John 15:1-8; 5th Sunday of Easter Sisters & brothers, how do we know if we, the branches, are still connected to Jesus, the true vine? Can we tell by some sign that we remain in him and he in us? John’s Gospel is bursting with metaphors of Jesus. Jesus has seven “I am” sayings in…
Category: Author: Arnel Aquino, SJ
Haunted – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 24:35-48, 3rd Sunday of Easter You know what, sisters and brothers, there still are times I wonder if, once in a while, dad and mom ever felt that I abandoned them when I left home for religious life. Especially those times when my family surely needed an extra pair of hands; like when my…
Healthy AND Well – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 3:14-21; 4th Sunday of Lent Our old infirmary used to be called, well, that, “infirmary;” – Jesus M Lucas Infirmary, to be exact. When the new one got built, it was christened with a new name: Jesuit Health & Wellness Center. I then asked our Jesuit doctor, Fr Tex Paurom, “Why health & wellness…
Sundowning – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Mark 1:29-39, 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time When I was in graduate school, I said weekly masses in a nursing facility of the Daughters of Mary. One sister there was Sr Teresa, a registered nurse and a Pinay. It was from her that I first heard the term, “sundowning.” In one of my last days…
Incarnate Forever – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Mark 1:7-11, Baptism of Our Lord One thing I love to do is to shock my students by reminding them of things about Jesus I’m sure they’ve forgotten. For example, a few days after I uploaded my lecture-video on the Resurrection, a student commented: “OMG! I’ve forgotten that Jesus resurrected as both soul and body.”…
Our True North – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 1:6-8; 19-28, Third Sunday of Advent My rector is one of the kindest Jesuits I’ve ever lived with and one of the most outdoorsy senior citizens I know. Fr. Riyo loves hiking and climbing mountains. He can name more mountains in the Philippines than I ever studied in Araling Panlipunan 500 years ago! I…
Off our Knees – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Mark 13:33-37, 1st Sunday of Advent How would you like a parish priest like this: He spends most of his time on his knees, in front of the altar, praying by himself? He hears confessions for six hours every day. In his masses, he always ends up talking about sin, that we should avoid it,…
Shepherd King – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 25:31-46, Solemnity of Christ the King Pope Pius XI instituted the Solemnity of Christ the King in 1925, and for good reason. In the 1920s arose totalitarianism and fascist dictators: Mussolini, Stalin, Hirohito, all finally inspiring a Hitler. Christendom needed reminding that Christ was, is, and the only king. If you notice, many world…
Exage – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 25:14-30, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Today’s parable is driven by hyperbole. We will better appreciate the richness of the story if we realize the exaggeration that runs it. Back in Jesus’ Israel, when people talked about everyday expenses, they’d talk “drachmas,” “shekels,” “denarii”—their usual currency. But when talking about huge amounts, they’d talk…
Where Both Meet – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 22:34-40, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time If you and I were Orthodox Jews, and today were Sabbath Day, there would be several things we’d be forbidden from doing, things that constitute work. We’re forbidden from building a fire. So, we can’t use the stove, or light a cigarette, or turn on any switches because…
Who Owns You? – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 22:15-21, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time “Is it lawful to pay census tax to Caesar or not?” If Jesus said yes, the hierarchs would charge him with blasphemy, punishable by stoning. Only God was king! If he said no, they’d rat him out to the Romans who could charge him with treason, also punishable…
Time to Fly – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 10:25-37, Monday of Week 27 in Ordinary Time Once upon a time there was a king who received a gift of two peregrine falcons. They were the most magnificent birds he had ever seen. He entrusted them to his falconer who promptly trained them to hunt. After several months, king and falconer noticed that…
One Lost Sheep 