REFLECTIONS TODAY It was a popular belief among the Jews that misfortunes in life are caused by transgressions of the Law, while fidelity to the Law results to blessings and prosperity. While this may be true in general, Jesus rejects the notion that all misfortunes result from sin. Bad things...
REFLECTIONS TODAY A priest, in a homily, asked the congregation, “Who wants to go to heaven?” All raised their hands. But when he asked, “Who wants to die?” all drew their hands back. Apparently, no one was ready to face the Lord. We are perhaps banking on a delayed time of death to settle...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The Gospel reminds us of a famous line from a superhero movie: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Whatever we have, be it time, talent, or resources, the Lord expects us to use them for the spread of his Kingdom. The Christmas song “Little Drummer Boy” is...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The expression “gird your loins” (v 35) derives from practical purpose based on the ancients’ clothing. As pants or shorts were not in use in those days, tunics would be cumbersome to walk in or run around. This was resolved by bringing up the garment and tying it so...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In Japanese culture, there are art depictions of hungry ghosts, which are inspired by the Buddhist idea of reincarnation. These ghosts are the souls of human beings who fell into the traps of greediness. They have been punished in reincarnation by being made into creatures that...
REFLECTIONS TODAY How can God not forgive a sin? We know him to be merciful, why would he reserve a sin to be unforgivable? The Catechism of the Catholic Church (n 1864) explains what it means to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit concerns this: Unrepentance. We...
REFLECTIONS TODAY There is a great probability that St. Luke accompanied St. Paul in his missionary journeys. St. Paul relates accounts of his mishaps: lashings, beatings, stoning, shipwreck, drifting on sea, all sorts of dangers, toil, hardship, hunger, thirst, and cold, among other things that he...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Once a fellow priest took me to buy groceries. While passing through a moving conveyor belt, we passed by a stranger, a woman struggling to push her cartload of stuff bought from the stores. As if by instinct, my companion helped her push the cart, and immediately the ice was...
REFLECTIONS TODAY It is worth noting that Jesus specifies what kind of impurity the Pharisees have in their hearts. He says that their hearts are full of plunder and evil. We are made aware that these men who follow strict external observances are not disciplined internally, for letting...
REFLECTIONS TODAY An anecdote tells of a group of women whose modus operandi revolves around pretending to be friends with the owner of the restaurant in order to make waiters cater to their whims. Once, they entered a restaurant and attempted to throw their weight around based on that pretense....
REFLECTIONS TODAY Gospel • Mark 10:17-30 [or 10:17-27] As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good...
REFLECTIONS TODAY There is this biblical idea that the Word of God is so powerful that whenever it is uttered, it creates and transforms. Isaiah declares that God’s Word will not return to himself empty-handed (Is 55:11). It has to do something after it has been issued from the Lord’s mouth....
