My Kingdom is not of this world As we reflect upon the Kingship of Jesus Christ, let us recall the time when Jesus was brought before Pilate for trial; Pilate asked Jesus: “Are you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:33) Jesus replied: “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not…
The Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem At the time of Christ, the Temple in Jerusalem was a massive building; it took forty-six years to complete, and ten thousand skilled workmen were said to have been employed in its construction. According to the historian Josephus, some of the stones were seventy feet in length, twelve feet in height and eighteen feet in width. The Temple was adorned with gold, silver and precious stones; it was a magnificent sight to behold.…
Resurrection of the dead The Sadducees were an aristocratic sect which opposed the Pharisees. Not only did the Sadducees reject the oral tradition upheld by the Pharisees, they also denied the doctrine of the afterlife. The practice of a man taking the wife of his deceased and childless brother in order to raise descendants for him was intended to prevent a man’s name and family from dying out. However, by New Testament times, this custom was, for the most part,…
The Communion of Saints A saint is a holy person. A saint is called to be humble, repent of his sins, grow in virtue and continue the ministry of Christ in the world, as a member of His visible Body, bringing God’s presence, love and mercy to others. Since the 1st century the Church has recognized those Christians whose lives truly reflect the Gospel mission of faithfulness to Christ and love of neighbor. Saints who are officially canonized are held…
Daylight Saving Time ends next Sunday, November 3, at 2 am. Don’t forget to set the time one hour back in your clocks at home. All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, which means that the faithful are obligated to attend Mass. Here is our Mass schedule for All Saints Day, Friday, November 1: Mass in Chinese at 12 noon and Mass in English at 7:00 pm. We will have a Mass in Commemoration of All the Faithful…
Be Persistent in Prayer! By using the parable of the widow and the dishonest judge, Jesus tells us about the benefits of being persistent in prayer. If the widow was able to get the dishonest judge to render a just decision for her against her adversary because of her persistence, how much more will God listen to His chosen ones who call out to Him day and night? Jesus assures us that God will see to it that justice is…
Increase Our Faith! The apostles said to the Lord Jesus: “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5) In His response, Jesus confirms their lack of faith by telling them that if they only had the faith of a mustard seed, they would be able to command this mulberry tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey them. Such are the wonders that faith can do! It is in this context that Jesus tells the Parable of the…
The Demand for Signs The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is a basis for the Catholic belief in the Particular Judgment: that immediately after death, the deceased person is judged by God for all its acts, and the eternal fate of the departed soul is decided. In the parable, Lazarus was carried by the angels to the bosom of Abraham where he is comforted, while the rich man ended up in the torments of the netherworld. And so,…
No servant can serve two masters In the Gospels, Jesus talks about how the desire for money is an obstacle to our path to God’s kingdom. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Mk 10:25). In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said that the one who hears the word but is choked by the…
Lost but Found When the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to hear him, the scribes and the Pharisees began to complain about Jesus, saying: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:2) Jesus then began to teach them with 3 parables. All 3 parables speak of something or someone becoming lost but then was found. The lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son represent the sinner who had lost his way to God.…