Matthew 21:28-32, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Did you do God’s will? This is essentially the question that is asked of us in the Gospel today. The story is rather simple, and that is why the Gospel reading is short. But we will see later that the meaning of the story is rather complicated. The…
Category: Evangelist: Matthew
Neither of the Two Sons – Fr Harold Parilla
Matthew 21:28-32, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time If we pay closer attention to the Gospel for today, immediately we are led to a very important element of the Christian life. The Gospel tells us that what ultimately counts is not what we say. Our “yes” or our “no” is finally measured up by what we…
From No to Yes – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthwe 21:28-32, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time This confrontation between Jesus and the hierarchs happened after three critical events: First, Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which was like falling into the trap of his enemies; Second, the cleansing of the Temple, which gave his enemies categorical grounds to pounce on him, and third, the cursing…
The Parable that Almost Got Me an F – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 20:1-16, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Many years ago I was a student in a class called “Homiletics.” Maybe you can’t tell, but people training to be priests take a class to learn how to preach. Our final examination for that class is an actual homily that we deliver before our professor. I had very…
Unfinished – Jett Villarin, SJ
Matthew 13:54-58, Feast of St Ignatius Loyola Last day. So I’m down the wire, cramming again. There are still piles of diplomas and letters to sign. I had wanted to tie up loose ends and do a smooth turnover to Fr Bobby tomorrow. But they never really end, the loose ends and the handing over,…
Beyond Reckoning – Fr Harold Parilla
Matthew 18:21-35, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time You must have heard about the story of, or at least the name, Ingrid Betancourt. She was a prominent politician in Colombia, a former senator and anti-corruption activist. At the height of one presidential election campaign in which she was a candidate, she was kidnapped and held in…
A Time to Clear the Air – Mark Lopez, SJ
Matthew 18:15-20, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time/1st Sunday in the Season of Creation On this first weekend of the season of creation, let’s begin where many mystics of various faith traditions usually begin – by taking a long, deep breath . . . and by being mindful of how the divine is not only outside…
Zero Tolerance – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 18:15-20, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time If China came to invade us and stayed a few years outlawing any citizens’s organizations, imagine how many religious and para-religious communities would be decimated, or even killed: like the Couples for Christ, the Iglesia ni Kristo, the charismatic communities, and who knows, maybe even Catholic parishes. That…
Correction – Jett Villarin, SJ
Matthew 18:15-20, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time About love, 6-year old Nikka has this to say: “If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.” For that matter, if you long to love God, if you desire redemption, if you want to fulfill the law, St Paul…
My Favorite Horror Movie – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 16:21-27, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time A few years ago, I watched a film called “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” I expected a full-blown horror movie in the tradition of other Exorcist movies, complete with all the scary special effects like 360-degree head turns, shaking beds, and lots of vomiting. Instead, to my disappointment,…
Martyr – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 16:21-27, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time An Australian scholastic lived with us many years ago. When he noticed that I took my studies very seriously, he said: “Hey, Arnel, back in Australia, Jesuits have a saying: ‘You’re no good to us, dead.’” I didn’t get it then. So, he explained. “It means that the…
Discernment – Bobby Yap, SJ
Matthew 19:16-22, Monday in the 20th Week of Ordinary Time The Gospel we have just proclaimed is the Gospel assigned for Monday of the 20th Week of the Year. We did not choose a special gospel for our ORSEM mass but simply used the Gospel assigned for today. As it turns out, today’s gospel reading…
One Lost Sheep 