Wednesday, 13th Week in Ordinary Time                   “And when they saw him, they begged him to leave their district.”             There is an Old Talmudic riddle that asks, “Why did the Tower of Babel crumble?” The answer is because the leaders of the project were more interested in the work than they were with the … Continue reading MATERIAL LOSSES

Sts. Peter and Paul                          We celebrate today the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. Peter is the enduring rock of apostolic faith on which Christ’s Church is built. Paul represents the dynamic push of faith always reaching out to new geographical regions and always open to new areas of human experience.             This day … Continue reading APOSTOLIC CHURCH

Monday, 13th Week in Ordinary Time                        Today’s gospel reading is calling us to a radical rethinking and reconsideration of our life. It tells us that if we wish to follow Jesus, first, we must be willing to make sacrifices with little concern for personal comfort. Second, we must give the kingdom of God absolute … Continue reading JESUS IS THE CENTER

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time                       One time I said two consecutive funeral Masses. The first one was for a padre de familia, 55 years old. From the beginning to the end of the Mass, the wife and her four kids were weeping, almost wailing. I heard them saying, ““Bakit mo kami iniwan? Paano na … Continue reading FAITH AND SERENITY

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time                       We have a wealthy couple in my former Parish who are humbly serving SMDS parish community as liturgical ministers and servant-leaders for several years now. I need not mention their names and their position in the corporate world and their role in their parish community, lest I put them … Continue reading ENRICHING OTHERS

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time                       Before this pandemic, so many people would flock to wherever there is so-called “healing Mass.” I am sure people would do the same once there is already “herd immunity.” So many people are in need of healing. I will go back to this point…             We heard in today’s … Continue reading WHAT HEALING DO I NEED?

Saturday, 12th Week in Ordinary Time                        Among the best-known verses of the New Testament, the words of the centurion rank high on the list: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof…”                      The centurion in today’s gospel was an officer of the imperial army. I find this profoundly ironic: … Continue reading CUTTING THROUGH BARRIERS

Friday, 12th Week in Ordinary Time                            Salieri, a contemporary of Mozart, used to pray: “Signore, let me be a composer. I will honor you with much music all the days of my life.” “I will be your servant for life. All I ask in return is to be granted sufficient fame to enjoy my … Continue reading TRANSACTIONAL FAITH

The Nativity of John the Baptist                  Mother Teresa relates this incident from her life… Once a man came to the home for the dying in Calcutta, and just walked straight into the ward. Mother Teresa was sitting there. A while later the man came to Mother Teresa and said to her, “I came here … Continue reading PAVING THE WAY FOR THE LORD

Wednesday, 12th Week in Ordinary Time                   Jesus, in today’s gospel reading, refers to false prophets. Who are these? Evidently, in the early Church there were two kinds of teachers or prophets moving among the people. There were those who had been commissioned and sent by the Apostles. There were others who said they were … Continue reading CONDITION OF OUR SOUL