This homily was delivered at Mary the Queen on 17 March 2013.
Everyone loves a trick question, and today’s gospel reading is one: a trick question that’s also a trap. The scribes and Pharisees think they’ve come up with the perfect trap for the Lord. They drag a woman out into the public square and present to him a dilemma: This woman has been caught in adultery. According to the law of Moses, she should be stoned. What to do?
This homily was delivered at the blessing of the Oratory of St. Francis Xavier on 09 March 2013 in Xavier School Nuvali built in memory of John Gokongwei Sr. and Juanita Marquez-Lim Gokongwei.
We’ve never had a chapel before. I mean in all its 57 years of existence, Xavier School has never had a full-blown school chapel. Neither of our first two campuses–not the first one in Echague nor the one in San Juan–had the benefit of an entirely separate structure just to house a chapel. But today, thanks to our benefactors, we finally have an oratory for the very first time in the history of Xavier School, here in Nuvali.
This homily was delivered at the XS Days with the Lord Grand Mass on 06 March 2013.
I caught the film, “Argo,” on the plane. As you may know, this film, starring and directed by Ben Affleck, bagged the Best Picture at the Oscars this year. In it Affleck plays a CIA agent named Tony Mendez, and he goes on a mission to Iran to save six American citizens.
On November 4, 1979, militants captured the US Embassy in Tehran and held more than 50 of its personnel hostage. Unknown to them, six escaped from the US Embassy raid. In the film, they are hiding in the house of the Canadian ambassador, their future uncertain, but at least safe for the moment–that is, until the Iranian intelligence learns about their whereabouts.
This homily was delivered at the Spring Festival Mass in Xavier School last 08 February 2013.
In the Gospel, our Lord tells us not to worry, not to be afraid. So this morning, let me ask you: What are you most afraid of? 你 最 怕 什么？Here are pictures of some of the deadliest animals. I’m sure you recognize them.
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Note: This homily was delivered at the First Saturday Mass in Xavier School on 12 January 2013.
I’d like to begin by telling you a funny and embarrassing story which–unfortunately–is also a true story. In fact, it happened to me. A few years ago I had just attended a board meeting of one of the universities in Metro Manila, and after the meeting, we decided to go off for dinner. As we were walking out into the patio, a board member insisted on giving me his cell phone number. And that was it: The last thing I remember was keying in the information onto my phone, and before I knew it, I heard a loud splash, and when I looked around me, I couldn’t. I had to look up to see everyone else looking down at me with absolute shock on their faces.