REFLECTIONS TODAY The scribes are so biased against Jesus that they attribute his power to drive out demons to his being in league with Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Jesus’ own family does not look kindly on some of his actuations, thinking that he is out of his mind. The “they” who say...
REFLECTIONS TODAY “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (v 25). This saying of Jesus is true in all human affairs and undertakings—social, political, economic, even religious. This is also true in the realm of the devil, and so to think of Jesus driving...
BETTER DAYS Since assuming the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Finance in 2019, we have been committed toward strengthening our public health care system. Providing access to quality health care to all, particularly to our disadvantaged countrymen, is one of the most important...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The late Bible scholar Fr. John Meier entitled his books on the “historical Jesus” A Marginal Jew. Jesus does not act and teach in the mold of a Jewish rabbi. He is a celibate, teaches with an authority equal to or greater than Moses’, and loves the company of people...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The late Bible scholar Fr. John Meier entitled his books on the “historical Jesus” A Marginal Jew. Jesus does not act and teach in the mold of a Jewish rabbi. He is a celibate, teaches with an authority equal to or greater than Moses’, and loves the company of people...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The choice of the Apostles is a personal initiative of Jesus who “appoints” them as Twelve to refer to the community of believers constituting the 12 tribes of the “new Israel,” the chosen people of God, now called the Church (Greek ekklesia). With the selection of...
REFLECTIONS TODAY According to the scribes and the Pharisees, Jesus’ noncompliance with the Sabbath rest is proof that he is not a man from God. Jesus disputes this accusation by giving a deeper meaning to the Sabbath. Jesus claims to be “Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mk 2:28) and, as the Divine...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Gospel • Mark 2:23-28 The Hebrew term shabbath means “to cease or to rest.” The Sabbath signifies the apex of God’s creation. God blessed and sanctified the seventh day and made it holy (Gn 2:2-3). For Israel—and for all mankind—it is a rest day to...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The Jewish rabbis, particularly the scribes and the Pharisees, would want to contain Jesus and his message in the ways of the Mosaic Law and their traditions. But doing so would be like containing the fresh and liberating spirit of Jesus’ teaching—the “new wine”—in the...
BETTER DAYS Looking back at 2023, we could say that the Senate and Congress as a whole had a very productive year in terms of fulfilling its mandate of crafting meaningful laws for the benefit of our people and the country. Congress had a strong working relationship with the executive branch. We...
REFLECTIONS TODAY First Reading • 1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19 Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was. The Lord called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.” Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.” “I did not call you,” Eli said. “Go back to...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Gospel • Mark 2:1-12 In truth, God alone can forgive sins. A human being may forgive or excuse the sin of another, but something remains of that sin; the guilt still remains before God, it is not erased. Only God’s forgiveness removes the guilt. But Jesus, as the...
