St Francis Xavier Chapel "Maryknoll" Japanese Catholic Center, 222 S. Hewitt Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Formerly known as "Maryknoll"
Mission Statement
We of Saint Francis Xavier Chapel, as members of the Body of Christ, are called to announce in word and in deed the Good News of the Lord Jesus, through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
We recognize our community's call to holiness based on mutuality, reciprocity, and interdependence and its ministry focusing on Japanese Catholics while also welcoming all in our greater community.
Fr. Doan Hoang's Message for March 1, 2026
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today we hear Mathew tells us about our Lord Jesus’ transfiguration. The event is recorded four times in the New Testament. In all three of the gospels, the transfiguration is preceded by Peter’s confession of Jesus as Messiah. Jesus had asked the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” In Mark and Luke, Peter answered “You are the Messiah!” In Mathew, Peter added, “… the Son of the Living God.” After this confession of faith, Jesus began to teach the apostles that he would suffer, be put to death, and on the third day be raised. That’s when Peter got in trouble with Jesus. He told Jesus none of that would happen to him. Upon to that time, no rabbi, no priest, no Pharisee, no scribe, or any interpreter of the Holy Scripture mentioned about the Messiah would be suffered and death. Most likely, all of them hoped for the Messiah who was to be a powerful leader: He would victoriously conquer all the enemies of the Jewish people and establish forever a kingdom of peace and justice under God’s rule.
I think those who chose the reading for the transfiguration left out there very important words is today’s gospel. The gospel begins, “six days later …” How often do we see this in the gospels when two events are linked together in this way. Most of the time, Jesus’ teaching and miracles are strung together like “pearls on a string” as scholars described it. The transfiguration is to set forth in all its fullness what the gospels want to say the historical Jesus as the Christ. The transfiguration is a visible manifestation of who Jesus is and where his suffering would lead.
How does all that apply to us? It gives us hope in our own time of suffering. Suffering and death will not have the last word in the lives of those who follow Jesus for just as Jesus could predict that he would be raised, he promises us a share in his glory and in his kingdom: “For this is the will of my father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” (John 6:40).
It is a promise, an assurance, a message to give us hope through difficult times. The apostles wanted to stay on the mountain. It was so wonderful experiencing God’s glory as it was displaying itself in Jesus. Jesus’ work was ahead of him, so this event was only a preview. Jesus had to leave the mountain to come back down to the earth, back to the ministry to God’s people and dealing with the suffering he know he would have to face, and they would have to do the same. Until they (and also we) enter into eternal glory with Jesus, God the Father gives a word of guidance and direction to all who follow his Son, “Listen to him.” It only stands to reason that we won’t do a very good job of following if we don’t listen.
親愛なる兄弟姉妹の皆様、
今日、マタイが私たちの主イエスの変容について語っているのを聞きました。この出来事は新約聖書に四回記録されています。三つの福音書すべてにおいて、イエスはメシアとしてがペトロの告白が変容の前にあります。イエスは弟子たちに「私は誰だと言うのですか？」と尋ねました。マルコとルカによって、ペテロは「あなたは救世主です！」と答えました。マタイでは、ペトロは「…生ける神の息子」と付け加えました。この信仰の告白の後、イエスは使徒たちに苦しみ、死に至り、三日目に復活することを教え始めました。そのとき、ペトロはイエスと問題を抱えました。彼はイエスに、そんなことは彼には起こらないと言った。その時まで、メシアについて聖書のラビ、司祭、ファリサイ派の人、書記者、通訳者のいずれも苦しみ、死ぬことを言及されなかった。最も可能性が高いのは、メシアがユダヤ人のすべての敵を勝利で征服し、神の支配下にある平和と正義の王国を永遠に確立することでした。
変容のために読み物を選んだ人々がそこに残した非常に重要な言葉は、今日の福音だと思います。「六日後」に福音が始まります。このように二つの出来事が繋がれているとき、福音でこれを見る頻度はどれくらいですか。ほとんどの場合、イエスの教えと奇跡は、ある学者たちが説明したように、「紐の上の真珠」のように結びつけられています。変容とは、福音書が歴史的なイエスをキリストとして言いたいことを、その完全な形で述べることです。変容は、イエスが誰であり、彼の苦しみがどこへと導くのかを目に見える形で表しています。
それはすべて私たちに当てはまりますか？それは私たち自身の苦しみの時の希望を与えてくれます。苦しみと死は、イエスが予言したように、イエスに育てられる従う者たちの人生に最後の言葉を持たないでしょう。「わたしの父のみこころは、子を見て信じる者がみな永遠のいのちを持つことです。わたしはその人たちをひとりひとり終わりの日によみがえらせます」（ヨハネ6:40）。
困難な時期に私たちに希望を与えることは、約束、保証、メッセージです。使徒たちは山にとどまりたかった。神の栄光を体験するのはとても素晴らしいことでした。イエスの仕事は彼より先だったので、この出来事は内覧することに過ぎませんでした。イエスは、山から下って地上に戻り、神の民の宣教に戻り、彼が直面しなければならないと知っている苦しみに対処しなければならず、その使徒たちも同じことをしなければなりませんでした。彼ら（そして私たちも）がイエスと共に永遠の栄光を得るまで、父なる神は御子に従うすべての人に、「彼に聞き従う」という指導と指示の言葉を与えます。耳を傾けなければ、私たちが従うという非常に良い仕事をしないという理由にかなっています。
in-church masses Schedule
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. Japanese Mass
10:00 a.m. English Mass
Saturday: 5:00 p.m. English Vigil Mass/
Weekday Masses are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 12:05 p.m.
Weekday Masses are subject to change due to funerals or illness.
First Saturday Devotion: 9:00 a.m., Mass followed by Rosary and Divine Mercy. Confessions are available after the Mass.
Donations
Thank you for your continued support! We are grateful to all who donate to SFXCJCC. We are open for weekend and weekday Masses. And are slowly opening our facility to our ministries and groups.
We are still in need of your financial help! Would you please continue making your Sunday Collection contributions or donating to St Francis Xavier Chapel?
You can mail checks to the office:
SFXCJCC
222 S Hewitt Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
To donate by credit card, click the button below.
Get Involved
Are you passionate about what we're doing? Let us know! We are always looking for volunteers to help us make our vision a reality. We'll help you find a way to volunteer that best suits you. We're excited to have you join the team!
Thank you!
Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you. .