Fr. Jose

Dear Family members and friends: In today’s Gospel, two very important message are given: 1} Jesus speaks about his passion, death and resurrection. 2} Jesus speaks about what one must do in order to follow him. Jesus very openly says what is going to happen to him. He did not want to hide anything from the disciples. Humanly speaking the leaders will all talk about gains to motivate and influence the followers. But Jesus did not want to misguide the disciples. Again, He says to all who want to follow him to take up the cross and follow him. There is no short cut to follow him, but wholehearted accept all the life experiences, with the prime importance of the soul. Let the question in our ears and hearts: “What shall a man give in return for his soul?” Amen

Fr. Jose

Dear family members and friends:  Today’s Gospel is very important for those who believe in Jesus. Jesus asks the disciples what the people say about Him and later He asked what they themselves say about Jesus. The answer that Simon Peter gave was something extraordinary, in the sense, no one else had made such a declaration: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” The comment that Jesus makes is that it is the Father in heaven who has revealed it to him. In order to have real faith we need the revelation of the Father through the Holy Spirit. The basis of our faith is the declaration by Simon Peter and let us try to be strong in our faith. Jesus also confirms the strength of the church saying that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Let us love the church and as a door to the kingdom of heaven. Amen

Fr. Jose

Dear family members and friends:  Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today’s Gospel acclamation proclaims, “Mary has been taken up into heaven, the host of angels rejoice.” The Assumption of Mary was officially defined as a dogma by Pope Pius XII in 1950. Today’s Gospel tells us about two important natures of Mother Mary: one is her readiness to help others as we see her going in haste to the house of Zachariah and Elizabeth to serve Elizabeth, and the second one is her absolute humility to rejoice in the Lord for whatever she has received. These show that she lived a life as per the mind of the Lord and as the mother of His Son she was kept pure so as to be taken to Heaven with body and soul. Mother Mary, pray for us. Amen