A warm hello to all readers,

Welcome to Emmaus' Journey. My name is Tess Nguyễn. I've been asked to be the caretaker of this little column. Let me tell you a little bit about myself and my "journey" to this little column.

Within the past 5, 6 years, I've been working with young people through activities such as retreats, catechism classes and other social events. I find these experiences very rewarding and life-giving. I cherish the friendships and trust that these friends have placed in me. I admire their honesty, their openness but mostly their courage in allowing me to enter into their own private world, which at times clouded by heart aches and shattered dreams. For me, to be involved in an activity that catered to the spiritual needs of young people is a great honor and a beautiful gift from above.

As for my personal life, I'm a happily married wife and a mother of 3 little girls. Although I'm not as young as I'd like to be, I still consider myself to be very "young at heart". My husband, Charles and children have taught me a great deal about what it means to be "young at heart". My husband's optimistic nature and his belief that all things are possible through the grace of God had somehow rubbed off on me quite a bit. Christine, my 11-year-old, has shown me how to laugh freely at jokes and to enjoy the simple things in life. She found an old joke book in grandpa's attic and laughed her head off as she read it; she ate pasta noodle with soy sauce when the spaghetti sauce ran out and enjoyed every bite of it. From her, I re-discovered that laughter and contentment can make a day seems so much more pleasant. Next, there is Judy who is 5. This little "kindergartener" helped me to appreciate a child's innocence and trust in her parents. Whenever we give an answer to any of her questions, she automatically accepts it to be the "ultimate truth". In her innocent mind, parents know best! Judy sets an example for me to approach God with a pure heart and total trust. Last but not least, 3-year-old Isabel has something to offer as well. Her level of energy amazes me sometimes. You think that God might have installed a "self-rechargeable battery" somewhere in that little body of hers! Sometimes, as I watch her run back and forth from the front to the back of the house, I wish I could be as relentless and enthusiastic about my own convictions and responsibilities.

A few months ago, I received a phone call from father Nguyễn Tất Hải, CSsR, who is the Editor-in-Chief of NSÐMHCG. Father Hải asked me to assist him in starting a new column for young readers. My very first reaction was "Are you sure you want me to do this?" At first, I wanted to say "No" because: I'm too busy, I don't think I'm qualified, I'm not sure I can commit to it, I dread the hard works, so on and so on. To assure me, Father Hải gave me many reasons why I should do this. Amidst all these anxieties, I suddenly remembered something that I read in the Bible on that very same day, just a few hours before father Hải called. It was from Luke 5:1-11. Jesus was telling Simon Peter to go out into deep water and cast his nets again. At the time, Peter and his friends were getting ready to put away their nets. They were out at sea all night and caught nothing.

What struck me most about this story is that Peter, who has been a fisherman all his life, with years of experienced under his belt, knew for certain that there weren't any fish that morning. Yet, at the command of Jesus, Peter obeyed! At that time, many people saw Jesus as just a carpenter and a preacher. What could Jesus possibly know about fishing? Yet when Jesus told Peter to go out and cast his nets again, Peter said: "I was just there and caught nothing, but... if you say so, I will do it!" He went out and guess what? The nets were full of fish that it was about to rip apart! Apparently, Peter saw something much more in Jesus. I find in Peter an attitude of total surrendering and trust in the power of God rather than in one's own abilities. This was the ultimate motivation that prompted me to accept this assignment. Like Simon Peter, I also said to God: "... Lord, I'm not sure I can, but if you say so, I will do it!" So that's how all this got started.

Now dear friends, may I introduce "Emmaus' Journey"! Like the two disciples who was on the road to Emmaus, may we, through this column, also encounter the Risen Lord and may our hearts be set "on fire" to spread the Good News to the world. It is my sincere hope that we can be companions on this journey to the Great Jubilee 2000, a year of grace! I pray that this column will help its readers to discover new joy and new life in Jesus, our Lord and Savior. May this joy and life in Christ be ever contagious!

Please stop by and hang out with us at Emmaus' Journey. To make this column a more pleasant experience, may we suggest that you be opened to receive and to share stories of faith among friends. Since this is a brand new column, we ask for your patience and support. Father Hải and I will try our best to make this Corner as fun and interesting as possible. We welcome wholeheartedly your constructive feedbacks. Please let us know what you think of Emmaus' Journey and what topic would you like to read about. Most importantly, we ask that you'll remember us in your prayers!

As we are entering into the Great Jubilee of 2000, may I suggest that we approach God, our Loving Father in a childlike manner: with a pure and humble heart, total trust in the Father's Love and with eyes so full of wonders, full of hope for a blessed New Millennium!

Take care,

Tess Nguyen

ps: Smile, God loves you!

The symbol represents the universality of the Christian message. In the blue field in circular form is inserted the cross, which sustains the humanity gathered in the five continents, represented by as many doves. The blue field symbolizes the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God, who became Man through the work of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The light which radiates from the center of the cross indicates Christ, the Light of the world, the only Savior of mankind, "yesterday, today and always." The intertwinement of the doves signifies the unity and brotherhood that the children of God are longing for. The vividness and harmony of the colors want to recall the joy and peace as desirable gifts of the celebration of the Jubilee.

The Jubilee or Holy Year has been celebrated in the Church for centuries. At present it is held every 25 years. There are also "special" Jubilees to mark significant occasions.

1300 Boniface VIII

1350 Clement VI

1390 Urban VI and Boniface IX

1400 Boniface IX

1425 Martin V

1450 Nicholas V

1475 Paul II and Sixtus IV

1500 Alexander VI

1525 Clement VII

1550 Paul III and Julius III

1575 Gregory XIII

1600 Clement VIII

1625 Urban VIII

1650 Innocent X

1675 Clement X

1700 Innocent XII and Clement XI

1725 Benedict XIII

1750 Benedict XIV

1775 Clement XIV and Pius VI

1825 Leo XI

1875 Pius IX

1900 Leo XIII

1925 Pius XI

1950 Pius XII

1975 Paul VI

2000 John Paul II

Extraordinary Holy Years

1933 Pius XI

1983 John Paul II

(Source: NCCB/USCC)

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