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Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
April 13, 2025—Year C
Readings: Lk 19:28-40 / Is 50:4-7 / Ps 22 / Phil 2:6-11 / Lk 22:14–23:56
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor
Today we stand at the threshold of the most sacred week of the liturgical year. Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, begins with joyful acclamations as Jesus enters Jerusalem, and quickly moves into the depth of suffering and sorrow, as we read in the Passion narrative. The liturgy swings between triumph and tragedy, praise and persecution. We have palm branches, but we also listen in silence to the Passion. This contrast is intentional. It reflects the reality of our Christian journey, a path of glory that comes through the cross.
Palm Sunday marks the solemn beginning of Holy Week, the most sacred time in the liturgical calendar. It is a day of paradoxes. We begin with the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, palms waving and voices raised in joyful acclamation, only to journey with Him into betrayal, suffering, and death. The liturgy captures the shift, moving from celebration to silence, from “Hosanna!” to “Crucify Him!” This liturgical tension invites us to enter not just into an event of the past, but into a mystery that speaks powerfully to our present lives.
The processional gospel of Luke recounts Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, riding a colt, a sign of humility and peace, rather than military power. The crowds shout, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” Yet we know that these same voices will later cry out for His crucifixion. This moment fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 portraying Jesus as the Messianic King who comes, not to conquer by violence, but to save through self-sacrificing love.
The Church teaches that this act reveals a fundamental truth about God’s kingdom. It is rooted in humility and peace, not power or domination. Jesus is the king who reigns not from a throne of gold, but from the wood of the cross.
In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah introduces us to the suffering servant, a figure who listens obediently to God, offers no resistance to abuse, and endures disgrace with unwavering trust. “I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.” The Church sees in this passage a foreshadowing of Christ who fulfills this prophecy in His Passion. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Jesus identifies Himself with the Suffering Servant. He makes Himself an offering for sin, taking upon Himself the suffering due to us. This invites us to see suffering, not as defeat, but as a pathway of redemptive love when united with God’s will.”
Our second reading presents the kenosis of Christ. In Christian theology, kenosis, from the Greek word meaning emptying, refers to the self-emptying of Jesus, particularly His voluntary limitation of His divine powers and the assumption of human form as described in Philippians 2:7-8. Saint Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, presents what is considered one of the earliest Christian hymns. It celebrates the humility of Christ, who though He was in the form of God, emptied Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. This self-emptying, or kenosis, leads to His exaltation: “At the name of Jesus every knee should bend and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
Here we find the heart of Christian discipleship. The path to glory runs through humility. It is by laying down our lives, our pride, our need for control, that we share in Christ’s victory. Christ’s Passion is not merely a tragedy, but a triumph of love over sin and death.
Luke’s account of the Passion offers a deeply human and merciful portrait of Jesus. We witness His anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, His betrayal, and Peter’s denial. He is unjustly condemned, mocked, scourged, and crucified and yet His compassion never fades. On the cross He prays, “Father forgive them.” To the repentant thief He promises, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” Even in death, Jesus remains the face of divine mercy.
Our gospel today invites us to recognize the countless ways Christ continues to suffer today, in the poor, the sick, the lonely, the persecuted. His suffering is not abstract. It is personal and He invites us to accompany Him, not as spectators but as disciples willing to carry the cross.
Pope Francis in his Palm Sunday homily of 2020 said, “Let us look to the cross and say, with You, Jesus, I will journey from death to life. Let us take the path of love. Only love can save the world.” This beautifully captures the essence of Palm Sunday. To walk with Jesus through Holy Week is to embrace the mystery of a love that saves through self-giving. We are not merely recalling past events. We are being drawn into them.
What connects all of these reading is the theme of obedient, redemptive love. The Suffering Servant of Isaiah, the humility of Christ in Philippians, and the merciful king in Luke, all reveal that God’s glory is manifested not in domination, but in service and sacrificial love.
Palm Sunday is not just a day of remembrance. It is a day of transformation. It challenges us to ask, “Who is this Jesus I follow? Am I willing to walk with Him, not only in moments of celebration, but also in the shadow of the cross?” The Church encourages us this week to make a spiritual pilgrimage. Through the liturgy, we do not simply observe Jesus’ Passion. We enter into it. We are called to be present in His suffering, to unite our own sufferings with His and to prepare our hearts for the glory of the resurrection.
In a world marked by war, division, pride, and consumerism, the Passion offers a radical counter-narrative. Jesus shows us that true strength lies in humility and that salvation comes through love, not through force. He teaches us to choose humility over self-promotion, to forgive those who hurt us as He forgave, to stand with the suffering, just as Simon, the Cyrenian, helped carry the cross, and love even when it costs us something.
Sometimes we may feel that we run out of hope, but then there is Jesus. Many today carry heavy crosses: the burden of illness, grief, anxiety, and injustice that weigh heavily on their hearts. Palm Sunday invites us, not to look away from this suffering but to enter into it with Christ, walking alongside Him and one another with presence, prayer, and compassion. In moments when we run out of strength and hope, we discover that we are not alone, for then there is Jesus who meets us in our pain and carries us through it. As we carry palms into our homes today, let them be signs of our willingness to follow Christ, not only in moments of glory, but also in the path of the cross. Discipleship means standing by Jesus, not just in triumph, but in suffering.
Holy Week has begun. Let us walk it with reverence, with love, with a heart open to the grace of the Passion. In doing so, we will discover the truth at the heart of our faith: that the way of the cross is the way to life.
KEEP READINGFifth Sunday of Lent
April 6, 2025 — Year C
by Rev. Mr. Mark De La Hunt, Permanent Deacon
Readings: Is 43:16-21 / Ps 126 / Phil 3:8-14 / John 8:1-11
Today we begin the 5th week of Lent and next week is Holy Week. It kicks off with Palm Sunday and Lent officially ends when Holy Thursday begins the Holy Triduum.
I strongly encourage you to make a Lenten resolution, and whatever sacrifice you need to make, to attend Holy Thursday Mass, Good Friday Liturgy, and Easter Vigil Mass Saturday night. I attended my first Triduum at the age of 25 and it was a conversion moment. It opened my mind and heart to more fully grasp Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. The Triduum helped me make sense of the transition from the austerity of Lent to the joy of Easter.
If you recall, the week before Lent began, I preached on Jesus’ invitation to become more like Him. I suggested doing this through practicing the Virtues and living the Beatitudes with the help of the Holy Spirit’s gifts, which perfect and complete our virtue and make us more docile before God’s will. If you accepted that spiritual challenge or something equally daunting, you likely failed one or more times in the past four weeks.
If you have failed or simply need to dig deeper, I encourage you with the motto of Venerable Bruno Lanteri who founded the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, “Nunc Coepi,” Latin for “Now I begin.” It’s a Catholic way of saying, “Never give up. Never surrender to failure or mediocrity in the spiritual life!” (Venerable is a title for one of “heroic virtue,” under consideration for sainthood.)
We have, if I did my Catholic Lenten math correctly, nine days of Lent left to strive with grace to become more like Jesus. Think of those nine days as a living Lenten novena. Today’s gospel gives us hope to try. Jesus told the woman who committed adultery, “I do not condemn you. Go and do not sin any more.” (Jn 8: 11) Nunc Coepi.
Jesus saw something in that woman that was worth saving. Jesus is like Michelangelo, the great Italian sculptor, who once said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” Jesus saw a mini-Christ in the woman who committed the sin of adultery. He sees a mini-Christ in you and me and is chiseling and carving us to free us to be holy enough to one day enter God’s presence in heaven.
Here is a personal story where Jesus revealed this spiritual reality to me. I began my Lent focused on practicing the Virtues and the Beatitudes with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Ten days in, speaking with Jesus during prayer using Ignatian meditation, He revealed to me a weakness that He hit with His chisel the day before.
The day He spoke of was when I was driving to a doctor’s appointment in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (You may have driven this trip before. You get off 29 south in Danville and turn left onto highway 86 to Yanceyville, a long rural two-lane road.) For the first time in making that trip, I ended up behind a slow 18-wheeler. I kept looking for opportunities to pass it, with no luck. Anxiety was gnawing at me, as these appointments take months to get. I kept praying, “Jesus I trust in you.” It was Lent and I was on my game!
The truck eventually turned off that road and I was able to speed up and get back on schedule. I thanked Jesus for His grace in staying calm. I made my final turn off the interstate, a turn I have made several times the past four years. But for whatever reason, it did not look right, and I ignored my GPS, looking for a familiar place to turn. I was falling behind schedule. I became very agitated, not only about being late, but also because of this unsettling sense of losing my memory with age. Panic set in.
Praying to St. Joseph for help, I found the medical center. I walked hurriedly through the parking garage, still feeling agitated. An older woman up ahead lost her balance a little and a woman closer to her, offered to help her. The woman who stumbled said she was fine. The helpful woman and I continued on our way, but the helpful woman stopped again, turned around and asked the other lady if she was sure she did not want some help. The lady said she was sure, and we proceeded to the medical center. Wrapped up in my anxiousness to get to my appointment, I never said a word. I did not affirm the helpful lady, nor encourage the one who stumbled.
Now, back to my Ignatian meditation the following day: Jesus asked if the woman in the garage that I failed to help was on my mind? I said, “Yes.” Then I asked somewhat cheekily, “Did you place that slow 18-wheeler in front of me and cause me to lose my sense of direction on the way to my doctor’s appointment?” He said, “Yes.” I felt His divine chisel hit. I was so disappointed in myself, for failing His test, especially because a couple of months earlier, I had preached on saints always being available to help. And even more so, because I was wearing my Roman collar in case someone wanted prayer in the waiting room. I felt the chisel strike again, and cringed thinking what that helpful woman must have thought about Catholic clergy after seeing my indifference to someone in need.
Jesus told me that the helpful woman’s two attempts to lend aid were grace he sent me to try and awaken me. Another strike of His chisel. He said that I tend to focus so much on schedules and tasks that I miss opportunities to love. The divine chisel hurts. But then he encouraged me to begin again. Nunc Coepi. He told me that my focus for Lent was to be always ready to help, even when I am in a rush. He then told me He took care of the lady in need and that He loved me. It was as if He said, “Mark, I do not condemn you. Go and do not sin any more. Be ready to help another even when feeling rushed.”
What is really cool is that a week before my trip, God’s grace began preparing my heart for His divine chisel. Just three days into Lent, due to a history of failure in other areas of my life, I wondered if I was progressing at all in becoming more like Jesus. I told my spiritual director, Fr. Joe, about my failures and asked him if I was progressing. He shared that Michelangelo quote about freeing the angel in the marble and spoke of Jesus using a chisel to sculpt us. Two days later in Confession, the priest mentioned the chisel metaphor. And then on Hallow I heard a St. Maximilian Kolbe quote on Jesus’ chisel. Before this time, I had not heard that metaphor before. (Pay attention when God repeats Himself three times!) Fr. Joe then prayed these words from the French priest and scientist, Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin:
“Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything
to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something
unknown, something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress
that it is made by passing through
some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.
And so I think it is with you;
your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances
acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.
Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you [chiseling],
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.”
Fr. Joe then encouraged me with the reminder that the sculpting Jesus begins in this life is often not finished until after death, in purgatory. There He chisels whatever else we need to be freed from, to be that person we have so long desired to be, that angel in the marble that our Lord has seen from the moment of our conception, that real me and real you that He refuses to condemn IF we seek His forgiveness AND surrender to his divine chisel.
With all of that in mind, listen again to God speaking to us from today’s readings where He invites us to pray with Fr. Bruno Lanteri, “Nunc Coepi. Now I begin.”
From Isaiah on Nunc Coepi: “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!…the people whom I formed for myself.” (Is 18-19;21) (The chiseling began when He made us a new creation in Baptism.)
From the Psalmist on Nunc Coepi: “Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.” (Ps 12: 5) (Chiseling hurts and may even bring tears, but surrendering to it brings about amazingly wonderful transformation.)
From Philippians: St. Paul writes on Jesus not being done chiseling him, “I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession [of being a mini-Christ]. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind [our failures] but straining forward to what lies ahead [Nunc Coepi], I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3: 13-14)
As for the gospel, Jesus speaks words that transform the hearts of His enemies from accusation to compassion, from trying to punish to letting go and letting God. Listen to Jesus, this time imagining Him looking directly at you with a stone in your hand. “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” (Jn 8:7) Then see His look of love for the person you want to stone and hear Him say, “Has no one condemned you?…Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” (Jn 8:11) [Now that person can say Nunc Coepi, Now I begin.]
Never forget this truth: Jesus is God and His words have power to make all things new! (Rev 21:5) He said, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone,” and the angry mob became a compassionate community. He said, “Lazarus come out,” and the dead man came out. “This is my body,” and the bread became His flesh. Just as His words still change the bread into His flesh today, so too did His words do something new in those listening back then and continue to bring about something new in us listening right now. Not only can we see where WE need chiseling, but through His grace, we also can now see the angel in others striving to be freed. With your newly chiseled eyes and heart, be patient and compassionate with one another. And for others and yourself, “Trust in the slow work of God.”
Now, let’s seek the intercession of a saint who was an expert with a chisel and who taught Jesus how to use one too:
St. Joseph, you chiseled wood to make it beautiful and to make it strong enough to withstand the storms and abuse of life. Pray for us that we forget what lies behind and surrender to your carpenter son’s chisel, trusting He will make us new, freed to be like Him. Amen.
Nunc Coepi, my friends. Now we begin!
KEEP READINGFifth Sunday of Lent
March 9, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Deut 26:4-10 / Ps 91 / Rom 10:8-13 / Lk 4:1-13
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor
As we begin the sacred season of Lent, the Church invites us to reflect on Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, where He faced temptation. Lent is a time of spiritual renewal, a journey through the desert of our lives, where we are called to turn away from sin and prepare our hearts for Easter. Today’s readings guide us in understanding the significance of faith, obedience, and trust in God as we confront our own struggles.
In the first reading, Moses instructs the Israelites to bring their first fruits as an offering to the Lord, remembering how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. This emphasizes gratitude and trust in God’s providence. The Israelites acknowledge that their freedom and blessings are not of their own making but are gifts from God. This act of remembering and thanksgiving strengthens their relationship with Him. Similarly, we are called to recognize God’s work in our lives, responding with faith and devotion.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans, reminds us that salvation is near: “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” He teaches that confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection lead to salvation. This passage highlights that salvation is available to all who call upon the Lord with faith. Paul emphasizes that righteousness does not come through human effort alone but through belief in Christ. Our Lenten journey should be one of deepening this faith and surrendering to God’s grace.
There is a story of an exasperated motorist who parked his car in a no-parking zone. He attached the following message to the windshield: “I have circled this block twenty times. I have an appointment to keep. ‘Forgive us our trespasses.’” When the owner of this car returned, he found this reply attached to his own note: “I have circled this block for twenty years. If I don’t give you a ticket I will lose my job. ‘Lead us not into temptation.’”
Today’s gospel passage from St. Luke tells us that Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit into the desert, is tempted by the devil. Our first parents were tempted but they failed. The Israelites were tested in the desert, and they also failed. Jesus is tempted, and He wins. The temptation of Jesus is always read on the first Sunday of Lent. One of the reasons this passage is read every first Sunday of Lent is because Jesus’ forty days in the desert is paralleled with the forty days of Lent. The gospel recounts Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. After fasting for forty days, He is confronted by the devil, who tempts Him with physical comfort, which is turning stones to bread; worldly power, which is authority over kingdoms; and testing God, which is jumping from the temple. Jesus resists each temptation by relying on the word of God, demonstrating His unwavering obedience to the Father. His victory over temptation is not just for Himself, but for all humanity.
Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness serves as a profound revelation of His role as the Messiah, countering worldly expectations of power. Through entering our weaknesses and being tested yet sinless, He vanquished temptation for humanity. The Church commemorates this mystery annually during Lent, inviting believers to confront their own wilderness experiences with trust in God’s presence and help.
All three readings highlight faithfulness to God. In Deuteronomy, the Israelites remember God’s past faithfulness and respond with gratitude. In Romans, Paul affirms that salvation comes through faith in Christ. The gospel reveals Jesus as the model of perfect obedience, resisting temptation and remaining faithful to God’s will. These readings remind us that, like Jesus, we must trust in God’s word and resist the temptations that lead us away from Him.
The Church teaches that temptation itself is not sin, but a test of our faith and reliance on God. Christ’s victory over temptation shows us that we are not alone in our struggles. Through prayer, fasting, and reliance on scripture, we can overcome the temptations that challenge our faith. Christ’s victory over temptation is achieved through His loving obedience to the Father. Understanding and following the Father’s will is very essential for our lives. Neglecting it leads to spiritual loss, while fulfilling it leads to sanctity.
Emphasizing obedience as the core of our faith, we are called to align our actions with divine guidance. We face many temptations on a daily basis: materialism, power, selfishness, and destruction of our spiritual lives. The season of Lent calls us to turn from these temptations and turn to God. We can do this through: first, prayer, deepening our relationship with God and seeking His guidance during moments of temptation; second, by fasting, detaching from worldly distractions to focus on what truly matters; third, through almsgiving, serving others as an expression of our faith and gratitude.
To fully enter into the spirit of Lent, let us reflect: Do we prioritize our relationship with God? Are we using the season to grow in faith or are we distracted by the world? How can we be more generous with our time and resources? By embracing these Lenten practices, we follow Christ’s example and draw closer to God. When we face our own wilderness experiences, we must remember that Jesus has already won the victory for us. With faith and obedience, we too can overcome temptation and grow in holiness.
As we journey through Lent, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, who conquered temptation for our sake. Let us embrace this season as an opportunity to renew our faith, trust in God, and commit ourselves to His will. May our Lenten journey lead us to Easter with our hearts transformed and strengthened in Christ.
KEEP READINGFeast of the Presentation of the Lord
February 2, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Mal 3:1-4 / Ps 24 / Heb 2:14-18 / Lk 2:22-40
by Rev. Mr. Mark De La Hunt, Permanent Deacon
Today the Holy Mother Church turns our focus to Mary and Joseph presenting Baby Jesus to the Lord in the temple. This is the Fourth Joyful Mystery of the rosary. One fruit of that mystery is obedience to the religious teachings of the Church in emulation of Mary and Joseph who faithfully followed the law God gave to His people. In this homily we will dispel the false teaching that religious practices are empty manmade traditions and ponder ways to awaken in ourselves the Holy Spirit’s gift of piety.
Let’s zoom out for a minute and recap today’s scripture passages. Malachi prophesies about today’s gospel writing, “Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple…behold, He is coming.” (Mal 3:1-2)
King David’s prayer in the psalm also points to the gospel: “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of Glory may come in.” (Ps 24: 9)
In the second reading from Hebrews, we hear temple language about Jesus as both priest and sacrifice: “…He had to be made like His brethren in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest…to make expiation for the sins of the people.” (Heb 2:17)
And as always, the gospel ties it all together in Jesus who is the King of Glory entering the temple “…when His parents brought in the child Jesus to be offered up to God.” (Lk 2: 27)
Did you catch the sacramental language in Malachi’s words about Jesus coming to the temple? “He is like a refiner’s fire and a fuller’s soap…He will purify the sons of Levi…till they present right offerings to the Lord.” (Mal 3: 3) On the cross, from the side of Jesus’ body, which is the new temple, there poured out the waters of baptism and the blood of the Eucharist. These refine us. Baptism takes away our sin and makes us priests like Malachi’s “sons of Levi,” and in the Eucharist our High Priest purifies us.
How often do we forget that when we were baptized, our body too, became a temple in which the Holy Spirit, third person of the Holy Trinity, dwells? That was God’s plan just as Jesus shared it with the Samaritan woman at the well, “…the hour…is now here when true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit.” (Jn 4: 23-24)
What do you need to do in your life to “lift the gates” of your “temple” so that Jesus, the King of Glory, may enter? What must we do to invite the Holy Spirit more fully into our mind, body, and soul? What gate-raising religious practices are we not taking advantage of? Has the weight of our unforgiven sin pulled the gate down? What tangible things can we do to raise the gates to our mind, body, and soul?
In this gospel passage, Luke mentions five times that Mary and Joseph observed the laws God gave His people, so it must be important. Those laws included religious practices, not for God, for He needs nothing. The religious practices are for the people, because God who knows us better than we know ourselves, knows we need religious laws and practices to draw us closer to Him in a unity of mind-body-soul. (All three must be in accord with Christ if we are to live life abundantly as Jesus desires.) Jesus founded the Holy Mother Church, the Catholic religion, to guard and proclaim His teachings through religious practices. Human beings need structure. What religious practices does the Church require us to be obedient to?
The Catechism states that there are five “positive laws decreed” by the Church to “guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor.” (CCC 2041) These five precepts or laws are:
The Church calls these the “very necessary minimum.” If they are the minimum, what was not listed that, if observed or practiced, will also lift those gates? The right way to answer that question is to begin by asking the Holy Spirit to increase the gift of piety that we received when we were confirmed in the Spirit. (Is 11) (Consider praying in the Spirit with the HNM Holy Spirit Prayer Ministry Tuesdays at 7 PM.) Piety is the act of showing honor and reverence to God through religious practices. Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna model piety for us.
Piety includes many devotions, the supreme one being the adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist, what the Catechism calls a blend of love and humility. (CCC 2628) Other devotions include praying the Holy Rosary, praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and other memorized prayers like the Angelus (usually done at noon, while facing in the direction of the nearest Catholic Church). Other devotions include availing yourself of sacramentals such as dipping your finger in the holy water, blessing yourself in the Holy Trinity, kissing your Bible, or kissing Jesus’ body on a crucifix.
Another form of piety is holy reading of the writings of saints, spiritual masters, and sacred scripture. Fr. Tim Gallagher, a spiritual master, suggests reading one page a day so that you always have something spiritually fresh coming into your life. In addition to the Bible, St. Augustine’s book, Confessions, and Thomas a Kempis’s book, Imitation of Christ, consist of short reflections that make this easier. And, if you pray the Liturgy of the Hours, Night Prayer, you will pray Simeon’s canticle from today’s gospel “so that like Simeon, [you] may end your day and life in God’s peace.”
Here are a couple more thoughts from the faithful on piety. I like this quote: “Piety helps the beauty of God to become manifest in the heart.” Seeing God’s beauty in Adoration and in the goodness of holy people come to mind. Here is another good quote: “The gift of piety is a constant awareness of God’s presence.
The one act of piety that has aided me the most in staying aware of God’s presence is the St. Ignatius Daily Examen. At the end of our day in the Examen, we look at our day through God’s eyes, the eyes of a Father who loves us more than we can imagine. We seek His help in listing His gifts great and small (a hot cup of coffee on a cold morning, catching all the green lights, good news from the doctor.). We reflect on how our emotions moved us toward or away from Him. We list those actions for which we should rejoice and those for which we should seek forgiveness. Finally, we request His help with the big and small tasks and acts of piety in the upcoming day.
Since I began doing the Daily Examen this past Advent, I have noticed that I am more aware of God’s presence throughout my busy days. I had a work meeting that I knew might cause some anxiety and had asked for His help in it. The next day, during that meeting when I felt a bit anxious, I remembered that in my Daily Examen the night before, I had asked for His help, and that comforted me and made me aware of His presence. He is always present of course, but acts of piety help us become aware of His presence and care.
Here is a piety story for you. Years ago, my wife and I purchased a St. Joseph prayer kit for selling our home. You may be familiar with this. It has a statue of St. Joseph and a prayer card with instructions. We sought Joseph’s intercession and buried the statue upside down in the yard as prescribed. An hour or two later it was bothering me that we buried the statue in the dirt upside down. I went back out and dug it up, washed it off, and set it on branches of a bush, right side up. Seemed more dignified to me.
Our house, however, wasn’t selling. The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months and doubt crept in. The delay revealed our lack of faith, a realization that is a gift in itself. Once we had that gift, St. Joseph went to work. He revealed to us God’s faithfulness and care. Our house sold in the dead of winter with ten inches of snow on the ground in a bad real estate market. To make God’s love even more evident, the buyer was a person living in the same neighborhood! That sacramental St. Joseph statue sits prominently on my prayer desk where I worked on this homily. St. Joseph has become a dear friend, helper, and spiritual father to me. That is a fruit of piety.
Pray over today’s gospel for an increase in the Holy Spirit’s gift of piety that you may better honor and reverence God and grow in love of neighbor. And when your stomach growls at Mass from your Eucharistic fast, smile and imagine the Holy Spirit raising the gates to your mind, body, and soul.
Let’s close with an act of piety, seeking the help of Jesus’ pious Mom and Dad: Mary and Joseph, pray for us that we may observe your Son’s laws through His Church to increase our love for You and our neighbors. Amen.
KEEP READING
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 3, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Dt 6:2-6 / Ps 18 / Heb 7:23-28 / Mk 12:28b-34
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor
Brothers and sisters, our readings today show us a common theme of wholehearted love for God and neighbor. They highlight that true faith is rooted in all-encompassing love. True faith directs both our devotion to God and our relationship with our neighbors.
In the first reading, from Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Israelites to love God completely. This love isn’t a mere feeling. It is a command to orient our lives toward God. This teaching underlines that our love for God isn’t just an aspect of our life. It is our life. When Jesus calls us to love with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, He is calling us to a love that pervades every part of our being, guiding our thoughts, actions, and interactions with others.
Moses calls Israel to love God “with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” This love is a foundational command, intended to guide the entire life of the people. It is not a selective or partial love. It is a love that integrates all aspects of one’s life, reminding us that our relationship with God demands every part of who we are.
In the second reading, from the letter to the Hebrews, we see Jesus as the perfect high priest. Unlike the priests of old, who are limited by sin and death, Jesus’ priesthood is eternal. He mediates for us not with offerings of animals but with His own life, showing us the ultimate example of love. In this sacrificial love, we glimpse the fullness of what it means to love God with all we have. Through Christ, we are given not only the command to love, but also the means to love, drawing from His example and grace.
This passage builds on this theme, showing Jesus as eternal high priest, who embodies the perfect love for God and humanity. Through His sacrifice, Jesus displays love in its fullest form, bridging the gap between God and humanity. His example demonstrates that love is willing to sacrifice for the beloved, underscoring the depth and constancy of divine love.
In the gospel, Jesus is approached by a scribe who asked, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus responds by quoting the Shema of Deuteronomy: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” He then adds, “The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Here, Jesus weaves together love for God and love for neighbor, teaching us that the heart of our faith is love.
Most of us create or interpret laws in a complicated and sometimes funny way. Some of these laws are as follows:
Some of these laws likely originated as humorous exaggerations or myths that have since been debunked or repealed, while others were real but are now outdated or barely enforced.
In our gospel, Jesus simplifies and unites the Ten Commandments by declaring the two greatest commandments: to love God fully and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Jesus highlights that authentic love for God naturally extends to others. Thus, the theme of wholehearted love is complete when it flows outward, encompassing not just our relationship with God but also our commitment to caring for others.
Reflecting on these words, we find a timeless call to deepen our love for God and for others. Bishop Fulton Sheen once said, “If you do not live what you believe, you will end up believing what you live.” This statement captures the heart of our readings today. When we live in a way that truly reflects love for God and neighbor, our faith becomes not just something we believe but something we live. It transforms us and those around us.
Jesus’ words in the gospel offer us a practical and profound way to live out this command: to love God with our whole being is to bring every aspect of our life in harmony to His will. This means that our thoughts, our words, our actions, and even our ambitions are all shaped by our desire to serve God. And the second commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves, flows naturally from the first. We cannot claim to love God if we are indifferent to the needs of others.
Brothers and sisters, our readings call us today to begin each day by asking God to open our heart to His love. Before we can love others, we must receive love from God. Take time to pray. Read the scriptures in order for us to encounter God’s love, allowing it to shape your heart and actions. Let our love for Him flow into every aspect of our lives: relationships, work, and even leisure. As Bishop Sheen implied, when we let faith influence our actions, we are actively living what we believe.
In every encounter, let us remind ourselves that each person we meet bears God’s image. This may be especially challenging with difficult relationships, but Jesus calls us to a love that goes beyond convenience and comfort. Look for ways to serve. Listen and care for others as you would want others to care for you.
Let us also integrate love into our actions. Love is more than words. It is shown in what we do. This can be as simple as offering a kind word or lending a helping hand. It can also mean dedicating time to those in need; offering compassion to the suffering; listening to the lonely; or praying for those who are struggling.
The scribe’s response in today’s gospel reminds us that understanding God’s commandments is only part of the journey. Living them is the goal. Jesus commends him, saying, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” For us, too, the kingdom is close whenever we choose to love, whenever we respond with a yes to God’s call, both in our devotion to Him and in our care for our neighbors.
Our readings this Sunday remind us that love is the essence of faith. A love that involves the entirety of one’s heart, mind, and actions, transforming our relationship with God and the way we treat others. As we go forth, may we not only believe in the love of God but live it fully, becoming living witnesses to the greatest commandments, and in doing so, draw closer to God and His kingdom.
May Jesus Christ be praised.
KEEP READINGTwenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 22, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Wis 2:12, 17-20 / Ps 54 / Jas 3:16-4:3 / Mk 9:30-37
by Rev. Mr. Mark De La Hunt, Permanent Deacon
If you want to see a total mental meltdown, tell a toddler, “No.” YouTube is full of entertaining toddler tantrums. Where do they learn that behavior? Parents do not train them to do that. Truth is, we are all born that way. King David, in Psalm 51, wrote, “I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.” (Ps 51:5) You could say he is speaking of original sin. And no, I know toddlers cannot sin, for they are not at the age of reason. This is just an analogy. However, for those who are not baptized and not raised to know and love God and neighbor, the toddler tantrum syndrome continues into adulthood.
In the first reading, you see what I am talking about. “The wicked say: Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings.” (Wis 2:12) Adults do not like being told “no” any more than a toddler does. How many have left the Catholic Church because she binds and loosens in accordance with Jesus’ commands and with His authority? Many have left the Church because she says no to any marriage that is not between one man and one woman. Many others have left because of the Church saying no to divorce, to contraception and abortion, or even to capital punishment. To those people, the Catholic Church and her faithful children are “obnoxious.”
Just like those people in the first reading, those who view the Church as obnoxious, want to put us to the test. The LA Dodgers organization and Paris Olympic committee put us to the test, using cross-dressing men to belittle our consecrated religious sisters, the apostles, and Jesus, the Son of God, who died that they may be saved and that the poor may be given the good news. How can you not love Jesus?!
Today’s psalm shows us how to respond, “…haughty men have risen up against [us]…they set not God before their eyes. Behold, God is my helper…Freely will I offer You sacrifice; I will praise your name, O Lord, for its goodness.” (Ps 54:3,6) This is the Mass! We keep going to Mass to offer up the perfect sacrifice in a sacrament of thanksgiving, lifting our voices in praise by singing with the choir. The Mass inoculates us against the madness outside these walls. It heals our minds and hearts and helps us reset, emptying ourselves of resentment and anger towards “those who test us,” so that our Lord can fill us with His compassion and love.
In the second reading, the apostle James describes people behaving badly and helps us understand why. He writes, “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.” (Jas 3:16) He asks: “Where do wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?” (Jas 4:1) Then he tells them what they do not want to hear. “You ask [God] for [things] but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (Jas 4:3) No doubt, James’s words are obnoxious to many, maybe even to us in our low moments.
This brings us to the gospel, where Jesus, as always, shows us the way out of our mess. He coyly asks a question that He already knows the answer to. “What were you arguing about on the way?” (Mk 9:33) The apostles remain silent, and it is not hard to imagine them staring at their feet, too embarrassed to tell the Lord that they had been talking about who was the greatest. Their egos are an example of one of the passions James said are at war inside our hearts and minds.
This is something to stop and ponder! If we, who like the Twelve, walk with Jesus in our life, still fall to our passions on occasion, then surely those who do not walk with Jesus are absolutely enslaved by theirs. If you cannot say no to your passions, then you are bound and must obey a cruel master.
Jesus sits down (the typical posture of a teacher back then), calls the Twelve to Him, and says to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” (Mk 9:35 / Healy 185) To drive home the point, He puts His arms around a child.
The meaning of this action is better understood if we understand the original language and historical context. In Aramaic and Greek, the word for child can also mean servant. Children back then were “nonpersons who had no legal rights.” (Healy 186) Jesus was doing more than showing affection for the child. Dr. Mary Healy, a leading Catholic biblical scholar said, “He was teaching His disciples to have a whole new esteem for and responsibility toward those who seem the most helpless and inconsequential.” (Healy 186)
Regarding this lowly child, Jesus says, “Whoever receives one child such as this in My name, receives Me.” (Mk 9:37) Mary Healy opens up the astounding meaning of Jesus’ words. She wrote, “To receive a little one is to accept, lovingly serve, and care for those who most need it and cannot repay it. To receive “in Jesus’ name” is to welcome such a person for the sake of Jesus…This implies that Jesus identifies with those who are most insignificant in the eyes of the world – so much so that He Himself is mysteriously present wherever they are welcomed.” (Healy 186) Our active love for those in need, in response to Jesus’ grace, neutralizes those destructive passions James warns us about, both our personal passions and the passions that are out of control in some of those we serve.
So how do we engage those who see us as obnoxious, because we love and follow Jesus? Here are three steps that flow from today’s readings. And they are in proper order.
How do these three steps bring those who see us as obnoxious into the family of God? Those three steps, brothers and sisters, are how the Catholic Church flourished under the persecution of pagan Rome and eventually displaced paganism with Christianity. Those pagans thought Christians were obnoxious because their very way of living made pagans feel guilty. Nevertheless, they were in time brought into the Church family by the Good News of the Gospel.
The good news is love, and love conquerors all, even death. This is the “wisdom from above” that James spoke of. He said this wisdom is “first of all pure.” (Jas 3:17).” What is pure and from above? Love is pure and from above; thus, Matthew wrote, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God,” who is above. (Mt 5: 8)
Here is a closing analogy to sum this up. When, in purity of heart, a parent gives a toddler what it is often crying for, their loving attention, they fill its emotional fuel tank, and the toddler becomes peaceful (Dr. Campbell). So too, when we lovingly care for those in society who are most in need, it is seen by those testing us with toddler-like tantrums. And they are attracted to this pure love, for in it, they see what they truly seek in their fruitless, angry, and exhausting pursuit of their passions. They see the peaceful presence of Jesus, who is Love.
Remember these things when Father gives us the final blessing, and I tell you to, “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.” Amen.
CITATIONS
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Fifth Sunday of Easter
April 28, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Acts 9:26-31 / Ps 22 / 1 Jn 3:18-24 / Jn 15:1-8
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor
As we come to the Fifth Sunday of Easter, we find ourselves immersed in a season of renewal and growth. The readings for this Sunday offer profound insights into the themes of love, unity, and the transformative power of faith.
The first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, offers a powerful example of the transformative power of faith. We witness the conversion of Saul, who after encountering the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, undergoes a profound spiritual transformation. Formerly a persecutor of Christians, Saul becomes Paul, one of the greatest apostles of the early Church. His conversion serves as a reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace and mercy. It is never too late for redemption, and God can work miracles in the most unlikely of circumstances.
In the second reading, from the first letter of John, we are reminded of the centrality of love in the Christian life. Love is not merely a sentiment or emotion, but a concrete expression of our commitment to God and one another. As followers of Christ, we are called to love, not only in word or speech, but in deed and truth. Our love for others becomes a tangible sign of our discipleship and a reflection of God’s love for us.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus presents the metaphor of the vine and the branches, illustrating the intimate relationship between Himself and His disciples. Just as branches draw nourishment and life from the vine, so we too draw our strength and vitality from our connection to Christ. This imagery reminds us of the importance of remaining rooted in Christ, for apart from Him, we can do nothing.
This passage invites us to reflect on the nature of our own relationship with Christ. Are we actively abiding in Him, allowing His love to flow through us and bear fruit in our lives? Do we seek to cultivate a deep and abiding faith that sustains us through life’s trials and challenges? As we ponder these questions, we are called to recommit ourselves to the journey of discipleship, continually striving to deepen our connection with Christ and bear witness to His love in the world.
Somebody once compared a Christian to a basketball player. He said that to be a good player, it is not enough that you know how to dribble or avoid getting fouls. What matters most is to be able to shoot, to make points, and to be productive. We are called to not only observe and learn about Jesus, but also to allow Jesus and His presence, His message, His attitudes to become so much a part of us that Jesus lives in us, and we live in God and abide in each other. Further, we gain our source, our meaning, and our fruitfulness from that connection to Christ. Without Jesus, our efforts are misdirected and fruitless. Connected to Jesus, our actions and efforts can bear much fruit by God working in and through our lives.
The great saint Thomas Aquinas contended that we could have an idea of religion through the meaning of the three etymologies of the Latin word religio: to bind—religare, to read—legere, to choose— eligere. We are by nature religious beings. We come from God, and we’ll return to God. We can lead the fullness of human life if we fully bind ourselves with God. We read our life’s situation in the light of God’s kingdom, and we choose to love God above all things. Real happiness results when there is communion with God in our lives.
Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in Me and I in him, will bear much fruit.” The connection to this image of the vine and branches can’t help but highlight the importance of the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, Jesus comes to us in the form of food and drink. We take Jesus in, and He becomes part of us so that we may become more like Christ in our words, actions, and lives. The gospel you heard today is very special, because it shows us that we are all connected to our Lord. We are friends and members of Jesus.
What Jesus wants to teach us in today’s gospel is the extreme necessity for us to remain. What does to remain in Christ mean? To remain in Christ means first, to listen to Him and keep His words. Actually, we can refuse to listen to Him at all or we can listen to Him and then render Him lip service unsupported by any good deeds. We can accept Him as Lord and then abandon Him in the midst of difficulties and temptations or attribute all of our difficulties and temptations to Him.
Second, is to recognize that Christ alone is the real vine, and that without Him we can do nothing of value to God.
Third, is to live in the Church, which is the mystical body of Christ. (One of the popes appropriately said that one who does not have the Church as his or her mother cannot have God as his or her Father.)
Fourth, is to see God in all persons and things, even in our enemies and those things we do not like.
Fifth, is to have an active sacramental and prayer life. Do we always pray? Do we regularly attend Mass on Sundays? Do we avail ourselves of the sacrament of confession? How about if we spend just a few minutes talking about the word of God instead of talking about nothing?
Lastly, is to be convinced that there is a need to prune the structures, methods, approaches, and other things that have become old and obsolete in order to give way to new ones and to remain always with Christ, the everlasting, who Himself is the vine.
As we meditate on the readings this Sunday, may we be inspired to deepen our relationship with Christ, to bear fruit in our lives, and to love one another as He has loved us. May we, like the early disciples, be empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news of salvation and to be agents of transformation in the world.
KEEP READINGFourth Sunday of Easter
April 21, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Acts 4:8-12 / Ps 118 / 1 Jn 3:1-2 / Jn 10:11-18
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor
Perhaps you are already very familiar with Psalm 23, the most popular psalm, on the Good Shepherd. Jesus, in our gospel today, tells us that He came precisely so that we may live with that life, peace, and happiness described in Psalm 23. Part of it I will read to you:
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures He gives me repose.
Beside restful waters He leads me.
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths for His name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil.
For You are at my side with Your rod and Your staff that give me courage.”
As we ponder upon our readings this Sunday, our hearts are drawn to the profound imagery of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. In this beautiful passage from the Gospel of St. John, we are reminded of the tender care and unwavering love that Jesus, our Shepherd, extends to each of us.
As we reflect on this imagery, we are invited to contemplate our relationship with Jesus. Just as a shepherd knows his sheep by name and lays down his life for them, Jesus knows each of us intimately, and selflessly offers Himself for our salvation. It’s a comforting thought, knowing that amidst life’s uncertainties and challenges, we have a shepherd who guides, protects, and sustains us.
This middle Sunday of Easter season is traditionally celebrated as Good Shepherd Sunday. We lift up the particular image of Jesus and the way of thinking about God’s care for us. We hear the deeply comforting words of Psalm 23. We are reminded that Jesus not only protects us in our darkest hour, but that He freely laid down His life for us. What greater love can be imagined?
This image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is one that is well-known, and so it should be. When we think of Him in this image, it brings to our mind all kinds of images which recall the ways in which Our Lord cares for us. As stated in Psalm 23, God Himself is depicted in lovely ways as the shepherd of His people.
Perhaps most significantly are the promises that God makes through His prophets that, since no one else is worthy or able to assume the responsibility, He will Himself come and be His people’s shepherd. In His care, people will be safe, and they will be content.
With this in mind, we hear Jesus’ claim, and we cannot help but be struck by the significance of it. His claim is that He is God, come to His people as promised, to be their shepherd. He is the fulfiller of the long hopes of God’s people.
Why did Jesus use this image of the Good Shepherd? In Palestine, the shepherd brought the sheep into the sheepfold every night. It was a circular stone wall with an opening or door where the sheep entered. Once the sheep were inside for the night, the shepherd slept in that opening or door all night. The sheep could not get out without stepping over the shepherd’s body, which meant they would not get out at all during the night.
Jesus is the gate, and anyone who enters through Him will be safe and will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture. Others steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
The Church calls us to reflect on our role as sheep in Jesus’ flock. Do we listen attentively to His voice, trusting in His guidance, even when the path ahead seems unclear? Do we allow ourselves to be led to the green pastures of spiritual nourishment and the still waters of His peace? Or do we wander off, entangled in the destructions and temptations of the world?
Moreover, the image of Jesus as Good Shepherd challenges us to consider our own role as shepherds to others. How do we extend Christ’s love and compassion to those around us, especially to those who are lost, vulnerable, or in need of care? Are we willing to emulate Jesus’ sacrificial love, laying down our lives for the sake of others?
This Sunday is also known as Vocation Sunday, and vocations to the priesthood and the religious life are highlighted. There is something that we are asking of the Lord. There is something that we want of the Lord. We are asking the Lord to send more men and women to serve in His vineyard and especially more men to serve as shepherds as priests and deacons in the Church. Yet the fact is that many are called, but few have responded.
So let us ask the Lord to open the hearts of those He has called, so that they will follow the Good Shepherd in laying down their lives to serve God and His people. On our part, let us pray, and let us also encourage those who are discerning the call of the Lord, that may the Eternal Shepherd send us good shepherds who will serve with love and lead the people of God to green pastures and peaceful waters as well as through the valleys of darkness and distress.
In the vales of the world, often fraught with division and uncertainty, the image of the Good Shepherd offers us hope and reassurance. It reminds us that we are never alone, that we are cherished and protected by a Shepherd who will never abandon us. As we journey through life, let us strive to follow the voice of our Shepherd, trusting His guidance, and seeking to share His love with all whom we encounter.
May Jesus Christ be praised.
KEEP READINGPalm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
March 24, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Is 50:4-7 / Ps 22 / Phil 2:6-11 / Mk 14:1-15:47
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor
Today we embark on a profound journey that encapsulates the contrasting emotions of jubilation and solemnity, celebration and sacrifice. As we wave palm branches and chant “Hosanna,” we join the crowd in welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem, acknowledging Him as our King and Savior. Yet, intertwined with this triumphant entry, is the shadow of the cross looming over Him.
Today, the Church begins Holy Week with Palm or Passion Sunday. What is the correct title? Is it Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday? Well, actually, it is both. At the beginning of the Mass today, there is the blessing of the palm branches, and then there is the long gospel narrative of the suffering and death of Jesus. What does all of this mean as we begin Holy Week, going on to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter?
With Palm Sunday, we begin the yearly journey, a journey not so much toward a destination, but a journey into a sacred time. We follow Jesus as He accomplishes His Paschal Mystery, which is His suffering, death, and resurrection, or in simple terms, the saving mission of Jesus. Jesus wants to save us from our sins and bring us closer to God. The readings of Palm Sunday invite us to reflect deeply on the mysteries of Christ’s Passion, inviting us to walk alongside Him in His final moments.
In the gospel narrative, we witness the fickleness of human nature as the same crowd that hailed Jesus with hosannas later cries out for His crucifixion. This stark comparison challenges us to examine our own commitment to Christ. Are we truly devoted to Him, or do we falter when faced with adversity or societal pressure? From the depths of human weakness and sinfulness, Jesus wants to lift us up to God and to living a life of holiness, a life for which God has created us to live. As we walk with Jesus through St. Mark’s account of the Passion, we are challenged to answer, perhaps for the first time, or perhaps for the hundredth time, the Jesus question: Who is this man that died on the cross and what does His death have to do with me?
The painfully detailed description of Jesus’ sufferings will bear no fruit in us unless we face this question and offer our personal answer. Our answer may start us on a lifelong commitment to Christ, or it may deepen a commitment we made long ago. We may struggle with darkness and with many more questions and find ourselves on our knees at the foot of the cross, but we cannot walk away from the Passion without an answer.
There is so much to ponder as we read the account of the plot to kill Jesus, the anointing at Bethany, the treachery of Judas, the Passover preparations, Jesus’ prophecy of His betrayal, His institution of the Eucharist, His agony in Gethsemane, His betrayal, arrest, and trial, Peter’s denial, the judgement of Pilate, Jesus’ humiliation and torture, His crucifixion, death, and burial. We could spend a lifetime mining the depths of the Passion narrative and this would be a fruitful way to spend a lifetime.
The urgent issue, however is that we truly encounter Jesus through this story. We do not know how long our lifetime will be. We cannot wait. We cannot put off our answer until a tomorrow that may never come for us. The Passion narrative invites us to contemplate Christ’s unwavering obedience to the Father’s will, even in the face of immense suffering. Jesus’ agony in the garden of Gethsemane reveals the depth of His humanity as He grapples with the impending ordeal, but His prayer, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Still, not my will, but yours be done,” embodies the epitome of submission and trust in God’s plan.
As we meditate on Christ’s journey to Calvary, we are confronted with the harsh realities of sin and its consequences. The betrayal by Judas, the denial by Peter, and the abandonment by His disciples, serve as poignant reminders of human frailty and the prevalence of moral weakness. Yet, amidst these betrayals, Jesus extends forgiveness and compassion, exemplifying divine mercy in the face of human sinfulness.
At the heart of Palm Sunday lies the profound mystery of redemption, the sacrificial love of Christ poured out for our salvation. Jesus willingly embraces the cross, bearing the weight of our sins so that we may be reconciled with God. His cry of abandonment, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” echoes through the ages, encapsulating the depths of His solidarity with humanity in its darkest hour.
Palm Sunday beckons us to journey alongside Christ embracing the paradox of the cross, the instrument of suffering transformed into a symbol of victory and redemption. May we, like the faithful centurion who witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion, profess with conviction, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” May our hearts be stirred with gratitude for the immense sacrifice of love offered for our salvation, and may we respond with renewed dedication to follow Christ faithfully, even to the foot of the cross.
As we enter into Holy Week, no matter how many times we have walked the way of the cross with Jesus, watched Him die, attended His burial, and dwelt in darkness at the tomb waiting for the light, it is a time for us to face right now the central question, Who is this this man who died on the cross and what does His death have to do with me?
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Second Sunday of Lent
February 25, 2024 — Year B
Readings: Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 / Ps 116 / Rom 8:31b-34 / Mk 9:2-10
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor
As we journey through the Lenten season, the readings invite us to pause, reflect, and deepen our commitment to spiritual growth and transformation. This Sunday’s scriptures call us to embrace the call of discipleship, acknowledging the challenges and joys that come with following Christ.
The first reading, from the book of Genesis, recounts the story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac, demonstrating profound obedience and trust in God’s providence. Abraham’s faith challenges us to examine our own willingness to surrender our desires and plans to God, even when it requires great sacrifice. Like Abraham, we are called to trust that God will provide and to step out in faith, knowing that His promises are faithful and true.
In the second reading, from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans, we are reminded of the power of God’s grace to transform us from within. Paul writes of the assurance we have as heirs with Christ, heirs who are called to share in His suffering and glory. This passage invites us to reflect on the ways in which we are called to die to self and to live for Christ, allowing His grace to shape and mold us into His likeness.
The gospel reading from Mark recounts the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, where Peter, James, and John witness His divine glory. This extraordinary moment reminds us of the importance of encountering God in prayer and contemplation. Like the disciples, we are called to ascend the mountain of prayer, to seek moments of intimacy with God, and to be transformed by His presence. In these sacred encounters, we are reminded of our identity as beloved children of God and are empowered to live out our faith with courage and conviction.
There is a story of a young shepherd named David, who lived in a small village nestled between towering mountains. David was known throughout the village for his unwavering faith and his deep connection to the land. One day, as David led his flock to graze in the lush meadows, he felt a strange pull toward a distant mountain peak. Despite the warnings of his elders, David felt compelled to climb higher and higher, drawn by an inexplicable force.
As he ascended the rugged terrain, David encountered trials and obstacles along the way, but with each step he felt a sense of peace and purpose guiding him forward. Finally, after a long journey, David reached the summit of the mountain and there, in a breathtaking moment of revelation, he beheld a sight that filled him with wonder and awe. The sky seemed to open up, and a radiant light enveloped everything around him. In that divine moment, David experienced a profound connection to something greater than himself: a glimpse of the glory of God. It was a great mountaintop experience.
As he descended the mountain on the return to his village, David knew that he had been forever changed by his encounter with the divine. Though he could not fully describe the experience, he carried within him a newfound sense of purpose and clarity. From that day forward, David lived his life with a renewed sense of faith and devotion, sharing his story with all who would listen. And though some doubted his tale, those who truly listened could sense the truth in his words, a truth that transcended the limitations of human understanding.
In the gospel of St. Mark, Jesus’ disciples have been following Him and watching what He does. What they were seeing was the human side of Jesus, who was mostly healing people and telling them not to tell anyone, because He didn’t want to become known just as a healer. In earlier passages Jesus had healed a blind man and told him not to return to his village. He told the deaf man that he healed to tell no one. And He told the leper that He cured to tell no one anything.
In a previous passage in Mark, Jesus told His disciples that He would suffer greatly, be killed, and rise after three days. What kind of human leader could this be? So, to help His followers see more than His human side, Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a mountaintop to reveal His divine side. Even after that experience, Jesus wanted it to be a secret until after He had risen from the dead, because only then would His followers be able to understand that He was the Son of God.
The deeper meaning of Mark’s narrative for us during Lent is that, even after moments of transcendence and transformation, we must come back to earth, continue to hear the voice of Jesus, and follow Him on the way to the cross.
After the Transfiguration, Jesus’ followers had to leave their mountaintop experience and descend down the mountain to continue to follow Jesus and to do the more mundane things of building up the Kingdom. We too cannot continue to live on a mountaintop, but we have to come down to help build up the Kingdom. Like Peter, James, and John, we cannot remain there, but we have to come down to wherever we spend most of our regular life.
Jesus’ disciples did their part two thousand years ago. We must do ours in our home, school, place of work, in the parish, and wherever we connect with God’s people.
At Baptism, our ears were blessed to hear the Word of God, and our mouth was blessed to proclaim the Word of God. So, how is our proclamation going? Are we telling people about the way to salvation, or do we need to seek a mountaintop experience to set ourselves in motion? Just as Peter, James, and John witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, so too can we experience moments of profound transformation, when we open our hearts to the mystery and wonder of God’s presence in our life.
So, as we reflect on the readings today, may we be inspired to deepen our commitment to discipleship, to embrace the challenges and joys of the journey, and to trust in God’s unfailing love and providence. May we ascend the mountain of prayer, encounter Christ in His glory, and be transformed by His grace, so that we may shine as lights in the world, bearing witness to the love and mercy of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
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First Saturdays: 9:30 AM
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Confession: Wednesdays 5:45 PM to 6:45 PM
