Today, we begin the sacred season of Advent, a four-week period that leads to Christmas festivities. This season has a two-fold character: during the first two weeks, we direct our minds and hearts toward the second coming of Christ (also known as the Parousia) or the end of time, which we do not know the day or hour of. The last two weeks focus on Christ's first coming to humanity in the flesh, which we celebrate at Christmas. For this reason, Advent is a time of devotion and joyful expectation.

This year, on the feast of Christ the King, we hear in the Gospel one of the most moving stories we will ever hear. In a moment of great suffering, Jesus replied to one who had turned to Him and said, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." [Luke 23:43]. This gives us all great hope, but there's more to the story.

In the accounts of the Passion of Christ, the words convey the stark reality that Jesus suffered and died for us at the hands of evil men. But, true to the mission of transmitting the Christian faith, the evangelists were not primarily teaching what happened, rather they were teaching faith and encouragement lessons using stories about what happened [cf: CCC #425].

When I was a kid growing up in New England, I’d occasionally go on a whale watch. Once we went out with calm waters and clear skies. But on the way back in, the sea got rough. I was just a kid, and I remember thinking we should turn left or right toward the shoreline I could see. But the pilot of the boat kept going straight — right into the waves — focused on a small, discouragingly distant lighthouse. Even when it flickered in and out of sight, he stayed the course. He knew where he was going.

Esteemed brothers and sisters in Christ,

This Sunday, we celebrate the dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica, known as the Pope's church and the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, where the Bishop of Rome resides. The term "basilica" has its roots in ancient Roman history, referring to a large public building used for business, legal proceedings, and gatherings. These buildings typically featured a rectangular floor plan with a central nave, aisles on either side, and an apse (a semicircular area at one end).

Esteemed brothers and sisters in Christ,

Padre Pio once reported to Padre Anastasio di Roio: "One night I was alone in the choir and saw a friar cleaning the altar late at night. I asked him to go to bed since it was so late. He said: 'I'm a friar like you. I did my novitiate here, and when assigned to take care of the Altar, I passed by the Tabernacle many times without making the proper reverence. For this sin, I am in Purgatory, and the Lord sent me to you. You decide how much longer I have to suffer in those flames.' I told him, I will pray for you at Mass in the morning.' He said, 'Cruel,' and disappeared. I still have a wound in my heart. I could have sent him immediately to Paradise; instead, he had to stay one more night in the flames of Purgatory" (Following Padre Pio, 2025).

In this weekend's Gospel, we encounter the parable about the Pharisee and Tax Collector who were at a Temple prayer service [cf. Luke 18:9-14]. At first, this parable sounds like the lesson was intended for the Pharisees who had confronted Jesus in Bethany, near the home of Lazarus and his sisters, only days before His entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. But close attention to the parable shows us that the lesson was actually intended for Jesus's disciples, including us.

Dear Fr. Thomas and Beloved Parishioners,

On behalf of myself, the priests, the religious, and the entire Catholic faithful of Zaria Diocese in Nigeria, I write with a heart full of gratitude to thank you most sincerely for your outstanding generosity during the recent Mission Appeal conducted by Rev. Fr. Samuel Aliba in your parish.

The sum of $20,688.20 realized from the Appeal is one of the highest we have ever received. Beyond the figure, however, is the powerful message of love, solidarity, and faith that your parish community has sent to us. Fr. Samuel spoke so warmly of the kindness and hospitality he receives from you, Fr. Thomas, and from the parishioners. It was truly a beautiful witness of our shared priesthood and the unity of the Body of Christ.

Dear esteemed parishioners

In the spirit of Canon Law#1287, the diocesan policy of Phoenix mandates that the Parish Finance Council supervise the preparation of the annual financial report to the Bishop by July 31 each year-30 days afterthe conclusion of the fiscal year. This report is to be shared with the faithful within 120 days following theend of the fiscal year and will be published in the parish bulletin. This weekend, the Parish Finance Counciland I are pleased to fulfill this important responsibility. The 2024/2025 Financial Report is included in thisweekend's bulletin.

Dear beloved parishioners,

A friend of mine returned from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2004 and brought me several souvenirs, including a grain of mustard seed, which is mentioned in this Sunday's Gospel. It is a very small and round grain, typically measuring 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, and originates from a mustard plant, commonly used in cooking and farming.

In the Gospel reading for this Sunday [Luke 16:19-31], we hear the well-known parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Most of us know the storyline well, but it's in the details Jesus used to tell the story where we will find the full lesson. The first detail is the name, Lazarus, which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name, Eliezer, meaning "God is my help." This is a clue to interpreting the story.

The next detail is that the poor man was literally lying at the rich man's door. This told Jesus' listeners that there was no excuse for the rich man not knowing about Lazarus; he had to step over him to get in and out of his house. This detail also told them that the rich man ate all alone. Those who might come to dine with him would have to also step over Lazarus, which guests certainly would not do. For a Jew, the ultimate in loneliness was to dine alone.

The Gospel reading this Sunday presents us with the parable of the dishonest steward which could also be called the parable of the astute steward. Jesus narrates the story of a steward who was accused of wasting his master's resources. He was given time to put his accounts in order before he was fired. He knew he would be fired shortly and so he devised a strategy of survival afterward.

Dear beloved parishioners,

Today, on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, the readings clearly highlight the connection between the bronze serpent in the desert and the Cross of Christ. Jesus explains to Nicodemus that, just as the serpent was lifted up for the healing of the Israelites from the bites of the serpents, so too must the Son of Man (Jesus) be raised up on the Cross for the healing of His people from the affliction of sin.

Dear esteemed parishioners,

During our preschool catechetical instructions, our catechist often shared stories about the ultimate sacrifices made by the missionaries who brought the faith to our region. These narratives aimed to help us appreciate the efforts of those who gave their lives to evangelize the nation, instilling in us a desire to love and practice our faith.