Pastor's Message

From the Desk of the Pastor

Beholding the Glory of Christ: Strengthened for the Journey - Second Sunday of Lent
As we journey deeper into the holy season of Lent, the Gospel of the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36) invites us to ascend the mountain with Peter, James, and John to witness the radiant glory of Christ. In this moment, Jesus reveals His divine Sonship, offering a foretaste of the Resurrection and the glorified life that awaits Him beyond the Cross. This vision is not just for the apostles—it is for us as well, strengthening our faith and igniting our call to discipleship.
The apostles needed this vision to sustain them through the coming trials of Jesus’ Passion and death. We, too, need moments of divine grace to carry us through times of suffering, discouragement, and spiritual struggle. The Transfiguration reminds us that God’s glory is not distant—it is already present in our lives, calling us forward in faith. In a world overshadowed by sin and brokenness, how do we rekindle the fire of the Spirit within us? How do we embrace our vocation as servant-disciples when we are weary, tempted, or uncertain?

Lent is a time of renewal—a sacred opportunity to listen more closely to Jesus, just as the Father commands: “This is my chosen Son; listen to Him.” We are called to draw near, to be transformed by His presence, and to carry the light of Christ into the valleys of our daily lives.  We are always reminded that we are called into a community, and not isolation or separation.  

As we continue our Lenten journey, consider these three invitations to grace, reconciliation, and conversion:

Deepen Your Prayer – Spend time in silent reflection, allowing God’s voice to speak in your heart. Consider meditating on the mystery of the Transfiguration, asking for strength and renewal in your faith.  (Helps: Daily Mass, Adoration, Stations of the Cross, Marian Devotions and the Rosary,  Opening the Scriptures.)

Seek Healing and Reconciliation – The Sacrament of Reconciliation offers the grace of God’s mercy. Let this be a time to surrender burdens, receive His forgiveness, and begin anew. (Helps: Attend a Reconciliation Service this Lent; Offer Forgiveness to a Broken Relationship; Make Peace with Family - members and/or Friends/ Neighbors, and God.)

Live Your Discipleship with Courage – Look for ways to serve others, to be a light in someone’s darkness, and to witness to Christ’s presence in your life. Small acts of love and sacrifice can transfigure the world around us. (Helps: Grow your Heart, Corporal Works of Mercy, Commit to a Ministry in the Parish, Live in the Holy Spirit.)

May the vision of Christ’s glory sustain us through Lent and beyond, leading us ever closer to the joy of Easter and the fullness of life in Him, with Him, and through Him, Jesus, the Lord.

Fr. Skip – Pastor
 

The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in which direction we are moving.  - Oliver Wendall Holmes

 

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Special Gratitude for the wonderful additions to our church exterior portraying designs and presentations of the Jubilee 2025 Holy Year, “Pilgrims of Hope.”  

• The colorful and symbolic 2025 Holy Year Banner at the outside main entrance to the church by the Blessed Trinity Council of Catholic Women (CCW).
• The creative and artistically designed symbol of our version of a Holy Year “Door of Hope” inside the church narthex and the signage above the three main doors, portraying the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.  Created, designed and installed by Dcn.. Kelvin Berberena, Ramon Martinez, Nereida Matos, Francisco Castillo, and Raisa Santos.

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Blessed Trinity Catholic Church 
Mortgage Loan Balance by Fiscal Year

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Bilingual Lenten Soup and Side Suppers & Stations of the Cross

Remember to share with us the gift of our Lenten journey together in prayer, fasting (sacrifice) and almsgiving (growing the heart) by joining us for the Friday evening  Soup and Side Suppers in the Parish Center from 5:30 PM till 7:00 PM.  Many groups and organizations will host these gatherings for all the parish families, households and our visitors.  We welcome more “servant-disciples” to help us each week.  Please call the Parish Office (407-277-1702) to join a particular Friday hosting our parish community in the sharing of this sacrificial meal.  

Keep in mind, the dates are: 

• Fridays 03/07, 03/14,/03/21, 04/04, 04/11.  

 

Prayers and Intercessions for our Holy Father, Pope Francis

The Vicar for Christ and our Universal Shepherd, Pope Francis, is seriously infirm (at this writing).  Please remember him in prayers, Masses and intercessions.  We offer the following prayer for his well-being and recovery:
 
 
- Fr. Skip - Pastor

Jesus did not come to do away with suffering or remove it.  He came to fill it with his presence.  - Paul Claudell

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Lent: A Time for Forgiveness and Growth

With the Lenten liturgical season just a few days from now, perhaps we might better prepare our hearts and souls in the Spirit of forgiveness and true reconciliation, as modeled and preached by the Good Shepherd, Our Lord Jesus Christ.  The following might be helpful:

Jesus’ Radical Challenge: Loving Our Enemies
If we are honest, loving our enemies is one of the most difficult commands Jesus gives us. Our natural instinct is to seek justice or even revenge when we are wronged. Yet, Jesus doesn’t just teach love of enemies; He models it.

Consider how Jesus treated those who opposed Him. He did not retaliate against the Pharisees who plotted against Him. He healed the servant of the high priest who came to arrest Him. And on the Cross, in the ultimate moment of suffering and rejection, Jesus uttered words that should shake us to our core: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

How can we follow His example? I offer three practical ways:

1. Pray for Our Enemies
Jesus tells us to “pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28). When we pray for our enemies, we begin to see them as God does. This doesn’t mean excusing wrongdoing, but it does mean placing them in God’s hands. Prayer transforms our hearts and allows us to release bitterness and resentment. When we struggle to forgive, let us turn to God in prayer and ask for His grace.  Praying to the Holy Spirit for the healing of these hurtful memories is the best way to begin.

2. Choose Mercy Over Retaliation
Jesus challenges us not to respond to hatred with more hatred, but with mercy. St. Paul echoes this when he writes, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Mercy is not weakness; it is divine strength. When we forgive and refuse to retaliate, we become instruments of God’s peace. Think of the many saints who lived this teaching—St. Maria Goretti, who forgave her attacker; St. Maximilian Kolbe, who prayed for his persecutors. St. Stephen, our very fist martyr.  Their examples remind us that true love and mercy bring healing, not revenge.

3. Remember How God Forgives Us
Jesus tells Peter that we must forgive “seventy times seven” times (Matthew 18:22), meaning endlessly. God never tires of forgiving us. If we reflect on how often we have needed His mercy, it becomes easier to extend that mercy to others. The more we acknowledge our own sins and receive God’s forgiveness, the more we can forgive those who hurt us.

One Story
There is a beautiful story of a priest who was hearing the confession of an elderly woman. She was filled with sorrow over her past mistakes, feeling that she could never be forgiven. The priest gently told her, "When God forgives, He forgets. He casts our sins into the ocean of His mercy and puts up a sign that says, 'No fishing allowed.'" This simple yet profound truth reminds us that God’s forgiveness is complete. He does not hold our sins against us, and neither should we hold onto the grievances we have against others.

Conclusion: A Love Like the Father’s
Jesus does not ask us to love our enemies because it is easy. He asks us to love as His Father loves—freely, abundantly, and without conditions. This love is not just an emotion but a choice and an action.
Let us pray for those who have wronged us, choose mercy over retaliation, and remember how generously God forgives us. May our lives reflect the love and mercy of our Savior, who, even from the Cross, showed us what it truly means to love our enemies.

In the shalom of Christ,
Fr. Skip – Pastor
 
 

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Calling All “Garden Angels”
We are re-introducing a wonderful opportunity to all parishioners & friends of all ages to help revive the “Garden Angels” Ministry at Blessed Trinity parish.  Bring your creative garden ideas, “green thumbs,” and landscaping energies to beautify and clean-up our parish property. We welcome families, households and individuals to adopt one of the outside church niches in a coordinated design of unity and beauty, along with the many areas and patches of God’s holy ground at BTCC.   

Please contact the Parish Office for information on how to “gain your Garden Angels’ wings” in  this springtime season labor of love.  Parish Office:407-277-1702.  

Fr. Skip – Pastor