Uncategorized

As we celebrate the memorial of St. Agatha, the final speech of David to his son, Solomon, stands out as a source of instruction for us today. In the first reading (1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12), King David urges Solomon to embrace courage, maturity, and obedience, grounding his leadership in faithful devotion to God. Interestingly, he […]

Those of you who reflected with me as we took today’s first reading (2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17) may also have recognized that the passage’s outcome was challenging, especially given its tragic consequences for the people. However, the passage becomes clearer when we consider its proper context. The census conducted by King David in itself was

Today’s first reading recalls the death of Absalom, King David’s son (1 Samuel 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30-19:3). To David’s loyal soldiers, Absalom’s fall might have seemed like a victory that would restore the king’s peace. But David did not rejoice. Instead, he wept bitterly, longing not for his son’s destruction but for his repentance and

Today’s feast draws our attention to a profound truth: Jesus Christ chose to become like us in all things to transform our lives. This conviction shapes the heart of today’s reflection that he became like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God,

I am not a physicist. In fact, I did not formally study physics in college, except for a brief exposure through a course called Integrated Science, which combined several scientific disciplines. Still, later in life, I came across what is known as the Newtonian Law of Reciprocal Action, popularly called Newton’s Third Law of Motion.

Yesterday (2 Samuel 7:18-19, 24-29), we reflected on David’s humble acknowledgment of his nothingness before God’s abundant favor, connecting our lessons to our exalted positions as God’s sons and daughters through baptism. Today, however, we encounter a stark contrast. David, once the victorious warrior who led his people into battle and triumphed over his enemies,

Each time I reflect on today’s passage, recounting David’s humble reverence before God and the favors he’d received from God (2 Sam 7:18-19, 28-29), I remind myself of the same grace freely given to each of us. David acknowledged his nothingness and marveled at how God suddenly enlarged his life, space, and calling. In much

As I considered a fitting theme for this weekend’s liturgical celebrations, my mind turned to the concerns of the neglected and abandoned. No one remembers them; their needs count for nothing and are therefore not considered when allocating budgets; they live on the fringes of society, etc., but not forever in the eyes of God.

The story of David and Saul, especially Saul’s envy and his repeated attempts to take David’s life (1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7), echoes the spirit of today’s prayer for the legal protection of unborn children. Just as Saul had no legitimate moral authority to eliminate David, so too no individual has the proper or legal protection

Today’s readings felt very challenging for me to distill into one striking theme in a single stride. Even though the theme of God commanding obedience as better than sacrifice stood out in the first reading (1 Samuel 15:16-23), I didn’t want to get myself morally conflicted with the idea of totally exterminating the Amalekites. Nevertheless,

Last Sunday, I spoke at length (to those who attended the Holy Eucharist I celebrated) about John the Baptist, presenting him as an accurate model for how we should shape our lives in imitation of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Today’s liturgy continues that reflection by returning once again to the ministry of John the Baptist

When COVID-19 first emerged in early 2020, the way some people were treated echoed, at least in one painful respect, how lepers were treated in Jesus’ time. Social isolation was an everyday reality as people were separated from family and friends, avoided, and sometimes made to feel like a threat simply because they were vulnerable.