WORD ALIVE According to a Jewish legend, when God was about to create man, he consulted the angels that stood about his throne. “Create him not,” said the angel of Justice. “For he will commit all kinds of wickedness against his fellowman; he will be cruel and dishonest and...
WORD ALIVE In most stories of the gospel, Jesus Christ is depicted as a gentle, kind, compassionate man. However, in one incident at the temple, the Lord is seen fuming mad (Jn 2,13-22). Making a kind of whip of cords, "he drove sheep and oxen alike out of the temple area, and...
WORD ALIVE When I did a post-graduate study at the University of Leicester in England, there was a British lady personnel named Joan with whom I occasionally talked about religion. “I find it hard to believe there’s someone up there,” she said. “What I’ve gone through cannot make me...
WORD ALIVE There’s a young man who was constantly bedeviled by sensual thoughts. Feeling guilty, he consulted a priest-friend. “Don’t worry,” the priest assured him, “these thoughts popped out in our minds. They’re not sinful but only enticements. But the moment you start...
WORD ALIVE Five deacons of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) were ordained priests on Feb. 10, 2024 at the Divine Word Seminary Holy Spirit Chapel, Tagaytay City. The SVD ordinands of the Lumen Class 2024 are: Rev. Edbelwin Jiah Manda assigned in the Philippine North; Rev. Carlo Salidaga, Papua...
WORD ALIVE Some years ago I celebrated the culminating mass of a two-day Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) of the Loved Flock charismatic community at the DPWH chapel, Port Area, Manila. It was participated in by a cross section of teenagers and elders, the masa and government office personnel, many...
WORD ALIVE Tomorrow we celebrate the feast of the Magi or Epiphany. It is called Epiphany from the Greek term “epiphanein” which means to “manifest” because Jesus revealed himself not only to the Jews, the chosen people, but also to pagan visitors. * * * The gospel writer...
WORD ALIVE Once I solemnized the wedding of a friend. After that we didn't see each other for some time. When I met the couple, I asked: "How's your marriage going?" The husband said: “Father, I've found that there are three rings in marriage.” "That's new to me,” I replied....
WORD ALIVE Gaudete, which means “rejoice,” “be joyful,” is the message of this 3rd Sunday of Advent. That’s why the liturgical color for this Sunday is not violet but pink. The Sunday tells us to be “joyful in hope” because Christ the Messiah has already redeemed us. However,...
WORD ALIVE A soldier and his wife were preparing for the baptismal party of their baby girl when the chaplain arrived for the Baptism. Taking the father aside, the priest asked, “Are you prepared spiritually for this religious event?” “Well, I don’t know, Father,”...
WORD ALIVE Somebody once said, “There are two things we cannot escape in this life — paying taxes and dying.” The first is certainly not true because we know too well that there are tax evaders. But with death, that’s a hundred-percent certainty. And, most often, we do not know when it...
WORD ALIVE Tomorrow is the feast of Christ the King. When Jesus was crucified, a wooden sign (caratola) was nailed over his head with the inscription INRI, which in Latin means “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum”; in English, “Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews.” * * * Is Christ really a...
