Jesus’ sleeping presence on the storm-tossed sea reveals the sleeping faith of his disciples. They feared for their lives even though their Lord and Master was with them in the boat. They were asleep to Christ while he was present to them in their hour of need. The Lord Jesus is ever present to us. And in our time of testing, he asks the same question: Why are you afraid? Have you no faith? Do you recognize the Lord’s presence with you, especially when you meet the storms of adversity, sorrow, and temptation? Whenever we encounter trouble, the Lord is there with the same reassuring message: “It is I, do not be afraid.”

According to St. Augustine of Hippo:

When you have to listen to abuse, that means you are being buffeted by the wind; when your anger is roused, you are being tossed by the waves. So, when the winds blow and the waves mount high, the boat is in danger, your heart is imperiled, your heart is taking a battering. On hearing yourself insulted, you long to retaliate, but the joy of revenge brings with it another kind of misfortune—shipwreck. Why is this? Because Christ is asleep in you. What do I mean? I mean you have forgotten his presence…Rouse him then; remember him, let him keep watch within you, pay heed to him…A temptation arises: it is the wind. It disturbs you: it is the surging of the sea. This is the moment to awaken Christ and let him remind you of those words: Who can this be? Even the winds and the sea obey him.

Yes, my dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, let us always feel the presence of Jesus in our lives. He is always there at our side, only we have to rouse him and let Him know our situation. We shall always try to walk with him. Many times the storms of our lives appear to be overwhelming, but we must not allow storms that attack our lives, whether personally or communally, to defeat us. We have the one person in our corner who can always be counted upon to be our champion. His name is JESUS. Don’t ever forget that.

With love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

On this Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, we reflect on the profound messages of hope that scripture offers us, drawing particularly from the insights of the prophet Ezekiel and the teachings of St. Paul.

Ezekiel offers us a vision of hope from Babylon born of his experience as a priest in exile. He speaks of the Lord planting “a tender shoot” on the “high and lofty mountain” of Israel. This imagery is not just poetic but deeply symbolic, representing a future filled with hope. Ezekiel reassures us of God’s undiminished power. Ezekiel boldly declares that our God is neither defeated nor dead. He is alive and actively present among His people, capable of both humbling the mighty and exalting the humble.

This message of hope is beautifully echoed in Psalm 92 which we recite with faith in our hearts, confident in the restoration of Israel and the Temple through God’s unwavering faithfulness. The Psalmist reminds us of the flourishing life promised to those who remain steadfast in their faith.

St. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, extends this theme of hope by addressing the Christian community’s own form of exile. He reminds us that, in a very real sense, we are all exiles in this world, yearning for our true home with God. Yet, even as we navigate this earthly existence “away from the Lord,” we are called to live in a manner pleasing to Him, anchored by our faith and trust in His providence. It is in this daily living and aspiring to please God that we find our strength and purpose.

The seed, seemingly insignificant, sprouts and grows in ways beyond our understanding, symbolizing the kingdom of God that flourishes in unexpected places and circumstances. We take to heart the message of hope that today’s readings offer us. Like the tender shoot planted by the Lord, may we grow and flourish in our faith, nurtured by the knowledge of God’s active presence and faithfulness. Remember, no matter where we find ourselves, to give thanks to the Lord, to proclaim His kindness and faithfulness. For in His love and power we find our true home and the promise of eternal life.

We shall always look up to the Eternal Home and walk with the Lord that in the fullness of time God will provide everything we need in the world to come. Put our trust in Him and only in Him. Without His knowledge, nothing will ever happen to us.

I wish all the fathers of our parish a Blessed Fathers’ Day in the grace of God the Father and the example of St. Joseph!

Love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is talking about spiritual dangers or harm that we should avoid at all costs. Jesus used the illustration of a strong man whose house and possessions were kept secure. How could such a person be overtaken and robbed of his goods except by someone who is stronger than himself? Satan, who is our foe and the arch-enemy of God, is stronger than we are. Unless we are clothed in God’s strength, we cannot withstand Satan with our own human strength. We need the help of the Holy Spirit.

What does Satan wish to take from us? Our faith and confidence in God and our allegiance to follow God’s law. Satan is a rebel and a liar. Satan can only have power or dominion over us if we listen to his lies and succumb to his will, which is contrary to the will of God. Jesus makes it clear that there are no neutral parties in this world. We are either for Jesus or against him, for the kingdom of God or against it. There are two kingdoms in opposition to one another—the kingdom of God’s light and truth and the kingdom of darkness and deception under the rule of Satan. If we disobey God’s word, we open the door to the power of sin and Satan’s influence in our lives. If we want to live in true freedom from the power of sin and Satan, then our “house”—our mind and heart and whatever we allow to control our appetites and desires—must be occupied and ruled by Jesus Christ where he is enthroned as Lord and Savior. Through Jesus’ death on the cross and his victory over the grave when he rose again on the third day, Satan has been defeated and death has been overcome. We now share in
Christ’s victory over sin and Satan and receive adoption as God’s sons and daughters. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord enables us to live a new life of love and freedom from slavery to sin. The Lord Jesus is our refuge and strength because he makes his home with us (John 15:4) and gives us the power and help of the Holy Spirit. Do you take refuge in the Lord and allow him to be the Ruler of your life? Yes, we must always take only Jesus in our lives and follow Him alone.

Let us pray: “Lord Jesus, you are my hope and salvation. Be the ruler of my heart and the master of my home. May there be nothing in my life that is not under your lordship.” Together with St. Thomas the Apostle we shall pray: “My Lord and my God.” I have nothing in this world other than you. I surrender myself wholly at your feet. Take me Lord and make me yours always. Protect me from Satan and all his works. Amen.

Love and Prayers,

Fr. Charley

In 1207, a Belgian Augustinian nun, Giuliana di Cornillon, who had just turned fifteen, had a vision of a full moon with a dark spot sullying it. Contemporary experts interpreted it thus: the full moon symbolized the Church, the dark spot was the absence of a specific feast in honor of the Body of the Eucharistic Jesus.

The following year, the same religious had an even clearer vision, but had to fight hard to get the feast instituted. She succeeded only at the diocesan level, when Robert de Thourette became bishop of Liège in 1247. In 1261, the former archdeacon of Liège, Jacques Panteléon, became Pope Urban IV. In 1264, impressed by a Eucharistic miracle that had taken place in Bolsena, near Orvieto in Italy where he was residing, he promulgated the bull Transiturus through which he instituted a new solemnity to be celebrated the Thursday after the Octave of Pentecost in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. Since Pope Urban IV died two months after having instituted the feast, the bull was never implemented, but Pope Clement V, the first Avignon Pope (1312), confirmed it later. The now traditional procession of Corpus Christi was introduced by Pope John XXII in 1316.

The ongoing Sacrament: These words of the Italian Bishops are still valid: “Many Christians live without the Eucharist. Others “make” the Eucharist but do not “make” the Church; that is, they celebrate the Eucharist in church but do not live according to the Eucharist.” The Eucharist still remains today an ongoing
Sacrament! We pray in front of the Holy Eucharist: “O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Most Divine, All Praise and All Thanksgiving, Be every Moment
Thine.” (Repeat 3 Times)

We shall make it a habit in our daily lives.

Love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

Today is Trinity Sunday. Our faith tells us there is but one God, and in this one God, there are three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three persons are really distinct: the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, and the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son.

Each of these persons is really and truly God, and still, there is but one God. We cannot understand it and we could not believe it if God had not told us; however, Jesus told us a great deal about God. He told us that God is love, life, and goodness.

To be a whole person, we must have a relationship with our God. We humans do not like being out of relationship with those around us or our God. We human beings are in desperate need for union.

We are made in the image and likeness of God, and God is communion, is relationship, and therefore so are we. Humans strive for union with God and with each other. We reach out for companionship. Every hug or embrace gives indirect testimony to the Trinity.

The Trinity says that God is relationship, and so we search. We are made to that image and likeness; we have to share all that we have with others.

God is love and unity undivided, and we strive for the same. Think of the most satisfying moments of your life: when you sat on your mother’s lap, when you were held or hugged, when you were affirmed, when you were simply in the silent presence of someone you loved, when you had someone in your life.

To be a Christian is to be always “on call.” On this feast of the Most Holy Trinity, we celebrate the mystery that God—Father, Son, and Spirit—has called us into an intimate relationship of love. God has made us his own daughters and sons.

We shall love each other and care for each other. We shall be part of God and show the world that we are made in the likeness and image of God.

Love and Prayers,

Fr. Charley

Today is Pentecost Sunday, which may be better called the Feast of the Holy Spirit. Actually, the meaning of the word Pentecost is “fiftieth.” For early Christian people, Ascension occurred on the 40th day after Easter which recognized the 40th day after the death of a person. This Pentecost feast occurred seven weeks, or 50 days, after the Passover feast. For Christians, especially Catholics, this feast occurs after the resurrection of Jesus.

Pentecost Sunday is always associated with the descent and giving as a gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This Pentecost feast is called also the Birthday of the Church. It is because even though the apostles received the Holy Spirit on Christ’s first appearance to them after His Resurrection, it was on Pentecost Day that this descent of the Holy Spirit became a public manifestation by which the crowds were amazed. People with different languages could understand the apostles’ preaching even though they spoke in their own tongue. It is good to talk about the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit is the proper name of the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. He is true God just like the Father and the Son. Jesus calls Him the “Paraclete,” literally meaning, “He who is called to one side,” or “Advocate,” and commonly translated as “Consoler.”

The Sacrament of Confirmation is particularly the Sacrament of the Holy Spirit. Through this sacrament we receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. If we use these Gifts we shall receive as rewards the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, namely: Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, Long-suffering, Mildness, Faith, Modesty, Continence, and Chastity.

My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, on this Feast Day we shall thank God for sending the Advocate or Consoler to help us in our difficult moments of life. We pray the Good Lord to inspire us with His Spirit to always make right decisions at right times in our lives.

With love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

Today in the Gospel we read that the disciples of Jesus were hiding. They were hiding in fear behind closed and locked doors. They were shutting out the rest of the world, which was hostile, persecuting, and terrifying. They felt better huddled together, in isolation, planning what to do next and where to go.

And then, surprise! Into their isolation, Jesus comes! Through closed doors he walks. Their reaction must have been one of surprise, then joy, as they realize who it is.

Jesus tells them to get out of their isolation and fear, and go and announce the Good News. You are the bearers of the Gospel, the announcers of salvation and forgiveness. You must go; you have a mission.

But they are scared and unsure, so Jesus promises them the Holy Spirit because the Spirit will enable them to do what they cannot do themselves. The same Holy Spirit who overshadowed a young girl and made her the Mother of God would descend upon the Apostles and transform them as heroes for Christ.

Ascension and Pentecost tell us that God is still present, still speaks, still sends out disciples to make a difference, and still calls—calls you and me. What Jesus said at Ascension still remains valid and indispensable: You be My witnesses. Jesus’s ascension is to make Jesus more available to us. This means that at any time, in any place, in every situation, Jesus sees us, knows us, and can hear us.

So, therefore, we shall be true witnesses for him on earth. Put our trust in that Lord who is always with us to guide and help us.

Love and Prayers,

Fr. Charley

In Graham Greene’s novel, The Power and the Glory, the unlikely hero is a priest. He is caught by the revolutionary Mexican government and condemned to be shot.

On the night before his execution, he sits in his cell and thinks back over his life. Greene tells us that tears poured down the priest’s face, not because he was afraid of death, even the fear of pain was in the background; he was crying because he had to go to God empty-handed. His life had been a dingy failure. It seemed to him, at that moment, that it would have been easy to be a saint or an apostle.

In our first reading, we hear about a summit meeting of the apostles. The original twelve are now eleven—one of the twelve has proved unfaithful—his life is a dingy failure. He has not simply denied Jesus, as Peter did. He has not simply run away as all save John did. This one sold Jesus for silver, and in despair hanged himself. It is time to replace him, to replace Judas.

Jesus gives us a commandment in today’s gospel. It is simple and concise. We are to love one another as Jesus has loved us. We are to love as God loves. Now this, of course, is a huge responsibility, and it begins by understanding how God loves and how God loved the world!

Jesus’ commandment is to love one another as he has loved us. That means that our love cannot be narrow, partisan, or stingy. Of course, it is difficult to stretch our love so that it begins to approximate the way that God loves.

Yes, my dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, we shall love one another and prove before Christ that we are the true disciples of Christ Jesus.

Love and Prayers,

Fr. Charley

Once upon a time there lived a boy in a small village. His best friend was his little dog (puppy). Wherever he went he used to take the dog. He taught all kinds of tricks to this puppy. The little dog knew how to swim in the water, and how to bring back whatever he threw into the air, and so on. The boy really wanted to make this dog a real hunting dog. Since the boy was living in a cool area, the ducks from the north came there to escape the extreme cold. When these ducks came to that area the people got permits to hunt (shoot) the ducks.

One day the boy went to hunt the ducks with his little puppy. He shot the ducks and one of them fell into the lake. But you know, his little puppy ran across the water and got the duck and came back to him. The little boy could not believe his eyes. Instead of swimming in the water, the dog ran across the water. But who was going to believe it if he told this story? The people would never believe that his dog walked or ran over the water.

One day the boy invited his neighbor farmer who knows all about duck hunting to go with him. While they were together the neighbor farmer shot the ducks and one of them fell into the lake. The boy’s dog ran across the water and brought the duck to them. Then the boy said to the farmer, “Did you see what my dog did? He ran across the water and that is really a miracle!” The man looked at the boy and said, “I know—he can’t swim, right? You didn’t teach him how to swim?”

The purpose of this story is to tell you that some people are like that farmer, never acknowledging other people’s achievements. Some people are interested in focusing on other people’s faults and failures, never finding goodness in others. Where do we stand if we don’t accept other people’s achievements, but publish their faults and destroy their good names? We are in this world to help and encourage others in their achievements, not to destroy them. “Love your neighbor as yourselves”—this is said not by me, but by JESUS.

Thank you and please pray for me while I travel to India this Monday for three weeks. You will be in my thoughts and prayers as always.

Love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

Our Gospel points us to the truth that no one could care for us as deeply, eternally or passionately as God does. If we trust in ourselves alone, we will eventually find a limit to our knowledge, our strength, or our health. Our Gospel tells us that God and God alone is in whom we place our trust. Today’s second reading tells us that God loves us as His own daughters and sons. In the Gospel Jesus the good shepherd is willing to lay down his life for us. We must believe in that love. We must believe it when we are discouraged and frightened, when we’ve failed or lost our way, when we’re struggling with loss or sickness or bitterness. God will not forget us. God will not abandon us. God loves us. That is our hope and our salvation.

Jesus does not want to push us. He wants to lead us. If his purpose was to force us to the place we need to go, we would be cows and he would be the herdsman. But he says that he is the shepherd and we are the sheep. He calls us sheep because he wants to attract us by the sound of his voice, so that trusting him we might follow him into the Kingdom of God.

Jesus is saying that He is the good shepherd and that He cares for His sheep. He knows us by name. He takes a personal interest in us. He does not see us as someone else’s business, and Jesus tells us that He is willing to lay down His life for his sheep. As He said, “Greater love has no person than to lay down His life for another.”

A young boy at a parish school was given a month to memorize Psalm 23. He was to recite it at a school assembly, with the pastor and all the parents attending. When the big night came, he stood up and began, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and then his mind went blank. The whole crowd was just waiting to hear his next sentence. Poor boy, he completely forgot. Finally, he started again, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” He paused, and then said, “And that is all I need to know.” After a few moments of silence, the whole crowd applauded because the child was right. The Lord is our shepherd, and that is all we need to know.

Yes, my dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, that’s all we need to know and to understand. Jesus is our Good Shepherd who understands us much more than anybody else in this whole world, who loves us more than anyone in this whole entire world.

Love and prayers,

Fr. Charley