June 8, 2020 – Monday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/060820.cfm) (This article is not a usual weekday homily as one may find this too long. This was first used as a recollection material given to a group Redemptorist Seminarians.) As we live our Christian vocation and commitContinue reading WHICH VALUE SYSTEM DO WE FOLLOW?
As we celebrate Mother’s Day today, we express our affection to Mary, our Mama, our Nanay and thank the Lord for the gift of Mama Mary and for the gift of our earthly mothers.Continue reading MOTHER’S DAY
Jesus’ last words are very powerful and compelling, I asked myself, why despite his agony, the humiliation he experienced, and unbearable pain on the cross, Jesus never blamed his Father. He instead uttered these words like a perfect prayer from the depths of his heart “Father into your hands, I commend my spirit.”
Oftentimes, when we are faced with problems and difficulties, when we are carrying heavy crosses, our human tendency is that we lose track of our faith. We rely much on our human capacities and strengths. We become too focused on our suffering and pain, on what we can do to the extent that our energies are depleted, and we become exhausted. We start to complain, self-pity, regret, become anxious about what the future holds, and perhaps blame others, or even blame God. Jesus has given us a glorious example of total surrendering to God. Continue reading Total surrender to God and putting our life in Him
We look back to the scene where Jesus uttered these words, Jesus at this hour was on the brink of death, nailed to the Cross with the Roman soldiers at his feet. As he addressed these men, we could picture how exhausting the scene was. By this time, these Roman soldiers had been executing many criminals and had seen death day after day. They are reduced to mere functionaries. They have no choice and freedom to do what is just and right at that moment as they were only following orders. Familiarity with violence and brutality causes these soldiers to be numb and deaf with their emotions. Their society has allowed them to be stripped of their dignity as human persons gifted with freedom and compassion. It is in this human frailty and desperate condition where Jesus uttered to them, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing?”Continue reading FORGIVENESS: A RADICAL LOVE
Only the walls of the tomb were able to witness what was happening. If only they could speak, perhaps, their words won’t be enough to describe the wonder of God working on this day and in the following day.
Silence, then, is the only language of the walls of the tomb. Moreover, it is also from this silence that God raised Jesus from the dead. For in and from silence, God fulfills His promise of victory over death and the beginning of a new creation.
As Black Saturday calls us to dwell deeper on silence. certainly, God has done marvelous things in and through silence. There is nothing to be afraid then, of silence for it is a sign of God’s presence. From here, Jesus introduced to us the God of silence.
Continue reading The Deafening Silence of Black Saturday
A great invitation is before us in these trying times and as we celebrate the Holy Week, let us unite our suffering with the suffering of Jesus, allow these to purify us and bring us back closer to God, let us entrust to him our anxieties… rest assured that He understands us. And have faith in the resurrection, have faith that better days will come in God’s perfect time. This is what makes this week holy and this day good, we are celebrating a perfect act of Love by our God who, even in our sinfulness, will never ever abandon us. Continue reading WHAT MAKES GOOD FRIDAY, GOOD?
December 31, 2019 – New Year’s Eve Mass – -Liturgy of the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God- Click here for the readings http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/010120.cfm Homily I would like to ask you first to look at the person beside you now, on your right and on your left. Look at that person and say “thankContinue reading Just being grateful – Celebrating a New Year
and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us… John 1:14 (This Christmas Message prepared by Fr. Mario Masangcay, CSsR – Filipino Redemptorist Missionary in Korea, will be shared by Gwangju Archbishop Hygino Kim during Christmas Day Mass with all the migrant workers and residents in Gwangju City, South Korea.) For the secular consumeristContinue reading Christmas Message 2019
Do you have friends who speaks bluntly and tactlessly to you? Are they not annoying sometimes? Oh, yes, they do. My friends would feel that towards me. But I am more tactless than blunt. However, our young man here, Gideon, is plainly honest, blunt and also tactless. Gideon was not used to flattery and floweryContinue reading The Story of Gideon, the tactless and blunt
October 31, 2019 – Thursday 30th Week in Ordinary Time (In this reflection, a young professional shares his experiences and affirms the power of the Holy Rosary that changed his life.) A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans (8:31b-39) Brothers and sisters:If God is for us, who can be against us?He did notContinue reading Nothing outside ourselves can separate us from God
