DEFINITELY, this is a big challenge for all of us who try to follow by what Christ teaches us. In that gospel episode where he faulted the scribes for being showy of what they were doing and praised a poor widow who put in two...
THIS is the challenge we have to face in this life. Christ told us in no uncertain terms that we should “be shrewd as a serpent, yet innocent as a dove.” (Mt 10,16) And that’s because in this life we cannot avoid having to deal...
THE lesson we can draw from the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin (cfr. Lk 15,1-10) is very clear. We need to give special attention and exert special effort to recover those who have lost their way toward God. This is the...
DISCIPLESHIP, as described by Christ, may command a very steep price since it involves a heavy cost, but it actually gives us the best deal. Yes, it demands total detachment from earthly things, even to the extent of “hating one’s father and mother, wife and...
THIS is the ideal condition for us. Our greatest and strongest passion should be to live our definitive eternal state of life with God in heaven, where we actually come from and where we should be at the end. It’s the definitive home for all...
IT’S the call Christ addresses to us when he told his disciples: “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relative or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and...
Every time I do my daily walk with Teddy, my adorable chihuahua, at five o'clock in the morning, we usually observe the beautiful sunrise. The fading of darkness and the daylight entering the new day amazes me. It reminds me of our struggles in life. There...
(An excerpt of the homily of the Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., during the 13 Parochial Fiesta of St. John Paul II Parish Los, Amigos, Tugbok, Davao City – Oct 22, 2024.) Diba San Juan Pablo II, ang among patron, ang among intercessor? My dear...
A constant flow of people visiting and praying for their dearly departed is a beautiful Filipino family value worth practicing. It shows our enduring love for our relatives who once shared existence with us, now etched in memories. Like them, we all are given gifts...
THAT’S when Christ responded to those who asked him what the greatest commandment was. (cfr. Mk 12,28-34) After telling them that the greatest commandment was to love God with one’s whole might, he proceeded to tell them without being asked what the second greatest commandment...