Neli ML

  Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany 2026 Mathew 5:13 – 20 Rev. Neli Miranda             The Gospel reading for today presents a segment from the cherished passage known as The Sermon on the Mount . It opens with the Beatitudes (Mt 5,3-12), a series of declarations that describe the character and blessed state of those who belong to this Kingdom—the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers. Immediately, Jesus makes two profound declarations about the function and identity of his disciples in the world: “You are the salt of the earth” and “You are the light of the world”. These are not suggestions or future possibilities but statements of present reality, highlighting the essential roles that his followers are called to play.             Jesus’ first metaphor, You are the salt of the earth , would have resonated deeply with his first-century audience. ...

The presentation of Jesus in the temple                                                              Luke 2:22 - 40 Rev. Neli Miranda             During the past Sundays we have witnessed Jesus’ epiphanies. Today, as we celebrate the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, we pause in the narrative to witness a special celebration, the presentation of Jesus in the temple.   Today’s gospel offers us a touching image of Jesus and his parents in the temple, forty days after his birth. Mary and Joseph, a devout family, bring Jesus to the temple to observe the purification customary for a mother and her child following childbirth. According to the law, a woma...

  The Second Sunday After the Epiphany 2026 John 1:29-42 Rev. Neli Miranda               On January 6, our Christian tradition celebrates the Epiphany. It celebrates the moment God incarnate in a baby was revealed to the world, represented by the magi who worshipped him as king. In the weeks following Epiphany, the liturgy continues this theme, presenting us with key moments that reveal Jesus’s true identity. At his baptism, a voice from heaven declared, “This is my Son, the Beloved.” Today, the Gospel of John gives us another profound epiphany, this time through the powerful testimony of John the Baptist.             The Baptist’s ministry had stirred all the people. His call to repentance was so powerful that many wondered if he himself was the Messiah. Yet, John’s greatness is found in his humility. He understood his role perfectly: he was not the light, b...

  Christmas Eve celebration Luke 2:1-14 Rev. Neli Miranda               “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). These are the revolutionary words God’s messenger proclaims not to the powerful in Jerusalem or Rome, but to a group of shepherds keeping watch in the fields.             Jesus’ birth occurs in stark contrast to the world around him. This world is ruled by Caesar Augustus, an emperor who, with a single decree, sets the known world in motion. His is a hierarchical system with himself at the apex, supported by Roman and local elites, while the vast majority of people live in poverty and oppression at the bottom. Yet, no matter what the emperor decrees, the divine plan is not prevented. Indeed, the emperor...

  Christ the King, the one who is hanging on a cross?  Luke 23:33-43. November 23th 2025 Rev. Neli Miranda                          Brothers and sisters, today we find ourselves at a significant crossroads in our journey of faith. This is the final Sunday after Pentecost, the culmination of the long liturgical season we call “ordinary time” or “after Pentecost”. Guided by the Gospel of Luke, for five months, we have been walking with Jesus |on his determined journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, a journey filled with his most profound teachings, parables, and encounters. We have listened, we have learned, and we have walked alongside him. Today, that journey reaches its destination. We arrive in Jerusalem, not to witness a triumphant coronation, but to stand at the foot of a cross. We close this season as witnesses to Jesus, hanging between two criminals, at the place called The Skull....

  Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost 2025 Luke 21:5-19 Rev. Neli Miranda             In today’s Gospel, Jesus announces: “ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven” (21,10-11). Does this imagery resonate with our current time? Indeed, it reflects not only our present circumstances but also those of the first century, the medieval era, the twenty century and throughout history, as hardship has consistently been a part of the human experience.             The belief in Jesus’ imminent second coming was widespread among his earliest followers. They had heard his promise regarding this return and the ultimate establishment of the Kingdom of God. Consequently, they were convinced that this event would occur so...