On Tuesday afternoon, we celebrated our second monthly Mass at a new Independent/Assisted Living Community in Waldorf (Harmony House). We had a mix of Catholics and non-Catholics attending. I began my homily with a simple statement:" IF YOU WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN, RAISE YOUR HAND!" There was not a single hesitation. Immediately, Catholics and non-Catholics all raised their hands! We all want to go to Heaven. We all want to be saved. But the key questions remain: who will be saved? HOW CAN WE BE SAVED? JESUS says to Zacchaeus the chief tax collector in Jericho and all of us repentant sinners: “TODAY SALVATION HAS COME TO THIS HOUSE...THE SON OF MAN HAS COME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE WHAT WAS LOST." (Luke 19:1-10, this Sunday's Gospel). The instant conversion of the repentant Zacchaeus, a great sinner, gives all of us great HOPE. In last week's Gospel (Luke 18: 9-14), it was also a tax collector who was praying in the temple: "LORD, BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER" and went home "justified". JESUS IS OUR SAVIOR. HE CAME ON EARTH to seek the lost souls, like Zacchaeus and all of us, and to bring us back to God the Father: HE CAME TO SAVE US. Last week...

Several weeks ago, I was called to visit someone dying. Nothing extraordinary. Every week, Fr. Jan and I receive such calls from families, nursing homes, hospitals, or hospice...This was a home visit far away from our church. The family had no connection at all with our parish. To maintain total confidentiality, I will call the dying person Gertrude (not the real name). Gertrude had not gone to any church for many many years. During her illness, she had rejected the visit of any priest. But God had a plan. In her youth, Gertrude had received all the sacraments. Then she got married in the Catholic Church and had all her children baptized and confirmed. But as the children grew up into adults, she stopped going to church. When I met her, she was...

WE LIVE IN A TROUBLED WORLD: FIRST. The War between Russia and Ukraine is escalating. It began 8 months ago. When is it going to end? Russia's aggression is threatening the entire world: a nuclear attack on Ukraine could lead to a Third World War. Would a nuclear conflict lead to the END OF THE WORLD? or would the threat of a nuclear attack lead to PEACE? Will the leaders of the most powerful nations find the way to a lasting PEACE? Or once again, will War keep leading to more and more HATRED, and more future Wars? ONLY GOD CAN PROVIDE REAL PEACE: PEACE IN OUR HEARTS! SECOND. Beyond the battle of armed forces, another battle continues to rage: THE BATTLE...

Today I give some further reflection on my encounter with the "Little Prince" of our neighborhood and his young friends while "Walking in Waldorf" (see my column of last week). FIRST, several of you have commented on the refreshing "innocence" and "humility" of these young children. Yes! We live in a world where innocence and humility are being lost. Jesus constantly reminds us that we need to be "like little children" to enter Heaven. How can we be child-like? By being truly HUMBLE as a little child in presence of God OUR FATHER and Mary OUR MOTHER) and by TRUSTING totally IN GOD (as a little child trusting in his parents). In answer to...