Angels

One of the first things we were taught when we were small was that we all had angels. We were told that these angels were watching over us. In fact, one of the first prayers many of us learned is a prayer to our angels: “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom his love…

St. Therese of the Child Jesus

St. Thomas Aquinas once said: “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” That is why it is so hard to argue about religion because of this reality. In the Gospel people often ask for signs. After all the miracles, after all the healings and teachings…

Fear

With the many people I have spoken to during these days, in person as well as in social media, the prevailing sentiment is FEAR. Fear of sickness: What if I or someone in the family gets the virus? Fear for money: How can I pay all these expenses without work? Fear of the future: When…

Becoming a Better Person

Luke 10:8-15 One of the typical complaints of people who refuse to become active in the Church is that they see the sins, they see the shortcomings, they see that going to Church is no different than not going. Yes, it seems the gossip, the fighting for position, the backbiting, the infighting, and the wrong…

Guard the Heart

“One of these days, I am going to be rich.” This was the thought that played in a mind of a person who experienced discrimination from rich relations when he was young. The thought never left his mind. He studied hard, worked even harder, and eventually rose up the corporate ladder and met the right…

Forgiveness

Certainly, all of us have been hurt. If somebody curses us, then out of instinct, we curse back. If somebody puts one over us, we will inevitably wait for the right opportunity to put one over that person. How often have we heard: it is life that they got, it is life that we will…

Everybody Hurts

I often refer to the famous REM song, “Everybody Hurts.” I guess if there is a theme song all of us can relate to, it would be this one. Sometimes everything is wrong(Now it’s time to sing along) When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)If you feel like letting go (hold on)If…

End of Evil

Matthew 8: 28-34 In the U.S., one the sad realities of the protests against racism is that they are now bringing down Catholic images. One of the favorite targets is St. Junipero Serra. He was the one who brought the faith to California, but those who take down his image claim that he mistreated the…

A Mother Suffers Even More

John 19:25-27 There is a saying that you can sacrifice without loving but you cannot love without sacrificing. In my many requests for prayers, one notices that when the child is suffering the mother is suffering even more.  Today we celebrate the memorial of our Lady of Sorrows. Since the life of Jesus had many,…

Shame to Exaltation

During the time of Moses, the Israelites were being bitten by snakes. Since the people cried to the Lord for help, God told Moses to put an image of a snake on top of the pole and that anyone who looks at it, will be saved. Indeed it happened, and many Israelites were saved from…