(An excerpt from the Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao, March 1, 2022 during the live streamed mass of the 29th Death Anniversary of Most Rev. Alfredo Baquial, D.D. at San Pedro Cathedral Parish, San Pedro Street, Davao City) How about...
This is a true story. It came from a young priest who wrote me a beautiful letter which touched me to the core of my being. It was sometime in June of 1967. I just arrived from the United States and was surprised to be appointed...
“SIR, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.” With these words from the Gospel of St. Luke (cfr. Lk 13,1-9), we are...
THE parable about the ungrateful tenants (cfr. Mt 21:33-43,45-46) somehow reminds us about the importance of being thankful by reciprocating what we receive from God and from others. It keeps our relation with them alive and vibrant. Taking this duty for granted would actually alienate...
“THERE was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores…” (Lk 16,19-20) With this parable, Christ is telling us about the problem of the...
“BEHOLD, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and...
“WHOEVER exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Mt 23,12) With these words, Christ wants us always to be humble since humility is a basic virtue that guarantees our adherence to the truth. It enables us to be consistent in...
“BE merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged…For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” (Lk 9,36-38) We need to process these words of Christ slowly if only to conform ourselves...
The world has been dark and gloomy since the COVID-19 pandemic exploded in late October 2019. On January 2020 Pope Francis issued Oratio Imperata. Oratio means prayer. Imperata means a command or order which must be strictly followed. It must be a part of all...
Sin is the cause of any relationship that is broken. This sin may be disobedience, hatred, pride and the like. This is true in any relationship, be it among individuals, groups, nations or even between man and God. Lent is a time when each of us...