Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Sunday Homlies

  • Regarding Temptation

    Regarding Temptation

    March 9, 2025 – First Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030925.cfm)

    What is our attitude about temptations in life? How do we act in response to our experiences of temptations in life?

    Consider this… three men and an elderly priest had once a discussion. The priest asked: “supposing a corrupt politician approaches you, gives you lots of money and promises to grant you more favors if you vote and support him in the coming election, what would you do?”

    The first replied, “I will return him the bribe-money”. The priest told him, “You, stupid fool”. Then the second replied, “I will take the bribe-money. I will keep it in my pocket. Surely, I will not waste such fortune”. But the priest replied, “You, shrewd crook”. And the last man said, “I really don’t know what to do? Will I overcome my evil inclinations? Or will my evil inclinations overpower me to claim what is not mine and to do what should not be done? I really don’t know. But if God will bless me and strengthen me to go against all my evil inclinations, I will return the bribe-money back to the corrupt politician.” The priest then said, “You are right, and you are a wise man.”

    Why? The priest called the first man “stupid fool” because he doesn’t know himself. He believes that he is too strong to resist temptations in life. No men, by himself, have ever overcome temptations in life except Jesus.

    Usually, temptations overcome us not because we are weak but because we are too proud to think that we are strong enough to overcome temptations. The second man was a “shrewd crook” because he is willing to claim what he does not own, and to do wrongdoing, without any qualms whatsoever. For such kind of men, temptations are opportunities for them to take advantage of others for their own benefits.

    The priest praised the third as “good and wise man” because he knows that like all of us, we are basically weak people. He hopes that in the midst of temptations, he will be strong enough to do what is right. But he also knows that he can only do this with God’s help and strength, and he is most willing to ask and pray for it. He knows that in dealing with life-temptations, there is always a struggle within as well as reliance and faith in God’s help.

    Like the stupid fool, we could resist & reject temptations on our own… Or like the shrewd crook, we could give in to it…. Or like the wise man, we could struggle in faith with temptations & evils in life. 

    We can say the temptations Jesus experienced in our gospel are still very much present and true in own lives today. To live in humanistic and materialistic life, to strive for our own self-glorification and not for God’s glory, and to worship not God, but worldly power and honor are still very present and true in our lives today anywhere, both here at home and abroad.

    Surely  migrant workers and their family today can attest to the reality and experience of temptations, struggles and reliance on God within themselves and their own family. They know the better and the worst realities and effects of how to live within the context of a Christian migrant family.

    Yes, our ability today to live and work abroad either as migrant worker presents us great opportunities to make and build up our lives. But it also presents us great temptations to break and destroy our lives. Wherever we are, whether we are at home or abroad, we confront the same temptations and struggles as well as we need to rely and trust on God’s strength and power.

    Easy for us indeed to fall into temptations. The biggest problem in struggling with temptations is our lack of self-knowledge – our lack of recognizing and overcoming the evil within ourselves. We struggle with the evils of others and in our society but the toughest struggle is to acknowledge and overcome the evil within our own selves – the evil within our own hearts.

    We were born with conflicting goodness and evil within. That is why we can be good and can do good… but not without difficulties, since there are always tensions and struggles within ourselves. Moreover, we can only withstand these difficulties, if we are wise enough like Jesus in our gospel today, to rely and have faith not only in our own strength but in God’s help and power.

    Like the stupid fool, if we think we can overcome these life-temptations and evils only by and through own strength and power, we are surely wrong and are doomed to failure for we don’t have the power and capacity to resist temptations. But like the wise man & Jesus, if we are wise enough to acknowledge and ask for, and have faith on God’s help and strength, we surely can overcome evils and temptations in others as well as within ourselves; – hoping not to be a shrewd crook falling into temptations.

    St. Augustine is wise enough to say, “Through temptations, we come to know ourselves. We cannot receive the crown of salvation if there is no victory. And there is no victory if there is no struggle. And there is no struggle if there are no enemies and the bearers of these temptations.”

    Meaning, we can bring about our salvation through and as we struggle with life-temptations and we recognize that human as we are, we are weak, but in faith with God, we are strong enough.

    With our  faith in Lord in our struggle with our day-to-day life-temptations & trials, we pray “Father, Lead us not into temptations, but deliver us from all evil.”

    So be it. Hinaut pa unta. Kabay pa. Siya Nawa. Amen.

  • WHY DO WE QUICKLY JUDGE OTHERS?

    WHY DO WE QUICKLY JUDGE OTHERS?

    March 2, 2025 – Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030225.cfm)

    Do we often find ourselves judging quickly others or to speak ill of someone?  Is it easy for us then, to find faults and ugly things when we are with others? Does our speech express bitterness as we describe others?

    Judging others is actually natural to us. It is our way of assessing possible threats. We use it to create social order and hierarchy. It also helps reinforce our own beliefs and values.[1]

    Yet, when we find ourselves having such tendencies, we might also easily fall towards self-righteousness and superiority. When we only focus on what is wrong and ugly in everything and everyone, we become more inclined to complain. We accuse and blurt out the faults and failures of others. This behavior creates a lot of toxicities and negativity in our relationships.

    We may be unaware of the poisonous attitude we bring. We could believe and think that we have the best ideas and solutions. We might also think we have the best personality and attitude. Yet, we become a person who is very difficult to deal with. We are difficult to please and in need of constant affirmation.

    On this Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Lord calls to pinpoint such tendencies in us. This is for our own growth as a Christian Community. Let us discern together the invitations in our liturgical readings this Sunday. They concern the intentions behind the words we speak.

    In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus wanted his disciples to realize the danger of self-righteousness. This leads to bitterness, discontentment and insecurity. We need to recognize our own faults and sinfulness. We should not undermine them by finding the fault of others.

    Jesus addressed the Pharisees and Scribes who seemed to be so righteous, yet, sick and sinful inside. Jesus compared them to blind men leading the blind. They noticed the splinters in other people but were blind to the beams in front of their own eyes. Jesus called them hypocrites.

    This was clear at how these people would always notice even the minutest details of the defects of others. They were filled with complaints and biases against others. These people’s malicious words consistently attacked Jesus and his disciples. Their words revealed their evil intentions.

    In fact, the First Reading from the Book of Sirach reminds us of the image. It says, “when a sieve is shaken, the husks appear, so do one’s fault’s when one speaks.” When we speak and use words that destroy others’ reputation, we reveal that we have a sick and rotten heart. Words that degrade and hurt others also show this. Similarly, words that only curse and bring insult to others reveal the evil in us.

    Jesus captures this in his words, “an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil.” Let us be mindful then of things that we nurture in our heart because these are manifested in what we speak.

    Moreover, to pinpoint the wrong or the faults of others is not entirely wrong. It is also our moral responsibility to express what is not good. Indeed, there is  wisdom and goodness in criticism in itself.

    We remind ourselves also of these two kinds of criticism. There is a constructive criticism and destructive criticism.

    A constructive criticism seeks the good of my brother and sister. In this criticism, we do not seek to bring insult to the person but to help the person grow and learn from mistakes and failures. It gives both positive and negative feedback. This is done with honesty and sincerity from our part.

    On the other hand, destructive criticism is hateful and malicious because it desires damage to my brother and sister. It is destructive because it puts down and humiliates the person and has no desire to help the person to grow and learn. Further, it is a mere accusation filled with bitterness and hate. In the words of Pope Francis, when we tend to destructively criticize and simply accuse others, then, we are friends of the devil because the devil is the Great Accuser. Thus, this is done with evil intent. We commonly do this when we talk behind to speak ill about the person in initiating, perpetrating and joining others to destroy the image of my brother or sister.

    Jesus does not want us to be that bitter and hateful accusers. Jesus desires that each of us becomes free. We achieve this freedom by being capable of recognizing our sins. This recognition makes the transformation of hearts possible. In this way we become a help to one another, so that as parents, leaders, mentors and authority figures, we will not be leading others blindly but with humility and willingness to be corrected, affirmed and challenged.

    As disciples of Jesus, he demands consistency in our words and actions, in the way we relate with others and with God, and in the way we look at ourselves.

    And so for this Sunday, these are your take-away.

    First, let us begin in recognizing our own “beams,” of our inconsistent words from our actions, our bitter and hateful words, our quick judgments and biases against others and other attitudes that make us hypocrites. Remember, when we choose to blind ourselves from these, then, there is a danger of making ourselves distant from God, from others and from our own reality.

    Second, avoid speaking ill of others, even in joining or perpetrating or encouraging others to do so. This makes our heart free from bitterness.

    Third, constructively correct others. Use words that uplift and motivate others to become better persons rather than being harsh and portraying ourselves to be superior. That’s again the attitude of a hypocrite.

    As we dare to look at ourselves and confront the evil within us, may we also find Christ most willing to embrace us. Hinaut pa.

          [1] Mike Robbins, “Why do we judge others?,” published on February 15, 2024,

    https://mike-robbins.com/the-gifts-of-judgment/#:~:text=We%20judge%20others%20as%20a,our%20own%20beliefs%20and%20values. (Accessed on February 26, 2025).

  • THE CALL TO FREEDOM TO LOVE AND FORGIVE

    THE CALL TO FREEDOM TO LOVE AND FORGIVE

    February 23, 2024 – Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022325.cfm)

    When I was a newly ordained priest in Iloilo, there was such a time that while waiting for the mass to begin, I sat in a corner of our church. Few pews away from me, were a couple with their daughter who was probably about 3 or 4 years old. As I observed, she was very playful and while playing she accidentally hit her head on the pew. It was quite hard and painful because there was a loud cry after that. She sought the comfort of her parents. The father took her up. But what surprised me were the words of the father which I cannot forget. He said, “the chair hit you, you hit back then.” The little girl did as she was told and after that she was comforted not to cry anymore because she was able to hit back already. The little girl hushed from crying and rested on the shoulder of her father.

    I am sure this is not something surprising to many of us. Some may have done it too to their children or grandchildren and perhaps you yourself experienced this. I have also experienced this at home when I was a little boy – to hit back whenever I am hurt, believing that the pain will fade once I have my revenge.

    Indeed, to take our revenge when we are hurt may have been there in our hearts and sub-conscious because that was how we were brought up or perhaps that was how our environment and culture taught us to do. This sounds actually simple yet this has big implications when we are grown up and interact with one another. With this, we may ask now, is the attitude of taking revenge a Christian way?

    In the First Book of Samuel, King Saul was in search of David. David had become an enemy to Saul because David became a threat to his kingship. Thus, Saul wanted to eliminate the threat by killing David. However, we were told that David slipped through the soldiers of King Saul and managed to get near to Saul while he was asleep. David had all the opportunity to kill Saul, his enemy, yet, when David had the chance to take his revenge, David spared the life of Saul.

    David believed that vengeance and violence against the man that God has chosen was not the answer to a free and good life but rather in showing mercy.

    The Psalm which has been attributed to David expressed such attitude of David too. – “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in kindness and the Lord deals with us not according to our sins.”

    This story of David prepares us of Jesus’ absurd and seemingly illogical teaching. Many of those during his time, found it radical and crazy. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus taught his disciples to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray those who mistreat you.” Is it not ridiculous?

    We were taught to be vengeful. We were taught to believe that hitting back takes away the pain that we have endured. Yet, Jesus teaches the other way around.

    How could we love those who have hurt us? Those who have abused us? Those who betrayed us and caused so much pain in our life? How could we not hate and curse them when we are suffering from what they have done to us? How can we give forgiveness when they do not own the responsibility?

    Our immediate response is to retaliate, to take our revenge. Some may result to physical violence which can terrorize the community. And if we cannot express physical violence against them, then, we express it in our words and on how we treat people. But most of all, we linger to hatred, to pain, anger and bitterness.

    However, we do not realize that once we let aggression, violence, hatred and anger to dominate our hearts and minds, we, in fact, become prisoners of our own pain. Then, the pain that we endure leads us to feelings of anger, hatred and bitterness. When we linger to these they will lead us to a heart that seeks only revenge. This will be our tendency from our belief that by hurting the person back, our anger and hatred will be satisfied. But then we are wrong because anger and hatred will never be satisfied by violence. Violence only makes us angrier, more hateful and more bitter. The more we linger to these emotions; they become a cycle of violence that never ends.

    We create our own cycle of violence, revenge, anger and hatred. We become prisoner of our own pain. All of these will control our life, thoughts and actions towards others. This is how our person and our relationships are so affected that we become toxic. We will never be free because we will try to avoid those who have hurt us and avoid occasions of meeting them. We will begin to become suspicious to our other relationships. Yet, we are afraid of trusting others, of loving others again and even ourselves. We are afraid because we linger to that pain thinking that other people might do it again to us. Thus, we become judgmental and condemning to those who are around us and even of ourselves.

    However, it is when we find love and forgiveness in our hearts that we will be free. But remember, this begins in accepting and embracing those painful experiences we have so that we can go on with life. 

    This tells us, that loving one’s enemies or those whom we hate is an expression of mercy and forgiveness that makes us free. It will not erase the scar of betrayal or abuse or pain or any trauma that we endure; but we will be able to stand up, to wipe our tears, to go on with life and to transform our pain into kindness and forgiveness.

    This is what Jesus wants for us. Jesus wants us to be free and not to be prisoners of anger, hatred, bitterness and violence. It is in showing love, kindness and mercy that we actually find peace and reconciliation, justice and freedom.

    Showing love then, is not about telling the person, that what he/she did was okay and we pretend as if nothing happened. No! Love and forgiveness bring healing to our wounded heart that will make us say to the person, “I forgive you not because of who you are but because of who I am.” This is what the Dalai Lama said. This is a gift from the Lord because we deserve peace and freedom. This also means that I choose to be free and at peace. I choose love and not anger and hatred and I choose God and not evil.

    The invitation of Jesus for us now, is an invitation to freedom from hatred, bitterness and violence and freedom to love, to be merciful and forgiving. This the attitude of the heart of a true believer of Christ Jesus. Hinaut pa.

  • For-GIVE

    For-GIVE

    February 23, 2025 – Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022325.cfm)

    “To err is human. To forgive is divine.” Surely  we have heard & familiar with this quotation before and could easily agree and resonate with it. “To err is human.” This is true for us, especially whenever we have hurt others, whenever we cannot forgive others, or whenever we have failed others. And our usual excuses are: “what can I do, I’m but just human”, or “I’m sorry. I’m not God who forgives. I’m just human and a sinner”.

    True, human as we are, we do wrong and commit sins and mistakes, through which we could easily hurt others. Due to our human weaknesses, we can hurt others, and others could also hurt us. Most of us could attest that it is but human and normal for us to do wrong and commit sin, thus can hurt and be hurt by others. And in the midst of this, we do need ourselves consideration, understanding, forgiveness and love.

    However, based from our own experience, it is difficult to forgive others, especially our enemies who have hurt us. Just like Abisai in our first reading, usually when opportunity comes, it is normal for us to take revenge or even in return hurt our enemies. Usually, it is not easy for us to forgive people who have hurt and wronged us. And we recognize we do need God’s Help and Grace for us to forgive them. For us then, to forgive is a divine or holy or godly behavior and action.

    Jesus said in our gospel today, “Love your Enemy. Do good to all those who persecute and hate you. Forgive them and God will forgive you”. Hearing these words, easy for us reply: “Yes. Easier said than done”. Nice words, good to hear, easy to say but hard to heed. It would be easy for Jesus to say and do those things because He is holy, godly and divine, but for us human, that difficult.

    We must consider that when Jesus said these words, he also experienced and felt the pain, hurt, and suffering caused by his enemies. Like us, Jesus also has his own enemies, who have wronged & hurt him. There were also people who hated him, rejected him and even caused his death. And for Jesus, it is also difficult to love our enemies. He knows and understands how difficult to heed these words – to practice what he preached.

    But still, Jesus challenges us to carry out this command because he knows that human as we are, we can and are capable of forgiving others. Though difficult, it does not mean that we are not capable of loving our enemies. Though difficult, we can and it is possible for us to love and forgive so because we have the ability to forgive and love others. Human as we are, we also have the freedom and potential to forgive others. Though difficult, compared to animals, we human do have the freedom and option to forgive or not to forgive those who have hurt us. Meaning, to forgive and love our enemies is not only divine but also human.

    God indeed is the source of love and forgiveness. It is divine and godly to forgive and love our enemies. But God’s forgiveness and love is revealed through us – in and by our own decision and openness to receive and share God’s love to others. Meaning, though we are weak and slow to forgive others, like David, we can still decide and offer love and forgiveness to them by also accepting their own weakness and limitations, and by giving them the opportunity to repent and change their ways.

    As Christians, we believe Jesus has saved us from our sinfulness. By His birth, death, and resurrection, he redeemed us and has forgiven us of our sins and wrongdoings. We are now then called to also forgive those who have sinned against us, as we have also been forgiven. Human and Christ as he is, Jesus forgives us. Human and Christian as we are, we can also love and forgive our enemies.

    Whenever we are hurt and are suffering from the sins caused by others, it is better for us to reflect and ask ourselves: “If God can grants me His mercy and forgiveness, how come I cannot forgive my enemies? God loved and have forgiven me, a sinner, how can I not love but hate my enemies?

    If of any consolation, consider that forgiveness is not only given to us & what we receive from others, but also forgiveness is something we give to others. Forgiveness then is something more we GIVE For ourselves, and To ourselves than giving to others, for as we ask Our Father to forgive us our sins, we are also to forgive those who sinned against us.

    Remember as our Lord said  “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

    May we forgive others as we are forgiven.

    So May It Be. Amen

  • BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD

    BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD

    February 16, 2025 – Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021625.cfm)

    How blessed are you today? How do we also measure that experience of being blessed? Do we depend on the material things we enjoy? Or the spiritual graces that we receive? Or the satisfied and contented state of life?

    Well, it really matters on how we understand blessing or being blessed. Commonly, when we think of a life that is blessed we think of material wealth and prosperity. This includes having a good family, a booming business, a successful career, good paying job, or having a good health. Thus, our easy understanding of being blessed has something to do with success and material possessions.

    Yet, as we look at life in a bigger reality, we see that poverty is never a blessing. To live poor and being deprived of many things in life make us insecure with many things. The same goes with being persecuted, being sick, being mistreated or being rejected is never a blessing. If we are experiencing such life now, do you consider yourself being blessed?

    However, there is a twist, a different perspective and understanding of “being blessed.” This is what our readings this Sunday offer us to realize and discern.

    May I invite you then, that we revisit again the readings and see how the Lord guides and calls to understand blessing and our life from God’s perspective rather than from a materialistic point of view.

    In the Book of Jeremiah in the first reading, the prophet reminds us to trust in the Lord and not to rely on human strength and capacity. True enough that we can exercise great power in terms of our intelligence, will, material wealth and influence yet all of these will pass away because we will all die, one day, sooner or later. This means that our dependence on these forms of material satisfactions can be a mere human arrogance and a false sense of security.

    In fact, the author of the Psalm expressed the same message reminding us that the “counsel of the wicked” may appear enticing because it promises an easy way out, instant riches and satisfaction. Nevertheless, it is empty and we shall find no contentment because the “counsel of the wicked” makes us crave for more and gain for more for ourselves. This is actually the promise of addictions, in whatever form that may be, whether addiction to drugs, alcohol, sex, influence and fame, wealth and power (political or economic power).

    In the same way, Jesus warns those who in the standard of the world are blessed such as the satisfied, the rich, the powerful, the popular and the influential.

    The danger and evil now lies in the attitude of the heart that becomes independent from God. This is a heart that rejects God’s offer of friendship, mercy and love. Moreover, Jesus warns us when we tend to accumulate more wealth for ourselves at the expense of the poor, or when we consolidate power and influence at the expense of others, or when we seek to be praised and recognized by others by means of manipulations and abuse of power.

    Such attitude of the heart is filled with arrogance and self-centeredness that has no need of God. Our successes and we, ourselves, have become ‘gods.’

    But then, all of these would corrupt us because we will never be satisfied. We will thirst and hunger for more wealth, recognition and power which will also lead to our own destruction and those who are around us and those blocking our way to gain for more, as any form of addiction will also result in this way. Again, this is what Prophet Jeremiah reminds us, because those who turn away from the Lord are barren and empty.

    However, in God’s perspective those who are poor, sick, persecuted, those who failed and rejected are blessed because it is in our poverty and difficulty that we realize our weakness and of our need of God.

    Such insecurities bring us to understand that we are so small in this world and we are in need of God’s grace. That is why; Jesus addressed these Beatitudes to his disciples, assuring them of his presence. His disciples left everything, their families, jobs and the comfort of home. They went to places where sometimes they have to sleep without roof. Authorities ridiculed them and insulted them for following Jesus.

    This is what Jeremiah affirmed as well as in our Psalm, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord.” Thus, the very presence of God in our life is what makes us “blessed.” Since God favors the weak, poor, suffering and struggling in life, they are the ones who are blessed because they understand their need of God. Remember, God comes to us when we are ready to accept God in our life and to let God be our God.

    God invites us then, to recognize our own poverty and anxieties because God blesses us with His presence. St. Paul reminds us, God is faithful. The resurrection of Jesus is our assurance. We might feel his absence at times when we are overwhelmed with difficulties and fears; yet, God remains with us.

    The material wealth that we have gained, the influence and fame that we have received and the successes that we have achieved are signs of God’s grace and generosity. When we have these, may these lead us to humble ourselves and to recognize that these are gifts and we ought to share them to others.

    And so, when we have received much, share the blessings to those who are in need without any expectation of a return of investment. If you are enjoying success in life, share the experience with those who failed. If you have achieved much in life, be humble enough to become an inspiration for others. In this way the Kingdom of God will truly be present among us, because we ourselves will become blessing to each one. Hinaut pa.