​Beloved in Christ,
 
"Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting "(Ps 107:1). Like last week, my reflection is inspired by the responsorial psalm for this Sunday's mass and it makes a lot of sense why it is so. I centered my message last Sunday on the importance of giving thanks to God for all his goodness to us- it is what we are created for, I emphasized. As I write these words this morning from my aunt's place in Akure, Western Nigeria, with her Alsatian dog (German Shepherd) circling around me with excitement and joy, the prominent subject on my mind is the fifth anniversary of my appointment as pastor of our lovely family of St. Peter. It was on June 17th, the same day my NBA team, Boston Celtics won the 18th championship of the franchise. Hurray! 
 
I'm thrilled and filled with thanks to God for my five and a half (my first six months here before my appointment as pastor was as a parish administrator) journey of faith with you all, my beloved family. It has been a journey similar to that of God's chosen people that Ps. 107, a hymn of praise to God for his love and mercy, chronicled and celebrated for God's amazing intervention. We see Jesus doing same incredible deeds of intervention in the life of the apostles in the gospel that made them wonder "who then is this" (Mk 4:41). It is the Lord of everlasting love and mercy. I have experienced his continuous love and mercy through you all in all my years here so far. All I can do, and will continue to do, is "give thanks to the Lord for his mercy, " for wondrous deeds he has done for the children of Adam (see Ps. 107:22).
 
As I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, I also extend thanks to you for your mercy and love. I'm still on this journey with you. From my flaws, I'm learning to be a better pastor at your service. Keep praying for me. We have unfinished business and I plan to stay the course until I accomplish that which the Lord has sent me to do here in St. Peter's, Elizabethtown. I'm thankful, and I love you.  That dog won't stop barking for my attention, so I guess I need to stop here. I'm writing this on Juneteenth holiday, I hope you had a great celebration. 
 
See you for July 4th celebration. 
 
With thanks,
 
Fr. Alayode Bernard, OP
 

​Beloved in Christ,
 
"Lord, it is good to give thanks to God " ( Ps 92:2). This Sunday's mass responsorial psalm aptly captures my feelings as I write this message from Lagos, Nigeria. I had a smooth journey from Baltimore to Lagos, I got to see my sisters again in two years, I met my cute and adorable grand-niece for the first time, and I had an opportunity to celebrate my mom's birthday with her. Without any hesitation, I agree that it is good to give thanks to God without whom any good and joyful things come about. 
 
It is good to give thanks to God because by doing so we recognize that there's nothing good we have out of our own doing but the product of our generous God. Our rendering of thanks to God is an act of faith and worship. Isn't that what we are made for- to love and worship God as a people of faith? In giving thanks to God we grow in virtue of humility and become more Christlike. 
 
Do you consider thanksgiving to God for all blessings received a good thing? Then you have to show it by giving thanks to him the moment you wake up in the morning and for every breath you have throughout the course of the day. A Christian who give constant thanks to God is a devout Christian hastening the growth of the Kingdom of God. As a Eucharistic rooted family, let us do the good act of thanksgiving to God by attending mass with devotion at least once a week, on Sunday at the least. Let's fill every day of this week, and of our entire life, with thanks- it's an act pleasing to God. 
 
One more good thing to do. Let us give thanks to God for providing Frs. Dominic Okoye, OP and Charles Ukwe, OP to offer the Holy Eucharist for our community this week and beyond. Thank you, God!
 
In thanksgiving, 
 
Fr. Alayode Bernard, OP
 

Dearly Beloved,

"Here are my mother and my brothers" (Mk 3: 35). Jesus revises the concept of the family for us in this verse of the Sacred Scriptures. The crowd around Jesus tells him that his mother, brothers and sisters are outside asking for him. Jesus did not disregard or ignore his blood family in this seemingly rude and dismissive response that everyone around him who does the will of God is his mother and brothers; instead, he teaches us that the family of Jesus is broader than the limited sense of blood ties. What ties us to Jesus and makes us part of his family is a life devoted to doing the will of God. Anyone reading or hearing this homily is a brother and sister of Jesus if they do the will of God.

We here at St. Peter are part of the family of Jesus because we strive to do the will of God. This past Sunday, our obedience to God's will by our public witness to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Sacred Host on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ testified to our belongingness to Jesus'  expanded sense of family. In following the will of God to bear testimony to our faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we made a Corpus Christi procession from our Church on the hill through downtown Elizabethtown. We ended with benediction at the Historic Church. We had a reception on the lawn behind the rectory, where many of us were satisfied with the food and drink provided by our ever-present and providing Council of Catholic Women. I am thankful to all who made it a victorious Corpus Christi procession: the Guards of St. Michael, Knights of Columbus, altar servers, and many others who worked behind the scenes. Thanks for making this family, our parish family, a reality. May Jesus grant peace, joy, faith and growth to our parish family, a family built on doing the will of God.

Since we are talking about God's family, I will not fail to mention that I do not reduce the importance of blood family. I love my family and friends and can't wait to see them again tomorrow when I arrive in Lagos, Nigeria. I haven't seen my mother, sisters, nephews, and nieces (and grand-niece) in two years, and I can't wait to spend quality time with them again. Please pray for my flights and vacation at home. I will miss you, but I will keep in touch.

Meanwhile, you will need the sacraments celebrated while I am away.  Some priests have been contacted and will be available to offer the Sacraments for the parish for the three weeks I'll be gone.

In Christ,

Fr. Bernard Alayode, OP