Desert Experience

Once, on 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 the Philippines is. Any 9-hour travel would show how rich the country is in water, mountains, plants, trees, and birds….

Mary Mother of The Church

There is a saying, “without a mother, there is no life”. It is the mother’s womb that takes care of us for nine months and throughout our lives, the mother continues to care for us. Even if we reach 50, 60, or even 70 years old, in the eyes of a mother, we are still…

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…

Wrong Turns in Life

For drivers like me, thanks to technology, we have been relying on an app that is very much appreciated: WAZE. Just key in your destination and it will tell you how to get there. Yes, if you get lost, it even helps you get back on the right track. We all know that life itself…

Being Prepared

One reality of life is being prepared. For students who have an examination tomorrow, the challenge to prepare is by reading, researching, studying, and even memorizing. For a lawyer with a court case, the challenge to prepare is by studying the facts, the evidence, and talking to the witnesses. For a priest going to celebrate…

The Last Request

Mark 16: 9-15 All of us have experienced someone passing away. How we wish to be by their bedside to say goodbye. Of course, there are also the last wishes or the “huling bilin.” For a person about to transition to the next life, the last wishes are the ones he or she feels are…

Mothers and Goodbyes

Editor’s Note: This homily was from a 40th-day Mass last year. As it pertains to the importance of mothers in our lives, we are sharing it as part of a Mother’s Day reflection. — This weekend will be Mother’s day and on social media, there are already so many tributes to mothers. Two things I…

Death and Life

Matthew 5: 27-32 I once came across an article praising God and creation. It talked about the human body and how complicated it is – 12 organs, 5 of which are vital: brain, lungs, liver, kidney, and heart. Of the five, the heart is the most important. If the heart is not working anymore, then…

He is Risen

On April 15, 2019, at about 6:50 pm, a fire broke out beneath the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral. After about six hours the fire was put out. One of the earliest pictures of the state of the Cathedral that came out was a picture of the altar with all the burned wood and destroyed…

Betrayal

One very important factor in any relationship is trust. It is something we build over time but can lose in just one moment. One image is that of a jar wherein marbles are collected over time for all to see. The collector demonstrates trust in those who see it, but sadly it just takes one…