Padre Portion

Holy Family Sunday - Dec 29th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Luke 2:41-52... Do you ever doubt? I do not think that we have a serious practice of doubt. What I think happens is an experience of degrees of attention. How often do we finally notice a radio playing in the background, or maybe the Shopping Music coming from the ceiling speakers? This is why going to Church is so important. While there, we can re-notice the Teachings of our Faith. We believe in the truth of many things, but can only focus our attention on the reality on a few things at a time. The reality of Christmas is ALWAYS true. Even though the demands of our daily life can even push out our Faith to an almost un-hearable background hum. So maybe for our 2025 action item, let us be at Church as much as possible, so that we can focus more on the that divine background hum of the Angels!

1st Sunday of Advent - Dec 1st, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Luke 21:25-36... We have lived in the knowledge of the Savior for the last 2000 years. For us, Advent has become the celebration of the birth of Jesus. It is my opinion that there has always been a great understanding of Advent to reflect more anticipation of the Birth of our Savior. The Savior that will rescue us from the Sinfulness of the World. We will see a lot of Isaiah during Advent in the First Readings. The Prophet Isaiah has been called the Voice of the Savior. To use an expression from my mother... "let us not throw out the baby with the bathwater". Let us rejoice at every opportunity to experience the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ: In the promises of the Old Testament Prophets like Isaiah, in the Christmas Saga as told to us in the Gospel of Luke, in the arrival of the Holy Spirit in our Hearts at our Baptism, and the final appearance of Christ as our King of the Universe !!!

33rd Sunday Ordinary Time - Nov 17th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Mark 13:24-32.... Did you know that the Sin of Man has already appeared? The Son of Man has appeared in you heart when you were baptized. Because of Sin, there are many things that can only come from God. When we respond with the Things of God, it is because He moved us to respond. We must be lifted up from above. When we were baptized, we were given the three Virtues called: Faith, Hope, and Charity (Love). These three are called the Theological Virtues because they have a divine origin. We can easily recognize that manufactured counterfeits of these Virtues. Scripture says that even an Evil person will love those who love them. When we live in the Divine Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity - we experience the Appearance of Christ in our Heart. Let aspire to increase these Divine Virtues through our daily life as a Christian !!!

30th Sunday Ordinary Time - Oct 27th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Mark 10:46-52... We have been busy preparing for Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day. Soon, we will be busy with an Election. Have you been noticing the Fridays before Christ the King Sunday? It is true that we have a giant wheel of a Calendar in the Church. We begin with 1st Sunday of Advent, and then complete the journey with Christ the King Sunday. It reminds me of the Weekly adventure of starting with Sunday and ending with Saturday. But, beginning again on the Sunday of next day. How long did the Church celebrate the week before Easter Sunday finally happened? This special Sunday changed our understanding of the week. How long will we celebrate the yearly cycle, until we truly see Christ as King of the Universe? Join me with some special prayers of your choice that will restore our anticipation of Christ as King of the Universe. Just as we anticipate Christ's Death and Resurrection during Lent on Fridays, let us look forward to History being changed on a Christ the King of the Universe Sunday with special Fridays!