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

In the fourth century there lived a Christian monk in the deserts of Egypt and his name was Abba Agathon. All the other monks highly respected him because of his holiness and pious life. Once a very young monk came to him and asked himwhich virtue was the most difficult to practice in life. He answered with a beautiful smile: “Prayer.” He was a man who used to pray continuously for hours and hours every day, so the other monks really could not understand why he would say that or what he meant. Abba, since he was a very humble man, said, “Yes, prayer is the most difficult virtue to be practiced.” Then he explained: “We can do satisfaction with all other virtues, but in the case of prayer it is not like that. It is a struggle to keep the mind and heart fixed on God. In between, many thoughts intrude, and the devil tries his best to turn us away from prayer. That is why I said prayer is the most difficult virtue to practice. Whatever virtue we do, we can accomplish it more or less to satisfaction, but prayer is a battle to keep our minds and hearts fixed on God. And this battle will continue until death.” Abba Agathon was a holy man; if he finds praying very hard, if that is the case with him, what about us, the common people? Prayer will be a great battle as far as we are concerned.

During the War of Independence in India, the young Gandhi wrote in his autobiography: “Prayer is my life. Prayer saved me many times; otherwise, I would have been delirious (a mad man) long ago.” In his public life he had many bitter experiences as well as in his personal life. They, all of them, had driven him nearly crazy or near despair. But he was only able to get out of it through prayer. For him, prayer was his life. It was the important weapon—the weapon he used to wage war against himself and others.

Jesus showed us the best example in His own life. He used to go to lonely places and spent hours and hours with His heavenly Father in prayer. St. Paul tells us that prayer should be the most important weapon in our lives. Jesus tells us to pray without ceasing. Jesus told the parable of the judge and the widow telling us to pray without ceasing. Never ever get weary about prayer. Keep on praying or asking God—He can never abandon you or me. The friend got up and gave bread to his neighbor not because he had pity on him, but because he continuously asked him for it.
We get peace when we unite with God through prayer. St. Paul tells us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4: 6-7). Therefore, no matter how intelligent or active or courageous we are, we should not stop praying in our lives. We shall pray without ceasing and let us disturb our God, so that He will provide us all that we need. Ask and you will receive; knock and the door will be opened; search and you will find. Do not be afraid to kneel in prayer before God who can provide everything in our lives.

With gratitude, love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

Today we celebrate the Divine Mercy Sunday for the Second Sunday of Easter. Today’s readings tell us about St. Thomas proclaiming the great truth that Jesus is: “My Lord and My God!” It was the total surrender of St. Thomas before the Good Lord. When Jesus appeared before the Apostles he greeted them saying: “Peace be with you.” Actually, Jesus came into this world to give us peace always, and the Peace which He gives us will never leave us. It is always there for us. The Lord’s Mercy endures forever. We shall pray for His Mercy which gives us peace. We pray the Divine Mercy Prayer today in devotion to the Jesus of Love and Mercy towards us. Try to pray this Divine Mercy Chaplet today and every day using your Rosary beads:

The Our Father/ The Hail Mary/ The Apostle’s Creed

On the large bead before each decade: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

On the 10 small beads of each decade: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Concluding Doxology (After the fifth decade, pray once, on each of the 3 beads before the crucifix): Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Let us Pray: Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Amen.

With gratitude, love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,

I am wishing for all of you a holy and blessed Easter season. May our Beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, bless you and all your dear ones with His assured love. Thank you for all you do, all of you. You are the backbone of the parish and our parish family. Without you, we can do nothing. Each person in our parish is a part of the Communion of Saints here on earth, part of the Mystical Body of Christ, using our talents, abilities, and gifts. There are so many to thank for all that has been happening during Lent. The Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Choir Members, Cantors and Musicians, Sacristans, Ushers, and Altar Servers who have assisted at daily and weekend Masses. You all deserve a big thank you. To those who have helped every Friday with Stations of the Cross, serving soup and the fish fry and also for Good Friday, I appreciate all you do for our Parish Family. Thank you for your participation in the 40-day, 40 Psalms program; those who worked to telecast them. Thank you to the people who participated in and conducted the Tenebrae, all who take part in the Bible Study on Thursdays, all those who participated in the Bible study “Gift” and the Lenten Mission. Thank you to all who worked hard for the Seder meal, which was a great success. Thank you to the Youth Group for the Stations of the Cross on Palm Sunday after the 8 AM Mass. A special thanks to those who worked behind the scenes to livestream the Liturgy and put it on our webpage and on YouTube. Thanks to The Queen’s Messenger staff for posting on Facebook pictures from events here at church. It helps to remind us of all that is happening in the parish and keeps those still at home in touch. In addition, thank you to all of you who helped to decorate the church during Lent for Masses and for the Easter celebration. Thank you for the teachers who prepared the Catechumens and Confirmation students. And to those responsible for the Easter baskets for the children after each Mass, thank you, and to all who prepared for the Egg Hunt for the children. Again, to all who participated on Palm Sunday, thank you. Thank you to those of you who purchased Easter flowers to decorate the church for Easter Sunday, as the beautiful flowers remind us that the Resurrection Day is a day to celebrate with joy! There are so many others who work behind the scenes that are never seen, but who do the work for the church and for all of us. I’d like to thank our pastoral council, finance committee, parish staff, all the ministry heads and all members of the ministries as well as the members of our parish for all you do to keep our church standing strong as one parish family. The good Lord knows all that you are doing and that you do it for love of Him and His people. There is nothing I can give you, only my prayers for you every day. But the good Lord will give you His reward which cannot be matched by anyone else. This Easter may the Resurrection of our Lord fill your hearts
with joy! And may Christ’s perfect Love dwell in your hearts and fill your souls with hope for all the days to come. Have a blessed and beautiful Easter!

With gratitude, love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, Holy Week allows us to walk with Jesus during His Passion, keeping our eyes on Him who loves us, seeking Him instead of the temptations on earth that take our hearts and minds away from Him.

With a prayerful heart, I invite all of you who can to join us at church during Holy Week. Please come and experience God’s great love for us.

Thank you for everything you do for our parish family and me. Please keep one another in your prayers and share your time and talents. Your prayers and service keep our parish family alive, and I thank you so much.

I will be leaving on April 29 to go home for a month to visit my family. Please keep me in your prayers as I travel to India, and know that you will also be in my prayers at the daily Masses.

This Easter season, may you find God in your heart, waiting to welcome you back with joy and peace! Rejoice in the Lord always!

Holy Thursday, March 28, 7 PM—Mass of the Lord’s Supper followed by Adoration of the Most Holy Eucharist until 10 PM.
Good Friday, March 29, 3 PM—Outside Stations of the Cross. At 7 PM—Veneration of the Cross.
Holy Saturday, March 30, No Confessions. At 8 PM—Easter Vigil Mass followed by Breaking of the Lenten Fast.
Easter Sunday, March 31, 8 AM and 10 AM—Holy Mass.

Remember always that the Peace and Joy that we wish one another at Easter is often very easily uttered, but Our Lord Jesus Christ, at a great price, brought it to us. It was at the cost of the great suffering that He endured so selflessly and so full of love for us. As St. John tells us: “God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to save us.”

I hope to see you all in this Holy Week at church.

With gratitude, love and prayers,

Fr. Charley