Learning to Stay
“See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”— Isaiah 43:19 Every new year carries with it a quiet expectation: that we will grow. That as we age another year, we inch closer to…
Grace in every moment
The Wounds that Lead to Healing
A Note Before Reading: This Is Holy Ground Dear Reader, If you have been following this space, you know that I believe real growth happens through facing discomfort. This week, I am putting that conviction into practice. The post you…
The Necessity of Discomfort
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how pain, as unwelcome as it feels, often becomes the very thing that saves us. It doesn’t always arrive as punishment—sometimes it comes as permission. Permission to pause. Permission to rebuild. Permission to begin again.…
Advent Calendar Hype?
As we come out of the Solemnity of Christ the King and begin crossing into the quiet threshold of Advent, something becomes unmistakably visible: the sudden explosion of “Advent calendars” everywhere. Makeup Advent calendars, perfume Advent calendars, whiskey Advent calendars—there…
DILI NAKO
We recently celebrated the Solemnity of Christ the King, which marked the end of the liturgical year — a moment the Church pauses, to look back before Advent leads us into new beginnings. Somehow, my soul is ending a chapter…
Christ our King
Today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, I put together several reflections and questions that came to mind. With the help of ChatGPT, I arrived at clearer and more beautiful answers — especially in…
The Majesty of Restraint
The phrase “Flood Control” has been ringing in our ears, not as a promise of safety, but as an indictment of greed. The recent scandal exposing the web of political corruption—ghost projects, substandard materials, and billions of pesos diverted—offers a…
Pag-aaruga sa Naglilingkod
Mayroon akong kaibigang pari na bagong assign sa isang parokya. Habang nagkukuwento siya, ramdam ko ang bigat ng pinagdadaanan niya. Nakakalungkot, dahil tila mas nananatiling “loyal” ang mga tao sa dating pari. Sa mga misa, kulang ang mga gamit; ang…
God’s power made perfect in weakness
A recent reflection brought forth a piercing question: What if your greatest weakness or temptation is actually the gateway to your fullest potential—where God desires to work most powerfully in you? This isn’t just a poetic sentiment. Within the Catholic…
The Weight of Keeping Someone Alive
Recently, there have been growing concerns about suicide. On Wednesday, October 22, I learned that an acquaintance had died by suicide — on the same day that Emmanuelle Atienza, daughter of Kuya Kim Atienza, also took her own life. Then,…
Late si Father!
“Dili ba ko makasala kung maglagot ko sa late comer na pari?”That was the message a friend sent me today, Sunday. I laughed and said, “Okay lang maglagot. We all do.” But that simple question leads me to reflect more…
Hala akong mga gamit!
When the strong earthquake struck this morning, only one thought crossed my mind: Masayang akong mga gipundar. What if everything I’ve built, bought, and saved for — the things I worked hard for, even borrowed money for — turned to…