THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. The solemn feast of the Ascension reminds me of Luli and Oodaaq. Luli is short for “ lulubog-lilitaw ,” the name of an island in Palawan that one can see during low tide but is completely invisible during high tide. When I visited Luli several years...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. Media people seem to enjoy broadcasting deaths caused by the pandemic, the lack of hospital facilities for patients, the slow procurement and even slower roll out of vaccines, unmitigated violent crimes, rising unemployment and prices of basic...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. In our Gospel reading today, Jesus likens himself to the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11-18). We cannot question Jesus's valuation of Himself as a self-sacrificing shepherd. That is indeed who He is. But should we view...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. Many of us wrongly think that if we worked hard enough, and if we seized every opportunity that science and technology offer, we would have everything we want in life. This illusion breeds the modern psychological affliction called FOMO — fear of...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. We cannot fully understand the meaning of the resurrection because none of us has died and rose again. But many events in our life can be considered "resurrection experiences." These are unprecedented, unique, totally gratuitous and above all, so life...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. Filipino religiosity peaks during Holy Week. If not for the pandemic and the government-imposed restrictions and protocols, many of us would be doing our usual Holy Week observances these coming days. Families would flock to churches for the annual...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. Many of us are allergic to the word “emptiness” because it seems like a gaping hole in our being. We equate it with loneliness, darkness, and depression. So, when we feel empty, we frantically grasp at anything — food, drink, drugs, entertainment,...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. Like most people, I seldom found joy and excitement in washing my clothes. The tedious and boring task wore me down. I would rather that someone did it for me. But I realized that avoiding important chores made them more difficult to accomplish. So I...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. Many people get easily exhausted just by the thought of house cleaning. They put it off for as long as possible until their house becomes so filthy that whenever they come home, the stench and the chaos make them cringe and squirm. Add to this the...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. Before Jesus underwent His terrible ordeal leading to His crucifixion, three apostles witnessed an amazing event in His life – the transfiguration . Today's Gospel reading describes what happened thus: “His face shone like the sun and His clothes...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. As in previous years, people flocked to churches in great numbers last Ash Wednesday, despite the fact that it was not a holy day of obligation. The atmosphere in churches was almost sepulchral as the priests sprinkled ashes on our heads while he told...
THROUGH UNTRUE Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P. Since childhood, we have been taught, and rightly so, that cleanliness is next to godliness. But today, thanks to the hygiene industry and their aggressive advertisers, cleanliness is no longer synonymous with being rid of any form of dirt or messiness....
