6th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023

Posted by Christy .. on 2/06/23

My Dear People, 

Many people thought that since Jesus was kind and generous, especially in the way he dealt with people, that he was going to relax the law. Conversely, Jesus did not come to relax the law but to make it stricter, and he included the interior disposition ... Read More »

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/23

My Dear People, 

Jesus summons His disciples to be what God’s people were always meant to be--the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  

Salt was used to flavor and preserve food. By living the beatitudes, Jesus’ disciples became the salt of the earth and ... Read More »

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/23

My Dear People,

Today we read the beatitude from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience who have become Christians. He uses words which have special meaning to the Jewish people. For example, this is called the Sermon on the Mount. 

When the word “mountain” ... Read More »

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/23

My Dear People,

Sincere thanks and congratulations to everyone who donated to the CFA. We were able to reach the goal in December. 

With the wilderness ordeal behind him, the Messiah returns to the land of His upbringing in Galilee. Prompting this move is news that John the Baptist ... Read More »

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023

Posted by Christy .. on 1/09/23

My Dear People, 

When John saw Jesus coming toward him to be baptized, he announced:  “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” Without hesitating, John immediately mentions to the people around him that Jesus’ mission was to take away the sins of the world. 

Lambs were sacrificed in the temple to atone for sins. Every Passover celebration recalls the lambs which the forefathers of the Jewish people sacrificed. They marked the door posts with the blood of the lambs, and, afterwards, they roasted and ate the ... Read More »

The Epiphany of the Lord 2023

Posted by Christy .. on 1/02/23

My Dear People, 

The word magi originally described members of the Persian priestly caste and Median who advised kings and interpreted dreams. The term later was used more broadly to denote those who possessed mystical knowledge, including priests, astrologers, soothsayers, or sages. Their popular association with kings today may ... Read More »

Mary, Mother of God 2023

Posted by Christy .. on 12/19/22

My Dear People (Children of Mary),

Happy New Year, everyone. Today, we celebrate Mary, the Mother of God. Once it was doubted if Mary should be called the Mother of God, there are Christians even today who do not believe Mary is the Mother of God. 

At Ephesus, in ... Read More »

The Nativity of the Lord 2022

Posted by Christy .. on 12/12/22

My Dear People, 

I wish for the child Jesus to bless each and every one of you, and your families this year.  It is important for us to reflect on the child because God loved us so much that He did not come as an emperor or ruler, He ... Read More »

4th Sunday of Advent 2022

Posted by Christy .. on 12/12/22

My Dear People, 

The first reading today from Isaiah is an interesting one. Even after the Lord spoke to Ahaz and said for him to ask for a sign from the Lord, your God, Ahaz refused. Now this happened about 700 years before Christ was born. 

When we read ... Read More »

3rd Sunday of Advent

Posted by Christy .. on 12/12/22

My Dear People,

When John the Baptist was taken into custody (4:2), this event prompted Jesus to begin His kingdom ministry (4:17). How much time elapsed between John’s arrest and Christ initiating His ministry is not known, but it was enough for uncertainty to take hold of the imprisoned prophet.

Apparently, John needed reassurance about the messiahship of Jesus. Was John’s faith beginning to waver as he crouched for long hours in the shadows of his cell? Was he, like many of his Jewish contemporaries, hoping for a militant messiah who would deliver Israel from Roman rule? Or was it that John envisioned his successor to be the agent of divine judgment, the one who would fell the wicked like fruitless trees and hurl them into flames (3:7-12)? The text does not tell us. Whatever thoughts were churning in John’s mind, it seems the works of the Messiah did not match his ... Read More »