Beloved in Christ,
 
                                                                     Come, Lord Jesus!
 
Don’t you sometimes wish for Jesus’ second coming to be NOW, sooner than later? From time to time comes those moments, periods of social and moral upheaval, when it appears that humanity has lost its moral compass and gone caput. In those tumultuous moments, something deep in your soul desires an end to life as we know it and the advent of  Jesus, “the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star” (Rev. 22: 13, 16 ). It is in those moments you hope for paradise. Such time is this time (and other times in the past). But unfortunately, we have seen an increase in evil in our world in recent years. Sin makes its presence felt in many ways, from pandemics to gun violence. We just witnessed another senseless killing of the innocents in Texas; a trigger happy man pumped bullets into children in an elementary school. We are horrified and angry at the same time. And one of those perennial questions is raised again: where was God when this horror was happening?
 
One answer or response to the question is that God is present in all that. As weird as that might sound, it is true that God is always present amid our crises. He does not impose Himself on us. God makes Himself available. He reveals himself, but we don’t do an excellent job of recognizing or seeking Him out. In our darkness, His light is ever present. We may not have a clear understanding of the tragedy, but He is ever present to see us through it. Jesus has prepared us well ahead for the troubles and tribulations we will experience (Jn 16:33). Our best answer is to be one with the Divine Logos, Jesus Christ, as Fr. Josh Cavender called Him during our Forty Hours Eucharistic Devotion service this past week. Getting to know who Jesus is, how He matters, and why we should care about Him is a productive way to approach all the calamities in our world. If we pay more careful attention to these essential life questions, as Fr. Cavender told us, we will be better positioned to confront the evil we see in our world. We must come to experience Jesus and allow Him a total hold on our intellect, will, soul and heart. We should all seek the “4 pm moment,” as Fr. Cavender called it, a time of intimate experience of Jesus. Jesus knows about the difficulties we face in all their ramifications, macro and micro, and He is present to keep us united in Him as we live through the vagaries of life.
 
With John, in the penultimate verse of the Bible, we can invite Jesus into our life and world. It may not be for Jesus to end all things, but for him to step into our lives and make us capable of living victoriously through life’s frequent upheavals. The most suitable place to make that invitation and encounter him intimately is at Mass. So let’s gaze on Jesus with eyes of faith and profess with our hearts and lips, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Jn 22:20). He will come.
 
In Christ,
 Fr. Bernard

Beloved in Christ,
 
                                                               The Women I Love
 
Jesus, just before he departed from this world, gave a new commandment to his followers: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you should love one another” (Jn 13:34). The mandate given by Jesus to all Christians is to love. Through the manifestation of love, Christians will reveal that they are indeed followers of Jesus’ way. I have made many efforts to love people God brought my way so far in my lifetime. I have also received love from many people in my life. I am thankful to God. I am also grateful to those who have shared the love of Christ with me. I am not only appreciative but also want to confess my love for a particular group of lovers: the women of our parish. I love these women.
 
The Women I love is the title of a novel by Francesco Pacifico (I am not doing a commercial or recommending the novel-this is not an Oniwe Book Club). He writes of different categories of women he loves, showing in the process their equality with him and so forth. I just wanted to borrow the title to describe the women of our parish, the women I love. They are faithful, compassionate, passionate about the parish's growth, loving, caring, giving, encouraging, supportive, sacrificing, and smiling. I love these women. So, I decided to chat with the women of our parish last Saturday morning regarding our struggles and aspirations- as I saw it. What an encouraging attendance and input from these amazing women!!!! There were many things said and suggested to keep our parish alive and thrive despite all odds. The following are some ideas they raised in their own words:  “it is good that we come here to get to know each other, enjoy each other’s company,” “covid was a problem for our parish gathering. We must pray and find people to bring back to church;” “the social hall must serve as a place for gathering;” “let’s have programs for kids and young adults because some of our people leave for LCBC for this reason;” “Put up an organization/ministry fair every year;” “let’s have regular coffee and snacks in the social hall on Sundays;” “meet people where they are, no judgment, be open to everybody, and reach out to all, be welcoming to visitors;” “let us let people know that we miss them and want them back to church;” “send cards and make personal phone calls to people;” “get involved in the CCW”; “single girls wanna have fun within the parish;” “let’s have a mass for children once a month;” encourage children to participate in Eucharistic Adoration during Forty Hours;” etc..
 
Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, the woman I love so much, the women of our parish are women I love too. I hope we can put some of the ideas they raised into action. Let’s make it happen. We set up a committee of three to channel all the lofty ideas presented on Saturday into action within the parish life. I am thankful to our women; they are the kind of women I love. Let us spread the love of Christ. As Christ has loved us, let us extend that love to others, beginning with members of our parish next to you. Tell someone and show someone today that you love them just like the women I love have done.
 
In His Love,
 
Fr. Bernard, O.P.
 

Beloved in Christ,
 
                                                        The Voice of Christ
 
Today, more than ever, we must pay attention to the voice of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. Unfortunately, other voices are filtering into our ears. There are voices of distraction, disillusion, disappointment, destruction, and deviation from the path of truth. We face trials-in private and public life on account of our faith in the Risen Christ, yet we must continue to be guided by the voice of Christ. Like Paul and Barnabas, we must remain resolute and “faithful to the grace of God” we have received from Christ (see Acts 13). Paul and Barnas spoke boldly that the works of God needed to be communicated to all. Though they faced rejection by Jewish leaders who, filled with jealousy, turned their back on the living word of God, the source of eternal life, the followers of the way never stopped speaking the words of Jesus, gathering people “to hear the word of the Lord.”
 
Though persecuted and expelled, the early Christians, filled with joy and the Holy Spirit, never ceased to be available to be used as instruments of salvation to the nations. The words spread like wildfire abroad through their witness, and many came to faith. They trusted in Jesus the Good Shepherd, who tends his flock (Ps. 100). The lamb will shepherd his people on earth if they listen to his encouraging and empowering words. Like the sheep who knows and listens to the shepherd's voice, we must listen attentively and be guided by the Good Shepherd’s voice (Jn 10: 27-30). The sheep know Shepherd’s voice and follow him so that they never perish. Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Ps. 23 and Ez. 34 about the Lord and the King of Isreal. Jesus and the Father and one. We can trust and follow the voice of Jesus because He is one with the Father. We will face persecution and trial in the course of living our faith, but if we listen to the voice of the Shepherd, he will guide us through them, not around them. Jesus' voice still guides us through our Pope and bishops. Jesus and the Holy Spirit have appointed them to channel the words of Jesus to us. Let us listen and live by those words of truth and life as we walk through the valley of tears.
 
The Church has designated this Good Shepherd Sunday as “World Day of Prayer for Vocation.” Let us continue to pray that many from our Church hear the voice of Jesus calling them to be priests, deacons, and religious. Please encourage your child to consider vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The world needs more voices to speak in the name of Jesus to her spiritual needs.
 
We also celebrate in our country today Mother’s Day. We are thankful to our mothers for their sacrificial love for their families. Thanks to all our women for their life nurturing deeds. We love our mothers and pray that their spouses and children show gratitude for their love.
 
Your humble shepherd,
 
Fr. Bernard, OP

Beloved in Christ,                                                                                                                                              
                                                                    “I Am Going Fishing” 
 
I am going fishing for the first time in August! I have never gone fishing on a boat before but will soon get the opportunity to do so at the invitation of John Bridgen. He has spoken often to me with excitement about fishing. I am not comfortable on boats since I saw the movie Titanic-what if our boat starts to sink? It is also scary because I do not know how to swim (though I love to go to the beach!). The opportunity of going fishing is of interest to me because I want to experience in some form the profession of Peter and other apostles who were fishermen. We recall that Jesus called the apostles to follow him and become fishers of men while they were fishing without catching any fish (Lk 5: 1-11). In the Gospel account of this Sunday’s mass, seven of the apostles return to their regular way of life, fishing. They are at the Sea of Tiberias when Peter says, “I am going fishing” (Jn 21:3). Other apostles joined Peter in the boat to go fishing. While they were about the business of fishing without catching anything, Jesus appeared to them for the third time after his resurrection. 
 
Fathers and Doctors of the Church have read this passage mystically. The boat is the Church, the water is the world, the net is the unity that holds the church together, the large haul of fish, 153 in number, is the souls brought into the church, the shore that they approach is the heaven where Jesus is waiting for them. At the shore, Jesus prepares fish on a charcoal fire and along with bread makes a heavenly meal for them. This is a meaningful way to approach this Gospel passage. The church will be filled with many souls brought to salvation through the power and presence of Jesus. It is Christ that increases and nourishes the Church. We see the active role of Peter as the head of the apostles, but it is the Risen Jesus who truly gives life to the church and grows the church. 
 
As we think of fishing in a mystical way, we are thinking of our One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church with the successor of Peter as our leader. We know that through the witness of the leaders and indeed all the baptized as we observe in Acts 5:27-32, all of us are called to be witnesses to the power of the risen Jesus. Our witness must be bold and intentional, propelled by faith and love. We must continue to fish for souls. We must however begin at home. We must first fish for our family members and friends. We must invite and encourage them to embrace faith or return to faith. There are many who are not part of our church that we need to invite. There are also many who are part of our church but for some reason, have been estranged from us or have not joined us in a long while in the communal, sacred worship of the Lamb of God (see Rev 5: 11-14).  
 
I hope my fishing expedition in August is a fruitful one. It is however certain that if we go out fishing for souls to bring to Church and Christ to join us in the worship of Jesus, we will succeed if we allow Jesus to direct us in faith and love. Beloved, let us go fishing! One of the ways we want to “fish” for members of our parish is to get actively involved. Our acts of faith and love go a long way in bringing more fish to the boat of the church. I want to suggest that one of the acts of fishing in this regard is signing up and encouraging others to sign up for the parish photo directory. This is an important part of the art of fishing for our church. We need to be able to identify those 153 fish (if you know what I mean). 
 
In love and faith,  
 Fr. Bernard

  Beloved in Christ,
                                                                               I Believe
 The first time I heard the words of Thomas called Didymus, "My Lord and my God! (Jn 20:28), was from the lips of my parents after consecration at Mass. As a young child at Mass with my parents, I would often hear them say with faith and gaze on the raised consecrated host, "My Lord and my God!" Since then, I have never failed to make this act of faith at the elevation of Consecrated Host and Chalise at mass. However, this act of faith by Thomas in the Risen Christ flows from a beginning rooted in doubt, hence the term, doubting Thomas. Thomas wanted proof, or is it evidence, that Jesus has indeed risen. Bible says that on the evening of the first day of the week, Jesus appeared to the apostles, who locked themselves up in a room out of fear of the Jews. He showed them his hands and side as proof that it was his resurrected body, and they believed in seeing. Thomas was absent and would not believe the disciples' words unless he saw the mark of the nails in his hands, put his finger into the nail marks, and put his hand in his side; he would not believe (see Jn 20: 19-25 ). 
 
There is a lot of unbelief that attends to the revealed truth of faith in our time. Within and outside the Church are people who will not make an act of faith unless they see, touch, and verify. Some people consider the scientific method of knowing as the only acceptable way of knowing. Many will not believe doctrines of our faith like Real Presence in the Sacred Host unless they can verify the facts behind them. They exclude faith as a way of knowing when faith itself is involved even in scientific methods. Facts do not exclude faith. Faith is always a way of knowing. We do not have to see and observe and experiment to believe in the reality of a claim, especially the mystery of faith. 
 
We believe and exercise faith in the revealed truth about the resurrection of Jesus from the dead without falling into the notion of blind faith. Our faith also has evidence to back it. We are even better off for believing without seeing. We believe based on trust in God's love for us. From the Scripture and Christian living evidence, we know that God is faithful to his promises and cannot deceive. We have to keep faith by nourishing our faith daily in prayers, a meditation on the Scriptures, and acting in faith. 
 
On this Divine Mercy Sunday, we are called to affirm our faith in the Divine Mercy that flows from the side of Jesus on the Cross and the wounds from his risen body. Today, we pray the Divine Mercy and do the required acts of faith to receive a plenary indulgence for all temporary punishments for our sins. God has provided a fountain of mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation. Let us receive it frequently in faith. 
 
In Christ,
 
Fr. Bernard, OP
 

Beloved in Christ,
 
                                      God Raised Jesus!
 
“This man God raised on the third day” (Acts 10:40). We have come to believe the testimony of Peter and John that God raised Jesus on the third day after his death. In John’s Gospel, chapter 20:5-7, the beloved disciple and Peter found an empty tomb and saw “the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head.” The disciples “saw and believed” that Jesus was no longer in the tomb. God raised Jesus from death. We, too, have come to believe in the Good News that on this “day the Lord has made” (Ps 118:24), Jesus rose from the dead. Responding to this profound mystery with the Psalmist, “let us rejoice and be glad” (v.24).
 
We are believers in the testimony of the disciples. Consequently, with Paul, we can say we were raised with Christ, for we have died in him, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:1-3). Unlike Peter and John, we did not see an empty tomb. Yet we believe that God raised this man Jesus. Our faith in the resurrection of Jesus is a gift bestowed upon us by the Father of grace. Our proof for the Risen Christ is the life of grace we live as believers. Our belief in the resurrection of Jesus reflects in our acceptance of the sacrament of baptism. We renew at mass today the promises we made at our baptism. Our baptism bears witness to our belief in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. 
 
We heard in the Easter Sequence, “Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.” This is so true. We have a new life in Christ now. We are restored and reconciled to the Father. We are currently under the banner of grace, no longer under the regime of sin and death. We are victorious because Christ is risen. As a result, we joyfully offer thankful praise to the Paschal Victim, our Risen Savior.
 
A special CONGRATULATIONS to Sadie Fleming who was received into Full Communion with the Church and Diana Florez, Steve Gump and Kylie Tobias who completed their sacraments of initiation into the Church. May God Bless You!
 
Yes, Christ, our hope is arisen; let us rejoice and be glad. Let's fill each day of the Octave and, indeed, the next fifty days with the joy of the resurrection.
 
Happy Easter to you all!
​Fr. Bernard 
 

 Beloved in Christ,
 
                                                    Walk With Jesus Through His Passion
 
“Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem” (Lk 19:28), where he will cry out to his Father, “into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23: 46). Those verses from the Gospel contain the mysteries of faith we commemorate during Holy Week, beginning with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. In readings on Christ’s passion and other liturgical rites, we will accompany Jesus on his journey, share in his suffering, and celebrate his resurrection. We must walk closely with Jesus as the paschal mystery unfolds in the days of the Holy Week, especially during the Sacred Triduum.
 
On Palm Sunday, carrying palm branches in liturgical procession, we journey with Jesus as he goes up to Jerusalem to accomplish his paschal mystery. The bishop anticipates the Chrism Mass usually celebrated on Holy Thursday on Monday. All diocese priests and Catholics across the diocese will be at that Mass of the Oils. The passion of the Lord, in words and actions, dominates the days ahead, especially during the Triduum. On Holy Thursday, we will celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper beginning at 7 PM. The mass will include the symbolic washing of feet and concludes with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until late in the evening. On Good Friday, we will have a solemn celebration of the Lord’s passion which includes the proclamation of the Lord’s passion and the veneration of the Cross. Make sure you attend the Living Stations of the Cross by our Youth group at 8 PM. On Holy Saturday, we continue to observe the paschal fast, which “should be observed everywhere on Good Friday and continued, where possible, on Holy Thursday. In this way, the people of God will receive the joy of the Lord’s resurrection with uplifted and responsive hearts” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 110). We should not forget to bring your Easter food to the historic church for the blessing of the first meal of Easter at noon. The Sacred Paschal mystery reaches its zenith at the celebration of the Easter vigil from 8 PM. Inclusive in the mass of the vigil this year is the celebration of Luceranium, Liturgies of the Word, baptism, and confirmation of our Elect, Sadie Fleming, reception of candidates into full communion with the Catholic church, and Eucharist. It is the mother of all vigils and destined to be the most solemn and glorious of all liturgies. Everyone should try to attend if they can. The Triduum comes to a conclusion on Easter Sunday after evening prayers. We shall renew our baptismal vows at masses on Easter Sunday.
 
I appeal to you to participate fully in person in the Holy Week liturgies, especially those that fall during the Holy Triduum. Please mark your calendar and prayerfully participate in the commemoration of the passion of Christ and the celebration of his resurrection. These days are the most sacred and solemn of our Catholic holy days.
 
In His Passion,
 
Fr. Bernard, OP
 

 
Beloved in Christ,
  
                                                    On Hidden Crosses and Images
​
 In our first reading for this Sunday’s mass, the Prophet Isaiah says, “See, I am doing something new!” (43:19). Indeed, God is doing something new in our lives. As we approach Holy Week, we see “new” vistas to liturgical worship to assist us in navigating the sacred paschal mystery that unfolds. One of those liturgical acts is the tradition of covering crosses and images from this Sunday (in the past, the church read the Passion narrative on the fifth Sunday in lent) until the end of the celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday and until the beginning of the Easter Vigil respectively.
 
Why do we veil our crosses and images in Church from this Sunday? The custom dates back to a ninth-century tradition in Germany when they cover the altar with a “hungertuch” (hunger cloth) at the beginning of lent to signify to the primarily illiterate laity that lent has commenced. Symbolically and spiritually, it instructs us about the hiddenness of Christ and the hiddenness of our lives in this world until final redemption when the Lord removes the veil. Then we get to know and see the beauty of our Lord and our lives fully (1 Cor 13: 12). For practical purposes, the veiling of crosses and images adds to the intensity of our preparations for the Easter celebrations. When we walk into the church on Sunday and during weekday masses, we shall notice the hiddenness of the beauty and the contemplation they inspire. Hiding crosses and images get us to listen more attentively to the proclamation of the passion of Christ narratives from the Gospel.
 
Will you do the same at home? Will your family cover all the crosses and sacred images simultaneously as the church? It will be a pious tradition to pass on to your children. It will be striking to unveil the hidden beauty as a family just before Easter Vigil.
 
This Sunday, at the 10:30 am Mass, we celebrate the third scrutiny for our Elect Sadie Fleming. We also pray for  candidates, Kylie Tobias and Steve Gump. We continue to accompany them with our prayers.
 
In Christ,
Fr. Bernard, OP
 

Beloved in Christ, 
                                                       Return to the Father’s Joy
​
 Today is known as Laetare (Rejoice) Sunday! The entrance antiphon to this Sunday’s mass from Is 66: 10-11 encourages us to rejoice, to be joyful. The rose-colored vestments, flowers-decorated altar, and temporary restoration of instrumental music in the liturgy symbolize the Easter joy this Sunday anticipates. As we anticipate the joy we shall celebrate at Easter, let us not lose focus of our goal: repentance- a change of our mind and heart toward a fuller and joyful self-gifting to God and his will. Let’s not forget that God wants to restore us to the life of grace we lost through sin.
 
We reflected on the urgency of the call to repentance last Sunday. This week we contemplate God’s fatherly patience and steadfast love for us. Let’s consider repentance from the father's abundant merciful love for his two sons in the familiar parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32). We see in the father an unconditional love for his wayward sons. And I include the prodigal son's elder brother as needy of the father’s merciful love. The out-of-the-way and excessive demonstration of mercy is the new direction Christ is leading us as we contemplate repentance. There are elements of the younger son and the older son in each of us. We sin by rejecting God like the younger son and whenever we feel self-righteous like the older son. The younger son was extravagant, selfish, and wasteful of God’s grace until he came to his senses after hitting the bottom of his sinful life by the movement of grace. The older son is prideful and self-centered; he feels he has earned the father’s reward. The condition of both sons is sinful, and it is only through the father’s generous love and mercy that they get reconciled to him.
 
With joy, let us celebrate the unconditional and abundant love of the Father. Then, let us return to the father in humility and a contrite heart that God never rejects (Ps.51:17). Additional opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation are made available for us during the season of Lent. Let us return home to embrace the Father’s generous love and mercy (Eph. 2:4).
 
Have you considered returning to the Father’s love in the sacrament of reconciliation during this Lenten season?
 
In His Merciful Love,
 
Fr. Bernard, O.P.

 
Beloved,                                                                           
                                                                          Metanoia Now!
 
“But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” (Lk 13:5). Those were the words of Jesus to the tragic events that bedeviled Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifice and the eighteen people who died when the tower oat Siloam fell on them. The lesson to be learned from these Galileans' sudden, tragic death is not the punishment due to their sin or being worse sinners than those who narrated the news of their death to Jesus. Instead, the lesson for us is the urgency to repent and cease to resist God’s mercy and kindness in offering us forgiveness of sins repented.
 
Now, today is the day for us to make a U-turn from our sinful ways to a life of grace. Now, not later, tomorrow is the time to repent, to do penance, to be open to the transformation of consciousness. Today is the time to embrace a new way of thinking, a renewal of mind, a change of vision, and attitudes. This shift in mindset is what the New Testament Greek calls Metanoia. It is an urgent request; we can’t afford to push it to another day.
 
Seeing the tragic death of children and innocent ones in Ukraine and our own country due to violence makes us call to mind the bad things that can happen to good people. Sometimes, it is the suddenness and unexpectedness of the good. This is why Jesus is giving us, as he did his Jewish listeners, the wake-up call, a warning not to procrastinate. God is patient and lenient, but the period of grace of mercy is not forever; there is a time limit. The parable of the fig tree illustrates this. If we are not productive of the good fruit of repentance within the time given us, we may miss the opportunity. Why delay? Why put till tomorrow what you can do NOW? Metanoia Now! Repent of sin now, not later. Time to change perspective and consciousness is not limitless—this season of Lent is the defining, kairotic moment.
 
Will you do a Holy Spirit-inspired examination of conscience today and go to confession this week? Additional opportunities are provided during Lent in our parish to receive the Sacrament of healing, confession, reconciliation, and penance. Repent, or perish. Metanoia Now!
 
This third Sunday of Lent, we hold First Scrutiny for our parish Elect, Sadie Fleming. Please offer prayers for Sadie as she prepares for the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil.
 
Don’t forget to celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord this Friday by attending mass.
 
In His Mercy and Compassion,
 
 Fr. Bernard

 
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
                                                                      Grief and Glory
 
As I write this message, the entire globe focuses attention on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russian military force's violence upon Ukrainians reaches us via television and social media. But, as with Ukrainians, it is with many other people in other climes that we don’t get to see on TV and social media. Griefs and sorrows attend to a great swath of humanity as we speak. Equally, on personal or individual levels, we know of sorrows and griefs consequent upon our experiences of suffering and pain. Jesus’ disciples also had this notion of suffering. Before the account in Lk 9:28-38, Jesus had instructed his disciples about the need to carry their crosses daily and follow him. Before explaining the cost of discipleship to them, Jesus revealed in verse 22 of Lk 9 that “The Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” The prognosis of sufferings, sorrows, and grief must have drained the hope and confidence of his followers.
 
The manifestation of his glory to his closest disciples, Peter, John, and James, on the Mount of Transfiguration is not only a fulfillment of the Law and the prophets; it was also meant to boost the faith and hope of his followers whenever they experience misery in life. The manifestation of God’s presence on the mountain is designed to strengthen Jesus himself when he faces his agony from Gethsemane to Golgotha. It is also to boost the hope and faith of his followers when they experience suffering and tragedy in the course of living their faith in God. As St. Leo the Great wrote, “The principal aim of the Transfiguration was to banish from the disciples’ souls the scandal of the Cross.” Jesus provides a source of consolation for them amid their sorrows due to the cross they will be called to carry.
 
In whatever condition of suffering, no matter the woes and griefs that we may experience in life, we are reminded of the great manifestation of Jesus’ glory. When we remain with him, and in his presence like Peter, John, and James, Jesus will console us and strengthen our faith. Staying in His presence is what we should aim to do more during this Lent- find and dwell long in the consoling and strengthening presence of Jesus. Praying to him, especially in His Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament, is a unique way of beholding his divine glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. In His heavenly glory, we retrieve his grace to live through whatever grief we may experience in life due to the suffering and tragedy that is our human lot.
 
Will you spend quality time with Jesus and experience His glory in Eucharistic Adoration? When we come before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, we are on a kind of mountain of Transfiguration where like Peter, we say to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here….” Come to Jesus; it is good to be in his presence. Come to adore his glory in the Holy Eucharist. Let him restore your hope and faith amid miseries that may be turning your lives upside down. In the glory of his presence in the Eucharist, we draw hope and faith to see us through the sorrows and sadness life throws at us. Jesus’ love and life outlast any sadness and grief. Come walk with him during his passion as we pray the Stations of the Cross on Fridays in Lent at 7 pm. I invite you to come to stay with Jesus.
 
In Christ, 
 
Fr. Bernard, O.P.
 

​Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
 
                                   The Temptations of Jesus
 
 I love "The Temptations." Yes, you read me correctly. I am a fan of The Temptations, an R&B musical band from Michigan. To be precise, I love their brand of soul songs not only because I consider one of their well-known songs, "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," a secular version of Solomon's Song of Songs. Also, I am fascinated by the band's name without the article "the": Temptation. Why would I love temptations? Who loves to be tempted? We have all been tempted to do what we know we should not do, and as Christ's Faithfuls, we often wish we did not have to go through temptations and pray against falling into them when we say the Lord's Prayer. Yet, I love temptations for this reason: Jesus Christ was tempted by Satan in the desert. Jesus' temptations in the wilderness after fasting for forty days and his victory over them cast my daily temptations in a new light. Temptation is a test of my love for God, and I love the fact that Jesus was tempted and successfully resisted his temptations which helps me see that my temptations are opportunities for me to live in the light and power of Jesus Christ. Temptations and victory over them are indications of God's sufficient grace in bearing testimony to our love for him over anything he created. 
 
 Jesus was tempted. Like us, the Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, the incarnate God experienced temptations. He was not only tempted at the end of his fasting and prayer but also at other times. We recall, for instance, his agony in the garden of Gethsemane when thoughts that were against God's will passed through his mind (Matthew 26: 36-56). Jesus' temptation offers us an excellent place to begin our lent. Many of us fasted and abstained from meat on Ash Wednesday, not without temptations. We are often more prone to temptations when we are weak. We are bombarded with thoughts and situations that threaten our will and resolution to make sacrifices in the biblical way to aid our spiritual campaign and conversion to God. 
 
 Why did Jesus allow himself to be tempted? What are the lessons to be drawn from his temptation in the desert? When his fasting and prayers were over, the gospel, according to Luke 4: 1-13, tells us that the devil tempted Jesus in the areas of hunger, worship, and power. So how does Jesus' experience of temptations instruct us on how to face and overcome our temptations to sin? According to St. Thomas Aquinas in part 3, Question 41 of his Summa Theologica, there are four related reasons and lessons derived from Jesus' temptation:
 
1. His temptation strengthens us against the temptations that will inevitably assail us post-baptism. 
2. By his temptations, he lets us know that no matter how holy and pious you are, a Christian will never be spared the hardship of temptations.
3. He makes himself a mediator in overcoming our temptations by providing us with his example.
4. Jesus' temptation was aimed to "fill us with confidence in His mercy." 
 
 How do you fight temptations? Will you commit more intentionally to fasting, Scriptures, and prayers as ways of overcoming temptations during this year's Lent? 
 
 In Christ,           Fr. Bernard, O.P. 

 
 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,       
                   
                                                        Celebrating Our Patron Saint: St. Peter
 
 
There is a sculpture to the right of the sanctuary of the historic church celebrating the feast of the Chair of St. Peter and a stature in the narthex of the church on the hill highlighting St. Peter the Apostle holding the keys of heavenly authority given to him by Christ. These images of our parish Patron Saint, St. Peter remind us of his role as a shepherd with teaching authority. His confession of faith in the divinity of Jesus was the occasion for Jesus declaring him as the rock on which he will build his church. We are privileged to have the blessed Apostle Peter as our parish patron saint and propose we celebrate him by seeking his unique intercession for our parish and universal church at large. On February 22, the feast day of the Chair of St. Peter there will be two masses offered for this purpose at 8 am in the historic church and 6 pm at the church on the hill.
 
Pope emeritus Benedict XVI said in 2012 that the Chair is "a symbol of the special mission of Peter and his Successors to tend Christ’s flock, keeping it united in faith and in charity." The following is a more detailed reflection on the feast of the Chair of St. Peter culled from Catholic News Agency:
 
The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter celebrates the papacy and St. Peter as the first bishop of Rome. St. Peter's original name was Simon. He was married with children and was living and working in Capernaum as a fisherman when Jesus called him to be one of the Twelve Apostles.
Jesus bestowed to Peter a special place among the Apostles. He was one of the three who were with Christ on special occasions, such as the Transfiguration of Christ and the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was the only Apostle to whom Christ appeared on the first day after the Resurrection. Peter, in turn, often spoke on behalf of the Apostles.
When Jesus asked the Apostles: "Whom do men say that the Son of Man is?"  Simon replied: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
And Jesus said: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood have not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to you: That you are Peter [Cephas, a rock], and upon this rock [Cephas] I will build my Church [ekklesian], and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven". (Mt 16:13-20)
In saying this Jesus made St. Peter the head of the entire community of believers and placed the spiritual guidance of the faithful in St. Peter’s hands.
However, St. Peter was not without faults. He was rash and reproached often by Christ. He had fallen asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane instead of praying, as Jesus had asked him to do. He also denied knowing Jesus three times after Christ’s arrest.
Peter delivered the first public sermon after the Pentecost and won a large number of converts. He also performed many miracles and defended the freedom of the Apostles to preach the Gospels. He preached in Jerusalem, Judaea, and as far north as Syria.
He was arrested in Jerusalem under Herod Agrippa I, but miraculously escaped execution. He left Jerusalem and eventually went to Rome, where he preached during the last portion of his life. He was crucified there, head downwards, as he had desired to suffer, saying that he did not deserve to die as Christ had died.
The date of St. Peter's death is not clear. Historians estimate he was executed between the years 64 and 68. His remains now rest beneath the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. (CNA).

Have a happy feast day of the Chair of St. Peter on February 22nd.                           

  Fr. Bernard, OP
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
 
                                            In God We Trust
 
Inscriptions on the ten-dollar note I pulled out of my wallet to pay for a cup of a tall coffee at Starbucks yesterday inspired my reflections on the readings for this Sunday’s mass. To be precise, the inscriptions “We the People” and “In God we Trust” on the front and back of the legal tender respectively instruct on the theme of virtues of humility and trust. My research reveals that through the act of Congress and the president's approval, “In God We Trust” was declared the national motto of the United States in 1956. Although the motto, “In God We Trust,” first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin, it wasn't until 1957 that it made its first appearance on paper money. The recognition of God’s protection and lordship over America during the Civil War inspired this decision. In other words, America came to an awareness of their faith, hope, and trust in God’s love and mercy as the reason for the nation’s existence and sustenance through the turmoil it experienced. It is not just because we, the people of America, are the only exceptional people on the face of the earth- all God’s people are unique in their way; instead, our greatness comes from our trust in God.  
 
The phrase “We the People” begins the 52-word paragraph preamble to our constitution. Enshrined in the paragraph are promises and principles that define our nation. But it also contains a potential for a prideful turn to self, what St. Augustine calls “curvatus in se,” that is, to turn in upon oneself. We can become self-dependent to the extent of denying our reliance on God’s grace. We must avoid the danger of trusting in ourselves or relying solely “on human strength,” as Jeremiah says to us in the 1st reading. This turn to self or ego leads to idolatry. We may start thinking that the world revolves around us because we lack the virtue of humility. When we rely on the Lord, in humility, Jeremiah says the Lord will bless us “like a tree by the waterside that thrusts its root to the stream” (17:7-8). In this regard, Jesus’ beatitude and woes in Lk 6 make sense. The inversion of shared understanding of what brings us happiness- from health, wealth, prosperity, power to weakness, sickness, poverty, and humiliation- teaches us to trust in God and not ourselves for true happiness. You are blessed when you are poor, hungry, and despised if you trust in God and center your lives around him.
 
The biblical understanding of Greek “Makarios” and Latin “Beati” is the root of the unique blessedness we experience when we trust in God. This blessedness is an enduring one, an eternal one. The joy from this blessedness is not transient or temporal; it is realized fully in heavenly reward. Jesus has reversed our understanding of the source of true and lasting joy. It flows from the absolute reliance on God and not on human strength. This new and different way of looking at life leads us to ask ourselves, what or who do we depend on for our ultimate joy and happiness? God or self? As for me and my household, in God we trust.
 
We celebrate World Marriage Day today and Valentine’s Day tomorrow. Therefore, I take this opportunity to impart God’s blessings on all married couples and lovers. May your love for each other be rooted in the love of Christ crucified.