REFLECTIONS TODAY The Jews regard the seventh day or Sabbath as a day set aside for rest and worship. God commanded it to be kept holy, a day of rest as God rested from his work of creation (Gn 2:3). The Sabbath has been instituted as a perpetual covenant for the Israelites (Ex 31:13-17). Other...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The resurrection of Jesus is central to our Christian belief. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day after his death on the cross, so also all believers will rise with him on the last day in the new and glorified body. The risen Christ is the guarantor of our own...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The Sermon on the Mount has often been referred as the Magna Carta of Christianity; it contains the core of the Gospel message. One who practices these teachings of the Lord is called “blessed” or “fortunate.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church (n 1968) declares: “The...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The twin parables of Luke show how the Kingdom of God begins small and hidden, suddenly breaks forth with life, and is not confined to any single group. The contrast is between the small beginning and the impressive final result. The mustard seed is the smallest seed for the...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The Jews take pride in being children of Abraham to whom God gave promises and with whom God made a covenant. This paternity is not only biological but also spiritual: it connects the Israelites with God’s covenant promises to Abraham. Abraham is also the locus of bliss in the...
BETTER DAYS Over the past 23 years, the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) has been instrumental in helping Filipinos find and secure jobs in the Philippines and overseas. Enacted on Feb. 14, 2000, Republic Act 8759 paved the way for the establishment of PESOs in the capital towns of...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Mt 22:34-40 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them a scholar of the law tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God,...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In the third group of fours in the list of the Twelve (apostles), we find Simon called a Zealot. The Greek zelotes (“zealot”) refers to one who shows zeal and enthusiasm. Simon is called by this name not just because he is a “zealous” observer of Law but, as most biblical...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Sometimes, to get to the message of Jesus, we do not just take his words at their plain meaning but as words said with humor with an acid touch. For example, what does his advice about being brought before a magistrate mean? Here is a picture of a clear miscarriage of justice...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In former days in the Philippines, landed people like the hacienderos had numerous servants. Usually, these servants were put under the charge of the head servant or mayordomo (“head of the house”). The head servant was entrusted by the master of the house with management of...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In the social structure of Jesus’ time, the slave or servant cannot hope to be on equal footing with his master. Jesus himself describes how a servant, after plowing the field or tending the sheep, is expected to prepare and serve his master’s meal. The master is not...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The “fool” (Greek aphron) is not so much a person who is deficient in learning as someone wanting in wise and understanding heart that is attuned to God. He lives only for himself. The psalmist says, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ Their deeds are...
