Someone once said, “Opportunity only knocks once, but temptation knocks all the time.” Yes, in our desire to be happy, in our desire to find what we are looking for, in our desire to love and be loved, we look at the answers in the wrong places, persons, and things. As a result, we fall…
Category: Church Traditions
The Kingdom of God
When one observes the world today, one can ask, “Where is God?” Is God’s presence fading or prevailing? Look at the evildoers, they are so bold; people do not know what is right or what is wrong; there is no more sense of sin. “Where is God?” The good news is that the Kingdom of…
Prayer
Those who knew Jesus and saw him in his ministry, they saw the pressure and stress on him. People were constantly looking for and following him. Whether it be for healing and curing of the sick, for exorcism, for guidance and counselling, or if they just wanted to hear him preach. On the other hand,…
Healing and Hope
It was very hard to get sick during the time of Jesus. Perhaps it was already like a death sentence, as medicine was not as advanced as it is now. That is why it is not a surprise that people sought Jesus due to his ability to heal. In the Gospel, he healed a woman…
Healing
One of the most difficult of human experiences is being sick. One realizes that we are not in control after all. In the Gospel, Jesus often reminds us of another “sickness” in need of healing – the reality of devils and evils spirit. Three reflections on the healing of evil spirits: Hence, we always pray…
Good Works
One huge difference between us Catholics and Protestants is that the Protestants believe in Faith Alone. That is, just say, “Jesus is Lord.” and “Receive Him as your personal Lord and Saviour”, and you will be saved. For Catholics, it is clear faith and good works. We remember Jesus telling his disciples, “The greatest are…
Family and Calling
I have been a priest for eighteen years this year. It is not easy but I tell people that it is the world’s best-kept secret. How a priest enters the life of people and family in their happiest moments and their most difficult moments, is beyond compare. In the words of Christ, “Anyone who has…
Care of Child
There is a saying that the youth is the future of any country. Hence, a country like the Philippines is in a so-called “sweet spot” because the average age is 25.7 against the global average of 30.7. We also know this: it is not just the quantity but the quality. What kind of children are…
Baptismal Promises
Every Easter Vigil or every time we stand as a godparent for a baptism, we renew our baptismal vows. Do you reject Satan? Do you reject all his works? Do you reject all his empty promises? Why is this very important and significant? It is because most of us were baptized when we were infants….
Death is Not the End
Ed. Note: This was a mass homily at Cavalry (Golgotha) itself, during one of Fr Mon’s trips to the Holy Land. Especially these last few years, we have said goodbye to so many people. It has made us realize that life is short and swift. Further, when it comes to goodbyes, there is a saying,…