REFLECTIONS TODAY It is natural for us to pray for people who are close to us: our family members, relatives, and friends. But it is also good to widen the scope of our prayers to include even those who are outside of our familial circles. Jesus, in the same priestly prayer in John 17, also prays...
REFLECTIONS TODAY First Reading • Acts 1:1-11 In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In this interesting episode, we see the interaction between Jesus and his disciples who are gripped with fear because of the impending departure of their Master. They cannot understand what he is saying, and they are upset by the time element of the whole process of suffering...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The Gospel today gives the concrete foundation and application of the abiding relationship of “vine and branches” pronounced by Jesus earlier. The foundation of mutual indwelling is none other than love, a word repeated no less than five times in these short verses. Jesus...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The international bestseller Tortured for Christ has inspired many to pray for the missionaries who go out of their way to witness to their faith in Christ “in season and out of season.” It has never been easy to “be sent,” that is, to go out and work as a messenger of...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In this first part of the discourse on the Bread of Life, Jesus reveals the substance of his word and teaching as nourishment for life. In fact, he tries to convince his hearers of the continuity of God’s teaching from the time of the prophets up to his own time. He reminds...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Philip and James, like the rest of the Apostles, live and walk with Jesus. They struggle in understanding his teachings and in perceiving the fullness of his identity, hence their entreaty: “Master, show us the Father” (v 8). Jesus answers their plea by challenging their...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In this first episode of John 6, Jesus sees the hungry multitude in front of him and challenges his disciples, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” (v 5). Philip’s retort is simply to point out the impossibility of the situation. Andrew, instead, sees a...
REFLECTIONS TODAY While Jesus’ disciples usually address him as “Teacher,” yet, for his townmates in Nazareth, he is simply the carpenter’s son, alluding to the trade of his known father, Joseph. This could give us an insight into Jesus’ growing-up years. Somehow, he must have...
REFLECTIONS TODAY John 3:16 is a familiar Johannine Gospel verse to many of us. The message about God’s great love for all, that he sends his only-begotten Son, never fails to uplift our spirits. It tells us that Jesus came not to condemn but to save us. However, today’s Gospel...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Early disciples of Jesus bear witness to an eschatological reality. Nevertheless, such reality is already realized in their life lived in common. Their shared life is a life that is born from above. Jesus’ early disciples lived a life in the Spirit. In today’s...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Today’s Gospel passage narrates that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. But why would he come to Jesus at night? Is he afraid that other people might see him and he might be identified with Jesus who, by performing signs, ignites indignation on the part of the authorities?...
