Jesus and Nicodemus In Chapter 3 of John’s Gospel, Nicodemus came to see Jesus under the cover of night. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, but unlike other Pharisees, he knew and secretly admitted that Jesus came from God. Unlike many people, Nicodemus did not come to see Jesus to ask for a miracle; neither did he come to spy on Jesus either; rather, he came to talk with Jesus. There is something about Jesus which compelled…
Cleansing the Temple The cleansing of the Temple happened just around Passover – the feast of the Jews which was kept on the fourteenth day of Nisan, in commemoration of the Lord’s passing over the dwellings of the Israelites, as the Lord struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:29-30) We can just imagine how busy the Temple area must have been; according to the Jewish historian Josephus: no fewer than two hundred and fifty-six thousand five…
On March 19, 2021, Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer will consecrate the Archdiocese of Atlanta to the intercession and protection of St. Joseph. The Archbishop asks the faithful of the archdiocese to pray a Novena to St. Joseph. To fulfill the novena, the Litany of St. Joseph may be prayed for 9 days starting on March 10 up to March 19. Litany of St. Joseph Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. God our Father in heaven, have mercy on…
The Old Law Made Perfect Peter, James and John witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus, where His face shone like the sun and His clothes became dazzling white as light. But that was not all. A voice from a bright cloud said: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him. (Mk 9:2-8; Mt 17:1-8; Lk 9:28-36)” The light emanating from Jesus and the voice coming from the cloud revealed the divine glory and beauty of Jesus Christ. The sequence of events…
Lead Us Not Into Temptation Temptation is one of the things that many people struggle against. For Christians, temptation is an attraction to act contrary to right reason and the commandments of God. Jesus Himself was tempted during His life on earth; He was put to the test, in order to manifest both the opposition between good and evil, and the triumph of His saving work over Satan. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer and say “lead us not into…
Happy Chinese New Year! Chinese New Year officially began on February 12, 2021 with the year of the ox. At the beginning of each New Year, there is a great sense of joy and hope for what the New Year will bring. At the Holy Name of Jesus Chinese Catholic Mission, the Holy Mass for Chinese New Year will be at 10:30am on February 14, in lieu of the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time. This Eucharistic celebration gives our community…
Looking for Jesus The disciples looked for Jesus and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” Indeed, everyone was looking for Jesus because even after Jesus had cured many who were ill and drove out many demons, there were still many more who were sick with various diseases and possessed by demons. In this day and age, where and how should we look for Jesus? A number of the faithful have a tendency to be drawn…
A New Authority Mark’s Gospel introduces us to the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry by emphasizing Jesus’ authority in both the human and supernatural realms. The human realm is represented by the scribes who were the teachers of the Law, while the supernatural realm is represented by the evil spirits that tormented the people whom they possessed. The people who heard Jesus teach at the synagogue were astonished at His teaching because unlike the scribes, He taught as one having…
Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., addressed the moral implications of COVID-19 vaccines in a Dec. 15 statement. In a memo to priests, school and chancery staff, he encouraged archdiocesan employees to get a vaccine when one becomes available to them. The archbishop’s statement guiding Catholics follows: Should you get a COVID-19 vaccine? The short answer is yes. There has been some concern about whether or not Catholics should seek a COVID-19 vaccine. As you may know, some vaccines are…
Jonah and the Gourd Plant Synopsis of the Book of Jonah The story of Jonah has great theological significance. It is about a disobedient prophet who rejected his divine commission, was cast overboard in a storm and swallowed by a great fish, rescued in a marvelous manner, and returned to his starting point. He then obeyed God and went to Nineveh. The Ninevites listened to his message of doom and repented immediately. From the king to lowliest subject, the Ninevites…