Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Year 1

  • WALK IN HIM, ROOTED IN HIM, BUILT UPON HIM

    WALK IN HIM, ROOTED IN HIM, BUILT UPON HIM

    September 9, 2025 – Tuesday 23rd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090925.cfm)

    How do we make decisions? What are the things that we consider as we choose what is essential in life?

    Paul in his Letter to the Colossians, reminded the people not to be persuaded by selfish desires, “seductive philosophy” and perhaps appealing ideologies at that time. People might be tempted on impulse to choose and make decisions in their life based on what was popular and appealing to many.

    Hence, Paul said, “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

    To walk in him, be rooted in him and be built upon him is to make Jesus Christ at the very center of our life, of the decisions we make and the things that we do and we want to be. This is how we share in the fullness of Jesus’s humanity and divinity.

    And the Gospel today gives us the invitation on how we will be able to remain in Jesus and share in the fullness of God’s grace. This is shown himself by Jesus, and that is through the basics of prayer. As Jesus chose his closest disciples whom he also called apostles, Jesus spent a night in prayer to his Father in heaven.

    Jesus prayed. In fact, he spent the whole night in prayer as an act of communion with the Father, He listened to his Father’s voice speaking in him. This means that he did not choose the 12 just out of compulsion or feelings. Jesus chose each of them according to God’s desire. This was how Jesus also saw something in each of them, including Judas. Jesus saw something very good in Judas. Yet, Judas failed to see and recognize what the Lord had seen in him. As a result, Judas betrayed Jesus because Judas failed to recognize God in the person of Jesus.

    The Gospel also tells us that the people who were gathered around Jesus sought to touch the Lord. They realized that by mere touching him, they were healed. Power came forth from Jesus himself. And Jesus allowed them to touch him. This expressed God’s desire that indeed we are welcomed to share in the fullness of God’s grace that brings healing and gives life.

    We too are invited to touch God. Because it is in touching God that we will become grounded in whatever decision we will make. In touching the presence of Jesus in our sacraments, in the scriptures and in the lives of others that we too are able to walk with Jesus. When we become more aware of God in our life, then, the more we become sensitive to God’s desire for us and be rooted in Jesus. So, let us seek God’s desire in prayer and be built upon him. Hinaut pa.

  • Will you give a space for God?

    Will you give a space for God?

    September 3, 2025 – Wednesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the reading (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090325.cfm)

    Entering and investing in a relationship whether in friendship or a romantic relationship requires us to a mutual self-giving. This giving of the self is manifested in our capacity to make a space for a person or people to occupy in our life. Allowing a person to occupy a space in our life, also means that we make ourselves open to the person. The person may know our deepest secrets, as well as our deepest pains in life.

    We shall find, then, our relationships fulfilling and essential in our personal development. In hope, we assume that the person or those people whom we have given the space in our life have the good intention in giving care and expressing love to us.

    Yet, we also realize that if the person whom we have given a space in our heart and in our life, betrays us, gives us more pain and stress, then, our relationship becomes hurtful. This could even develop into a toxic relationship, sucking the life out of us. This kind of relationship does not help us and would only bring us into pain and bitterness.

    However, what if it would be God, this time, who asks for a space in our life and in our heart? Will you allow God to occupy a space? Are you willing to give up something for God to be in your life?

    God, certainly, shall not bring us to harm and evil. God desires goodness and happiness for us, but, giving a space for God also requires something from us. We cannot accommodate the Lord when the heart is full. We cannot give a space for God when our life is occupied with many things. What God needs is a small space to bring healing and transformation in us.

    We have heard this in the Letter of Paul to the Colossians. Paul affirmed the Colossians because of the capacity to welcome and receive the Gospel in their hearts. Faith grew, love deepened and hope strengthened because they allowed God to have a space in their hearts. Having a space for God transformed them as a Christian Community.

    Moreover, the Gospel also tells us how Jesus brought healing and transformation into the house of Simon. As it was in any typical Jewish house at that time, the house of Simon, must had been full of people too. His house was not just occupied by his wife and children but also his in-laws, nephews and nieces. And perhaps, cousins and other relatives who sought refuge in the house of Simon.

    However, despite this situation, Simon offered Jesus a space in his house. When Jesus was given a space, Jesus was able to heal his mother-in-law who was afflicted with a severe fever. The miracle of healing happened here. She was healed. Strength was renewed for her.

    The more interesting transformation was the effect of the healing. Her actions were transformed. When she was healed, she got up and waited on them. This means that when she experienced the healing, she served the Lord in her own capacity. This is faith in action and gratitude being transformed into generosity and kindness.

    The Lord also invites us today. We may have experienced hurts and pains in our human relationships. Those whom we welcomed in our life may have caused us troubles and traumas.  Yet, we are assured that God only brings healing and transformation in us. God desires that we will be healed in whatever illness and pain we are experiencing today.

    Thus, give a space for God by also getting rid of those that are not actually helpful and not necessary. This applies in our personal life. Alos in our relationships, in our homes and communities particularly. Allow the Lord today to occupy that space and allow him too to heal and transform in us.

    As we experience the gift of healing, this may it move us to put in action our faith and to make concrete our gratitude to God. This shown by becoming generous and kind towards others. Hinaut pa.

  • TO SPEAK WITH AUTHORITY

    TO SPEAK WITH AUTHORITY

    September 2, 2025 – Tuesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090225.cfm)

    How is your language? How do you speak to others? I do not mean of a particular “language of a group of people” like English, German, Italian or Filipino. What I mean rather is the quality of our conversation with others. Does our language then, speak of gentleness and compassion? Or does our language use hate speech, express anger and malice? Do you converse to gossip, create confusion and lies?

    Indeed, there is power in language not just as a medium of communication, but also, as a medium of healing and bringing freedom. Jesus, in today’s Gospel, spoke with authority and his language brought healing and freedom to the person.

    The people in Capernaum were amazed at Jesus when he spoke and taught them. They were not amazed at his eloquence and fluency in the language but more astonished at his words that were spoken with authority.

    Jesus spoke and taught them not like the Scribes and Pharisees. They spoke to brag about how good and righteous they were, yet, demanding to be praised and recognized at public places. Those very people burdened the ordinary folk with many laws to observe and punishments in not following the law. Jesus also spoke not like the Roman authorities and soldiers who would demand that people should pay their taxes and be subjected to their authority.

    The words that Jesus spoke to them made them alive and free and not fearful and resentful. It means that the words of Jesus generates life, freedom, peace and reconciliation.

    This was clearly manifested when Jesus encountered an evil spirit. The evil spirit that burdened the man, made him suffer. The evil spirit subjected the man to bitterness and hatred. Yet, it was powerless before Jesus. The words and the presence of Jesus brought light into the life of that man. Jesus healed the man and broke the oppressive influence of the evil spirit through his life-giving words, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”

    These powerful words of Jesus came from his very person. Because Jesus’ intention was honest, his words were of kindness, and his actions generous. As a result, that encounter became life-giving and freeing for the man possessed and oppressed by the evil spirit.

    The Lord Jesus also calls us today that we too may find life and freedom in his words and presence. The holy scriptures and this Eucharist are concrete ways of the Lord to speak to us. In hope, may we also learn to speak with authority like Jesus so that we become life-giving and instruments of freedom in our community.

    Let us examine our words and our encounters with people today. Are my words and presence life-giving or condemning? Am I giving freedom or condemnations? Are my words and speech filled with hatred and anger or peace and kindness? Do I speak to only bring gossip and lies or speak the truth and goodness of others?

    If we find that our words and presence express more of condemnation, judgments, hate and bitterness, gossips and lies – allow Jesus to transform us. Allow Jesus to cast the evil spirit in us so that we too will be healed and become free. Hinaut pa.

  • Not out of Fear but from Gratitude & Generosity

    Not out of Fear but from Gratitude & Generosity

    August 30, 2025 – Saturday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083025.cfm)

    People who struggle with low self-esteem may find it so difficult to share their talents and express themselves. The fear of being judged and being rejected by others could hamper a person to share and express himself or herself. Many times, one could not avoid such fear because people tend to easily notice the negatives, failures and the ugly.

    More so, we may also tend to compare ourselves with others. To realize how others enjoy many things than us or how others possess more than us, could make our heart envious. Among siblings and friends, it can be painful when others stress who is better, brighter, and more talented among us. This can make the “lesser self” become bitter towards others and towards himself or herself.

    Such outlook in life would hold us back from developing healthy and life-giving relationships because of our poor self-image and low self-esteem. We too may tend to hide in fear and bury our potentials. Thus, we endanger ourselves to become stagnant and unproductive.

    The parable in today’s Gospel reminds us of this through the third servant. Yet, it also challenges us to see beyond our limitations and embrace our potentials. This becomes more possible in us as we grow in gratitude and generosity and not out of fear.

    Indeed, the servants were given “talents” (a particular amount of material wealth) by their master. Each was given different amount of talents, “each according to his ability.” The master realized the ability of each of his servant and so they were entrusted as the master saw it fitting for them.

    When we are the ones in this situation and having a low self-esteem, we too might compare ourselves especially when we have received less. We could become bitter and reactive towards the master who entrusted little in our care. We could feel envious of others who received more.

    The third servant represented this kind of heart. He was rather filled with fear and bitterness towards the master, towards others and himself. And so, he decided to bury his talents. That made him unproductive and having a bitter perspective of the generosity of the master. He might have despised the master and his companions too. Yet, he too could have pitied himself for having less.

    However, the two other servants no matter how much they have received understood what the master wanted them to do. With the talents given to them, they began to take risks and invested what they have possessed.

    The two servants have given us the model of becoming grateful and generous. This made them productive and even discovered the wonders behind their abilities and potentials. This was manifested at how the master entrusted them with more.

    This is how we are invited today. There is no reason for constantly comparing ourselves with others. When this becomes an unhealthy behavior in us, it will remove us from being free, grateful and generous. We will be prevented to become more productive in our own way.

    We are challenged, then, to confront and outgrow our fears, our low self-esteem, and begin to affirm ourselves and the gifts we have no matter how small or limited we may think of them.

    Like the two other servants, the Lord wants us to take risks, to be creative, to be productive in our own ways. The Lord gives the grace in each of us, each according to our ability. This is not because God discriminates us but in God’s wisdom, God sees our capabilities.

    And so we pray, “Lord, make my heart more grateful and generous. Teach me to affirm the gifts I have and my very self. Challenge me when I begin to doubt your wisdom and generosity in me. May my heart be more courageous in sharing myself and find joy in it.” Hinaut pa.

  • The Light of our Faith

    The Light of our Faith

    August 29, 2025 – Passion of St. John the Baptist

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/0829-memorial-passion-john-baptist.cfm)

    Evil seems stronger that good. Darkness seems stronger than light. Lies seem stronger than truth. This can be discouraging and frustrating when such things happen in our life and in our society.

    Take for example when ordinary citizens would do their best to earn a living yet powerful political and government officers would suck out the national treasury. Leaders living in comfort and luxury while ordinary citizens living in poverty and suffering from poor social services. Take for example of murders and killings perpetrated by those with money as their power while families of victims being threatened and justice being deprived.

    Yet, in every age and generation, God chooses prophets among us who take courage and the risk to speak God’s desires for us. These are the prophets who make a stand even when their lives are threatened and find joy even when persecuted.

    Today’s feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist somehow portrays such painful reality. John who prepared the way of the Lord, led people to repentance and proclaimed God’s salvation was beheaded cruelly. John, who died a martyr’s death, paid this price by having the courage to pinpoint the wrong and immorality of those in power.

    Herod who coveted his brother’s wife, Herodias, though liked to listen to John, did not change his ways. Herod was rather submerged into corruption and immorality. Herodias despised John so much for challenging their relationship. Her daughter, who was indifferent towards the situation acted on impulse and without right judgment.

    John was fully aware of the risks but he did as the Lord commanded him to do. John’s life echoed what was written in the Book of Jeremiah, “Gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you.” The voice of John the Baptist became a beacon of light despite the seemingly powerful darkness. He became a hope in the midst of hopeless and corrupt leaders.

    He was beheaded, yet, the spirit of John the Baptist and his voice continued to echo. Hence, his passion does tell us now of God’s power to defeat evil with good, to turn darkness into light, and to correct lies with the truth.

    With his life and his passion, John is now an inspiration for us Christians. The faith that we have received, is our light that shall guide and inspire our conscience. The light of our faith motivates our hearts to love more and to seek what is true and good. The light of our faith brings encouragement and strength in times when we are being tried or threatened. This light of our faith makes us sing and proclaim God’s salvation and freedom for us.

    And so we pray, “Lord, increase my faith in you. Empower my heart and mind that I may be your own prophet in my own family, group of friends and community. Inspire in me the desire to seek the light, what is good and true.” Hinaut pa.