IF we are guided by our Christian faith, we know that our life here on earth is not our definitive life. We are meant to pursue our ultimate definitive life with God in heaven. Thus, our life here on earth can only be marked by the indispensable virtue of hope which
October 31, 2023
WE are reminded of our laws’ constant need for the proper spirit in that gospel episode where Christ was accused by the leader of a synagogue of violating the Sabbath law because he cured a woman of her crippled condition on a Sabbath. (cfr. Lk 13,10-17) “There are six days when
October 30, 2023
IT’S amazing that despite the many good things Christ said and did that impressed many people, there were still some leading Jews who doubted him and were fond of asking some what are termed as ‘gotcha’ questions. (cfr. Mt 22,34-40) One of these questions was, “Which commandment in the law is
October 28, 2023
THAT’S what Christ is telling us in that gospel episode where he reproached the crowds of his time for knowing how to read the appearance of the earth and the sky, and yet fail to interpret the temper and the ethos of the time then. (cfr. Lk 12,54-59) It’s a reproach
October 27, 2023
THAT’S a question that immediately comes to mind when we read in the gospel the following words of Christ: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!…Do you think I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you,
October 26, 2023
CHRIST clearly said this. In that gospel parable where he told his disciples to be always prepared for judgment, (cfr. Lk 12,39-48) Christ clearly admonished his disciples to be ready to face the Lord, able to account for all the things that have been entrusted to them. If they are given
October 25, 2023
THIS definitely is not a matter of having a dark or gloomy outlook in life. On the contrary, this is what would make us truly realistic, able to have a wholistic picture of our life and knowing what life’s true character and purpose are. We are reminded of this truth of
October 24, 2023
Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE) Talamban, Cebu City Email: roycimagala@gmail.com ONCE again, we are reminded in that gospel episode where a man asked Christ to arbitrate in his matter of inheritance with his brother (cfr. Lk 12,13-21) that we should be focused more on the things of God
October 23, 2023
THAT rather amusing gospel episode where some leading Jews tried to entrap Christ by asking if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar (cfr. Mt 22,15-21) brings to light this delicate question about the human autonomy we enjoy in our temporal affairs. As Christ deftly answered their gotcha question, it
October 21, 2023
IT was quite a stinging statement Christ told his disciples once. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees,” he said (Lk 12,1), referring to the Pharisees’ hypocrisy. It reminds me of what Pope Francis said to a group of new bishops sometime ago. “The world is tired of charming liars, and
October 20, 2023
THERE are times when our conscience confronts us with our sinfulness, usually the hidden and persistent ones, the way Christ confronted the sinfulness of the leading Jews of his time. (cfr. Lk 11,47-54) Instead of reacting the way these Jews did—they reacted with hostility toward Christ—we should be humble enough to
October 19, 2023
ON the Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist, celebrated on October 18, the gospel reading is about Christ appointing 72 disciples and sending them to places where he intended to go. (cfr. Lk 10,1-9) Somehow, a sense of urgency was injected in this commissioning when Christ told them, “The harvest is abundant
October 18, 2023
