Fr. Matt, December 15, 2026 at 7am MST
After my return from Divine Mercy Church in Las Vegas, where we celebrated 11 Masses in 7 days for the Feast of Gaudaloupe, Third Sunday of Advent, Memorial service, Funeral service and birthday party, I was asked to celebrate Christmas Eve Mass at the cathedral. A record100 people attended the service in which I preached that Christmas is "about a baby" which was my Sonshine message for Christmas.
Now as we approach another New Year, let me offer this reflection.
“Stay positive about the future.” Some of you have known losses in the past year. You’ve lost a spouse; you’ve lost a child; you’ve lost health; you’ve lost relationships; you’ve lost your job; you’ve lost your house, your church was sold, you lost part of your pension - all sorts of losses.
But you do have a choice about these losses. Your choice is either you turn in on yourself, and become depressed about it, or you can follow the example of others, who have turned tragedy into a positive thing. I think, for example, of Fr Erick and the people who worship at Divine Mercy in Las Vegas. The congregation first pastor was a media superstar. He had 22 million followers on FaceBook. Wherever he went in Vegas he was greeted like a celebrity. People came from California and Washington states to receive his blessings. Then sadly, he betrayed his people by scamming the congregation out of their building. Thanks to the faith, perserverance and tenacity of their parish committee, the congregation was able to recuperate some of their donations but the court ordered the congregation to move out of the building. Thanks to Fr. Erick, he literally moved the altar, tabernacle, communion rail, pulpit and chairs to a new location to worship and serve the community. The consequence of this ordeal is that this congregation is better than ever thanks to their sacrifices and dedication to serve their community. In Advent they raised thousands of dollars to feed the homeless in their community. So, despite the lost of their building, the people never lost faith thanks to their inspired new pastor and now better for that experience. Pointing to Christ means “to stay positive about the future.”
On January 10th, deacon John will be ordained a priest for the PNCC at Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral in Lancaster, NY. He is man who has served as a Catholic deacon for decades. However, he felt the vocation to serve in the priesthood and I have served as his vocation director. Instead of a lost dream, he looks forwards to kneeling before the bishop to receive the Holy Spirit in which he will say yes, like the blessed Mother “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.”
This coming year, I have another four men who have requested to serve as deacons or priests. It is my calling to nurture these vocations.
And when we say yes to God - even when we're uncertain, even when we're afraid, even when we can't see how it's all going to work out - God honors that yes. God works through that yes. God does extraordinary things through ordinary people who are willing to trust.
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends In 2026, help us to say yes to God as help us to trust when we cannot see. Help us to be instruments of God's love in a world that desperately needs it.
