Dear friends in Christ,
                                                          Jesus' Yoke Will Liberate US

We are living through a period of unrest and anxiety, not only in America but worldwide. The ongoing social upheavals and the pandemic restrictions are taking their tolls on our psyche and perspectives to life. We are all feeling the crushing weight of the crisis, some more than others. Amidst all these Hard Times, to borrow the title of Charles Dickens 19th century novel, I find comfort and solace in Jesus' words of invitation in the Gospel of this Sunday's Mass: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest" (Mt.11:28).
Jesus, however, promises to replace the yoke and burden that oppress us with his own when we respond to his call. He offers us freedom from our overwhelming burdens by replacing them with easy yoke and light burden of his Gospel. He makes for us fitting crosses to carry and follow him. "This burden," St. Augustines says in his sermon, "is not a weight at all, it is wings to fly with." His yoke is a sweet one, and his light burden liberates us to live a truly happy life. He reveals this mystery to the little ones who see things with the humble heart of Jesus, but are hidden from the proud who are obsessed with themselves. We need the meek and gentle perspective of Jesus to find freedom from our stress and anxiety. The priest offers this prayer after the Lord's Prayer at Mass: "protect us from all anxiety (distress) as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ."
When we embrace the yoke of the New Covenant, the Gospel of Jesus, we become truly free of destructive stress and anxiety. Jesus invites us to take on his yoke and bear his burden to free us from the burden of sin and stress. St. Peter tells us to cast all our anxiety on Jesus because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). What are the burdens we carry? Whatever they are, "let us cast them upon the Lord," and he will sustain us (Ps. 55:22). He will give us rest.
On this Fourth of July weekend, I recall the liberating words from the preamble to the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness." These are reassuring words to hear in this time of turmoil. Our founding fathers declared independence from King Goerge III because of the burden of inequality, misrule, and exploitation; they had a list of 27 grievances to highlight the fact of their oppression and the need for freedom. We are still struggling to realize the divine ideals of equality in human dignity and rights, of God-given right to Life, Liberty and Pursuit of happiness. Could it be that we are yet to honor the invitation of the Lord of Life and Liberty, who says, "come to me, …and I will give you rest"?  St. Augustine is right when he says in his famous words, "Thou hast formed us for thyself, and our hearts are restless till they rest in thee." To find true freedom from the burden of personal and social sin, we have to accept the yoke and burden of Christ's commandments of sacrificial love; it's the only way we can find lasting rest and true freedom.                       
                                                                 Happy Independence Day!
In the Meek and Humble Jesus,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 
 

Dear friends in Christ,              
                                                                On the Ladder of Love

Let's talk about love and levels of love. Love is so central to Christian identity that it becomes inconceivable to identify oneself as a Christian without visible marks of love as a testimony to the claim. God created us in love and for love, and He is the source of that love. As St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a 13th-century great lover of God and the last of the Church Father, once said, "Love is the fountain of life, and the soul which does not drink from it cannot be called alive." But we ought to love God above all things and with all our life. There is a hierarchy of love. The goal of everyone created in the image and likeness of God is to prioritize their love for the author and source of love above other subjects of legitimate love. It is of utmost importance and highest priority that we love God first to love others rightly. Jesus calls us to love him more than we love our family. He teaches us to order priorities right when it comes to who we love most. To love God as He should be loved is a process and implies lifetime perseverance and progress.
St. Bernard wrote about four categories of the love of God that serves as a helpful guide as it throws light on the perfection of love.
The first degree is selfish love, that is, loving yourself for your own sake. Despite our awareness that God called us to love Him first and above all, the natural impulse is to love self first over God. This selfish love is a consequence of Original sin. It is part of our flawed human nature to self indulge in love for oneself to the detriment of our neighbors; hence we have to strive to overcome this excessive love of self to the expense of the love of God and neighbor. We are called to let this self-love overflow to others and not limited to oneself alone. We have to love God first to love ourselves rightly.
The second degree of love involves loving God for your own blessing- dependence on God. At this stage, you now love God but primarily for your own sake, the love of God for our benefits. At this level of love, a Christian only give thanks to God on account of His goodness to him. It is similar to what people in the secular world call friends with benefits. This type of lover tends to give thanks to God only when he or she receives blessings from Him. This form of love is not yet perfected, though an improvement over the first degree of love.
The third degree of love implies loving God for God's own sake. At this degree of love, a Christian begins to have intimacy with God. This kind of love is love without self-interest. It is a love that develops from intimacy with God and the discovery of his incredible goodness. It comes from actually having an experiential knowledge of his kindness and mercy. During this stage of love, we love for love's sake, a pure and spontaneous love, not love purely for self-interest.
The fourth degree of love is self-love for God's sake; it is a profound union with God's love. This stage of love at first appears contradictory because we know that self-love is a lower form of love, but when we ponder on it, it is the highest form of love that can only be attained momentarily here on earth and fully in heaven. At this height of love, the lover of God loses himself in God's love. To reach this stage of love is to be truly Christ-like, to be totally immersed in his grace. You decrease and Christ increase to the extent that he is the only one that exists. This highest level of love can be attained only permanently in heavenly as a reward for loving God alone and always.
As people who profess the love of Jesus above all others, let us consider the practice of love and make progress in St. Bernard's proposal on the love of God. 1 John 4:8 tells us that "God is love…we cannot say we know God without love" To love as God wants us to love, Jesus tells us in this Sunday's Gospel, we must take up our cross and follow Him, we must lose our lives in him to gain our lives. The only way to make progress from selfish love to agape love is to die to sin and live "for God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:11).
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is not only a lover of God but a troubadour of agape love and you will derive spiritual benefits from singing or frequently meditating on his love lyrics that follow:

 Jesus, our only joy be Thou.  As Thou our prize wilt be; Jesus, be Thou our glory now and thru eternity.         
                                                               
 In the Perfect Love of God,  

Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

Dear friends in Christ,       

                                                         Fear No One, Speak the Truth

The Gospel of this Sunday's Mass tells us not to be afraid to reveal, make known, speak, and proclaim to the world all that Jesus taught his followers. Jesus taught much about life liberating truths and instructed his Church to do likewise without mincing words or with ambiguity for fear of how the world would respond to radical forms of these sacred truths. It is easy to get intimidated by rejection or hostility from those presented the demanding doctrines of Jesus, but the Lord reminds us that God has got our backs. If God in his providence places value on mere sparrows, how much more human beings created in his image and likeness, God will see to our preservation from dangers that will come on account of the proclamation of divine truth.
We should never compromise these truths out of fear of losing our lives, friendships, family, or any other earthly goods. We ought to proclaim Gospel truths boldly whether the condition is comfortable or not; what is at stake is too vital to begin watering down these truths or shying away from throwing light on them before the world. Like prophet Jeremiah, we must trust in God who "rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked" (Jer. 20:13). Whenever we speak the truth about God's plan for humanity, we should be ready to bear insults and face rejections from even our loved ones, and we should have recourse to God, praying for his favor and help (Ps. 69: 8-17).
Pope St. John Paul II said in his famous homily on October 22, 1978, "Do not be afraid….do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power." I say to you, too, do not be afraid to tell the world there is hell, and there is heaven. Do not be afraid to proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God and only He can save the world from despair. Do not be afraid to tell your friends and strangers alike that they need to open wide the doors of their hearts to Jesus, their Savior. Do not be afraid to bear witness to the Gospel truth concerning the dignity of all human life from conception to natural death. Do not be afraid to speak for justice for the poor. Do not be afraid to be a voice on the rooftops condemning racial injustice and senseless violence in our world; do not be afraid to be a prophetic voice for our time like Jeremiah was for his time. Do not be afraid to welcome Christ and his power to save.
As we get into the summer season, please stay safe on your vacations and travels, and do not forget your home parish, St. Peter. Stay in touch and share your summer experiences with us, especially the moments of God's providence and grace, the many instances you acknowledged Jesus and his Gospel before people you encountered. Never miss an opportunity to put into use the abundant graces you receive from the Sacraments and the Word of the Spirit.
I use this opportunity to wish all our fathers-including the "father" writing this message, a blessed Father's Day celebration. Our fathers are like St. Joseph, protecting and caring for their families, please say words of thanks to our fathers this week. We love our fathers, proclaim it on the housetops!

In Christ, our Help,                     

Fr. Bernard Oniwe, O.P.
 
 

Dear friends in Christ,           
                                                         Come, Let Us Adore Him
I have a deep love for Eucharistic hymns because they aid my solemn worship of the Lord Jesus Christ in the sacrament of his body and blood. Adoro Devote Te and Pange Lingua, composed by St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century, are my favorites of as many as five Eucharistic hymns he wrote for the celebration of Corpus Christi. These Latin hymns convey the theology of the Real Presence in a poetic and passionate tone; they simplify the essence of the mystery without a pretense of evaporating its complexity. Listening to the Latin text of the hymns set in Gregorian chant does something to my soul.  I don't need to understand every word of it; I just allow the beauty and elegance of the language and music to envelop and uplift my soul, like a man in Christ caught up to the third heaven ( 1 Cor. 12:2). Singing the English translation of the hymns, I must admit, does make the experience of worship more cognitive and impactful. Understanding or lack of it thereof, these hymns aid my worship of the Eucharistic Lord truly present to eyes of faith and adored by a heart made of love.
Let's consider the first verse of  Adoro te Devote briefly to illustrate my point. A typical and traditional translation of the Latin text takes this form: 
                                               "O Godhead hid, devoutly I adore Thee,
                                                Who truly art within the forms before me;
                                               To Thee my heart I bow with bended knee,
                                                As failing quite in contemplating Thee.

The hymn addresses the Eucharist, whether hidden in the tabernacle or exposed in the monstrance for adoration during Corpus Christi procession, as a concealed God worthy of worship and contemplation on bended knee. Capuchin Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher to the Papal household, captures the theology of Real Presence and call to worship contained in the hymn in the following words:

"In every stanza of the Adoro Te Devote there is a theological affirmation and an invocation which is the prayerful response of the soul to the mystery. The theological truth recalled in the first stanza refers to the manner of the presence of Christ in the Eucharistic species. The Latin expression 'vere latitas' is charged with meaning, it means: he is hidden, but he really is (where the accent is on 'vere,' only the reality of the presence) and it also means: he truly is, but hidden (where the accent is on 'latitas,' on the sacramental character of this presence)."

For the last three months, most Catholics have been without direct access to his Real Presence, to Jesus hidden in the Eucharistic species. He was hidden (using the word in a different sense here) from us because we shut the doors to the church, but he was nevertheless always present in the church. Did we for once stop by the church entrance when we drove by to genuflect or reverence Eucharistic Lord hidden in the tabernacles of our church? Were our faith fledging and our heart pulse low in love for Jesus in the Eucharist just because the closed-door hid him from our sights? I invite you on this solemnity of Corpus Christi to renew your faith and ignite in your heart the fire of love for Eucharistic Jesus by worshiping him, the hidden Godhead.

I would like to invite you to spend an hour of public worship of Jesus exposed in the monstrance this Sunday evening from 6:30 -7:30 PM. Come in your cars, bring your chairs along and come, let us adore him devoutly, the second person of the Holy Trinity.          
                                
In His Real Presence,       

Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

Dear friends in Christ,             
                                                     Grace, Love, and Fellowship

The concluding verse of 2nd Corinthians is one of the most evident Trinitarian passages of the entire New Testament: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Cor. 13:13). The verse expresses a divine blessing from St. Paul to his Christian brethren in Corinthians. This scriptural blessing is composed of three inter-related God attributes bestowed on all believers. The preposition "of" in verse 13 is used as a function word to specify qualities of relationship and possession among the three divine persons of the Holy Trinity, the central mystery of Christian faith. The one and only God reveal himself to us in terms of relationship and specific attributes of each divine person. Each time we bless ourselves with the sign of the Cross, we not only recall our Trinitarian baptism but also invoke and release attributes of this divine blessing on ourselves, that is, grace, love, and fellowship. These blessings should mark our lives and be with us always, especially as we reopen our Church to Mass with the congregation.
May the grace of God be with us at this time and always because it is only his super-abundance favor that sustains us through the experience of tragedies in this "vale of tears." It is only by our participation in the life of God through grace that we can live victoriously in our world full of sorrows, tears and blood brought about by the pandemic, as well as the murder, violence, and injustice overshadowing our country in the past week. May the love of God be with us always as we strive to make present in our community the self-giving love attribute of Jesus Christ.  Non-Christians recognized the early Christians by their demonstration of sacrificial love for one another and strangers alike. May the fellowship of God be with us as we try to build up a community of charity. We are to build a culture of solidarity with the oppressed and marginalized by being attentive to their cry as Jesus did. As the U.S. Catholic Bishop's statement of May 21, 2020, says to us, "we should be doing a lot of listening right now" to the cry for justice. Our Christian faith calls us to identify with the pains and mourning of every person created in the image of Christ. We are to build a fellowship of equals though different in experiences, just like the equality though distinctness between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We have to be trinitarian in our approach to life.
"May the force be with you. Always" is a catchphrase made famous by Obi-Wan Kenobi character in George Lucas's Star Wars films. I believe the writer of the phrase was drawing inspiration from the Trinitarian blessings in 2 Corinthians 13:13. Could I borrow the format by saying, May the grace be with you always. May the love be with you always. May the fellowship be with you always. In our ongoing battle against the pandemics and injustice and violence in our world, may the example of the Holy Trinity inspire and guide us.
In conclusion, I must admit that I am filled with joy as I welcome you back to Mass with the congregation. We are going to move back gradually into our regular schedule. Please be patient with me as I navigate these new waters with you. Things are going to be done differently, including mass schedules and location. In the coming weeks, I will come out with plans for Adult Initiation, First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Visit our parish website regularly for updates. Thanks to all of you, you have been gracious and supportive. I pray for you always and know you pray for me as well. Let us continue practicing social distancing and wearing face masks. We are victorious in Christ Jesus.
 
In the Joy of the Lord,     

 Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

Dear Friends in Christ,

Happy Pentecost! Pentecost is the Church's Birthday, and it is a time of re-birth for our parish.
We have lived through a difficult and uncertain time in the last couple of months, but I think finally, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Lancaster County will move into the YELLOW PHASE of government reopening of Pennsylvania on June 4, 2020. In accord with Diocesan directives, our parish will SLOWLY transition to opening again, beginning with the weekend masses on June 6th and 7th, the Solemnity of the MOST HOLY TRINITY, the central mystery of our Christian Faith. I cannot express in words how much I look forward to seeing you all again; I have missed you greatly! I must be candid with you; it is the most trying time of my priesthood celebrating Mass before empty pews. I miss all your lovely faces and responses at Mass. I can assume the feelings are mutual, you too cannot wait to worship with your fellow parishioners in your beloved St. Peter Church.

During the YELLOW PHASE, St. Peter will once again celebrate public Sunday Masses as follows:
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. (Parish Hall) and 10:30 a.m. (Church)
Bishop Gainer's dispensation from attending Sunday Mass continues to hold. We will continue to Live-Stream the Sunday Mass. I recommend not to attend Mass if you:
*are sick in any way or have a compromised immune system
*have lung or breathing problems
*have neurological' neuro-development conditions (e.g., cerebral palsy, stroke, etc.)
*have any other risk factor for developing a more severe case of COVID-19.
I also urge parents to consider carefully whether your children should attend Mass at this time. Children are more likely to be asymptomatic carriers of the virus; they are likely to make frequent use of bathrooms; they would probably have more difficulty wearing masks for a sustained period and maintaining social distancing. If they have to be at Mass, you have the RESPONSIBILITY of keeping them safe.
All who are attending Mass are required to wear MASKS at all times except when receiving Holy Communion. To allow for better ventilation and sanitation, we will be celebrating 8:30 a.m. Mass in the Parish Hall and the 10:30 a.m. Mass in the Main Church. This arrangement or option gives us a better opportunity to attain our goal of maintaining social distancing and adequate sanitation. Before the celebration of Public Masses, we will get a professional cleaning company to disinfect and clean our Church pews, floor, wall, doors, and bathrooms.  To further achieve this goal, we have marked and partitioned the Church and Hall space to allow for proper physical distancing. Your Mass experience will be different during this time. Please bear with us.
 
Doors will open half an hour before Mass starts. At this point, we can only seat 0ne-third at Mass per state and Diocesan directives. As a result, seating will be by reservation at this time. Please call the parish office (717-367-1255) from Monday-Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m to make a seat reservation. You can also make a reservation by email with a Thursday at 2:00 p.m. deadline. If needed, we will have sits arranged in the Narthex area for Mass in the main Church and the lobby leading to the Parish Hall for Mass holding there. When walking to the Church or the Parish Hall, follow any signs, tape, and direction provided by USHERS. It is essential to follow Ushers' instruction for seating order. Ushers will seat you according to distancing directives. You will NOT be permitted to sit wherever you prefer. There will be signs to indicate pews that will remain VACANT, and NO ONE will be allowed in those pews. Families are expected to sit together in the same pew while SINGLE or COUPLE will be directed to places designated for them.
NOTE: Members of the clergy are NOT to wear masks or gloves during Mass. The sign of peace during Mass continues to be omitted. There will be a COLLECTION BOX at the entrance. You are welcome to drop your weekend offerings (first and second collection) BEFORE the start of Mass. There will be NO collection taken up during the Mass. You can mail your offering, drop it off at the parish during business hours, or send it ONLINE. THANK YOU for your offerings during this time of the pandemic.

At the Diocesan recommendations, we will be distributing Holy Communion after Mass to minimize the movement of people during Mass and to create opportunities for adequate sanitation. After the dismissal, the priest will wear a face mask, get the ciborium, and go to a location in the Narthex where will distribute Communion. Do not leave your row until instructed by ushers to do so. Once in the designated area for reception of Communion, use hand sanitizer and maintain six feet of distance between you and others. The communicant receives while still wearing his or her mask, then moves away, lowers the mask, and consume the Host. I recommend you receive Holy Communion in hand at this time. After receiving Communion, we ask that you proceed to your vehicle immediately and refrain from congregating in the parking lot.
We would like to offer the opportunity to receive Holy Communion to our parishioners who are in "at-risk "categories. To enable them to remain safe and still receive Communion, I recommend they follow Parish Live-Stream mass at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday from home or their vehicles in the parking lot. I will begin distributing Holy Communion to those who watched Parish Live -Streamed Mass from 12: 00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. This will allow parishioners adequate time to drive to the Church and maintain social distancing. A drive-through loop will be formed, and I will be standing outside the Church's main entrance door to give them Communion. People will pull up at Church's main entrance, wear their mask (s), leave their car to receive Holy Communion, lower mask(s) to consume the Host, and then return to their vehicle and exit. Each car will follow the same protocol.

WEEKDAY MASSES will resume on Monday, June 15th at 8:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall. There will be NO DAILY MASS on Saturdays. Upon entering the Historic Church, self-sanitize your hands and practice social distancing when choosing a seat. You may be asked to move if you are too close to others. After Mass, you will be required to clean the area in which you sat with the provided cleaning materials in the Narthex.
CONFESSION will be available on Saturday, June 6, from 10–11:30 a.m. and 4:00-5:00 p.m. in the Church's main entrance door. Please look for and follow signs the moment you drive into the Church grounds. NO confession will take place in the Church. There is NO FACE TO FACE confession at this time. You are to wear a face mask. Kneel or stand behind the screen and kneeler provided. Please, drive up only when the penitent before you exit. Please keep your confession brief and straight to the point. Please note that missing Mass these past Sundays and Days of Obligations during the pandemic is not a sin and should not be confessed.
Sacraments of Baptism, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage and Funeral Masses are to be celebrated in line with Diocesan directives and with direction from the Pastor, who is to utilize discretion and prudential judgment in regard to these Sacraments.
First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Christian Initiations, and Memorial Funeral Masses are to be celebrated at the discretion of the Pastor and in accord with Diocesan directives.

Though I started by acknowledging that we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I must admit we still live in an uncertain and unusual time. We are not back to "normal" time and maybe in a "new normal" for a long while. In all this, you have demonstrated great patience and faith. Please keep in mind that this is a learning curve for all of us. We are going to find things awkward and not entirely smooth. We are going to make mistakes and make changes from time to time. Please be adaptive to the fluidity of the moment as we try to adjust and stabilize. Be patient and understanding with us as we make a transition.

Please keep praying for our world and our country to overcome this pandemic. Pray for health workers on the front line fighting this pandemic. Pray for families who have lost their loved ones to it. Pray for those who have lost their jobs as a result of it.
I look forward to the day when the pandemic is finally defeated; we will celebrate in full joy and offer thanksgiving to God.

May Mary, Our Blessed Mother, pray for us.
In Christ,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP, Pastor.
 
 
 

Dear friends in Christ,

                                             Celebrating the Class of 2020 High School Seniors

Congratulations to the class of 2020 Seniors of our parish! I think of your graduation in terms of the feast of the Ascension of the Lord we celebrated on Thursday, May 21. In many ways, your academic achievement is a form of rising to a higher position. You have worked hard and scaled several hurdles to get to where you are; you have earned this success and deserve our applauds. As we think of Jesus' Ascension to heaven as a source of hope for all believers, so should you find hope for a better future as you graduate from high school. The roads have been rough, yet your courage, resilience, and faith took you through it.
The journey is not over; it continues. The struggle is not over; it continues. I remember a rallying call, a Latin phrase, from my days in college as an active member of a Student Union demonstration for justice, reduced tuition fees, and a better living condition on campus for students from college authority. To boost their collective spirit, we would cry out to the mobilized student body, "Aluta continua, victoria ascerta" (the struggle continues, victory is certain!). Let the spirit behind this saying be a source of encouragement to you when you face life struggles that still await you in the future. You are already experiencing part of it like everyone in the present restrictions placed on our lives by Covid-19. You must not be discouraged by uncertainties of life or cowered in terror to the hazards of human life. Instead, let the challenges that life will present in various forms draw out the best in you-courage, resourcefulness, creativity, doggedness, and a deeper faith in Jesus Christ, your best friend in any situation whatsoever. Victory is certain when you face all odds with all the rigors of energy God has endowed you. You are in my prayers and always remember the church is with you and behind you.
On this note, on behalf of the entire parish, I extend words of congratulations to the following class of 2020 Seniors :
Lancaster Catholic HS
 
Hope Amanda Abel
Nicholas Thomas Barb
Jillian Grace Bradley
Gabrielle Anna Bruno
Kathryn Theresa Keane
Aaron Joshua Kern
Zygmunt Anthony Mikula
Tyla Janae Smith
Ian Paul Witkowski
 
Bishop McDevitt HS
 
Morgan Anna Molnar

Elizabethtown HS
 
Jared Salvador Alvarez
Brody Beach
Emily Madison Ball
Alexandra Collman
Leah Elizabeth Covaleski
Camille Donahue
Madisyn Jane Ealy
Gavin Gilhool
Matthew Goodling
Lauren Nicole Hottenstein
Logan Lauver
Matthew McCorkle
Kristin McEvoy
Alexander Miller
Noah Rebert
Dugan Reiman
Cole Michael Rice
Ellen Ruth Schlosser
Connor Schramm
Andrew Jacob Telenko
Kimberly Wolf
Ryan Yencha
 
 

Dear friends,        
                                                                 I Miss You All

It was on Wednesday morning, May 13. I was looking with delight at my beautiful, mowed rectory green lawn through my kitchen window, drinking my black Starbucks coffee, a good pike place roast while figuring out in my mind what to say in my homily later in the morning about readings from Acts 15 and John 15. Then I saw them. They were walking on South Cherry Alley, about to cross Park Road. Two close friends, I have not seen them together in weeks, though I see one of the two a couple of times a week. If she is not going into the St. Peter historical church to change altar linens or candles, she's helping with counting Sunday collections in the office on Monday. Sandy and Kay were taking a walk in the neighborhood since they could not go to the Masonic Village anymore for their routine exercises. My mind switched off my meditation for the day's bible passages, and my face lit up, I was filled with joy like that of my godson Dayo when he gets a car toy gift from me. I dashed out of the kitchen, out onto the rectory, and yelled, "Sandy." "Kay." It was Kay who eventually heard my loud screams of her name and turned around. I cared less what my neighbors were thinking about me screaming so loud across the street. I was just happy to see Kay Millhouse and Sandy Koser together, best of friends they are, those holy ladies. I miss seeing them.

Why am I writing about sighting two of my parishioners taking a walk and why I am so thrilled to see them? In place of my usual Sunday homily reflection, I felt moved this time around to express my deeply-felt feelings of sense of loss due to not seeing my loving and devoted parishioners since our last parish mass without a congregation on March 15. I miss all my parishioners during this time of the pandemic restrictions. I miss them coming to daily and Sunday masses. I miss seeing Sandy and Kay take care of the altar linens and flowers, respectively, after mass. I miss watching them say few words in hushed voices as they pass by each other in the sanctuary. I miss the happy-faced Joseph Barone, who has not been there to help with setting up for Monday evening Eucharistic adoration. I had to lit the charcoal and prepare the thurible by myself during the celebration of Easter vigil without a congregation. I miss seeing Jane Cavender and Anne Norment collaborating to read assigned bible passage and Gospel acclamation. I miss seeing Beth and Michael Vertucci coming through the aisle to receive communion religiously. I miss seeing Rich and Marty Esoldo as well, especially the glow on Rich's face when I distribute the Precious Blood. I miss seeing Rachel Clark on the front pew to the right of the altar, seeping water-I hope, as she pays attention during mass. I miss seeing the saintly Vince Bresch come in quietly into the church to pray about a half-hour before mass begins. I miss seeing Mike and Pat Minick walking elegantly to their car after mass. I miss Ronnie Acri telling me about his labor in the building of the historic church altar and his nickname in high school.
 I miss seeing Tim and Lee Malcolm read together in-pew from their big missal book. I miss going out to breakfast with John and Joan Bridgen and all these people, including the amiable Amie Barone, of course. I miss way lot of people; I cannot name all names; please pardon me.

Each time I step into the new church, I miss seeing you all. I miss seeing the ushers, who would not miss the devoted service of John Gulya and his team. I miss seeing and praying with the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion and the altar servers gathered in the narthex, waiting for me to lead them in prayers before mass. I miss processing into the sanctuary with my lector carrying the book of the Gospel. I miss the choir, I'm glad Corinne has been helping us every Sunday, but I miss the entire robed choir in the pew. I miss my devoted pianists and musicians, Linda Itzoe and Liz Pfautz, and the angelic voiced cantors. I miss all the fantastic parishioners who would look at me with faces beaming with smiles as I sing part of my homily (even if they don't understand part of what I am saying in my elegant Nigerian accent, lol). I miss seeing that church filled with joyful people during baptisms and weddings. I miss the energy and joy of the youth choir and their leaders. I miss the occasional visits to the RCIA and CCD classes. I miss post-8:30 am mass remarks from my friend, Ed Millhouse. When do I see you again? I miss seeing every one of you; honestly, I do

Above all, I miss seeing all the little, cute, and angelic children who run happily from all sides of the church to the altar to drop their collection. I cry tears of joy when I think of such witness of little ones. I love you all and miss you much. I am thankful for all the love many of you have shown me-bringing me food, sending me cards, calling to check on me and praying for me. You all mean the world to me and am glad to be with you during this strange time. We are in it together. We will overcome COVID-19 together. I pray for you every day at mass and offer my daily Rosaries for you. Please stay safe and remain joyful in this season of Easter and beyond. I can't wait to see you back in the church pews. I pray it happens sooner than later.

In Christ who loves us,      

Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

Dear Friends in Christ,          
                                                       Why Do I Believe in Jesus Christ?

I have watched some videos and attended webinars in the last two weeks on why atheists do not believe in Jesus Christ. One of their central arguments against belief in Jesus or the existence of God is that there is no rational basis for such belief. British Philosopher Bertrand Russel aptly captures this line of argument in an interview he granted a few years before his death in 1970. In his answer to the question, why are you not a Christian? In his own words, he says he is not a believer in Jesus: “because I see no evidence whatsoever in any of the Christian dogmas.” He goes on further to say that in his engagement in pursuit of knowledge, he concluded that Christian dogmas are not true because they are irrational and one can’t verify their truthfulness. For instance, Russel considers Jesus teaching of afterlife nonsensical. Jesus’ declaration and promise in John 14 about returning to heaven after his resurrection to prepare a place for those who believe in him, and an invitation to faith in him as the way, truth, and life are rejected by Bertrand Russel and his likes in our current age for lack of proof for the truthfulness of such claims. Can we make a compelling case for the evident truth of Christ and his teachings? Yes, we can.
The incarnate Word, imago Dei, Jesus Christ himself is the proof of dogmas of Christian faith. My claim would be considered fallacious and lacking in scientific evidence by philosophers and scientists respectively. But the onus of proof in this context and concerning this subject is found in the person of Christ himself-the author of life. His words and teachings are true because God’s witness and testimony are true (Jn 8:14). Consequently, we believe in God and all truths he revealed to us: we believe in heaven and hell, we believe in the resurrection of the body at the end of life, we believe in the Parousia, and the last judgement. We believe in all teachings of Jesus because they are self evident to perception of faith. These truths fall primarily within the purview of faith. The knowledge of the world and what is known about it is not limited to the material form of knowledge; after all, our universe is composed of matter and spirit. Jesus is the origin and ground of all human knowledge.
Jesus declares to the curious and knowledge-seeking Thomas, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6). We know these teaching to be true by the gift of faith and can verify it to be true by the life and works of believers in Christ down the ages who fulfill the promise of Christ when he says that “he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do; because I go to the Father.” (Jn 14:12). All humans are seeking for a way to truth and life, including atheists and agnostics and non-Christians. Because the human soul cannot find perfect fulfillment in the material provision, Jesus provides the way to the essential spiritual purpose of the humans. St. Augustine makes this clear in his sermons: “Every man can attain an understanding of the Truth and the Life; but not all find the Way. The wise of this world realize that God is eternal life and knowable truth; but by the Word of God, who is Truth and Life joined to the Father, has become the way by taking a human nature” (De Verbis Domini Sermones, 54).
For Many, like Bertrand Russel, who reject Jesus, “a cornerstone, chosen and precious” in the configuration of their lives, there are many more who by grace believe or have faith in him as the cornerstone of their lives, and progress and joy are their lots. The growth in the number of disciples and the widespread of the Way among Jews and Gentiles alike as we heard from Acts of the Apostles 6:1 are concrete and verifiable evidence of the truthfulness of Christ teaching about himself when he says “whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these” (Jn 14:12). These self-evident truths of faith are parts of the reasons why I believe in Jesus Christ, the reason why I am a Christian. It is part of our functions as partakers in the royal priesthood of Christ to offer sacrifices and prayers for non-believers and carry out works of Christ to attract them to follow the Way.
In Christ, the way, the truth, and the life,      
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

Dear Friends,     
                                                  Shepherd, Sheep, and Strangers

The Good Shepherd calls his sheep by name. The stranger’s voice also calls the sheep to himself. The sheep paying close attention listen for and follow the voice of the good shepherd and disregard the attractive but misleading voice of the stranger. Our world is like a marketplace of competing voices. These mercantile-like voices can be compared to the honey-sweet voice of Homer’s Odyssey singing Sirens, enticing us to purchase various items shoved in our faces. What products do these voices call us to buy? Lies and death, packed in shimmering boxes held together by golden strings. Don’t be mesmerized by the sweet coated tongues of these slimy sirens as Odysseus’ men were before being tricked to their peril by the irresistible singing voices of the mythical Sirens. The voice of the enemy-strangers, the diabolic voice calls us to a place of destruction and atrophy; the enchanting voice calls to diminish and destroy our soul. Let’s be wise to shut out this deceptive voice, do not listen to it.
As St. Peter wrote in his first letter, be on the alert because the enemy is like a roaring lion ready to pounce on you once you listen to the false voices of the devil (cf. 1 Pt 5:8).  The Good Shepherd calls his own by name and they follow him. But as it sometimes happens, the sheep fall victim to the pretentious voice of the stranger and is lead astray. When do we go astray? When do we follow strange voices? They are the times we fail to listen to the Shepherd’s voice in the silence of our hearts. There are too many screaming voices in our head and mind inviting us to distractions-to sin and darkness. They come to our souls in different disguises. They are the material culture of our post-Christian world, they are sensuous pleasure in the public places and media, they are the calls to false self-reliance and independence from the so-called “clutch of faith and religion”, they are the selfish cravings for dominance over others, they are the heart-hardening to the Gospel of life similar to the hardening of hearts of Israelites at Meribah, “as on the day at Massah in the wilderness” (Ps 95: 7-8), and they are the other forms of deviation from the voice of love and truth.
Today, we will listen to the Shepherd’s voice. We will find time for silence. We will detach the plugs from our ears from time to time today and listen to the voice calling us to life. Jesus speaks to us in the Sacred Scriptures and deep, quiet meditations, he speaks to us in people we meet each day, he speaks to us in the beautiful and sublime things of nature, and he speaks to us even in the tragedies of life like the present pandemics. We only need to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and let his voice speak to us and lead us back to the shepherd and guardian of our souls (1 Pt 2: 25).
Decide today to listen to the true voice of the Shepherd who leads his sheep to abundant life. For a start, may I suggest you commit daily to 10 minutes of silence in the presence of God who dwells in the inner recesses of your soul? Start by inviting the Holy Spirit and give the Shepherd’s voice full control to speak to your mind and soul. By listening to the Shepherd’s voice, we are tied to Christ and prevented from following destructive voices of the evil stranger similar to how Odysseus was tied to the mast of the ship to prevent him from following the seductive and destructive voice of the seductive siren.

Have a Blessed Good Shepherd Sunday.
In Christ, the Good Shepherd,      
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP