Mary Mother of The Church

There is a saying, “Without a mother, there is no life”. It is the mother’s womb that takes care of us for nine months and throughout our lives, the mother continues to care for us. Even if we reach 50, 60, or even 70 years old, in the eyes of a mother, we are still…

The Unseen

Editor’s Note: This was a homily for a newly ordained group entering the priesthood. We have included it, as the words pertain to all of us, and as a reminder to continue to pray for all of our priests. I have been a priest for 18 years and if there is one thing that has…

Forgiveness

While people need people, we all know that no relationship is perfect. There are people who have brought us happiness, there are people who have brought us pain. Hence, the challenge is to forgive.  Jesus was asked how many times should one forgive? Seven times. Seven times in the Jewish tradition means a lot. However,…

Caring for Others

There is a saying that a good story can change our lives. In fact, when we were children, stories were a gateway to understanding the world and learning things. We learned values and lessons through stories.  That is why Jesus used stories, as he was an excellent storyteller. Among the many lessons: In the Gospel, we…

A God for All

One sad reality of humanity is that we tend to congregate among people we think we belong to. There is always the desire for exclusivity.  Suddenly even in the Matters of faith, there is also exclusivity. In the Old Testament, Naaman was in need of healing but he felt initially that he should be treated…

Temptation

Someone once said, “Opportunity only knocks once, but temptation knocks all the time.” Yes, in our desire to be happy, in our desire to find what we are looking for, in our desire to love and be loved, we look at the answers in the wrong places, persons, and things. As a result, we fall…

Fatima

This past weekend marked the 106th year since the first apparition in Fatima, Portugal. The question then is, “Is Fatima still relevant?” Let us look at the three secrets: While the message of Fatima is still very relevant, in 1973 Mama Mary appeared to Sr. Agnes Sasagawa in a convent in Akita, Japan. Her messages…

The Kingdom of God

When one observes the world today, one can ask, “Where is God?” Is God’s presence fading or prevailing? Look at the evildoers, they are so bold; people do not know what is right or what is wrong; there is no more sense of sin. “Where is God?” The good news is that the Kingdom of…

Prayer

Those who knew Jesus and saw him in his ministry, they saw the pressure and stress on him. People were constantly looking for and following him. Whether it be for healing and curing of the sick, for exorcism, for guidance and counselling, or if they just wanted to hear him preach. On the other hand,…

Healing and Hope

It was very hard to get sick during the time of Jesus. Perhaps it was already like a death sentence, as medicine was not as advanced as it is now. That is why it is not a surprise that people sought Jesus due to his ability to heal. In the Gospel, he healed a woman…