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TET Homily My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: I am very pleased be here with you at Our Ladys Cathedral/Saint Andrew Dung Lac Church and I wish to express my hope that you will have a very happy and blessed New Year! The celebration of TET is a beautiful part of your culture. At the same time, it is also a wonderful opportunity to renew your faith. TET signifies that the old year is over. It is past. A new year has dawned and with it new plans, hopes and visions. God created us in His own Image and Likeness. He gave us free will and understanding. He also gave us a physical body. We are flesh and blood as well as spirit. We are human beings. Human beings on this earth live in time. Time is a progression, a movement from one moment to the next. This movement through time determines our life experiences on this earth. Our life on this earth is a pure gift from God. He created us out of love so that we could someday share in His life in heaven. This was the reason He created us and the goal which he set for us. Thus the time on earth is a time of preparation for life everlasting. We are pilgrims on a journey of life. Since life is truly a pilgrimage of faith, the beginning of a new year TET is a very important part of our lives. Therefore, today I urge you to make some new years resolutions. These commitments can help you have a great year ahead. Even more importantly, making and keeping good new year resolutions can help you to attain life everlasting. Therefore, I propose to you and I challenge you. STUDY WORK (and) PRAY These are three small but important words. I want to be sure that you remember them: STUDY, WORK, PRAY. STUDY We are Catholic people. However, we cannot appreciate our Catholic faith nor can we live it unless we know what it is all about. As children we studied the catechism to prepare to make our first Confession and to receive our first Holy Communion. As teenagers we had to study about our religion in order to be confirmed. That was good at that time but it is not enough. As we continue to grow up, we must also continue to learn more and more about our Catholic faith. In order to do this, we must study regularly to learn the truths of Catholicism and all that Jesus has taught us and revealed to us. We must participate in religious studies all our lives. WORK As little children we learn to do certain works. We learn that each of us has definite responsibilities. As we grow older, we discover that our obligations increase and our responsibilities change according to the circumstances of our lives Whatever our responsibilities or obligations of life might be, we should always strive to do the very best we can. In doing our work best we will find fulfillment and joy. This happiness results from doing our work properly. When we faithfully accomplish our obligations, we cooperate with other people and put into effect that portion of the great commandment which says: Love your neighbor as yourself. PRAY Prayer is communication with God. Unless we talk to God and listen to Him, there is no way we can develop a relationship with Him and such a relationship is crucial. God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to save us. Because this is the plan of God, there is salvation in no other name except the Name of Jesus. Unless we pray to Jesus we cannot walk safely on the pilgrimage of life. Throughout this new year, each of us must pray daily. Each day we must pause from our other work and activities and talk to God and listen to Him. These are my three TET challenges to you study, work and pray! All three of these can be accomplished with joy and hope and in a positive attitude. By doing this, we will be living the most important of all the commandments: Love God with your whole heart, your whole soul and your whole being. Remember my TET challenge to you study, work and pray and do so every day and you will have a happy and holy New Year. Most
Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran |