Here is the link for my valledictory homily on the Gospel text of the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time at St. Benedict the Moor Parish, Omaha, NE.
Life, As Thus Seen...
Sunday, 7 September 2025
Friday, 18 July 2025
Thursday, 8 May 2025
Habemum Papam - We have a Pope
When You See the White Smoke…



Saturday, 26 April 2025
The Gift of Mercy and The Gift of Baptism...
It was a moment of deep and overwhelming emotion for me as a priest, as I reflected on how God's living word continues to be fulfilled: "Go, therefore, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
I was reminded of the great Jesuit missionaries of the past — St. Francis Xavier, who tirelessly spread the Gospel in India and across Asia, and St. Matteo Ricci, who brought the light of Christ to China. Now, here I am, a Jesuit from the island nation of Sri Lanka, standing on American soil, baptizing a child into the faith.
On this sacred day, when God’s infinite mercy was first entrusted as a gift to the disciples — to be carried in their hearts as they were sent forth to the ends of the earth — I was humbled to be a part of that same mission.
Alleluia!
Monday, 21 April 2025
Behind the Image: Yet Another Easter Story…
Behind this image, a story breathes—
It speaks of Easter Sunday
April 21st, 2019
When Heaven met horror
And the sanctity of the Day was defiled
On the Island Nation of Sri Lanka
And in Katuwapitiya’s holy place,
In the heart of Little Rome—my hometown.
A series of coordinated bombings
Tore through the Day’s holiness,
Cutting the breath of prayer,
And giving way to flesh and blood,
What a terrible tremor in the soul,
And disturbance to Alleluia, our Easter Song
Though I detested capturing any pain
What I saw in the lectionary was an image
I could not turn away.
Though difficult to comprehend then,
That remains in my soul until this day:
"Lord, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.”
"The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord."
Returned to the Eternal.
Yes…
Rest now, dear Papa Francis,
In the embrace of those who bore the Cross of Christ in your time.
You were indeed an instrument of God's Spirit,
Renewing the face of the Church and of the earth,
And showing the fullness of His goodness
To those most in need, the vulnerable, and the marginalized,
In the far ends of the world.
Thursday, 17 April 2025
Priesthood is a Mystery | Message from My Brother on the Feast of Priesthood
Priesthood is a mystery.
It is not merely a vocation but a way of life. The Way that Jesus Himself walked. He invited His apostles to follow Him to preach and to spread the Good News to a world wavering in faith. It was challenging then. And it is equally challenging today, for priests are human too.
Jesus suffered and died. His apostles also endured suffering and death, but all for a greater purpose. His priests today, who share in the same vision and mission, also suffer. Their suffering may take different forms, shaped by the circumstances they live in. Yet it is holy.
So, on this Maundy Thursday, I urge you, Malli, to embrace the cross placed upon your mission. Be joyful. Even in suffering, Jesus was joyful, even unto death on the cross.
From a human point of view, this calling is a mystery. But through the divine Spirit, this untold mystery can be comprehended. That is the art of the priesthood. And if priesthood is an art, Jesus is the Master Artist, the one you are called to imitate.
Happy Feast Malli!
2025
S. B. Anuranga Fernando
Washing of the Feet at Holy Thursday Mass at St. Benedict the Moor Parish, Omaha, USA
Saturday, 5 April 2025
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers...
To thank God for your unanswered prayers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QESLoxIId0
To gain the strength to give up what doesn't belong to you: Watch the movie, Unanswered Prayers (2010)
Check your loyalty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWQW8jm4nJU
Don't let this be you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDAzYuQcgMM
What is your Magnificat (song of praises to God) in life? Will you start writing one today?
What are your life maxims that define who you are, what you have, and all that you do? Here are mine....