Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Tag: Jesus

  • BEWARE

    BEWARE

    April 19, 2026 – Third Sunday of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041926.cfm)

    Easter proclaims that the Lord has risen. Let us be glad & rejoice. We, Christians proclaim our faith that our Lord Jesus Christ has risen from the death & now is with us present – offering us new life in Him.

    However, we may ask ourselves: “Has the Lord really risen now? Who & where now is the risen Lord? How do we recognize the risen Lord in the midst of our daily lives now?”

    Surely our disciples in our gospel today must have asked the same questions.

    After they have witnessed the death on the cross of their Lord Jesus, they decided to just go “nalang” back home with a heavy heart & question: “Has the Lord truly risen?” Some of them have already seen & testified that the Lord has risen indeed. But these two disciples have some doubts & could not believe what they have heard about it. On the road back home, to their ordinary lives, lo & behold, the risen Lord appeared to them, went with them on the journey, be with them in their grief, sorrow & hopelessness, explained to them the meaning of what they have experienced & experiencing, and stayed with them for dinner.

    From their experience along the road back to Emmaus with the risen Lord, we could have a glimpse as to how we could experience now the risen Lord in our day to day lives.

    First, the Lord joined & walked with them in their journey. Meaning, the risen Lord IS & will be in our normal ordinary day to day life journey, & not so much on big & special events.

    Second, as He joins us in our journey of faith & life, we might not recognize at first the risen Lord with us. He usually comes then to us as a stranger to us. Meaning, we should be open ourselves to the unfamiliar/strange, unusual events in our ordinary life.

    So, whenever we sense something ordinary yet particularly moving, (like, feeling the cold breeze, hearing moving music, loosening up as we see and hear playing children, reminded of some memories, finding yourself talking to a stranger), perhaps the risen Lord is making Himself known to us.

    And above all, the risen Lord appears to people who believe in Him. However strong or weak our faith in God may be, the risen Lord can be recognized in & with the eyes of His faithful with their  faith in Him, most especially whenever we break bread together in  memory of Him in our Holy Eucharist.

    Through these, we may come to realize that the risen Lord reveals Himself to us as we are in our day to day journey of faith & life journey as He wills, not as we want & need Him to be. All we have to do is to be aware of His self-manifestations, understand what it means, and challenge us to respond to the life anew He is offering us here & now.

    And so as we celebrate Easter season, let us be more sensitive & be aware of the presence of our risen Lord in our midst, as we live our ordinary normal day to day lives, open to something new & unfamiliar things to happen, & see & respond to these encounters with Him through the eyes of our Christian faith.

    Again, Easter invites us to brace ourselves for with the risen Lord, there are more Lord encounters to come & happen in our lives ahead for the better. In other words, “Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.” BEWARE for there are more Life to come now & always with our risen Lord.

    So May It Be. Amen.

  •  Fear Locks the Door, Christ Walks In     

     Fear Locks the Door, Christ Walks In     

    April 12, 2026 – Second Sunday of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041226.cfm)

    In one way or another, there could be many of us living behind “locked doors.” This could be of our own choice because of the thought of wanting to protect ourselves. Or perhaps, we have been locked away against our will because of unpleasant circumstances that we have been through.

    Indeed, this is not only about the doors of our homes, but the doors of our hearts. Because of rising prices, financial struggles, and unstable income, many are anxious about the future. This can make us irritable, overly anxious and restless even in small financial decisions. It could also make us selfish or overly protective of what we have because of the fear of not having enough.

    In our relationships, the experiences of misunderstandings, betrayals, and disappointments can make us more guarded. We become careful, distant, even withdrawn. This means, we protect ourselves not because we are strong, but because we are afraid of being hurt again.

    On this Second Sunday of Easter also called as Divine Mercy Sunday, our Gospel today meets us where we are. And so, let us discern God’s invitations for us.

    The disciples, after the crucifixion, were also behind locked doors. They were afraid and felt lost. What happened to Jesus might also happen to them. So they hid and locked themselves in, not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

    What the disciples experienced can also be our experience now. Hence, there is also a kind of “self-imposed lockdown” in our lives. For instance, when we have been hurt, we could become defensive. And so, we stop trusting and withdraw from others. We refuse to invest ourselves again in relationships. We stay in our comfort zones, but deep inside, we remain fearful, anxious and restless.

    This is how fear paralyzes us and locks our heart. This is what happened even to Thomas. When he heard that Jesus was alive, he could not believe. His doubts became his protection and defense mechanism. He said, “Unless I see and touch, I will not believe.” Yet, that also means that his heart was more locked than the doors of the room.

    However, here is the beauty of the Gospel. Even if the doors were locked, the Risen Jesus entered the room, not just once but twice. The Lord did not wait for the disciples to open the door. He came as they were fearful, confused, and wounded. And the first thing He said was, “Peace be with you.”

    This is Divine Mercy. In His mercy, God does not wait for us to become perfect. The Lord meets us in our fears, in our doubts, and in our hidden places. He enters our locked doors not to condemn us, but to bring peace.

    That very grace became also the opportunity for Jesus to show them His wounds. Why? Because the wounds of Jesus speak to our wounds. His pain also speaks to our pain. When Thomas touched the wounds of Jesus, he encountered not just proof, but love. And it is a love that understands suffering and anguish.

    And this is the turning point. Thomas, who doubted, now proclaims: “My Lord and my God!”

    What find in the scripture today, is indeed also our journey from fear to faith, and from locked doors to open hearts.

    In fact, the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles shows us what happens when hearts are opened. The early Christians lived as a community and so they shared what they had. They supported one another and so there was joy, unity, and trust.

    However, this is the very opposite of a locked life, of hearts that are locked away. This means that a locked life isolates but an open heart builds community.

    Peter reminds us in the second reading that our hope is alive because Jesus is alive. Even if we face trials, our faith gives us a deeper joy that cannot be taken away.

    So today, we are invited to ask, “What are the doors that I have locked in my life?” Is it fear? Is it anger? Is it past hurt? Is it doubt in God?

    We ask this and hope for freedom because as long as we remain locked, we cannot fully live and we cannot fully love.

    But remember, the good news is this, “Jesus comes anyway.” The Lord comes into our fears, into our doubts and into our struggles. And He says to you and to me, “Peace be with you.”

    This also means that the Divine Mercy is not just about forgiveness. It is about God entering into our brokenness and restoring us from within. And once we receive that peace, we are sent. Jesus told His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” From locked doors, they were sent into the world. And from fear, they became witnesses of peace and joy.

    So let me leave you with two simple takeaways for today.

    First, allow Jesus to enter your locked doors. Do not hide your fears, your wounds, and your doubts. Bring them to Him. Let His mercy give you peace.

    Second, open your life to others again. Take one step to forgive, to trust, to care, or to reconnect. Do not remain locked. Rather, choose to live and love again. Kabay pa.

  • A Defiant Hope That Brings Joy

    A Defiant Hope That Brings Joy

    April 5, 2026 – Easter Sunday; Sugat

    Acts 10:34a, 37-43Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Colossians 3:1-4 and Luke 11: 27-28

    Happy Easter! We celebrate Easter in a way that is both beautiful and deeply moving, the traditional Sugat, the encounter of the Risen Christ with His Mother, Mary. It is a moment where sorrow meets joy, where darkness gives way to light, and where grief is embraced by hope.

    And this is very close to our reality. Many of us know what it means to live with unseen burdens. As Filipinos, and especially here in Marawi, we celebrate Easter in a context that is different. There are limits, there are fears, there are moments when expressing our faith is not as easy or as open as in other places.

    Moreover, some of us carry personal struggles, uncertainty about the future, pressures in studies, family concerns, and even silent battles within our hearts.

    And so, the question of Easter becomes very real for us, “Is hope still possible? Can joy still be found?”

    The Sacred Scriptures revealed today answers us clearly, and that is, Yes. And so let us discern God’s invitations for us this morning.

    In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter proclaimed that Jesus, who suffered and died, has been raised by God. This is not just a story but a testimony. A truth witnessed by those who encountered Him. The resurrection is God’s declaration that evil, suffering, and death do not have the final word.

    In the Letter of Paul to the Colossians, we are reminded: “Seek what is above, where Christ is.” This is not an escape from reality, but an invitation to see life differently by living with a heart anchored in Christ, who is alive.

    In the Gospel of Luke, we hear a simple but powerful truth: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” This means that true blessedness, true joy, is found not just in seeing, but in believing and living the Word.

    This brings us to the heart of our celebration, of the encounter between Jesus and Mary.

    Mary, the Mater Dolorosa, had every reason to remain in sorrow. She witnessed the suffering and death of her Son. She carried grief that no mother should ever bear. And yet, in the resurrection, she becomes the first to receive the joy of hope fulfilled.

    This encounter tells us something powerful that joy does not erase suffering, rather, it transforms it.

    This also tells us that the resurrection of Jesus is a defiant hope, a hope that stands even against darkness, a hope that refuses to die even when everything seems lost.

    Indeed, we may feel that our situation is difficult. We may feel small in a place where our faith is tested. We may carry doubts, fears, or even disappointments. But Easter tells us: God is more powerful than our fears. God is greater than our failures. God’s love is stronger than death.

    And like Mary, we are invited not just to witness this joy but to embrace it.

    To be an Easter people means to carry this hope into our daily lives. It means choosing to believe even when it is difficult. It means choosing joy even in uncertainty. It means becoming a presence of hope for others. Because the resurrection is not only something we celebrate, it is something that we live today.

    So let me leave you with two simple and concrete invitations:

    First, hold on to hope. When you feel discouraged, when you feel like giving up, remind yourself: Christ is risen. Do not allow darkness to define your story.

    Second, share the joy of the resurrection. In your words, in your relationships, and in your daily life be someone who brings encouragement, kindness, and hope to others.

    Today Mary meets her Son not in sorrow, but in joy. And that same joy is offered to us because Christ is risen and in Him, hope lives, and joy begins again. Hinaut pa.

  • The Power That Gives Life

    The Power That Gives Life

    April 2, 2026 – Holy Thursday-Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040226-Supper.cfm)

    Tonight, as we begin the Sacred Triduum, we gather not only to remember the Last Supper of Jesus, but to enter into its meaning. And we do this, as we carry the realities of our lives as Christians here in Marawi. Many of you have felt uncertainty in expressing your faith freely. There are moments of fear, of hesitation, even of silence. Indeed, in the past 4 Sundays, some of us have felt terrified of even coming to the chapel for our liturgical celebrations. Yet, we continue to worship, but sometimes with caution. Though, we continue to believe, but sometimes with heaviness in our heart.

    And in such a situation, we may quietly ask, “Where is God? What power do we have as Christians in a place where we feel small, vulnerable, and sometimes even threatened?”

    The Word of God being revealed tonight gives us a profound answer. It tells us that true power is neither found in control, nor in force, nor in dominance. Rather, true power is found in love that serves, and in humility that gives life.

    In the Book of Exodus, we hear of the Passover. The people of Israel were weak, enslaved, and oppressed. They had no political power, no military strength. And yet, God saved them not through human force, but through God’s faithful presence. The lamb was sacrificed, the blood marked their homes, and that night became a passage from slavery to their freedom.

    This tells us that God’s power is not always loud or visible, but it is always saving, always faithful, and always present.

    In the Second Reading, St. Paul reminds us of what Jesus did on the night He was betrayed. He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body… This is my blood.” Jesus transformed an ordinary meal into the greatest act of self-giving love.

    And then in the Gospel, we see something even more striking. Jesus, the Lord and Master, knelt down and washed the feet of His disciples. Let us pause here for a moment.

    Jesus had power. He knew who He was. He knew where He came from and where He was going. And yet, He chose to serve. He chose to kneel. Jesus chose to love in the most humble and concrete way.

    This brings us to the heart of our reflection tonight. We ask, “What is power, then?”

    Power is the ability to influence, to create, and to transform. It can be used for good or for evil. When expressed through love, it becomes service and self-giving. But when used wrongly, it becomes control, manipulation, abuse, and even destruction.

    Each of us carries power. As long as we live in community, we influence others. Our thoughts, our emotions, and our actions affect the people around us. In our families, in our workplaces, in our communities and even in our silence, we shape the lives of others.

    And this is where the danger lies. When we become insecure, when we forget who we are, and so, we begin to misuse power. We will try to compensate. We will try to dominate. And we will try to protect ourselves at the expense of others. This is how relationships are broken. And this is how communities are wounded.

    We see this clearly in Judas. The Gospel tells us that the devil had already influenced him. His heart was already leaning toward darkness. He thought that his actions would bring him gain, security, perhaps control. But in reality, he was being manipulated. He was no longer free. Judas was no longer himself.

    This is the power of evil. It slowly pulls us away from light, disguising itself as advantage, until we find ourselves lost, and away from the grace of God

    But here is the beautiful and powerful truth also of tonight. Remember, even in that moment of betrayal, Jesus did not withdraw His love. Rather, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples including Judas. Jesus offered His body and blood to all of them, even the one who would betray Him.

    And this is the power of God – a love that does not exclude, mercy that does not withdraw, and service that does not count the cost.

    Friends, this is the power given to us as Christians. Not the power to dominate. Not even the power to retaliate. But the power to love, to serve, and to remain faithful even in difficulty and in the midst of threats.

    And tonight, this becomes very concrete in the washing of the feet. Those whose feet will be washed come from different walks of life, young and old, civilians and uniformed personnel. This is not accidental. This is the Gospel made visible to us as a Christian community here in Marawi.

    Because the call to love and serve is not limited by status, role, or identity. Every person, regardless of who they are, is called to share in this life-giving power of Christ.

    In a place where we sometimes feel divided, misunderstood, or even threatened, Jesus shows us another way: to build relationships, to affirm dignity, and to serve one another in humility.

    Indeed, as Christians here in Marawi, our faith may feel small but it is not powerless. Remember, every act of kindness is power. Every moment of patience is also power. Every choice to forgive, to serve, and to remain faithful is the power of God at work in us and through us.

    As we enter the Triduum, we are invited to examine ourselves too. How do I use the power given to me? Do I build, or do I destroy? Do I serve, or do I control? Tonight, Jesus kneels before us not only to wash our feet, but to teach our hearts.

    And so, let me leave you with two simple and concrete invitations.

    First, choose one act of humble service each day. It may be small as you help someone, or in listening patiently, in offering time but do it with love. This is how God’s power flows through you.

    Second, examine your heart each night. Ask yourself: Did my words and actions today give life or cause pain? Then, ask for grace to love better the next day.

    Indeed, the world may define power in many ways. But tonight, Jesus shows us the truth that the greatest power is love that gives life. And when we live this kind of power, even in weakness, even in fear, even in our uncertainties we become instruments of God’s life in the world today. Hinaut pa.

  • Homecomings

    Homecomings

    March 29, 2026 – Palm Sunday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032926.cfm)

    For us Filipinos, culturally there are three occasions in the year that we come home, get together, and spend quality time with our family:   Christmas, All Souls’ Day, and Holy Week. These are the homecoming moments where and when us Filipinos BE with each other, that is where and when we experience, encounter, and meet each other again as family and community which usually lead to renewal, deepening and strengthening of bonding and relationships among family & community as church. While Christmas is for & with our family and friends, and All Souls’ day is to & with our family and relatives remembering our beloved dead, Holy Week is particularly our time and space for & with our God.

    Today, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of our Holy Week this year. Significantly holidays of this week is our church time and space to BE with our God. This week is specifically our God-time and God-space.

    This week then is more than just our chance to be with God but more so, God’s chance to be with us. Meaning, this week is not only our time and space with God but more so, GOD’s time and space with us, His church. It is more like God must be first and foremost “Be with us” rather than “we must be with Him”. The center or focus of this week then is not ourselves but God. This week is not about us and ourselves but about HIM and His being with us now.

    Thus, this is our opportunity to experience, encounter and meet God in His own terms and not on our own terms. The best attitude then is to let Him set the agenda, activities, schedules, and venue of this week. Meaning, to let Him takes the steering wheel. Allow Him to drive & lead your life this week. Let God be God, not be a god as we want or need Him to be.

    And so, these days of Holy week become our homecoming moments with God through the paschal journey of our Lord Jesus Christ, and so that we might be at home again & anew with our God.

    To do this and make the best of this week, some appropriate approaches might be in order as to how we prepare ourselves for this week.

    First, RECALL. As I have said, this is not about us but about Him. So, once again be reminded, that is to put into mind – God’s story with Us which is the Jesus story. We are to call again and remember (to make it member or part of ourselves) what God did, does and is doing to us through the life and mission of Jesus Christ in the past year. So, time and space to “Recall, Remind, Remember” God’s story with us through Jesus rather our story with God.

    Then, REFLECT. This is an invitation to mirror back or reflect back God’s story with and along our faith-story with Him now. In other words, “Manalamin”: to look and see our faith-life experiences from the point of view of God’s story and less from our own perspective, and to understand what happened to us lately with the lessons we realized from God’s story with us. Meaning, Be moved. Be disturbed. Be influenced. Be shaken. Be challenged. Be transformed by God’s story, presence, words, movements, plans, agenda and will for us – you and I, now and ahead.

    And above all, RESPOND to what, when, how, when and where God is calling, inviting, and leading you now in whatever faith-life commitment you choose to be. Meaning, whether you are ordained, married, professed, or baptized Christian, DO be a BETTER version of Christian follower as you choose and committed to be.

    Today we begin our Holy Week this year. Recall, Reflect, and Respond anew to what God did, does and is doing to You and Us now by being with Him, not in our own terms but in His own terms. May we, you and I, have a blessed and inspired homecoming week ahead with Him now & these days.

    So May It Be. Amen.