On this Second Sunday of Lent, the Church invites us to reflect upon two beautiful events regarding top of the mountain experiences: The sacrifice by Abraham in the first reading, and the transfiguration of Jesus in the Gospel. Scripture scholars assert that the relationship between Abraham and Isaac foreshadows the relationship between God the Father and Jesus. Like Abraham, God was prepared to let go of what was most precious to him, his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Similarly, scripture scholars tell us that there are some similarities between Isaac and Jesus Christ.

The Gospel today tells us that Jesus went into the desert right after his baptism to fast and pray for 40 days and nights, and there he was tempted by the devil. What is the significance of Jesus spending 40 days and nights of prayer and fasting in the desert?

“Go and show yourself to the priest.” We heard this twice in the Scripture readings today. This is a reminder about the critical role of priests in healing ministry.

The story in the first reading presents leprosy as both a physical and spiritual contagious illness. Thus, God commanded that only a priest can declare someone ill to be quarantined or well enough to reintegrate back into the community. While leprosy in itself does not render someone spiritually impure, it does make it impossible for a leper to participate in the Temple worship. For this reason, the priest’s duty to ensure the sanctity and safety of Temple worship thus extends to the whole community.

It is the time of year again when we are all called to participate in the annual Charity and Development Appeal (CDA). This weekend is designated as Announcement Weekend in all the parishes in our Diocese. I thank all of our parishioners who participated in the appeal last year. Despite the pandemic, we went beyond our goal of $85,000 by up to 117%. A total of 213 families in our parish participated in CDA last year with a total gift of $99,625. I also thank those who have already participated in the appeal this year. Our parish goal remains the same this year at $ 85,000.

In our second reading today, St. Paul touches on celibacy, one of the core practices in the Catholic Church, that has often been a subject of discussion among Catholics and non-Catholics alike especially in the wake of recent sex scandals involving priests. It is important to understand the historical root of celibacy and why the Church considers it a virtue for Priests and Religious in the Latin Rite.

The story of Jonah in our first reading today is one of the most popular stories in the Bible, especially among children. The first time God called Jonah, he was afraid to follow God’s command to go and preach to the people of Nineveh. As a result, he was punished when a fish swallowed him up for three days. As we hear in the first reading, when God called Jonah a second time, he obeyed and went to Nineveh. Similarly, in the Gospel, Jesus called the disciples and they immediately followed Him, leaving everything behind.

The month of January is generally known as the Pro-Life month, especially among Christians in the United States. Special prayers are offered throughout this month for the protection of human life from conception until natural death. This week, you’re invited to join thousands of Catholics nationwide in prayer for the respect of human life during a special Novena called 9 Days for Life (9daysforlife.com) from January 21-29.

The Christmas Season ends today with this celebration of the Baptism of the Lord. We can now put away all Christmas decorations. We will begin the 1st week in Ordinary Time, Year “B” tomorrow, January 11th. Ordinary Time lasts from this week until Ash Wednesday on February 17th. I thank everyone for their participation in the Christmastide this year. My special thanks to the Art and Environment ministers and the Liturgy Ministry leaders for their effective planning for the Christmas and New Year Liturgies. I also thank those who sent donations for the poinsettias and other gifts to the parish and staff during this time.

The Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by St. John the Baptist marks the beginning of His ministry; it was a major turning point in Jesus’s life, especially since we know very little of his life between the ages of 12 and 30. As we heard in the Gospel today, right after his Baptism, the heavens were opened and the Spirit of the Lord descended upon him in the form of a dove. The voice of the Father was heard, “This is my beloved son, listen to him.” God’s voice is heard at the baptism of each one of us reminding us that we are his beloved sons and daughters.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, meaning the revelation of God to the gentiles. Epiphany, commonly known as the story of the “Wise Men,” is one of the most popular stories in the Bible. We are told that the three wise men, also known as the “Magi’’ or “Three Kings of Orient,” traveled a long distance from the Eastern part of the world to Jerusalem, following the guidance of a star in search of the newborn King, Jesus. One question many people ask is, “Why do we call them wise men if they were pagans?” They are generally considered wise men because they were able to search for Jesus using common sense and natural science; they embarked on a journey in search of God as pagans but when they found the Baby Jesus, they worshipped him and then returned as missionaries and believers in God.

This weekend, the Church presents us with the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as a role model for all Christian families. The scripture readings today give some practical examples of the roles children and parents have and how each can help create a holy family and home. We hear some key words that describe the nature between each relationship within the holy family such as love, respect and obedience. This goes beyond the interrelationships within the family...it also pertains to our relationship with God and others in society. The Gospel reading presents Joseph and Mary as being obedient to the Jewish tradition and God. Ordinarily, Mary has no physical reason to present herself for purification. A lamb is to be offered for the ritual sacrifice of atonement, but in the case of a poor couple, two turtledoves and two pigeons would do. The first child to be born is sacred and presented to the Lord, because that child opened the womb.

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, our scripture readings are focused on the “Temple of God.” Our First Reading today tells us the story of King David who wanted to build a Temple for the Lord in appreciation for God’s favor to him and his nation. We are told that God sent Prophet Nathan to tell David that his plan was rejected. Nathan explained to King David about the implication of his intention and why God rejected his plan. Ordinarily, King David’s plan to build a house for the Lord was a wonderful idea, however the motive behind his intention was that he was trying to reward God for his goodness and blessings towards him, which is a sin of pride. We learned from King David’s mistake that no matter how blessed and how grateful we are, no human being can reward God and God does not bless us in exchange for our loyalty to him or our good behaviors. God generously bestows his blessings upon us, unconditionally.

As we observe Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday this weekend, we may ask ourselves, “What is there to rejoice about in the midst of the pandemic?” In our Second Reading today, St. Paul reminds us to rejoice always in all circumstances. Even in the midst of the pandemic and other challenges, we have many reasons to rejoice this weekend and always. Our reasons to rejoice go beyond the need for physical health or protection from harm. It is the Joy of the Lord, the joy that the world cannot give us. In the First Reading, Prophet Isaiah describes his reasons for rejoicing in the Lord. We too can share with him in rejoicing that the spirit of the Lord is upon us, that the Lord has anointed us, that the Lord has entrusted us with the opportunity to announce the Good News, to heal the broken-hearted and to set the captives free. In the Gospel Reading today, John the Baptist also rejoices that he was given the honor of announcing the arrival of Jesus Christ. He saw the light of Jesus Christ, he testified to the Light, he pointed at the Light and in doing so, directed people to follow Christ.

If we were to give a nickname to the liturgy this weekend, it would be “Announcement Sunday.” This is because the First Reading and the Gospel are quite similar; both Isaiah and John the Baptist announce the need for preparation for the arrival of the Messiah. The First Reading from Prophet Isaiah begins with, “Comfort my people.” What a beautiful message! God gave the Prophet Isaiah the privilege to see the future events that preceded the arrival of the Messiah. He heard the voice of someone crying out in the desert, calling people to repent, preparing them for the coming of the Messiah.

His prophecy was clearly fulfilled more than 700 years later in the person of John the Baptist. As foretold, John the Baptist did not only call people to repentance in preparation for the coming of the Lord, he also had the honor of baptizing the people to wash away their sins in the River Jordan.