Past Reflections

It was Pope St. John Paul II who on World Youth Day 1993 told the young people in Denver that: “Only in Christ can men and women find answers to the ultimate questions… Jesus Christ is the only Son from the Father…full of grace and truth.” He also said something I want you to hold onto this day: “We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son.” That’s who we are. But how do we

This weekend’s liturgy gathers us around one image: The Shepherd. In the Gospel, Jesus says, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice”(Jn 10:3-4). In Acts, Peter stands up on Pentecost and his voice, filled with the Spirit, pierces the crowd: “Repent and be baptized and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). And Peter reminds us in his letter that we “were straying l

Today’s Gospel begins by recalling the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and then moves to Jesus appearing to the Apostles to strengthen their faith. The Emmaus story presents two disciples leaving Jerusalem on Easter Sunday, discouraged and heartbroken over the crucifixion of Jesus. Although Jesus had predicted His Passion, Death, and Resurrection three times, they—like Thomas and many in the early Church—never imagined that He might truly rise from the dead. They left Jer

Last week, we unveiled the crucifix, celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. If Jesus has resurrected, why do we still leave Him hanging on the cross in our churches? Couldn't we have set the cross aside, at least for this Easter Octave? Again, why did Jesus choose to resurrect with the marks of His wounds still visible? Couldn't He, who has the power to subdue death, also heal Himself of the wounds of crucifixion? The simple truth is that the Crucifix still

An old woman was asked to lead in prayers on a good Friday and during the prayers, she began to cast aspersions upon Pilate and the Roman soldiers for their cruelty in killing Jesus her beloved Lord and savior after which she ended her prayers by saying, “may the soul of Jesus and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace” Today’s celebration of Easter is the reason the old woman’s prayer appears funny because our redeemer levity (Job 19:25

This weekend liturgies ushers us into the most solemn period in our Lenten season starting with Palm Sunday; the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on one hand and his passion on the other hand. To understand the deeper meaning of this liturgy we are encouraged to see it through the light of a bird needing two feathers in order to fly. The kingship of Jesus is marked with fanfare as he enters Jerusalem and also his passion, death and resurrection that pay the price for

This weekend readings present to us the rich contrast of apathy and compassion. Apathy is the state of emotional dullness or loss of enthusiasm. In this state one’s capacity to feeling, motivation or engagement to events of the world goes lukewarm. In normal life what use to matter for someone in the past, now is reduced to the back burner. In the spiritual realm it is the state in which one is unresponsive to God’s instructions and lacking willingness to act upon spiritual c

John 4:5-42 tells the story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. This encounter reveals Jesus as the source of living water, quenching our deepest thirst. The Samaritan woman was thirsty, physically and spiritually. Jesus offers her living water, saying, "Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst" (John 4:14). Like her, we thirst for meaning, love, and salvation. "The desire for God is written in the human heart" (CCC 2565). St. Augustine says, "You

This weekend we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Lent, traditionally known as Laetare Sunday. The term laetare is a Latin word for ‘rejoice’ which was derived from the opening antiphon in today’s liturgy as seen in the book of Isaiah (66:10) where the prophet invites the people of Israel to rejoice. As at the time of this message from the prophet, the Israelites were still undergoing the devastating effect of exile yet the prophet exhorts them to rejoice and be joyful. It can o

Last Sunday at the beginning of our Lenten season, Jesus conquered Satan in the desert during his temptation. The lesson of this event has volumes to teach us. The reality of evil and the devil is obvious. Temptation is real and nobody is exempted. Life is a struggle and to survive, we need to follow Jesus closely and learn from him. Today the second week of Lent, in our spiritual Lenten journey Jesus is taking us to the high mountain to experience his glory with God the Fath

At this last weekend before the beautiful season of Lent, the church invites us to reflect on our relationship with God's law and the wisdom that guides us. Sirach 15:15-20 reminds us that God has set before us life and death, good and evil. We have been given the freedom to choose, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can go for what is truly good. St. Augustine says, "God created us without us, but He did not will to save us without us." (St. Augustine) In 1 Corinthians

A story is told of a man who saw the world as so corrupt and full of evil and in an attempt to avoid any risk of being corrupted or negatively influenced, ran into the forest and lived all by himself feeding on plants and animals. He died after a happy old age but was refused entrance into heaven. St Peter congratulated him on his effort to avoid the corrupt world but had to send him back to the same world in order to influence and change it positively rather than running awa

On this last weekend of Advent, we're invited to reflect on the theme of trusting God's plan. The readings of this Sunday remind us that God keeps His promises, and we're encouraged to rely on Him instead of fear. The story of Ahaz and Joseph are powerful reminders of the importance of trust and obedience. Ahaz, the king of Judah, is a complex figure. He's faced with a daunting challenge: the threat of invasion from the Assyrian empire. In his fear, he's tempted to seek hel

Advent is a season of waiting. We open our hearts to Jesus, and sometimes that waiting feels long and heavy. The days are dark, the world feels tired, and our spirits can grow weary. But on the 3rd Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday (which means “Rejoice!”), joy breaks in like the sunrise: even while we wait, joy is possible. Pope Francis reminds us: “We Christians are called to safeguard and spread the joy of waiting: we await God who loves us infinitely and at the same

The celebration of Christ the King last weekend closed the church's calendar for Year C. This weekend opens the new church year with Advent Season Year A, giving us a chance to refresh our faith. Advent, from the Latin "ad-venire" ("to come to" or "arrive"), is four weeks of prayer, reflection, and preparation for Christ's birth. It's a time to examine our lives, reflect on our need for God, and eagerly await His coming. As the Catechism says, "When the church celebrates Adve

Today, the universal church celebrates the solemnity of Jesus Christ as the King of the universe and my king marking the end of the Church year. Christ is proclaimed King because He has authority over all creation, establishing a kingdom where people can receive salvation. Jesus says, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36), emphasizing that His kingship is about humble service, truth, love, and justice, not vain glory of earthly power. The preface of today’s solemnity

Living in expectation and hope is about trusting God's plan for us. It's woven into the fabric of our daily lives, giving us confidence to look forward to the future. God's sovereignty over our past, present, and future is the anchor of our faith (Jeremiah 29:11). God uses all things – good, bad, and ugly – to fashion something good for us (Romans 8:28). His sovereignty gives us peace over past mistakes, comfort in the present, and confidence for the future. He walks with us

Many people think that St Peter's Basilica is the Pope's seat because it is so famous and majestic, but it is not so. St John Lateran Basilica in Rome is the Episcopal seat of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, and for that reason, it is called the mother and head of all churches in the world. This beautiful basilica has a rich history, dating back to its dedication by Pope St Sylvester on November 9, 324 AD. It is named after the Lateran family, who donated the land for its const

The Saint Francis of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Secular Franciscan Fraternity invites everyone to a "Come and See" gathering on Saturday, November 1st, 2025 at 9:30am at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, 1758 Alta Vista Drive. Contact Carol at email at caroldavid1565@gmail.com for more information.

Dear friends, when we think of the Body of Christ, we reflect on how the physical body parts work together in harmony. Each part has a unique role, and when all are healthy, it affects the entire body. The Body of Christ is the Church, comprising three components: the triumphant church, the militant church, and the suffering church. The Triumphant Church: these are our loved ones we celebrate with great joy who have made it to heaven. Having lived like us in all things and be