Commentaries

We see Jesus healing a man born blind. We hear Him saying “I am the light of the world.” What we see and hear is co-related. The healing miracle, the sixth sign in the Gospel of John, does illustrate that Jesus is truly the Light of the world.

The whole event of the Transfiguration is a moment of grace for the disciples. It is a moment, when the border between heaven and earth appears to fade for a brief second. It is a moment when, for a split second of time, they are blessed with a faint glimpse of eternity and God’s glory.

What do these teachings point to? Jesus points to an ideal. The ideal should not be forgotten or lost sight of, even if we fall short of it, or even if we cannot easily attain it.

You, my disciples of all ages, have an exalted vocation for the world. Be this salt and light with your good works effectively. Influence the world for good. Improve the quality of human existence and preserve it from destruction. Your actions serve as a beacon of light in a dark world.

This Sunday of the Word of God we see Jesus the Galilean back in his Galilee. What is Jesus doing in Galilee? He walks by the Sea of Galilee preaching, teaching, healing and exorcizing.

We see how John the Baptist, “sent from God” (1,6),  reveals Jesus to the Jews by word and deed. He baptizes people “that he might be made known to Israel.” He, then, orally testifies to Jesus as “the Lamb of God” and “the Son of God” – the titles, predicated of Jesus in the Early Church.

In his dreams, St. Joseph sees “the angel of the Lord” – the Old Testament designation of God in communication with human beings. He thus receives God’s Word and executes it, being “a righteous man.”

The doubt-filled interrogative of John the Baptist reechoes across time and space: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Hence our faith journey is really an odyssey, an expedition. We have begun it well, being bathed with the waters of Baptism. Let’s continue it letting the words of our Master ever ring in our ears “And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

Today is the first Sunday in Advent, a new beginning of liturgical year. The season of Advent proceeds the season of Christmas which is the coming of Jesus. Thus the spirit of Advent is about preparation, hope and penance. As the ears of a musician is sensitive to good music, let us develop the habit of being sensitive to the voice of God, to the signs of His presence.

Catholics observe October as the month of the Holy Rosary. October 7 is the Feast of Our Lady of Victory, now known as the “Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. Saints and popes have recommended the praying of the "Holy Rosary as the weapon of our time,” as Saint Padre Pio has put it, in times of personal or family struggles, or national emergencies.

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out… “Rabboni” -John 20:16

Corporal punishment is a highly prevalent practice in schools, yet it has not been demonstrated to be effective in training children.

Pope Francis’ fascination for the periphery continues to be reflected in the choice of the new cardinals. Six at one go is a first for Asia and a major boost as the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) celebrates the golden jubilee of its foundation in October this year.

Pope Francis has urged the importance of listening with the heart as the theme for the 56th World Day of Communications.

Parents are always deeply conscious of their responsibility to provide for their children, and they never fail to give them the best that life can offer in terms of education, food and entertainment.

Election Day has come and gone. We are left with the election results. But who are the real losers and winners?

A curfew has been imposed in Sri Lanka since May 9 due to the unrest in the country.

Former minister Lakshman Namal Rajapaksa, son of the former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse has blamed the wrong decisions of the government officials for the crisis in Sri Lanka, which is under facing an economic crisis, reported BBC.

Fr. Ramon Echica talks about mission in Cebu, the place where Filipinos were first baptized 500 years ago.

Stephen Borja, an officer at the Secretariat of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Youth, talked about how important the youth are to the mission of the Church because they are the largest demographic group in the country.