Christmas Reflection

Christmas 2013 Reflection By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD Mission Sts. Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy An All Inclusive and Welcoming Old Catholic Parish and Ministry Of the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas Link to Mission Web Site: www.missionstsergius.org Christmas REFLECTIONS TV show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA_VcfN6y8M Link to St. Joseph Cupertino Parish: http://stjosephcupertino.com/index.html Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FranciscansDivineMercy?fref=ts Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Web Site: www.franciscansdivinemercy.org Link to the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas http://www.iccamericas.org/ Link to All Reflections TV Shows; http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn Email Address: Divinemercyparish@msn.com And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.(John 1:14) Glory to God in the highest, and peace to all people on earth with whom He is Pleased. Today is born unto us a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (John 2:14, 11) His name will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) And Mary brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, see, the angel of the Lord came on them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said to them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”.(Luke2:7-14) When Jesus came to earth in goodness and loving kindness He saved us by the virtue of His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, which was poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by His grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7) What a glorious gift was given to us on that night when our savior was born in a simple stable. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords was not born in a palatial palace. He was not born in the warmth comfort of a home or inn. No, he was born in a humble stable surrounded not by nurses and doctors and relatives but by Mary and Joseph, his parents, who had accepted God’s will for them even though it could have left them open to criticism. They were there with only God‘s other creations, the animals of the barn. Jesus first visitors were simple shepherds, not the elite of the world. God has given us a sign by this choice for His only son’s birth. God is trying to tell us to live our lives simply and not by seeking fame or fortune. We have been given a message that the simple things in life are what count. Not riches, fame, fortune, but the simple things of life like family, friends, and the beauty of nature. In every event recorded of Christ’s life in scripture, we find a message of acceptance, compassion and forgiveness. Christ welcomed all who came to him. He sat and ate with those considered sinners. Christ is referred to as “The Light of the World” which means He was sent to light the way for us, like a brilliant beacon that guides ships away from dangerous shoals and reefs toward a safe harbor, Christ showed and taught us how we need to live our life. Christ was born to clarify God’s will for us and dispel the darkness that prevailed and still causes so much pain and suffering. Christ came to comfort us in times of distress by assuring us that there is a great reward awaiting us at the end of our earthly life if we follow his example. The miraculous birth we celebrate today is that of God made flesh. God gave us a human image to equate to; a human being that had to endure all the human feelings, emotions, problems and joys that each of us has to experience in our journey of life. Christ endured the pain of a loss of a parent and friends; He experienced the joy of a wedding of a friend. He became angry at the greed and callousness of the priests and temple employees. Christ also told us how to live a life that would insure everlasting peace. His message was one of Love, forgiveness, compassion, mercy and generosity. On this day that we celebrate God’s gift to us of His only son and God’s promise of salvation to all his children, let us present an offering to Him that reflects the way of life He advised us to lead. Let us begin to be more compassionate to those who are suffering from hunger, illnesses such as AIDS and cancer, poverty, substandard housing, and discrimination. Let us work hard to eliminate these ills of our society and bring about a time of equality and justice for ALL God’s children. On this day that we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace let us make a concerted effort to bring peace into the world beginning with our own families, friends and neighbors whom we might be have hurt in some way. If all of us begin toward this goal, we can make a huge difference in the world. As Neil Armstrong said upon landing on the moon, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” By our taking that small step in the direction of bringing peace into our own lives we might prod other people to do the same and eventually this “Virus of Peace” could envelope the whole world. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27) With these words of Jesus I end this joyous message of Christmas and pray that the Peace and infinite love of Christ will invade your hearts today and all the days of your life. Merry Christmas and May God grant us a peaceful and joyous New Year. On this day I leave you with this prayer and my personal wish that you all find comfort and peace within your life. Have a blessed Christmas , A Peace Prayer By Father Robert Johnnene OFD O Lord Jesus Christ, Prince of peace, we cry out to you to put an end to all the strife and destruction that is tearing apart this planet earth which your heavenly father, Almighty God, created. All across this planet innocent men women and children of God are being slaughtered, starved and deprived of the basics of life because of mans desire for power, greed and control. Even some religious denominations, who proclaim you as their messiah and redeemer, are being torn apart because of discrimination and the need to enforce man made rules created only to segregate and insure wealth, power and domination. We beg you to intervene and send Your Holy Spirit down upon all those individuals in positions of power, infusing within their hearts and minds the need to find ways to put to an end this destruction, discrimination, and desire for domination and end the needless suffering and pain being caused by their actions. We come to you, Lord Jesus, because you have promised us peace with these words; “Peace I leave you, My peace I give unto you” (John 14:27) and we beg you to proclaim as the angels did on the night of Your birth “Glory to God in the Highest and Peace to His people on Earth” AMEN

Reflection for 4th Sunday of Advent

4th Sunday of Advent 2013 Reflection By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy Independent Catholic Church of the Americas Email: Divinemercyparish@msn.com Link to Mission Web Site: www.missionstsergius.org Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FranciscansDivineMercy?fref=ts Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Web Site: www.franciscansdivinemercy.org Link to the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas http://www.iccamericas.org/ Link to All Reflections TV Shows; http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn Link to St. Joseph Cupertino Parish: http://stjosephcupertino.com/index.html Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honored with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.' these words from the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent indicates how powerful the child in the womb of Mary was. A good thing to remember also is that Elizabeth and Zechariah her husband who was a priest in the Jewish Temple were not young, they had long past the child bearing age but Zechariah was chosen by lot one morning to offer incense in the Holy Place, the temple's inner chamber where only priests were allowed. As Zechariah was praying, the Angel Gabriel appeared at the right side of the altar. Gabriel told the old man that his prayer for a son would be answered. Zechariah's wife would give birth and they were to name the baby John. Further, Gabriel said John would be a great man who would lead many to the Lord and would be a prophet announcing the Messiah. Zechariah was doubtful because of his and his wife's old age. The angel then struck him deaf and mute because of his lack of faith, until the child would be born. Now when Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was in the last month of her pregnancy our Gospel story tell us of what Elizabeth experienced and how she knew that the child Mary was carrying was the promised Messiah. We also must remember that Mary accepted the will of the Lord in spite of the possibility that in doing so she could be stoned to death. Now we need to ask ourselves how willing are we to do God's will even when it will be difficult. That is the lesson and the question I believe we need to think about this last Sunday before we celebrate the birth of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Many popes and saints have urged us to follow the example of Mary and give birth to Christ this Christmas spiritually in our hearts and minds. I am reminded of the words of St. Francis concerning the birth of Christ; "We give birth to him through holy works, which should shine forth as an example for others. How holy and dear, pleasant, humble, peaceful, lovable and desirable above all things it is to have such a brother and such a son, our Lord Jesus Christ!" As we go through life often times we are faced with problems or trials that we would rather not have to deal with. I have experienced it as well as many others when the doctors give you the news that you have cancer or a serious health condition. But I also have found that with faith and trust that God will bring you through that difficulty, especially if you turn to him and pray often to him putting your trust in his will you will come through the difficulty. Often, the most difficult times are lessons sent by God to lead us toward the place he desires us to be or tests like those Job had to endure as proof of our complete trust and love of God. St. Franics tells us that when we love God with a sincere heart we give birth to Christ spiritually especially when we accomplish deeds that manifest Christ's teachings to the world. What would have happened, I wonder, if Mary had told Gabriel "You have got to be kidding? You want me to bring forth a child without being married?" "No Way!" "I could get stoned to death as a harlot" It is with complete faith in God, The God that Mary knew from the Hebrew Scriptures, that Mary accepted God's invitation even though it could create a very heavy burden for her. I sometimes wonder what this world would be like is Mary had not accepted God's call. If Jesus had never been born and therefore we never head the Good News of Salvation that Christ came to enlighten us with through that light lead us on the path that would bring us to everlasting life. Christ was sent by the Father, Almighty God, to teach us the truth of God's will and to rebuke all the man made rules and regulations that had been imposed over the years.. Christ came to give us the keys to open the doors to heaven for all who desire to follow the path He taught us. The path of Christ is a simple one; "Love God with all our being and love each other as Christ loved us" Christ loved us enough to die for us. There is no greater love than that. Mary's acceptance of God's will was the first step in our redemption. If she had refused Christ would not have been born and the prophet's fulfillment would not have happened which means we would not be celebrating Christmas this Wednesday. On Christmas Day let us attempt to follow Mary's complete trust in God and accept His will for us. Let us learn to be happy with how God created us and to accept others as God created them. Let us give each other the gifts of brotherly/sisterly love and diligently try to bring about a time of justice, equality, truthfulness and fairness to every individual on the face of the earth since we all are children of God no matter what nationality or religious denomination. This Christmas let us renew our efforts to bring about a time of peace and justice to all. Let us dig down and support those who are in need and support those charities that are trying to help others. Let us make God a major focal point in our daily schedule. Let us place our complete faith and trust in God as May did and tell God "Not our will but your will be done unto us according to your word" On Christmas Day, let us consider what a glorious gift was given to us on that night when our savior was born in a simple stable. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords was not born in a palatial palace. He was not born in the warmth comfort of a home or inn. No, he was born in a humble stable surrounded not by nurses and doctors and relatives but by Mary and Joseph, who had accepted God's will for them even though it could have left them open to criticism. They were there with only God's other creations, the animals of the barn whose breath provided warms for the new born child. Jesus first visitors were simple shepherds, not the elite of the world. God gave us a sign by this choice for His only son's birth. God is trying to tell us to live our lives simply and not go seeking fame or fortune. We have been given a message that the simple things in life are what count. Not riches, fame, fortune, but the simple things of life like family, friends, and the beauty of nature. In every event recorded of Christ's life in scripture, we find a message of acceptance, compassion and forgiveness. Christ welcomed all who came to him. He sat and ate with those considered sinners. Christ is referred to as "The Light of the World" which means He was sent to light the way for us, like a brilliant beacon that guides ships away from dangerous shoals and reefs toward a safe harbor, Christ showed and taught us how we need to live our life. Christ was born to clarify God's will for us and dispel the darkness that prevailed and still causes so much pain and suffering. Christ came to comfort us in times of distress by assuring us that there is a great reward awaiting us at the end of our earthly life if we follow his example. The miraculous birth we celebrate on Wednesday is that of God made flesh. God gave us a human image to equate to; a human being that had to endure all the human feelings, emotions, problems and joys that each of us has to experience in our journey of life. Christ endured the pain of a loss of a parent and friends, He experienced the joy of a wedding of a friend. He became angry at the greed and callousness of the priests and temple employees. Christ also told us how to live a life that would insure everlasting peace. His message was one of Love, forgiveness, compassion, mercy and generosity. On this day that we celebrate God's gift to us of His only son and God's promise of salvation to all his children, let us present an offering to Him that reflects the way of life He advised us to lead. Let us begin to be more compassionate to those who are suffering from hunger, illnesses such as AIDS and cancer, poverty, substandard housing, and discrimination. Let us work hard to eliminate these ills of our society and bring about a time of equality and justice for ALL God's children. On this day that we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace let us make a concerted effort to bring peace into the world beginning with our own families, friends and neighbors whom we might be have hurt in some way. If all of us begin toward this goal, we can make a huge difference in the world. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27) With these words of Christ I end this joyous message the last Sunday before the celebration of the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, with a prayer that the Peace and infinite mercy and love of Christ will invade your hearts today and all the days of your life. Have a truly wonderful Merry Christmas. AMEN

Sunday Dec. 22nd Reflection

4th Sunday of Advent 2013 Reflection By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy Independent Catholic Church of the Americas Email: Divinemercyparish@msn.com Link to Mission Web Site: www.missionstsergius.org Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FranciscansDivineMercy?fref=ts Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Web Site: www.franciscansdivinemercy.org Link to the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas http://www.iccamericas.org/ Link to All Reflections TV Shows; http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn Link to St. Joseph Cupertino Parish: http://stjosephcupertino.com/index.html Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honored with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.' these words from the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent indicates how powerful the child in the womb of Mary was. A good thing to remember also is that Elizabeth and Zechariah her husband who was a priest in the Jewish Temple were not young, they had long past the child bearing age but Zechariah was chosen by lot one morning to offer incense in the Holy Place, the temple's inner chamber where only priests were allowed. As Zechariah was praying, the Angel Gabriel appeared at the right side of the altar. Gabriel told the old man that his prayer for a son would be answered. Zechariah's wife would give birth and they were to name the baby John. Further, Gabriel said John would be a great man who would lead many to the Lord and would be a prophet announcing the Messiah. Zechariah was doubtful because of his and his wife's old age. The angel then struck him deaf and mute because of his lack of faith, until the child would be born. Now when Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was in the last month of her pregnancy our Gospel story tell us of what Elizabeth experienced and how she knew that the child Mary was carrying was the promised Messiah. We also must remember that Mary accepted the will of the Lord in spite of the possibility that in doing so she could be stoned to death. Now we need to ask ourselves how willing are we to do God's will even when it will be difficult. That is the lesson and the question I believe we need to think about this last Sunday before we celebrate the birth of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Many popes and saints have urged us to follow the example of Mary and give birth to Christ this Christmas spiritually in our hearts and minds. I am reminded of the words of St. Francis concerning the birth of Christ; "We give birth to him through holy works, which should shine forth as an example for others. How holy and dear, pleasant, humble, peaceful, lovable and desirable above all things it is to have such a brother and such a son, our Lord Jesus Christ!" As we go through life often times we are faced with problems or trials that we would rather not have to deal with. I have experienced it as well as many others when the doctors give you the news that you have cancer or a serious health condition. But I also have found that with faith and trust that God will bring you through that difficulty, especially if you turn to him and pray often to him putting your trust in his will you will come through the difficulty. Often, the most difficult times are lessons sent by God to lead us toward the place he desires us to be or tests like those Job had to endure as proof of our complete trust and love of God. St. Franics tells us that when we love God with a sincere heart we give birth to Christ spiritually especially when we accomplish deeds that manifest Christ's teachings to the world. What would have happened, I wonder, if Mary had told Gabriel "You have got to be kidding? You want me to bring forth a child without being married?" "No Way!" "I could get stoned to death as a harlot" It is with complete faith in God, The God that Mary knew from the Hebrew Scriptures, that Mary accepted God's invitation even though it could create a very heavy burden for her. I sometimes wonder what this world would be like is Mary had not accepted God's call. If Jesus had never been born and therefore we never head the Good News of Salvation that Christ came to enlighten us with through that light lead us on the path that would bring us to everlasting life. Christ was sent by the Father, Almighty God, to teach us the truth of God's will and to rebuke all the man made rules and regulations that had been imposed over the years.. Christ came to give us the keys to open the doors to heaven for all who desire to follow the path He taught us. The path of Christ is a simple one; "Love God with all our being and love each other as Christ loved us" Christ loved us enough to die for us. There is no greater love than that. Mary's acceptance of God's will was the first step in our redemption. If she had refused Christ would not have been born and the prophet's fulfillment would not have happened which means we would not be celebrating Christmas this Wednesday. On Christmas Day let us attempt to follow Mary's complete trust in God and accept His will for us. Let us learn to be happy with how God created us and to accept others as God created them. Let us give each other the gifts of brotherly/sisterly love and diligently try to bring about a time of justice, equality, truthfulness and fairness to every individual on the face of the earth since we all are children of God no matter what nationality or religious denomination. This Christmas let us renew our efforts to bring about a time of peace and justice to all. Let us dig down and support those who are in need and support those charities that are trying to help others. Let us make God a major focal point in our daily schedule. Let us place our complete faith and trust in God as May did and tell God "Not our will but your will be done unto us according to your word" On Christmas Day, let us consider what a glorious gift was given to us on that night when our savior was born in a simple stable. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords was not born in a palatial palace. He was not born in the warmth comfort of a home or inn. No, he was born in a humble stable surrounded not by nurses and doctors and relatives but by Mary and Joseph, who had accepted God's will for them even though it could have left them open to criticism. They were there with only God's other creations, the animals of the barn whose breath provided warms for the new born child. Jesus first visitors were simple shepherds, not the elite of the world. God gave us a sign by this choice for His only son's birth. God is trying to tell us to live our lives simply and not go seeking fame or fortune. We have been given a message that the simple things in life are what count. Not riches, fame, fortune, but the simple things of life like family, friends, and the beauty of nature. In every event recorded of Christ's life in scripture, we find a message of acceptance, compassion and forgiveness. Christ welcomed all who came to him. He sat and ate with those considered sinners. Christ is referred to as "The Light of the World" which means He was sent to light the way for us, like a brilliant beacon that guides ships away from dangerous shoals and reefs toward a safe harbor, Christ showed and taught us how we need to live our life. Christ was born to clarify God's will for us and dispel the darkness that prevailed and still causes so much pain and suffering. Christ came to comfort us in times of distress by assuring us that there is a great reward awaiting us at the end of our earthly life if we follow his example. The miraculous birth we celebrate on Wednesday is that of God made flesh. God gave us a human image to equate to; a human being that had to endure all the human feelings, emotions, problems and joys that each of us has to experience in our journey of life. Christ endured the pain of a loss of a parent and friends, He experienced the joy of a wedding of a friend. He became angry at the greed and callousness of the priests and temple employees. Christ also told us how to live a life that would insure everlasting peace. His message was one of Love, forgiveness, compassion, mercy and generosity. On this day that we celebrate God's gift to us of His only son and God's promise of salvation to all his children, let us present an offering to Him that reflects the way of life He advised us to lead. Let us begin to be more compassionate to those who are suffering from hunger, illnesses such as AIDS and cancer, poverty, substandard housing, and discrimination. Let us work hard to eliminate these ills of our society and bring about a time of equality and justice for ALL God's children. On this day that we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace let us make a concerted effort to bring peace into the world beginning with our own families, friends and neighbors whom we might be have hurt in some way. If all of us begin toward this goal, we can make a huge difference in the world. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27) With these words of Christ I end this joyous message the last Sunday before the celebration of the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, with a prayer that the Peace and infinite mercy and love of Christ will invade your hearts today and all the days of your life. Have a truly wonderful Merry Christmas. AMEN

A Reflection for Sunday DEc. 8, 2013

Prepare The Way For Our Lord! A Reflection for the SecondWeek of Advent By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans Divine Mercy Independent Catholic Church of the Americas Link to Fr. Bob’s YouTube Page; http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn Link to St. Joseph Cupertino Parish: http://stjosephcupertino.com/index.html Link to Mission Web Site: www.missionstsergius.org Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FranciscansDivineMercy?fref=ts Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Web Site: www.franciscansdivinemercy.org Link to the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas http://www.iccamericas.org/ This Sunday, in addition to being The second Sunday of Advent for year A is also the Feast day normally honoring Our Blessed Mother Mary under the title of Immaculate Conception. At the end of this week we also have another feast Day honoring Mary under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Blessed Mother has been made the Patroness of the Americas because she appeared to a Native of South America, Juan Diego whose feast we celebrate on December 13th. So, in addition to the theme for the Second Sunday of Advent which calls us to not only preparing to celebrate the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ but also to prepare for the promised second coming of Christ, this coming week is a time to recall the willingness of Mary to believe in the message of the Angel Gabriel and be willing to be the receptacle to bring Our Lord Jesus Christ into this world, in spite of the danger she could be stoned for being an unwed mother. The Immaculate Conception celebrates Our Lady‘s complete trust in Almighty God. The Christmas we are preparing for is the celebration of God’s greatest gift to humankind, His beloved son Jesus Christ, but it is also a time to reflect on the fact that God decided that Mary would be free of original sin in order to be a pure vessel for Christ to be conceived in by the Holy Spirit and nurtured to human life for nine months. When the Angel Gabriel, informed her that God had chosen her to bear the promised of the ages with these words "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:29-35. Mary asked; “How can this be, for I know not man?. The angel replied;"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” This fulfilled the promise from God when He drove Satan from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:14-16 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” and in Isaiah 11: 1: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse: from his roots a branch will bear fruit.”. What faith in God Mary must have had to accept this message. After all, the punishment for having a sexual relation without being married was to be stoned to death as an adulteress. Mary’s response to Gabriel’s message was “Let it be done to me according to God’s will” (Luke 1:38) is a response we might want to consider telling God when we are faced with difficulties. In our daily live we are often faced with challenges or situations where we have great apprehension and I wonder how many of us respond to them with “Let it be done to me according to God’s will” as Mary did or do we gross and complain because things are difficult.? The Gospel of this Sunday has the following words “Repent you: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand…Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Matthew 3:1-12) The preceding are from Matthew 3:1-12. When you couple them with the following passage from the Gospel of Mark 13: “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Be on your guard, stay awake, because you never know when the time will come. … he comes unexpectedly, he must not find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake!” They should give us food for thought as we enter the second week of Advent. Those words should also remind us of how Mary answered God’s call to service in spite of the difficulties she might face. The message for all four weeks of Advent are the same, “We need to be prepared to meet our maker and be ready to answer for how we lived the life God gave us here on earth. We need to be able to make the case to God that we did our human best to live in accord with the teachings we received through Scripture which is the inspired word of God. Just as Mary and even Juan Diego, trusted in God and accepted the consequences of that acceptance, we also have to be willing to put our trust in God and work diligently to live in accord with the teachings Christ brought us Just as Mary and Juan Diego did. God will give us what we need to prepare ourselves for the time we come face to face with God just as he gave Juan Diego what he needed to convince the Bishop of the truth of the message Mary brought. We will need to answer how we conducted our daily lives and how we used the gifts that God gave us each and every day to reflect God to those we met on the road of life. . Last week we heard the words from Paul’s letter to the Romans where he tells us; “The day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” Last week, December 2nd was called CYBER MONDAY because we are told the people of the US spend more on gifts to give on Christmas shopping on the internet. Sadly, most of those people who were buying things like Electronic gadgets, huge plasma TV’s, and other things that have become status symbols have no idea of the real meaning to Christmas. Christmas for the majority of people is all about a jolly white haired old man ( NO NOT ME) in a red suit who travels around the globe in a sleigh drawn by eight or nine reindeer distributing presents. People have forgotten that true meaning of CHRISTMAS is Christ. Without CHRIST there cannot be a Christmas. The Mass part is the time when all those who believe in the teachings of Christ, come together to partake in the gift Christ gave us, of himself in the Eucharist. That Mass, whether the vigil mass, the midnight mass of the mass of Christmas day honors the miracle of the Birth of Jesus Christ. Some years back I remember there were signs and bumper stickers that stated “WITH OUT CHRIST THERE IS NO CHRISTMAS” What we as Christians and followers of the teachings of Christ should be focusing on during this time of preparation is how well we are actually living THE WORD, The Good News of Salvation found in Holy Scripture. Do we take time to consider the needs of the poor, sick, aged, homeless and do we extend love to all God’s children regardless of their race, nationality, marital state or sexual orientation. In this time when the entire world is facing financial crisis one of the hardest hit areas has been Charities and Religious denominations that depend on the generosity of people to accomplish their work and reach out to those who society often is willing to leave behind. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone who was out in the stores spending, according to the published estimates of a few billion dollars, actually made a donation of 10% of what they spent to charitable organizations like food pantries, homeless shelters, orphanages or their Religious denomination so they have the ability to serve those in need in their Faith communities as well as pay the bills associated with maintaining the ministry. Now is the time for those who have been blessed with more to seriously reach out to those who serve God’s often abandoned and forgotten children and do what ever they can to relieve their pain and suffering. I know from this ministries own experience how much more we are being called upon to help those in need and how painful it is when we are hampered by a shortage of available funding and supplies. The gospels of the last two weeks tell us how God will judge us when we are called before Him and that we never know when that time will come. The season of Advent is dedicated to preparing ourselves for the second coming of Christ when we will be judged on how we lived our lives here on earth as well as preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ. In this season when we are thinking about giving gifts to our family and friends let us not forget the gift we are going to give to God in thanksgiving for all He has given us. Just as Mary trusted in the message of the Angel Gabriel, and Juan Diego trusted in Mary’s message to him, we need to put not only our trust in God and the promise of a life beyond this one but we need to give the Christ child a wonderful gift like the Magi because they recognized Jesus to be the promised of the ages. Let us bring to Christ our gift of compassion and charity to one of the least of God’s children so that when we do have to answer to God for how we lived He will reply to us these words; “'Come my good and faithful servant, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” AMEN

Link to Video Reflection for DEc. *, 2013

Sunday DEcember 1, 2013 Reflection

1st Sunday of Advent 2013

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD

Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans Divine Mercy

Independent Catholic Church of the Americas

Link to All Reflections TV Shows; http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn

 1^st Sunday of Advent Video Reflection http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCEIBhO8CBM

Link to St. Joseph Cupertino Parish: http://stjosephcupertino.com/index.html

 Link to Mission Web Site: www.missionstsergius.org

 Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FranciscansDivineMercy?fref=ts

 Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Web Site: www.franciscansdivinemercy.org

 Link to the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas http://www.iccamericas.org/

 

This Sunday we begin the new liturgical year A with a reading from the book of Isaiah that helps us understand what we need to do to prepare to meet our God.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. And many people shall go and say, Come you, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come you, and let us walk in the light of the LORD”

The reading also foretells of the coming of the Redeemer and Savior and the light of God‘s truth came into being.

 The second reading from Paul’s letter to the people of Rome reads thusly; Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put you on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”

For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming. The word itself comes from the Latin adventus which is the translation of the Greek word parousia which refers to the Second Coming of Christ at the lst days.  

The message of the readings for the first Sunday of Advent is to be prepared, to be prepared for the time when God calls us home and we face our judgement by God on how well we lived our lives in accord to the teachings Christ gave us.

If we are to be prepared we need to examine how well we are living our daily lives now and then make any necessary changes that need to be made in order to truly be living reflections of Christ’s teachings.

The Gospel from Matthew 24 proclaims the following; “As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man shall be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ….. Watch therefore: for you know not what hour your Lord does come. But know this, that if the manager of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes.”

Every year during the church season of advent we are asked to review how we are living in accord with God’s will and a time of preparing for our eternal life not just preparing to celebrate Christmas the holiday that celebrates the birth of our redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ, not the arrival of Santa Clause and the presents we might receive.

We are being called to prepare ourselves to meet our creator and answer to Him as how well we have used the gifts He has given us.

How will we meet Him? Will we meet him with tattered clothing or will we meet Him with clean and shining souls which are the clothing that God sees.

In a Broadway musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR there is a chant that proclaims “Prepare ye the way of the Lord” It says exactly what we are called to do while living on here on God’s planet. 

God put every person on earth for the explicit reason of preparing ourselves to meet him when our time here on earth is over and we have that judgment by God on how well we did.

We will be asked questions like; “Did we care for His all His creations by being mindful of the environment and protect it?” 

“Did we have compassion for the poor and disadvantaged and share our gifts with those who were not as well off as we were?”

“Did we treat all those we met on our life’s journey with respect by recognizing them as one of our brothers and sisters in Christ and not discriminate against them?”

“Did we use the Gifts God provided us with in a manner that they were intended for or did we misuse them only for personal pleasure and/or financial gain?

Did we go about our being self-centered, caring only for our own comfort and pleasure without regard for how our actions affected others?”

“Did we thank God daily for the gifts we have no matter how small and did we appreciate the people who were placed in our lives, even those who criticize us and pointed out our faults and pray for those who have caused us pain and suffering?”

These are some of the questions God expects us to be able to answer in the affirmative because that is how God instructed us to live our lives.

So many of us go about our daily lives without ever taking the time to recognize what is around us or what gifts we have been given, we only turn to God when things go badly.

I do not want to count the many times I have heard people say, “Where is God when people are dying from Cancer, Aids, or other divesting diseases, why God allows innocent children and the poor to suffer so much?”

My response, which seems logical to me is; so that you will have reasons to practice the Beatitudes and to open your eyes to how well God has blessed you.  Those things give you the opportunity to thank God for the gifts you have been given by using them to reach out to those who are suffering.

God wants to see if you will just sit back being complacent or do you live as Jesus and the saints did speaking out against injustice, fighting poverty, working for equality for all people and seeking peaceful means to settle disputes.

Advent is the time that reminds us that we have to remain diligent, be awake to what is going on around us and respond in a Christ like way.

We need to give God private time each day, morning and evening, where we examine how we went about the day and where we can improve ourselves.

We need to be mindful of the blessings we have been given by God.  We must take time daily to thank God for bringing us through the day.

We need to be preparing ourselves for the day when we will meet Christ dressed not in filthy clothing but in our finest raiment.

Let us begin the season of Advent preparation by seriously evaluating ourselves and if we are prepared to meet God at our final judgment.

Let’s be honest with ourselves when we take our inventory on how we are living as Christians and make whatever adjustments are necessary to life in accord with the teachings Christ.

Let’s make sure our gift to Christ on the celebration of his birth is a more perfect self this Christmas.  AMEN

Nov. 3rd Reflection; Words of Wisdom & Truth

Words of Wisdom and Truth

A Reflection for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD

Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans Divine Mercy

Independent Catholic Church of the Americas

Link to Reflections TV Shows; http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn

Link to St. Joseph Cupertino Parish: http://stjosephcupertino.com/index.html

Link to Mission Web Site: http://www.missionstsergius.org

Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Web Site: http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org

Link to the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas http://www.iccamericas.org/

 

The words from the first reading for the 31^st Sunday of Ordinary Time is from the Book of Wisdom 11:22-12:2 and worth more than a billion words and sermons.  

The reading most certainly should open our hearts and minds to God’s infinite mercy and love for all His children regardless of their race, nationality, gender, or religious denomination.

When we take into consideration the other readings for this Sunday we have not only a message affirming God’s love and mercy for us all but also advice on how we can and will be welcomed and found pleasing in God’s eyes.

The reading from the book of Wisdom 11 verses 22 through Wisdom 12:verse 2 says; “Before the Lord the whole universe is like a grain of dust that tips the scales,or like a drop of morning dew falling on the ground. Yet you are merciful to all, because you can do all things and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent. Yes, you love all that exists; you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence, for had you hated anything, you would not have formed it.   And how, had you not willed it, could a thing persist, how be conserved if not called forth by you? You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord, lover of life, you whose imperishable spirit is in all.  Little by little, therefore, you correct those who offend, you admonish and remind them of how they have sinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord.”

When coupled with, are taken into consideration from St. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians chapter 1:11-2:2 we become strengthened even more in the knowledge of God’s love for us; “all that you have been doing through faith the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified in you and you in him, by the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. To turn now to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumor or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived.”

So many who claim to be preaching the word of God have tried to frighten people with the admonition that dooms day is at hand, and have done so from the earliest days of the church but Christ himself told us; “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. (Mark 13:32)

The message from Sunday’s Gospel is also comforting and affirming in that it reminds us that Christ did not heed the admonishments of the Religious of His time. It also makes clear that God and Christ are there for everyone who believes in them and tries to live in a way that is pleasing to God according to the teachings that Christ proclaimed.

Unfortunatly there are some who believe that they are the “chosen ones” because of their position, their wealth or because or their devotional practices and attendance at church but when they leave the confines of the church, and sometimes even while there, they do not practice Christian Charity and often demean others because of how they dress, or the color of their skin or their nationality.

The Gosple tells us:  “When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: “Zacchaeus come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.” And Zacchaeus hurried down and welcomed Christ joyfully. Others complained when they saw what was happening. “He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house” they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, “Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount”And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost”   (Luke 19:1-10)

We might also take note of what Zacchaeus said to Christ about giving half of his property to the poor and needy and making right any injustices or cheating he might have done since it is also one of the major teachings of Christ, to be mindful of the needs of others and to share our gifts with those who have not.

Christ has told us time and again that being aware of others and having compassion and generosity are keys to entering into heaven.

The Seraphic Father of our order, The Franciscan’s of Divine Mercy and love of God, our official name, knew this message so very well.  

St. Francis is known to have said “I acknowledge that all my possessions were given to me by God, and now here I am ready to give them back to Him”

Everything we have comes from God and therefore we need to give thanks for the gifts we have received and not hoard them to ourselves but share then according to our ability. 

We need to open our eyes to the needs of others around us and to put aside our prejudices and self centered interests and open our hearts to being more receptive to living the great commandment of Christ every moment of our life here on earth.

“Love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, mind, soul and body and love your neighbor as you love yourself” “Love one another as I have loved you”

Let us go forth from this day forward, putting these words of Christ into action by being more concerned about the needs of others especially the poor, sick and aged and seek out every opportunity to share the gifts that God has given us with others especially the poor, sick, homeless and aged. 

If we do this we will be living the Gospel every day of our life and by doing so not only be an inspiration to those who we encounter in our daily life but we will also be opening the door into our partaking in the everlasting glory in heaven with Almighty God our Father and creator of all things, His beloved Son, our redeemer and savior Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and all the heavenly elect. May God bless you and keep you, may his light shine upon you and may you be filled with the comfort and peace that comes from God.  AMEN

Nov. 3rd Television Reflection

The following link will take you to Fr. Bob's REFLECTIONS TV show for November 3rd, 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLu5muvWIro

Reflection for Sunday October 27th.

The Humble Will Be Exalted
A Reflection for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans Divine Mercy
Independent Catholic Church of the Americas
Video of this weeks Television Reflection http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMlUe5Tbrfc
Link to All Reflections TV Shows; http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn 
Link to St. Joseph Cupertino Parish: http://stjosephcupertino.com/index.html 
Link to Mission Web Site: www.missionstsergius.org   
Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Web Site: www.franciscansdivinemercy.org 
Link to the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas http://www.iccamericas.org/

This week’s Gospel reading is from Luke 18:9-14 and it calls us to be humble and not boast or consider ourselves as better than any other person on the face of the earth. This Gospel ends with the following words; “This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’ Luke 18:14 Consider the message of this reading and the words of Christ found in Matthew 9:13, Mark 2:17 and Luke 5:32 “I have come to call NOT those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”. Christ did not keep the company of the rich, famous, or hierarchy of the Jewish faith but aligned himself, while here on this earth, with those who were considered the outcasts of society. Christ chose to be born in the humblest settings, in a stable with the feeding troth of the animals as his crib and the breath of the animals to keep him warm. He associated with common laborers who were among the poorest of the poor. Jesus chose as disciples, those who society considered the marginalized and lowest of the society, and He associated with the “Publicans and Sinners” who the leaders of the Jewish religion looked down upon and maligned. Christ’s actions and way of life while here on earth were meant to remind us that God does not ignore anyone and that God has a special concern for the needs of the poor, disenfranchised and those that society often ignores and tries to marginalize. One of my favorite books of the Bible, the book of Ecclesiastes, it is one of my favorites because it contains much wisdom. Ecclesiastes is often overlooked even though it contains many passages that have become famous quotes like this one: “ There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” We might want to ponder upon these words in Chapters 5; “The covetous man is never satisfied with money, and the lover of wealth reaps no fruit from it; …Where there are riches there are also many to devour them” “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.” We see this every day of the year all around us, the rich constantly seek to have more and more while the poor are often overlooked and often deprived of some of life’s necessities. Chapter 5 of Ecclesiastes also has this to say; “Don’t be surprised when you see that the government oppresses the poor and denies them justice and their rights.” In another section we read the following; “As goods increase, so do those who consume them. What benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? …I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him. Naked a man comes from his mother's womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.” These powerful words are ones which we might want to call to mind whenever we go seeking some of life’s luxuries that we already possess in good working order but are not the latest model. I love the commercials where people are breaking or throwing away working cell phones just so they have a reason to buy the latest, the commercials say much about our society and our need to always have the newest even though we already have a perfectly good one. This next section from Ecclesiastes is especially worth thinking about; “Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God.” The first reading for this Sunday is from the book of Sirach and it says; “Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means, for he is a God who always repays and will give back to you sevenfold. Offer God no bribes; these he does not accept!, For he is a God of justice, who shows no partiality. He hears the grievance of the oppressed. He does not forsake the cry of the orphan, nor the widow when she pours out her complaint”. He who serve God willingly is heard, His petition reaches the heavens” Not too long ago we watched on television as million dollar homes were washed away by flood waters along with all the possessions that the people who owned them had. This was a devastating thing to happen and we needed to pray for those people but it also points out how quickly material possessions can be lost. Instead of building us treasures for ourselves here on earth that can be gone in the blink of an eye, we need to do things that will build up for us a treasure in heaven. By having humility, generosity, compassion for the poor, repentance for our failures, faith in and a devotion to God in our daily lives can bring us more happiness each and every day than all the material wealth of the world. Psalm 34 tells us “The Lord hears the cry of the poor” He confronts the evildoers, He is close to the broken hearted, When the just cry out the Lord hears them and from all their distress he rescues them” As a people who profess to love God and who have been told how God desires us to act in all things with these words “LOVE THE LORD, YOUR GOD, WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART, MIND, SOUL AND BODY AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF” we are called to be mindful of those less fortunate than us and to reach out to them with generosity and compassion. We need to follow Christ’s example and align ourselves with those who society would rather overlook and considers as outcasts. We need to be welcoming and accepting of God’s diversity for none of us is sinless, no one is greater than another, we are all equal in the eyes of God and we must always remember these words from Ecclesiastes 2:26 “To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.” The message of today’s Gospel tells us; “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted” May God give us the wisdom and the humility we need to live our lives so that they are pleasing to Him and may we store up treasures in Heaven by using our earthly treasures for the benefit of our sisters and brothers in Christ. AMEN

Sunday October 20th Reflction

October 20th Video Refleection