In 1571, before going into war, Pope Pius V asked all of the faithful to say the rosary and implore our Blessed Mother’s prayers, under the title Our Lady of Victory, that our Lord would grant victory to the Christians. Although the Muslim fleet outnumbered that of the Christians in both vessels and sailors, they…
Giving Christ a Chance
It is said that one of the greatest sources of motivation is man’s Pursuit of Happiness. We make decisions, we make plans, we work, we make friends and we buy things…all for us to be able to experience happiness. It is also a common experience of man to try to find happiness through material things….
God is a Promise Keeper
Matthew 1:1-17 When Adam and Eve sinned, the very first promise of God was the Messiah. In the Gospel of Matthew, there is a genealogy of all the ascendants of Jesus: From Abraham to David, 14 generations. From David to Babylonian Exile, another 14 generations. Finally, Babylonian exile to the Messiah another 14 generations. This…
Foundation
It is said that no matter how beautiful a house is, no matter how expensive a house is, and no matter how tall a house is, if the foundation of the house is weak, it will be destroyed by a strong typhoon. I am reminded of the houses in America. They are very pretty, with many…
Calling
During the time of Jesus, he was an excellent preacher for three reasons: People during the time of Jesus knew that sheep were not very intelligent animals, hence would always need the guidance of the shepherd, especially for direction. Three realizations about callings in life: That is why we continue to be still so we…
Faith and Service
I came across a story of a mother who found out from her doctor that her daughter had autism. Although she suspected something was different with her daughter, it was devasting that it was autism. “Why my daughter”? “How am I going to take care of her”? “Lord, what wrong have I done?” Fifteen years…
Luck vs Blessed
We Catholics often interchange and get confused between good luck and a blessing. How many of us Catholics would also dabble in Feng Shui because of the “good luck” it brings. In our houses, while we may have the altar, we also display objects that bring “luck and good fortune”. What ends up happening then,…
Overcoming Evil
In the world that we live in, remember to look at everything that is happening not only economically, not only politically but also in the spiritual realm. Remember that St. Paul said that the greatest battle is happening in the realm of the unseen – good versus evil. The Gospel reminds us that good will…
Look the Other Way
There are occasions in our lives when we rather look at the other side: In one of the most popular Gospel readings, we hear of two persons, two good persons, who saw a man lying on the road half dead, but they would rather look the other way and pass by. Why? The priest, if…
Service and Privileges
Not too long ago, there was an operation done by MMDA on illegally parked vehicles. The sad revelation was that many of the illegally parked vehicles were owned by Policemen themselves. How can it be, that the law enforcers are also the violators? In the same way, Jesus lambasted the Pharisees and the lawyers because…
3 Ways 2 Your 1 God 