Luke 22:14-23:56, Palm Sunday I’m one of 10 Jesuits assigned to San Jose Seminary. This is the time of the year when we evaluate applicants from all over the country. In every batch of young men we evaluate, at least three or four have fathers who are drug addicts. Now I’m used to hearing young…
Category: Author: Arnel Aquino, SJ
Worth More than Two Cents to Me – Arnel Aquino, SJ
This is a bonus Lenten Special. Just want to share what my SD sent me on understanding why we sacrifice during Lent : My personal thoughts on taking on some measure of asceticism during Lent, Deb, is that all throughout the year, we protect ourselves from being vulnerable. And rightly so because we don’t wish…
So Who’s the Prodigal One? – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 15:1-32, Fourth Sunday of Lent To Jews, a pig is the dirtiest, most impure animal on the face of the earth; no animal disgusts them more. Many Jews don’t even say chazir, their word for pig. They replace it with davar acher—which literally means, “the other thing.” They don’t want to defile their mouths…
God Allows – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 13:1-9 (Third Sunday of Lent) My sisters and brothers, in today’s gospel, the Jews were very distressed over two recent tragedies that took the lives of God-fearing people. First, Pilate had massacred some Galileans while they were offering sacrifices at the temple. That’s what the Jews meant when they said Pilate “mingled the Galileans’…
Promise – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 9:28b-36, Second Sunday of Lent When I was a novice in Novaliches, I happily looked forward to life in Loyola House. Then when I was in Loyola House, I did my best even if I wasn’t enjoying Philosophy because I was looking forward to regency. I loved regency and wish it lasted longer. But…
More – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 4:1-13, First Sunday of Lent Mang Rod, our gardener, told me a story about his former boss—a tremendously wealthy and single matron who went to daily mass and was active in the parish. “Pero wala pong nagtatagal na kasambahay o driver kay senyora,” Mang Rod said. “Walang kasing talim ang dila, Father.” He remembered…
Nothing Without God – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 6:1-6; 16-18, Ash Wednesday 2016 For most of her life, my mom used to run a small botica in a marketplace. It was our bread and butter for many years. One morning, I woke up to the scariest sound I ever heard in my life: the sound of mom wailing. Our botica had burned…
Love knows No Bounds – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 4:21-30, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Remember the first time Pope Francis celebrated Holy Thursday mass as pope? He went to a juvenile detention center in Rebibbia, outside Rome, and washed the feet of 12 people, two of whom were women—one of whom was a Muslim. Many of us Filipinos were touched by the…
Invisible Jars – Arnel Aquino SJ
John 2:1-11, Feast of the Sto Nino I’ve prayed over this gospel many times, over many years. But only recently did I seriously realize that the water Jesus turned into wine was not drinking water. It was water for ceremonial washing. Now, in a gospel like John which is exceedingly symbolic, the word “water” typically…
God of Things – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 6:24-35, 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time I received this text from a friend yesterday. “Good afternoon, Father. I’m presently preparing kids for first communion. But I have a SpEd kid (special education) in the group who can’t follow what’s happening. P’ano ‘yan, Father?” Now, this is a very kind person and a dear friend….
Good Shepherd, Bad Shepherd – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Mark 6:30-34, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Very often, our desires lead us like shepherds lead sheep. Whether we’re immediately aware of it or not, in many, many ways, we are shepherded by what we think fulfills our desires. We who go to Church will readily say,“My shepherd is Jesus Christ.” And we’re not being…
Soul and Body – Arnel Aquino. SJ
Luke 24:35-48, Third Sunday of Easter 2015 Napansin po ba ninyo na nauso ang mga pelikula at tv show tungkol sa zombie at sa bampira? Dati-rati, uso ang multo. Pero ngayon, mas uso na yata ang zombie at bampira. Sa tv ngayon, halimbawa, limang seasons na ang The Walking Dead. Sa pelikula naman, hindi ba…
One Lost Sheep 