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hi! if you like this blog, if this is helpful to you, can you pls sign up as members/ followers of this blog?  just scroll down, its on the right hand corner. thanks and God bless!  Advance Merry Christmas!! kung nakatutulong sa inyo ang blog na ito, maaari po bang mag sign-up kayo bilang members o followers ng blog? makikita ito sa ibaba, sa gawing kanan. salamat po at pagpalain kayo ng Panginoon! Maligayang Pasko po! for reflections on Christmas and the following feasts/ Sundays until Sto. Nino, scroll down and it’s there! please take time to read also the lives of saints in Tagalog. para sa mga pagninilay sa Pasko at mga susunod na kapistahan o Linggo hanggang sa Santo Nino, mag-scroll lamang pababa at mababasa ito. maglibang din sa pamamagitan ng pagbabasa ng mga talambuhay ng mga santo at santa.

PISTA NG TIWALA Sa ating bansa, tinutuldukan ng kapistahang ito ng Santo Nino ang panahon ng Kapaskuhan.   Bagamat sinauna ang pistang ito, tila ito laging lumalakas at laging nagiging bago sa puso nating mga Katoliko. Ang pagdiriwang ng Santo Nino, si Hesus bilang isang bata, ay pista ng tiwala, ng tiwala ng isang anak sa kanyang ama o magulang, ang tiwala na dapat nating dalhin sa ating puso kaugnay ng Diyos na tunay nating Ama. Kapag may tiwala ka sa isang tao, palagi kang umaasa. Ang kapag natupad ang inaasahan mo, puno ka ng kagalakan. Kapag may tiwala ka, kahit minsang masiphayo ang tiwala, patuloy kang kumakapit sa pag-asa na isang araw, tutuparin din ang pangako, magaganap din ang inaasahan. Ito ang tiwala, ang lakas ng loob, na nakikita natin sa tuwing nakatitig tayo sa imahen ng Santo Nino. Ito ang tiwala na nais nating makamit sa ating puso. Pero habang lumalaki tayo, tila nagiging masalimuot ang magtiwala. May mga taong nakikilala t...

FEAST OF TRUST In the Philippines, the Christmas season is sealed with this feast of the Santo Nino, the Holy Child Jesus, an ancient devotion that is as strong as it is always fresh. The feast of the Holy Child is a feast of trust, the trust of a child to his father/parent, the trust all of us must have towards God our real Father. If you trust someone, you are filled with expectation. And when you see that what you expect indeed truly takes shape, you are overjoyed. If you trust some one, even if you are disappointed at times, you still cling to hope that one day, the promise will be fulfilled, what you await will still come to pass. This is the trust, the confidence that we find each time we gaze at an image of the Child Jesus. This is the trust we all want to have within us. But as we grow old, trusting becomes a really complex matter. Experience tells us that not all people are reliable. You begin to be cautious when you happen to meet peo...

BUMALIK SA TUBIG Isang babaeng writer na hindi naniniwala sa Diyos ang nagsaliksik tungkol sa tema ng sex. Napagtanungan niya ang ilang mga Katoliko at nadiskubre niya ang kakaibang pananaw ng mga ito tungkol sa paksa.   Iniwan niya ang kanyang proyektong libro, at hiniling niyang mabinyagan bilang Katoliko. Ang isang anak ng isang diktador na lider ng isang bansa, ay punung-puno ng hiya at guilt sa ginawa ng tatay niyang pagpatay sa napakaraming tao. Pumasok siya sa isang simbahang Katoliko at napansin niya ang kapayapaan sa mukha ng mga taong nakatanggap ng Komunyon.   Alam niya agad na ito ang hinahanap niya sa buhay, at nagpabinyag siya bilang Katoliko. Isang babaeng Protestante na dating diyakonesa at naging babaeng-pari pa sa kanilang pamayanan, ay nakadama ng pagnanasang mas maglingkod pa sa Panginoon. sa kanyang pagdarasal at pagsasaliksik, iniwan niya ang kanyang trabaho sa simbahan nila, at ngayon ay isang madre na, matapos humingi na ma...

TURN TO THE FONT An atheist woman writer, researching on sexual theme, interviewed many people about their views on sex and relationships. She talked to Catholics and discovered something unique in their beliefs. She abandoned the book project, and instead asked to be baptized a Catholic. The daughter of a ruthless dictator, was filled with shame and guilt at the number of people her father killed and she was longing for the solace of faith.   She went to a Catholic church where she saw the transformed faces of people who just received Communion. She knew she had to enter the church and asked for baptism. A Protestant woman, a deaconess in her church and later a woman-priest, desired in her heart to render real service to Christ. In her prayer and discernment, she left her ministry and now is a nun in seclusion, after asking to be baptized a Catholic. What did these 3 women find as they progressed in their search for meaning?   They found the wa...

PALITAN NG REGALO Ang ganda ng larawang dala ng mabuting balita ngayon. Parang isang party na may exchange gifts. Hindi ba exciting lagi ang exchange gifts? Ang mga pantas ay may dalang ginto, kamanyang at mira. Si Maria ay may regalong sinapupunan, ang kanyang Oo at ang kanyang puso. Si Jose ay may handog na regalo ng isang tahanan at isang maka-amang pagmamahal. May makapapantay ba sa regalo ng Ama? Ibinigay niya ang buo niyang sarili sa pamamagitan ng kaisa-isa niyang anak, si Hesus ang Kristo! Sa mga pantas, dala ni Hesus ang Mesiyas na inaasam nila… Kay Maria, alay ni Hesus ang kaloob ng isang mabuting Anak… Kay Jose, handog ni Hesus ang karangalan at pagbabasbas sa kanyang buong lahi at angkan… Kay ganda kapag may maibibigay ka… at kapag may natatanggap ka rin. Pero paano kung sinasabi nating wala tayong maireregalo?   Wala tayong maibibigay, walang maibabahagi sa Diyos? O sa kapwa, dahil wala tayong pera, talento o kakayaha...

EXCHANGE GIFTS The gospel gives us a lovely picture of the Christmas season. It is like a gathering of people for an exchange of gifts.   Aren’t we excited each year for the “exchange gifts?” The Magi brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Mary gave Jesus the gift of her womb, her Yes, her whole self. Joseph gave Jesus the gift of a real family, and of earthly fatherly love. What can equal the gift God prepared today? he gives us his own self, through the presence of His only Son, Jesus Christ! To the Magi, Jesus gives the gift of the Messiah they desire To Mary, Jesus gives the gift of a loving Son To Joseph, Jesus gives the gift of honor and dignity to his whole race How great it is to be able to give… and to experience receiving as well.   But what about when we begin to say, we have no gifts? We have nothing to give,   nothing to share with the Lord? Or even with others, if we have   no money, no...

HIGIT PA SA PAPUTOK Hindi kumpleto ang Bagong Taon natin kung walang paputok. Galing ito sa tradisyong Chinese; ang ingay at liwanag daw ang nagtataboy sa malas upang matira lamang ang buenas. Kaya lang para sa ilan, ang natitira lamang pagkatapos ng putukan ay ilang mga daliring hindi naputol! Ngayong Bagong Taon, hindi kuntento ang Diyos sa paputok lamang.   Ang gusto ng Panginoon ay pasabog!   Naghahanda ang Diyos ng pasabog ng biyaya para sa iyo sa taong ito!   Hindi lamang buenas, hindi lamang tsamba… sa halip, biyaya, grasya, na umaapaw at nananatili sa lahat ng sandali. Ihanda ang sarili sa pasabog na biyaya at buksan ang puso sa Diyos na nagdadala ng biyaya sa ating buhay. Salubungin ang biyaya ng kapayapaan. Ito ang kailangan ng mundong nasa gitna ng giyera. Ito ang kailangan n gating bayang naghihikahos. Ito ang kailangan ng pamilyang watak-watak. Ito ang kailangang ng pusong naguguluhan.   Ang Diyos ang sanhi ng kapa...

EXPLOSIVES, NOT FIRECRACKERS New Year in the Philippines and other Asian countries is not complete without firecrackers. It is a tradition we inherited from our Chinese influence; the noise and the crackle of firecrackers are meant to chase away bad luck so that only good luck will remain. Sadly for some, what remains after the firecrackers are just a few fingers! This New Year, God is not satisfied with firecrackers, however loud or creative or complex they may be. God is preparing explosives!   No, not the type that terrorists use. God is preparing an explosion of blessings for you this year!   not just good luck, not just random opportunities… but blessings that overflow and blessings that remain forever. Prepare for an explosion of blessings and open your heart to the Lord who bestows these graces in your life. Welcome the blessing of peace: the world at war needs peace. Our country in poverty needs peace. Our divided families ne...

FAMILY TRULY OPEN All around us are a variety of families. There are broken families, severed by discord.   There are separated families, with a member or two in distant places.   There are wounded families, suffering the pain and hurt of emotional and physical torments.   There are dysfunctional families, defying normalcy and scarring their members for life. That is why we need to hear about the Holy Family.   That is why after Christmas, the Lord wants us to behold his own family.   This family is our dream family, our ideal, our hope. What made the Holy Family of Nazareth holy?   I think it is the members’ openness. They were open to God: God has entered the world and Joseph and Mary did not push Him away. When they learned God has a plan for humanity, they welcomed God even if they did not fully understand His divine plan. They were open to each other: Mary warmly received Jesus in her heart… and in her womb. ...

PAMILYANG LUBOS NA BUKAS Sa paligid natin, maraming iba’t-ibang uri ng pamilya. May wasak na pamilya dahil sa alitan.   May hiwalay na pamilya dahil sa pagkakalayo-layo.   May sugatang pamilya dahil sa sakit ng paghihirap.   May mga magulong pamilya na hindi normal ang takbo at nagbubunga ng pagkasira ng mga miyembro nito. Kaya nga, kailangan natin ang Banal na Pamilya ng Nasaret. Kaya nga, matapos ang Pasko, nais ng Diyos na pagmasdan natin ngayon ang kanyang pamilya.   Ito ang ating pangarap na pamilya, ang ating modelong pamilya, ang ating inaasahang pamilya. Paano naging banal ang pamilyang ito? Dahil sa kanilang pagiging bukas. Bukas ang mga kasapi ng pamilyang ito sa Diyos: nang ninais ng Diyos na pumasok sa daigdig, hindi Siya itinaboy ni Jose at Maria. Nang malaman nilang may plano ang Diyos para sa mundo, masayang sinalubong nila ang Diyos kahit mahirap maunawaan ang kilos ng Diyos. Bukas din sila sa isa’t isa: bukas-p...

PERPEKTONG PAG-IBIG SA PALPAK NA MUNDO Mahirap ang buhay… madrama ang buhay… pabigat ang buhay… Palagi natin itong naririnig at paano ka tatanggi?   Pati tayo alam natin na ito ay totoo. Kay maraming tao ang ayaw nang mabuhay; marami ang suko na sa buhay; maraming tao ang ayaw nang maging tao – espiritu na lang, para malaya na sa buhay! Kasi naman, walang kuwentang mabuhay! At mahirap ang buhay… madrama ang buhay…   pabigat ang buhay… Ganito din nakikita ng Diyos ang buhay kasi nakikita niya kung paano ang mga anak niya’y naghihirap, nagsisikap sa gitna ng mga pagsubok.   Alam niya na hindi ginhawa, hindi hayahay ang lahat sa planetang ito. Iba ang tugon ng Diyos. Mahirap ang buhay, kaya ayoko na   - ganito tayo! Ang Diyos: mahirap ang buhay kaya sisimulang kong mabuhay; yayakapin ko ang buhay ng aking mga anak. Ang Diyos ay hindi umaayaw sa buhay kundi umiibig sa buhay. Kung umaayaw siya, e di wala nang Pask...

PERFECT LOVE ENTERS IMPERFECT WORLD Life is hard… life is challenging… life is a burden…   We often hear this these days, and who will not agree?   We have our share of life’s unfairness, don’t we?   So we hear people who want to get over with life; people who want to escape from it all; people who don’t want to be people anymore! – just souls maybe, so they can be free at last!   After all, life is not worth living! And life is hard… life is challenging… life is a burden… That is how God also sees it now for he sees his children struggling through so many things, suffering through so many obstacles.   He knows that life is not a bed of roses, not a comfortable stage for most people on the planet. The response of the Lord is different.   Life is difficult, so I quit – that’s what people say!   God says: Life is difficult so I start! I begin! I embrace all of life! God is not a quitter but a love...

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All of us in some way are like “damaged goods.”  You may have been damaged by a separation, break-up or divorce.  You may have gone through unfair treatment, unhealthy childhood, or have fallen into an addiction or a vice.    Do not focus on your mistakes or on the mishaps.  You may be damaged outside, but there’s nothing wrong in the inside.    You are God’s child, full of potentials, talent, and wisdom.  No one can keep you from your destiny! (thanks to Joel Osteen)

LAGI BANG MABUTI ANG MABUTING BALITA? Sa Adbyento, inihahanda tayong makinig sa Mabuting Balita ng Panginoong Hesukristo.   Pero ano ba talaga itong mabuting balita? Ito ba ay laging mabuti lang, kaaya-aya lang, madali at kumportableng balita? Kasi sa gospel ngayon, kita naman natin na sa buhay ni Juan Bautista, ang Mabuting Balita ay hindi laging mabuti, at least, sa paraan na inaasahan natin itong maging mabuti o kaaya-aya.   Ang mabuting balita ayon kay Juan ay hindi kumportableng balita. Sa halip ang Mabuting Balita ay humahamong balita.   Sinubukan ni Juan na hamunin ang mga nakikinig sa kanya na magbalik loob sa Diyos, lumayo sa kasalanan, tuntunin ang sentro ng kanilang puso. Hindi kaya madaling lumayo sa kasalanan at magbagong buhay, alam natin yan!   Pero kung nais nating makilala ang Mesias na ipinangangaral ni Juan, minsan talaga, kahit masakit ay dapat nating tanggihan ang mga naglalayo sa atin sa piling ng Diyos. Ang mab...

IS GOOD NEWS ALWAYS GOOD? In Advent we are confronted with the Good News of Jesus Christ.   But what really is good news?   Is it always good, always comfortable, always nice and easy? Today, we hear the good news from the mission of John the Baptist.   In the case of John, we see that the Good News is not always “good,” at least not in the way we expect things to be good. For good news is not comfortable, nice and easy news.   Rather Good news is challenging news.   John challenged his listeners to take the path of conversion, of turning away from sin, of returning to the center of their hearts.   It is not easy to avoid the path of sin and make amends for our mistakes in life.   But for us to meet the One the Baptist points to us, we must at times, painfully refuse anything that removes us from the presence of the Lord. Good News is also disturbing news. John does not preach himself. He introduces someone greater than ...