WORD ALIVE A man was worrying too much over his problems, sleepless at night from insomnia. Upon the advice of a friend, he tried the old remedy of counting sheep while getting some sleep. He went to bed and closed his eyes, but when the first sheep came along, it stumbled and fell. Would someone...
WORD ALIVE In today’s gospel, Jesus teaches the Christian commitment of hospitality or welcoming people into their homes. Hospitality is an important part of Christian charity. Jesus himself was often a guest in the house of Martha and Mary since he was an itinerant preacher. * * * One night,...
WORD ALIVE In today’s gospel, Jesus declares: “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” When he talked of persecutions, he was referring to the persecutions his disciples had suffered at the hands of the Jews and the Romans in proclaiming his teachings. Today, the persecutions...
WORD ALIVE The old mentality wherein the laity were expected just to say "amen" and to "pray, pay and obey" has long been over. As a result of the numerous charismatic seminars, some lay people I know, who attended such renewal activities, now preached in streets and restaurants. Entering...
WORLD ALIVE Some of you might have seen the movie “Survive,” based on a book entitled “Last Survivors of the Andes Mountains.” The true story relates about how 16 out of 45 passengers, mostly rugby players from Uruguay, survived a plane crash in the freezing Andes Mountains for 70 days. * ...
WORD ALIVE Once a pious woman who was bringing a bunch of novena-booklets to church met the parish priest. He asked, “Who is your favorite saint?” “Of course, I like the Blessed Virgin Mary best! But I also like her sister!” Taken aback, the priest said, “Her sister? Who is she?” “Of...
WORD ALIVE Once an archbishop was discussing Christianity with a learned Japanese writer. The writer told the archbishop, "I can understand God the Father and God the Son, but I can never understand the significance of the “Honorable Bird” (Holy Spirit).” * * * Today is the feast of the...
WORD ALIVE Today, Ascension Sunday, we commemorate the end of the Lord's public ministry in this world. “Mission accomplished,” Jesus would say. It does not mean that he is no longer with us or went into “retirement.” The evangelist Matthew writes Jesus’ declaration: "I am with you always...
WORD ALIVE There’s a poignant story told when a destructive earthquake hit Turkey in December 1988. After the earthquake, rescue teams worked frantically, hoping that some people buried under the rubbles might still be alive. Eight days after the killer quake, miraculously a woman was found...
WORD ALIVE A distraught man approaches a priest and asks: “Please bless me, Father, because my son is a drug user, my daughter an unwed mother, and my wife a gambler. The priest, getting tired listening to his problems, says: “Isn’t there anything positive in your life? The man pauses for a...
WORD ALIVE A reader, Ronald Ricamata, e-mailed me during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying “In this difficult time, our priests, nuns and seminarians are also frontliners. “Our spiritual frontliners fight against unseen enemy. They must be acknowledged and appreciated, too.” * * * I agree...
WORD ALIVE A priest came out to say Mass with his face plastered with band aids. “I’m sorry I look like this,” the priest said as he started his homily. “This morning as I was shaving and thinking of what to say in my homily, I cut my face.” After the Mass, while he was going over the...
