REFLECTIONS TODAY The Greek Ego eimi literally means “I am.” Here it is translated as “It is I,” for the sake of smoothness. In the context of the story, Jesus may have said to the disciples, “It is, I, Jesus—your Master. There is no need to be afraid.” But these words of assurance do...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Gospel • John 6:1-15 Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The revelation of the Father in Jesus, the coming of the light into the world, elicits two responses. One is faith; the other, incredulity and unbelief. John describes the first reaction—faith in Jesus as revealer of God—as coming to the light (v 21). Those who believe that...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In the perspective of the evangelist John, Nicodemus is a figure who little by little comes out of darkness — the realm of evil, untruth, and ignorance — into the light, none other than Jesus, the Light of the world (3:19; 8:12). In their conversation, Jesus reverses the...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The week following Easter is devoted to reflection on the fundamental sacrament of the Church: Baptism. The Gospel reading is taken from Jesus’ nocturnal encounter with Nicodemus during which Jesus explains “birth” to the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus represents Torah-observant...
REFLECTIONS TODAY John 20:19-31 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The great haul of fish is rich in symbolism in the new mission entrusted to the disciples—the shift from mere fishermen to “fishers of men” (Mt 4:19). The great catch of fish represents the gathering of the various types of people into the Church, the community of Jesus. The...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Sorrow shared is halved. We all need listening ears, especially when we experience a big loss in life. The two disciples choose to stick together and trudge their way back to Emmaus with heavy hearts. To them, Jerusalem is the city of dashed dreams and failed promises. The...
REFLECTIONS TODAY There are several women who actually meet the risen Christ. They are even able to embrace his feet and do him homage. There is nothing secret in Jesus’ message to them. He says to the women who are fearful yet overjoyed: “Do not be afraid” (v 10). The time of Jesus’...
BETTER DAYS Cancer continues to be among the leading causes of death in the Philippines. Based on preliminary data provided by the Philippine Statistics Authority, cancer was the third leading cause of death among Filipinos from January to May of 2022 — representing a 9.8 percent share just...
REFLECTIONS TODAY John 20:1-9 Today’s Gospel shows the significant role the women play in the proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection. All four evangelists agree on one vital detail about Easter morning: while it is still dark, women rush to Jesus’ tomb. Indeed, the presence of the women at the...
REFLECTIONS TODAY We anticipate Jesus’ resurrection, with the proclamation, “This is the night when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave” (Exsultet). In our life, there are many kinds of tombs in which we find ourselves — poverty and want, expectations...
