Luke 6:27-38, 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time With dear Fr Bill Kreutz as our guardian, I was on formerly Santolan Road, now C-5, with a bunch of Ateneans, in what would be known the world over as the People Power Revolution. But I was there by mistake. Mom and dad were okay that I joined…
Blessings – Jett Villarin, SJ
Luke 6:17, 20-26; 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time It is not only gasoline that is expensive these days. One of the most expensive things is trust. It is expensive because it is in such short supply. This is the age of mistrust. It does not help that one of the cheapest things these days are…
Prophecy Come True – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 1:1-21, 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time If you Google, “life expectancy in first century,” you’ll get 30-35 years, average. Ang ikli ng buhay nila, ‘no? But before paracetamol, penicillin, vaccines, plus back-breaking work before modern engineering, the first-century human body really took a beating. So, if scholars are right in saying that Jesus died…
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…
Who Has the Power – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 21:25-36B, 1st Sunday of Advent Imagine, just imagine, a foreign government finally rigging nuclear missile launchers into our reefs. Then, they aim them at us. Into their computers, they plot the coordinates of our arsenals, military camps, airports, down to the square meter. Anytime, at their leader’s pleasure, a work-from-home soldier can click on…
Summer – Jett Villarin, SJ
Mark 13:24-32, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Winter is coming. I know. The egrets are here again on campus. They are here for the warmth and the light, to escape the cold and dark of the north. Their visitation will only be for a few months. Come summer, they will be gone. Winter is coming….
Loving God with all Our Hearts and Minds – Manoling Francisco, SJ
Mark 12:28b-34, 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time The Shema, from the Hebrew word, “Hear”, is the fundamental Jewish prayer made up of three scriptural texts from the books of Deuteronomy (6:4–9, 11:13–21) and Numbers (15:37–41), which devout Jews recite upon rising in the morning and before retiring at night. The Shema is to the Jews…
Letting Go – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 10:35-45; 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Sisters and brothers, this thing that James and John asks Jesus: “Grant that in your glory, we may sit, one at your right hand, the other at your left,” that sounds familiar. Parang mas maganda sa Pinoy: “Lord, ‘pag hari na kayo ha, baka naman pwedeng second in…
Wisdom – Jett Villarin, SJ
Mark 10:17-30, 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Come to think of it, that question asked of Jesus by the rich man in the Gospel today is something I would ask our aspiring presidential candidates. In campaigns and political debates, people will ask our candidates what…
To Be Really Catholic – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Mark 9:38-48; 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time When we were kids, on the way to Mass, we would often drive past nice-looking churches. I’d ask, “Bakit ‘di tayo ‘jan magsimba? Ganda ng simbahan ‘o.” Then, my mom would say, “’Nay, hindi ‘yan Katoliko!” with a shudder! So, I grew up with the impression that non-Catholics…
Who – Jett Villarin, SJ
Mark 8:27-35, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Of all the questions that begin with what, where, when, who, why, and how, the most difficult are the why ones, the ones children learn to ask early on. Why should I eat my vegetables? Why do we have to stop playing? When I was six, I remember…
One Lost Sheep 