This year’s World Mission Sunday, Pope Francis has chosen a theme inspired by the story of the disciples on the way to Emmaus, in the Gospel of Luke (cf. 24:13-35): “Hearts on fire, feet on the move” according to www.vatican.va. Furthermore, the Pope shared that those...
(Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao during the Feast of the exaltation of the Cross and 72nd Fiesta of the Holy Cross of Davao College, September 14, 2023.) Holy Cross, the words are contradictory, nabuang ba ta? Ang cross kamatayon, pag-antos,...
To date the statistics of Christian Population shows that there are over one billion Catholics all over the world which is only one seventh of the total world population more or less. Because of this unproportioned number of catholic as compared to the world population,...
THAT rather amusing gospel episode where some leading Jews tried to entrap Christ by asking if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar (cfr. Mt 22,15-21) brings to light this delicate question about the human autonomy we enjoy in our temporal affairs. As Christ deftly...
IT was quite a stinging statement Christ told his disciples once. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees,” he said (Lk 12,1), referring to the Pharisees’ hypocrisy. It reminds me of what Pope Francis said to a group of new bishops sometime ago. “The world is...
THERE are times when our conscience confronts us with our sinfulness, usually the hidden and persistent ones, the way Christ confronted the sinfulness of the leading Jews of his time. (cfr. Lk 11,47-54) Instead of reacting the way these Jews did—they reacted with hostility toward...
ON the Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist, celebrated on October 18, the gospel reading is about Christ appointing 72 disciples and sending them to places where he intended to go. (cfr. Lk 10,1-9) Somehow, a sense of urgency was injected in this commissioning when Christ...
IT’S an idiomatic expression that means “to not understand or appreciate a larger situation, problem, etc., because one is considering only a few parts of it.” It’s an expression that aptly describes what was dramatized in that gospel episode where Christ was accused by a...
“THIS generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.” (Lk 11,29) Words of Christ that...
(Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao during the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Feast of Maria Bambinella, Sta. Ana Shrine Parish, September 8, 2023.) We continue to ask, what could be a particular reason why we rejoice, I would like...