Posts by Fr. Jasper Janello A. Santos, IVE
Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified
I remember once when I was much younger, my cousin and I were with aunt who was a kindergarten teacher. She was preparing arts and crafts for her class while my cousin and I were talking. My cousin then asked whether school is becoming more difficult. Before I could answer, my auntie chimed in, “There…
Read More“For We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”
Reading today’s Gospel, we may wonder whether what Jesus experienced when he returned to His hometown of Nazareth was proof of the saying ‘familiarity begets contempt’. The people are astonished by His wisdom and the miracles they have heard about, yet instead of believing in Him, they asked, “Is this not the carpenter’s son?” They…
Read MoreThe Painful Betrayal of the Lord
In the middle of the Holy Mass, the priest recites the Eucharistic Prayer, which is the central prayer of the entire celebration. Here, the sacrifice of Christ is made present again on the altar. And in that same prayer, right before the words of consecration, the priest briefly mentions one of the deepest sufferings Jesus…
Read MoreCrossing from Fear to Faith
It is never easy to speak about death. Even when it is mentioned lightly, the atmosphere often becomes tense and may be followed by some light knocking on the wood. What lies behind these reactions is fear, that even a quiet resort to little superstitions that have no real power but only reveal the anxiety…
Read MoreIt’s the End of the Year: What are Your Last Words?
Every time the year is ending, we may find ourselves wondering how everything seemed to pass so quickly. So many things happened and in an instant, this year is already at its end. Perhaps, it is because as we get older, 365 days are a smaller percentage of our entire life. Or to put it…
Read MoreLaw is Born of Love
Today’s Gospel presents us the consequence of opposing law and charity. There is the Pharisee’s interpretation, teaching that merely fulfilling the law is enough to be considered righteous. On the other hand, there are statements that insinuate that charity makes law unnecessary, such as “Jesus broke the rules for the sake of love.” This may…
Read MoreGod Lifts up the Lowly
Back when I was much younger, I often joined my friends in celebrating town feasts in the Philippines. These celebrations were truly grand and spectacular. Each house would prepare their own buffets and warmly (and insistingly!) invite anyone to eat. Thanks to their generosity, that day we would have free meals all day long! We…
Read MoreChoosing Christ: Lessons from the Gospel and St. Ignatius of Loyola
Today’s Gospel gives us a picture of a fisherman in a wide sea casting his net at dawn across a wide and open sea. Soon, the net swells with a rich catch. But then comes the reality. As the net does not choose which fish to catch, the fisherman had to sit and sort their…
Read MoreSantacruzan
We are at the end of May, a month traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Philippines, this is the month of daily offerings of flowers to Mary, which concludes today with special prayers and a grand, faith-filled procession known as ‘santacruzan’. This procession features young women dressed as Mary in her various…
Read MoreBetween Joy and Healing: A Lenten Trust in God’s Providence
Once, my birthday was on a Sunday. I was quite new to the parish, and only a few knew, which was fine for me. After Mass, a sister greeted me (well, she remembered…), and just then a parishioner approached me. She has been looking for me to give me a book she thought of giving…
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