From Pastor's Desk
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From Pastor's Desk
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We congratulate our thirty one parishioners who will be confirmed this Sunday by Bishop William Wack. Confirmation completes the sacraments of initiation. We are born anew by baptism, strengthened by confirmation, and receive the food of eternal life in the Eucharist. We pray that the Lord , through the power of the Holy Spirit, strengthens the gifts he gave to our brothers and sisters on the day of their baptism and make them his worthy instruments of peace, joy, and renewed hope in the world. Also four of our confirmands will be receiving their first Holy Communion. We are very grateful to all the Catechists and those who have journeyed with them for their love and service in sharing the faith to our dear brothers and sisters. May the almighty God richly bless you.
My dear brothers and sisters, we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. The birthday of the church, the day the Lord fulfilled his promise that he will not leave us alone. The first reading and the gospel present the descent of the Holy Spirit differently. The stories of Luke and John compliment each other and teach us that the Spirit is the new law, the power that enables humankind to do good. The Spirit is the source of unity (does away with barriers) and whatever the Holy Spirit is, the power and presence of God is felt. The second reading invites us to see the consequences of the presence of the Spirit in a community. After Pentecost the Church struggles to live the language of the Spirit. In the second reading we hear Paul reminding the divided community at Corinth that their diverse gifts are for the good of the community. It is the one dynamic Spirit which is the source of the community’s gifts. And the Spirit which fired the apostles and which enthused Paul is the same Spirit which fires and enthuses us. The Spirit does1 that in our own mundane attempts to work at forgiveness and love and understanding. That is the language of the Spirit. Forgiveness, love and understanding form a language which everyone understands and needs to hear. That is the language we are invited to speak and the promise is that when we speak it people will recognize it as their own language. They can truly say that we are speaking their language because it is the language which has no boundaries, and no special dictionaries are needed to understand it. It is the language of the Spirit. It is the language of love: the language that all people understand. As we celebrate this solemnity, may the Lord bless us, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD. My dear brothers and sisters, on this weekend many of our children and grandchildren, friends and family are graduating. We share in their joy and accomplishments and we pray for the blessings of God upon them and their heart desires. We say congratulations!
Today’s Gospel presents us with the beautiful words of Jesus at the Last Supper. Jesus begins by speaking of peace: “Do not lose your peace”, knowing that very soon, he is going to go through his own passion. However, he wants the disciples to have faith in him, despite everything that is going to happen. We understand the confusion of the disciples. Jesus is saying that, yes, he is going, but he is going to prepare a place for them. We heard the doubt of Thomas, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?”, and also of Felipe, “Lord, show us the Father and that is enough for us.” They are the feelings we have when life seems difficult. We walk in confusion and look for proof that we are on the right track. Many of us find comfort in the words of Jesus: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one goes to the Father if he is not through me.” The three qualifications: way, truth and life are applied to Jesus to indicate his three functions as mediator, revealer, and Savior. He is the only way to the Father. He is the only way to peace, joy, love, and hope. “Do not lose your peace.” This peace of Jesus is a peace that does not depend on politics. It is a peace that comes from God. In reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the author tells us that there were certain complaints from the Greek Jews against the Hebrews. It seems that there was discrimination in the attention to the widows of the Greeks. To solve the problem, the Twelve summoned a multitude of disciples and a solution was proposed. It is interesting that they left the decision to choose the helpers to the community. It was a community decision to recognize men filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom for the service of the poor. They fixed the issue with the help of the community. We have hope in the vision that Saint Peter had of the Church when he told the community, “You are a chosen lineage, a royal priesthood, a nation consecrated to God and a people of his property, so that you may proclaim the marvelous works of him who called you from the darkness to his marvelous light.” It is true that we are weak, but if we open our hearts to the power of the Holy Spirit, we can live as witnesses of the wonders that God does through his Church. We find solace in these readings. We know that the Church has always gone through difficulties, but the power of the Spirit carries it forward. Jesus tells us clearly, “Do not lose your peace.” May he bless us with his presence in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, last week the bishop and the priests in the diocese went on a retreat. It was a fruitful time to renew ourselves in the Lord. We prayed for you and I wish to thank you for your prayers. Bishop Wack extends his warm greetings to you and his sincere gratitude to each one of you for your faith, love and support to the diocese. May the good Lord bless you. Amen.
The Good Shepherd is one of the oldest and most popular images of Christ. Every year on this Fourth Sunday of Easter we hear a section from chapter ten of the gospel of John that deals with the Good Shepherd. The part of chapter ten read this Sunday does not mention the Good Shepherd. Jesus describes himself as "the gate of the fold" of sheep. In the part we will read next year he will call himself "the Good Shepherd." However, "the door of the sheepfold" has a role as helpful as that of the shepherd. The shepherd has to watch over the fold to protect the lives of the sheep. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who leads, guides and protects his sheep. The Good shepherd’s sacrifice gave life to his sheep and brought them back to the fold. Today, we meditate on the Good Shepherd’s merciful tenderness, so that we recognize the rights he acquired over each one of us by his death. It is a good opportunity to consider in our prayer our love for the Good Shepherds. My dear brothers and sisters, this Sunday is also Word Day of Prayer for Vocations. The purpose of World Day of Prayer for Vocations is to publicly fulfill the Lord's instruction to, “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). Priests and Religious or consecrated men and women are called to follow Christ and collaborate with him in guiding the flock of God. Let us spend time each day praying for our priests and religion. Please pray that young men and women hear and respond generously to the Lord's call to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, societies of apostolic life or secular institutes. In praying for vocations, let us pray for our own vocations: married life or single life. This day offers us an opopportunity to ask oneself how in whatever capacity or vocation we found ourselves, we have been a good shepherd in the image of Christ. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, answer our prayers. In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD Jesus is Risen! Yes, he is truly risen! On Friday, we gathered in the church to celebrate the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. He died on the cross. He died with a question and with a scream “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” After they buried Jesus in the tomb, they rolled a stone to seal the entrance and then guards were put there. The gospel tells us that on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early in the morning and found it empty. She was still sad about what had happened, she was wondering who was going to roll the stone for her. Then she got there and the stone was rolled away.
My dear brothers and sisters, today, Alleluia is our song. Because the question of Jesus on the cross “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”; is answered by the empty tomb. It is God’s answer to his Son’s suffering and death. The empty tomb is God’s stamp of approval on all that Jesus said and did: his proclamation of the Kingdom of God, his treatment of the poor, sinners and outcasts, his acts of compassion, healing, liberation, his understanding of forgiveness, his preaching, his intuitions, and his parables, they became validated, vindicated! Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:14 that “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless and your believing is useless too”. And in Romans 10:9, “if you admit with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. So we have a reason to be happy. We congratulate our five parishioners who received the sacraments of initiation in the Easter vigil Mass. A big thank you to the Catechists who journeyed with them. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to each one of you for journeying with us during the Lenten season and sharing in the resurrection of our Lord. Thank you for your continuous support to the St Eugene Catholic Mission and Students Center. May the resurrection of Christ permeate every part of your life. May you and all your dear ones share in the joy of the risen Lord. Happy Easter!!!!! Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD. My dear brothers and sisters, the first part of the celebration of this Sunday marks the triumphant procession of the crowds with Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. This event is what gave the name “Palm Sunday” to this Sunday but we know that as soon as we process into the church we also begin the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The narrative of the triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem begins with Jesus sending his disciples to the neighbor village to go and bring a tethered colt which does not belong to him. It was enough for the disciples to say to whoever asked to know what they were doing that “the Master needs it” and the deed was done. Jesus, who did not have any property, relied on his Father to provide him all he needed. The Father did so using other people who came to the aid of Jesus. His great trust in the Father is what made him confident in having the colt he needed for his triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem. We need to have great faith in God so that we can also experience his providence. Another symbolic sign in the narrative is Jesus riding on a donkey or simply a young animal. Whereas many people would like to see an imagery of a warrior in the action of Jesus, it may seem more correct to think of the picture of a shepherd since that is the imagery that Jesus himself presents throughout his public ministry. He enters the city not as a warrior who has been triumphant over his enemies but as a shepherd who leads his flock of humanity to take procession of the city which is theirs by right. Thus each time we enter the church in procession, we know that Jesus our shepherd is before us and leads us to the house of God where we are called to dwell forever. Let us therefore learn to make God's house our dwelling place so that we may benefit from the graces that his triumphant entry showers on us. The reading of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ sets the tone for the events we will be commemorating throughout this Holy Week, especially during the Easter Triduum. This Holy week, the most important events in the history of the world will transpire: namely the passion, death and resurrection of his majesty, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ and the King. Let us actively journey with our Lord, let us unite our story with his and open our heart for the graces of this week. May the Lord bless us in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, retreat is very important in our Christian life. It can be defined as a definite time spent away from one’s normal life for the purpose of reconnecting, usually in prayer, with God. The gospel starts by recounting the transfiguration. In which Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. It shows us one of the important moments in the life of Jesus, when he came to understand his mission, and he realizes he will carry it out through humiliation and defeat. Jesus wants his disciples to accept the plan of the Father for him but they do not do so. Only after his death will they understand how the way of the cross was the way to life.
The second reading continues with this gospel idea and invites all of us to die with Christ. The death we speak of here is the destruction of our selfishness. The first reading completes the message of the liturgy of today by presenting Abraham to us, the man who placed his trust in God and, because of this, was promised a country and numerous descendants. During this liturgical season, the Lord takes us with him to a place apart. While our ordinary commitments compel us to remain in our usual places and our often repetitive and sometimes boring routines, during Lent we are invited to ascend “a high mountain” in the company of Jesus and to live a particular experience of spiritual discipline. A retreat refreshes and revitalizes, gives the opportunity for more time spent in prayer and contemplation, and rekindles and deepens one’s relationship with God. It creates the opportunity for a person to more clearly hear God’s call and to seek God’s healing grace and thereby attain a degree of spiritual renewal. It is an invitation to temporarily leave behind the usual distractions we all face to allow an inner change to occur: the ongoing conversion of heart that is critical to deepen faith. Lent is a time that the Lord invites us “come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while with me”. As a parish we are invited to the English Lenten revival Monday March 6 and Tuesday March 7th 7pm each night. Food will be served from 6pm so that we can come from work. The Spanish Lenten retreat is on Saturday March 11th from 8:30am to 1pm. I wish to encourage all parishioners to make a conscious effort to participate actively in this spiritual exercise. May the Lord bless us. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD My dear brothers and sisters this Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent and I would like to invite you to reflect on what tempts you the most? How does God help you overcome temptation? From the gospel we realize that just after the glory of the hour of baptism, Jesus was led by the spirit into the wilderness and was tempted by Satan. Our life is a journey with the Lord. Let us not doubt that the devil tempts us every day as he tempts Jesus here.
The devil never offers us sin as something destructive. Rather, he always presents us with something bad in a good likeness. In the first reading, the serpent offers the woman the forbidden fruit, emphasizing that by eating it she would become wise. Jesus is very hungry when the devil dares him to change the stones into bread. In the same way he entices us to satisfy our inordinate cravings for food, drink, and sexual pleasure. Jesus rejects the devil's offer because he gives more importance to attending to the word of God the Father than eating. Following him, we must remember the need for moderation in matters of appetite. The devil not only tempts our physical needs but also our deepest anxieties. Every human person wants to make sure that God is there to save them when they feel hopeless. In situations that demand extreme personal sacrifice, we Christians expect Him to protect us. A woman remembers how she felt empty and lost when she received news that her two brothers had been in a car accident. The crash killed one and seriously injured the other. She had no inner peace until she received the consolation that God allows these upheavals to produce something better. In the second temptation the devil tempts Jesus to kill himself to assure himself of the love of God the Father. But Jesus knows that the Father's love is infinite and that the Father always cares for him. Finally, the demon tempts Jesus with power. He says that he will grant him sovereignty over the world in exchange for a simple act of worship. But Jesus knows that power sought for its own sake only corrupts. We must resolve that whatever power we have will be used for the betterment of others, never to harm them. During times of temptation, we should know that we are not alone. The spirit of God is with us, we have the holy scriptures at our disposal. May the Holy Spirit give us strength. May God bless our desire to do his will. Let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God in every temptation and tribulation as we seek for strength and grace in prayer. In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD. My dear brothers and sisters, this Wednesday we will begin the graceful season of lent that will lead us to Easter. We make this forty days Lenten season with the whole Church because God has called us to form his people reconstituted from him. We will be likening the Israelites in the first reading. They traveled through the desert for forty years so that God can form them as his special people. They have to learn how to be holy like him. The reason for this formation is more than the edification of individuals. Rather, God wants to use them, and now us, to instruct the world in his ways.
It is quite a difficult mission to fulfill, particularly when considering the human tendency to sin. We need God's help without which we cannot fulfill the mission. Help will come to us precisely as a result of the Lenten journey. As Paul says in the second reading, God forms us as the "temple of the Holy Spirit.” This title involves tasks both inside and outside the community. First, outside, it is specifically left to the laity to transform the world according to the gospel by sowing the seed of the kingdom of God. They do it by living their lives in demonstrative ways of the Holy Spirit. Although not required, many lay people have ministries within the church. Teaching the catechism, which they have done for centuries, as well as reading the Word of God and distributing Holy Communion at Mass count as ministries. Christ puts us on the Lenten journey with the part of the Sermon on the Mount that most anticipated our destiny. In the Kingdom of God we will not experience enmity. Rather we will all treat each other with love. As disciples of Jesus we are to practice this universal love in our daily lives. Lent serves us as training. First, we must condition ourselves not to react defensively when other people mistreat us. This is not a matter of allowing a bully to beat us up but of not caring how we appear to other people. Instead of returning insult for insult and blow for blow, we leave the other person marveling at how the Holy Spirit has rendered us peaceful and kind in the midst of threats and insults. It seems that many Catholics think that it is enough to go to church on Ash Wednesday to fulfill their Lenten obligation. But the ashes serve as a reminder that we have been marked by God as his sons and daughters and the need to repent from sin and live the Kingdom virtues. On the route we will face various types of challenges. With our eyes fixed on Christ crucified we will not give up before them. Rather, we will end up more conformed to him. What sacrifice am I going to make this Lent? It is my prayer that the Lord bless you with a fruitful Lenten season. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD. My dear brothers and sisters, last week Jesus told us that “you are the light of the world”. Light illuminates, it reveals what is there and shows the way. Light is opposite to darkness and it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness. You are the light of the world. Jesus is telling his disciples that they are the light of truth that reveals the reality of God’s goodness and contrast with man’s wickedness. We are to be LIGHT, witnessing boldly to the Word of the Lord. Now he shows us that bringing light to others doesn’t just happen. It happens only when his light fills our minds and hearts so that it can shine out from us.
Darkness is a metaphor for ignorance or evil. When we light a candle darkness is overcome. This symbolism of a lit candle overcoming darkness, ignorance and evil was a powerful sign at the feast of presentation and Easter vigil. Tonight a candle is a symbol of hope. In this Black History Month, we are reminded to light candles of hope, love, unity and reconciliation. To light a candle is to say to yourself and others that, despite anything that might be happening in the world, you are still spreading a message of peace and unity based upon something beyond the present state of things and this hope is based upon deeper realities and powers than the world admits. Each person has a God-given mission to fulfill, a particular job to do that has been given to no one else. The first reading tells us that human beings are free and we are accountable for our actions. The second reading speaks of the wisdom of God, so different from human wisdom, the gospel gives some examples of this. The disciples do not ask Jesus to explain what he says. They believe in the love of the Father and know that the way he shows them is the way of life. The doctrine of Jesus is of eternal value to people of all times. To keep the truths of faith in their fullness is essential to the salvation of mankind. May he grant us the grace to light our candle wherever we are. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD. My dear brothers and sisters, Black History Month is a month-long recognition of African Americans and the critical role they played in the founding and shaping of the United States of America.This year's theme is "Black Resistance”, which takes a look at how African-Americans have fought repression from America's
earlist days. There has always been a crossroad between the Christian faith and grave moral issues like war, capital punishment, abortion, racial prejudice, poverty and care for the earth. We are reminded to examine each event and news through the eyes of our catholic faith. The Lord reminds us on this first Sunday of the Black History Month that salt flavors food, as salt preserves food and brings healing, so we are called to transform the world into an expression of beauty and goodness. We have the mission to change what exists in the shadow to what shines with the light. We have the power to go where there is evil and sow seeds of generosity and compassion. We are the force of the Spirit that blows with energy and joy”. Each of us have been chosen by God to bring the gospel to our homes, workplaces, to pass our faith to our children and grandchildren and share our gifts and talents with the world. The light we reflect is not our own but by God. Awe are the salt of the world because of Christ. This Sunday, we begin the “Catholic Sharing Appeal” (CSA). We wish to express our sincere gratitude to you for your contributions and support to our mission and the Catholic Sharing appeal. Our annual Catholic Sharing Appeal allows the diocese to evangelize and serve in many ways Catholic charities- bringing the light of Christ to the less fortunate, Catholic education- preparing students to be a light to the world, faith formation (adults, youth and marriage and family life)- proclaiming the light of Christ, fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life- “yes” to the call, continuing clergy and religious formation- Amy their light shine before others, advocacy and justice-catholic social teaching, diaconate formation among many others. Thank you very much for your continuous contributions and support. It is our prayer that the Lord bless us with a successful campaign. And may He bless you and your good intentions in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD |
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