During the season of Lent, Catholics are encouraged to fast during Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Since Filipinos are used to eating six times a day, from breakfast to morning merienda, to lunch to afternoon merienda, to dinner to midnight snacks, fasting is difficult. While it is very challenging to skip meals, let us be…
Category: The Commandments
Poison
John 11: 45-56 One of the surest ways to loneliness in life is to compare yourself with others. You observe one’s house, you observe one’s car. Where does the person work? You observe the friends that they hang out with, and eventually, you look at their talent. In other words, a person counts the blessings…
Love Your Enemies
Once a family friend requested prayers because she was going to undergo a hip replacement. Thank God that the procedure was successful. When I finally got to meet up with her and I asked how she was doing, her response made me reflect. She said, “The procedure was so painful that you are not even…
Wishing Others Well
Once, a woman came to me when she suddenly started feeling ill, having nightmares, and having unexplained paranormal experiences. When we studied her case, it turned out that it all started with a curse from a neighbor of hers. The neighbor even invoked the devil to bring her misfortune. In the Gospel, Jesus often reminds…
Habits
There was once an article about successful people. What makes them different from the rest of humanity? Their habits. According to the article, the five habits of successful people include the following: They get up early They read a lot They give exercise a priority They have multiple incomes They give time for reflection It…
What’s in a seat?
Why is a seat so important? Because a seat means a lot. A seat can define whether you are rich or ordinary, like how those seated in the business class of a plane are treated differently than economy A seat can define power, like how those seated nearest to the boss means you have more…
Who is Family?
Part of our humanity is that we are attracted to people who are popular, rich, famous, and powerful. Hence, many people name drop that they are related to this person and to that person. In a town, people would like to be related to the mayor. In a parish, people would like to be related…
Inheritance
For us priests, one of the things people bring to us for prayers and consultation are matters about inheritance. Whether the inheritance is huge or just enough, it can be complicated, absurd, and even bloody. You cannot imagine what sibling can do to sibling, parent to their child, and child to their parents. Once I…
What Are You Looking For?
We are a week into 2022 and while the new year means a new start and therefore a new reason to be hopeful, we know that there is still so much uncertainty and anxiety. Hence as we start this new year it would be very nice to ask ourselves the question asked of the two…
