Matthew 4:1-11, First Sunday of Lent A pilgrimage to the Holy Land brings us always to Jericho. The busses stop at the foot of a high mountain with a Greek Orthodox Monastery halfway up carved in the rock. But the people leaving the busses usually don’t look up to the monastery and the mountain but…
Category: Season: Lent
Anti-Power – Jett Villarin, SJ
Matthew 4:1-11, First Sunday of Lent The temptations in the desert reveal to us three very big powers at play in our lives and in the world today. As with many things diabolical, their pull to the dark side is quite subtle and surreptitious. On the surface, the promises offered by these temptations are not…
More! – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 4:1-11, First Sunday of Lent Many, many Roman-Catholics still take it for granted that the Adam and Eve story literally happened as it is narrated in Genesis. But if that were the case, we would run into many problems. First, if the whole human race issued from only two parents, then we would have…
The Length of Lent – Remmon Barbaza, PhD
With their foreheads marked with an ash cross, many Filipinos entered into the season of Lent. It is a long season. Indeed, we are told that the word “Lent” has its roots in “long,” with the Old English “lencten” meaning spring. We can make a guess and say that perhaps it has to do with…
My Private Room – Willy Samson, SJ
Matthew 6:1-6; 16-18, Ash Wednesday A confused disciple went to his master and begged for enlightenment. And the master said, “Go and sit in your room, and your room will teach you everything.” Today we officially begin the Season of Lent. For most of us, Lent is a time TO REMEMBER how Jesus, the Son…
Why do we sacrifice for Lent – Arnel Aquino, SJ
This is a bonus Lenten Special. Just want to share what my SD sent me on understanding why we sacrifice during Lent : My personal thoughts on taking on some measure of asceticism during Lent, Deb, is that all throughout the year, we protect ourselves from being vulnerable. And rightly so because we don’t wish…
Goodness – Jett Villarin SJ
Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion Lectionary: 40 Good Friday 2015 Somehow, somewhere there is goodness to be found in the ruins of today. In searching for that goodness, let us be honest. It is not easy to find goodness in the terrible things of today. It is not easy to draw clarity from…
Pins Of Light Online Retreat
For those of you who are looking for an alternative retreat this Holy Week, Pins Of Light, the blog by Fr. Johnny Go SJ is offering an online retreat. He’s been offering these online retreats (both for Advent and Lent) since 2008. “This year’s online Holy Week retreat has been designed especially in observance of…
Transform – Arnel Aquino SJ
Luke 22:14-23:56, Palm Sunday I’m one of 10 Jesuits assigned to San Jose Seminary. This is the time of the year when we evaluate applicants from all over the country. In every batch of young men we evaluate, at least three or four have fathers who are drug addicts. Now I’m used to hearing young…
A Theory of Divine Mercy – Johnny Go, SJ
FOR 13 MARCH 2016 John 8:1-11 (Fifth Sunday of Lent) Today we are presented with what I consider one of the defining moments in the public ministry of our Lord. A woman caught in the act of adultery is dragged into the temple square to stand in shame and in full view of a blood-thirsty…
A Different Perspective – Jojo Magadia, SJ
FOR 13 MARCH 2016 John 8:1-11 (Fifth Sunday of Lent) Is the glass half-empty or half-full? A scientist might remind you that the glass is actually completely full, with atoms of both water and air. A philosopher might ask, “But are we sure the glass is real?” And a lawyer might say, “We can agree…
So Who’s the Prodigal One? – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 15:1-32, Fourth Sunday of Lent To Jews, a pig is the dirtiest, most impure animal on the face of the earth; no animal disgusts them more. Many Jews don’t even say chazir, their word for pig. They replace it with davar acher—which literally means, “the other thing.” They don’t want to defile their mouths…
One Lost Sheep 