WORD ALIVE FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD 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!" "Her sister? Who is she?" asked...
WORD ALIVE FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD 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." * * * Today is the feast of the Holy...
WORD ALIVE FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD 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:...
WORD ALIVE FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD Today is Mother’s Day. This recalls the story of a rescue operation in the sea. Ten men and one woman were clinging to a rope, hanging from a helicopter. They were overloaded. One person had to let go or they would all fall down and drown. Looking at each other,...
WORD ALIVE FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD Once a student of a Catholic college was being initiated into a Catholic organization. He was asked: "What are the most important requirements of our Christian faith?" Without batting an eyelash, he replied, "Going to Mass on Sunday and receiving Holy Communion."...
WORD ALIVE FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD A man wanted to know what profession his four kids would pursue. So in a small room, on a table, he placed a stethoscope, a book on civil law and a Bible. He then called his kids one after the other and made them pick what they wanted. One took the stethoscope....
WORD ALIVE FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD In today’s gospel, we read about one of the appearances of the Risen Lord to two disciples. The manifestations served to confirm and bolster the sagging faith of his close followers. They had doubts and misgivings if he was really the expected Messiah. "Did he...
Word Alive FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD In today’s Second Sunday of Easter, the apostle Thomas manifested a lack of trust of Jesus’ Resurrection. Because of this, the term "doubting Thomas" was coined to describe all doubters and skeptics. The skeptical apostle said, "Unless I see the scars of the...
FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD Bishop Moore tells the story of a little boy who was swimming one day in a lake when suddenly he suffered cramps in the legs and could swim no farther. The boy struggled for his life. He had gone under twice, when he felt the strong arm of a man lifting him. The man had seen...
FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD In the vigil service of Holy Saturday tonight, Christians await the Lord as He comes forth from the tomb. The paschal candle symbolizes the Risen Christ dispelling the darkness of sin and death. This is dramatically enacted as the church, with all the lights switched off, is...
WORD ALIVE FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD In basketball, a player is hailed as a hero when he commits a few errors and makes points during crucial moments. He becomes a "darling of the crowd." But the next time, he is treated as a bum or villain when he fumbles, misses some baskets and does not score as...
WORD ALIVE FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD One morning, a husband who had a quarrel with his wife went to church to attend Mass. When he came home, he looked for his wife and, finding her in the kitchen, embraced and lifted her up. Startled, the wife yelled, “Why did you do that? Did the priest tell you to...
