Category: PRAYERS

PRIDE IS JUST THE SYMPTOM (Lk 18:9-14):  24 October 2010 (Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Today’s Readings

Two people are praying in the temple, but God is hearing very different prayers.  The first, a Pharisee, claims his place–presumably, the “best seat in the house”–as he recites his feel-good prayer; the other, a tax collector, is huddled at the back of the temple.  The Pharisee sounds like he’s thanking God, but if you listen carefully, he’s really just praising himself.  The tax collector, on the other hand, can hardly look up in shame, managing only to beg for mercy.

Our Lord concludes by saying that it is the sinner who leaves the temple justified and talks about the reversals that will befall the proud and the humble:

“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

BRAGGING RIGHTS (Mark 9:30-37): 20 September 2009 (Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Today’s Readings

Dear Lord,

In the more secular world of the Internet, everyone seems to be talking about what happened at last Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards.

Country singer Taylor Swift had just won Best Female Video, and the nineteen-year old singer was really overjoyed because it was her first time to win the award.  In the middle of her speech, hip hop singer, Kanye West, stormed the stage, grabbed her mike, interrupting her speech, and announced something like: “I’m happy for you, Taylor, but I think Beyonce’s video is the best!”  Kanye was booed and got off the stage, while poor Taylor, unable to complete her speech, was led away, still looking stunned.

OUT OF MY DEPTHS (Mark 8:27-35):  13 September 2009 (Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Today’s Readings

Dear Lord,

Today’s Gospel story reminds me of what happened to me last May, when I was in Rome for a meeting.  Thanks to a Filipino Jesuit friend, Fr. Joe Quilongquilong, I got to join the Scavi Tour, touted as one of the hottest tickets in Rome. 

FARAWAY HEARTS (Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23):  30 August 2009 (Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Today’s Readings

Dear Lord,

Today you quote the prophet Isaiah as you complain about the Pharisees:

This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.

But for all we know, you could be complaining about us.  For all I know, you could be complaining about me.  You say you dislike mere lip service because you want nothing less than our hearts.  When I hear your words, I can’t help but recall my faraway heart.

DETOURS (John 6:60-69): 23 August 2009 (Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Today’s Readings

Dearest Lord Jesus,

It was a heartbreaking scene–that moment when you turned to your disciples after watching all the others go.  “Do you also want to leave?” you asked them, perhaps not without some fear.