John 20:19-23, Feast of the Pentecost Whenever I get to bless a new car, I’m often amused when the owner stumbles around, rushing to open everything that can ever be swung open: doors, hood, trunk, even glove compartment! A seminarian once asked: “Fr. Arnel, valid ba ang blessing kung sarado?” He used air quotes on…
Month: May 2020
Sounds like Pentecost – Johnny Go, SJ
John 20:19-23; Feast of the Pentecost Based on the Gospel account, the very first Pentecost was quite a dramatic and extraordinary event. It was a huge production number. It had all the works: Fire, thunder, and a powerful gust of wind! What I would do to have such a Pentecost! Looking back over the past days, however,…
Our Lady of Liminality – Danny Huang, SJ
The Feast of our Lady of the Cenacle, 30 May 2020 A couple of days ago, my Jesuit Provincial posted on Facebook a saying most of us have heard but certainly seems more relevant these days. “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” It’s hard to believe that in February, just…
Follow Me – Bien Cruz, SJ
John 21:15-19, Friday of the 7th Week of Eastertide Today’s Gospel reading is one of the most well-loved accounts of Jesus and Peter. This is the encounter where Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?,” three times. Many homilies and commentaries have already shared with us how Jesus’ repeated questioning reflected Peter’s inability to confidently…
Ascend – Jett Villarin, SJ
Matthew 28:16-20, The Ascension of the Lord You see this in children. Give them balloons and invariably one will slip from a child’s grasp. Then you all turn skyward and look at the balloon go up into the sky. And you all stand there and watch until the balloon is no more. Many things are…
WFH – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 28:16-20, The Ascension of our Lord Working from home has been tricky. Of course there’s something to be said about not having to commute, not having to wear office attire, not having to be stuck at work from 9 to 5? What’s not to love about working from home? You’re comfortably attired (sometimes too…
Are All Endings Sad? – Fr Harold Parilla
Matthew 28:16-20, The Ascension of the Lord Are all endings sad? Most of them, I guess. A funeral, for example, is a sad ritual because it signals the end of a person’s earthly life. People left behind, especially those who are close to the person who had died, will move on with a gaping hole…
There is Hope – Karel San Juan, SJ
John 14:15-21, 6th Sunday of Easter Two months have passed since our lockdown in Zamboanga and other places in the country. And starting yesterday, we shifted to modified community quarantines. Many of us are very relieved. Still, we are asked to be very cautious, very careful, otherwise we will be forced again to go on…
Joy, Kindness and Love – Fr Harold Parilla
John 17:1-11a, 6th Sunday of Easter In a sense, the readings for this Sunday anticipate the approaching Feast of Pentecost. The readings alert us to the presence of the Holy Spirit among us and to the signs of that presence. Is the Spirit of God truly with us? What are the manifestations of the presence…
Miracles – Peter Pojol, SJ
John 14:21-26, Monday of the 5th Week of Eastertide Our readings today invite us to reflect on God’s miracles, and to clarify certain misconceptions about them. Miracles require faith; they do not “produce” or compel faith. Sometimes, we wait for miracles to convince us to believe, to strengthen our weak faith in the goodness of…
Three Places – Salty de la Rama, SJ
John 14:1-6, Friday of the 4th Week of Eastertide The first readings on this fourth week of Easter describe the missionary movement of the Apostles towards the gentiles, as well as towards places outside Jerusalem. It seems to fit into the pattern in the public life of Jesus who was constantly on the move –…
Allow – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 13:16-20, Thursday of the 4th week of Eastertide According to neuro-psychiatrists, we produce at least 50,000 thoughts a day. 70-80% of those are negative. So, we’re all negative thinkers by default. But behavioral psychologists say it’s our mind’s way of constantly alerting us to danger, so we can self-protect. We’re not often conscious of…
One Lost Sheep 