There are two sayings about people we encounter. First, “Each one of us is either coming off a trial or headed to a trial.” Then there is also, “Be kind to all the people you encounter, you do not know what battles they are fighting.” Either of the two reminds us that whether we like…
Category: Life and Death
The Storms of Life
Ed. Note: This was a homily from a memorial mass for the Laurel family last year. As is always the case with Fr. Mon, we are including it here because his words of wisdom apply to all of us and our daily lives. Someone once said, “Life is like the weather: there are sunny days…
The Laborer are Few
After eight years I once again returned to the seminary. It was then I realized that there are fewer seminarians for the priesthood. When I left for a new assignment in 2015, the count was about 160 seminarians spread within a 10-year program. Now it is less than 100. According to a study, the four…
Peace in the Family
A sociologist once said, if you want to destroy a nation, no need for war, famine, pestilence, economic sabotage, or pandemic. Just destroy the most basic of all social units, which is the family. This social unit is where we are supposed to love and be loved This is where we learn about our faith…
Forgiveness
As a priest, one of the more meaningful experiences in the ministry is to hear confessions of people who are about to transition to the next life. Typically, it is a long confession: There is a lot of reminiscing, as far back as childhood One can sense the guilt of not apologizing or making up…
Healing
One of the most difficult of all human experiences is being sick. Typically, we would do anything and everything to get healed: Aside from our own doctors, we will get another doctor’s analysis or opinion We will seek other people’s opinions, especially those who have experienced the same sickness We will research on the internet…
Peace and Family
Whenever we celebrate Mass for a deceased parent, we are honoring their memory. First, we remember all the love, giving, forgiving, and sacrifices Second, we remember all the shared memories of the good times and the difficult times Third, we remember the life lessons learned A testimony that these have indeed bore fruit is that…
Best Friend
There is a saying, “Things are never quite as scary when you have a best friend.” What are the qualities of best friends? They can be trusted They talk at your front and not at your back They wish and bring out the best in you They are accepting of your shortcomings They tell you…
Persecution
According to the group Open Doors USA, 360 million Christians in 2021 lived in countries where persecution was “significant.” Roughly 5,600 Christians were murdered, more than 6,000 were detained or imprisoned, and another 4,000-plus were kidnapped. In addition, more than 5,000 churches and other religious facilities were destroyed. This is something that should not be…
Hope in the Goodbyes of Life
There is a saying that life is a series of hellos and goodbyes. This is only natural in a world wherein nothing is permanent and all is passing fleeting. A few days ago, we welcomed 2024 with hope. Also, we looked back at the past with all the joys and pains, ups and downs, good…
