Let Us Be One

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 11, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Lv 13:1-2, 44-46 / Ps 32 / 1 Cor 10:31 – 11:1 / Mk 1:40-45
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

The gospel today picks up where we left off last week. We have Jesus performing another miracle of healing. Now, at first glance, you could say, “Oh, this is Jesus, the healer. He’s doing another miracle.” There’ve been many attempts in the past hundred or so years to explain the miracles away. You see that happening all the way back to the time of the founding of our country. (more…)

God’s Call

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 21, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Jon 3:1-5, 10 / Ps 25 / 1 Cor 7:29-31 / Mk 1:14-20
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A little child who is lost in a big crowd experiences fear and helplessness – more than we could ever imagine. But the voice of his father, mother, grandfather or grandmother will not only bring him relief, but he will respond with joy to that call. Sometime in the past we all must have experienced being called in some way or another. (more…)

Words and Silence

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
January 14, 2018 – Year B
Readings: 1 Sm 3:3B-10, 19 / Ps 40 / 1 Cor 6:13C-15A, 17-20 / Jn 1:35-42
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

I’d like to start today by sharing a quote that I found, which captures the heart of today’s readings:

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively, with words of encouragement, or destructively, using words of despair. Words have energy and power, with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble.” (more…)

A Place of Refuge

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
December 31, 2017 – Year B
Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 / Ps 128 / Col 3:12-21 / Lk 2:22-40
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Last week I visited a family who, fourteen years ago, had a foster daughter who lived with them for a year. A few days before this past Christmas, this same girl, who is now in her twenties with two young children, called them up and said that she had no place to live. She is homeless and is having a hard time finding a shelter. Since she has no friends or relatives who would be willing to take her into their homes, she thought she would take the chance of asking them if they would have a temporary space for her. This kind couple simply told her, “You always have a place in our home.” She is indeed blessed to have a place of refuge during the cold season of winter. (more…)

Promise and Fulfillment

Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 24, 2017 – Year B
Readings: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16 / Ps 89 / Rom 16:25-27 / Lk 1:26-38
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Thirty-two years ago, when I was preparing for my ordination to the priesthood, my bishop in the Philippines assigned me to a church with a very wise pastor who was asked to mentor newly ordained priests. His name was Father Douglas. He was named by his parents after General Douglas MacArthur who, even today, remains quite popular in the Philippines. When MacArthur left the country during the Japanese occupation of World War II, he promised to return. He did indeed return, and liberated the more than seven thousand islands of the Philippines from the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army. That was certainly a promise well kept. (more…)

Anxiety Free

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 8, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Is 5:1-7 / Ps 80 / Phil 4:6-9 / Mt 21:33-43
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Most of those who attended the mission at Resurrection parish were not aware that attending with them was a priest – Father Bob. He is a retired Air Force chaplain as well as a retired priest of the diocese of Erie.

If you are one of the few – as I was – who had the privilege of speaking with him, you would think that he is the person to speak with when you are experiencing trials and tribulations in this life. (more…)

Safely Home

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 3, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Jer 20:7-9 / Ps 63 / Rom 12:1-2 / Mt 16:21-27
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Last Monday, as flood waters were rising in northeast Houston, three brothers and two of their friends set off in a small boat to rescue anyone they could find. In their two trips, they brought two families to safety, but on their third rescue trip, they didn’t make it. Two of them, Yahir Vizueth and Jorge Perez, died in the process of helping save lives. (more…)

The Rock

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 27, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Is 22:19-23 / Ps 138 / Rom 11:33-36 / Mt 16:13-20
by Rev. Salvador Anonuevo, Pastor

On behalf of our diocesan administrator, Monsignor Mark Lane, I would like to thank you for all the prayers you have offered for the repose of the soul of Bishop DiLorenzo. A special thanks to the Divine Mercy Cenacle group who prayed the chaplet here last Friday on the day of his funeral. (more…)

Suffering and Glory

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 16, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Is 55:10-11 / Ps 65 / Rom 8:18-23 / Mt 13:1-23
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Last month, when I was in the Philippines, I was commissioned by some of my relatives to convince my uncle to follow the doctor’s advice: that he should undergo a heart bypass, so he could continue to function for the remainder of his life. (He’s not really that old; compared to my Mom, who’s 102, he’s just a baby.) (more…)

Lay Down Your Burden

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 9, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Zec 9:9-10 / Ps 145 / Rom 8:9, 11-13 / Mt 11:25-30
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Some of you may have noticed that I was absent for a couple of weeks.  I got to go on a pretty cool trip, out to New Mexico to the Philmont Scout Ranch.  I went with a group of scouts, one of them being my son, and we got to spend a couple of weeks hiking, and backpacking, and camping on the trail.  In eleven days we hiked eighty-eight miles.  Most of our time was spent above eight thousand feet, and we topped out at over twelve thousand feet. (more…)