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…
Category: Family Values
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….
Light of the World
If you are sixty years old and up, one thing very noticeable is that the world has changed a lot in terms of the values of people and the way people live. Mahatma Gandhi defined the seven deadly sins as the following: That is why the Gospel is always an urgent call for us to…
Time for the Lord
Ed. Note: This entry was originally for a birthday mass for a friend of Fr. Mon. We have included it as a post here, as the words are significant reflections for all of us during this Lenten season. When the Lord gave Moses the ten commandments, one of which was: Remember the Sabbath and keep…
Double Life
A president of a company was looking for a replacement. He called five of his most talented employees who could succeed him. He gave them each a seed of a mango tree and said, “Show me the plant one year from now”. After one year, all came back with full-grown plants, except one person. He…
What Matters In Life
As a priest, I always give priority to the Anointing of the Sick and Confession for those who are chronically ill. The confession typically takes at least one hour. It is not only a confession but also a flashback of life. Typically, the three things talked about: first, the hurts in life, most especially broken…
God is a Promise Keeper
Matthew 1:1-17 When Adam and Eve sinned, the very first promise of God was the Messiah. In the Gospel of Matthew, there is a genealogy of all the ascendants of Jesus: From Abraham to David, 14 generations. From David to Babylonian Exile, another 14 generations. Finally, Babylonian exile to the Messiah another 14 generations. This…
Luck vs Blessed
We Catholics often interchange and get confused between good luck and a blessing. How many of us Catholics would also dabble in Feng Shui because of the “good luck” it brings. In our houses, while we may have the altar, we also display objects that bring “luck and good fortune”. What ends up happening then,…
Blessing
Typically, anyone who is rich, powerful, and famous, in the eyes of the world, is considered blessed. However, there is a saying, “If the rich are the happiest, how come they are not dancing in the streets?” If the powerful are the most secure, how come they have many bodyguards? If the famous are the…
3 Ways 2 Your 1 God 