Minutes of Hope

January 29, 2020 Matthew 4: 1-20 The readings for today carries a clear picture of God's  unfailing love for His people - a promise of providence and protection and a story of unquenchable affection. God's word to King David reminds him the many wondrous deeds He has done to him. From being a shepherd to a king and to the many battles and enemies he destroyed, God has always been at his side. And when David will end his thrown, God will deliver a new king out of his son to continue his legacy. He will also be a son to Him as He will be his God. A total assurance for David that whatever may happen He will never leave him. The same message comes from the gospel. The parable of the sower who generously sows seeds to different kinds of soil, good and bad shows God's gratuituos love - free and unconditional. Perhaps some of us are still struggling from many undesirable things. Maybe some are still having some problems in the family or even in relationship. Hearts sti...

Conversion of St. Paul, apostle 204th Years of OMI foundation anniversary Chinese New Year (Metal Rat) Mark 16: 15-18 January 25, 2020 The world as we know it today has changed drastically. We have things now that were never imagined before. People have access to information as fast as the blink of a eye. Even travels which was so expensive and impossible before are now becoming ordinary. Everything seems so fast right now. And so we think. But what have we become amidst these fast changing society? Have we become better compared before? Are the human hearts become gentler compared in years past? Or the world is getting away from what it supposed to be. What about our mission, as oblates, as individuals? St. Paul has been an unbeliever. For years, his heart was full or anger, cruelty, pain and hatred. For years, he survived being like that. But deep inside, I know he felt something is missing. And finally, God woke him up from sleep. God woke him up from unbeliefs, ideas t...

January 16, 2020 Mark.1：40-45 We all make decisions. We make plans. We make strategies to make things and life work. But often, our plans are not enough. Our decisions will not always be perfect. Why？Because we need God！ Our first reading from Samuel tells us of the battles fought by the Israelites against the Phillistines. Twice they were trampled down by the Philistines because they never sought the approval of God. The gospel is about the leper who asked Jesus for healing. And he was healed.  Even in our own personal battles, we cannot fight alone. We will never survive, we will never become victors, we will never be healed, we will never become successful if not without God. Our human strength, our abilities, our personal knowledge and expertise will never be enough. We will always fall short if we keep on believing that we can face our battles everyday alone. Let us learn from the Israelites. Let us rely on God not so much on ourselves. For God alone will suffic...

January 13, 2019 Mark 1: 14-20 The first reading is about Elkanah who has two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. Hannah, though barren is the one loved by Elkanah. Barren, unproductive, insecure and yet she captured the attention and the heart of Elkanah. The gospel tells us of Jesus inviting fishermen along the shore to join his group. Jesus did not invite lawyers, priests, politicians, engineers, pharisees, instead He called those ordinary people, living ordinary lives. This is the face of Jesus as He begins His mission. He seeks the extra-ordinary to the ordinary, searches for the essential among the unessentials, loves those who seem lost, sinners and unworthy. God sees beyond what we and others see in ourselves. Even in the ordinary, let us learn from Jesus to seeek the best in others, to encourage and inspire others especially those who are weak and poor, to love with no condition, and to see beyond the human eyes see. God bless!

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord January 12, 2020 Matthew 3: 13-17 Today is the baptism of the Lord Sunday. This is the week following after the Epiphany or the Manifestation of the Lord. It has a truly magnificent picture of how the baptism of the Lord follows after the Sunday in which the reading was about a child who was born on a manger. For, the baptism of the Lord shows us that even in His right age, Jesus remained the same as a child, humble before His father. When Jesus stooped down before John to be baptized, it was to show to us that even as a God, Jesus chose to remain humble. When we are becoming afluent, successful, when best opportunities are surrounding us, when we are applauded by people because of our achievements and titles or degrees, we often find our selves proud, over-confident, indifferent, bossy and the likes. Are we not simply God's instruments of His grace? Isn't it that everything that we have are purely God's grace and mercy and go...

Have you been tempted? Sabi ng Iba, Hindi po father, Ako yung nanunukso.. Sometimes we think that when we are tempted, it's all about me. What is at stake when we are tempted? Your future, others future, your faith. That's why parents when our child does something we know where he or she is going. And we then say, don't do that...or a friend sees that there's something wrong, more bad things will happen. So when we are tempted, we should say, no, your not gonna steal my future, my family's future, my faith. And god has given us the power to resist temptation, this is the power to dream. You dream for yourself not only today but the future, your have to dream for your family, to what will give them best, how to better help them, you have to dream a life with faith in god, a life where god is close to us. In every temptation,  ask god, god can you be trusted? First temptation of jesus. Turn this stone into bread. Interesting, bread is also our common tempt...

Today's feast of the Holy Family was instituted by Pope Leo XIII in 1893 on the Sunday within the Octave of the Christmas. It falls on the first sunday after Christmas. The Holy family is the name given to the family unit of jesus: the divine son of god jesus, his moth the virgin Mary and her most chaste spouse Joseph. The Feast of the Holy Family is not just about the Holy Family, but about our own families too. The main purpose of the Feast is to present the Holy Family as the model for all Christian families, and for domestic life in general. In our first reading, sirach instructs us that every family must be built in love and respect; rooted in the Fatherly love image of god. He tells us that to take care of our family, of parents will bring good things in life. It releases us from sin, live longer, and be remembered forever. In the second reading from Paul to the Colossians, Paul encourages the Colossians that a family must be built in love, compassion, kindness, humili...

"Come to me all who labor and are heavy burdened for I will give your rest. Take my yoke and learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart. And you'll find rest for your soul. Yes my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Life might be so burdensome at times. We engage ourselves in so many things and work and concerns that at times make us so depressed, stressed and weak. The Lord invites us today to come to him to find refuge, healing, peace and rest. Let us offer our work today and give him the praise that is due to him alone. Let's take a moment of silence and invite God to come to us. Let us listen to him speak to us his words that silences our troubles and eases our pains.

Ano bang mga palatandaan ang hinhintay mo sa pagdating ng pasko? Flowers, house, shoes, health, money, joy, family, relationship? What? The first reading tells us do not give up on asking signs. Even how many times you've failed The Lord, once you ask, he will be there to guide you. He will show signs that he is there with you always. The second reading adds that it is Jesus who is our ultimate sign. He is the son of god, the sAvior of the world. So if god is there what more do you ask? The gospel tells us that Joseph dreamt of an angel who told him that a son will be born. It was a sign for him to marry the Virgin Mary. We also face in that situation where we are caught off guard as to what decision to make. Ask god for a sign. Today's messAge is this, do not be afraid. I am with you always. I am the Emmanuel. I am the ultimate sign and I will show you many things just to prove my presence. I will do the Impossibles. I will guide you. I will lead you. I will help you ...

Tell the person sitting next to you, magbago ka na!" Yesterday we talked about the calling that each of us are called to evangelize and fight the demons.  Today we are reminded that for us to follow we must first of all change for good. Sometimes we learn the hard way. We wait for strange and difficult thing to happen to change or we wait for things to happen before we realize what we should be doing in thw first place.In addition, what is so dramatic in this conversion paul was when he was healed from blindness. We too need some healing in sight that we may see what God wants us to see. Theefore we are invited like paul to let god pass or stop us in our roads and let him change us.

June 4 How can I describe the Manobo-Dulangan? Its quite intriguing that there are some prejudices that I personally have and other Christians have against the Manobo. Because they are so many, and most of them are rooted already in every brain cell of the Christians, tendency is that its so hard to take them away. The Manobo have been judge unrightly by so many people. For me, their culture is very natural. They live not for themselves but for their community, for their family, for others. They eat, they work, they laugh not as a single person but always with their family. For them, they are one family, all Manobo is their relative and therefore, they have no right to be negative or to be ingrateful to them. Although, there are still some things that they have to change so that they can cope with the society. Their tradition is now loosing. One by one, they are now changed by the attitudes, mentality, perspective, of the Chritians. That why its sad. Its sad because if we will...

Going back to our mission in Kulaman with the Manobo community needs a quite long journey. the road still is not so perfect. There are still some roads that are muddy and under repair which makes the transportation going there is tiring and time consuming. It takes three long hours to go to Kulaman by four wheel vehicle. This afternoon as we headed back, our vehicle experience some problem. One of the wheels at the back moved near the mudguard so we have to have a repair in the middle of our travel. Good thing, we were helped by some friends. After almost two hours, the vehicle was ready and we continued our way to Kulaman. From Masiag where we had the repair of the vehicle, we still have to travel about one and a half hours. The rain just stopped earlier so the road was still difficult. We arrived in Kulaman around 7 o'clock in the evening. unfortunately, we forgot to inform our cook that we will have our dinner in Kulaman. So when we arrived, there was no food left. So we decid...

Epiphany of the Lord January 5, 2019 Matthew 2: 1-12 Today’s celebration of the epiphany of the Lord exhibits the manifestation of the Lord through the Magi. As the story tells us, the Magi closely followed the star and finally found the child Jesus.  It took them 300-400 miles, approximately 4 weeks or a month of walk or by camel, since they only travel during the night catching the star.  That took some time and patience to focus on the star. And several days, they have to wait until evening and continue their journey, never sure where it will lead them.  Never knowing where our life, work, relationship or business will lead us, let us keep looking for that star. Unfortunately, we will never be able to see that star when the sun is up, meaning, there are so much light that the world offers. Often, we think that these are the light that we need, little money, relationship, title, prestige, pleasure – but these are just the worldly light. We know...