Dear Friends in Christ,
                                                          The Bible as a Light for our Path

On September 30, 2019, feast of St. Jerome, Pope Francis released an Apostolic Letter, Motu proprio Aperuit Illis instituting the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time as Sunday of the Word of God. We celebrate the Word of God as our Light and salvation. Christ is the Light that shines through darkness. A knowledge of Christ is a light for our path through this land of exile. A consistent study of the Scriptures helps us to know and encounter Christ, our “great light” (Is.9:1; Mt. 4:16), As St. Jerome says, “Ignorance of the Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Let us embrace a devotional study and prayerful reading of the bible, lectio divina (AI 3). It will throw a Light on our path so we can see clearly God’s plan for us. We are blessed in St. Peter to have in place opportunities to heed Pope Francis’ call to open and study the Word of God.

Blessed Is She women’s bible study was recently inaugurated in our parish. Thanks to Beth Rosborough, Rachel Clark, Jess Capelli, and Michelle Schmitt for organizing this bible based women fellowship in our parish.

Thanks to Mike and Bernie Rydock for leading our parish bible study of First Corinthians in the Fall of 2019. During Lent 2020, they will generously guide through Edward Sri’s No Greater Love, a biblical walk with Jesus from the Garden of Gethsemani to the Mount of Calvary. I encourage you all to register for this bible study program, it will enlighten your journey through the season of lent.
What’s your plan for “learning how to read, appreciate and pray daily with Sacred Scripture”? (AI 3).
 Pope Francis’ Aperuit Illis: Vatican.va/content/Francesco/en/motu_proprio/
 
Yours in Christ our Light,
 
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

Dear Friends in Christ,

Called To Bear Witness

Witness is a word gone viral in our current social imagination-a cursory view of social media will confirm this claim. The New Testament in its original Greek text refers to maturia-witness, and all its various iteration, about 200 times. It is a word that describes personal response to God's revelation of Himself to us. In this Sunday's liturgy of the word, Isaiah's second servant song bears witness to God's universal call, "I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth" (Is.49:6). Paul is called to bear witness to Christ Jesus among the gentiles so that everywhere people may "call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours" (1 Cor. 1: 3). John testifies to the presence of "the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world...the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit,...the son of God" (John 1: 29, 34). These witnesses testify to the person of Jesus Christ as the savior of all people.
Christian witness testifies to the person of Jesus Christ and his Gospel as the definitive truth. A witness in the court of law testifies to a claim in support or condemnation of a person on trial but a Christian witness, by words and deeds and in the power of the Holy Spirit and God's grace, reveals the person of Jesus to the world as a divine person who came to save it from slavery to sin and Satan. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb of God, the son of God sent to bring us everlasting peace and joy. Christians are called to follow Jesus Christ by the virtue of their baptism, and to share their encounter with this mystery of faith with others.
As the Psalmist declares, "Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will" (Ps. 72), we too are called to declare to the world that Jesus is the Son of God, the lamb of God who by his sacrifice saved all people, including those who deny or ignore him. That is the will of God for all Christians. As Christians sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, our personal testimony to transformation through our encounter with Jesus is vital to the work of evangelization- the reason for which the church exist. As the church teaches us, "The duty of Christians to take part in the life of the Church impels them to act as witnesses of the Gospel and of the obligations that flow from it" (CCC 2472). A Christian witnesses to Jesus in words and deeds. In what practical ways do you witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ you encounter often in the Eucharist and the Divine Word?

In Christ, the Lamb of God,

Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP

                                          The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

When Jesus, was baptized by John in the River Jordan the heavens opened up, the Spirit of  God came down upon him and the voice of the Father declared, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17). At his Baptism the Trinity is fully present and Jesus is manifested as a divine person, the son of God .  Such is the mystery of Jesus’ Baptism - “a regeneration through water and in the word” which he offers us. He underwent this rebirth for ‘the sake of righteousness” for the purpose of creating a path for his followers to regain their lost identity as God’s children and servants.
 
On a day like this we recall our own Baptism, the door to Christian life, ‘the door which gives access to the other sacraments” (CCC  1213). After being plunged into the water of Baptism, we emerge as a new creature and our identity is changed. We, like Jesus are declared by the father as his sons and daughters. We are new creatures and our identities are changed forever! Not only are we redeemed from the crushing weight of sin, we are liberated for mission, as “a light for the nations” (is 42:6) and sent to go “about doing good” (Acts 10:38). Such is the power of Baptism.
 
As we conclude the season of Christmas and begin the
ordinary time of the liturgical year, let us do so with this awareness of our regeneration and renewal, of our identity as God’s children through anointing with the Holy Spirit. We have been empowered spiritually by our Baptism, let’s use the grace of our Baptism to accomplish good works for our parish and the world. As you renew your baptismal vows today, as you renounce Satan and accept the Lordship of Christ, remember you are automatically called to mission, to bring the light of Christ to the world. How do you plan to live out your baptismal mission to and for our parish this year? You have the power, will you use it in the service of your brothers and sisters? 
 
In Christ our Hope,
 
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, O.P.
 

                                           The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Mother Church presents for our celebration in the Octave of Christmas “the shining example of the Holy Family” of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to inspire our own St. Peter parish family of families. The parish, in the words of St. John Paul II is “the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters (see Christifideles Laici, 26). All of you families in our parish constitutes members of the domestic church and like the Holy Family you are exposed to death threat of modern Herod who is working aggressively to snuff out divine light and life of family.
Today our families are not spared from the post-modern fragmentation that consistently mars family life in our culture. One of those agents of fragmentation is our mobile phones. I have observed many families hindered from having quality conversations over meals because each person is busy conversing with their phones. Christ must always be the center of family gathering, it is the only hope of family unity and cohesiveness. Even as family go through their difficulties and struggles (discords, disagreement, fights, anger, unforgiveness, etc.), Christ becomes the means by which they bear with one another and forgive one another (Col. 3:13).
My dear parish family, I am so blessed to have you. You are truly beautiful and I love you all. One of my favorite things about our parish family is the cheer gifts of lovely and cute children who are in our pews on Sundays and come forward to the altar to drop their gifts in the collection bag-it’s the most adorable and awesome moment to see the sign of continuity of the family parish participating actively in the sacred liturgy. Thanks to parents who are raising these children well, thanks to our Religious Education team who labor in union with their parents to pass on our Catholic faith to this children. May God continue to bless our parish family in the coming year.
It is exactly a year that I was assigned here by Bishop Gainer-December 28, 2018. It is my first Christmas with you. What a joy! I am blessed to be your pastor. I am loving you and learning a lot from you. May we continue to work together to grow our parish family around the Holy Eucharist in the coming year 2020 and beyond. Thanks to all of you who have made my year a beautiful one.

Have a Blessed New Year 2020!
With love, 
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

                                                                      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 was a “slob” or a “stranger on the bus,” what if he was 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 of, 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 of Isaiah 7:24 is Emmanuel which means “God is with us” (Mt 1:23).
God stoops so low to conquer (apology to Oliver Goldsmith). In becoming one with us, taking up our humanity, born into 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 willing to trust in God in all events of our lives, no matter the trials that accompany them.
We are going to celebrate the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ in a couple of days. I want to anticipate the solemnity by wishing you all a Merry Christmas! This is going to be my first Christmas in our loving and growing parish and I look forward to Christmas with you with the excitement of children gathered around Christmas tree to open their presents. I had a glimpse of your deep Christmas spirit this past weekend with Christmas celebrations by the Men’s Club on Saturday and Parish Family volunteers (with support from Men’s Club, K of C and CCW) organized Children Christmas party on Sunday. It is a pleasant signs of greater things to come as we enter properly into 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.
Merry Christmas, friends!
In His Hope and Will,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

                                              Are You the One who is to Come?
Dear friends in Christ,

There is a feeling of joy in the air. As I drove around the streets of Elizabethtown this past week I saw decors, Christmas trees and lights and other exciting signs of the holidays. Essentially for us Catholics, these are signs that anticipate the joy of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, at the same time we experience darkness daily- the days are getting shorter. Reports of evil acts in our world have not diminished. In a world of darkness and sin, in the anxiety and frustration of waiting, in the tragedy and setbacks of day to day living, lights of joy and hope shine through. John the Baptist finds himself in this situation of darkness, even when the Light of the world was around. He is imprisoned for preparing the people of Israel for the coming of the Messiah. In the darkness of his imprisonment and looming death, he expresses a sense of anxiety and uncertainty about the fulfillment of the promise of the coming of the light and joy of the world; consequently, he sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the expected savior of the world: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”
Haven't we been in the shoes of John the Baptist at some point in our lives? We all have at one time or another failed to see glints of light in our hours of darkness. We have lived through moments of pains and sorrows, and phases of doubts and uncertainties in our faith journey. For some of us, our financial, family and faith expectations have gone south lately, and have wondered if God is with us, or if he is what he says he is or not. Today, the liturgy points us in the direction of hope and anticipation of joy in the midst of the penitential Advent season. On Gaudete (rejoice) Sunday, we are taking a breather from the restraints of the Advent season to allow us have a joyful foretaste of what we have been awaiting painfully, the birth of joy.
As we go through our dark moments in life, let us take a look at the beautiful lights around us and draw some hope and joy. True Joy's birth is just around the corner. The ultimate Light we await is near. The works of Christ are indication that He is the one we painfully but joyfully await.
Can you find time in the few days left before Christmas to listen in prayers, meditate on the Scriptures? Can you see the lights that illumine our homes and streets against the darkness in the background as means of preparing for the coming nativity of Jesus Christ?
In Joyful Waiting,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 
 
 

                                     The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ  King of the Universe
 
                                                            Is Christ the King of our Lives?
 
The inscription above him reads “This is the King of the Jews.” We see a man nailed to the cross, sandwiched between two thieves similarly nailed to the cross, one seeking his mercy, the other one mocking his kingship. The soldiers jeer at him, questioning his kingship. This distasteful sight on the cross, the crucified Christ, is indeed our king and we are called to be his subjects by choice. Is he truly a king? Are we his subjects? Can such an unattractive person on the cross of shame be one we want to submit our wills to? Jesus is indeed the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). He is the offspring of David whose lineage God promised would one day produce the Messiah who will rule over God's everlasting kingdom (2 Samuel 7: 12-16).
 
Jesus is truly the king whom we pray in the Lord's prayer for his Kingdom to come. His kingship and kingdom are not to be likened in any way in form or spirit to those of the world. He is a king in the spirit of a shepherd who seeks to lay down his life to serve and save. He saves us by his sacrifice, sufferings and shame on the cross of Calvary. One of the thieves crucified along with Jesus came to this realization and pleaded with Jesus to remember him in his kingdom and he was graciously rewarded with a swift change to his eternal status: “Amen , I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Do we realize that saving grace comes from the suffering king on the cross? Is Crucified Christ the king of our lives?
 
When Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King in 1925 he intended that we recognize the universal Lordship of Jesus Christ via the way of the Cross and submit ourselves to his dominion. We are to surrender our independence to this shepherd-king because his kingship is devoted to saving us in the way we could not save ourselves. Like the repentant thief crucified with Jesus, let us surrender our will, mind, soul and body to Jesus' dominion; seeking to do his will and serve his kingdom. Let us pray the lyrics of that beautiful song to the King of the Universe: “Shepherd of my soul, I give you full control.”
 
Is Christ the king of your life? In what ways?
Happy Thanksgiving Day! 
 
In the service of the Crucified King,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

 
Dear Friends in Christ,

Persecution, Perseverance, and Parousia

Basic Christian living is marked by three inter-related expectations: persecution, perseverance and Parousia. These three realities are necessary consequences of confession and practice of faith that if they were to be missing from the life of a Christian, a reevaluation of commitment to faith would be required.
Persecution by the world on account of our adherence to Christian moral teachings should be expected because of their counter cultural and radical nature. As Christ was rejected on account of his teachings, so shall his followers be rejected on grounds of espousing ecclesiastical teachings that are contrary to popular practices. Think of contrary Catholic moral stance on some culturally permissive acts of our postmodern world: anti-abortion, anti-same-sex marriage (the archdiocese of Indianapolis was recently sued for defending this Christian moral position in a Catholic school), anti-contraceptives, anti-euthanasia, anti-death penalty, etc. We are criticized for holding these positions, and it should be expected; didn’t Christ tell us in Lk 21 to expect persecution on account of his name. “If they persecute me, they will persecute you” (Jn 15:20).
Perseverance describes our response to waves of persecution we face for standing for revealed and eternal truth. We are not daunted by the uphill task of living out our Christian life in the spirit of love despite the rejection and mockery of the secular world. Faithfulness to Christ and focus on heaven remain sources of hope and courage for us to persist. “By your endurance you will gain your life” (Lk 21:19). The Christian persevere in professing and living “unpopular” Christian teachings because they are mandated by Christ to do so, and it is by conforming to the truth that they are set free for eternal life.
Parousia is derived from a Greek word that means “coming”, that is, Christ’s second coming which will mark the end of the present age. These futuristic event is often conveyed in the eschatological discourses of synoptic Gospels and other New Testament books, through the deployment of prophetic and apocalyptic images. We bear witness to Christ courageously when we endure persecution with Parousia in mind. Christ helps us in our trials, that by persevering in truth to the end, we await an eternal reward in paradise. We live in a time of waiting and watching, expecting the glorious advent of Christ. “That is why Christians pray, above all in the Eucharist, to hasten Christ’s return by saying to him: Marana tha! ’Our Lord, come’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 671-672).
Can you please find time this week to meditate on the Nicene Creed?

Yours in Crucified Christ,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

 
Dear Friends in Christ,
 
Congratulations to our new Parish Council Members!
 
The work of pastoring St Peter's parish is not dependent solely on her pastor; it is supported by many devoted parishioners, many who work behind the scenes. The parish pastoral council members will work behind the scenes as well as beyond. These men and women who reflect the parish's diversity will support me through their advise on various plans to grow the parish in all necessary and needed areas. They will serve as liaisons between different parish societies and the pastor, channeling your dreams and concerns to me. I am truly thankful for the generosity of these amazing Catholic men and women and pray that our work together in the years ahead to make Jesus the center of our parish life would be a fruitful one. Please join me in thanking and praying for these courageous and gracious sons and daughters of St. Peter Catholic Church:
 
                                                              Rachel Clark               Joseph Barone
                                                             George Kohlweiler      Anita Paynter
                                                              Erynne Lehman         Kevin Dolan
                                                              Tim Malcolm              Lisa Cleveland
                                                              Dolores Reidenbach Michael Rider
                                                              David Salley              Beth Vertucci
 
 
I want to extend my thanks to all the candidates who stepped forward to serve on the parish pastoral council. All the candidates are worthy, even if all are not elected or appointed. It is my hope that those who are not part of the Parish Pastoral Council will still be opened to serving our parish in other areas of need when called upon. Thank you to all of you, may God enrich you with more graces as you strive to follow in His way.
 
In Christ our Help,
 
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Lord and Lover of Souls Leaves No One Behind

Our God is a generous lover. His merciful love extends to all he has created, including Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, the epitome of the most despicable enemy of God’s chosen people, an ally with their Roman oppressor. Yet, God loves Zacchaeus even more, so much that he seeks him out and invites himself to his house: “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house” (LK 19: 5).

God is intensely interested in our salvation despite our inclinations to recede from his inviting reach. As Ezekiel says, the Sovereign Lord takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but wants them to turn away from their sin and live (33:11).  Zacchaeus seeks to see who Jesus is, perhaps out of curiosity but probably more out of genuine hunger for what is lacking in his life-the Divine love. But the mission of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world is to reach out to save that which is lost. Zacchaeus combats with the hostile crowd, but he overcomes them by resolutely responding to the urges of grace and Jesus rewards his response to grace by bringing salvation to his house (Lk 19:9). Zacchaeus acts right and in response to grace, he makes restitution and gives half of his wealth to the poor.
Jesus’s extravagant merciful love as seen in his salvation of sinful Zacchaeus fills us with hope of redemption. If Zacchaeus can gain redemption, so can we. As St. Ambrose writes of our Lord and Lover of souls, “He chooses a chief tax collector: who can despair when such a man obtains grace?” God is a lover of souls (Wisdom 11:26) and good to all his creatures (Psalm 145:9), he will leave no one behind because he loves all and wants all saved.
We don’t have to climb a sycamore tree to see Jesus and benefit from his generous love, he makes himself readily available to us in His Eucharistic presence in the tabernacle and in the confines of the confessional. Will you seek him out in those sacred places today, getting ahead of crowd of obstructions-pride, procrastination, fear, lack of faith, and so forth, and just abandon yourself to his healing grace? Don’t hold back from the one who overlooks our sin that we may repent; his love leaves no one behind.
 In Christ’s Mercy,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
P.S.  November is a month specifically dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, don’t forget to offer prayers for family members and loved ones who have slept in the Lord.
 
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