Luke 11:37-41, Tuesday of Week 28 in Ordinary Time “God sees the Truth but Waits” is the title of a short story written by Leo Tolstoy. It is owing to the genius of this great Russian writer that the themes of mercy and forgiveness; and of condemnation and conversion, continue to influence thought and action…
Category: Season: Ordinary Time
Three Aspects of Fratelli Tutti – Jomari Manzano, SJ
Matthew 22:1-14, 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time The theme of fraternal love has been one of the most talked about topics since last Sunday, October 4, with the publication of Pope Francis’s encyclical, Fratelli Tutti (English: All brothers/sisters). This Sunday’s Gospel is about a wedding feast which is a time of loving union not only between two individuals…
Time to Fly – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 10:25-37, Monday of Week 27 in Ordinary Time Once upon a time there was a king who received a gift of two peregrine falcons. They were the most magnificent birds he had ever seen. He entrusted them to his falconer who promptly trained them to hunt. After several months, king and falconer noticed that…
Did You do God’s Will – Karel San Juan, SJ
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…
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…
Sweetest of Joys and Bitterest of Sorrows – Mon Bautista, SJ
John 19:25-27, Our Lady of Sorrows on the Tuesday of Week 24 in Ordinary Time Today’s feast day (Our Lady of Sorrows) reminds me of the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. The year was 1981 – May 13, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Pope John Paul II was shot four times…
The Cross – Pat Falguera, SJ
John 3:13-17, Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross If there is one place I would nominate as a “go to” tourist destination in the Philippines, it would be the island of Culion. Part of the Calamian group of islands, Culion and its 41 surrounding islands have some of the best powdery white sand beaches, UNESCO heritage-worthy coral reefs and limestone structures in the…
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…
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…
One Lost Sheep 