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Today we commemorate the Third Sunday of Easter in our celebration of the Lord’s Day. The Gospel reading takes us back to that first Easter Sunday later in the day when the Risen Lord Jesus appears again to the disciples. The Lord asks for something to eat in order to prove that He is alive and that they are not seeing a ghost. He tells them that, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You will be my witnesses of these things.”

Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter which is now known as DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY.  Today is also the Octave of Easter which, simply put, means that every day this past week has been basically ONE DAY – Easter Sunday!

CHRIST IS RISEN! - TRULY HE IS RISEN! - This is the greeting which first came from the lips of Saint Mary Magdalene to the Apostles on that first Easter Sunday morning.  Going to the tomb early in the morning on the first day of the week to complete the preparation work begun on Good Friday afternoon for the Lord Jesus, the women disciples headed by Saint Mary Magdalene found the tomb open and the body of the Lord Jesus gone.  Today’s Gospel tells us of this which is the basis for our faith, THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.  The Apostle Paul reminds us that if Christ is not risen then our faith is in vain.  However, the good news of Christ’s Holy Resurrection produced the gift of faith among the followers of Jesus and the courage to proclaim His victory to the ends of the earth.

As we gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day we begin Holy Week with the commemoration of Palm Sunday, which marks the joyous entry of the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem. The Gospels recount this day which began the events leading to the Lord Jesus’ suffering, death and Holy Resurrection. The reading of the Passion Gospel from the Evangelist Mark in today’s liturgy will remind us once again of all that the Lord endured for our salvation.

Today we observe the Fifth Sunday of Lent as we gather to celebrate the Lord's Day.  As you notice, the images and crosses in the church are veiled in purple as we enter into the final days of Lent.  According to the Third Edition of the Roman Missal we find, "In the dioceses of the United States, the practice of covering crosses and images throughout the church from the Fifth Sunday of Lent may be observed.  Crosses remain covered until the end of the celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday, but images remain covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil."  This practice may not be done in all Catholic parishes because the practice is optional.  The covering of images in the church is centuries old and conveys the sorrow of the Lord's upcoming Passion.

Today is the Fourth Sunday of Lent which is also known as LAETARE SUNDAY. Laetare is Latin for “rejoice” in anticipation of the Easter celebration which draws near. The use of rose colored vestments is an outward sign of this approaching joy in the feast of our Lord’s Holy Resurrection.

Today we mark the Third Sunday of Lent as we gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day. The Gospel reading tells us of the Lord Jesus coming into the Temple in Jerusalem. What He finds is disturbing to Him for it is not a place of prayer but rather a place where corruption and sin are found. After turning over the tables of the impious He reminds all that the Temple is a house of prayer dedicated to God.

As we gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day we come to the Second Sunday of Lent. In the Sacred Scriptures which are presented to us for our reflection we find in them the witness of love and its strength. In the Old Testament reading from the Book of Genesis we hear the story of the testing of Abraham and of his willingness to sacrifice his only son Isaac in obedience to God. In the Gospel account of the Transfiguration of Jesus we hear the words of God the Father, “This is my Beloved Son. Listen to Him.”  In the epistle reading from the Apostle Paul’s correspondence to the Romans we read, “He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all…”  All the Scripture readings for this Sunday make reference to the love between father and son, God the Father and His Son Jesus, Abraham and his son Isaac. This love manifests itself in sacrifice and sacrifice is that which we focus on in a very special way during this season of holy Lent. The “sacrifice of Isaac” in the Book of Genesis is a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus.

My Dear Parishioners,   Today we mark the First Sunday of Lent as we gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day. As per tradition on this first Sunday we hear the Gospel account of the Lord Jesus’ 40 days at prayer and fasting in the wilderness where He is confronted by Satan but emerges victorious over his assaults.

Today is the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time and the final Sunday before the start of Lent which begins on Wednesday. In both the Old Testament reading and the Gospel we hear about a disease which brought terror in the hearts to those who lived in former times, LEPROSY. This skin disease brought with it pain, disfiguration and ostracizing from the community. Because of this contagion, lepers were forced to live separately and at the mercy of others. Their plight was pitiful and their suffering life-long. Today Hansen’s disease, as we name leprosy today, is treatable and not as prevalent as in former times.  

Today is the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the Gospel passage which is proclaimed we hear of the sickness of the Apostle Peter’s mother-in-law. The Lord Jesus “grasped her by the hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.” Later in the passage we read, “He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and drove out many demons…” Throughout His ministry the Lord Jesus healed all those who came to Him from physical and spiritual illness. He restored them to health and wholeness, physically and spiritually.

Today we mark the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time as we celebrate the Lord’s Day. I am celebrating the Lord’s Day today in Jerusalem and in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is in this church that Calvary, the place of Jesus’ crucifixion is located, and the Tomb of Christ is also found. I am remembering all of you, my dear people of Rockaway, as I pray before these sacred places which were the scenes of our salvation.

As we gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day we mark the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time in our liturgical assembly.  Today’s Gospel reading brings us to the Sea of Galilee. This is where I will be on Wednesday when I celebrate my 65th birthday! On Monday morning I will be traveling on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land which is being led by our Bishop, His Excellency the Most Reverend Arthur Serratelli. Our Bishop holds a doctorate degree in Sacred Scripture from Rome and had served as a Scripture professor at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange before being named Bishop by Pope Saint John Paul II. As a matter of fact I was a student of the Bishop when I did some graduate work at the seminary back in 1990. The Bishop is a brilliant teacher who made the Scriptures come alive in the classroom. Now to be with him at the sacred sites and to hear his commentaries is something I am looking forward to so that I can come back and share it with you.

We assemble on the Lord’s Day commemorating the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today’s Gospel periscope from John is a reminder to us that in Year B of the Lectionary, which is focused on the Gospel of Mark, Johannine segments are inserted due to Mark’s Gospel being so short. We will be even more aware of this later in the year when for five weeks we will hear the “Bread of Life Discourse”, that is chapter 5 of John’s Gospel.

We assemble together to celebrate the Lord’s Day and to commemorate the Feast of the Epiphany .In the Western Church our primary focus is upon the visit of the Gentile Magi, to the Christ Child, who came from a great distance following the light of a star. The Evangelist Matthew tells us:” And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the Child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the Child with Mary His Mother. They prostrated themselves and did Him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” These gifts have a symbolic meaning regarding Jesus. Gold represents His kingship as Lord of heaven and earth, frankincense used in worship indicates Jesus’ divinity and myrrh, which is used as a burial perfume, indicates that He would die for our salvation.

We gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day on this final day of the 2017 civil year and the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  Today we look intently at the Nazareth home which is the model for all Christian households.  From this home we can find the virtues and attitudes which make strong family life and which serves as a school in transmitting the ways of holiness.  Saint Joseph, the head of this family, along with his beloved spouse, the Blessed Virgin Mary, jointly nurtured the Child Jesus surrounding Him with love and faith.  Their influence formed the Lord Jesus so that He would be prepared to undertake the work of salvation for which He was chosen.  Like all families, this family too experienced challenges and sufferings of which only some are described in the Gospels.  Because of their love and faith these forces were defeated.

In our celebration of the Lord’s Day we commemorate this Third Sunday of Advent which is known as GAUDETE SUNDAY.  In the 2018 Ordo we find, “…Gaudete Sunday, so called from the first word of the antiphon at the Introit. Gaudete (meaning “rejoice” in Latin), taken from the Latin translation of Philippians 4: 4-5, sets a tone of joyful expectation for the Lord’s birth and Second Coming, as does the permitted use of rose colored vestments.”

As we gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day on this Second Sunday of Advent we hear the words of the Gospel Acclamation: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” In the Gospel we are introduced to the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John whom the Lord had sent ahead of Christ Jesus to announce His coming into the world. With zeal and courage Saint John the Baptist fulfilled his role and ultimately gave his life for the Christ as he witnessed to truth and love.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Today we begin the new liturgical Year of Grace 2018 on this First Sunday of Advent. The Scriptural texts which are proclaimed to us as we come to celebrate the Lord’s Day speak about the Lord’s revelation to His people. In the Old Testament reading the Prophet Isaiah says, “No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him.” In those times God had shown himself through the mighty deeds which were performed for Israel so that they might be assured of the Lord’s fidelity even when they strayed from that covenant relationship. King David, the traditional author of the Psalms, yearned that the Lord might show Himself more wondrously, “Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.”

We gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day on the last Sunday of the 2017 Liturgical Year and the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. In today’s Gospel reading we are given a glimpse of what Judgment Day will look like. All of us will be together and then we will be divided. The side on which we find ourselves will be determined by the manner in which we lived our lives. The criterion will be the response we had given to those in need. The hungry, the thirty, the naked, strangers, prisoners, the sick; all those we met during our life and how we responded to them will bring us either eternal life OR eternal punishment. The Lord Jesus reminds us that whenever we did or did not give to those in need, we did it to Him, the Lord and Master of our life.