John 15:1-8, Fifth Sunday of Easter It has been nearly a year since I have been assigned to further studies in San Francisco. And there has not been a day that I am not reminded of home. I remember friends and family. I pray for my country. And even during this moment in time when…
Category: Evangelist: John
Cutting Back – John Foley, SJ
John 15:1-8, Fifth Sunday of Easter The Gospel for this coming Sunday of Easter has a familiar story. Jesus, the vine, is rooted and stable and will always bring us all the nourishment we need. We are the dependent branches. Maybe you would like to stop there and contemplate such a rich image. Do so…
Putol – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 10:11-18, Fourth Sunday of Easter Have you ever been to our novitiate in Novaliches? We have a small flock of sheep over there. They’re let out in the morning then herded back into the pen after lunch. Sacred Heart Novitiate doubles up as a retreat facility, so you can imagine how a small flock…
Handles – John Foley, SJ
John 10:11-18, Fourth Sunday of Easter In Sunday’s Gospel Jesus makes a wonderful comparison, of the good shepherd to the mere hired hand. The good shepherd cares about the sheep. The hired one is mainly interested in getting paid. When wolves come, he simply runs away. To discern the difference, take a poetic example.* First,…
See – Pope Francis
John 20:19-31, Divine Mercy Sunday In today’s Gospel, we hear, over and over, the word “see”. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord (Jn 20:20). They tell Thomas: “We have seen the Lord” (v. 25). But the Gospel does not describe how they saw him; it does not describe the risen Jesus. It simply…
How is your Heart doing? – Ro Atilano, SJ
John 20:19-31, Divine Mercy Sunday How is your heart doing? Each of us is called by God to have a heart that is always open and available for others, a heart that is big enough, magnanimous enough, to love God’s people. However, there are times when the door to this heart is closed. There could…
What’s your “Unless” – Johnny Go, SJ
John 20:19-31, Divine Mercy Sunday It’s a well-known story. Thomas misses out on Jesus’ debut appearance to the disciples and hears them make the far-fetched claim that they “have seen the Lord!” It’s not the first time such a claim has been made: There are the women, those early Sunday morning visitors at the tomb probably…
Seriously – John Foley, SJ
John 20:19-31, Divine Mercy Sunday Do you believe in the Resurrection of Our Lord from the dead?? This is a good question to ask, at least so St. Paul says, because if the answer is “no,” then “our faith is in vain” (1 Cor 15:14-19). But sometimes it is hard to know what the “resurrection”…
Certain – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 20:19-31, Divine Mercy Sunday I’m sure you’ve seen Caravaggio’s painting entitled, L’incredulitá di San Tommaso, literally, The Incredulity of St. Thomas, or simply, the Doubting Thomas. Thomas is hunched over, his face awfully close to the Risen Christ’s naked chest. One-half of his forefinger is buried in the wound on Jesus’ side. Thomas is…
Between Doubting and Believing – Danny Pilario, CM
John 20:19-31, Divine Mercy Sunday “The Incredulity of St. Thomas” is a beautiful painting that is inspired by the Gospel reading today. Painted by Caravaggio in 1602, it is one of his more famous works, supposedly copied at least 22 times in the 17th century alone. Originally done for Vincenzo Giustiniani, it is now housed in Sansscouci…
Jesus’ Shalom – Bro Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP
John 20:19-31, Divine Mercy Sunday Fear is a natural and basic human emotion. Fear plays an important role in human survival because it alerts us of impending dangers or evil, and moves us to avoidance. The science of anatomy would locate the source of this emotion inside our amygdala, a primitive part of our brain…
Easter Fear or Joy – Johnny Go, SJ
John 20:1-9, Easter Sunday 2018 What is remarkable about this Gospel story is the emotion that the women experienced as a result of their discovery of the empty tomb: Fear. I wasn’t expecting that. We are told that the women were so afraid they said nothing to anyone– exactly the opposite of what the angels…
One Lost Sheep 