When was the last time you lifted up your heart to God in joy? When did you last allow Him to fill your heart with happiness? Let us remember that our Christian life is not only about sorrow and tribulations. It is not only about denials, dryness and fasts. Even the Bible reminds us that there are days when we are allowed to celebrate in great jubilation: “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions... Read more
Have you ever prayed and prayed and not received the answers you are praying for? Have you ever wondered what is taking God too long? Have you also thought about God’s silence just when you needed Him the most? Why is God not immediately giving us what we pray for? One possible reason is that it could not be the right time yet. God in His wisdom knows what will be best for us and He wants to give us... Read more
Advent is a time of waiting and preparation that marks the beginning of the Liturgical year. Beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, it anticipates the coming of our Savior both in history and at the end of time when Jesus comes again. During this time, Catholics usually light the four candles in the Advent wreath, each candle representing the four weeks of Advent. Except for the rose-colored candle on the third week, all the rest are colored purple in... Read more
Every Christian knows the value of suffering. One may not know it by heart, but one knows it at least in theory. We are taught about it from the very beginning. Even our Lord did not escape suffering, and He warned us that we would also suffer in this world. Perhaps, it couldn’t have been clearer than when Jesus Himself told His disciples how necessary it is to carry one’s cross. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,... Read more
According to an article by Oxfam, the top 1% of the world’s richest own even more wealth than 95% of the rest of the world. If we come to think about it, shouldn’t the world’s resources be more fairly distributed? How are the rich fairing in sharing their wealth with the needy? To be fair, a huge portion of these people’s wealth may be tied to their companies that help provide employment to many. Also, these people may have also... Read more
Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Our Blessed Mother allows us to share in the grief of both Mother and Son as well as to be consoled in our own sorrows. As we pray the seven Hail Marys, we can reflect on the particular events of Mary’s life to grow in our faith and draw closer to her heart. Hers was a sorrowful heart pierced by a sword, a heart that weeps with her Son and that weeps with us... Read more
The Carthusians, an enclosed religious order founded by St. Bruno of Cologne in 1084 have this very profound motto: “The Cross is steady while the world turns.” It is no wonder that even today, not much of their way of life has changed. With monasteries across America, Europe and Asia, they are a witness to the truth embodied by their motto. Much of the world has indeed changed, but the truth found in Christ remains. The Carthusians, however, do not... Read more
There will always be a kind of sorrow in our Christian life. For us Catholics, this is very evident in the way we make the sign of the cross and keep our crucifixes posted in our homes and places of work. It is also shown in our devotions where we often recall the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. While Pope John Paul II reminded us that we are the “Easter people” who should rejoice, it doesn’t take... Read more
As Christians, we often contemplate upon the passion and death of Jesus Christ. While I was reflecting upon the crucifixion of Jesus one morning in prayer, a thought suddenly came to mind. What could Jesus have seen up there from where He was crucified? What did He see? Somehow, I remembered that there was a painting that wanted to show just that, Jesus’ view from the cross. I searched the internet to find out if I remembered it right, and... Read more
Have you ever wondered if there were times when Jesus couldn’t perform His miracles? If Jesus is so powerful, why can’t miracles happen more often? Why don’t we see it happening more in our time? There is one Bible verse that can help us understand Jesus more when it comes to His miracles: “And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.” Matthew 13:58 (NABRE) Could this Bible verse point us to that one... Read more
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