Solemnity of ALL Saints

Rev. 7: 2-4. 9-14

Psalm 24

1 John 3: 1-3

Mt. 5: 1-12a

The Secrets of the Saints: I am sorry, I love you, and I need You

Beloved in Christ, Happy Feast Day! Today we celebrate the solemnity of All Saints, and this feast tells us that God created us to become saints. God destined us for the Beatitudes (everlasting happiness). The world tells us that God wants to take away our happiness. That is a lie.

Contrary to what the world says, this feast tells us that God wants us to be happy not only here on earth but for all eternity. The saints we celebrate today include those who have been canonized and all men and women from every nation, race, people, and tongue who have not been declared saints by the Church but are true saints in the eyes of God. They are people who went through all types of difficulties, pains, and suffering in life but still could find joy and live happy lives on earth and now in Heaven. Our readings describe who the saints are and how we can become like them. 

They are people who knew how to say, “I am sorry.” The first reading describes the saints as holy people: So who is a holy person?  To say that something is holy is to say that that thing is dedicated to God's glory and the salvation of souls. To say something is holy means that things help people realize God’s plans for their lives and bring glory to God. A holy person or a saint is, therefore, a person who is dedicated to the glory of God and lives helping people realize God’s plans for their lives. The reading says these men and women are those who have washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. We know that the blood of Jesus takes away sin so clearly; these are men and women who had stains in their clothes like we all do, but they did something that was wise; they knew how to say sorry, confession their sins, and ask for mercy. Therefore, a saint is not a person who has never sinned, but one who knows how to say I am sorry. They knew how to say sorry to God, family, friends, co-workers, and all those God placed in their lives. So you want to be a saint, learn how to admit your sins, and how to say sorry to God and anybody you offend. 

           People who knew how to say, “I love you, no matter what.” The second reading tells us God is love, and he expects his children to be like him. To glorify God is to love the way he loves. How does God love us? He loves us, no matter what. A saint is a person who is able to say, I love you no matter what. Those men and women went through many difficult situations in life, many people did not even like them, but they always responded with love. 

People who knew how to say, “I need you” The gospel says the saints could find joy and hold on to it forever because they believed that salvation from the troubles of life comes from the Lamb of God. The saints did not depend solely on their own wisdom, resources, and strength, but on God and those God placed in their lives. They work with God, but they also worked with others to make this world a better place. They survived the storms and pains of life because they worked with God and worked with others. They were not lone-rangers. One of the most beautiful signposts I saw recently read: “America, the donkey and the elephants are not enough! We need to turn back to the Lamb”. Yes, Beloved, salvation does not lie with the donkey or the elephant. Salvation comes if the donkey and the elephant turn back to the Lamb and allow themselves to be guided by the light of the Lamb! When the donkey and the elephant work together with the Lamb, then our country will be a better place and help the world become a better place. May Christ be our light! 

30th Sunday-Year A

Ex. 22:20-26

Psalm 18

1 Thes. 1: 5-10

Matt. 22:34-40

It is Impossible to Love Others if We Don't Love God

Beloved, I have a little friend in Ames, who is about ten years old. I have known her and the family for the past five years, but she only began to like me a few months ago. She always avoided me and would tell me in the face, I don’t like you! As you can imagine, her parents always felt very bad when she did that and apologized on her behalf. But recently, I was on a Zoom call with the family, and she ran to the camera and shouted, “I love you!” That surprised the parents and me! So I asked: “Why do you love me today? What did I do right?-:)” Her response was, “I decided to like you because my Dad loves you” My Little friend was telling me, left to her, she would not really care about me; but she decided to show her gratitude and love for her dad by caring about what her dad cares about: Me. She was just extending her love for her dad to me. 

Beloved, I think that is what God is asking us to do in our scriptural readings today. In the gospel, our Lord Jesus reminds us that the goal of true religion is not just how much you know about God, though that is important, but most importantly, how much love you have for God and others. In the days of Jesus, the Jewish leaders had developed more than 600 laws from the Ten Commandments. The rabbis often debated which of these laws was the greatest. Usually, those debates were to show off and test how much a rabbi knew about God. A good rabbi was seen as one who could remember all these 600-plus laws and teach them to the people. These leaders took pride in how much they knew about God. So they came to test Jesus to see how much he knew about God. As usual, Jesus knew their intention but used the occasion as a teaching moment. He tells them that the goal of true religion is not just how much you know about God, but rather, how much love you have for God and others. Beloved, loving God with all your mind, your heart, and your soul means that God will, at times, call you to love him in people you might not care about or people you might even strongly dislike. But that precisely is how God wants us to show our love for him. To show our gratitude and love for God by extending the love we have received from him to all those he cares about, all of humanity and created things. 

In our first reading, God is telling us, if you love me then show it in the way you treat others, especially the widow and widower, the orphan, the poor, and those you consider foreigners. God loves all, but he has a preferential love for the poor, the widow/widower, the orphan, and people who are most vulnerable. They need us the most. This is how the early church understood Christianity and lived it. That explains why St. Paul, in the second reading, is praising the Church in Thessalonica for accepting God’s friendship and extending that friendship to him, Paul, his companions, and others who needed help in Macedonia and Achaia. 

Beloved, the truth of the human condition is that there are might be people in our family, workplace, community, school, even church that we might not really like or want to have anything to do with. However, Christianity is a call to become a friend of God and extend that friendship to other friends of God. As we ponder today’s readings, let us ask ourselves: Whom do I find most difficult to love? Can you imagine how beautiful our world would be if we can all make that transition my little friend from Ames made? To be able to tell someone, I don’t like you, but I have decided to love you because my Heavenly Father loves you! May Christ open our eyes to see as he sees and to love as he loves!

29th Sunday-Year A

Isaiah 45: 1, 4-6

Psalm 96

1 Thes. 1:1-5

Mt. 22: 15-21

Am I living in a Way that Enhances God’s Plan for Humanity?

Beloved, if you have ever learned how to swim, then you can identify with some experience I had when I was learning how to swim. I was so afraid of the water, so I really wanted to be in charge and make sure I controlled everything in a way that I would not sink. But anytime I gave in to my fear of water and thought I was controlling everything, I saw that I was sinking. On the contrary, anytime I let go of the fear and the control and rather relaxed, I saw that I was floating. I have learned this lesson about life. We sink when we try to control life. We float when we surrender to God.

The people of Israel experienced this when they were in exile. Our first reading from the Prophet Isaiah tells the story of how for over fifty years, the people had a genuine problem, suffering in exile, but wanted to solve this problem their own way and made things worse. Still, when they decided to allow God to lead them, God surprised them by anointing a pagan king, Cyrus, to defeat the Babylonians, set the Israelites free, and helped them return to their own land and rebuild their lives. The Israelites thought they had to fight and defeat the Babylonians themselves to be free and return to Jerusalem, but God had a better plan. When they surrendered to God’s plan, things got better.

In the gospel, some Pharisees and Herodians (people who supported the Roman occupation of Palestine at the time) come to test Jesus. They ask Jesus whether the Jews should be paying taxes to the Romans. The tax in question was the Censes tax. It was one denarius (a full day’s wage). The Jews had to pay that for the Romans to simply allow them to stay alive. The Romans imprisoned and crucified those who refused to pay that tax. But the Jews had many problems with this tax not only because it was too costly, but the biggest problem was that they had to pay that tax with a Roman coin that had the image of Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor on it and an inscription that referred to Caesar as divine. So for the Jews, paying that tax meant that they were acknowledging Caesar as god, which was blasphemy. So, the Pharisees and Herodians knew that anyway, Jesus answered that question, he was going to be in trouble. But Jesus, as usual, used the occasion to teach them divine truth about life and how to live it and get the best out of it. He gives them a two-part answer. The first part says since the coin has an image of Caesar, he owns it, and it must be given to Caesar. Jesus uses the second part of this response to draw their attention to something else that has God’s image, and so must be given to God. A little quiz here: What is it that Scripture says has God’s image? The human person (Gen 1:27). We are made in the image and likeness of God, so human life belongs to God, and must be surrendered to God.

Beloved, I am sure if Jesus lived in the US today, people would ask him whether to vote for Trump or Biden. I am sure he would have given us the same answer he gave to the Pharisees and the Herodians. We need to perform our civic duties, but we need to perform them in a way that enhances God’s plan for humanity. So those who can vote, please vote; it is our civic duty. It is the right thing to do, but you need to vote in a way that enhances God’s plan for humanity. St. Paul, in the second reading says life will be better if we do all we do as work of faith and labor of love for the glory of God. So the question you need to guide yourself with as you vote is “I am voting in a way that enhances God’s plan for humanity?” Besides the election, we need to ask this question about everything we do in life as Christians: I am living in a way that enhances God’s plan for humanity?

28th Sunday-Year A

Is. 25:6-10

Ps. 23: 1-6

Phil. 4:12-14, 19-20

Mt. 22:1-14

Enhancing God’s Vision for the World

Beloved in Christ, today we celebrate the feast of our patron, St. John XXII, and I wish you a Happy Feast Day! Please wish me something. We thank God for the gift of St. John XXIII for our parish. Thank all of you, our dear parishioners, for the Sacrifices you have made over the years to build such a welcoming and wonderful parish. In a special way, I thank all who are involved in different ministries here at our parish. Please join me say thank you to all of you parishioners! 

Our readings today remind me of an experience I had when I was in grade school. I had an office mate who struggled with his identity. One day he told me in the office that he would go through surgery to become a woman. Given how sensitive that topic is and not wanting to be accused of telling him what she should do, I just kept quiet and told him, “Thanks for sharing.” After three months, he returned to school after the surgery changed into a woman but spent most of the time in the office crying. So I gathered courage one day to ask if everything was okay. It was then she shared that she had regretted her decision and was unhappy and that she wishes somebody would have stopped him. Upon hearing this, I felt so guilty and asked myself should I have said something? Did I fail him? Did I fail God? I think I did, and I still feel guilty about it anytime I think about him. 

Beloved, the Prophet Isaiah, in our first reading, describes God’s vision for our world and our individual lives. He says God’s plan for our world is to fill our lives with joy, wipe away every tear from our eyes, take away the shame caused by our sin, and give us a reason to praise God. The prophet goes on to tell us that God needs a “mountain,” dedicated to Him, where he can make his vision for the world come alive. In the scriptures, the mountain is a symbol of the Temple and the Church, the people of God. The mountain then represents the Church as a community and the individual Christians who make the Church. Thus, when people encounter the Church; their lives should be filled with joy; their tears should be wiped away; their shame should be taken away, and their lives should be touched in such a way that gives them a reason to praise God. When people encounter you and me, this vision of God must come alive for them. 

In our second reading, St. Paul says the Christians at Philippi made God’s vision come alive for his. They shared in his distress and wiped away his tears through their charity. They gave him a reason to praise God. 

In the gospel, our Lord Jesus Christ reminds us that our cooperation with God essential in realizing God’s vision for the world. At the time of Jesus, it was common for a king in Israel and the Ancient Near East, who gave a royal banquet, to provide a special dress for all who were invited (This is similar to our concept of a dress code for special occasions today). There was usually a room in the palace where all the invited guests would be helped by servants to put on the prescribed garment. Jesus describes different types of responses to the king’s invitation. Some offered excuses, others responded with violence, and others came prepared, while others came but wanted to have the party on their own terms. Jesus talks about a man who came to the banquet but wanted to be there on his own terms. He was not supposed to go buy the garment, all he had to do was to accept it and put it on, but for some reason, he refused. He wanted to be at the party but on his own terms. Jesus says the king will not allow this because that destroys the beauty and the joy of the banquet. Beloved, I don’t think those of us gathered here belong to the group that responded with violence; at least we are not killing people because of the gospel. However, there are times that we can identify with the other three groups. There are times when we come prepared and obey God and bring joy to God’s people and glorify God. However, there are times when we give excuses for not living the gospel, and, other times, we are like the man who was invited to the royal banquet but failed to fulfill his responsibility of putting on the right dress. Unfortunately, most of us want to be Christians on our own terms. It just doesn’t work like that.

Today, we celebrate a man who spent his life-enhancing God’s vision for the Church and human society. I ask myself, am are my words and actions enhancing God’s vision for the world or my own vision? Are your words and actions enhancing God’s vision for the world or your own vision? Beloved, our world is hurting, and many people are crying out to God for help. God wants a mountain on which people can encounter God and experience the joy of life and have their tears wiped away. Can God find that mountain in me? Can he find that mountain in you? May God give us the grace to hold his people in our hearts!

27th Sunday-Year A

Is 5:1-7

Ps. 80:9-10

Phil 4:6-9

Mt. 21:33-4

Without Justice Towards God, There will be no Justice in the World

Beloved, this past week, I was very touched by a story from the New York Times about a man called Cywinski. He is the director of the Auschwitz museum in Poland. He heard about a 13-year old boy from Nigeria, Omar Faroug, who has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for blaspheming the name of Alah in a conversation. Cywinski wrote to the President of Nigeria, asking that the boy be pardoned to not waste his life in prison. In that letter, Cywinski added that if Omar would not be pardoned, then he would personally offer to serve the prison term for this boy to have life. When asked in an interview with the NYT, why he would go to that extent of serving a prison term for a boy he does not even know, he said that was his way of telling the government that the punishment given to this boy was unjust.

Beloved, it is true that the boy made a mistake by taking God’s name in vain, but does he have to spend 10 years in prison for that? Can you imagine what the world would be like if God put us in prison for 10 years anytime, we take his name in vain? Most of us would be spending our entire life in prison then. Thank God he does not treat us like that. In every age, human beings have desired a world that is just so why is there so much injustice in the world today? Our readings today respond to that question.

Our first reading tells us that unless we treat others the way God has treated us, we cannot help transform the world. In addition to his prophet calling, the Prophet Isaiah was also a musician, so at times he sang his message. Today’s reading was a song he composed in the 8th century BC based on the message that God had given him. The message was that Israel is a vineyard of God, it belongs to God, and God expects this vineyard to produce fruit (justice, peace, and joy). On the contrary, the Israelites who had cried out against the injustice they suffered in Egypt did not care about the injustice and suffering of innocent people in their midst. The Prophet says this way of living leads to self-destruction and, ultimately, the destruction of a nation and calls on the nation to fight against injustice to establish God’s reign of peace and joy. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells us that any desire for justice in the world should begin with justice towards God. While in the first reading, the problem was that the people were not bearing fruit, in the gospel, the vineyard bears fruit, but there is another problem, injustice towards the landowner. The tenants (caretakers) do not want to give the fruits to God, who is the owner. What is Jesus teaching us here? He talks about how unjust we have been by denying God what belongs to God, our lives. We desire a good harvest but deny the landowner what his due is. That approach to life only brings destruction. We cannot take God out of and hope that life will be better. We cannot hope for justice without first being just towards God. 

St. Paul in the second reading tells us that for us to help transform this world into a kingdom of peace and justice, we should focus on doing everything out of pure love, do things that are just, and above all, do all we do for the glory of God. 

Beloved, the Eucharist we celebrate (the bread that is broken for us, the blood that is poured out for us) shows that God will go to any extent to make life better for us. He will lay down his life for us to have life. It is only fair that we give our lives to him. God does not come into our lives to destroy it but to make it better. The question I ask myself is: I am just towards the Lord? Do I allow him space and time he deserves in our lives? What sacrifices do I need to make in my life right now to give more of yourself to God? What sacrifices do you need to make to give more of yourself to your family, friends, community? We are called to act with justice, to love tenderly, and to shine with the joy and the love of God. We cannot remain indifferent!

   26th Sunday-Year A

Ezekiel 18:25-28

Ps. 25

Phil 2:1-11

Mt. 21:28-32

Faith is Giving God Your Word and Your Life

Beloved in Christ, I have a question. What is faith? To say, "I believe" (Credo) is to give God your word. To say Amen to God's Will! But it is not only giving God your word, but also your life. Faith goes beyond "credo". It is a surrender of life. It is giving God both your word and your life. Jesus tells a parable of two sons whose father asked them to go and work in his vineyard. One gave the father his word but did not go. The other initially said he would not go but later changed his mind and did the father's will. Jesus teaches us that it is never too late to change our minds and obey God, and if we do, God will use our obedience to save some life. 

St. Paul tells us, in the second reading, that Christianity is a participation in the works of the Holy Spirit. Beloved, the Holy Spirit is mostly depicted in Scriptures as a bird or the wind. You don't' tell the wind how it should blow. The wind blows in any direction that it wants, and if you want to go with the wind, you have to be docile. You got to be flexible. You go trusting that God knows where he is taking you. At times, working in the Holy Spirit is like sitting in an airplane. You don't even know the pilot, but you trust the pilot with your life, buckle your seatbelt, just go along. 

The first reading tells us that God expects us to be able to change our minds. It is not natural for human beings to surrender. Our nature is to hold on. We always want to be in control. We respond this way because of the circumstance of life. But the readings tell us that we should learn to change our minds when we have to and allow God's will to be done because when we do, some soul is always saved. In our responsorial psalm, the psalmist reflects on his faith in God and comes to the conclusion that faith must go beyond admiration of God. Faith must be transformative and life-giving.

As St. Paul tells us in the second reading, if we really want our lives to be live-giving, then we need to develop Jesus' attitude towards life. Jesus was obedient to the father with every breath that he took. Even in Gethsemane, when he had a different view about the cross and told his father that, left to him alone, he would have wished that the cup would pass him by, Jesus still obeyed his father and put you and me first: Father even though this is not the way I want it, even though I do not want to drink this cup, but if it's about them if this will bring them life, then so be it. Amen to your word! (emphasis mine). Jesus gave his father, his word, and his life. 

 Last week, a family friend of mine shared a story that affirms the truth that when we change our minds and obey God, a soul is saved. They have a daughter who has been struggling with drug addiction for the past ten years. She is in her 40s, but because of her struggles, she is not able to keep a job. So she has depended on her parents for financial support for the past ten years. At a point, the parents got tired of helping her because she does not seem to change. The relationship between these parents and their daughter got worse, and for the past year, she decided not to talk to the parents any longer. They also decided to ignore her. However, recently, the mother said she was praying and heard an inner voice that they should buy a car for their daughter. She shared this with her husband, but their initial reaction was: NO! We are not doing that. Three days later, they changed their minds and bought the car and drove it to their daughter's house. When they gave her the car, she thanked them, cried, and said: You just saved my life! They did not understand what she meant, but as the conversation went on, she showed them a note she had written. She was about to end it because her car had broken down, and for the past three months, and she had not been able to go to her doctors' appointments and therapy. She had come to the conclusion that if she could not even get to her appointments to get help for her addictions, then life was not worth living. Thank God, her parents decided to change their minds and obey the voice of God. These parents changed their minds to obey God, and they saved their daughter's life.

Beloved, do you see what God can do through us when we obey him? Is God calling you to do something that you don't want to do? Are you resisting the voice of God in any way? May God give us the grace to be Christians not only in our minds and in our words, but most importantly, in our hearts and in our deeds. May Christ be our light and shine through us to dispel the darkness in the world.