Reflection Date: February 23, 2026 | Monday of the First Week of Lent
Daily Readings: Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18; Matthew 25:31-46
Children of God:
Exactly 40 years ago, at gunpoint, Radio Veritas technicians manning the transmitters in Malolos were ordered to lie face down at around 5:30 a.m. on February 23, 1986, a Sunday.
It was the height of the 1986 People Power Revolution that eventually toppled President Ferdinand Marcos from power.
Radio Veritas was then broadcasting news from EDSA and served as the mouthpiece of the people.
Armed men suddenly barged into the radio facility. Apparently, they had no intention of harming the radio technicians. They simply wanted to cut Radio Veritas off the air.
The armed men cut the telephone lines and other telecommunications facilities inside the compound.
For a moment, the signal stopped. But even if the transmitters were silenced, the spirit of truth and solidarity continued to spread among the people.
In the gospel story of Matthew, Jesus spoke about another decisive moment.
He described the Son of Man coming in glory and separating people as a shepherd separated sheep from goats (Matthew 25:31-32).
What are our inspirations for today?
First, God sees our hearts.
Jesus emphasized that even small, hidden acts of charity had eternal value (Matthew 25:40).
The world might not notice every good deed, but God does.
Today, we are invited to continue doing good even when recognition is absent.
Second, God’s preferential option to the poor.
Jesus described a kingdom built on mercy (Matthew 25:34).
The King identified himself with the hungry, the thirsty, and the imprisoned (Matthew 25:35-36). Power in his kingdom was shown through care, not coercion.
Today, we face daily choices between indifference and involvement. Who are the “least” in your life right now who may be silently asking for help? How do you respond when you see hunger, loneliness, or suffering around you?
Children of God:
The gospel teaches that love cannot be erased by force or fear. At the end of life, the question will not be how powerful we were but how compassionate we became.
Jesus already revealed the criteria clearly and simply. Every hungry person is an opportunity to love Christ. Every stranger is a chance to welcome him. Every sick or imprisoned person is a living reminder of his presence.
My lola, my grandmother said it well: Kinabuhing Kristyano, kinabuhi sa pagserbisyo. Christian life is a life of service.
May we choose service over mere silence. May we choose compassion over dominance and control.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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