Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Jerome,

May the peace of Jesus Christ be with you always!

The solemn commemoration of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother ratifies her Immaculate Conception. Being untouched by original sin, Mary was spared the experience of death. She was assumed into heaven both body and soul to be united with her God the Father, with Her Son Jesus Christ, and with Her Spouse the Holy Spirit. She is honored as the Queen of All Saints and of heaven and earth. Her being untouched by death is a proof of her uninterrupted communion with God. She continues to live according to her vocation as a collaborator of God’s salvific work in Jesus by being our intercessor between God and fallen humanity. The Motherhood that she provided to Jesus Christ is being extended to us, as we have been adopted by the Father as His sons and daughters by virtue of the baptism that we received as a fruit of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Blessed Mother’s assumption into heaven should bring us confidence that we have someone in front of God who constantly pleads for us that God may favor us in all our needs.

This solemn commemoration of the Blessed Mother’s entry to the realm of eternity should bring us hope. This hope lies in the reality that our sinful humanity can be transformed by God. He who created the Blessed Mother in all fullness of beauty can restore in us what was damaged by sin. He who kept the Blessed Mother untouched by death can envelop us with life that could be life giving to others. She was chosen by God Who made her privileged because that is how God is. He decides according to His own bidding that brings us awe and admiration of His unfathomable goodness. Assumed into heaven, the Blessed Mother becomes our inspiration so that we, too, may aim at living in eternal bliss where God is our ultimate satisfaction.

On another topic, I would like to ask everyone in the parish to reflect on the vision and the mission that we would like to promote in building the new reality following upon the process of the Renew My Church program. As we have officially welcomed the parishioners of Saint Ignatius who have chosen to be with us, this is now the proper time to envision the parish identity that Jesus Christ would like for us to imbibe to the current and to our future generation. Next month, I would like to call for a meeting where all of us can hear each other and share our hopes and dreams for the parish in the next five years. This would be a good opportunity for all of us also to bring forward to the community the candidates for the Parish Council and the Finance Council that we would like to revive and re-structure.

We shall continue to identify the mission of Jesus Christ that is entrusted to our local parish and the manner in which we ought to accomplish His mission in the Church. Until next weekend.