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TET
Mass Homily My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: I come among you, the Vietnamese Catholics of the Archdiocese, with great faith and joy. I am grateful to have another opportunity to be with you to celebrate TET. Therefore, I begin by extending to you my very best personal greetings and wishes for a blessed and happy New Year. In accordance with the beautiful customs of your ancestors and the sacred traditions of our Catholic faith, we consider the offering of this Mass the most important and beneficial aspect of the celebration of TET. God has blessed everyone of us so much. He created each of us in His own image and likeness. Then, in baptism, He gave each of us a share in His divine life. Through the Catholic Church which He established, Jesus continues to heal and forgive us. He continues to strengthen and nourish us. He constantly renews His promise to grant us eternal life if we are faithful and obedient to His teachings and commandments. On the occasion of the celebration of a new year, therefore, we should renew our gratitude to Almighty God for all the gifts and graces and blessings of life that He has so abundantly bestowed upon us in the past. We should also repent of whatever failures and sins we are guilty of having committed. Finally, we should be ready to renew our commitment to the Catholic faith. The beginning of a new year is indeed a perfect time for such a renewal. As your Archbishop then, I wish to remind you that our Catholic faith is truly a special gift from God. The Catholic Church has been established by Jesus. The Church therefore teaches us in the Name of Jesus and on His authority. The sacraments we celebrate were instituted by Jesus and are therefore effective because of Him. Our Catholic faith can never be taken for granted but must always be cherished. Today, as we observe TET, we can prepare for a very beautiful year ahead. We can make this a valuable year of learning more and more about the teachings of Jesus and of our Catholic Church. This applies to everyone of us from the very youngest to the oldest. We must come to know, love and serve God now so that someday each of us can be united with God in heaven. My New Year wish for you and your loved ones is that you discover the beauty and promise of our Catholic faith and that you re-commit yourselves to the full practice of this faith. Then you will really experience the peace and the joy that God offers us. Happy New Year and God bless you. Most
Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran |