Christmas Eve 2018 I am happy to be here with you, here in the Gesu, in this place of light. These days it has been difficult to sleep. And I know sleep has eluded so many as well. Infants have a way of waking us up, of waking us through the night. This dark episode,…
Month: December 2018
What’s so Amazing about Grace – Peter Wehner
This isn’t a homily but such a special article from the New York Time I thought it deserved to be shared here: In his book “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” Philip Yancey describes a conference on comparative religions where experts from around the world debated which belief, if any, was unique to the Christian faith….
Like You – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Christmas Eve 2018 It was around this time of night many, many years ago, when I was little—littler—when a very rare electrical storm ripped through Davao City. Lightning and thunder looked and sounded like they were tearing each other apart. They say only thunder makes a sound, lightning doesn’t. But I remember lightning cracking like…
Can You Join The Christmas Movement? – Francis Alvarez, SJ
“Talo ka sa lolo ko….” Not only can jokes of this type make you slap your knee in laughter, they can also make you stroke your chin in thought. This is humor which tickles your funny bone and at the same time, touches something deep inside of you, something raw, something that makes you flinch….
Topsy Turvy – Nemy Que, SJ
Matthew 1:18-25, Day 4 Simbang Gabi When we hear the term “annunciation”, we usually think of the annunciation of the birth of Jesus by the angel Gabriel to Mary. This is found in Luke’s Gospel. In today’s Gospel from Matthew, we are told of another annunciation – that of an angel to Joseph. The message…
Immaculate – Jett Villarin, SJ
Luke 1:26-38, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Our faith is beautiful. Its beauty is found not just in its rationality or reasonableness but also in its humanity. Take our devotion to Mary our Mother. While our Catholic devotion to Mary can be a challenge to both believers and non-believers, our Marian…
Apocalypse Now – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36, First Sunday of Advent I have a personal beef with end-of-the-world scenarios, or what we call in theology, apocalypses. When I was growing up in Davao, our elders terrorized us at one time or another with end-of-the-world scenarios – mainly to cow us into submission to their do’s and don’t’s, for us…
“Sakto” – Pat Nogoy, SJ
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36, First Sunday of Advent It is a state that is quite elusive for it goes beyond the definition of having all the necessary parts or elements. For example, a laptop or a smartphone may have all the complete parts, but if one part does not function well, it cannot be said to…
Adventisement – Jett Villarin, SJ
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36, First Sunday of Advent Advent is the season of preparation for the celebration of Christmas. We prepare for the coming of Christ into our lives by coloring these days with penitential violet and marking our time with moments of hopeful waiting. Adventus is Latin for “coming”. Even if Christmas comes to us…
One Lost Sheep 