Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-12)

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today is the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest.

This past weekend, we had the blessed opportunity to attend the priestly ordination of Fr. Michael Thien Hoang, the son of a brother deacon of mine. Cardinal Tobin (from New Jersey) presided and many Redemptorists priests were present at the Ordination and Mass of Thanksgiving. After the Ordination Mass, the Provincial Superior, Fr. Kevin Zubel, spoke about the family and how the seed of faith that God planted is nurtured and allowed to grow and flourish in the family, the "domestic church."

In today's Gospel, we hear Jesus' parable of the mustard seed, which is the "smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches." We see this "mustard seed" in priests, deacons, and religious because their own personal faith and devotion to God grow into a faith life that others can come to them for pastoral care. In a  special way, the priest's faith, prayer life, and spirituality become the canopy for the people, who God has entrusted to their care, to come and see guidance, courage, strength, and refuge in the Sacraments of the Church that is administered by the priest.

Therefore, dearest goddaughter, continue to grow in your faith, prayer life and spirituality so that the "mustard seed" that God planted in your heart may be nourished, grow, and flourish with the guidance of your parents but, most of all, with the grace from our Heavenly Father.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Ex 32:15-24, 30-34 and Mt 13:31-35.

Homily for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A - 7/30/2023)

Good afternoon. A few weeks ago, Alan Ames stood right here and spoke to almost 750 people sitting out there in the pews. When the event ended, a friend of mine, who drove in from Buda, came up to me and said that it was his first time at Saint Albert the Great. He commented that we have a beautiful church. I agree with my friend. . . 100%. . . because we do have a beautiful church. I am sure your experience is slightly different from mine but when I walk into the narthex and hear the water flowing at the baptismal font, I immediately feel at peace. I am also reminded of my Baptism. Then, as I walk through that door to enter the sanctuary, our beautiful Crucifix captures my gaze, and I am reminded that I am a sinner in need of a Savior, which is why I am here at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Indeed, our church is beautiful and the statues, icons and images that adorn our worship space lift our minds and hearts to the transcendent and our heavenly home. However, these things are not the “treasures” of the Church. The “treasure” of the Church is not what but who, and the who is the Mystical Body - those who have been baptized and who profess the faith of Christ. In other words, the Mystical Body is you and me with Jesus as head. Many centuries ago, when the Roman Emperor Valerian demanded Saint Lawrence to turn over all the riches of the Church, Saint Lawrence returned with “crowds of poor, crippled, blind, and suffering people,” and boldly proclaimed: “These are the true treasures of the Church. . . The Church is truly rich, far richer than the Emperor.” Alan Ames said that Jesus loves each and every one of us because we are a “treasure, a fine gem, a precious pearl”, the apple of His eye (Psalm 17:8). We are the treasure of the Church because God first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Jesus teaches that the kingdom of heaven is like a “treasure buried in a field” or a “pearl of great price,” which a person sells all that he has and buys it.” For Solomon, he treasured “an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” When God said to him, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you," Solomon did not ask God for anything for himself - “[not] long life, [not] riches, [not] the life of his enemies.” He asked God to give him only what he needed to serve God and “a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.” God responded generously and blessed Solomon abundantly. God gave Solomon “a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like [Solomon] up to now, and after [him] there will come no one to equal [him].”

If God were to say to us, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you," how would we answer Him? As I reflected on this question, and how it applies to my own life and how it impacts the lives of those whom God has entrusted to my care, this other passage, also from the Gospel of Matthew, came to mind. In his sermon on the mount, Jesus taught the disciples, the crowds, and us, saying: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven. . . For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Matthew 6:21). Jesus treasures and loves each and everyone of us so much that “he was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, [and] by his wounds we were healed. . .” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus gave all that he had to ransom not only those who believe in him and follow him but the entire world - “the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind.” Christ did not store for himself treasures on earth. In fact, he rebuked Satan’s temptations and lures of “all the kingdoms of the world. . . power. . .  and glory,” saying: “you shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve” (Luke 4:5-8). With these words and how he lived, Jesus gives us an example to follow and that is, to worship and serve God alone.

Our worship of God starts here in this sacred place, at the altar before us, with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, so that we have the grace, strength, and courage to serve Him out there in the world. For us Catholics, it starts and ends with the Eucharist. Many people say that all religions are the same but we know that is not true. As Catholics, we have a heavenly treasure that no other religion has - the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the “source” of our spiritual and prayer life in Christ, the vine to which we graft ourselves. The Eucharist is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ humbly giving of himself completely for our salvation. Just listen to these words that Jesus spoke to his disciples, words that transcend space and time, the same words that priests pray at the consecration: “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me. . . This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you” (Luke 22:19-20). 

We believe with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind (Matthew 22:37) that the Eucharist is greater than all the “treasure[s] buried in a field” or all the “pearl[s] of great price.” Why else would we pray these words before we go up for Holy Communion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” Why else would we say “Amen” in response to the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion saying “The Body of Christ” and “The Blood of Christ” as they raise up the bread and wine before us? The Eucharist is the “summit” of our Christian life and faith because, in this Eucharistic celebration, this prayer of thanksgiving to God Almighty, we not only encounter the Real Presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ right here in our midst but we also receive Him - body, blood, soul, and divinity - at Communion. In those precious minutes when we return to the pews to pray after having received Communion, Jesus dwells in us - body, soul, and spirit; his Sacred Heart and our heart beat as one.

My sisters and brothers in Christ, are we willing to ransom all that we have for God just as He ransomed His only Begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for us? If we are, then here are some real ways the Church can help us with our conversion. First, the Catholic Church in America is in the midst of a three-year National Eucharistic Revival, whose mission is “[to] renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist,” and whose vision is “[to] inspire a movement of Catholics across the United States who are healed, converted, formed, and unified by an encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist—and who are then sent out on mission ‘for the life of the world.’” Let us learn more about it and participate. Second, in the Diocese of Austin, we are in the midst of celebrating the Diocese’s 75th Anniversary. Pope Francis has granted the faithful the opportunity to obtain two plenary indulgences for the occasion of the 75th anniversary. Let us learn more about them and participate. Third, here at Saint Albert the Great, we have the Together in Holiness Marriage Conference on Aug. 5th, the Men’s Retreat on Aug. 12th (which the men can sign up for after Mass), along with faith-sharing small groups for men, women, married couples, as well as other men’s and women’s retreats. Let us learn more about them and participate.

Let us, therefore, treasure our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist in the same way that He treasures us. Pope Saint John Paul II once said, "In that little Host is the solution to all the problems of the world." Why? Because that “little Host” has the power to change us but only if we, of our own freewill, allow Christ dwelling inside of us to change us. I leave you with this final thought. As we go through life, we are changed by our encounters with people who cross paths with us. Faith, logic, and reason would dictate that our encounter with the Redeemer of the world, whose Real Presence is in the Eucharist for us, should change us because Jesus is a greater “treasure” than anybody we will ever encounter in our lifetime. However, if we are not changed by our encounter with Jesus, then we are not doing something right because God is certainly not doing anything wrong.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/073023.cfm

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-11)

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's first reading, God gives Moses (and us) His Ten Commandments. God gives us His laws so that we can have life and have it abundantly and live freely as children of God. Sometimes this can be hard for us to understand because we see laws and rules as restricting us, rather than freeing us. However, I invite you to think of it this way.

Traffic laws, if everyone obeys them, allow all of us to traveling freely on the roads without fear. We hope that when we have a green light at an intersection and the crossroad has a red light, then we can drive through the intersection without fear. (However, we must still be alert and cautious because not all drivers are created equal.) Or think of it this way. Softball and baseball have rules so that the coaches and players know what to expect so they can freely coach and play the game. Can you image if there were no rules in softball and baseball; it would be chaotic. No one would know what to do. No one can freely play and enough the game without rules.

It is the same with God's law because if we live within these boundaries that God has given us, then our reward would be in heaven. However, when we deviate from God's law, not only do we suffer but those around us - including those we love most - suffer as well.

Therefore, dearest goddaughter, trust in the Lord our God, obey His laws, and you will live life abundantly and freely as a child of God.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Ex 20:1-17 and Mt 13:18-23.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-10)

Dearest Goddaughter,

We receive from God five senses - sight, taste, smell, touch, and hear - to perceive the world around us. We can also use these senses to perceive the spiritual and the divine but our senses can also deceive us. As Catholics, we believe in the Real Presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Eucharist - the bread coming the Body of Christ and the wine becoming the Blood of Christ. Yet, when we receive Holy Communion, the host looks and tastes like a wafer and the wine smells and tastes like wine.

In these moments, as in all moments when reason and logic cannot answer our questions, we rely on faith and our spiritual senses. With our spiritual eyes, we see Christ truly present in the Eucharist. With our spiritual ears, we hear Christ speak to our hears - "this is my Body given up for you" and "this is my Blood shed for you." With spiritual touch, we feel Christ's loving presence dwelling in our heart after we receive Holy Communion. Through our spiritual senses, sharpen by going to Mass, by praying, and a robust spiritual life, we can perceive things of the divine and truly encounter our Lord and our God.

Therefore, dearest goddaughter, train your spiritual senses and you will always know with your heart and mind that God is with you always.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b and Mt 13:10-17.

A Prayer for Protection in Extreme Heat

As Texans, we are facing an extreme heat wave across the country with recorded temperatures in the triple digits. There is an alert of numerous health risks. Us Texans, particularly those who work outdoors or can’t afford an air conditioner, are exposed to higher than normal temperatures and we can suffer stroke, dehydration, and cardiovascular stress, and even death.

. . .

Dear Saving Jesus, we pray to you in this moment of suffering and suffocating heat that plagues our beloved nation. With hearts full of faith and hope, we come to you, trusting in your divine mercy and unfailing love.

O Holy Spirit, come upon us with your divine freshness and send us your relief in the midst of this great heat wave. May your refreshing breath surround us, renewing our strength and giving us comfort in moments of exhaustion.

Mother Mary, loving Mother, we come to you in search of your maternal protection. You who experienced the heat of the desert and know our weaknesses, intercede for us before your beloved Son. We ask you to cover us with your mantle and guide us to sources of cool water and comforting shade.

Loving Jesus, you walked on the waters and calmed the storm, we ask you, in your infinite goodness, to calm the thirst of our land and refresh our burdened bodies. May your divine presence be present in the midst of this scorching heat, pouring your blessing and protection on each of your children. Amen

(Adapted from the prayer written by Fr. Ignacio Andrade)

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-9)

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today is the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

The first reading from the Book of Exodus reminds us that God will always provide for our needs as He provided manna and quail for the children of Israel. Oftentimes, we grumble about what we have or do not have because we desire the stuff that this world has to offer. However, when we truly reflect on our life, we will see that God provides us with everything that we will need, starting with people who love us, and we should be grateful to God for taking care of us.

Interestingly enough, today's Gospel passage is the same one for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary. Nevertheless, it is an important passage for us to remember. When we pray and discern God's will for our lives, there are three voices that speak to us.

The first is our own voice. This is the voice that can be compared to the seed that feel on rocky ground with little soil. The seed springs up at once but then the sun scorches it for lack of roots. When we listen to our own voice, we get excited and extremely motivated but then we can lose interest just as fast because there was no depth of reason for our excitement, except that something might be new and interesting to us, and so we lose interest quickly - like a hobby.

The second voice is the voice of the Evil who wants nothing more than to accuse us and distract us. This is the voice that can be compared to the seed that fell on the path and is eaten up by the birds or the seed that is choked by the thorns. This voice can choke us so that things that we do, especially things of God, do not bear fruit because this voice aims to distract us from what is important and even accuse us, making us question ourselves but, more than that, we begin to question God's will for us. This was what happened to Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden when the serpent approached them and deceived them.

Finally, the third voice is the voice of God, our Father in heaven. This is the voice that can be compared to the seed that falls on rich soil and produce fruit. It is a voice that brings us peace in the midst of trials and tribulations. We are even joyful because we feel God's loving presence in our lives, correcting us and not accusing us. Most of all, God's voice reminds us that we are beloved sons and daughters of our Father in heaven.

Therefore, dearest goddaughter, pray often and God will speak to you in such a way that will bring you peace and joy in your life, and guide you in your discernment and decision-making.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Ex 16:1-5, 9-15 and Mt 13:1-9.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-8)

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today is the feast of Saint James, apostle and martyr. Saint James, pray for us.

This passage from the first reading struck me as I meditated on the readings this before. Saint Paul writes in his second letter to the Corinthians: "Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God."

God gives us everything, even His only Begotten Son, who died on the Cross for our salvation. And so when we gaze upon our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the Cross, we should know in our heart (and mind) that God is all we need for peace, joy, faith, hope, and love in this world. And we go to Mass to worship God and give Him all praise, glory, and thanks for the abundance of grace in our life.

Even in the midst of difficulties, challenges, and suffering, God's power surpasses all things to help us endure all things with hope, again, as Saint Paul tells us: "We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body." We believe this and should also be compelled to share this truth with others so that they too are hopeful, joyful, and at peace.

Therefore, dearest goddaughter, find faith, hope, and love in God and share them with others for the glory of God.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 2 Cor 4:7-15 and Mt 20:20-28.

Reflecting on the Men's Mass (7/22/2023)

Yesterday, I had the blessed opportunity to attend the annual Men's Mass, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, with my fellow Weary Travelers men faith-sharing small group. The Mass was hosted by the Central Texas Fellowship of Catholic Men.

Fr. James Misko celebrated the Mass on the feast of Mary Magdalene and gave a wonderful homily. He tied his message from last year's Men's Mass with this year's message. Personally, Fr. Misko reminded me the importance of abiding in Jesus' love, of being a beloved son of the Father. Fr. Misko mentioned how difficult it is for us men to just sit with the Real Presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration / Holy Hour. We want to fill it with prayers, spiritual readings, and conversations with God. However, we sometimes just need to sit in silence and abide in Jesus' love so that we can hear God say our name just as Christ called Mary Magdalene by her name that Easter morning.

After the Mass, the Weary Travelers enjoyed fellowship and food at Casa Garcia's Tex-Mex, while discussing the graces that we received from the Mass. I am so blessed to be surrounded by men who are faithful to God, their families, and the Catholic Church. 🙏🕊❤️

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-7)

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's first reading from the Book of Exodus, we hear the account of Moses parting the Red Sea so that the children of Israel can escape pharaoh, who wanted to enslave them once again. We are reminded of God's saving grace when we receive the Sacrament of Baptism because, in the waters of Baptism, we are cleansed of Origin Sin (and, for those baptized later in life, temporal sins) and reborn into newness of life in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Therefore, when we come to Mass, we touch our fingers into holy water and make the sign of the cross to remind us of God's saving grace.

I love what Moses told the people, saying: "Fear not! Stand your ground, and you will see the victory of the Lord will win for you today." In times when we are faced with temptation and sin, it is good to make the sign of the cross (with or without holy water) and pray to God for the courage, strength, and grace to overcome temptation and sin. When we do this, we will hear Jesus tell us not to be afraid because he has conquered the world, reminding us that he is at our side to fight for us, lead us, and even carry us when needed.

The sign of the cross reminds us of how "the Son of Man [was] in the heart of the earth three days and three nights" for our salvation, and gives us hope that we are constantly renewed each and every day of our lives, as beloved sons and daughters of our heavenly Father, to live life anew in Christ.

Therefore, dearest goddaughter, while you may not remember your baptism, you can still make the sign of the cross and be reminded that you are a beloved daughter of God, ransomed by the Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the Cross. When you do, you will discover the graces of the Sacrament of Baptism in you to help to live a faithful life in Christ.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Ex 14:5-18 and Mt 12:38-42.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-6)

Dearest Goddaughter,

Last week, I spent 4 days on a silent retreat. If you have not experienced a silent retreat, or gone on any retreat of any thing, I highly recommend it. It is a wonderful way to unplug from the busyness of daily life and focus on our relationship with God, which is very important for our mind, body, soul, and spirit.

During the silent retreat, which included short talks by our priest in the morning, we were encouraged to do three (3) prayer hours throughout the day, a Holy Hour, and Mass. We also had opportunities to talk with a spiritual director and go to Confession. It was so wonderful because we had a lot to rest and relax and take naps. One night, I slept for 12 hours, which I cannot remember the last time I slept for that long.

One of the graces from the retreat was, the Holy Spirit reminded me to go to the Blessed Mother in prayer. I have always had a devotion to Mother Mary, especially throughout Diaconal Formation, but I somehow had forgotten that. So I spoke with Mother Mary and she answered my prayers with one word: PATIENCE. Interestingly enough, and I consider this a God-incidence, but Fr. Michael O'Connor talked about patience in his homily on the Gospel for the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time.

It takes time for us to get rid of the "weeds" in our own spiritual life (and life in general), to get rid of bad habits that we have developed over the years. It takes patience. Patience is a gift of the Holy Spirit, so it also takes perseverance in prayer and renewed commitment to God each and every day of our life for that gift of patience. We also have to be patient with those around us as well, especially when we see them not following Christ as we are all called to follow Christ.

Saint Paul wrote in his First Letter to the Corinthians: "Love is patient, love is kind" (13:4). That is our God loves with and we are called to love others in the same way. A spiritual director once told me while it is said that we are to see Jesus in another person, sometimes that can be really hard. However, we can pray for the strengthen and grace to love others as Jesus loves them. At the same time, we must be true and faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ and his Church, because we will all stand in judgment before God (the harvest) and His angels (harvesters) will separate the good (wheat) from the bad (weed).

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Wis 12:13, 16-19; Rom 8:26-27 and Mt 13:24-30.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-5)

Dearest Goddaughter,

When I was in 1st grade, my mom took my brothers and I too the park. We played in the pool. It was great fun until my flip flops got stuck in the water and I fell and scraped my knee. I started to bleed but, instead of telling my mom about it (for fear that she might get angry with me), I tried to cover it up my putting sand on the wound. It was not a smart idea. Eventually, my mom noticed the wound and took good care of me. She did not even yell at all.

Fear causes us to do strange things, sometimes even things that we know we should not do. Most of all, we fear the unknown. In today's first reading from the Book of Exodus, we hear that the "new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt." The new king feared the unknown, saying to his subject: "in time of war they too may join our enemies to fight against us, and so leave our country." Out of fear, he did an evil thing, he enslaved the children of Israel.

Through the Gospels, Jesus tells us "do not be afraid," because he has conquered the world. This means that he conquered fear and death. Therefore, when we feel fear creeping up inside us, when fear robs us of our peace and joy, then let us turn to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for strength and courage to overcome of our fears.

Now, one of our greatest fears is the fear of losing the love of a family member or our friend. However, Jesus tell us in today's Gospel that he is most worthy of our love and devotion, even more that we love our own parents and family. This is saying a lot because we do not love anyone more than we love our mom, our dad, our siblings, etc. Yet, as the Commandments of God tell us, we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our mind, and all our soul. When we love God in that way, God will show us how to love our family (and friends) as He loves them.

Therefore, dearest goddaughter, love the Lord your God above all and He will help you to love your mom, your dad, your brother, and your family even more than you love them now. You will love them as God loves them, with a perfect, self-giving love.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Ex 1:8-14, 22 and Mt 10:34—11:1.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-4)

Dearest Goddaughter,

One of my favorite Disney animated movies is "The Lion King." There is a scene in the movie where Simba's uncle, Scar, with his band of hyenas, sings the song "Be Prepared." Today's parable of the sower of seeds reminded me of that song because Jesus is telling us to always be prepared. Prepared for what, you ask? Well, I think the Gospel Acclamation gives us the answer to that question: "The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower. All who come to him will have life forever." Christ is telling us to be prepared to receive his word given to us by His only Begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As we go through life, many things will distract us from being the true follower that Christ calls us to me. However, our biggest challenge is ourselves. We have the tendency to want to stay on the sideline rather than get into the game. We want others to take the lead rather than us. We are content with coming up with the great ideas but not willing to follow through, whatever the reason may be. Or we get wrapped up with wanting stuff and more stuff that we lose sight of what is important in life, which is God above all and then our family and friends.

Therefore, to receive the word of God and to receive the Body and Blood of Christ worthily at Mass, it is important for us to prepare the "soil" of our heart through prayer, reflection, and going to Mass. We must persevere in faith and put God first and foremost in our life. When we do, we will find that everything else in our life will fall into place but, more importantly, we will know in our mind and heart that Jesus is always with us, in the joyful moments but especially in times of challenges - big and small.

So be prepared dearest goddaughter. Pray daily. Trust in God always. And we will feel Christ's loving and merciful presence in our life. I am sure of it. Jesus, I trust in you.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Is 55:10-11, Rom 8:18-23 and Matthew Mt 13:1-23.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-3)

Dearest Goddaughter,

Last weekend, we were at the Oblates Mission for the annual Deacons and Wives Retreat. Before we checked in, we decided to visit the gift shop and get a few things for our CALLED TO BE ONE Marriage Class team members who have since "retired." After the cashier checked us out and gave us out things, I looked at the receipt and noticed that she only rung up three items when we actually had six items in our bags. We did not hesitate to return to her and pointed out this discrepancy to you. Not only did she correct the error but she also told us about a discount that they give to members of the clergy, as well as waive the taxes for us. Most of all, we felt good about ourselves because we were honest with the cashier, with ourselves, and with God. I went to Confession the next day, but that was one Commandment that I did not break, a sin that I did not have to confess.

In today's Gospel, our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to about honesty with ourselves, with others, but most importantly with God. He tells: "Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light. . ." Our faith teaches us that in the end, we will stand in judgement before God and everything that we did in life will all be laid before us. This is important for us to remember as we go through life - to be honest with ourselves, with others, and with God most of all. Growing up, this was the motto to live by and it still is: "Honesty is the best policy."

Another lesson that Jesus teaches us in today's Gospel is to put God first and foremost in our lives and never deny Him before others, saying: "Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father." In everything we say and do, we do for the glory of God. Throughout salvation history, we read of saints who suffered martyrdom for the sake of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. It takes courage to acknowledge God before others, especially when faced with peer pressure and societal pressure, but the Holy Spirit will give us the grace and courage to be bold, be Catholic.

Therefore, dearest goddaughter, in all things, be honest, be courage, be bold, and be Catholic. That is God's call to all of us as followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26a and Matthew 10:24-33

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-2)

Dearest Goddaughter,

We all experience peer pressure in our lives, especially in school. We want to be with the "in" crowd and are willing to do whatever we can to fit in. Sometimes we act like the group of people we hang around with. I remember in middle school, I was hanging out with this boy Johnny. Let's just say that he was a bad influence on me. I remember one time, he and I were running to our class and arrived to the classroom door just as the bell rang. We argued with the teacher that had she not blocked the doorway, we would not have been late. All this to say, discern our group of friends well, pray for them. God will help us fill our life with good people that will help us grow in holiness while still having fun.

This is why Jesus warns us in today's Gospel to "beware of men". This is not to say that we go through life not trusting anyone because that will lead to a very lonely existence if we cannot trust anyone. However, what Jesus is telling us is that we can and should put our trust in God first and foremost. While people will let us down, even our family members who we love, God will never deceive us nor let us down. I tell couples who come to us for CALLED TO BE ONE Marriage Class that they are two imperfect people coming together in holy matrimony. They should never put each other on a pedestal because they are setting each other up for failure. The only perfect Person in their marriage is Jesus.

God knows us, loves us, and calls each of us by name, just as He calls Israel by name, saying, "Jacob! Jacob!", and when He does, let us respond to Him with love and trust, saying, "Here I am." This is important for us to understand. Because of our fallen nature, when something happens in our life, when someone hurts us, we distance ourselves from that person (rightfully so) but we also distance ourselves from God when we should cling to the thread of Jesus' garment.

Therefore, dearest goddaughter, let us remain steadfast in our faith in God and trust him. Let us respond to His call as Jacob did - "Here I am." And, when you are facing peer pressure, let's turn to Jesus in prayer and he will help us discern right from wrong. And this is Christ's promise to us. . . "whoever endures to the end will be saved." Come Holy Spirit!

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30 and Matthew 10:16-23

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-1)

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's first reading, we continue to follow the story of Joseph, who was a beloved son of Jacob. Joseph was sold into Egypt by his brothers because they were jealous of the affection that their father was showing Joseph. What his brothers did was an evil act, a sinful one; however, Joseph - after wrestling with himself - found it in his heart to forgive his brothers.

Not only did he forgive his brothers, Joseph became a witness of God's love and mercy, saying: "I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt. But now do not be distressed, and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here." He encouraged his brothers to forgive themselves for their heinous act against him. We are reminded of forgiveness every time we pray the "Our Father" - ". . .forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. . ." Joseph also realized that God took what was an evil act and brought about good, just listen to what he had to say: "It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you."

While we should never do evil (as Saint Paul tells us), when we trust in God and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we come to know in our hearts that God can take the bad things of this world and bring about good out of them for His glory. That is our hope as Christians - that God is our loving Father in heaven. This is the message of the "kingdom of heaven" that Christ sent the apostles (and us) to go forth and proclaim in our world.

So let us do our part in building up the kingdom of heaven on earth but let us never be discourage if others do not listen to us and come and follow Christ. That is up to the movement of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. For our part, "[whoever] will not receive you or listen to your words - go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet." We have done our part when we share that gift of faith with them. They must be ready to open their hearts to receive the gift of faith. It is as Saint Thomas Aquinas once said: "To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible."

Therefore, dearest goddaughter, stay close to Christ and trust Him, rest in his Sacred Heart, learn from him, do good, proclaim the Gospel with a humble heart, and let Jesus inspire everything that you do in your life. God loves you so much. We love you so much.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5 and Matthew 10:7-15

Maui: It was never enough.

I was watching the Disney movie - "Moana" - the other night and, although I have seen the movie many times before but for some reason, this dialogue between Maui and Moana struck me (see below).

Maui: [talking about his past] I wasn't born a demi-god. I had human parents. They took one look and they decided... that they did not want me. So, they threw me into the ocean like I was nothing. Somehow, I was rescued by the Gods. They gave me the fish hook. They made me...

[exaltant]

Maui: ..."Maui".

[talking normally]

Maui: So... Back to the humans I went. I gave them everything. Islands, fire and coconuts. Heh, everything they can never get enough of.

Moana: You stole the heart... for them. Because you wanted to be loved...

Maui: [solemnly] It was *never* enough.

In particular, when Maui solemnly said, "It was never enough." This scene in the movie made me think of our Lord and our God and how He is always faithful even when we are not faithful to Him. Throughout salvation history, God entered to covenants with his people that they end up breaking time and time again. Then, out of love for us, the Father sent this only Son (John 3:16) and His people crucified Him on the Cross.

Even now, God remains faithful to us yet, time and time again, we turn our backs on Him, abandon our faith, and even distrust Him, even when it is really our fault, our waywardness, and our fallen nature. Our Father in heaven loves us, created us, sustains us, gives us dominion over His Creation, and show us great mercy and, yet, we can easily and quickly abandon Him when things do not go our way in life. This anecdote from Fr. Charlie comes to mind about a young adult who decided to turn his back on God because his sports team did not win after he prayed to God for his team to win.

We are a finicky people and, indeed, nothing is ever enough for us sometimes. Thankfully for us, God is always faithful and will never abandon us, always there waiting with open arms for us to return to Him. Therefore, let us be grateful people - grateful to God, grateful for our life, grateful for our family and friends. . . let us be grateful people.

My Comforter. . .

This statue is on the grounds at the Oblates Retreat Center in San Antonio. I have seen it many times before and, every time I see it, it has brought me great comfort to know that Jude is in the loving arms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ❤️💕

This past weekend, as we approached this statue, these words popped into my mind and heart. . . MY COMFORTER. . . from my favorite hymn - "In Christ Alone." The rest of the verse is. . . "My Comforter, my All in All. . . Here in the Love of Christ I stand." It was such a powerful moment and reminder that Jesus is always with us, especially in our times of trials and challenges. But he is also with us in the day to day of life, in our joys, sorrows, struggles, success, doubts, beliefs. . . in the messiness of our human condition. 🙏🕊❤️

Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for never abandoning us to the temptests of life, but always being in the boat with us, to grant us your peace. Amen. 🥰

Overcome Pride with Humility through Obedience - UPDATED

Every June, our society reminds us of the deadly sin of pride and how we in so many ways are still in open rebellion against God, his love for us, and the laws that He has written on our hearts. Saint Augustine prophetically said, "It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels." It is good that the Church, in her wisdom, proclaimed June as the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, because we can only overcome pride when we transform and conform our hearts to be like the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a heart that is "meek and humble" (Matthew 11:29).

This morning (7/1/2023), I had the blessed opportunity to do Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, lead Adoration and Holy Hour, Benediction, and Reposition. During the Holy Hour, in addition to praying Morning Prayer, I lead those in attendance in praying the Litany of Our Lady of Loreto and shared this homily from Saint Gregory of Nyssa, bishop. This part of his homily struck me because it reminds me to strive always to be "meek and humble" and to fix my eyes on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ:

". . .the Lord’s: The kingdom of God is within you. This teaches us that the man who cleanses his heart of every created thing and every evil desire will see the image of the divine nature in the beauty of his own soul. I believe the lesson summed up by the Word in that short sentence was this: You men have within you a desire to behold the supreme good. Now when you are told that the majesty of God is exalted above the heavens, that his glory is inexpressible, his beauty indescribable, and his nature transcendent, do not despair because you cannot behold the object of your desire. If by a diligent life of virtue you wash away the film of dirt that covers your heart, then the divine beauty will shine forth in you. . . 

Even though you are unable to contemplate and see the inaccessible light, you will find what you seek within yourself, provided you return to the beauty and grace of that image which was originally placed in you. For God is purity; he is free from sin and a stranger to all evil. If this can be said of you, then God will surely be within you. If your mind is untainted by any evil, free from sin, and purified from all stain, then indeed are you blessed, because your sight is keen and clear. Once purified, you see things that others cannot see. When the mists of sin no longer cloud the eye of your soul, you see that blessed vision clearly in the peace and purity of your own heart. That vision is nothing else than the holiness, the purity, the simplicity and all the other glorious reflections of God’s nature, through which God himself is seen."

After Holy Hour, we had Mass for the feast of Saint Josemaría Escrivá for a group of Opus Dei members. His actual feast day is June 26th. The Gospel reading was Luke 5:1-11, the call of Simon Peter. In his homily, Fr. Charlie talked about obedience and shared this quote from Josemaría Escrivá's "The Way" in which the great saint discusses obedience. He wrote, "If obedience does not give you peace, it is because you are proud." Wow! That should convict our hearts and move us to change our ways.

The virtue of obedience can help us to be "meek and humble" of heart. Humility help us overcome the deadly sin of pride. In the same way that Simon Peter was obedience to Jesus and caught an abundant amount of fish, when we are obedient to God's will in our lives, we open ourselves to the outpouring of grace upon grace in our lives from God who loves us. 

[Update] On May 31, 2024, the Church celebrates the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Gospel reading is Mary's visit with Elizabeth and her Magnificat. The Blessed Mother's words should remind us of this verse: "I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know" (Psalms 139:14). For indeed, God created us exactly how He wants us to be. It is prideful for us to change how He created us to be just because the world tells us we should be something else or we think we should be something else, for that too shall pass. Rather, we are called to be like Mother Mary, humble and obedient, glorifying God in our lowliness, rejoicing and giving thanks to God for creating us in the beauty of His image and likeness.

[Update] Moreover, in today's Office of Readings, the Second Reading is about Saint Justin and his companion martyrs. Saint Justin stood bravely before Rusticus the prefect, and boldly profess faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, saying: "We cannot be accused or condemned for obeying the commands of our Savior, Jesus Christ. . . I have accepted the true doctrines of the Christians, though these are not approved by those who are held fast by error. . . Yes, I am a Christian. . . It is not an idea that I have; it is something I know well and hold to be most certain. . . We hope to suffer torment for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, and so be saved. For this will bring us salvation and confidence as we stand before the more terrible and universal judgment-seat of our Lord and Savior." To hold on to traditional Christian values is now considered counter-cultural, then so be it.

Finally, before we receive Communion, we respond to the priest with these 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" (Matthew 8:5-17). Our Lord Jesus Christ - Real Presence in the Eucharist - is a reminder to us of humility because God comes to us in the form of bread for our salvation. The more often we receive the Eucharist worthily, the more we can overcome pride with humility. As Saint Cyril of Alexandria said, "If the poison of pride is swelling up in you, turn to the Eucharist; and that bread, which is our God humbling and disguising himself, will teach you humility."

[Originally published on 7/1/2023; Updated on 6/4/2024]

My response to a reader who posted: "This is why people leave the church"

I pray for those who leave the Church. Following Christ and remaining faithful to the teachings of the Church can be challenging. As the Lord God tells us, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your ways my ways. . . . For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9). We cannot do it on our own but we can do it with the grace and help of the Holy Spirit.

When I hear about people leaving the Church, I am reminded of these words of Saint Peter to Jesus: "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). More than that, as we are reminded this weekend on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, they are also leaving the Eucharist - "the source and summit" of the Christian life (as Fr. Michael said in his homily this evening). I pray for those who leave the Church.

Resources:

• "5 Ways to Reclaim June" https://catholicvote.org/5-ways-to-reclaim-june/ (Emily Glover, 5/30/2023)
• "June is Dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus" https://bishopstrickland.com/blog/post/june-the-month-of-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus (Bishop Strickland, 5/31/2023)
• "From the Acts of the martyrdom of Saint Justin and his companion saints" https://www.ibreviary.com/m/breviario.php?s=ufficio_delle_letture (6/1/2024)
• "5 Ways to Celebrate Jesus’ Sacred Heart This Month" https://www.ncregister.com/cna/5-ways-to-celebrate-jesus-sacred-heart-this-month (6/3/2024)
• "We Celebrate June as the Month of the Sacred Heart — Not ‘Pride Month’" https://www.ncregister.com/blog/june-is-month-of-sacred-heart (6/3/2024)