Once a great speaker was giving a talk or a seminar about our value before God. He had taken a $50 bill and showed everyone in the hall and asked how many of them needed it. All the people in the hall lifted their hands. He then took the $50 bill and started to fold it into so many pieces and then he repeated the same question. All of them raised their hands. Then he put the dollar bill on the floor where it became very dirty and then he asked again, “How many of you want it?” Again, all of them raised their hands for it. Then the speaker said, “My dear brothers and sister, you have just learned a very valuable lesson from this dollar bill. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. No matter how smudged and rumpled it became, it was still worth $50.” Many times, in our day-to-day lives, we get knocked around—dropped, crumpled, smudged, and ground into the dirt—by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. And sometimes we feel as though we are worthless, used up, and of no account. But no matter what has happened—or what will happen—we will never lose our value in God’s eyes. Look at the first reading in the Book of Job, how he speaks about life—the pains and problems that he was facing in his life, but he was not ever ready to give up his faith in God. Even his best friends were trying to get God out of his life. He knew his value before God would never decline whatever happened to him, and he had faith that his God would never abandon him at any time. We also heard in the second reading that Paul was talking to himself. “I will become weak and a slave for God in this world. I know how to proclaim his gospel. Whatever happens to me, I am God’s own.”

My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, this must be our attitude also. People can put us down, do all kinds of evil to us, but before God we are God’s own. Do not ever be afraid. Without His knowledge nothing will ever happen to us, because God is our Protector and Guard. Do we feel spiritually sick? Do you have a fever? St. John Henry Newman says “fever” can be gambling, alcohol or any other bad habits. Jesus can touch and heal from them just as He healed the sickness of Peter’s mother-in-law. The Doctor is in the house—Jesus Christ, the Great Physician—and just as His love healed Simon’s mother-in-law, even so, His love can heal us, help us, cure us, redeem us, save us. Make sure in your heart that He only can do that in our lives because we are God’s own. Don’t ever hesitate to approach Him anytime.

Love and Prayers,

Fr. Charley

(between January 3, 2024 and February 2, 2024)
1. Make the intention of receiving the plenary indulgence. Ask God to help you be completely detached from all sin. He wants this for you, and he will help! Have confidence in God and in his grace. Also, recite an Act of Contrition from the heart.
2. Decide whether you wish to receive the indulgence for yourself or for the souls in Purgatory. Make your decision part of your intention also.
3. Think about when you last went to Confession, and consider whether you need to go again soon. To gain a plenary indulgence, one must go to confession within about 20 days before or after.
4. Visit the Nativity scene at the Cathedral of Saint Paul or in another one of the area churches or public chapels.
5. Pause in prayer for a few minutes before the Nativity, contemplating the birth of Our Lord, and pouring out petitions to God for peace. It is especially fitting to pray for peace in the Holy Land.
6. Recite an Our Father, Apostles’ Creed, and conclude with the following brief litany (this all may be done in the pew—you need not remain before the Nativity for this part):

Dearest Jesus, infant King, have mercy on us.
Most blessed Mother, Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Good Saint Joseph, guardian and protector of the Church, pray for us.
Saint Francis of Assisi, Protagonist of Peace, pray for us.

7. Say a Hail Mary “for the intentions of our Holy Father, Pope Francis.” It is not necessary to know what his specific intentions are. Our Lady will know!
8. Go to Holy Communion (in the state of grace) as soon as possible (within 20 days before or after). One confession can cover multiple indulgences—but one communion is needed for each indulgence. (Therefore, those who go to confession at least once a month and also go to Mass each day can theoretically receive one plenary indulgence per day!)
9. Give thanks to God for these gifts of grace from Holy Mother Church, which help us on our path to eternal life with the Holy Family, St. Francis, and all the saints and angels! (Taken from the Cathedral of St. Paul)

My dear Brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, we shall try our best to gain the Indulgence in our spiritual life. Make use of the opportunity that the Holy Church and the Holy Father have given to us.

With love and prayers, Fr. Charley

Who is Jesus for you? John calls Jesus the Lamb of God and thus signifies Jesus’ mission as the One who redeems us from our sins. The blood of the Passover Lamb delivered the Israelites from their oppression in Egypt and from the plague of death. The Lord Jesus freely offered up his life for us on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. The blood which he poured out for us on the cross cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin, and from the “wages of sin which is death” and the “destruction of both body and soul in hell.”

John, with his great humility was eager to point out the Christ—the anointed one, MESSIAH. Because he was so humble before God and man, he did not hesitate to direct his own disciples to the Lord Jesus. When two of John’s disciples began to seek Jesus out, Jesus took the initiative to invite them into his company. He asked them one of the most fundamental questions of life: “What are you looking for?” Jesus asks each one of us the same question: “What are you searching for? Do you know the meaning and purpose for your life?” Only God, the Father and Author of life, can answer that question and make our purpose fully known to us. That is why the Lord Jesus invites each one of us to draw near to himself. He wants us to know him personally—to know what he came to do for us and what he wants to offer us.

“Come and see” is the Lord’s invitation for each one of us every day of our lives. Saint Augustine of Hippo reminds us that it is God, our Creator and Redeemer, who seeks us out, even when we are not looking for him. It is God who initiates and who draws us to himself. Without his mercy and help we could not find him on our own.

You know that when we find something of great value it is natural to want to share the good news of our discovery with our family, friends, and neighbors. That is what Andrew did. Once he met Jesus and discovered that he was truly the Messiah, he immediately went to his brother Simon and told him the good news. Andrew brought his brother Simon to meet Jesus.

When Jesus saw Simon approaching, Jesus looked at Simon and revealed that he knew who Simon was beforehand. Jesus gave Simon the new name “Cephas” which is the Aramaic word for “rock.” Cephas is translated as Peter—Petros in Greek and Petrus in Latin—which also literally means “rock.”

To call someone a “rock” was one of the greatest compliments in the ancient world. The New Testament describes the Church as a spiritual house or temple with each member joined together as living stones. Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones.

Yes, my dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, who is Jesus for us? Do we receive His invitation every day that he calls to us, “come and see”? Are we trying to seek the most valuable in our life—like Christ the Messiah? What is our preference in life? Do we have great Faith like “Rock” in our daily life to follow Him without turning back?

With gratitude, love, and prayers,

Fr. Charley

(Taken from the sermon of St. John Vianney)
O what happiness to grow up in the bosom of a truly Christian family! It requires care, a great deal of care conscientiously to fulfill the obligations of a father or mother.

The parents are a mirror to their children, and the children constantly look into this mirror. Be careful therefore that only the good and what is worthy of imitation is perceptible in you and graven upon your hearts.

What a consolation it is to you if you can say: I am the father, the mother of a pious child, pleasing to God and man.

Watch particularly over your children when they have grown up. Do not allow them to associate with irreligious persons…How many hearts have been poisoned in their youths by obscene writings. Do not permit anything of this kind to be brought into your house. Bring up your children simply, withhold all luxury from them, discourage a too great desire of pleasures, and let them learn only which is good, useful, and practical. See to it that in their childhood, as well as when they are older, they frequent the Sacraments regularly.

Christ must come back into the family!
Christ must remain in the family!

Let this be your motto. Then, with the help of God, a devout, chaste generation will spring up to the joy of the parents and of the church. When the time comes for your children to make their choice for life, the divine blessing will descend upon them, and with unpolluted hearts they can join hands for life. Such good, well brought up children, will at least be the support and consolation of your old age.

Christian Husband! Imitate St. Joseph by beginning your day’s work with God and ending it for Him. Cherish those belonging to you as the holy foster father did Jesus and be their faithful protector.

Christian Wife! Follow in the footsteps of the ideal of all womanhood, the Blessed Mother of God; in joy and sorrow she will be your advocate at the throne of her Son.

And you, dear children, be as pious as the twelve-year-old Jesus and like Him be subject and obedient to your parents, as the Savior was to His parents for thirty long years. Help your parents in their labors as the Redeemer helped his foster father. We will all make our hearts like unto the Heart of Jesus. Let us often say the ejaculatory prayer: “Jesus! Mary! Joseph! Enlighten us, help us, save us!”

Christ must come back into the family! Then God will make you partakers of His blessing; then will true happiness reign amongst you!

With love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,

Jesus the Son said “Yes” to the Father and humbled himself to become man so that we might have eternal life. Mary, the lowly, young Virgin, full of faith and love of God, said “Yes” to the Father to become the Mother of our Savior and Mother to each of us. Joseph, the humble carpenter, said “Yes” to the Father and, in that act, became the foster-father of the Savior. At Christmas time we are reminded that our salvation was dependent on the “Yes” of Jesus, of Mary, and of Joseph. It is wonderful what happens when we say “Yes” to the Father! This Christmas, may we all find ourselves willing to be as humble and obedient as Joseph, and may our faith and love be as strong and true as Mary’s, and may we all follow Jesus’ example to give ourselves to do the Father’s will no matter how difficult.

May you and your families be full of the joy and wonder of that first Christmas and may the love of the Christ child instill in your heart the desire to say “Yes” to the Father. My own heart is so very grateful for all your love and support—your prayers, your talents, and your financial sacrifices. May the Good Lord bless you in the coming year with good health and many spiritual blessings. Please keep me in your daily prayers and be sure of my prayers for you.

With Love and Prayers,

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Charley

I rejoice with you as we celebrate the great feast of the Birth of Jesus, the birth of our Salvation, our Sanctification, our Redemption! Let us sing with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to men of good will!” I hope we can all experience that peace—the peace that we find when we silence ourselves, leaving behind the busyness of our days for a few moments of reflection for our Good Lord to speak to us. Close your eyes as you reflect and let Him take over your mind and heart, and soul. Blessed Mother Teresa, of whom you know I am fond, gave us a good lesson on how to do this:

“To make possible true inner silence, practice:

Silence of the eyes, by seeking always the beauty and goodness of God everywhere, and closing them to the faults of others and to all that is sinful and disturbing to the soul.

Silence of the ears, by listening always to the voice of God and to the cry of the poor and the needy, and closing them to all other voices that come from fallen human nature, such as gossip, tale bearing, and uncharitable words.

Silence of the tongue, by praising God and speaking the life-giving Word of God that is the truth, that enlightens and inspires, brings peace, hope, and joy; and by refraining from self-defense and every word that causes darkness, turmoil, pain, and death.

Silence of the mind, by opening it to the truth and knowledge of God in prayer and contemplation, like Mary who pondered the marvels of the Lord in her heart, and by closing it to all untruths, distractions, destructive thoughts, rash judgments, false suspicions of others, vengeful thoughts, and desires.

Silence of the heart, by loving God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength; loving one another as God loves; and avoiding all selfishness, hatred, envy, jealousy, and greed.”*

Thank you all for your many prayers and sacrifices this year. Thank you for the encouragement you offer me, the pain you share with me, and your support of our parish and parish family. May the New Year bring you many blessings and may you find that peace within that our Blessed Savior so longs for us all to enjoy. Have a Good and Joyful Christmas and a very prosperous New Year!

With love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

*Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the Word: thoughts, stories, and prayers, New World Library, 14.

On this third Sunday of Advent, our readings clearly tell us that it is the time to rejoice; the Light is near to
us; He is already at the door. The prophet Isaiah writes to the people returning from the darkness of the
Babylonian captivity. He tells them it is a new day; it is the time to rejoice. God will bring justice; He will
bring liberty to the captives and give release to prisoners. God will heal the broken hearted, so today we also
rejoice in Christ Jesus who is the Light who is nearby. We hear in today’s gospel that the Light is near and
make straight the path for the coming of Jesus. Yes, it is the time to rejoice. It is the time to give up all the
bad activities, activities of the darkness, and put on the armor of light. Jesus Christ is the Light who can dis-
pel the darkness in our life. So therefore, we shall come out of the shadows where we are hiding. We shall
stand in front of him plainly; let him see us. Then it will be easy for him to save us. We shall give up all our
hiding places and things which block us from being seen.

Paul writes: “In all circumstances, give thanks”! No matter what the situation, in good times and in bad, we
need to thank God for what we have, for all that we’ve received, even the life that we have. St. Paul was
thanking God for all that he received, even the pains and sufferings he received for the sake of Christ. So,
we too must be able to thank Him from our hearts for all that we are now. When we’re truly grateful for all
that we have, the list of things we think we need can often quickly shorten. As it is with our joys, so it is with
our gratitude. I may not be joyful today and I might be in need today, but we all have a history of God’s
goodness to us and for which we have reason to give thanks and praise.

Rejoice always! Pray without ceasing! In all circumstances, give thanks!

Let’s stop for a moment and close our eyes…and remember something joyful in our lives, something we’re
grateful for…and in prayer, let’s thank God for that joy…and hold that joy in our hearts for a moment. By
thanking God for all his blessings and waiting joyfully for his coming to us, we shall welcome him with a
heart full of love and gratitude. Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say rejoice!

Love and prayers,
Fr. Charley

Who is John the Baptist and what is the significance of his message for our lives? Scripture tells us that John was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb by Christ himself, whom Mary had just conceived by the Holy Spirit. When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, John leaped in her womb as he was filled with the Holy Spirit. The fire of the Spirit dwelt in John and made him the forerunner of the coming Messiah. John was led by the Spirit into the wilderness prior to his ministry where he grew in the word of God and was tested in preparation for his prophetic mission.

John broke the prophetic silence of the previous centuries when he began to speak the word of God to the people of Israel. His message was similar to the message of the Old Testament prophets who chided the people of God for their unfaithfulness and who tried to awaken true repentance in them. Among a people unconcerned with the things of God, it was his work to awaken their interest, unsettle them from their complacency, and arouse in them enough good will to recognize and receive Christ when he came. He must have been eager to hear God’s word and to be changed by it through the power of the Holy Spirit.

John’s baptism was encouraging the people to repentance – turning away from sin and taking on a new way of life according to God’s word. Our baptism in Jesus Christ by water and the Spirit results in a new birth and entry into God’s kingdom as his beloved sons and daughters. The Lord Jesus comes to baptize each one of us in his Holy Spirit so that we may walk in his truth and holiness and radiate the joy of the Gospel to all we meet in our daily lives. God’s word has power to change and transform our lives so that we may be lights that point others to Jesus Christ. Like John the Baptist, we too are called to give testimony to the light and truth of Christ. Do we point others to Jesus Christ in the way we live, speak, and treat others?

Let us think about ourselves. Are we trying to recognize Christ in our lives and encouraging others to hear the word of God in their lives? Do we become an instrument in the lives of others showing them Christ in their daily lives? Are we grateful for all the talents we received from God and make use of them in spreading the Gospel? Are we trying to make use in our daily lives of the Spirit we received in Baptism by being good examples to others? We are today playing the role of John the Baptist – pointing out Christ to others and then vanishing behind the curtain. All that we do, we do for the greater glory of God in making others recognize Christ in their lives and then stepping back. May the Christ Jesus help us to be True and Humble disciples for him.

Love and prayers,
Fr. Charley

Today’s first reading from Isaiah presents us with a beautiful image. Isaiah says that God is our father and we are the clay. God is the potter and we are all the work of God’s hands. The image, of course, is that of a potter molding clay on a potter’s wheel, shaping and reshaping the clay to achieve what the potter desires. He first lays the base, then builds up the walls, then turns the lip. Isaiah’s image tells us that just as that potter molds the clay, God is molding us. God is forming us by the work of His hands. Now notice Isaiah does not say that God is the potter and we are the pot. The pot is the finished project. We are not the pot; we are the clay. We are the work in progress, the work that is shaped and reshaped by God’s love. None of us is finished.

When you take this image of the potter and place it with the beginning of a new year, the meaning is obvious. We are now beginning a year in which God will change us; he will reshape us. Now some of us here have been on the potter’s wheel for a long time. But none of us is finished. A new year means a new opportunity in which God will continue to form us. And who knows what changes God will make this year.

A new year is a new beginning and God is still at work shaping and reshaping us. We not only believe that God can change us; we believe that God is changing us. Because God is father, the changes that God is making are based on love. So, we do not need to fear the year ahead.

We are also on watch. Watch for what? What are the circumstances in which Jesus is likely to arrive? The gospel presents us with three possibilities. And it does so by mentioning three times of the day: evening, midnight and cockcrow, and morning. These times should be understood in terms of the events of the paschal mystery. Evening is the time that Jesus shared a meal with his disciples on the night before he died, and washed their feet. Evening then is a time for service. Midnight and cockcrow are when Peter denied Jesus and all the disciples abandoned him. Midnight and cockcrow then are times that demand forgiveness. Morning is when the women found the empty tomb. So, morning is a time of joy and thankfulness for God’s goodness. What the gospel is telling us is that we should watch for opportunities of service, forgiveness, and joy, because it is in such moments that we are most likely to meet Jesus.

Therefore, we shall be shaped by the way God wants us. Let Him be the potter and we shall always be the clay. We shall always be on the watch. We do not know the time He will come. So be ready at every moment of our lives. We shall always be at His service and be happy and forgiving to one another. Don’t worry about the TIME. BE READY ALWAYS.

Love and prayers,
Fr. Charley