We are God's Children

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.

The medieval scholastic philosophers and theologians left us a great gift. They showed us the ability and the method to make distinctions. In making distinctions, the finer points of an argument can be made clear. Because of distinctions we are able to better understand the elements of our faith.

In today's second reading, the Apostle John teaches us through a fine distinction. He tells us that we may be called children of God. What is so special about it, you might ask? Aren't we all children of God?

Here comes the point of the distinction. We need to make clear the difference between being creatures of God and children of God. All human being's are God's creatures. He is the source and creator of all there is. Children of God, on the other hand, are just a few among those creatures of God. The term child of God implies a parental relationship with God. We have become children of God through adoption, because there is only one natural child of God, Jesus. Through baptism we have been adopted into the family of God. Through baptism we have developed a relationship with God parallel to the relationship between Jesus and his eternal Father.

In today's second reading the Apostle John is calling our attention to the fact that it was because of love that we may be called children of God. In baptism we have identified ourselves with the Son, Jesus, and the Father loves us because he sees in us what he sees in the Son. It is not by our merits that we have become God's children. God's love has elevated our human condition to a new level through baptism. We are no longer simply God's creatures; we have become children of God. And in being so, the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts moving us to acknowledge God as Abba, Father.

Distinctions, it is all about distinction. We are God's children, the ones called by name, the ones predestined to dwell in the house of the Father. And as the Apostle John reminds us today: We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

-fr. Alberto Rodriguez, 0.P.

The New Life of the Risen Lord

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 
Then he said to them, 
"Why are you troubled? 
And why do questions arise in your hearts? 
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. 
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have."

-Luke 24: 37-39

The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ was a moment of transition from death to life. The disciples and followers of Jesus also went through a transition in their own journey of faith. We could say that the disciples also experienced death in their own lives. We could say their faith at some point was also dead. Still, with the Resurrection of our Lord, they also came back to life. Meanwhile, during the time of transition, the disciples were troubled and questions arouse in their hearts. The transition was so complex that they were not even able to recognize the Lord. When they saw him, they thought it was a ghost.

Transitions are a part of our lives. They can happen so suddenly that at times we are not aware of them. For this reason, transitions lead us to face the unknown and we have to deal with a great amount of uncertainty. Transitions bring fear. For this reason, transitions are difficult and even painful. Nevertheless, they are necessary for us to arrive to a new place in our lives. Transitions happen at a personal level, for example when someone is moving from single life to married life. They also happen at institutional levels. This is the case for parishes for example when a new pastor arrives. The congregation as well as the new pastor go into transition. After seven months of serving as Pastor at Holy Rosary, I am very grateful to all our parishioners for embracing and enduring during this time of transition. I also want to take this opportunity to ask for forgiveness if I have hurt anyone in any way during this time of transition. I want to assure everyone that it has never been my intention to cause pain or disappointment. Please know that I pray every day for the healing and reconciliation of our community of faith; most especially, I pray for the mission of the Church taking place in our parish: to preach the Gospel! 

After every transition-like that from death to life-there is also Resurrection. Tis is my hope and the hope of the Dominican Friars as well as many parishioners, that Holy Rosary will be filled with the new life that the Risen Lord offers to us in abundance.

-fr. Jorge Rátiva, O.P.

Shalom - A Manifestation of Divine Grace

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."

Three times we hear in today's Gospel reading the words of Jesus wishing his disciples that peace be with them. In Hebrew, the word peace, shalom, means much more than our understanding of peace. For us peace only implies a state of lack of violence or the peace of the cemeteries. In the mentality of the Old and New Testament the word shalom is most commonly used to refer to a state of affairs, one of well-being, tranquility, prosperity, and security­-circumstances unblemished by any sort of defect. Shalom is a blessing, a manifestation of divine grace.

The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness and delight-a rich state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as the Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.

When Jesus wishes peace to his disciples he is opening to them a world of fulfillment; fulfillment of their earthly and spiritual expectations. Peace-Shalom-is what ought to be at the heart of every Christian's life and community. As baptized Christians we discover the peace that Jesus wishes us as a goal and as a challenge; as a goal because, the life of every Christian ought to strive to be complete at a human and at a spiritual level. As a challenge, because we know that shalom is what Jesus is expecting each of us to realize in our lives and in the world.

May the peace of Christ always reign in our hearts and may we learn to follow the example of the Master in sharing that peace with one another.

-fr. Alberto Rodriguez, O.P.

He ls Risen!

Christians, to the Paschal Victim Offer your thankful praises! 
A Lamb the sheep redeems; Christ, who only is sinless, Reconciles sinners to the Father ...

The Sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes invites all Christians to "Offer your thankful praises." Thankful praises to Jesus, the Lamb, for giving his life on the Cross. Thankful praises to Jesus, the Lamb, for he has reconciled the world to the Father. Thankful praises to Jesus, the Lamb, for restoring the image and likeness of God in every person. Thankful praises to Jesus, the Lamb, for offering new life and new beginnings.

Easter Season is a time to praise the Lord Jesus in thanksgiving for his work of redemption. Easter is the time to understand what Jesus the Lord has done for us and continues doing in our favor today. We are invited to look back to our places of death and see how they have come back to life. We are invited to look back to our places of darkness and see the light in them. Looking back to those places, we become more aware of the mystery of resurrection.

Easter season is a time for new beginnings. After the passion and death of Jesus, the disciples had an encounter with the Risen Lord. It was a new beginning for them! It was also a new beginning for the entire human history, especially with the birth of the Church after Jesus breathed on them the Holy Spirit. It is also a new beginning for us because the Risen Lord is still breathing his Holy Spirit on us to give us understanding and courage to continue his mission: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15)

-fr. Jorge Rátiva, O.P.

Religious Empathy

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

Every year as we arrive to the days of Holy Week, my mind and my heart begin to reminisce about the years I spent in southern Spain, mainly in the cities of Granada and Seville. In those two cities, like in most of Spain, Holy Week has a very special definition. It is a time in which popular religiosity manifests itself in a multitude of forms, many of which are alien to us. Processions and an the manifold events which surround them control the life during those days. For someone who has not been raised within that culture, all these manifestations of popular religiosity might be dismissed as folklore or idolatrous superstition. It is difficult to explain to a visitor the public manifestation of religious emotions and heartfelt devotion. People's eyes are filled with tears at the sight of the statue of the bleeding Nazarene or a sad Sorrowful Mother. Religious empathy creates a religious environment where faith is manifested through the emotions of the common people.

For us who live far away from these places and immersed in secular culture which has radically purged most of the public manifestations of religious emotions and signs, the sole mention of this kind of religiosity might sound alien and maybe challenging. Do they really have a meaning in our modern world? Have we lost something while purging our culture of religious emotions and empathy? Has the concept of the individualization and privatization of our religious life deprived us of any major and essential reality?

In my opinion, those questions must be responded to with a positive answer. Our modern secular culture has deprived us of the religious richness of public expressions of popular religiosity. In its letter to the world bishops, Placuit Deo, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith warns about two new old-forms of heresy, fruits of our modern culture. They are described with the following words: On one hand, individualism centered on the autonomous subject tends to see the human person as a being whose sole fulfilment depends only on his or her own strength.[3] ln this vision, the figure of Christ appears as a model that inspires generous actions with his words and his gestures, rather than as He who transforms the human condition by incorporating us into a new existence, reconciling us with the Father and dwelling among us in the Spirit (cf 2 Cor 5:19; Eph 2:18). On the other hand, a merely interior vision of salvation is becoming common, a vision which, marked by a strong personal conviction or feeling of being united to God, does not take into account the need to accept, heal, and renew our relationships with others and with the created world. In this perspective, it becomes difficult to understand the meaning of the Incarnation of the Word, by which He was made a member of the human family, assuming our flesh and our history, for us and for our salvation ... Both the individualistic and the merely interior visions of salvation contradict the sacramental economy through which God willed to save the human person.

The text of the letter is very rich and enlightening. I encourage all of you to read it during this coming week. It is simple to find. Just google Placuit Deo, and you will find the full text of the letter. 

-fr. Alberto Rodriguez, O.P

The Art of Dying

One of the most difficult experiences is to communicate to someone that he or she is about to die. Once, I was ministering to a patient who had been diagnose with pulmo-nary fibrosis, and the doctors had just told him that he would have at them most six months to live. In our conversation, he was troubled with the reality of death. He said to me, "You know, people teach you how to walk, how to read, 1 how to drive a car, how to do things, but nobody teaches you how to die."

Death troubles us! This was so even for Jesus himself who knew what kind of death he was about to undergo, death on a Cross: "l am troubled now. Yet what should l say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that 1 came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." (John 12:27-28) As for Jesus, our nearness to death is a moment in which we are invited to take a look at the purpose of our lives. For Jesus, this purpose is very clear, "Father, glorify your name."

This glorification of the name of the Father does not just happen at the moment of death, but all throughout our lives. "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me." John 12: 24-26)

In this sense, the purpose of our lives is to serve Jesus, the Lord. Serving Jesus implies learning to die to oneself when His mission requires it for us to give much fruit. Living. Serving Jesus brings fullness of life. Learning to die on this world and to the things of this world prepares us for eternal life.

-fr. Jorge Rátiva, O.P.

Our Hunger for Love

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

"God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ-by grace you have been saved-,raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus."

We all hunger for love! Even when we are not willing to acknowledge it, because we are so full of ourselves and believe in our self-sufficiency, we still hunger for love. Our need for love is so deeply ingrained in us, that at times we try to find it no matter what. We want to be loved. We want to experience the warmth and intimacy that surrounds us when we know that we are being loved. That is why the experience of falling in love is so important at some stages of our life. We need not to be young in order to search for love. At every age we all feel the need to feel and surround our lives with love.

It is out of our human experience and need for love that we come to discover and appreciate the most important love in our lives: the love of God. The greatest difference between human and divine love is that human love sometimes is the result of our own efforts. However, divine love comes to us freely, without us having to work or merit for it. God's love is given to us as a gift even before we were able to realize that we were being loved. And God loves us unconditionally. There are not prior requisites to being loved by God.

How strong and committed is God's love? In our personal experience we know at times of the fickleness of human love. Love sometimes professed with strong words and promises of eternal commitment fizzle in sad cases as mist under the sun. God's love toward us is a different kind. In today's Gospel reading the apostle John portrays the kind of love God has for us: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." God's love for us moved him to surrender his own Son's life for our salvation. The person of Jesus is therefore the sure sign of God's committed love for us.

Let us open our lives to the love of God presented in the person of Jesus. This Lenten season ought to be a time to rediscover that we are being loved with an unconditional love, which is offered to us without merits from our part. Let us not be afraid to accept God's love. Once we allow that love to surround us, we will come to discover what real love is; a love that lasts forever, a love which is stronger than death.

-fr. Alberto Rodriguez, O.P

Diocesan Services Fund (DSF)

My dear friends in Christ,

Pope Francis has urged all of us to not fall into indifference, but to become active instruments of mercy. Our Holy Father asks us to reflect on the life of Christ who is our model for corporal works of mercy. Through the Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) we are able to be instruments of mercy to thousands in our Archdiocese who are sick, poor, imprisoned, elderly or facing a crisis in their lives, such as the one caused for so many by Hurricane Harvey.

During and after this devastating storm, many of you were instruments of mercy to your neighbors, friends, and even strangers, offering comfort and compassion. l know many of you rolled up your sleeves and helped people rebuild their homes and businesses. I am proud of all of you for being God's hands to perform gestures of great love and compassion. Supported by DSF, Catholic Charities served as the Archdiocese's major disaster response organization, serving more than 15,000 people in the immediate aftermath of the storm. They are still at work offering long-term recovery services. San Jose Clinic, also supported by DSF, provided medical care to over 1,800 people.

The day-to-day operations of DSF also need our support, and a few of the programs highlighted this year are Pro-Life Activities, Apostleship of the Sea and the Office of Vocations. Many of you may not be familiar with the mission of the Apostleship of the Sea, but it has been a vital ministry of our Archdiocese for more than a half century. Some 300,000 seafarers come into the Port of Houston each year and 60% are Catholic. They bring 80% of our goods that we consume into our city. Offering the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion along with pastoral counseling and compassionate support for those who often spend months at a time at sea, often more than two months, is part of our responsibility to welcome the stranger.

The mission of Pro-Life Activities is to protect the most vulnerable among us, recognizing the dignity of each human person from the unborn child, to the elderly at the end of their lives, to the prisoner on death row. Human life above all belongs to God and we should make every effort to defend it. This Office is offering a new program scheduled to launch this year, cal1ed Jerome's Hope, which will assist parents who have received a difficult pregnancy diagnosis or who have lost a baby and need counseling and pastoral direction. It is because of your DSF contributions that we are able to respond to needs like these and compassionately help those who are searching for answers, healing and hope.

When he was Pope, Saint John Paul II, wrote a document called Pastores Dabo Vobis (in English I Will Give You Shepherds). This message helped to shape programs for priestly formation and vocational discernment. Our local Office of Vocations fulfills part of this important vision of increasing the number of men who are discerning to be our future shepherds. Through the celebration of the sacraments and pastoral ministry, these fishers of men become instruments of mercy for all of us.

I thank you for your gracious commitment to the DSF. With gratitude to God for your faithful discipleship and praying for God's abundant blessing upon you, I am

Your faithful Shepherd,

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop of Galveston-Houston

Fear Had Taken Them Over

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

Jesus took Peter, James, and John and Jed them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white.

The disciples were scandalized. Jesus had announced to them that they were going up to Jerusalem where he would be rejected by the nation's religious leaders, abused, condemned to death and resurrect after three days. There was too much in those words for them to understand. So far they felt everything was under control. And now Jesus was shaking their confidence. This is the background to the reading of today's gospel. Insecurity and fear had taken them over.

Jesus needs to intervene, he needs to restore confidence among his disciples. And so he takes the three initial disciples with him up a high mountain. And it is there that he manifests to them the real purpose of his passion, death and resurrection. They are not going to be the end. There is more to come, a most glorious future. And he transforms himself in their presence. He shows them his real glory and the glory they are called to participate in.

We also know what it means to face rejection suffering and even death. And we are also afraid; afraid of the uncertainty of the future, afraid of the possibility of rejection, suffering and death. As we move into this Lenten season, Jesus offers us hope and consolation. He knows that we, like the disciples at times, find ourselves looking for answers and hope. Answers, because at times, we seem to encounter darkness and doubt in our lives, and we need answers to questions that seem to be riddled with confusion. And hope, because darkness prevents us from making sense of our and others' lives.

The transfiguration of Jesus reminds us of what the last goal of our life will be: the total identification with the risen Lord in the kingdom of God. Our crosses, which at times seem to be meaningless, acquire their difficult to identify purpose, to share in the life and glory of the risen Christ. It is a difficult lesson to learn at times. We like the disciples will have to witness to the cross before arriving to the full knowledge of our lives meaning and purpose. There is no Easter Sunday without a Good Friday!

-fr. Alberto Rodriguez, O.P.

Lent: Time to Empty Oneself

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

A newly ordained priest was very excited about celebrating his first season of Lent as a priest. He was preparing the liturgies and homilies very diligently. This priest was serving in the United States but he was from another country. A few days before Ash Wednesday, his mother fell gravely ill. His mother was advanced in age and her health was weak. After some thought, he decided to go back to his country and help his mother hoping to get back soon to the US and celebrate Lent with his parishioners. While the priest was taking care of his mother, things got more complicated. She had a heart attack. The doctors helped her to come back. The doctors spent all night doing procedures on her to keep her alive. Early in the morning, after all the procedures, she was back. At that point, the priest anointed her. The priest realized that he needed to stay with her to help her in her recovery.

The priest spent the whole season of Lent taking care of her, helping her to take care of her basic needs. She recovered some more and the priest was able to return to his parish in the US just in time for Holy Week. Reflecting back, the priest recognized that initially he was disappointed he was not able to celebrate Lent in full as a priest with his parishioners. Nevertheless, taking care of his mother was one of the most meaningful religious experiences he ever had. While he was taking care of his mother he was able to get to know her better and to appreciate what she had done in life for her family, includ­ing her son, the priest. He was also able to be touched by the suffering and vulnerability of elderly people, especially women. Most importantly, through the whole experience, the priest had the opportunity of emptying himself from his own expectations about Lent. He understood that the religious practices are important and that they help us to grow. Nevertheless, Lent is about something deeper, the willingness to empty oneself for the benefit of others. Just as Christ did, "Christ suffered for sins once, the righteous for tr1e sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God" (1 Peter 3: 18a). Only then is when Lent becomes a life changing experience.

The Lord gives us opportunities, like the one given to the priest, for us to empty ourselves in our daily lives. The Church invites us to empty oneself for the benefit of others through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. One of the ways our Parish is also giving us that opportunity is by becoming a member of the Saint Vincent de Paul society and volunteering to serve the poor. We heard their invitation last week and we heard how this service is a life changing experience. Please consider this opportunity. Now it is up to us, if this season of Lent is just one more in our lives, or if it is the one season that will change our lives for the rest of our existence. 

-fr. Jorge Rátiva, O.P.

Everything for the Glory of God

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

"Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, 
do everything for the glory of God."

In this week's second reading, Saint Paul invites us to do everything for the glory of God. Though this invitation might seem to be very tame, it has deep implications. It questions the deep reason behind all our actions. What are the real motivations behind our daily behaviors?

That we live in a self-centered and hedonistic society is evident to all of us. Our culture does not foster generosity and self-giving attitudes. Preoccupation with self-advancement, sexual and sensual gratification, and the creation of false human idols-sports, politics, and the arts-drum the behavior of the masses. The greater glory of God seems to be far away from the minds of most of those with whom we live our lives.

How can we create around ourselves an environment which will empower us to give priority to this goal? Some people might think that isolation might be the solution. But isolation negates our role as witnesses to the Gospel in the world. Jesus himself told us that we were in the world but not of the world. This dichotomy challenges us to live with the inner tension of being immersed in the world but not belonging to the world. It takes a mature faith to be able to withstand the forces of the world and its culture which try to engulf us. As in the day of Saint Paul, it is not easy to live a Christian life which aims to do everything for the glory of God.

It is up to each one of us to develop that mature faith. God grants us the graces to live a Christian life, but it is up to each one of us to create that inner personal culture of faith which would enable us to live our lives for the greater glory of God. Faith education plays a very important role in this process. In the same way in which we con­stantly update ourselves in our professional fields, it is fundamental we do so at the level of our faith formation. Let us make the best of the opportunities offered to us to grow in our faith. Only through a mature faith will we be able to live as Saint Ignatius of Loyola taught his followers: Ad Maiorem Dei Gloria!

-fr. Alberto Rodriguez, O.P.

Preach the Gospel!

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel! - I Cor 9:16

When I was in my early twenties, I started to read the Bible with certain regularity. At the time, I was living in Colombia in the midst of a very complicated political situation. There was a lot of social unrest. Every time I read the Bible, I would find hope and healing. That was a moment of abundant grace in my life. This reading of the Bible and the situation of my country moved me to grow in the understanding and practice of my faith. Soon after that, I started to attend Bible classes. I was not confirmed yet, so I also decided to seek faith formation. In the midst of this search, I was also looking for a Church where the preaching would help me to grow in faith and especially in hope.

One day, I decided to go to Parroquia de Santo Domingo, the Dominican parish in my hometown. That day, the homily of the priest really spoke to my heart. At the end of Mass, the priest also announced that the confirmation classes were about to start. I was very happy because I had found the two things I was looking for in just one place.

The priest who celebrated the Mass that day was Luis Carlos Perea, O.P. He was known as Padre Perea. He was very joyful, very passionate about God's love for us, and a very good Dominican. I started to attend mass frequently. Padre Perea and I became friends. Later on, he asked me to help him with First Communion classes since he did not have enough teachers. I accepted even though I was a little hesitant since it was my first time teaching religious classes in a Church setting.

One day, Padre Perea and I were having coffee, and he asked me if I would like to be a Dominican. When I heard this question something happened inside me. For me, it was like the whole world had stopped. I said to him that I had never thought about it. He asked me if I would like to think about it to which I said I would. Since then, I never stopped thinking about being a Dominican. Later on, with the help and guidance of Padre Perea, I decided to join the Order.

As in my personal vocation story, there are many other stories that help to highlight how essential the mission of preaching the Gospel is. This is precisely what St. Paul is reminding us in his letter today. It is very clear that the mission of preaching the Gospel is to open the hearts of the people of God to receive inspiration, healing, and conversion. It is through the mission of preaching that God makes his way in to move the hearts of his people to new opportunities and new decisions to respond to His Holy Will.

In a parish like ours, the mission of Preaching the Gospel, is not just the responsibility of the priest but of every member. Have you ever wonder how God is calling you to participate in the mission of preaching the Gospel? If not, would you like to think about it?

-fr. Jorge Rátiva, O.P

Times of Many Voices

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

The people were astonished at his teaching, 
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

The listeners of Jesus were astonished because he taught them as one having authority. His words were not grounded on others' authority but on himself. He spoke in the name of the Father and his message resounded in their hearts.

Though people were astonished, that did not mean that they liked his message, because his message challenged many of their religious and devotional traditions. The Sadducees did not like when he spoke of resurrection and angels. The Pharisees did not like what he had to say about their mechanical following of the letter of the Mosaic Law and their judging of other people's lives. Jesus' words were at times harsh to listen to and even harsher to accept. His teachings were forcing people to expand their understanding of who God was and how God loved us. Jesus' words of truth brought many to hate him and produce his violent death.

We live in times of many voices; voices that try to redefine for us the meaning of truth, of who we are and how we are supposed to lead our lives. Amidst the noise of these many voices, it is not easy at times to recognize the voice of Jesus, the one who spoke with authority. How to discern among the many voices? How to listen to the voice of the Master?

In the Catholic Church we have the advantage to know whom to listen to and how to listen. We know, as part of the content of our faith, that Jesus gave to Peter and the other Apostles the power to bind and loose, the power of the keys. And our faith tells us that these powers are passed onto their successors.

These powers connote the authority to absolve sins, to pronounce doctrinal judgments, and to make disciplinary decisions in the Church. We are not left alone. The voice of the Master still reaches us through the voice of the Bishop of Rome and the College of Bishops. And they do speak with clarity and ;authority. We might not always like what they tell us; but at the end we have to be able to put to the side the cafeteria approach to the Church. It is not about liking or disliking. It is about listening to the voice and obeying it.

- fr. Alberto Rodriguez, O.P.

I am Calling You!

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

Simon, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen. Simon and his brother Andrew were casting their nets into the sea while James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John were in a boat mending their nets. They were doing their regular daily work when the Lord saw them. Then the Lord called them to follow him and become fishers of men. It is interesting to see how the extraordinary of the Kingdom of God unfolds within the ordinary routines and activities of our lives.

It is within their own circumstances that Jesus cal1ed Simon, Andrew, James, and John to participate in the mission of proclaiming the Kingdom of God. After hearing the call, they left their nets and James and John left their father along with the hired men. In order to follow Jesus, they had to leave someone or something behind.

In our daily lives, we need attentive listening to be able to hear Jesus' call and the freedom and willingness to follow him and fulfill the mission to which he is calling us. What is the Lord calling me to today? What do I need to let go of to follow him and proclaim the Kingdom of God? We are invited to ponder these two questions individually and as a parish.

The mission statement of Holy Parish says that "we strive to live and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ." This is at the very heart of our parish. This is the call we have received. We respond to this mission by participating in the liturgy, the sacraments, and all the other ministries. A good number of parishioners are already taking part on this call We are grateful for their generosity. Still, the Lord is calling others. For this reason, I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to take a look at our different ministries and consider enrolling in one of them. This is one of the concrete ways we respond to the call.

As for the first disciples, responding to Jesus' call is a Life changing experience. We might need to leave something or someone behind, we might need to do some changes in our ordinary lives but be sure that only then, the extraordinary of the Kingdom of God will come.

-fr. Jorge Rátiva, O.P.

Planting the Seeds of Vocations

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

"Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, 'What are you looking for?'They said to him, 'Rabbi, where are you staying?' He said to them, 'Come, and you will see.' So they; went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with him that day."

Vocations to the priesthood and religious life are fundamental to the healthy development and future of the Church in the United States. Sadly, we are presently encountering a crisis. Though we in our parish do not experience the brunt of this situation, we have to look into the future and ask ourselves: what are we doing in order to secure the proper ministerial assistance for our parish community?

Vocations can not only be a concern for bishops and provincials. Vocations are born and fostered in the safe space of our families. It is the parental invitation that plants the seeds of vocations in the hearts of the younger generation. Parental encouragement is fundamental. The parents within our communities need to question themselves: how would I react if one of my children wanted to become a priest or religious? Sadly, I believe that for some parents it is more important to create an attitude which encourages success and status in the minds of their children. In my experience, I have encountered a number of young men who were afraid to pose to their parents a question regarding a vocation to the priesthood or religious life. There is a fear of disappointing them; of not fulfilling their expectations. Is this the attitude prevailing within our families? Though it is always important to encourage our children to be their best in preparing for their future, this should never preclude the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood or religious life.

Young Samuel in this Sunday's first reading was unable to recognize the voice of God. It took the advice of Eli, who played a parental role in his life, to help him recognize the call as the call from God. Only then was he able to respond and accept the call. It is primarily the role of the parents to teach their children to discern the voice of God in their lives. We live in a world where the voices are many and confusing and many of them do not attempt to lead us to love and serve God. The parents, as the first teachers of their children, play a unique and privileged role in the religious formation of their children.

It is also important to realize the power of prayer regarding vocations. We, as a parish community, need to constantly pray for vocations. Jesus himself told his disciples to pray to the Father for more workers for the harvest. Our prayers pave the way for more vocations. Our prayers united to the intercession of the Blessed Mother will help us foster and support more vocations within the hearts of our families.

-fr. Alberto Rodriguez, 0.P.

A Guiding Star

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

Today we hear in the Gospel of a guiding star: "And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother"(Matthew 2,9b-11a). I could not help but contemplate how our Holy Rosary parish is a guiding star that leads many to see Jesus and his mother.

After my first months of ministry here, I have witnessed this guidance. Holy Rosary is a guiding star by being faithful to the Magisterium of the Church in our preaching, teaching and the liturgical celebrations. Holy Rosary as a guiding star is also very inspired by the testimony of God's love in the lives of many. As Pastor, I have had the grace and the privilege of seeing how God is restoring the lives of people who come to confession or seek spiritual advice. Parishioners are also always ready to love their neighbor by helping them when they are in need. This was very clear to me after Hurricane Harvey. Love for the neighbor is very concrete and real in our parish by the service of the staff, the volunteers, the ministry leaders, the friars, and all the faithful who support the ministry of this parish with their time, talent and treasure. Personally, I am very grateful to all parishioners for their love and support. This is a parish that truly strives to live and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I can also say that Holy Rosary is the guiding star that brought me here as Pastor. When I was discerning to serve in this capacity, I felt drawn to it in part because of the place that Our Lady of the Holy Rosary has in my life and my vocation. Even though I visited the parish before, I did not have the opportunity to become more familiar with parishioners and the parish life itself. Now that I have met some of the wonderful, faithful people that strive for holiness here at Holy Rosary, I am very happy being here as a part of this guiding star. I also appreciate the challenges of the parish life because they are opportunities for growth, grace, and conversion.

As a guiding star Holy Rosary calls us to be active participants of our faith so that we may arrive to the place God is leading us to. As we begin this new year and trusting in this guiding star, I look forward in continuing walking with you in order to bring more people from Houston and beyond to see Jesus and his mother Mary here at Holy Rosary. 

-fr. Jorge Rátiva, O.P.

All Families are Called to Be Holy

The hectic activities of the Christmas celebra­tions are mostly gone, and now we deal with the memories of those days. Whenever fami­lies are gathered for the holidays it seems as if the best and worst of all its member's affects tend to appear. Now that mostly everyone is gone back to wherever they came from, we deal with the questions: Was it worth it? Can we not be like every other family and enjoy the celebrations in peace?

A good friend of mine, who happens to be a psychiatrist, once told me an as­sertion that made me wonder. She said: "All families are dysfunctional." She was not trying to tell me that all families are sick, but the simple fact that there are no perfect families. Every family has issues and they deal with them the best way they can.

This weekend we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. What is the Church's liturgy trying to teach us through this celebration? Contrary to what some people believe, the Church is not trying to present to us a perfect family, but is showing us a more realistic option. It is showing us the option available to all families to be holy.

Contrary to what some people think, holiness is not perfection. Holiness is learn­ing how to fulfill God's will in our lives. It is living our lives in obedience to God's plan. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph also dealt with issues: Joseph's doubts, Jesus' decision to remain in Jerusalem when his parents left. We all know of insecurities and rebelliousness in our ovm families. There are no perfect families.

However, there is an option available to all our families, the option to become holy in the eyes of God: the option to live in obedience to God's will within our families; the option to realize God's plan within the small framework of our families.

Our family life may never be perfect, but holiness is always a possibility with God's grace and our commitment. May all our families become holy families!

-fr. Alberto Rodriguez, O.P.

The Birth of a Child

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

The birth of a child generates different responses. Parents make sure they have everything ready for when the baby comes. The mother experiences the pains during labor. The father goes through some anxiety and worry while he waits for the baby to be born. Grandparents, relatives, and friends make phone calls to see if the baby was born and if everything worked out well. Once the baby is born, safe and sound, all rejoice and there is a great sense of peace, beauty, and awe.

This Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Advent which also concludes the Advent season. Also, this Sunday we enter into the Christmas celebration. We celebrate the birth of the Son of God born in the midst of pain, anxieties, and expectation. It is the Word of God made flesh in Jesus that gives us a renewed sense of peace, beauty and awe. Jesus' peace is a reassurance that God is truly with us every moment, every step of our journey. The word made flesh is a reassurance of God's beauty that he shares with all creation. Jesus renews our sense of awe, Divine awe, because God surprises us all with the simplicity of a baby born in a manger.

During Christmas night, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we are invited to enter into Jesus' peace, beauty, and awe. It is a time for us to allow the word to continue becoming flesh in our lives in very simple and surprising ways.

As we enter into this celebration, on behalf of the Dominican Friars of Holy Rosary and the San Martin de Porres Province, I wish you a merry Christmas! Please know that during this time of the year we keep you and your family in our prayers.

-fr. Jorge Rátiva, O.P.

The Inner Joy in the Heart of Jesus

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

In today's second reading Saint Paul exhorts us to rejoice. Why should he be reminding us of something that seems so unimportant? Should joy be an essential part of our Christian life? Joy should be at the heart of every Christian life. The joy that exists in our lives is but a reflection of the inner joy in the heart of Jesus who is constantly inviting us to follow him in the path of salvation. Joy is the natural response of the souls that discover that God loves us in the person of the Messiah with a love beyond commitment. Through the incarnation of the Eternal Word, God came into the life of the world to bring radical change, an empowerment to conquer sin and death. And in the face of this, we cannot remain without a proper response. And that response is joy; a joy that is not born out of simple human fulfillment but a joy that comes from the knowledge that God loves us in the person of Jesus, who came into our world to offer us a path to forgiveness and eternal life. We, the baptized, are therefore constantly reminded in Jesus of our dignity and condition.

We are no longer tied to the bonds of sin and death. We are children of God blessed and called to eternal life. No Christian can be on the path toward salvation without joy in their lives. Rejoice and be glad!

-fr. Alberto Rodriguez, O.P

How is God preparing me during this Advent?

Dear Parishioners & Visitors,

Advent is a time of anticipation. One of the meanings of anticipation refers to an action that takes into account a later action or event. For example, when planning a party one might decide to have some extra food in anticipation of a larger crowd than one expected to attend. In this sense, anticipation calls for preparation.

We might think that in anticipation to God's full revelation, preparation is our responsibility and that somehow we should determine and decide how that preparation should be or go. Nevertheless, according to the Scriptures, it seems that God himself prepares his people. We hear of this preparation when God sent his prophet to offer comfort and to speak tenderly to the hearts of the Israelites. This is an attempt from God to convince his people that he is concerned about them. Also, through the prophet, God proclaims the completion of the process of purification process of sorrow for the people of Israel. In this way God reveals himself as comforting and purifying his people in the midst of suffering and sorrow.

In a similar way, in the second letter of Peter we hear that "The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard 'delay,' but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." It is clear then that when God delays his revelation it is because He patiently waits for our repentance and conversion since He wants the salvation of all. As God patiently waits for us to repent, we are called to patiently wait for Him.

As we enter into the Second week of Advent, let us ponder the ways that the Lord is preparing us for his coming. Is the Lord comforting me at this time? Am I going through moments of purification and sorrow? Is there any person or circumstance that requires me to be patient? How are these moments preparing me to encounter the Lord when the time comes?

-fr. Jorge Rátiva, O.P.