Grassroots Empowerment

Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, one of the heroes of this Church’s faith. St. Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941) was a Polish Franciscan friar, priest, missionary, and martyr whose life was remarkable for his self-sacrifice during the Second World War. Out of love, he took another man’s position and died in his place. […]

The choice of God for a people who love what is good, trustworthy, and honorable is not merely a matter of divine selection. It is a sacred invitation into a relationship marked by trust, obedience, and promise. In Wisdom 18:6-9, the holy text recalls the night of deliverance when God’s faithful awaited salvation with sure

Thursday in Week Eighteen of the Ordinary Time.   After witnessing the glory of Jesus in the Transfiguration, as we celebrated yesterday, Peter should have known better than to discourage Him from embracing the Cross of Calvary, which was essential for our ultimate salvation. However, I believe he now understands far more than we can

Every liturgical celebration has messages for our reflection, and we explore some of those contents from the readings or the rituals of each occasion. I was looking at the different ways we could approach today’s messages from Qoheleth, including the vanity of life and the seeming injustice of the inheritance of human toil. Indeed, as

Jesus was born into Jewish culture, significantly shaping His way of life. When the Scriptures say He came to His native land and amazed the people with His wisdom  (Matthew 13:54-58), it refers to His return to the Jewish territory of His birth. Notably, Christianity inherited several observances from Judaism, such as the Passover and

Today’s first reading from the Book of Exodus (33:7-11; 34:5-9; 28) highlights a powerful connection between the Church as a sacred meeting place with God and our own homes as spiritual spaces where prayer and worship also take root. Each time Moses entered the Tent of Meeting, the people stood at the entrances of their

Yesterday, we reflected on Moses’ leadership model, focusing on how true leaders take responsibility even for communal actions and engage with their people to seek meaningful solutions. Today, I continue that reflection by highlighting how authentic leaders use relatable narratives to inspire self-driven change. In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-17), Jesus speaks to

Leadership plays a vital role in the smooth functioning of any organization or community. In today’s first reading from the Book of Exodus (16:1-5; 9-15), we witness the people’s revolt against Moses and how his response becomes a powerful example of true leadership. Authentic leaders take responsibility; they acknowledge when things go wrong and open