On our dream for new Jerusalem(s)
I HAD many prayerful, powerful and learning experiences from my recent retreat in the Holy Land. One of them was at the Church of Dominus Flevit, while we were celebrating…
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Finding Jesus
GREETINGS rom he oly Land! I write this article overwhelmed with gratitude to God for bringing me once again to the land of Jesus at the start of my sabbatical. This time, I’m…
To be prophets of the world
THE Book of Jeremiah presents the most powerful passage regarding the role of a prophet. In Chapter 20:9 of the book, Jeremiah confessed that he could not be silent to…
The way of life: living by the spirit
“And they all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” Acts 2:11 WE celebrate Pentecost this Sunday, the…
The call that we have all received
IN the four years that I’ve worked in the seminary, I would always tell people of my gratitude to God for granting me the privilege and the blessing of preparing…
Drinking from the source
“IN truth, God shows no partiality,” St. Paul wrote to speak of one of God’s attributes. It’s true in the sense that God does not favor anyone but sees all…
To be intimately connected to God
“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” John 15:1-8 JESUS’…
Divine echoes
THERE is a restlessness in many of us, one that makes us think about life and questions the varied facets of human existence. It’s a divine restlessness because it urges…
During those perplexing times
”Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a…
On listening in silence to God’s voice
I heard this beautiful story last week from a group of Lebanese Maronite Catholics during my visit to St. Maron’s Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In a mother’s womb were two…
Only by God’s grace
I ADMIT that there have been times in my life when my faith and prayer have run dry. What do I mean? It means that even in my life as…
On living our faith with passion, zeal, and conviction
REMBRANDT Harmenszoon van Rijn, one of the greatest visual artists in the history of art (1606-1669), portrays this Sunday’s Gospel in his painting, Christ Driving the Moneychangers from the Temple,…
The challenge and the promise of trust in God
Trust in God is what we need to face the hardships and incomprehensibility of life. It’s what Abraham in this Sunday’s First Reading manifested to us. He trusted in God’s…
Lent as Kairos
“This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set a bow…
Not being great, but good
“If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touch him, and said,‘I do will it. Be made clean.’— Mark 1:40-42 WHEN we think of leprosy in…
God’s desire to free us from distress
GOD wants our total well-being. He desires that we lead healthy, fulfilled, and peaceful lives. He does not want us to distress about anything. He wants us to remain calm….
Setting the stage for a purposeful and meaningful life
“Jesus said to them, ‘Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. — Mark 1:19 IT has been 11 days since my…
Come and see
“What are you looking for?’ they said to him, “Rabbi (which translated means teacher) “where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and you will see. –John 1:35 WHERE shall…
Live the moment
A FEW days before Christmas, I asked my niece, Ann, to suggest to me another phrase for “having a deep sense of awe” that I can use in my preaching….
God’s love
HAVE you ever felt the profound love of another human being? Have you loved someone so deeply? If you did, then you have experienced what it is to be truly…
The joy of living the Gospel
“REJOICE always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Jesus Christ.” St. Paul admonishes us with these words in…
In these painful times of Christmas season
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” – Mark 1:3 MANY residents of Southern California may not feel like celebrating Christmas this year. It’s because of the series…
The call of Advent: Wake up!
“YES, O Lord, you are our father; we are the clay, and you are the potter: we are the work of your hands” (Is 64:7). These are beautiful words the…
The bottom line
WE often speak of “the bottom line” — the bottom line of a financial report, an educational program, or a political speech. In the grand perspective of life, however, a…
One life to live
WE’VE heard inspiring stories of men and women in our present time who have overcome their physical disabilities and live their lives to the fullest. The stories of men like…
On keeping the lamps of our faith burning
WE know people who recovered from a stroke, survived a cancer, or escaped a fatal accident. We may think that they have learned and lived the most spoken lesson that…
Our deep longing
IN the midst of the hype of the Dodgers games this past week, I felt a deep longing for my parents’ presence. Perhaps it’s because it’s that time of the…
Love of God and neighbor
”He said to them: You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first…
Our faith and our world
WE can’t escape this world. We can’t isolate or numb ourselves from all its influences and its happenings. Be it a political issue, a natural disaster, or a threat of…
To gaze at the promise and hope of God’s kingdom
“ The garment that we need to wear when God invites us to his “wedding banquet” is hope. We can be religious and righteous, but if we don’t have hope for…