Of Doubts and Dogs: Finding God in the Unexpected

   

Second Sunday of Easter

(Divine Mercy Sunday)

27 April 2025

 

First Reading: Acts 5:12-16

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Second Reading: Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19

Gospel: John 20:19-31

 

Reflection

By: Therese B. Manio

 

It's easier to believe when something reaches your senses, when you've seen it, touched it, smelled it, or felt it deep in your bones. But what happens when the proof you crave never comes? What if you're standing in the middle of heartbreak, and nothing makes sense anymore? What if the silence is louder than hope, and all you're left with is the ache of absence? That's where we find Thomas, not as a skeptic, but as someone whose world just collapsed over the death of a loved one. And honestly, I get him. I think a lot of us do.

I've always found myself relating to Thomas. Not because he doubted out of arrogance, but because he needed something tangible, something real to hold onto when everything around him was falling apart. I imagine the silence after Jesus' death was deafening for Thomas. He had given his life to follow someone he believed in, and then suddenly, it seemed like all of that had come to nothing. It's not hard to understand why he needed to see the wounds.

In many ways, I've had my own "Thomas moments", times when I asked for signs, needed proof, and struggled with trust. One of those moments was when I received Magis in 2019, a shih tzu dog, into my life. He was my first pet, and I wasn't sure if I was ready. I just transferred to Laguna, living by myself, far from my family and friends whom I could easily call in case I need assistance or if she gets sick. My parents doubted my ability to take care of a pet which in a way added more doubts in myself. Could I be responsible for another life? Could I understand her needs? Could I be enough? I was filled with doubt. But as the days went on, Magis quietly taught me about trust, presence, and companionship. She actually took care of my mental health during the pandemic. She never made me feel alone, literally and figuratively. There were moments I cried in bed, she would climb, sit in my lap, or sleep beside me, which she would not do on usual days. Her quiet loyalty mirrored the presence of Christ in ways I didn't expect- faithful, unassuming, always there.

This week, as I grieve the loss of Magis and join the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, I'm reminded that faith is not always grand or certain, it is often lived in small, courageous steps. Pope Francis was a shepherd who walked with the wounded, spoke for the voiceless, and loved those on the margins. His legacy challenges us to keep believing even when the world gives us reason to doubt. Like Thomas, we are called to move from doubt to belief, from fear to faith, from self-preservation to radical love.

Pope Francis showed us what Magis truly means not just "more", but the greater good, the deeper yes, the love that risks. His passing is a profound loss, but his legacy lives on in every act of mercy, every choice to love beyond reason, every moment risks in reaching out those in the peripheries, the last, the least, and the lost.

Today, as I remember Thomas' story, grieve the loss of Pope Francis, and look down at Magis curled at my feet, I am learning that faith isn't always bold and loud. Sometimes, it looks like showing up, like choosing to love even when you're scared, like seeing Christ in the ordinary and letting that be enough.

Prayer

Jesus, in my moments of doubt, draw near to me as You did to Thomas. Help me to recognize Your presence, not just in the extraordinary, but in the quiet, ordinary places of my life. Teach me to believe that life can come from death, hope can rise from despair, and love is never wasted. Strengthen my faith to follow You with courage, one step at a time. Amen.

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Kind and Merciful God

 

 Third Sunday of Lent

20 March 2022

 

First Reading: EX 3:1-8a, 13-15

Responsorial Psalm: PS 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11

Second Reading: 1 COR 10:1-6, 10-12

Gospel: LK 13:1-9

 

Reflection

By: Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

 

Truth be told: many of us believe that the good that we experience, we deserve. The tendency can be stronger for Christians. Since we strive to stay close to the Lord in how we live, likely it is for us to think: "Ah, I am reaping all these good fruits because I have kept good with the Lord." God certainly likes to bless His faithful. It is a delight for Him to see us walk in His leading; but there is something unchristian with this thinking. As easy it is to believe that we deserve what we enjoy because we have been good, it is just as easy to hold those with their misfortune deserving of their predicament. In our minds, they must have been done something wrong to be meted those punishments. We worship a just God, do we not? But what will happen when we come across our own mishaps? We may ruminate repeatedly: "I have tried my best to be a good Christian. Why do I still have trouble?" A conundrum like this could further make us question: "Have I been bad? Do I worship a just God? How does God's justice work?"

"Thank God", I saw from a Facebook post. It was a reference to Psalm 130:3 For–"If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?" If only we realize how easy it could be for anyone to sin, perhaps no one will want to claim first in God's questioning. "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28); "anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment; [...] anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' is answerable to the court; and anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell" (Matthew 5:22). If these simple occurrences already count as sins, there can be more that we are guilty of without our knowing. Sinful though we are, why then are we still blessed? First, we must realize that it is not our works that win God's favor: "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not—by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). If it is not our works that determine who gets grace, it follows that it is not our righteousness that predicts who receives God's goodwill; it is, instead, God's generosity: "[God] causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45). If God blesses both the good and the wicked, can we ever be sure that His justice would stay as clear cut as we expect? Not so, at least not in the way we understand justice. For the way we hold justice is limited—even juvenile compared to God's definition of justice. Whom we deem guilty can well differ from the opinion of One who can see everything clearly. God is the One who sees and knows it all—He is omniscient; He is ever-present and powerful—He is omnipotent. If our senses can notice only so many objects and our minds can store and interpret only so much information, how trusting can we be of our judgment? How confident can we be to say who is with sin? And how confident can we be that we are free of guilt? "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone..." (John 8:7).

We must not make of ourselves as though spotless slates, for all do sin, and there only need beheld one thing we treasure dearly to reveal: we can all be impassioned towards evil. Everyone has as much propensity to sin as those they hold despicable, and between persons, the sight of one's evil does not make anyone a perfect judge, for in different circumstances who is judge, who is victim, who is perpetrator - these would change. The only thing that differentiates us from each other is our buffer, whatever it could be: conscience, fear of God, the fallout with our well-meaning loved ones, the prospect of what we would lose and whom else we would hurt, and many more. All sin under the eyes of God who sees it all, and chance only needs to catch us open to determine who gets convicted, but it remains—all sin whether in broad daylight or behind closed doors; and the Good News is this: we are not without forgiveness; not without a Savior. Jesus Christ is the Name by which we will be saved. Furthermore, the teachings of the Church would reveal to us an innateness to our person that is defined not ultimately by our concupiscence—our very tendency to sin—but by our being made in the Image and Likeness of God. Therefore,  we discover that it is not our sins that constitute our character. If anything, they detract us from becoming our true selves in God.

God's justice is so good to understand these dynamics of ours that I curiously pose, if I may, that the reason we are handed what is right and what is evil is to precisely establish the basic condition by which we can all live in peace; but God's thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways, higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9); God's work goes way beyond assigning accountability. If God knows very well that everyone falls short and who is guilty and greatly predicted by who is seen faltering for the time, we will understand why He stresses to the fore the three most universal values: faith, hope, and the greatest of these—love (1 Corinthians 13). Love is the virtue that binds everyone together in fraternal communion. God, knowing our frailties and how encumbering they can be, wants us to focus instead on the remedies: the virtue-solutions! Love—its true and divinely guided expression—is enough to encompass every good we should do to each other, including every evil we should withdraw from, for "love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law"  (Romans 13:10). The way to this love starts with the first step: repentance of our own wrongdoings. It is repentance that makes possible a more transformative reconciliation with the Lord and others. The Gospel for today (Luke 13:1-9) emphasizes the purpose of this repentance: so we do not perish at the appointed time. We know that we invoke the right spirit to repentance when we are driven not exclusively by the urge to call out others on their wrongs, but when we make good of ourselves as good we intend to make of others.

The parable that Jesus told about the fig tree that would not bear fruit can be likened to us in times when we are fruitless or unproductive. The work of good can take years of tedious struggling and would not stop until one's final breath, and there could be great compulsion to stop all efforts when there are no good results. Thankfully, as patient Jesus is, He advises us to be patient with ourselves and others; for in time, we may finally produce the good fruit we seek. Until then, we can always ask the Lord for help, and we will find no better companion than Him. Along these lines, I remember a quote from Alexander Den Heijer: "When a flower does not bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower." This quote reminds us not to discount the environment in which we grow. While we could take great care to become "flowers"—or our best state so to speak, we must place as much attention towards our environment and all the factors that compose it, such as the places we frequent, the messages we consume, and most of all, the people we regularly surround ourselves with. Our environment, among other things we put into our nature, can be just as crucial to our spiritual growth and fidelity. Therefore, if there is no better companion than Christ, then we know Who to look for to help us the whole way.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for being our good Father and for all the graces You give us. May You help us know where we are at fault and to acknowledge them genuinely so that as heartfelt our contrition is, so our reconciliation with You and others will be. In our intention to know where we could improve, may we follow Your spirit and rightful instruction so we advise each other not only with the urge to correct, but chiefly with love, communion, forgiveness, and reconciliation. May we follow Your ways in our dealings with You, others, and ourselves. These we ask in Jesus' Most Holy Name, Amen.

 

In Hopeful Patience

Third Sunday of Easter

26 April 2020

First reading                                                                        Acts 2:14, 32-33
Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say: This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear.”

Second reading                                                        1 Peter 1:17-21

If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.

Gospel                                                                     Luke 24:13-35

Two of the disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking together, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?”

He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early that morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.”

Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.

They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

When was the last Mass you have physically attended? Mine was 19th March, the feast of St Joseph. When news broke out that public Masses will suspended, it felt really different. It felt, as some news commentators would say, like World War 2. I suddenly remembered the story of how my late grandparents would still go to church for daily Mass during those times. My Lola told me that there were moments when only she, my Lolo, and the priest were present in the liturgy. Fast forward, you would see and be inspired with priests and their collaborators offering the Mass on live stream.

The suspension of public Masses (and the mandatory quarantine), for me, brings us back to those two disciples in today's Gospel. They were sad because they have lost their Master and friend. Their sadness overwhelmed them a lot that they became "foolish...[and] slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared". Their sadness prevented them from recognizing Jesus who walked with them to Emmaus.

Covid-19 has brought the world to its knees. It has caused a lot of anxiety on people and, if we are not careful, it may lead us to selfishness, complacency, hopelessness, depression, illness, and death. At times, we can be tempted to be like those two disciples to the point of failing to see and hear Jesus.

Thanks to God for creating technology, we are able to still participate in the Holy Mass and other spiritual exercises such as the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, novenas to the saints, recollections, etc. Let's take these opportunities to stay connected with the Lord. In hopeful patience, let's allow Him to keep "our hearts burning within us ... while he [opens] the scriptures to us" and breaks bread with us. My Lola used to echo the teaching that the family, the home is the domestic church. Indeed, this has been made more obvious when the lock down was enforced. Relating to the Gospel, our homes have become the new Emmaus!

And as we keep ourselves sustained by the Lord's Word and Sacrament online as it may be, let's look forward to the day when we could once again be back to our other Emmauses - our churches and chapels - eager to hear His Word and receive His Body and Blood. Lest we forget, our story doesn't end in Emmaus. Like the disciples, we're called to eagerly return to the Jerusalems of our lives - our peers, neighborhoods, workplaces, parishes, organizations, etc - and share the good news: "The Lord has risen indeed!".

Prayer

Lord Jesus, in these uncertain times, like the two disciples, we beg You: stay with us. Keep our hearts burning and yearning for Your Word and Body. Keep our hearts burning and yearning to proclaim Your Word and share Your Body. Keep our hearts from anything that would prevent us from knowing, loving, and serving You. Amen.

On Trial

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time 24 February 2019
First reading 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

Saul rose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, with three thousand chosen men of Israel, to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph. So David and Abishai went to the army by night; there Saul lay sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the army lay around him.

Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand today; now therefore let me pin him to the ground with one stroke of the spear; I will not strike him twice.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” So David took the spear that was at Saul’s head and the water jar, and they went away. No one saw it, or knew it, nor did anyone awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.

Then David went over to the other side, and stood on top of a hill far away, with a great distance between them. David replied, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get it. The Lord rewards everyone for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord gave you into my hand today, but I would not raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed.

Second reading                                                         1 Corinthians 15:45-49

It is written, “The first man Adam became a living being;” the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Gospel                                                                         Luke 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples, “I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged;do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Reflection

By Grace B. Madriñan

“To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”  - Luke 6:27

I am generally a composed person, often forgiving and trusting. I hold my temper quite well and am not angered easily by small stuff.  As they usually say, “walang masamang tinapay sa akin” (there is no stale bread for me). I can withstand almost anybody. 

But my patience was tested big time 5 years ago when my lessee took advantage of my considerate nature.  She violated our contract and failed to pay her due rent for 7 months.  When I asked her to leave due to non-payment, she would not budge and even threatened to sue me for harassment. I even reported her for community trial and yet every word she promised in oath, she did not follow. The only way left was to sue her but I know how expensive and inconvenient it would be. I admit I almost gave in to the offer of a friend who knew some authorities who could “persuade” them to leave.  But I backed out last minute as I knew it is not humane to use force.  

I cannot describe enough the torment I endured during the process. I cried and prayed almost every night thinking of a decent way to recover my home from an unwanted occupant. While I lost money due to non-payment from lessee, I still helped her to find a new apartment to lease. I even paid for the apartment’s down payment just to make her move out.  Since I know now that my lessee cannot be trusted easily,  I asked help from another neighbor (whom the lessee also owes money) to supervise her move out of the property.  In return, I will pay her the amount that the lessee owes her. I no longer care how much money I lost.  Thank God after almost a year, the ordeal was over. I recovered my home.

God has been gracious to me, He sustained me through it all.  Looking back,  I think I have forgiven her.  I pity her more than be angered by what happened. I have learned a lot of things from the experience.  It taught me to be braver, firmer, and faithful. God rewarded my perseverance and everything I lost, He returned multiple times and running over. I do not feel any financial burden or at least I don’t worry about it enough.  Truly, God delivers.

Prayer

Father, may we continue to follow Your will despite the temptation to take revenge in the midst of injustice. Teach us humility and patience knowing that You will deliver us from evil and never forsake us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pray Really Hard

First Reading:  2 Exodus 17:8-13

The Amalekites then came and attacked Israel at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, 'Pick some men and tomorrow morning go out and engage Amalek. I, for my part, shall take my stand on the hilltop with the staff of God in my hand.' Joshua did as Moses had told him and went out to engage Amalek, while Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage; when he let his arms fall, the advantage went to Amalek. But Moses' arms grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and on this he sat, with Aaron and Hur supporting his arms on each side. Thus his arms remained unwavering till sunset, and Joshua defeated Amalek, putting their people to the sword.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14--4:2

You must keep to what you have been taught and know to be true; remember who your teachers were, and how, ever since you were a child, you have known the holy scriptures -from these you can learn the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and useful for refuting error, for guiding people's lives and teaching them to be upright.

This is how someone who is dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work. Before God and before Christ Jesus who is to be judge of the living and the dead, I charge you, in the name of his appearing and of his kingdom: proclaim the message and, welcome or unwelcome, insist on it. Refute falsehood, correct error, give encouragement -- but do all with patience and with care to instruct.

Gospel:  Luke 18:1-8

Then he told them a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. 'There was a judge in a certain town,' he said, 'who had neither fear of God nor respect for anyone.

In the same town there was also a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, "I want justice from you against my enemy!" For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, "Even though I have neither fear of God nor respect for any human person,

I must give this widow her just rights since she keeps pestering me, or she will come and slap me in the face." ' And the Lord said, 'You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now, will not God see justice done to his elect if they keep calling to him day and night even though he still delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of man comes, will he find any faith on earth?'

Reflection
By Rosalinda N. Markell

It is so sad to see how messed up our world has become.  We all can clearly see how  Satan is working triple time to destroy the world.  Lots of people seem to lose their belief in God, there is no more respect anymore, children go against their parents, killings and hatred of all sorts are around us, and what do we do?  Politicians who try to get what they want, become too greedy, and some even think they can be better than God, in ruling the country! Children are being raped and killed just like that by pedophiles and some even blame it is the fault of God for creating these men as perverts.   

I've encountered a person, sad to say, who lost his faith in God and thinks that way, he even say that Satan was not to be blamed, but God who created us!

And when I tried to argue with this person, I was called a woman with "no brain at all" because I think differently. "It's a new world, " he says.  All I had to do was to shut my mouth and started praying really hard for this person to wake up!  Yes, it is so sad to see things going down the drain, and they dare to use the name of Jesus in vain!

We all have to stick together and pray really hard!  Perseverance is key in our prayer life. The widow in today's Gospel has shown us such a good example. I am sure we were or are on the same boat as this poor widow. Our prayers may not be answered instantly, but let's keep up the faith in God. We may encounter people whose belief or way of thinking differs from us, whose actions have upset us. In this Year of Mercy, let us bear other's wrongs patiently.

Prayer


Dearest God, lover of our souls, You are the greatest Friend and Protector anyone could ever have.  We feel so low and misunderstood, people are so mean and unjust.  You know how quick some of them find fault and blame others. Please help us understand, if we have done anything which makes them act that way, please help us to be different. Please enlighten their minds, Lord and please remind us when we are afraid, that You are always at our side and will always protect us and our children, most especially our country.  We know with You there is nothing we should be afraid of.  This we pray in Jesus' Name.  Amen.