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​   We have just celebrated the Word of God Sunday contemplating the role of God’s Word in our lives. Fr. Mike Schmitz daily “The Bible in a Year” reflection is breaking records of popularity on social media platforms. There are millions of people who follow his daily posts. President Biden was sworn into office holding his hand on the family Bible, printed over one hundred years ago.
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These are all-good signs, because God’s Word is the true peace and freedom of his people. It firmly leads us through this life towards life that has no end. We must be always true to what God says and never distort his words.
 
Prayer over the gifts:
​O Lord, we bring to your altar
these offerings of our service:
be pleased to receive them, we pray,
and transform them
into the Sacrament of our redemption.
Through Christ our Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Luke 1: 69-75

"He swore to Abraham our father
    to grant us that free from fear,
    and saved from the hands of our foes,
we might serve him in holiness and justice
    all the days of our life in his presence."

​The readings today are about FAITH. The Letter to the Hebrews continues reflection on the faith of Abraham. While God created the earth and life from nothing, from the dust, He decided to build his Covenant with the people based on the faith of Abraham. He put Abraham to many tests and trials. It was difficult for Abraham and Sarah to believe but out of their human skepticism and brokenness God made his People. Our faith comes from the faith of Abraham and it maybe like a small seed sometimes, but it can withstand the wildest storms. And it seems like we are still very much into  hurricane season now … 

This parable of the mustard seed today reminds of the couple who claims they lived happily 60 years in marriage thanks to little seeds of wisdom their received from Padre Pio, who they met personally as young people. This is incredible story proves that God is planting seeds in our lives, in your life too. You just need to make use of them.  

Read the story ... (here)

One the greatest Saints and scholars of the Catholic Church is Thomas Aquinas. He shaped by his study and teaching the way we understand our faith and relate to God. Who was Saint Thomas Aquinas? His Dominican brothers explain this to present the most famous 5 ways of Saint Thomas.
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The first reading from Hebrews relates to the Old Testament priesthood. Those priest’s sacrifices had only ritual meaning, they were offered because of the law. However, the priesthood that derives from Jesus Christ the High and Eternal Priest signifies the sacrifice, that is perfect, that truly takes sins away and opens the gates of heaven. This is what you are called to be a part of when you attend the Holy Mass and watch the priest doing his duty. It is not the priest’s sacrifice but the sacrifice of Jesus Christ ...

​“These two men were disciples of Saint Paul, and Paul's letters to them are found in the New Testament. Timothy was a close friend of Paul, working with Paul in his ministry, including serving time in prison alongside his mentor. Eventually, Timothy was consecrated as the bishop of Ephesus. He was stoned to death in 67 AD for denouncing pagan worship.

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Paul named Titus the bishop of Crete. He is said to have delighted in the innate goodness of others and drew people to him for his kindness. Titus is said to have died of age. Timothy is the patron saint of stomach and intestinal disorders, while Titus is the patron saint of Crete.”
​      – Living With Christ, Novalis.

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Jn15:16

Alleluia, alleluia!
I chose you from the world
to go out and bear fruit,
fruit that will last,
says the Lord.
Alleluia!


​“Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News” Jesus directs his disciples, and it is a call to everyone who is baptised in Jesus Christ. Our seminarians who responded to the call are experiencing setbacks due to the Pandemic like everyone of us. Seminaries have closed for in-person study and our Bishop assigned them to different parishes to live there and continue their formation on-line. Seminarian Daniel Naim has joined me at St. Mary’s rectory last week and will remain here for the next several weeks. His presence brought some positive change to my usual lockdown isolation. We now pray together every day for you! Please offer a prayer for Daniel as he is on the last stretch of his formation before the diaconate ordination this year and priesthood next year. 

THE SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD
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“The Sunday of the Word of God, instituted by Pope Francis and to be held every year on the third Sunday of Ordinary Time, reminds us, pastors and faithful alike, of the importance and value of Sacred Scripture for the Christian life, as well as the relationship between the word of God and the liturgy: “As Christians, we are one people, making our pilgrim way through history, sustained by the Lord, present in our midst, who speaks to us and nourishes us. A day devoted to the Bible should not be seen as a yearly event but rather a year-long event, for we urgently need to grow in our knowledge and love of the Scriptures and of the Risen Lord, who continues to speak his word and to break bread in the community of believers. For this reason, we need to develop a closer relationship with Sacred Scripture; otherwise, our hearts will remain cold and our eyes shut, inflicted as we are by so many forms of blindness”.” 
​            - Cardinal Robert Sarah

Who are the relatives of Jesus Christ? This question puzzles many who read the Gospel today or other passages where his brothers and sisters are mentioned. Jesus even a lone son but he had family, cousins and other relatives from his mother and father side. Kathy Schiffer is a Catholic blogger goes deeper into this problem in her article she published with National Catholic Register. It explains a lot. You can find it here.
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