Dear Family!

This Sunday, our Universal Church celebrates the ‘Word of God’ Sunday. Cardinal Sarah wrote of it as Prefect for the Congregation of Divine Worship in 2020, “The Sunday of the Word of God, instituted by Pope Francis and to be held every year on the third Sunday of Ordinary Time, (Motu Proprio Aperuit Illis of Pope Francis, 2019) reminds us, pastors and faithful alike, of the importance and value of Sacred Scripture for the Christian life, as well as the relationship between the word of God and the liturgy:

Dear Family!

Welcome to the Ordinary Season! The readings still resonate the festive mood of the Baptism of the Lord. As the Evangelist John introduces various titles of Jesus throughout the Gospel, one title stands out: Jesus as the Lamb. Why the Lamb? The central feature of the Jewish Passover feast was the lamb which was eaten during the Passover meal. When the angel of God came to destroy all the firstborn, it “passed over” the houses of the Israelites, which had been smeared with the lamb’s blood. This became then a symbol of liberation.

Dear Family!

With today’s liturgy (The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord), we conclude the Season of Christmas. On Monday we begin the Ordinary Time. Jesus’ baptism by John was the acceptance and the beginning of his mission as God’s suffering servant (1st Reading Today). Jesus identifies himself with the sinful humanity and begins his mission to bring salvation to our fallen nature.

Dear Family!

I wish you all a God-filled New Year! As many of you know that Christmas is not just a day but a season, we are filled abundantly by God with graces and blessings in all these days of the season. Our happiness is multiplied by many important feasts days that we celebrate in this season starting with Saint Stephen, the First Martyr (December 26th), Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist (December 27th) and continued our festive mood with the feast of Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (December 28th) last Sunday.

Dear Family!

Happy Holy Family Sunday! I am not sure if you noticed that I always addressed my bulletin notes to ‘Family’. You are my family; in you I rejoice; through you I witness a God’s love and hope; with you my faith is strengthened. I pray with St. Paul (Philippians 1:3-11) on this Feast of the Holy Family that we may reflect the holiness and commitment of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Dear Family!

We had a busy week in celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe festival, thanks to all the organizers and volunteers. Our Mother has done everything for us, and we are blessed to get every opportunity to venerate her especially under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Mother of the Americas. (I’m writing this note on Dec. 11th). In 4 days, we will be celebrating Our Lord’s Nativity! Though it is so soon to wish you all Merry Christmas, the festive joy is already being felt!

Dear Family!

As the third and Rose candle being lit and witness the Rose vestments at the Eucharist this Sunday, we are reminded that our Savior is near. We pray in the opening antiphon, ‘Gaudete in Domino Semper” (Rejoice in the Lord always). The Rose color as some of the liturgists explain that it reminds us of the color of the sky at the very brink of morning when the sun is just beginning to come up. Jesus is the Sun that dispels darkness around us!

Dear Family!

In the season of Advent, larger than life personalities like Isaiah and John the Baptist certainly draw our attention to living a holy season but most importantly it is Our Mother who always plays the most important role in leading us to the heart of Jesus. The Church begins with the year with the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God and end the year with Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Mother of Americas.

Dear Family!

The greatest treasure of Advent is Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! As the new Church Year begins, I urge you to take along the ‘Green’ (Treasures of the Season of Ordinary Time) to the ‘Purple’ (The Season of Advent)”. Yes we are back to the days of purple as the season shares certain qualities of another purple season - Lent.

Dear Family!

Reflecting on the Gospel this Sunday, St. Ambrose wrote, “The superscription is written and placed above, not below the cross, because the government is upon his shoulders. What is this government if not his eternal power and Godhead? When asked, “Who are you?” he replied, “The beginning, who also speaks to you.” Let us read this superscription. “Jesus of Nazareth,” it says, “The King of the Jews.”

Dear Family!

This Sunday is the second last Sunday of the church year. The following Sunday we will celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. The readings logically speak about the ‘last things’ (Eschatology) - The Coming Day of the Lord, the Divine Judge. For us Catholic Christians, the end of the world is not God losing control of the earth, rather God bringing things to a triumphant end.

Dear Family!

“The most holy Church of the Lateran, the mother and head of all the churches of the city and the world!” These words, in Latin, greet every pilgrim entering through the front door of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in Rome and clearly proclaim the Lateran’s significance in Christianity.

Dear Family!

The readings focus on ‘justice’. Our human understanding of ‘justice’ results from logic - you worked for a month, and you get your pay; you did this and you get that. To be fair there is a balance between an act and a result (reward or punishment). ‘Justice’ in God’s language is rooted in love. God’s love is present while we are still sinners (St. Paul). To be just, to be fair in God’s language is to be in love. The First Reading reminds us that God’s almighty power includes his strength to be merciful.