Christmas Eve, Luke 2:1-14 I saw a viral video the other day about a touching homecoming which happened on an airplane. Juan Paolo Fermin hasn’t spent Christmas with his family in 17 years. Juan Paolo’s mother—like many Filipino parents—had to leave for abroad when he was 8 years old. Though they would see each other occasionally…
Month: December 2017
Hope – Jett Villarin, SJ
Christmas Eve In climate science, we are often asked how is it that we can predict next year or the next decade or even the next century when we cannot even forecast what will happen tomorrow? The short answer is: climate is not weather, not the day-to-day variation of hot and cold, wet and dry….
Tiwala (Faith) – Ij Gonzaga-Chan, SJ
Luke 1:26-38 My dear friends, on this sixth day of our Simbang Gabi, we hear once more the story of the Annunciation to Mary. We hear again the story of how a young girl’s “yes” ushered in our very salvation history. And so for tonight’s reflection, allow me to suggest the theme of “to have faith……
What Is Joy? – Fr. Francis Alvarez, SJ
“And coming to Mary, the angel Gabriel said, ‘Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you’” (Luke 1:28). Those who pray the rosary regularly will easily recognize our Gospel today, the Annunciation, as the first joyful mystery. But I have often wondered if the real mystery lies in how we can consider this whole…
Who, me? – Debbie Tan
Luke 1:26-38, Fourth Sunday of Advent I’ve been asked to reflect on one of the most beautiful and famous passages in scripture – the Annunciation. Under any circumstances, the angel Gabriel delivered a startling announcement and all the more so since the recipient was a 14-15 year old girl. But it has always been Mary’s response…
How Can This Be? – Johnny Go, SJ
Luke 1:26-38, Fourth Sunday of Advent When the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her about God’s invitation, Mary asked one question: “How can this be?” When you think about it, it’s a perfectly normal and understandable question. First of all, it was an angel that visited her! We have no idea what form the angel assumed…
Listen Well – John Foley, SJ
Luke 1:26:38, Fourth Sunday of Advent An angel appears with a startling announcement to an otherwise insignificant housewife. Mary responds, “Let it be done unto me according to your word.” Is there a way to understand her heart as she utters these words, so dramatically significant to the human race? Let us take an “inside…
Light from Light – Mark Aloysius, SJ
John 1:6-8; 19-28, 2nd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) Have you ever looked at the moon and wondered at its beauty? Its shape transforming from a crescent to a disc as it dances across the sky, through the changing of the seasons. Luminously golden as it may appear to us who behold it, we know…
Holy Darkness – John Foley, SJ
John 1:6-8, 19-28, Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) Darkness can terrify us. But the right kind of darkness can give us peace. A night of good sleep, for instance. Or a “lovely soft day,” as the Irish call those shady, rainy, drizzling days that are typical of Ireland and make it so green. I…
Roadblocks – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Mark 1:1-8, Second Sunday of Advent The following stories were told by friends directly involved in the situations I’m about to share with you. So they’re not fake news. A very devout woman ran frantically to a priest-friend of mine one day. She was coming from a troubling confession with another priest. After several years…
Watch – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 13:33-37, 1st Sunday of Advent Yesterday I found myself wandering through a familiar street in a foreign country. The familiarity was comforting, but it was also wrapped in some sort of nostalgia. You see, I was sauntering through one of the alleys of Taipei’s famous Zhongxiao Dunhua shopping area, and the place felt quite familiar because I had spent…
Wandering, Wondering, Waiting – Bros Flores, SJ
Mark 13:33-37, 1st Sunday of Advent We wait. Everyday, we wait. We wait for the alarm clock to shake us out of our stupor. We wait for breakfast. We wait for meetings and classes—to begin and end. We wait for lunch to be served. Wait to end our day. We wait for our rides back…
One Lost Sheep 