Presence: God’s Blessings

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 30, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Jer 20:7-9 / Ps 63 / Rom 12:1-2 / Mt 16:21-27
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A couple of decades ago, I had the privilege of being around a group of Religious who were just sparkling with joy. They are called Dominican Sisters of Sparkill and I happened to be their chaplain for a couple of years. I would say those were “heaven on earth” experiences. It was a joy to watch those nuns, especially those who lived in the retirement section and the infirmary. They spent the whole day thanking and praising the Lord. (more…)

God Answers Our Needs

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 2, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Is 55:1-3 / Ps 145 / Rom 8:35, 37-39 / Mt 14:13-21
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Last Friday, Gia Fuda, an 18-year-old girl from Washington state, went missing. Her car was found on a highway, out of gas, after more than a week of searching. Inquiries yielded negative results, but yesterday they found her alive in the heavily wooded Cascade Mountains east of Seattle. After being brought to the hospital, the girl could not coherently explain what really happened to her, or why she ended up in that deserted area in the first place. (more…)

Be Wise: Don’t Worry

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 26, 2020 – Year A
Readings: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12 / Ps 119 / Rom 8:28-30 / Mt 13:44-52
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

If you were here inside the church of Holy Name of Mary at exactly 11:00 AM—many of you were here earlier than that— you had a period of three and a half minutes of silence before Mass began. I presume you spent those three and a half minutes in praying, or at least being aware of God’s presence. (more…)

The Wisdom of Love

Pentecost Sunday
May 31, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Acts 2:1-11 / Ps 104 / 1 Cor 12:3B-7, 12-13 / Jn 20:19-23
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Not too long ago, during a gathering with brother Knights of Columbus, a man was wearing a t-shirt which said, “I am not 70 years old, I am an 18-year-old man with 52 years of experience.” Maybe you have seen this before. Many believe that experience gives us wisdom, which means the older we get, the wiser we should be. The years give us experience, therefore wisdom. (more…)

Walking and Talking With Jesus

Third Sunday of Easter
April 26, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Acts 2:14, 22-33 / Ps 16 / 1 Pt 1:17-21 / Lk 24:13-35
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Today, the beginning of the third week of the season of Easter, is also Sunday of the Word of God. Our Holy Mother Church wants to remind us how important Sacred Scripture is in our lives as Christians. We all know that words have power. They can create, encourage, strengthen, enlighten, and can even help us to recover from a serious illness. (more…)

Connecting With the Lord

Fifth Sunday of Lent
March 29, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Ez 37:12-14 / Ps 130 / Rom 8:8-11 / Jn 11:1-45
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Ever since I have had a Facebook account, I usually deactivate it during the season of Lent. Three years ago, after the forty days of Lenten season, for one reason or another, I just didn’t bother to reactivate it. So my Facebook account was practically dead for about thirty-six months. (more…)

Faith, Our Antidote for Fear

Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 22, 2020 – Year A
Readings: 1 Sm 16:1B, 6-7, 1-13A / Ps 23 / Eph 5:8-14 / Jn 9:1-41
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

This morning I had the chance to talk with my relatives in New York and California. Because of this coronavirus, we now have more time, not only to reconnect with our relatives and friends in other parts of the country and the world, but also many of us have rediscovered our relationship with our God. And this is indeed a silver lining in the dark cloud of this COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)

Be God’s Loving Children

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 23, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Lv 19:1-2, 17-18 / Ps 103 / 1 Cor 3:16-23 / Mt 5:38-48
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Mark Twain, the famous American writer during the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, once said: “If you look out on a cold winter’s night, with the snow and sleet coming in, and you see under the lamppost a little puppy, and the puppy is shivering because it is open to the elements. If you go down and you pick the little freezing puppy up and bring him upstairs, and you wash him with warm water, and you put him near the fire, and you feed him the best that you have to offer. That dog will never, never bite you.” And then he goes on, “That’s the main difference between dogs and human beings.” (more…)

Follow the Light

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
February 2, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Mal 3:1-4 / Ps 24 / Heb 2:14-18 / Lk 2:22-40
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A story is told about an elderly woman in frail health. One day she expressed to her doctor the hope that she would have the strength to live just a few more months so that she could celebrate the birth of her first grandchild.

Sure enough, the day came and the woman was well enough to hold the little child in her arms. The woman returned to her doctor, who was amazed when he heard about this good news. He suggested that it would be important for her to set a new goal, so that she had something to look forward to; something to keep her going. (more…)

Knowing God Through His Word

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 26, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Is 8:23-9:3 / Ps 27 / 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17 / Mt 4:12-23
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Not too long ago, I was waiting in the lobby of Norfolk General Hospital with former parishioners who were the family of a patient who requested the Sacrament of the Sick.  A member of the clergy who was wearing clerical attire exactly as I was wearing that day, passed by. They asked, “Father, do you know that priest?” I said, “No, and I am about 95% sure that he is not a Catholic priest.” They asked, “Why would you say that?” I answered, “Because he is carrying a really big Bible, on the way to visit a patient in the hospital.” (more…)