Homily for Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time (Year C - 1/27/2025)

Good morning. In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the Holy Spirit, saying: “Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin” (3:28). We hear this in the other two Synoptic Gospels as well. From the Gospel of Matthew (12:31): "Whoever says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. And from the Gospel of Luke (12:10): "Every one who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” What does it mean for us to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit?

In this encyclical, “On the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church and the World”, Pope Saint John Paul II wrote the following:

“‘[Blasphemy]’ does not properly consist in offending against the Holy Spirit in words; it consists rather in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers to man through the Holy Spirit, working through the power of the Cross . . Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, then, is the sin committed by the person who claims to have a ‘right’ to persist in evil-in any sin at all-and who thus rejects Redemption. One closes oneself up in sin, thus making impossible one's conversion, and consequently the remission of sins, which one considers not essential or not important for one's life. This is a state of spiritual ruin, because blasphemy against the Holy Spirit does not allow one to escape from one's self-imposed imprisonment and open oneself to the divine sources of the purification of consciences and of the remission of sins” (46).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.”

We see this in the post-Christian world that we live in today in which “Pope Pius XII had already declared that ‘the sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin,’ and this loss goes hand in hand with the ‘loss of the sense of God’" (John Paul II, 47). Saint Angela Merici did not lose her "sense of God" even though she was struck with blindness while on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. She proceeded to visit the sacred shrines, seeing them with her spirit. On the way back while praying before a crucifix, Angela’s sight was restored. (Franciscan Media)

What can we do so that we do not lose the “sense of God” in our lives? We live a sacramental life. In Baptism, we were reborn to a new life in Christ. In the Eucharist, our Lord Jesus Christ nourishes us and strengthens us to overcome temptations and sins. In Confirmation, we are sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. For those of us who are married, we set aside pride and individuals, willing the good of our spouse with self-giving and self-sacrificing love. And, of course, in Reconciliation, we receive God’s mercy and forgiveness; we repent and promise not to sin. In other words, we tap into the graces of the sacraments that we have received so that we do not lose the “sense of God” in our lives and, most of all, not blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.

Homily for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C - 1/19/2025)

Today’s Gospel is the wedding at Cana or, as I like to think of it, the Second Luminous Mystery of the Holy Rosary. In the Gospel account of the wedding at Cana, we learn two valuable lessons. The first lesson is, we need to invite Jesus and Mary (and even the disciples) to be part of our marriage and family life. The second lesson is from the Blessed Virgin Mary who gives us the best advice any mother can give us when she tells us to “Do whatever [Jesus] tells you.”

A few weeks ago, we gathered together as a family to celebrate my parents’ 50th anniversary. In my toast, I congratulated them on 50 years of marriage. I thanked them for the sacrifices they made in raising three boys and for loving us and our wives, as well as their grandchildren. I begged their forgiveness for the times that we did not show them the love and respect that they deserved. I assured them that it was because we lacked the proper words in Vietnamese to express our deepest desires for them - that they enjoy their retirement and trust that they have raised us to be men who can take care of our families.

I have been reflecting on my parents' marriage a lot. Theirs is a marriage that is built on a foundation of mutual love and respect for one another. Theirs is a marital bond that was forged in the crucible of raising a family in a foreign land when they immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam. Theirs is a marriage that continues to withstand the test of time as they transition from one chapter to the next in their storied life together as husband and wife. I also reflected on my own marriage to my wife, Theresa, because the qualities that I just described - love and respect, courage and strength, and patience - are all things I desire for our own marriage. It also got me wondering what the difference is between my parents’ marriage and our sacramental marriage.

During my preparation, I came across this profound explanation of natural and sacramental marriage in a commentary by Fr. Paul J. Keller (9/27/2013) who wrote that the “difference between natural and sacramental marriage is not a degree of holiness, but the end (as in goal) of each kind of marriage. Natural marriage has natural ends, goals which are for the good of life on earth. Sacramental marriage, however, includes all the ends of natural marriage and, in addition, has the purpose of the spouses helping each other (and their children) to attain heaven through the special sacramental graces that come from belonging to Christ and being married in Him. . . sacramental marriage is a matter of nothing less than full, human flourishing both on earth and everlasting life in heaven.”

There is truth to this. You see, in their own way, my parents strive to live a life of holiness in the same way that my wife and I strive for holiness. However, while my wife and I are also trying to help each other prepare for eternal life in heaven, for my parents, this life on earth, this is it for them. I once believed as my parents still do. You see, after an 8-year courtship, Theresa and I knew that we loved each other so, naturally, the next step was for us to get married. I knew we had to get married in the Catholic Church because there is this rule that says “if [couples] want to live in harmony, they should adhere to the principles of the person following the more difficult rules. If you love someone, then you respect their values and rules, and you help them follow them” (Pawłowicz, 06/09/17). In our case, it was Theresa because she was the devout Catholic in our relationship while I was barely a practical Buddhist.

Even as we were going through marriage preparation, here at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church, I was content with being married to Theresa “til death do us part.” That is, until our sponsor couple got me thinking about everlasting life in heaven, if not for myself, then for Theresa who I love. [mindblown] That changed the trajectory of my life because, from that moment on, I realized that I needed to do my part not only to help Theresa get to heaven but to help her get me to heaven. In other words, why should we settle for a natural marriage when our marriage could be elevated to a Sacrament, as God intended marriage to be between one man and one woman with Chrrist at the center? And so, even though, I was not Catholic on our wedding day, I desired to have a Catholic Mass, to have our Eucharistic Lord present in our ceremony because, like the bride and groom at the wedding in Cana, Theresa and I wanted to invite Jesus and Mother Mary to be part of our life together from day one of our marriage.

When Pope Saint John Paul II gave us the Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, he wrote this about the Second Mystery - Jesus’ self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana: “the Gospel clearly shows the power of Mary's intercession as she makes known to Jesus the needs of others” (Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 10/16/2002). For Theresa and I, we wanted Mother Mary to watch over us, protect us, and intercede on our behalf to her Son like she did for the bride and groom, in today’s Gospel, when she shielded them from the embarrassment of running out of wine on their wedding day. We wanted the Blessed Mother to remind us to do whatever Jesus tells us every time we stray from the path that Christ has set before us. We wanted Jesus to be at the center of our marriage and family life because only Christ can replenish and renew the “good wine” of our conjugal love so that it never runs dry.

A Sacramental Marriage is what the Church desires for married couples because it is what Jesus desires. My marriage to Theresa became a sacramental marriage when I came home to Rome at the Easter Vigil. For couples who are not married in the Church, Saint Albert the Great wants to journey with you and bring you all into full communion with the Church. Deacon Edward Rositas can help you with the marriage process. Deacon David Ochoa can help if you need the Sacraments of Initiation. I teach the CALLED TO BE ONE Marriage Class and would love to have you in class as we explore God’s plan for your marriage. For couples who are going through the annulment process, I urge you to be patient and trust the process, and to use this time to grow in your relationship with God and each other through prayer.

Jesus elevated marriage between one man and one woman to a Sacrament to be the visible, outward sign of his love for his Bride, the Church. In the mystery of the Incarnation, our Lord took on our humanity and united it with his divinity so that we might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10), not only in this life but in eternal life in heaven with him. Let us not short-change ourselves and our spouse, whom we love, by limiting what Jesus has to offer us in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. I want to conclude with this wisdom from Bishop Robert Barron, who said: "Given our imperfections and weaknesses, married life can be tough work. Marriage can be even tougher when it is lived apart from God. . . If we invite Jesus into our marriages and family life and ask him to enable us to live out our commitments in faithfulness and love, he will transform the water of ordinary married life into the wine of sanctification. God's grace will permeate the joys and difficulties of our marriages, and they will be the means by which spouses grow together in holiness, bearing fruits in our families.

Reflecting on the Relic of Blessed Michael J. McGivney (1/11/2025)

I am still unpacking the day spent with the Relic of Blessed McGivney. So many graces and blessings flowed forth. I am overwhelmed with God's love and Blessed McGivney's intercession. And, yes, I noticed the sunlight shining on the Relic during Holy Hour and Veneration. It was heavenly!

As I prayed and touched my KC Rosary (the one that got 17 years ago when I went through the First Degree Exemplification at Sacred Heart), I prayed for Blessed McGivney's intercession so that my heart can be conformed to Christ's Sacred Heart and that I transform into the husband, Catholic man, and brother Knight that Jesus needs me to be for his Church for the glory of God and the good of the Order.

It was so inspiring to see so many of the faithful venerate the Relic, touching their rosaries, Fourth Degree swords, and other sacramentals to the Relic. So many prayed before the Relic and left their prayer intentions in the box. Many wept as they prayed. It was so moving. The Church is alive and the faithful are devoted to our Lord Jesus Christ and his holy men and women, saints of God!

Many thanks for making our first Relic of Blessed Michael J. McGivney on Jan. 11, 2025 just a wonderful and blessed event. I have many to thank so please hold your applauses until the end. :)

Fr. Charlie for his blessings, prayers, and guidance.

GK Patrick & Deputy GK Greg for their leadership in helping me plan this event and wherever needed.

Art & George S. for coordinating the Fourth Degree SK, including District Master Blake, for the Fallout. Here is a video of the Fallout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDhVHF-r2jA&t=13s.

Andy R., John I., Patrick, David "Webby", Marcos, Art for leading us in the Holy Rosary during Holy Hour, and Anthony R. for getting the materials together.

Arnold, who did an excellent job as the thurifer for Holy Hour and an adult altar server at Mass.

GK Patrick for holding down the fort during Veneration while many of us participated in the C.U.F., including reading excerpts of materials about Blessed McGivney.

Edward J. for running the livestream with the help of George K.

George S., Andy R., Art, Patrick, John I., John P., Greg M., and Joseph C. for participating in the fallout.

Donovan G. for the tables with KC materials. 

Mike M. for being the liaison between our Council and State Deputy Ron Alonzo and Diocesan Deputy Victor Medina, and being there for our new Knights, including our Music Coordinator Ben Batalla.

Sr. Kelly and my wife, Theresa, for helping me with set-up for Holy Hour, Veneration, and Mass, as well as Deacon David for his part in the planning.

District Deputy Mike and his C.U.F. (Charity, Unity, and Fraternity) team for a job well done bringing in 12 new brother Knights into the Order.

Diocesan Deputy Victor ad his wife, Lady Melisa, for bringing the Relic to Saint Albert the Great, escorted by four members of the Knights on Bikes. Lady Melisa took great pictures of the event.

Of course, State Deputy Ron for his tireless effort to bring the Relic of Blessed McGivney to the  various Dioceses in Texas. (We missed First Lady Margo.)

If I am missing anyone, then please forgive me. It was truly a team effort to make this Relic event so reverent and successful.

Blessed Michael J. McGivney, pray for us and for our families.

Photo of the prayer intention box next to the Relic of Blessed Michael J. McGivney.

Photo of State Deputy Ron, holding the Relic, with Fourth Degree Sir Knights next to the clergy (Msgr. Brooks, Dcn. Phúc, and Dcn. Edward) after Mass.

Also, photo of the twelve (12) new brother Knights after the C.U.F.

Photo of State Deputy Ron presenting a copy of Blessed Michael J. McGivney "Apostle of the Young" to Diocesan Deputy Victor and Assistant to the State Chaplain, Deacon Phúc.

Here are some feedback from the Relic event:

. . .

"After speaking with Brother Knights, we agree, that those that participated, were touched very deeply within our heart and soul. The Holy Hour Prayer was powerful, the words within that prayer were very gripping. and the men that lead the prayer were exceptional. Joseph and I were discussing how the Sunlight was shining on the Altar and the Blessed Sacrament during the Holy Hour. The clear skies were open for the Light of God to shine into our Parish for the Relic of the Blessed McGivney Event."

. . .

"While streaming the Rosary, I noticed the sun starting to engulf the relic. I tried the two other cameras to limit the “brightness” to no avail. Then it dawned on me, don’t do anything. My thought was that this was a great sign, as if “something great will come of this event!” The power of GOD shining down! Also, I mentioned that one of my sisters was one of the number who streamed the Rosary. Talking with her yesterday, she and her husband were out on their  farm, building fence at the time and praying with  us. Those who say, “they couldn’t tune in” or “don’t have time!” One only needs to make “time” for GOD!"

. . .

Homily for Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time (Year C - 1/13/2025)

Good morning. Last Monday, I shared that Pope St. Pius X observed that “the distinguishing mark of Antichrist [is man] raising himself above all that is called God.” This leads to “apostasy from God” and “the total repudiation (or rejection) of the Christian faith.” I also shared that our response to the “spirit of the antichrist” is by turning away from sin and returning to God. The Catechism states that the “movement of return to God, called conversion and repentance, entails sorrow for and abhorrence of sins committed, and the first purpose of sinning no more in the future” (CCC 1490).

Pope Francis said that repentance ”arises entirely from an awareness of our wretchedness in the face of God’s infinite love, his boundless mercy. . . The more we feel his tenderness, the more we desire to be in full communion with him and the more the ugliness of evil in our life becomes apparent to us. . .” (3/8/2024). Once again, the Catechism states that the “process of conversion and repentance was described by Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son, the center of which is the merciful father. . . Only the heart of Christ Who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way” (1439).

For this reason, the Holy Father reminds us to “remember that God never tires of forgiving us, and on our part, let us never tire of asking for forgiveness.” (Pope Francis, 3/8/2024). And so, like the prodigal son, we turn away from a life of sin and return to God by keeping God’s commandments. We attend Mass and receive the Eucharist regularly. We go to Confession. This is what Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel when he says to us, “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” Simon and his brother Andrew, along with James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, did this when Jesus called them, saying,  “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They left behind their old ways of life and followed Christ.

Like them, our conversion and repentance happen when we leave behind our old ways of life and come and follow him to a new life in Christ. However, like them, it is not a one-time conversion and repentance for us but rather a daily, ongoing turning away from sin and temptations and returning to God. We know this from the Gospel accounts of the times that the disciples did not understand what Jesus was doing, when “their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:52), and how they abandoned our Lord during his Passion. Yet, except for Judas Iscariot, they remained Jesus’ apostles and, because they repented and believed in the Gospel, Christ tasked them to continue his mission to go forth and make disciples of all nations. And so it is for us, this ongoing conversion and repentance that started with our own Baptism and continues each and every day of our lives when we choose to say “Yes” to Jesus and come and follow him.

Homily for Monday after Epiphany (Year C - 1/6/2025)

Good morning. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said that he did not come to abolish the law or the prophets but to fulfill (5:17). Not only did Jesus fulfill the law as he promised, he also gave us the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment” (22:37-38). Jesus then added, “The second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (22:39).

These are the same commandments that Saint John the Evangelist spoke of in today’s first reading: “And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them. . .” Love of another is secondary to the greatest commandment, which is to love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. . .” and to “believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ.”

This is how we know that the Spirit of God is in another but, most importantly, that the Spirit of God is in us: “. . .every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God, and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist.” How are we to understand the “antichrist”? Perhaps this insight from St. Hippolytus can help us better understand: “the deceiver seeks to like himself in all things to the Son of God. Christ is the lion, so the Antichrist is also a lion; Christ is a king, so Antichrist is also a king. The Saviour was manifested as a lamb (John 1:29); so he too, in like manner, will appear as a lamb, although within he is a wolf”. . . “resulting in Christians having doubts about their holy Catholic faith.”

Pope St. Pius X observed that “the distinguishing mark of Antichrist [is man] raising himself above all that is called God,” leading to a terrible sickness in society that is “apostasy from God.” Moreover, in 1976, in Philadelphia for the Eucharistic Congress, then-Cardinal Wojtyla, St. John Paul II warned: “We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced. . . We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, between the gospel and the anti-gospel, between Christ and the antichrist.”

How are we to respond to the “spirit of the antichrist”? The answer, my sisters and brothers in Christ, is by turning away from sin and temptation and keeping the commandments of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by coming to Mass and receiving our Lord in the Eucharist, and by frequent reception of the Sacraments. Jesus is the “great light” that “has arisen” to dispel the darkness. Jesus comes to us proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15; Matthew 4:17).

Homily for Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious (Year C - 1/4/2025)

Good morning. A few days ago, we ushered in the new year. We reflected on everything that we experienced in 2024 (the good and the bad) and look forward with hope to 2025. Many of us might even have new year’s resolutions that we are working to accomplish as we continue to navigate our way in the new year. Whatever it may be, in our own way, we are searching for something in 2025. In a way, we are like John the Baptist and his two disciples who were waiting for the Messiah. So, when Jesus walked by as they were standing there and watching him, they knew that they had found the Messiah, because John the Baptist made this proclamation about Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

Jesus comes to us, not only in today’s Gospel but in our hearts right here and right now, at the start of the new year, and asks us, “What are you looking for?” No matter what our answers may be - for me, it continues to be exercise more until I actually exercise more - Jesus’ answer to us will always be the same: “Come, and you will see.” In the mystery of the Incarnation, Christ humbled himself and took on our humanity that we can share in his divinity. In other words, “Come, and you will see” is an invitation to us to take part in Jesus’ divine life. When we participate in the divine life of our Lord and our God, we will see what we have been searching for, what we have been longing for the most in our lives: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ himself. Only Jesus can fulfill our hearts’ deepest longings with the love that we desire most because He is what we hope for in our lives. However, we will only know this by knowing Him. We know Jesus through faith that is rooted in a robust spiritual life built on prayer, the “source and summit” of which is the Eucharist in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

This is what today’s saint realized about her newfound Catholic faith. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, whose memorial we celebrate today, is the patron saint of Catholic schools, educators/teachers, loss of parents, and widows. Reared a staunch Episcopalian, Elizabeth learned the value of prayer, Scripture and a nightly examination of conscience. At 19, she married a wealthy businessman and they had five children before his business failed and he died of tuberculosis. While in Italy with her dying husband, Elizabeth witnessed Catholicity in action through family friends. Three basic points led her to become a Catholic: belief in the Real Presence, devotion to the Blessed Mother and conviction that the Catholic Church led back to the apostles and to Christ. Elizabeth became a Catholic in March 1805. At 30, she was widowed and penniless, so to support her five small children, she opened the first American parish school, in Baltimore, and established the first American Catholic orphanage. Mother Seton, as she was known, also founded the first American religious community for women, the Sisters of Charity.

All this she did in the span of 46 years while raising her five children (from Franciscan Media) because the divine life of Jesus flowed in her veins and permeated every part of her being, mind, spirit, body, and soul. Whatever your new year’s resolutions might be this year, be sure to invite Jesus into your life. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will make all the difference in your life if you accept his invitation to “Come, and you will see.”