Where Your Heart Is

John 3: 1-8 Jesus once said that “Where your heart is, there will be your treasure.” In other words, what is most important to a person is most likely what is to pursue.  What could it be? Money? As long as you have all the basics in life, money in the bank is more than…

The Secret of True Wealth

Matthew 25: 14-30 Deng Xiaoping once said, “To get rich is glorious.” Indeed it is for many people. Hence, the desire to get rich. In fact, some want even to fast track their way to material wealth. Indeed the lure of houses, money, cars, and properties are so enticing. Why is money so alluring? Because…

Desert Experience

In a trip to Egypt, I noticed that after a 9-hour road trip, nothing changed in the scenery. It was all sand, rocks, and cacti. It was only then that I realized how blessed is the Philippines. Any 9-hour travel would show how rich the country is in water, mountains, plants, trees, and birds. It…

Feeling Good

As human beings, we want to feel good, we want to be happy. Often, our mistake is that we compare ourselves with others. We think that this would make us feel good. On the contrary, the opposite happens. When we see that our neighbor has this new car, we become envious. When our friend gets…

Holier Than Thou

Matthew 13: 24-30 How often have we heard comments such as: “Why go to Mass when the people there are no different from the people who do not go to Mass?” “Look at her she prays so fervently but look how she mistreats her household help.” “I heard that even within the different organizations and…

Forgiveness

John 18: 33B-37 As a priest, two of the most urgent sacrament are Confession and Anointing of the Sick. Why? Because these two Sacraments have the capacity to forgive sins. In Confession, the priest forgives in the name of the Church, “I absolve you of all your sins, “In the Name of the Father, of…

Fear of Death

Mention the word, “Death” and many people are not comfortable. Someone offers a “memorial plan” or an insurance in case we pass away, we are uncomfortable. One family member mentions about fixing the estate, we are uncomfortable. Once, as seminarians, we were asked to write our own Eulogy. Initially, it drew uneasy laughter. It is…

Courage Versus Entitlement

Mark 12: 1-12 In today’s context, the Gospel could be retold as Mr. Juan de la Cruz, out of compassion and kindness, allowed a family to stay in his property. Many years after, the children grew up and got married. They built their houses at said property. Throughout the years, relatives from the province came…

Rediscovering Childhood Joy

I guess many of us would agree with me that our childhood days were the happiest. To start with, it was simple. All we cared for were our food, toys, friends, and TV. We took it for granted that our parents will always be there. Not much to worry about. But as we grew older,…

Wrong Turns in Life

For drivers like me, thanks to technology, there is a computer application that is very much appreciated: WAZE. Just key in your destination and it will tell you how to reach your destination. Yes, if you get lost, it helps you get back to the right track. We all know that life itself is a…