a starvation diet and slept in airless, disease-ridden barracks for six years – just like the rest of the prisoners.  But Wild Bill had done it without physical or mental deterioration. (more…)

Who Will Choose the Son?

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 19, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Wis 2:12, 17-20 / Ps 54 / Jas 3:16-4:3 / Mk 9:30-37
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Who is above all of us?  Who is the most powerful?  Who is the most respected?  In today’s gospel, this is what the apostles were arguing about.  As Jesus spoke of His coming pain, the disciples insisted on exaggerating themselves.

Our gospel today reminds me of a beautiful story that moved me.  It is about a wealthy man and his son, who loved to collect rare works of art.  They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael.  They often would sit together at night and admire the great works of art. (more…)

Who Do You Say That I Am?

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 12, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Is 50:5-9a / Ps 116 / Jas 2:14-18 / Mk 8:27-35
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

There is a story about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson on a camping trip.  As they lay sleeping one night, Holmes woke Watson and said,

“Watson, look up into the sky and tell me what you see.”

Watson said, “I see millions of stars.”

Holmes asked, “And what does that tell you?”

Watson replied, “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.  Theologically, it tells me that God is great and that we are small and insignificant.  Meteorologically, it tells me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.  What does it tell you?”

Holmes answered, “Someone stole our tent.” (more…)

Understanding the Holy Spirit

Pentecost Sunday
May 23, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Acts 2:1-11 / Ps 104 / 1 Cor 12:3B-7, 12-13 / Jn 20:19-23
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

On this day we celebrate the Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples, which is also the birthday of our Church.

This week I was talking on the telephone to my friend, deacon candidate, and acolyte extraordinaire, Mark DeLaHunt. He said to me, “The Holy Spirit is the most powerful person of the Holy Trinity, because He’s the only one of the Three whose name no one takes in vain.” (more…)

Love One Another

Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 9, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 / Ps 98 / 1 Jn 4:7-10 / Jn 15:9-17
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Most of you who know me know also that my wife is a middle school music teacher. She normally teaches Chorus and Music Appreciation, but this year it has been exclusively Music Appreciation. She teaches 6th graders, so you can imagine that some of them don’t have the best attitude going into it. (more…)

Open to Grace, Now

The Resurrection of the Lord
April 4, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Acts 10:34a, 37-43 / Ps 118 / Col 3:1-4 / Jn 20:1-9
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Today we celebrate the glorious resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ! The tomb is empty! Jesus has destroyed death, and He has gone to Galilee. That’s the story we hear in the gospels.

Last night, at the Easter Vigil, we had nine readings. Father Sal explained to us that the first seven are actually a love story – the love story between God and His people. (more…)

Our Eternal Mother

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8, 2020 — Year B
Readings: Gn 3:9-15, 20 / Ps 98 / Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 / Lk 1:26-38
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

The Blessed Mother has always been taking good care of her children. Even before she was the mother of the Lord, she had already devoted her life to God’s service.

Many of you know that I grew up in the Philippine Islands in the very small town of Barcelona. Many years ago there was a town jail there, very near to the church. No one was usually in the jail. (more…)