Reflections

Mal.3:1-4; Heb. 2:14-18; Lk. 2:22-40 Concerning the first-born son, in Ex. 13:2 it is written: v.2 “Consecrate to me every first-born that opens the womb among the Israelites, both of man and beast, for it belongs to me….v. 12 “You shall dedicate to the Lord every son that opens the womb, and all the male…

Is. 8:33-9:3; 1 Cor.1:10-13,17; Mt. 4:12-23 Our Gospel passage today opens with the note that John the Baptist had already been arrested. Jesus took that as the sign the he was now to go out and begin his public ministry. He was now to make Capernaum his headquarters in the house of Simon Peter. (Many…

Is. 9:1-6; Eph. 1:3-6, 15-18; Mt. 18:1-5, 10 A Jewish child was not considered mature until he reaches twelve years of age when he was given permission to read and study the Law or Torah. Before that age the child did not possess knowledge of the Law which rabbinic teaching held indispensable for salvation. It…

Is 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Mt 3:13-17 The first thing that comes to mind when we consider this feast, is the question, “Why does Jesus have to be baptized?” Even John the Baptist asked that same question: “I ought to be baptized by you and yet you come to me?” The answer of Jesus was,…

Nm 6:22-27; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21 Let us take this occasion to reflect on the Biblical passages on the Blessed Mother. The earliest passage is found in Gen 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.”…

When God created human kind, He made them in His image and likeness, male and female He created them. Then God commanded that a man shall leave father and mother and cling to his wife and the two shall become one. Since God is love, the love of husband and wife on this earth becomes…

A Tagalog conversation between Jesus and Sta Claus has been passed around, it narrates: Jesus= “Alam mo, naiinggit ako sa ‘yo.”  (You know, I envy you.) Sta Claus= “Bakit naman po?”   (But why?) Jesus= “Kasi sa Kaarawan ko, ikaw ang inaabangan nila.”  (Because on my birthday, they are waiting for you.) Sad but true. Many…

Is 7:10-14; Rom 1:1-7; Mt 1:18-24 Ahaz was king of Judah from 735-715 B.C., and Isaiah was then the major prophet alive. Judah was being attacked by the kings of Aram and of Israel and Ahaz was very afraid. Isaiah told him not to fear and the Lord will give him a sign of his…

Is 35:1-6a, 10; Jas 5:7-10; Mt 11:2-11 The 3rd Sun of Advent is known by its entrance antiphon that exhorts us to “rejoice,” in Latin Gaudete; and the reason it gives is: “The Lord is near.” As the Gospel narrates, John is already in jail and sends a delegation to Jesus to inquire, not for…

Is 11:1-10; Rom 15:7-8, 12-13, 17. Mt 3:1-12.             Today we are presented with the figure of John the Baptist dressed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and who feeds on locusts and honey. He is an image of mortification and self-denial.  In the season of Advent we are invited to…