Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord The TV series Westworld is all about androids, lifelike robots that have been programmed to entertain human guests in an American western theme park. These androids are coded with specific storylines and behaviors designed to delight human guests with the most realistic western adventure of their lives. Equipped…
A Messy Christmas – Joel Liwanag, SJ
John 1:1-18, Solemnity of the Birth of our Lord As a way of preparing myself for Christmas, I once tried to contemplate the nativity scene following the prayer method proposed by St. Ignatius of Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises. Using the power of my imagination, I began by trying to feel the cool gentle breeze…
Magnify – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 1:46-56, Monday of the 4th Week in Advent Napansin po ba ninyo na yung mga Joyful Mysteries na tinatawag, ‘pag sinuri nating mabuti, hindi naman sila gano’n ka-joyful. (Have you noticed that the Joyful Mysteries, upon closer inspection, are not really joyful?)At least not 100%. Annunciation? Mary must have been fully aware of the scandal…
Be Our Dream Come True – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Luke 1:5-25, Monday after the Fourth Sunday of Advent The chamber called the Holy of Holies was a perfect cube, 15 feet in length, width, and height, symbolizing divine perfection, I suppose. It was the innermost room in the Temple of Jerusalem, where the Ark of the Covenant reposed. To get to the inner sanctum,…
Christ Born in Us – Rudolf Horst, SVD
Matthew 1:18-24, Fourth Sunday of Advent The Old Testament is full of prophecies. But what exactly do they all mean? Reading the Old Testament carefully, we discover that not all prophecies were fulfilled, that many prophecies were dreams of the prophet. But one fact is certain: The Old Testament tells the history of salvation…
Life Interrupted – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 1:18-24, Fourth Sunday of Advent There’s painfully little written about Joseph in the Gospels. We know he was a carpenter, but this from a very passing comment by people who were trying to make out his son, Jesus, when he finally returned to his hometown. “Isn’t this the son of the carpenter?” they said….
His Silence Invites Us – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 1:18-24 Today we listen to the story of the silent man of the Gospel. All through the Infancy Narrative, Joseph, the chosen foster father of Jesus, speaks not a word. Even the father of John the Baptist, the priest Zechariah, who was stricken temporarily mute by the angel, at least manages to get two…
Our Family Tree – Arnel Aquino, SJ
Matthew 1:1-17, Saturday before Fourth Sunday of Advent Long, long ago, in kingdoms far, far away, a genealogy was the typical way of starting a book, especially the story of a great man. In his Gospel, Matthew shows that the Messiah was a descendant of King David, just as the prophets had foretold. Question: Was Jesus’…
Would You Unfollow John the Baptist? – Johnny Go, SJ
Luke 7:24-30, Thursday of the Third Week of Advent Who among us doesn’t have a Facebook friend whose one mission in life seems to be to ruin our day? Yes, I’m referring to that guy who can’t stop posting all those annoying political rants. Or that heartbroken girl who has been whining about her breakup…
Choosing Joy – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 11:2-11, Third Sunday of Advent I don’t know if you noticed it, but that’s a pretty strange exchange of messages between our Lord and John the Baptist. First of all, John the Baptist requests his disciples to ask our Lord a bizarre question. Thrown into prison for denouncing the sins of Herod Antipas, John…
Of Waiting, Doubting…and Rejoicing! – Bros Flores, SJ
Matthew 11:2-11, Third Sunday of Advent The late Fr. Donelan, SJ writes… “Waiting is a mystery – a natural sacrament of life – there is a meaning hidden in all the times we have to wait. It must be an important mystery because there is so much waiting in our lives.” Waiting is such a…
Look and Listen – Rudolf Horst, SVD
Matthew 11:2-11, Third Sunday of Advent We just heard the word “joy”, in one form or another, six times. Isn’t this a naive, childish thing to do in today’s world? After all, the world is still flooded with evil, pain and tears. Every day the news reports about death in Iraq and Syria, violence in…
