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

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, commonly referred to as the Feast of Christ the King, Christ the King Sunday or Reign of Christ Sunday, is a feast in the liturgical year which emphasizes the true kingship of Christ. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, “as instruments of justice unto God.” (Quas Primas, 33)

Pope Pius XI, in 1925, led the Church in celebrating a jubilee year in honor of the 1,600th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. The council fathers taking part in that ancient gathering in A.D. 325 had affirmed the full divinity of Jesus Christ as God the Son, one in being with God the Father. Their pronouncement became a creed that was later expanded into what we now call the Nicene Creed, which we still profess at Mass every Sunday. Throughout the anniversary year, Pope Pius constantly emphasized the kingship of Christ as declared in the Creed: “His kingdom will have no end.” He stressed that theme throughout the year as it repeatedly appeared in the Church’s celebrations of the Annunciation, the Epiphany, the Transfiguration and the Ascension. On Dec. 11 of the jubilee year, and in order to acknowledge perpetually the supremacy of Jesus Christ over all men, nations and earthly allegiances, the pope issued the encyclical Quas Primas, which added the feast of “Our Lord Jesus Christ the King” to the annual Church liturgical calendar.

Pope Benedict XVI said, on the feast of Christ the King, Nov. 22, 2009, “In what does this ‘power’ of Jesus Christ the King consist? It is not the power of the kings or the great people of this world; it is the divine power to give eternal life, to liberate from evil, to defeat the dominion of death. It is the power of Love that can draw good from evil, that can melt a hardened heart, bring peace amid the harshest conflict and kindle hope in the thickest darkness. This Kingdom of Grace is never imposed and always respects our freedom. Christ came ‘to bear witness to the truth’ (Jn 18: 37), as he declared to Pilate: whoever accepts his witness serves beneath his ‘banner.'” Every conscience, therefore, must make a choice. Who do I want to follow? God or the Evil One? The truth or falsehood? Choosing Christ does not guarantee success according to the world’s criteria but assures the peace and joy that he alone can give us. This is demonstrated in every epoch, by the experience of numerous men and women who, in Christ’s name, in the name of truth and justice, were able to oppose the enticements of earthly powers with their different masks, to the point that they sealed their fidelity with martyrdom.

We shall follow God who is full of Love. It is the power of love which Jesus Christ the king brought into this world. We shall also love one another and be His disciples on Earth. Whenever we love, we also become the part of that Kingdom which Jesus started in this world. We shall proclaim always in our hearts that Jesus Christ is the King of our hearts and our homes.

Love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

Today’s parable tells us something about how God deals with us, his disciples and servants. The parable speaks first of the master’s trust in his servants. While he goes away, he leaves them with his money to use as they think best. The master rewards those who are industrious and faithful and he punishes those who sit by idly and who do nothing with his money. The essence of the parable seems to lie in the servants’ conception of responsibility. Each servant entrusted with the master’s money was faithful up to a certain point. The servant who buried the master’s money was irresponsible. The master expected his servants to be productive in the use of his money. The Lord entrusts the subjects of his kingdom with gifts and graces and he gives his subjects the freedom to use them in a fitting way.

Jesus trusted and gave each according to his ability or talents. The only thing is – how do we use them? In the parable we see two groups of people – one group is making use of the talents and the other group is not making use of the talents that they received. Where do we stand? We all have talents which vary, everybody doesn’t have the same talents. The question is whether we are ready to share them with others or to hide them under the ground, meaning not ready to share with others. We are all unique and all are different in personality, so therefore, everybody has different talents, too. Do not compare with one person or another at any time. All are individual, unique persons. Humanity is common to all; everything else is different in each person.

Are we satisfied with the talents we have, or do we always complain about our talents? Keep in mind that we can never be another person, because we are what we are. Try to find satisfaction in what we have and what God has given to us. Make use of the talents for others and not for us alone. Try to satisfy God, not man. You cannot satisfy man in this world – because we are all different. God always sees the goodness in our hearts. Man sees only the outside. Many times, we commit a sin or a big mistake without realizing it – then we ask ourselves what would others think of us? Because of that we can do nothing properly, nothing can be accomplished. Let us ask ourselves, what would my Jesus think about me? You will be happy and accomplish many things in this world, and the Master will tell you: “Well done, my good and faithful servant ….. Come; share your master’s joy.”

Love and Prayers,

Fr. Charley

In today’s story, let us focus on the lamp and the oil. All the ten virgins were given lamps. Let us say these lamps are freely given by the Lord. The lamp is the “life” given to us by God free of cost. Now we have to buy the oil to light the lamp and take it to heaven.

It is this oil that we need to enter into the heavenly banquet. Therefore, what could this oil be that will help us to take this life to the other world? In short, it could be the sum total of the goodness (the virtues) we performed and the deposit of prayers we made.

When we pray, actually we are depositing those prayers with God. And so, whenever we are in need of prayers, God will consider these deposited prayers for us. The wise virgins were not ready to share their oil with the others. Meaning to say, we may not be lucky enough to get some prayers from others when we may need them. Today is the right time to start depositing prayers with God. Spend more time for personal prayer that you may benefit from them later for yourself! This is the right time to prepare. If not, there may come a time which is too late!

The foolish virgins are asking the wise ones for some of their oil, but they were so selfish that they didn’t want to share any at all. Don’t be so selfish. Perhaps their sharing might have helped the others to enter the heavenly banquet with the bridegroom. Once again, this oil is the deposit of prayers. Therefore, don’t be stingy to pray for others that they may enter the heavenly banquet. This month of November, we are specially reminded of our own duty to pray for our brethren, especially for the departed souls, that they may meet God face to face.

Those virgins who never expected a delay in the Lord’s coming are called fools! What about you, are you a fool or a wise person? Do you expect things to happen as you want and at the time you want? Can you expect delays? Are you prepared to wait for the delay of God’s answer to you? We must be prepared for the delays and be waiting with the oil of prayers and deeds of charity.

Expect delays in God’s responses and so be prepared always.

God bless you all in abundance,

Fr. Charley

All Saints’ Day is a Christian festival that honors all those people who are considered saints by the church. The festival was originally celebrated on May 13, but Pope Gregory III changed the date to November 1 when he dedicated a chapel at the Vatican in honor of all the saints. The festival goes back to the fourth century when Greek Christians kept a festival on the first Sunday after Pentecost in honor of all martyrs and saints. The festival is also known as All Hallows’ Day, the Feast of All Saints, and Hallowmas. On this day, Catholics are expected to attend Mass. It is an obligation day for us. All Saints’ Day, observed in the Christian church, is a day dedicated to commemorating all the saints—both known and unknown—who have attained heaven. The history of this day dates back to the 4th century, when Romans, amidst increasing persecution of Christians, began dedicating their own days to celebrate the martyrs and saints they admired. However, it wasn’t until the 7th century under Pope Boniface IV that All Saints’ Day was officially
established as a holiday.
All Souls’ Day is a Christian tradition to remember and pray for the dead, especially those in Purgatory, on November 2. All Souls’ Day, in Roman Catholicism, is a day for commemoration of all the faithful departed, those baptized Christians who are believed to be in purgatory because they died with the guilt of lesser sins on their souls. Roman Catholic doctrine holds that the prayers of the faithful on earth will help cleanse these souls in order to fit them for the vision of God in heaven, and the day is dedicated to prayer and remembrance. Requiem Masses are commonly held, and many
people visit and sometimes decorate the graves of loved ones. The date, which became practically universal before the end of the 13th century, was chosen to follow All Saints’ Day. Having celebrated the feast of all the members of the church who are believed to be in heaven, the church on earth turns, on the next day, to commemorate those souls believed to be suffering in purgatory.
We shall remember our beloved ones not only on All Soul’s Day but all the days of our lives. When we pray for them, we have to teach our children to do the same, so that in the future, there will be someone to pray for us. You know that people already gone from this world can do nothing—that is why the church is asking the living ones to pray for the dead. Visiting a Cemetery on the day of All Souls also provides an indulgence. A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the souls in purgatory, is granted each and every day from November 1st to Nov 8th, through those who devoutly visit a cemetery and there pray, if only mentally, for the departed; on other days of the year, it is partial. We shall visit as many as we can and save the souls in purgatory.

Love and prayers,

Fr. Charley

Jesus summarized the whole of the law in two great commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

We need to love God. Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength in response to His total love for us, means that we should place God’s will ahead of ours, seek the Lord’s will in all things, and make it paramount in our lives. There are several means by which we can express our love for God and our gratitude to Him for His blessings, acknowledging our total dependence on Him. God loves us wholly, completely, and perfectly for our sake—there is no limit, no holding back, no compromising on his part. His love is not subject to changing moods or circumstances. When God gives, he gives generously, abundantly, freely, and without setting conditions to the gift of his love. His love does not waver, but is firm, consistent, and constant. He loves us in our weakness—in our fallen and sinful condition. That is why the Father sent his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to redeem us from slavery to sin and its disordered cravings, desires, passions, and addictions. We do not earn God’s love—it is freely given to those who open their hearts to God and who freely accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. We need to love our neighbor: God’s will is that we should love everyone, seeing Him in each of them. Since every human being is a child of God and the dwelling place of the Spirit of God, we are giving expression to our love of God by loving our neighbor as Jesus loves him or her.

On the wall of a children’s home founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta hangs a sign which reads as follows:

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. LOVE THEM ANYWAY.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. DO GOOD ANYWAY.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. SUCCEED ANYWAY.
The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow. DO GOOD ANYWAY.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY.
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight. BUILD ANYWAY.
People really need help but may attack you if you help them. HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU’VE GOT ANYWAY.

Yes, my dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, we shall love God as well as our neighbor as Jesus told us to do. Love of God and love of Neighbor—always two sides of the same coin. They should go hand in hand, never separate at any time, going together only.

With God’s Blessing to all,

Fr. Charley

Most strikingly, in the Gospel reading, we hear what Jesus does when he knows he is walking into a trap. This trap presents
what could be an unresolvable challenge to personal loyalty. What is owed to Caesar and what is owed to God? In response,
Jesus speaks the truth in a simple way. He asks those around him to consider the standards by which they owe things to an
authority, in other words, where their loyalties lie. Jesus helps them—and us—acknowledge that while we owe our loyalty
ultimately to God, we often must honor that by respecting our duties toward others.

Discipleship requires us to consider to whom I belong: where my loyalties lie, and whom I must serve. Surely each of us is
called and strives to remain faithful to some duties in our own place—towards our families, jobs, neighborhoods, and friends.
But if we are to take our faith seriously, we are also concerned about others who are far away from us. These connections to
others pull on us especially when we see them in light of our personal relationship with Jesus. As Christians, we are invested
with duties of love for people we have never met and to places we have never been, which is the theme at the heart of the
readings for today, World Mission Sunday. That is part of the work of mission: to deepen the connections that already exist
between me and someone far away from me to whom I am united in Christ.

Perhaps this person is already a Christian and so we are mystically united by our common baptism. Or maybe this person is
just now learning of Christ (or desires to know of Christ) and that introduction will be made possible by the work of people
who are sent to share the Good News with them. This appreciation might even help me to find the energy and interest to
collaborate in work that I personally cannot do because I have responsibilities where I am and cannot go to those places and
meet those people. But I can be part of the work through supportive prayer and practical charity. May the grace we receive in
this Eucharist help us all to learn the truth of these loyalties, responsibilities, and connections. And going from this place of
worship may we find the energy to deepen our personal commitment to our common Christian mission to announce Christ
and his Gospel to all the world.

Let us join our Holy Father Pope Francis in praying for and sharing resources with the young, persecuted, and poor Church
in over 1,100 dioceses around the world that benefit from the World Mission Sunday collection, taken in every Catholic par-
ish today, no matter how big or small (The Society for the Propagation of Faith).

Love and Prayers,
Fr. Charley