32nd Sunday in ordinary time.

 Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran

Jn 2:13‐22 

The feast is quite unusual. We are celebrating not the feast of a saint, but of a church building, the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. The ninth of November is the anniversary of the dedication of this church. It is being celebrated by the entire Christian world on account of its universal preeminence. This basilica was built by Emperor Constantine and solemnly dedicated by Pope Sylvester I on November 09, 324. Its official title is the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior and of Sts. John Baptist and John Evangelist in the Lateran. It stands on the site of an ancient palace on the Celian Hill, which formerly belonged to the Laterani Family. That is where the name “Lateran” comes from. It is considered “the mother and head of all churches of Rome and the world” because it is the first church to be built, hence the oldest, and therefore, holds the title of Archbasilica. It is the Pope’s Cathedral as the Bishop of Rome.

The celebration of the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran is a sign of devotion to and unity with the Chair of Peter, the authority of the Pope as the successor of Peter, the Vicar of Christ on earth.

The liturgy of this feast tells us about the two Temples, namely, the Temple of Jerusalem, and the Body of Christ. When Jesus entered the Temple of Jerusalem, He was shocked to see it profaned and desecrated by the moneychangers and merchants selling doves and sacrificial animals. In anger, He drove away these people: “Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” (Jn 2:16). 

This action of Jesus gives us an important lesson: the church building is not an ordinary place; it is the house of God. As a house of worship, it is where people encounter God in a very special way. Hence, it should be treated with utmost respect and reverence. Pope St. John Paul II teaches: “Any church is your house, and the house of God. Value it as the place where we encounter our common Father.”

The Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship reminds us: “A church is the place where the Christian community is gathered to hear the word of God, to offer intercession and praise to Him, and above all to celebrate the holy mysteries, and it is the place where the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist is kept. Thus, it stands as a special kind of image of the Church itself, which is God’s temple built from living stones.” (Decree, 29 May 1977) 

Secondly, we should come regularly to visit the church. If we really believe it is the house of God, why do many of us seldom come here? If we truly love God we will surely come to this place every day to visit and be with Him at least for a few moments. 

Thirdly, we should support its maintenance and upkeep. We see many magnificent and luxurious buildings and mansions all around. Although these belong to mortal human beings only, yet their beauty and integrity are well-maintained. Sadly, this is not the case with so many churches. These are houses of worship, the dwelling place of God, yet many people do not really mind. 

Jesus also talks about another Temple – the Body of Christ. This Temple will be “destroyed” by death, but on the third day, He will raise it up again. And before He finally ascended to His heavenly Father, He established the Church, His Mystical Body. In Baptism, we have become members of the Church; we have become parts of His Mystical Body. We are the Church.

As we celebrate today the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, we are reminded that the Church is not just the building where we gather to worship, but more importantly, it is the community of believers, the Mystical Body of Christ. The Church is the concrete assurance of the abiding presence of Jesus: “I am with you always until the end of time.”

Let us also make this feast a solemn occasion to renew our oath of loyalty to the Holy Father, the Successor of Peter and the Vicar of Christ, who as St. Ignatius of Antioch wrote, “presides over the whole assembly of charity.” Let us pray for him and for the unity of the entire Church.

All Souls Day

 November  2nd is the Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed. This day gives us an opportunity to think about two realities we can never avoid: life and death. We know that life is the greatest gift of God. Yet life is too short. And nobody knows when it will end. 

Hence, the celebration today helps us realize about the brevity of life, and the urgent need to live it to the fullest. And the way to do this is by living in love. Life is meaningless unless we learn to love. St. Teresa of the Child Jesus said: “It is not important how many years we have in our life; but how much love we put into our lives that truly matters.” For those who live in love, death is not the end of life but just the transition to the eternal life promised to us by Christ. Hence, there is no need to be afraid of death.  

Let us remember to pray for the souls of our departed brothers and sisters. Most of them are still suffering the pains of the purifying flames of Purgatory. Hence, according to St. Francis de Sales, “To assist the souls in Purgatory is to perform the most excellent of the works of mercy.”

We need to help the souls in Purgatory for they are considered “poor souls”. They are ‘poor’ because they are suffering two kinds of pain. The first is the pain of purification from the fires of Purgatory, which is necessary in order to come worthily into the presence of the Almighty God. The second is the pain of being prevented in the meantime from seeing God. Both of these pains are part of what is called “temporal punishment” due to sins incurred during one’s earthly life. They are temporary, and they can be totally remitted in Purgatory. (On the other hand, the souls in Hell endure “eternal punishment”, that is, no more possibility of forgiveness and redemption.)

The second reason why they are called “poor souls in Purgatory” is because they are totally helpless. They cannot anymore do anything to help themselves: they cannot go to Mass to receive the Body of Christ, they cannot go to confession, or do meritorious acts of mercy, or gain indulgences. Hence, they just rely totally on the prayers and spiritual help from the living.

Nowadays, there are many Catholics who have no clear understanding of this doctrine. When a loved one dies, they are so quick to declare and claim that the deceased is “already in Heaven” or “in a better place.” But that is not what Scripture says. The Letter to the Hebrews says, “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Heb 9:27). St. Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10). 

In fact, according to St. John Vianney, “It is definite that only a few chosen ones do not go to Purgatory and the sufferings there that one must endure exceed our imagination.” They still have to appear before “the judgment seat of Christ.” Herein lies, therefore, the eternal value and necessity of praying for the souls in Purgatory. 

Furthermore, we should not forget that they are also called “Holy Souls in Purgatory”. This is because they cannot commit sin anymore. They are just waiting for the completion of their purification. So, in the meantime, they have all the opportunity to pray for us. And eventually, when they are admitted into heaven with the help of our prayers and indulgences, they will surely intercede for us before the throne of God.

Let us, therefore, pray for our departed brothers and sisters. Rest assured they are also praying for us. And in God’s boundless mercy and love, He will gather us once again in our true home, the House of the Heavenly Father. aNonymous

All Souls Day

November 2nd is the Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed. This day gives us an opportunity to think about two realities we can never avoid: life and death. We know that life is the greatest gift of God. Yet life is too short. And nobody knows when it will end. 

Hence, the celebration today helps us realize about the brevity of life, and the urgent need to live it to the fullest. And the way to do this is by living in love. Life is meaningless unless we learn to love. St. Teresa of the Child Jesus said: “It is not important how many years we have in our life; but how much love we put into our lives that truly matters.” For those who live in love, death is not the end of life but just the transition to the eternal life promised to us by Christ. Hence, there is no need to be afraid of death.  

Let us remember to pray for the souls of our departed brothers and sisters. Most of them are still suffering the pains of the purifying flames of Purgatory. Hence, according to St. Francis de Sales, “To assist the souls in Purgatory is to perform the most excellent of the works of mercy.”

We need to help the souls in Purgatory for they are considered “poor souls”. They are ‘poor’ because they are suffering two kinds of pain. The first is the pain of purification from the fires of Purgatory, which is necessary in order to come worthily into the presence of the Almighty God. The second is the pain of being prevented in the meantime from seeing God. Both of these pains are part of what is called “temporal punishment” due to sins incurred during one’s earthly life. They are temporary, and they can be totally remitted in Purgatory. (On the other hand, the souls in Hell endure “eternal punishment”, that is, no more possibility of forgiveness and redemption.)

The second reason why they are called “poor souls in Purgatory” is because they are totally helpless. They cannot anymore do anything to help themselves: they cannot go to Mass to receive the Body of Christ, they cannot go to confession, or do meritorious acts of mercy, or gain indulgences. Hence, they just rely totally on the prayers and spiritual help from the living.

Nowadays, there are many Catholics who have no clear understanding of this doctrine. When a loved one dies, they are so quick to declare and claim that the deceased is “already in Heaven” or “in a better place.” But that is not what Scripture says. The Letter to the Hebrews says, “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Heb 9:27). St. Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10). 

In fact, according to St. John Vianney, “It is definite that only a few chosen ones do not go to Purgatory and the sufferings there that one must endure exceed our imagination.” They still have to appear before “the judgment seat of Christ.” Herein lies, therefore, the eternal value and necessity of praying for the souls in Purgatory. 

Furthermore, we should not forget that they are also called “Holy Souls in Purgatory”. This is because they cannot commit sin anymore. They are just waiting for the completion of their purification. So, in the meantime, they have all the opportunity to pray for us. And eventually, when they are admitted into heaven with the help of our prayers and indulgences, they will surely intercede for us before the throne of God.

Let us, therefore, pray for our departed brothers and sisters. Rest assured they are also praying for us. And in God’s boundless mercy and love, He will gather us once again in our true home, the House of the Heavenly Father. Amen

27th sunday c

 27th Sunday cycle c

October 05, 2025

Lk 17:5-10

A famous story is told of Charles Blondin, the tightrope walker who crossed Niagara Falls in the 1800s. Thousands came to watch him do the impossible—balancing on a rope with raging water below.

Blondin was not satisfied with just walking across. He made it more daring: sometimes backwards, sometimes blindfolded, sometimes even stopping to cook an omelet in the middle! (Now, that’s what I call “fast food”!)

One day, he pushed a wheelbarrow across. The crowd roared with excitement when he made it safely to the other side. Then Blondin asked, “Do you believe I can push this wheelbarrow across again?”

“YES!” the crowd shouted.

“Do you really believe?” Blondin pressed.

“YES! YES!” they cried.

And then he said, “Wonderful—who wants to get inside the wheelbarrow?” Suddenly… complete silence. 

Faith is not just cheering from the sidelines. Faith is not just saying, “Yes, I believe in God.” True faith is climbing into the wheelbarrow—entrusting our lives to the Lord even when the rope is narrow and the waters are raging.

It’s easy to say we believe in God on Sunday. It’s harder when Monday’s worries come, when we’re anxious about our family, our health, our finances. That’s when Jesus says to us: “Do you trust Me enough to get into the wheelbarrow?”

And unlike Blondin—who was only human—Jesus will never let us fall. He doesn’t just walk across the rope; He carries us in His arms. So maybe the question for us?

Are we content to just cheer from the sidelines… or are we ready to climb into the wheelbarrow of faith?

Jesus is giving us two lessons. First, mature faith is expressed in our willingness to always put God’s will as the first priority in our lives. Our true happiness consists not in any expected reward, but in simply knowing that we have accomplished our duties in fulfillment of God’s will. Hence, we readily forget ourselves and work tirelessly for God, knowing that He will come to our aid at the best opportune time. 

Second, faith grows and increases in the hearts of humble people who are like little children. Humility and faith go together. After all, faith is the humble acceptance of the fact that we are nothing, and it is God alone who supplies us with everything. And so, we turn to Him, knowing that He will not abandon or ignore us. This is very clear in the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary: “I am the maidservant of the Lord. Be it done unto me as you say.” The source of Mary’s greatness was in being an obedient and humble servant of the Lord all the days of her life. Humility is the fertile soil of the seed of faith.

We always pray. But what do we ask from God? How many times have we prayed for an increase of faith? We may not realize this, but the lack of faith in God is one of the main reasons for the troubles in the world. People depend greatly on money and human power. But they are painfully aware of how fleeting and ephemeral these are. So they are in constant insecurity and fear. Fear of losing these things impels them to turn to other ways, mostly crooked and immoral ways. And that’s when troubles come. But the man of faith has no insecurities and fears whatsoever, for his life is rooted, not in those passing things, but in the Eternal God.

Lack of faith is also the source of man’s unhappiness. Many people worship and serve God. But at the back of their minds, they think they are entitled to receive some reward, and they expect God to serve them in return. Failing to get what they expect, they are disappointed and frustrated, and they begin to search for another God. So, we witness nowadays the proliferation of false religions, all zealously proclaiming the Prosperity Gospel. This is precisely the warning of St. Paul to the Philippians: “For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. 

Let us examine ourselves: how strong is our faith? If we are still looking for miracles, if we are expecting for some reward, and if we are afraid of losing worldly conveniences, these are clear indications that our faith is still very weak. The Gospel this Sunday shows us that mature faith mainly consists in our willingness to serve God unconditionally, without counting the cost. 

In the midst of life’s uncertainties and troubles, let us hold on to Jesus who assures us, “And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20). In the end, let the words of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, the patron saint of the youth, be our firm resolve and conviction: “It is better to be the child of God than king of the whole world.” Amen

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Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Deut 30:10-14; Col 1:15-20; Luke 10:25-37

In our gospel today, Jesus also gives an example of who is a good person and how to be good. That is, those who know and love their neighbor. But who is our neighbor? Ask the man. Jesus gives us the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

But before I go further, let us give some definitions and notions of what neighbor is all about.

Mr. Webster said: ‘neighbor’ means, someone who is near to us, either physically or socially or perhaps in one’s affections. When we are commanded to love our neighbor in this kind of neighbor, then, it is very easy to love them.

Essenes of Qumran: Neighbor is the one who shares the same religious persuasion as themselves.

Zealots: Only those who shared the same nationality and ethnicity with them.

Average Jew: Their fellow Jews only who are well and in good standing within the Jewish community and would not regard the Samaritan as a neighbor. They are outsiders and circle of neighborly love does not include them. For example, some of them said that it was illegal to help a Gentile woman who is giving birth for that would only have been to bring another Gentile into the world. Therefore, excluded from their definition are the ill and those considered ‘public sinners’ among whom, are tax collectors, prostitutes and adulteress.

But for Jesus, neighbor means anyone of any nation who is in need regardless of his/her status in life. Another one is: it is he/she who does not hesitate to extend a helping hand when it is sorely needed is a neighbor to the person in need.

In our society today, there are countless victims along the road. They suffer from ignorance, disease, violence, blindness, depression, old age, poverty, floods and fire and etc. Many of these fellowmen of ours need only a little help coming from us like giving a peso bill, a hug, some good advice, a genuine smile or just a minute or two to hear their stories of struggles in life. This is our social apostolate and if we are baptized Christians, then, we have the duty to be teachers, priests and at the same time as servants to all in order to have a balanced Christian life.

At the end let us ask ourselves this question, who is my neighbor? Because Christians today have the difficulty in identifying or knowing who their neighbors are especially in big subdivisions and villages. People in these places barely know their next-door neighbors. Sometimes they do not care to get acquainted them. How can I be a neighbor especially to my enemies and the persons who hurt me?

To conclude this let me sing with you the song entitled Song of St. Francis for us to reflect:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace

When there is hatred let me sow love

When there is injury let me bring pardon

When there is doubt faith

When there is despair hope

When there is darkness let me bring light

When there is sadness let me bring joy.

St peter and st paul

Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul

Sunday, June 29, 2025

Mt 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or 

This Sunday, the 29th of June, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul. These two great saints epitomize the truth about the grace of God. Jesus appointed Simon, son of John, as Cephas, the Rock foundation of the Church. Yet immediately after the formal appointment, the Lord rebuked him: “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because you are not thinking as God thinks but as human beings do!” (Mt 16:23). He further failed Our Lord when, even before the cock crowed, he denied Him three times. Yet what made him a great saint and the foundation stone on which the Church was built? Jesus has the answer. It was the heavenly Father’s wish to grant Peter this supreme grace and privilege: “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father” (Mt 16:17). In short, he was a failure, but by the grace of God, he has become a great pillar of the Church.

Similarly, St. Paul is a great saint, the missionary par excellence of the Church. Yet he had the constant awareness of his unworthiness and of God’s boundless graces: “For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; yet not I, however, but the grace of God [that is] with me” (1 Cor 15:9-10).

Today we celebrate the feast of these two great saints, the two main pillars of the Church, not only to honor them, but also to express our gratitude and joy for God’s bounteous graces bestowed upon us, despite our failures and unworthiness. What we are now is not due to our merits and accomplishments but are the fruits of God’s generosity and mercy. Indeed, like St. Therese of Lisieux, we can say that “everything is grace, everything is the direct effect of our Father’s love.”

However, this does not mean that we remain passive recipients of these graces. We have to be reminded that, as baptized Christians, we have a mission to fulfill. Before His ascent into heaven, Jesus gave this all-important command to all His followers: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Mt 28:19-20).

God has granted us all these graces, therefore, not only for our personal benefit. Rather, these are meant to be shared with others around us. Every Christian, then, is a missionary. Interestingly, the more we share these gifts, the more they grow and bear fruits in our lives.

St. Peter and St. Paul are the two main pillars on which the Church stands and moves forward. As a man cannot stand and move without his two feet, so also the Church cannot grow and move without these two pillars. As the first Vicar of Christ, St. Peter symbolizes the stability and strength of the Church, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.” He steadfastly held on to the authentic Magisterium of the Church in Sacred Scriptures and Sacred Tradition. He is the centripetal force of the Church. 

On the other hand, St. Paul, the greatest missionary of all times, symbolizes the dynamism and growth of the Church. His missionary travels, with the Holy Spirit as the driving force behind him, led to the rapid spread of the Gospel to all parts of the world. He is the centrifugal force of the Church. 

Without the orthodoxy and stability of the ‘Rock’, the Church would have long ago crumbled and swept away by the flood of errors and relativism in the world. And without the dynamism and vitality of the Missionary, the Church would have remained a small sect within the confines of Judeo-Christian communities.

St. Peter and St. Paul do not only exemplify the life of the Church, but also the life of every Christian. Nowadays, we are bombarded with all sorts of attractive but erroneous ideas and teachings, mostly concerning materialism and relativism. But life is not only about material things; there are spiritual realities we cannot and must not ignore. And there are also truths that do not depend on our personal opinions and feelings but are absolute and immutable. We need, therefore, St. Peter’s orthodoxy and steadfastness in holding on to the truths revealed by Christ and proclaimed by the Magisterium of the Church. Otherwise, we will get confused and deceived by the false prophets that abound.

But our Christian life is not just about holding on to the absolute truths. We also live in a world that is constantly changing and developing. We need to adjust and grow. Otherwise, we will be left behind and our faith becomes irrelevant. That is why the Church nowadays calls for New Evangelization. In this regard, we look up to St. Paul’s zeal and dynamism. Every Christian is a missionary. This is what the priest reminds us at the end of every Mass: “The Mass is ended. Go in peace!” It is not a simple dismissal of the community. Rather, it is a commissioning. After every Mass, we are sent forth as missionaries.

Let this celebration today be an opportunity for us to examine the state of our Christian life. May we strive to remain faithful to the teachings and commands of our Lord, like St. Peter. And may we be filled with zeal and courage to go out and share our faith to others, like St. Paul. Then, our life as Christians is complete.