Today the Universal Church is celebrating of The Presentation of The Lord, which occurs 40 days after the birth of Jesus.  This feast is no longer called the “Purification of Mary,” but rather the “Presentation of the Lord” in the new liturgical calendar.

According to the Jewish Law, 40 days after their baby boys were born, parents were obliged to present them to the Lord.  Jesus is presented in the temple today 40 days after His birth.  Why is it 40 days?  Perhaps this number is associated with many events in Israelites’ history, such as the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years before entering into the promised land; Noah’s flood lasting 40 days; Moses being in God’s presence on Mt. Sinai for 40 days; Nineveh had 40 days to repent.  But above all, the number of “Forty” indicates a period of great change, hopefully ending in fulfillment.  Today, the Lord is offering us the grace of “40;” that is, the grace of transformation and fulfillment.

My dear brothers and sisters, the Church asked our parents to present their children to be baptized after they were born.  They were dedicated to God through the Sacrament of Baptism.  You and I were sanctified and transformed by this sacrament but not yet fulfilled, because we are still living our lives on the earth.  The Presentation of the Lord Jesus indeed reminds us about ourselves who were dedicated and possessed by God.  The question for us is: “Do we really possess God and do we really live up to our heavenly call?”  God sets us apart from this world, and God calls us to live higher than normal people – Christians or children of God!

Why don’t we rededicate ourselves to God today?  Promise to God that we will put on Christ; learn from the way Christ lived His life, what He said, what He did and how He acted according to His Father’s will.  To be a good daughters and sons of God is to become another Christ for the world.  May the Presentation of the Lord help us to recognize our privilege: “We belong to God.”

With love,
Fr. Thuong Hoai Nguyen

Last Wednesday, Jan. 22,  marked the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal throughout the U.S.  More than 55 million children’s lives have been lost to abortion.  Catholic moral teaching on abortion says that direct abortion is always intrinsically evil.  Natural law simply says to do good and avoid evil.  Everyone knows about it.  It does not matter what religion you practice.  It is not a matter of your beliefs.  In the woman’s womb is a child.  Everyone can see it.  People become totally blind.  No one has the right to deny the right to life.

In Genesis 1:26 we read that God created human beings in His image, after His likeness.  Human dignity springs from this.  The Fifth Commandment says you shall not kill.  Life is a gift from God, and because of this is sacred; it belongs to God.  Life starts at conception and lasts until natural death.  Everyone has a right to life; this is the first right of every human being.  Life belongs to God, so people should guard life in a holy way.  Abortion is a crime.

From 1 John 1:8, we have to acknowledge that we are sinners.  This is true about all of us.  God is merciful; He forgives sin.  Sin is breaking our relationship with God.  We see this in Genesis.  Sin has an individual dimension and a communal, or social, dimension.  Jesus Christ died for us so we can have salvation.  We should follow the natural law and avoid evil.  We should follow the commandments.

All Christians should be involved in public life; in society and political life to promote human values on earth and after death.  We are salvation people. The Conference of U.S. Bishops states that Catholics should promote child birth and adoption as an alternative.  Citizens should choose people in elections who promote life.  Promoting life is very important.  We as Catholics act in this way. The dignity of the human person has the first place.

Fr. Rafal Duda
Parochial Vicar

The picture of a table reminds us of a family meal.  Not only do we break the bread and share it as a food, but we also share our sadness and joy; we can be together as one family.  Today, there are many families gathering at table, waiting for their sons and daughters and parents.  What a tremendous joy when the missing children come, and they can sit as one family.  “I will go back to my father.” Is there any ideal family in this world?  No, there isn’t.  Only in Heaven there is!

May everyone at the table eat this bread; may Jesus Christ unite us.  We are supposed to forgive each other any hurts that have occurred over the past and live in unity until he comes again.  This is not always easy.  It is difficult, but possible, because we should be united at the one table with Christ who was born in order to unite what was broken by division of sin.

The whole Christian community throughout the world prays in communion with the prayer of Jesus “that they all may be one” (John 17:21).  There are approximately 38,000 different Christian denominations in the world … Jesus prayed for one!

My brothers and sisters, it is very difficult to put together so many pieces of a broken glass.  We need to reach out in love to all other Christians with charity to overcome in truth whatever divides us from one another.  We need to reach out to members of our families.  We can be united.  For example, many Christians will participate in the Walk for Life next Saturday in San Francisco in order to protect unborn children.  On Monday, we will celebrate the birth of Martin Luther King, a Baptist minister, the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and give equal voting rights to African-Americans.  Many of you are helping GRIP, an interfaith, multiracial collaboration founded in the late 1960s that provides services to the Richmond community.

We pray of the prayer of Jesus, the Son of God, that we all may be one.

“Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me,
so that they may be one, just as we are.” (John 17:11)

Amen.

Fr. Rafal Duda,
Parochial Vicar

The 2014  Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) will take place from January 18-25 under the banner of the theme:  “Has Christ Divided Us?”  (cf. 1Corinthians 1:13). See here

In Wadowice, Poland, the town where the Pope John Paul II was born, a photographer captures the prayerful moment at the font where the pope was baptized.  Although the crowd was not large − he was the most widely recognized person in the world − it was something unusual.

Let us look back at the place where we were baptized.  Everything began on the day of the baptism.  We were called by God to be a saint.  We try to follow Jesus Christ at every step on life’s journey: my vocation, school, work, retirement, etc.  The vocation to sainthood is a call from God.  On the last day of our life, we will be brought to the church and the casket will be sprinkled with holy water.  It is the grace and hope that we have in Christ Jesus, so we can return to our home in heaven.

My Savior, you are without sin, but you are always close to me.  You participate in the customs of the people and remind me that I need to repent of my sins.  Baptism is the way to the new life, to being born again of water and spirit.   Jesus!  You come in on the scene of the world, not in a spectacular way but as someone who is “unknown.”  I see you in “the line,” when you are waiting for the baptism, together with sinners.

The gentlest servant of all, come into my heart!  Let me recognize the will of your Father, as you did.  You “get dirty of my sins.”  Jesus, you are always in a distressing experience in my life and you stretch out your arms.  I have sinned and am deprived of the glory of God.  O God; you haven’t changed from the beginning.  That’s not the same me; I have changed.  My sin is to not believe in your love.

Protect me from the enemy Satan, who from the beginning didn’t like that we were in a good relation with God.  From baptism, we are once again in paradise.  Through our Savior’s death and resurrection, we can go to heaven.

And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

and, in the form of a dove, the Spirit descended upon Jesus. (Mt. 3:13-17)

Fr. Rafal Duda,
Parochial Vicar

In the United States, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord this Sunday.  The three magi, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, followed the star to Bethlehem to adore the newborn King.  They brought gifts of gold because the Child was a King, frankincense because the Child was God and myrrh because the Child was destined to be a sacrifice.  May we humbly adore our Savior, offering our gift of love.

Many of you offer your gifts in services to our parish community and outreach services as well.  With your gifts of love, you shine like stars and help to lead many to Christ.

Since before the Middle Ages, Catholics would bless their house by inscribing with blessed chalk the initials of the three kings above their doorways.  This tradition symbolizes the family’s commitment to welcome Christ into their homes throughout the year.  It provides protection against illness and misfortune for those within.

They would mark their doors with 20 + C + M + B + 14 “Christus Mansionem Benedicat,” which means “May Christ bless this house.”  (Casper, Melchior and Balthasar with the first two numerals of the year 2014 preceding the C, and the last two numerals of the year placed after the B).

Retired Pope  Benedict XVI  said last year in a homily that when the wise men from the East led the way, they opened up the path of the gentiles to Christ.  “No doubt there were many astronomers in ancient Babylon, but only these few set off to follow the star that they recognized as the star of the promise, pointing them along the path towards the true King and Savior.  They were, as we might say, men of science, but not simply in the sense that they were searching for a wide range of knowledge: they wanted something more.  They wanted to understand what being human is all about.”

They were men in search of the promise, in search of God.  What kind of star do you follow?

Fr. Rafal Duda,
Parochial Vicar

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our Church dedicates the first Sunday after Christmas to consecrate our families to the Holy Family – Mary, Joseph and Jesus.  To talk about families, perhaps we should identify a traditional marriage.  Marriage is too often conceived as the sacrament that unites a man and a woman to form a couple.  In reality, marriage establishes a family, and its main purpose is to multiply the number of human beings.

A real marriage should be intending toward children.  Although Mary and Joseph were not untied in a carnal way, their marriage is still a true marriage: an indissoluble, exclusive union, wholly subordinate to raising the Child.  Mary and Joseph had only one child, but He would contain the whole of mankind, even as Isaac, an only child, fulfilled the promise made to Abraham of countless children.

Thus, the whole purpose of every marriage is to establish a Christian family.  To look at the Holy Family, it observed the religious laws of Israel; it went in pilgrimage to Jerusalem every year with other Jewish families.  When Jesus got lost in the temple, Mary and Joseph tried to find Him with fear and sorrow!  Mary said to Jesus when she found Him: “Why did you do this to us?”  Jesus simply responded that why are you looking for me?  Don’t you know that I have to do my Father’s will?  Therefore, it may happen that God’s will must oblige the family to make disconcerting sacrifices.  Yet every Christian family must also live in harmony and in prayer, which are the pledges of joy and union.

Then at the end of the Gospel it said: “He remained obedient to them.”  Jesus was God, but He did everything as a son of man.  Perhaps this is the perfect example for all children of God nowadays in our society.  To become Holy Family, each member of a family has to live as Mary, Joseph and Jesus: recognize and fulfill duties and responsibility; deeply love and respect one another; live with joy, happiness and harmony.  And above all, always listen and do the will of God.

Happy New Year.

Best wishes,
Fr. Thuong Hoai Nguyen, Pastor

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In today’s Gospel, the angel said to the shepherds: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David, a Savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.”

Needless to say, it is the fundamental and cardinal reason for celebrating Christmas – the Mystery of the Incarnation.  God became a human: God’s Son was incarnated in the womb of Virgin Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit.  God is still Almighty God and now fully human.  God with divinity and humanity can’t be separated because the Son of God became God-Man.

From now on, all human beings have great hope and confidence that they are no longer walking in darkness. They will see a great light, and they will rejoice because a child is born to them, a son is given to them.  All nations and people will name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.

My friends, I would like to take this holy moment again to wish you all the best.  May this Good News, this great joy always remain in you and your family.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, FELIZ NAVIDAD, MALIGAYANG PASKO, CHÚC MỪNG GIÁNG SINH.

Best wishes,
Fr, Thuong Hoai Nguyen. Pastor

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today’s Words of God invite us to “Rejoice, rejoice, for the Lord is coming!”  As Christmas comes early and quickly this year, our Mother Church emphasizes the joy that should be in our hearts because God the Father is endowing on us the ultimate gift.  The Only Son of God is coming to us!  The great joy of Christians is to see the day when the Lord will come again in His glory to lead them into His Kingdom.

Are we ready for Christ’s final coming?  Not only at Christmas, but also at the end of the world, or at the time of our own death?  If you say you are ready for Christmas but you are not ready for death and judgment, perhaps you are deceiving yourself.  You are not ready yet for the real Christmas.  If you are ready, you should have confidence to say: “Fear not!  Be strong, for here is your God.  He comes with vindication, with divine recompense.  He comes to save you.  Indeed, Jesus is coming, not to condemn but to save.  If you are looking forward to His Christmas coming, you can be joyfully anticipating His coming even in death and judgment.  It will be so good that it is hard to wait for.  But be patient until the Lord comes.

There is only one more week until Christmas of 2013.  We should make a resolution together: we can speed Jesus’ second coming by repentance, evangelization and intercession.  “He who is to come” is coming.  Let us pray, Maranatha!  Come, Lord Jesus, come.  May we yearn for Your coming because we love you.  We believe that when You come, Lord, “The blind will recover their sight, cripples walk, lepers be cured, the deaf hear, death men be raised to life, and the poor have the Good News preached to them.  Blest is the man and woman who find no stumbling block in Me.”  May the Holy Spirit come and help us prepare our souls, our hearts and our minds beautifully for the coming of the Lord Jesus.

With love,
Fr. Thuong Hoai Nguyen, Pastor

My Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We are listening to hard words from St. John the Baptist today: “Reform your lives!  The reign of God is at hand” (Mt. 3:2).  “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight His paths” (Mt. 3:3).  “Give some evidence that you mean to reform” (Mt. 3:8).  How can we put them into practice?

As the journey of Advent continues, as we prepare to celebrate the nativity of Christ, John the Baptist’s call to conversion sounds out in our community.  It is an extremely pressing invitation to open our hearts and to welcome the Son of God who comes among us, like us in everything but sin.

As it is today, we know we are deciding our future destiny.  It is our concrete, everyday behavior in this life that might determine our eternal fate later.  At the end of our day on earth, at the moment of death, we will be evaluated on the basis of our likeness or otherwise to the Baby Jesus who is about to be born in the poor grotto of Bethlehem, because He is the measure God has given to humanity.

As today’s society, we should heed more closely the hard, clear words of St. John the Baptist.  John asked us all about preparing the way for the coming of the Lord in the deserts –  internal and external deserts – thirsting for the water of life which is Christ.

My brothers and sisters, we should ask ourselves these following questions during this Advent: “Do I really conform my life to the Reign of God?  Do I seriously prepare myself physically and spiritually for the coming of the Lord?  Do I try to make straight everything in my life accordingly toward the demand of God?  Do I definitely make some concrete effort to reform my life, the way I live, the way I talk, the way I love and the way I associate with God and my neighbors?  And do I put Christ at the center of my daily life?”

Advent season is the time for us to do these things because we never know how much time we have left.  Years, months, weeks or only a day?  The prudent steward knows how to prepare, how to be alert and how to be faithful to the end when our Lord, Master and Judge will come!  Blessed are those who are awake when the Master comes and knocks at the door.  Open it for Him, and He will take you to the eternal banquet, eternal life.

With love,
Fr. Thuong Nguyen, Pastor

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We, as Catholics, begin the new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent.  In this liturgical year, the church emphasizes the beginning of a renewed commitment to the faith by all those who follow Christ the Lord.

We should take this time of prayer and penance that is so powerful, rich and intense to welcome the One who was incarnated for us all.  In fact, the entire liturgy of the Advent Season will target us to an awakening in our Christian life and will put us in a “Vigilant” disposition, to await the coming of Our Lord Jesus.

According to the first reading today (Rm. 13:11-12), “It is now the hour for you to wake from sleep, for our salvation is closer than when we first accepted the faith.  This night is far spent; the day draws near.”  And the Gospel invites us: “Stay awake, therefore!  You cannot know the day your Lord is coming.” (Mt. 24:42).

When Jesus came the first time, almost everyone missed Him.  They were expecting a Messiah, but not one like Him.  Perhaps the same thing will occur when Jesus comes the last time, such as when Noah entered the ark.  People were totally unconcerned until the flood came and destroyed them.

Jesus is indeed coming to us at Christmas – not in His physical body, but nonetheless in a very real way.  If we are awake and are open to His coming this Christmas, we will have reason to believe we will be prepared for His final coming.

My dear friends, it is time to wake up and open up to Jesus.  It is time to meet the Savior before we meet the Judge.  Let us offer our prayer: “Lord, as we begin new church year, please begin something new in my relationship with you.  You gave me life, I give my life to you, dear Infant Jesus, my King and my Lord.”

Happy Advent,
Fr. Thuong Hoai Nguyen, Pastor