On living generously
I WAS telling my close friend about his personal qualities. “I admire your intelligence, prayerfulness, and convivial nature,” I said. “But what I admire most about you is your genuine…
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Z-Pack and sudden death
The antibiotic azithromycin, which came in a Z-pack of 5 one-a-day pill for a five day treatment, has been linked to sudden death. Last year alone, 55.3 million prescriptions have…
The Peace Parade
To live in a country where peace reigns supreme is a dream for Filipinos who believe in its blessings. Reaching a state of complete peace may sound a bit too…
Religion of the heart
A DEAR friend introduced me to the writings of Marianne Williamson, a spiritual writer, activist, author, lecturer and founder of The Peace Alliance. Two of her books, A Return to Love:…
SVT: Abnormal heart rhythm
When you suddenly feel your heart is pounding and beating faster than usual, and you have an uncomfortable feeling within your chest, it could be SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia), an abnormal…
Bouncing back
After a lackluster performance in the Olympics, torrential rains and flooding, and the passing of a beloved government official; the country’s gloom was quite lifted with the news of the…
On staying in God’s presence
I have shared with friends on Facebook a profound dialogue I read in Paulo Coelho’s new book, Aleph: “But isn’t prayer a way of bringing us closer to God?” “Allow…
112,000 bacteria on our skin!
No, that is not a typo. Scientists in the new Human Microbiome Project at the National Institute of Health have sequenced genes from 20 skin sites of volunteers and “found…
A Culinary Tour: Binondo
The Philippines and China go way back, even before the conquest of the Spaniards. As early as the 10th century, trade was already happening between Filipinos and the seafaring Chinese….
On interruptions
Henri J.M. Nouwen, one of the great spiritual writers of the modern times, has influenced my personal spirituality and writing skill. He has helped me to see grace in my…
Waterproof indeed
SO it has happened again. A bombardment that occurred on tin roofs with assaults on the asphalt; it was an extended blitzkrieg of rain. Water rushed with a flurry carrying…
When tempests come
When the water is calm and the sailing is smooth, we feel happy and stable. We don’t want this state of serenity to end; we just want to stay with…
Angina Pectoris: Chest pains
What is angina pectoris? Angina pectoris is the medical term for chest pains or more specifically pains emanating from, and involving, the heart. It is most common for people to…
What illness and pain can do
MAUREEN Pratt, the speaker of the month this August of our parish’s centennial year, impressed many of us with her talk and example. Despite suffering from lupus erythematosus since age…
These lovely shores
THERE is a moving painting hanging in our memory. It is filled with hues of blue and green. The masterstrokes glibly flowing as the waves carry the music that bellows…
Fed by the Eucharist, a testament of faith
“WHERE can we buy enough food for them to eat?,” Jesus asked Philip, one the disciples, as he saw a vast crowd of about five thousand in number following them….
The London Eleven
The greatest show on Earth will happen again from July 27 to August 12 at the London Olympics. It will be another spectacle and the stage is set for this…
On spending some Me time
A MAN who goes to the gym, where I work out , would flaunt a t-shirt with bold lettering, IT’S ALL ABOUT ME. “Hmmm,” I would often muse, “what message…
Sonny’s stuff of legend
The symbolic significance of the number seven goes way back in the Creation Story when God created the world in seven days and took a breather on the seventh day….
Equipping our children with trust and power of God
JOINING the Goliaths of the world choirs! That’s what I thought as our children’s choir sung in front of the international judges of the World Choir Games in Cincinnati, Ohio…
The Republic welcomes Royalty
ROYALTY graced the country last July 2 to 6 as Queen Sofia of Spain visited various parts of the Philippines. The official trip of the Queen of Spain was named…
From admiration to rejection
FIRST, the admiration, then, the rejection. “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands? Is…
Our failed health strategy
Today, our country and many others around the world are faced with the epidemics of arthritis, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Obviously, our health prevention strategy of…
Paying it forward to Páy-yo
Let us begin by calling it the way Ifugaos call it, Páy-yo. It has been around for 2,000 years in the Cordilleras. As their masterpiece, it becomes more impressive considering…
Tribute to the King
We know the man and his characters that are continually rolling on the film reels of our collective memories. He made us cry, whimper, ponder, and above all–laugh. Going beyond…
On children of the world
LITTLE Gavin fixed his eyes on every ritual of the Mass that I was celebrating for our family a few weekends ago. A photo of him on Facebook shows his…
Rizal on redux
AS celebrations to Jose Rizal’s sesquicentennial came to a close on his 151st birthday last June 19, another chapter opens on his revered status as the National Hero of the…
Small things matter
AT TIMES, we become blind to the enormous graces that are around us. It’s because we tend to measure grace according to the vain values of the world, particularly popularity,…
Still, the People’s Champ
So it has happened. After an impressive streak of 15 wins in 7 years, the taste of a loss does not only linger in Manny Pacquiao’s mouth, but to ours…
Brugada Syndrome
Brugada Syndrome is a baffling condition where a person, who appears to be healthy, unexpectedly develops cardiac arrest, for no apparent reason. Most victims do not survive the episode. This…