Beloved,
  
"The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice" (Jn 10: 3-4). Shepherd imagery abounds in the Synoptics (see Mk 6: 35; Lk 15: 3-7; Mt 7: 15, 10:16, 25: 32-34, etc.) and Johannine's text (especially Jn 10). What message does it convey? We can     derive multiple meanings from Shepherd metaphors in the Old and new testament traditions. But for our reflection this Sunday, I would like for us to focus on the relationship between the sheep and shepherd: the sheep will only respond to the shepherd's voice. We strengthen our relationship with Jesus when we learn to listen to him always.
 
Do we listen to the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd? John emphasizes again the importance of listening to the voice of Jesus in 10: 27 when he says, "My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me." So how do we hear the voice of the Good Shepherd? To listen to Jesus' voice is to know him. As St. Cyril of Alexandria wrote: "The mark of Christ's sheep is their willingness to hear and obey... People who hear God's voice are known by him." So first, we must seek to listen to Jesus' voice; second, we must follow him in the act of listening. By doing this, we know Jesus and live in him, and He in us. Listening and following is what it means to believe, to know Jesus. It is an intimate relationship compared with that of the shepherd and his sheep. To be a Christian is not to acknowledge a set of statements of faith; it is more. It is a relationship with a person who has a voice- with Jesus.
 
How and where do we listen to Jesus' voice? We listen to him in the Sacred Scriptures proclaimed at Mass and in our private reading and meditation. We do not merely read the bible; we hear it meditatively through the aid of the Holy Spirit. We listen to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist exposed on the altar at Adoration. We can also hear   Jesus speak to us in our inner souls, in a conscience enlightened by the Holy Spirit. We can hear the voice of Jesus in the saints. We can also listen to the voice of Jesus the Good Shepherd talk to us in the words of his  vicar, the popes, and the bishops.  Finally, we listen to him in the encouraging and challenging words of good Christian friends, brothers and sisters.
 
Jesus will be here in a unique way on Monday evening to speak to us. He will be exposed in a monstrance on our altar for Adoration. Do you believe He is alive, body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Holy Eucharist? If you do, and you do, make plans with your family and friends to attend our parish's monthly Eucharistic Adoration. Come and listen to the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Also, talk to him at Adoration about raising more vocations to the priesthood and diaconate from our parish.
 
Happy Good Shepherd Sunday. 
 Fr. Bernard, OP
 

Dearly Beloved,
​
"That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus..." (Lk 24: 13). Let's take some time on this "first day of the week," this third Sunday of Easter, to reflect on the importance and necessity of going to mass every Sunday (if inclement weather or poor health do not impede us). Catholics are expected to attend Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. Why so? What is so special about Sunday? Early Christians received wisdom on the centrality of this day of all days in the week as a day primarily devoted to sacred worship. It is the day of resurrection; it became a new "Sabbath- a day devoted exclusively to rest and worship of God.
 
One of the earliest writings of the Church on early Christian understanding and practice on Sunday, "the first day of the week," is found in today's Office of Reading (Divine Office, the official prayer of the Church), St. Justin Martyr's "First Apologia," in which he describes what Christians did on that day: they assemble, they share the Word of Sacred Scriptures, and they partake in the Holy Eucharist. Here are words from St. Justin's "First Apologia": "We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world, and because on that same day our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead."
Sunday is primarily Lord's Day! It is not sports day (though we can play sports with family), it is not party day( though we can celebrate a party with family and friends), it is not a day to sleep all morning and watch TV (though we can indeed rest more and recreate with family by watching movies or sports on TV together); it is above all, a day to be devoted primarily to the assembly of all baptized, to offer prayers to God as a family who share from One Cup and One Bread- the Holy Eucharist. On the old Jewish Sabbath, what did Jesus do? He often went to the temple to worship. As followers of Jesus, we should imitate his spirit by gathering together in person on the new Sabbath, Sunday, to glorify and praise God by participating in the liturgies of the Word and Eucharist. 
 
Attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation maintains God's covenant with us and offers him praise and thanksgiving for saving us from sin and death. It is why every Sunday is a mini-Easter, a day of the joyful celebration of the Risen Christ. The Mass on Sunday is preeminently foreshadowing the eternal banquet in heaven that we all look forward to. Therefore, it would be best if you looked forward to every Mass, especially on Sundays, as a foretaste of heaven which is what our earthly journey is about. Never miss going to Mass on Sunday; imagine missing Mass as missing a taste of heaven on earth.
 
Congratulations to our children who received Holy Communion for the first time on Saturday. I taught them about the importance of attending Mass every Sunday. I told them it is the most excellent source of joy on earth: a meeting with the Real and Living Jesus. I pray they act on my instructions with the help of their parents and godparents. See you next Sunday! And, bring someone to Mass, if you can.
 
Love you all,
Fr. Bernard, OP

​Dearly Beloved,
 
What are the meanings and effects of the sacrament of initiation? We welcomed four neophytes into the Living Faith in the Risen Christ at Easter Vigil. Terry (Molla), Samantha (Gertrude), Justin (Joseph ) and Drake (Michael) received the grace of the Sacraments of baptism, confirmation and eucharist for the first time. This  moment and these new Christians need some recognition. What is the meaning of what happened last week? In the opening prayer of this Sunday of Divine Mercy, we direct our prayers to God of everlasting mercy that we may "grasp and rightly understand, in what font (we) have been washed, by whose Spirit (we) have been reborn, by whose Blood (we) have been redeemed." We need to constantly seek to grasp and rightly understand this mystery of faith and its impact.
 
In the old liturgical practice, this day was called "Dominica in albis"- the last day neophytes wore their white   baptismal garment. It implies that they have been wearing it all week to remind them of their new identity, which offers them recognition in the assembly. What does our baptism mean? We also celebrate the sprinkling rite   replacing the penitential rite; what does this do regarding our baptism? We seek to grasp and rightly understand today, in the days ahead, the impact and reality of our baptism, confirmation, and the holy communion we      partake in. Thomas doubted the truth about the risen Christ. He wanted to see to believe. The world would like to see the fruits or the sacraments in us. We must seek to understand these sacraments and how they transform our lives. They are living evidence of God's unending mercy. The sacraments of initiation must turn our minds to God's mercy. It was his unfathomable Divine Mercy that obtained for us the grace of these sacraments. We must recognize this interiorly and intentionally dispose of ourselves to experience the graces they impart on us.
 
Taking the idea of recognition further, I want to throw light on those who made our Sacred Triduum liturgy the beauty it turned out to be. First, I want to offer praises and thanks to everyone who participated: the lectors,   cantors, choir (adult and youth), ushers, the youth group who led one of the best living Stations of the Cross we have had in the parish, Vicky Kern and her OCIA crew, Religious Education catechists, St. Michael's Guard, and the master of ceremony, Joseph Barone. I also want to recognize my parish office support: Stephen Desjardins, Eileen Rider, Georgann Azallina, John Belicic, and Sandy Koser. All of you and many others are a blessing to our parish. Let's continue to grasp and understand the meaning of our baptism, especially during the Easter  season.
 
See you all at the Divine Mercy service this afternoon at 2:30.
 
Fr. Bernard, OP
 

Dearly beloved,

"Yes, Christ my hope is arisen"( Easter Sequence). Why are all Christians rejoicing this Easter morning? "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it,'" says the Psalmist. We rejoice, for Christ finally has defeated sin and death through his resurrection. So, "let's celebrate the feast for our paschal lamb," Christ, has been sacrificed (see 1 Cor 5). The sorrows and sufferings of Christ, his sacred passion, has yielded fruits of life. Jesus is alive; he is dead no more!

The resurrection of Jesus is the basis of our Christian faith. As this Sunday's John's Gospel relates, Mary of Magdala found an empty tomb. Peter and John saw burial clothes, but there was no body of Jesus in the tomb, for he is risen from the grave as scriptures have foretold. "The Lord has indeed risen, alleluia. Glory and kingship be his for ever and ever" (Entrance Antiphon).

For the next eight days, the octave of Easter, we will celebrate as one single day this joyful news. And for fifty days until Pentecost, the Church's liturgy will celebrate and keep alive the joy of our victory over sin and death, the resurrection of our Lord. I urge us not to hold back the joyful strain, let's not hold back our joy, and not in any way restrain the celebration of the power of the resurrection. Come to the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ frequently to partake in the victory over sin and death. The grace of the Risen Christ is yours to partake in and be empowered by. The Easter joy offered at mass is the abundance of grace released for all of us.

I conclude my reflection with lines borrowed from Gerard Manley Hopkin's poem, "Easter":

Open wide your hearts that they
Let in joy this Easter Day.
Seek God's house in happy throng;
Crowded let His table be;
Mingle praises, prayer, and song,
Singing to the Trinity.
Henceforth let your souls always
Make each morn an Easter Day.

The Lord is risen; shout Alleluia!
In Christ's Joy,

Fr. Bernard, OP