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Last Sunday we celebrated the Lord’s resurrection; today we witness the resurrection of his disciple. It has already been a week, a week since the disciples had seen the Risen Lord, but in spite of this, they remained fearful, cringing behind “closed doors” (Jn 20:26), unable even to convince Thomas, the only one absent, of the resurrection. What does Jesus do in the face of this timorous lack of belief? He returns and, standing in the same place, “in the midst” of the disciples, he repeats his greeting: “Peace be with you!” (Jn 20:19, 26). He starts all over. The resurrection of his disciple begins here, from this faithful and patient mercy, from the discovery that God never tires of reaching out to lift us up when we fall. He wants us to see him, not as a taskmaster with whom we have to settle accounts, but as our Father who always raises us up. In life we go forward tentatively, uncertainly, like a toddler who takes a few steps and falls; a few steps more and falls again, yet each time his father puts him back on his feet. The hand that always puts us back on our feet is mercy: God knows that without mercy we will remain on the ground, that in order to keep walking, we need to be put back on our feet.

You may object: “But I keep falling!”. The Lord knows this and he is always ready to raise you up. He does not want us to keep thinking about our failings; rather, he wants us to look to him. For when we fall, he sees children needing to be put back on their feet; in our failings he sees children in need of his merciful love. Today, in this church that has become a shrine of mercy in Rome, and on this Sunday that Saint John Paul II dedicated to Divine Mercy twenty years ago, we confidently welcome this message. Jesus said to Saint Faustina: “I am love and mercy itself; there is no human misery that could measure up to my mercy” (Diary, 14 September 1937). At one time, the Saint, with satisfaction, told Jesus that she had offered him all of her life and all that she had. But Jesus’ answer stunned her: “You have not offered me the thing is truly yours”. What had that holy nun kept for herself? Jesus said to her with kindness: “My daughter, give me your failings” (10 October 1937). We too can ask ourselves: “Have I given my failings to the Lord? Have I let him see me fall so that he can raise me up?” Or is there something I still keep inside me? A sin, a regret from the past, a wound that I have inside, a grudge against someone, an idea about a particular person… The Lord waits for us to offer him our failings so that he can help us experience his mercy.

Dear Family,

Over the past month I have shared a couple of stories about powerful experiences I have had anointing people in the hospital. One was a man named James who I baptized and Confirmed the night before he passed away at the age of 59. The other was a man I anointed just moments before he breathed his last breath. I had never experienced that before. It was a grace for me to be able to assist these two men into heaven. Considering these moments, I wanted to write to remind you about this Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, as well as two other often-overlooked opportunities the Church offers to help people going through difficult situations

First, Anointing of the Sick. I have written about this before. People often associate this Sacrament with “last rites,” and although there is an additional prayer meant for the person close to death (The Apostolic Pardon), the ordinary application of the Sacrament is for anyone in danger of death. This doesn’t mean death is certain, but that death is possible, for example, a recent diagnosis of cancer, or even before a serious surgery. Some people avoid this Sacrament, perhaps thinking that it guarantees death, but really, this Sacrament is a prayer for healing. We pray for recovery of the physical ailment, while at the same time ensuring the healing of the soul, since the Sacrament involves the forgiveness of sins. So, if you ever become seriously ill, do not wait to call for a priest. Celebrate the Sacrament of the Anointing of Sick early and often.

Next is the process of declaration of nullity. This is for people who are divorced and are seeking to remarry in the Church. If you are divorced but not intending to remarry, you do not need to do a declaration of nullity. As Catholics, we believe that marriage is indissoluble if it was contracted validly. Even a civil divorce does not break the unbreakable spiritual union that the consent between the husband and wife makes. However, there are circumstances in which a valid marriage did not take place even if the spouses said their vows in church. These can be things like, “lack of due discretion” (a.k.a., immaturity) or “simulation” (one of the essentials of marriage was lacking, e.g. the intention to be faithful). The declaration of nullity makes it known that there is no marriage bond, and thus, the spouses are free to remarry. This can be a difficult process for spouses to go through, but it can be a healing one as well. If you are divorced and considering remarriage or divorced and remarried already (without a declaration of nullity), don’t be afraid or ashamed, please talk to me and we’ll get things straightened out.

This brings up the third opportunity the Church offers, “convalidation.” This is the process of making marriages valid in the eyes of the Church. The main group of people who need a convalidation are Catholics who were not married in Church. Yes, if you were only married civilly, or married in another church or house of worship, your marriage is “invalid,” which means, you have not entered marriage as the Church knows it to be. I use this example: a Catholic man is asked to witness the vows of his friends on the beach, so he gets a certificate to witness a civil ceremony; is he ordained a Catholic priest? No. Similarly, Catholic couples who get married civilly have a civil marriage but are not married in the eyes of the Church. Marriage is a vocation, a calling from God. It is not simply a civil contract that guarantees certain civil privileges and benefits; it is a spiritual reality, with spiritual implications. Spouses are married, like priests are ordained, for a spiritual mission, to get each other and their children to heaven. Thus, to be married outside of the Church is to deny that aspect of your life that God planned for you. This is not a condemnation, but an invitation. I write this to invite you to go through the process of convalidation, which is one part of my ministry that I work on regularly with couples. So again, if you were not married in the Catholic Church, come talk to me, and we’ll work through the short process of convalidation.

This may seem like a random letter for Lent, but Lent is about drawing closer to Christ, not just in our individual, private fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, but in the public Sacraments and rites of the Church. If you find yourself in one of these groups, know that the Church is not pushing you away. Christ is working through the Church, calling you to a deeper relationship with Him, and I am here to help.

With much love,
Fr. Mario

Dear Family,
As we continue with our Lenten journey, we increase our prayer through Lectio Divina. Since the upcoming Gospel passage for the Fifth Sunday of Lent is exceptionally long (we use the Year A readings for the Scrutinizes at St. Joseph. St. Barnabas will use Year C), I have included a portion only. The entire Year A passage can be found here. Year C is also there. Click here to read the bulletin letter explaining Lectio Divina (1st Sunday of Lent)
 
 Lectio Divina
 The Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent (Jn 11:3-7, 17, 20-27)
The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”
 
Now, having read that, let’s ask ourselves a question considering the name of today’s celebration, Laetare Sunday, which means rejoice. This word is taken from the “entrance antiphon,” a short verse of Scripture which is used to begin Mass if there is no entrance song. This antiphon comes from Isaiah 66:10-11: Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.” And so, the question is, what gives you joy? And not just fleeting joy, superficial joy. Life is too short for me to be asking you that. I want to you to ask what gives you joy in the deepest levels of your heart. Family? Friends? Serving others? How about the Gospel? How about the above Gospel? This Gospel promises life after death, resurrection, immortality. But there is a caveat, this life of perfect satisfaction and consolation must be practiced now, for we cannot have eternal life unless we follow Jesus. Ultimately, following Jesus is what gives joy, and that means we cannot wait to follow Him; we must follow Him today.

Recently, I saw the movie The Banshees of Inisherin, with Brendan Gleeson and Collin Farrell. Although it is a witty movie, it is rated R, and I do not recommend it for children, but this movie touches on this question about what gives joy as we watch the movie’s main characters search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world. Is it music, poetry and art? Is it finding success in the world? Is it being “nice”, a word that is used very often throughout the movie? What gives true joy? Beware, the movie challenges Catholic audiences with its presentation of its Catholic characters and the Church, and in this sense, the movie refuses to answer the question adequately. But the answer is clear, Jesus Christ alone gives joy, and He is beckoning you to follow Him.
 
 With much love,
 Fr. Mario

Dear Family,

As we continue with our Lenten journey, we increase our prayer through Lectio Divina. Since the upcoming Gospel passage for the Third Sunday of Lent is exceptionally long (we use the Year A readings for the Scrutinizes at St. Joseph. St. Barnabas will use Year C), I have included a portion only. The entire passage can be found here. To read last week’s letter on what Lectio Divina is, or to find the list of items one can do to fast, pray, and give alms during Lent, click here.

The Gospel for the Third Sunday of Lent (Year A - Jn 4:1-15)
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” —For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.— Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him,  “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her,  “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

As we approach the Solemnity of St. Joseph on the 19th, I want to reflect a little bit on the life of this man, known as “The Patron of the Universal Church.” Joseph may not speak one word in the Gospels, but his actions speak volumes. Matthew describes Joseph as a “righteous” man (1:19), which means that he was ever in tune with God, with His word, and with His will. Joseph was obedient. He was unselfish. He was humble. He was a man of prayer - even when sleeping - who was courageous in putting his prayer into action for the sake of others. And isn’t that an interesting comparison to make, the apostles sleeping was a sign of their inattentiveness to God, while Joseph’s sleeping was a sign of his docility, his “resting” in the Lord. Maybe we could infer that Jesus learned this from his stepfather, this divine rest. Remember how Jesus slept in the apostle’s boat during a storm? Resting with the Lord is a sign of one who is truly “awake.”    

Our Lord is always inviting us to this rest with Him, especially during Lent. Continue to discern how your fasting, praying, and almsgiving during this season are helping you to accept our Lord’s invitation to rest with Him.

With much love,
Fr. Mario

Dear Family,

In my bulletin article for the Solemnity of the Epiphany on January 5th, I wrote to you about the Magi’s desire to search out the Christ-child. In following the sign of the star rising above Bethlehem they discerned that this child was special, that he was the promised king of Israel. In making this journey from the East to find him, they took a huge risk. Why? They must have known that His birth would have major consequences for humanity. Therefore, they brought Him gifts and did Him homage once they found Him.

The example of the Magi forces us to ask ourselves if we interact with Jesus in the same way. If He truly is who the Church says He is, if He truly is who He claims to be, do we then “risk” our lives, our plans, our goals, to find Him? And once we find Him, does He have such an impact on us that we cannot help but tell others about Him? So many important questions.

In that same bulletin article, I talked about a program to help us answer these questions, Alpha. I am extremely happy to announce that we will be launching our Alpha series next month, (barring any major changes) on Wednesday, March 12, the Wednesday after Ash Wednesday. This is an 11-week series with a small weekend retreat (one to two days at church), in which anyone who wants to ask these questions can come together to find answers.

This big read question mark is the Alpha logo, because questions are good. If we do not ask the questions, we won’t get the answers. This is how Jesus works, he welcomes questions, even those from the most confused, afraid, or doubtful person. Nicodemus met Jesus at night because of his uncertainty. Jesus met him and listened to his question, “How can a person once grown old be born again?” to which Jesus responded, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (John 3:4-5). Sometimes Jesus asks us the most poignant questions. Recognizing the curiosity of Andrew (who was a disciple of John the Baptist), Jesus turned to him and said, “what are you looking for?” (John 1:38). He is asking us the same thing, and He has the answer.

In the Alpha course, we will meet for dinner, watch a video, and break up into small groups to answer these 11 questions: Is There More to Life Than This? - Who Is Jesus? - Why Did Jesus Die? - How Can I Have Faith? - Why And How Can I Pray? - Why And How Should I Read the Bible? - How Does God Guide Us? - How Can I Resist Evil? - Why And How Should I Tell Others? - Does God Heal Today? - What About the Church?

If you see the logo around our churches in the future, you’ll know what it is for. And if you recognize any of the people in the photo below, you can ask them what their experience of Alpha was like. From September to November 2024, we went through the course together, and beginning in March these joyful people will be our leaders for Alpha #1! Signups coming soon!

With much love,
Fr. Mario

Dear Family,
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the Jubilee Year of Hope inaugurated by Pope Francis. This year, I will periodically write and share articles on this event in our Church. Below is an article from the National Catholic Register, which calls to mind the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Although I have never been there, I have shared about one saint’s experience of that place, St. Maximillian Kolbe. I have, however, been to Dachau concentration camp in Munich, Germany. I went there during a layover during my first ever overseas trip to Italy in May 2012. The atmosphere was heavy with a tangible sImage Captionadness. Yet, there was hope. Towards the rear of the camp, a Carmelite monastery had been founded and consecrated in 1964. This may seem odd to some, a Catholic monastery in a place associated with the killing of so many Jews, and yet, the Nazis did not discriminate; they killed everyone who disagreed with them, including many Catholics. Dachau is known for its own “priest barracks” where many priests were sent to die. I still have a little flower I picked from that camp, pressed within the pages of one of my journals, as a sign of hope, that even in the darkest moments of life, God’s light is not extinguished. No matter what the world, the country, or you are going through, we have hope in Jesus Christ.
With much love,
 Fr. Mario 

Dear Family,

This week our Church celebrates Catholic Schools Week, a time for reawakening our appreciation for the critical work of these institutions. Throughout history, Catholics have found themselves trying to practice their faith amidst ridicule, even oppression. In Catholic schools, young people are given the opportunity to freely learn and grow not just academically, but spiritually as well, which is the most important work of the Catholic school. Catholic schools are places where our young people come to know Jesus and experience His love.

Some of you may not be aware, but I never attended Catholic school; my first experience of Catholic school was the seminary in Menlo Park. Since being ordained and assigned at two parishes with schools (the first being Christ the King in Pleasant Hill), I have come to deeply appreciate the Catholic school system. This is because I see the impact religion has on people, even if it isn’t always obvious. Sometimes it is, like at First Reconciliation this past Tuesday for the kids from both our school and faith formation program who are preparing for First Communion. The smiles on their faces after they celebrated the Sacrament was a clear and immediate indication of the importance of ongoing religious education and participation in the Sacraments!
Sometimes, the impact is not so obvious. Teaching the Catholic faith can be a challenge, especially to teens. A few weeks ago, I spoke to our teen Confirmation program on the dignity of the human person in anticipation for the Walk for Life. They were very respectful as we spoke about the Church’s pro-life stance, but this is not always the case. As Deacon Alvaro mentioned in his homily on Wednesday, we often see a “cafeteria” mentality amongst believes who choose to accept the teachings that suit their taste, while rejecting the ones that do not. Deacon courageously went on in his preaching:

That’s why Jesus established his Church, to give us sure guidance. When the Church teaches that Jesus really did rise from the dead, we believe it…When the Church teaches that abortion, euthanasia, artificial reproduction, and contraception are morally wrong, that they directly contradict God's plan for our lives - we believe it. And when it's hard to understand, we study it. We don't just pick and choose beliefs according to convenience. If it's in the Catechism, it's not up for a vote - it's true. And we accept it because we know that Christ loves us and will not lead us astray. He stays involved in our lives because of that love.

Yes, the task of the Catholic school, in passing on the teachings of Christ and His Church, is to pass on the love of God. These teachings are true, as Deacon said, and we want truth. To teach the truth is an act of love, for Jesus said, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:31-32).

It is important to remember, however, that whether your family chooses Catholic school or not, the most important “school” is your home, where the family learns together how to love God and follow Him. Our schools and faith formation programs exist to assist parents, who are the primary educators in God’s love and the teachings of our faith. Take it from me, when I was a child, I bemoaned going to faith formation class, but I fondly remember going as a family to my mother’s family’s Jewish synagogue in Daly City for special occasions. I remember my father leading our family in prayer at big family meals, always thanking those prior generations of family members for passing on the faith to us. Years later, after all my primary and higher education, I can say that growing up in a faith-filled family was the most valuable education I received. Remember, you do not need to be a professional theologian to educate others; you just need to provide an authentic witness of what your relationship with Jesus means to you. As Pope Paul VI stated so poignantly in his letter Evangelii Nuntiandi, "Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” This is the mission of the Catholic school, to raise up witnesses for Jesus Christ!

On behalf of our principals, Danielle Colvert at SJES and Fr. Steve Kim at SJND, I want to thank you for supporting our schools. Please pray for both schools and all the faculty, staff, and students. Pray that everyone who enters our halls will have a life-changing encounter with Jesus the teacher.
 
 With much love,
 Fr. Mario 
 

Dear Family,
As we enter the new year, one of the topics I plan to write about throughout the year is hope. This is because Pope Francis declared this year a Jubilee Year, in which he desires to focus on hope. This is something the Church typically does every 25 years or so. Here is a brief explanation of what a Jubilee Year, or “Holy Year,” is from the Vatican website:

“In the Roman Catholic tradition, a Holy Year, or Jubilee is a great religious event. It is a year of forgiveness of sins and also the punishment due to sin, it is a year of reconciliation between adversaries, of conversion and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and consequently of solidarity, hope, justice, commitment to serve God with joy and in peace with our brothers and sisters. A Jubilee year is above all the year of Christ, who brings life and grace to humanity.
The origin of the Christian Jubilee goes back to Bible times. The Law of Moses prescribed a special year for the Jewish people: "You shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim the liberty throughout the land, to all its inhabitants; it shall be a jubilee for you when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his family…(The Book of Leviticus 25, 10-14)…In the New Testament, Jesus presents himself as the One who brings the old Jubilee to completion, because he has come to "preach the year of the Lord's favour" (Isaiah 61: 1-2)… The Jubilee is called Holy Year, not only because its begins, is marked, and ends with solemn holy acts, but also because its purpose is to encourage holiness of life. It was actually convoked to strengthen faith, encourage works of charity and brotherly communion within the Church and in society and to call Christians to be more sincere and coherent in their faith in Christ, the only Saviour.”

From Christmas 2024 to Christmas 2025, the Church will focus on the theme of Hope. As you can see from the Jubilee logo, the theme for this Jubilee is “Pilgrims of Hope.” Here is a beautiful description of the logo – and hence the theme for the whole year – from the official Jubilee website:

The logo shows four stylized figures, representing all of humanity, coming from the four corners of the earth. They embrace each other to indicate the solidarity and fraternity which should unite all peoples. The figure at the front is holding onto the cross. It is not only the sign of the faith which this lead figure embraces, but also of hope, which can never be abandoned, because we are always in need of hope, especially in our moments of greatest need. There are the rough waves under the figures, symbolizing the fact that life’s pilgrimage does not always go smoothly in calm waters. Often the circumstances of daily life and events in the wider world require a greater call to hope. That’s why we should pay special attention to the lower part of the cross which has been elongated and turned into the shape of an anchor which is let down into the waves. The anchor is well known as a symbol of hope. In maritime jargon the ‘anchor of hope’ refers to the reserve anchor used by vessels involved in emergency maneuvers to stabilize the ship during storms. It is worth noting that the image illustrates the pilgrim’s journey not as an individual undertaking, but rather as something communal, marked by an increasing dynamism leading one ever closer to the cross. The cross in the logo is by no means static, but it is also dynamic. It bends down towards humanity, not leaving human beings alone, but stretching out to them to offer the certainty of its presence and the security of hope. At the bottom of the logo is the motto of the 2025 Jubilee Year: Peregrinantes in Spem (Pilgrims in hope, in Latin), represented in green letters.

Our faith is so beautiful. This description reminds me of the Church’s defense of the dignity of the human person, and the upcoming Walk for Life, Saturday the 25th. I hope you can join us for the Walk in San Francisco, to show solidarity with the unborn and parents who are struggling with a challenging pregnancy. We are called to “walk” with them through life.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Jubilee. For this community, so closely associated with a minor basilica, special opportunities are connected to visiting a basilica, including a plenary indulgence. I hope we can make this Jubilee year one of great grace for all.

With much love,
Fr. Mario

Dear Family,

As we enter back into the season of Ordinary Time, we do so not with sadness that the Christmas season is over, but with hope. This is because the Advent and Christmas seasons at our two parishes were full of joy, which is a sign of God’s abiding presence, no matter the liturgical season. I know because I’ve seen it over the last five years. As I enter my 6th year in Alameda, I want to extend my sincerest thanks to you all who give so much to this faith family. Thank you for making this year, and especially this season of Christ’s birth so special.

Thank you to both Angel Giving Tree projects, and for all of you who bought a gift for those in need (see photo of delivering gifts to South Shore Rehab). Thank you to the Knights of Columbus for hosting Santa Clause and for making us a delicious pancake breakfast.
Thank you to the Guadalupana ministry for praying a novena for us to our Lady of Guadalupe, and for hosting Mañanitas and Mass at St. Barnabas on December 12th with beautiful mariachi music and delicious food. Thank you to both parish’s Simbang Gabi groups. Simbang Gabi is always a highlight of the year where we are nourished with faith and food!
Thank you to those who helped coordinate the end of the year party in the high school gym, and to everyone who donated food. (Sweeeet Caroliiiine!)

Thank you to our Arts and Environment teams. Each season you do an amazing job transforming the churches, drawing us deeper into the mystery of the different liturgical seasons.
Thank you to our liturgical ministers, our lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, ushers and greeters, sacristans, altar servers, Christ-In-Action performers led by Carmen, and musicians led by Bernadette, Cyril, and Michael. The liturgy is the most important thing we do as Catholics, and I am so proud of the effort you put in week after week to make our liturgy sacred and prayerful.
Thank you to our staff: Anne Marie and Georgina (faith formation) Chris and Santiago (facilities), Gloria, Sherley, and Stan (office), Fr. Kenneth, Fr. Steve, and Deacon Alvaro. I consider myself extremely blessed to have co-workers like you in the “vineyard,” and I look forward to ministering with you in the new year.

Lastly, thank you parishioners. Again, I received many heartwarming cards this year. Thank you! But not just for the cards. Thank you for your commitment to our Church and for giving of your time, talent, and treasure. Although our diocese is going through a difficult time, your love for the faith and the Church will get us through it. Together, we will make 2025 a hopeful, joyful year. May the joy of Christmas continue to be a light for you in the new year!

With much love,
Fr. Mario

Dear Family,

Happy New Year! The name of this weekend’s celebration, Epiphany, comes from the Greek word which means “appearance” or “manifestation.” On this feast day we remember the manifestation of Christ to the three wise men – Magi – from the East (i.e. non-Jewish), bringing to fulfillment the faith of our Jewish ancestors who believed that God would manifest Himself to Jews and Gentiles alike to become the one God of all humanity.

This is what the Magi understood about the child they searched for in Bethlehem. This is why they made the journey from the East. This is why they prostrated before Him, did Him homage, and gave Him gifts, because they understood that God was revealing Himself in this child, and that, more than just having the answers to the most profound questions they had about life, they understood that He was the answer; He was way, the truth, and the life (cf. Jn 14:6).
As we begin the new year, let us ask ourselves, “Is this my understanding of Jesus?” To help you answer that question, ask yourself another one, “do I share my faith with others?” Because, if we firmly believe that Jesus is the answer to life’s questions, wouldn’t we want others to meet Him? I grapple with this question, for I have many friends and family members who are not following Jesus. I ask myself, am I truly sharing Jesus with them, or do I keep Him to myself?

That experience of sharing Jesus with others, referred to as “evangelization,” can be a tricky endeavor. We must carefully discern other people’s readiness to hear about Jesus and what He means to us. Each person is different, and what works for one person, won’t always work for another. For some, a conversation over coffee might be best. For others, a letter explaining why your faith is important to you and an invitation for them to find out more when they’re ready would be better. Pretty soon, our parishes will offer a program called Alpha to aid us in our mission to share the Gospel. From September to November of last year, about 20 parishioners and I piloted the Alpha course, and we are excited to open it up to the community in March. Stay tuned! In the meantime, we must pray about how God wants to manifest Himself to others through us. It won’t always be the same, but each time we share Him, it must be done with charity.
As we examine our own relationship with Christ, other questions we might ask ourselves are • like the Magi, what gifts do I give to the Lord, Jesus? Do I give Him my time, talent, and treasure, through and in the Church? • Do I take the time to learn more about Jesus and my Catholic faith? • Do I prepare well and participate fully at Mass? • Do I believe in Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist? • When I sin, do I go to Jesus in the Sacrament of Confession? • Do I extend mercy to others?

All these questions are meant to guide us to ask the ultimate question, “am I becoming more like Jesus Christ?” the humble God, who lowers Himself to comfort the poor, the lost, the broken, the sinner. Does He appear in me? When others see me, do they see Him?
As we enter the last week of the Christmas season, remember that, through our baptism, we have been changed; Jesus lives in us now, but we get to decide how much of Him people see. I leave you with a helpful poem by Howard Thurman to encourage you to make Jesus known to others in your life, to be an Epiphany for them. Feel free to cut this out and read it throughout the year, asking God to help you fulfill your mission to make disciples of all people, by making Him known through your life. That would be a great gift to offer Him.

With much love,
Fr. Mario