Ed. note: This was a mass homily given at LaSalle campus, hence the student-athlete references. — Luke 4:31-37 Many years ago, a book by the title of A Purpose Driven Life came out and became a bestseller. The message was simple yet very profound, especially in a world that puts value in money, fame, and…
Category: Peace
People Who Put You Down
There is a saying that people need people. Yet, one of the most painful realities is when people put other people down. How many of us still have the words playing in our minds, “You are never good enough”, “Bobo or inutil”, or “You are are a mistake.” In the Gospel, there was blind man…
Separation of Church and State
We have always heard the line that there should be separation of Church and State. In other words, the Church should not meddle with the affairs of the State. To begin with, the meaning of “the Separation of the Church and State” according to the constitution, is that the State cannot dictate to her citizens…
Sin and Sickness
Before my father passed away, a priest arrived at the Emergency Room at 2:00 p.m. and administered the Anointing of the Sick. I was very appreciative of the priest because he administered the sacrament with solemnity. The sacrament was not only for my father; it was also for us the family. It was such great…
Reading without Understanding
Luke 6:1-5 There is a saying that one may hear but not listen (naririnig pero hindi nakikinig), see but not look (nakakakita pero hindi tumitingin), and read but not understand (nagbabasa pero hindi binabasa). All the many laws in the Jewish tradition were meant to show the love for God, but it does not stop…
Things People Do for Money
On YouTube, there was once a social experiment of “What People Will Do For Money.” Indeed, there were many funny things that people will do, such as: Swimming in a public fountain Cross dressing and dancing during a public rally Asking a lady on a date while she is with her husband And yes, many…
Assumption
Why is Lucifer so mad at Mary? Satan was initially a very beautiful and powerful angel, but because of pride, he wanted to be “Like God.” Due to that, he was brought down. Mama Mary, on the other hand, was humble. In fact, she was fearful and confused when she was told that she would be…
Gratitude
Luke 7:11-19 In life, one of the first lessons we learn is to say “Thank you.” If we received a gift from our ninong and ninang, our parents reminded us, “What do you say?” Whenever our teacher in school would leave the classroom we all stood up and said, “Good bye and thank you teacher.”…
The Power of Prayer
Matthew 9:1-8 The people today live on what we can call the best of times. They have iPads, cellphones, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc. Twenty years ago, these things were not a reality. Yet, despite all the wonders of technology, there is one thing that still has to be addressed – stress, anxiety, and worry. Just…