‘Reflection’ Archives
Rediscovering the Meaning of Suffering
Once I joined a regular Sunday evening program at Radio Veritas. On one occasion, as my co-host and I drew close to the radio station, we noticed that a sizeable crowd had gathered in the station. I muttered to him that we had become celebrities in so short a time. He just smiled and said that Fr. Fernando Suarez, the famous healing priest, had a program just before us. People, especially the sick, had flocked to the radio station for a chance to meet with him and to be healed. This world is [...]
Accepting Lepers, Conversion to Christ
Francis of Assisi felt nauseated at the sight of lepers. But one day, while he was riding on a horse, he encountered a leper. Instead of running away as he used to do, he alighted from his horse, approached the leper, embraced and kissed him. When he mounted back on his horse and looked back, the leper was gone. He believed it was Christ. This encounter triggered his deep conversion. From that time on, he came to love lepers and became more serious on living the gospel life. The Hebrew word [...]
Whenever and Whereever
Jesus is often presented as a healer. In Mark’s gospel, the first healing miracle that Jesus performs is that of Peter’s mother-in-law and all those stricken with illness as well as those possessed by demons in Capernaum. Jesus as a healer is depicted as one definitely standing for life. That may be worthwhile to keep in mind especially because today we are celebrating Pro-Life Sunday. In Jesus’ time, the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law would have constituted both a religious and [...]
Inspired by Christ’s Powerful Word
Biblical workers – bishops, priests, religious, and lay people – of the Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (ECBA – CBCP) will gather in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, on February 6-11 for their biennial National Bible Workshop. All activities will revolve around theme: “Animating All Pastoral Work with the Word of God.” Pope Benedict XVI’s Post-Synodal Exhortation Verbum Domini clarifies what “biblical [...]
Putting on the Mind of Jesus
Today’s Gospel is found immediately after Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, where he received the endorsement of his Father and was filled with the Spirit of God. John the Baptist has been recently arrested and now Jesus begins his public life and mission in Galilee. The phrase that best summarizes his mission is: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; Repent and believe in the good news. Mark here indicates that with Jesus the time of waiting has come to an end and the [...]
In the Current of Faith
In our effort to expand our annual St. Paul Bible Quiz coverage, I went to Cebu for the Central Visayas eliminations last July. While waiting for the conduct of the exam that happened on a Sunday, I had the opportunity to go to the Cathedral of the Santo Niño of Cebu and was struck by the numerous Sunday Mass goers. Such was a sight for an ordinary Sunday. I could not imagine the pilgrims there today as our nation celebrates the Feast of Sto. Niño. At the façade of the cathedral, I found [...]
The Star of Jacob
The arrival of the magi to Bethlehem completes the Christmas story. The evangelist Matthew points out that those who came to see the newborn baby included not only shepherds from Israel but also wise men from pagan lands. In doing so, Jesus reveals himself not only to members of the Chosen People, but also to the rest of the world. Through the passage of time, the story of the magi acquired embellishments. Even up to this day, a variety of ideas are spun around the identity of the magi from [...]
New Year with Mary
We have two important celebrations today. For the civil year, it is New Year’s Day. For the Church year, we have the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God. Let us try to connect these two celebrations. The title “Mother of God” is the primary title of Mary. It spells out her uniqueness. Mary is special because of her son. He is God! The affirmation of Mary as Mother of God is first and foremost an affirmation of our faith that Jesus is God. Jesus is a true human being, too! He is born [...]
Begin with the Word
A four-year-old son was eating an apple in the back seat of the car, when he asked, “Daddy, why is my apple turning brown?” “Because,” his dad explained, “after you ate the skin off, the meat of the apple came into contact with the air, which caused it to oxidize, thus changing the molecular structure and turning it into a different color,” There was a long silence. Then the son asked softly, “Daddy, are you talking to me?” It is no rocket science: today is Christmas Day, and [...]
Allowing God To Do Great Things for Us
The late US President John F. Kennedy said in his inaugural address, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” St. Ignatius, too, in his Spiritual Exercises, invites the retreatant to ask himself or herself: “What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What should I do for Christ?” These questions are evoked by the realization of how much one has been a recipient of God’s manifold blessings, of God’s many signs of love especially [...]
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