Homily for Monday of the First Week of Advent (Year A - 12/1/2025)

Benjamin Franklin once said, “The only guarantees in life are death and taxes.” However, as we just heard proclaimed in the Gospel, there is an even more perfect guarantee in life and that is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s authority of sin and death and His love and mercy for us.

Many years ago, before my conversion to Catholicism and homecoming to Rome, I found myself in a similar situation like the centurion in today’s Gospel. Someone dear to me was very ill and I was at a loss as to what to do or say to bring comfort to myself and my family but, more importantly, healing for our loved one. Yet, even though I was not a Christian at that time, like the centurion, I felt in my heart that I could trust the person Jesus Christ. And so, in my own expression of faith, I asked Jesus to heal my dear one and promised that if he did, I would give my life over to him. Jesus brought healing to my family member, which unburdened the hearts of my other family members, who were concerned for our beloved one, and the rest, as they say, is history because I stand before you today as a Catholic deacon.

My sisters and brothers in Christ, Advent is a penitential season, a time for us to take stock (if you will) of our spiritual and prayer life, to reconcile ourselves with God and with our loved ones through the power of mercy and forgiveness and, more importantly, to grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ. It takes courage for us to approach Jesus, to seek out his love, mercy, and forgiveness.. However, when we do go to him with humble and contrite hearts, we will find that he is ready and willing to come to us, bring us healing, make us whole again, and restore or renew our relationship with him and even with those we love. 

It truly takes humility on our part to approach our Lord and appeal to him for help, the same humility that moves us to respond to the priest, who says “Behold the Lamb of God. Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb” with the humble words of the centurion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” However, we have a perfect model of humility in our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who not only humbled himself to share in our humanity, as a child born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but He also comes to us in the Eucharist - Bread and Wine - so that we may share in his divinity.

And so, my sisters and brothers in Christ, may we be like the Blessed Virgin Mary and keep these things, reflecting on them in our hearts (Luke 2:19) this Advent season as we prepare ourselves for Christmas because “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120125.cfm

Homily for the First Sunday of Advent (Year A - 11/30/2025)

At the National Catholic Youth Conference a week ago, Pope Leo XIV appeared on video conference to share words of hope and encouragement with the Catholic youth in America, including several members of our Ignite Youth Group here at St. Albert the Great. and answer their questions. One of the things that struck me in the Holy Father’s message to the youth was when he said to them: “You are not only the future of the Church, you are the present! Your voices, your ideas, your faith matter right now, and the Church needs you, the Church needs what you have been given to share with all of us.” The Pope encouraged them to attend Sunday Mass, be active participants in the life of their parishes, to engage each other and help one another grow in their Catholic faith through youth group activities.

My sisters and brothers in Christ, while the Holy Father may have addressed the youth in attendance at the conference, his message is universal. It was not meant for them only but for the rest of us as well. Pope Leo XIV’s message echoes that of Saint Paul to the Romans, in today’s second reading, when Saint Paul wrote: “. . .it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.” Even more than that, it echoes our Lord Jesus Christ’s message in today’s Gospel to “stay awake! . . you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. . . [because] our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”

Jesus tells us this himself when he said: "All that you see here–the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down" (Luke 21:5-11). And again, when Christ cleansed the temple and said “‘Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking about the temple of his body” (John 2:19-21). The message from our Lord Jesus Christ is this, the “world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever” (1 John 2:17) because “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). It is the message that God reveals to us in the readings these past few weeks as we prepare ourselves not only for the new liturgical year but for our own mortality. It is no coincidence that we prayed for the souls of the faithful departed in November because it reminds us that time flies and to remember death: “Tempus fugit, memento mori”

Therefore, let us not be lulled into a “spiritual sleep” by the busyness of the holiday season but rather “stay awake” by keeping our spiritual senses focused and resolute so that we can “walk in the light of the Lord!” While the rest of society is playing Christmas music and stores are putting Christmas merchandise on their shelves let us patiently and joyfully await the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Christmas while anticipating his second coming during the penitential season of Advent. It is as Saint Paul puts it in today’s second reading: “let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy.” Rather, let us listen to our Lord’s command to “stay awake!” lest we become like the people “in the days of Noah, [who] were eating and drinking. . . [and] did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.”

So how can we “stay awake!” spiritually? Well, every first day of the new year, we “[think] about [our] past mistakes and [resolve] to do better in the future.” Why not also make resolutions for the new liturgical year to “throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. . . [and] put on the Lord Jesus Christ”? Thus, while we are preparing for holiday gatherings with families and friends, buying, wrapping, giving, and opening presents, attending endless Christmas parties, etc., let us always remember to take more than a fleeting moment in the busyness of the holiday festivities to remind ourselves that the Son of Man not only came for us on that Christmas night 2,000 years ago but that he is coming for us once again because he loves us and desires for us to be with him for all eternity.

One of the traditions that can help us prepare our hearts for Christmas is the Advent wreath and four lighted candles like the one we see before us. “The circular shape of the Advent wreath symbolizes God’s infinite love for us – it is never-ending, just like the true Light of the World, Jesus, who leads us into eternal life with Him. . . The four candles of Advent represent the four Sundays of Advent, and they respectively symbolize hope, peace, joy, and love.”

“[The] first candle on the Advent wreath, sometimes called the ‘Prophecy Candle,’ represents Hope – the first Sunday of Advent not only leads us to anticipate the birth of Christ but celebrate the beginning of a new liturgical season as well. . . The second candle on the Advent wreath, or the “Bethlehem Candle,” represents Peace. . . [and] reminds us of Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem before Mary gave birth to Jesus. The third candle of Advent, or the “Shepherd’s Candle,” symbolizes Joy. . . [and] takes us back to the joyful anticipation of the shepherds who journeyed to see Jesus in Bethlehem, even before the wise men. . . The fourth candle of Advent, called the “Angel’s Candle,” represents Love, the ultimate love of God that He might send His only Son for us” (Hallow).

Lighting the wreath was a pagan tradition that the early Christians adopted to evangelize and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, the true God. It is as Saint Paul observed at the Areopagus: “For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’* What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). And so, in the same way that we prepare ourselves to come to the altar of the Lord to receive Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass, let us prepare ourselves to receive our Lord and our God in our hearts and homes this Advent season, glorifying the Lord by our lives.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/113025.cfm

Podcast: https://phucphan.podbean.com/e/homily-for-the-first-sunday-of-advent-year-a-11302025/

The Grace of Gratitude - KC Austin Chapter - A Report of the Spiritual Director (11/24/2025)

Worthy Chapter President and Brother Knights,

I bring you greetings from our State Chaplain, Bishop Mulvey, and our Associate State Chaplain, Fr. Chen, whom I am in contact. I look forward to visiting and serving with Bishop Mulvey in a couple of weeks the Mid-Year Meeting for the Texas State Council. I hope to see many of the State Officers, Diocesan and District Deputies and spouses at the Mid-Year Meeting in Corpus Christi.

I am grateful to meet the Matthew and Alejandro, the Grand Knight and Deputy Grand Knight of Council #18087, Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic University Parish. At the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) as week, Pope Leo XIV appeared via video conference to pray with the youth and answer their questions. One of the things that the Holy Father share with our youth that struck me was, I love it that the Holy Father told the youth at NCYC that they are not only the future of the Church but her present as well and encouraged them to get involved in the life of their parish. I shared with this GK Matthew and Deputy GK Alejandro and thanked them for being the present and the future of the Order.

Brother Knights, one of my Christmas tradition is to watch the various versions of Charlies Dickens "A Christmas Carol" (you can read my thoughts on my favorite here). One of my favorites is "The Muppet Christmas Carol", particularly the song "Thankful Heart" that is sung my actor Michael Caine, because of the refrain: ". . .a grateful prayer and a thankful heart."

In his recent column, titled "The Grace of Gratitude", Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly wrote on the virtue of gratitude. I would invite you to read his column linked above. Like with all virtues, it is something that we have to cultivate in our lives through practice, practice, and practice. It is "easy" to show gratitude to God when things are going well in our lives; however, when we or a loved is sick or we suffered the loss of a family member or friend, it can be difficult for us to show gratitude. And there lies our challenge that the Supreme Knight gives all of us: ". . .let us cultivate gratitude as a spiritual practice and an intentional and permanent part of our character. It will heal us and bring us the grace and peace of Christ." As we prepare our hearts for Christmas and celebrate of the Incarnation, the Word became Flesh and made his dwelling among us, and the second coming of the Lord, this penitential  season of Advent, let us cultivate in our hearts gratitude so that the peace of the season fills our hearts, lives, and families.

Moreover, there is no better way to show God gratitude then to our participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Supreme Knight Kelly: ". . .the Mass is a profound expression of our gratitude to the Lord for the healing power of his life, death and resurrection. It is no coincidence that the word 'Eucharist' is derived from eucharistia, the Greek word for "thanksgiving." Therefore, my brother Knights, as I urge you to invite those in your family and circle of friends who have not attend Mass in a while to come to the Lord's table, the altar, and receive his love and mercy given to us in his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist . Advent and Christmas is a wonder time in the liturgical year to start anew in our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for us and for our families.

Sharing gratitude is important to help us keep things in perspective, that God loves us and Christ promises to be with us always until the end of the age (Matthew, Chapter 28). I encourage married couples, as well as couples preparing for marriage, before they go to bed to share with each other what they are grateful for about each other. This way, it helps them to focus on the blessings that God has bestow on them in each other in His goodness toward and love for them.

Brother Knights, I wish you and your families a blessed Thanksgiving and, since we will not have a meeting in December, a fruitful Advent season and a joyful Christmas, filled with the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Vivat Jesus!

P.S. Here is my prayer for you all and your families:

Lord Jesus Christ, as we ready ourselves to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, let us give thanks for the presence of those we love and share life with, in a special way, we pray for our spouses and children who sacrifice so that we can serve our parish and Order.

As Knights of Columbus, called to charity, unity, and fraternity, may we continue to journey with one another and to live a life of giving and serving, so that we may always recognize the blessings that you bestow upon us each day.

Let us never forget those who are in need, whose tables are empty, whose lives are impacted by war, famine, and economic uncertainty. We pray for an end to war and violence and persecution, especially in Nigeria. We also pray for loved ones and friends who are ill and ask you to heal their bodies and restore them to health. 

Let us also remember those who are no longer physically among us. Although, we may not see them as we would desire, their spiritual presence will forever be among us. In a special way, we pray for our deceased loved ones who have gone to their eternal reward in the heavenly banquet.

And for all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts and those intentions written here, Lord God, strengthen in us the virtue of gratitude as we strive to be bearers of hope to all whom we encounter. We ask in through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, as we pray. . . Hail Mary. . .

[Adaption of Bishop Garcia’s Thanksgiving Message for 2025]

. . .

Here is a link to my previous report from the Chapter meeting in September:

https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2025/09/antidote-to-isolation-kc-austin-chapter.html

Deacon Phúc’s challenges for all Knights for the month of December 2025 & January 2026

• PERSONAL & FAMILY: Share gratitude daily with your family, especially important for husbands and wives but also teaches children to be grateful for the many blessings in their lives (example, Mary House).
• COUNCIL: Council leadership shares gratitude to members for all their efforts thus far this fraternal year. Encourage all families to go to Mass regularly, if they are not doing so already.

Homily for Memorial of Saint Andrew Dŭng-Lạc, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs (Year C - 11/24/2025)

Back in 2008, when I was going through R.C.I.A. (which is now known as O.C.I.A.), I read the book - “Lives of the Saints” - while I was discerning which of the saints would be my patron saint for Confirmation. I am Vietnamese so Saint Andrew Dŭng-Lạc was certainly an option for me but the Holy Spirit guided me to Saint Andrew the Apostle who brought his brother, Simon Peter, to Jesus. I desired to be a “fisher of men” and lead others to our Lord Jesus Christ. Both Andrews were martyred for their witnesses to the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, the King of kings and the Lord of lords and his resurrection.

The Catechism states that “[martyrdom] is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith: it means bearing witness even unto death. The martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose. . . He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude” (CCC 2473). An ancient homily from Ireland. . . gives a. . . summary of the three types of martyrdom: “. . .white, green and red martyrdom. White martyrdom consists in a man’s abandoning everything he loves for God’s sake, though he suffer fasting or labor. . . Green martyrdom consists in this, that by means of fasting and labor he frees himself from his evil desires, or suffers toil in penance and repentance.”

Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Andrew Dŭng-Lạc, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs, who all suffered red martyrdom because they shedded blood for love of Jesus. “Andrew Dung-Lac, a Catholic convert ordained to the priesthood, was one of 117 people martyred in Vietnam between 1820 and 1862. . . [when severe] persecutions were launched at least three times in the 19th century. . . [in which] between 100,000 and 300,000 Catholics were killed or subjected to great hardship. . . In 1832, Emperor Minh-Mang banned all foreign missionaries, and tried to make all Vietnamese deny their faith by trampling on a crucifix. . . The last of the martyrs were 17 laypersons, one of them a 9-year-old, executed in 1862” (Franciscan Media).

My sisters and brothers in Christ, “these three martyrdoms represent different paths to heaven, but all share one thing in common: a heart on fire with the love of God.” Most of us are not called to red or even green martyrdom, however, Jesus calls us to be like the “poor widow,” from today’s Gospel, and put in the “two small coins. . .offered [from our] whole livelihood,” a dying to self, to come and follow him as his disciples. What might this white martyrdom look like for us? Well, for all of us present here at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, it is sacrificing sleep to be here this early in the morning out of love for our Lord Jesus Christ, who gives of himself - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity -  to us in the Eucharist.

Coming to Mass daily is one of the ways that we can express our love of God and his mercy toward us; however, let us not stop there. As we prepare ourselves for the penitential season of Advent, let us reflect on what are some other additional “two small coins” in our lives that we can offer out of love for our Lord and our God - “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14) - because He loved us first (1 John 4:19).

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112425.cfm

Homily for Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious (Year C - 11/17/2025)

This Sunday, we mark the end of the liturgical year with the great Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The Church, in her infinite wisdom, has given us the month of November, in which we remember and pray for our faithful departed, to reflect and take stock of our own lives this past year. And today’s reading from the First Book of Maccabees, in a way, guides us in our reflection through the lens of Jewish people, who were persecuted under the rule of the Seleucid kings who attempted to suppress Judaism in Palestine in the second century B.C. (USCCB.org).

We hear in the first reading that the king “authorized them to introduce the way of living of the Gentiles.” We hear how many of the Jewish people “abandoned the holy covenant” with God, “allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing.” Even more blasphemous was how “many children of Israel were in favor of [the king’s religion]” and how “they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.” In a way, they were like the “blind man” in today’s Gospel who sat by the roadside on the way to Jericho.

My sisters and brothers in Christ, how have we “abandoned the holy covenant” that we made with God through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, the covenant to love God above all and to obey his commandments. How have we submitted ourselves to “wrongdoings” by allowing ourselves to fall to temptation and sin? Worst of all, what idols have we allowed to infiltrate our hearts, which is the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corin. 3:16-17 and 6:19-20)? How have we become blind to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is always knocking on the door of our hearts, who is always “approaching” us so that we can come to know him and have “life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10)?

However, it is never too late with God. As Sister Clare Crockett once said, “It’s not how you start that makes you a Saint, but how you finish. It’s not who you were, it’s who you decide to become.” Therefore, as we also heard in the first reading, let us be like the “many in Israel [who] were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant. . .” Let us be like the blind man, in today’s Gospel, who had the courage, in the face of being rebuked by others, to cry out to our Lord and our God, saying: “Jesus. . . have pity on me!” Because when we turn to God with humble and contrite hearts, we will find Jesus waiting to say to us, “What do you want me to do for you?” And when we come to him in faith, especially here at the altar of the Lord in the celebration of the Eucharist, Jesus will save us from the afflictions that separate us from his love and mercy and restore us as beloved sons and daughters of our Father in heaven.

And so, my sisters and brothers in Christ, as we wind down the liturgical year and look ahead to Advent and the start of the new liturgical year, let us find strength in the Eucharist and resolve to go in peace, glorify the Lord by our lives.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111725.cfm

Reflecting on the Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation (11/8/2025) (UPDATED 11/17/2025)

On Saturday, Theresa and I went for a brisk walk with 70+ friends as part of the Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation for the Laudato Si Movement in Texas. Our good friends, the Carrizales, invited us to join them on this pilgrimage and we were blessed that we accepted their invitation. While many of our group rode the Capital Metro monorail (some as far as Leander) to Brush Square, we did our part by carpooling.

We got to Brush Square before our group and as we were waiting and chatting, we saw individuals from the Austin Bicycle Meals roll through the park passing out meals to the homeless present at the park. This is a similar concept to Mobile Loaves and Fishes and, as I learned from Karen (pictured below talking with one of the Austin Bicycle Meals folds), they go around during cold days of winter to pass out blankets to the homeless as well. This group is certainly living out God's Commandment to love our neighbor and adhering to Jesus' teaching on "The Judgment of Nations" in Matthew, Chapter 25.

When the rest of our group arrived to Brush Square, via the monorail, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many folks from my home parish of Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church. I was asked to lead us in prayer with this prayer:

Good & Gracious God, we acknowledge the sacredness of this land, where cotton was sold and traded. We remember that the soil brought forth life. We give thanks for the ancient earth that nurtured generations and provided for all living things.

We also come with heavy hearts, remembering the legacy of injustice and pain woven into the history of how the cotton was grown. We lift up the souls of all who were forced to labor to grow the cotton, whose bodies and spirits were broken for a harvest that was not their own. May their memory be honored, and may their spirits find peace.

Let us find healing here from the suffering this land has absorbed. Let the memory of exploitation be replaced by a new legacy of respect and reverence for all life.

Inspire us to become good stewards of all land.

Guide our hands to work with justice and our hearts to beat with compassion.

May future harvests of cotton be symbols of reconciliation and new beginnings, rather than echoes of past harm.

Let us all be grateful for the gifts of the earth and the beauty of creation, and commit to protecting its resources for all generations to come. 

May peace and justice surround us on this sacred ground. Amen.

After the prayer, we started our walk to the next location. As we walked past the homeless, my heart ached for them. I noticed immediately that they were next to a construction site so not only do they have to contend with pollution from vehicles but the dust and noise from the construction site.

We walked the 9 blocks or so, along Trinity, to Waterloo Park. I drive by this park every day on the way home from work but I have never walked through it until now. As we descended from the street leave to the park below, I noticed right away how much cooler it was with all the foliage. Here is why Waterloo Park a sign of hope:

Waller Creek runs through the park which has been “challenged by intense development. Herons perch on drain pipes . . . sunfish and goldfish swim in polluted runoff. Turtles poke up between Styrofoam cups, and saplings bend under sodden trash bags” but Waterloo Greenway is working on creek restoration and helping “connect all people to nature.” Waterloo was designed and built to provide “equitable access” to people with disabilities as well.

As we walked through Waterloo Park, I was struck with the thought of how we take for granted the ability to just turn on the faucet and have cleaning water flow forth from the faucet and how so many people, here in Austin, TX, do not have access to this most basic of needs, let alone countries that do not have access to clean water. Every day, as I drive to and from work, I cannot help but wonder how much strain we are putting on our natural resources with every building, high-rise, etc. that we build.

After we said our prayer, we continued our pilgrimage to the State Capitol. These excerpts from Pope Francis' encyclical, Laudato Si', struck me as it relates to governance and the care of our "common home," particularly the one about courageous politicians. I pray that we have such politicians and leaders in our government - local, state, national, and international.

“Unless citizens control political power – national, regional and municipal – it will not be possible to control damage to the environment.” (LS 179) 

“[P]olicies related to climate change and environmental protection cannot be altered with every change of government.” (LS 181)

“If [politicians] are courageous, they will attest to their God-given dignity and leave behind a testimony of selfless responsibility.” (LS 181)

“Social problems must be addressed by community networks and not simply by the sum of individual good deeds.” (LS 219)

While at the Capitol, we walked to the Texas African-American History Memorial. This is why the memorial is a sign of hope:

From slavery to freedom, struggle to triumph, the monument honors the many contributions of African Americans in Texas and depicts iconic events. “African-American Texans have contributed to the state’s culture, and have gained prominence in a host of fields. Despite the tremendous challenges posed by the institution of slavery, Jim Crow segregation and discrimination, African-Americans overcame and continue to overcome great obstacles to make a place for themselves in the Lone Star State, and are an essential part of Texas history, life and culture.”

As we said our prayer and spent some time in quiet reflection, I thought of all the homeless people we saw along the pilgrimage and how many of them were African-American. Their struggle is still ongoing even in 2025 and it is heart-breaking.

Finally, was we made our way through the sea of people attending the Texas Book Festival to Saint Mary Cathedral Bishops' Hall, it struck me how there exists two worlds in downtown Austin. As we gathered in Bishops' Hall, our leader reminded us of how blessed we are to be able to go home to homes with air conditioning and how many people cannot escape the Texas heat.

We ended at Saint Mary Cathedral where I had the blessed opportunity to serve at the Vigil Mass with Fr. Doug Jeffers.  During Mass, I looked out at my fellow pilgrims in the pews and reflected how we prayed at the various stops and took time to reflect on how we can be better stewards of God's Creation. We enjoyed a late meal and shared graces from the Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation.

God certainly blessed us with a beautiful day to spend outside and enjoy the marvel of His Creation - our "common home."

UPDATED (11/17/2025) Excerpts from "Dilexi Te" - Pope Leo XIV's Apostolic Exhortation on Love for the Poor

Resources:

• Video: What is Integral Ecology?
• The Corporal Works of Mercy
• Article: In the Heart of Austin, Signs of God’s Creation and Hope

Homily for Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church (Year C - 11/10/2025)

When I teach Baptism classes, I remind the parents that they, not the Church, are the formators of their children’s Catholic faith because of their role as leaders of their “domestic church.” Then, as I go through the Rite of Baptism with them, I emphasize to them this question that the priest or deacon will ask them: “In asking for Baptism for your child, you are undertaking the responsibility of raising him (her) in the faith, so that, keeping God’s commandments, he (she) may love the Lord and her neighbor as Christ has taught us. Do you understand this responsibility?” Of course, their answer should be “We do.”

I then share with them this verse from the Gospel of Matthew (18:2-6): “[Jesus] called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. [And here is the hinge. . .] Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Sounds familiar? It should because we just heard a similar account in the Gospel of Luke. 

My sisters and brothers in Christ, when we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit - wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of God - and, as the Catechism states, we “are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed” (1285).

Today’s saint, Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church, “was dedicated to the preservation of the teachings handed down once for all from the Apostles. His greatest triumph was the Ecumenical Council. . . held in Chalcedon. There, the Council Fathers recognised and re-affirmed the truth of the union of two natures – divine and human – in the one Person of Jesus Christ. Leo himself had proclaimed this truth in a letter. . . [and when it] was read at Chalcedon, the Council Fathers cried out ‘Peter has spoken through Leo!’” (Vatican News).

Now, for most of us, we “spread and defend the faith” starting with our own family. Through the Sacrament of Marriage, husband and wife are called to live out their Catholic faith in such a way that when others see them, they see Jesus self-sacrificing, selfless love for his bride - the Church. And should God bless them with children, parents have the responsibility to pass on their Catholic faith to their children and “defend the faith” when necessary by guiding their children on the right path but, at the very least, to not lead their children away from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is certainly a challenge for all Catholic parents striving to raise their children in our secularized society. However, Catholic parents should never feel that they have to do it on their own because, as we heard in the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, “the Spirit of the Lord fills the world, is all-embracing. . .” Parents only need to turn to God in prayer in the words of the Apostles to Jesus: "Increase our faith."

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111025.cfm