THROUGH UNTRUE I once read that people who frequent nightclubs prefer experiences best enjoyed in the dark. Dim lights create an atmosphere of secrecy and mystery, tempting them to engage in behaviors they would not want to be caught doing. The darkness also obscures their physical...
THROUGH UNTRUE It is often said that history is prophecy. Understanding the past can help us anticipate the future. Yet, history is not always a reliable predictor, as it is shaped by countless unforeseen variables. One such variable, which can dramatically alter the course of history, is divine...
THROUGH UNTRUE One might wonder why the issue of sex education is being revived once again. In 2012, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act was passed into law and later upheld by the Supreme Court. This law mandates the integration of sexuality education into the existing...
THROUGH UNTRUE Today, we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus. Although sinless, Jesus willingly presented Himself to be baptized to affirm His identity as the Messiah, whose perfect atonement cleanses our sinfulness and grants us salvation. He also demonstrated that baptism is an essential requirement...
THROUGH UNTRUE During this Jubilee Year, many Catholics embark on pilgrimages to Rome and other sacred sites. But with the soaring cost of plane tickets, guided tours, and accommodations, it might seem that pilgrimages are only for those who can afford such luxuries. However, a pilgrimage...
THROUGH UNTRUE A few days from now, we will celebrate the New Year. If you stop to think about it, "New Year" is essentially a product of our imagination. Time is real, yet we experience it as a continuous, unbroken flow. To make sense of this, we use mental constructs like years, months,...
THROUGH UNTRUE During the 2013 Miss World competition, Megan Young’s mother was asked: “What is the biggest piece of advice that you gave your daughter?” Without hesitation, she replied: “I told her to be kind.” She added: “Megan, if you win the crown, go around the world and...
THROUGH UNTRUE Many still think that when Christ was born, everything changed. It did not. What it brought was a promise of radical transformation that can only be realized when we actively cooperate with God’s initiative. The problem, however, is that we tend to understand such “cooperation”...
THROUGH UNTRUE When was the last time you felt truly sorry for having done something wrong? Was the remorse so intense that you made a sincere confession, promised to do better, and performed some form of penance or restitution? In a world steeped in moral relativism, many of us sin without...
THROUGH UNTRUE “Death comes without warning" is a statement that often makes us uncomfortable. The notion that death can strike unexpectedly challenges our belief that we are masters of our fate, not its victims. Also, we desire a peaceful existence that unfolds in an orderly way. We do not want...
THROUGH UNTRUE Today's Gospel reading discusses the end of the world (Mark 13:24-32). Throughout history, numerous doomsday theories have predicted when this event would occur, with perhaps the most controversial being Dec. 21, 2012—the date many believed cataclysmic events would destroy...
THROUGH UNTRUE True love must be a choice made freely and deliberately. So why does God command us to love? The commandment to love, as we read in today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 8:28-31), is not an imposed obligation that robs us of our freedom. Rather, through this commandment, God...
