The Good Shepherd

Fourth Sunday of Easter

26 April 2026

 

First Reading: Acts 2:14a, 36-41

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b4, 5, 6

Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:20b-25

Gospel: John 10:1-10

 

Reflection

By: Benj Santiago

 

In a country longing for honest leadership and genuine care for the poor, Jesus as the Good Shepherd is a powerful model. 

He leads not through power, but through service, love, and sacrifice. This Gospel challenges Filipino leaders, parents, teachers, and citizens to protect, guide, and serve rather than exploit. 

In a society wounded by corruption and inequality, true leadership must reflect Christ’s heart. 

Our nation needs shepherds, not wolves—leaders who uplift the weak, protect the vulnerable, and place the common good above personal gain. 

Only then can our people experience the “abundant life” Christ promises.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd, guide our nation with Your heart of service and sacrifice. Raise leaders who protect the weak, defend the vulnerable, and choose the common good over personal gain. 

Heal us from corruption and injustice. Teach us all to lead with love, that our people may experience Your promised abundant life. Amen.

Kristong Hari

Dakilang Kapistahan ng Pagkahari

Nobyembre 23, 2025

 

Unang Pagbasa: 

Salmong Tugunan: 

Ikalawang Pagbasa: 

Mabuting Balita: 

 

Pagninilay

Ni: Renato C. Vibiesca

 

Wala tayong malinaw o malalim na konsepto ng pagkakaroon ng hari dahil wala sa kultura natin ito o wala tayong karanasan na mapasakop sa isang hari bilang pinuno ng ating bayan, maliban noong panahon ng kolonyalismo na malupit at malungkot na kasaysayan naman ang naranasan. Madalas na nakikita lang natin ang anyong kastilyo sa mga resort o pasyalan bilang dekorasyon ng lugar upang magmukhang kaharian iyon. Ang Fantasy World sa Lemery, Batangas ang tanging kastilyong nakita ko sa Pilipinas na isang amusement park at tinaguriang Disneyland ng Pilipinas. Pero napakaliit nito kung ikukumpara sa Disneyland sa ibang bansa. Nagkaroon lamang ako ng mas malawak na pagmumuni tungkol sa kastilyo at sa kaharian nang bigyan ako ng grasya ng Diyos na makakita nito sa ilang mga bansa sa Europa. Una, hindi lang bakas ng kasaysayan ang ipinapahiwatig nito kundi ang kadakilaan at kabutihan ng isang hari sa kanyang nasasakupan. Isa sa una kong napansin sa mga kastilyo ay napalilibutan ito ng matitibay na pader o moog, ang istrukturang ito ng kaharian ay ibig patunayan sa nasasakupang mamamayan na magtiwala sila dahil ligtas sila sa loob at laging kinakalinga sila ng kanilang hari. Kapag may magtatangkang sumira ng kastilyo o manakop ng kanilang kaharian, ang hari ang nangunguna sa kanyang mga kawal upang ipagtanggol ang kaniyang nasasakupan. Sinisiguro rin ng hari na sapat at masagana sa lahat ng bagay ang mamamayan upang manatili silang masaya sa kanilang pamumuhay. Napapaisip ako na ang pagiging mabuting hari marahil ang dahilan kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay maunlad na mga bansa ang karamihang nasa Europa. Subalit higit pa sa lahat ng kagalingan ng kastilyo o anumang kaharian sa Europa o maging sa buong mundo ang nais ibigay ng ating Kristong Hari nang ipangako niya sa Ebanghelyo na isasama sa paraiso ang magnanakaw na nagbalik-loob at nanampalataya kay Hesus. Sapagkat ang Kaharian ng Diyos ay walang hanggan na hindi tulad sa anumang kaharian sa mundo na maglalaho at lilipas pagdaan ng panahon. Tanging ang Kristong Hari ang matibay na moog na nagliligtas sa ating mga kasalanan, ang tagapagtanggol ng tapat na sumasampalataya sa Kanya, ang Hari na nagbibigay ng kasaganaan, ang Diyos na nagbibigay ng walang hanggang kaligayahan. Ang matimyas na pag-ibig sa atin ng Kristong Hari ay biyaya ng kaligtasan ng mga tapat na sumasampalataya sa Kanya sa pamamagitan ng pagtakwil sa mga kasalanan at pagbabalik-loob, pagpapanibago ng buhay, at pagbabayad-puri sa lahat ng nagawang pagkukulang sa Diyos at sa kapwa. Amen.

 

Panalangin

Panginoong Hesus, nagsusumaamo kami na patawarin ang aming mga kasalanan, dulutan ng biyaya na makapagbagong buhay at manatiling tapat sa Iyo habang nagbabayad-puri kami sa lahat ng masamang aming nagawa upang maisama mo rin kami sa Iyong Kaharian. Amen.

Ascending Hope

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

01 June 2025

 

First Reading: Acts 1:1-11

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:17-23 or Hebrews 9:24-28;10:19-23

Gospel: Luke 24:46-53

 

Reflection

By: Bernard M. Borja

 

Most of us are familiar with how feeling hopeful feels like. Some of us may have also faced hopelessness once or a few times in our lives. But there can be a path between being hopeless and being hopeful where we may often find ourselves trying to find hope in things that do not really make sense. A path that after pain, suffering, and doubt, we go through restoration and find a renewed hope in ways we never expected.

Jesus, as ever, brings a powerful message of hope—a hope that go beyond boundaries and time. Just as He commissioned His apostles to be His witnesses, assuring them that the Holy Spirit would fill them with grace and power, we witness similar anointing in moments of renewal and leadership in our modern society. Just like the disciples' hope was renewed after the resurrection and the many times Jesus was with them until His ascension, we are reminded that hope is sustained not only by what is seen but also by what is promised. Saint Paul prays that we may have our hearts enlightened so that we may fully comprehend the hope to which we are called. A hope that is rooted in Christ's resurrection, ascension, and His exalted authority over us. But this also says something about our longing for meaning and assurance that, regardless of our circumstances, we will always be part of God's redemption.

After the 2022 elections, I honestly felt hopeless on how people choose our leaders. In the next years after, I have been on a path of picking up the broken pieces and trying to make sense of a blurred hope for our country. But recently, after the midterm elections, we have witnessed a renewal in leadership that many see as an indication of a better tomorrow. The re-election of Pasig City Mayor has reaffirmed his commitment to transparency, accountability, and progressive governance. His leadership has inspired confidence and a belief in change. Also, the proclamation of the new Mayor of Naga, can be seen as a symbol of communal hope and affirmation. This reminds us that genuine leadership, born out of integrity and service to the people, can uplift a society in profound ways. Just as Jesus promised that His followers would be gifted with power to witness His love and truth throughout the earth, today we see leaders who are dedicated to the public good. Triumphs like these also remind us that hope can be restored and that integrity in public service is both possible and necessary.

Seeing this, I came to realize that hope is never passive but will always be persistent. It requires each one of us to look beyond our doubts, and trust in the providence that works through leaders infused with righteousness. In some form of a promise or a vote for reform, hope fuels action. It invites us to be active participants in a movement that bridges the gap between eternal truth and everyday reality.

Hope is alive, ever-renewing, and electable. Just as the disciples were called to be witnesses to a kingdom that reigns from on high, today’s leaders remind us that the spirit of renewal is both a gift and a responsibility. The promise of the Father invites us to trust, to act, and to be the change that our communities so desperately need. In this light, every act of leadership and every empowered vote becomes an echo of that timeless hope, urging us all to look up with expectation, embrace the promise, and work together toward a future filled with divine possibility. As we continue to look up like the disciples during the ascension of Jesus, we ask God for the grace to cultivate this ascending hope in our daily lives.

Prayer

In You alone, Jesus, our hope.

In You alone, Christ,  our strength.

In You alone, Lord, we are justified.

In You alone, we are saved.

We pray that we may open our hearts

and let Your love fill the emptiness in our soul

until it overflows with joy that we are longing for.

Unto You we pour out our hearts,

You alone will save us with Your love and mercy.

AMEN.

Cast Shadow of Goodness!

   

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

02 March 2025

 

First Reading: Sirach 27:4-7

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:54-58

Gospel: Luke 6:39-45

 

Reflection

By: Anabelle P. Balla

 

During a recent training session, an intriguing question was posed by our facilitator: "What leadership shadow do you cast?" This question led me to reflect on how my behavior and leadership style impact those around me, both in the workplace and at home.

I started thinking whether shadow I cast inspires people to excel in their roles and become better individuals. When we hear the saying, "Like father, like son", what usually comes to mind? Any father would probably hope to hear positive comments such as, "His son is kind, just like his father." I can imagine the father's smile, brimming with pride.

This made me think about the idead of basking in God's shadow, following His guidance, and emulating His goodness-which all of us can freely do if we want to! If we strive to emulate Him and nurture His seed of goodness within us, we can make Him smile and be proud of us as well. As we we embody His goodness, we may be able to cast shadows that encourage others to draw closer to Him and aspire to be more like Him.

Let us focus on growing God's goodness within us so that we can spread that goodness to those around us. After all, what we are and what we have are what we can give to the world.

Let your shadow reflect your true form, which was created in God's likeness.

Prayer

Father, thank You for casting Your shadow to all of us through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to cast shadow of goodness everywhere we go. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Unlike Any Other King

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe

25 November 2018

First reading                                                                  Daniel 7:13-14
As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

Second reading                                                     Revelation 1:5-8

Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, is the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Gospel                                                                     John 18:33-37

Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Whoever belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Reflection

By Benj Santiago

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”.

Today is the Solemnity of the Christ the King! A fitting closure of the Liturgical Year! Our “King”  born not in a great palace, but in a poor and smelly manger inside a cave. 

He has outlived all the kingdoms of this world as predicted by prophet Daniel even before He was born: “given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed”. He will continue to reign for He is the beginning and the end. As John the Beloved wrote in Revelation “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”.

But unlike any other king, Jesus came to serve and to love, not to lord it over His dominion. He came to offer His life as a supreme sacrifice that we may all be redeemed from our sins. In different ways, we too exercise some degree of leadership - in our family, work, or community. Do people see in us the servant leadership of Jesus or are we like any other king out there? Let Christ's Kingdom continue to reign in our hearts!

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, our King of Kings, our Supreme Redeemer, the One Who Reigns forever, we worship and praise You! We give You thanks and all the glory! We pray that You continue to inspire our leaders and all of us to be more like You. We pray that You reign in our hearts and minds forever and ever. Amen.

Sincere Leadership

First Reading: Genesis 14:18-20

Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. He pronounced this blessing:

‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High for handing over your enemies to you.’ And Abram gave him a tithe of everything.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 109: 1-4

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26

This is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you: that on the same night that he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, and thanked God for it and broke it, and he said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me.’ In the same way he took the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.’ Until the Lord comes, therefore, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming his death.

Gospel: Luke 9:11-17

Jesus made the crowds welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing.

It was late afternoon when the Twelve came to him and said, ‘Send the people away, and they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place here.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we are to go ourselves and buy food for all these people’ For there were about five thousand men. But he said to his disciples, ‘Get them to sit down in parties of about fifty.’ They did so and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the crowd. They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps remaining were collected they filled twelve baskets.

 Reflection

By Fidji Rivera-Sarmiento

The Gospel for today is the only miracle chronicled in all of the four Gospels, which only proves its significance in the entire salvation history. It could really be that Jesus did all the multiplication. That was how I thought it was. Something like magic, and boom! Bread became so many and the fish magically appeared. However, some experts say that the actual miracle here is the act of generosity and the sharing per se. Historians theorized that Jesus’ followers actually had “baon” with them. Upon knowing that the Apostles only gathered five loaves of bread and two fish from a boy (as narrated in the Gospel of John), the early Christians brought out and shared what they had to everyone. Jesus instructed the Apostles to collect the leftover and they gathered twelve baskets more.

This only presents the basic human behavior of self-preservation. We all have that instinct to bring with us things we need when we travel, to save for ourselves during the rainy days, to keep what we need in order to survive, to be always certain that we have enough. But how many among us can be like that innocent boy who can be selfless enough to give out everything he had? Whether he was coaxed or intimidated by the Apostles, he was willing to give away what he had for that day. That boy presented a model of unconditional trust in Jesus. No questions, no conditions. That kind of utter dependence on the Lord to bless our efforts of goodwill.

This Gospel also points out our thirst for a genuine Church leader, from the parochial level to the entire Catholic flock. Pope John Paul said, “The more Christian and conscious people are of their dignity and of their vital role in the Church, the more they urgently feel the need for priests who are TRULY priests.” This is much evident during Cardinal Tagle’s rise to fame after Pope Benedict stepped down. It is not surprising that the Catholic Church would seek someone who is of young blood, someone who IS among us, someone who is not on a pedestal. With all the scandals a number of priests have committed, we cannot blame the doubters and those who leave our Church to seek for a more sincere leadership. But Pope Francis is not here to let us down. We can see how humble he is. His name choice is true to his character, like St. Francis who lived a sincerely simple life. He is doing his best to rebuild the kind of flock Jesus has originally instituted.

Most importantly, today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, or Corpus Christi, which literally meant the Body of Christ. It is usually celebrated during the Thursday after the Trinity Sunday, but was transferred today as reflected on the liturgical calendar. Today we all commemorate the institution of the Eucharist, the breaking of the bread, which is in fact Christ’s offering of Himself for the salvation of all. By participating in the Holy Mass, we become that which we actually celebrate. We become the Body of Christ.

Prayer

Jesus, our model of trust in God’s will, may we ever remember to put You on top of our needs. Human as we are, we tend to be selfish and be merely occupied on how we can acquire temporal desires, which do not seem to be always enough. We keep on wanting more, when in truth, we can live simple lives. May we channel this longing to be more generous, of not only our material possessions, but more importantly of ourselves. May we use our abilities for Your vineyard, the way You offered Your Body and Blood for humanity. Amen.

Transformation and Sacrifice

First Reading: Baruch 5:1-9

Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever:

Wrapped in the cloak of justice from God, bear on your head the mitre that displays the glory of the eternal name. For God will show all the earth your splendor: you will be named by God forever the peace of justice, the glory of God's worship. Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights; look to the east and see your children Gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God.

Led away on foot by their enemies they left you: but God will bring them back to you borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones. For God has commanded that every lofty mountain be made low, And that the age-old depths and gorges be filled to level ground, that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God. The forests and every fragrant kind of tree have overshadowed Israel at God's command; For God is leading Israel in joy by the light of his glory, with his mercy and justice for company.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6

Second Reading: Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11

Praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Gospel: Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,  the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. He went throughout (the) whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

Reflection
By Nats Vibiesca

As a student of educational management program, the art of transformational leadership is a common discussion in our classroom. Transformation is simply translated to “changing for the better”. On the other hand, leadership is like the North Star in the sky. It is located directly above the North Pole that stays at a fixed point, unlike other stars, change position during the night. The North Star is the sailors’ point of reference when they navigate the sea. Thus, following this star would mean life and death for sailors. Good thing GPS technology was developed to guide sailors of this generation.

Likewise, St. John the Baptist is our North Star leading us to Jesus and proclaims His coming. But the requirement before meeting Jesus is for us to be transformed. We need to change to become better. In fact, we have to keep changing if we want to stay alive. Otherwise, we become fossilized. But changing is often difficult.

Transformation is easy in fairy tales, just like in some of the stories that I have written. People become animated animals and vice-versa. There’s no mystery attached to transformation in fairy tales. Unlike in the challenge of St. John, transformation involves self-sacrifice. Only if I pay the price of sacrifices will keep me abreast of change. It will never be true change if it doesn’t cost me anything.

In our generation, the term sacrifice is kept away as far as possible from our consciousness. We often yell: Yes to comfort! No to sacrifice! The term sacrifice consists of two words: the first is “sacrum” or holy and the other is “facere” or to make. The term sacrifice means therefore to “make holy”. Our daily sacrifices like waiting on line to pay the bills, waiting for a jeepney or being delayed by traffic, bad moments during school or work are all “making holy” as our sacrifice for change.

May this second Sunday of Advent transform our lives through sacrifices and to become better Christians as we welcome Jesus, the Word of God.

Prayer

Lord, it’s hard to make sacrifices for change but I trust You that I will overcome the pain attached to each sacrifice. No matter how I suffer, I know that You will strengthen me and I thank You for Your comfort. Amen.