Date: June 2, 2020 ()

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It’s good to see you again! Finally, we’re back. I missed you and I tell you, it was sad to see empty pews at mass these past two months; but not anymore, we have a beautiful day today, outside: the sun is up just behind the clouds, we’re now on the green phase of our Return to Sacred Mass, and most of all the parking lot is colorful and it looks like Walmart again. It’s a beautiful day inside too, I see faces and smiles behind your masks, and the sitting arrangement looks nice and “novel.”

The most common question they asked me yesterday on our first day in church: how did you make it through this craziness? There’s a hundred ways to answer the question as there are a hundred different ways to cope with the situation. But the most important answer I want to find out is the question on: what has become of me during these trying times? Somebody said: God uses trials to shape us into the type of people we have to be in order to fully enjoy the future opportunities he has prepared for us. Trials as well are opportunities to see Jesus’ power and experience His presence. In the words of Fr. John, “Saints are forged in trying times.” Though I am very very far from becoming one. Those two months gave me a unique experience of my priestly ministry. I am able to pray more, reflect more, have special time with my family and friends on the phone and venture the unknown platform of communicating the message of the gospel exposing myself to a bigger crowd.

We honor today St. Marcellinus and Peter. A priest and an exorcist, respectively. Both became martyrs during the time of the Persecution of Emperor Diocletian. There was almost nothing said about their life, but we wonder why they found their way to the church’s hall of fame: the reason being that: what they exemplified to the church during the most difficult times may have kindled the faith of so many. They became a great inspiration during the trying times.

Peter tells us today a good reminder, as he alerts us on the coming of the great tribulation: “But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity.” The gospel shares to us also a secret on how to remain in the Lord: Give Caesar his due; and give God what we ought to give Him, that is, we need to come to an understanding that Caesar may be obliging us to give him his coin but God is asking us more, we need to love the Lord with all our mind, with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength.

Let us take time to ask ourselves today: what does this trying times make of me/us?