In the Gospel, Jesus makes use of two contrasting characters. On one hand, you have the religious leaders. One would think they are the people who serve and give. Yet, in reality, they are the entitled and the takers. On the other hand, you have the poor widow. One would think that she is the…
Hope
It has been more than four years since the pandemic hit us. Of course, there were many people to whom we said goodbye to. Many people were displaced financially. There are still many people who are dealing with mental health: depression, fear, anxiety, worry, and even anger. Yet, there are far more people who never…
Changes
There is a saying that the only thing permanent in the world is change. All in this world is passing and fleeting, hence change is inevitable. Even if change is a reality though, people by nature do not want to change. Truly it is so hard to change: there is inconvenience, there is uncertainty, there…
What Are You Looking For?
There is a saying that life is a journey and in this journey certainly there is something we are looking for. In an article on the top 10 things people are looking for, the results were: As we continue to welcome the new year, let us ask ourselves, “What are you looking for?” This was…
Mission
In 2002 a book entitled The Purpose Driven Life became a bestseller. Authored by Pastor Rick Warren, the message is simple but very profound and important. First, each life is important. Second, the time, talent, and treasure that we have is not an accident. There is a reason behind it. Third, each life has a…
Persecution
According to the group Open Doors USA, 360 million Christians in 2021 lived in countries where persecution was “significant.” Roughly 5,600 Christians were murdered, more than 6,000 were detained or imprisoned, and another 4,000-plus were kidnapped. In addition, more than 5,000 churches and other religious facilities were destroyed. This is something that should not be…
Hope in the Goodbyes of Life
There is a saying that life is a series of hellos and goodbyes. This is only natural in a world wherein nothing is permanent and all is passing fleeting. A few days ago, we welcomed 2024 with hope. Also, we looked back at the past with all the joys and pains, ups and downs, good…
Works of God
Every now and then, I get blessed with a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Of course, we come across different tour guides with different perspectives, specializations, and points of view. One of the things they would always talk about is the Six-Day War in Israel which happened during June 5 – 10, 1967. Although Israel…
Praising God
We typically look at life based on two things: good luck and bad luck. That is why in these year-end celebrations, although we are Catholics, superstitious practices are an insult to God because it suggests we do not trust him. Many Catholics would still do it and say that it won’t hurt. We just want…
Do They Know It’s Christmas Time?
In the US, there was a survey made by Gallup Poll that says in 2021, only 81 percent of Americans believed in God. The survey started way back in 1944. Up to the 1960s, 98 percent believed in God. Up to 2011, it was 92 percent believed. Up to last year, 17 percent do not…
3 Ways 2 Your 1 God 