​Beloved in Christ,
 
God promises us the kingdom of truth. The universal kingship of Jesus is the reign of truth in this kingdom. The coming of Jesus, the incarnation of the divine word, is a testimony to the truth that God fulfills his promises. There are many instances in the prophetic writings of the Old Testament about the coming of an everlasting kingdom that will surpass and outlast that of David. God fulfills that promise in the dominion of Jesus Christ over all things. The kingdom of Christ is the kingdom of truth. Jesus came to testify to the truth of this kingdom. The Pilate interviews Jesus to examine his claim to kingship but finds out that the Kingdom of Jesus is not a temporary kingdom but a transcendent kingdom that entails the revelation of the mystery of God's reign over all things. There is truth. This truth contradicts what many in our world and time think about truth. We live in a time of relativism. Truth is often defined based on personal or subjective truth, that is, your perception and judgment. The truth here is relative. But Jesus, the king of the universe, is the truth in all its glory; he is "the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty" (Rev 1:8), the divine and supernatural being who has dominion over all things, thoughts, people and ages. 
 
"Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice"(Jn 18:37), Jesus declares. The kingdom of Christ comprises those who embrace and live by his truth. Jesus is the absolute truth, the fullness of divine revelation, the savior and redeemer of all the universe. Anyone who belongs to his reign must also be a witness to the truth. It is falsehood and pure hypocrisy to claim the lordship of Jesus and be a purveyor of lies. Truth is fundamental to the kingdom Jesus came to establish in the world through the Church. Those who belong to the Kingdom of the Father that Jesus will bring to its fullness at the end of time must constantly learn, love, and follow the truth. 
 
The truth as we know it in the biblical sense is rooted in the body of Christ, the Church. Jesus must continue to reign in our world, our will, our thoughts, our minds, and our bodies through his voice, which speaks to us in our time through his Church. "Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice," says Jesus. Where do we continue to hear the voice of Jesus today? In His body, the Church. We are His Church; Christ called us to witness his truth through our lives and examples. Jesus expects and demands that we witness the truth. We are his; we belong to his dominion. We must be people of his kingdom of truth. Our life must be a continuous witness to the truth about the everlasting kingdom and covenant built upon Christ, our King. Seek the truth, love the truth, speak the truth. In truth lies the coming of God's kingdom on earth. Say the Lord's prayer with meaning often: "Your kingdom come, you will be done on earth as in heaven" (Mt 6: 10).
 
Next Sunday is the first of the Advent season. Believe it or not, Advent is a significant liturgical season despite its shortness. So much happens in the brief season of Advent. Primarily, the Advent is about preparation. So often, we fail to give due attention to readiness for the celebration of the comings of Christ. We get trapped in the spirit of the secular world. The secular world has already begun the "celebration of Christmas" after All Hallows Eve (Halloween). But we are disciples of the truth, of Jesus. Let's display the signs and spirit of Advent in the Advent season. You can manifest it in your manners of living. We must not cave in easily. Let us put on the habit of preparation for the coming of Jesus. Let us live out the truth so that others may come to the knowledge of truth. We have many opportunities for spiritual growth and apt preparation during Advent. Please be sure to get familiar with all the spiritual and liturgical events offered in the parish by reading the bulletins and listening to announcements.
 
In Christ's Reign,
Fr. Bernard Alayode, OP
 

​Beloved friends in Christ,
 
As we approach the final days of the liturgical year, the Church invites us to reflect on the second coming of Christ, when He will return in glory to judge the living and the dead, as we profess in the Creed. This moment will arrive after a period of tribulation. How do we prepare for this time, known only to the Father? What should we do during this waiting period? How do we anticipate the parousia, the day of the Lord?
 
We must stay the course and live every moment anticipating His return. We mark this time by remaining vigilant. "Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36). Perseverance in faith is the most essential form of vigilance. The early Christians faced suffering and persecution with courage and patience, longing for the day of the Lord when God would grant them resurrection to new life. We should follow their example by enduring our suffering and adversity with the hope of heavenly rewards. If we persevere in faith, Christ will prepare us to be ready and worthy of His everlasting kingdom.
 
We should be mindful that the fullness of God's kingdom is not to be found in this world. Despite progress in civilization, science, medicine, politics, and all human affairs, they will not bring about human fulfillment. There will still be problems of evil, sin, and death. But with our hope placed in Christ, we can bear all things. Christ is our hope. We keep vigil for his coming by living in this hope that will not fail us, the hope of seeing Christ in his glory at the end of time. Let's keep our faith and get the reward of this hope at his return in glory.
 
In Christ, our Hope,
 
Fr. Bernard Alayode, OP 
 

​Beloved friends in Christ,
 
Generous giving. These words aptly describe the two widows we encounter in our liturgy of the word this Sunday. "Reckless," generous giving perhaps captures the sacrificial nature of these poor women's giving to God's mission. The Zarephath widow's sacrificial giving of "a handful of flour in her jar and a little oil in her jug to Elijah (1 King 17: 10-16) in the time of biting scarcity is a testimony to her faith in God and detachment. Likewise, the poor widow who contributed all her livelihood and life to the treasury (Mark 12: 38-44) teaches us poverty in spirit and trust in God. Detachment, trust in divine providence, stewardship, and faith are the lessons these women teach us today. 
 
I can testify that our parishioners have imbibed this lesson of generous giving and good stewardship of their treasure, talent, and time in several ways. One indication of my optimistic view of the generosity of our parishioners is the response I have received from you in my pleas to contribute towards the parish DAC 2024 goal of $83,106.68. We have not only met our goal, we have exceeded it! As of October 31, 2024, we have received gifts of $86,931.51, and I believe more are still coming! The good news is that the Diocese returns the money to our parish without tax. These monies will be put into the support of our parish ministries. An exciting aspect of the giving is the percentage of parishioners who have given so far: 178 of 760 households (23.42% participation rate). This percentage could be better, but it is still good when viewed in the context of participation in DAC across the Diocese.
 
At this point, I want to thank donors for their generous giving to me and the parish. I will eventually give more extensive details, but at this point, a huge thanks to my ever-reliable and supportive CCW and Men's Club members. Thank you for your labor of love in the name of the parish. Other parish societies and individuals have gone beyond the norm to give their treasure, time, and talent. Thank you. I will be extending further words of appreciation to you. Like the woman who never ran out of flour and oil, may you never run out of spiritual and material blessings.
 
Thanks to all who turned out for Eucharistic adoration on Monday night to pray for vocation and a peaceful election. I was impressed at the number of people in attendance; such should be the norm, not the exception. I know God has heard our prayers and continues to act in our lives. The election has come and gone, and may God's will continue to be. Meanwhile, we must continue to pray and love as Christ instructed us.
 
Please continue to offer suffrages for the souls in purgatory. November is the month dedicated explicitly to this holy and charitable act. Remember to pray at mass for the departed faithful and offer your penances and works of charity for this intention. We recently lost one of our precious parishioners, Michael Vertucci. Please pray for the repose of his souls and those of all the faithful departed of our parish.
 
Let's stay positive, generous, and loving. Let's be Christlike in all we do.
 
In Christ,
 
Fr. Bernard Alayode, OP