OUR PARISH PRIEST

PABAYAAN LANG Nagku-kuwento ang kaibigan ko tungkol sa darating na kasal ng kanyang panganay na anak na babae. Tinanong ko siya kung saan maninirahan ang mga bagong kasal. Agad sinabi niyang halos malapit lang sa kanila ang condominium. At dahil dito, sinabi niya sa magiging mag-asawa na doon na sa kanyang bahay sila dapat uuwi para kumain, makilaba at mangolekta ng mga supply na kailangan nila sa condominium. Ipadadala din daw niya ang kanyang kasambahay para maglinis para sa bagong kasal. Naramdaman ko tuloy na ayaw pabayaang mag-isa ng kaibigan ko ang anak niyang handa nang tumayo sa sariling paa. Bakit nga ba mahirap pabayaang lumayo ang isang tao? Siyempre, sasabihin nating dahil mahal natin ang tao kaya mahirap pakawalan ito. Dahil masaya tayo kapag kasama natin siya, masakit sa loob kapag makikita nating lalayo sila at mahihirapan sa mga hamon ng buhay. Minsan din, ayaw nating makitang lumayo ang mga tao dahil sa ating pansariling pakinabang. Paano kapag hindi n

LETTING GO My friend was talking about her daughter's coming wedding – the church, reception and honeymoon. When I interrupted to ask where the newly weds plan to live after the ceremonies, my friend said that she was happy the location chosen was just near her house. She said she instructed her daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law to take their meals, to do their laundry, and to collect their supplies from her house. She also volunteered to send her own maid to clean the condominium unit of the couple. In effect, I felt, she was telling her daughter to stay exactly the same as before her wedding. Why is it difficult to let go of people? Of course, we say that it is because we love that we find it difficult to release people from our midst. Because we delight in their company, we feel pain when we have to risk seeing them go far and go through the pains of daily challenges and ordeals. Sometimes too, we hate to see people go for our own benefit. We do not want to lo

BAKIT SI PEDRO PA? Sa mga Katoliko, ang mabuting balita ngayon (Mt 16) ay may matimyas na alingawngaw sa ating pananampalataya. Ipinapakita dito ang natatanging pag-uusap ng Panginoong Hesus at ng kanyang pangunahing alagad, si Pedro. Para sa maraming eksperto, ang tagpong ito ang siyang paggagawad ni Hesus kay Pedro ng katungkulan at kapangyarihang maglingkod sa simbahan sa kanyang ngalan. Lagi nating sinasabi na dito naganap ang pagiging Santo Papa ni San Pedro. Subalit palagay ko, ang mabuting balita ngayon, kahit nakatutok kay Pedro at sa mga naging Santo Papa ng simbahan, ay may dalang mahalagang mensahe para sa ating lahat. Kung di gayon, hindi magiging makabuluhan at angkop ang mga salitang ito sa ating buhay. Bakit ba tinawag ni Hesus si Pedro? Hindi naman siya ang pinakamagaling na alagad. Lagi siyang nagkakamali. Madalas din siyang katawa-tawa. At sa huli, di ba, itinatwa din niya ang Panginoon noong dakpin si Hesus ng mga kaaway niya. Kaya, bakit siya? Is

WHY PETER? For Catholics, the gospel today (Mt. 16) has an endearing resonance to our faith. It speaks of the special conversation between the Lord Jesus and his primary apostle, Peter. Most interpreters link this episode with the conferral on Peter of authority and power to serve the church in the name of Jesus. Indeed, we often say that Peter was made pope in this special moment of his life. However I believe this gospel, though it concerns Peter and the popes in a special way, also contains a message for all of us. Otherwise, the gospel will be irrelevant and inapplicable to our daily lives. Why did Jesus choose Peter? He was not the ideal apostle, he was always making mistakes, he was often getting into ridiculous situations, and he was a betrayer of the Lord later on as we shall see in the accounts of the Passion. A good answer would be to understand the two ways we look at people. There is a look that brings death. This happens when we view others with suspici

PALABAN Sa unang sulyap tila ang babae sa Mabuting Balita ay babaeng sawimpalad. Una, pinahihirapan ng demonyo ang kanyang mahal na anak. Sa kanyang kahinaan, bumaling siya sa nag-iisang lunas na mabisa. Hinanap niya ang Panginoong Hesukristo na kilala sa kabutihang loob at sa kapangyarihang magpagaling. Subalit hindi dito natapos ang kanyang mga problema. Tila ayaw siyang pansinin ni Hesus at pati ang mga alagad ay gusto siyang ipagtabuyan. Dahil ito sa pagiging taga-Canaan ng babae; isang lahi na hindi itinuturing na kapantay ng mga purong Israelita. Dumanas siya ng diskriminasyon dahil sa lahi. Pagkatapos pinaringgan pa siya ni Hesus na siya ay tila isang “aso” na hindi maaaring magkamit ng pagkaing para lamang sa mga anak ng tahanan. Dahil ba ito sa kanyang pagiging babae, isang nilalang na mas mababa sa mga kalalakihan? Bakit ang mga lalaking lumalapit ng tulong kay Hesus ay hindi nakakaranas ng ganitong pagtrato mula sa kanya? Dumanas ang babaeng ito n

FIGHTING SPIRIT At first glance, we can call this woman of today's gospel the woman of misfortunes! First, she is distraught that her daughter is tormented by a demon. In her helplessness, she turns to the only solution she thinks most effective. She seeks the Lord Jesus Christ who is known for his magnanimity and healing power. However, finding Jesus was not the end of her troubles. She seems to be ignored even by Jesus and the disciples try dispose of her as a noisy nuisance. All these because she is a Canaanite, considered below par compared to the pure Israelite. She suffers a racist discrimination. Even Jesus infers that she is like a “dog,” unworthy to share the benefits of children in the household. Was this because she is a woman, a person of unreliable reputation and lesser dignity than men? Notice that men who approach the Lord for healing favors are never treated the same way. She suffers a sexist prejudice. Today's activists, bashers, and

SALAMAT PO, LOLA NENE... PAALAM PO, LOLA NENE... PANALANGIN AT PAGMAMAHAL PO, LOLA NENE...

I very much liked his smile In the two conclaves of 1978 the Archbishop of Manila was the youngest cardinal. Today he remembers... by Cardinal Jaime L. Sin   I ndeed time flies so fast. It was just like yesterday when I went to Rome to attend the two papal elections. It was Pope Paul VI of good memory who made me a cardinal in May of 1976. I was the youngest Cardinal then at 47 years old. Pope Paul VI was a serious but gentle Pope. He was very firm in upholding the teachings of the Church (as exemplified when he issued Humanae Vitae ), but because of his diplomatic background, he was also a good listener. During the conclave following his death, I was still the youngest among the cardinals and so I was the doorkeeper. I was the one who attended to the needs of some of the elderly and infirm cardinals. I remember helping out Cardinal Albino Luciani of Venice one night. He was very simple, humble and meek. I liked his smile a

THAT SINKING FEELING Since I can remember, there has been a plethora of anecdotes about the biblical St. Peter, mainly focusing on his weakness, his impetuousness, his imprudence. And who is to blame for this but Peter himself. He mirrors back to us what is weak, lacking and wrong about our own selves. So at least, we should also reflect on ourselves too, when we begin to laugh at Peter's inconsistencies. In today's gospel (Mt. 14), as soon as Peter sees Jesus walking on the water, he immediately wants to join him. When Jesus invited him to come forth, Peter's true colors came out; he did not fully trust the Lord. He began to sink! There's an English expression called “the sinking feeling.” It refers to when you are suddenly, unexplainably, seized by a feeling that something is wrong, something bad is happening, something is remiss. And then you feel afraid that you will not be able to manage things. Peter's actual predicament equals the symbolic me

PARANG LULUBOG Mula pa noon, ang daming nang kuwento tungkol kay San Pedro, lalo na sa kanyang kahinaan, pagpapadalos-dalos at kakulangan sa paghusga sa mga bagay-bagay. At sino ang sisisihin kung ganito talaga si Pedro. Sinasalamin niya sa atin ang mahina, kulang, at mali sa ating mga sarili. Kaya nga kung pagtatawanan natin si Pedro, sana pag-isipan din natin ang ating sariling situwasyon. Sa mabuting balita ngayon (Mt 14), nang makita ni Pedro ang Panginoong Hesus na lumalakad sa ibabaw ng tubig, agad niyang ninais na sumama dito. Nang anyayahan siya ng Panginoon, lumitaw ang tunay na kulay ni Pedro; kulang ang kanyang tiwala, at kaya siya ay unti-unting lumubog. May kasabihan sa Ingles na “the sinking feeling”. Ito yung nagaganap kung bigla at di maipaliwanag na nakaramdam ka na may mali, may masama, may kakaibang nagaganap. At pagkatapos bigla kang dinapuan ng takot na baka hindi mo kayanin ito. Ang problema ni Pedro ay parang tulad ng kahulugan ng kasabihang ito:

  BEAUTIFUL WITHIN How media set the standard of beauty to almost unreachable heights! Doesn’t television bombard us with the clamor for the flawless skin, lighter complexion, toned muscles and perfect set of teeth? Do we not long to live in the ideal home where the living room, the bath, and the garden suit the demands of comfort and aesthetics? The master chefs around the world promote healthy and natural food that tastes delish and looks irresistible. There is nothing wrong to admire or aspire for beauty. The unhealthy obsession with it however, brings frustration, sadness and depression to so many people today. How many people feel condemned because they do not possess the curvaceous body or six-pack abs, do not live in palatial surroundings, and cannot afford to dine luxuriously in the latest launched restaurant or hotel? Jesus reveals the true and resplendent beauty in today’s gospel of the ascencion (Mt. 17). As he was transformed into a glo

--> ANG KAGANDAHAN AY NASA LOOB Sobrang itinaas na ng media ang pamantayan ng kagandahan na halos hindi na maabot! Hindi ba sa tv pa lang sinasabi na sa ating maghangad ng malasutlang balat, maputing kulay, matambok na masel, at makinang na ngipin? Hindi ba tayo nananaginip na tumira sa bahay na kumportable at ubod ng gara? Pati ang mga master chef ngayon ay nagsasabing hindi lang dapat masarap ang pagkain kundi dapat maganda rin sa mata. Wala namang masama na asamin o hangaan ang kagandahan. Kaya lang, ang sobrang pagnanasa dito ang ugat ng kabiguan, kalungkutan, at kapanglawan ng marami. Ilan ang naghihimutok na hindi maganda ang figure o abs nila, hindi mala-palasyo ang bahay, at hindi kayang kumain sa pinakabago at sikat na restawran? Inihahayag ng Panginoong Hesus ang tunay at maningning na kagandahan, sa Mabuting Balita ngayon(Mt 17). Nang magbagong-anyo ang Panginoon, pati ang Ama sa langit ay napasigaw: Ito ang aking minamahal na Anak!