WE really need to know who Christ is. That’s question that Christ asked his disciples and should be rightly answered by us, the way Peter answered it. “Who do people say that I am?” This is very important for the simple reason that we are...
TO be truly a Christian, we have to aim at nothing less than becoming “another Christ.” But before that fullness of Christian life can be achieved, we need to have an encounter with Christ and learn to follow him, that is, to be his disciple. Encountering...
OUR spiritual life, which is a matter of growing in holiness, in our identification with Christ who is the pattern of our humanity, is obviously a work of God, first of all. It requires grace that enables us to share in the supernatural and divine...
WE should be very careful with our intentions. Since they are hidden, we can easily play around with them. We can appear good outside but bad inside. Our deeds may be considered as acts of generosity and compassion, but the intentions may be those of...
“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Mt 6,26) With...
(An excerpt from the Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao, June 13, 2021 during the live streamed mass of the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time in Archbishop’s Residence Chapel.) One day, primero gani to sa Zamboanga pa ko kay mura’g espesyal...
In last week's Shalom column I referred to government officials, doctors and nurses, and all medical/health workers as people who create new meanings for old symbols. No, I was not referring to them as poets, mystics, theologians or philosophers who are the real creators of...
Fidelity is often associated with human relationships. Oftentimes, it is spoken with such deliberateness and delicateness as it understood to be a test of a spouse’s ability to remain faithful and loyal to his or her partner. In this day and age where relationships are...
THAT’S what Christ told his disciples. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.” (Mt 7,15) We have to be wary of these characters because the world is now awash with false prophets and demagogues. It even looks...
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.” (Mt 7,6) With these words, Christ is clearly telling us to take utmost care of the sacred things in our...