In our first reading this weekend, God’s people, enslaved by the Babylonians 600 years before Christ, are told of their release by the prophet.  This release would be no less spectacular than their release from slavery in Egypt centuries earlier.  God’s statement, “See, I am doing something new,” leads us into the Gospel, where we hear about a woman caught in adultery who is about to be sentenced to death.  Jesus is doing something new to her: offering forgiveness rather than condemnation.

It’s true that the Law of Moses stated that the penalty for adultery was death.  The scribes and the Pharisees in the Gospel, however, seemed to enjoy the misery of the poor woman as they dragged her before Jesus.  But Our Lord would neither be trapped nor be a partner to their gloating self- righteousness.  It is not that Jesus condoned the sin of adultery or pretended that it was not evil.  Rather, Jesus revealed that he is a judge who extends mercy to the sinner in order to turn them away from sin.  Our Lord knew what was in the woman’s heart, and it must have been that he saw there a spark of repentance, which won his forgiveness.  He told her to avoid the sin in the future as a sign of her repentance.

Sometimes we are rightly accused by others because we do make mistakes; we do commit sins.  Some people even seem to enjoy our misery at the time.  We must remember, however, that Jesus is the judge who wishes to extend mercy to us, no matter what others may think about us, provided we show the spark of repentance.  It is necessary that we do not become complacent because God is forgiving.  We are forgiven precisely because God wants us to repent and turn a new leaf.  As Jesus does something new in our lives, we too, on our part must resolve to do something new.

We are getting to the end of the holy season of Lent.  What can we say is new by way of a positive change in our lives?  What is new about our prayer life?  What is new about our sense of charity?  What is new about our conduct in the church – by coming on time and being reverent and avoiding noise?  Can we say to God, “See, I am doing Something New”?

Fr. Gabriel Wankar
Priest-in-Residence

There is an old saying that God can write straight with crooked lines.  It is a comment that fits the parable we hear in the Gospel text this weekend.  Jesus told the parable because the Scribes and the Pharisees had complained about his kind treatment of known sinners.  But if the Scribes and Pharisees were really the good people they claimed to be, they would have been glad to see sinners being led to repentance.

In the parable, they are represented by the older son who, by his own estimation, had remained loyal to his father.  This older son, however, was guilty of envy, and his father told him he, too, should have rejoiced over the return of his brother. The younger brother had, indeed, been foolish in his sin, but the older brother was equally foolish in his self- righteousness and envy.  In this special season of grace, we are reminded that whatever our sins may be, our God is a loving Father who welcomes back the repentant sinner with open arms.  Such should be the attitude of our Church as well: that she welcomes and embraces all manner of people – of whatever orientation in life.  We should pray for the conversion of all people of goodwill and welcome all who come to us.  If others have wandered away from their Father’s home, they should be our concern.  We should be praying for them.  We should even attempt to search them out to lead them back to God.  It certainly should be a source of great joy to know that a person has repented.

Very importantly too, is the fact that the love and forgiveness of the Father comes to play when this son coming to his senses . . . thought!!!  As wandering children of God, it is not for us to compel God to accept us the way we want.  This God of ours has created us and expects certain behaviour from us – a certain way of living.  Our society today wants to compel God and the Church to accept behaviour and conduct that society itself has fashioned out.  NO!  This is where we differ from the prodigal son.  He came to his senses and decided to come back and, in the process, met the forgiveness of the Father.  Let our society come to her senses. . .

Fr. Gabriel Wankar
Priest-in-Residence

The short parable in the Gospel this week tells of the fig tree that was given opportunities of every kind to produce fruit, but it failed to do so.  Simply put, “The Lord is kind and merciful,” but He expects us not to take His mercy for granted.  With the help of His kindness, He expects us to grow in goodness and holiness.  We are to produce good works.  God didn’t create us just to take up space in this world.  He wants more from us than that.  He wants us to trust Him, to love Him and to do good for others.

One of the ways God manifests His kindness and mercy to us is in calling us to repentance and renewal during this holy season of Lent.  In the book of Revelation, Jesus says: “Whoever is dear to me I will reprove and chastise.  Be earnest about it, therefore.  Repent!  Here I stand, knocking at the door.  If anyone hears me calling and opens the door, I will enter his house and have supper with him, and he with me.”  This assumes that we all have room for improvement.  God asks that of us, and He also gives us the help we need to be better.  That is kindness to us.  The fact that he challenges us to change comes from his love as a caring parent.

The conversation Jesus had about the tragic events mentioned in the beginning of today’s Gospel is interesting.  Sometimes people think that when something bad happens to someone, it’s God’s punishment.  Jesus says that’s not always true.  We can’t think, “Well, if nothing bad is happening to me, it must be because I am so good.”  He tells us we all need to repent, i.e., to work to be better than we are.  This season of Lent keeps reminding us of our need to grow in holiness and goodness.  We are never good enough to remain complacent.  We can all do a better job even when God is comforting us, forgiving us, healing us, encouraging us or correcting us; we still can always do better.  God didn’t create us just to take up space in this world.  Let us strive in the remaining weeks of Lent to show some improvement – to work to be better than we are.

Fr. Gabriel Wankar
Priest-in-Residence

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

Today’s Gospel tells the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration – where Peter, James and John really did see Jesus in a different light – the light of God.  It was also a “mountain-top” experience for all of them.

When we are leaving home coming to church on Sunday, we are going up a mountain to pray and to meet Jesus: Are we excited to experience Jesus’ glory?  Or are we gloomy when we listen to His message about suffering and the cross?

Jesus takes His disciples up a mountain to pray.  During His prayer, Jesus changes – becoming radiant and glorious.  He is joined by Moses and Elijah and, although the three are “in glory,” the subject of their conversation is the forthcoming death of Jesus.  As happens so often in the Gospel, the messages seem to be contradictory – death and glory sitting side by side.

The disciples are overcome by the experience – and who can blame them?  Are we also overwhelmed by the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist?  Do we make any resolution or commit to Jesus, like Peter did?

In fact, the Eucharist is another mountain-top experience where God’s glory is revealed to us.  But we can’t stop here.  We have to go out and continue our journey of faith, going toward Jerusalem with Jesus to suffer and even die to ourselves in order to be transformed into God’s glory.

During this Lenten Season, we are called to reflect on the suffering of the Lord Jesus.  We should gaze on Him because His Sonship will give us the courage to bear our own crosses: “From the cloud, the voice from God the Father: “This is My Son, the chosen One, listen to Him.”

Let us together make every effort to follow Jesus closely.  Lent gives us the opportunity to become better followers of Christ in word and deed.  Let us especially see through our earthly sufferings and crosses the glory of God and the fulfillment of His promise for those who trust and follow Him faithfully.  The Kingdom of God is coming …

With love,

Fr. Thuong Hoai Nguyen

Farewell may not be an apt word to utter, for we do not bring conclusion to our journey in life together as community.  There is no end to everything that is contained in the divine continuum.  If we believe that we all live in the spectrum of the Divine, then we all continue to live in the inseparability of our communion, rooted in the spirit of love that knows no boundary of time, space and distance.

Thus, I reckon with this same spirit that our roads may cross again.  “So long and God’s speed” instead to all of you who had been a valuable part of my life here at St. John’s.  Nothing could ever describe my thoughts of going in order to assume a new assignment, therefore a new responsibility.  It is somewhat bittersweet.  Definitely, I will miss your company like a family.  This parish became my home for more than three years.  But as with everything, there’s a time for everything.  The time has come for me to move on.  With the grace from God, be assured that God will provide many opportunities for me to grow in service of the church.  This is something we can all look forward to.  Thank you for your warm hospitality and prayers, and all the love and care therewith.  And I will continue to pray for each one of you as well.  Let me sum up this postscript with selected verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes:

“There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.  A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant… a time to tear down, and a time to build.  A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.  A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.  A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.  A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak…  God has made everything appropriate to its time, but has put the timeless into their hearts so they cannot find out, from beginning to end, the work which God has done.  I recognized that there is nothing better than to rejoice and to do well during life…  I recognized that whatever God does will endure forever; there is no adding to it, or taking from it.  Thus has God done that He may be revered.  What now is has already been; what is to be, already is: God retrieves what has gone by.”

Fr. Bart

As we recall the life of Jesus, we know that Jesus stayed with Mary and Joseph for 30 years.  Jesus had habitually entered the synagogue on the Sabbath to worship God.  Then, on one special Sabbath day, the time of “favor” came.  On that day, the Holy Spirit anointed Jesus and sent Him out, the Scriptures were fulfilled and Jesus prophesied in power.  The religious leaders did not like it and nearly killed Him.

Since Jesus is the same today as He was then when the Scriptures were confirmed (Heb 13:8), He is still working in power today, His day, the Lord’s Day.  Therefore, we should never be comfortable or complacent when walking into church.  Rather, we should approach “the liturgy of the Lord” with trembling, anticipation, reverence and awe.  At any moment, in any Mass, the Spirit may explode and an international, earthshaking ministry could be born (see Lk 4:18; Acts 13:2).  Great healings (Acts 20:7-12) or life-changing revelations (Lk 24:30-32) might occur.  Miracles will occur, as bread and wine are being transformed into the body and blood of Jesus, Who is God.  The proclaimed Scriptures will be fulfilled in the lives of many today as Jesus comes alive in their hearts and sets them free (Lk 4:18).

In fact, the Eucharist is the real presence of the Lord Jesus with His physical and spiritual Body.  He still reveals Himself with mercy and love toward us; He is still teaching and proclaiming the Good News; He is still performing miracles.  The question for us is, “Do we truly believe in Him and let Him do ministry on us?”

My dear brothers and sisters, Sunday is the Lord’s Day, “the first of all days.”  “Today is holy to the Lord.”  Today, the Holy Spirit also anoints you.  Expect today’s Mass to be charged with power as Jesus makes all things new.  May God, through the same Holy Spirit, anoint every one of us so that we might have power and authority over devils.

With love,
Fr. Thuopng Hoai Nguyen

My Dear Brothers and Sisters:

I really like this weekend’s Gospel, especially when Mary instructed those waiting on table to “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5)  In our daily life, we run out of “wine” so many times – not only out of physical wine at a dinner table, but our spiritual wine runs out in our family relationships.  To remedy this, we need to do what Jesus tells us.

When you don’t see any way out of all your problems, obey Jesus in detail.  When you are in the desert and have not entered the Promised Land, obey Jesus without looking to the right or the left.  When you want to do your own thing, do Jesus’ thing instead.  When everything seems to let you down, you want to give up, obey Jesus’ command and do what Jesus says.  When you want to lead your children to Jesus or above all save your marriage, obey the Lord.  And when you want to face death fearlessly, obey Jesus.

As the Scripture says: “Sin entered the world through the disobedience of the one man, Adam, but salvation came through the obedience of the one man, Jesus.”  Thus, obedience is an opportunity, a privilege and a joy to those who are submissive to the Will of God: with God and in God, through the Lord Jesus.  In obedience, we have reason to be hopeful even under the worst circumstances.  In obedience, we imitate Jesus who obeyed His Father, even to accepting death on the cross.

I would like to invite you all to comply with the Lord Jesus in the way of obedience.  Obey God’s Commandments; obey the Church, which represents God; obey you local ministers who are working under our Mother Church.  Above all, obey your inmost conscience, where God is present.

Life in Christ is the “Life of obedience.”  Obedience is the way to victory.  Why don’t we – you and I – just try to obey God each day and follow Mary’s command: “Do whatever Jesus tells you.”  Surely Jesus will transform our “water of life” into “wine of life,” full of taste and color, splendid in light and radiant in love, like the wine at the wedding at Cana.  We should thank the Lord Jesus each day for the privilege of obeying Him.

With love,
Fr. Thuong Hoai Nguyen

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

When we are baptized, perhaps we hear the message from our Heavenly Father: “You are my beloved sons and daughters; with you I am well pleased.”  And also: “The skies opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on us.”  How marvelous and wonderful was that?  Do we really recognize it and try our best to live up to it?

Today’s celebration of the Baptism of Jesus is associated with seeing God, others and ourselves in a new way.  After receiving the graces of this last day in the Christmas season, we will no longer know Him by our old standards, but we will see God as our own Father who loves us, and Jesus as our brother and redeemer.  This will transform the way we see ourselves.  We will truly believe we are also the chosen – beloved royal, priestly and holy.  Then we will see other people as God sees them.  And we will love our neighbors as ourselves.

On this last day of the Christmas season, my brothers and sisters, I would like to ask you all: “Please renew your baptismal promises.  Open your eyes and receive the Spirit.”  How can we practice it?  Perhaps we should remind ourselves of something: Just remember that we belong to God and that we are brothers and sisters; treat one another with respect and love.  Just remind ourselves that the Holy Trinity dwells within us and recognize the presence of God whenever we are making the sign of the Cross.  And embrace always the idea that “we are God’s beloved sons and daughters” through the Sacrament of Baptism.

With love,
Fr. Thuong Hoai Nguyen, Pastor

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This weekend we are celebrating the Epiphany, in which Jesus shows Himself to all the nations and peoples.  The Three Kings, or Wise Men, represent all the races that have come to worship, adore and offer Him gifts. 

The meaning of the word “Epiphany” has its roots in the Greek language.  The first part of the word, “epi,” means “upon.”  The second part, “phainein,” means “to show.”  By combining these two meanings, “to show upon,” we are reminded of the manifestation of the glory of Christ to the Gentiles.

You and I, as later comers, recognize Jesus through their faith and belief.  The Three Kings were longing for the Messiah who comes to deliver his people from the bondage of sin and darkness.  They took risks to leave their own homeland and dared to accept any difficulties along the way.  In fact, they set out immediately when they saw the star shining on the sky.  They consulted with King Herod, but they did not listen to him because they sensed the king’s cruel intentions, to kill the infant Jesus.  They approached the place where they found the King of kings, the Messiah, and knelt down to offer Him homage.  Then they went back home another way.

Perhaps we should have the same journey that the Three Kings took.  God has shown us the light through the Sacrament of Baptism.  God has given us faith in order to recognize Jesus as our Savior and our Lord.  God has continued to support and protect us through our daily lives by sending the Holy Spirit to make sure we can meet Jesus personally, especially in the Eucharist.  Do we really recognize, worship, adore and offer our life to Jesus?  Do we dare to change our life according to God’s demand?  And do we truly trust and follow faithfully our call as children of God?  Above all, do we follow the Light of Jesus?

Dear friends, this week, let us again reflect upon the Light of Christ that has come upon us.  Let us assess the status of our Christian obligation towards Jesus Christ.  Are we shining in the world in the fullness of the light that Jesus has given us?  And, if need be, let us correct what needs to be corrected so that the fullness of our light may shine forth in all things for the glory of God.

HAPPY THREE KINGS.

With love,
Fr. Thuong Hoai Nguyen, Pastor

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

During the Christmas season, Our Lord invites us to grow in love for Him.  We will receive this new and deeper love at Mass, through God’s Word, by witnessing for Jesus, by forgiving our enemies, and in many other ways.  In trying to deepen our love for the members of our family, we will also grow in our love for the Lord.

The way to love your family more deeply is to be yourself; that is, to fulfill your God-given role in the family.  Because God created families to be united, the various roles and dynamics of family life are intricately interrelated.  For example, a single parent shouldn’t try to be a “double-parent.”  Parents shouldn’t try to be a peer to their children.  While all people are called to be submissive on many occasions, wives are to be the main models of submission: “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.” (Eph 5:22).  Husbands also are the core models of submission to their wives and family: “Husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.” (Eph 5: 28).  Therefore, fathers are to take the greatest responsibility in making their children disciples of Christ.  There are, of course, many other examples.

Dear friends, the Lord expects us only to be ourselves and to do our best.  He will provide what is missing in the family.  In being ourselves and doing our best in family life, we will know the depth of Christ’s love in a new way this Christmas season (Eph 3:18).  Try to be a holy family.  Know a new love for Jesus.  See the face of Jesus in our family members.

Happy New Year,

Fr. Thuong Hoai Nguyen, Pastor