WORD ALIVE The gospel episode for this 23rd Sunday relates about Jesus healing a deaf and, simultaneously, a mute man (Mark 7,31). In his commentary on the episode, a biblical author William Barclay wrote, “Most people find deaf folks a nuisance. They sympathize with people who are blind...
WORD ALIVE These past Sundays, we continue to reflect on Jesus’ teaching of his Body and Blood as spiritual food and drink. The Jews had been very much impressed by Jesus’ words and actions. They had gone to great lengths to seek him out wherever he went as related in today’s 21st...
WORD ALIVE An elderly woman, accompanied by a young doctor, was being wheeled into a room in preparation for surgery. Visibly nervous, she blurted out, “Doctor, please be gentle with me. This is my first time to be operated on.” The youthful surgeon glanced at her and said, “Don’t worry,...
WORD ALIVE A lawyer- friend once related to me that their father inherited the weak heart of their grandfather. The three doctors he consulted warned him that when he would reach 50, his children had better prepare for his early demise. Father and mother went regularly to pray to the Holy Family...
WORD ALIVE “I am the bread of life,” Jesus tells us in this 18th Sunday gospel. The Lord was concerned for our basic needs. He showed this when he miraculously multiplied the meager bread and fishes for the hungry crowd (Gospel of last Sunday). But he also...
WORD ALIVE This Sunday we read about Jesus' miracle of the multiplication of bread and fish. Someone quipped that the miracle happened because the Jews, known for being frugal like the Ilocanos and Boholanos, could bring out their hidden "baons" (food provisions). Because of the little...
WORD ALIVE Some time ago I celebrated the culminating mass of a two-day Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) of the Loved Flock charismatic community at the DPWH chapel, Port Area in Manila. What I considered remarkable was that the organizers were lay people and professionals who took time out to...
WORD ALIVE There’s a saying that goes, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” In today’s gospel, this saying applies to Jesus when he returned to his hometown and taught in the synagogue. His town mates could not accept him because he was too familiar to them. “How can he claim to be a...
WORD ALIVE Once heavy rains pounded and flooded a town. As the water kept rising, inundating the houses, a man known for his piety climbed up to the second floor of his house. A rescuer on a banca (row boat) came near and yelled, “Come, I came to save you.” But the man said, “Don’t worry, I...
WORD ALIVE A pious woman was bringing a bunch of novena-booklets to church and met the parish priest. Surprised, the pastor said, “You have so many prayer books. Who is your favorite saint?” The lady replied, “Of course, I like the Blessed Virgin Mary best! But I also like her sister.”...
WORD ALIVE Once an archbishop was discussing Christianity with a learned Japanese journalist. 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)." * * * ...
WORD ALIVE There’s a poignant story told when a destructive earthquake hit Turkey some years ago. After the temblor, 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 alive. So...
