Thursday, 4th Week of Easter                        A lot of things in our society tell us or show us the need to be “on top”. In different ways, our minds are conditioned that we need to be “above others” – maging angat sa iba. This creates what we call a culture of competition wherein everyone is … Continue reading WASHING SOMEONE’S FEET

Wednesday, 4th Week of Easter                    We heard in today’s gospel passage something that is very important in John’s Gospel: that Jesus did not come to condemn the world. However, with the coming of Jesus, judgment is inevitable. Why? Because it is the response or non-response of people to the words and teachings of Jesus … Continue reading JUDGMENT IS INEVITABLE

Tuesday, 4th Week of Easter                         A lot of voices are competing to grab our attention: the voices of money, power, prestige, title, comfort, convenience, pleasure etc. We hear all kinds of voices around us – loud and confusing voices: telling us what to do, where to go, how to think, whom to follow… teaching … Continue reading THE SHEPHERD’S VOICE

Monday, 4th Week of Easter                          “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”             St. Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is a human being who is fully alive.” What is the portrait of the person who is fully human, fully alive? By way of a general description, fully … Continue reading FULLY HUMAN, FULLY ALIVE

4th Sunday of Easter                        Antoine de Saint Exupery’s classic The Little Prince has a chapter in which the little prince and the fox are engaged in a conversation. The Little Prince tries to explain to the fox that the rose that he has been taking care of is the best rose in the world. … Continue reading SHEPHERD’S PERSONAL LOVE

4th Sunday of Easter                        What do you consider as blessing? What do you identify as a sign of God’s care and concern for you? What fills your picture of “the good life”? When you say, “If only I had ________________, then I’d be content,” what goes in the blank? Perhaps for some what goes … Continue reading THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND THE GOOD LIFE

4th Sunday of Easter                        Once I asked a friend this question: “What are you looking for?” And he readily answered by asking me: “Aren’t we all looking for the good life?” Upon elaborating on it, I got the impression that “the good life” he is looking for is like a personal wish list: lasting … Continue reading PROZAC JESUS

Saturday, 3rd Week of Easter                         Today’s gospel reading is the last part of the long discourse on the bread of life. It all began with the miraculous feeding of a vast crowd; it ends with the people’s frustration with Jesus, who speaks of himself as “the bread of life.” Even many of his disciples … Continue reading DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE?

Friday, 3rd Week of Easter             Imagine you are Jesus. You want to show people in a dramatic way that you want to be united with them. At the same time, you want to give people an opportunity to show that they also want to be united with you. How would you achieve both goals? … Continue reading TRUE FOOD AND DRINK

Thursday, 3rd Week of Easter                        Jesus, in today’s gospel reading, presents himself as the bread that comes down from heaven. He invites us to partake of this bread so that we will live forever. Jesus’ invitation to eat this bread of life is continually offered at the celebration of the Eucharist. During the consecration, … Continue reading BREAD THAT COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN