Matthew 5:1-12, Solemnity of All Saints Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. We remember those who followed Christ, despite the trials that came in their lives. The Church declares them as Saints because of their full acceptance of God’s will despite their sufferings while living on earth. We look to them as examples…
Category: Season: Special Occasions
Advocacy Calling – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 1:1-16; 18-23, The Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary “How are things in Myanmar?” I asked one of our Myanmarese scholastics over supper the other night. “Oh, Father, the military are still going from village to village, just destroying things.” He was looking at pictures on Facebook the other day, and a village looked…
Incarnate Forever – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Mark 1:7-11, Baptism of Our Lord One thing I love to do is to shock my students by reminding them of things about Jesus I’m sure they’ve forgotten. For example, a few days after I uploaded my lecture-video on the Resurrection, a student commented: “OMG! I’ve forgotten that Jesus resurrected as both soul and body.”…
Closeness to Mary – Jomari Manzano, SJ
Luke 1:26-38, Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary A majority of art representations we have of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) is of the vulnerable and frail stereotype of a woman taking care of the child Jesus. But let us not forget that she can also be viewed as a woman of incredible strength and…
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,…
A Eulogy for Sacred Trees – Mark Lopez, SJ
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time/2nd Sunday in the Season of Creation My love affair with trees began when I was 17 years old. I remember jogging around the Subic Naval base then, where I was spending my summer as an intern, jogging at the edge of beautiful rainforests, the likes of which I was seeing…
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…
Original Blessedness – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 1:39-56, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary When you and I were children, oh, 500 years ago, our elders taught us that Mary was “taken up to heaven, body and soul.” Why was that special? Well, “when ordinary people like us die,” our elders said, “our souls go to heaven, leaving our bodies…
Role Model – Freddie Balinong, SJ
Luke 1:39-56, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Assumption — long since a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the church calendar: in fact, a celebration of God’s merciful power underlying all the mysteries of our faith. God alone could exempt—as He did exempt—the Blessed Virgin Mary from the imperious law of…
Discipleship in Times of Fear and Uncertainty – Lito Ocon, SJ
Delivered on 26th July 2020, at the St Ignatius Feast Day mass of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus Happy Feast Day to all, sons and daughters of Ignatius: our lay partners- collaborators, alumni and students of different Jesuit schools, our parishioners in the different mission areas, our partners and co-workers in social…
The Body Remembers – Ulysses Cabayao, SJ
John 6:51-58, Solemnity of Corpus Christi The body remembers. The mouth waters at the sight of green mangoes dipped in bagoong. Cravings are triggered by barbecue smoke and the scent of grilled liempo and chicken inasal. Palms feel empty and neglected without being held by our lovers. The skin longs to be affectionately touched by…
No Metaphysics Needed – Arnel Aquino, SJ
John 6:51-58, Solemnity of Corpus Christi “With all due respect, St Thomas, it’s getting harder and harder to explain the Real Presence of Christ in the host and wine, using your metaphysics.” I recently contemplated a gutsy conversation with St Thomas Aquinas. “Your metaphysics was revolutionary, dear St Thomas. During consecration, the substantia of bread…
One Lost Sheep 