Mark 1:21-28, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Twice in our Gospel today, Jesus is described as someone with authority. But he did not hold any position in the community like the elders or the scribes. Nor did he have power like the chief priests and the Romans. What does it mean to have authority? “He…
Month: January 2018
Where Does It Come From? – Johnny Go, SJ
Today’s Gospel is about the first–and lasting–impression that our Lord makes on people. And the impression that he makes on the people he interacts with–the lasting impression he leaves them with–is summarized by one recurring word: “Authority.” It’s funny because I would have expected a different kind of first or lasting impression. Perhaps holiness or kindness?…
Voices – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Mark 1:21-28, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time The Jesuits are in charge of chaplaincy in Philippine General Hospital and I had the opportunity to go on a month-long summer exposure there many years ago. I will never forget that day when I was assigned to the children’s ward. Late one afternoon, they rolled a bed…
Listen – John Foley, SJ
Mark 1:21-28, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time The readings this Sunday evoke for me David Haas’ beautiful setting of the psalm for this Sunday. It is entitled, “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts” (Haas). As a composer, I understand technical devices that make his setting work so well, but I don’t…
Related – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Mark 10:13-16, Feast of the Santo Niño On the first week of the new year, I went home to Davao to visit with my dad for a week. One day, I decided to walk from the Jesuit Residence to San Pedro Cathedral. My mom used to love hearing mass there. The church is a good…
The Who – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 1:35-42, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Do you know that we have students in Loyola School of Theology who are in their late 40s and 50s? One is even in her early 60s. Lay people. Some of them have retired early. Some are still working part-time. But they’ve all decided to either do an…
The Endangered Art of Listening – Johnny Go, SJ
John 1:35-42, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time In the First Reading today, we have the somewhat charming story of young Samuel who mistakes God’s voice calling to him as coming from his master Eli. After being roused a third time from his sleep, Eli realizes it must be the Lord and directs Samuel to answer, “Speak,…
Called by Name – John Foley, SJ
John 1:35-42, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time We now begin what the Church calls “Ordinary Time.” Christmas season is over, and we begin to see Jesus at work. We begin with a significant story, found in the First Reading for Sunday. A young man named Samuel is sleeping in the temple, as he was allowed…
Gifts and Givers – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 2:1-12, Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord On this Feast of the Epiphany, we remember the visit of the magi–those astrologers (how many they were, we don’t know) who read the stars and were among the first to lay their eyes on Jesus. They were not exactly kings, but they were certainly wise enough to…
The Most Precious Gift – Rogel Abais, SJ
Matthew 2:1-12; Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord Celebrating the Christmas season has become synonymous with gifts and gift-giving. When this season is fast approaching and as it unfolds, we all get caught up in a frenzy of thinking what to give to whom and what we will receive from whom! Gift-giving has become…
God in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time – Nono Alfonso, SJ
Matthew 2:1-12, Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord Before the age of the Metro Manila Film Fest, and before the holiday releases of Star Wars or The Avengers, my favorite Christmas movie was and remains to be The Fourth Wise Man. The movie stars the great Martin Sheen and asserts that in fact there…
Into the Hands of Love – John Foley, SJ
Matthew 2:1-12, The Epiphany of the Lord On this Epiphany Sunday we hear a classic story about innocence in the midst of evil, innocence betrayed by those who should have cared. The Gospel begins by referring to the fact that a guiltless child has been born. Angels in their rapture paint the sky with song….
One Lost Sheep 