A Fruitful Life

Matthew 13: 1-23 A married couple once shared their shock of their child’s words. He was mad at someone and blurted out inappropriate language. When they asked him where he learned these words, the answer was simple – the internet. Like the child, the question we can ask ourselves is, “Who guides us in this…

Reaping and Sowing

It is said that the father of tomorrow is today. Whatever we do today, affects our future. Just as what we did yesterday, affects our today. In other words, we reap what we sow. This is the lesson of the parable of the seed that was sown. Eventually, we shall reap accordingly. Hence, in our…

The Best Investment

Luke 6:38 When people are asked to do something, the first thing that goes into our minds is “What is it in for me?” Even the apostles were not exempted from this reality. Peter once asked Jesus, “We have left family, lands, and houses for the Gospel, what do we get back in return?” The…

Talents

Matthew 25:14–30 Once I was conversing with an expatriate. He was a president of a shipping company and they were hiring Filipino seamen. He said that should he be given the difficult task of reducing manpower, the last people he would retrench are the Filipinos. He said they get along very well with other people…

Impossible Situations

How often do we find ourselves in a situation that we do not know what to do? We feel that the problem is bigger than our skills and talents. In one of the most popular Gospel readings, the apostles, specifically Philip, was faced with a seemingly impossible situation – how to feed thousands of people? …

Two Masters

Who is really most important to us in life? Is it God or is it money? While people will always say “God”, actions often speak louder than words. When people are asked why they have their businesses blessed, the response is “to be lucky.” In other words, the blessing is meant to bring money. No…

Persecution

On the bucket lists of many Christians is a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It is a different experience when the bible stories come to life:  This is where Jesus walked on water This is where Jesus taught the beatitudes This is the area where once the temple stood This is where Jesus was born…

Are You Saved?

How many times have we been asked: “Have you been saved? Then you ask how? The answer by being “Born Again.” Then you ask how does one be born again? By receiving Jesus in your heart as your personal Lord and savior. In other words, faith alone. In the Gospel, we are often told how to…

Spiritual Warfare

Luke 4:31-37 When people comment that there seems to be so much evil in the world, with so much anxiety, fear, and uneasiness nowadays, I tell them not to limit to only what is seen. Remember that there is also the unseen. We should remember that there exists the greatest battle happening – spiritual warfare….

Faith and Doubt

In any relationship of trust, doubt is part of the process:  For a business partner, one will ask himself if this business partner can be trusted and will not betray or take advantage?  For two people in love, one will ask if this person will be faithful no matter what? For best friends, one will…