Please click here to watch the 5:15pm Saturday Mass at
Blessed Sacrament Church
and you can also view any past Saturday 5:15pm Masses.
PRESENTATION OF THE LORD SUNDAY
First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4
Responsorial Psalm: 24:7,8,9,10
Second Reading: Hebrews 2:14-18
Gospel Reading: Luke 2:22-40
Reflection: In Today’s Responsorial Psalm, we responded, “Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!” This is a very powerful question and answer. The question sets a strong platform for great wonder in the world. The answer to the question brings much light to that wonder. It is all about the birth of Jesus into the world. It is about God taking human nature and born into the world in much simplicity. God being born of a woman? God being born as a baby? God being born in a manger? The whole story of the birth of Jesus is the story of wonder. Didn’t Mary wonder when she was approached by Gabriel to be the mother of God? Didn’t the sheep and shepherds wonder as they approached baby Jesus in a manger surrounded by Mary and Joseph? Didn’t the whole world wonder when they saw angels sing at the place where Jesus was born singing, “Glory to God in the
highest and peace on earth to people of good will?” How much great wonder Jesus brought to the world when he is visited with three wise men, kings of the east who walked hundreds of miles to Bethlehem to visit and worship the king of kings? That wonder continues in today’s feast when we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Lord. This feast honors Jesus Christ’s presentation in the Temple of Jerusalem when he was a young child. Jesus’ presentation in the Temple reflects how he fulfills the Old Testament. According to Old Testament Law, a sacrifice had to be offered in the Temple when a child was consecrated to the Lord. Mary and Joseph honored this tradition as we find it in today’s Gospel Reading. They presented baby Jesus into the temple and there they experienced even much wonders. Baby Jesus meets with an old man Simeon. It is written, “This was righteous and devout man, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.” With great joy, Simeon held baby Jesus in his arms and blessed God, “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace…” He even continued to prophesy to Mary that her son was going to be contradicted. In the temple, there was a widow named prophetess Anna who had been in the temple for many years worshipping, praying and fasting waiting for this day. When she saw baby Jesus, she was filled with much joy and came forward to give thanks to God. In his personal reflection for this feast, Pope saint John Paul II expressed his wonder: “God enters the temple not as a powerful ruler but as a little child in his mother’s arms. The King of glory comes not with a show of human force and power, not with a great fanfare and noise, not causing fright and destruction. He comes into the temple as he came into the world, as an infant in silence, in poverty, and in the company of the poor and the wise.” As Simeon and Anna were filled with much awe and returned thanks, glory and praise to God when they witnessed a king of kings in the temple in his whole humility, let us continue to embrace Jesus in our hearts with the same wonder as we daily carry our lives saying, “Who is this king of Glory? It is the Lord. Yes. Amen. Fr. Severine
​
​
5TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C)
First Reading: Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8
Responsorial Psalm: 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Gospel Reading: Luke 5:1-11
Reflection: In Today’s Responsorial Psalm, we responded, “In the sight of the angels, I will sing your praises, O Lord.” There is no powerful prayer among prayers than the prayer of praise. The prayer of praise to God acknowledges him as our almighty and the Lord of all. It values, appreciates and elevates him in our sight. The deity of God is not actualized by our praise but our praise to him tells who we are before him. God to us is all in all. In today’s First Reading, Isaiah receives the revelation to see the Lord. He writes, “In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above.. crying, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory.’” This narrative is the narrative of praise to God which explains his power and glory. He is God who dwells on high and his praise proclaimed by armies of angels. The glory of Jesus is clearly spoken by Simon Peter in today’s Gospel reading when he says, “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Simon speaks of himself after experiencing a catch of fish which he had never experienced in his entire career as a fisherman. Jesus had directed him and his coworkers to put out their boat into deep waters and lower their nets for a catch. Initially, Simon resisted on Jesus’ suggestion saying, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at you command I will lower the nets.” Jesus responds to their shock by saying, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” Wow! Jesus’ disciples are transformed from being catchers of fish into catchers of men. It is an amazing grace! It is all about God’s power and glory. The disciples were filled with awe at the abundant catch of fish. Our feeling of awe and fear towards God can be translated as our praise to him. These feelings are our admirations to God’s powers. In today’s Second Reading, Paul admires the power of God in his life as he writes, “For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by God’s grace I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.” By God’s grace Paul is elevated from being a persecutor of the Gospel into being a leading proclaimer and defender of the Gospel he persecuted. Wow. When we truly deepen in ourselves, we may not fail to see that what God has done to us and continues to do for us in our daily life. This meditation will guide us to see that what we are able to do and that what God is doing for us since we are unable to do it by ourselves. Before our God, we are like little children who continue to depend o n our caretakers whether parents, grandparents, teachers, or nanas. Can a little baby be able to change her own diapers and feed herself? No. What can the little babies do to those who provide them with basic care? The baby’s little smile of appreciation will grant a caregiver with strength to continue caring. To all what God does to us, we will join today’s psalmist and pray “In the sight of the angels, I will sing your praised, Lord.” Yes! Amen! Fr. Severine.
​
​
6 TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
First Reading: Jeremiah 17:5 - 8
Responsorial Psalm: 1:1-2, 3, 4, & 6
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20
Gospel Reading: Luke 6:17, 20 - 26
Reflection: In Today’s Responsorial Psalm, we responded, “Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.” When I was a youngster (and even now) I placed my hope in my parents, my parish priests and sisters, my teachers, my physicians and all who were older and wiser than me. I respected them for their knowledge, wisdom and experience. I consulted themwhenever I needed, I valued their directions and put them in my life. By doing so, I avoided unnecessary troubles and grew up into maturity. The psalmist writes, “All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth.” It doesn’t matter who we are, what age we have, or what rank we find ourselves in life. In order to grow up in maturity, we will be blessed when we hope in the Lord since he is our satellite to guide us in the journey of life. In today’s First Reading the LORD says, “Cursed is the one who trust in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” In the hierarchy of values and powers, we need to totally center ourselves into God and others next. God is the primary power and all other powers in creation are secondary. They all come and pass. Many of people whom I held in high esteem when I was growing up as a child, teenager, or young man are no longer alive. They have gone back to the Lord. I still value the knowledge and experience they shared with me that continues to help me to these days. I admired my parish priests and sisters whom I saw them cherishing life of prayer as they said their rosary, saying their breviary, attending holy Mass everyday, visiting and minister ing tothe sick and doing good works of charity. Through their lives, I was able to know how much love and faith and trust they had to the LORD. Their life style guided me to know and love the LORD. In today’s Gospel Reading, Jesus is teaching us ways leading us to God’s blessings and ways leading us away from those blessings. Our life will receive God’s blessings only when we entirely hope and rely in him. That’s why the psalmist is
inviting us to pray, “Blessed are they who hope in the LORD.” Yes! Amen!
Fr. Severine.
​