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Reflection on Easter Sunday Year A, 2006

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  My dear fathers, brothers, and sisters in Jesus Christ, The Lord is truly risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! If you are truly happy today, can you express the joy that is within you by wishing the person next to you a very Happy Easter? Yes, my dear brothers and sisters, today is truly a joyful day. We have so many reasons to rejoice. The Lord is risen! Yesterday, I read the letter of the Archbishop, and it mentioned that during the Easter Vigil alone, nearly 2,000 people received Baptism. The Catholic Church is growing, and that is indeed wonderful news for all of us. Above all, we believe that the Lord is truly risen from the dead. As St. Paul rightly says, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain.” But today we proclaim with confidence and joy: Christ is risen indeed! As I looked at the beautiful flowers decorating the altar today, I was inspired to reflect on gardens in the Bible. The theme I would like to share with you today...
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Reflection on 3rd Sunday of Lent Year A, 2006

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  Have you ever experienced real thirst in your life? Not just a small desire for water, but a deep, overwhelming thirst? My mind goes back to Good Friday. In my place, we have a custom on that day: we pray the Way of the Cross and walk long distances—sometimes from one parish to another, even up a mountain. It is often very hot and humid. As we walk, we sweat, we grow tired, and we become truly thirsty. Along the way, some generous families place water in front of their homes for the pilgrims. When we stop and drink that water, it feels like the most delicious water we have ever tasted. Why? Because we are truly thirsty. In the Old Testament, God promised the people of Israel that He would lead them out of slavery in Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey. But on their journey, there came a time when they had no water to drink. They began to complain against their leader, Moses: “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? At least there we had water!” Moses turned to God in...
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Reflection on the 4th Sunday Lent Year A, 2006

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  My dear brothers and sisters, Today is the Sunday of Light, and we are blessed with a bright day. In the middle of this Lenten season, we are once again invited to reflect on the light that the Lord has brought into this world. In the first reading, we see how God asks Samuel to select a king from the sons of Jesse. Jesse presents all his sons—strong, handsome, and impressive. Samuel thinks that Eliab, the eldest, must surely be the chosen one. But God tells him, “No.” God reminds Samuel that He does not look at outward appearance, but at the heart. Then God tells Samuel that there is still one more son. David is brought in—the youngest, a shepherd, someone not considered very important. He was out in the field, tending the sheep. Yet it is David whom God chooses and anoints as king. This teaches us a powerful lesson: God looks at the heart, not at external appearance. This becomes an examination of conscience for us. When we are in public, we try to behave well. We pre...
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Reflection on 5th Sunday of Lent Year A, 2006

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   God is good all the time, my dear brothers and sisters. Today, on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, to understand the Gospel more deeply, it helps to reflect on the past few Sundays. Two weeks ago, we heard about the woman at the well, where Jesus offered her living water—spiritual healing. Last Sunday, we encountered the man born blind, whom Jesus healed—physical healing. Today, in the raising of Lazarus, we see both: physical and spiritual restoration. In today’s Gospel, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. In medical terms, when someone’s life is restored through CPR, we call it resuscitation. But what Jesus does here goes beyond resuscitation—He restores life through divine power. This moment prepares us for something even greater: His own Resurrection. There are many similarities between the death of Lazarus and the death of Jesus. As we approach Palm Sunday, we will see how Jesus is welcomed as King, then rejected, crucified, and after three days, raised from the dead....
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Reflection on 3rd Sunday of Easter Year A

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  God is good all the time. We all make journeys in life. Some journeys leave us tired and exhausted. Others fill us with joy and happiness. What matters is not just the journey itself, but how we experience it—and who is with us along the way. I remember once traveling from India to Madrid, Spain, with a connecting flight through Qatar. I was excited—I had a window seat and was curious to see who would sit next to me. A couple approached, but when they saw me, the woman quietly said in Spanish, “I cannot sit next to him; he’s Asian.” I understood everything, but I remained silent. The flight attendant kindly moved them to another seat. And you know what? I was happy. Instead of one seat, I had three. I could rest comfortably, eat without inconvenience, and move around freely. That journey became peaceful and pleasant. I could have focused on the hurt, the rejection, the discrimination. I could have allowed that moment to ruin my journey. But instead, I chose to see it diff...
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Reflection on 4th Sunday of Easter Year A

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  God is good — all the time. Today, on this very special Fourth Sunday, we gather to pray especially for those who have embraced the religious and priestly vocations. We are blessed to have many jewels in this parish who have said “yes” to God’s call. Thank you for your generous embrace of religious life. We also pray today for Father Binoy and for all priests and religious in our diocese. After every Mass here we pray for vocations — and I believe that prayer is bearing fruit: we have several ordinations planned for this year and eleven ordinations coming next year. That is a cause for great joy. We live in a time when vocations have declined drastically. Many do not enter the priesthood or religious life, and sometimes we do not promote or encourage these paths as we should. Even if we lack personnel to send, our primary duty is to pray. Pray that those called may persevere in the holy vocation they have received. When I reflect on my own vocation, I know it is only by God’s...
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Reflection on 6th Sunday of Easter Year A

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  Today we celebrate Mother’s Day. All of us have experienced the great love and sacrifice of our mothers. If we are where we are today, I firmly believe that the loving hand and prayers of our mothers have guided us. Therefore, I appreciate and congratulate all the mothers present here today. At the same time, let us pray for our own mothers. Every one of us has a mother. Whether they are living or have gone to eternal rest, let us remember them in our prayers today. I wish all mothers a blessed Mother’s Day, and I thank you for your love, care, and sacrifices. Dear brothers and sisters, all the readings today invite us to desire something greater — something beyond material blessings. They invite us to long for the gift of God Himself. In the Scriptures, God asked Solomon: “You are going to be king. What gift do you want from me?” Solomon could have asked for riches, power, or a long life. Instead, he asked for wisdom, and God granted it to him abundantly. If God were to ...
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