Opinion

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 e...

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 elim...

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 honestly. I...

Without Sunday Mass, We Cannot LiveIn the year 303, the Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered that all Christian writings be burned, basilicas pulled down, and sacred rites prohibited. A group of 49 Christians in Abilene, a small village of present-day Tunisia, would secretly gather every Sunday in one of their homes to celebrate the Eucharist. Soon enough, they we discovered, imprisoned, tortured and eventually put to death. When interrogated why they defied the emperor’s decree and risked their lives, one of them answered, “Sine dominico, non possumus.” Without Sunday Mass, we cannot live.Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. Why do we celebrate this yearly feast? Do we not celebrate the Eucharist every day of the year? The Church wants to keep this special...

They say that Trinity Sunday is every preacher’s nightmare. How can one speak of the most profound mystery of our faith and make sense of it? But it really doesn’t have to be so. After all, no one expects a preacher to explain the Trinitarian mystery. No one can. It is a mystery.The Trinity is a doctrine we simply believe because Jesus himself revealed it. But more importantly, it is a mystery to be lived because God has made us in his image and likeness. The Trinity is the fundamental doctrine of our faith that teaches the mystery of three distinct Persons in one God, sharing the same nature, co-equal and co-eternal.What makes the three Persons one? Love. The love between the Father and the Son so perfect it becomes a Person, the Holy Spirit. The inner life of the Godhead is one o...

Last Sunday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Lord’s Ascension. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus gave his parting words to his apostles, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”On Pentecost, Jesus fulfilled his promise. He sent the Holy Spirit from the sky like a strong wind that filled the room where the apostles and the community gathered around Mary. Appearing like tongues of fire, the Spirit rested on the each of them.There and then, the apostles were transformed from fearful fugitives to fiery evangelizers. They came out of their hiding place and began to preach Jesus boldly to all peoples. They were emboldened and enabled to fulfill their mission bec...

Last weekend, I took a 4-day trip to Zamboanga with my District Trainer, Dr. Jundad Legislador and District Secretary, Juan Antonio “Ja” Villaluz to conduct our third of five District Training Assemblies for incoming officers of our Rotary District 3850 which covers 12 provinces, including the Zamboanga Peninsula.We were immediately met with a sumptuous lunch of Zamboanga’s famous Curacha, those big red crabs found only in their waters and some in Bataan, along with giant prawns, baked oysters and seaweeds as sidings, hosted by the Rotary Club of Zamboanga City, all of which were freshly caught just that very morning.An old woman weaves Yakan cloth to make into glass coasters.*The colorful pattern that made Yakan cloth famous.With cravings satisfied, we went to Grand Asto...

The story of the two disciples of Emmaus is among the most loved stories of the gospel for many reasons. A true literary gem, the account is artfully crafted replete with charm, warmth, humor and even gentle irony. Some authors consider it a masterpiece within a masterpiece for the entire chapter 24 of Luke is itself a masterpiece. Above all, what makes the story extraordinary is that it illustrates what Christian life is all about and articulates the elements of discipleship.Discipleship is following Jesus all the way to Jerusalem. In Luke’s gospel everything moves towards Jerusalem. “Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem.” (Lk 9:51) Jerusalem is where Jesus will accomplish his Father’s mission through his passion, death and resurrection. In Jerusalem, he will to his send the Holy Spi...

It was another food coma as we savored the best that Bohol and Iloilo can offer over the weekend.I flew to Bohol last Thursday to speak at the District Training Assembly of Rotary District 3860 at the Henann Convention Center in Panglao, Bohol, at the invitation of my classmate and Incoming District Governor Twinkle Gamboa and her District Trainer and spouse, former PNP Chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa.As expected, another superb hosting from the Gamboa couple led to a tour of Bohol Island right after deplaning and first stop was the Loboc River Cruise for lunch which was enjoyable as I was in the company of balladeer Poppert Bernadas who entertained us with a song after the sumptuous lunch.Buffet lunch on board the Loboc River Cruise boat.*Among my favorites was the humbang nangk...

This Sunday is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. This feast was instituted by Pope John Paul II on the Second Sunday of Easter of the Jubilee Year 2000 during the canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska. St. Faustina was a Polish nun who received visions from Jesus, including the now-familiar image of Divine Mercy. Today, the devotion to the Divine Mercy is among the most popular and widespread in the Church.The significance and relevance of this devotion is best captured in the words of Pope John Paul II. “What is mercy if not the boundless love of God, who confronted with human sin, restrains the sentiment of severe justice and, allowing Himself to be moved by the wretchedness of His creatures, spurs Himself to the total gift of self, in the Son’s cross …?Who can say that he is free f...