Matthew 16:13-19, Solemnity of St Peter and St Paul, Apostles We celebrate today the feast of St Peter and St Paul, the two pillars of the Church. In our liturgical calendar, we have a separate feast for the chair of St Peter, and another for the conversion of St Paul. However, Peter and Paul are…
Month: June 2020
Partners in Mission – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 16:13-19, Feast of Sts Peter and Paul, Apostles A big difference between Saint Peter and Saint Paul was their idea of “mission,” or more technically, their “missiology.” Peter thought that the mission Jesus entrusted to them was meant only for Israel, for the Jews. Now that the promised Messiah had come, the Jews must…
Lost and Found – Ulysses Cabayao, SJ
Matthew 10:37-42, 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time The poet Lord Alfred Tennyson once waxed sentimental, “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” Behind the often quoted verse are lessons on loss, which I learned from my pet. As a boy, I had a pet cat named Kitty. Kitty…
Disciple – Nemy Que, SJ
Matthew 10:37-42, 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Our Gospel reading from Matthew is very clear about what it costs to be a disciple of our Lord: “…Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for…
Following Jesus – Munching de Guzman, SJ
Matthew 10:37-42, 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time There was this man by the name of Clarence Jordan. He was involved in interracial work in Georgia back in the 1950s and 1960s. This work was not a popular occupation in the South then. Tension between blacks and whites was high. Protests paraded down city streets. Police…
Truth to Power – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 10:26-33, 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time When I was still in school many years ago, I signed a petition. We were requesting for a change of professor. The petition was our last resort. We had already made more diplomatic requests but they all fell on deaf ears. Finally, the administration honored our petition, and…
Fiat – Mon Bautista, SJ
Luke 2:41-51, Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Today’s Gospel on Mary’s fiat reminds me of this true story of Archbishop Fulton Sheen (former Archbishop of Rochester, New York). He said that one day, while on a flight from New York to Chicago, he met this very beautiful flight attendant. And he told her,…
Partnerships – Pat Nogoy, SJ
Matthew 10:26-33, 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time “Do not be afraid.” It is easy to be afraid nowadays. Suffering and the risk of death are a mere distance or breath away. In the past few months, we have seen suffering and death swell by the numbers, forms, and scope—eating up life, work, and fellowship in…
A Self-giving Heart – Vids Gornez, SJ
Matthew 11:25-30, Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Let me begin my reflection by sharing with you the reflection of Pope Benedict XVI on The Heart of God, in the book Benedictus: Day by Day with Pope Benedict XVI.And it reads: The Old Testament speaks of God’s heart twenty-six times. It is regarded…
The Three Inner Rooms – Jomari Manzano, SJ
Matthew 6:7-15, Thursday of Week 11 in Ordinary Time Matthew11:25-30, Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus …
The Body Remembers – Ulysses Cabayao, SJ
John 6:51-58, Solemnity of Corpus Christi The body remembers. The mouth waters at the sight of green mangoes dipped in bagoong. Cravings are triggered by barbecue smoke and the scent of grilled liempo and chicken inasal. Palms feel empty and neglected without being held by our lovers. The skin longs to be affectionately touched by…
No Metaphysics Needed – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 6:51-58, Solemnity of Corpus Christi “With all due respect, St Thomas, it’s getting harder and harder to explain the Real Presence of Christ in the host and wine, using your metaphysics.” I recently contemplated a gutsy conversation with St Thomas Aquinas. “Your metaphysics was revolutionary, dear St Thomas. During consecration, the substantia of bread…
One Lost Sheep 