Resurrection of the Dead The teaching of the resurrection of the dead had a relatively late origin in Judaism; in the Old Testament, it appears in the Book of Daniel, which was written around 167–164 B.C.: Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to everlasting life, others to reproach and everlasting disgrace (Daniel 12:2). In the New Testament, the Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead; in the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and…
Unto you a SAVIOR is born (Luke 2:11) As we celebrate the birth of Christ, have you ever wondered: why did God become man? Here are some of the reasons: The Word became flesh so that God can fully reveal Himself to man: “In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, He spoke to us through a Son, whom He made heir of all things and through whom…
The Communion of Saints The month of November begins with two important feast days of the Church – All Saints Day on November 1st and All Souls Day on November 2nd. The Catholic faithful celebrate All Saints Day by commemorating the Saints in Heaven and All Souls Day by commemorating the Souls in Purgatory. Both feast days remind us of the Communion of Saints, that we, the faithful on earth, are connected in charity to those who have reached their…
On November 1st, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints, a Holy Day of Obligation, honoring all the Saints in heaven. Throughout the month of November, the Catholic Church also remembers the faithful departed. Offering Mass and praying for the dead has always been practiced since the early Church. 2Maccabees 12:42-45 (c164 B.C.) gives the earliest account that prayers (v. 42) and sacrifices (v. 43) for the dead are efficacious. There is also ample evidence of the custom of…
National Vocation Awareness Week, celebrated November 6-12, 2022 is an annual week-long celebration of the Catholic Church in the United States dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations. National Vocation Awareness Week began in 1976 when the U. S. bishops designated the 28th Sunday of the year for its observance. Beginning in 2014, National Vocation…
The Cry of the Humble In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus addressed the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised others (Luke 18:9). This parable is a warning against self-righteous pride. In the parable, the Pharisee indeed was a righteous man – he was not greedy, dishonest, nor adulterous, he fasted twice a week and he paid tithes on his whole income. But the problem was that he was prideful…
The Virtue of Persistence The main idea behind persistence is to not give up when pursuing a goal despite struggles and difficult situations that arise. In general, that idea also applies to the Christian virtue of persistence, but there are some qualifications. The battle between Israel and the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-13) shows the virtue of persistence in face of a difficult struggle. As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, the Israelites were winning, but when he lowered his…
HELP PAINT OUR ROOF! Giving Tuesday is on November 28, 2023. This year, we are raising funds for the repainting of our church roof. A recent inspection showed that the roofs of the Sanctuary and Office Buildings have started to peel off. There is a need to repaint the roofs to inhibit corrosion and to protect the metal roof from further deterioration. Over the years, the price of paint has gone up so much, as well as the cost of…
Thanking God When was the last time you thanked God? Do you remember how you thanked God? If we tend to think that thanking God is merely saying a quick “thank you,” then we ought to know other ways in which we can fittingly thank God. For Catholics, the most fundamental way to thank God is to go to Mass. That is because Holy Mass is the celebration of the Eucharist, which is an action of thanksgiving to God (CCC…