REFLECTIONS TODAY In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives encouragement to his disciples. He knows that his disciples will leave him behind in times of suffering. He tells them that they need not worry because the Father is with him. With his knowledge of what is about to happen then, Jesus’ main...
REFLECTIONS TODAY MARK 16:15-20 Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Today is the Feast of St. Matthias, the apostle who took the apostolic office that Judas Iscariot had vacated (Acts 1:21-26). The disciples prayed and cast lots between Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias. Matthias eventually was counted with the Eleven to complete the Twelve apostles....
REFLECTIONS TODAY In today’s Gospel, Jesus refers to the Spirit of truth as the guide of his disciples. This same Spirit will take from what is his and declare it to the disciples. The Gospel also tells us that everything the Father has also belongs to Jesus. What is this thing that the Advocate...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Jesus’ disciples have been with him already for a long time (Jn 14:9). Now, he is telling them that he needs to go and to leave them. He has to go to prepare a place for his disciples in his Father’s house where there are many dwelling places (Jn 14:2). Today’s Gospel tells...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In today’s Gospel, Jesus presents to his disciples the Advocate (paráklētos), the Spirit of truth. This same Spirit of truth will bear witness (martureîn) to him. The disciples are also to bear witness to Jesus since they were with him from the beginning. The Spirit of truth...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Jn 15:9-17 Jesus said to his disciples: 9“As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In the Gospel of John, the idea of “knowing” is closely linked to the idea of “believing.” One believes when one knows. This is the reason why in John, Jesus always appears as the one who reveals the Father. He reveals the Father so that people may grow in their faith in...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In today’s Gospel, Jesus states his commandment of love. In the preceding verses, he tells his disciples that the way they could remain in his love is for them to keep his commandments (Jn 15:9-10). His commandment demands that his followers should love one another as he...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Today’s Gospel speaks of the Lord Jesus as the vine and of his followers as the branches. The vine-branches imagery is one of the beautiful imageries found in John. It depicts our intimate relationship with the Lord. It also poses the challenge to continue growing in this...
REFLECTIONS This year 2021 the Church in the Philippines celebrates 500 years of Christianity. As part of the preparations, the local Church declared 2020 as the Year of Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue. This theme on dialogue capped the nine-year preparations. We are also invited to reflect...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Today we celebrate the Feast of Sts. Philip and James, two of the twelve apostles chosen and commissioned by Jesus. The James being referred to here is the son of Alphaeus (Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15). The Gospel tells of Philip requesting Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus tells...
