OUR PARISH PRIEST

Do you bear fruit? 3rd Sunday of Lent Jesus received a tragic report.   Some Galileans were killed by Pilate and their blood was mingled with their sacrifices. Jesus knew there was something the people wanted to insinuate, that these dead were the worst sinners in town.   Jesus even offered another instance of similarly tragic nature. Eighteen men died when a tower fell on them.   Did the people think they were also great sinners because they suffered thus? In the gospel for the third Sunday of Lent (Luke13), Jesus carefully scrutinizes the hearts, the motives of the people who came to him.   They so easily accused others and imputed since on others. That is a strong human tendency.   We gloat at others people’s misfortunes and think they deserve them because of their unworthiness. This is the object of rumor and gossip mills. But the Lord took a different response.   He did not join the people in their speculations.   He taught them it was not th

PRAYER WHILE WAITING FOR THE NEXT POPE  OF OUR BELOVED CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR THE ELECTION OF THE NEW POPE (FROM MARCH 1 UNTIL THE NEW POPE IS ELECTED) O God, eternal Shepherd, who govern your flock with unfailing care, grant in your boundless fatherly love a pastor for your Church who will please you by his holiness and to us show watchful care. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

GOD BLESS THE POPE EMERITUS! THANK YOU LORD FOR POPE BENEDICT XVI,  HIS GUIDANCE, TEACHINGS AND WITNESS OF A HOLY LIFE. THANK YOU, YOUR HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI POPE-EMERITUS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH!

TRANSFORMED BY PRAYER 2nd Sunday of Lent C Lenten readings call us to deep and sincere change.   Today, we witness Jesus undergo a profound change on the mountain.   As he was transfigured, he was enveloped in a brilliance that was out of this world. Isn’t he the humble carpenter, the lowly prophet, the vagabond rabbi? Look at him now in glory! Then there were the mysterious visitors from across Israel’s history – Moses and Elijah – conversing with Jesus about a certain mission.   Still more puzzling was the voice the apostles heard: “This is my chosen Son. Listen to him.” This scene will remain etched in the hearts and minds of the three companions who witnessed it (Lk. 9). The transfiguration of Jesus happened in an instant, like a flash that quickly appeared and as quickly, vanished.   But for the disciples, there already started a change – but slow, gradual, a process.   They did not fully understand but they had a feeling that as the Master was tran

TAGALOG PRAYERS FOR POPE BENEDICT XVI AND THE NEXT POPE STO. TOMAS DE VILLANUEVA PARISH PASIG CITY (TO BE LED BY THE PRIEST BEFORE FINAL BLESSING) A. Prayers for Benedict XVI (UNTIL FEB. 28, 2013) PANALANGIN PARA KAY POPE BENEDICT XVI PANGINOON, KAYO ANG PUMILI SA AMING SANTO PAPA, POPE BENEDICT XVI UPANG MAMUNO SA INYONG SIMBAHAN. NAGPAPASALAMAT KAMING LUBOS SA MGA TAON NG KANYANG PAGLILINGKOD.   HILING PO NAMIN NA MATAPOS SIYANG MAGLINGKOD BILANG KINATAWAN DITO SA LUPA NI HESUKRISTONG IYONG ANAK, MATAMO NAWA NIYA ANG SAGANANG PAGPAPALA SA BUHAY NA ITO AT GAYUNDIN SA LUWALHATI NG LANGIT.   SA PAMAMAGITAN NI KRISTONG AMING PANGINOON.   AMEN. (AMA NAMIN, ABA GINOONG MARIA, LUWALHATI…) B. FOR THE ELECTION OF THE NEW POPE (FROM MARCH 1 UNTIL THE NEW POPE IS ELECTED) PANALANGIN SA PAGPILI AT PAGHALAL SA BAGONG SANTO PAPA O PANGINOON, MABUTING PASTOL, NA WALANG HUMPAY NA KUMAKALINGA SA IYONG KAWAN, IPAGKALOOB PO NINYO SA AMIN ANG ISANG

HOW POPE BENEDICT XVI ANNOUNCED HIS RESIGNATION IN A LATIN SPEECH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_271es-StQ

TRIUMPH OVER TEMPTATIONS 1st Sunday of Lent C The more I admired Jesus when I read and prepared for the Sunday gospel this week.   If I were famished and given the chance to “produce” bread, I would have readily made bread, rice meals, soups and everything my stomach craved for.   If I were penniless and suddenly offered the treasures of the world, there would be no second-thoughts on becoming the world’s richest man.   If I were a nobody now given the opportunity to become popular, I am sure I would not have backed out of the chance to dazzle the world. I know my weakness.   How can I not be aware that I crave for pleasure, I dream of riches, I desire to be respected?   These temptations are universal, affecting men and women, young and old, rich and poor alike all around the world.   These temptations are in the DNA of humanity, and it runs in my blood too. As a human being, Jesus too was assailed by these temptations.   But as God’s Son, conscious of

papal transition after pope benedict’s resignation

STATEMENT OF POPE BENEDICT XVI ON HIS RESIGNATION AS SUPREME PONTIFF OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Full text of Pope's declaration Dear Brothers, I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has

FROM TERROR TO TRUST 5th Sunday, Ordinary What happens when a man or woman encounters God?   The question may even be more appropriately stated: “What happens when God encounters a human being?,” since it is always God who makes the first move. The first thing is terror. There emerges the feeling of terror on the part of the person.   In the first reading, Isaiah 6, the prophet describes how he saw the glory of the Lord.   He saw God’s throne and God’s assisting angels, the seraphim.   He heard their songs of adoration.   And he was terrified, afraid or more precisely, unworthy, to be in this awesome presence. “Woe is me!”   - was all the prophet could say.   Maybe he thought at that time that he was about to die, since he was reminded of his many sins. In the gospel, Luke 5, a similar thing happened.   Peter witnessed the power of Jesus’ miracle.   There were no fish and then suddenly there was an enormous catch of fish the nets were breaking