Dear Family of God,

Why did Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” What is the meaning of the whole Psalm 22? What message is Jesus trying to tell all of us?

Truly our Lord extremely suffered like no other, for He is innocent and his love is perfect. The perfect your love is, the greater suffering you felt for the one you love.

Dear Family of God,

Why should we wait for the Final Blessings?

The Mass is not over after a Catholic receives Holy Communion. There are actually two critical points in the Mass when the priest speaks and acts “in the Person of Christ.” The first is when he consecrates the Bread and Wine, and the second is when he gives the final blessing.

Dear Family of God,

How do we truly see as God sees?

We need God in order to quench our thirst and to see what truly can satisfy our needs. We are called to see as God sees. God reminded Samuel in our first reading that “man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart.”

Dear Family of God,

Why is Marriage so important for God, for our Church and for our Society?

Pope St. John Paul II once said, “as the family goes, so goes the society.” Strong, healthy families form the backbone of a moral and just society. We need strong families for our Church, and we all need the Holy Spirit to guide and help us along this way.

Dear Family of God,

How do we listen to Jesus?

Jesus told his Apostles, “He who listens to you, listens to me” (Luke 10:16). St. Peter with all his human frailty was blessed with a unique gift: the responsibility of leading the disciples and keeping them from error. The Holy Spirit transformed St. Peter powerfully at Pentecost, and his teaching authority (the Magisterium) was born along with the Church that day.

Dear Family of God,

What is temptation and the three stages of committing sin? There are three stages of committing sin: First, we perceive it as “good” just like Eve “saw the tree was good for food.” We think it is good and can make us happy. But God is the “only Good”, the source of our true happiness.

Secondly, “It is pleasing to the eyes”, if I possess this, I will be happy.

Dear Family of God,

What is the best choice in life that we can make in a world full of choices?

As our first reading this weekend is reminding us: “Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him.” Yes, God wants us all to be saved, but God does not force anybody into heaven.

Dear Family of God,

How can we be a thriving light for the world?

“Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16).

As followers of Jesus, we should move step by step to be detached with things of this world and be attached to God alone.

Dear Family of God,

Do you know where and how to find true joy in life? Our readings this weekend teaches us how and where to find true happiness. God is the source of true happiness.

Outside of God, we cannot be truly happy. Money, power, prestige, or any material things or person for that matter, cannot fully satisfy us. Only God can ultimately make us happy.

Dear Family of God,

Did you know that this Sunday is “Sunday of the Word of God”? Pope Francis has declared every Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, beginning in 2020, as "Sunday of the Word of God" to be celebrated in all Catholic Churches around the world. Since this day is the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, it means the Seventh Celebration of "Sunday of the Word of God" will take place today in all Catholic Churches in the world.

Dear Family of God,

John the Baptist introduced Jesus to the Jews as the “Lamb of God” on the second day (Jn. 1:29). He repeats it on the third day. “Lamb of God” is the most meaningful title given to Jesus in the Bible. It is used 29 times in the book of Revelation. It sums up the love, the sacrifice and the triumph of Christ.

Apple ran a commercial not long ago called “Behind the Mac – Greatness.” It shows artists and creators, such as Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, and Lady Gaga, working behind their MacBooks. The narration says, “There’s a certain kind of person who doesn’t wait for greatness. They make it.” It’s a compelling message. There’s beauty in using our gifts with passion and purpose.

Dear Family of God,

As we celebrate Epiphany or the Manifestation of Jesus as God and our light, I want to continue with the message of Pope Saint Paul II on the vocation of Christian Families.

In matrimony and in the family a complex of interpersonal relationships is set up--married life, fatherhood and motherhood, filiation and fraternity--through which each human person is introduced into the "human family" and into the "family of God," which is the church.