Dear brothers and sisters,

                                                                     Are We Growing?

The 2020 census results are out. It has the slowest growth rate since the 1930 census. The population of our country grew at a slower rate of 7.4. The slow growth rate is attributed to the aging population of a certain demographic group, lower fertility rate, and a decrease in immigration. So if the figure is accurate, it is clear that certain integral and organic factors for population growth have declined: immigration has dipped, the birth rate has gone down, and life expectancy has reduced due to factors such as drug overdoses, obesity, suicide, and the pandemic as well. We have also observed a slow growth rate in the church population. In the last reported statistics from the Vatican, though the Catholic population has generally remained stable, there were areas of decrease in the membership of the missionary church. In Europe and America, there was a significant decrease. Why does this matter? It raises the question of what makes for growth? Why did the population of Christians reduce? How may it increase?
 
But a more pertinent question of growth is in the area of relationship with God. Even if we are not adding the number to our population, how are we growing in our faith? “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower,” Jesus says. We are the vine branches, and we are to remain a part of the vine to grow. We must grow; it is expected of us to grow in our relationship with the Father and the Son, in the Spirit. We are to remain in Jesus to grow and be productive. “Remain in me, as I remain in you” ( (John 15:4 ). In eight verses of Chapter 15 of John’s Gospel, the word “remain (abide)” is mentioned eight times. Isn’t that remarkable? Doesn’t the Holy Spirit impress on our mind the importance of remaining in Christ after receiving Him in baptism, confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist? How do we keep attached to Him and be productive? How do we allow ourselves to be pruned by Jesus to get rid of what is unproductive so that we may grow? In what other areas do we need to see growth? These are questions for our reflection this week.
 
Are we growing as a parish? In some regards, our parish grew this past week. Twenty of our children received the Sacrament of Confirmation on April 24, and seventeen received First Holy Communion on May 1. This is growth at our parish level; spiritual growth, to be precise. These are signs of Christ remaining in us, in our children. We pray that they remain in Him by being consistent and passionate in their love for Christ and his Church. They will demonstrate this in their love for the Eucharist and services to the parish and the community. They will prove so through their daily witnesses. As followers of the Way, let our life bear fruits of the spirit. Let us be loving, kind, patient, faithful, and joyful (see Gal. 5: 22-23). These are marks of spiritual growth that will flower and blossom into an increase in church population.
 
Have a blessed month of May. Remember to come to Adore the Risen Lord in the Eucharist on the first Monday of the Month.
 
 Happy Cinco de Mayo!
 
In Christ,
Fr. Bernard, OP
 

Dear brothers and sisters,       

                                                Jesus Knows us. Do we know Jesus?

Jesus says in this Sunday's Gospel: "I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me" (Jn 10:14). This verse has a depth to it worth exploring further. The verse declares and describes Jesus' identity and how that identity shapes his relationship with his followers. The image or metaphor of the shepherd and the sheep is found in many texts of the Old Testament. Prophet Ezekiel and the Psalms are good examples of Scriptures that speak of the coming Messiah in the image of a good shepherd who will lay down his life and provide for his flock. Jesus is the fulfillment of these prophecies. For example, He is the shepherd who provides and leads in Ps. 23 (22 in the Septuagint).
The relationship of the shepherd with his flock is a very intimate one. A shepherd knows his sheep from other shepherd's sheep. They recognize his voice when he calls them out from the cave where they are kept away from wolves and other dangerous animals. This familiarity and closeness derive from the shepherd's sacrificial giving of his life in the protection and nourishment of the sheep. Intimacy and friendship describe how Jesus, the good shepherd is to us his followers. He knows us in and out, and we, too, are supposed to know him and follow him. Do we always recognize and follow him? Unfortunately, we don't always.
To know him who knows us is to pay attention to his voice. His voice is heard in the Scriptures. He is present in the Sacraments. He is found in holy and faithful Christians in our church. His voice speaks to us through the teaching organ of the church, the Magisterium. The Holy Spirit reveals him to us in our prayers. Do we listen to Him so that we may be rightly guided and protected? Do we know him who knows us? Let us take a moment to reflect on his words and presence. Let us pause from time to time to listen to him today and throughout this week. He is the risen Christ who shepherds us to true joy and peace. Shepherd us, O Lord, lead us to our mission and purpose in this life. Raise new shepherds for your flock, Risen Lord. May the Holy Spirit inspire men and women to follow Jesus in the vocation to the priesthood and religious life.
                                                                 Happy Good Shepherd Sunday!

 In Christ the Good Shepherd, 

Fr. Bernard, OP
 

Dear brothers and sisters,

                                 “The Tomb of Christ, Who is Living” (from Easter Sequence)
 
It was still dark on Sunday morning when Mary Magdalene went to the cemetery where Jesus was buried. She found out that the body of the Lord is missing; the tomb is empty. As testified to by Peter and John, what Mary found left in the tomb are linen cloths and napkin “rolled up in place by itself” (Jn. 20: 7). What was Mary expecting to see at the tomb?
In the Easter Sequence, the church urges Mary to speak of her discovery: “Speak Mary, declaring What you saw, wayfaring,” and she responds in these profound words, “The tomb of Christ, who is living…” In all the accounts of the resurrection from the synoptic Gospels (Mt. 28:1-1-, Mk 16: 1-11, and Lk 24: 1-12), none refer to the tomb the number of times John did- seven times. John, within a length of ten verses, refers to the tomb severally. Repetition of the words “the tomb” is a way of emphasizing that Jesus’ death is non-contestable, which makes the news of his resurrection unique. I return to Mary’s words in the Sequence: “Yes, Christ my hope is arisen.” Mary Magdalene discovered hope in the tomb, not death.
I took a prayerful and recollected walk around St. Peter cemetery on Wednesday morning as I do from time to time. I did intend to find hope amid headstones erected in memory of our beloved brothers and sisters who have gone ahead of us marked with the sign of faith. What did I see? Unlike Mary Magdalene, I did not find linen cloths and napkins. I saw, among others, a tombstone designed in the shape of a harp- a sign of joyful hope, images of guardian angels, inscriptions celebrating birthdays, insignias of butterflies, and flowers symbolic of life like hyacinths, daffodils, tulips, and roses- all these signify hope and life. One of the tombstone inscriptions reads: “.…Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.” I discovered signs of hope at the cemetery, not just death.
The Easter liturgy announces that “Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining…Amen. Alleluia” This is a mystery central to our faith. It is the hope of Christians. This faith, this hope, is the reason we are joyful today and beyond. The resurrection's significance, victory over sin and death, is not lost on the Church, hence the liturgical celebration of Easter hope and joy for weeks until Pentecost.
St. Athanasius puts it well in the following words: “The fifty days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost are celebrated in joy and exultation as one feast day, indeed as one ‘great Sunday.’ “ And the Church reminds us that “these are days above all others in which  the Alleluia is sung.” Even if we the darkness of death around us, as the world tries to rise from the ashes of Covid-19, let us not fail to see the Christian hope of the resurrection. Let us not succumb to despair because, as Pope St. John Paul II reminded us, “we are the Easter people and Alleluia is our song.” It is Easter, sing and live Alleluia, please!
 Happy Easter!!!
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP