Homily
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Homily by Fr. Americo Santos
Today’s Scripture readings invite us to discern God’s call to each of us as His disciples for His mission. We are encouraged to recognize God’s Holy Presence and to admit our sinfulness and unworthiness, as shown by the prophet Isaiah in the first reading, St. Paul in the second reading, and St. Peter in today’s Gospel. The readings also highlight that God has specific criteria for selecting people to be His disciples, ministers, and prophets as part of His divine plan. By examining the unique calls and vocations of Isaiah, Paul, and Peter, we are prompted to reflect on our divine calling from our Baptism and our loyalty and commitment to discipleship.
Isaiah, in the first reading, and Peter, in today’s Gospel, express their unworthiness to be in the presence of God’s Holiness, but because of their humbleness in this matter, both receive their calls. The second reading emphasizes Paul’s call: He sees himself as unworthy because he was a former persecutor of Christians and the last Apostle chosen by the Risen Lord. Awareness of who we are or how we are is the first step in depending on His grace; it is an essential characteristic for a disciple.
This Sunday, God invites us to pray that our encounters with Jesus lead us to recognize our sinfulness and weaknesses so that we can accept His call. God calls us to His service and wants us to remember His presence within ourselves and others. We are encouraged to repent of our sins and remain ready to speak and act for Him daily, guided by His Holy Spirit. Throughout different moments in our lives, each of us receives a call from God to be part of His Kingdom and share the life and message of Jesus Christ through our words and actions. Some may receive a specific call to serve Him uniquely, including roles in the Church, such as priests, religious men, women, lay consecrated persons, lay missionaries, or through the sacrament of marriage. Today is a good day to pray for more vocations in the Church because we need more servants in Church. Perhaps you are being called to one of these specific vocations. I invite you to discern and respond positively to God’s call, as He may need you for one of these special roles.
My brothers and sisters, we are invited to seriously consider God’s call to be His disciples through Baptism or a special vocation in the Church. We need to follow Jesus as Peter and the other disciples did, remaining dependent on Him and ready to serve Him with love and dedication. By accepting His call, we can actively participate in various ministries of our Parish and the universal Church, for we are all necessary to God and His Kingdom.
Peace be with you,
Fr. Americo
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The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord - Homily by Deacon Joshua Choong, SJ
Filled with the Spirit, Simeon knew that his long wait was finally over. His eyes of faith recognize who the little baby is – God’s salvation. That is a lot to place on one child. Nevertheless, my question is not about who baby Jesus is for Simeon and for all humankind, but whether salvation is only about the forgiveness of my sin and my soul escaping the danger of hell in the future. Is this what salvation all about that? It seems a bit self-centered.
I do not deny that our Christian hope is ultimately directed toward God as our final destination, but surely, our Christian hope is also about being concerned about the world because we are in the world and need to engage with it. Hence, Christian hope and engaging with the world demands that we are merciful to our neighbor by responding to the neighbor, especially the one who is long overlooked, marginalized, and disenfranchised, the one who begs for peace and justice. A Christianity that only focuses on the vertical relationship between myself and God but neglects the horizontal and ethical relationship between myself and my neighbor is no Christianity at all.
In September last year, just months before the Presidential election, I read a piece of news that made me sick to the stomach. The immigrant Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, experienced outright hostility and hate from the town’s residents after a Haitian minivan driver killed a child and injured others in an accident. One side of the Presidential campaign tapped into old racist tropes that described the Haitians of Springfield as a menace to public safety. As a result, there were increased incidences of strangers hurling insults at Haitians on the streets and in stores. What is truly appalling is that the death of Aiden Clark, the 11-year-old boy killed in that accident, was being used to perpetuate the hate, with flyers of his smiling image that read, “Killed by a Haitian invader” distributed around the city. It got to the point where his father, Nathan, had to implore the city to stop the hate in a town hall meeting because it was incompatible with what the Clark family believed. They were angry at the man who caused the accident that killed Aiden, but it never occurred to the Clarks to extend their anger upon an entire population of immigrants.
What happened in Springfield foreshadows the immigration-related executive orders after the Inauguration Ceremony. The Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is right when she prayed for the immigrant communities that are now living in fear, especially the children who fear that their parents will be taken away. She begged the President and his government for mercy. Mercy is truth, and mercy is who Christ is. As a religious leader, she preaches the truth who is Christ. Just like Mary, whom Simeon prophesized that her heart will be pierced, Bishop Budde’s heart and soul are pierced when she wrestles with the living God, hearing and pondering the word of the divine promise. Then, the cries of the immigrants pierce her heart when the actions of the elected government, which contradict Christian teachings, pierce her heart. She just could not stay silent, nor could she maintain a neutral stance. Otherwise, she would have chosen the side of the oppressor. Bishop Budde holds fast to the tenets of democracy and values of the founding fathers, particularly the belief that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by God with certain unalienable Rights, such as Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. For Bishop Budde, this is her country, this is her democracy, and she wants to preserve it, protect it, and pass it on.
When acts of injustice occur, when those targeted are terrified, we must respond with kindness and mercy. The government cannot be a purveyor of death, terminating the hopes, dreams, and lives of countless people. We cannot sit idly by when the government, in our name, sets up and devises an evil system that destroys others who bear the image of God. Amid the darkness, God wants us to be the light of the world, reflecting the light of our salvation from God. But first of all, I’m inviting all of us tonight, including myself, to check the condition of our hearts – are they pierced?
Deacon Joshua Choong, SJ
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Third Sunday In Ordinary Time - Homily by Fr. Americo Santos
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Scripture readings for this Sunday focus on the importance and liberating power of the Word of God, which makes God present in our midst. The readings challenge us to listen to the Word, accept it into our hearts, and then put it into practice as we live out our lives, thus liberating ourselves and others from all types of bondages.
Today’s first reading, taken from Nehemiah and Luke’s Gospel, describes a public reading of Sacred Scripture, challenging the listeners to make a “fresh beginning” with a new outlook. In the first reading, after rebuilding the Temple and restoring the city, Ezra leads the people in a “Covenant renewal” ceremony by reading and interpreting the Law.
Today’s Gospel describes how, on a Sabbath, Jesus stood before the people in the synagogue of his hometown, Nazareth, reading and interpreting what Isaiah had prophesied about the Messiah and His mission. Jesus claims that he has been sent “to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, And to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. A year acceptable for the Lord is a jubilee year, which a year of release, restoration, and redemption that occurred every 50 years in those days. Jesus confirms that Isaiah’s prophecy is being fulfilled with him because He is the messiah sent by God to the world. Jesus’ mission is to give liberation to everyone who listens to his “Good News,” accept it, and put it into practice. Luke describes that surprise and admiration were the reactions of the people listening to Jesus because of his eloquence in public speaking.
This weekend, the message is that we must always receive Christ’s freedom through his word, live it, and pass it on to others. We need Christ to set us free from sin or any bondage. Once we receive His true liberation, we must share it with those we encounter daily in our families, neighborhoods, parishes, schools, and workplaces. Also, today, we ask God for the United States of America as a country. May God guide and illuminate the new president of the United States, who must promote and respect freedom and liberation in every sense in this country. We pray for his leadership and ask God to make him merciful and compassionate toward immigrants, women, and other vulnerable groups in our American society. He needs to understand that most people in these vulnerable groups are good people who want the best for this country. They are also children of God who are actively involved in this country. The United States is an excellent country, full of people who work and serve with love. Whether some are undocumented or documented, all people in this country are the same for God. President Donald Trump must respect freedom and any human being. God bless America—one land under one God.
Peace be with you,
Fr. Americo
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Pilgrimage to Lourdes & Fatima
with Fr. Steven Restrepo & Fr. J. Americo Santos
Sep 14-24, 2026
Introduce yourself to the absolute best of Fatima, Lourdes, and Spain. This grace-filled pilgrimage will bring you ever closer to Christ as you visit famous and holy sites along with your fellow pilgrims; experiencing a deep dive into rich history and stunning art, with amazing food along the way.