Once I attended a wake. While the relatives were very sad that their mother passed away, their greatest consolation was that she was prepared. She picked the dress that she would wear in the coffin. She had a list of priests who would celebrate Mass for her for the three days of viewing. She picked…
Category: Mercy & Forgiveness
We Are Family
Matthew 18: 21-35 Once I was talking to a real estate broker and he mentioned that the best business nowadays is still Real Estate. He explained that land is not getting any bigger, yet there are more people and their incomes are increasing. Hence, property prices go up every year. He also mentioned something else…
Envy
In ancient Greece, there is a story of a very skillful athlete, Theagene. Since he brought great pride to the city, a monument was erected in his honor when he died. Theagene had a rival, Pausanias, who never won against him. Pausanias would vandalize the monument every night. One night, while he was vandalizing and…
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…
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…
Agonies of the Last Supper
In the Jewish tradition, when you share a meal with a person, this person is considered a friend. More so, if the meal is considered the last person’s meal. The people one dines with are not only friends but close, personal, and intimate friends. Hence, the people Jesus dined with during the Last Supper may…
Eternal Life
Before celebrating a funeral Mass, the widow shared the family’s experience of the moment before her husband passed away. They were all at the ICU and he flatlined. The doctors did everything to revive him and were successful. Since all the family was present, he asked for a piece of paper and a pen to…
Signs of the Times
Ask the experts who study the weather. More or less, then can say if the typhoon will pass our area, how strong the winds are and how much rain to expert. Ask the experts who study the stock market. They will tell you when to buy, when to sell or when to hold on to…
What Are You Looking For?
When we are given a new year, of course, we have to plan so that time and resources are not wasted. In planning though, it is very important to ask ourselves, “What are you looking for?” No matter how old we are, there is always something in life that we are looking for. Some are…