John 15:1-8, Fifth Sunday of Lent Branches have stories to tell and lots of lessons to teach. The one year I lived in London, there was a tree outside my room window that I got to know pretty well. I used to sit before that tree, prayer book or coffee mug in hand. In the…
Month: April 2018
Connecting Home – Jonjee Sumpaico, SJ
John 15:1-8, Fifth Sunday of Easter It has been nearly a year since I have been assigned to further studies in San Francisco. And there has not been a day that I am not reminded of home. I remember friends and family. I pray for my country. And even during this moment in time when…
Cutting Back – John Foley, SJ
John 15:1-8, Fifth Sunday of Easter The Gospel for this coming Sunday of Easter has a familiar story. Jesus, the vine, is rooted and stable and will always bring us all the nourishment we need. We are the dependent branches. Maybe you would like to stop there and contemplate such a rich image. Do so…
Why Sheep? – Francis Alvarez, SJ
Sheep (including lambs, ewes, and rams) are the most mentioned animals in Scripture. And in many instances in their flock of appearances, sheep are used as metaphors for the people of God. To bleat out a few verses, in Ezekiel 34:30-31, we read, “They shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them,…
Putol – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 10:11-18, Fourth Sunday of Easter Have you ever been to our novitiate in Novaliches? We have a small flock of sheep over there. They’re let out in the morning then herded back into the pen after lunch. Sacred Heart Novitiate doubles up as a retreat facility, so you can imagine how a small flock…
Handles – John Foley, SJ
John 10:11-18, Fourth Sunday of Easter In Sunday’s Gospel Jesus makes a wonderful comparison, of the good shepherd to the mere hired hand. The good shepherd cares about the sheep. The hired one is mainly interested in getting paid. When wolves come, he simply runs away. To discern the difference, take a poetic example.* First,…
Easter Jesus – Johnny Go, SJ
Luke 24:35-48, Third Sunday of Easter Today we have yet another Easter appearance. From the different appearances the Risen Lord makes to his disciples, a pattern emerges. It is the same person, but somehow he looks different because all who have seen him don’t recognize him immediately–from Mary Magdalene outside the empty tomb to the…
The Rest of the Story – John Foley, SJ
Luke 24:35-48, Third Sunday of Easter Folks of a certain age will remember the Paul Harvey radio show called “The Rest of the Story.” Harvey always reserved until the last thing in his show a surprise ending to the story he had been reporting that week. Well, Sunday’s Gospel contains the surprise ending to a…
Beyond Body and Soul – Danny Pilario, CM
Luke 24:35-48, Third Sunday of Easter “Shall we eat and drink in heaven?” I often ask this question in some of my theology classes. And the almost ready response is “No”. Souls and spirits no longer eat and drink. They just sing God’s praises. Di ba sinabi sa kanta: “Sa langit wala ang beer; that’s…
See – Pope Francis
John 20:19-31, Divine Mercy Sunday In today’s Gospel, we hear, over and over, the word “see”. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord (Jn 20:20). They tell Thomas: “We have seen the Lord” (v. 25). But the Gospel does not describe how they saw him; it does not describe the risen Jesus. It simply…
How is your Heart doing? – Ro Atilano, SJ
John 20:19-31, Divine Mercy Sunday How is your heart doing? Each of us is called by God to have a heart that is always open and available for others, a heart that is big enough, magnanimous enough, to love God’s people. However, there are times when the door to this heart is closed. There could…
What’s your “Unless” – Johnny Go, SJ
John 20:19-31, Divine Mercy Sunday It’s a well-known story. Thomas misses out on Jesus’ debut appearance to the disciples and hears them make the far-fetched claim that they “have seen the Lord!” It’s not the first time such a claim has been made: There are the women, those early Sunday morning visitors at the tomb probably…
One Lost Sheep 