“SAY 'NO' IF YOU MEAN NO AND 'YES' IF YOU MEAN YES.”

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Today we are challenged to be Christians who live by what we believe and hold dear. And what is that? That we stand by our rejection of wrong and our affirmation and practice of what are true and just. We are being asked by Jesus to say ‘No’ when we mean No and ‘Yes’ when we mean Yes.

Today, more than ever, we are being called upon to be people who are steadfast in our resolve to promote honesty and right living. We live in a society where what has been tried and proved ethical over the years is now being corroded by shifting values. The ‘Yes’ our elders said to goodness and right living has now been corroded or is becoming obsolete. Values like modesty, prudence and sacrifice are being treated with a subtle but resounding ‘No’. And things that our fore-parents abhorred, or at least said ‘No’ to, even if and when they gave way, are even now being demanded.

In the Gospel of Matthew for today, Jesus urges us to be faithful and confident in our ‘No’ to what is false and ‘Yes’ to what is true.

Let’s say ‘Yes’ to Jesus and stay with our ‘Yes’ even when the crowds say contrary.

Blessings.

Fr. Clement Paul.                   Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest.                         Parish Deacon.

“...YOUR LIGHT MUST SHINE IN THE SIGHT OF OTHERS ...”

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

“...your light must shine in the sight of others so that, seeing your good works, they may give glory to your Father in heaven.” This is not just a statement, it’s a mandate. It’s a mandate now more than ever. Very few will doubt that ours is a society that is walking in dark shadows. Very few are unaware that our world is shrouded in darkness, terrorism, violence, lawlessness, financial challenges, climate change, and now the Corona pandemic. Can it get darker? It can, and will, if we, the New Testament people of God, fail to “let our light shine in the sight of men and women so that seeing our good works,” they come to see light in the proverbial tunnel.

Yes, when a fourteen-year-old can be charged with murder and a sixteen-year-old, the week after, the darkness is dark indeed. Today, Jesus mandates us to be the lights in the darkness around us. Didn’t he say in Matthew 5, ”You are the light of the world”? He went on further and said, “No one lights a lamp to put it under the bed...” And then the text, “...in the same way, your light must shine in the sight of men/women, so that, seeing your good works they may give the praise.” And they need to see the light if they are to give the praise due our Father in heaven.

Are you up to saying yes to the mandate? The Word of God asks this of you now.

Are you ready and willing?
 
May God bless you.

Fr. Clement Paul.                   Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest.                         Parish Deacon.

“... TO PRESENT HIM TO THE LORD...’”

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

“... the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord...” This text gives today’s feast its name – The Presentation of the Lord. But what makes it so special, you may ask. Remember, that at Christmastide we celebrated the love of God in becoming human so that he could share in our humanity. Today, we are being called upon to rejoice with the old man Simeon who, at the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, took the child Jesus in his arms and acclaimed him as “...a Light to enlighten the Gentiles”. In fact, the other traditional name for the feast is Candlemas. Hence, the blessing of candles on that day as well.

On this feast day, all consecrated persons are encouraged by the Church to renew their consecration to the Lord Jesus. Let’s thank God for their gift of themselves to use as instruments of the proclamation of the Word of God. Let’s thank God for the members of our Living Water Household, the Franciscan Sisters, the Pallottine Priests, the Jesuit and our dear Ursuline Sisters.

So, as we receive Jesus in our hearts in Holy Communion today, let’s join Simeon and acclaim, “...my eyes have seen your salvation, a light to enlighten...” And may that light shine on us as we journey along life’s way.

May God bless you.

Fr. Clement Paul.                   Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest.                         Parish Deacon.

“... AND HE SAID, ‘FOLLOW ME...’”

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Today we celebrate the gift of our Father in heaven, the gift of his Word. That Word is Jesus. That Word’s birthday we just celebrated as the Son of God and his revelation, his epiphany to shepherds, Wisemen, John the Baptist and those who lived during his ministry we recalled and are recalling.

The Gospel tells us that the Word began his ministry after his baptism and John’s arrest, by calling disciples to follow him. “As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew... and he said to them ‘follow me...’ ...Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John ... and he called them.” He called them with a clear direction, “Follow me.” Matthew tells us they followed him at once. In other words, they heard and experienced Jesus and immediately followed him.

Let us pray that we too will hear and experience that Word of God, who is Jesus and heed his calling by accepting to follow him this very moment.

Here I am Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

May the Word of God bless you.

Fr. Clement Paul.                   Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest.                         Parish Deacon.

“I AM THE WITNESS THAT HE (JESUS) IS THE CHOSEN ONE OF GOD.”
 
Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Today we continue to celebrate the revelation of the love of God, in and through, the person of Jesus. That revelation or Epiphany was seen all through Christmastide and continues into today where we have John the Baptist witnessing to that revelation by pointing out the Lamb of God and saying “I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.”

Today, too, we are being challenged to be the John the Baptist for the present. We are being called to point out the Word of God made human. We are being invited to say with John the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God...” Yes, we are to so live each day that our lives say “I am the witness that he (Jesus) is the Chosen One of God”.

Today, therefore, remember that in the Acts of the Apostles chapter 1: Jesus himself says “You shall be my witnesses...”

Will you be another John the Baptist and say:
“I am the witness that he (Jesus) is the Chosen One of God...”

May the Word of God bless you.

Fr. Clement Paul.                   Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest.                         Parish Deacon.

“YOU ARE MY …, THE BELOVED.”

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Today we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan by John the Baptist. But why does Jesus, who knew no sin, have to be baptized?” some may ask. To answer that question, we need to recall the events are recounting and reliving, the birthday of Jesus, the visit of the Shepherds and the Maji, the flight into Egypt and now, the Baptism. All these say, and are saying, that Jesus was born as a fully human being so that we may be divine again.

Since he is fully human and human beings need to be baptized so that they could experience the peace and joy of the Kingdom of heaven, Jesus, in his humanity, needs to be baptized. In fact, since he assumed our human nature for all humanity, in and through the blessed Virgin Mary, his baptism makes it possible for us, through our baptism, to share in his divinity. So, today’s celebration is really a celebration of the baptism of human beings.

Let us renew our own baptism and strive to live up to our Christian calling through the baptism of Jesus and our own individual baptism. Do you know the date of your baptism and do you celebrate it?

Fr. Clement Paul.                   Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest.                         Parish Deacon.

“THEN OPENING THEIR TREASURES THEY OFFERED HIM GIFTS...”
 
Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Today as we celebrate the Epiphany or Manifestation of the. Lord Jesus to every one, we do so by recalling Matthew’s account of the Magi or Wisemen searching for the “child born King of the Jews”. Notice that when they found the child with his mother, they opened their treasures and offered him gifts.

The feast challenges us to be the Magis today. That is, to be among those who search for the One who will save us from our sinfulness. Our search should be relentless until we find, or rather, experience the very One we are looking for. He is Christ the Lord.

As we experience him, let us offer him gifts from our treasures. Let us offer him our lives.
 
Fr. Clement Paul.                   Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest.                         Parish Deacon.

THE HOLY FAMILY AND OUR FAMILY

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

As the Christmas Season climaxes into the New Year 2020, we do so by celebrating the end of a decade and the commencement of a new one. In addition, today, the first Sunday after Christmas is celebrated as the Sunday of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Roman Catholic Churches.

Holy Family Sunday, calls on us to model our family on that of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. In fact, with the present indiscipline in our schools, communities and families we will do well to focus on our families in order to contribute to rebuilding our once peaceful homeland, Barbados.

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is given to us so that we can strive to replicate it or better still share in its virtues. We read in John 3:16 that when God chose to show how much he loves us, he sent his Son, Jesus, into our world ... That Son came in and through a family. That coming is graphically expressed in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 2. While the shepherds were keeping watch, they were told by an angel that “A Saviour has been born to you...” When they went in search of the Saviour, Luke says “So they, (the shepherds) hurried and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger...” They hurried to find the Saviour and, in fact, found a family, the Holy Family.

Today let’s us see Jesus in our family and pray that he makes our family a holy family too.

May God bless you and your family and our “WE GATHERING”.

Fr. Clement Paul.                   Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest.                         Parish Deacon.

EMMANUEL GOD- IS -WITH -US

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

This, the fourth Sunday of Advent heralds the imminent Season of Christmas. It focuses on The Virgin who is with child and who will give birth to a Son, Emmanuel, GOD-IS - WITH-US. Yes, this season is about a birthday of the Word of God who is Jesus and who is a sign that God-is-with-us.

Yes, let’s usher in this beautiful, loving season honoring the Woman who said "yes" to mothering the Word of God, Jesus. Her “yes” to motherhood made Christmas happen. Her “yes” to God brought forth God himself in Jesus. “Come let us adore him” as we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”

Please remember he is Emmanuel, God-is-with-us.

May the blessing and comfort and joy be ours this Christmas.
 
Fr. Clement Paul.                   Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest.                         Parish Deacon.

“YOU ARE BLESSED IF YOU DO NOT LOSE FAITH IN JESUS.”

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Today, the Third Sunday of Advent, we are invited to rejoice that the season of Christmas draws near. This Sunday was traditionally called Gaudete Sunday because the New Testament reading for Mass began with the words, “Rejoice in the Lord always...”

Yes, Christmas is already in the air. That calls for rejoicing.

But there are those who will ask ‘...and what is there to rejoice about? There are those who are suffering, bereaved and depressed.’ To them, the Gospel for today proclaims the promise of Jesus, “Blessed are you who have not lost faith in me.” Yes, this may not be a joyful time for some, but it could be a faithful time for all, and especially for all those who in spite of their pain, suffering and/or grief do not lose faith in Jesus. To them he says “Blessed are you who do not lose faith in me.” So, keep the faith no matter the circumstances. You are indeed blessed.

May our faith in Jesus, the Word of God made flesh be deepened as we rejoice in our God who lives among us in Jesus, the Word-made-flesh.

Fr. Clement Paul.                   Revd. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest.                         Parish Deacon.