WORD ALIVE There’s one feast in the Catholic Church’s calendar which is not very well known. That is the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple which is celebrated every Feb. 2. According to the ancient Jewish tradition, a child is never given to parents by...
WORD ALIVE The National Bible Sunday culminates on National Bible Week. The week reminds us of the all-important Word of God as our guide and instruction. As someone puts it, BIBLE is the acronym for: “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” * * * A man once bragged that...
WORD ALIVE This Sunday is the feast of the Sto. Niño in the Philippines. It is immensely popular among Filipinos. Rich and poor, young and old alike maintain a strong, if not fanatical, devotion to the Holy Child. * * * On the feast, big and mini statues are dressed endearingly in...
WORD ALIVE There was once a woman who brought her child to church for baptism. “What’s the baby’s name?” asked the parish priest. “Toyota,” said the mother. Taken aback, the priest said, “Why that name?” “Kasi po Father,” she replied, “iyong panganay ko ay nagngangalang...
WORD ALIVE A story is told about a Franciscan, a Jesuit, and an SVD who paid homage to the Christ Child in Bethlehem. The Franciscan was interested in the manger to serve as reminder of the poverty and simplicity their Order professed. The Jesuit was more interested to have Jesus enrolled at their...
WORD ALIVE A high school teacher was telling her class about statistics which indicate that more twins are being born these days than in the past. “Why?” asked a teen-aged boy. “Because,” replied a girl, “little children are afraid to come into the world alone.” That...
WORD ALIVE On the eve of the graduation of a senior high school class, a dedicated and unassuming teacher was invited to a class farewell party. In her inspirational talk, the teacher said, “Someday you will all be successful in life. But remember, a peso is not a peso without one centavo....
WORD ALIVE The message of this 3rd Sunday of Advent is “gaudete” which means “rejoice” or “be joyful.” We are joyful, first and foremost, because God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. * * * John the Baptist, the dominant figure in the...
WORD ALIVE A famous artist once held an exhibition of all his choice paintings. One painting bore the face of a woman who was extraordinarily beautiful. “Who’s this?” spectators ask. “Is she your...
WORD ALIVE Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the church’s liturgical calendar. And the call is “be watchful; be alert. You do not know when the Lord of the house will come. He may find you sleeping” (Mark 13, 35). * * * It does not mean...
WORD ALIVE Sunday is the feast of Christ the King of the Universe. Is Jesus Christ really a King? Standing before Pilate, Christ did not deny it. But then he said, “My kingdom does not belong to this world” (Jn 18,36). * * * In his book titled, “His Word Resounds,” Albert...
WORD ALIVE We have reached the end of the Church calendar and commemorated All Souls Day. Today, we reflect on the end of the world. Many people have been asking, “Father, is the world about to end?” I replied. “It’s because of the plagues, the earthquakes, famines, global warming,...
