On a personal note, one thing that has helped me in the priesthood is the ministry of exorcism. Why? First, it reminds me that in the world that we live in, there is the seen and the unseen. Second, as St. Paul said, what is happening in the unseen is the greatest battle – the…
Category: Trust in God
How Little We Have
Many times in our lives we are harassed by how little we have. How do you run a seminary with 98 seminarians with the prices ever increasing? How do you continue to send your children to school with prices ever increasing? How do you help out people while having your own needs? In the Gospel,…
Come Follow Me
In the music industry, there is what is called “Fandom”. They are passionate and devoted fans who are deeply engaged with their favorite artists, groups, or bands. They attend concerts, buy merchandise, boost streaming momentum, and participate in fan communities. In other words, they will follow their favorite artists anywhere they are and all that…
Social Sins
Ed. Note: This was a homily for a school mass. Student or not though, we can all relate to the lessons. In 1925, Mahatma Gandhi published in his newspaper Young India, a list of social sins. Almost 100 years later, now more than ever, these have become very relevant: Politics without principles Wealth without work…
Paradox of Life
It is said that life is a paradox. Five examples: First, the more you try to impress people, the less people will be impressed Second, the more you fail, the more likely you will succeed Third, the more you are afraid of death, the less you will enjoy life Fourth, the more you learn, the…
Treasure Hunting
I came across this story of a man who lost his fortune because of treasure hunters. He was enticed by a group that there was a big reserve of gold in a certain place and it would just be a matter of time before it was discovered. What was supposed to be one month, turned…
Becoming a Better Person
There is a saying that what we were when we were born, is God’s gift to us. What we become, is our gift to God. Yet, to become a better person is not easy. We have to know our shortcomings, mistakes, biases fears, prejudices, and what trigger us. How do we get to know these?…
Assumption
When Adam and Eve sinned, the very first promise was made – to send the Messiah and save mankind. However this Messiah, to be able to come here on earth, was to be born of a virgin. That virgin that will bear the Son of God has to be pure – and therefore she was…
A Holy Priest Means a Holy Flock
When Christ founded the Church, the very first thing he did was to give it authority. Why is this very important? Because all power belongs to God. Hence if the Church has been given authority, its power is from God. Some examples to illustrate: In the ministry of exorcism, the authority of the exorcist is…
Mercy not Sacrifice
When I was a seminarian, I was able to join a Holy Week celebration in one of the provinces. During the procession, we went around the town, praying and singing. Very nice celebration. When the carozas returned to the Church, during the closing rites, the priests blessed all the Carozas. Suddenly there was chaos. People…
