Opinion

There are some things in life which we do not like to do but are necessary if we are to live. Things like swallowing a bitter pill in order to healed. Or undergoing a painful procedure or surgery if we are to survive. Today’s readings speak of one such thing – forgiveness. To forgive is one of the hardest things to do. When we are hurt, our natural tendency is to hurt back which then triggers a series of attacks and counterattacks. Today’s endless quarrels, family feuds and wars will continue to haunt us if we do not learn to forgive. The curse of vendetta will only stop when one party lays down his arms and is willing to forgive. Forgiveness saves us from the fatal consequences of revenge and retaliation. There is a scene in the movie, Fiddler on the Roof, wherein the Jewish vi...

People love us Filipinos for being warm, hospitable, and friendly. We are often perceived as natural pleasers. Psychologists attribute these traits to the high value we put on maintaining a smooth interpersonal relationship (SIR) with everyone Thus, we find today’s liturgical readings, which revolve around the theme of fraternal correction, difficult and challenging. We often lack the courage to point out another’s fault lest we offend him and his feelings. We fear he might react negatively, reject our correction, and undermine our relationship in the process. And so, we simply keep quiet and “mind our own business.” Or worse, we do not speak to him of his faults but to others which easily deteriorates into gossiping. In the first reading, God appoints the prophet Ezekiel as wat...

Today’s readings revolve around the theme of following God’s will and culminate in the call of Jesus to discipleship. The call to discipleship is lofty and equally intimidating. It demands no less than a radical response: “Deny yourself, take up your cross, follow me (all the way to Calvary).” Its stakes are high: “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” And its consequence is overriding, even absolute (all or nothing): “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” No wonder, Peter does not hesitate to cut short Jesus’ prediction of his imminent passion, death, and resurrection (the Father’s will for him) and dissuade him from proceeding to Jerusalem. However, for all his good intention...

Every Sunday we recite the Apostles’ Creed (Nicene version), called so because it contains the twelve fundamental articles of our faith. One of these is the Church. “I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.” Today’s gospel provides the scriptural foundation of our belief in the Catholic Church. Jesus builds his Church on Peter, whom he likens to a rock. In fact, he changes his name from Simon to Peter, which means rock. Jesus gives Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven, which is the power to bind and to loose, guaranteed with a heavenly seal. He further assures the stability and permanence of this Church with a promise that it will withstand all powers of hell. The gospel narrative clearly establishes the primacy of Peter and the hierarchical nature of the Church...

One of the most powerful moments of the World Youth Day in Lisbon was when Pope Francis addressed (in Spanish) the young people gathered in Parque Eduardo VII with the following words, “In the Church, there is room for everyone (todos).” Reiterating his message, he then exhorted them, “There is room for everyone. All together now, repeat with me in your own language. Everyone, everyone, everyone…” The crowd replied by shouting, “Todos, todos, todos…” Seemingly not satisfied, the Pope cupped his ear and said, “I can’t hear you…” To which the crowd of more than half a million responded with a more thunderous chorus of “todos, todos, todos…” which reverberated throughout the park. In today’s liturgy, we find the same theme running through all the readings – that God loves everyone,...

Today’s gospel episode offers us a vivid image of the Church. The sea represents the world and its instability, while the storm depicts every kind of adversity and oppression which man undergoes in life. The boat of Peter symbolizes the Church built by Christ and steered by the apostles. While Jesus is alone praying on the mountain, the apostles are in a boat, mercilessly tossed by the waves and beaten by the wind. Seeing the apostles’ condition, Jesus comes down from the mountain and joins them. As he walks on the waters, he tells them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” After he gets in the boat with Peter, the wind dies down. At times we too feel alone and abandoned by God, but God is Emmanuel. He is with us. Even from afar he never loses sight of us. And true to his ...

On the mountain of the transfiguration, Jesus reveals his identity to the three apostles, Peter, James, and John. He gives them a glimpse of his divine glory before they are to witness his human vulnerability in the shameful death which awaits him in Jerusalem. The face that now shines before them like the sun will soon become a face “without beauty and one that [is] spurned and avoided by men.” (Is 53:2-3) He will be stripped of his clothes that are “white as light” and be exposed naked and utterly helpless. Jesus transfigures himself before the apostles momentarily in order to strengthen their faith in him and prepare them for the scandal of the cross which lies ahead. These days I have the singular privilege and joy of joining the young people all over the world in the celebr...

For the past two Sundays, we have reflected on the series of parables about the kingdom of God from Matthew 13. Today’s gospel features the final three parables with a concluding summary. From the richness of our gospel reading, I want to focus on the two parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price. The man who discovers the hidden treasure in the field readily sells all he has to buy the field. Likewise, the merchant who finds a pearl of exquisite value willingly sells all his pearls to acquire the exceptional jewel. What is the hidden treasure or the pearl of great price? While there can be many interpretations to these parables, allow me to offer two possible applications. The two parables are parables of the kingdom of God. Hence, the hidden treasure and ...

The gospel this Sunday reminds us that we live in a world where evil is mingled with good. It is a field where wheat and weeds grow together. How this comes about is explained by the parables of last Sunday and of today. While the master sows only good seeds in his field, the enemy scatters bad seeds during the night. The allusion is clearly about the divine Sower and the evil Scatterer (diabolus), the battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. The workers want to pull out the weeds, but the master intervenes and allows the weeds to grow side by side with the wheat. He inhibits the workers from pulling the weeds lest they uproot the wheat together with the weeds. We often ask why God allows evil to thrive in the world, if he is truly good. How we wish he totally...

Once again, I have invited Fr. Marvin Labasan to share his Sunday homily in my post. Here it is. “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so, ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Whenever we hear these words of Jesus, several thoughts come to our mind. One of our typical responses is to pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. It is important, however, to note that the invitation for more laborers does not pertain exclusively to the ordained and consecrated persons. It is invitation for all the baptized to participate in the mission of bringing souls to God. How? By living our ordinary life as true disciples of Christ. If you are a Catholic who owns a store, your participation in the mission is to do business honest...