OUR PARISH PRIEST

ANG SAYSAY NG MGA MARTIR --> Sa buong mundo ngayon, naririnig natin ang sinasapit ng mga Kristiyanong pinag-uusig, na sa harap ng kamatayan o banta sa buhay at kaligtasan ay napipilitang gumawa ng masaklap na pasya ukol sa kanilang pananampalataya. Nitong nakaraang Palm Sunday sa Ehipto, ilang Coptic Christians na nagsisimba ang namatay sa bombang pinasabog sa kanilang simbahan. Nasundan ito ng pagpigil sa isang grupo ng mga Kristiyanong naglalakbay papunta sa isang simbahan bilang pilgrimage. Bukod sa ninakawan sila, pinilit pa silang itakwil ang kanilang relihyon at manumpa sa Islam. Isa-isang tumutol ang mga taong ito, kabilang ang mga bata, at isa-isa rin silang tumumba sa lupa nang sila ay pagpapatayin ng mga terorista. Dito sa atin sa Pilipinas, isang pari at mga parishioners ang mga unang hostages ng mga teroristang Maute at ISIS na lumusob sa lungsod ng Marawi. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa nalalaman ang sinapit nila. Sa Mabuting Bal...

WHY THE MARTYRS MATTER --> Around the world, we hear stories of persecution of Christians. Faced with death or threats to life, they are forced to make painful decisions regarding their faith in Jesus. Christians died in the bombing of a church in Egypt on Palm Sunday this year. Shortly after, a group of pilgrims on the way to visiting a church were stopped by terrorists, looted of valuables and were forced to renounce their religion. One by one, these pilgrims that included children, refused to give up their faith. And one by one too, they fell dead on the ground.  In the Philippines, a priest and his parishioners were among the first hostages taken by terrorists in the city of Marawi. Until now, nothing has been heard about their fate. Jesus tells us in today’s gospel (Mt. 10: 37-42) that serious challenges to faith, if not outright persecution, will definitely come. One day we will find ourselves making a choice: “Do you love ...

LIGTAS SA KANYANG YAKAP Ninenerbiyos ka ba na baka ang nabili mong bigas ay peke, tulad ng sabi sa balita? Natatakot ka ba na baka narito na sa Maynila ang mga teroristang Maute? Kinakabahan ka ba na baka nga ang susunod na target ng ISIS ay ang Pilipinas? Ngayon, natural lamang na maapektuhan ng mga kaganapan sa ating paligid. Nariyan ang terorismo sa Mindanao, krimen sa kalsada, at halos walang magandang balitang naririnig o nababasa. Naaapektuhan din tayo ng mga pangyayari sa ating personal na buhay. ang daming iniisip sa bahay. Ang daming alalahanin sa trabaho. Ano ba ang mangyayari sa akin? Ano na ang mangyayari sa aking mga mahal sa buhay? Pero may mabuting balita ang Panginoon para sa atin ngayon. Huwag kang matakot (Mt. 10:26). Ito ang payo ng Panginoon, ang kanyang habilin, ang kanyang utos. Huwag kang panghinaan ng loob. Huwag hayaang magupo ng sindak. Huwag kang mawawalan ng pag-asa. Paano natin ito magagawa?...

SAFE IN HIS EMBRACE Last Palm Sunday, bombs exploded in two churches in Egypt, killing 45 people. In an interview, a Coptic bishop explained that many people died because the church was jampacked. Considering the threats and the violence suffered by Christians in some parts of the Middle East, their faithful attendance at church is remarkable, admirable, surprising. “Terror on every side”, as the first reading says (Jer 20: 10-13) and yet the true Christian feels no reason to retreat and to run. Jesus encourages us today: “Fear no one” (Mt. 10: 26). Unlike persecuted Christians everywhere in the world, many of us enjoy security and comfort like never before. Our lives are full of things that make us impervious to the attacks of terrorist. We are safe. We have resources. We are free. And yet, many times we cannot avoid other “enemies”. They may not target our bodies. But they do intend to harm our reputation or good name, our relationships, our ...

--> ADIK SA IYO… Marami sa atin ang hayok na sa mga modernong adiksyon sa buhay. Maging mga sanggol at mga bata ay adik na sa mga gadgets at tila walang pakialam sa mundo sa paligid nila. Ang mga magulang naman ay matagal nang nahumaling sa tv. Ang computer ang puntahan ng mga taong walang magawa, walang makausap o walang mapuntahan kapag nalulungkot at nababagot sa buhay. May mga taong tila adik na sa mga bagay na maituturing na banal o mabuti. Halimbawa maraming tao ang walang tigil ang koleksyon ng mga imahen ng mga santo na parang koleksyon ng Barbie dolls, o kaya walang humpay sa kabibili ng mga librong hindi naman nila kayang basahin at nakatambak lamang. Ipinaaalala sa atin ng Kasulatan ngayon na may isang totoong “adiksyon” o pagkahumaling na nais ng Diyos na maging bahagi ng ating buhay. Ito ay ang pagiging tunay na pagkakaugnay sa katawan at dugo ni Kristo, ang ating Panginoon at Diyos, sa Eukaristiya. Hindi tayo sina...

--> ADDICTED TO LIFE People today are prone to many subtle and seemingly discreet addictions. It is true that toddlers and young children are becoming addicted to technological gadgets like cell phones, tablets and the internet in the same way that their parents have become too hooked on television programs. The lure of the computer has made prey of bored people looking for a diversion from the loneliness and pain of daily life. Some people are addicted to what seems to be holy things. There are Catholics who resort to unbridled collections of images of saints that they seem to be like religious barbie dolls, or impulsive hoarding of every new religious book that they cannot even read. The Scripture today reminds us in a powerful way of the only “addiction” or spiritual attachment we need to have in our daily life. And it is none other than the Blessed Sacrament, the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. God does not invit...

--> The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are properties and perfections or marks and characteristics bestowed by God the Holy Spirit on Christians to make them more open, obedient and docile to his encouragements and inspirations so that while they desire to fulfill God’s will in this life, they may be filled with heavenly joy and assurance of his guidance and help. St. Francis de Sales said that it is best to describe the gifts of the Holy Spirit in connection with the basic gift of charity or love. Thus, we can say that: WISDOM IS THE LOVE that makes us appreciate how sweet and delicious God is UNDERSTANDING IS THE LOVE that makes us attentive to learn the beauty of our faith, knowing who God is for us and knowing God through his creatures and through the events of our lives KNOWLEDGE IS THE LOVE that makes us attentive to learn who we are and who other creatures are in the sight of God, enabling us to know how to serve the Lor...

--> PAG-IBIG NA NAKIKIRAMDAM Heto na naman ang panahon upang unawain, tanggapin at ipagdiwang ang pinakamalalim na misteryong nakilala ng daigdig. Paano nga ba mabibigyang saysay ang Santissima Triniday – ang ugnayan ng Ama, Anak at Espiritu Santo na nagliligtas at nagbibigay buhay sa atin bilang mga Kristiyano? Ang Santissima Trinidad o Banal na Sangtatlo ay kasaysayan ng pagmamahal, na ibinuhos at ibinahaging walang pag-iimbot, pamimili o pagtatangi. Basta ito ay umaapaw na pag-ibig na mula sa sakripisyo. Hindi para sa utak lamang kundi para sa buong pagkatao ang misteryong ito. Nakikiramdam ang Diyos sa ating situwasyon ngayon at tinutugon niya tayo sa pamamagitan ng kanyang tatlong paraan ng paglingap at pagkahabag. May isang kabataang hirap daw maging mapagmahal kasi hindi naman niya naranasang mahalin ng kanyang ama sa pagkabata niya. May isang tao naman na gulat sa ugali ng kapatid niyang ayaw siyang hatian ng pamana ng kanilang m...

A SENSITIVE LOVE Here we are again trying to understand, accept and celebrate the most sublime mystery revealed to humanity. How can you really make sense of the Blessed Trinity, that relationship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that saves us and gives meaning to everything we do and say as Christians. The Trinity is the history of love, bestowed and shared without hesitation, preference or distinction. It is simply an outpouring of love that comes from sacrifice. This love is not for the brain but for the entire human person. God’s love is sensitive to our entire human situation and he responds to it with his triple expression of compassion and mercy. I met a young man who is baffled that he cannot be affectionate to others. Reflecting on his past he realized that he never felt a father’s tenderness while he was growing up. Another man is dismayed that his own sister has grown attached to their common inheritance that she does not w...

--> KALOOB NA PAG-IBIG Bihira natin mapansin ang Espiritu Santo. Para sa maraming Katoliko siya ay pamuno lamang sa formula ng tatlong persona – Ama, Anak… (tada….) at Espiritu Santo. Hindi kumpleto ang tanda ng krus kung wala siya doon. Pero sa Bibliya kasing halaga ng Ama at Anak ang Espiritu Santo sa ating pananampalataya. Ang gampanin niya ay kasing timbang para sa ating kaligtasan at kabanalan. Akala natin laging ang formula ng Diyos ay: Ama – Anak at Espiritu – Santo. Sa Bibliya minsan iba ang ayos: Anak – Ama – Espiritu Santo (una ang Anak) o tulad sa pagbasa natin ngayon (1 Cor 3-13), Espiritu – Anak – Ama (nasa huli ang Ama pero hindi nababawasan ang kanyang kadakilaan).  “Iba't iba ang mga espiritwal na kaloob, ngunit iisa lamang ang Espiritung nagkakaloob ng mga ito. Iba't iba ang paraan ng paglilingkod, ngunit iisa lamang ang Panginoong pinaglilingkuran. Iba't iba ang mga gawaing iniatas, ngunit iisa lamang ang Di...

--> THE GIFT OF LOVE     We pay little attention to the Holy Spirit in most we do, think or say. Catholics have a weak sense of the Holy Spirit such that we think of him as just the Divine Person who completes the triad of Father, Son… (surprise!) and Holy Spirit. Without him, the Sign of the Cross would not be complete. But the Bible clearly tells us that the Holy Spirit is as much important as the Father and the Son in the history of our faith. His work is no less significant for our salvation and sanctification. In fact, while the order of mention today is usually Father – Son – Holy Spirit, in the Bible sometimes the formula followed is Son – Father – Holy Spirit (Son mentioned first) or as in the second reading 1 Cor. 3-13, it is Holy Spirit – Son – Father (Father mentioned last without diminishing his fatherhood).  “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but th...