Baptism of the Lord Jan 10, 2021 Is 55:1-11, I Jn 5: 1-9, Mk 1: 7-11 Dear Sisters and Brothers, We celebrate birthdays with a lot of excitement. But never our baptism. Yet this is our birthday as Christians. In today’s liturgy we celebrate the baptism of Jesus. In celebrating his baptism, we [...]
Solemnity of the Epiphany Is 60:1-6, Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6, Mt 2:1-12 My sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, Years before Christ, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians. Fifty years later, the Persian (people living in modern day Iran) conquered the Babylonians, and they allowed the Jews to return home. It was difficult time for [...]
Feast of the Holy Family Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-3, Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19, Luke 2:22-40 Dear sisters and brothers, God calls us as family. We begin our life in family. We form families, either biological or in other ways. This basic relationship of the biological family with mother, father and children is given to us [...]
Fourth Sunday of Advent 2 Sam 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16, Rm 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38 It is God who reaches out to us! It is God who wants to save us and offers us salvation. So often we think about what we can do for God without reflecting on his infinite and tender love for [...]
3rd Sunday of Advent Is 61:1-2a, 10-11, 1 Th 5:16-24, Jn 1:6-8, 19-28 Dear Sisters and Brothers, God breaks into our world, seeking to love us and to draw us to Himself. The Prophet Isaiah begins the readings today, telling us that he rejoices because this is the time of salvation. Isaiah proclaims joy [...]
Second Sunday of Advent Is 40:1-5, 9-11, 2 Peter 3:8-14, Mark 1:1-8 Dear Sisters and Brothers, Believing Jews knew that one day the Messiah would come among them. The teachings of the prophets made it clear. Isaiah had spoken of a voice crying, “Prepare the way of the LORD—Every valley shall be lifted [...]
First Sunday of Advent Is 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7,1 Cor 1:3-9, Mark 13:33-37 Sisters and Brothers in Christ, The Prophet Isaiah tells us in the first reading today: “No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him. Would that you might meet [...]
The Solemnity of Christ the King Ez 34:11-12, 15-17, 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28, Mt 25:31-46 Dear sisters and brothers, This last Sunday of the Church year is about judgment. This is not a popular topic in our modern societies. No one wants to believe that God would send anyone to hell. Thus, judgment [...]
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Prv 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31, 1Th 5: 1-6, Mt 25: 14-30 Dear sisters and brothers, Jesus will come again. We don’t know when or how, but he has promised that he will return in glory to establishing a new heaven and a new earth. We who live in the [...]
32nd Sunday in Ordinary time Wis 6:12-16, 1 Th 4:13-18, Mt 25:1-13 My sisters and brothers in Christ, “Wisdom is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her.” As we come to the last Sundays of Ordinary Time, we are invited to seek wisdom and to love wisdom. [...]