“Those of us afflicted with a serious illness, as I am with stage 4 prostate cancer that has metastasized, are like Lazarus, our families like Martha and Mary.” The gospel reading of John 11:1-45 tells the story of Jesus’ miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. The passage begins by introducing Lazarus, a dear friend …
Tag Archives: Tony La Viña
Faith as a decision and relationship
“In addition to cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus, Christians are called to share that relationship with others” The importance of personal relationships with Jesus and discernment in the Christian life cannot be overstated. These are essential elements that ensure that we remain in alignment with God’s will for our lives and fulfill our mission …
How to be healed of our blindness
“We are all blind. But we can be healed through faith.” In tomorrow’s gospel, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Jesus meets a man who was born blind. His disciples asked if his blindness was a result of his or his parents’ sin, but Jesus said neither. He healed the man by putting clay on his …
Here we go again with charter change
TONY LA VIÑA, KALOI ZARATE, JAYVY GAMBOA ‘Do we really need to change the Constitution for economic reasons? No.’ Last March 6, the House of Representatives approved on third reading Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6 calling for a constitutional convention, or ConCon, as a mode of charter change. RBH No. 6 states that …
The Spirit of all seasons
“This Lent, and in all seasons, let us listen to the Holy Spirit” During his first Lenten sermon in 2023, Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap., the Preacher of the Papal Household, spoke about the importance of the newness of the Spirit and the need for constant renewal and conversion, both at the individual and Church …
The Samaritan woman
“We all need to rediscover the importance and the sense of our Christian life, initiated in Baptism and, like the Samaritan woman, to witness to our brothers.” For the Gospel tomorrow, the Third Sunday of Lent, we will contemplate on the powerful encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, one of the …
Saved in hope
“Suffering is always charged with mystery, difficult to accept and to bear” Benedict XVI headed the Catholic Church and was sovereign of the Vatican City State from April 19, 2005 until his resignation on February 28, 2013. During his papacy, he left remarkable sermons and messages that elucidated human sickness and suffering and what it …
Wanted: A just transition for the jeepney sector amid the climate crisis
TONY LA VIÑA, KALOI ZARATE, JAYVY GAMBOA ‘Does climate action really have to be at odds with the livelihood and economic security of those affected by the shift?’ The impending weeklong jeepney strike on March 6 to 12 has resurfaced the heated and spirited debate on the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) and the issues …
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Transfigured in suffering
“Those of us who are sick and/or suffering, through faith, can be transfigured as the apostles were in the gospel tomorrow, the Second Sunday of Lent” Our Christian faith views suffering as an intrinsic part of the human experience due to the existence of sin and brokenness in the world. Nonetheless, it also holds a …
Save Masungi: A park constantly under threat
‘The threats against Masungi might be strong, but we believe that its innate importance as well as its defenders are even stronger’ Masungi’s past struggles Masungi, a national park of geological and ecological importance, is known for its beautiful landscape and healthy geotourism practices. However, it has also become known because it is constantly attacked …
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Tony La Viña 