Rollie's Word with Fr. Roland Bunda: Recent Episodes
Fr. Roland Bunda
Weekly inspiration from Fr. Roland Bunda, SM, Marianist priest and former pastor at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaiʻi. Join him weekly, as he shares his thoughts and reflections during his 2021-2022 sabbatical.
Season 3, Episode 18. From the time Jesus left the last supper, He was put to the test. He went through his passion, absorbing the sins of all of us, He gave us an example of what it means to suffer and to carry the cross. He wants to follow Him in his passion and passivity. Jesus does not resort to anger or bitterness. He is very peaceful, compassionate, and loving.
Season 3, Episode 17. What are the gifts that God has given to each of us and how do we use our gifts to build up His kingdom? No just the priests, bishops, and pope, but all of us are commissioned by Christ to be a prophet and speak God’s word. These prophetic words are not our own, but the loving and caring Words of God. Prophecy is hearing the Word of God, and preaching the Word of God.
Season 3, Episode 16. March 19 is the feast of St. Joseph. Joseph is a man of faith. But if you look at his life, he lived through a lot of tension and anxiety. But he trusted in God’s providence and God’s ways. And he is a great example of what it means to live by faith. During Lent, may we deepen our faith like St. Joseph.
Season 3, Episode 15. Throughout our lives we encounter many temptations, but because of our love and faith in Christ, we are able to follow Jesus and overcome temptations. And we can overcome through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. To pray and be truly present with God, to fast and deny ourselves to God, and to give alms by caring for and loving others.
Season 3, Episode 14. Can a blind person guide another blind person? We should find people who lead us on the right path to salvation. Find a spiritual guide that we can communicate with us and help us on our spiritual journey.
Season 3, Episode 13. Jesus is asking us to forgive just as the Father has forgiven us - for the Lord is merciful and kind. Being a Christian or follower of Jesus - we are on the way, on the path, of following the Lord. Because of Christ’s life, suffering, death, and resurrection, he has given us the power to forgive and to act divinely.
Season 3, Episode 12. Are you willing to bear serenely the trial of being displeasing to yourself? Despite any difficulties, any trials, can you be a dwelling place or shelter for Jesus? The testing of your faith produces perseverance, so you can be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. We must accept life as it happens to us.
Season 3, Episode 11. When God’s grace invades a person, the person realizes their sinfulness in the presence of God. The holiness of God’s presences allows us to reflect on our lives so that we may be saved. We must know that we are loved by God no matter what. And when we accept this, we acknowledge that we are sinful, yet still worthy of God’s love.
Season 3, Episode 10. Though we are given many gifts and blessings - they are not meant for us. They are meant to pass through us and to enhance others and that through us, God can bring joy and peace to others. Our gifts are to share with others.
Season 3, Episode 9. We are called to live out our vocation. All of us have gifts to build up the kingdom of God. Do we recognize the gifts God has given each one of us? Let us pray for awareness of our gifts so we may use them to proclaim God’s kingdom.
Season 3, Episode 8. Jesus is the union between divinity and humanity. When God intervenes and is present - He is not stingy. He not only provides “good wine,” but blesses us with His presence in our lives. Let us be in union and communion with God and that as we listen to Jesus, that God’s word bring an effulgence of life within us.
Season 3, Episode 7. Aloha from San Antonio, Texas! This week we reflect on our baptism - the most important day of our Christian lives (aside from being born!). We belong to our God. We share in the divine life of God and one day all of us will be united in the Kingdom of God.
Season 3, Episode 6. As we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, we will be in presence of royalty - Jesus the King. In place of gold, let us honor Him as our King. In place of frankincense, let us offer Him praise. And in place of myrrh, let us offer ourselves in body and soul along with our sorrows, joys, and hardships. As we look forward to this new year, let us say, “Jesus, you are our King our Lord and Savior, may these gifts honor and glorify You.”
Season 3, Episode 5. Wishing you joy in the simple things, and peace in the quiet places where you pray and meditate. And wishing you a peaceful, hopeful season, that leaves all of you feeling simply blessed.
Season 3, Episode 4. Every time we greet one another, we bring the Spirit of Jesus to each other. The beauty of when we visit one another, it’s like the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth - when we get together, we bring joy to others. We did this in the past, and we do it even in the present.
Season 3, Episode 3. When we center our lives on Christ, we can endure the sufferings and prosperity that the Lord gives us, not only throughout the year, but each and every day. We can rejoice that Jesus is near and can ease our anxieties.
Season 3, Episode 2. Look at your lives and observe what are the obstacles that are preventing Christ in our lives? How are we preparing to receive Christ in our lives? Let us reflect and meditate and prepare for the coming of Christmas. And as we prepare, let us remember that we are eager to celebrate an event that has changed EVERYTHING and gives us new hope - the birth of baby Jesus.
Season 3, Episode 1. Happy Advent! Today we begin the new season (Season 3!) of Fr. Rollie’s podcast!
We are called to open up our hearts and our minds to Christ’s living presence, and we do so when we participate in the Eucharist and when we welcome one another in our lives. We can use the sacrament of reconciliation to help us root out the obstacles in our lives that prevent us from living fully the Christ life of our God. During this Advent, let us spend some quality and intentional time to reflect and pray in the coming feast of this Christmas.
This season is a great time to reach out to others and bring the light to those who live in darkness.
Season 2, Episode 47. Jesus’ kingdom is full of love and acceptance. Can we embrace one another? Let us be a sanctuary for one another. A place of kindness, inclusion, acceptance, and forgiveness for others. So this feast of Christ the King - let us remember that Jesus needs to be the King of our hearts. Let us help each other increase our faith in Jesus Christ in the Catholic church.
Season 2, Episode 46. Welcome back, Fr. Rollie! After a 2-week pilgrimage to Rome, Fr. Rollie is back to share his message for this week. Sometimes in our lives, we experience difficulties or terrible times, but this weekʻs readings remind us that we need to trust in God because He sends people in our lives to encourage us and help us along the way. Likewise, we are sometimes called by God to help others and lead them on their way to Him.
Season 2, Episode 45. In the kingdom of God, we are called to serve, not to be served. Jesus shows us that to be great in God’s kingdom we need to be a servant of the people. Let us serve others who need our help and who need our assistance.
Season 2, Episode 44. Jesus calls us to follow Him, and those who follow Him are enriched. Let us make a daily commitment to follow Christ, model His example,a and preach God’s Word.
Season 2, Episode 43. The biblical view of marriage is that we belong together, we are community, rather than individuals. Adam and Eve are co-equals, and the two become one flesh and the intimate relationship or friendship is in marriage. When the two are in union and communion in friendship. And the fruits of this communion are the children. Together we form a community. Let us thank God for families that we can continue to be examples to others on what it means to form a community of love, to fall in love, and to create the love that God has given us and to share this love with others.
Season 2, Episode 42. We are given the grace, like Jesus, to extend beyond our borders of our own closed myopic world view. And we are called, like Jesus, to overcome our envy and jealousy and reach out to others and the poor. Let us serve others.
Season 2, Episode 41. Love is wishing, desiring, the good welfare of others. It is the opposite of envy, anger, and ambition. Loving the lowest person in the social order is an instrument for us to practice charity and reaching out to others. Let us love one another, enjoy the present moment, and be grateful and thankful for the blessings we have received from God.
Season 2, Episode 40. We as Christians, are called to evangelize and speak God’s Word. We need to help people open their ears to hear God’s Word so that others may experience God’s divine energy. Next week Fr. Roland will be on break - we'll be back the following week!
Season 2, Episode 39. God’s law is the rule or guidepost on the road to Holiness. And Jesus is the Word of God, the love incarnate, who has come to teach us the ways of God, the ways of holiness, and the ways that bring about life. The Word of God brings life.
Season 2, Episode 38. We welcome back Fr. Rollie from his retreat at St. St. Meinrad's monastery in Indiana. In this week’s podcast we reflect: The Eucharist is the center of Christian life. It is in our life that we find the real presence of Jesus through the Eucharist we receive every Sunday. Through our faith, we will be sustained with the divine life of Jesus. We celebrate the Eucharist, not just as a symbol, but as the real body of Christ. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian life.
Season 2, Episode 37. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. When we participate in the Mass, we are strengthen in life like Elijah in his journeys.
Season 2, Episode 36. The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life. We are called to deepen our union and communion with Jesus in the Eucharist. Our hearts are longing and yearning for God and will not rest until it rests in God.
Season 2, Episode 35. Jesus feeds everyone who comes to the eucharistic table. And with the little that we have, we offer up to Jesus. He will transform it into something that feeds us. This week, let us reflect on John’s gospel, chapter 6, and how he talks about the eucharist. Let us see the eucharist through the eyes of faith and thank God for the many gifts he gives us.
Season 2, Episode 34. Jesus will shepherd His people. Jesusʻ words, as shepherd, is extended through the centuries. The shepherd is not only present among the people, but is also the head of the people, and behind of the people. He is the pastor, the parishioner, and the servant. We are all called to be shepherds, like Jesus, and leaders within the church.
Season 2, Episode 33. We, as ordinary people, we are called to be prophets and speak God’s Word publicly to others. As people of faith and prayer, we have the basic “ingredients” to speak God’s Word to others - we have faith. We can bless people - we can bless ourselves and bless others. And as much as we can, we should give reasons for hope in our faith. We preach Jesus crucified and hope of the resurrection. Through prayer and communion we can deepen our Christian life and hear God’s call.
Season 2, Episode 32. How do you feel about Holy joy? What would it mean to you? Holy joy is associated with gratitude, and gratitude is at the heart of prayer. It is so important to be grateful to God for His many blessings. As Christians we can be thankful for the freedoms we have received in Christ. This week, let us reflect and experience the Holy joy that was promised in the Sunday readings.
Season 2, Episode 31. After 14 years, Fr. Rollie left St. Anthony Maui and is going on a 1 year sabbatical adventure. And like this Sunday’s Gospel reading, we need to have trust in God. There will be times when we feel like things aren’t going our way, but we’re reminded that even though things aren’t happening on our time, it is always happening on God’s time. Let us trust in the Lord - for He is good all the time.
Season 2, Episode 30. How do we interpret the suffering in our lives? We sit and reflect - God’s will be done. We do not know God’s plans; we are just one person in the whole universe, and we play just one part of His creation. When we experience hardships or when we suffer, we should continue to praise God because He is in control. Let us trust God in our lives, and have faith in the providence of God. He will walk with us in the good times and the bad times because He is always present in our lives.
Season 2, Episode 29. Though things have changed, and will change, Godʻs kingdom will last forever. As people of faith, we are called to promote and extend the kingdom of God. Jesus is all divine; He because human, so all of us can become divine. God is with us until the end of time.
Season 2, Episode 28. This feast is a tremendous opportunity for us to reflect on our connectedness with Jesus’ body and blood. Jesus promised to be present in the bread and cup of our eucharist, and so as we receive the eucharist we prepare each week to live out the gospel and thank God for living, as one, the spirit of Jesus.
Season 2, Episode 27. God is mystery, all transcendent, all powerful, all knowing, and omnipotent. And yet He always acts on behalf His people. Rather than trying to define the Trinity, we should live the mystery of the Trinity. Our God is Trinity. Our God is community. And our bond with God is one of love. Look with the eyes of faith, and love God for who He is.
Season 2, Episode 26. Today, the day after Pentecost, we celebrate the Feast of Mary the Mother of the Church. Mary was chosen to be the spouse of the Holy Spirit and cooperated in the saving mission of Christ. We must be keenly aware of the actions of the Holy Spirit. As we honor Mary, we can have Mary as our model in prayer, like the disciples, who received the Holy Spirit. We pray to Mother Mary: take us under your protection, but open us to the action of the Holy Spirit.
Season2, Episode 25. Jesus asks us to go into the world and spread the Good News. Our calling is to look into the world and into each other and proclaim the Gospel. As we undertake our journey, we’ll come across we’ll experience different transitions. And it is through these transitions we must persevere as Christians and disciples of Christ and be living witnesses of the Gospel, and spread our love for one another.
Season 2, Episode 24. The primacy is love. We love God because God has loved us first. Our response to God’s love is to love one another. There are many ways we can show the love of others. Like our mothers, they give so much of themselves with love and compassion as they raise children. And like St. Damien, who is a model of the love, compassion, and forgiveness we must have for each other, especially for those whom we consider marginalized and unwanted. And like the love in a relationship between parents and children. Love one another.
Season 2, Episode 23. Jesus wants to come and transform our lives. How do we abide in Christ? We need to be conscious that Christ lives in each one of us and do our best to imitate Him. Jesus is a friend. Jesus is a healer. Jesus is an evangelizer. Jesus promises to be with us all the days of our lives. We can meditate on John’s Gospel chapters 15-18: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/0
Season 2, Episode 22. During this Easter season, we can reflect on our own baptism and how we are all beloved sons and daughters of God and spend time listening to the voice of Jesus our Shepherd. Through the bible, meditation, or through a friend or others who may challenge us. We are all part of His flock and all of us are called to express to others the love of God and to continue to evangelize and to be aware of and invite others into the fold.
Season 2, Episode 21. Jesus is fo’real! He’s not a ghost or a part of our imagination. He is flesh and blood. He reminds us that everything that was written in the scriptures was written about Him for He is the Lord. We are thankful to God for the gift of the Eucharist - where we are blessed with the presence of Jesus’s body and blood. Let us rejoice for today is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!
Season 2, Episode 20. The victory that conquers the world is our faith. And just as the apostles are sent after experiencing the Risen Lord, so we, too, having experienced Easter and Jesus in our lives, should go and spread the light of God to the world. Let us meditate on the scriptures and deepen our understanding of the new life Jesus has given us.
Season 2, Episode 19. Jesus is risen, and now we are charged to go and spread the Good News. We are called as disciples to proclaim Jesus as our Lord and Savior. And this Easter season is our time to reflect and return to our baptism where we renew the baptismal promises we made to Jesus.
Season 2, Episode 18. Are we willing to stay with Jesus in his suffering and his death? Or will we run away and flee, leaving Jesus (and our baptismal promises) behind? We must be willing to be with Christ so we can experience resurrection, and so that we, too, may give of ourselves to help others on this journey towards eternal and resurrected life.
Season 2, Episode 17. Our relationship is sealed through the covenant with the Body and Blood of Christ. So when we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, we are intimately united with our Lord. Jesus is the new covenant.
Season 2, Episode 16. We who are Christians and believers of Christ have the gift of eternal life. Jesus is the light of the world and brings His light into our darkness. The Son of Man lifted up from the world and brought about life. Jesus died for our sake to bring us salvation and eternal life.
Season 2, Episode 15. God gave the commandments, through Moses, to guide us. These commandments are guidelines and the first three reflect our relationship with God, and the remaining reflect our relationship with one another. Reflect on the ten commandments and have an examination of conscious to see how you are measuring up during this Lent of following God’s commandments. Reflect on how you have deepened your love for God.
Season 2, Episode 14. Love God first and love everyone and everything else for the sake of God. During this season of Lent, we can learn to let go of the “stuff” and instead we should seek first the kingdom of God. We practice detachment from ourselves, our things, and our "stuff" through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. And as we detach from our things, we deepen our relationship with God. Love God with all your heart, your soul, and your strength. Whatever we love here on earth must be loved for the sake of God.
Season 2, Episode 13. There are so many ways to pray - prayer is the lifting up of one’s mind and heart to God. It’s so easy to go throughout the day without thinking about God, so we need to stop and pray and thank God for the blessings he has given us. There are several different prayers you can pray throughout the day. In praying we can deepen our relationship with Jesus.
Season 2, Episode 12. We must proclaim our culture of peace, compassion, and reconciliation. The good news is that Jesus has come, not to condemn the world, but to bring love and compassion to everyone. As we enter the season of Lent, may we spend more time in prayer, in reading the scriptures, and reading the Word of God. So that we as Catholics can be a light to those living in darkness.
Season 2, Episode 11. Let it be revealed to us that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. And let us proclaim Christ and his message of love, forgiveness, and compassion.
Season 2, Episode 10. We need to recognize that Jesus is not only our Lord and Savior, but He is in our midst. God walks with us, even in this time of hardships. He brings about healing for our sinfulness, protection against the devil, and protection against evil and sin. Let Jesus embrace us as we trust in His goodness and healing.
Season 2, Episode 9. Sometimes it can be difficult to hear the Word of God because of the “noise” around us (the radio, tv, media). This is why the church encourages us to read the scripture and mediatate in private prayer to hear and reflect on God’s Word. Like Jonah, we might be swallowed up, constricted, or in tight situations, and when that happens we need to call out to God so that he may help us, heal us, and guide us. Let every one of us who are baptized use our gifts of our time, talents, and treasures to be good stewards of God’s Word.
Season 2, Episode 8. We are called to be beacons of God’s light, listen and meditate on His word, and to evangelize to others.
Season 2, Episode 7. We are all beloved sons and daughters of God and we share in the life of the Trinity. The life of the Trinity is one of love. When we commit ourselves to living a life of love and compassion, we participate in the very life of Jesus.
Season 2, Episode 6. Happy New Year 2021! Today, we look back in gratitude for all the blessings God has given us, despite the hardships of this past year. We look forward with hope and the spirit of confidence and thanksgiving. We live in the present moment in the presence of God, knowing that God is always with us in our spiritual journey.
Season 2, Episode 5. Listen in as we continue the Christmas Season! Fr. Roland shares his homilies from the Christmas and the Feast of the Holy Family Masses.
Season 2, Episode 4. Blessed are you who have believed what the Lord has foretold you would be spoken and fulfilled. This week we are called into deeper preparation and prayer. Let us bring others to Jesus and bring joy to those who live in darkness.
Season 2, Episode 3. Prepare our hearts through prayer and silent meditation to anticipate His coming. The Holy Spirit guides in all truths and only the Spirit can open our eyes so that we don’t miss seeing Jesus in our present moment. May we open our eyes to the reality that God is always present in our lives.
Season 2, Episode 2. Jesus is our Savior and whom we are expecting during these days of Advent. We are called to prepare ourselves in the way of the Lord. Jesus brought about healing and the forgiveness of sins.
Season 2, Episode 1. During Advent, we recognize that in our sinfulness we need a Savior to save us from our sins, from the power of evil, from the power of the devil, and from the contagion of the world. O come, o come, Emmanuel! Save us, Lord! Come into our world so that You may save us from our sins! We continually search to find God’s presence in our lives, to see Christ in one another, and to recognize that the Spirit lives in me and within you. Let us pray that the Lord God will open up our eyes that we may truly see the Spirit within us, God’s presence within us, and within one another.
Season 1, Episode 46. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and will bring about the restoration of the whole world. How we treat one another is how we treat God. For the grace that Jesus gives us, we have been saved by His grace and not by our own works. Our salvation is a glorious gift of His grace. The best response to such a generous gift is to have a grateful heart, to love one another just as Jesus has loved us, to let the gratitude for His grace fill us with peace and joy, and increase our thankfulness for the many blessings that we have received.
Season 1, Episode 45. To be a good steward means to be a disciple of Christ and use our gifts and talents that we’ve been given and not "bury" them. Through our work, we are cooperating with the purposes of God and collaborating with God’s purpose in our lives. This sense of work engages our will, creativity, and imagination to bring about order in chaos.
Season 1, Episode 44. When we are prepared for Christ’s coming, we can be ready with not only our virtuous deeds, but our attitudes. Let us look at our lives and our relationship with God. God is always coming to us in many ways. Let us reflect if we are willing to be found by Jesus.
Season 1, Episode 43. Our vocation in life is to be saints - that we may be holy in Godʻs eyes. To become holy we follow the will of God by LOVE. God is Love. Jesus gave us the beatitudes as a way of practicing love and being Godʻs disciples. Let us reach out to others and be instruments of peace and joy.
Season 1, Episode 42. In the first reading from Exodus, God commands the chosen people to act fairly and compassionately to their neighbor and warns them of the consequences if they do not do this. Jesus tells us that the love of God and the love of neighbor takes precedence over any other commandments. Let us reflect and have empathy for the poor, the marginalized, and the suffering - because we, too, are governed by God’s law. This week, we can reflect on the Gospel’s reading this week, in the first chapter in the Letter to the Ephesians. Let us be compassionate, be kind to one another, be forgiving and forgive one another as God has forgiven us in Christ. May our love for one another be a reflection and response to God's love for us.
Season 1, Episode 41. Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” We give to God all the praise and worship and thanksgiving for the many blessings and gifts He has given us. And at the same time, we are citizens of the United States and are called to fulfill our obligation not only by paying taxes but by being involved in the government. We all have the obligation to vote. To read more about the “Democracy Values & the 2020 Election: A Reflection Guide for Faith Communities” that Fr. Rollie references, go to http://bit.ly/SAP-Vote
Season 1, Episode 40. We are all called to the Lord’s Holy Mountain where God will come down to meet us and we, the people, in unity and peace (destroying or weapons of war) rise up to meet Him. And in a way, the Eucharist is like our middle mountain and the source of our Christian life. We come together every Sunday to give praise to God. We listen to the Liturgy of the Word where God instructs us in his ways. And then in the Consecration where the bread and wine becomes His Body and Blood - He comes down from divinity to nourish us with his presence. Each time we come together to celebrate daily or Sunday Mass, we are united as brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Season 1, Episode 39. On October 4, we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. We are encouraged to pray and seek God’s help, not only during our trials but also to give Him thanks and praise. God provides. We are called to be instruments of light and joy to others who may not experience God in their lives. We should use the gifts and talents God has given us to help others and lead them back to Christ.
Season 1, Episode 38. No matter what happens in our lives, we must trust God in prosperity and scarcity. As Catholics, we believe that God is in control - whether it is through the good times or it is through the bad times. The Lord says to turn to Him in ALL times - God’s ways are the way, the truth, and the Light. We must place our trust in our loving and gracious God.
Season 1, Episode 37. God is very generous, merciful, and forgiving. We who are labors in God’s kingdom are called in our relationship to help one another and build up the kingdom of God. We respond by being generous to others as God is generous to us.
Season 1, Episode 36. Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tightly. Sir 27:30. If we cling to resentments, grudges, and hurt, it is very difficult to live a happy and joyful Christian life. Just as the Father forgives us for our sins, we are called to also forgive those who hurt us. All of us are called as Catholics to forgive. We know it is hard to forgive past hurts, but these things can destroy people’s lives; however, every time we forgive we act like Christ and become divine like Jesus and the Father. Let go of the anger, grudges, and hurts and offer it up to the Lord. It is Jesus that gives us strength and sets us free.
Season 1, Episode 35. We all have a responsibility to help one another to holiness. We need to help each other turn away from sin and towards the House of God and treat everyone with gentleness, kindness, and love. And to those who have hurt us, we should extend our compassion and forgiveness, as Jesus did with the tax collectors and Gentiles.
Season 1, Episode 34. Do not be conformed to the age of this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind in the Lord Jesus so you can discern what is right and just. As disciples of the Lord, we are all called to take up our crosses, deny ourselves, and to proclaim Christ. Though it may be difficult to make sacrifices, we are called to do so for the good of others. It is through our thanksgiving of the many gifts God has given us, that we love and are loved.
Season 1, Episode 33. Leadership - whether good or bad - affect the people of God. We are called to be less like Shebna (who desired to build monuments in his likeness), and be more like Peter (and build up Jesus's Church). In good leadership, people are called to build up the Kingdom of God, to enhance and bring life, rather than to suck the “air” or talents out of people. We are called by God and formed by the Spirit to go and evangelize and proclaim Jesus’ death and resurrection. Let us use our God-given talents to build up the Kingdom of God.
Season 1, Episode 32. Read Isaiah Chapter 2: All nations are called to go up to the mountain of God and join themselves to the Lord. Isaiah reminds us that ALL are invited by our God. God graces everyone with His mercy and love. So we, who have been baptized, are called to be a light to the nations, and to be an instrument of God’s love, God’s healing, and God’s mercy.
Season 1, Episode 31. Today’s readings invite us to be attentive to recognize the presence of God around us. Sometimes we’ll find God in the midst of the storminess of life. There are times where we’ll discover God during moments of serenity and tranquility. Consider that God is present in all creations, creatures, and within yourself. We strive to see all things in God and God in all things.
Season 1, Episode 30. God gives us many graces every day and we are invited to go to God and give him our burdens so that we may rest. All we have to do is show up and accept the many blessings God gives us. So during this time of bad news and uncertainty, where we don’t know the answer, the bottom line is to keep on trusting in God and placing our confidence in God. Keep the covenant and keep as faithful as we can to our Lord.
Season 1, Episode 29. Many times when we’re weary, we get down with exhaustion. Sufferings and trials of life’s storms can really wear us down to the point where we ask “where is the Lord?” Yet, even then, the Lord tells us to come to Him so we may rest, and he will carry our burden. So when we are experiencing the storms of our life, we need to take a time-out to pray and reflect to open ourselves fully to the transforming presence of Christ. We need to take time and have time alone to soak in the love of His presence.
Season 1, Episode 28. Where is God? God is everywhere, in all things. God is in all things by His essence, power, and presence. The presence of God is one of breath that envelops the soul with radiance. As we reflect on the Book of Wisdom, we are reminded that God gave us good ground for hope that He will permit repentance for our sins. Our God is a loving and forgiving God. St. Paul reminds us that the Spirit of God helps us in our weakness, helps us to pray, helps us to become holy. We are called to acknowledge God’s forgiving and merciful love. Let us surrender and trust in the divine will of God’s providence.
Season 1, Episode 27. Jesus is the sower, and the seed is the word of God, and the soil is our hearts. And it is up to us whether the word of God bears fruit or not. To nourish our hearts there are three areas in our lives that we can cultivate a life of faith: 1) praying, 2) reading the Scripture, and 3) participating in the sacraments. Let us rejoice in our loving God who walks with us during this journey of faith.
Season 1, Episode 26. Jesus is the Messiah who restores and reunites the Kingdom of God. We are the body of Christ and are the inheritors who share in the Kingdom of God. Christ is inviting us, as his disciples, to come to Him, give Him our burdens, and enjoy his rest, love, and goodness. We can always turn to the Lord and ask our loving God to be with us as we deepen our faith and relationship with our Lord.
Season 1, Episode 25. Today is the feast day of St. Peter and St. Paul - who laid a solid foundation of the Church. We, like Sts. Peter and Paul, are called to evangelize and be stewards of God’s Word. Because we are baptized, we are called to imitate Christ. What we believe leads us to what we must reject.
Listen in to Fr. Roland’s message and prayers for a peaceful world.
Read more: http://reclaimingjesus.org/
Season 1, Episode 24. It may not be easy, but rather than judge with anger and hatred, we should rather judge one another with kindness, love, and compassion. Today we can reflect on the inspiration of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Agustin, and St. Joseph. St. Francis who sought out peace from within; St. Agustin who prayed his actions, thoughts, and words reflected all that is holy; and St. Joseph who was a model in recognizing that God the Father entrusted His Son with him and Mother Mary. And it is with the Eucharist that we can gain the strength and power to act Christ-like and give us the needed spiritual awakening to model the actions of Christ and the Saints.
Season 1, Episode 23. The sacraments are Jesus’s living presence and especially in the Eucharist, when we are intimately united with the Lord. And this is what gives us the grace and the power to fight off evil, to be just, to be compassionate, to be loving, and to be kind. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.
During this time, it can be hard to see others in Christ. But we fail to recognize that the Lord is everything. So we need to deepen our awareness of the Lord’s presence among one another and amongst us.
And listen in to a special blessing for all our fathers, grandfathers, godfathers, and all those who have been fathers to us from Fr. Rollie.
Season 1, Episode 22. God is love and every time we participate in the Trinity, we are participating in the love of the Father. The Holy Spirit is the revelation of the love between the Father and the Son. Let the unity that The Holy Spirit brings happen within each of us. This week, we should reflect on the Beatitudes of the Lord - the blessings Jesus gives us and what it means to be Christian and be a follower of His.
Season 1, Episode 21. Today is dedicated to Mary, our Blessed Mother, Mother of the Church. Our Blessed Mother is the instrument of bringing new life in the church. We call on Our Blessed Mother for protection and to help us in our intercession as we recall Her presence in our church. The mission of Mary is to bring others to Jesus. So we are called to bring others to Jesus through Mary. In more Good News - we're beginning Mass on the great feast of St. Anthony - June 13 with 5pm Mass followed by Mass on June 14 (7am, 10am, and 5pm) with the feast of Corpus Christi! Register online or call our church to reserve your seat for Mass.
Season 1, Episode 20. The Holy Spirit is the love and bonding between the Father and Jesus. The great gift of Pentecost is Jesus’s gifting to each one of us the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit comes, you will experience the fullness of life. The days after the Ascension of the Lord and leading up to Pentecost, we can make a daily novena asking for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Listen is as Fr. Roland explains how we can make daily novenas in preparation for Pentecost.
Season 1, Episode 19. Congratulations to our 2020 graduates! We bless you as you continue onto a new milestone in your lives. May God strengthen you as you continue on your journeys. Similarly, as we prepare for the celebrations of the Feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost and we move into the final movements of the Easter season, we prepare to accept the challenges to go forth and love and serve the Lord.
Season 1, Episode 18. Every day, every moment, is a time we can praise God. Today we reflect on the definition and meaning of prayer through inspiration from St. Therese, Richard Rohr (a Franciscan priest), Philippians 4:6-8, and the Gospel of John Chapter 14 (Jesus’s last farewell).
Season 1, Episode 17. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and leads us home to eternal life. He is with us and watches over us 24/7. In our prayer, we know Jesus is at our side.
Season 1, Episode 16. We sometimes need to be reminded that Jesus walks with us - and that we never walk alone. We need to have the courage to believe that Jesus is with us always.
Song: “Hold on to Love” written and sung by Jesse Manibusan.
Season 1, Episode 15. During this Easter Season - we have 50 days to deepen the mystery of Christ's Spirit dwelling within us. We've been gifted with the three theological gifts of faith, hope, and love. So Easter is using our gifts to deepen the awareness of the Spirit's presence within our lives.
Season 1. Episode 14. We rejoice that that Jesus is risen and is with each of us - we are not alone. Christ is our loving Savior and we are his beloved disciples. We are called to proclaim that Jesus is present and share with one another the awakening of God's and Mother Mary's presence in our lives. Jesus Christ is Risen today! Alleluia!
Season 1, Episode 13. The Lord is my light and my salvation. This week we should spend time in prayer to reflect how much God loves us. Easter is a return to our baptism, and Lent is a preparation for that return. We need to rediscover this divine life, but because of sin we are distracted from following Jesus.
Season 1, Episode 12. Peace be with you. Please know that the priests and brothers of the St. Anthony Catholic Community always remember you in Mass and pray for your health and protection. St. Anthony parish has such a deep and rich history of ministry to the sick, we’ve had St. Damien of Moloka’i and St. Marianne of Moloka’i that were present in our parish. These saints have dedicated their lives to the service of those who have had infectious diseases. They were confident of God’s power to save. Let us not be afraid, rather let us be reminded to deepen our trust and faith in God’s power to save.
Season 1, Episode 11. Today, we pray to continue to be messengers of hope and trust. Jesus, I trust in YOU - we continue to place our trust in You. Here in Hawaiʻi, we have St. Damien and St. Mother Marianne as tremendous advocates, and just as they dealt with the disease of leprosy, we call upon these two Saints to be with us, and to help us deepen the trust and the faith in our Lord Jesus. Like them, we need to be instruments of hope and of love.
Season 1, Episode 10. Peace be with you! "I hope in the Lord, I trust in His word." We need to remind ourselves, as Christians and believers, that God is in control and our lives are in His hands. Into Your hands O Lord, we command our trust and confidence that You do take care of us. Though we may be tempted to doubt, we ask St. Michael to protect us from the wickedness and snares of the devil and to be fortified in the strength which Jesus has given us at our baptism: "St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen."
Season 1 Episode 9. The glory of God is men and women fully alive in God’s kingdom. Christ calls us to three religious acts during the season of Lent: 1) time for prayer, 2) time for almsgiving, and 3) time for fasting. By doing so, as disciples we give back to God a grateful response for the many gifts He has given us.
Season 1, Episode 8. How do we see Christ in one another? Our challenge is to have a clear vision and recognize, as we walk through our journey: Christ in the poor, in the sick, and in those who need comforting.
Our Lenten journey is one of purification and of repentance. Because at times, when we may not see clearly, and we might treat one another badly. We might get impatient or we may lose our temper, but to see Christ, it takes discipline - and that’s why we have 40 days during this season of Lent, for fasting and purification. We must trust in the Father, and rely on God. Glory to God in the Highest!
Season 1, Episode 7. Peace be with you! This week we're preparing for Lent. Listen in to Fr. Rollie's stories of why we celebrate the Lenten season and how it brings us closer to God.
Season 1, Episode 6. Peace be with you! The Valley Island Liturgy and Arts Conference happened this past weekend and featured musical guests Jesse Manibusan, Fr. Ricky Manalo, and O’ahu’s EPIC (Ever Present in Christ) team. These musicians reminded us of how music can influence our liturgy and worship. We also reflected on the importance of when we come together in worship, we support one another to deepen our faith. One way we can reach out to others is through music. Listen in and sing with Fr. Rollie ask we ask our Lord to open up our eyes so that we may we see clearly and see beyond the physical, to see Christ's presence in our midst and in one another; open our ears so that we may hear God’s word; and open up our hearts so that we may love like Jesus.
Peace and all good things to you and your family. This week’s podcast is about living stewardship, sharing the gifts of God with others, and being conscious and committed sons and daughters of God.
Listen in to this weekʻs word from Fr. Roland of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaiʻi. God, the Spirit dwells within us. If we really want to become holy and participate in the life of the Trinity, all we have to do is follow Jesus and pray, reflect, and contemplate how did Jesus live out His discipleship with the Father.
This past weekend (1/25-1/26) we celebrated the Word of God Sunday - where Catholics around the world reflected on the Word of God. Learn more about Enthroning the Bible in Our Home: http://bit.ly/MauiBible2020
Stewardship is a call to discipleship and our commitment where we give back to God our thanksgiving through our time, talent, and treasure. Listen in to Fr. Rolandʻs reflection on how to commit our time to prayer and being present to God.
Next Sunday is "Word of God Sunday" - an opportunity for all us to have a deeper knowledge of the Word of God. All parishioners can bring their bibles to Sunday mass and have it blessed. May the Word of God be truly alive in our hearts, so when we go home we can start reading and re-reading the bible. After reading the bible we can reflect.
Fr. Chaminade, whose feast day we celebrate this week, stressed a great importance on the Word of God and meditate on the Nicene Creed - which is a summary of our Salvation history.
L.I.T.E. = Love Is Truly Eternal. Godʻs presence is always within us and above us.
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and to life in the world to come. Amen.
Rollieʻs Word with Fr. Roland Bunda. 2020 is a good symbol of vision - we can see clearly. Not only physically, but also spiritually as disciples of Christ.