The ongoing pandemic has impacted our daily lives in ways we could not have imagined one year ago. It has also impacted our spiritual lives. It has impacted our responses to God's commandments, including the third commandment: KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH. "KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH" is not a suggestion from God. It is an order. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) makes it clear on how we should implement this order as baptized Catholics, "Sunday is to be observed as the most holy day of obligation in the universal Church. On SUNDAYS and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass " (CCC 2192). The Mass is the center of our Christian life. Not attending Mass on Sundays is a major sin (unless we are sick). Because of the pandemic and the health risk to many people, Archbishop Gregory ...

"HOPE IS THE ANCHOR OF THE SOUL" (Hebrews 6:19). We, Christians, are people of Hope. We know that God loves us and that He has a beautiful plan for each of us. Many people are suffering today because of the continuing pandemic. About 400,000 Americans have died of Covid-19 within the last 12 months. Everyone has been affected through the loss of a relative or friend. Many are afraid of being infected and have not yet come back to attend Mass at church. Many are asking, "God, where are you? Why are you allowing this pandemic to continue? " I always say that GOD IS A GOD OF HOPE! God will never abandon us. We believe in the resurrection of the bodies. We believe in eternal life. We believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior. We believe in the Catholic Church. We are never alone on our journey of Faith. We have been praying for the end of the pandemic. We have been using a strict protocol in our own parish, in our own church so as to protect lives. Now that vaccination is available in Charles County, ...

I believe that God never stops calling us. He knows each of us by name. He knows everything going on in our lives. He knows all our thoughts and desires. He has created us in His own image. He loves each of us personally. Since our baptism, we are all called God's children. He has a plan for each of us, a beautiful plan because He loves us and He wants each of us to be close to Him. He sends His only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, to reveal Himself to each of us, to redeem us from our sins, to guide all our steps on our pilgrimage on earth so that we can return to Him and be with Him now and forever. The question we are all struggling with is: "What does God want me to do?" Every day is a new day, a new beginning. Every day, we can ask God: "What do you want me to do today?" As we have completed our wonderful journey of Advent and Christmas, it is a good time to reflect on God's plan. It is a good time to...

"I HAVE BAPTIZED YOU WITH WATER; HE WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT" (Mark 1: 7-11) says John the Baptist. Do you remember the day of your own Baptism? (If you don’t, ask your parents or call the parish where you were baptized). Who baptized you? Like Jesus being baptized by John in the waters of the Jordan River, were you fully immersed in water? Did you feel the Holy Spirit? Did you feel becoming a totally new person? Are you aware that your Baptism was the beginning of a new life? Are you aware that since the day of your Baptism, you became God's child as a full member of the Body of Christ, His Church, the Catholic Church? This weekend, we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord as we close the Christmas Season and enter the First Week of Ordinary Time. This is a time to reflect on our own Baptism and on the permanent dwelling of the Holy Trinity at the center of our inner being. This is a time to reflect and pray to the Holy Spirit in the SILENCE of our hearts. Given the daily challenges we face, including ...