Comparing Oneself to Others

There was once a social experiment where people were made to choose from two scenarios. In the first scenario, you would be given $200 and five of your friends will be given $500. The second scenario would have you receiving $50 and five of your friends will be given just $20. The result of the…

God’s Mysterious Ways

Matthew 13:31-35 It all started when Saints Ignatius, Francis Xavier, and Peter Faber started a group originally known as Friends of the Lord. Eventually it became the Society of Jesus, otherwise known as the Jesuits, in 1539. They were received by Pope Paul III in 1540. As of 2016 data, the Jesuits are the biggest…

Money and Eternal Life

Once upon a time, in rich cities, it was noted that relatives of rich families married each other. In an article on Lipa’s Old Gentry, it was mentioned that in the early 1900s when Lipa became very prominent because of coffee, the families of Solis, Luz, Katigbak, Roxas, Kalaw and Dimayuga inter-married. Why was this…

Love of God, Love of Neighbor

When it comes to the Philippines, many tourists who have been here say that it is still the world’s best kept secret. Tourists often go to Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China. Very seldom is the Philippines at the top of the travel list. The impression is that it is full of…

The Harvest is Great, the Laborers Few

Matthew 9:32-38 When one goes through the daily news, I guess one cannot refrain from the question, “What are all these things going on in the world today?”  When earthquakes are just around the corner… When violence is on a scale that is unthinkable… When world leaders act like dictators… When morality is based on…

What Profit Would It Be

Matthew 16:24-28 A lawyer friend once said, “fact is stranger than fiction.” He explained that you cannot imagine what parents will do to their children, children to their parents, one part of the family to the other, a person to the best friend, couples to each other, all because of money, properties, and inheritance. That…

Who Owns Who

A blog had a survey, “What is one thing that you cannot live without?” Of course, the answers varied, but there were some very interesting ones: Gummy Bears, Pistachio Ice Cream, Vicks Vapor Rub, Vinyl Record Collection. The most mentioned items were money, family, and cellphones. In the Gospel, a rich man runs up to…

Trust in God like a Child

I came across a story of a flight that experienced turbulence.  After the scary experience, a man asked a boy who was seated beside him if he was afraid or not. The boy responded, “no.” He explained, “My father is the pilot and I know he will take care of me.” Jesus said when it…

The Message and the Messenger

Luke 4:16-30 According to an article that came out not too long ago, the top 5 endorsers in the Philippines are:5. Sarah Geronimo, 4. Anne Curtis, 3. Angel Locsin, 2. Xian Lim, 1. Kim Chiu They are the top endorsers because people listen to them. When they say this product is good, people believe; when…

Cleanliness of the Heart

There is a saying that “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” Hence, who does not want a clean house, a clean car, a clean bedroom, a clean chapel, and a clean person. In discussing cleanliness, a friend of mine casually said that we Filipinos are one of the top users of bath soap. He explained the…