Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
If you have ever turned off the television and felt your heart grow heavy, you are not alone. Many people today are not tired because of work, but because of the world around us. The tension feels constant, the voices feel harsher, and the arguments feel endless. Little by little, it can seem as if society is slowly fracturing—leaving many ordinary people anxious, discouraged, and longing for peace.
At least that is how I feel. Many mornings, after reading the headlines and seeing what is happening in our world, I find myself tired and discouraged. Very little of what I see on TV or read in the news feels inspiring or uplifting. Much of it makes me sad and leaves me wondering: Where is the world going? What happened to truth, to common sense, to respect, to dignity? Can we still trust the integrity of our institutions and systems, or are we being pulled more and more toward extremes? At times I even catch myself asking, “Is what I am reading really true, or is it simply someone’s ideology?”
I suspect many of you feel the same way.
In moments like this, we need more than opinions. We need light. That is exactly what the Word of God offers us on this Third Sunday of Ordinary Time: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 8:23—9:30). God does not deny the darkness, but He refuses to let it have the final word.
That is why it is so striking that Jesus began His public ministry in Galilee, not in a calm or perfect setting, but in a place under pressure. And the first words He proclaims are clear and urgent: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:12-23). Repentance is not merely feeling sorry for sin; it is a change of direction. It is turning away from whatever pulls us into darkness—anger, bitterness, pride, harshness—and turning toward the Lord, who is the true Light.
Saint Paul brings this message into the real life of the Church. The Christian community in Corinth had become divided, and those divisions were weakening their witness. People were forming rivalries and factions. Some said, “I belong to Paul,” others, “I belong to Apollos,” others, “I belong to Cephas.” Saint Paul interrupts them with one simple question that cuts through all the noise: “Is Christ divided?” (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17).
That question speaks directly to our own time. We live in a culture that trains people to take sides, harden their hearts, and speak in ways that leave little room for understanding. Yet if Christ is our Light, we cannot live in the darkness of contempt. If Christ is our Lord, we cannot treat division as normal. The Light that Christ brings should shape us into people of humility, patience, mercy, and charity—virtues that build unity instead of destroying it.
And here is the challenge: division is not only something “out there.” It can begin “in here,” within our own hearts, through small habits that quietly spread darkness—sharp words, quick judgments, stubborn pride, gossip, sarcasm, or the need to win. These things may seem small, but they shape the soul, weaken communion, and rob us of peace.
Dear friends, Jesus did not come only to give us light. He came to make us light. The world does not need more people who know how to argue; it needs more disciples who know how to bless. It needs Christians who can be calm in chaos, merciful in conflict, and faithful in confusion—people who build bridges instead of burning them.
So this week, let repentance become practical. Repent not only of the sins we confess, but also of the negativity we normalize and the unity we unknowingly weaken. Choose one simple act of light: be the first to soften your tone, the first to forgive, the first to apologize, the first to pray before reacting.
In a world that feels fractured, a united parish becomes a sign of hope. Let us be one parish family again—one heart, one purpose, centered on Jesus Christ.
With my prayers and blessing,
Msgr. “John” Cuong Pham