REFLECTIONS TODAY Beelzebul or Beelzebub is a name derived from a Philistine god, formerly worshiped in Ekron, and later adopted in the Bible as a major demon (2 Kgs 1:2-3). The name Beelzebul is associated with the Canaanite god Baal. Luke simply uses the name as synonym for Satan. The...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The heart of the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples is the very first word: “Father!” This corresponds to the Aramaic word abba. In Luke, whenever Jesus speaks to God in direct speech, he addresses him as “Father!” which reveals his familial intimacy with God. In...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The key to the prayer lies in our relationship with God. God is not some distant stranger. The Israelites to whom God revealed himself considered him as wholly “Other”—the Creator and Savior, the Almighty who dwells in the high heavens. The people looked at God with awe and...
REFLECTIONS TODAY On Feb. 2, 2021, Pope Francis approved the changing of the liturgical feast of St. Martha (July 29) to include her sister and brother, Mary and Lazarus, on the Church’s universal calendar of feast days. In the household of Bethany, as we read in today’s Gospel, Jesus...
FINDING ANSWERS A lifetime of heartaches has finally led to a euphoric explosion of national pride as Gilas Pilipinas captured the gold in the Asian Games. It was an exhilarating display of tenacity, passion, on-court wizardry, and never-ending hope as our national team pursued a dream that was...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In the parable, the priest and the Levite are joined because they share high status in the community. Born into the priestly family, they are part of the world of the Temple. In a world with strict boundaries between clean and unclean, their association with the Temple commends...
BETTER DAYS Over a decade has passed since we first filed the bill pushing for the institutionalization of a Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers. It was way back in July of 2007 when I was on my second term as the representative of the province of Aurora when we filed the bill and since then, we have...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Matthew 21:33-43 Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey....
REFLECTIONS TODAY When they return from their mission, the seventy-two disciples can report to Jesus, “Mission accomplished.” They are happy to share that they were given hospitality in villages where they healed the sick with the power given them by Jesus. And probably to their great surprise,...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The reproaches of Jesus to unrepentant towns follow the sending of the 72 disciples. They will repay “peaceful” people who will receive them with the healing of the sick in their village. But for others who will not receive them, a severe judgment awaits (Lk 10:6-11). A...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The Gospel reading is part of Jesus’ Community Discourse (Matthew 18), a collection of Jesus’ sayings for the guidance of the believers in their life in common. And at the core of this teaching “for adults” is to become like little children. The disposition that Jesus asks...
BETTER DAYS Sept. 24 this year marks what would have been the 89th birthday of my father, former Senate President Edgardo Angara. It has been five years since he passed away and our entire family still misses him badly. We are constantly reminded of his countless accomplishments and the impact he...
