Stepping Out of the Boat

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

09 August 2026

 

First Reading: 1 Kings 19:19a, 11-13a

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14

Second Reading: Romans 9:1-5

Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33

 

Reflection

By: Bernard Borja

 

“Where are my glasses?!” yelled a father who misplaced his eyeglasses for the 100th time inside his own house. He lifted the sofa, took out the bed, even opened the freezer to look for his glasses. His toddler then pointed to his head, “It’s there, papa!” The father reached up and felt a familiar piece of plastic resting on his head. He pulled it out, but instead of putting it on, he looked at it suspiciously, “Are you sure these are mine?”. Of all the people in the family, he is the only one wearing eyeglasses (and often misplaces it).

~~~

Life is rarely a calm and predictable sea. In our modern daily lives, we are constantly bombarded by storms – financial struggles, health crises, broken relationships, and the overwhelming noise of the world. When the waters are calm, we easily fall into the illusion of self-reliance, trusting our own intellect and resources and sail through the journey when conditions are favorable. But when the winds howl and we begin to sink under the waves of anxiety, our "little faith" is heavily tested.

Like Peter, we often take our eyes off Jesus, worrying instead on the terrifying storm around us. We stubbornly insist on doing things all by ourselves, waiting until we are drowning to look up and cry out to God. Yet, Christ’s invitation remains steady: He calls us to step out of the boat and come to Him on the turbulent waters, challenging us to trust His presence even when doubt clouds our minds. We must remember that God does not always announce Himself in the earthquake or the roaring wind; oftentimes, as Elijah learned, He speaks in a tiny, whispering sound, waiting for us to silence our hearts and listen.

We live in a world filled with constant noise – endless notifications, demanding schedules, and our own anxieties. If we try to tackle everything by ourselves, this overwhelming noise easily drowns out God's quiet guidance. We must learn to pause our busy lives long enough to hear the gentle, tiny whisper of the Lord directing our steps and calming our personal storms.

During difficult times, our doubts are often fueled by a misunderstanding of what God is actually providing. When a storm hits, we want an immediate, flawless rescue. God’s presence is proven in His daily, silent provision of exactly what we need to sail through the storm. As St. Paul assures us in last week’s reading, absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. In today’s reading, St. Paul demonstrates a radical, selfless compassion that differs greatly with today's “hyper-individualism”. It is incredibly easy for us to become completely indifferent to the struggles and mistakes of those around us, passing quick judgments rather than offering grace that we have received when Christ pulled us out from the water during our own difficult moments.

St. Paul’s example challenges us to examine our own hearts: do we openly pray for the wellbeing, healing, and salvation of our difficult neighbors or family members? True compassion requires stepping outside of our own occupied journeys to share in the heavy burdens of others.

Let us not lose our little faith when the waters rise or when we begin to sink. Instead, let us trust God with our whole heart that even without stepping out of the boat, He has already revealed Himself to save us from the storm. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we ask for the grace to strengthen our little faith especially when life’s storms overwhelm us. We often search desperately for You in the noise, forgetting You are already with us. Silence our anxious hearts so we may hear Your gentle whisper and show compassion to those around us. Dearest Mother Mary, intercede for us. Help us keep our eyes on Jesus, trusting that even without stepping out of the boat, He is already here to save us from the storm. AMEN.

Speak with Courage

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

21 June 2026

 

First Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35

Second Reading: Romans 5:12-15

Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33

 

Reflection

By: Anabelle Balla

A director once asked if it would be appropriate to share during a training session with champions across different locations in Asia, that the greatest gift he received in life is God’s salvation. I appreciated that he reached out, and my response was simple: it takes courage to speak authentically about our faith, and that courage deserves respect.

I never doubted he would do it. He is a leader of integrity—someone who leads with conviction and earns trust not just through words, but through example.

I often remind my team that when our intent is good, we should not be afraid to speak up. When our intent is to do good, we should not hesitate to act. When our intent is to share hope, encouragement, and inspiration, we should not hold back—whether in conversations, in leadership moments, or even in how we show up publicly.

If the love of God overwhelms your heart, sing praises, leap for joy, shout out loud and worship Him! And I assure you, its so worth it. There is immeasurable joy when you proclaim and declare your love for God and His goodness.

Prayer

I Speak Jesus

Song by: Charity Gayle

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus

Over every heart and every mind

'Cause I know there is peace within Your presence

I speak Jesus

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus

'Til every dark addiction starts to break

Declaring there is hope and there is freedom

I speak Jesus

'Cause Your name is power

Your name is healing

Your name is life

Break every stronghold

Shine through the shadows

Burn like a fire

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus

Over fear and all anxiety

To every soul held captive by depression

I speak Jesus

'Cause Your name is power

Your name is healing

Your name is life

Break every stronghold

Shine through the shadows

Burn like a fire

Shout Jesus from the mountains

Jesus in the streets

Jesus in the darkness, over every enemy

Jesus for my family

I speak the holy name

Jesus, oh (oh)

Shout Jesus from the mountains

And Jesus in the streets (oh)

Jesus in the darkness, over every enemy

Jesus for my family

I speak the holy name

Jesus (Jesus)

'Cause Your name is power

Your name is healing

Your name is life

Break every stronghold

Shine through the shadows

Burn like a fire

Your name is power (Your name is power)

Your name is healing (Your name is healing)

Your name is life (You are my life)

Break every stronghold (break every stronghold)

Shine through the shadows

Burn like a fire

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus

Over every heart and every mind

'Cause I know there is peace within Your presence

I speak Jesus

Doubting Thomas

Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)

12 April 2026

 

First Reading: Acts 2:42-47

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

Second Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9

Gospel: John 20:19-31

 

Reflection

By: Benj Santiago

 

Thomas represents many of us today—wounded by broken systems, unfulfilled promises, and deep disappointments. 

We struggle to believe in change because we have seen too much injustice, corruption, and inequality. 

Yet Jesus enters locked rooms of fear and speaks peace. This Gospel teaches that faith is not blind optimism but courageous trust. 

For all of us, healing begins when we choose belief over bitterness, unity over division, and service over self-interest. 

Christ’s wounds remind us that even suffering can become a source of healing, and that true transformation begins when we allow God to touch our doubts.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, like Thomas, we carry doubts born from injustice and broken promises. 

Enter our locked hearts and speak Your peace. Heal our nation’s wounds with courage and faith. Teach us to choose unity over division and service over self. Transform our suffering into hope, and our doubts into trust. Amen.

Viva Santo Niño!

Feast of the Santo Niño

18 January 2026

 

First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-6

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18

Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10

 

Reflection

By: Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

 

Today, with special permission from the Holy See, we celebrate the feast day of the Santo Niño in various parts of the Philippines, most notably in Cebu and Tondo.

History tells us that the image of the Holy Child Jesus was the first religious image to arrive in the country, marking the beginning of Christianity among Filipinos. But beyond historical accounts, it is the firsthand, life-changing experiences of countless Filipinos that have made this devotion deeply popular and truly special.

Personally, I hold a deep reverence for the Santo Niño. This Holy Child has been present in my life since day one. From growing up in Tondo until the age of five, returning during my college years in 2007, and living there before moving to Bulacan in 2021, Tondo has always been home to me.

Despite the common misconception that Tondo is a rowdy place, I feel at peace there. Perhaps it is because I am assured that the Santo Niño, the true King of Tondo is always present, watching over me, and keeping me from harm.

The Santo Niño de Tondo has witnessed all my firsts: from my first words and school achievements to my first job, first date, and even moments of heartbreak. In every stage, this Holy Child has steadied me, just as He securely holds the world in His hands.

Visiting Cebu twice, seeing the revered image of the Señor, and attending Mass in His church, my devotion to the Santo Niño grew even deeper.

It led me to reflect on how the Holy Child Jesus, the beloved Son of God, humbly subjected Himself and became obedient to Mary and Joseph.

In these modern times, when many take pride in their achievements and possessions and readily display them on social media, the littleness and humility of the Santo Niño remind us not to boast before God. Everything we have comes from Him; thus, the call for us to remain humble, submissive, and obedient to the Father.

May the feast of the Santo Niño keep us grounded in every success and teach us to respect one another, not by position or status, but by the goodness of the heart.

Prayer

Dear Santo Niño, we thank You for all the blessings and graces You have bestowed upon us. May our devotion to You lead us to charity, humility, and peace with our brothers and sisters. Amen.

 

God answers prayers

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

27 July 2025

 

First Reading: Genesis 18:20-32

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8

Second Reading: Colossians 2:12-14

Gospel: Luke 11:1-13

 

Reflection

By: Fely Santiago

 

“Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

 

God always answers our prayers in His perfect time and always for what is best for us. His answer can be Yes, Maybe, or No. The question is are we ready to accept it? Back in 2006 I was down on my knees begging the Lord to help me in my financial problems. But how did the Lord answer our prayers? It was a big No from what I expected. Instead my husband and I lost our “secured” jobs one after the other! And we had two kids in college and another still in elementary, and we were drowning in debts! God had a different answer to my prayers. But looking back 17 years later, we understood why God answered our prayers far from what we expected. It is because God has a better plan for us. He brought us to a company with a mission to change people from spenders to savers and create wealth for families.  The Lord has taught me to be a better steward of my finances and this has also become our mission to financially educate many Filipinos. He used our woundedness in money matters to heal others. We have empowered many people and transformed their lives. We found our purpose and we now know the reason why God answered our prayers with a No before. Today we are enjoying not only financial freedom but time freedom in our senior years. Had He answered our prayer the way we want it to be, we would have been financially struggling up to today in our senior years.

 

So let us stay in faith. Believe in the promises of the Lord that He will never abandon us no matter how challenging our situation might be. Believe that the Lord answers our prayers and it is always the best for us. Be sensitive to what He’s saying and quick to obey. God  is preparing you for the fullness of your destiny.

Prayer

Lord Jesus thank You in advance for the many answers to my prayers. You know Lord what is best for me.  Let me follow Your will and direction in my life. Thank You Lord that the journey with You means taking steps of faith into the unknown. I look forward to new places of blessings that You have prepared for me in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The One We Should Put Our Hope and Trust In

   

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

26 January 2025

 

First Reading: Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-30

Gospel: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

 

Reflection

By: Anton B. Ocampo

 

"Today, this Scripture passage is fulfilled in Your hearing” (Luke 4:21)". With these words that He states at the end of the Gospel reading, Jesus confidently introduces Himself to the people in Nazareth, His hometown, as the promised Messiah and Savior that God has promised to send. In doing so, Jesus stresses that everyone should place their trust and hope in Him.

As the promised Messiah and Savior, Jesus brings hope to all people. In spite of our unworthiness, He willingly came into the world to show all of us who we could place our trust and hope in - Him. This is what is being discussed in the Readings for this Sunday. Because of Jesus, we are all filled with hope. Without Him, there is no hope.

In the First Reading, Nehemiah and Ezra remind the Israelites that God brings joy and hope to all. He turns sadness and sorrow to joy and hope. God does not bring sadness and sorrow. Rather, He brings joy and hope to all. In the Second Reading, the Apostle Saint Paul reminds us that we, as Christians, are all part of the body of Jesus Christ. Therefore, just as how Christ brought hope to all, we must bring hope to all. The hope that we bring to all does not come from us. Rather, it comes from Christ. It is our duty and responsibility as Christians to spread the hope that Christ freely gives to all of us.

Just as stated in the Responsorial Psalm, God brings joy to the heart of those who hope and trust in Him wholeheartedly through His Word and precepts (Psalm 19:9). Those who truly hope and trust in the Lord God will continually receive the gift of joy from Him. Despite all the sufferings in life, they will still be able to find joy because they have wholeheartedly made the decision to put their hope and trust in Him.

Christ Jesus reminds us today and in each moment of our earthly lives that it is He that we should wholeheartedly put our hope and trust. As Christians, let us offer our wholehearted hope and trust to Him as a response to Him reminding us about the main reason why He came into the world as the promised Messiah and Savior.

Prayer

Merciful Lord Jesus Christ, You continue to stress to each and every one of us that it is You that we should hope and trust wholeheartedly. Despite the numerous frailties and shortcomings of each and every single one of us due to our human nature, You nevertheless continue to do so out of love and mercy for all of us. For this, we humbly thank You. Accept our hope and trust which we wholeheartedly offer to You. Amen.

I Place All My Trust in Thee

    

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

08 June 2024

 

First Reading: Hos 11:1, 3-4, 8c-9

Responsorial Psalm: Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6

Second Reading: Eph 3:8-12, 14-19

Gospel: Jn 19:31-37

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S. Albano

 

Towards the end of her talk to fellow members of the Apostleship of Prayer, my grandmother Pilar encouraged them to say "Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee" thirty-three times. (Thirty-three in honor of the years our Lord spent on earth.) Before this talk, I heard her speak about a heart condition she had and how the Sacred Heart of Jesus miraculously cured her. I have seen some of my grandmother's difficulties; not a word of complaint passed through her lips. She always trusted in the Lord.

Throughout salvation history, God comes across as someone who loves, regardless if His love is valued or taken for granted. Unlike us who would easily ignore those in need or give in to anger, God's heart is overwhelmed. His pity is stirred. He will not give vent to His blazing anger" (cf. Hos 11:8-9). So loving is God that He humbled Himself and became obedient to death on the cross (Phil 2:8). The blood and water flowing from His pierced side (Jn 19:34), according to St. John Paul II, represents "the outpouring of grace flowing from the (Lord's) sacrifice". This outpouring grace can be seen in the Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist (Pope Benedict XVI) and the Holy Spirit "who remits sins and regenerates to new life" (Pope Francis). Such is God's love to us, as represented by the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A love that will never fail us. As today's Psalm goes: "God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid" (Is 12:2).

Prayer

O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, thank You for Your love that knows no bounds. We offer You our often scared and scarred hearts. Heal us, Lord, by the blood and water that flowed from Your wounded Heart. Inflame our cold or lukewarm hearts by the unquenchable fire that consumes Your Heart's desires: "the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, the reunion of all Christians".

Sacred Heart of Jesus, we place our trust in Thee (33 times). Amen.

God is with us

   

  Fourth Sunday of Advent 

18 December 2022 

 

First Reading: Is 7:10-14

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Second Reading: Rom 1:1-7

Gospel: Mt 1:18-24

 

Reflection

By: Stephanie Navarro

 

In this Gospel, Joseph was visited by an angel in his dream. This all happened on the day he was about to divorce Mary. Joseph is someone faithful to the law, he didn't want Mary to be shamed. As he listens to the angel, Joseph accepts Jesus as his son. After his dream, he woke up and did what the Lord commanded him to do.

In life, there will be times wherein we'll make irrational actions, decisions or even thoughts. During these times we are challenged and tested by God. That in times like these we should have faith in Him. We should believe in Him. Not just in trying times but the good times and the bad ones as well. By putting our trust in Him, we let Him lead the way to a much more fruitful and meaningful path of life. As we follow Him, we are enlightened.

At moments we are hesitant and in doubt, we should always remember that God is with us. Remember that God will always provide. He is someone that won't leave us hanging.

There would be times that we would ask something from Him and He won't give it to us. That's what we think. God gives us more than our wants and needs. When we feel like He isn't giving us what we asked for, why don't we look around and think things thoroughly?

God might have planned something greater. He might have given us something greater but we don't see it because we are blinded by the thought of getting what we exactly want. Or maybe He thinks that now is the right moment just like what people say, "In God's perfect timing." He has His own plans for us, He knows what's best for us and for our futures.

In the Gospel, the name "Emmanuel" was also mentioned; it means "God is with us." With Jesus being sent to us to save us from our sins, he becomes a bridge. A bridge between us and God. He is the connecting path towards the light of the Lord.

Brothers and sisters, as we read this passage; may we realize that God is always with us. As children of God, we should put our trust and faith in Him and let Him lead the way of life. At moments of hesitation and in doubt, let us trust Him. He never takes His eyes off us and always watches over us. We are sent signs like: people, experiences and lessons to be able to see what God is commanding us to do. Let us be like Joseph and follow what God has set for us, for it is what's best and it is what will save us.

Prayer

Dearest Father, You have sent an angel to St. Joseph to guide him in his decisions. We, too, believe that you sent us angels daily to guide us in our everyday tasks. May we always trust You and abide Your will. Amen.

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ika-12 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Ika-20 ng Hunyo 2021 

 

First Reading (Unang Pagbasa): JB 38:1, 8-11

Responsorial Psalm (Salmong Tugunan): 107: 23-24, 25-26, 28-29, 30-31

Second Reading (Ikalawang Pagbasa): 2 COR 5:14-17

Gospel (Mabuting Balita): MK 4:35-41

 

Repleskyon

Ni: Nats Vibiesca

 

Bilang tao, mabilis tayong nadadala ng takot kapag may biglaang pagsubok sa ating buhay. Ang iba sa atin ay natataranta agad. Hindi makapag-isip nang maayos. Hindi makakilos. Ang tanging magagawa natin ay sumuko agad at maghanap ng makakaramay o makakatulong sa atin. Ganito ang nangyari sa kuwento ng ating Ebanghelyo ngayon, habang patawid sa kabilang ibayo sina Jesus kasama ang Kanyang mga alagad, nang biglang dumating ang unos at matinding hampas ng alon ang kanilang sinagupa.

Pero ito'y isang pangyayari lamang sa buhay ni Jesus at ng mga alagad, hindi naman ito araw araw na nararanasan nila. Ang nakakagulat lang ay biglaan ito at hindi inaasahan, na kung tutuusin ay matutugunan sana ng ilang mangingisdang alagad ni Jesus kung delikadong maglayag dahil may parating na bagyo. Ito ang halimbawa ng pagtutulad sa buhay natin bilang mga Kristiyano na may mga araw na talagang dumarating ang biglaang bagyo ng buhay o sinusubok ang ating katatagan at kung minsan pa ay hindi tayo nakahanda. Pero parang sinasabi ni Jesus sa panahon natin na chillax lang tayo, chill lang tayo, no worries dapat. Una, hindi naman araw araw ang bagyo sa ating buhay, kaya't hindi dapat mag-alala nang labis, kumbaga'y huwag nating hayaang tumambay ang problema, palipasin lang natin; pangalawa, hindi naman nawawala sa paningin natin si Jesus, lagi natin Siyang kasama sa anumang paglalayag upang mahingan natin ng tulong. Kahit pa nga magsama-sama ang mga eksperto sa dagat na mga mangingisdang mga alagad ni Jesus ay wala silang magagawa kapag may malakas na unos na dumating, pero kung kasama natin ang Diyos sa bangka, hindi tayo dapat matakot tulad ng sinabi ni Jesus na kailangan lang na magkaroon tayo ng malaking pananampalataya sa Diyos.

Ang isa pang nakaantig sa akin sa pangyayaring ito ay nang gisingin ng mga alagad si Jesus dahil nag-aalala na nga sila nang lubos at sinabi nila: "Guro", anila, "di ba ninyo alintana? Lulubog na tayo!" Bigla kong naalala ang isa sa mga alituntunin ng mga guro na-dapat makinig sa kanilang mga estudiyante sa panahon na sila ay natatakot dahil sa kanilang mga problema, at tumulong sa abot ng kanilang makakaya. Para sa mga kapwa ko guro, lalo na ang mga matatagal na sa serbisyo (mahigit isang dekada na rin ako sa bokasyon ng pagtuturo) madalas na sila ang nakakakita sa mga kalagayan ng kanilang mga estudiyante; naririnig nila ang mga hinaing nito sa buhay; kung hindi makapagtapat ng problema sa mga magulang o kaibigan, ang mga estudiyante'y sa guro nila nilalabas ito, kumbaga'y nagiging shock absorber ang mga guro ng samu't saring unos sa buhay ng mga bata. Sapagkat likas na yata sa mga guro ang laging mahinahon sa panahong binabayo tayo ng unos; nakikinig nang mabuti sa mga sinasabi at sa mga gustong sabihin na hindi masabi-sabi; sa madaling salita'y napakasensitibo sa damdamin ng mga estudiyante na madaling napapasuko ng pagsubok; at ginagawan ng paraan kung anuman ang maitutulong kahit kung minsan ay napakahirap, o kahit pa nga dumaraan din sa iba't ibang pagsubok o bagyo ng buhay ang mga guro, tulad ni Jesus ay mananatiling kalmado, matatag ang pananampalataya upang mapatahimik ang hangin sa dagat.

 

Panalangin

 

Panginoong Jesus, hindi kami magsasawang humingi ng tulong sa Iyo kung humaharap kami sa mga bagyo ng buhay. Bagama't napakaliit ng aming pananampalataya at napakadaling mawalan ng pag asa, patuloy kaming nagsusumamo sa Diyos upang mailigtas ang aming kaluluwa sa kapahamakan. Amen.

 

 

 

Life-Changing

Fifth Sunday of Lent 07 April 2019
First reading Isaiah 43:16-21

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:

“Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.

The wild animals will honour me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.”

Second reading                                                         Philippians 3:8-14

I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, so that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel                                                                         John 8:1-11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them.

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before them all, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground.

When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

Reflection

By Carlo Alexis R Malaluan

After a Catechism class, a grade three student approached me to ask a simple, innocent yet startling question: How does God forgives our sins? I answered, when we are truly sorry for committing sins. God will take them and place them deep within the ocean and He will place a big sign that says: No Fishing Allowed!

When someone has caused us pain or made us feel bad, it is very hard to embrace forgiveness. It is very hard for us to forgive and to understand. We are always faced with the existential question, How can we forgive? Let us learn from the example of the Lord.

First, do not condemn. When we see someone sinning, our initial reaction will always be outrage and condemnation. We want to pulverize the person! But in the face of public denunciation, Christ’s answer will never be condemnation. “Neither do I condemn you”, says the Lord. When we condemn a person we deprive him of the justice he deserves, of the future that belongs to him and most especially, we deprive ourselves a chance to understand and to love.

Second, trust. To move on from a painful experience of sin is never comfortable nor beautiful, but it is an experience of grace. To forgive is also to trust that person – to believe and have faith in that person. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” 

Forgiveness transforms all of us. The experience to forgive and to receive forgiveness can be life-changing! After all, every one of us is worthy of condemnation – we are worthy to be stoned. But we are not condemned, we are forgiven and trusted. God forgive us! God has faith in us!

Prayer

Merciful Father, You sent Your Son to save us. As we receive His forgiveness, may we also forgive. As we received love and understanding help us to do the same for others. In His Most Sacred Name we pray. Amen. 

Life, Hope, Resurrection

First Reading: Ez 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD:

O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD.

I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Second Reading: Rom 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters:

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.

Verse Before the Gospel: Jn 11:25a, 26

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will never die.

Gospel: Jn 11:1-45

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. So the sisters sent word to him saying, "Master, the one you love is ill." then Jesus heard this he said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." He said this, and then told them, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him." So the disciples said to him, "Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved." But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. So then Jesus said to them clearly, "Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him." So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go to die with him."

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day."

Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, "The teacher is here and is asking for you." As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Sir, come and see." And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him." But some of them said, "Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?" So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.

Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the dead man's sister, said to him, "Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"

The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go."

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

Reflection
By Carlo Alexis Malaluan

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)

These are the consoling and comforting words of Jesus to Martha who was engulfed in grief and sadness upon the death of her brother, Lazarus. The Lord heard the cry of the bereaved, the Lord saw the pain in their eyes, the longing in their hearts, He had compassion for them.

The gospel today is the story of an encounter between the God of compassion and the human person in pain, between the author of Life and the victim of death. Martha asked for the help of the Lord and our Lord answered her call, deeply moved by the suffering of His friend. Jesus shared in her sorrow; he lifted up the heavy cross weighing on her shoulders.

We all have our moments of pain. Life has its twists and turns, ups and downs, bright spots and dark side. Whatever we do, whoever we are, we shall all stumble upon the cross. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has pictured a moving yet real scene of what pain is. “In illness, man experiences his powerlessness, his limitations, and his finitude”. The fragility of human life and the experience of our own weakness lead us to a full communion with God.

It is not easy to describe the feeling of pain and of sorrow, but we all know what it feels like. In sorrow we are in communion and God partakes in this human experience - the Divine shares in the experience of mere mortals.

This human experience of pain and suffering draws our attention to God. Like Martha, we are hopeless. We cry in anguish, in bitterness, in pessimism. Our vision of hope is obscure. We are fainthearted people. You yourself perhaps heave sighs of despair in the face of what appears an enormous tragedy in your life. But the gospel is a most powerful tool to restore our confidence in God amidst our hopelessness. Yes! Christ’s miracle of resurrecting Lazarus is a call for us to be happy and optimistic! Despite of the anguish, of desperation and of confusion ever present in the world today, we need to firm up our hope because Jesus stands by everyone who trusts in Him.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, hope is defined as the virtue that "responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man". And our hope is rooted in Christ! Why do we continue to hope? Because we are assured by Christ Himself. There is this constant voice that keeps on telling us not to fear but to be in His power. This is what keeps us moving forward. We are assured that in the face of pain and suffering, Christ is with us – carrying the cross, our burden, with us.

Suffering and pain are indeed inevitable parts of our human experience, but it is also true that the Lord of Life is with us – in Him, there is life! In Him, there is hope! In Him, there is resurrection!

Prayer


Lord Jesus, our life, our hope, and our resurrection, we praise and thank You for defeating sin and death. Strengthen us in our suffering and pain so that we too may proclaim Your compassion to "those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death". To You be glory and honor forever and ever. Amen