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My dear parishioners,
Last October 17, at the Cathedral-Basilica, we celebrated the funeral Mass for Msgr. David I. A. Quitugua. We bid goodbye to a well-loved priest who served so faithfully and lovingly the people of God here on Guam. In the afternoon of that same day, at the very same church, deacon Ron Pangan was ordained to the sacred order of priesthood by Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes. The priests of the Archdiocese welcomed their newest member.
It was a day both sad and happy. It was a day of goodbye and welcome. We were sad to say adios to our brother priest Msgr. David; we were happy to welcome our new brother priest Fr. Ron Pangan.
Three days before San Juan Bautista parish in Ordot, where Msgr. David served as pastor for 23 years and another three years as pastor emeritus, held a memorial Mass in his honor. It was a parish-family event. And having served in Ordot under Msgr. David for seven years, I was invited to give the homily. I will share with you in a separate message the homily I gave at the memorial Mass for Msgr. David.
In this Sunday’s gospel our Lord Jesus gave us the greatest commandment: to love God with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our heart. And to love others as we love ourselves. He said the whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.
Love is both a noun and a verb. As a noun it describes an emotion or a feeling towards a person or an object. As a verb it denotes an action directed towards someone or something.
When Jesus tells us to love, he wants us to not only feel the love but to act on that love. In other words, Jesus wants us to put the love that we feel into action. Loving someone is more than just NOT feeling anger or resentment towards somebody; loving someone is doing something good for that person.
As Christians I think we still have a lot to learn when it comes to loving God and our neighbor. I think we have to go beyond the feeling that we love God. We need to turn that feeling into action. Loving God demands a total surrender of our whole being, making God (and His commands) foremost in our lives. The same is true when it comes to loving others. We need to go beyond mere avoidance of words and actions that offend others. Loving others demands acts of kindness, justice and charity.
This time of pandemic offers us plenty of opportunities to show our love for God and for one another. Let us spend more time with God in prayer. Let us share with our needy brethren. God bless you all and keep you safe always.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My brothers and sisters, we are gathered in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in me, though he dies, will live.” Our faith in the resurrection gathers us here today. This same faith gives us the hope that someday we shall see Msgr. David again in a place so peaceful, so beautiful, so joyful.
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We are gathered this afternoon to offer this Mass in Thanksgiving to God for the gift of life He has given Msgr. David. Msgr. David lived his life not for himself but for others. Like a good steward Msgr. David lived his life in loving service to God and His people. As a priest and God’s servant, Msgr. David lived a life of holiness. kindness, compassion and generosity. As he passes from this world to the next, I can hear our Lord Jesus telling him, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!.”
My brothers and sisters, we are likewise gathered here to celebrate this Mass in gratitude to God for giving us Msgr. David. There is a saying, “One life lived, many lives touched.” Msgr. David has touched the lives of so many people. You all can attest to that. I was one of those whose lives he touched. He has done so much for me. I owe him a lot. I will be forever indebted to him.
I first met Msgr. David twenty years ago. Msgr. David was looking for a priest to cover him. Fr. Jun (Trenchera) recommended me. I came to Guam on October 4, 2000 and stayed for a month here in Ordot taking care of this parish while Msgr. was having his annual break. Upon his return, and before I flew back to the Philippines to resume my ministry there, he asked me if I wanted to work with him here at San Juan Bautista on a more permanent basis. It was not a difficult decision to make. I said yes, I’d love to work with you. When I arrived in the Philippines I immediately went to see my bishop and asked permission to work here. Five months later, in April 1, 2001, I began my ministry on Guam at San Juan Bautista parish. The plan was for me to work here for three years. Three years turned into six, then eight, now I am on my 20th year.
Coming to Guam was a turning point in my life, especially in my life as a priest. Almost every aspect of my life changed for the better because of Guam. That is why I felt so indebted to Msgr. David. I cannot thank him enough. Although every time I expressed my gratitude for the many good things that came my way because of him, Msgr. David, in his usual self-effacing way, would never claim credit. You deserved it, he would tell me.
On the other hand, every time I would tell our fellow priests that Msgr. David was responsible for my coming to Guam, Msgr. David would quickly comment, in his usual self-deprecating way, “Yes, I was the one who brought him here so if he messes up, you know who’s to blame.”
I never considered my coming to Guam as mere luck or pure serendipity. No. I consider it as God’s way of rearranging my life. It was God’s subtle way of gently guiding me to where he wanted me to go. Looking back at the circumstances and events in my life prior to my coming to Guam, I honestly believe that God’s wanted me to do my priestly ministry here on Guam. Msgr. David was instrumental in fulfilling that plan.
And God could have not chosen a much better person/priest to guide me. He was a father, a friend and a mentor to me rolled into one. As a father, he took good care of me. And aware that I am very close to my mom and siblings, he would let me visit my family a few times a year. As a friend, I can confide to him and also joke with him. And Msgr. David had a good humor. One time I got a phone call early morning from someone who identified himself as the Archbishop. Thinking it was really the Archbishop, I jumped out of bed only to find out it was Msgr. David on the other side of the line. As a mentor — actually he would claim that he is not my mentor but rather he is my tormentor - I learned so many valuable lessons from him that helped me in my personal life and priestly ministry,
Working with Msgr. David for almost 8 years, I have seen his many good qualities and virtues. I tried my best to emulate them knowing all along that it would be a difficult task for me. Let me mention some of those virtues and qualities. First, his deep love for the Sacraments especially the Eucharist and Confession. I once asked him, after a very busy weekend, if he ever gets tired of celebrating several Masses a day. No, he replied, in fact I love saying Mass. He said that as priests we should never get tired celebrating the Eucharist because the Eucharist is our life. He also showed the same dedication to the Sacrament of Confession. He was always available to hear somebody’s confession.
Everyday before Mass he would sit in the reconciliation room to hear the confessions not only of his parishioners but of penitents coming from other parishes. These people would come to Ordot because they knew that there is always a priest available to hear their confessions. For him, a priest should always have time to hear confession and to give the grace of absolution to a repentant sinner.
Second, his genuine care and love for people especially the needy and the less privileged. The Catholic Social Service and the resettlement of thousands of Vietnamese refugees are just two testaments to this great virtue of his. As pastor, he was a true shepherd tending and caring for his flock. He always had time for the people; he always had time to listen; he always had time to help.
Third, his untiring effort to help and to serve his fellow priests. Despite his busy schedule, Msgr. David always found time to help other priests with their Masses. As his parochial vicar, he would sometimes ask me to do his Mass here in Ordot so he can help another parish. When he retired he offered to help me with the Chamorro Mass in Dededo or the English Mass in Astumbo.
Lastly, I admire his holiness, patience and compassion — virtues that I believe every priest should have in abundance. A true pastor should be holy, compassionate and patient. This is one valuable lesson from I will never forget.
My brothers and sister, as we continue to offer this Mass for Msgr. David here in this church where he served for 23 years, where he baptized hundreds, if not thousands of babies, where he absolved countless penitents, here at this altar where he celebrated the Eucharist countless times, let us forever be grateful to God for giving us a Msgr. David. He was a treasure — as a priest and as a person — that God so generously shared with us. God is indeed good.
As we pay our last respects to this wonderful and well-loved person, to this holy and dedicated priest of God, let us continue to pray for his kind, gentle and beautiful soul. May God reward him for his goodness and for the many good things he has done. May he rest in peace.
Thank you Msgr. David. Si Yu’us Ma’ase. Maraming salamat po. I will miss you.
My dear parishioners,
Heaven is the place we are all destined to be. It is a most wonderful and beautiful place God has prepared for us. It is the perfect place to spend eternity with God and with the people we love.
Isaiah, in this Sunday’s first reading, describes heaven as a feast of rich, juicy food and pure, choice wines. There will be no more death, he says. Tears shall be wiped away from our eyes and we will see God face to face. All truth will be revealed. Indeed, heaven it is.
This Sunday’s parable of the wedding feast tells us the good news: God wants all of us to be with Him in heaven. It is an open invitation to all. No exceptions. All peoples are welcome, sinners or saints, rich or poor.
The sad news is those who were invited to the wedding rejected the invite. They were just too busy, or too indifferent, or too attached to materials things that they ignored the sumptuous feast prepared for them by no less than the king.
We have accepted the invitation to attend the wedding. We have expressed our desire to be in heaven. But there is one thing we should bear in mind. According to the parable, we should be wearing the proper wedding attire lest the king show us the door.
And what is the proper attire? The “attire” is the kind of disposition, attitude and behavior we have. It is not enough that we profess our belief in God. Our faith should reveal itself in the life we live. Our words and actions must constantly express the faith we have received from Jesus.
As we all strive to get to heaven, let us not forget to pray for each other. It would be great to see all of us in heaven someday.
Let us ask our Blessed Mother to guide and lead us to heaven. May Sta. Barbara intercede for us always especially this time of trial and difficulty. May God bless you all and keep you safe.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My dear parishioners,
It was beautiful to celebrate the Eucharist again with you inside the church. For almost two months I had to content myself celebrating the Mass with you out there at the parking lot or at home via live-streaming.
We believe that the Eucharist will always be the same Eucharist instituted by our Lord Jesus whether it is celebrated with just one person or a thousand in attendance. We believe that the Eucharist dispenses the same grace and blessing whether it is celebrated in private or in public. But still I would prefer to celebrate the Eucharist with you right there, physically present around the altar, praying, singing, worshipping with one another and with me.
This pandemic has changed many things in our lives. This pandemic has made us adapt to the “new normal”. But there is one thing this pandemic has not changed in us — our faith in God and our love for the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. For this I am forever grateful to God.
However, let us not forget that the virus is still here, as contagious and vicious as before. We are happy to celebrate the Sacraments inside the church but let us not put our guards down. Do the basic: wear mask, wash hands and keep a safe distance. And pray always.
The gospel this past Sunday was about the parable of the vineyard and its tenants. The owner built a first-class vineyard planted with the choicest vines. He leased it to tenants trusting that they will give him the produce come harvest time. But the tenants became greedy and wicked. They kept the produce for themselves and even hurt the servants of the owner who came to collect the share.
I compare this parable to how we treated creation and the nature around us. God created a beautiful world, a paradise actually. The book of Genesis says that on the seventh day of creation God looked at His work and “saw that it was very good.” Then He entrusted this lovely work of creation to us. And we destroyed it. We became so greedy and selfish. We abused nature and continue to do so. Now we are reaping the disastrous consequence of our irresponsibility and greed.
This parable makes me also reflect on the life God has given me — a wonderful and beautiful life. God has filled my life with good things and blessed me abundantly. Now I try my best to give back to God all the goodness He has shown me. Many times I failed but I keep on trying.
Let me end this by asking you to help me pray for all those suffering from Covid-19. Let us implore God’s goodness and mercy that through the intercession of our Blessed Mother all the sick may be healed.
Prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
My dear parishioners,
A happy and blessed Sunday to all. I hope you are all well and safe. As your pastor, rest assured you are always in my prayers. Our faith, patience and resolve have been tested these past seven months. Thank God we have remained strong in our faith and steadfast in hope. But the test is not over yet, so we continue to pray for each other.
This pandemic has adversely affected all of us. Emotionally, spiritually, physically, socially and financially — we all suffer albeit in varying degrees of difficulty. Relying on our Christian faith and human resilience, and using different coping mechanism, we have remained hopefully optimistic that this terrible situation we are in right now will soon disappear like a bad dream.
In this Sunday’s gospel our Lord Jesus talks about the parable of the two sons. Both sons were asked by their father to work in the vineyard. The first son said no but later on changed his mind and went to work in the vineyard. The second son said yes but did not go.
Jesus asked, “Who did the father’s will?” The first son did. Although initially he refused but later on changed his mind and obeyed. Following Jesus is more than just saying “Yes” to his call; it is obeying his command to love and to serve. Following Jesus is more than just memorizing the Creed and the Prayers; it is observing faithfully the Commandments. Following Jesus is more than just saying sorry for our sins; following Jesus is repenting and changing our lives.
Reflect then and ask yourself: What kind of Christian am I? Do I only say yes to the faith but never practice it? Am I lacking in strength and resolve to say no to sin and repent? The parable should have included a third son — the one who said yes and immediately went to work in the vineyard. This is the ideal one. Let us strive to be like him.
Let me close with an appeal:
Our parish have been suffering financially since the pandemic. The Sunday collection and other income had decreased significantly because of all the restrictions we are in. We are in a financial hemorrhage. Please help us stop the bleeding. With a sense of urgency I appeal for help. Your parish needs you now.
Donations may be placed in the drop box outside the main office, or made via PayPal at santabarbarachurchguam@gmail.com
May the Lord bless you abundantly for all that you do to provide and support the needs of the parish. Thank you.
Prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
My dear parishioners,
Today’s parable about the workers in the vineyard reveals to us a God who is not only just but overly generous. He gives us what we deserve and more.
The laborers who worked from dawn to dusk received the same compensation as the laborers who worked only for an hour or two. At first glance this seems unjust and an unfair labor practice.
But there was no injustice committed. The owner of the vineyard complied with the agreed daily wage. He did what was just and fair. Those who worked the whole day were paid the agreed wage for a day’s work.
The complaint of those who worked longer hours arose from the fact that the workers who worked less hours were paid the same daily wage. They grumbled because they cannot accept the good fortune that befell the others. For them this is unfair; for them others should receive less while they should receive more.
God is just, yes, but many times God exceeds the demands of justice; many times God would dispense justice coupled with generous kindness. And when the demands of justice is harsh, God would temper it with mercy and compassion.
If the owner of the vineyard gave those who worked only for one hour a wage equivalent to one hour’s work, he cannot be accused of injustice; he would have given them what they deserve. But will an hour’s wage be enough to buy food for worker’s hungry family? No, so the owner deemed it wise and proper to be just and at the same time excessively generous.
We have no reason to begrudge God when he showers goodness to others even when we think we are more deserving than them because we have done more, because we have contributed more. God’s ways are not our ways; God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, we read in today’s first reading from Isaiah (55:6-9). Let us be grateful for whatever blessings God has given us. And let us be happy for the blessings God has given other people. Be grateful and joyful, not envious and bitter.
Let us continue praying that God will remove from our midst this terrible C (Covid). Let us also pray to God to help us remove from our lives these three C’s (Complain, Compare, Criticize). Our life, and those of other people, will be less miserable if we stop complaining, comparing and criticizing. God bless you and be safe always.
Prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
My dear parishioners,
Happy Sunday to you all. For five Sundays now we had to do parking lot and live streaming Mass because of PCOR1. I thank you for being patient. Let us pray for things to get better so we can celebrate inside the church again. I pray that all of you are safe. Let us pray for more strength and patience as we cope with the difficulties this pandemic has brought into our lives. Let us always protect ourselves and others.
This Sunday’s theme is about forgiveness. Browsing through my old notes I found this message I wrote three years ago. Let me share it again with you, with some revisions:
Why do we find it so hard to forgive? Because we remember the pain, the hurt, the betrayal, etc. It is the memory that keeps us from forgiving. But to forgive does not necessarily mean we should forget. Our minds and hearts do not work like a computer that can easily delete memories with one click. Memories linger, even (or especially) the sad and painful ones. Thus, forgiveness is not natural to man. By nature man seeks revenge. We want to get even when we get hurt. We want to do to them what they did to us. If we can do worse, the better.
As Christians we are often asked to do radical things, things that sometimes do not come to us naturally. Forgiveness is a religious virtue. Our Christian faith teaches us to forgive from the heart. Forgiveness then becomes a matter of love, something every believer must learn and live.
We may not forget the sin but we can always forgive the sinner. The remorse and repentance expressed by the offender effectively separates the person from the evil that was committed. To forgive does not mean to condone or excuse the offense done to us. When we forgive we are not saying, “It’s okay, that’s nothing.” No, in fact, we can say, “ I am deeply hurt; what you did was too painful; but still I forgive you; I want to forgive you.”
Forgiveness does not deny the seriousness of the sin committed against us. It does not make light of the offense done. But because we do not seek revenge and we do not want to hold on to our anger and resentment, we find it necessary to forgive. Forgiveness breaks the cycle of hatred and violence. Forgiveness brings peace and reconciliation.
Lastly, forgiveness allows us to let go of any feelings of resentment or anger or vengeance toward another who has harmed us. It does not matter whether that person repents or not, whether he asks for forgiveness or not; it does not even matter whether that person deserves to be forgiven or not; we can forgive because we want to and more importantly, we have to forgive because it is for our own well being — emotional, mental, spiritual, and even physical well being. Our inability to let go of rancor and hatred slowly poison us, slowly corrode us, making us bitter and hateful and vengeful persons.
In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus Christ tells us to forgive not only seven times but seventy times seven times. This means we should not keep count of the times we have forgiven someone but we should forgive all the time.
Prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
My dear parishioners,
A blessed Sunday to you all. It is still a beautiful and good Sunday morning despite our having to revert to the Parking Lot Mass due to Guam’s return to PCOR 1.
My apologies though to those who missed Mass today because of the sudden change of schedule. We were not able to widely disseminate the information for lack of time. The decision to have parking lot Mass was made Saturday after lunch. But let us welcome this temporary return to parking lot Mass if this will help lessen the spread of the coronavirus.
Covid brought into our lives much uncertainty. The future is no longer so predictable. Just when we thought the situation on Guam was getting better, suddenly we found ourselves back to square one, perhaps much worse.
Uncertainty brings a sense of not being in control and thus a sense of fear. In this time of pandemic, we can compare ourselves to the disciples in last Sunday’s gospel story. The disciples were in a boat in the middle of the lake being tossed about by the big waves and strong winds. They were filled with fear. The boat might capsize and they will drown. Who came to their rescue? Jesus himself, walking on the water, telling them, “Do not be afraid; it is I, have courage.”
Let us allow ourselves to be consoled, assured and strengthened by these words of Jesus, our Lord. As we do our best to protect ourselves from the virus, let us at the same time reaffirm our faith in God. “Great is your faith,” Jesus said to the Canaanite woman in the Sunday’s gospel. Because of that great faith in Jesus the woman’s wish was granted. Her daughter was healed. Faith is more than believing in God. Faith is more than believing that God can do incredible things for us. Faith is the total acceptance of Jesus into our lives and the total surrender of our lives to Jesus.
Are we being tested by God? If so, why? God allows us to be tested not to weaken and discourage us but to make us stronger and more mature in our faith. We will be facing more challenges ahead; it is good that even now we are already prepared to face and overcome them. Remember, we never face these trials and challenges alone. Jesus is right beside us telling us, “Have faith and do not be afraid.”
Let us continue to pray for each other, for Guam and the whole world. Let us ask God to have mercy on us and the whole world. Amen. Have a safe week ahead by wearing mask, washing your hands and keeping distance from others.
Prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
My dear parishioners,
A blessed and grace-filled Sunday to all.
In my message last Sunday I talked about our parish vision and mission. Part of our vision is to be a loving and serving community. And to achieve this we commit ourselves to the mission of “cultivating in each one of us a spirit of compassion, and awakening in us the call to serve.”
In this Sunday’s gospel the disciples told Jesus to send home the hungry crowd so they can buy food for themselves. But our Lord instead commanded his disciples, “Give them some food yourselves.” We, too, hear this command clearly. Our Lord wants us to respond to the needs of others. It is our responsibility to help them.
Following this command, especially during this pandemic time, our parish opened its food pantry last month. Through the generosity of many of our parishioners who regularly give to the parish their “five loaves and two fish,” our pantry was able to provide for the needs of many needy members of our parish community. Currently, our pantry is serving the needs of more than 300 individuals.
Our mission is to provide for both the spiritual and material needs of the people That is why we celebrate our liturgies meaningfully and at the same time we provide material help to the needy. Jesus said, “I came that man may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) Fullness of life involves not only the relief of one aspect of a person’s life but the satisfaction of the whole facet of a person’s existence.
In the gospel this Sunday, after taking the loaves and blessing them, Jesus gave them to the disciples who in turn gave them to the people. This is what Jesus wants us to do: give and share whatever we receive from him. What we receive from God is not our to keep but ours to give.
My gratitude to all those who continue to help the parish by sharing their time, talent and treasure. From the five loaves and two fish which Jesus took and blessed, thousands were able to eat and be satisfied. From whatever gifts you give back to God, our parish is able to help many of our brothers and sisters in need. Thank you very much.
Let me end with these beautiful and comforting words from verse 35, chapter 8 of St. Paul’s letter the Romans: “Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.”
Prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
May God’s grace and blessing be with you as you read this. May our Blessed Mother continue to protect you and your family. We pray that this crisis be over soon. God is good. We trust Him.
Exactly 3 years ago this July, we had a parish assembly in which a hundred or so parish ministers and leaders met, prayed, reflected and shared ideas with the purpose of crafting a vision and mission for the parish.
This is the Vision we came up with for our parish: “Santa Barbara Catholic Church is a faith-filled and life- giving community serving as a beacon of light that leads all to the kingdom of God.” Our Music Director placed music to the words of our Vision which the choir sings as post-Communion hymn during Mass.
Based on this Vision, we committed ourselves to this Mission: “Santa Barbara Parish, in union with the Catholic Church throughout the world, affirms the message and mission of Jesus Christ by: Recognizing that we are brothers and sisters in Christ, and nurturing the bond we share as children of God; celebrating the liturgies fully, consciously, and actively; cultivating a spirit of compassion and awakening in us the call to serve; proclaiming the good news of the Lord; being constant learners of the faith, living the Word of God, and teaching others to know and follow Jesus. “
Our Mission covers the five essential areas of parish life, namely, Worship, Faith Formation, Evangelization, Fellowship and Ministry (Service). We believe that a parish is truly alive and vibrant if all of these areas are functioning.
For the past 3 years our parish plans and activities were prioritized according to our Mission. Those that do not promote or help achieve our goals and objectives are shelved or discarded.
More than five months ago Covid-19 intruded into our lives and disrupted our normal activities. To avoid the spread of this horrible disease we were required to observe certain protocols like wearing face mask, keeping our hands clean and maintaining safe distance from others. To implement these protocols the government had to impose certain restrictions on social gatherings, dining out, shopping, etc. A few days ago some of the restrictions were eased. But this should not lull us into complacency. We should always wear mask, wash our hands and practice physical distancing.
Despite these restrictions our parish is still committed to its Mission. Yes, some of our plans and activities had to be suspended but whatever things we can do now to fulfill our Mission we should do it. Our parish can be compared to that man in this Sunday’s parable who found a treasure and did everything possible to acquire it. We have found our treasure — Jesus and God’s Kingdom — and we will do our best to acquire this treasure and share it with all people.
Lastly, my deep gratitude for your continued prayers and financial support for our parish. Special thanks to those we have donated to our parish pantry. God bless you always.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My Dear Parishioners,
May God’s peace and grace be with you today and the days to come. May God continue to
bless you and your family.
Allow me to share with you some of my reflections on this Sunday’s readings.
The First Reading (Wisdom 12:13,16-19) speaks of God as a God of justice and mercy; that
God is a mighty ruler who judges with clemency and governs with much leniency.
Jesus, God Incarnate, showed us a just and merciful God through His words and actions.
Jesus taught us that justice should always be tempered with mercy. According to the book of
Wisdom “…those who are just must be kind.”
Reflect then and ask yourself: “Am I kind and just in dealing with others, especially with people
I dislike?”
In the Responsorial Psalm we prayed, “Lord, you are good and forgiving.” How have you
experienced God’s goodness and forgiveness in your life? Can you recall the many times God
has blessed and forgiven you? How do you thank God for all the kindness He has shown you?
Reflect then and pray: “Lord, you are good and forgiving. I love you. Thank you.”
The Second Reading (Romans 8:26-27) gives much consolation to those who rarely pray and
those who do not know how to pray. St. Paul writes, “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
Saint Paul wrote those words offering us a wonderful consolation, namely, the Spirit prays for
us and through us, in groans too deep for words.
Reflect then and say to yourself: “I will not stop praying, I will never lose hope. I have the Holy
Spirit praying with me and for me.”
The Gospel is a continuation of St. Matthew’s chapter 13, called the Chapter of the Parables
because it contains 8 parables told by Jesus. This Sunday’s gospel contains the parable of the
wheat and the weeds. The lesson from the parable is clear: we should not judge and condemn
others. Like Jesus we should always be understanding and forgiving. We are all sinners and we
have no right to judge other people. In chapter 7 of this gospel we read, “"Do not judge so that
you will not be judged.”
Reflect then and ask God’s forgiveness for the many time you have harshly judged and unjustly
condemned others.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My Dear Parishioners,
I have more than 60 seedlings of papaya growing in my planter. The seeds came from the papaya I ate last month. It was so delicious that I decided to grow my own. After air-drying the seeds, I just threw them in the planter and before long, the sprouts began showing up. Now I have more than enough seedlings to plant around the house.
The growth process of a tree never fails to fill me with awe and wonder: A small seed, placed in a suitable place to grow, given the proper amount of water and light and other nutrients, will begin to germinate even without our intervention. It first sprouts exposing its tender stem while underneath the roots begin to branch out and attach to the soil to soak up water needed for growth. Truly a wonder of nature — which leads us to be amazed at the beauty of creation and be awed by the wisdom of God, its author.
This Sunday’s parable tells the story of the sower who sowed a generous amount of seeds in his field. He sowed indiscriminately so much so that the seeds fell not only on the good soil but on the bad ones as well. This generous yet indiscriminate manner of sowing may seem wasteful. Indeed it is wasteful if we focused on the seeds that fell on the unsuitable soils and eventually died. But if we considered the abundant harvest — a hundredfold — from the good soil, we can say that nothing was wasted at all.
God gives generously; God gives indiscriminately. God never gets tired of giving and sowing because He is hopeful and confident that all of us, the good soils and the bad, will eventually produce abundant fruits.
Pray, then, that all of us may turn into good soils so that the goodness and holiness of God may grow and bear fruit in us.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My dear parishioners,
I want you to read this gospel passage slowly and reflectively: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Mt.15:28) I think these words of our Lord Jesus which we have heard from this Sunday’s gospel are simply beautiful, very loving and deeply comforting.
““Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Let these words of Jesus be your refuge and anchor in times of trouble, anxiety, fear and uncertainty; allow these words to console you, to assure you, to strengthen you, to comfort you, and to give you peace of mind.
Jesus also said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt.15:29-30) Jesus teaches us that humility is the road that leads to peace and serenity. Whereas pride leads to anger, resentment, greed, haughtiness, etc., humility brings us peace of mind, serenity and inner joy.
Let us pray that we may always be humble in our thoughts, words and actions. May the Blessed Mother Mary, our model of humility, pray for us and help us be humble.
Now I want to give you some parish updates:
Let me end this message with these words from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, chapter 8, verse 38: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[ neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
Indeed, nothing can separate us from God’s love, not even Covid-19. Have a blessed and safe week ahead.
Prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
My Dear Parishioners,
First, let me greet all fathers a happy Father’s Day. This occasion reminds all fathers that they are called to be Christian fathers, tasked with the role of leading their families closer to Jesus and to attain a good, happy and holy family life. May God, the loving Father, bless our fathers.
We also remember in a special way all our deceased fathers. May God, the merciful Father, grant them eternal rest and reward them for all the good things they did for their families. A parishioner, a lady, came up to me after Mass and said, “Happy Father’s Day Father.” I quickly replied, “You, too.” Anyway, thank you very much to those who greeted me. Please continue praying for us priests, your spiritual fathers.
In this Sunday’s gospel our Lord Jesus tells His disciples three times: “Do not be afraid.” I can hear Jesus telling us these words during this scary and uncertain times: “Fear not, do not be afraid. I am with you always.”
Let us overcome all fears with hope and courage knowing that God is there to help us. The first reading tells us that the prophet Jeremiah faced all kinds of terror and persecution from his enemies. But he remained undaunted because he knows that God is on his side. Remember, we are precious to him, more precious than any thing else in this world.
On a different note, I would like to inform you that last Monday we opened our parish pantry to serve the members of our parish community. Through this pantry we hope to help our brothers and sisters who find it hard to procure for themselves and their families the basic necessities of life.
Please support our pantry by donating canned goods, toiletries, etc. The pantry is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon. For more information call the office at 632-5659. You may also email me at dbien@sbparish.org.
Lastly, I want to let you know that your parish was not spared from the negative financial impact of this pandemic. Our parish income decreased by more than 50%. Please continue supporting your parish. Thank you and God bless you.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My Dear Parishioners,
On this Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity let me greet you all with the words of St. Paul from the second reading of today’s Mass: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you.” (2Cor.13:13)
Three persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — but one God. This is the Holy Trinity, the God we believe in. A mystery, an inaccessible mystery, but a truth nonetheless, as revealed by our Lord Jesus Himself in the Sacred Scriptures.
We need to know God so that we can love Him. We cannot love someone we do not know. Now this is what we know about the Trinity — it is one God but three persons. These three persons, although different from each other, are equal and consubstantial, thus one God. Three in One, One in Three.
Do not worry if you cannot completely understand this mystery. You do not become less Catholic if you don’t. Many Catholics — and I am one of them — do not understand the mystery. Yet we believe. And that is the important thing. We believe in God — the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Holy Trinity is a mystery so deep it is not meant to be intellectually understood; rather it is so deep a mystery meant to be lived; it is a deep mystery meant to be experienced.
We may not understand the mystery of the Trinity but the readings this Sunday give us a deeper knowledge of who God is. For example, the first reading reveals to us that “The Lord (is) a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” (Ex. 34:6) Now this is something we can easily understand. In fact, it is something we have already experienced — a God so gracious and merciful and forgiving. The second reading also tells us that God is “..the God of love and peace..” (2Cor13:12) This is something we also understand and have experienced. Likewise, the gospel asserts that “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” (Jn.3:16)
The mystery of the Holy Trinity we may not fully understand, but we are okay. To experience God’s unending love, mercy and forgiveness, and to know that God gave us His only Son to save us from sin, and that He sent the Holy Spirit the Paraclete to be with us until the end of time —that is more than enough for us. We cannot ask for more.
Have a great and blessed week ahead. May the blessings of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit descend upon you and be with your forever. Amen.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My Dear Parishioners,
Today is Pentecost Sunday. The word pentecost came from the Greek word ‘pentekostes’ which means fiftieth. Today is the 50th day after Easter, the day Jesus rose from the dead.
In the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles describes the first pentecost this way: “While the apostles were gathered in one place, they heard coming from the sky a noise like a strong wind that filled the room where they were in; and then appeared tongues of fires that rested on them.”
Those tongues of fire, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, enkindled the flame of faith in the hearts of the Apostles. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the Apostles found the courage and the boldness to proclaim to all and sundry the great and wonderful news that Jesus has risen from the dead and he is very much alive.
The first Pentecost is considered the birthday of our Church. This year’s Pentecost marks the the reopening of our churches here on Guam. For 73 days we were not allowed to gather inside our churches because of the coronavirus pandemic. We were advised to stay home. Sunday obligation was dispensed. We “attended” Mass broadcast on TV or via live streaming.
Today’s reopening feels like a rebirth. Not that the church has died during the closure, no, it did not. In fact, the church as a people of God was so much alive and visible despite the closure of our churches. Thanks to the internet and the social media, we were able not only to keep in touch with our families and friends but we were able to keep in touch with the church and with our faith.
But today we feel a sense of rebirth, a reinvigoration, a gradual emergence from a long but patient waiting. Important credit should be given to the third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit keeps the church alive during these difficult times. The Holy Spirit makes present God’s love for us. The Holy Spirit sustains our faith. The Holy Spirit comforts us in our loneliness, removes our doubts, and calms our fears during this uncertain times.
Pentecost reminds us of the abiding presence of God’s Spirit in us. From the moment we were infused with the Holy Spirit in baptism, until this very moment, God has never left us. Whenever we pray for the Holy Spirit to come into our lives, we are simply reminding ourselves of the Spirit’s never-ending presence in us.
Let this then be our prayer today: “Come Holy Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. Amen.”
May you have a grace-filled week. God bless and protect you always.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My Dear Parishioners,
We celebrate today the Solemnity of the Ascension. The disciples witnessed this great event when Jesus bodily ascended to heaven. The Acts of the Apostles tells us what happened at the time of the Ascension: “When Jesus had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9)
Growing up in my hometown my most vivid memory of the Solemnity of the Ascension is the procession after the Sunday High Mass. In the Bicol dialect we call this procession as the “pagsakat sa langit” (the ascent to heaven). The statue of the Risen Christ, which had been in display at the altar of our parish church since Easter Sunday, is processed back to the house of its owner and caretaker. There it will stay until next year’s Easter Sunday when it will be brought back to the parish church for display at the altar. Come Ascension Sunday, the procession will return the image back to its owner’s house.
The house was a huge two-storey Spanish-style house. Inside the house, next to the living room, was a wide wooden staircase. I remember the old folks telling us in jest that Jesus used that staircase to go up to heaven. I kind of believed it back then so much so that every time I walk past that house on my way to school, the image of Jesus ascending the wooden staircase would suddenly pop up in my mind.
Today’s gospel tells us that when “the disciples saw Jesus at the mountain they worshiped, but they doubted.” (Mt. 28:17) This happened shortly after the Resurrection. They saw Jesus, they worshiped Him but at the same time they doubted.
Doubting here does not mean not believing. They definitely believed in Jesus, that is why they worshiped Him. Doubting here means they did not fully understand everything. Doubting here means they had some questions.
This time of crisis made us also ask some questions. Some of those questions remain unanswered. But we continue to believe. We continue to believe in God’s presence despite the absence of Mass and other Sacraments. We continue to serve and to love others. We continue to hope for the end to this crisis, that it will come soon. We never despair. And more importantly, we continue to trust the words of our Lord in today’s gospel, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20)
Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost is that great event in the life of the Church when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and our Blessed Mother. We consider this event as the birth of the Church. This year’s celebration will be extra memorable because our parish church, closed since March 17, will be reopened and Mass will be celebrated again inside.
Let us praise God and give Him thanks for this grace. For the schedule of our Sunday Mass,
please see our Facebook account Santa Barbara Catholic Church Dededo or go to our website www.sbparish.org.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My Dear Parishioners,
We celebrate today the Solemnity of the Ascension. The disciples witnessed this great event when Jesus bodily ascended to heaven. The Acts of the Apostles tells us what happened at the time of the Ascension: “When Jesus had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9)
Growing up in my hometown my most vivid memory of the Solemnity of the Ascension is the procession after the Sunday High Mass. In the Bicol dialect we call this procession as the “pagsakat sa langit” (the ascent to heaven). The statue of the Risen Christ, which had been in display at the altar of our parish church since Easter Sunday, is processed back to the house of its owner and caretaker. There it will stay until next year’s Easter Sunday when it will be brought back to the parish church for display at the altar. Come Ascension Sunday, the procession will return the image back to its owner’s house.
The house was a huge two-storey Spanish-style house. Inside the house, next to the living room, was a wide wooden staircase. I remember the old folks telling us in jest that Jesus used that staircase to go up to heaven. I kind of believed it back then so much so that every time I walk past that house on my way to school, the image of Jesus ascending the wooden staircase would suddenly pop up in my mind.
Today’s gospel tells us that when “the disciples saw Jesus at the mountain they worshiped, but they doubted.” (Mt. 28:17) This happened shortly after the Resurrection. They saw Jesus, they worshiped Him but at the same time they doubted.
Doubting here does not mean not believing. They definitely believed in Jesus, that is why they worshiped Him. Doubting here means they did not fully understand everything. Doubting here means they had some questions.
This time of crisis made us also ask some questions. Some of those questions remain unanswered. But we continue to believe. We continue to believe in God’s presence despite the absence of Mass and other Sacraments. We continue to serve and to love others. We continue to hope for the end to this crisis, that it will come soon. We never despair. And more importantly, we continue to trust the words of our Lord in today’s gospel, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20)
Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost is that great event in the life of the Church when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and our Blessed Mother. We consider this event as the birth of the Church. This year’s celebration will be extra memorable because our parish church, closed since March 17, will be reopened and Mass will be celebrated again inside.
Let us praise God and give Him thanks for this grace. For the schedule of our Sunday Mass,
please see our Facebook account Santa Barbara Catholic Church Dededo or go to our website www.sbparish.org.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My Dear Parishioners,
It has been raining since last night but thank God, we were still able to proceed with our parking-lot Masses this Sunday. Indeed, this crisis has taught us to appreciate things we normally take for granted before.
In my homily this morning, I talked about the two promises Jesus made in today’s gospel: that He will ask the Heavenly Father to send us the Spirit of Truth, and that He will not leave us orphans.
When God makes a promise, He fulfills it. As far as God is concerned, promises are made to be fulfilled, not to be broken, as the poet Jonathan Swift once quipped. God’s word is the foundation of our hope. Whenever God says something, it is as good as done. “Let there be light,” God said, “and there was light.” (Gen.1:3)
Why do we humans break our promises? Why do we lie? Why do we swear to the veracity of our statement when all the while we know that it was a fabrication?
There are many reasons why people lie. Let me share 3 of them. First, people lie because of FEAR: the fear of punishment, the fear of embarrassment or shame, the fear of pain or humiliation. These “fears” prompt people to lie. Some would justify telling a lie to protect others, but they do that to actually protect themselves.
Second, MANIPULATION. People lie because they want to manipulate others into doing something for them. People lie to get approval, favors, etc.
Third, PRIDE. People lie because they always want to look good. And they are just too proud to admit the truth especially when the truth belie their claim.
To those who find it difficult to tell the truth, remember the promise of Jesus to send us the Spirit of Truth. Ask Him, and He will definitely give you the grace of truth.
We heard our Lord say, “The truth will set you free.” Only when we live a life of truthfulness can we fully understand the true meaning this gospel adage. A truthful life is a free and full life; a life free from fear, free from duplicity, free from anxiety.
Those of us who continue to live in anxiety and uncertainty especially during this time of crisis, Jesus promised that he will never leave us orphans. Jesus always keeps His promise. He is with us today and will be with us forever. Trust in God’s promise.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
My Dear Parishioners,
After 54 days of celebrating Mass alone, finally I was able to celebrate Mass with our parishioners. We are not yet allowed to have Mass inside the church so we had the altar set up right outside the main door. The people were at the parking lot.
It was such a great feeling to be able to celebrate Mass again with the people. Social distancing prevented us from congregating closer to each other. But our deep longing for the Word of God and our great desire to receive the Eucharist in Holy Communion bonded us together as one body. We may be physically apart but we were spiritually tight, thanks to God’s Spirit knitting us as one.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” These words of our Lord Jesus in today’s gospel touched me deeply. In this horrible time of the Coronavirus pandemic, amid the fear and anxiety that befall us, the risk of contamination and the virulence of the virus that beset us, amid all our efforts to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe, we find most comfort and strength in God’s words.
We are not over the hill yet. We are still in troubled times. But let us remain strong and hopeful. Remember these words of Jesus: “Peace. Do not be afraid. Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Thank you Lord Jesus for reassuring us; thank you for comforting us; thank you for giving us the courage to continue to hope and to believe.
It is just wonderful that we were able to publicly celebrate Mass again on Mother’s Day. As I have mentioned in my Mass this morning, today is our Blessed Mother Mary’s gift to all of us but most especially to our mothers. I saw a lot of mothers this morning and I felt so happy as I prayed for them and blessed them. I jokingly said that today is the only Mother’s Day that the fathers are happier than their wives. Why? Because they are not obliged to take their wives to the dinner or to go shopping.
To all mothers, may you have a happy Mother’s Day. May God always bless you for the love and kindness you have shown us. To all mothers who have passed, may God grant them eternal rest and may the great Mother of God, Mary most holy, welcome them into her company in heaven.
Lastly, to all those who attended our parking-lot Mass this Sunday, I deeply appreciate your presence, your patience and your cooperation. My gratitude also to Mayor Melissa and her staff, and the Knights of Columbus (Dededo) for helping us make the Mass beautiful and orderly. My huge thanks also to the parish maintenance staff, sacristan, EMHC, the choir lectors, deacons, and Beau (for the altar decorations). You all did a good job. Praise God.
Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Dan
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