Category: From the Pastor’s Desk

From the Pastor’s Desk

Dear Parishioners,

Today is the last Sunday of July. Summer seems to be flying right by. I do hope that each of you have had the opportunity to enjoy the rest and relaxation of these summer months because as soon as you know it, September will be right here! Last Sunday we were reminded in the gospel passage that the Lord invited us to take time to rest, but to rest in his presence. We see in today’s gospel of how Jesus feeds the five thousand. Miraculously, our Lord turns five barley loaves and two fish into enough food for the five thousand to eat. We know that Jesus feeds us with himself. Each time we approach the Eucharist, the Lord gives of himself for our nourishment and sustenance. How blessed we are to receive Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament so that we can be fed and sustained. St. Paul reminds us in today’s second reading from his letter to the Ephesians that we must live with humility, patience and love. If your anything like me, patience is one of those traits that I pray for every day! There are moments that I lose my patience, either with people or situations. The key is to not allow our impatience to get in the way of imitating Jesus Christ. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to strengthen and guide us closer to the heart of Christ, for the hand of the Lord feeds us, he answers all our needs. Continue reading “July 25, 2021” →

From the Parochial Vicar’s Desk 

Dear Parishioners,

It is a beautiful day! We are entering another week of good news, and God is offering us a message of hope – promising us redemption and restoration. In the first reading of the 16th Sunday in the Ordinary Time of Year B, the prophet Jeremiah condemns those who maltreat other people and spells out God’s intent to redeem and restore the chosen people of God through his appointed shepherds to extricate the children of God from fearing and trembling (cf. Jeremiah 23:1-6). Are you in any form feeling lost in your work, in your family/relational life, in politics, in your intellectual life, and, more importantly, in your spiritual life? If that sounds like you, or you are facing other challenges not enumerated above, the psalmist assures us that “the Lord is [our] shepherd; [and] there is nothing [we] shall want” (Psalm 23:1). Whether or not we face difficulties in life, let us not be discouraged, for God is for us. Saint Paul reminds us that Christ intends to preach peace to both the successful and the hopeless – “those who are near and those who are far off” (Ephesians 2:18). The good news in all of this is that through Christ, all of us have access to the Father. The Father’s interest in caring for our wellbeing is further emphasized by Jesus in today’s gospel passage when he invites his disciples (and by extension, all of us) to “come away… and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). Taking some time off on a Sunday to worship God, decompress from life challenges, relieve worries, and evade the noise of life are ways to come away and rest awhile in God. Thank you for being a part of today’s Sunday worship! Continue reading “July 18, 2021” →

From the Parochial Vicar’s Desk 

Dear Parishioners,

Today is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time. As we collectively relish the euphoria of the celebration of our freedom last weekend with lots of fireworks, we seem to have fired ourselves back into action as free children of God charged with the work of evangelization. Our freedom first and foremost reminds us of God’s initiative for our redemption. Interestingly, the Church dedicates the month of July to the Precious Blood of Jesus, which is also a reminder of our redemption. Coincidentally the second reading is a prayer of praise to God for saving us in Jesus. St. Paul offers us the exercise of counting our blessings and offering thanksgiving to God for being the Source of our benedictions, in and through Jesus’ life, death, and Resurrection. It is essentially through Christ that God gave us a clear purpose in life—to praise and serve God and one another—with the Holy Spirit as a Helper in carrying out the task. We are, therefore, called to count our blessings instead of focusing unduly on our inadequacies and deficiencies. As we count our blessings, let us also remember to support our Churches in all ramifications as instruments for evangelization and continuation of Jesus’ redemption.  Continue reading “July 11, 2021” →

From the Pastor’s Desk

Dear Parishioners

Today is the Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time. It is also 4^th of July weekend. Happy Independence Day to all of you. July 4 has been known as the unofficial beginning of summer. As we begin these months of rest and relaxation, we continue to keep our eyes fixated on Christ. We of course never take a vacation from our relationship with Jesus. We hear in today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that God’s grace is sufficient in us. Paul tells us that he would boast about his weaknesses so that the greatness of Christ can be fulfilled. What a beautiful way for us to follow the Lord in a deeper way. The Lord wants us to be true disciples of him, even in our faults, failures and weaknesses. May Christ continue to bless us in his love and mercy. Continue reading “July 4, 2021” →

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK 

Dear Parishioners,

Today is the 13^th Sunday of Ordinary Time. It is also the last Sunday of June! Where did the month go? As we begin these months of summer, we are constantly reminded to continue to keep Christ at the center of our lives. In whatever we plan to do this summer, let us not forget to pray and to attend Mass. All we do should be rooted in the great love God has for us and his holy people. We see in today’s gospel of how Jesus cures Jairus’ daughter. As Jairus is persistent in asking for Jesus to come and cure his daughter, the people at the royal official’s house has reported that his daughter has already died and there would be no need for Jesus to come. Our Lord disregards the message and tells Jairus, “do not be afraid, just have faith!” Immediately after saying that, Jesus goes to the house and brings the little girl to life. We must continue to be people of faith, never allowing anything or anyone to shake it. May the Lord bless our community of faith here at St. Martin de Porres Parish. Continue reading “June 27, 2021” →

From the Pastor’s Desk,

Dear Parishioners,

Today is the 12^th Sunday in Ordinary Time. June seems to be flying right by us! The month of June has traditionally been the month of graduations and promotions. Last Friday, I was privileged to give the homily and keynote address to the 8^th grade graduating class from our regional school, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy. I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate all of our graduates from the parish. We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to enlighten and strengthen our graduates. In today’s gospel, Jesus reminds us to have faith. Jesus is in the boat with his disciples and all of a sudden, a storm arises which terrifies his disciples. They tell Jesus that this storm may kill us! It is at that moment that the Lord commands the sea and the wind to be still. He then tells his disciples; don’t you have faith? We must continue to have faith in the Lord, even in the midst of the storms of life, knowing that Jesus will never abandon us. We hear in today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that the love of Christ impels us. Let us pray that we will continue to be people of faith and witnesses of Christ’s abundant love.

Continue reading “June 20, 2021” →

From the Pastor’s Desk

Dear Parishioners,

Summer seems to be arriving very quickly here in Brooklyn! As I write this letter, we are on day #2 of the 90-degree weather. As always, we must continue to thank God for the gift of his creation. We are blessed to be able to bask in God’s beauty in all that he created. As we move into these summer months, we are invited to take time for rest and relaxation, but to never forget our faith in Christ Jesus. We are reminded in today’s second reading from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that we walk by faith not by sight. Our faith is at the very core of who we are as disciples of Christ Jesus. Jesus gives us this beautiful parable of the mustard seed in today’s gospel. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. It is the smallest of all seeds but when sown becomes the largest of plants. We must continue to sow the seeds of faith here in Bedford Stuyvesant to allow it flourish and grow. May these weeks of summer be a time of rejuvenation and renewal as we continue to be people of faith, hope and love. Continue reading “June 13, 2021” →

Dear Parishioners,

Today is the Solemnity of Corpus Christi (Body and Blood of Christ). As Catholics, we believe that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. On that very first Holy Thursday, as the Lord gathered with his disciples, he has his Last Supper with them. As he takes bread and wine, Jesus says to them, “This is my body, This is my blood”. It was at this moment that Jesus instituted the Eucharist. It is in the Most Blessed Sacrament, that we receive Jesus himself. We encounter the living Lord who is present in body, blood, soul, and divinity. On this Corpus Christi Sunday, we give thanks and praise to God for the gift of the Eucharist. Each Sunday when we gather for Mass, we enter into the mystery of our salvation, that is rooted in the Eucharist. Christ is the great High Priest, who gives of himself for us, his holy people. I invite you to spend time before our Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament. Allow him to speak to the depths of your hearts, as we strive to bring his light and love to all his people. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, today the Diocese of Brooklyn begins now to exercise the obligation to attend Sunday Mass. It goes without saying that if you are sick and not feeling well, you should not come to church, but for those of us who are “able body”, we should continue the practice of attending Sunday Mass each week and receiving with devotion the Holy Eucharist. May the light of Christ continue to shine forth for all the world to see. 

Continue reading “June 6, 2021” →

Dear Parishioners,

With the celebration of Pentecost last week, we officially concluded the Easter season and now have moved to the Ordinary Time of the liturgical year. There are though two beautiful solemnities that we commemorate on the two Sunday’s after Pentecost. Today is the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Next Sunday we will celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi (Body and Blood of Christ). As Catholics, we believe that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We invoke the Blessed Trinity throughout all of our prayers. It is in the three persons of the Blessed Trinity that we know who God is. We hear in today’s gospel of Jesus sending out his disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To this very day, when a priest or deacon baptizes, he would use those exact words at the moment he pours water. Our faith is rooted in the Trinity! As we invoke the Blessed Trinity, let us pray that God will continue to show us his love and mercy. Continue reading “May 30, 2021” →

Dear Parishioners,

Today we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost. We commemorate the moment Jesus bestowed upon us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Today’s gospel depicts Jesus in the midst of his disciples saying to them, “Peace be with you”. On this Pentecost Sunday, we pray for peace in our world, that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide and strengthen all of God’s holy people. We pray that the Holy Spirit will renew the face of the earth. Each of us was given the gift of the Holy Spirit at our baptism. We were then sealed with the Holy Spirit at Confirmation. It is on this feast of Pentecost that the Church comes into existence. It is within the sacramental life of the Church that the Holy Spirit makes it dwelling. Let us live in the Spirit so that we will continue to build up the Body of Christ here on earth. Continue reading “May 23, 2021” →