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…
Category: Season: Christmas
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…
Manger – Jett Villarin, SJ
Delivered on 24 December 2019 at the Church of the Gesu, Ateneo de Manila University A little poem I wrote for Christmas is the starting point of our reflections tonight. Let our asking these questions lead us more closely to the Child in the manger. have we lost the wonder, forgotten whose we are, how love…
Staying With – John Foley, SJ
Luke 3:15-16; 21-22, The Baptism of the Lord Today marks the last day of the Church’s Christmas season. Jesus’ birth has now been celebrated. His public life comes next. His baptism begins it. I know, I know, Christmas has been over for ages and we have gone on with life. The American custom is in…
Light – Jett Villarin, SJ
Christmas Eve 2018 I am happy to be here with you, here in the Gesu, in this place of light. These days it has been difficult to sleep. And I know sleep has eluded so many as well. Infants have a way of waking us up, of waking us through the night. This dark episode,…
One Lost Sheep 