My First-ever Homily as a Deacon!

Below is my homily preached at the 8:00 & 11:45 Masses today (3/31/19):

In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus address the parable of the Prodigal Son not only to the Pharisees and scribes, but also to the tax collectors and sinners. They represent the lost souls for whom our Lord Jesus Christ came to save. It is a familiar parable for us because we hear it every year during Lent. However, even more than that, the parable is a timeless story of our Father’s loving mercy and care for us; particularly, those of us who have strayed far from Him. St. Augustine said that our heart is restless until it rests in God. This is very true indeed but, as I reflected on what St. Augustine said, in light of today’s Gospel on the parable of the Prodigal Son, I think that God is also restless until our hearts rest in His. When we read the parable, we can feel how restless the father becomes as he waits for his son to find his way back to him. Jesus said, “While he [the son] was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.”

I remember this one time back in high school when I wanted to go hang out with my friends but my mom would not let me. Believe it or not, I did what many teenage boys would do - I argued with my mom and, in a moment of epic disobedience and defiance, I took the car keys, got into the car, and drove off. However, I did not go very far before I came to my senses and returned home. I did not turn the car around out of fear of being punished. No (well, maybe I was just a little). I returned home because, deep inside my heart, I sensed my mom’s disappointment and hurt. But, most of all, I sensed my mom’s love for me and her love pulled me out of the darkness that possessed me, if ever so briefly. Our Father in heaven loves us, just as our parents love us. Our God delights in mercy, has compassion on us, and would rather cast into the depths of the sea all our sins (7:18-20).

Sisters and brothers in Christ, like the young son in the parable, we all have sinned against heaven and against God. While we may not have gone off to a “distant country” to live a “life of dissipation,” we have strayed from God in our lives. Thankfully, in her wisdom and mercy, Mother Church gives us these forty days of Lent as a time of repentance, a time for us to find our way back to our Father’s loving embrace. However, we must first come to our senses! In the parable, Jesus said of the young son, “Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. . .” We do this when we stop thinking of ourselves, remember our Father’s love for us, and repent of the things that we have done or have failed to do that have separated us from God. We must then act on this yearning to be in the presence of our God’s loving care and go back to him with a humble and repentant heart. Once again, Jesus said of the young son, “I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. . .’”

We can only imagine what the journey home would have been like for the young son. I suspect it probably takes him forty days, through the desert, and, all while, being tempted by the evil one to abandon his journey home to his father and return to a “life of dissipation.” However, the journey back to the Father for him (and for any of us) can be a rough road that is paved with tears of guilt of our past actions, a sense of unworthiness to receive God’s forgiveness, but, most of all, a fear of being punished by the Father. If we believe this about God (that He cannot look beyond our past failures and forgive us but would rather punish us), then we have misunderstood God’s plan of salvation for us through his Son. Rather, it is as Saint Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthians: “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” God and the hosts of heaven rejoice when his children return to him: “let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.”

If we think about it, we all make this journey back to the Father every week when we come to Mass on Sundays (or Saturdays). During the week, we live the daily struggles AND joys of life. We care for our families. Many of us go to work. We may stumble; we may even fall. However, we continue because we know what awaits us on Sundays - the Eucharistic celebration at the altar where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ waits for us - a foretaste of the heavenly banquet here on earth. Then, before Holy Communion, our priests say, “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.” And we, together as the One Body of Christ, respond with hope, faith, and love: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof [the roof of my heart, my soul, my very being], but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” We are so blessed for God’s compassion and to be embraced in His mercy and to receive the kisses of His forgiveness.

These past five years, many people asked me how formation was going. As I reflect back on this special time in my faith journey, I can truly say that being in Diaconal Formation was like being in the season of Lent; only instead of forty days in the desert, it was 5-6 years of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to deepen my relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. In a way, I embarked on a similar journey to the Father that the Prodigal Son embarked on in today’s parable. But while I can only imagine that the young son received help along his journey, I know that I could not have made it to Ordination and stand before you today as a deacon - in the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church of Christ - but for the grace of the Father, the love of the Son, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the intercession of our Blessed Mother.

Finally, I would not be here without the love, prayers, and support of my wife, Theresa; my parents, Vinh & Mai; my father-in-law, Tien, and mother-in-law, Thai; our siblings; and all our families and friends. I want to thank Fr. Matt for his support in so many ways, as well as Fr. Alberto and Mgsr. Bill. I want to thank Deacon David for being a wonderful mentor, as well as Deacon Jose & Deacon Gary. Last, but definitely not least, I want to thank all of you, my parish family, including my brother in Diaconal Formation, Deacon Dan Lanicek, and my brother Knights, Catholic Daughters, and Women of St. Albert, for your love, prayers and support. I am blessed for the opportunity to serve you and our beloved St. Albert the Great parish as a deacon. Please continue to pray for me as I start my diaconate ministry! I want to end by recalling these words of Saint Paul because I think  they capture beautifully what Diaconal Formation had been for me and what this season of Lent ought to be for each and everyone of us. Saint Paul wrote: “Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God. . .”

Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Maxine's Gumbo House

I recently celebrated 15 years as a Catholic (see "Reflecting on 15 years as a Catholic (March 22, 2008 - March 22, 2023)" https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/reflecting-on-15-years-as-catholic.html) so, taking a brother deacon's advice, my wife and I enjoyed a nice dinner to celebrate. He suggested Pappadeaux and, while it is always a good restaurant and the food is excellent, I wanted to stay closer to home. However, I was craving gumbo so we decided on Maxine's Gumbo House in Manor, Texas. It was our first time to Maxine's and we enjoyed the food tremendously!

We started with the boudin as our appetizer and it was cooked to perfection. The rice was seasoned wonderful, the skin had a nice char to it, and the fresh green onions added freshness to the dish. Of course, I ate my with Louisiana hot sauce and it was delish!

My wife ordered the Crawfish Etoufee and let enjoy a bite (or two) and it was delicious. The creamy blonde roux was so tasty and there it was crawfish galore in every bite! She really enjoyed the dish but had to take leftover home. It was a healthy-size serving for sure!

I had the Jambalaya with a cup of Seafood Gumbo. Our waitress was not kidding when she said that the cup was more like a bowl. Of course, I added the Louisiana hot sauce. The seafood was cooked perfectly, especially the oysters and shrimp. Every bite was amazing! By the time I got to the Jambalaya, I was starting to get full. However, I pushed through and had several spoonful and every bite was delicious. I am definitely going to enjoy the leftover Jambalaya for lunch the next day!

Finally, we rounded our dining experience with the Bread Pudding and it was delectable! My wife and I each took a bite of the Bread Pudding and we just looked at each other for a second. We then, literally at the same time, commented how delicious the Bread Pudding was. I have not had condensed milk in a while and the taste of it just brought back so many good memories of good eating in the past. It was amazing!

I am not sure why it took us so long to try Maxine's Gumbo House but I am glad we finally did. They are definitely on our list of restaurants to eat at in the future, for sure!

. . .

Other Ngon Quá Foodie blogs:

• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Plank https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-plank.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: JINYA Ramen https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-jinya-ramen.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Maxine's Gumbo House https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-maxines.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: 16th Anniversary Edition https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/05/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-16th-anniversary.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Deckhand Oyster Bar (Round Rock) https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/04/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-deckhand-oyster.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Sushi Koen (Round Rock) https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/07/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-sushi-koen-round.html

Reflecting on 15 years as a Catholic (March 22, 2008 - March 22, 2023)

A memory popped up on my Facebook account today reminding me that I have been a Catholic for 15 years now. The official date is March 22, 2008 because that was the date of the Easter Vigil that year. However, it is easier for me to remember the Easter Vigil every year than the date; although, March 22nd may be ingrained in my memory now. Ha!

For me to reflect on the last 15 years, I would first have to reflect on the first 10 years as a Catholic, which was Easter Vigil of 2018. In 2018, I was one year away from Ordination to the Order of the Permanent Diaconate but I did not know that at the time. That is the beauty of discernment, I prayed and discerned, my wife prayed and discerned, Bishop Joe and the Diocese of Austin prayed and discerned, and Holy Mother Church prayed and discerned. Only God knows and in God we trust. I know I trusted in God.

Since then, these past 5 years - four of which I have served as a deacon at my home parish, Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church, Austin, TX - have been an incredible journey growing in my Catholic faith, teaching my Catholic faith, and sharing my Catholic with those whom God has put in my path. During that entire time, my wife has been and continues to be my rock. It is only fitting because she was the one who led me to Christ because her love for Jesus so deep in her heart that for me to win her heart, I could not help but fall in love with Jesus as well.

Growing in my Catholic faith - I continue to learn so much about Catholicism. The more I learn, the more I realize that I still have so much more to learn, the more I desire to learn. I love reading all things Catholic, from the Vatican, the USCCB, Catholic news, apostolates, books, etc. I cannot learn enough. Unfortunately, there is also not enough time in the day to do what I need to do and what I want to do. But I trust that God has me learning what I need to learn to serve Him and His people as best as I can.

Teaching my Catholic faith. It started when Deacon David and his wife, Karen, invited me to teach a few classes for R.C.I.A. during Diaconal Formation. I could not turn them down because (1) it was something I needed to learn for Formation and (2) I was wanting for a chance to give back to a ministry that helped me with my own journey home to Rome. We were also helping teach classes with UNITAS Marriage Class and meeting with couples to discuss their FOCCUS relationship inventory results. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I set aside my fears and, along with my brother deacons, taught on Catholic teachings via our "Catholic Teachings with the Deacons" live-stream programming. It was so much fun researching topics and preparing lessons each month. We did it for a whole year! These videos are still available on the parish's YouTube Channel. That lead to other opportunities to lead a men's retreat, give talks on marriage, etc.

Sharing my Catholic faith. Two months before Ordination, in 2019, Fr. Matt Iwuji approached me and charged me (and, by extension, my wife) with bringing back the marriage preparation ministry/class to Saint Albert the Great (after UNITAS ended a few years prior). We worked with Fr. Matt and he called the new pre-Cana ministry, CALLED TO BE ONE. From there, my wife and I formed a team of married couples around us and the rest is history. While these are classes that couples take to prepare for the Sacrament of Marriage, I use it as an opportunity to share my Catholic faith with them and encourage the couples to grow in faith together. From the start, I give them three challenges: (1) Go to Mass; (2) Pray together and pray for each other; and (3) If they are cohabitating, then practice chaste living (even if they are not cohabitating). Just this past fall, my wife and I had the opportunity to lead a Diocesan Pre-Cana weekend retreat at Cedarbrake Renewal Center in Belton, Texas. It was wonderful!

Moreover, over the years, I have celebrated lots of baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Through it all, I always return to the source and summit of my Catholic faith and diakonia, the Eucharist. I activate (a word that I learned from Fr. Charlie) the graces of all seven Sacraments every day. That, and I have my wife right there by my side and all the prayers from our families, friends, my brother clergy, fellow parishioners, and well-wishers. It has been an incredible 15 years! To usher in the next 5 years, I am doing something that I never thought I would do - sing the Exsultet (Easter Proclamation) at the Easter Vigil. Pray for me! I am praying for you and your families.

Lenten Reflection - Day 30 - On suffering and hope

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Entrance Antiphon we hear exclaim: "Wait for the Lord; be strong; be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!" Yet, in today's first reading, the "children of Israel. . . with their patience worn out by the journey. . . complained against God and Moses." God, in His infinite love, shows them that while they are suffering, things could be worst for them. How? As Deacon Ron shared in his homily this morning, they could die without hope, without the presence of God in their lives. This helps us to put our own suffering into perspective.

Once a week, I post on Facebook that if anyone is in need of prayers, that I will pray for them and their intentions, especially when I serve (or attend) at Mass that weekend. Just this morning, I shared with my "boatmate" that praying for others reminds me to always give God praise, thanks, and glory for the many blessings in my life. My bad day is nothing compared to a mother who has suffered a miscarriage or a father taking care of his son who has cancer or someone who has a terminal illness.

I just love today's Communion Antiphon: "When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to myself, says the Lord." In our suffering, we unite ourselves with the Suffering Servant on the Cross, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ lifts us up and draws us to himself. From the Cross, Christ consoles us and grants us his peace so that we may experience joy even in the midst of our own suffering. Therefore, let us gaze upon our Crucified Lord on the Cross and have hope.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to the Pharisees:

"I am going away and you will look for me,

but you will die in your sin.

Where I am going you cannot come."

So the Jews said,

"He is not going to kill himself, is he,

because he said, 'Where I am going you cannot come'?"

He said to them, "You belong to what is below,

I belong to what is above.

You belong to this world,

but I do not belong to this world.

That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.

For if you do not believe that I AM,

you will die in your sins."

So they said to him, "Who are you?"

Jesus said to them, "What I told you from the beginning.

I have much to say about you in condemnation.

But the one who sent me is true,

and what I heard from him I tell the world."

They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.

So Jesus said to them,

"When you lift up the Son of Man,

then you will realize that I AM,

and that I do nothing on my own,

but I say only what the Father taught me.

The one who sent me is with me.

He has not left me alone,

because I always do what is pleasing to him."

Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

Reflecting on the Confirmation Mass (3/26/2023)

One of the many joys of being a deacon is serving with our Bishop. I had the blessed opportunity to serve with Bishop Joe (along with Fr. Charlie, Fr. Rito, Fr. Matthew (visiting from Kansas City, KS), and Deacon Jose) at the Confirmation Mass on 3/26/2023, at Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church. The hour leading up to the Mass, there was a lot of excitement but also a lot of preparation.

We were excited that a ~70 young men and women were going to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation and be strengthen by the gifts of the Holy Spirit to live out their Catholic and be witnesses of the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the world. There was also a lot of preparation for the Mass - incense, music, altar servers to hold Bishop's miter and crosier, the Sacred Chrism Oil and, of course, we had a rehearsal the day before. Everyone did their part to help make the Mass reverent and special for the Confirmands.

Bishop Joe gave a wonderful homily in English and Spanish. He is just an amazing shepherd for the Catholic Church in Austin. He told the Confirmands that God wants to have life and live it abundantly but, not as the world would want them, but as God desires for them. As I listened to his homily and scan the faces of the Confirmands, I pray that they open their hearts and allow Bishop's words to permeate their souls. I also prayed that as they received the anointing with the Sacred Chrism Oil on their foreheads, in the sign of the Cross of Christ, and the sign of peace conferred on them by Bishop, that they opened their hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to permeate their very being - soul and spirit.

Many of the Confirmands smiled. Others had stoic expressions. But one girl cried as she returned to her seat in the pews after she was anointed and confirmed. It was so wonderful for me to witness that moment. I saw her after Mass and I told her how moved I was by her sincere expression of shear joy of receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. As I reflected on it, I think God wanted me to see that and know that the seed of faith has been planted in the hearts of these young men and women. However, as Fr. Charlie reminded the newly Confirmed Catholics, they need to "activate" the gifts of the Holy Spirit because, while they have received the gifts, God has given them the freewill to accept and use them. . . or not. We pray that they do "activate" the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the graces of the Sacrament of Confirmation so that they can continue to grow in their Catholic faith and lead others to Christ.

Congratulations to Brittany, Frank, and their teams for their tireless efforts to form these young men and women in the faith! It is not easy being a catechist, always wondering if you are getting through to the students. But they did their part well and now it is up to the Holy Spirit of God with the cooperation of the young men and women and their sponsors. Please keep these all of them in your prayers.

Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: JINYA Ramen

When I think of comfort food, phở and ramen come to mind immediately for me. I enjoyed a large bowl of phở earlier this week before my meeting at the parish. The next day, my wife and I enjoyed some ramen at our favorite ramen noodle house - JINYA Ramen Bar in The Domain North (https://www.jinyaramenbar.com/). I have had the JINYA Tonkotsu Black, Tonkotsu Spicy, and JINYA Tonkotsu Original 2010, in past visits. Last summer, they had a chef special cold noodle bowl was refreshing and delicious, great on a hot day in Texas.

This time around, the chef special is the Suan-La-Tang Tsukemen. Here is the description from their wed-site: Thick noodles served with a side of rich hot-and-sour pork broth topped with pork soboro, green onion, shiitake mushroom, bamboo shoot, seasoned egg, bokchoy, nori, sesame seed and lime.

The ramen noodles were al dente just how I like them. The egg yolk was not running but I was okay with that. I added the spicy bean sprouts because I can eat bean sprouts with anything noodles. The both was spicy and full of umami but, after a few spoonful, it tasted a but salty to me. Perhaps its because I have cut out so much sodium in my diet that it tasted too salty to me (so you be your own judge).

It was fun putting the noodles into the broth and then slurping a spoonful of noodles, broth, and the port soboro (ground pork). Overall, I really enjoyed the chef special. JINYA Ramen Bar is our go-to for ramen in Austin. The Domain North is also a happening place so it is nice to walk off the ramen noodle soup bowl afterwards. 

. . .

Other Ngon Quá Foodie blogs:

• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Plank https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-plank.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: JINYA Ramen https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-jinya-ramen.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Maxine's Gumbo House https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-maxines.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: 16th Anniversary Edition https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/05/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-16th-anniversary.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Deckhand Oyster Bar (Round Rock) https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/04/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-deckhand-oyster.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Sushi Koen (Round Rock) https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/07/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-sushi-koen-round.html

"Gus Busbi" Book Study Recap: Chapters 6 - 19

On March 22nd, our Weary Travelers men's small group continued our book study on "Gus Busbi," a novel by Catholic author Jim Sano. It is the second book in the Fr. Tom Fritzpatrick series. We covered 14 chapters because we decided not to meet on March 8th but instead attended our Parish Lenten Mission with the Founder and CEO of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, Mr. Alan Graham. Please see below for links to my previous blogs related to this book study.

While we had a lot of grounds to cover, it did not diminished the depth of our discussions. A few of the men could related with the struggles of Jamiel Russell because they grew up in rough neighborhoods. As I listened to their stories, I felt blessed that my own teenage years were uneventful in that I did not have interactions with gangs at school or in my neighborhood nor did I ever spent a night in jail.

One of the men commented that author, Jim Sano, did an excellent job with his research for this book. In particular, with the detail of how faith and belief in God are perceived as weak and a woman's thing in the black (and Hispanic) community. Moreover, he captures Jamiel's survival instinct very well when it comes his interactions with the Lennox and Grant Manor gangs, especially with his desire to protect his mom, Celia.

Another theme that we discussed is the respect and trust that Jamiel has for Fr. Tom and how he turned to Fr. Tom in times of need. Fr. Tom, in turn, makes himself accessible to Jamiel, doing what he can to help Jamiel know his self-worth and potential and to keep him on the right path. Fr. Tom teaches Jamiel about forgiveness, reconciliation, and restitution. Fr. Tom encourages Jamiel to get to know Gus Busbi and see past the layers of prickly thorns that Busbi has built up over the years to protect himself. It is as though Fr. Tom knows that Jamiel and Busbi needed each other more than they know.

Moreover, Fr. Tom is trying to help Jamiel realize that his past experiences and environment do not have to enslave him, that he now has opportunities to make the right choices that would have lasting impact on his life. Celia, his mom, made sure of this when she moved him out of the projects. Jamiel now must learn to make the right choices for himself.

This book is a definite page-turning. One of the men has already read through Chapter 30 of the book. Another one said that he and his wife brought "The Father's Son," "Gus Busbi," and "Stolen Blessing," and his wife has finished reading all three novels. We will meet again after Holy Week to continue our book study.

. . .

Invitation to "Gus Busbi" Book Study - https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/01/invitation-to-gus-busbi-book-study.html

"Gus Busbi" Book Study Recap: Chapters 1 - 5 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/gus-busbi-book-study-recap-chapters-1-5.html

Lenten Reflection - Day 25 - The depth of God's love and Calvary

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in his homily this morning, Fr. Doug said something in his homily on today's Gospel passage that struck me. He said that as we enter the last 2 weeks of Lent, when we reflect on the Passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, let us look at his death on the Cross at Calvaty in light of today's Gospel. When we do, we will begin to understand the magnitude of God's love for us because God died on the Cross for our salvation. The King of kings and Lord of lords died for our transgression so that we can be reconciled to the Father.

Let us meditate on that in light of our own sinfulness but, most of all, in light of our unwillingness to believe in God or enter into a relationship with our Father in heaven. [When I say "us" and "our", I speak of humanity as a whole.] There are so many who have no desire to give God praise and worship on Sundays, the Lord's Day, a holy day of obligation in which Mass attendance is required of the faithful. As we approach Holy Week with Palm Sunday, the Paschal Triduum, and Easter, let us be like Mary and John, who stood vigil at the Cross of Christ and not like the crowd who welcomed Jesus but then turned on him and turned away from him.

When we do, when we approach Holy Week with humble and contrite hearts, then Easter Sunday will not be just another holiday for us. Easter Sunday will be a day filled with joy, hope, peace, and love. We still have 2 weeks of Lent left, let us allow the Holy Spirit to transform us and prepare our hearts to love God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus answered the Jews:

"My Father is at work until now, so I am at work."

For this reason they tried all the more to kill him,

because he not only broke the sabbath

but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.

Jesus answered and said to them,

"Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own,

but only what he sees the Father doing;

for what he does, the Son will do also.

For the Father loves the Son

and shows him everything that he himself does,

and he will show him greater works than these,

so that you may be amazed.

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,

so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.

Nor does the Father judge anyone,

but he has given all judgment to the Son,

so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.

Whoever does not honor the Son

does not honor the Father who sent him.

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word

and believes in the one who sent me

has eternal life and will not come to condemnation,

but has passed from death to life.

Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here

when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,

and those who hear will live.

For just as the Father has life in himself,

so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.

And he gave him power to exercise judgment,

because he is the Son of Man.

Do not be amazed at this,

because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs

will hear his voice and will come out,

those who have done good deeds

to the resurrection of life,

but those who have done wicked deeds

to the resurrection of condemnation.

"I cannot do anything on my own;

I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just,

because I do not seek my own will

but the will of the one who sent me."

Lenten Reflection - Day 24 - The healing power of faith in Christ

Sisters and brothers in Christ, for 38 years, the man who is ill lies by the waters of Bethesda waiting to be healed. He puts his faith in the water that flows from the porticoes yet he has forgotten its source - God Himself. When Jesus heals the man, notice that Jesus does not move the man into the pool. Rather Christ speaks the words, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk" and the man is able to walk again. It is Jesus who heals the man but, most of all, he restores the man's hope and faith that he has lost after 38 years of waiting to be healed.

When we are sick, we rightfully seek medical help to get well. However, we should also not forget to seek out God to help us. Jesus asks us this question - "Do you want to be well?" - and waits for our answer. Our Lord and Savior can heal us in so many ways beyond physical healing. He desires this healing for us. We only need to turn to him with a humble and contrite heart and know that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the source of Living Water that give us eternal life. His Body and Blood, given to us in the Eucharist, are nourishment for our bodies - physically and spiritually. May we never forget to turn to him in times of need and respond, "Yes, Lord, I want to be well."

. . .

Gospel of the Day

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate

a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.

In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.

One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.

When Jesus saw him lying there

and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him,

"Do you want to be well?"

The sick man answered him,

"Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool

when the water is stirred up;

while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me."

Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk."

Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Now that day was a sabbath.

So the Jews said to the man who was cured,

"It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat."

He answered them, "The man who made me well told me,

'Take up your mat and walk.'"

They asked him,

"Who is the man who told you, 'Take it up and walk'?"

The man who was healed did not know who it was,

for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.

After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him,

"Look, you are well; do not sin any more,

so that nothing worse may happen to you."

The man went and told the Jews

that Jesus was the one who had made him well.

Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus

because he did this on a sabbath.

Deacon Phúc's Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year A - 3/19/2023)

Good morning. The theme of Fr. Charlie’s homily series this Lent is the Catholic Church’s teachings on the corporal works of mercy. The corporal works of mercy are important to the mission of the Church because we must show people Jesus who loves them if we hope to talk to them about Jesus who loves them. This week, we focus on visiting the sick. I believe that there is not a more humbling way to show others Jesus who loves them than to visit and accompany those who are sick and homebound.

Back in high school, my mom worked at a nursing home close to our house. On Saturday mornings, I volunteered at the same nursing home. I had the fun job of helping the residents play BINGO. Some Saturdays, I got to pass out the prizes or pull the BINGO balls or call out the letter-number combinations. Most of the time, though, I helped the residents put coins on their BINGO cards and read out the winning letter-number combinations when one of them yelled out excitedly: “BINGO!” Over the years, my mom got to know some of the residents at the nursing home and she introduced me to them. On several occasions, I visited with them after the BINGO games. Unfortunately, I also witnessed a lot of loneliness among many of the residents who did not have any visitors - neither family members nor friends. I oftentimes saw them curled up under their blankets or lying in bed and staring blankly at the T.V. screen. It was as though they had lost that spark in their eyes and merely existed while wasting away all alone. It was witnessing those moments that I vowed to myself that I would never put my parents in a nursing home nor abandon them to the dark abyss of loneliness in their old age.

Now, let me tell you about Lillian Butler, a long-time friend of my wife’s family. I first met Lillian the summer of 2003 when Theresa and I visited Little Rock, AR for a week and she graciously invited us to stay at her house. She was in her late 70’s then and lived by herself after her husband, George, passed away. During our visit, Lillian was “southern hospitality” personified. I kid you not. Every morning, she got up early and cooked us a huge country breakfast - with eggs, bacon, sausages, biscuits, grits, muffins, and coffee poured from one of those vintage coffee makers. Everything was so delicious! I think I put on 10 pounds that week! We had fun watching movies, playing card games, learning to loom knit, and talking about all sorts of things, including her Charley horses and how they kept her up at night. We went to Mass on Sunday. We even convinced Lillian to go with us to visit the state capital with us, but she declined our invitation to go with us to Hot Springs.

After that fun-filled week, we did not see Lillian again until almost 4 years later but this time, under very different circumstances. You see, she had cancer. When we visited her, she was still able to sit up in her bed and had bursts of energy to receive visitors. We chatted about all sorts of things, including my becoming a Catholic. We laughed, but we also shed tears because we all knew in our hearts that it was the last time we would see Lillian. During our time with her, I could not help but notice the overwhelming sense of peace about her. And while we could tell that she was in pain, she exuded so much joy in her suffering. With her gentle smile, she witnessed to us the hope that comes from faith in God through the love of his Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A few weeks after our visit, Lillian went to be with George in heaven. I felt blessed for the chance to say good-bye to this “angel” who helped me feel the love of Christ in my heart before I knew of the love that Christ has for me.

Many years later, my time spent at the nursing home back in high school and the blessed opportunity to visit and accompany Lillian stirred in my heart the desire to minister to those who are sick and homebound. When I started Diaconal Formation, my wife and I decided to volunteer and spend time with the residents at The Conservatory, a senior living residence not too far from Saint Albert the Great. Before the pandemic, they even invited us to join them for lunch on many occasions. The fellowship was wonderful! They had so many wonderful stories to share and tremendous wisdom to impart on me. And, although I was there to minister to them, they helped me through five years of Diaconal Formation with their friendship and prayers. I will never forget how much their prayers strengthened me spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically when I accompanied and ministered to a friend whose husband was very ill and spent months in the ICU in San Antonio. After I was ordained a permanent deacon, my wife and I decided to continue with this ministry because we loved serving the residents at The Conservatory so much. 

My sisters and brothers in Christ, I am truly blessed for the opportunity to share the love of our Lord Jesus Christ with those who are sick and homebound through the Ministry of Care ministry, here at the parish. You can, too! I invite you to learn more about how you can visit with and accompany those who are sick and homebound in nursing homes and senior living residences. I encourage you to visit with Chaplain Debbie George and the Ministry of Care volunteers after Mass, or come talk to me after Mass. I would love to chat with you. We need you all, faithful Catholics who, for love of God and neighbor, desire to visit the sick and homebound in our parish community and take care of their needs as our Lord tells us to do for these least brothers and sisters of ours, we do for him (Matthew 25). Ask yourselves this question: “Will I answer my Lord’s call and help his church at Saint Albert the Great fill this need? To visit and accompany my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are sick and homebound so that they may know Christ’s love for them through my love and care for them?”

I know that some of you are thinking to yourself that you are not qualified or that you are not worthy to serve God’s people in such a special way. Well, the Prophet Samuel has this to say to you, in today's first reading: “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.” Discern with your heart, not with your mind. In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals the blind man and the man can see again. More importantly, though, I think Jesus heals the blind man spiritually, emotionally, and mentally, because Christ shows the blind man that he is not alone in his affliction but that God is present and cares for him deeply. Christ invites each of us to join his ministry of healing and asks for our “Yes.” May the light of Christ guide and help us to trust that his Spirit will provide us with everything that we need. May we have the courage to give Jesus our “Yes,” and find that, by the grace of God, we do have what it takes to share the love of God with another, particularly with those who are sick and homebound.

I leave you all with this final thought. Today is Laetare Sunday, and we wear rose vestments to remind us that the season of preparation is coming to a close and the great feast of Easter is swiftly approaching. Pope Francis wrote in “The Joy of the Gospel”: “There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter. I realize of course that joy is not expressed the same way at all times in life, especially at moments of great difficulty. Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved. I understand the grief of people who have to endure great suffering, yet slowly but surely we all have to let the joy of faith slowly revive as a quiet yet firm trust, even amid the greatest distress.” My sisters and brothers in Christ, we have a tremendous opportunity to help those who are sick and homebound in our parish community experience the joy of the coming Easter season and beyond, knowing that they matter and that we have not forgotten about them. Please visit the Ministry of Care table after Mass and be the person who shares Jesus’ love with them with your loving presence in their lives.

Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Plank

We recently enjoyed lunch at Plank Seafood Provision in The Domain. It is a a bit on the pricey side but the seafood is fresh and very tasty. It is definitely a good place to celebrate a special occasion because the atmosphere is nice. I ordered a coffee and was amazed by the presentation - coffee was served in a French press, with creamer, and the option of sugar cubes or rock sugar on a stick.

We ordered the Crispy Rice Cake to start. It was 4 bite-size rice cakes that was packed full with flavor. I was surprised that they were on such a large plate because that made them look small. LOL.

For our "main dish", we Petite Seafood Tower that came with 12 oysters (chef's choice), shrimp cocktail (5 plump shrimps), and a salmon crudo. Personally, I liked the salmon crudo the most because it was so flavorful. Second, I enjoyed the oysters. They were a lot smaller than oysters we get at other seafood restaurants but they oysters were fresh and did not have a "ocean taste." The horseradish was fresh and had a subtle taste that was not in-your-face. I actually had to put a lot of horseradish on my oysters before I could taste it.

We also got the Crab & Curry Basmatic Rice as a side dish. It was delicious and the curry did not dominate the dish. We split the dish because I like to squeeze a lime on my rice. I also like the fresh cilantro.

To round out our dining experience, we had the Meyer Lemon Chess Tart. It was a good size tart that they sliced into 4 sticks so great for sharing. What we liked the most is that the taste was very subtle. It was not too lemony sour nor was it sweet. And it goes great with coffee.

We enjoyed our dining experience at Plank Seafood Provision. Best of all, when we told them about food allergy, which every dish that they brought out, they ensured us it was specially prepared to avoid cross-contamination. We plan to return but, as I mentioned earlier, it will be for a special occasion.

. . .

Other Ngon Quá Foodie blogs:

• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Plank https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-plank.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: JINYA Ramen https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-jinya-ramen.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Maxine's Gumbo House https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-maxines.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: 16th Anniversary Edition https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/05/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-16th-anniversary.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Deckhand Oyster Bar (Round Rock) https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/04/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-deckhand-oyster.html
• Ngon Quá Foodie Blog: Sushi Koen (Round Rock) https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/07/ngon-qua-foodie-blog-sushi-koen-round.html

Lenten Reflection - Day 19 - Christ the fulfillment of the law

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in his homily on this Gospel reading, Fr. Charlie said that we not only must know the commandments and obey and live by them, we must also teach them to others lest we be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. He also said that we fall into two categories: (1) we know the commandments but do not teach them to others or (2) we do not obey or live by the commandments and yet we attempt to teach others and expect them to obey and live by them. We must be obey the commandments and teach them to other. It is both and not either or.

As I reflected on this, I think of mom. Growing up, when she taught us moral values and how we ought to live our lives, she always include God in her teachings. This helped us to know that we should live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God. Also, this help us to know that our moral values are not man-made that can change relative to the desires of man, the time, and the culture in which we live. The moral values that we ought to adhere to come from God. I believe this is one important thing that some parents no longer stress to their children. They do not include God in when they teach their children moral values; thus removing THE course of the moral laws.

I see this happening in our society. People want separation of Church and State yet they forget that our laws are rooted in the laws that God gave us in the Ten Commandments. It is as Jesus said in today's Gospel and it is still very relevant today: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill."

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to his disciples:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.

I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,

not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter

will pass from the law,

until all things have taken place.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments

and teaches others to do so

will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.

But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments

will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."

Lenten Reflection - Day 18 - The dark path of unforgiveness

Sisters and brothers in Christ, today's Gospel parable of the Unforgiving Servant can be summarized with this line from the Lord's Prayer, or the Our Father: ". . .forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us. . ." In other words, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is telling us to be merciful toward others as our Father in heaven is merciful toward us (Luke 6:36).

Forgiveness is hard because we feel that if we forgive someone that we are, in a way, letting them "off the hook", that they are "getting off easy." We would rather withhold forgiveness but when we do that, we also hold on to the rage, anger, and resentment that come with unforgiveness. However, unforgiveness binds us, robs us of our joy and peace, and leads us down a dark and lonely path.

Ever since Fr. Charlie came to our CALLED TO BE ONE Marriage Class and talked to the couples about forgiveness, I have made it a point to invite them to reflect on any areas of unforgiveness that they harbor toward each other, talk about it with each other, and forgive each other so that they can enter into the Sacrament of Marriage free from the yolk of unforgiveness.

This is the same invitation that our Lord tells us in today's Gospel parable - to forgive as our Father forgives us; to be merciful as our Father is merciful. Below is a link to an article on saints and forgiveness. We can learn a lot from these great saints.

Article: "The Saints Can Teach Us How to Forgive" https://catholicexchange.com/the-saints-can-teach-us-how-to-forgive/

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Peter approached Jesus and asked him,

"Lord, if my brother sins against me,

how often must I forgive him?

As many as seven times?"

Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.

That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king

who decided to settle accounts with his servants.

When he began the accounting,

a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.

Since he had no way of paying it back,

his master ordered him to be sold,

along with his wife, his children, and all his property,

in payment of the debt.

At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,

'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.'

Moved with compassion the master of that servant

let him go and forgave him the loan.

When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants

who owed him a much smaller amount.

He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,

'Pay back what you owe.'

Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,

'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

But he refused.

Instead, he had him put in prison

until he paid back the debt.

Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,

they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master

and reported the whole affair.

His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant!

I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.

Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,

as I had pity on you?'

Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers

until he should pay back the whole debt.

So will my heavenly Father do to you,

unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."

Lenten Reflection - Day 15 - Be careful or you could lose everything

Sisters and brothers in Christ, what struck me the most from today's reading is what Judah said to his brothers after the conspired to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver. Judah said to his brothers, "After all, he is our brother, our own flesh."

This struck me because how often do we come up with reasons or excuses to justify our actions or inactions to put our mind at ease so that we can sleep at night. In this instance, their initial plan was to kill their brother, Joseph. However, rather than stopping them, Rueben talked them into throwing Joseph into the cistern. And, of course, Judah convinced them to sell Joseph into slavery. All of these are evil acts against their "own flesh."

When we do not love and cherish what we have in our lives, the gifts that God has blessed us with, they will be taken away from us, as Jesus said the Pharisees and chief priests in today's Gospel. This is especially important when it comes to the gift of our faith. If we do not love and cherish the virtue of faith that helps us to know our Lord and our God, we will end up not only losing our faith but also our inheritance - the Kingdom of God.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:

""Hear another parable.

There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,

put a hedge around it,

dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.

Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.

When vintage time drew near,

he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.

But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,

another they killed, and a third they stoned.

Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,

but they treated them in the same way.

Finally, he sent his son to them,

thinking, 'They will respect my son.'

But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,

'This is the heir.

Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'

They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?""

They answered him,

""He will put those wretched men to a wretched death

and lease his vineyard to other tenants

who will give him the produce at the proper times.""

Jesus said to them, ""Did you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;

by the Lord has this been done,

and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Therefore, I say to you,

the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you

and given to a people that will produce its fruit.""

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,

they knew that he was speaking about them.

And although they were attempting to arrest him,

they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

Lenten Reflection - Day 14 - The greatest poverty of the rich man

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, Jesus tells us the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Mother Theresa once said, “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” Here the saint is telling us that the greatest poverty is not the material poverty but the spiritual poverty and emotional poverty. This poverty is when one does not live with intentionality and a sense of purpose, that comes from God, but one merely exists, like a feather being blow this way and that way by the wind with no sense of direction.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ speaks of severely of this type of spiritual poverty in us, saying: "If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead." In other words, because of the hardness of our hearts, we choose not to listen to God's messengers on earth, those who Christ chose to be his shepherds - the Pope, the bishops, and priests -, to spread the Good News of the Gospel, and to carry out the mission of the Church. Jesus is saying that if we do not heed the words of those who He has chosen and sent, then we most likely would not listen to him. These words of Christ should convict us to the core of our being and move us to make changes in our lives so that we do not end up like the rich man, who is spiritually dead.

For this reason, the Church gives us the season of Lent so that, through the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we may live again spiritually and have new life in Christ. Moreover, Lent is a reminder for us the Jesus - fully divine but also fully human - was able to resist the temptations and lures of Satan through not only his knowledge of Scripture, of a robust prayer life and spirituality. Let us be imitators of Christ Jesus in this way.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to the Pharisees:

"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen

and dined sumptuously each day.

And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps

that fell from the rich man's table.

Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.

When the poor man died,

he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.

The rich man also died and was buried,

and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,

he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off

and Lazarus at his side.

And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.

Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,

for I am suffering torment in these flames.'

Abraham replied, 'My child,

remember that you received what was good during your lifetime

while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;

but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.

Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established

to prevent anyone from crossing

who might wish to go from our side to yours

or from your side to ours.'

He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him

to my father's house,

for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,

lest they too come to this place of torment.'

But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.

Let them listen to them.'

He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,

but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

Then Abraham said,

'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,

neither will they be persuaded

if someone should rise from the dead.'"

Lenten Reflection - Day 13 - Do not lord over another

Sisters and brothers in Christ, when we "lord over someone" we "assert arrogant superiority over one because of or in relation to some achievement, advantage, good fortune, etc." Our Lord and Jesus Christ warns us against doing this in today's Gospel, saying: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you." Jesus continues, saying, "Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave."

There are many people who, even though they are already in a position of authority over others, like to "flex their muscles" and show others "who is the boss." There is no need for this at all. They are trying to hold on to some self-perceived power or control over others through fear and intimidation. There is no need for any of that as our Lord tells us. In other others, we should treat everyone with dignity and respect because, as we hear in the verses on the "judgment of nations" (Matthew 25), what we do for the "least" we do for Christ and that is how we make our way to heaven.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,

he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,

and said to them on the way,

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,

and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests

and the scribes,

and they will condemn him to death,

and hand him over to the Gentiles

to be mocked and scourged and crucified,

and he will be raised on the third day.”

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons

and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.

He said to her, “What do you wish?”

She answered him,

“Command that these two sons of mine sit,

one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”

Jesus said in reply,

“You do not know what you are asking.

Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”

They said to him, “We can.”

He replied,

“My chalice you will indeed drink,

but to sit at my right and at my left,

this is not mine to give

but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

When the ten heard this,

they became indignant at the two brothers.

But Jesus summoned them and said,

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,

and the great ones make their authority over them felt.

But it shall not be so among you.

Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;

whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.

Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve

and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Lenten Reflection - Day 12 - Overcoming sin

Sisters and brothers in Christ, I recently read a summary of this podcast, titled "Five Essentials to Overcome Sin" (link below), and I was not surprised that the first "essential" is humility. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ talks about the importance of humility in today's Gospel, saying: "The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Pride leads us to believe that we can take on sin by ourselves without the grace from God. Humility makes us realize that we need God in our lives, that we are insufficiently equipped against sin. With humility, we realize that we are a sinner in need of a Savior. Humility helps us to turn to God and ask Him for the strength and courage to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. With humility, we receive the Holy Spirit from Christ who gives us the wisdom to turn to the Sacraments for repentance and healing so that we can once again be reconciled with our Father in heaven.

When we are humble of heart, we are docile to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. We become malleable in loving hands of our Father, allowing Him to help us "[put] away [our] misdeeds from before [His] eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice [our] aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow." In other words, truly living the Lenten observances of praying, fasting, and almsgiving with intentionality and devoted hearts to God the Father.

Link: https://media.ascensionpress.com/podcast/five-essentials-to-overcome-sin/

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,

"The scribes and the Pharisees

have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.

Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,

but do not follow their example.

For they preach but they do not practice.

They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry

and lay them on people's shoulders,

but they will not lift a finger to move them.

All their works are performed to be seen.

They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.

They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,

greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'

As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'

You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.

Call no one on earth your father;

you have but one Father in heaven.

Do not be called 'Master';

you have but one master, the Christ.

The greatest among you must be your servant.

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;

but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Kids say the darndest things (Part 1)

Vigil Mass (3/4/2023)

While I was waiting with Fr. Rito to process in before the Vigil Mass this evening, a little girl came up to me and said that I looked like a chipmunk. I asked her which one. Her mom said to her, "Which one? Alvin, Simon, or Theodore?" She exclaimed excitedly: "Theodore!" 😆😄😂😅🤣 Is it too late to start the #Exodus90 ascetical practices? #nocandies #nosweets

10:00 Mass (2/12/2023)

Yesterday, after the 10:00 Mass, a little girl told her mom that I look like #Bruno in my green dalmatic. I looked at the little girl and sang, "We don't talk about Bruno, Bruno". . . From her reaction, I think she was completely surprised that a deacon knew that song. #Encanto 😆😅🤣 #childlikefaith

Lenten Reflection - Day 11 - We are all sinners in need of God's mercy

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's first reading, we read from the Book of Deuteronomy why we do not have grounds to judge and condemn others: "We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws." We are all sinners who have fallen short of God's laws and commandments.

However, we are called to strive for holiness, which we means strive to live a moral life and uphold the values and virtues that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has given us through his one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. We are also called to help our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ get to heaven, starting with our families. How many times did Saint Paul have to correct the Christian communities when they went astray. If he had not, then he would have failed in his mission to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others and lead them to Christ, in words and deeds and how they live their lives. Therefore, in that way, we are called to encourage our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ to live a moral life and uphold the values and virtues taught to us by the Church.

This means sometimes having to correct others and steer others back on the right path should they stray. This means that we ourselves have to live by those values and virtues and lead by example. In other words, we need to examine the log in our own eyes before we talk with other person about the splinter in his eyes. It starts with us and our relationship with God, because we need His grace to learn to be merciful and forgiving toward others (and ourselves) as He is merciful and forgiving of us.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to his disciples:

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

"Stop judging and you will not be judged.

Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.

Forgive and you will be forgiven.

Give and gifts will be given to you;

a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,

will be poured into your lap.

For the measure with which you measure

will in return be measured out to you."

Deacon Phúc's Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent (Year A - 3/5/2023)

Good afternoon. On this Second Sunday of Lent, we continue our homily series on the corporal works of mercy with “shelter the homeless." For those of us who are not familiar with the corporal works of mercy, they “are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a model for how we should treat all others, as if they were Christ in disguise.” You might be wondering why the corporal works of mercy are so important to the mission of the Catholic Church. Who here has seen “The Chosen”? There is an exchange between Andrew and Simon (Peter) that struck me, and I think it helps us to understand the importance of the corporal works of mercy to the mission of the Church. In one of the scenes, Andrew is trying to tell his brother, Simon, about Jesus who he calls the lamb. However, Simon is under a lot of stress to catch fish to pay his debt or he would lose his fishing boat and livelihood. So Simon yells at Andrew, saying: "We don't need a lamb, we need a fish." Now, imagine someone saying, “I don’t need Jesus, I need a job. “ Or, “I don’t need Jesus, I am hungry and thirsty and I need food and drink.” Or, “I don’t need Jesus, I need a roof over my head and clothes on my back.” Or, “I don’t need Jesus, I am sick or. . , I am in prison or. . . I just lost a loved one. What can Jesus do for me?” The corporal works of mercy are important to the mission of the Church because we must show people Jesus who loves them if we hope to talk to them about Jesus who loves them.

The corporal works of mercy can be challenging; I know they are for me. The Scripture passage on the “judgment of nations”, which is the origin of the corporal works of mercy, convicts me every time I read it. When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes and separates the sheep from the goats, I want to be counted among the sheep on the right and not among the goats on the left. Good thing for us, in today’s Gospel, God shows us the virtue that we need to help us overcome the challenges that might prevent us from carrying out the corporal works of mercy: it is LOVE. Present at the Transfiguration of the Lord is Elijah, who represents the prophets, messengers of God who help the people of God grow in the virtue of FAITH. Also present is Moses, who represents the law that gives us HOPE, a virtue that helps us trust in Christ’s promise of eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven if we follow God’s law and stay on the straight and narrow path and enter through the narrow gates. However, in heaven, we no longer need FAITH because we would have finished the race and kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). Nor do we need HOPE because our hope is in the Lord and, in heaven, we are in the presence of the Lord our God. What remains is LOVE just as the transfigured Jesus, who is the embodiment of love, remains while Elijah and Moses are gone. Christ is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, and gives us the commandment to LOVE. Love is how we find the courage and strength to carry out the corporal works of mercy.

Now, when we hear “shelter the homeless,” we often think of providing shelter for those individuals who are living on the streets, under bridges, or camped in the woods. While that is true, I believe that homelessness is that but also so much more than that. An American writer once said, “Home is where your family is. Wherever you are, it's about the people you're surrounded by, not necessarily where you lay your head.” Moreover, back in December of 2014, Alan Graham, the founder and CEO of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, spoke with a group of us men in Diaconal Formation before our Street Retreat. He said something that I remember to this day. He told us that “homelessness is caused by a catastrophic loss of family.” Let us reflect on these two quotes for a moment. “Home is where your family is. . .” “Homelessness is caused by a catastrophic loss of family.” When we begin to see that “homelessness is caused by a catastrophic loss of family,” we begin to see mothers and children who are in shelters because of domestic violence, children in the foster care system, and refugees and immigrants fleeing their countries, as the homeless in need of our help. We even begin to look at our fellow Christians in the pews, who come to Mass alone, who keep to themselves, and who do not participate in parish events and activities, as someone who needs a parish family, and we look for ways to help them find a home here at Saint Albert the Great.

I want to share a story with you all. When I was 6 years old, my family and I shared an apartment with another family in New Haven, CT. While we were still new to America, we were happy because our family was together. Our family of 4 was about to grow by 1 because my mom was pregnant with my youngest brother. Unfortunately, she had complications near the end of the pregnancy. I was too young to understand but I remember that she had to be admitted into the hospital. My dad worked all day and, after he ate dinner with us, he went to the hospital to be with my mom, leaving my brother and I in the care of the family that we shared the apartment with. They were relatives so we felt safe. However, even though my brother was there with me, I missed my parents. I never felt so lonely, so abandoned in my life. I share this story because, in my own way, as a young child who often wondered if people existed when I did not see them, I experienced a sense of homelessness with mom and dad at the hospital. I think we can all agree that the desire to be part of a family, the sense of belonging, and the feeling of being home are so important to us because they make us feel secure and safe.

We heard in the first reading, from the Book of Genesis, that the “LORD said to Abram: ‘Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. . .’ Abram went as the LORD directed him.” Besides trusting that the Lord was with him every step of the way, have we ever stopped and wondered how Abram was able to make the arduous journey to a foreign land at the age of 75? I believe it was because Abram had his family with him - his wife, Sarai, and his nephew, Lot, along with their servants. Moreover, in the Gospel, Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." Not only do we have this longing in our hearts to be part of a family, to have a home but, like Peter, we also desire the same for others, that they may have shelter and feel at home, like they are part of a family. This desire to “shelter the homeless” compels us to donate of our treasures to charitable organizations - like Saint Vincent de Paul Society and Mobile Loaves and Fishes - that help the homeless, to volunteer of our time at food pantries and soup kitchens, and to pray for and minister to our brothers and sisters in Christ who do not know when their next meal will be or where they will rest their heads for the night. This is how we can shine the light of Christ in our society. 

One of the ways that we can help our homeless brothers and sisters is to support Mobile Loaves and Fishes. Specifically, we can support the good works that Alan Graham is doing at Community First! Village over in East Travis County. “Community First! Village is a 51-acre master planned community that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness.” During Diaconal Formation, a few of my classmates and I helped our Formation Directors bless the grounds and buildings. I later had the opportunity to lead prayer services and even organized a workday there. If you have not met this humble servant of God’s poor and marginalized, then I invite everyone to attend our Parish Lenten Mission this week. Alan Graham is leading our parish’s Lenten Mission on March 7th, 8th, and 9th, from 7:30-9:00 P.M., at the Seton Center.

I want to end with this Prayer of Saint Ignatius of Loyola: “Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve; to give, and not to count the cost, to fight, and not to heed the wounds, to toil, and not to seek rest, to labor, and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we are doing your will.” Amen.

Inviting all parishioners to join us in this Corporal Work of Mercy! 

As we continue our Lenten reflection on the Corporal Works of Mercy this week we're focusing on Shelter the Homeless. 

Our Social Ministry has a beautiful opportunity for us to help with  this work of mercy!

Donate to the Social Ministry “S.O.S.” project - Soap,

Socks and Snacks and then take those goodies out to those living on the streets. Social Ministry will bag the items for you, you pick them up to hand out.

Suggested items to donate: TRAVEL SIZE ONLY: soap, hand sanitizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, chapstick and “kleenex” tissue

Socks-men and women sizes

Food items:  small pop-top cans of prepackaged food such as “vienna” sausage, tuna fish, cheese & crackers, soft breakfast/protein bars, "to go” size peanut butter, applesauce and fruit cups. 

Please bring these items to St. Albert and place them in the bins.

When: March 7, 8, 9 during the parish Lenten Mission with Alan Graham AND March 11-12 after all masses

Pick up the blessing bags March 18-19 to hand out to a neighbor on the streets