As someone who is just starting mission overseas, I have contemplated where my focus should be in relation to the promised Kingdom of Heaven. I try to be a conscious advocate for social justice today, which is why I am wary of a mentality that disregards the suffering of the present, setting sight on the…
As the memory of Pope Francis lingers in our hearts, the words of today’s Gospel from St. John “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me,” capture well the meaning of Francis’ life and Papacy. The crowds lining up to pay their respects to Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica gave…
How often do we respond to Jesus’ question to Peter, “do you love me?”, as Peter did, “you know that I love you”? If we stopped and thought about it, we too might be like Peter and grieve that Jesus has to ask. I think we would prefer to assume that Jesus already knows without…
Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. The Apostle Thomas could not believe what he did not know. He had been at the last banquet with Jesus. His execution on a cross…
People’s organizations have a way of witnessing the hope that things can get better with collaborative efforts. It was 38 years ago in Baguio City, Philippines, where I am writing this reflection, that an indigenous women’s organization was founded. Initially, the Women’s Desk for Indigenous Women’s Education and Organization was part of a social action…
The setting: Jesus riding in to Jerusalem on a donkey and the crowds loudly shouting their hosannas.It is a time of rejoicing but at the same time, those of us who know the story realize that Jesus is on the way to his eventual execution. The Pharisees, scandalized by the scene that Jesus’ disciples are…
Like Jesus, we are weeping … in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, in Sudan, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Myanmar, in the United States, in schools, homes and public spaces around the world. But this week, even as we prepare to retell the story of his Passion and Death, we hear Jesus say:…
The Parable of the Prodigal Son, this Sunday’s gospel reading, is a story so familiar that it is easy to feel immune to both the breadth and depth of its message. It is the story of three people, a father and his two sons, and the actions and reactions of each of them in an…
This reflection was published as part of the Lenten Reflection Guide: A Jubilee of Hope. There are two terrible tragedies: the Romans kill Galileans at a religious festival on the Temple grounds, and then a tower wall collapses crushing 18 people to death in Siloam. Miles away from Jerusalem, however, the crowd with Jesus feels…
This reflection was published as part of the Lenten Reflection Guide: A Jubilee of Hope. In Myanmar, it is difficult for people to count on a steady income, land, even food or education. When their families, clan or communities cannot meet their basic needs, they rely on their faith in God and their deeply ingrained…
This reflection was published as part of the Lenten Reflection Guide: A Jubilee of Hope. The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to Jesus, “I shall give you all this power and the glory… All this will be yours, if you worship me.” But Jesus…
This reflection was published as part of the Lenten Reflection Guide: A Jubilee of Hope. Today’s readings call the community of believers to pious communal actions demonstrating penitence and prayer for God’s deliverance. The admonitions against hypocrisy indicate that it is not the actions that are criticized but the underlying motivation for doing them. Almsgiving,…
The images in Sirach and Luke’s Gospel in this Sunday’s readings create quite a mosaic collection of ‘fullness of heart’. The rhythm of winnowing, a potter’s preparation, and gathering fruit are not lofty images; they have been normal tasks for so many. What are we missing as symbols where we are and in the midst…
The people praised David for his bravery in defeating and slaying Goliath. We know through scripture that King Saul was very jealous of David’s success and eventually sought to kill him. David had to run. But, in today’s reading, David is given the chance to turn the tide and slay King Saul. He refuses to…
Last year at a social event where I was bored making small talk, I spotted a black man wearing a t-shirt that read, “Get your knee off my neck.” Assuming he might be a firebrand with interesting things to say, I struck up a conversation with him. It turned out he was a professor at…
One theme from today’s Scripture readings appears crystal clear – Call. Today’s sacred stories also seem clear about the circumstances in which the Call was given and received; Isaiah, Paul, and Simon experienced something extraordinary. They couldn’t miss hearing God’s voice in unusual external events, and they probably couldn’t say no. Isaiah was confronted by…
Available for Service and Mission Today the Church celebrates the Lord’s Presentation. The narrative is only found in Luke’s gospel. It was Jewish Law that the first-born son belonged to God and had to be “bought back” from God forty days after birth. Thus, today, forty days after Christmas, Mary and Joseph, faith-filled Jews, bring…
In the readings for this week, the “body” and the “spirit” are mentioned multiple times. What a juxtaposition! In mainstream Western culture, we idolize the body. How we look, how much we weigh, how we feel, (or at least how we are supposed to feel according to our wearable devices,) all lead us to obsess…
