Homily for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God The Octave Day of Christmas (Year C - 1/1/2025)

Good evening. A blessed Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God and a Happy New Year’s Eve to everyone! If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to be more prayerful this year, then I encourage you to pray every day the prayer of blessing that we just heard proclaimed in the first reading. The prayer is the one that the Lord gave Moses to give to Aaron and his sons to bless the Israelites. Husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, pray this prayer over each other and your children every morning before you all leave the house for school or work. “May the LORD bless you and keep you! May the LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! May the LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!”

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. Mary is truly the Mother of God, since she gave birth to the Second Person of the Trinity who became man for our sake (EWTN). At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus” (Luke 1:30-31). Mary is truly the Mother of God because the angel of the Lord also appeared to Joseph in a dream and said to him, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. . . he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. . . [and when] she bore a son. . . he named him Jesus” (Mt. 1:20-25).

We also hear in Scripture that “[all] this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” (Mt. 1:20-23). Moreover, in his catechesis on the Blessed Virgin Mary’s title “Mother of God”, Pope Saint John Paul II said: “Mary's divine motherhood refers only to the human begetting of the Son of God [who] assumed our human nature 2,000 years ago and was conceived by and born of Mary [which makes her] the ‘Mother of the Incarnate Word, who is God’” (General Audience, 11/27/1996). It is the motherhood of Mary that made all of it possible, from the Incarnation to the birth of the Church, which is why the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church. 

Not only is Mary truly the Mother of God but she is also her Son’s most faithful disciple. As the ark of the New Covenant, the role of Mary is to “bear Christ to the world” (Graym 75) in the way that she bore the infant Jesus to the shepherds that first Christmas night in Bethlehem. Just as Mary is the living tabernacle that carried Jesus in her virginal womb, we are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). In a few minutes from now, we become like Mary when we receive the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus in the Eucharist. As Christians, we are called to imitate Mary and bear the presence of Christ to the world so that others may go through their lives “glorifying and praising God.” It is the mission that Jesus entrusts to us at our Baptism when he commissioned us to “[go], therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded.” We share this mission with Mother Mary who herself has been carrying it out faithfully since the time she gave God her “yes”, bringing countless souls to her Son to save.

Most of all, though, Mary is truly the Mother of God because she loves the Son of God and all of us, adopted sons and daughters of the Father, with a mother’s tender heart. Mary’s heart is the Immaculate Heart that pondered and reflected on the great mystery of her Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. At the Annunciation of his birth, Mary’s heart pondered the message of the angel Gabriel. When Joseph and Mary went to the temple for the presentation of infant Jesus, Simeon told Mary that a “sword will pierce” her heart (Luke 2:36). After she and Joseph found the child Jesus in the temple, she kept all those things in her heart. Then, in today’s Gospel, after the birth of baby Jesus, and visits from the shepherds, we hear that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” St. Thérèse of Lisieux once said that the “loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.”

For me, growing up and even now as an adult, my mom often tells me in Vietnamese: “mẹ giữ những điều này trong lòng của mẹ,” which translates to mean “I keep these things in my heart.” I know this to mean that my mom’s heart aches because she has many worries and concerns out of love for her husband, children, and grandchildren. My mom’s heart is most filled with joy when she sees her family healthy, happy, and fed. Like all loving and caring mothers, she carries her crosses daily with courage and strength that God reserves only for mothers, most especially true with Mary, the Mother of God, whose heart felt joy, love, sadness, and sorrow for the Son of God. We can feel what Mary feels for Jesus when we pray the mysteries of the holy rosary and ponder and reflect on the life of Christ through the eyes of his beloved Mother.

On this Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, as we say good-bye to 2024 and entrust 2025, with all its hopes and promises, to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, may these words from Our Lady of Guadalupe to Saint Juan Diego fill our hearts with hope, peace, joy, and love for the new year. Our Lady said to Juan Diego then and to us now: “Do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety, or pain. Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else you need?”

Let us pray a Hail Mary, asking the Mother of God to intercede for our families in the new year: Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Homily for the Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas (Year C - 12/30/2024)

Good morning. In the Charles Dickens’ novel, “A Christmas Carol”, Ebenezer Scrooge’s nephew, Fred, says this to his uncle about Christmastime: “I have always thought of Christmastime. . . as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of. . . when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys” (p. 9).

What Fred describes here is, I believe, the Spirit of Christmas that dwells in our hearts when we desire the “love of the Father” in us. This love of the Father manifests in our kindness, forgiveness, and charity toward one another. We keep the Spirit of Christmas throughout the year when we open our “shut-up hearts” to the things of God and do not “love the world or the things of the world” above our love for God Not love the world or things of the world? How are we to understand this? There is evil in the world, yes; just listen to how Saint John describes it: “all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world.” However, there is also good in the world, should we not love the world that we live in?

Perhaps this biblical understanding of the “world” can give us some clarity: “The world [is] all that is hostile toward God and alienated from him. Love of the world and love of God are thus mutually exclusive” (USCCB.org), because “the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.” In today’s Gospel, the prophetess, Anna, shows us how we can keep our hearts open to the things of God and overcome the temptations from the things of the world that leads us away from God.

We hear that the prophetess, Anna, worshipped God night and day with fasting and prayer and gave thanks to God. When we have a robust spiritual life, prayer helps us to stay focused on God. Moreover, fasting trains our mind and body to be prudent in the things of God and to deny ourselves those things that do not help us grow in our relationship with Him. Therefore, may we always strive to grow and become strong in our faith through prayers and fasting, as that we may be filled with the wisdom of God, and desire to have the favor of God upon us, rather than the things of the world. You all, my sisters and brothers in Christ, are on the right path by coming to Mass every morning to worship God, to receive our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, and to let the Spirit of God dwell within us.

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (Year C - 12/29/2024), preached at the 12:00 Mass

Below is my Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (Year C - 12/29/2024), preached at the 12:00 Mass 🙏🕊❤️:

Good afternoon. A few days ago, we celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For us to truly grasp the magnitude of what happened on that silent, holy night over 2,000 years ago is for us to ponder the mystery of the Incarnation - “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). Pope Francis said: “On that holy night, God becoming flesh, wanting to become a gift for man, gave himself for us; God has made his only-begotten Son a gift for us, taking our humanity to give us his divinity. . . God took the human condition to heal us from all that separates us from him, so that we can call him, in his only-begotten Son, by the name 'Abba, Father,' and be truly children of God" (1/10/2013).

“God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. . .” could have come to us in any way or form He wanted. Yet, He chose to come to us as a little child, born into a family - “[for] us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man” (Nicene Creed). Mary was his mother and Joseph his father. Saints Joachim and Anne were his grandparents and John the Baptist his cousin. In the same way that Jesus sanctified the waters of Baptism, he sanctified the human family so that even with all its imperfections, struggles, sorrows, and sadness, the family remains the source of God’s hope, peace, joy, and love in the world when Jesus is at the center of the family life. In the Holy Family, we have a model of how we can face and overcome the difficulties and challenges of family life when each member of the family strives for holiness and helps one another get to heaven.

In today’s Gospel, we hear that Joseph and Mary lost twelve-year-old Jesus for five days. If you are like me, then you might wonder why Mary and Joseph did not make sure that Jesus was in the caravan before they left Jerusalem, much less wait a whole day to check on him only to find out that Jesus was not in the caravan at all. Perhaps you might even ponder why the “boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,” without letting his parents know, rather than return home with them. We learn from this that our family challenges us in many ways. For instance, I have this amazing goddaughter who I love dearly. When she was young, we would give her Texas Longhorns clothes and she would look so adorable in burnt orange. However, something changed this past year because every time I see her now she shows me the upside-down “Hook’em Horns” hand sign. She is breaking my heart but I still love her dearly. And so to all parents who have children that have become estranged from your family or strayed from the faith, do not lose hope but pray for your children and entrust them to our Father in heaven. In time, your children will find their way home and be obedient to God once again.

This is the messiness of the human family and condition that the Father wanted his Only Begotten Son to experience and redeem so that by his grace, all families can experience hope, peace, joy, and love. When Mary and Joseph realized that their Son was not with them, they “returned to Jerusalem to look for him. . . with great anxiety.” They even asked God “why have you done this to us?” However, as hard as it probably was for them, especially for Mary who “kept all these things in her heart,” they did not despair nor did they lose hope. They leaned on each other as husband and wife but, above all, they trusted in God. Open your hearts to Jesus and allow him to be your reason to be hopeful. Let the “peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which [we are] called into one body.” 

My sisters and brothers in Christ, if this Christmas season has been or is turning out to be difficult and challenging for you and your family, because you have lost a loved one or someone dear to you is seriously ill or dying or something has happened in your family that has caused you to scream at God, asking: “why have you done this to us?”, then please come see Msgr. Brooks or me after Mass. We would love to pray for you and your family. However, do not despair but have hope. More importantly, surrender and trust in God. Take these words of Saint Paul to heart and believe that you are “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.” Know that Jesus “came so that [you] might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). So, if you and your family are hanging on by a thread of hope, then let it be the thread on the cloak of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Matthew 9:20). 

My parents celebrate their 50th anniversary today, and I am blessed to have been around for forty-five (45) of those years. Like Mary and Joseph, who fled to Egypt to keep Jesus safe, my parents braved the high seas to come to America, in 1983, so that their children could have a better life. They struggled to raise their children in a new land where the language was completely foreign to them. They argued and fought. Through it all, however, I believe that their marriage has endured the trials of life and they remain together because my parents learned to love and forgive each other over and over again for 50 years. In the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, our family can learn to “put on. . . heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. . . and over all these put on love.” You see, when they realized that Jesus was not in the caravan, Mary and Joseph did not blame each other because their love did not “brood over injury” nor did it “rejoice over wrongdoing”. Rather, their love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:5-7). In our own families, we are called to “put on love” for each other and “[bear] with one another and [forgive] one another. . . as the Lord [forgives]” us.

My sisters and brothers in Christ, our families are not perfect like the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph but that is okay. By the grace of God, with Jesus at the center of our family life, the Holy Spirit inspires us to work together so that we may have hope and attain peace, joy, and love. We also need to embrace two things. First, we need to realize how truly blessed we are to be part of the family that God has given us. And, second, we need to realize that we are a blessing to our family. This frees us to live our lives in a way that we are a blessing to our family. I want to end with this bit of nugget from Ron Rolheiser, OMI, that I believe can help our families grow in holiness and love. He said: “As the various versions of The Prayer of St. Francis put it, we can never attain joy, consolation, peace, forgiveness, love, and understanding by actively pursuing them. We attain them by giving them out.” And so we pray: “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace [in my family]. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. Divine Master, [in my relationship with members of my family,] grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” Amen.

Gospel Reflections for the Fourth Week of Advent 2024 (Year C)

Homily for the Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent (Year C - 12/23/2024), preached at the 6:30 Mass at Saint Mary Cathedral this morning 🙏❤🕊:

Good morning. When we compare the Annunciation of Jesus' birth to Mary and that of John's birth to his father, Zechariah, we see that Mary responded with wonderment while Zechariah doubted and was struck "dumb" (he could not speak). As I reflected on this, I am reminded of the Scripture verse from Romans (2:6), which Saint Paul tells us that God judges us according to our deeds, which stems from our life experiences.

In the case of Mary, she was a young girl who “pondered what sort of greeting this might be,“ but her faith never wavered. On the other hand, when the angel Gabtiel appeared to Zechariah, who was a priest, he was “troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.” He doubted what the messenger of God told him, saying: "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." As adults, I would say that more is expected of us from God because we have a well-formed intellect and reason to know Jesus and enter into a relationship with him compared to a young child. Therefore, like Zechariah, if we do not believe in his words when he shares the Good News with us, then it will be a millstone around our neck.

The good news for us is, God has a purpose for everything that He permits to happen to us in the circumstances of our life, above all of which is to draw us closer to Him. He certainly had a purpose for Zechariah. You see, in his muted state, Zechariah had the blessed opportunity to reflect on the message that he received from the angel Gabriel, to internalize and hear the message over and over again in the quiet of his heart, reflecting on what it meant for him and his wife, Elizabeth. So when it was time for Zechariah to “speak”, by writing on his tablet, he did so from a place of faith and trust in the Lord, saying: “John is his name." We hear that “[immediately] his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.”

This is the same with us in our spiritual life, and perhaps even in our daily life for that matter, with all the noise and chaos in the world around us. We need moments spent in the sacredness of silence so that we can hear the whispers of our Father in heaven speak to our hearts His will for us. It is especially important during the holiday season. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I am sure we will all be making final preparations for family gatherings, gift wrapping, and last minute gift shopping even. In the midst of that busyness, I would encourage all of us to set aside time to go to Mass and pray before our Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. In the intimacy of that sacred silence, our Father in heaven will reveal to us the mystery of the Incarnation, when He sent His Only Begotten Son, born of the Blessed Virgin Mary on that silent, holy night, to save us. O Come Emmanuel. . . God with us. . . Jesus saves us.

[Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent (Year C) - Lk 1:57-66] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, on the FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT, we light the Angel's Candle, a symbol of LOVE. It is a reminder to us to share the Good News of God's love to all people we encounter in the same way that Mary made haste to see Elizabeth and bring to her the message of LOVE: the Son of God in her virginal womb. 🙏🕊❤️

At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus commissioned the Eleven and sent them to go forth and share the Good News to the ends of the earth. However, it was Mary who was the first to share the Good News and she continues to lead others to her Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

God is LOVE. He sent His only Begotten Son to save us because He LOVES us. Jesus died for us out of His LOVE us. Mary intercedes for us and helps us to experience and come to know in our hearts Jesus' LOVE for us. Does our soul and spirit leaped for joy knowing how much Jesus LOVES us in the same way that Saint John the Baptist did in Elizabeth's when he wad in the presence of the one who is LOVE. . . Jesus in Mary's womb?

As we move closer to Christmas, may the HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE of our Lord and Jesus Christ swell up in our hearts and move us to share that the Good News of Jesus Christ with others.

[Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year C) - Lk 1:39-45] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

Gospel Reflections for the Third Week of Advent 2024 (Year C)

Sisters and brothers in Christ, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes during his Sermon on Mount. The Beatitudes are a roadmap to live a blessed (happy) life because we are living for God and for others, and not for ourselves. In essence, we are living the Great Commandment to love God and love our neighbors.

In today's Gospel, Elizabeth, in speaking with her cousin Mary, gives us a preview (if you will) of the Beatitudes when she said, "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." When we pray, we talk with God. When we talk with God, He helps us to discern His will for us. When we listen and trust His will for us, we are truly blessed (and happy) in the same way that John the Baptist was happy and leaped in his mother's womb upon being in the presence of the Lord.

This is the joy that permeates our being when we believe and trust in God. It is the joy that we will experience on Christmas because God is with us. The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. We believe in the Incarnation, the greatest love story in the history of mankind.

[Saturday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Lk 1:39-45] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, for the past 3 years, I have been praying the Surrender Novena in preparation for the memorial of the Incarnation and in anticipation of Jesus' Second Coming.

Praying the Surrender Novena this year has given me a different perspective on Mary's Fiat, her "Yes" to God, as we read in today's Gospel from Luke. In her Yes, the Blessed Virgin Mary surrendered every thing - mind, body, soul, and spirit - to God. That is something that we all have a hard time doing because the idea of surrender, as we understand it, means weakness, and we do not want to be seen as weak.

However, when we surrender ourselves to God, it does not mean that we are weak. Rather, it is a sign of strength and power when we are able to let go of what we want to do and follow what God desires for us, which is always so much better than whatever it is that we want. Why? Because God desires what is good for us and no one knows better than our Father in heaven who created us and breathed His life into us.

For this reason, I have tremendous admiration and respect for our bishops and priests because they are always ready to follow where God, through the Pope or bishop, needs them to go to shepherd His flock.

[Friday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Lk 1:26-38] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, when we compare the Annunciation of Jesus' birth by the angel Gabriel to Mary and that of John's birth to his father, Zechariah, we see that Mary responded with wonderment while Zechariah doubted. and was struck "dumb" (he could not speak).

As I reflected on this, I am reminded of the Scripture verse from Romans 2:6, which Saint Paul tells us that God judges us according to our deeds, which stems from our life experiences. In the case of Mary, she was a young girl who wondered but her faith never wavered. On the other hand, Zechariah, who was a priest (a learned man of faith), doubted what the messenger of God told to him, saying: "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

This is the same with us in our spiritual life. As adults, I would say more is expected of us from God because we have a well-formed intellect and reason to know Jesus and enter into a relationship with him compared to a young child. Therefore, like Zechariah, if we do not believe in his words when he shares the Good News with us, then it will be a millstone around our neck.

Let us then humble ourselves and ask the Holy Spirit to help to believe and trust in the words of God so that we may grow in faith, hope, and love. 

[Thursday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Lk 1:5-25] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, the angel Gabriel appeared to Joseph and said to him, ". . .do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home."

In Joseph, we have a man with a gentle heart, a forgiving person, a humble and obedient man of faith, and someone who wills the good of another, in this case Mary, even if he felt that he had been wronged. (Of course, he learned from angel that he was not wronged: "it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.")

In the same way that Mary gave her "Yes" to God, in his own quiet way, Joseph have his Yes to God with his actions - "he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home" - can cared for Jesus and Mary with faith, hope, and love. There is a quiet strength in all of us when we humble ourselves before God and become obedient to His will for us. God blesses us abundantly just as He blessed Joseph and Mary.

Finally, what is in a name? Well, as Fr. Doug Jeffers reflected in his homily this morning, Emmanuel means "God with us" and Jesus means "God saves." These names invite us to reflect on the Incarnation (O come, Emmanuel) and the Passion of our Lord for our redemption, and what it means for us not only during Advent but every day of our lives: HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE.

[Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Mt 1:18-25] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, from the genealogy of Jesu Christ, we learn that, while we do not have control over who our ancestors were, we can make changes in our own lives so that we do not repeat the same mistakes.

One of the things that I share with engaged couples who come to us for marriage preparation is, appreciate their families of origin because, for better or for worse, they made them into the people they are today. However, as they prepare to enter into the covenant of marriage, receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, and start their vocation as husband and wife, they have the opportunity to shape their relationship with the help of the Spirit in the best version of each other and their marriage.

This is important for us to understand because our past does not define us. Rather, our past presents us with the wisdom and opportunity to transform our future, with the help of God, into what we desire it to be. The O Antiphon today reminds us of this: "O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!"

With God, we do not have to fear our past because He gives us hope to live a good today for a better tomorrow.

[Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Mt 1:1-17] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, today's Gospel reminds me of this verse from the Book of Job: "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!” (1:21)  Moreover, Job asked us this question: "We accept good things from God; should we not accept evil?" (2:2).

As hard as it may be for us to hear this, but it is not our place to question God like the chief priests and the elders question the authority of Jesus.. We are to be humble and obedient as we discern God's will for us in our lives. Humble to know that His will for us is better than the plans that we make for ourselves because we trust that He desires what is best for us. Obedient to have the courage to come and follow Jesus even if it makes us uncomfortable because we walk by faith, not by sight.

How can we do this? To be humble and obedient? Through daily prayer and receiving the Sacraments - especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation - regularly. When we commit ourselves to praying daily, to spending time in conversation with our Father in heaven, not only will he reveal His will to us but He will also grant us the strength to come and follow Him. We will then follow Him with joy because our hope is in the Lord and He grants us his peace.

Sometimes, we can be like the chief priests and elders and overthink things with God. and, thus, stop Him from revealing to us His will for us. Therefore, it is important for us to pray daily, receive the Sacraments regularly, and go throughout our day asking ourselves, "Where was God in that moment?" or "Lord, here am I. I have come to do your will."

[Monday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Mt 21:23-27] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, on the THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, we light the Shepherd Candle, a symbol of JOY in a penitential season because we (like the people who were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ) eagerly await the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the GOOD SHEPHERD, who comes to save us.

We might wonder how can we feel JOY in our life if we are facing difficulties or challenges? A married couple who is having problems in their marriage or a family with a sick loved one, how can they feel JOY? It is the same way that we can feel PEACE in our life in the midst of the chaos and uncertainties of life, our HOPE is in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Saint Paul put it so beautifully in his letter to the Philippians, today’s Second Reading, saying: "The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the PEACE (might I add HOPE and JOY) of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

In other words, our JOY comes from our Father in heaven, in our Lord Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, and not the circumstances in our life. This is why the Father sent his only Begotten Son, so that we may have life and have it abundantly - filled with HOPE, PEACE, and JOY. And so when life gets us down, turn to our Lord Jesus Christ with HOPE and he will raise us up for his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Rejoice in the Lord always! REJOICE!

[Third Sunday of Advent (Year C) - Lk 3:10-18] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

Gospel Reflections for the Second Week of Advent 2024 (Year C)

Sisters and brothers in Christ, today is the Memorial of Saint John of the Cross. This is from today's Office of Reading, From a spiritual Canticle by Saint John of the Cross, priest:

"Would that men might come at last to see that it is quite impossible to reach the thicket of the riches and wisdom of God except by first entering the thicket of much suffering, in such a way that the soul finds there its consolation and desire. The soul that longs for divine wisdom chooses first, and in truth, to enter the thicket of the cross. . . The gate that gives entry into these riches of his wisdom is the cross; because it is a narrow gate, while many seek the joys that can be gained through it, it is given to few to desire to pass through it.."

As we heard in today's Gospel, John the Baptist came to lead the people of God on the path of salvation repentance for the forgiveness of sin. He even called our Herod for his sinfulness, yet the people did not listen to him. Herod even had him beheaded. Repentance requires us to turn away from a life of sin and turn to God, but the people did not want to listen to John the Baptist.

Then, Jesus came to lead us to salvation through the narrow gate that is his Cross upon which he was crucified, suffered, and died for our sins to redeem us. As Saint John of the Cross wrote, to know Jesus, to come and follow him, means suffering because we die to our old self and habits. It is a process is painful but it purifies and sanctifies us so that we can come to know Jesus better. Therefore, let us not be afraid to suffer for Christ through his Cross.

[Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Year C) - Mt 17:9a, 10-13] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, today's Gospel reminds me of when Jesus said, "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!" (Lk 12:49). Do we just go "through the motions" with our faith or do we respond to God with intentionality and fervor? Is our generation like the generation in Jesus' time - indifferent. . . "[we] played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn"?

God teaches us what is for our good, yet we do not want to listen to him. He leads us on the way that we should do, yet we want to di things our way. Our Lord promises that if we would hearken to his commandments, then our prosperity would be like a river, yet we do not want to follow his commandments. Saint John wrote that "those who follow [the Lord] will have the light of life," so why would we not want that light of life for ourselves and for our loved ones? That is what Jesus desires for us.

As we prepare ourselves for the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, and await his Second Coming, let us be intentional in the practice of our faith in words and actions. Let our faith be the well-spring from which we are people of hope and love. When we do, the light of life, which is Jesus Christ himself, will shine brightly in us and we can set the world on fire with the love of God.

[Friday of the Second Week of Advent (Year C) - Mt 11:16-19] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, today is the FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE.

In both Gospel options for Mass today, we hear the story of the Annunciation and Visitation from the Gospel of Luke. At the Annunciation, the Blessed Virgin Mary, "full of grace", received a message from the angel Gabriel.  In response, Mary gave her Fiat (or yes) to God, saying: "“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

In the Visitation, we hear that Mary made haste to see her cousin, Elizabeth, in the countryside. The news from the angel Gabriel was so wonderful, so great that Mary had to share it. In a way, John the Baptist was already heralding the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in his mother's womb because we hear Elizabeth exclaimed: "And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy."

As we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we are reminded that Mother Mary continues to lead all of us - beloved sons and daughters of the Father - to her Son our Lord Jesus Christ. The appearance of Our Lady to San Juan Diego led to the conversion of millions to the Catholic faith. Mary continues to lead countless souls to her Son.

We are called to imitate Mother Mary and lead others to Christ, and she is there to intercede for us and help us with our mission. It can be a daunting challenge but, as the angel Gabriel said, "Do not be afraid. . ." Therefore, let us not be afraid but have faith and trust in God and find strength in the Holy Spirit, through the intercession of Mother Mary, to say to our Lord Jesus Christ: "May it be done to me according to your word."

[Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Year C) - LK 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-47] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, as I vest for Mass, there is a prayer for each item that I pray as I put them on - the amice, alb, cincture, stole, and dalmatic. As I put on the dalmatic, I pray: "Lord, you have said that your yoke is each and your burden light. Grant that I made be able to bear it as to obtain your grace."

It is such a beautiful prayer (all of them are) and reminds me that my life, as Saint Paul puts it, is Christ's. This pray finds its origin in today's Gospel in which Jesus says to us: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

After a long day's work or a long work week, whenever I put on my vestment and pray these prayers, I feel a weight being lifted and I know immediately that God is carrying whatever burden it is that is weighing me down. In that moment, I take a deep breath and fill my lungs with the sweetness of the Holy Spirit, who rejuvenates and refreshes me - mind, body, soul, and spirit.

I get this feeling every time I am at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is why I would encourage folks that, if they are able, then go to Mass daily, receive our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, and be renewed and restored.

[Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent (Year C) - Mt 11:28-30] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, Jesus tells us the parable of the shepherd who leaves his 99 sheep to go after the one lost sheep. Then, he asks the questions, "What is your opinion?"

My snap judgment would be to say, "why would the shepherd leave 99 sheep to go after 1 lost sheep? It does not make sense to sacrifice the many for one." Then, a thought comes to my mind, "what if I am the 1 lost sheep? Would I not want the shepherd to come find me?" Of course, I would!

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, we are the sheep of his flock. Christ "feeds his flock" with his Body and Blood in the Eucharist, which we receive at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. "In his arms he gathers the lambs" and entrust us to the care of his one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Jesus is able to go after the 1 lost sheep because he trusts that the remaining 99 sheep would not go astray. He trusts that the 99 would stay together, support each other, and protect each other. That is what we are called to do for each other as sisters and brothers in Christ - stay together, support each other, and protect each other.

To love one another as God loves us (and commands us to do for each other) is to will the good of another. We are free to live lives of holiness because God loves us and wills our good. In a marriage, the wife is free to become the best version of herself because she is secured in the love of her husband. In the same way, a husband is free to become the best version of himself because he is secured in the love of his wife. They are like the 99 sheep, which allows Jesus, through them, to go after the lost sheep.

Therefore, sisters and brothers in Christ, let us live lives of faith, hope, and charity because, when we secured in God's love for us, it frees us to be instruments of God to go after the lost sheep and bring him/she home to Jesus' loving embrace.

[Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent (Year C) - Mt 18:12-14] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, today is the SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, a holy day of obligation, and so we vest in blue for Mother Mary.

However, our Bishop has dispensed us of the obligation to go to Mass today. However, like me, if you are able to go to Mass today for Mother Mary, then please go to Mass.

On Saturday morning, I was asked to lead my brother Knights in the recitation of the Holy Rosary at the Knights of Columbus - Texas State Council Mid-Year Meeting. The Holy Spirit moved me to prepare this introduction of the season of Advent and the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary to share with those present. 

This is the short reflection that I shared before leading the Holy Rosary:

"The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary are the story of Advent.  It is the story of Mary giving her “Yes” (her Fiat) to God and becoming the first Tabernacle.  Mary’s “Yes” made the Incarnation the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  God enters into our human history to save us from sin and death.  As we pray the Joyful Mysteries, let us reflect on the great mystery of the Incarnation, the hope, peace, joy, and love of God this Advent, as we prepare our hearts to receive our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this Christmas."

[Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Year C) - Lk 1:26-38] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia 

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, on the SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT, we light the Bethlehem Candle, a symbol of PEACE and preparation for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who is the PRINCE OF PEACE.

What is the PEACE of Christ like? For me, it is the straight path through the peaks and valleys along the winding roads of life. It is trusting God in the midst of a chaotic world because Jesus Christ is the reason for our HOPE. The PEACE of Christ is knowing that there is a better tomorrow and that whatever difficulties and challenges we face in life, they too shall pass.

Nothing robs us of Christ's PEACE in our lives more than sin and unforgiveness. Sin separates is from the love of God and, when our heart is restless (as St. Augustine wrote) it is not at PEACE. Moreover, unforgiveness disturbs our PEACE because we cannot ask God to forgive us our trespasses when we cannot forgive those who trespass against us (as we say in the Lord's Prayer).

This is the message that "John [the Baptist] went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. . ." When we are reconciled with God and with one another, the PEACE of Jesus Christ reigns in our hearts because our Lord will come and say to us, as he said to the apostles in the upper room: "PEACE be with you."

[Second Sunday of Advent (Year C) - Lk 3:1-6] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia 

Gospel Reflections for the First Week of Advent 2024 (Year C)

Sisters and brothers in Christ, one of the things that we were taught in Diaconal Formation is to "train" our replacements in the ministry that we are involved with. This frees us to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit to where God is leading us next.

This is Jesus' message in today’s Gospel when he summons the Twelve, prepares or trains them "to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness," and then he sends them out to do what he needs them to do to share the Good News with others.

We are called to do the same with our Catholic faith, particularly for parents who are the leaders of their domestic church, their family. One of the greatest legacy that parents can leave to their children in their Catholic faith, because their Catholic faith will help them face the joys and sorrows of life with faith, hope, and trust.

With Jesus as our Good Shepherd, we will never feel alone or abandoned. Why would we not want to share this hope with others so that they might feel the love of God through faith.

[Saturday of the First Week of Advent (Year C) - Mt 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, Jesus asks us a very important question in today's Gospel: “Do you believe that I can do this?” For the blind men, to believe that Jesus could heal them is to believe in their hearts that Jesus is who he claims to be - the Son of God. They believe with faith that Jesus is the Son of God and that he can heal their blindness and so, when he touches their eyes, he says "Let it be done for you according to your faith," and heals them of their blindness. Their faith in God, in His Promises, and their belief in His healing powers restore their sight.

Jesus came with signs and wonders to those who have faith to see them and hear them. The question for us is, what would our answer be if Jesus were to ask us, "Do you believe that I can do this?" Is our faith in God where it needs to be to respond to Jesus and say, "Yes, Lord, I believe you can heal me according to your will." If it is not, then this season of Advent is a blessed time to deepen our faith and strengthen our relationship with our Lord and our God who loves us and desires what is best for us.

Like the blind men, may our eyes of faith, clouded by life's experiences, be restored during this season of hope, peace, joy, and love as we await with joyful hope the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and give God praise and thanks for the gift of the Incarnation. As so, with hope, we turn to our Lord Jesus Christ truly present in the Sacraments of the Catholic Church - particularly the Eucharist and Reconciliation - so that our faith is restore and we can lead others to Jesus.

[Gospel for Friday of the First Week of Advent (Year C) - MT 9:27-31] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, Jesus asks us a very important question in today's Gospel: “Do you believe that I can do this?” For the blind men, to believe that Jesus could heal them is to believe in their hearts that Jesus is who he claims to be - the Son of God. They believe with faith that Jesus is the Son of God and that he can heal their blindness and so, when he touches their eyes, he says "Let it be done for you according to your faith," and heals them of their blindness. Their faith in God, in His Promises, and their belief in His healing powers restore their sight.

Jesus came with signs and wonders to those who have faith to see them and hear them. The question for us is, what would our answer be if Jesus were to ask us, "Do you believe that I can do this?" Is our faith in God where it needs to be to respond to Jesus and say, "Yes, Lord, I believe you can heal me according to your will." If it is not, then this season of Advent is a blessed time to deepen our faith and strengthen our relationship with our Lord and our God who loves us and desires what is best for us.

Like the blind men, may our eyes of faith, clouded by life's experiences, be restored during this season of hope, peace, joy, and love as we await with joyful hope the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and give God praise and thanks for the gift of the Incarnation. As so, with hope, we turn to our Lord Jesus Christ truly present in the Sacraments of the Catholic Church - particularly the Eucharist and Reconciliation - so that our faith is restore and we can lead others to Jesus.

[Gospel for Friday of the First Week of Advent (Year C) - MT 9:27-31] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, as with any relationship, certain actions are required by those in the relationship for it to grow and thrive. I cannot merely say that I am in a marital relationship with my wife and not fulfill my responsibilities as a husband - to love my wife, to help her get to heaven, to support her in any way I can.

It is the same in our relationship with God, through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit. We cannot merely say that we know of Jesus, we must be intentional in growing our relationship with our Lord and our God, not only in words but through our actions, namely discerning his will and following it.

Jesus is very adamant about this in today's Gospel, saying: ""Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." He explains, saying: "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. . . And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand."

Going back to my marriage analogy, the vows that a man and a woman make on their wedding day get their meaning when they are lived out by the couple as husband and wife. We find meaning and purpose in the words of God when we not only hear them but follow them in our daily lives.

This is important for us hear and follow Jesus in this life so that we are prepared to follow him in life-everlasting. And so, this Advent season, let us prepare ourselves to receive our Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts and lead others to an encounter with Jesus so that they, too, may come to know Jesus intimately through their own personal relationship with him.

[Gospel for Thursday of the First Week of Advent (Year C) - Mt 7:21, 24-27] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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My sisters and brothers in Christ, Jesus' Sacred Heart is "moved with pity" for love of us. We are "the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others" whose image of God in us is distorted by sin. Jesus came, and is here present with us today, to heal us of our afflictions but we must be willing to come to Jesus and be healed by him.

Over the past couple of months, I have been meeting and talking with spouses who either want a divorce or their spouse wants a divorce.  In all of the cases, the other spouse is not willing to come "to the table" and talk about it. It is a very difficult situation to find oneself in. My heart is moved with pity for them and so I pray for them and their marriages. In the same way, Jesus cannot heal us if we are not willing to turn to him out of humility and with contrite hearts.

However, we do are willing to turn to Jesus in our time of need, we will find that he is waiting for us with open arms, especially his Real Presence in the Eucharist. This Advent season, if you are hurting in any way, or you know someone is hurting in any way, come to Mass and be in the loving Presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Abide in his Sacred Heart and allow Jesus to come to you, love you, and embrace you in such a way that will make you whole again. That is all Jesus wants, to heal us and restore us to wholeness.

[Gospel for Wednesday of the First Week of Advent (Year C) - Mt 15:29-37] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, we learn two important lessons from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in today's Gospel. Lesson #1 is to rejoice in the Holy Spirit.  Lesson #2 is give praise to the Father, Lord of heaven and earth. These two lessons are important because they remind us that we depend on God and everything we have - our time, talent, and treasure - is a gift from our Father in heaven.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we took our goddaughter and nephew to see "Moana 2". After we left the theater, our nephew thanked us several times for taking them to see "Moana 2" (our goddaughter did as well). There was a "childlike" genuineness to how he said it that made me realize that he was grateful for more than us taking him to the movies but for spending that time with him and his sister, and that warmed by heart.

I think this "childlike" gratefulness is one of the things that we adults have lost in our relationship with our heavenly Father. We are too focus on our own accomplishments and achievements that we forget that we could not have done any of it if not for the grace of God. The gifts of our time, talent, and treasure are from God and we are but stewards of these gifts. And so, it is important for us, during this season of Advent, to give God praise and thanks for His greatest gift to us - his Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the same way that the disciples were blessed to see and hear from Jesus, we are blessed to hear the Word of God and receive the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass. Let us share this tremendous gift with others and invite them to come to Mass with us this Advent season as we prepare for Christmas and the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

[Gospel for Tuesday of the First Week of Advent (Year C) - Lk 10:21-24] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, we hear these familiar words spoken by the centurion: "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed."

Familiar because during Mass, when the priest raises the Body and Blood of Christ and says, "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him to takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb." We respond with, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."

In our response, we confess two things. First, we are not worthy to receive the Eucharist; however, out of love for us. our Lord Jesus Christ gives of himself - Body and Blood - for us. And so when we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, we remind ourselves of our much God loves us and we strive to live a life worthy of His sacrifice on the Cross for us and our salvation. Second, we believe in the healing power of the Eucharist to heal us - body, mind, soul, and spirit. There is no other healing more powerful than the Eucharist and so we come to Mass to receive Christ's Body and Blood and be healed.

Finally, the Eucharistic Prayers and our responses during Mass are so beautiful. I would encourage everyone to listen attentively to the Eucharistic Prayers as they are being proclaimed by the priest (in persona Christi) and respond with intentionality and faith, hope, and love. And when the Body and Blood of Christ is raised up by the priest, I would encourage everyone to gazed upon the Eucharist  and allow Jesus to fill our hearts with his love.

[Gospel for Monday of the First Week of Advent (Year C) - Mt 8:5-11] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia

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My sisters and brothers in Christ, on the FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT, we light the Prophecy Candle to remind us that our reason for HOPE is same reason for the season: our LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

We have HOPE because Jesus is present yesterday and today and tomorrow. We have HOPE because God entered into human history in the INCARNATION to save us. We have HOPE because Jesus is present to us today in the EUCHARIST at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We have HOPE for tomorrow because Jesus promises to be with us until the end of the age.

Advent is a season of waiting and preparation. As we wait for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, we also prepare ourselves for his Second Coming. We must be "vigilant" and pray unceasingly to keep our hearts from becoming "drowsy." This is how we keep Christ in Christmas for ourselves and our families. Advent helps us to keep the true meaning of the Christmas in our hearts and gives us the strength to share the hope, peace, joy, and love of Jesus with others, even in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season around us.

[Gospel for First Sunday of Advent (Year C) - Lk 21:25-28, 34-36] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia