On eternal life....

"In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while the mighty wind swept over the waters. (Gen. 1:1)

On the 6th day God created man as He saw the goodness of His creation. "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." (Gen. 1:26) "God created man in His image, in the divine image He created him; male and female He created them.(Gen. 1:27)

The Lord God formed man out of clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being. Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and He placed there the man whom He had formed . Out of the ground the Lord God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and bad." (Gen 2 :2-7 )


The Lord God gave man this order: "You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden, except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die." (Gen 2:16-17)
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The Lord God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him. (Gen 2:18 )
So the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The Lord God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When He brought her to the man, the man said: "this one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called 'woman' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken. That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body. The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame. (Gen 2:21-25)

Exhortation to Justice, the key to Life.

Love justice, you who judge the earth; think of the Lord in goodness, and seek him in the integrity of heart;(2) Because he is found by those who test him not, and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him.(3) For perverse counsels separate a man from God, and his power, put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy (4) Because into a soul that plots evil wisdom enters not, nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin...(Wisdom 1:1-4)

Court not death by your erring way of life, nor draw to yourself destruction by the works of your hands (13) Because God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living,    (14) For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, And there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the nether world on earth (1:15)
For justice is undying. (Wisdom 1:12-15)

The Wicked Reject Immortality and Justice Alike

(Wisdom 1:16) It was the wicked who with hands and words invited death, considered it a friend, and pined for it, and make a covenant with it, Because they deserve to be in its possession.
(Wisdom 2:23) For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. (Wis 2:24) But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it.

The Hidden Counsels of God.

(Wis 3:1) But the souls of the just are in the hands of God, and no torment shall touch them (Wis 3:2) They seemed in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction, but they are in peace. (Wis 3:4) For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality...

The Eucharist

The Eucharist is God's Eternal Gift

The wisdom of God is unfathomable, beyond man's comprehension. Even so, God desires to share His eternal wisdom with men so they can be guided by it and be led to His kingdom. This wisdom, which is the word of God, was incarnated and became a man like us. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." The mystery of the incarnation is the wisdom of God, which continues to baffle human knowledge and elude our understanding.

In order to partake of the wisdom of God, faith and humility are the tools to use, not the pride and arrogance of science or wealth. Faith in Christ is essential for us to have eternal life. It is equally important to listen to His word and accept it, but no divine life is possible in us unless we share Jesus' own body and blood in the Eucharist. Eternal wisdom became our food by offering His own body and blood to us in the Holy Eucharist.

The book of Proverbs invites the foolish to partake of the wisdom meal: "Come and eat my bread, drink the wine I have prepared! Leave your folly and you will live, walk in the ways of perception." The voice of the author of Proverbs continues to reverberate in our time. Many foolishly avoid the wisdom meal, and follow the path of destruction, as they continue to seek knowledge from wrong sources and in wrong places. The invitation of God is an open invitation, the meal is prepared,  but those invited are busy with material things and worldly matters.

Believers are challenged to live by wisdom despite the growing secular culture of our time. The secular culture revolves around false assumptions and offers short-sighted solutions. The wisdom it offers is a perfect recipe for destruction. It alienates people from God and from one another. Western civilization has embraced this modern secular culture and all are feeling the ripple effects. In a very subtle manner, religious liberties are being threatened and overpowered. It is a process, but when it is fully realized, it may be too late to overcome this evil force.

Therefore, it's time to recognize these times, and to decipher the false wisdom that false knowledge offers. The wisdom of God is eternal life. Jesus said, "I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life within you." We are a Eucharistic community that partakes of the wisdom of God... though we are many, we partake of one bread, one cup, and we form one body of Christ. This is the pure gift and true wisdom of God to humankind.   (Fr. Peter Fernandes, (sfx)

St. Timothy's Summer Dance '13

On August 24, 2013, St. Timothy parish on the northside of Chicago held an annual Summer Dance with an Hawaiian motif. The stage has a seacape painting handpainted by Don Buenconsejo featuring a coconut tree stoically standing under the unruffled skies and placid sea and the looming island mountain silhouette making a magnificent background. The long serving table was laden with food galore- pork minudo, beef, pancit bihon, vegetables, chicken tandoori ,fried chicken, sweets, etc. On the side was a whole 60 pounds succulent roasted pig that sent aahs and oohs to the visitors. Visitors' palates were drown to a great surpise!

Visitors were provided Hawaiian leis of varied colors to adorn their necks or their arms as they entered St.Timothy's social hall while the scintillating music of Ellen and the Band and Danny Ayam on the introductory lead with a Frank Sinatra tunes wafted the August air. As the evening creeped slowly, Ellen and the Band thundered with the night club music and the people young and old woke-up with their sleepy feet. Water, wines, beers were served on a donation basis.

Visitors were completely satisfied with the affair, especially with special presentations of Hawaiian dances. What with the swing of the hips and the silky sway of the hands like coconut leaves dancing in the breeze on a wave fraught ocean.

Special thanks to our pastor, Fr. Peter Fernandez, sfx for his unconditional support.
Also to pastor emeritus, Fr.Harold Murphy, Fr. Alan and Fr. Carlos Periera.

The St. Timothy Summer Dance is another date in one's record book.