Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Liturgical Year A

  • System Upgrade

    System Upgrade

    January 25, 2026 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012526.cfm)

    “I firmly resolve with the help of thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance & amend my life. Amen.”

    Words we say as we do our act of contrition during confession as we commit ourselves in faith with God’s help & grace, first to be sorry of our sins, to fulfill our penance as remedy and above all to change our way of living our lives for the better. These words we say in contrition emphasize that the sacrament of reconciliation is more than just about confessing our sins, faults & failures, but moreso our commitment to repentance & faith in our Christian life for the better.

    Consider then that in our gospel today, when he started proclaiming the Good News of God’s Kingdom upon us, Jesus challenges people to “Repent & Believe that the Kingdom of God is at hand”. Yes, we normally hear this challenge of the Lord for us during  Ash Wednesday as we receive the ashes on our forehead. However, these words remind us that God’s grace requires us above all our repentance & faith, and  make clear to us that the first & proper response for us to fully benefit from God’s offer of salvation of God-being with us is for us “to repent & believe the gospel”.

    We should know that repentance  is more than just being sorry for our sins & failure, and asking for forgiveness, for we all know that God’s offer of salvation is more than just about ourselves & our sinfulness. To repent is moreso about our  resolve to do better in life & to change our usual ways towards believing more in God & trusting more in His plans, wills & ways for us. Meaning, our repentance are meant for us to believe God than just to be sorry for our sins.

    Repentance & Faith are rightly described by the Greek word “Metanoia” that denotes a change of mind, a reorientation, a fundamental transformation of outlook, of man’s vision of the world and of himself, and a new way of loving others and God. And somehow like system upgrade of computers & smartphones nowadays, “Metanoia” is required of us by Jesus for us to fully benefit from the offer of God’s salvation since then, until now & always.

    And clearly “Metanoia” – repentance & faith is what Jesus again emphasized in our gospel today. Through the parables of losing & finding (rf. Lost coin, sheep, & son),  Jesus values the importance of repentance & faith in God’s offer of the salvation for us. Because for Jesus, the Kingdom of God is more than just about our being righteous or sinner, about reward & punishment, about importance & unworthiness, but above moreso about God’s offer of grace & salvation for us of Him-being with us through His son Jesus. And so, what is only required of us as always is Metanoia – repentance & faith, i.e. “Repent & Believe the Gospel” & how we orient and amend our whole lives more towards God & less towards ourselves.

    As we are beginning a new year & a new liturgical season, perhaps we ask ourselves where are we in terms of Metanoia – repentance & faith. With all our experiences of life-journey with our Lord this past recent year so far, where are we in view of changing our minds & ways towards more repentance  & faith in the Lord? If you are to rate our response of Metanoia from 1-10, how much would you rate yourself? What are the signs of hope & growth? (…more trusting, more closer relationship, more inspirations). What needs improvement? (…Quality time in prayer, works of mercy, acts of kindness,).

    With such assessment, we pray that we may become more open to receive & benefit from God’s offer of grace now & up ahead always.

    So May it Be. Amen.

  • Great is the CHILD

    Great is the CHILD

    January 18, 2026 – Feast of the Sto. Niño

    In our Wednesday novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, we always ask our Mother to help us learn to adapt to our growing children. Praying this, we acknowledge before the Lord that as Christians and in particular as parents, we are imperfect. We recognize that we encounter problems and difficulties in parenting our growing children and that, at times we fail to love and respect our children as persons and as God’s children. And for this, we implore Our Mother’s guidance and assistance as we parent our children.

    We, Filipinos love the Sto. Nino, the child Jesus, and today – every third Sunday of January, here in the Philippines, we celebrate the Feast of Sto. Nino. Like the Sto. Nino, we honor our children as also God’s gifts and instrument of salvation for humanity. We acknowledge our children as God’s blessing and signs of hope for our Christian families and communities.

    As God’s gifts, children then must be accepted, love and provided with the love and care they need for their growth and well-being. As God’s expression & instrument of His grace, they must also be respected for what they are and will be, with talents and limitations, for in their own unique way children can contribute to the building up of Christian families, and communities, and of God’s kingdom as well.

    In our gospel today, we hear how Jesus emphasizes greatly the value of us being God’s children, and of being children in God’s kingdom. For Jesus, “great is the child”. Our being beloved children of God is thus our very dignity and rights as a persons in this life.

    As God’s beloved children, we enjoy a personal relationship with Jesus and the Kingdom of God. We have the right and duty to grow in faith, to grow in our own personal relationship with God. It is also our calling to be His disciple – to come and follow Jesus Christ and express our response, by our love and respect for others.

    Today, Jesus invites us to especially love and respect our children, as much as we demand respect from them. We are reminded that like us now adults Christians, our today’s children are also God’s beloved children, where the greatness of God’s kingdom is founded.

    Now if we wish to learn how to adapt to our growing children – to respect God’s beloved children, take a good look at the picture of Our Mother Perpetual Help, a portrait of Mary carrying her child Jesus. By merely looking at the picture of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, we readily notice the mother & child relationship between Jesus and Mary – Mary as the mother, the parent of child Jesus the Redeemer.

    As parent, Mary presents to us the child Jesus – a child who like any other child needs nourishment, love, guidance, protection and care of a parent. We see Mary as the model of Christian Parenthood for she teaches us how to love, care, protect and adapt to our growing children. The picture also shows us Jesus growing and gradually learning that in fulfilling his vocation in life, there will be coming great changes and suffering (as shown by angels at the side bearing cross & hyssop on spears).

    And Mary has to adapt gradually to the changes going in her growing son’s life. As Jesus grew up in life, so did Mary grow to respect and share the sacredness & giftedness of the growing Jesus, as God’s beloved child to others.

    As we honor today the Sto. Nino, Jesus want us to remember that our devotion to the Sto. Nino must reflect not only our deep joy and thanksgiving to God for sharing us the gift of His only Son, but also expresses our love and concern for our growing children – God’s ninos and ninas amongst us.

    And the most relevant and meaningful way of honoring the Sto. Nino is not by merrymaking, parades or street dancing, but by concretely expressing our Christian respect, love and concern to our growing children, especially the poor and abandoned little ones.

    Perhaps better for us to BE with & spend quality time with our growing God’s children these days. Listen to their stories, their concerns, and their hopes in life.

    Respect and learn from them for they are also God’s children and messengers, for as Jesus warns us in our gospel today, “unless you turn and become like children (of God), you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” In our children & our being children of God, we could find then answer & access to God’s love for us.

    As a popular Filipino folk song would advise: “Ikaw ba’y nalilito, Pag-iisip mo’y nagugulo. Sa buhay ng tao, Sa takbo ng buhay mo?…. Itanong mo sa mga bata, Ang buhay ay hawak nila. Masdan mo ang mga bata, Ang sagot ay ‘yong makikita. (Are you confused, are your minds troubled, Of man’s life, of the direction of one’s life. Ask the children, life is in their hand. Look closely at children, You will find the Answer)

    Like Mary, may we honor the greatness of God’s kingdom in our growing children, and by adapting with them, may we discern and respect God’s ways and plans for a better life now & ahead of us.

    So May it Be. Amen.

  • Baptized to Become the Compassion of Christ

    Baptized to Become the Compassion of Christ

    January 11, 2025 – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

    Click here for here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011126.cfm)

    On this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we are invited not simply to recall a moment in the life of Jesus, but to look deeply and honestly at our own lives as baptized Filipinos. This feast quietly yet firmly asks us: What has our baptism truly done to us, and what is it asking of us today?

    The Philippines remains one of the most religious countries in the world. According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, nearly 79 percent of Filipinos still identify as Roman Catholic.[1] Prayer, devotion to saints, novenas, and religious fiestas continue to shape our culture. At the same time, recent surveys reveal a growing tension beneath the surface. A Social Weather Stations survey reported that while about seven out of ten Filipinos[2] say they pray daily, far fewer attend Mass regularly, especially among the younger generation. Many still believe, but many also struggle to connect faith with daily decisions, social issues, and moral responsibility. Faith is present, but often fragile, routine, or confined to our rituals.

    Thus, this reality invites us to examine ourselves. Have we really grown in our faith? Have we deepened our relationship with God and with one another? But, let us remember, our faith cannot be reduced to kneeling and standing, holding a rosary, or faithfully reciting novenas though these are also important practices.

    As sociologist Dr. Jayeel Cornelio has observed, many Filipinos today are searching for something “more” from their faith.[3] This “more” is not about abandoning Catholic tradition, but about longing for a faith that transforms life, confronts injustice, heals wounds, and gives direction amid uncertainty. This “more” is precisely what the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord places before us.

    To discern this “more,” let us allow the Word of God proclaimed to us on this Sunday to guide us.

    In the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah, we hear about the Servant of the Lord. This Servant is chosen, beloved, and pleasing to God. God’s Spirit rests upon him. But what defines this Servant most clearly is not power or dominance, but compassion. He brings justice not through violence or force, but through gentleness. Isaiah tells us that a bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench. This Servant does not crush the weak; instead, he protects what is fragile, restores hope to the weary, and lifts those bowed down by suffering. He opens blind eyes and frees prisoners living in darkness. God’s justice, as Isaiah presents it, heals and restores before it confronts and corrects.

    The Psalm continues this vision in a quiet but powerful way: “The Lord will bless his people with peace.” This peace is not simply the absence of conflict. It is the peace that flows from living in God’s presence, from recognizing that God is active in creation and present in every human life. When we truly acknowledge God’s presence in everything and everyone, respect and reverence naturally follow. Peace then becomes something we embody and share, not just something we pray for.

    This promise finds its fulfillment in the Acts of the Apostles. Peter proclaims that the Servant spoken of by Isaiah is Jesus of Nazareth. He is anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, and His life is marked by a simple yet profound description: He went about doing good and healing those oppressed by the devil. These words summarize the entire mission of Jesus. He restores dignity, heals brokenness, and brings hope to those crushed by sin, fear, and injustice. This is how God chooses to be revealed and not through domination, but through mercy.

    All of this reaches its deepest meaning in today’s Gospel, the Baptism of the Lord. Jesus enters the waters of the Jordan, not because He needs repentance, but because He chooses full solidarity with humanity. His immersion in the water is an act of complete trust in the Father. As the Psalm proclaims, the voice of the Lord is over the waters, and Jesus allows Himself to be embraced by the Father’s will.

    As He rises from the water, the Spirit descends like a dove. This moment reveals that God is not distant or unreachable. God’s Spirit rests upon Jesus and remains with Him. Then comes the voice from heaven: “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” These words echo Isaiah’s prophecy and confirm Jesus as the beloved Servant. He is sent to bring healing, justice, and peace.

    This feast today speaks directly to our own baptism as well. In baptism, we too are claimed as beloved. We too have received the Spirit. We too are sent. This is where we discover the “more” that many Filipinos are longing for in their faith. Baptism does not make us passive believers. Rather, it calls us to become active disciples of Jesus.

    We are reminded first that we are deeply loved. This truth alone has the power to heal many wounds, fears, and insecurities. In a society facing economic pressures, environmental threats, and growing inequality, our identity as beloved children of God becomes our deepest strength. We are also reminded that God’s presence is not far away. The Spirit of God dwells among us, in our families, workplaces, classrooms, and communities. We do not need to search only in the clouds to find God. We too are invited to recognize the Lord here and now.

    Our baptism also carries a clear responsibility. We are called to bring justice and peace, not through anger or force, but through compassion and gentleness. Isaiah reminds us that true justice protects the weak and restores hope.

    To live our baptism is to participate in the ministry of Jesus and that is to open our eyes blinded by greed, pride, and indifference, and to free hearts imprisoned by hatred, guilt, and sin.

    As we look ahead to 2026, Filipinos face serious challenges. We have economic uncertainty, the worsening effects of climate change on vulnerable communities, and a growing temptation to reduce faith to mere ritual. The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord calls us back to the heart of discipleship. The “more” in our faith is “to make Jesus more present in our actions, more present in our words, and more present in our homes and communities.”

    Let me leave you with two simple reminders to carry with you now:

    First. Live your baptism daily. Let love, honesty, and compassion shape your choices.

    Second. Be Christ where you are. In your family, your work, and your community, allow others to encounter Jesus through you.

    May the grace of our baptism continue to renew us, strengthen us, and send us forth as bearers of God’s peace. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://www.bworldonline.com/the-nation/2023/02/22/506351/catholics-make-up-nearly-79-of-philippine-population/

    [2] https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1195717

    [3] See https://www.ucanews.com/news/young-filipinos-keep-the-faith-but-shun-conventional-piety/97562

  • BELOVED CHILD

    BELOVED CHILD

    January 11, 2026 – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011126.cfm)

    As we all know nowadays, there is an updated way of praying the rosary. Instead of the usual joyful – sorrowful – glorious mysteries, there is an added mystery called the Luminous mystery or the Mystery of the Light to be prayed every Thursdays. This is to emphasize that the life of Jesus is not only Joyful, Sorrowful, & Glorious, but also Luminous.

    Meaning, our salvation thru Jesus does not happen only by means of his birth, suffering & death, and resurrection, but above through his public ministry & mission. Luminous Mystery of the rosary highlights then the evangelization & ministerial work of Jesus proclaiming & bringing above the Good News of God’s salvation to all. 

    Thus, it emphasizes that the mission and public ministry of Jesus wherein his life where not only joyful, sorrowful and glorious but also luminous, radiating God’s love to the all humanity and that Jesus have proclaimed, preached, and shared the Gospel of God’s love to all.

    And the first mystery of the Light – the first highlight of Jesus’ public ministry is his baptism, the Baptism of the Lord. Our gospel today, the Baptism of Jesus by the river Jordan marks the beginning of His public ministry. After thirty years of local ordinary life, Jesus now exposed & revealed himself to the world publicly that He is the long-awaited & anointed Messiah. In his baptism, Jesus knows Himself as God beloved Son, whom the world should listen.

    Meaning, the child Jesus did not remain a child, but grew up as a mature adult responsible person who is on mission, on-the-go & has a message to share for all of us in this life. He offers us not only joy, sorrow & glory but also Light, meaning, direction, guidance & illumination for our earthly & eternal life given to us by God through His Son. Here, Jesus is affirmed as God’s beloved and marked the beginning of his ministry, evangelization and mission.

    Consider then that when he was baptized in the river Jordan by John the Baptist, he needs to hear the words and confirmation from the Father, himself saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well please”. Such words emphasize his very spiritual identity before God and the vision of God’s kingdom.

    Here, he is reminded in a deep, deep way of who he is, of his very being before God and people – that among anything else, He is God’s beloved Son. This is the very affirmation and confirmation of his being before God.

    In the same way, when he carried out his mission and public ministry, Jesus wants us also to hear the same message from the Father that “You are my Beloved on whom my favor rests”. Jesus wants us to be aware and hear of the very reality that before God, it is not only Jesus but we, you and I who believe in Jesus are also essentially God’s beloved sons & daughters.

    In God’s heart and eyes, we are His beloved children. And by virtue of our baptism, we are consecrated to be God’s children. We are His beloved, not because of our merits – not because we did anything, not because we proved ourselves or not because of what we did and have achieved in life. God still loves us whatever we do or whatever happens in our life, and He would even love us more when while still in this world we also proclaim to Him and all that, “Yes, Lord, I love you, too”.

    Once in a dream a lady found herself at the heaven’s door. She confidently knocks at the door and demands “Let me in”.  But instead she heard God’s loud voice asking, “who are you?” She then replied, “You don’t know me. I am the mother of our town’s mayor. I have been known for my generosity, an elder of the church’s lay organization and have sponsored the education of your seminarians and ordination of your priests. I even spearheaded the renovation of your cathedral in our town”. “Sorry, I don’t know you”, God replied. Angry and disgusted with God, she just stayed outside, grumbling at the doorsteps, while seeing others being admitted inside. Coming to her senses, she once again knocks at the door and requests for admittance. She said, “Lord, actually, my life has been a failure. I am separated from my husband. My children have been involved with a lot of questionable & corrupt activities. I have been oppressive landlord, abusive lady and known gambler. I am a sinner and have caused other’s to sin. I am sorry, Lord”. God replied, “is that so? But still, who are you?” Confused and ashamed of herself, she again stayed outside and pondered who she really is before God. Then something dawned in her that made her stand, knocks at the door and humbly admits “Now I know who I am, Lord. Despite what happened to me in life, I am still your beloved child.” The door then opened widely and God’s voice joyfully proclaimed “Welcome back, my daughter. Come on in.”

    As Christmas is about to end and we are just starting the year, same way as Jesus grew up maturely in life & mission, let us not treat Him to remain as a child, but we allow Him to grow mature in our lives & let Him do his mission & ministry work for us now, so that we can fully benefit from the promise of Salvation he offers us, as God’s beloved children.

    Today we celebrate the feast of Lord’s Baptism for us to once anew hear from Him that we are God’s beloved and proclaim to other that God is also our Beloved. Let us now renew our baptismal consecration, as we profess our faith….

  • Alternative ROUTE

    Alternative ROUTE

    January 4, 2025 – Epiphany of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010426.cfm)

    “I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance & amend my life. Amen.”

    We say those words as an act of contrition during confession. In saying these words, we do not only regret our mistakes but we are also making a resolution to change & improve our ways. Meaning, it is not enough just to be sorry of our mistakes, but we have to do something about our mistakes by doing our best because we know that we are and God’s mercy is much better than our sins, faults & shortcomings.

    Making an act of contrition then reminds us that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not only about being sorry for our sins, but above all giving oneself & God a chance to do things right & do the right things for the better than we usually do. It is useless then to do monthly individual confession if & when we don’t change our ways & resolve to improve, but rather go back to our sinful & corrupt ways. Salvation is all about God’s grace in us rather than about our sins.

    Reconciliation then is allowing God’s mercy & forgiveness work in us, rather than finding & counting our woes, sins, faults, mistakes, shortcoming & of others. It is all about receiving God’s grace than accounting our faults. It is all about changing our ways rather than just being sorry for our sins.

    Today, we celebrate the feast of Epiphany. This is our celebration of our remembrance of God’s loving act of reaching out to us (God making Himself known to us) and our acceptance of Jesus, as God’s self-revelation. We, Christians believe that God has given us His only Son, Jesus Christ, as His first gift to us for our salvation.

    By sharing us His Son, we become related to Him and become also His children, and sharers of His divine life. Jesus, indeed, is God’s greatest gift to us. God’s offer of salvation & our reception of Jesus into our lives give another alternative meaning, directions & ways in our life. Because of Jesus, we are blessed & graced by God.

    Here in our gospel today, we are reminded us of what happened when the three kings found the Child Jesus lying in the manger in Bethlehem. Guided by the star, in great joy, they saw the Child Jesus and they did him homage.

    Their encounter of Jesus and the Holy Family in Bethlehem brought the three kings great joy for they have finally found what they are searching for. The birth of Jesus brought new promise & purpose, not only to the local Jews, but also to the migrant magi & to the whole world. With this, like us now, they are grateful, and offered their gifts in homage and thanksgiving to God’s greatest gift to all.

    But let us not forget that after they have witnessed & accepted the Son of God into our lives, they returned by an another alternative route to journey life.

    This is not because they were afraid of Herod, but because of their encounter with Jesus has also changed their lives. After they have recognized God in the child Jesus, the lives of the three kings were never the same again. They did not follow the usual path, but they amend their lives & now tread an alternative way, perspective, and attitude to life. The child Jesus brought them great joy as well as great changes in their way of life.

    The same with our experience of God’s mercy & forgiveness during confession. After celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation, we know deep inside that life now & ahead could & should not be the same again. We have to change our ways & amend our paths. Like the three kings, we have to take an-other, an alternative path of life-journey, much better than our usual lifestyle. The usual King Herod-road to Jesus, our sinful corrupt ways are not anymore safe to tread through again.

    We cannot help but amend our normal ways, or else we find ourselves again with our usual unhealthy drama, blame & excuses – away from God’s grace. Because as we all know & believe, Jesus, God’s salvation for us is more than just about our sins & failures in life, but more about & into God’s love & mercy for us His children.

    As we are beginning a new year, we make an act of contrition. We give ourselves another chance to grow & do better than our life last year. As we receive anew Jesus, God’s greatest gift for us, let us diminish our tendency to account & highlight our mistakes & faults, but be more conscious of God’s grace at work in us.

    And above all, let us amend & improve our lives for the better than our usual normal ways, and seek a new alternative path, roads, & ways for God’s blessing to be always with us today & our near future.

    In other words: “We firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace, to confess our sins, to do penance, & amend our life.”

    Amen.