THROUGH UNTRUE A few days from now, we will celebrate the New Year. If you stop to think about it, "New Year" is essentially a product of our imagination. Time is real, yet we experience it as a continuous, unbroken flow. To make sense of this, we use mental constructs like years, months,...
THROUGH UNTRUE During the 2013 Miss World competition, Megan Young’s mother was asked: “What is the biggest piece of advice that you gave your daughter?” Without hesitation, she replied: “I told her to be kind.” She added: “Megan, if you win the crown, go around the world and...
THROUGH UNTRUE Many still think that when Christ was born, everything changed. It did not. What it brought was a promise of radical transformation that can only be realized when we actively cooperate with God’s initiative. The problem, however, is that we tend to understand such “cooperation”...
THROUGH UNTRUE When was the last time you felt truly sorry for having done something wrong? Was the remorse so intense that you made a sincere confession, promised to do better, and performed some form of penance or restitution? In a world steeped in moral relativism, many of us sin without...
THROUGH UNTRUE “Death comes without warning" is a statement that often makes us uncomfortable. The notion that death can strike unexpectedly challenges our belief that we are masters of our fate, not its victims. Also, we desire a peaceful existence that unfolds in an orderly way. We do not want...
THROUGH UNTRUE Today's Gospel reading discusses the end of the world (Mark 13:24-32). Throughout history, numerous doomsday theories have predicted when this event would occur, with perhaps the most controversial being Dec. 21, 2012—the date many believed cataclysmic events would destroy...
THROUGH UNTRUE True love must be a choice made freely and deliberately. So why does God command us to love? The commandment to love, as we read in today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 8:28-31), is not an imposed obligation that robs us of our freedom. Rather, through this commandment, God...
THROUGH UNTRUE In today’s Gospel reading, the blind man fervently implores Jesus, "Master, I want to see!" (Mark 10:51). In an age where moral relativism is exacerbated by communication and social media, our sincere prayer should be: "Master, deliver us from choice blindness!" Choice blindness is...
THROUGH UNTRUE People who are aggressive and obsessed with success are often labeled as “ambitious.” However, ambition itself is inherently good. It drives us to dream big and realize our potential by pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities. Many famous people in history who have...
THROUGH UNTRUE Many people today think that heroes are fictional and mythological movie characters endowed with superpowers. These are often hailed as models of bravery. However, superheroes are not truly brave. How can you be brave if you are invincible or indestructible? True bravery is shown...
THROUGH UNTRUE Over the years, I have collected numerous wedding invitations, each exquisitely printed and containing valuable insights about marriage. One such invitation came from Dr. Grace Garayblas Gonzaga and her husband, Norman, both esteemed Catholic physicians from the University of Santo...
THROUGH UNTRUE In some countries where the legal system is based on the Sharia Law, convicted thieves may have their hands amputated in public. This harsh measure highlights the evil consequences of stealing and serves to discourage similar action by others. Today's gospel reading appears to echo...
