When Christ founded the Church, the very first thing he did was to give it authority. Why is this very important? Because all power belongs to God. Hence if the Church has been given authority, its power is from God. Some examples to illustrate: This explains why St. John Marie Vianney was able to radically…
Category: Humility & Selflessness
Pearl of Great Price
One time I was having a animated conversation with a friend. We were reminiscing of the misadventures of the past yet the laughter was just as intense. After some time, a stranger approached us and said. “I will give a million pesos if only I could laugh like that.” My dear friends, all of us…
The Greatest
When one Googles the words, “I am the greatest”, the usual result is the quote said by Muhammad Ali way back in August 1963—six months before he won the world heavyweight championship. He passed away in June 2016 at the age of 74. In other words, you have a generation who doesn’t know him anymore;…
From Doubt to Faith
In every relationship, there will always sink in the reality of doubt. You give yourself, your time, talent and treasure. Will these ever be reciprocated? Some examples of typical doubt: In our journey of faith, there are times that we doubt God. This past July 3rd, we celebrated the Feast of St. Thomas. He too…
Love of Neighbor
One of the most difficult jobs is managing a residential building or a subdivision. Why? You deal with people with different personalities, different value systems, different stories, and different backgrounds. Hence, misunderstandings, conflicts and even fights among neighbors are part of the day to day realities of someone who manages these residential communities. In tomorrow’s Gospel,…
Ascension Day
Once I was mentored by an elderly priest and he would always say, “May misyon pa” (there still is a mission). A woman was able to recover from a chronic disease, he would say, “May misyon pa.” A man was able to recover from a motorcycle accident, “May misyon pa.” People in their 90s celebrating…
Bearing Fruit
One day last year we had a meeting among priests. Part of the agenda was to congratulate two priests for their long years of service to the ministry. One was celebrating 60 years in the priesthood and the other, an Italian, was celebrating 50 years. They reminisced of their long years of service and there…
Good Friday
Whenever we pray for the Novena for the deceased, there is a line that says, “Lord, help us to see death for what it really is.” This is an invitation that amidst our pain, sorrow, grief, and fears may we see the reason and beauty with death. Today we celebrate Good Friday. But again, how…
Betrayal and Trust
People have the impression that when you forgive, the once warm relationship that existed previously, should return. That is furthest from the truth. When one forgives, it is not for the other party. It is for ourselves. We take away the anger; we take away the desire for revenge; we focus on healing and moving…
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…
3 Ways 2 Your 1 God 