From our Pastor’s Desk

Dear Family:

Venerable Humbert of Romans, a French Dominican friar who served as the fifth Master General of the order of Preachers in the 13th century said, “Some wines are weak and have no effect on you, but the word of God is strong wine … and gets you drunk.” We feel the effect of this strong wine when a word or passage of scripture strikes us and we begin to live under its influence. The word of God produces great effects in people’s lives. For example, many years ago this strong wine influenced notable saints such as St. Augustine. He was a renowned and successful rhetoric professor who lived a carefree life until one day when he was sitting alone in the garden and he heard a little voice speaking to his heart repeatedly, “Pick up the Bible and read.” On this day he picked up the scripture and his eyes fell on the Letter to the Romans and there he read these words, “let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” (Romans 13:13-14). These words marked a new beginning in his life and these transformative words changed him for the better.

The book of Nehemiah in today’s first reading tells an inspiring story of the encounter between Ezra and the people of Israel. The people had come back from exile in Babylon and they were in a period of reconstruction and restoration. Their lives were shattered and they were deeply hungry and thirsty for the living word. Ezra, the priest stood on a wooden pulpit, opened the word of God in the sight of the people and read it to the assembly. All the men and women listened to him attentively and wept when they heard the words of the law. These words touched them so deeply and made them cry. Today’s psalm perfectly describe the word of God as “Spirit and life.”

It is wonderful to see how people respond to the word of God and this is because the word of God is not just ordinary word but word that is Spirit and Life. The prophet Isaiah says the Word of God is food and drink that fully satisfy (Isaiah 55:1-11); the Apostle Paul asserts that the Word of God is the wisdom that leads to salvation (2 Timothy 3:14). In the book of Hebrews we read: “The word of God is living and effective (Hebrews 4:12), and Ephesians 6:17 describes the word as “The Sword of the Spirit.”

If the word is spiritual food and drink, then we require it daily for survival, just as we consume physical food. This explains why Joshua says, “Do not let this book of the law depart from your lips. Recite it by day and by night,” (Joshua 1:8). The word of God is useful to us in many ways. When we are lost and in the dark, it becomes “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). The Apostle James compares the word of God to a mirror in which we are able to look at ourselves and make the necessary adjustments (James 1:23). According to the Apostle Paul “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). More still, the word of God teaches us about the beauty of diversity and the need to rise above the tyranny of dissension and destructive divisions and take advantage of our diversity (1 Corinthians 12:12-30).

We can begin each day by reading a passage of Scripture. There are many publications and Internet sources that provide daily readings from the scriptures that we can read and be nourished. Attending daily Mass afford us the opportunity of listening to the word of God.

Perhaps a good new year’s resolution will be exposing ourselves more often to the Word of God. This is a good challenge, a challenge that will always make us be One Body, One Spirit, One Family!

Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Michael the Archangel, Pope Saint Pius X and Blessed Dr. José Gregorio Hernández, pray for us!

Yours in Christ Jesus!
Fr. Omar