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FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT—C (Deuteronomy 26: 4-10 Romans 10: 8-13 Luke 4: 1-13) We have begun a holy season of reflection that leads to repentance. We have taken in vain the grace of God to an extent that we are clueless in this life as to what to choose as the final destiny of our souls. If we take...
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THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY—B (Deuteronomy 4: 32-34, 39-40 Romans 8: 14-17 Matthew 28: 16-20) After celebrating the Three Divine processions of the One True God in the course of the year, we now celebrate the Unity and Trinity of the internal and external relationships of the Three Persons...
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THE SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT–B (Genesis 22: 1-2, 9, 10-13, 5-18 Romans 8: 31-34 Mark 9: 2-10) The spirit of Lent may be seen as unnatural and unnecessarily burdensome if we see it as an imposition. But if it is viewed as a means to strengthen our relationship with God, which has severely been damaged...
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ALL SOULS (Wisdom 3: 1-9 Romans 5: 5-1 Matthew 5: 1-12) Today, we celebrate the commemoration of the souls of all the faithful departed in purgatory. It is also a way to conclude the celebrations of our belief in the Communion of Saints. There are three categories of the Church or Saints. Those of us...
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TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME—A (Ezekiel 33: 7-9 Romans 13: 8-10 Matthew 18: 15-20) The very main problem that creates disharmony with God, our neighbor, and with us is sin. Sin is the result of assuming ourselves to be the only important objects in the world. For that reason we do things...
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TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME—A (Jeremiah 20: 10-13 Romans 5: 12-15 Matthew 10: 26-33) We continue with what we discussed last week, namely our purpose of being apostles. Our apostolic mission will help make the meaning of Christ’s death on the cross relevant at all times. Unfortunately...
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ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME—A (Exodus 19: 2-6 Romans 5: 6-11 Matthew 9: 36—10: 8) God chose the Israelites not because they were the most important people on the planet; rather He chose them as a beacon of His presence in our world. In a similar way, Christians are not the most important...
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TENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME—A (Hosea 6: 3-6 Romans 4: 18-25 Matthew 9: 9-13) Religion is our ascent through faith to that which is beyond our beings. Faith is a gift we all have. It is through this ascent, guided by the elements of God’s revelation that we come to believe in God. God is...
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THE NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME—A (Deuteronomy 11: 18, 26-28, 32 Romans 3: 21-25, 28 Matthew 7: 21-27) The Ordinary Time after Pentecost is designed to spell out how we must live as Christians. This is wrought through the Scriptural thematic development, as it is contained in the Sunday and Weekday...
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THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT—A (Exodus 17: 3-7 Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8 John 4: 5-15, 19-26, 39-42) The tone of the second theme of Lent is set. The first theme of Lent is about compunction. It is about deflating our inflated egos as we cooperate with grace to master our sinfulness and conquer our pride. The...
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FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT—A (Genesis 2: 7-9; 3: 1-7 Romans 5: 12-19 Matthew 4: 1-11) We are reminded that are dust, and we shall return to dust, as we begin Lent. This simple statement is the first of many that will be used by the liturgy of the word to deflate us so that we could be made anew into...
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FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT—A (Isaiah 7: 10-14 Romans 1: 1-7 Matthew 1: 18-24) The joy of receiving Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, in our lives is so intensified during this time of Advent that we cannot wait to meet with God who comes to visit his people. God who was thought to be Deus otiosus...
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FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT—A (Isaiah 2: 1-5 Romans 13: 11-14 Matthew 24: 37-44) Today begins a new day, a new year, and a new step on our pilgrimage from here on earth to the new and everlasting kingdom of God. As a new day, we are given, once more, the opportunity to amend our lives. As a new year...