​Beloved in Christ,
 
"This is my beloved Son, listen to him" (Mt 17: 5). What does it mean and cost to listen to Jesus, God's beloved Son? To listen to Jesus is to deny oneself, take up the cross, and follow him (See Mk 9:34). Abram, our father in faith, trusted God when asked to leave his home for the unknown. God made him promises without any concrete sign of fulfilment, but “Abram went as the LORD directed him” (Gen 12:4). We must listen to God and obey his commandments even if it leads to affliction and suffering. God never abandons us in our suffering; he provides us strength and hope. God continues to speak to us his words of conversion and faith. Lent is a season we must commit to listening to the word of God as Abram did. Pope Leo’s 2026 message of Lent, “Listening and Fasting,” calls us to listen to the word of God: “The willingness to listen is the first way to demonstrate our desire to enter into relationship with someone,” Pope Leo says.
 
The story of the transfiguration of Jesus on the holy Mt. Tabor is God's remedy to the Christian experience of suffering. The revelation of divine glory in the transfiguration of Jesus will aid the apostles when they see Jesus go through his passion and when they, too, encounter suffering in the world, as they listen to and obey Jesus' teachings. This event on the mountain points to a central truth of our Christian faith- that the cross is the key to heavenly glory. The cross eventually leads to the resurrection. Without the cross, there is no resurrection. We should never forget that our sufferings and afflictions are not the end of the story. When we continue to listen to and obey God's commandments, we should always trust that God will not abandon us, even if we feel that way in real-time. God will always point to the transfiguration of his Son as the definite end of our prayerful walk with Jesus, the denial of self, picking up our cross, and following him. The transfiguration is a source of hope in the midst of the trials we face as we live our faith.
 
One of the most instructive pious devotions in Lent, which captures the spirit of Jesus' passion, is the Stations of the Cross. The Via Crucis or Via Dolorosa, the way of the cross or way of sorrows/suffering, is an effective and impactful way of contemplating the suffering of Christ and a way of drawing inspiration and strength to endure our suffering as we strive to live our lives in obedience to the Gospel of Christ.
 
I strongly encourage everyone to make it a priority during Lent to attend the parish's Stations of the Cross every Friday at 7 p.m., after we finish our Lenten fish fry dinner. Jesus invites us to pick up our cross and follow him; let us listen to him!
 
In Christ,
 
Fr. Alayode, OP
 

​Beloved in Christ,
 
We come to the First Sunday of Lent after beginning our union with Jesus in his forty days in the desert on Ash Wednesday. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert" (540). In Jesus' temptation in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11), the Bible reveals how the Son of God comes to reverse or recapitulate the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:1-7. Jesus, God-Man, who is like us in all things but sin (Heb. 4:15) succeeds where the first Adam fails. Jesus is not only the new Moses but the New Adam who conquers the "triple concupiscence" of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (Cf. 1 Jn 2:16) which the first Adam fell to.
 
How, like Jesus, can we conquer these threefold foundational temptations? Jesus shows us how, in our reading from Matthew 6 on Ash Wednesday, in the three pillars of Lent- almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. These spiritual disciplines are the tools of God's grace to help us in spiritual battle against sin; they are our weapons for self-mastery. When we fast, whether from food or social media, we are renouncing the dominance of pleasure over us; when we give alms, we detach ourselves from possession by earthly goods; and when we pray, we humble ourselves to the Lordship of God.
 
Do you want to grow in holiness and grace this Lent? Do you want to walk closely with Jesus? Do you want to overcome the lures of the tempter, the Serpent? Lent provides a good opportunity to walk with Jesus, to be with him in the desert. In the desert of silence and self-examination, we are alone with our very selves, naked before God, in confrontation with ourselves. In the desert with Jesus, we come to recognize the devil's lies, which distort truth, make sin plausible, and lead us down a false path in moments of weakness. We gain grace from the example of Jesus. Jesus has led the way; he has shown us how to win spiritual battles. All we need to do is go into the desert and allow Jesus to lead us. 
 
We have opportunities, especially during Lent, to unite ourselves as a community with Jesus by attending Mass and adoration, going to confession, praying the Stations of the Cross, and praying the Rosary as a community. Please consider giving more of yourself to Jesus through the discipline of Lent. Fast, give Alms, and pray more than you did before Lent.
 
Have a Happy Lent!
 
Fr. Alayode, OP
 

​Beloved in Christ,
 
"Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him" (Sirach 15: 17). Making choices is integral to human end, temporal and eternal. The human person, made in the image and likeness of God, is equipped with intellect and will to decide the end they desire. Each choice we make carries consequences. In making choices, we have immediate and eternal goals. Our choices are moral in nature and purpose. God created us with the capacity to make good choices that lead to eternal life, but God also gives us the freedom to choose either the path to life and good or the contrary path. God has placed a huge responsibility on us. And we make our choices about what and where we want to be time and time again throughout our lifetimes.
 
Lent is a liturgical time that the Church offers us to make those choices. In a matter of days, we will begin Lent with the imposition of ashes on our foreheads, indicating our mortality and the choices we have to walk or not walk the path of the cross that leads to a good and holy life. Lent. We have been here before. We have gone through the path of the liturgical circle over and over. If we look back, we can determine whether we made good, life-enhancing choices. Did we? Or, did we discover that we did not take advantage of the sacred season, with all the opportunities it provides for the good of our souls? Do we find ourselves just going through the motions, making little or no sacrifices that engender growth in good and towards life?
 
Making choices can be cruel. What do I mean? So often, we have to decide between the pleasure or comfort we are accustomed to and a new, difficult path that the Spirit of God will reveal to us. The old, familiar path, even when it hasn't drawn us deeper into the moral good, is always difficult to let go of. We always have the opportunity, especially during the penitential seasons like Lent or Advent, to re-route our path. That is the choice we must make. It can be painful, but we are capable of making that choice because God's grace is sufficient for us. What are the good and life-giving choices we want to make during this holy season of Lent? How can we make this a transformative Lent and avoid the same old routine that has not brought growth to our spiritual life? 
 
We must think about this year's Lent differently. We must remember that we have a God-given potential to choose the good and life. We must be willing to do the hard work of surrendering all to the Holy Spirit, who molds and renews us. The sacrifices and penances the season of Lent offers us abound. We begin with abstinence and fasting on Ash Wednesday. We have a choice to make: either make a big deal of it or fall into our old routine of doing nothing significant to indicate our desire for encounter or intimacy with God. Will the ashes remind us of our mortality and the need to enter into the narrow road that leads to eternal life? Are we going to strive to grow in virtue? Are we going to pray and fast more? Are we going to make a good confession? Are we going to be a moral light and salt in the world? Are we ready to choose to see the Gospel truth and live by its spirit or decide to stick to our old, sometimes unexamined ways, not in conformity with God's will?
 
Come this Ash Wednesday, let us choose to enter deeply into the spiritual warfare to choose moral good and eternal life by joining Jesus in the desert. Let's commit as much as we can, choosing life and good over death and evil. God promises to give us what we choose, what we seek, what we will, with the help of his grace. What is your choice going to be? life or death, good or evil? You are the one to make that choice. I get to make my choice as well.
 
Have a spiritually enlightening Lent.
 
In Christ's love,
Fr. Alayode, OP
 

Beloved in Christ, 
 
In his sermon on the mountain, spanning chapters five to eight of the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus clearly spelled out the vocation and mission of the disciple. Speaking metaphorically and symbolically, Jesus demands that his followers put the spirit of the beatitudes into practice; good deeds and actions must follow the practice of virtues and faith. He says to his disciples, "You are the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world." Faith isn't just spiritual or private; it has public implications. Loving God includes actively working for justice in the world. Faith demands recognition of the dignity of every human person, as Isaiah writes in chapter fifty-eight, our first reading: "Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own" (58:7-8). Prophet Isaiah adds, "if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday" (58:10).
 
What does it mean to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world? References to these two metaphors, which indicate how Christians and the Church should be perceived in the world, abound in the Sacred Scriptures. His Jewish audience understands the central role of salt in their culture, economy, and sacred rituals. Salt is a preservative. It brings out flavor in food. Salt has qualities of permanence, lastingness, and necessity for life, and it also brings other benefits. Salt translates to keeping the Gospel message received from Jesus permanent and unaltered, making the message of Christ a force for good and transformation in the world. The Christian message must bring about spiritual and corporal benefits, such as forgiveness of sin, eternal life, and care for the good of man and the universe.
 
In the same manner, the Christian's actions and deeds must shed light on a dark world. The life of the Christian must speak truth to the world. Just as light cannot serve its purpose by being placed under a bushel basket, likewise, the Christian life, with all its blessings and graces, cannot be kept private. It must be seen in action and in its practice of social justice, bringing light upon the world and ridding it of all kinds of evil towards fellow human beings, friends and enemies, family and strangers alike. The Church must be set on the lampstand to give light to the world. Whenever and wherever corporal works of mercy and the Church's social teachings, rooted in the dignity of every human person, are practiced, we become light that shines through the darkness (see Ps. 112). 
 
As the salt of the earth, we must not lose our taste. As the light of the world, we can't afford to hide ourselves. We must live out our Christian faith without any compromise or fear of persecution. We must allow the Word of God and the Sacraments we receive to transform us into a force for human and social good. When we translate our faith into action in the world, bringing about the honor and improvement of all human beings, family and foes alike, friends and strangers alike, only "Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!"
 
Today is World Marriage Day. As we do every Sunday, we celebrate married couples who continue to live out their vows through the grace of God and personal discipline. We pray for all married couples and those preparing for marriage. Today is also World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking. This scourge is real and alive in your country and county. We seek the intercession of St. Josephine Bakhita for an end to this menace. On Wednesday, the Church will celebrate World Day of the Sick. I will be praying for the sick at the daily mass at 8 am. Send your special intentions to me and, seeking the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes, I will pray to the Lord for spiritual and physical healings.
 
One more piece of information. It is ten days to Lent. Let's begin to think about ways we want to draw closer to the Lord.  Next Sunday, during our Sunday assembly, we get to sing alleluia during the liturgy for the last time before Lent. Let's come to mass ready to sing multiple Alleluias before we start fasting from it in the spirit of sober reflection and sorrows for our sins.
 
In His Joy,
Fr. Alayode, OP
 

​Beloved brothers and sisters,
 
"When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain...He began to teach them..." (Matthew 5:1). There is something to say about the designation of the church building on 1840 Marshall Dr/ 904 Mill Rd as a "new" church in comparison to the Historical Church as the "old" church. From the beginning of my time here, I have always contested the original nomenclature. I prefer to call the "new" church "the church on the Hill." I think my preference for that terminology is connected to the connotation of "mountain" in the Bible. A mountain is a place of divine revelation.  Moses encountered God and received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. Jesus, the new and more outstanding Moses, also goes to the mountain to talk to God and to teach new commandments.  In Matthew 5-7, Jesus went up the mountain, his disciples came up to him there, and he taught them about the blessings of the Kingdom.
 
Our parish church of St. Peter, the church on the hill (or symbolically, mountain), is the sacred place we come to encounter Jesus, who feeds us on his word and body. In our church, like on the mount of the Beatitudes, Jesus still teaches us about who He is and who He expects us to be. So he speaks to us this Sunday on the Beatitudes, meaning the blessed or the happy. If we pay attention, we will discover that Jesus is telling us how fortunate we are to be who and where we are. He is telling us we are his disciples, and he is our Lord. He also tells us the characteristics and attitudes expected of his followers. What should be our attitude to life and people?
 
As people who are in a good place in life and are blessed, our values should upend those accepted by the world. The attitude of a believer, no matter what circumstances they find themselves in the world, should be that of hope in the joy of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, we should be meek, poor in spirit, peacemakers, righteous in our conduct, merciful, enduring, longsuffering, and so forth. Those values should always characterize us, no matter our situation.
 
The next time you drive up to the "church on the hill," or any Catholic church for that matter, remember that you are going to Jesus, who will teach you the right attitude to life. Jesus always teaches through the readings, especially in the Gospel and the homily. So listen attentively to what Jesus will teach you about the quality he expects of his followers in the world. For example, are you being called this Sunday to wear the attitude of humility, peacemaker, or mercy?
 
NB: The  Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on Monday will also be observed as World Day for Consecrated Life. Therefore, please endeavor to attend mass if you can. Mass will honor and offer an opportunity to pray for those who have chosen to follow Christ through the practice of the evangelical counsels. I fit into that category; I'm a religious order priest. Also, on Tuesday, on the feast of St. Blaise, I will give the blessing of throats after the 8:00 am mass in the historic church.
 
In His Joy,
 
Fr. Bernard, OP
 

​Beloved in Christ,
 
Jesus is the central character of the Bible. On this Sunday, declared by Pope Francis in his motu proprio of 30 September, 2019, Aperuit illis as the Sunday of the Word of God, the church calls us to devote attention precisely to the Sacred Scripture as a source of knowledge about Jesus, the lover and saviour of our souls. The entire Holy Bible, the Old and the New Testaments, in essence, reveals to us the God who loves and saves us through the incarnation of his Son, Jesus Christ, the great light who preaches and invites us into the kingdom of heaven (Mt 4:17).
 
To help us celebrate, disseminate, and study the Word of God, as Pope Francis teaches in his apostolic letter, I will share with you excerpts from one of my favourite study bibles, the Didache Bible. What follows answers the questions: what is the Bible, what constitutes it, and why we should read it?
The Sacred Scripture is the Word of God addressed to humanity. Though God is the principal author, in composing the Sacred books, "God chose men and while employed by Him they made use of their powers and abilities, so that with Him acting in them and through them, they as true authors, consigned to writing everything and only those things which He wanted" (in Introduction, Didache Bible). This inspired library of books "forms a sacred deposit, which cannot be changed- the 'canon' of Scripture- and includes forty-six books in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New Testament." The Catholic Bible, therefore, is made up of seventy-three (73) books.
 
We should read from these inspired books of the Bible daily. Why? "The Bible is a unique book, unlike any other. Through its pages God meets his children with great love and speaks with them (DV 21), and expresses in human language the ultimate truths of his being. Sacred Scripture teaches us that man was created 'in the image of God' (Gen 1: 27), with the capacity to know and love his Creator, and it offers us the way to achieve happiness on earth and in Heaven. 'In Sacred Scripture, the Church constantly finds her nourishment and her strength, for she welcomes it not as a human word, 'but as what it really is, the word of God.' The Bible is a priceless treasure in which we always find light and a guide for our earthly pilgrimage" (Introduction, The Didache Bible, xiv).
 
Own a Catholic Bible. Read and pray (lectio divina) the Bible daily. Join others in studying the Bible. Love and live the Bible daily. The Bible is the Word of God addressed to YOU! In it, God makes His everlasting saving love known to you.
 
In His Joy,
 
Fr. Alayode, OP
 

​Beloved in Christ,
 
John the Baptist's testimony in this Sunday's gospel reveals Jesus to Israel as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). This testimony is the subject of our reflection this Sunday. What is the meaning and implication of John's message regarding Jesus' identity? There are three parts to John's declaration. John points to Jesus as "the Lamb of God,"  addresses the problem of "the sin" and how it pertains to "the world."
 
First, "the sin." Here, John speaks of sin in the singular, with an article preceding it. He is speaking here more than individual sin and sinner, though that sense is not excluded. There is a universal approach to sin here. Sin is a translation of the Greek hamartia, which means missing the mark when an archer aims at an object. This sense of sin means that humanity has fallen short in all ways in its relationship with God; sin has ruptured that relationship. The nature of sin is such that it removes us from friendship with God, and we become vulnerable and lost as a result of the breakage from God's love. Sin has the worst form of consequences, temporal and eternal, than we often imagine or admit. 
 
Second, "of the world." The sin committed is universal, and all humanity participates in this act of disobedience against God. All the world has sinned. The baptism of Jesus that John spoke about and which we celebrated last Sunday initiated the process of saving us, the entire world, from the destructive impact of sin on the world. There is a multiplicity and ambiguity in the use of the word "world" in the Bible. There is a sense in which God loves the world, there is another understanding of the world as set against God, and there is the notion of the world that God created and came to save. The whole world, believers as well as unbelievers in God, has fallen away from God and lost its bearings. The world is a mess, and it cannot save itself; only God can liberate it from the negative hold of sin. This is where Jesus comes in.
 
Third, "the Lamb of God." Now comes Jesus, the savior of the world from sin. But, why "Lamb"? The figure of the lamb is a signification of weakness, not strength. Why not Lion instead of Lamb? The answer to this is found in Israel's liturgical act of offering a perpetual sacrifice to God as an act of worship, communion, and dedication. John the Baptist is from a priestly tribe; it is reasonable to assume that he's well informed on the offering of unblemished lambs to God twice a day in the temple as a sin offering. The lamb of sacrifice that the Israelites have been offering to God as an expiation for sin is now revealed in its fullness in Jesus, the Son of God, the glory and the light of God. "Behold, the Lamb of God," John says. 
 
John makes Him known so that all may have communion with him and follow him as he confers on us a new designation, children of God. John helps us to identify Jesus as the new Lamb of the Passover, who comes to offer himself as the true sacrifice that saves all who believe in God from sin and its consequences. The church makes the priest play the role of John the Baptist at Mass. At Mass, the priest points and directs our eyes to Jesus, the Lamb, who is present sacramentally, real and substantially, at every Mass. When the priest repeats the words of John the Baptist at Mass, he performs a truly priestly role- he points to us the true Lamb, the true Sacrifice, the one who takes away the sin of the world. I encourage you to gaze on the true Lamb of God when the priest raises Him at mass today, just before communion, and says, "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world."
 
Let us, like John the Baptist, show Jesus, the Savior of the world, to others. As people called to be holy, who "call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" ( 1 Corinthians 1: 2), let us reveal the Light that saves from the darkness of sin to others, "to the ends of the earth" (Is. 49: 6). Look up at Jesus at Mass today, He is revealed that we might have communion with him, follow him closely and show him to others in every way possible.
 
I invite you all to join in the prayers for an end to abortion and a greater respect for all human life as we participate in the nationwide vigil on Thursday, during our evening mass and Eucharistic adoration that follows.  Please plan to attend this solemn Holy Hour of prayer.
 
The week of prayer for Christian Unity begins today. Let us pray that all of us Christians may be one in witnessing to the Gospel of Christ.
 
I wish you a joyful celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, a Baptist pastor and civil rights icon whose teachings and advocacy shed light on the essence of Catholic Social Teaching (CST)- the respect for human dignity and the promotion of justice and the common good in all their ramifications.
 
With Joy,
 
Fr. Alayode, OP
 

 Beloved in Christ,
 
Who is Jesus Christ? There's an utmost need for us to know who Jesus Christ is. It
may seem silly or stupid to raise the question about Jesus Christ's identity to a Christian Catholic congregation. Yet, it is a profound question that demands pondering upon to arrive at an answer. The Gospel reading for this Sunday provides
 a perfect answer. Jesus Christ is the beloved Son of God. At the baptism of Jesus
 in the River Jordan, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended upon him. The Father’s voice came from heaven, addressing Jesus: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17).
 
As the Only Begotten Son of the Father, Jesus embarks on a mission of redemption. Through Jesus’ baptism in the Holy Spirit, he is anointed and empowered to do good and bring healing to “all those oppressed by the devil” (Acts 10:38), “to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness” (Isaiah 42:7). This is good news. Now that we have answers to the question: who is Jesus Christ?, let us advance into the new year with courage and faith because we have been baptized in him and like him, anointed “with the Holy Spirit and power” (Acts 10:38). Knowing who he is, the anointed one and Son of God, we know ourselves better;  adopted sons and daughters of God. Let us live out our identity; we are beloved sons and daughters of the Father. Reflect deeply about your baptism and its implications on this last day of the Christmas season, and strive to listen to Jesus and, like him, go about doing good.
 
As we come to the close of the Christmas season, I want to seize this moment to say THANK YOU to all of you who have made the season a joyful one. In addition, I am indebted to many of you who created time to bring the Christmas joy to live in the parish: thanks to the team responsible for the decorations in the historical church and the church on the hill, thanks to the extraordinary minister of the Holy Communion, lectors, altar servers, ushers, money counters, the choirs, and the musicians. I also extend my appreciation to the various parish groups that helped create the Christmas spirit in the parish: St Vincent de Paul Society, Men’s Club, Council of Catholic Women, Knights of Columbus, and others that I may have failed to mention.
 
I want to make a special mention of the satisfaction I derived from celebrating a Christmas vigil mass at the Historic St. Peter Church, the first in twenty-five years! I’m filled with gratitude to men and women who worked behind the scenes to make such a special celebration possible. Thanks to Michael Checco and the choir, and St. Michael’s Guard. I hope to do
it again next Christmas!
 
I am grateful for all the Christmas gifts I received from you: parish societies, families, and individuals. You made it possible for me to get away this past week on a retreat/mission. Our Father in heaven will reward your generosity. I extend to you the promise of Jesus Christ, the Father’s Only Begotten Son: “whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42).
 
In His Joy,
Fr. Alayode, OP
 

 Beloved in Christ,
 
Today, the Church celebrates the manifestation of Christ’s divinity to all people. The visit of the Magi to Jesus, bearing gifts, in fulfillment of the oracle of the Prophet Isaiah 60:1-6, is a sacred moment that celebrates not only the incarnation of Christ but also the extension of the Light of Redemption to the Gentiles, that is, all nations other than Israel. All people are now part of God’s covenant of love. He Shines His Light Upon All.
 
In the first reading for this Sunday’s liturgy, Prophet Isaiah sees into the future when the light of grace will shine upon all God’s children, Jews, and all nations alike. All distant peoples, represented in the Astrologers from the East, are now sharers in the grace from the Creator of all. As Psalm 72 says, “every nation on earth will adore” the Lord. St. Paul in his letter to Ephesians makes a similar proclamation that the mystery of God’s grace has now been “made known to people in other generations,” “Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:5-6). The Magi, representing the Gentiles, following a special star, are led to the place where the child Jesus was, and on seeing him, “prostrated themselves and did him homage” (Matthew 2:11). All nations adore Jesus, the saviour of the world.
 
In the spirit of the Magi, let us be filled with joy that we have been invited to share in the grace of God. We have been called to be partakers of the Good News, we have been called to be sons and daughters of God, and we have been called to use all our treasures, our time, talents, and wealth to serve and worship him. Let us be more driven this new year in our worship of the Lord of Lords. Like the Magi, let us joyfully offer ourselves to Jesus, making him the reason for our existence. Whatever God has in store for us in this new year, we should accept with gratitude and trust in his love for us. Love of God is communicated to us in the divine word. Let us embrace that love and allow the love to inform our worship and adoration of God in this new year.
May the Light of Christ, which shone upon the entire world at his birth, spread into the heart and soul of every one of us as we begin the new year 2026. It will be a year of Divine Light, scattering all forms of darkness that exist.  
 
We will hold our first parish monthly Eucharistic adoration for 2026 tomorrow. Let us keep in mind how significant this holy hour is. In imitation of the Magi, let us come with all we have and who we are to worship and adore the Lord who took on our humanity to save it.
 
May you have a blessed Christmas season and a joyous New Year!
 
Fr. Alayode, OP
 

​Beloved in Christ,
 
Merry Christmas! We celebrate the feast of the Holy Family in the Octave of Christmas. It is essential to highlight that Jesus, the redeemer of the world, was born into the human family of Mary and Joseph. The incarnation took place within a human family, a family set apart for the glory of God. What a great insight the holy family has given us today: holiness is found embedded in the frail, human family. Within the divinely ordered structure of the family- dad, mom, and children, a human interrelationship, a life ordered to the glory and reflection of God’s familial relationship, is made manifest. This is good news. Merry Christmas!
 
Responsibility, honour and authority are central values sewn into the fabric of the human family. As Sirach (3: 2-6, 12-14) and Colossians (3:12-17), and Mathew (2:13-15, 19-23) reveal to us in the liturgy of the word, fathers play roles that are different from roles played by mothers, and children have specific responsibilities toward their parents. Each one is assigned to a particular, yet similar role based on the Christian principle of love and respect. With love comes responsibility. Once each member of the family is aware of the responsibilities it owes others, the family is on its way to holiness. We see Joseph take on the responsibility for protecting the family in the Gospel for this Sunday. We also see the honour and authority fathers and mothers have over their children in Sirach and how children are called to obey their parents in Colossians. Responses to these divinely ordered roles make Christian families holy.
 
God established holiness within the human family, with all its imperfections. The holy family of Jesus, Mary and Jesus is not without its own difficulties. For instance, in the Gospel account according to Matthew (2:13-15, 19-23), we hear of the danger posed to baby Jesus and how his father and mother made difficult decisions to migrate to a foreign land to protect the holy family. Families go through periods of difficulties, be it on account of external, violent threat, failed parenting or marriage, misbehaving or wayward children ( we recently had a couple of bad news stories in the media of children killing their parents). Let it be known that the holy family, too, had its share of hardships, disappointments, and sorrows.  
 
Holiness is not without difficulties. Raising your children and making your home a Christian home does not guarantee freedom from moments of fright and worry. Those stress-filled moments are part of the ingredients that make up the holy family. The problems that arise from raising a Christian family can be turned into opportunities to place our trust in God’s love, protection, and grace and to solidify it. With the example of the Holy Family as a guide, let us make it our goal to structure our family on the principle of faith, love, and responsibility to one another. Let us take our family problems to God in prayer, asking for the intercession of the Holy Family. Let's renew our commitment to family prayer. A family that prays together will live holy.
 
On this day, nineteen years ago (December 28, 2006), the soul of my beloved father, Lawrence Ajibade Oniwe, departed this world for eternity with the Father; I hope and pray. He was one human being I honoured and still honour. The example of St. Joseph inspired his authority over the family. I will continue to miss him. Please remember him in your prayers.
 
Merry Christmas to all families of St. Peter. I look forward to a holy New Year with you.
 
Fr. Alayode Bernard, OP
 

Dear Friends in Christ,
  
God is One of Us. As I was reflecting on St. Matthew’s account of the incarnation of God, Joan Osborne’s 1995 hit song, “One of Us”, came to mind. In the chorus verse of the somewhat theologically controversial song, she sang repeatedly, “What if God was one of us?” What if he were a “slob” or a “stranger on the bus,” what if he were just a regular Joe? Today’s Gospel account answers the questions in the affirmative, God is indeed one of us, a person with an identity, son of Joseph, son of David and Mary, the ever virgin. He took on our humanity through the “yes” of simple people and was born in an obscure place in Bethlehem. His name, according to the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14, is Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us” (Mt 1:23).
 
God stoops low to conquer (apology to Oliver Goldsmith). In becoming one with us, taking up our humanity, born into the squalor and obscurity of the stable in Bethlehem, he demonstrates his love and humility, and so saves us. His love, because all he did was for our benefit, not his; it was a selfless giving. Humility, because the creator chooses to inhere our flawed human nature and poverty to show us the way to truth and life. God’s oneness with us came about because ones like us, Joseph and Mary, chose to listen and comply with the divine will despite the difficulty that came with their YES! A woman who is yet to live with her husband suddenly becomes pregnant. A man who had no intimate union with his betrothed is asked to be the father of the child she is pregnant with. God had to depend on free will fiats from Mary and Joseph to become one of us and with us, and to save us. This is a testimony to the power of trusting in God in all events of our lives, no matter the trials that accompany them.
 
We will come to the end of the Advent season on Wednesday, and by sunrise, begin the celebration of the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ in a couple of days. The great solemnity will sneak up on us, so to speak. As a result of the nearness, I want to anticipate the solemnity by wishing you all a Merry Christmas! It will be my seventh Christmas with our loving and growing parish, and I look forward to it with the excitement of children gathered around the Christmas tree, opening their presents. The joy at the Family Bingo last Sunday and at the Advent meditation and adoration with Mark Forrest this past Monday, on a snowy, freezing evening, are pleasant signs of greater things to come as we properly enter the Christmas season. Let’s keep the Christmas spirit in sight in the few days left of Advent. Seek to be one with God who became one with you on Christmas Day.
 
Have a Holy Advent and Merry Christmas, friends!
 
In His Hope and Will,
 
Fr. Alayode Bernard, OP
 

Beloved in Christ,
“Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” (Mt 11:2). Is God not who he says he is? Is Jesus truly present in our world? Am I seeing myself grow spiritually? John the Baptist must have wondered, in his pain and suffering, whether Jesus was truly the Messiah he claimed to be. We too have our doubts and questionings of the presence of God in our world, is Jesus at work in our lives?
 
Christ came 2000 years ago at the first Christmas, yet the world is still in the darkness of sin, violence, war, hate, lies, suffering, and aimless death. We were baptized, received Eucharist frequently, confirmed, yet and despite this, Jesus' coming and presence in our lives, we still show weakness and sin and suffer pains and anguish.
 
Despite conditions that make us wonder whether God is with us because of suffering and trials, despite our wondering and doubts about whether we are growing in faith, we know for sure that the Light of joy is present in the darkness of sin and evil that sometimes envelopes our lives. The Lord will come and save us, the Psalmist says to us this morning. God is with us, he is near, the coming of the Lord is near, St James reminds us. Here is your God, he comes to save you, says the prophet Isaiah.
 
No cause for alarm, Jesus is here in our world, in our Church, in our individual lives. The seed of Christ's presence 2000 years ago is still growing patiently and quietly in a world that seems to only show us darkness. Look at all the good brought into the world since Christ came at first Christmas: catholic schools, orphanages, hospitals, saints. See how you have lived life based on hope, faith, and a good Christian conscience. These are the fruits of Christ's presence in our lives.
We only need to be patient and trust in the Lord. Until his second coming and his daily comings, we must be joyfully expectant and live in hope that there is light on the horizon. Like the farmer in today’s letter of St James, we must be patient to see the seeds we plant blossom. We are called to build in faith, patiently and expectantly. Donovan’s song, “Little Church”, in the film based on the life of St. Francis of Assisi, Brother Sun, Sister Moon, captures this sense for us: 
 
“If you want your dream to be
Build it slow and surely.
Small beginnings, greater ends
Heartfelt work grows purely.
 
If you want to live life free
Take your time go slowly.
Do few things but do them well
Simple joys are holy.
 
Grow slowly and steadily. It takes time to grow spiritually. Like many saints, we may not see the signs of God’s presence in the midst of our struggles, sin and sufferings we encounter daily, we may have our doubt and questionings like John the Baptist but like St. Teresa of Avila, who for the first 20 years of her spiritual life was not on fire,  we must persist in prayers and charity until our faith starts to blossom. The saints have much to teach us about how God is joyfully encountered, even in the darkness of a sad and sorrowful world. Let us be joyful as we patiently allow Jesus to come into our lives at Christmas and every day. We must do our part in watering and fertilizing the soil as we wait patiently for the seeds of faith planted in us to grow and blossom. Be patient and have no doubt that Jesus is the one who is to come, and he is near. Do not doubt but rejoice that he is near on this Gaudete Sunday.
 
We had our Advent penance service last Friday. Many of us have had the opportunity to prepare a home in our hearts for Jesus to dwell at Christmas by taking advantage of several opportunities for sacramental reconciliation. We have an additional aid in our preparation for a joyful Christmas tomorrow at our Advent Night of prayer and adoration led by Mark Forrest, Irish Tenor. It promises to be another amazing night of hope and joy; you don’t want to miss it. Invite a friend to come with you.
 
With joy,
 
Fr. Alayode Bernard, OP
 

Beloved in Christ,

"Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come! (Mt. 24:42).
The next four weeks of Advent are a period of preparation for the commemoration of the Lord's first coming. It is also an intense spiritual season for highlighting the necessity of staying alert for the second coming of Jesus Christ. We stay awake and keep running the salvation race that culminates in meeting Jesus Christ at the end of our earthly time. It is possible and most likely that we get tired, distracted, or derailed along the way, hence our need for spiritual support to keep us running toward Jesus Christ, our goal. Our parish provides this spiritual support during this season of awakening by offering more time and opportunities for prayers, penance, and purification. Opportunities are provided to us to prayerfully attend daily masses, go to confession in between Sunday masses and other indicated times, and give sacrificially to those most in need in our community.
Sin, the works of darkness (Rom 13:12), deadens our alertness to Christ’s presence and restrains running to meet him; therefore, we need to throw off the shawl of sin to stay awake! (Mt. 24:42). And then, we can go rejoicing to the house of the Lord (Psalm 122:1). Let’s stream toward the mountain of the Lord’s house; energized by prayers and penance, let’s run forth to meet Christ as we kick off our Advent season this Sunday. 

To aid us in running closer to union with Christ, to assist us in overcoming the dominion of sin in our lives, to help us stay alert and focused on Jesus, as we await his coming, we offer to the parish many gates to grace:
*Masses are celebrated daily. If God gives you the time and health, attend daily masses.
*Participate in daily eucharistic adoration from 7 am before weekday masses.
*Please plan to attend our monthly Eucharistic adoration on Monday, December 1.
*Get an Advent wreath candle, light one each week, and gather as a family around it to pray. 
*There are opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation between masses on Sunday, and especially at our parish Advent penance service on December 12.
*The international Irish Tenor, Mark Forrest, will lead a Eucharistic-centered parish mission on Monday, December 15th. You don't want to miss the hour of grace.
*Create time for silence and meditation on the coming of Jesus by reading the relevant scripture passages daily.
*Advent has a penitential character (hence, no Gloria at Sunday masses, a limited display of flowers, purple vestments, etc), so make spiritual sacrifices and penance.

May your Advent season be filled with hope, peace, joy, and love.

In Christ our Hope,
​
Fr. Alayode Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

​Beloved in Christ,
 
The liturgical year comes to an end with the solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. In this Sunday's gospel, the criminal crucified next to Jesus acknowledged Jesus as king when he said, "Jesus, remember me when you get into your kingdom" (Lk 23:42). A couple of verses earlier, the other crucified criminal said mockingly, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us." Unknown to him, the unrepentant thief was unveiling the truth that Jesus is the saving king of all the universe. He reigns; he has dominion over a kingdom of the saved. What goes against the grain here is that Christ did not establish the kingdom of the saved by physical, brutal power but by accepting death on the cross. On the cross, in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, is inscribed "The king of the Jews." In an attempt to mock Jesus, like the unrepentant criminal did, Pilate inadvertently acknowledged that Jesus reigns over his kingdom by way of crucifixion.
 
Our first reading from Second Samuel 5:1-3, on the anointing of David as king, links Jesus, the Son of David, to David's kingship and, more broadly, to Adam's kingship over the garden of Eden. As king like Adam. Jesus has dominion over all things, and he leads broken humanity back to paradise, to the original state of grace and bliss. In the gospel account, the repentant thief is transferred to the kingdom of God's beloved son, Christ, the savior who redeems and forgives sin (Col 1:13), Christ who makes "peace by the blood of his cross" (Col 1:20), the suffering king with the cross as his throne.
 
In the same way, our thrones are crosses, like Christ. We must yield lordship to Christ by accepting to share in his suffering to be glorified with him. Is Christ the Lord of our lives? Is he the king we adore? I once heard Bishop Ronald Gainer preach at a forty-hour Eucharistic service that if we are not adoring the Lord, we are adoring something else, we are adoring ourselves. Such must not be the case with us. Instead, we must adore the King of Kings by surrendering to redemptive suffering in union with his on the cross. Our king reigns over his kingdom from his throne on the cross; let's be subject to his dominion from our own crosses. Let us adore him, the king of the universe, by lovingly entrusting our lives to him. 
 
As we get ready for the first Sunday of Advent, may Christ the King reign over us!
 
Happy Thanksgiving! All thanks to Christ, our King.
 
In His Love,
 
Fr. Alayode Bernard Oniwe, OP