Gatecrasher

This homily was delivered on the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 16 June 2013.

Nobody likes a gatecrasher.

If I were organizing a party, I wouldn’t want anyone who’s not on my guest list to come barging into my party to mingle with the rest of my crowd. And if someone else were throwing a party in my honor, I’d probably feel pretty much the same way . I mean, it’s supposed to be my party, right? So I should be able to choose who gets to join it and who doesn’t. So you see, I wouldn’t exactly be thrilled if a bunch of uninvited and unwelcome guests suddenly showed up at the door—unless maybe they brought pizza, of course!

St. Barnabas, apostle: Son of encouragement

This homily was delivered on 11 June 2013, the Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle.

I’m embarrassed to admit that if I were asked to list down the names of all the apostles, St. Barnabas would be one of the last ones I’d remember. He’s simply not top-of-mind as far as apostles go. On the one hand, that’s understandable because one automatically thinks first of Simon Peter, Andrew, John, and James–not to mention Paul and even Judas Iscariot (!). But it’s also strange because what we know about St. Barnabas–mostly from the Acts of the Apostles–is so moving.

Lost lambs, shepherds, and Pharisees

This homily was delivered on 7 June 2013 on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Those of us who are tasked to preach know that there are times when no matter what we do, we can’t find the rhyme and reason for the readings. But thank God often enough, the choice of the readings is nothing less than inspired—as it is today.

As If (On the Visitation)

When I first learned to pray the Rosary, I thought the Visitation was no more than that minor second Joyful mystery sandwiched between the two big ones: the Annunciation and the Nativity. But the older I got, and the more I’ve prayed and reflected on the Visitation story, the more I’ve realized that it has a significance and beauty all its own. This morning I read the Gospel passage and noticed a few things.

GOD ACROSS THE CHASM (Luke 16:19-31): 26 September 2010 (26th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

GOD ACROSS THE CHASM (Luke 16:19-31):  26 September 2010 (26th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Today’s Readings

Last night I had a weird but powerful dream.  I was with an old priest (Fr. Jim Reuter, the famous columnist and playwright, no less!) and a friend from high school.  For reasons I don’t remember, we decided to pray together.  When it was my turn, I closed my eyes dutifully and prayed.  All I remember is beginning the prayer with “Dear Lord…” and then it happened.

FATHER, FORGIVE THEM (Luke 23:33-34): 31 March 2010 (Lent)

FATHER, FORGIVE THEM (Luke 23:33-34):  31 March 2010 (Lent)

Reflections on the First of the Seven Last Words
Church of the Gesu
Ateneo de Manila University
31 March 2010

And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.  And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:33-34)

I don’t know about you, but I have a little problem with these first words of Jesus on the cross.  I have a couple of questions.

First of all:  Who’s ‘them’?  Who is He actually forgiving?  Our Lord could be referring to several groups of people who have wronged him before and during the crucifixion, people responsible for what happened in different ways and in varying degrees.  Who could these people be?

SHOWING OFF MY WOUNDS (John 20:19-31): Easter

SHOWING OFF MY WOUNDS (John 20:19-31):  Easter

According to statistics, 11.5 million cosmetic procedures were done in 2006 in the United States alone.  Over 3 million received Botox treatments.  Almost 1.5 million underwent laser hair removal.  And  there were approximately 400,000 patients for liposuction and another 400,000 for breast augmentation.

Thanks to today’s advanced medical technology and an outrageously beauty-conscious culture, more and more men and women are going for cosmetic procedures.  An ad for the metrosexual lifestyle may as well go:  “Got a problem with a body part? Just fix it!”

BRAGGING RIGHTS (Mark 9:30-37): 20 September 2009 (Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

BRAGGING RIGHTS (Mark 9:30-37): 20 September 2009 (Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Today’s Readings

Dear Lord,

In the more secular world of the Internet, everyone seems to be talking about what happened at last Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards.

Country singer Taylor Swift had just won Best Female Video, and the nineteen-year old singer was really overjoyed because it was her first time to win the award.  In the middle of her speech, hip hop singer, Kanye West, stormed the stage, grabbed her mike, interrupting her speech, and announced something like: “I’m happy for you, Taylor, but I think Beyonce’s video is the best!”  Kanye was booed and got off the stage, while poor Taylor, unable to complete her speech, was led away, still looking stunned.

OUT OF MY DEPTHS (Mark 8:27-35): 13 September 2009 (Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

OUT OF MY DEPTHS (Mark 8:27-35):  13 September 2009 (Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Today’s Readings

Dear Lord,

Today’s Gospel story reminds me of what happened to me last May, when I was in Rome for a meeting.  Thanks to a Filipino Jesuit friend, Fr. Joe Quilongquilong, I got to join the Scavi Tour, touted as one of the hottest tickets in Rome. 

TURNING THE TABLE ON GOD (Mark 7:31-37): Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (06 September 2009)

TURNING THE TABLE ON GOD (Mark 7:31-37):  Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (06 September 2009)

Today’s Readings

Dearest Lord,

I’ve been thinking about Cristy these days.  I don’t think I will ever forget what I saw when I visited her the other day in the hospital.  I’ve been warned about her, but I was shocked anyway.  She wasn’t at all the Cristy I knew.  Her cancer had ravaged her body:  All skin and bones, she stared at me with one eye, the other forced shut by the growing tumor in her brain.