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Beloved Parishioners,

As we continue our journey into this Lenten season I share with you reflection on the transformative nature of Christ. Transformation happens when we accept Christ and open to his guidance of the Holy Spirit. Christianity, in functionality and practice is execrably transformative. Who can deny this? The birth of Christ remarkably changed the course of human history and introduced us to a new way of marking date — the Anno Domini (AD), year of the Lord.

Beloved Parishioners,

As we continue in our journey of Lent during this season, I wish to reflect on Temptation as Jesus himself was tempted by the devil after forty days of fasting.

Beloved Parishioners,

I wish to conclude the reflection I started on February 23rd on a topic I titled Simeon’s Hope. Many of you who follow my reflection in this column will remember that I had shared some part of the reflection from the Solemnity of February 2nd , the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus on the altar.

Beloved Parishioners,

As we begin this great season of Lent my reflection is focused on the battle we engage to combat the flesh to be able to journey with Our Lord these forty days of Lent. The image of soldiers throughout history has been a symbol of courage, discipline, and die-hard commitment to a cause.

Beloved Parishioners,

I lack the words to express my profound appreciation to everyone for the successful outing of our parish festival. The festival by all standards was a huge success. My joy was more at how the festival brought many of us together as a worshipping community. This is the first time ever we had so many parishioners volunteering at one event.

Beloved Parishioners,

On February 2nd, the Church celebrated the Feast of the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple. It was on this day that Simeon made this statement from which our reflection of today took its theme.

Beloved Parishioners,

A few months back in this platform I shared a reflection on living the beatitudes. Thus, today’s gospel on the beatitudes according to Luke’s account offers me an opportunity to look at the practical aspect of the reflection. The Beatitudes offer us a practical blueprint for Christian living.

“Sola Scriptura” (The Scriptures alone) is one of the doctrines propagated by Martin Luther when he nailed his 95 theses on the door of the Cathedral of Wittenberg on the 30th of October 1517. This doctrine became a rallying cry during the Reformation and thus, a foundational doctrine for our separated brethren. The great repercussion following it is that it became a continuing source of rift and division to the Body of Christ.

Beloved Parishioners,

Today I want to share with you a reflection on the priesthood of all the faithful. It means that every baptized Catholic participates in the kingship, the priesthood, and the prophethood of Christ since they are baptized in Christ and since Christ is the source of all priesthood (CCC 1141, 1268, 1546; cf. 1174, 1322).

Beloved Parishioners,

The reflection here is a follow-up to last week’s reflection on the Jubilee year and its origin and significance. If you had no opportunity of reading last week’s reflection it will help you more if you go through the last week to get a complete explanation of the entire reflection.

In the previous bulletin of December 29, 2024, I shared a little about the Jubilee year and its origin. The explanation I gave in that write-up was not detailed, hence, in today’s reflection I want to share a more comprehensive explanation of the Jubilee year and what it means for us as Christians. It would be in two sessions. The second part of this reflection will be concluded next Sunday.

My reflection today is centered on how to keep our faith alive, especially in our current challenging world. We need not bother ourselves rehearsing the theological definition of faith for we already know that faith is a theological virtue alongside hope and charity which are infused by God into our souls, allowing us to act in accordance with his will.