THE Feast of St. Mary Magdalene on July 22 reminds us that we all are in need of conversion. Yes, even if we have been trying, for the longest time already, to be good and saintly, we know that our wounded human condition would always find us in need of continuing
July 22, 2024
IT’S interesting to note that despite the heavy and tight schedule Christ had during his public life, he always managed to find time to take care of the formation of his disciples. In fact, he invested a lot of time in training them. St. Mark, in his gospel, noted that “in
July 20, 2024
THAT gospel episode about some Pharisees who dared to tell Christ that his disciples did not observe the Sabbath law since they were plucking corn in a field during Sabbath (cfr. Mt 12,1-8) somehow reminds us that if we are not truly with Christ, who is the way, the truth, and
July 19, 2024
TREMENDOUS and incredible words coming from Christ himself, perfect God and perfect man. He showed this humility and meekness of his in Bethlehem, in Nazareth, in his public life. He showed this even more graphically when he washed the feet of his disciples, when he bore all the cruel torments of
July 18, 2024
THE secret is to be like a child, simple and humble. We can draw that conclusion from the words of Christ himself: “I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to the little
July 17, 2024
THAT lamentation of Christ because some people did not ask for forgiveness for their sins in spite of the many blessings given to them (cfr. Mt 11,20-24) should strongly remind us that no matter how sinful and helplessly wretched we feel we are, God is always eager to forgive us if
July 16, 2024
WHEN Christ told his disciples these shocking words: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword,” (Mt 10,34) the upshot is actually that he wants us to identify ourselves with him through the cross, through a
July 15, 2024
WHEN Christ summoned his 12 apostles, sending them out two by two and giving them authority over unclean spirits, he clearly told them also to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts, etc. (cfr. Mk 6,7-13) The instruction may seem harsh
July 13, 2024
GIVEN the fact that we in this world will always have to contend with complicated situations, challenges, difficulties, trials and the like, we need to follow what Christ advised his disciples once: “Be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.” (Mt 10,16) In this way, we can manage to go through
July 12, 2024
GIVEN the obvious fact that the Church has to carry out its spiritual and supernatural mission in an earthly and temporal setting, it behooves everyone of us in the Church, both clerics and lay who should work in the spirit of coordinated and synergized synodality, to see to it that we
July 11, 2024
WHEN Christ chose 12 apostles to work closely with him in his mission of human redemption, (cfr. Mt 10,1-7) we are reminded that Christ actually wants all of us to continue with his work of human redemption, imparting the true life meant for us to everyone. This can be gleaned from
July 10, 2024
“THE harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so, ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Mt 9,37-38) These words of Christ should remind us that we actually all called to be laborers of God’s harvest. In whatever state of life we are, whether
July 9, 2024