Notes from Mass Sermons or Rather Homilies

I might kept adding the new notes at the top. I would see. Now writing brief notes from memory for the week Feb 1 to Feb 8, 2026.

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Fr. A.S. Come Chente. I also did not put that much attention today. Doing the reading now. Who was Jonah. I see I do not know that much about Jonah. But after doing the readings, I believe Reverend said that there is not need a of a sign? [My additional interpretation]: just faith. The Lord is already here and present. Why not to believe? Increase your faith.

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

I am blank and tired. The priest talked something about ice, which at some point will melt and it is good for the plants. Or a volcano eruption. The ashes are good for the soil. Some bad things might be sent by the Lord for your own good.

Sunday, February 22, 2026

fr. Pius: He mentioned that Eugene is the Berkeley of the North. He said how people are attracted to the topic of angels and demons, accounting to the audience attendance they had on several topic talks which extended from Eucharistic, incarnated word. The topic of angels and demons rose much more curiosity of folks to attend. He recommended to read the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Demons definitely exists. But they power are nothing in comparison to The Lord Jesus Christ. [Adding my words in the last sentence]. So, why to get obsessed to them.

Outside from the homily I have been learning about the relevant connection between food and how one feels. Fasting is a key topic in those.

In other brief talk, I am trying to interpret that in genesis the act of the knowledge was sex and the serpent was a scapegoat. Sin and temptation came from inner self on them. It was easy to point as guilty to someone else.

On my own words. One must master the self.

Thursday, February 19, 2026

A bit tired for writing now.

But fr. Xavier during his homily which was related to the gospel of renouncing to your life and pick up your cross, and die(?) He did not say that. But he was making a few powerful references.

[Ok distraction with checking something in slack. I might be tired]

[Well another distraction. I watched for 2 to 5 minutes the Q&A that someone posted in Youtube about a talk from Bad Bunny in Harvard. The talk was about activism. I do not know much yet about Bad Bunny beyond the chorus of the chorus of the song ¨Debi tirar mas fotos”. Of course, the industry have placed all his material upfront around the time of Grammys and Super Bowl. I guess. I am not that exposed. But I read a bit in the New York Times. And actually watched his half time show in a youtube video. It was one of the first things that popped up. Sometimes I enter Youtube to check a video. Although, try to do rarely. I listen the Pope audiences and the Angelus Prayer. I guess youtube started to flood my day to day because I have a Google Phone, who knows. Bad Bunny’s talk was from 2019. But the way the Super Bowl scenery was great. Ricky Martin sang to not allow to become Puerto Rico like Hawaii. I guess it make full sense that the whole thing was in Spanish. Back to the recorded conversation in a classroom at Harvard. A role of an artist, scientist, singer, painter is to tell the truth. And probably his truth. The truth can kill you. But good and lasting art is the truth. That is what connects.]

[Another distraction. I checked something in whatsapp. Last time, I did a search like I did now. Although, now I downloaded a picture. Apologies for the distractions… I opened Instagram. Such a dystopia. And typical some pictures, and particularly phrases which can be always truth. Well I learned something in the process though. Anyways, glad that there are icons. This life is to be strong and rough, probably like John the Baptist. Saint Giovanni Baptista pray for us]

Finally to the homily. Some of my text will be full of notes.

On the year 4, A.D. Or around that year. After Herodes (The Great?) death. [Another youtube break. Why? Even if it was 30 seconds. I had to ask some details to google. But one error was to leave this page. I should be much better writing in mechanic typing machine, directly on the paper, or by handwriting if I would care about the calligraphy. I do care at times. But sometimes it puts off the interlocutor, if one is taking notes. The brain has some capacity. But then I need to write down those thoughts. Not sure if I learned something else in this interaction or rather distraction online. Almost midnight. But enough time before to do something I do daily. I have about 16 minutes now. I will do it. I will write back the rest of the homily notes soon. Wow, so much wondering.]

Reading a newspaper and a quick critique to the Bad Bunny show. Although, I just read the last paragraph. To encourage latin America to not lost the Judeo-Hellenistic culture, which worldwide have lasted two millennia or more. Did not read in depth. But it could make the connection between the detours I took in this writing, with a bit of a tired brain.

OK. [I also wander the reasons of the suggested videos etc. It is not that I click on each of them. But of course, I am curious of the video selection].

OK. After Herodes death there was a rebellion in Judea (where specifically. I will ask gemini). It seems it was in Jerusalem. Well additional rebellions erupted in Galilee, Perea, and rural Judea. A Roman commander, Varus, send troops and killed thousands of Jews. As a sign to not to do another rebellion or teach a lesson of what not to do to the population, he commanded to crucify 2,000 Jews. They brought them to Jerusalem for public exposure. Our Lord, Jesus was born already at that time. Although a baby. But just image how big was the killing of 2,000 Jews at the time. And how bad was the significance of a cross.

My own words. Probably, it would be like pasting a ICE out bumper sticker in the car nowadays and park that in the middle of a protest. It won’t be advised for several folks. It is of course dangerous. And it has the danger to take oneself life out. Our Lord Jesus was teaching to renounce to your life, pick up your own cross and follow me.

How many things we can carry? What is one afraid of?

Poverty might be so liberated. But it is not the topic now, because that could be also irresponsible if one has a family. But intelligent detachment, as one is mobile is quite important.

Back to fr. Xavier words. He said during this lent read a Gospel (which I cannot do it now). I read every advice but in an organized matter. I am in Jeremiah currently. fr. Xavier said read a Gospel and try to feel learn Jesus life during this lent.

During his homily I heard something about a forest. I am not sure about that reference or if was connected. Reading online, I see that Varus died in 9 AD. He committed suicide. Is that the cost of actions? Who knows? Might be is the cost of stoicism or lack of humility to recognize errors. But his case goes beyond. In any case, in year 9 AD his army was ambushed and destroyed by Germanic tribes in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. He then committed suicide? That area is called Kalkriese today in Germany. A stream called Nieweddegraben runs through the battle field? So I guess fr. Xavier mentioned where Varus died.

He also asked who negated Jesus. Intelligent, quick, courageous folks answered Judas. He said yes, but who else. Folks said Peter. Here my words, allow Jesus to live in you. He is here. Peter negated him three times. Yet, thanks to Peter’s faith, passion, and to the Holy Spirit we have a church pretty much alive. We believe. We talk about this about two thousand years after Jesus death. How to allow the Lord to live in our hearts. It requires plenty of courage. Nothing else. Because He is the truth. And He is love.

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

At Saint Mary Madgelene: Pray, fast, and almsgiving. God is merciful. Not harsh. Do this sacrifice to reconnect to God. Jokes: 1. good see the church full. 2. A child, at elementary school, saw a basket full of chocolates at the principal’s office. She went to grab them, but read a note that only take one because God is watching. Then, she saw a basket full of apples need the classroom, and said to the classmates, take as much as you want because God is watching the chocolates. Well, the joke does not apply. The sacrifice is everywhere. Pray in your room with the door closed.

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

At Jesuit school: The deacon has seen a video which says count have many passes the guys wearing black passed each other. There were other folks with other t-shirts in the video. After the video elapsed, he said pause. Did you see the moon walking bear. He missed as probably everyone else, because he was focused on counting the passes. He rewinded the video. He saw the bear in the background. Actually, the deacon did a moon-dancing, while explaining. Quite graphically. [I checked, I do not why, for 30 seconds, what is in Youtube. I checked the news. So, probably it was a minute. I opened El Universo newspaper. There have been a mudflow in Alausi, Ecuador].

The point the deacon, whose homily was very good, was making was Jesus told to the apostles is not about how many bread He multiplied. [I guess] It was not the number. He said can you not get it. Meaning that was that Jesus said to the apostles.

Also he added that he asked at some point to them, who Am I. He praised and scolded at the same time to Peter’s for his answer. [My additions to that comment. God built His (our) Church on Peter (rock, piedra). But also scold him when he did not acknowledge or did not want that the Lord would have to go over a sacrifice of death in His mission on earth.

How the little Price returned to elsewhere? Why did a serpent bite him? So he will have to go. He did not said he was going to die. That was part of his trip.

Always, he had a question it had to be answered. Those are a few addition on my wandering.]

[OK. It is all about Sacrifice and fasting to meet the Lord. And prayer, and almsgiving. This is a comment/interpretation from 2/18/26].

Monday, February 16, 2026

Celebrant: Fr. Pius. Doing all the externalities might be good as long as the inner fire of the Lord is there. One would or might not not necessarily be appreciated or find the Lord through the externalities and good works, such as: daily mass, adoration, etc. Do not be like the Pharisees in the sense of showing the works you do.

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Celebrant: Fr. Nick at Saint Mary Magdalene Church. The best homilies are in the lower part. Or rather my best efforts for writing what I learned from the homilies. However, experience of living several things in the neighborhood is great.

OK. What I learned is that that one should learn the spirit of the law. Meaning, if a law is on the way of doing good things, might be the law is not necessarily good. It also means to do not be necessarily to literal or fundamentalist. I guess it depends to whom this is written for. I would say, it was a powerful reading, but probably the homily needed more fire to get deeper to my heart. I am also with ringing ears. My right ear so I do not know how well did I process the whole thing. But I understood it. The father made a good exercise of an comparative analysis between the Letter to the Corinthians (I cannot picture yet clearly on my head the city where the Corinthians lived, I would need to do that) written by Saint Paul versus the Gospel written by Saint Matthew. It seems that Saint Paul wrote to Catholics to listen to the Spirit. Saint Matthew wrote to everyone, including Jews regarding the strict order of the rules. That was my understanding.

Fr. Nick also mentioned about that the Roman Law was an ideal. The English Common law is the bare minimum. That sometimes is a cultural difference between falling the law and not fulfilling the law. The context means that in Matthew Gospel, what is writing as goal is not the minimum is the goal. Again, this was my understanding.

Sunday, February 8, 2026

Celebrant: Fr. Xavier. Be the salt and light of this world. [Bit of background noise now]. A few facts. I might be able to construct the holistic context other time. He mentioned that in Aramaic [using a bit of google here to support my facts or complete the context], salt seemed that it was close to earth? I mean in terms of meaning. Ovens were made of earth at that time. Let’s say earth-oven or can also be a clay-oven. The fuel in that time was dry dung. [Now mixed with some interpretation]. Dung is excrement or feces. Generally, of domestic animals. In some cases, it seems even human feces were used (Wikipedia, 2026). It seems that we have lost several sustainable practices and or fully disconnected with some of the source material. There are several things we can still do with dung. It is an energy source at the end. Of course we need to trace carefully the diseases. But diseases, I might be wrong here, are also, in many cases, a way of corruption. Particularly, if we do not know the original source. But to the topic. And I need to learn this part. It seems that in order that combustion happened salt must been needed for the dried dung to catch the fire. Well, I will learn the technicalities. And here it is something, I might not read, because of time constrains, but I keep it for reference. This metaphoric. The point here is without salt there is not fire. Also fire can be light. I have not read things related the analogy to dung yet. Here comes the part to be added to the dung, or if one might be that dung at times. In any case, that dung it is useful, but only with salt. The word useful is quite complicated. But another analogy could be that salt allows or it is the catalyst to covert the dung into fire. The Lord might be asking us to allow that salt in? Well, he is asking to be the salt of the world. It is always complicated to see things from an upper position though. I would check the dung meaning. Ok. If there is not more salt, it seems that the dried dung needs to be throw away because it lost the fire. Another, thing, I more or less caught, but I am helping my self with a brief extraction of this text, which I might also not read entirely. My role here is completing some of my sentences or notes. I do not know the Greek meaning of the word salt. But it seems that the translation, when Jesus, said “lost its taste”, that word in Greek is moraino. It seems that moraino means moron. Or stupid. Or intellectual simpleton, according to the linked text above.

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Celebrant: Fr. Xavier. One should be a gift to others. [A mix here with the words of Venerable Fulton Sheen]. How hard is to pick up a cross and to carry it? One can carry the external causes and others. That is the cross. [Here a few words from Venerable Fulton Sheen]: But if there is resentment or bitterness towards other person. That might create to get stuck. Because a person with such a heart, who might think not in live, or who might not feel love for the other, but remen [not sure which word I wrote there, hard to correct not in first draft, I would need to read it again], or revenge, had to carry that additional cross. And two carry two crosses, seems that it is not really possible. [A mix with my own interpretation and extensions]: At the end, even Our Lord, I believe, felt twice on His way to Calvary, while carrying His cross. Yet, He was able to carry all those externalities. He is God of course. But also His Father was working through Him. When we have a light heart, probably, at least that it is the theory, and one should be able to be more attentive and feel it, when one is present and with a loving heart, the Lord works on us, to being able to carry others. Our Lord, on His way to calvary, which is quite a significant journey…, was spitted, laughed, wiped, and had to carry his cross. Then even His clothes, I believe, or hopefully I recall it right, were cast out and torn? I think the lesson is to be present. That is quite the most important gift to others. Then, of course, carry the cross.

Sunday, February 1, 2026

The Lord enter to your lives through your wounds. I guess the Lord heal you through your wounds. Celebrant fr. Pious.