THE FAMILY MYSTERY Feast of the Holy Family Why are roads blocked by heavy traffic during this season? Why are shopping malls teaming with people? Why is everyone rushing to get home? Parties, yes. Social functions, yes. Religious devotions yes. But at the heart of all these is family. We want to go home to family. We want to buy gifts for loved ones. We want to pray for people dear to us. We want to make sure we are present when family dinner is served and when family reunions happen. Filipino Christmas is unique in that it is best celebrated not with friends or officemates but with family members, even if at times, you only get to connect with them by phone or computer. They need to be there, physically or virtually, present with you on Christmas day. Some people complain about their families – rambunctious kids, erring spouse, gossipy in-laws, high cost of living and maintenance...
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GOD OFFERS US NEW BEGINNINGS New Year 2013: Mary, Mother of God Another doomsday prophecy has passed. December 21, 2012 came and went… just like any other day in the calendar. Except that, from the start of last year, everybody was gripped with fear that this day would be the end of the world. Indeed, the Mayans who made their calendar are no longer here to explain their thoughts. Their ancient world has ended and their rich civilization with it. New Agers read doom into the Mayan calculation. But the end? It is not yet a thing for us, as you and I now fully know. We are not lacking in the so-called “preppers” who make it their focus to stop the routine of their daily lives and prepare for the worst to come. The world is full of people who spread fear and disquiet among their family and friends. This means we never learned from our past. There have been and will be many prophecies of doom, maybe this year ...
TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD Christmas 2012 How does love between two people begin? Love begins when two people meet, when they look at and set eyes on each other, when they see each other face to face. It may be either love at first sight or a love that slowly develops from the moment you see the other’s face. You can “fall in love” with a voice on the radio or a cute cell phone text message but it’s incomplete until you see the face behind the voice or the message. You can be fascinated with someone on Facebook but only if you’re sure his/her profile picture is real and not borrowed from Sam Milbey or Ann Curtis. The face is an important factor in falling in love. Today the angels tell the shepherds: “you will see an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes.” This infant has a definite face. It is the face of a loving and lovable God. With the face of the infant in a Bethlehem cave, the unseen God of Israel ceases ...
MOTHER, LEAD US TO HIM… 4th Sunday of Advent Many of our mothers deserve to be called super moms. They care for the house, keeping all things in order. They also work outside to support dads and supplement the income. They find time to listen, to bond, to volunteer, and all sorts of others activities besides. And rarely do you hear them complain, even if they are sick. How many moms get the praise they deserve? Each day, these women also have to put up with pain in relationships, misunderstandings in the family, stress at work and in their community involvements. In the end, where will we find ourselves if our moms gave up on us, if they have not been on our side? At times, we only begin to realize their influence when they are gone. The gospel today is a fitting praise for a mother, sung by another mother. The visitation of Mary to Elizabeth ends with this song of exuberance, gratitude, and praise...
PROACTIVE RESPONSE TO THE PASSING OF THE DESTRUCTIVE RH BILL LET US MOVE ON! My dear people of God in the Church in Lingayen Dagupan: Conscience attempted to speak but it has been stifled! The Reproductive Health Bill has been passed by the Senate and Congress through a majority vote. They might have won through the tyranny of numbers but it does not mean that they are right. It is only a matter of time and then we will see more violations of “ Thou shall not kill ” and “ Thou shall not commit adultery ” among our families, our youth and children. If the President will sign this into law, he will give us a moral time bomb wrapped as a gift to celebrate Christmas. This law will open more doors to abortion and more crimes against women. In the Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan, let us intensify the moral spiritual education of our youth and children so that they can stand strong against the threats to their moral fibre. Let us use all the means within our ...
MASS FOR THANKSGIVING AND HEALING OF A SICK PRIEST What a beautiful Mass we came here to celebrate. There are two occasions that brought us here to this Eucharist. First, it is the Mass to remember the birthday of Fr. G, our classmate and ordination batchmate. Every life is an immense gift, but moreso when it is the unique life of a priest. We know that the life of a priest is a life given to service, to others, to his neighbors. Though unworthy, the life of a single priest touches hundreds, even thousands of lives each day, especially if he lives within a parish community. I know that Fr. G is surrounded today by his family and close friends. I am here as a classmate and friend. But many are here not because we are related to Father’s past but because we are recipients of his present goodness. You are here as because he is your parish priest, maybe even your favorite parish priest, your beloved parish priest, your b...
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
INQUIRING FAITH LEADS TO JOY 3rd Sunday of Advent (start of Simbang Gabi, Dec. 16, in the Philipines) When I was new in Manila, I was roaming around the city with a friend. We got lost and couldn’t find our way back. I wanted to ask a policeman for directions but my friend did not believe in asking so. Finally we reached our home very late, hungry and tired. There are times we must find our own way but there are also benefits of asking for help. Last Sunday, we heard about John the Baptist attracting the attention of people with the specific prophecy of the coming Messiah. These powerful words stirred the hearts of listeners and in today’s gospel (Luke 3:10-18), we begin to see the people asking questions from the Baptist. “What should we do?” The Baptist was generous in his replies: Share – be just – be honest! Christmas is just around the corner and Simbang Gabi (Filipino Dawn Christmas Novena Mass...
MARY IMMACULATE, PRAY FOR US What is the Immaculate Conception all about? Why do we have this annual celebration of this great feast? The Immaculate Conception, says Pope Benedict XVI, is a result of the deeper reflection we have on the words of the archangel Gabriel: hail, full of grace! The angel greeted Mary but did not mention her proper name, rather, calling her “full of grace”. It seems that for God, the real name of Mary is “full of grace.” In the life of Mary, we see this overflowing grace of God in the entire thread of her existence. Grace at the time the angel appeared, grace in her divine motherhood, grace in her assumption to heaven, but grace too, from the earliest moment of her conception in her mother’s womb. Grace defines the entire history of Mary’s life. We are accustomed to call Mary by this title of being graced, when we repeat the Hail Mary each day: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you! Why ...
GOD WILL REMOVE THE OBSTACLES 2nd Sunday of Advent As I was reading the gospel, the first thing that struck me was the impossibility of the predictions of John the Baptist (Lk 3). How can you level mountains, fill up valleys, straighten crooked roads? That is a tall order. It must be an exaggeration. But the Baptist was echoing something that was already foretold. Take a look at the first reading, Baruch 5: the mountains will be made low and the gorges will be filled to level ground. God knows how to make incredible, unbelievable claims! In the first reading, the Lord was making a promise to end the mourning, the misery and sadness of Israel and to restore her glory and dignity. Her children abducted from her will all return to her fold. And the word of God is powerful to make it happen. In the gospel, John was not merely talking about a promise, but a fulfillment. It is happening now! ...
FULFILLER OF PROMISES 1st Sunday of Advent Have you heard of the latest scam that again duped thousands of our countrymen? Very ordinary people are now crying their hearts out to recover their precious savings. Many people nowadays succumb easily into scams. Why? Because people are entranced by promises a better economic and social life. I too was once scammed by glib, attractive proposals of a person I hardly knew and who later appeared as a seasoned deceiver. We hold on to promises when we find ourselves walking through the dark. Promises become irresistible as we try to wriggle our way out of difficult situations of poverty, indebtedness, shame or desperation. Promises become so tempting to believe when we are most in need of hope. But as the saying goes, some “promises are meant to be broken”. And when they are indeed broken, this results in shattered dreams and broken hearts. Look at the sadness o...