The Flagellants & Kristos of Lent: Simple Folks Keep the Faith

The flagellants and ‘Kristos’ of Lent: simple folks keep the faith Note: An article about Filipino culture. For Good Friday. Published at the Philippine Online Chronicles (POC) If there is any liturgical season in the Philippines that has character and culture, it is Lent. We hear the pabasa, with chants that date back centuries ago.

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The Samaritan in the Midst of Disasters

5 October 2009 Monday of 27th Week in Ordinary TimeJonah 1, 1 – 2,11; Jonah 2, 3-8; Luke 10, 25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan is relevant today at the height of natural disasters as floods in the Philippines and India, tsunami in Samoa, earthquakes in Indonesia and Taiwan. The Gospel which includes the

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Homily at the Requiem Mass of Philippine President Corazon Aquino

5 August 2009 Requiem Mass of President Corazon AquinoHomily of Fr. Catalino Arévalo, S.J. delivered at the Manila Cathedral Note: I am reprinting Fr. Arevalo’s homily for the edification of all of us, Christians or not. We can govern people through integrity and a deep faith. If I may first ask pardon for what might

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Bagay Ka Bang Maging Pinuno?

Ika-19 ng Hulyo 2009. Ika-16 Linggo sa Karaniwang PanahonJeremiah 23, 1-6; Psalm 22; Ephesians 2, 13-18; Mark 6, 30-34 Note: This Filipino version appears in today’s Sunday Sambuhay, a publication by the Society of St. Paul; missalettes for the Sunday liturgy. The English version is above. Sa kasaysayan ng mga Judio, ang pastol ang tinaguriang

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Priesthood

Priesthoodby Danniel SungaPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6 June 2009 Note: I am reprinting this article from the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Opinion Column, Youngblood. The writer, Danniel “Butch” Sunga, is now Jesuit novice who entered Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, Quezon City, Philippines on May 30, 2009. He tells us about his vocation and discernment that led him

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Not an Everlasting Beauty

25 November 2008 Tuesday of the 34th Week in Ordinary TimeLuke 21, 5-19 Not an Everlasting BeautyThe Gospel today tells us that Jesus was teaching in the temple, His rightful place. In this episode, Jesus made his final appearance before ‘predicting’ the destruction of the Temple. He brings his disciples out of the Temple so

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Being Lukewarm

18 November 2008 Tuesday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary TimeRev 3, 1-22; Psalm 15; Luke 19, 1-10 Being Lukewarm In the first reading from Revelation, two cities are mentioned: Sardis and Laodicea. Both of these cities were in the earthquake belt. Sardis had been rebuilt after it was devastated by an earthquake in 17

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Pieces of God’s Heart

17 November 2008 Monday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary TimeLuke 18, 35-43 Pieces of God’s Heart The Gospel is about the cure of the blind man. The beggar’s name was given by Mark the Evangelist. His name is Bartimeaus. In this incident, the disciples try to keep an “insignificant person” from bothering Jesus. But

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Want to be Gifted?

16 November 2008 33rd Sunday in Ordinary TimeProv 31, 10-31; Psalm 128, 1-5; 1 Thess 5, 1-6; Matthew 25, 14-21The readings today deal with things of value. In the first reading, the skills of a good wife are to be proclaimed, praised and rewarded at the city gates. In the second reading, our vigilance and

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Excuses, Excuses

4 November 2008 Tuesday of the 31st Week in Ordinary TimePhil 2, 5-11; Psalm 22; Luke 14, 15-24 Excuses The parable of Jesus in the Gospel today is about a man who prepared a great dinner for everyone. During the time of Jesus, one does not prepare a great banquet without sending the invitations beforehand.

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To Pass the Narrow Gate

29 October 2008. Wednesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary TimeEph 6, 1-9; Psalm 145; Luke 13, 22-33 The image of the narrow gate in the Gospel is a powerful image of decision-making. The image Jesus used refers to a real gate in His time. There was a ‘people-only’ gate in the walls of Jerusalem.

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Unity through Peace

21 October 2008 Tuesday of the 29th Week in Ordinary TimeEphesians 2, 12-22; Psalm 85 The first reading talks about the relationship between the Jews and the Gentiles. In the past the Gentiles has been excluded by the Jewish community. They had to part of the covenant relationship with God, and so did not share

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Following Christ Fearlessly

17 October 2008 Thursday of the 28th Week in Ordinary TimeLuke 12, 1-7 Following Christ FearlesslyJesus points publicly the hypocrisy of the Pharisees: they thought that their outward image of respectability will keep hidden their blemishes from being discovered. But not so. All personal secrets will be revealed — if not during our lifetime, but

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Introducing God

16 October 2008 Thursday of the 28th Week in Ordinary TimeEphesians 1, 1-10 The Knowledge of God Except for the first two verses, the first reading (v. 3-10) is a Jewish-Christian benediction. A benediction is an invocation to the Divine, usually seeking Divine help, blessing and guidance. It comes from the Latin, bene (good) and

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What is True Freedom?

15 October 2008 St. Teresa of JesusGalatians 5, 18-25 Let me take our reflections from the first reading. St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians talk about true freedom. But before we go and understand true freedom, we should define our terms. The common understanding of freedom — the way freedom is talked about in contemporary

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