The Beauty of Confessing

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 26, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Nm 11:25-29 / Ps 19 / Jas 5:1-6 / Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
by Rev. Mr. Mark De La Hunt, Permanent Deacon

My hope in today’s homily is that all of us might leave today with one temptation and sin in mind that we are going to root out of our life with an intentional plan of attack that includes changes in our behavior and Jesus’ grace in the Sacrament of Confession. (more…)

Jesus is Our Lifeline

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
June 6, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Ex 24:3-8 / Ps 116 / Heb 9:11-15 / Mk 14:12-16, 22-26
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Yesterday, one of the headlines was about Cathy Boone, a 49-year-old homeless woman in Oregon. She died last January with nothing. She was homeless, no family, no friends. But they discovered after her death that she actually had inherited close to $900,000 from her mother. The state had tried to get in touch with her. Somehow she was estranged from the family when her mother died, and she just lost it. Her life had been spiraling downward. So she died penniless and homeless, and yet she had actually inherited almost a million dollars. (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…)

Prayer is Our Connection

Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 2, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Acts 9:26-31 / Ps 22 / 1 Jn 3:18-24 / Jn 15:1-8
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

The other day, when I noticed that the percentage of my cell phone’s battery was down to 1%, I connected it immediately to my phone charger. After about fifteen minutes, I checked it, and I noticed that the battery was totally discharged. The phone was dead. Since my cell phone is more than five years old, this got me concerned. So I consulted the tech support that I know will give me a quick answer: my good friend, Google. (more…)

Open Your Eyes and See

Third Sunday of Easter
April 18, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 / Ps 4 / 1 Jn 2:1-5a / Lk 24:35-48
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

On the day that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to two of His followers walking on the road to Emmaus. These two men, as Saint Luke the Evangelist related to us in today’s gospel, recounted what had taken place on the way and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

What was their story? Just like all of the disciples, they were so sad while they were walking on the road, because their friend, their teacher, and their Lord was crucified and died. The risen Jesus walked along with them, but they failed to recognize Him. (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…)

Baptism: Together in Ministry

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
January 12, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Is 42:1-4, 6-7 / Ps 29 / Acts 10:34-38 / Mt 3:13-17
by Father Louis Benoit, Guest Celebrant

Today is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and an interesting question is why did Jesus get baptized? He had no need of it, yet He did it. In Jesus’ baptism, He gets baptized in solidarity with us. He identifies with us in our simple state. He walks with us as we are.

That’s the baptism of Jesus, and of course, there is a good analogy here, in that we are made holy in the waters of baptism. Jesus, in His baptism, makes the waters holy. And so we have Jesus identifying with us, and He is identifying with us in a simple way, walking with the people, curing people, taking care of them, preaching to them, preaching a kingdom of peace and justice and love. (more…)

The Cost of Freedom

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 30, 2019 – Year C
Readings: 1 Kgs 19:16B, 19-21 / Ps 16 / Gal 5:1, 13-18 / Lk 9:51-62
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Four days from now we will celebrate the Fourth of July, and it is a privilege to wake up each morning knowing that we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave and the greatest nation on earth.

It is also great news that the importance of our Lord God and Creator is acknowledged in the Declaration of Independence. Once again let us remind ourselves of these two lines from the Declaration:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” (more…)

The Real Presence

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
June 23, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Gn 14:18-20 / Ps 110 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / Lk 9:11B-17
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A story is told that, one day, Saint Mother Teresa went to see a man who owned a big bakery in India. She asked him to give bread for her hungry orphans. Annoyed that Saint Mother Teresa’s presence in his store might not be good for business, he spit in her face. Unperturbed by the man’s horrible actions, Saint Mother Teresa said, “That’s for me. How about some bread for my orphans?” Shamed by the saint’s response, he gave her all the bread she needed. (more…)

Come, Holy Spirit!

Pentecost Sunday
June 9, 2019 – Year C
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

Good morning and Happy Birthday! Because it is our birthday. Now you are probably thinking, “Deacon Eddie, it’s not my birthday!” But you would be wrong, because it is your birthday. Because, you see, at your baptism, something special happened. At your baptism, a change took place in your very being. Each and every one of us who has received that sacrament became a son or a daughter of God, we became a temple of the Holy Spirit, and collectively we became a part of the Body of Christ, or in other words, the Church. (more…)