To Whom Shall We Go?

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 22, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b / Ps 34 / Eph 5:21-32 / Jn 6:60-69
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

How do we act when we hear a doctrine or a teaching that is difficult to understand and difficult to do? Why do we seem to choose what we want to understand? Why do our ears buy only what we want to hear? After Jesus spoke of His body and blood being given for people as food and drink, many of his disciples said, the very first of our gospel today, “This teaching is hard. Who will receive this?” Because of this, many of them stopped following Jesus. (more…)

Be Good Shepherds

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 18, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Jer 23:1-6 / Ps 23 / Eph 2:13-18 / Mk 6:30-34
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

In our first reading, the prophet Jeremiah reveals God’s displeasure with the leaders of Israel at that time, because they thought only of their own interests and not the welfare of God’s people. We can understand how God feels, because even today, we can still experience that type of leader, even in the Church – leaders who don’t really work for the betterment of society. (more…)

St. Joseph, Model of Catholic Fatherhood

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
December 27, 2020 — Year B
Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 / Ps 128 / Col 3:12-21 / Lk 2:22-40
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Today is a feast that is particularly close to my heart. It is the Feast of the Holy Family. I have been particularly drawn to this feast because I am married and have children of my own. Of the members of the Holy Family – Jesus, Mary and Joseph – I am particularly fond of St. Joseph, possibly because I have always wanted to be like Joseph – a husband and father. It is particularly appropriate that we reflect on the life of St. Joseph today. (more…)

Owner’s Manual for Life

First Sunday of Advent
November 29, 2020 — Year B
Readings: Is 63:16B-17, 19B; 64:2-7 / Ps 80 / 1 Cor 1:3-9 / Mk 13:33-37
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Not too long ago, Bristol Street Motors conducted a study to find out how many motorists actually read the owners’ manual before driving their car. They found out that sixty percent don’t bother to read it, and I understand why. Reading the car manual is about as exciting as cleaning your oven or watching paint dry. (more…)

Love and the Law

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 25, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Ex 22:20-26 / Ps 18 / 1 Thes 1:5C-10 / Mt 22:34-40
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Ordinarily, nobody likes to be told what to do and what not to do. But for as long as we live, laws and restrictions will always be a part of our lives.

In my early years in the priesthood, I was assigned by my bishop to a remote village right next to the Pacific Ocean. Almost all the people there, including children, are skinny – probably because their primary means of transportation is walking. In a tropical country, this is very common. But every once in a while, I would see children who were overweight, and my question to them was always, “Do you live with your grandparents?” And their answer, 99.9% of the time was “yes.” (more…)

Find Yourself

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 28, 2020 – Year A
Readings: 2 Kgs 4:8-11, 14-16A / Ps 89 / Rom 6:3-4, 8-11 / Mt 10:37-42
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Life since the beginning of this pandemic has been far from normal. We have had to make sacrifices to help prevent the spread of the virus, and some of us are feeling that our freedom to do what we want to do has been curtailed, while others see it as just a reflection of our imperfect lives and the world we live in. We all have to do some things that we may not want to do, but we have to do them. That’s just what life in this world is all about. (more…)

Not Alone

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
June 14, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Dt 8:2-3, 14B-16A / Ps 147 / 1 Cor 10:16-17 / Jn 6:51-58
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Today our gospel comes from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John, and it is the famous Bread of Life discourse. But a little background helps us to understand exactly what’s going on in this gospel.

At the beginning of this chapter, Jesus feeds the five thousand. Needless to say, the people are impressed: this is a great miracle, and they want to see more. At that point, Jesus pushes back a little bit, and He says the words that we have heard today. (more…)

How Can This Be Possible?

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
January 1, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Nm 6:22-27 / Ps 67 / Gal 4:4-7 / Lk 2:16-21
by Deacon Michael Stinson, Guest Homilist

When I was in college, I often went to a particular convenience store that was near our campus. I usually went there in the evening to get coffee, when I was studying in one of the classrooms that was just across the road. The name of that store was “Tinee Giant.” I went there so often that I bought a mug with the store logo on it, and I still have it. For some reason they spelled “Tiny,” T-I-N-E-E.

That name, Tinee Giant, is what we call in English class an oxymoron. It’s a figure of speech that puts two things together that seem to be opposite, like tiny and giant. How can something be tiny and giant at the same time? I’ll bet you can think of more oxymorons: “jumbo shrimp”? That’s a favorite one. “Open secret,” “virtual reality,” “alone in a crowd,” “unpopular celebrity,” and of course, you can quote Shakespeare: a “damned saint,” an “honorable villain.” (more…)

Trying to See God

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 3, 2019—Year C
Readings: Wis 11:22-12:2 / Ps 145 / 2 Thes 1:11-2:2 / Lk 19:1-10
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

There are some questions there’s only one answer to….

… Like, when your wife asks, “How does my hair look?” There’s only one answer to that.

… When your kid comes up and says, “I drew this picture for you, Daddy. Will you put it up in your office?” There’s only one answer to that question. (more…)

The Power of Patience

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 6, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4 / Ps 95 / 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14 / Lk 17:5-10
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

There have been times in all of our lives when we have been in a very difficult situation, faced with a seemingly insurmountable problem. We offer prayers to the Lord God, but He seems not to be paying attention. All three of the readings today remind us to hold onto our faith if this happens, because God is always listening and He will answer our prayers in good time. (more…)