Matthew 2:1-12; Solemnity of the Epiphany Over the years, many of us have learned that New Year’s resolutions rarely last. Instead of making bigger promises, people of our age are turning to something simpler—a nudge word. Psychology helps explain why this works: a word can gently gather our attention, shape our choices, and orient how…
Category: Season: Christmas
The Pursuit of Happiness – Mon Bautista, SJ
Luke 2: 16-21, Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God Today, the first day of the New Year, reminds me of this young Singaporean doctor. His name was Dr Richard Teo. By the age of 30, he already had everything he wanted in terms of money, material riches, professional success and achievements. Initially, he was…
Family – Jett Villarin, SJ
Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23; Solemnity of the Holy Family The Holy Family is Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and not just Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Holy does not mean flawless and so holy is for every family. Our parents are not perfect any more than we children are saints. And speaking of saints, in the words of…
Our Smallness – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 1:1-5; 9-14, Christmas Day Every Christmas Eve, for over 10 years, Fr Nemy Que SJ organized a small choir of scholastics to sing in Mrs Cory Aquino’s house, where he celebrated mass for the whole family. After the mass, we had supper. Mrs Aquino’s daughters, Pinky, Ballsy, and Viel always dutifully and cheerfully served…
Smitten – Jett Villarin, SJ
John 1:1-18; Christmas Eve To grasp the very gift and meaning of Christmas, I often turn to this story that is really a parable by Soren Kierkegaard. Once upon a time there lived in a great castle a king so powerful and wealthy he was adored and feared by all in his kingdom. Alas, in…
Gracious – Jett Villarin, SJ
Luke 1:57-66; Last night of Simbanggabi “Goodness gracious, great balls of fire” is a song sung by rock and roll singer Jerry Lee Lewis in 1957. “Great balls of fire” is an old American southern exclamation of surprise (or dismay). The modern equivalent is OMG. Or SMY (SusMarYosep). I don’t know how the expression “great…
Grow – Jett Villarin, SJ
Luke 2:22-40; Feast of the Holy Family The first 20 years of our life is the time of foundations and roots. We do not lay those foundations ourselves. We learn to eat and walk and talk from others. We are trained for toilet and manners and autonomy by someone else. This is the time we…
God naman – Arnel Aquino SJ
Christmas Day 2023 Could God have been entirely luminous, mystical, and otherworldly in his coming into our world? He could’ve, couldn’t he? I mean, he created everything from absolutely nothing. He unleashed plagues, parted the Red Sea, rained fire down from heaven to clobber King Ahab’s false gods. He sent for a flaming chariot that…
Belen – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Years ago, a religious community had a made-to-order Belen from Paete, semi-life-sized, kalahati ko. It had an interesting takeaway. The characters were carved to look likereal people. The Magi looked like 3 priests. Two shepherds looked like a cardinal and a major benefactor. They put a midwife there and a married couple, also representing major…
Likeness – Jett Villarin, SJ
I was in stitches watching our recent Christmas carol concert here at the Jesuit Residence. Some of us were out of tune, some had facial expressions feel-na-feel to be serious. Most of the time, we tried to be spontaneous but the bloopers tell it all: it is never easy before a camera. People place us…
Quest – Jett Villarin, SJ
Matthew 2:1-12; Solemnity of the Epiphany If you’ve played Star Wars: Squadrons, a space combat game, you might wonder about navigation in the Star Wars universe. GPS will not work. You can waze your way only if your destination is here on earth. If you’re going to some galaxy far, far away, you will need…
By Another Way – Freddie Balinong, SJ
Matthew 2:1-12, The Epiphany of the Lord Epiphany. From the Greek word Epiphaneia – a manifestation, a revelation, a coming-into-view. A coming-into-view of what? Or, better, of whom? Of the God of mercies and unexpected interventions, of God Eternal making his entrance into time, into history, into our lives; breaking all barriers, reaching out far…
One Lost Sheep 