John 3:16-18, Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Did you see the video showing the Maute savaging St. Mary’s Cathedral in Marawi? We hear about this all the time—ISIS or the Taliban or Al-Qaeda vandalizing holy places out there in the Middle East. But it doesn’t hit as hard and hurt as deeply until you…
Category: Author: Arnel Aquino, SJ
Communion – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 28:16-20, Solemnity of the Ascension When I was in graduate studies, I lived with an American Jesuit who was a former US Navy soldier. He had been deployed to missions in Syria and Afghanistan, and was even briefly missioned in Subic. While fixing some lunch one day, he asked, “So, Arnel, how’s the interfaith dialogue with…
At Home 2 – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 14:21-26, Monday of the Fifth Week of Eastertide In my life as a Jesuit, people who peek into my room gasp and say, “Yikes, ‘oc-oc’ ka (obsessive-compulsive)! Abnormal!” I don’t have much stuff in my room. I can’t think straight when there’s “stuff” I don’t really need. So there’s a very short shelf-life of…
At Home – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 14:21-26, Monday of the Fifth Week of Eastertide Many years ago, when a small group of Jesuit batchmates gathered in a cheerful, informal reunion, one said thoughtfully: “Ngayong tumatanda na tayo, hindi naman talaga tayo nagbago. We’ve just become more at home with ourselves.” I found that interesting. I guess you could say, “Well,…
Think Sky – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Acts 11:1-18, John 10:11-18, Monday of the Fourth Week of Eastertide When we went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, there was a Saturday, a Sabbath, when we were out visiting places. I forget now where we were exactly but the tour guide warned us not to make the mistake of venturing into a particular part of…
Flight Distance – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 10:1-10, Fourth Sunday of Easter In our novitiate in Novaliches, we take care of a flock of sheep. I counted 27 the last time. They graze on the grounds all morning. After lunch, they’re herded back into their pen. Many years ago, it was cows and turkeys that roamed the place. But because our…
Free Again! – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 28:1-10, Easter Sunday 2017 Aren’t you glad that the purple linen covers here at the altar are now gone? In the past, churches covered the crucifix and the saints only after Holy Thursday mass. Recently, however, the covers go up much earlier, for some strange reason that probably only liturgists know. Personally, I’ve found…
What About Love? – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 18:1-19:42, Good Friday 2016 A little over a year ago, ISIS took a video as they incinerated a Jordanian pilot in a cage. My friends said that the footage was all over the net, but I resisted the temptation of watching it. I learned my lesson many years ago when a friend sent me…
Beyond Betrayal, Beyond Death – Arnel Aquino SJ
Matthew 26:14-25, Holy Wednesday Did you ever wonder if Judas is in heaven or in hell? There’s not been a few times when people have asked if I think Judas is in heaven or in hell—like what I think matters in the whole thing. “He betrayed Jesus and then killed himself, so he must be…
How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 26:14-27:66, Palm Sunday Two years ago, when my kuya called from Davao to tell me that our mom was rushed to the ICU, I hurried home. I was used to visiting patients in the ICU—like parents of friends, strangers I had anointed, priests. But nothing really prepared you for when your own mom was…
God’s Freebies – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 9:1-41, Fourth Sunday of Lent Fr Joe Roche was our professor in the theology of Grace, oh some 500 years ago. Most of you are familiar with the teaching method back then. Straight lecture, exposition of concepts and terms, arguments, counter-arguments. Very informative, if anything, but pretty much cut and dried. But there was…
Look Forward – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 7:1-9, Second Sunday of Lent We have a really nice chapel in the recently completed infirmary at Loyola House. The 6pm daily mass over there is open to anyone who wishes to attend mass with our Lolo Jesuits, as we call them. It can be quite a moving experience. We see the old Jesuits…
One Lost Sheep 