Good Wine

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Gospel reading this Sunday is not about the wine but about the people (Jn 2:1-11). It is a statement about the human condition. It is about you and me as much as it is about the people at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. It is about a spiritual condition. It is about our inner life, our way of being, more than the circumstances outside us. Regardless of how it feels or what we think about it, the day the wine runs out is the beginning of a miracle. Christ does not simply refill our glasses. He transforms our lives, turning water into wine. It is, after all, the third day, the day of resurrection and new life. On the third day, our lives are filled to the brim with the good wine when we heed Mary’s request to do whatever Jesus tells us. What is Jesus asking us to do? When we do as he asks every moment of every day, Christ pours himself into the empty jars of our life. He is the good wine; extravagant, abundant, and endless.

Every time that good wine is poured, our lives are changed and transformed. We are brought out of sin into righteousness, and out of death into life. I can’t explain how that happens. I only know that it does happen. I have tasted the good wine. I have experienced the miracle at Cana in my own life, and I have seen it in the lives of others. Has the wine in your life run out? Invite Jesus in and expect something miraculous.

God Bless,
Deacon Howard

I Hope I Am Like Him

“Who is this Christ? Is he like you?” Perhaps you’ve heard this story, often attributed to the life of St. Teresa of Calcutta. A sick man asked her this question, as he marveled at her tireless service to himself and others in the name of someone named Jesus Christ.

“He is nothing like me,” the saint is said to have answered. “But I hope I am like him.” Though the authenticity of this exchange cannot be verified, its message rings perfectly true: all the value of our stewardship lies in its relativity to the one in whose name we perform it.

Consider the figure of John the Baptist—a magnificent, towering character even purely from a literary or historical perspective. A martyr who fed on wild locusts and boldly spoke truth to power—a man so great, some mistook him for the Messiah.

But why is he great? Because he prepared the way. All his accomplishments and escapades mean nothing if they are taken out of the context of salvation history. He only makes sense relative to Christ—and this is exactly as he wanted it. “One worthier than I is coming,” he insists. And because of that humility and that total embrace of God’s will, he is given one of the greatest honors in the New Testament—he baptizes the Son of God.

Follow The Light

Dear Parishioners,

The word epiphany means “manifestation.” Luke’s gospel presents the shepherds as the first to pay homage to Jesus (Lk 2:8-20). For Matthew, the magi, Gentiles, were the first to adore Jesus (Mt 2:1-12). The Magi of this Sunday’s gospel are not the fortune teller magicians of Acts 8:9-25. Matthew portrays them as wise men from the East who probably had knowledge of Astrology and Astronomy. It was a common ancient belief that a new star appeared at the time of a ruler’s birth. The Magi saw the star and followed it, not knowing exactly where it would lead them. The fascination with the star and its origins should not take away from the true meaning of the passage: that these Gentile men saw the Jewish star and that was enough for their faith. They got up and left everything and allowed the light to guide them, and they chose the right path. On the other hand, King Herod feared the coming of a Messiah who could threaten his power, and tried to get rid of him. The Gentile magi accepted the new born king, and his poverty and lack of power did not confuse them. Instead, it filled them with joy and moved them to adoration and surrender.

While the powerful become restless and reject Jesus, the Gentiles acknowledge Him as King. We should learn from the Magi to identify the signs, set out on the journey with determination, and not allow anyone or anything to become an obstacle along the way. May we lay down our life and offer our treasure in worship to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

May everyone have a blessed and joyful year in 2022.

God Bless,
Deacon Howard

Merry Christmas!

Dear Parishioners, 

I hope you all had a nice Christmas with family and friends reconnecting after time apart as you gathered for dinners and other social gatherings, and especially Mass. I am sure most experienced great joy not only in “getting” but more importantly in “giving.” As Jesus said, “There is more happiness in giving than receiving. “ (Acts 20:35). Hopefully, we will keep that in mind during the coming year. It will make for a Happy New Year.

There’s an old expression when you haven’t seen a young person for a long time, “How quickly they grow up!” Yesterday we encountered Jesus as a newborn baby; today we see him grown to be a boy of twelve with intelligence beyond his year. “All who heard him were amazed…” And what’s more? He had not finished growing. The gospel tells that after returning to Nazareth, “Jesus progressed steadily in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.”

We can’t help growing in age. There’s no such thing as a “fountain of youth.” But we can stop growing in wisdom and grace before God and men. That’s easy; all we have to do is be satisfied with ourselves and stop trying to grow.

As we begin a new year, let us ask what we need to do in order to progress in wisdom and grace both personally and as a member of our immediate families. How can I a better husband or wife, son or daughter, brother or sister? As we celebrate the Feast of The Holy Family, let us ask “What can I do to help make my family a more holy family?”

Fr. Carl

True Meaning Of Advent

Dear Parishioners,

This Sunday’s readings remind us that Jesus is reborn every day in ordinary people living ordinary lives, who have the willingness to respond to God’s call and the openness to do God’s will. They suggest this Advent should inspire us to carry out God’s word as Mary and Jesus did, in perfect obedience to His will, in cheerful kindness and unselfish generosity.

What is the true meaning of the Advent season? The readings highlight what should characterize everything we do in Advent, and that is taking Christ to others. A time we bring people to experience Christ by our way of living; by the way we love each other. It does not matter whether you are a significant figure or not, God wants to use you to bring Himself to others.

God is faithful to His promises. From something insignificant, God brings out something significant. It doesn’t matter how small or seemingly insignificant your good deeds are, God always treasures them and makes something meaningful out of them. So be positive minded and never to be discouraged in doing what little you can for others. At Christmas, we celebrate the unique sacrificial gift of Christ to the world. May our lives be sacrificial during this period of Advent to reflect God’s gift of himself to us.

May you and your family leap for joy as Christ enters your home this Advent season.

God Bless,
Deacon Howard

Rejoice! The Lord Is Near!

Dear Parishioners,

This Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, is know as “Gaudete Sunday.” It’s a command in Latin telling us to “rejoice,” because the theme of the readings are joy, and the entrance antiphon from Philippians says “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! Indeed, the Lord is near!” (Phil 4:4–7) But why? Not just because the Lord came into the world at Bethlehem and will come again at the end of time, but because He comes now in Word and Sacrament. As St. Paul says in the second reading, “The Lord Himself is near.” And if He is near, our lives should be different and reflect His presence in our lives. We should dismiss our anxiety, turn over our problems to God, reach out to our brothers and sisters in need, and spend more time with God in prayer and meditation. Then we can be open and receptive to Him who alone can give us peace, comfort, and joy. So “Rejoice in the Lord always.”

Fr. Carl

Christ’s Messengers

Dear Parishioners,

In ancient times, when a king was going to visit a city, he would send before him someone to herald his coming, someone to announce that he would be arriving soon. The herald would go around the city, and go before the leaders of the city, telling them all, “The king is coming. He will be here any day. So, clean up your lives. Make sure you are all in obedience to the kings commands.” As we look at the Gospel reading for this week (Lk 3:1–6), this is what we see going on. The King is coming, and He has sent a herald to announce His imminent arrival. The king, of course, is Jesus Christ, and the herald is John the Baptist. John’s message is that the people need to repair their lives and prepare for Christ’s coming. He does this by calling the people to repent and be baptized. In this second week of Advent, Luke emphasizes the incomparable importance of Christ’s coming by pointing out how Isaiah had prophesied not only the arrival of Jesus but even the appearance of the messenger, John. God had long been preparing this pivotal moment in the world’s history and wanted to do everything possible to alert his people of its coming.

Although Christ has come to the earth, and although he has come to dwell in every human heart, there are many who have not heard of him or welcomed him. With each person, Jesus continues to use this same approach: he sends his heralds ahead of him. We are those heralds. Each of us is Christ’s messenger, boldly drawing others’ attention to the truth and grace of Christ by our words, deeds, and example. Among the many responsibilities each of us has, none is greater or more rewarding than teaming up with the Holy Spirit to prepare hearts for the Lord. Are we being good messengers?

God Bless,
Deacon Howard