Hospitality is one of the hallmarks of true Christianity. That is why the Philippines, the only Catholic country in Asia, is also known for its so-called Filipino hospitality. This trait has gained such importance that it has also spawned an…
Most popular tourist spots in different countries are actually burial sites of great people. For example, the Pharaohs are buried in the pyramids of Egypt. In the province of Xian in northern China, there is a huge burial plot where…
Our two readings are seemingly contrasting. The Gospel’s tone is romantic. It speaks of consolation. It soothes and is gentle to the ears. “I am the vine. You are the branches.” What more could we ask with such words? What…
Face to face with a young widow grieving over the dead body of her husband, who had been killed violently, could you tell her, “Blessed are you who mourn?” Or, if somebody comes to you with this story, “Father, people…
A “masochist” is defined as a person who takes pleasure in their own pain. A “sadist” is one who takes pleasure in the pain of another. If you hear the Beatitudes of our Lord for the first time, it might…
When you look around at the religions of the world, you will discover that the desire for the forgiveness of sins is a universal human concern. The pyramids of Egypt and Mexico, as well as our own folk religions, all…
There is a paradox in the incident described in today’s Gospel. The first incident is the storm on the lake. Here, the apostles immediately recognize the danger. After recognizing the danger, they promptly complain and ask for help. They do…
When you hear this Gospel, you will likely be inclined to put yourself among those who are inviting and hosting the party. Thus, the lesson that would strike us is that we should invite “to our party” the crippled, the…
We have received the light—the light of faith, the light of love. The Gospel warns us about how the gift of light that we have received can be wasted. There are two ways of wasting light. The first one is…
There are people we like, and like very much. However, there are also people we don’t like, and sometimes we dislike them a lot. Unfortunately, when we don’t like people, we tend to treat them poorly because, from our perspective,…
Every now and then, you may experience days when a friend comes along, sees you, and asks, “What’s wrong?” You might say, depending on what is bothering you, “I had a disagreement with someone,” or “I am not feeling well,”…
The Israelites were suffering, and the Egyptians were responsible for their suffering. God took the Israelites’ side because He wanted to liberate them from their suffering. What did God do? God sent nine plagues to Egypt so that Pharaoh would…