There are times when I feel as though Christianity speaks about suffering so much. Times like that, it is not a sermon about more suffering that I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear about healing and God’s providence. I wanted to know that I could pray and ask God for some relief from pain. Is Christianity all about suffering? Why become a Christian when all you could ever look forward to is a life of suffering and sacrifice? Perhaps... Read more
I work in a place where there is a constant barrage of noise throughout the day. That’s one of the reasons I find it hard to do a podcast or record my song compositions. There will always be some kind of noise that somehow creeps in, even in times when you think it’s already silent. A car would suddenly pass by, children would laugh and shout, dogs bark from a distance, or a vendor would suddenly announce one’s passing. Being... Read more
I wrote this article right after I felt an earthquake during my morning reflection. I didn’t receive the usual emergency alert from my phone, but I was able to confirm the quake’s magnitude through social media. Perhaps nothing reminds us more about our frailty like an earthquake does. Within a few seconds, we feel as though everything we have ever built could suddenly collapse upon us. Money doesn’t matter anymore. Luxurious cars are of no use. An earthquake arrives like... Read more
What is the unforgivable sin? Is it murder? Is it adultery? Is it cursing? When I was ignorant of the Catechism, I was so afraid I might commit the unforgivable sin. Imagine having sinned and not even going to Confession could save your soul. Just how grievous is that sin that it could send you to hell? Thankfully, I have learned the true definition of this sin through the Catholic Church: “There are no limits to the mercy of God,... Read more
Many times, as we watch television or look at our computer screens, we watch suffering people from all walks of life. We see the homeless and the sick ones. We weep with those whose loved ones have died from war or natural calamities. In a way, we feel compassion for them. And we even help them by donating what we could whether some clothes we could spare or some money to buy food and other immediate needs. It doesn’t seem... Read more
Have you ever thought about your long-term relationships? You may have a spouse you have loved all these years. Or you may have friendships that lasted through decades. You may even reflect upon your relationships with your close family and other people in your life. What do you think had been the key to maintaining those relationships in your life? If you could go back to all your years together, what would you see that has helped you go through... Read more
As a Catholic, I grew up knowing and accepting the fact that October is the month of the Holy Rosary. But it was only recently that I learned the history behind the celebration. First of all, this is connected to the Liturgical Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary which is celebrated every October 7. This feast was instituted by Pope Pius V to celebrate the miraculous victory of Christian naval forces against the Islamic Ottoman fleet in the Battle... Read more
Did you know that St. Teresa of Avila stopped praying for 15 years? And this happened right after a time of deep contemplation and prayer. It is said that when St. Teresa had a serious illness, it was nothing short of a miracle that she managed to live. At that time also, she exhibited great faith and patience in bearing her sufferings, all through the grace of God. After she recovered, however, that’s when the temptations began. Although blessed with... Read more
Think about the way people currently search for information on the internet They usually go to a search engine like Google and then type the related keywords to their inquiry. If they have questions about the Catholic faith, they can write something like, “What makes the Catholic Church different from other religions?” They would then be given a list of the various websites with possible answers to their question. Using their intelligence and preferences, they would select some websites from... Read more
When was the last time you heard God’s name in a disaster movie? Have you ever watched a scene where a person sincerely prayed to God? Most of the time, the “religious” person depicted in a disaster movie is one who seems to be out of one’s mind, someone preaching about the end times and scaring people to repent. There seems to be a stereotype to such characters that make it appear as though calling on God is illogical or... Read more
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