John 14:23-29, Sixth Sunday of Easter I once had lunch with a dear friend sometime ago. As we got settled in our seats, I asked her straightaway, “O, how’s name-of-husband doing?” See, a few weeks before that, I received a text from her that said, “Arnel, please pray naman for name-of-husband. He’s becoming really cranky….
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Learning – Jett Villarin, SJ
John 14:23-29, Sixth Sunday of Easter We see things fall to the ground and we matter-of-factly say gravity. Think about it. What is it about the mass of an object anyway that attracts another object with mass, the way we were taught in elementary physics? What happens with “massless” and speedy stuff like light, which…
What Is Glory? – Francis Alvarez SJ
When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him” (John 13:31). Judas had taken his leave to betray Jesus, and Jesus knew this. Why then did Jesus say, “Now is the Son of Man glorified”? Why did Jesus not say, “This is treachery! Woe…
Knowing When to Quit – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 10:11-18, Fourth Sunday of Easter 2015 I’ve read this beautiful Gospel passage so many times in my life, I thought I would no longer find any new message in it, until I pondered over it again this week. I’m sure you’ve noticed that the phrase Jesus keeps repeating here is “lay down my life”….
Hungry – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 21:1-19, Third Sunday of Easter The worst thing about religious life is being far from family. But the best thing about religious is being far from family—because when I visit, they share with me deep-down things that they’d normally keep to themselves if I were with them all the time. I was in Davao…
Heaven is Togetherness – Arnel Aquino, SJ
1 November 2015, All Saints’ Day Thanks to the stampitas that were so popular when I was growing up, for the longest time, my impression of the saints was that they were very solitary people with an uninterrupted line to God. I often envisioned saints on their knees, and their fingers interlocked in prayer, and…
The Gentle Rain of Mercy – Norlan Julia, SJ
John 20:19-31 (Second Sunday of Easter/Feast of Divine Mercy) The quality of mercy is not strained; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes: The Merchant of Venice, Act IV, Scene I This year’s Divine Mercy Sunday takes…
Doubt – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 20:19-31, Second Sunday of Easter/Feast of Divine Mercy “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Don’t you find that rather rude? I mean, when Thomas’ best friends told him that the Lord…
Easter Newness – Jett Villarin SJ
Easter Vigil 1999 Loyola House of Studies A parishioner once commented that their priest’s homily was like the peace and mercy and of God. Like the peace of God, it surpasses understanding. Like the mercy of God, it endures forever. J If this evening’s Easter homily endures beyond your endurance, please be merciful. * *…
Because of Easter – Jett Villarin, SJ
Luke 24:1-12, Easter Vigil 2010 One-dimensional. That was how Mayweather described Pacquiao’s fighting style. I guess it means a limited repertoire of moves, predictable, monotonous. Easter can be understood in a one-dimensional sense too. We can for instance reduce Easter to the afterlife (“pie in the sky when you die”). However, we do not really…
Live – Jett Villarin, SJ
Luke 24:1-12 (Easter Vigil 2016) Are we live? That was my question to the Arvisu pre-novices when I was giving a talk to them sometime ago. Yes, father, we are live. They were kidding of course even if the usual phone camera was trained on me. Those three monosyllables are a good way to start our…
What is Easter? – Francis Alvarez SJ
How did you wake up today, Easter Sunday? With great joy and hope overflowing from the Easter vigil you attended the night before? With relief that finally Lent is over and you can eat meat again on Fridays? With dread that the short vacation Holy Week afforded is over and you have to return to…
One Lost Sheep 