When it comes to numbers, the Jews are one of the best as they are and as they were. Hence, in the bible, all the numbers cited have a meaning. One example is that there are a lot of threes in the bible: God has three persons: God the Father, God the Son, God the…
Category: Social Awareness
Love or Ritual
In the Jewish tradition, there are 613 laws known as mitzvot, all of which are meant to show their love for God. Humanly speaking, this can be very hard and very confusing. How does one show love for God with all these laws? Perhaps, the question of the scribe is the most practical, “Which is…
To Be Right or To Be Good
Each day in our lives we are confronted with decisions. In making the decisions, there are things to be considered: Is it good or is it bad? Is it about me or is it about my neighbor? Will I benefit from this or will I have to make a sacrifice? Will there be a benefit…
Service
Whenever it’s campaign time, politicians are always promising to make the Philippines great again. I remember the stories from the older generation that in the 1950s, when they would be mistaken for Japanese in Europe, they would say, “We are not Japanese, we are Filipinos!” Indeed, the Philippines was once a rich nation. It had…
Judging Others
It is said that the favorite pastime of the Filipino is either to have a free meal and or talk about other people’s lives. In fact, talking about other people’s lives is a human reality. The Irish have a saying, “the smaller the town, the deadlier the talk.” Another quote says, “It is easier to…
How to Have Eternal Life
At the end of this journey called life, we all know that what matters is Life Eternal. How do we attain eternal life? Some of our brothers and sisters say that just proclaim with your lips that Jesus is Lord and you will be saved. Hence, no need to do good works. Others say, that…
Eyes of Faith
While people may see the same thing, they interpret things differently. A person may see junk and old materials, while an artist may see a beautiful sculpture. A person may see an empty piece of land, while a real estate developer may see a profit when a mall is constructed on the land. A person…
Why Follow Jesus
One topic of conversation in many gatherings is the sad reality of suicide. Why do people take their own lives? We read about prominent celebrities often having suicides. They have money, they have fame, they have so many friends, and they enjoy the finer things in life. With all of these, aren’t they supposed to…
Pride and Humility
Luke 11:29-32 In the first reading today, we hear of the sign of Jonah. He went around Nineveh for 40 days warning them to repent and they did. In the Gospel today, the Jews were asking for a sign but Jesus did not give the sign because he knew that their hearts were hardened. In…
What Matters In Life
As a priest, I always give priority to Anointing of the Sick and Confession for those who are chronically ill. The confession typically takes at least one hour. It is not only confession but also a flashback of life. Typically, the three things talked about: first, the hurts in life, most especially broken relationships; second,…
3 Ways 2 Your 1 God 